Level of service of safety(LOSS) is a new concept in traffic safety field both at home and abroad.It is a quality index to describe the safety situation of roads and traffic safety service that are provided to traffic participants.Research status quo,concept definition,application and research content of LOSS were introduced.The classification index was studied.LOSS classification method of σ theory was put forward.The LOSSs of freeways in plain and mountainous regions were classified.LOSS is a new method to evaluate traffic safety quantitatively.It can not only describe the potential to improve road safety,but also provide a reference for traffic safety improvement projects.


The article presents  current  state of development of main electronic  state services for individuals  in Poland. Analysis  of electronic  services not  fully solvable  online  is carried out, obstacles are revealed, actions aimed at their solution in electronic  format are recommended.  Conclusions  on further  development of electronic  state  services for individuals are drawn.


The utility model relates to a double-rotor wind generator, which is composed of an inner rotor 1, an outer rotor 2, a fixed axle 3 and a wind blade 4, wherein the inner rotor and the outer rotor are respectively arranged on the fixed axle. A multi-stage winding 1-1 of the inner rotor is arranged on the outer side of a supporting bracket of the inner rotor and a permanent-magnetic ring 2-1 of the outer rotor is arranged on the inner side of a supporting bracket of the outer rotor. The supporting brackets of the inner rotor and the outer rotor are respectively provided with wind blades 4-1, 4-2. The fixed axle is composed of two parts, one part is a solid axle and the other part is composed of an axle core 3-1, an outer sleeve 3-2 of the axle core and an insulating layer arranged between the axle core 3-1 and the outer sleeve 3-2 of the axle core for separation. The output end of a tap of the multi-stage winding is respectively communicated with a bearing 6, a solid axle and the outer sleeve of the axle core to output voltage positive and negative poles. Because the inner rotor and the outer rotor of the double-rotor wind generator simultaneously and mutually rotate in an opposite direction, the speed of the winding cutting magnetic lines is increased by one time. Thus, the electricity quantity generated by the generator is also increased by one time.


Taking the Marxist philosophical point of view, this article aims at a framework of library philosophy, which is explored from the following six angles: matter and consciousness, motion and static, time and space, unity of opposites, system and element, and social values.


In this paper, a switchable textile communication system working at 2.45 GHz ISM band is presented and studied for different locations within a realistic on-body environment. A 3D laser scanner is used to generate a numerical phantom of the measured subject to improve the accuracy of the simulations which are carried out for different body postures. For the off-body communications, the system is acting as an aperture coupled microstrip patch antenna with a boresight gain of 1.48 dBi. On-body communication is achieved by using a textile stripline, which gives approximately 5 dB transmission loss over 600 mm distance. The system is switched between on and off-body modes by PIN diodes. Common issues, such as shape distortion and body detuning effects which the textile antenna may experience in realistic use are fully discussed. Robust antenna performance is noted in the on-body tests, and an additional 3 dB transmission coefficient deduction was noticed in the most severe shape distortion case.


We address the evaluation of quantitative measures for characterizing the dependability in the context of the Automated Highway System, based on platoons in which vehicles are driven by more or less autonomous agents, interacting in a multi-agent environment. Our work aims at developing evaluation methods and models that make it possible to analyze the safety of such platooning applications implemented in a mobile context with ad-hoc networks. Several phenomena such as accidental faults occurrence, vehicles mobility, frequent communication disconnection, are taken into consideration. This problem is challenging in the domain of automated highway applications and systems implemented in ad-hoc networks


Coal tar pitch is the staple product in processing tar,it,s yield counts for 50%~60% of tar.Along with the enhance of the demand of environment protection,conflangating coal tar pitch directly was restritecl,it becames a very important problem that how to increase the extra value of coal tar pitch by disposiny it more deeply,coal tar pitch slurry fuek is a effective approach for solving this problem.In this paper,coal-tar pitch slurry fuel has been introduced on the bases of pitch slurry fuel.The prepare principle of coal-tar pitch fuel and the research advance of two fuel: coal bitumen emulsion fuel and coal pitch-water slurry have also been introduced.At preseat,the report of coal tar pitch slurry fuel is singularly,therefore,it,s recessary to inhance the research and development of this product.


A search on any smart phone app store for menstruation, ovulation, or fertility trackers results in hundreds of choices of free or low-cost apps. Similarly, an Internet search results in thousands of commercial, review, and blog sites about these apps. Yet, a MEDLINE literature search using MeSH terms: menstruation disturbances, fertility, and mobile applications, does not identify any publications about the actual use of phone apps in clinical practice; it only identifi es publications about computer-based fertility tracking and issues in the development of phone apps (Fehring, Schneider, Raviele, Rodriguez, & Pruszynski, 2013;


The Yellow River,served as an important water resources in the Northwest and north parts of our country is facing the serious problems of water resource shortage and ecoenviron deterioration. In order to improve ecoenviron and to make rational and high efficient use of water resources so as to realize the sustainable development of environ,society and economy in the valley,an effective method to solve these problems is posed i.e."rational water distribution,market regulation and unified operation". Accordingly,based on the systematic scientific principle,water resource operation way of combining the macroadjustment and control with market mechanism should be adopted; and the valley dualwater distribution model being geared to ecoenviron must also be established; and the rational and regional distribution scheme of water resources ought to be worked out.


Two neutral/cationic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), [Mn3(μ3-OH)(in)4(CH3COO)(H2O)]·H2O (Mn-Ac) and [Co3(μ3-OH)(in)4(DMA)2(H2O)]ClO4·DMA·3H2O (Co-DMA), based on triangular secondary building units (SBUs) MII3(OH)(O2CR)4L3 (M = Mn/Co, R = linker group, and L = coligand) with the same hex topology are successfully constructed using an isonicotinic acid (Hin) ligand, and their framework charges are controlled by the synergistic effects of counterions, solvent and metal centers. Three MnII/CoII ions were blocked by carboxylates from Hin and μ3-OH, forming triangular cationic [MII3(OH)(O2C)4]+ units. Then in Mn-Ac, the CH3COO− counterion of the manganese(II) salt is used as a coligand, and it could be preemptively coordinated with the metal to obtain the neutral SBU. In addition, Mn-Ac possesses a neutral framework with low symmetry and trapezium-shaped channels with small effective pore sizes. When using Co(ClO4)2 instead of Mn(CH3COO)2 in compound Co-DMA, the solvent DMA molecules proactively blocked the remaining cobalt(II) sites of [CoII3(OH)(O2C)4]+, forming cationic SBUs. Therefore, the cationic framework Co-DMA was obtained, which shows open square-shaped channels. The desolvated framework of Co-DMA displays a Langmuir surface area of 839 m2 g−1 and more effective sorption capacities for N2, CO2 and H2 than those of Mn-Ac, which is probably because the cationic Co-DMA has a larger effective aperture and stability than the neutral Mn-Ac. Magnetic studies show dominant antiferromagnetic behaviours for both Mn-Ac and Co-DMA.


In two experiments, a recognition test was used to investigate the effects of emotional words and pictures on explicit memory. In Experiment 1, participants viewed a list of positive, negative, and neutral pictures and in Experiment 2, a list of positive, negative, and neutral words was shown to participants. A recognition test was conducted after a 30 minute interval. Results showed that pictures were remembered better than words. Positive emotional contents had an advantage in explicit memory when compared to negative contents. There was also evidence to suggest that explicit memory was suppressed when contents were negative. The findings provided evidence for the significant role of valence on explicit memory recognition processes.


Previous formulations of coda wave interferometry make it possible to assess the average change of the medium, but they do not allow for the spatial localization of this change. We present a new theory for localizing changes in the medium using strongly scattered waves, and test it with numerical models for different velocity perturbations. The technique is tested for 2D scalar waves. If the diffusion approximation for the energy transport is valid, we can accurately predict the perturbation in the traveltimes given a perturbation in the velocity field. Using an integral representation for the diffuse wavefield, we derive an expression relating the mean traveltime perturbation due to a small perturbation in the slowness field. These results suggest that we can detect and localize changes in the propagation velocities of the multiple scattering medium. We study the sensitivity of our derived expression for the traveltime change in a multiple scattering medium to different perturbations in the slowness. We validate our theory using synthetic seismograms calculated with a finite-difference algorithm. For the special case of coincident source and receiver, we obtain an analytical solution of the mean traveltime change of the diffuse wavefield. In this case, we are able to relate traveltime changes to changes in the propagation velocity that are located close (distance r < 4l, where l is the scattering mean free path) to the source and receiver position. For larger distances, the perturbation is difficult to detect because the changes in the traveltime become too small to be detectable for realistic perturbations in the slowness. For the more general case of a non-coincident source and receiver, we are able to detect the change in the traveltimes for longer distances when the perturbation is located somewhere between the source and the receiver. In general, for localized slowness perturbations, our theory predicts the mean traveltime change of the diffuse wavefield in a multiple-scattering medium. Thus, we need to perform averaging over many realizations of the experiment or over different source-receiver pairs to accurately estimate the mean traveltime change associated with a localized slowness perturbation. The technique presented here can be used in many applications such as medical imaging, non-destructive testing, and reservoir monitoring, to infer temporal changes of the multiple scattering medium.


Steroid, also known as glucocorticoid, induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head in young adults, which has been a challenging disorder for the frequent incidence of collapse of femoral head, leading to dysfunction of hip joint and impairing life quality of human. Bioavailable and less toxic synthetic retinoids, such as the atypical adamantyl retinoid ST1926, have been developed and investigated in clinical trials for many diseases. Serum lipid‐related indicators were assessed to elucidate the role of ST1926 in regulating lipid metabolism. Microfocal computed tomography (Micro‐CT) was included to explore the effects of ST1926 treatment on microstructure and bone mass. Then, the role of ST1926 treatment in regulating osteoclast differentiation was also evaluated in vivo and in vitro. In addition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) expression in serum and cells were detected at protein or mRNA levels. The ratio of empty lacuna in the bone tissue samples was significantly low in ST1926‐treated groups than in the control group. Micro‐CT evaluation suggested that ST1926 treatment could ameliorate the microstructure of the bone and up‐regulate bone mineral density in steroid‐induced rats. Moreover, ST1926 treatment suppressed osteoclast differentiation and promoted bone formation markers. Also, OPG, ALP, and Wnt3a/β‐catenin down‐regulation as well as inflammation up‐regulation could be reversed by ST1926 administration through NFκB inhibition. Hence, ST1926 may inhibit steroid‐induced osteoporosis and promote steroid‐induced bone remodeling by regulating the Wnt3a/β‐catenin/NFκB signaling pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2072–2086, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been a topic of growing importance in the last decade. Emergence of MDR-TB has complicated infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the re-emergence of tuberculosis in the West. MDR-TB is a major therapeutic challenge as the organism is resistant to two key anti-tuberculosis drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. Programmatic management of drug resistant tuberculosis using second line therapy has been standardized through the development of international guidelines1. In India, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) advocates second line regimen comprising of six drugs - kanamycin, levofloxacin, ethionamide, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and cycloserine for 6-9 months of intensive phase therapy and levofloxacin, ethionamide, ethambutol and cycloserine for the next 18 months of the continuation phase2. Second line therapy is more complicated than the first line therapy as it has reduced potency, severe side effects and reduced efficacy. Hence, RNTCP advocates that poor response to treatment should prompt an examination of the programmatic, clinical or microbiological causes2.

The lack of rapid, accurate and reliable drug susceptibility testing of the second line anti-tuberculosis drugs makes it difficult to examine the microbiological causes of poor response. In vitro results of drug susceptibility testing to the second line drugs also show poor clinical correlation leading the physicians to rely more on their clinical acumen than factual data. Empirical treatment is advocated, not taking into account the risk of medication to which the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate may be resistant. Pharmacokinetic variability whereby poor circulating drug concentrations may impair killing of isolates with borderline susceptibility is also not considered3. This may further amplify resistance. For a drug like ethionamide, where drug susceptibility pattern is difficult to determine and the therapy is empirical, development of resistance may be a serious cause of concern. Lakshmi et al4 in this issue have thus taken up a crucial investigation in the wake of emergence of MDR-TB and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

Testing for drug susceptibility to ethionamide, a crucial part of second line anti-tuberculosis therapy, is problematic as the difference characterizing drug resistance or susceptibility is small. Moreover, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is very near to the therapeutic index as commented by Lakshmi et al, in their article in this issue4. In addition, the drug is thermolabile, which makes drug susceptibility testing more difficult5. Due to these issues, there is poor clinical and laboratory correlation5.

Inspite of the importance of ethionamide in the treatment of MDR-TB, there are only a few reports on the drug susceptibility testing of this agent. The gold standard of drug susceptibility testing against anti-tuberculosis agents is the proportion method that uses a single critical concentration of drugs to determine resistance or susceptibility. Criteria for measuring resistance such as critical concentrations and critical proportions of drugs affect the treatment predictive value of the drug susceptibility assay. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined critical concentrations for various second line drugs taking into account the in vitro criteria for resistance using representative clinical samples and recommended a concentration of 40 µg/ml for proportion method of drug susceptibility testing of ethionamide6,7. Lakshmi et al4 also used the critical concentration of 40 µg/ml to perform the drug susceptibility assay by proportion method. However, the thermolabile nature of ethionamide may play a role in reducing the potency of the drug during inspissation of the drug containing medium. Deterioration of the drug during prolonged incubation period required for M. tuberculosis can also be crucial. Technical errors, as mentioned by Lakshmi et al4 like inoculum preparation, incubation and interpretation can add to erroneous results and should be minimized.

Various investigators have standardized the critical concentration of ethionamide to be used in assays other than the proportion method, such as MIC and MGIT960. Kim et al8 used a critical concentration of 5 µg/ml for MGIT 960. Mpagama et al3 used 5 µg/ml of ethionamide as the critical concentration to segregate borderline susceptible from resistant through MIC on MycoTB sensititer plates (Trek Diagnostics, Cleveland, Ohio, USA). Lakshmi et al4 recommended a much higher concentration of 80 µg/ml for MIC on Lowenstein-Jensen (L-J) medium. The sensitivity of the MIC improved using 80 µg/ml as the cut-off. Though the MIC method has been observed to be more efficient than the proportion method5, it has not yet been recommended to drive therapeutic decisions. The need of the hour is to generate more data on ethionamide susceptibility profile of a specific geographical region, since it has been reported that geographical variation in strains also leads to a shift in the MIC value9. This would entail re-calibration of MIC values for each geographical region.

In future, molecular tests may help in overcoming the problems encountered during testing for ethionamide susceptibility. Structural analogues, ethionamide and isoniazid share the same molecular target, the NADH-dependent enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase InhA, which is involved in the synthesis of mycolic acids. Hence, cross-resistance to isoniazid and ethionamide may be observed in clinical isolates. Ethionamide acts by inhibiting mycobacterial cell wall mycolic acid synthesis and requires activation by a prodrug activator, NADPH-specific flavin adenosine dinucleotide containing mono-oxygenase encoded by ethA10. The expression of EthA is negatively regulated by EthR, a regulator that interacts directly with the ethA promoter region. Ethionamide resistance has been shown to be associated with mutations at ethA and ethR10,11. It has been reported that the presence of a mutation in the inhA regulatory region together with a mutation in the inhA coding region is associated with high-level resistance to ethionamide among the MDR-TB isolates12. In a study at Mumbai, Vadwai et al13 studied 69 phenotypically determined ethionamide resistant isolates and found that inhA promoter mutation was associated with ethionamide resistance in 21 isolates. They concluded that inhA mutation could be considered as a marker for ethionamide resistance in India. However, since 69.5 per cent of the ethionamide resistant isolates did not have inhA promoter mutations, alternative mechanisms could not be ruled out13. Identifying the molecular basis of ethionamide resistance could be an important focus for future studies. Further studies are needed to address the basis for mechanisms of ethionamide susceptibility.

The future holds a lot of promises with newer molecular assays. Considering the problems faced due to phenotypic drug susceptibility profile, future assays for drug susceptibility may include a combination of molecular and conventional assays for second line drug susceptibility testing. What is also needed is better microbiological-clinical correlation for drug susceptibility profiles since there is a vast difference between in vitro and in vivo results. Bigger cohorts correlating the drug susceptibility profile with patient's clinical outcome are also needed to retard the emergence of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis.


The Zingiberales, including the gingers (Zingiber),
bananas (Musa) and ornamental flowers (Strelitzia, Canna, and
Heliconia) are a diverse group of monocots that occupy the tropics
and subtropics worldwide. The monophyly of the order is well
supported, although relationships between families are not well
resolved. A rapid divergence of the Zingiberales has been proposed
to explain the poor resolution of paraphyletic families in the
order, and direct fossil evidence shows members of both of these
lineages of Zingiberaceae and Musaceae were present by the Late
Cretaceous. Comparisons of the fossils with extant relatives and
their systematic placement have been limited because variation
within modern taxa is not completely known. The current study
focuses on describing zingiberalean fossil material from North
Dakota that includes seeds, leaves, buds, adventitious roots and
rhizomes. A survey of extant zingiberalean seeds was conducted,
including descriptions of those for which data were previously
unknown, in order to resolve the taxonomic placement of the fossil
material. Upon careful examination, anatomical characters of the
seed coat in fossil and extant seeds provide the basis for a more
accurate taxonomic placement of the fossils and a better
understanding of character evolution within the
order.


Biogas production rate was investigated from the co-digestion of 39 kg each of food waste, cow dung and water; 39 kg each of food waste, poultry droppings and water as well as 39 kg each of food waste, fruit waste and water in 43 litres plastic digester setup. Although organic waste mix ratios with higher moisture content can influence decomposition rate, HRT and biogas yield, 1:1:1 mix ratio was used in this investigation. The total rate of biogas produced from the co-digestion of food waste with poultry droppings and water (39 kg) in the ratio of 1:1:1 was 4120 g of raw biogas and 3700 g of purified biogas within with Hydraulic Retention Time 32 days, whereas, the co-digestion of food waste with cow dung and water (39 kg) in the same 1:1:1 ratio yielded a total raw biogas of 5830 g and 4920 g of purified biogas with HRT of 35 days. However, co-digestion of food waste with fruit waster and water (39 kg) in the same ratio yielded a total raw biogas of 5010 g and purified biogas 4330 g with HRT of 33 days. Raw biogas produced from each organic feedstock was channelled through a scrubbing unit comprising distilled water and Type B silica gel. After the raw biogas had passed through the distilled water stream, its pH dropped drastically from neutral range to ultra-acidic range (7-3.2), while it also had milky color and sour taste, indicating the presence of carbonic acid (H2CO3) as a result of carbon dioxide (content in the raw biogas) dissolution in the distilled water. Color of the Type B silica gel changed from crystal pink to crystal blue, indicating the absorption of water content in the biogas by silica gel particles. Organic waste is a renewable energy resource that can offset Nigeria's increasing demand for energy if harnessed and processed into cooking gas and organic fertilizers before disposal, in which case can also prevent Green House Gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere.


Growth in the wireless telecommunication market. An important part to the systems is the laminate material chosen to carry the high frequency carrier signals. Available to desipers today is a wide range of materials ranging from the low cost difunctional epoxy/glass (FR4) to the high performance PTFE based laminates. This work focuses on critical electrical properties of the various laminate options and their stability against frequency and temperature. The effect of changing electrical properties is also quantified by measuring the impact on RF/microwave circuitry.


I&C systems are an important part of the design of uclear power plants regarding their safe and reliable operation. This implies that proper I& C modeling in the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) is a key tool for the plant design er to ensure that the design meets the safety goals with high confidence and an adequate l ev l of margin taking into account that this shall be fulfilled during all the life cycle o f the facility. For example, the following objectives have to be taken into account when imple enting I&C in the PSA. The PSA I&C model shall provide: • A support to design in all design phases (includi ng easy and comprehensive analysis of the minimal cutsets). • A support to licensing by giving high confidence to the plant owner and the regulator in the modeling. • The capacity to assess whether the final design m eets the probabilistic objectives with high level of confidence. • An assessment that diversity of systems and compo nents in the overall I&C architecture is sufficient from a probabilistic point of view. • The mapping of the I&C component dependencies (in cluding support systems). In addition, the I&C model should be easy to update nd suitable for Risk-Informed Applications and Risk Monitoring. This paper explains: 1. How AREVA NP is using feedback from I&C modeling performed for PSAs for EPRTM reactor of Olkiluoto 3, Taishan 1&2 and US EPR in o rder to build a methodology for an efficient I&C modeling during the different phases of a PSA, from conceptual design to detailed design. 2. How the different modeling assumptions are docum ented. 3. How hardware and software reliability data are s ubstantiated. 4. How links can be made with specific detailed I&C systems reliability analysis that can be performed apart from the PSA in order to justify th at modeling in the PSA is adequate..


SOLUTION: In existing cellular communication system infrastructure, to allow for both point-to-multipoint communication services and point-to-point communication services, in a cellular communication system infrastructure, allocated for point-to-multipoint service devices and systems are described for channel management and overhead functions associated with use of the obtained channel. .FIELD 1


Since 2005, Thailand has suffered a series of major political disruptions. In 2006 then Prime Minister Thaksin Chinnawat was ousted by a military coup. Large street protests in 2008, 2009, and 2010 continued to produce political instability. In 2010, the demonstrations culminated in nearly 100 deaths and an estimated $1.5 billion in arson damage. Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Chinnawat, assumed power after the 2011 general election. Though ostensibly Thailand's head of state, she is widely believed to be a mere figurehead, with her brother Thaksin playing a major role in the government from Dubai, host of his self-imposed exile.


The goal of this paper is to carry out the comparative dynamic analysis of value added as part of gross output created by the industry A01 (Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities) in the Baltic States and Finland in the period of 2000-2014. The empirical material of the study is the National InputOutput Tables for the Period 2000-2014 available on the World Input-Output Database with its unified structured statistical information in monetary terms. The main theoretical tool is the original version of the Input-Output model created by the authors that allows to calculate and interpret the interindustry coefficients, Leontief inverse, allocation coefficients, Ghosh inverse. The time series of value added as part of gross output in the industry A01 are investigated. Although this indicator decreases in all examined countries, the comparative approach allows us to identify sufficient differences in the industry's A01 value added formation in the respective countries. The Input-Output model allows us to provide holistic investigation of the industry's A01 one monetary unit gross output production costs dynamics. The discussion part of the paper is devoted to identifying the most important reasons for differences in economic efficiency (in the sense of value added creation) of the industry A01 in the Baltic States and Finland. We define the objective and other reasons, which cause average cost increase in all examined countries. We also identify the differences in the structure of average cost vectors, which indicate historically formed and existing technological differences in A01 economy.


We analysed the possibility of reintroducing the European bison (Bison bonasus L.) in the north of Romania—in Suceava, Neamț, and Maramureș counties—as well as increasing the wild European bison population in Neamț county to improve the genetic quality of the existing population. Currently, there is a population of over 50 individuals in the wild in Vânători Neamț Natural Park, Romania. At the same time, an attempt was made to identify the connecting corridors between the free European bison in Neamț county and other populations through new nuclei of European bison released in Suceava and Maramureș counties. In this regard, the hunting grounds with the highest ecological potential for the analysed species were identified using GIS spatial analysis techniques. The aim was also to trace possible ecological corridors linking different reintroduction locations, taking into account the ecological claims of the species. The analysis also followed the size of the European bison groups to be released, the sex ratio of each group, and the periodicity of their releasing. In order to reach viable populations, scenarios and simulations were carried out depending on the age, number, and sex of the relocated specimens. In this regard, the dynamics and the minimum viable population that could survive without risk of extinction were highlighted. The analysis showed that the analysed area has a high potential for the reintroduction of European bison in the wild. The release and creation of new European bison nuclei in the wild creates the premises for natural contacts with the existing free populations in the wild, genetic improvement, and increasing fauna diversity with ecological, social, and economic implications.


A 35-year-old female office worker attended a popular weekend course to develop her interest in making resin jewellery. This involved using a two-part polyurethane resin system that, according to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), contained 70–90% 4,4′dicyclohexylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate (DMDI; CAS 5124-30-1). The two components were mixed, poured into a silicone mould, and allowed to set. On one occasion when the patient did not use gloves, her skin came into direct contact with the polyurethane mixture. The next day, she developed an acute pruritic eruption on her right index finger. Two weeks later, after further resin jewellery making, she developed a pruritic eczematous eruption on her face, neck, and hands. This resolved with topical and oral corticosteroids and avoidance of further jewellery making. There were no associated respiratory symptoms. She no longer undertakes any jewellery making, and has had no recurrences.


Recently several publications have been pronounced the relationship among Diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis patients, certainly the rise in the frequency of dynamic Diabetes mellitus in patients with tuberculosis and due to minor cure leading in Diabetes mellitus patients compared to those having no diabetic disorder. This research study was accompanied in the outpatient clinic shortened directly observed therapy (DOTS) center Kohat. Diabetes mellitus 1 Corresponding author: firstname.lastname@example.com Nafisa Batool Tahir, Qazi Tahir Uddin, Syed Sajid Munir, Abdul Waheed, Saqib Waheed, Hidayatullah, Muhammad DaudPrevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in tuberculosis patients at DOTS regional centre KMU-IMS teaching Hospital Kohat EUROPEAN ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. II, Issue 7 / October 2014 9949 individualls were arbitrarily selected by simple random sampling technique, the history and risk factors were collected through consent Questionnaire and blood samples were collected by nurse and were tested for glucose with hand-held glucometer. The level of random blood glucose of diabetes Mellitus were of level of 200 or> 200 mg / dl with signs of high thirst, polyurea, weight loss, fatigue, weakness and blurred vision. In this study the HIV positive patients were excluded. The total no of patients which were included in the study were two hundred and fifty three (253), out of which 112 (44.26%) were males and 141 (55.73%) were females. Among 253 patients 48 (18.97%) patients were having blood glucose levels more than 200mg/dl, 65 (25.69%) patients were having blood glucose levels between 150-200 mg/dl, whereas 140(55.33%) were having blood glucose level below 150 mg/dl. The incidence of diabetes mellitus was increased in tuberculosis patients which can affect curing consequences. The finding of Diabetes Mellitus in tuberculosis patients was based on very simple test that can advance database presentation. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes amongst a group of Tuberculosis patients listed in selected Tuberculosis Units (TUs) of National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP) in KMU-IMS teaching Hospital Kohat KhyberPakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan and recognize the pattern of diabetes organization availed by the known diabetes cases.


Based on rural economy statistics data in autonomous counties of Longsheng,Guangxi during 1991- 2010,the logarithmic model was established to analyze effects of grain sowing area,agricultural machinery power,technician,labour force,intermediate consumption,inflation rate on farmers' net income. The results showed that,grain sowing area,agricultural machinery power,technician,labour force,inflation rate have positive promotion effect on farmers' net income,while intermediate consumption plays contradictory effect. In order to improve farmers' income,several suggestions were put foward,including improving farmers' culture quality,strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction,perfecting grain exchange mechanism,reforming land system.


In this study, new measured angular distributions of the elastic scattering of 7 Li from 159 Tb at various incident energies are analyzed by using phenomenological and microscopic approaches. In phenomenological calculations, Woods-Saxon potentials are used. For microscopic approach, the real part of the optical potential is collected in two steps; real potential with M3Y together with an imaginary part in Woods-Saxon form and real and imaginary folding potentials. Three different density distributions of the 7 Li projectile are investigated while the double folding calculations are performed. The emphasis, in this work, is to study the impact of both different nuclear potentials and different density distributions on the elastic scattering of new measured experimental data of the 7 Li + 159 Tb reaction. The results provide a good description of the experimental data.


Constructing an agricultural output series requires a rational economic basis on which to convert one crop into another, and a conversion method using only the information which we have at our disposal. The traditional method fails on both counts. We develop two alternative methods. The first is extremely parsimonious but imprecise; the second is less parsimonious but allows us to isolate the effect of different crop rotations on wheat yields. We compare the three methods using the farm dataset compiled by Arthur Young on his tours of England and Wales during the Agricultural Revolution and we show that new fallow crops substantially increased the wheat yield.


Abstract : The invention involves a method of alloying light alloys with nitrogen, added in the chemically bonded state (1-10 percent N added as aluminum hexachloroammoniate). Improvement in mechanical properties is indicated, but no quantitative data given. (Author)


Objective\ To investigate if pulsing electromagnetic fields(PEMFs)can prevent osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Methods\ Female adult SD rats were divided randomly in to normal control(CN),ovariectomized (O),OVX plus estrogen treated (E),and OVX plus PEMFs treated (EM) groups.The biomechanical characteristics,bone density and bone morphology were detected to evaluate the difference between threeOVX groups and normal control group. Results\ Compared with N group,the biomechanical characteristics and BMD in O group both decreased significantly ( P 0 01).Treatment with PEMFs showed not only better biomechanical characteristics and significantly higher BMD than 0 group( P 0 01),but also better biomechanical properties than N and E groups ( P 0 01),although BMD in EM group did not reach normal ( P 0 05).In addition,the trabeculae in EM group determined by bone morphology were thicker and denser than those in other groups,and the appearance and arrangement of trabeculae in EM group were regular. Conclusion\ PEMFs can reduce the bone loss,improve the biomechanical properties of the bone and prevent osteoporosis in OVX rats.Its effect seems better than estrogen,at least in bone quality.


Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients exhibit lower peak oxygen uptake (V′O2peak), altered muscle metabolism and impaired exercise tolerance compared with age-matched controls. Whether these traits reflect muscle-level deconditioning (impacted by ventilatory constraints) and/or dysfunction in mitochondrial ATP production capacity is debated. By studying aerobic exercise training (AET) at a matched relative intensity and subsequent exercise withdrawal period we aimed to elucidate the whole-body and muscle mitochondrial responsiveness of healthy young (HY), healthy older (HO) and COPD volunteers to whole-body exercise. Methods HY (n=10), HO (n=10) and COPD (n=20) volunteers were studied before and after 8 weeks of AET (65% V′O2peak) and after 4 weeks of exercise withdrawal. V′O2peak, muscle maximal mitochondrial ATP production rate (MAPR), mitochondrial content, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and abundance of 59 targeted fuel metabolism mRNAs were determined at all time-points. Results Muscle MAPR (normalised for mitochondrial content) was not different for any substrate combination in HO, HY and COPD at baseline, but mtDNA copy number relative to a nuclear-encoded housekeeping gene (mean±sd) was greater in HY (804±67) than in HO (631±69; p=0.041). AET increased V′O2peak in HO (17%; p=0.002) and HY (21%; p<0.001), but not COPD (p=0.603). Muscle MAPR for palmitate increased with training in HO (57%; p=0.041) and HY (56%; p=0.003), and decreased with exercise withdrawal in HO (−45%; p=0.036) and HY (−30%; p=0.016), but was unchanged in COPD (p=0.594). mtDNA copy number increased with AET in HY (66%; p=0.001), but not HO (p=0.081) or COPD (p=0.132). The observed changes in muscle mRNA abundance were similar in all groups after AET and exercise withdrawal. Conclusions Intrinsic mitochondrial function was not impaired by ageing or COPD in the untrained state. Whole-body and muscle mitochondrial responses to AET were robust in HY, evident in HO, but deficient in COPD. All groups showed robust muscle mRNA responses. Higher relative exercise intensities during whole-body training may be needed to maximise whole-body and muscle mitochondrial adaptation in COPD. Muscle mitochondrial function is not impaired in age or COPD. Whole-body and mitochondrial exercise training adaptations are robust in young, evident in older and deficient in COPD. COPD adaptation may require high-intensity exercise training programmes. https://bit.ly/3oe0k0S


SUMMARY It has been reported that IP packet traffic exhibits the self-similar nature and causes the degradation of network performance. Therefore it is crucial for the appropriate buffer design of routers and switches to predict the queueing behavior with self-similar input. It is well known that the fitting methods based on the second-order statistics of counts for the arrival process are not sufficient for predicting the performance of the queueing system with self-similar input. However recent studies have revealed that the loss probability of finite queuing system can be well approximated by the Markovian input models. This paper studies the time-scale impact on the loss probability of MMPP/D/1/K system where the MMPP is generated so as to match the variance of the self-similar process over specified time-scales. We investigate the loss probability in terms of system size, Hurst parameters and time-scales. We also compare the loss probability of resulting MMPP/D/1/K with simulation. Numerical results show that the loss probability of MMPP/D/1/K are not significantly affected by time-scale and that the loss probability is well approximated with resulting MMPP/D/1/K.


Eastern China's economy is developing extremely rapid which has created significant pressure to the environment, even on a regional scale. 1-3 Despite the suspected significance of China as a source area, there are only extremely scarce data on organochlorine compounds are available from the atmospheric environment. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been observed in the air of cities of South China and concentrations in the range 350-700 pg m-3 were found. 2 Obviously, much more PCBs had been released into the environment in China than anticipated based on usage data. 4,5 The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of organochlorines in eastern China and to address the regional transport of these pollutants in the Yellow and East China Seas region through simultaneous sampling at a coastal and an island site.


The invention discloses a cascading isothermal amplification based miRNA fluorescence detection kit and a miRNA fluorescence detection method. The target miRNA can specifically recognize and form a stable three-way crossing structure with a ternary probe through complementary hybridization of nucleic acids; a ternary primer in the three-way crossing structure performs strand displacement amplification (SDA) along a ternary template and generates a number of SDA template products; the SDA template product can open a difunctional hairpin probe to trigger nickase to perform signal amplification reaction finally; and a cyclophorase digestion molecular beacon can generate cascading amplified fluorescence signals. The kit can detect miRNA low to 100fM; and the detection method has superhigh specificity, can well distinguish highly homologous sequences at different mispairing positions and solves the difficult problem of false positive result caused by poor specificity in the existing detection method.


Objective:The aim of the study was to using CBCT investigate the condyles of osteal bimaxillary protrusion patients(AnglesⅢ)and measure the density(Hounsfield)and volume of condyle preoperative and after surgery,further discuss the influence of temporomandibular joint after SSRO.Method:The preoperative and after surgery pictures of 20 osteal bimaxillary protrusion patients(Angles Ⅲ)were corrected.A special software was used to measure the maximal density and the volume of condyle.Result:The result of the maximal density of condyle(Hounsfield):preoperative the maximum is 273,the minimum is 252,the mean value is 260,after surgery the maximum is 261,the minimum is 207,the mean value is 211.The result of the volume of condyle(mm3):preoperative the maximum is 407,the minimum is 378,the mean value is 401,after surgery the maximum is 492,the minimum is 444,the mean value is 465.Conclusion:CBCT can measure the density and volume of condyle by rule and line and with high application value in maxillofacial anatomy.In both groups,compared with before operation,the maximal density of condyle decreased and the density of condyle the volume of condyle increased after operation.


This essay discusses the modern novel's attempt to create edenic spaces of natural innocence. It focuses on two French novels, La Faute de l'Abbe Mouret by Emile Zola (1875) and Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti (1880), which both unsuccessfully try to build an edenic chronotope : a vegetal Paradise where time stops being a source of distruction, and where life seems to recover its lost signification. The analysis of these narratives will show that the construction of this kind of space has become, in the modern novel, a difficult and contradictory operation. Moreover, this renewed natural Eden appears incapable of containing the plot : it closes up on itself , expelling the heroes who inhabited it and rejecting them into the conflictual and incoherent space of Culture to which they belong. This unsuccessful construction leads the narratives to a contradictory representation of Nature, which becomes an uncanny space where the dark figures of the unconscious reveal the unsatisfactory illusion of the edenic chronotope. In this respect, these two narratives significatively rejoin the literary model which will dominate the representation of Natural spaces in the European novel by the end of the nineteenth century.


【Objective】To provide anatomic foudation for positioning and protecting recurrent laryngeal nerve in endoscopic thyroidctomy through the superior of sternum.【Methods】To choose 40 adult cadavers,artery perfused then dissecte the neck every level structures,from skin to thyroid.To observe and measure the traveling of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve,the feathers of branches and location relation with inferior thyroid artery.To observe and measure location relation with important structure of thyroid.【Result】Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve majority (67.5%) lied on the mediate-under of the lateral of tracheal.The distance of the left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve and the lateral of tracheal is (0.452 ± 0.069) cm.The distance of the right Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve and the lateral of tracheal is (0.478 ± 0.098) cm.Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve travel through side leaves of throid.Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve majority (67.5%) lied on mediate-interside 2/5 of side leaves ofthroid.Bifurcation of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve majority (67.5%) lied on behind-outside-under of under extremeness.The distance between bifurcation of recurrent laryngeal Nerve and under extremeness of thyroid is (0.624 ± 0.090) cm.【Conclusion】Acknowledging every visual angle anatomy of recurrent laryngeal is important foundation to protect Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve in Endoscopic thyroidctomy through the superior of sternum.


This article provides the autonomous and interactive learning method of General Psychology in the teacher of Basic Education of Ecuador in initial training. It is based on the concept of developing learning and reveals a new dynamic of this process based on the interaction between teaching, linking and research as substantive processes of the initial training of this type of professional, based on the unity between the instructive, the educational and the developer. The methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and system approach were used for its elaboration. It can be applied to any university at national and foreign level where university careers related to teaching at the basic education level are studied, with flexibility and adaptability to the existing educational context.


Since the discovery of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond growth in 1976, the steady scientific progress often resulted in surprising new discoveries and breakthroughs. This brought us to the idea to publish the special issue "Selected Topics in CVD Diamond Research" in physica status solidi (a), reflecting such advancements and interesting results at the leading edge of diamond research.


Hand and foot syndrome are an adverse effect often seen with chemotherapy or with the use of biologics. It is characterised by painful erythema and edema, dry or moist desquamation of palms and soles in mild to moderate case. Severe cases usually present with cracking, peeling, blister, ulcer and severe pain. Here we report a 65-year-old woman with breast carcinoma who was on treatment with capecitabine and presented with fissuring and bleeding over palms and soles, with progressive burning sensation. On examination, hyperpigmentation and scaling were also noted over both palms and soles. She was diagnosed with hand and foot syndrome and was treated with emollients, antibiotics and topical steroids.


In the past three years, ice losses in West Antarctica have been offset by ice gains in East Antarctica. In the past three years, ice losses in West Antarctica have been offset by ice gains in East Antarctica.


The structure of ferrous oxide has been studied between room temperature and liquid-air temperature (90 ° K.) by X-ray powder photography. The results support the conclusion of Je t te & Foote tha t at room temperature the structure is of the NaCl-type with a small and variable number of the Fe ~+ sites vacant, so that the stoichiometric composition :FeO is never attained. At low temperature (below 200 ° K.) the structure is rhombohedral, the new structure cell being derived from the originally cubic cell by an extension along one of the triad-axis directions. This is a change of the second order and appears to be directly connected with the transition from the paramagnetie to the antiferromagnetic state on cooling through 198 ° K. The magnitude of the change, as measured at liquid-air temperature, is very sensitive to the concentration of iron in the oxide. Thus, for the oxide of minimum iron content the rhombohedral angle a at 90 ° K. is within one minute of the value (60 °) which corresponds to cubic symmetry, whereas a is 59 ° 23' for the least iron-deficient oxide. I t is shown tha t the powder photograph taken at liquid-air temperature provides a much more sensitive indication of the degree of homogeneity of the sample than tha t taken at room temperature.


Thank you for reading basic ice skating skills an official handbook prepared for the united states figure skating association. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have search numerous times for their favorite novels like this basic ice skating skills an official handbook prepared for the united states figure skating association, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some harmful bugs inside their computer.


The article reviews art exhibitions of still life photographs and videos by artist Jeanne Dunning on display at the galleries Donald Young and Inova in Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin respectively.


The Abadi gas field in Masela PSC Block, West Arafura Sea was discovered in 2000 and total seven wells were drilled until 2008. For the purpose of reservoir characterization works, a rock physics modeling was applied to the seven wells in the Abadi gas field. P-wave velocity (Vp) and S-wave velocity (Vs) from sonic-log is available in all the seven wells in the field. But from the quality check of sonic-log measurement, it became apparent that Vp and/or Vs reading has significant error in some intervals due to the bad borehole effect. It was also shown that calculated Vp/Vs ratio from sonic-log measurement does not have enough accuracy for the reservoir characterization work. The objective of rock physics modeling in this study to detect and edit bad sonic-log velocity data, and to estimate Vp, Vs and Vp/Vs logs with more accuracy, which identifies quantitative relationships between the seismic properties and the petrophysical properties of the reservoir rocks. In study, velocity of Quartz and Clay in the modeling parameter were optimized to prioritize the match with core velocity and the correlation trend shown in the cross plots of the sonic-log properties versus petrophysical properties. a modeled velocity were more to the petrophysical Vp/Vs and core Vp/Vs from the sonic-log. In to mud filtrate invasion correction was applied by the rock physics and the response of velocity by changing the pore fluid can quantitatively. The results of the rock physics modeling in this study, especially precise Vp/Vs prediction, is effective and useful for simultaneous AVA inversion works and 3D rock property prediction.


Cardiovascular disease is associated with morbidity and mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients but the relationship between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and outcomes is unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between LVEF and mortality in incident continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.


Some problems existed widespread in eco-environment construction and sustainable development of around sightseeing agricultural garden.Specific features were as follows: broken eco-environment of garden;lack of a comprehensive landscape design and technical specifications and the guide of landscape ecology theory;infrastructure was poor,chaotic landscape construction;lack of appropriate measures for ecological protection and sustainable development planning.In view of this,the authors combined years practices of landscape planning and design projects of tourism and leisure agricultural gardens in Jiangxi Province,taking overall eco-agriculture sightseeing garden landscape planning projects of Wuning County,Jiujiang City as an example,the eco-environment and sustainable development theory in this garden were further researched,and gradually form a development process from the practice-theory-practice,in order to make the planning and construction of agricultural sightseeing garden more healthy,sustainable and stable development.


American Body: Fitness and the Commodification of ExerciseGETTING PHYSICAL: The Rise of Fitness Culture in America. By Shelly McKenzie. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. 2013.MAKING THE AMERICAN BODY: The Remarkable Saga of the Men and Women Whose Feats, Feuds, and Passions Shaped Fitness History. By Jonathan Black. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. 2013.There are few, if any, places in the United States today where fitness is not a major pursuit. Whether Americans are actually engaged in arduous regimens for rapid weight loss or training for taxing contests of human endurance is almost beside the point. Fitness has become part of our built environment as gyms, martial arts, yoga, Pilates, and cross-training facilities, and their brightly-lit signs, are now cornerstones of strip malls, gentrified downtowns, and the "lifestyle centers" that mix commercial and residential use. The reflective tape of running shoes glinting in one's headlights is a familiar feature of night driving. Television, whether traditional network channels or new streaming services like Hulu, relentlessly advertises weight-loss products, fitness training programs, and celebrity exercise DVDs. Smartphones carry apps that allow us to track our fitness progress while national political discourse is periodically marked by support for, or outrage against, organic vegetables in public school lunch programs, calorie listings on franchise menus, and restricting the size of the Big Gulp. Meanwhile an "obesity epidemic" is the tagline on many a news story and a source of concern among feminist critics who worry that such increased surveillance and medicalization of the body is a sanctioned way to "fat" shame and reify sexist, racist, and class hierarchies.1 American attitudes toward the regulation of food and diet are complicated and political but they generally boil down to whether or not fitness is a private or a public concern. While the books under review here point out that today's obsessive interest in fitness is nothing new, I would suggest that its intensifying significance on the national cultural and political stage is closely related to contemporary debates over healthcare and whether or not access to modern medicine is a privilege of status or a right of citizenry. As such, the American body plays a bigger role in the body politic than ever before.Meanwhile, there is surprisingly little medical consensus on what fitness actually means. Is it having a body mass index (BMI) that falls within accepted norms? Is it living a long life? Is it being free of major disease? Does it mean being able to run one mile or twenty? Is fitness the same as having visible muscle tone? Does it simply mean being happy? What is the difference between fitness and health? What is "wellness"? Debates rage throughout the medical community and even a cursory search through the major academic American medical journals will show little agreement between kinesiology, nutritional science, neuroscience, clinical psychology, biology, gastrointestinal science, internal medicine, or any of the myriad subfields contained within, as to what a general definition of fitness is or what our dietary goals should be. Should we be eating fat or not? Will gluten melt our brains? Should our raw vegetable intake be 40 percent or 90 percent of our diet? Is twenty minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day enough? Or is ninety minutes three times a week adequate? It quickly becomes clear how a charismatic personality with a spectacular six-pack and a media-friendly face-who offers a step-by-step, pay-as-you-go training program to the better body that equates a better life-can attract millions of Americans with access to credit. It is much easier to buy the promise of fitness and happiness than to figure it out on your own and is preferable to not doing anything at all. There are obvious reasons why fitness is consistently a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States. …


It can lead justice results that using Comprehension Estimating Method.But a complex process of calculating is needed.It can be simplified through the database functionality of SQL Server which allows the network concurrency operations.This article discusses the algorithm by examples,and showed the application software.


An Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel has released a study describing valuable research that could be done if smallpox virus stocks stored in the U.S. and Russia were not destroyed. IOM's findings are expected to weigh heavily in the deliberations of an interagency panel now struggling with the question of which option— retention or destruction of the U.S.'s frozen cache of virus—to recommend to President Bill Clinton. The secured stocks of the virus are set to be destroyed on June 30 unless the 190 member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) declare otherwise at their May assembly in Geneva. Since 1996, Russia has made it very clear that it will fight vigorously for retention of the virus. The U.S. has been less decisive. In 1996, it favored destruction but was willing to reconsider that position if other countries had good reason for delay. In 1997, along with the U.K, France, and Italy, the U.S. ...


We have studied a fetus with the prenatal sonographic diagnosis of severe nonimmune hydrops fetalis at 16 weeks of gestration, who was later shown by amniocentesis to have Down syndrome.


In this paper I will offer some methodological reflections on legal science and its relations with the natural and human sciences. The first part of the paper (sections 2-4) deals with the relation between legal science and the natural sciences. The thesis I put forward is drawn from my book Teorie della scienza giuridica e teorie delle scienee naturali. Modelli e analogie, and restates the main points of my argument there against approaches founded on neopositivism and in favour of a post-positivist approach. The second part (sections 5-7) deals with some aspects of the relations between legal and human sciences, and develops some rather more tentative ideas which go beyond the conclusions reached in the book.


In this project, we looked at the application of harmonic balancing as a tool for identifying parameters (HBID) in a nonlinear dynamical systems with chaotic responses. The main idea is to balance the harmonics of periodic orbits extracted from measurements of each coordinate during a chaotic response. The periodic orbits are taken to be approximate solutions to the differential equations that model the system, the form of the differential equations being known, but with unknown parameters to be identified. Below we summarize the main points addressed in this work. The details of the work are attached as drafts of papers, and a thesis, in the appendix. Our study involved the following three parts: (1) Application of the harmonic balance to a simulation case in which the differential equation model has known form for its nonlinear terms, in contrast to a differential equation model which has either power series or interpolating functions to represent the nonlinear terms. We chose a pendulum, which has sinusoidal nonlinearities; (2) Application of the harmonic balance to an experimental system with known nonlinear forms. We chose a double pendulum, for which chaotic response were easily generated. Thus we confronted a two-degree-of-freedom system, which brought forth challenging issues; (3) A study of alternative reconstruction methods. The reconstruction of the phase space is necessary for the extraction of periodic orbits from the chaotic responses, which is needed in this work. Also, characterization of a nonlinear system is done in the reconstructed phase space. Such characterizations are needed to compare models with experiments. Finally, some nonlinear prediction methods can be applied in the reconstructed phase space. We developed two reconstruction methods that may be considered if the common method (method of delays) is not applicable.


Moisture stress is the main factor affecting wheat germination, stand establishment and assimilate partitioning of wheat in semi-arid region. Osmoconditioning was evaluated as a means of improving germination, stand establishment and asimilate partitioning of wheat in 2 year study in Peshawar, Pakistan. Wheat seeds were primed for 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h at seven water potential (0, -0.2, -0.5, -1.1, -1.5, -1.9, -2.1 MPa) in polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000. Seeds rinsed, dried and evaluated for germination along with dry seed (control) in laboratory. For field experiment, seeds of two wheat varieties (Bakhtawar-92, Tatara) were primed in PEG 8000 solutions for 24, 48 and 72 h having osmotic potential of -0.2, -0.5, -1.1 MPa, rinsed, dried and evaluated for assimilate partitioning along with water primed (0 MPa) and dry seed (control) under rainfed condition. In laboratory osmopriming reduced days to 50% germination and increased % germination compared with control. Primed seed took fewer days to 50 % germination than control. Seed treatment longer than 24 h decreased % germination in osmoprimed and water primed (HP). HP drasticly reduced germination at longer duration. Maximum emergence (83.6%) was recorded at -0.5 MPa. Reduced germination at longer seed treatment duration may be due to deleterious effect of priming. In field, year significantly affected leaf weight, stem weight, spikelets spike -1 , 1000 grain weight and harvest index (HI). Osmotic potential, duration and their interaction significantly affected HI, while non significant effect of osmotic potential, duration, varieties, and their interaction was observed on leaf weight, stem weight, spikelets spike-1 and 1000 grain weight. Maximum HI and 1000 grains weight were observed at -0.5 and -0.2 MPa respectively. Osmoconditioning of seed at -0.5 MPa for


Multilayer dielectric bandpass coatings were deposited on a variety of substrates to assess the effect of surface condition on out-of-band angle resolved scattering (ARS).


This paper discusses the application of ATOMFT, an integration package based on Taylor series solution with a sophisticated user interface. ATOMFT has the capabilities to allow the implementation of user defined functions and the solution of stiff and algebraic equations. Detailed examples, including the solutions to several astrodynamics problems, are presented. Comparisons with its predecessor ATOMCC and other modern integrators indicate that ATOMFT is a fast, accurate, and easy method to use to solve many differential equation problems.


Author(s): Schettino, Jonathan R. | Advisor(s): Myers, Hector F; Dunkel Schetter, Christine | Abstract: The present study examined the dimensional structure of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and its relationship with positive psychological adjustment (defined here as a latent variable indicated by lower levels of depression and perceived stress and higher levels of positive affect) within a Christian context. Two separate samples (total N = 806) were recruited online via Amazon MechTurk and consisted of Christian American adults (age g 18). R/S was measured using the MCRSI, a 29-item inventory designed to measure multiple conceptual dimensions of R/S (e.g., intrinsic religiosity, forgiveness, health related beliefs, etc.) in a Christian population. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that Christian R/S, as measured using the MCRSI, is a construct with 2 empirically distinct, yet correlated, dimensions which were conceptually defined as spiritual attitudes/beliefs and religious behaviors. SEM analyses revealed that Christian R/S was significantly associated with positive psychological adjustment after controlling for age and SES, explaining 7% of the variance in psychological adjustment. This relationship was fully mediated by positive relationships with others and purpose in life. Religious social support and religious coping did not significantly mediate the relationship. The relationship was not moderated by gender, ethnicity (Caucasian vs. African-American), peer group salience of Christian R/S, or chronic stress. The entire model (including proposed mediators) explained 59% of the variance in psychological adjustment. Of the two dimensions of R/S, spiritual attitudes/beliefs emerged as a stronger predictor of psychological adjustment than religious behaviors, but religious behaviors had a modest positive association with psychological adjustment through religious social support and a modest association with positive affect through religious coping, even after controlling for spiritual attitudes/beliefs. Implications of these results are discussed.


In this study, the relationships between organizational characteristics, organizational commitment and organizational performance were examined. 269 employees in 82 hotels located in three brazilian capitals were interviewed. The research used an instrument with 28 itens to mesure the organizational commitment. Occupation hotel rates and three sets of organizational characteristics variables: organizational structure; human resource systems; and organizational philosophy and values. Using factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis six organizational commitment dimensions were validated. By way of structural equations modeling a model of causal relations between organizational characteristics, latent dimensions of commitment and organizational performance was established. The conclusion shows that an organizational characteristics variables set influence latent dimensions of commitment, that, consequently, influence positively hotel performance.


It is well known that velocity dependent forces or exchange forces (which could also be considered as a type of velocity dependent force), do not give the experimental level arrangement in nuclear shell theory. In particular, in the long range approximation, both velocity dependent forces and Majorana forces predict configurations with an odd number of particles and that the ground state has an angular momentum J which is the lowest compatible with the Pauli principle, and not J = j, where j is the angular momentum of the nucleons in the shell. The purpose of this paper is to see whether for Wigner forces (i.e. forces with no exchange character), the level arrangement is the experimental one for any range. It is shown that for the two particle configuration J = 0 will be the ground state independently of the range of the Wigner forces. For the three particle configuration in the j = 5/2 shell, the ground state is J = 5/2 but in the j = 7/2 shell, the ground state is J = 7/2 only in the short range approximation. It is concluded, therefore, that the experimental level arrangement is related to the short range character ofmore » thc nuclear forces, rather than to their velocity dependence or exchange character. (auth)« less


A near-infrared analyzer utilizing state-of-the-art acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) spectrometry with digital wavelength control and high D* extended-range INGaAs TE-cooled detector provides excellent wavelength repeatability (better than 0.02 nm) and very high signal-to-noise ration. Because the AOTF dispersive element is completely solid-state (no-moving parts), as is the entire spectrometer, the instrument is small, rugged and very reliable. Using this spectrometer, methods employing chemometrics have been developed and applied to measure organic contaminants such as gasoline and a variety of jet fuels in water. Qualitative identification of contaminants was achieved with discriminant analysis software developed specifically for this task. Both the technique of grouping sample spectra into specific clusters based of Mahalanobis distances and that of matching each spectrum with the most representative member of the appropriate group of calibration spectra were used to identify contaminants. After initial classification, appropriate qualitative chemometric calibrations may be applied to more accurately assess the level of contamination. The instrument will be used to evaluate ground water supplies.


Objective To establish a SPE-HPLC method to analyze paeoniflorin in food.Methods Paeoniflorin was extracted from food by solid-phase extraction.HP ZOBAX SB C18 column with SPE was used and the mobile phase was composed of solution CH3OH-H2O-H3PO4(20∶80∶0.05).UV detective wavelength was set at 230 nm.Results The linear range of paeoniflorin in food was 0.0365~0.365 μg(r=0.9995).The average recovery was 94.7% and RSD was 2.0%.Conclusion This method is easy,accurate and it can be used for quality control of the paeoniflorin in food.


The invention relates to a preparation method of an immunosensor for detecting Carbofuran pesticide residues. The preparation method is characterized by comprising the following steps: self-assembling 4' 4-glucosinolates biphenyl thiophenol, carrying out electrolytic deposition on nanogold and repeating the first step and the second step twice; and compared with a traditional method, sulfydryl at the two ends of the 4' 4-glucosinolates biphenyl thiophenol and a rigid structure of the 4'4-glucosinolates biphenyl thiophenol are adopted, one end of the sulfydryl is connected with a bare gold electrode through a gold-sulfur bond, the other end of the sulfydryl is connected with the nanogold subjected to electrolytic deposition through the gold-sulfur bond, and a gold-sulfur system with high stability and high order is established through a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. The preparation method has the benefits that due to higher specific surface area, stability and electrical conductivity of the nanogold, the transfer and the biocompatibility of an electrode surface electron can be increased; through layer-by-layer self-assembly, the effective fixed area of the electrode is enlarged, and the effective fixed amount of an electrode surface antibody is improved; and therefore, the prepared current type immunosensor has the advantages of shorter detection time, high sensitivity, good selectivity and stability, good regeneration capacity and satisfactory recovery rate.


Objective:To compare the clinical characteristics of retroperitoneal laparoscopy and open surgery in treatment of adrenal diseases,sum up clinical experience of retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery.Methods:The clinical data 76 cases with adrenal disease from Sep.2007.9 to Oct.2009 were retrospectively analyzed,retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery was carried out in 26 cases,and open surgery was carried out in the other 20 cases.The two groups were compared in operative time,blood loss,postoperative bowel function recovery time and postoperative hospital stay respectively.Results:The operation of the two groups was successful.Effect of two different surgical methods was the same.In the retroperitoneal laparoscopic group,pleural injury occurred in 1 case and treated by synthesis clip.In the open group,wound infection occurred in 2 cases and recovered after the active treatment,the others did not appear serious complications.Retroperitoneal laparoscopic group was significantly less than open group in blood loss,postoperative bowel function recovery time and postoperative hospital stay.Conclusions:Retroperitoneal laparoscopic technology is suggested in the treatment of adrenal diseases for its less damage,less blood loss,quicker recovery,and shorter postoperative hospital stay.With ongoing training and constantly updating technical skills and equipments,the operative time will be shorter than open surgery.Retroperitoneal laparoscopic technology will replace open surgery as the best surgical procedure for adrenal diseases.


Industry clusters are one of drives to develop the regional economy. But in some regions the industry clusters are shortage of motivation. Many experts and scholars on how to promote the long-term development of a cluster proposed ideas and suggestions. Based on the previous research results the paper presented a study from the perspective of regional brands for the long-term development of industrial clusters. Moreover the construction of regional brand as an important issue was researched in the paper. During the research the paper introduced the idea of collaborative competition and used the collaborative mechanism to construct the regional brand. To achieve the purpose of the study the paper established a model of game and analyzed the conditions of collaborative construction the regional brand using the model. Combining with the conclusions from the model the paper proposed the measures to promote the collaboration to construct the regional brand.


Background and purpose:Three dimensional moveable lasers can't be equipped in the diagnostic CT machine room because of some objective reasons.The purpose was to study CT simulation methods when the lasers equipped in the conventional simulator room.Methods:We used 'multi-lines' and 'virtual setup lines' methods to form two groups of parallel lines which were perpendicular to each other in space,then combined these lines with the adjusted flat couch and the lasers were fi xed in CT machine to setup patients' CT simulation position.After making the treatment plan,lasers were shifted and reset in the conventional simulator room,the isocenter(ISO) verifi cation f ilms were taken under gantry 0,90 or 270 respectively.Compared the individual degree DRR image with TPS's.Distances between ISO and the selected bone mark in three dimensional directions were measured in DRR f ilms and TPS(treatment plan system) in individual degree,respectively.The ISO distance total composite error was also calculated.Results:Under the same conditions,the displacement error in no f ixture was more than that in fi xed applications,we can f ind every one of these errors is under 3 mm which is allowed in CT simulation.Conclusion:Our methods could assure the patient's position well even if three dimensional moveable lasers were equipped in the conventional simulator room but not in the diagnostic CT machine one.


environmental components in the variability of anthropometric measurements were studied in 54 twin pairs. Thirty pairs of monozygotic (MZ) and 24 pairs of dizygotie (DZ) twins were investigated to estimate the role of genetic, environmental arid hereditary factors determininganthropometriemeasurementseomprising body weight, standing height, sitting height, knee height, arm span, chest cireumference aiid biiliac diameter, Within-pair variance for all the measurements were


This article depicts early nineteenth-century liberal thought as the source of the modern Western ideological view of nature. Highlighting the views of David Ricardo, T. R. Malthus, and particularly John Stuart Mill and Alexis de Tocqueville, this view is depicted as dialectical in nature – on the one hand as evincing recognition of the environmental price resulting from increasing industrialization, but on the other as recognizing that this price, though deplorable, was nevertheless unavoidable and necessary. Moreover, early liberals also recognized that it was precisely increasing mastery of nature which enabled an appreciative attitude toward nature to emerge, a point which was later emphasized in modern scholarship. Nineteenth-century liberal thought can thus be viewed as the source for recognizing a key aspect of present-day thinking about the human-nature relationship – the dilemma between the need to utilize nature and to conserve it.


This paper,in reference to the confusion in alphabetic spelling of street names in many parts of China,first introduces the multilingual reality of the world,the origin of "Single-Romanization" in the International Standardization of Geographical Names and the criteria for such alphabetic spelling.It then dissertates with the arguments for legality,theoretical soundness,reasonableness,and on-the-spot effectiveness in the Romanization of street names.In addition,related academic issues are also explored.It concludes with a suggestion that translation should be in accordance with rules and regulations.


In every industry, E-commerce is revolutionizing the way business is conducted. New business models are replacing outdated ones and organizations are rethinking business process designs and customer relationship management strategies. Banks are no exception to this transformation. This study examines bankers' views on providing banking services to cus


Summary form only given. A prototype of a transmitter-receiver genetic circuit was designed and constructed. This design allows the transmission of signals between Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) and Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio harveyi). AutoInducer-2 (AI-2) is used as the signaling molecule. For the transmitter circuit, we created a plasmid that contained a luxS gene (responsible for AI-2 synthesis) and an inducible promoter. This plasmid was inserted into S. mutans to form the transmitter cells. The transmitter activity can be modulated. Glucose lowers luxS gene expression, thus reducing AI-2 production. Raffinose activates the promoter, leading to an increase in AI-2 production. The receiver detects the signal produced by the transmitter. Vibrio harveyi BB170 was used as the receiver. This strain of bacteria lacks the gene to produce AI-2, but it has the receptor for AI-2 detection. When the bacteria detect AI-2, they produce luciferase, leading to light production. The circuit was tested by examining the luxS gene expression in the transmitter cells and the luminescence level of the receiver cells. First, the luxS gene expression of the transmitter was investigated. The transmitter cells were cultured with a supplement of either glucose (i.e. transmitter "off") or raffinose ("on") until they reached mid-log phase. The luxS expression levels in the activated cells were 10-fold higher than those in the repressed cells. The impact of different sugars (glucose and raffinose) on cell growth was examined. The measured doubling time for the cells in each of raffinose and glucose was 63.76plusmn0.30 and 67.59plusmn0.34 minutes, respectively. The similarity of the doubling times suggested that the sugars had no effect on normal cell growth. The behaviour of the receiver was then investigated. The receiver cells were exposed to the supernatant of the transmitter cells to test their AI-2 detection capability. The supernatant of mid-log phase transmitter cells was collected by removing the cells through centrifugation followed by filtration. The luminescence level of the receivers was measured hourly for five hours. A five-fold luminescence signal increase was observed after four hours of incubation with the supernatant. The underlying mechanism of this delay in the receiver response time is unclear. A computational approach was used to investigate the cause of the delay. A stochastic model of the receiver cells was developed based on Gillespie's algorithm. Our simulation yielded a receiver response time of just less than two hours. This is the first study on synthetic interspecies communication. The ability to communicate between species will be a valuable tool for the creation of larger engineered systems


The use of inexpensive hydrogels as supports to significantly improve H2 enclathration kinetics and capacities in THF–H2O clathrate hydrate with respect to bulk solutions is demonstrated. Polymer hydrogels give rise to significant rate and capacity enhancements for hydrogen clathrate formation with respect to unmixed bulk systems, suggesting potential for accelerated gas-storage kinetics in clathrate-based technologies.


The HEIGHTS integrated model has been developed as an instrument for simulation and optimization of laser-produced plasma (LPP) sources relevant to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The model combines three general parts: hydrodynamics, radiation transport, and heat conduction. The first part employs a total variation diminishing scheme in the Lax-Friedrich formulation (TVD-LF); the second part, a Monte Carlo model; and the third part, implicit schemes with sparse matrix technology. All model parts consider physical processes in three-dimensional geometry. The influence of a generated magnetic field on laser plasma behavior was estimated, and it was found that this effect could be neglected for laser intensities relevant to EUV (up to {approx}10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2}). All applied schemes were tested on analytical problems separately. Benchmark modeling of the full EUV source problem with a planar tin target showed good correspondence with experimental and theoretical data. Preliminary results are presented for tin droplet- and planar-target LPP devices. The influence of three-dimensional effects on EUV properties of source is discussed.


Ultrasound technology has a number of uses, as well as a few hidden talents. Ultrasound is defined as a wave that transports mechanical energy through the local vibration of particles at frequencies of 20 kHz or more. However, some researchers find this definition too simplistic, given the nature of some of the untoward effects of ultrasound when used for purposes other than diagnosis. Although the mechanisms of ultrasound therapy are not well understood, the effects produced by it are largely based on the exposure levels used. Common therapeutic ultrasound devices operate in the 1to 3-Mhz range, with a current trend toward using low-frequency devices that operate in the kilohertz rather than the megahertz range. Diagnostic ultrasound operates in the 2to 15-Mhz range. ter Haar refers to ''low-power'' and ''high-power'' applications. Lowpower applications include physiotherapy, fracture repair, sonophoresis, sonoporation, and gene therapy, whereas high-power applications include high-intensity focused ultrasound. An example of an application of high-intensity, highresolution ultrasound for diagnosis was noted in a recent study where researchers looked at the near-surface pathology of the skin using 15-MHz and higher frequency, highresolution ultrasound. Ultrasound has routinely been used for diagnostics, but newer clinical applications include administering drugs through the skin, promoting gene delivery, and delivering chemotherapy to tumors and thrombolytic drugs into blood clots with the use of microbubbles and acoustical cavitation. Heating and acoustical cavitation occur with higher intensity levels of ultrasound, occurring more frequently with kilohertz than megahertz ultrasound. Acoustical cavitation occurs when microscopic bubbles are created and oscillated. These bubbles are compressed and moved, causing changes in cellular activity within tissues. This application is common in contrast ultrasound. Other uses of ultrasound include the transdermal transport of insulin, vascular vasodilation, and high-frequency treatments for prostate cancer. Faster healing of wounds, bones, ligaments, and tendons has been attributed to ultrasound, as well as the promotion of healing in delayed fractures. Fracture healing is thought to occur when low-energy ultrasound initiates enhanced angiogenesis. Animal fracture sites treated with active ultrasound, when compared with inactive ultrasound, had greater bone mineral content at the fracture site 40 days after initiation of treatment. Tendons have been commonly treated with ultrasound. A recent study demonstrated that ultrasound stimulates the expression of types I and III collagen in tendon cells in animals. A 2006 Cochrane Database systemic review indicated that there was not enough evidence at that time to state that there is benefit to using ultrasound therapy in the treatment of pressure ulcers. They did note, however, that the possibility of benefit or harm could not be ruled out due to the small number of trials that had been done, and small sample sizes reported. Since that time, ultrasound has been reported to promote wound healing in several different ways for pressure ulcers and leg and foot ulcers. As mentioned, ultrasound has been used to investigate the development or pathogenesis of pressure ulcers. In regard to leg ulcers, Kavros and Schenck found improved healing and closure in recalcitrant lower-extremity ulcerations in a population of 51 patients when low-frequency ultrasound therapy was used. With another sample of critical limb ischemia patients at the Mayo clinic, where MIST (Celleration, Inc, Eden Prairie, MN) therapy was added to the standard of wound care, Kavros et al found that the rate of healing was significantly improved (P < .001). MIST uses low-frequency ultrasound and has been used to promote healing of wounds through cleansing and debridement. A recent, retrospective chart review of 15 patients with chronic lower-extremity wounds was done to determine if pain ratings decreased when ultrasound therapy was used. This preliminary study showed that further research may be warranted because mean pain scores decreased from 8.07 to 1.67 before and after treatment with low-intensity, lowfrequency therapeutic ultrasound. A 2007 multicenter study explored the use of noncontact, low-frequency ultrasound in recalcitrant lower-extremity ulcerations; researchers found that response was evident within 4 weeks of therapy and that ultrasound, when


PURPOSE: To decide the locus of particles by detecting the polarized components of a synthesized beam of light by means of detectors and generating the phase shift signal between the orthogonal components of the beam from the detectors and supplying the corresponding signal to a processor. CONSTITUTION: A beam of light 12 from a laser 10 is passed through a wave plate 16 after being reflected by a mirror 14 and expanded by means of a beam expander 18. The orthogonal polarized light components of the expanded beam are diverged into beams of light 22 and 24 by means of a Nomarski wedge 20, focused through a lens 26, and enter a flow cell 28 through which particles 30 are passed. Because of the lens 26, to spots 32 and 34 appear on a focal plane. When the particles 30 exist in the focal plane in the cell 28, a phase shift occurs between the beams 22 and 24 when the beams 22 and 24 go out of a wedge 38 and the beams 22 and 24 form an elliptically polarized synthesized beam of light 40. The beam 40 is passed through a prism 42 and separated into polarized components at an angle of 45 deg. and photodetectors 52 and 54 supply signals indicating the intensities of the separated beams of light 41' and 43' to a subtraction computing amplifier 56. A processor 60 finds the distance between the loci of the particles from the beams 32 and 34 by analyzing and comparing a continuous waveform from the amplifier 56, examines the ratio between signal peaks after digitizing the waveform, and decides the loci of the particles by finding the yaw distance of the particles and using the heights of the signal peaks.


AIM: To explore the mechanisms of resistance to 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) in human colon cancer cells.METHODS: 5-FU-resistant cell lines were established and their IC50 were calculated by detection of cell survival rate.Western blotting was performed to analyze the expression of several proteins,by which the possible mechanisms of acquired resistance to 5-FU were determined in human colon cancer cells.RESULTS: The resistant cells were resistant to 5-FU-induced S phase arrest as well as the expression of DNA damage marker-phosphor-histone H2A.X.Furthermore,data demonstrated that over-expression of Bik,Bcl-Xs,and Bcl-XL proteins were observed in 5-FU-resistant cell lines.However,the DLD1/Bcl-XL cells were only partially resistant to 5-FU-induced apoptosis,but not 5-FU-induced S phase arrest and phosphor-histone H2A.X.CONCLUSION: Over-expression of Bcl-XL protein certainly contributes to acquired 5-FU resistance in human colon caners,but has no effect on 5-FU-induced DNA damage and cell cycle disorder,suggesting that other mechanisms are involved in acquired resistance to 5-FU in human colon cancer.


The present invention in addition to video coding and pre-processing operations at the video encoder in order to utilize the FRUC processing occur in the decoder in order to improve the modeling of moving objects, compression efficiency and reconstructed video quality using various motion models, such as affine model It relates to an encoder auxiliary frame rate up conversion (EA-FRUC) for. Furthermore, objects are identified in a manner that reduces the amount of information necessary for encoding to render the objects on the decoder device.


A new class of distributed mixer based on the non-linear quasiparticle tunnel current in a superconductor-insulator-superconductor transmission line has been proposed and tested. The Nb/Al/AlOx/Nb junctions used in our mixers are typically 200 nm wide and are between 1 and 2 guided wavelengths long. Compared with the traditional sub-millimeter lumped element quasiparticle mixer, the distributed mixer requires lower critical current densities, lower magnetic field as well as simpler tuning circuitry. Experiments have been performed in various sub-millimeter frequency bands. Receiver noise temperatures of 66 K at 460 GHz, 210 K at 630 GHz and 600 K at 780 GHz have been measured. These noise temperatures are comparable to or slightly better than the noise temperatures of the corresponding lumped element mixers.


Vinculin has been previously shown to play a significant role in mechanotransduction and may affect myocardial mechanical function in a directionally‐dependent manner. Cardiac MRI tagging in a vinculin knockout (VclKO) mouse model revealed significant decreases in systolic sheet‐normal shear strain (P<0.05) and systolic sheet strain (P<0.05) in KO mice compared with littermate wildtype (WT) controls. We hypothesized that an increase in transverse systolic stress development may explain these observations, and changes in myofilament lattice spacing in the VclKO could alter systolic stress in the myocytes. Actin‐myosin lattice spacing was then measured and normalized to sarcomere length in barium‐contracted WT and VclKO hearts with values of 19.1±1.51 nm and 21.8±1.39 nm, respectively. These results were used as inputs in a structural model of crossbridge geometry similar to that of Schoenberg (1980), which showed a significant increase in the radial component of sacromere force in the VclKO compared with WT. The calculated distribution of forces was then used in a three‐dimensional finite element model in which end systolic sheet strains were predicted. The results matched the trends seen experimentally between the WT and VclKO mice. These results suggest that the change in systolic strains seen experimentally in the VclKO mice can be explained by the increase in lattice spacing seen in the knockout mice.


With a frequency of 1 in 1000 bp, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are used to study complex inherited diseases (1,2). A universal concern in genotyping techniques is that rare variants may interfere. Melting analysis addresses this concern and is a homogeneous and simple method for genotyping (3,4). For example, the 2-probe/2-fluorophore system HybProbe


ears, lingers, lips, tip and dorsum of tongue, middle of hard palate, and at anterior ends of inferior turbinates. This patient began to be troubled with bleedings from the lips and tongue when 17 years old. Ten years later red spots first appeared on the skin close to the lower lip, and subsequently on the cheeks, ears, fingers, &c. The spots are increasing in number and size, and may be seen at various stages of development, from minute dark points,


The effect of the thickness of (0001) textured Al2O3 layer on the optical and mechanical properties is examined in the MgAl2O4/Al2O3 transparent laminated composite. The textured Al2O3 layers with various thicknesses are formed on the MgAl2O4 polycrystals using a magnetic field alignment technique followed by one step spark‐plasma‐sintering (SPS) processing. Depending on the thickness of the textured Al2O3 layer, the transmittance efficiency of the composite sensitively changes and attains the higher in‐line transmittance of Tin,0.64 ≈ 54% at a visible range of λ = 0.64 μm for the thin Al2O3 layer with a thickness of ≈400 μm. In addition to the transparency, the hardness Hv measured on the textured Al2O3 layer surface also changes sensitively with the thickness and can attain Hv = 30.4 GPa, which is much higher than 25.5 GPa of monolithic Al2O3 polycrystals. The higher hardness can be ascribed to residual stresses formed in the textured Al2O3 layer. These results indicate that by controlling both the thickness and the texture structure of the Al2O3 layer, the MgAl2O4/Al2O3 composite simultaneously achieves excellent optical and mechanical properties.


With this issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry the new editorial team are launching a new look and newly organized journal. This is also the first issue of Volume 40, representing 40 years of publication, and a comparable history for the College. To recognize this milestone, we are starting a new column called 'Reflections' in which invited authors reflect on psychiatry over the past, and the next, 40 years. The new editorial team are committed to enhancing the standing, ranking, and impact factor of this journal as an international journal of psychiatric research and clinical psychiatry. In conjunction with our publisher, Blackwell, we will embrace the developments of electronic publishing, while retaining a hard copy of the journal for traditional readers who like the printed page. We already have electronic submission and review processes, and the journal is widely available electronically via Blackwell Synergy. During 2005, the new editorial team have been able to markedly reduce the time from submission to decision. For more than 90% of submitted papers, authors will receive a decision within 45 days of submission. Over the past year we received 500 manuscripts, but we can only publish 10–12 papers per month. In selecting papers for publication, we will accept papers from all areas of clinical psychiatry and psychiatric research. Our ultimate objective is to improve the lives of people affected by mental illness and to enhance their recovery. We select papers that are interesting, stimulating, controversial, methodologically sound and which will be cited. We will accept papers from all the perspectives of psychiatry, but


Today PLA is one of the most important bioplastics on the market. A disadvantage of commercial polylactide is that it is not readily foamable, due to its low molecular weight, its low melt stability, and the lack of strain hardening effects. Therefore, commercially available polylactide has to be modified. In this study, the effects on properties by adding different modifiers were investigated. Adding of the modifiers and their chemical reaction were performed by means of reactive extrusion on a twin screw extruder. The molecular weight was increased by modifiers, which can be attributed to a changed chain topology. The highest molecular weight was achieved with organic peroxide. The rheological studies show that a changed chain topology can be assumed for the modified PLA. The most pronounced effect on the melt properties—the melt viscosity and also the melt strength—again was observed with the organic peroxide. The melt strength was increased for PLA modified with the organic peroxide. Furthermore, the organic peroxide was the only modifier that enhanced the crystallization rate, which is also favorable for extrusion foaming. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1242–1251, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers


Iron oxide nanorods were synthesized by thermal oxidation of iron foil in the air at 300-500 oC. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the crystal structures and morphologies properties of the Fe2O3 nanorods. The gas sensing properties of the Fe2O3 nanorods were investigated using a static-gas measuring system in a range of 300-500 oC with the target gases of C2H5OH, CH3COCH3, LPG, and NH3. The results show that Fe2O3 nanorods possess high sensitivity and selectivity toward CH3COCH3. The highest response of 19 was recorded with 1000 ppm CH3COCH3 at the operating temperature of 400 oC.


This paper presents the result of the work performed by Norwegian Defence Construction Service on the development of a low cost ultra high performance concrete for impact resistance. The aim has been to develop a high strength concrete with a concrete strength of about 150 MPa based on commonly available materials, with a workability suitable for traditional construction practice, and produced at a reasonable cost. The documentation program includes studies of the hardened properties of the concrete, in addition to full scale production tests, full scale realistic penetration tests and large-scale beam tests.