The Malaysian Parliament had enacted the Franchise Act in 1998 and one of the main purposes of this Act is to monitor the registration and regulate franchise businesses in Malaysia to ensure that all the franchise businesses are following laws and regulation. Registration of franchisor (including registration of foreign franchisor) and franchisee has been stated in section 6 and 6B of the Franchise Act 1998. However, the Franchise Act 1998 is silent whether registration of a franchise business is mandatory. Meanwhile, the next issue is whether an unregistered franchise business established under a licensing or dealership agreement can register the franchise after the conclusion of the licensing agreement. The objective of this article is to look into the legal perspective of unregistered franchise business in Malaysia and suggest some proposals on how to overcome the legal issues of unregistered franchise business in Malaysia. This is qualitative study that involves a systematic study of philosophical and academic views through literatures. Therefore, this study is not an empirical study but rather a library study from various primary and secondary data sources. The study found that the Franchise Act 1998 may post a business risk to businesses intended to expand. As an innocuous venture agreement may end up becoming a franchise agreement, and an unregistered business owner may suddenly find himself at the short end of the stick, may be subject to the civil and criminal liabilities due to non-compliance of the Franchise Act 1998. As such, it is suggested that the Franchise Act 1998 should provide more monitoring and quality control over a potential franchise business before it is offered to protentional franchisees.@font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:6.0pt; margin-left:0cm; text-align:justify; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:ES-MX; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:ES; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:8.0pt; line-height:107%;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}


The bird is one of the most important sources of animal protein for people and smallholders in developing countries. However, it is also important to look at their reproductive activity to maintain a sustainable population. Omega-3, omega-6 fatty acid and synthetic cholesterol may improve reproductive characteristics in animals including quail. Several treatments can be used to improve the quality of reproduction of the quail. The research was conducted to know the effect of the use of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acid and synthetic cholesterol on sperm quality, testosterone level, the testes and the uropygium size of male quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). This research used 175 male quails at 6-w old. These divided into seven feed treatment groups. These are; R-0 (control), R-1 (0.163 mg omega-3/100g body weight (BW), R-2 (0.362 mg omega-3/100g BW), R-3 (0.163 mg omega-6/100g BW), R-4 (0.326 mg omega-6/100g BW), R-5 (20 mg cholesterol/100g BW) and R-6 (40 mg cholesterol/100g BW). The treatments were given orally for three different periods, within ten days. The data on testes size, uropygium sizes, and the testosterone level were analyzed statistically. The sperm quality data (sperm motility, sperm morphology, sperm viability, and sperm concentration) were analyzed with the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The usage of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acid with a double dose (0.326 mg) showed the best response, which shows a significant increase of the testes weight (2.64 g), testes circumference (94.70 cm), testes volume (2.00 ml) and uropygium weight (2.75 g). Also, there was a significant increase in the level of testosterone (4.92 ng/ml). The use of double dose of (0.326 mg) omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid or 0.163 mg omega-3 and omega-6 gave a good quality of sperm, including improvements in sperm motility (78.30% and 78.30%), sperm viability (73.19% and 86.06%) and sperm concentration (250.00 × 109/ml and 255.30 × 109/ml).


The behavior of silicon carbide power MOSFETs is analyzed using TCAD device simulations with respect to conduction and switching losses. Device designs with varying breakdown voltages are simulated. The contributions to the on-state resistance are shown at room and elevated temperature. Whereas channel and substrate resistance dominate at low breakdown voltages, drift and JFET resistance dominate at high breakdown voltages. With increasing temperature, the channel resistance decreases and thus the drift resistance is the main contributor already at medium breakdown voltages. Manufacturing processes of a device can have a high influence on its losses. Variations in interface mobility, drift doping, and p-body doping can lead to a significant change of on-resistance, internal capacitances, and reverse recovery charge. For higher voltage classes the drift layer properties should be of major interest as it influences on-resistance and reverse recovery charge.


Results of research of physical and chemical and physical and mechanical properties of oxyalkylated alcohol phthalates and results of tests of plasticizing properties in composition of cable plastic compound, a tape sticky and multilayered linoleum are adduced. It is shown, that the received samples of PVC of materials on the basic parameters meet requirements operating standards: cable plastic compound – GOST 5960-72 from amendment 1-9; a tape of PVC sticky – Technical Conditions – 2245-001-00203312-2003; multilayered linoleum – GOST 7251-77.


YouTube is one of the medias currently used by various groups, one of which is used in online learning. YouTube is also one of the learning media that suits the fast-paced learning styles of today's young people who use the internet in everyday life. There are millions of educational videos uploaded every day to YouTube, which makes it easier for students and teachers to find reference videos that can be used in the learning process according to the topic being studied. Foreign language teachers, especially English teachers in Thailand, can use videos from YouTube such as phonic sounds and minimal paired videos for teaching. With this video, Thai students can learn the basics of how to pronounce a word correctly. Using YouTube pronunciation videos, Thai students can learn how to pronounce English sounds correctly or at least can be understood because of learning from native speakers. The method used in this research is a two-phase mixed design method with an explanatory design type. The data obtained from this study are based on filling out questionnaires and interviews. The analysis in this study used quantitative and qualitative methods. Based on quantitative analysis, it is known that 100% of students agree with learning using YouTube media. Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis found that learning using YouTube videos was very fun and interesting for students. With this research, learning English becomes fun and not monotonous for students. In this study, learning English, especially in the pronunciation section, was not something that was scary for students.


The present disclosure relates to a system for displaying a priority live thumbnail of a process graphic view. The system includes at least one real-time data source 406 and at least one engineering information data source 409 for providing live data information. The graphic file monitor 401 is configured to monitor changes in the graphic file repository 405, and the tag extractor 407 is configured to extract tags from the graphic file for monitoring based on predefined rules. Yes. In addition, the system monitors alarm status changes and / or data status changes of monitored tags, tag monitor 402 that reads the tag importance and alarm priority of monitored tags, and prioritizes graphic views by ranking A view ranker 408 is also included.


The identification and characterization of susceptibility genes for common complex multifactorial human diseases remains a statistical and computational challenge. Parametric statistical methods such as logistic regression are limited in their ability to identify genes whose effects are dependent solely or partially on interactions with other genes and environmental exposures. We introduce cellular automata (CA) as a novel computational approach for identifying combinations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with clinical endpoints. This alternative approach is nonparametric (i.e. no hypothesis about the value of a statistical parameter is made), is model-free (i.e. assumes no particular inheritance model), and is directly applicable to case-control and discordant sib-pair study designs. We demonstrate using simulated data that the approach has good power for identifying high-order nonlinear interactions (i.e. epistasis) among four SNPs in the absence of independent main effects.


An oil in water (O / W) that can be aerated to produce foamed emulsions. Emulsions O / W of the present consist of: a 20 - 45% by weight of water; 4 - 40% by weight oil; 3 - 12% by weight of cyclodextrin selected from a-cyclodextrin, b-cyclodextrin and combinations thereof; one 20-60% by weight of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides noncyclic, sugar alcohols and combinations thereof; 0 - 30% by weight of additional edible ingredients; wherein the emulsion contains at least 80% by weight of saccharides water. Emulsions O / W of the present can form foamed emulsions with high strength properties and excellent shape retention. These emulsions foamed also offer the advantage of excellent stability. Claim 13: The food product according to claim 12, wherein said food product is a product selected from cakes, pies, puddings, desserts unfrozen, frozen desserts, ice creams, pieces of fruit and baking.


A permeability model has been specially designed for carbonates. The model relates permeability to interparticle porosity, makes special accommodation for separate-vug porosity, and includes a rock-fabric classification scheme with a dual petrophysical/geological significance. The rock-fabric classification provides a link to geological models for use in distributing permeabilities between wells.


According to the feature of several projection methods and the geographical position of Guizhou province, Mercator projection is adopted to detect forest_fire. The automatic monitoring system of forest_fire can find fire spots quickly and calculate the area of forest_fire. Its' monitoring coverage is wide and monitoring prescription is advanced 1_3 days than ordinary way. Based on the actual situation and surface condition, the vegetation index method, Remote Sensing underlying surface temperature with CH4.The vegetation water supply index method and thermal_inertia method are used respectively and can be seen by example that meteorological satellite can make macro_monitoring to drought in large area, its monitoring is highly in precision. It can determine the damage area of most county quickly.[


Coordinate values of a tool center point are calculated by obtaining coordinate values of respective powered by a numerical control drive axles at all times. A tool radius compensation vector connecting at any time the calculated tool center point and an actual machining point is procured. Then be calculated coordinate values of the actual processing point based on the calculated coordinate values of the tool center point and the resulting tool radius compensation vector, and the path of the actual processing point displayed on a display.


With the advent of the era of "big data", network information technology has become necessary for the modernization of all walks of life. In 2015, Premier Li Keqiang first proposed the concept of "Internet plus" in the government work report, opening the road of deep integration between information technology and traditional industries. In recent years, the comprehensive promotion of "Internet plus" in all walks of life has provided new ideas and good opportunities for the construction of educational informationalization. This paper will explore the significance of hybrid teaching model and its application and implementation in the context of "Internet plus" to improve the quality of foreign language teaching in China, and to propose new ideas and feasible methods for cultivating foreign language talents who can adapt to the development of the times based on the topic of foreign language teaching reform and


The Maillard reaction was observed in a molasses storage tank in a Mauritian sugar factory near the end of the 1994 crushing season. The remedial action taken is detailed and the economic loss due to the incident is assessed. The mecha nisms of the Maillard reaction and measures for its prevention are reviewed.


The purpose of the work was to identify new long-term cycles of modern world economic dynamics. In the world economic dynamics, long-term - half-century cycles were identified, identified as the cycles of N. Kondratiev, which were formed during the formation of the industrial economy. The transition to a post-industrial economy could change the cyclic nature of economic dynamics. To assess possible changes in the system of long-term cycles of economic dynamics, a spectral analysis of the series of per capita GDP of the leaders of the world economy in terms of labor productivity was performed. The results showed that in the 20th century the economic dynamics of Great Britain and the United States formed powerful cycles with a period of 25-30 years. A spectral analysis of the series of per capita GDP in the world for the period 1962-2019 has been performed. The results obtained indicate that at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries, powerful cycles with a period of 25-30 years were formed in world economic dynamics, significantly exceeding half-century cycles in terms of power.
Econometric models with a cyclic (harmonic) component are constructed to estimate the parameters of cycles. At the first stage of research, the model of world per capita GDP was guarded, the optimized period of which was 65. At the second stage, a model was built, the optimized period of which was 25 years. The possibility of the existence of two models indicates that in the economic systems of developed countries, in the world economy, transitional processes are taking place. Both models may reflect the beginning of the formation at the beginning of the second decade of a new technological order, characteristic of the post-industrial economic system. This means the possibility of a systemic global economic crisis in 2022-2023.


Objective To observe the changes of norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA),and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)in serum and cerebral cortex of rats with lung-qi deficiency,and observe the interventions of Bufei Capsules,a traditional Chinese prescription,in an attempt to elucidate the pathogenesis of lung-qi deficiency.Methods A total of 18clean grade and healthy male Wistar rats were selected and averagely randomized into control group,model group,and intervention group.The model of lung-qi deficiency syndrome was induced by smoke stimulation combined with aerosol breathing of papain.The general status,especially breathing frequency,was observed in rats of the three groups.The levels of NE,DA,and 5-HT in serum and cerebral cortex were assayed using high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemistry.Results Two days after model-inducing and 14days after intervention,respectively,the breathing frequency in the model group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P0.01).Fourteen days after intervention,the breathing frequency in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the model group at the same interval and that in the intervention group 2days after model-inducing(P0.01).As compared with those in the control group,the serum levels of DA and 5-HT were significantly increased in the model group;while the levels of NE and 5-HT were significantly decreased in the cerebral cortex(P0.05,or P0.01),with a significantly increased levels of DA(P0.05).As compared with those in the model group,the serum levels of NE were significantly increased in the intervention group (P0.05),with a significantly decreased levels of DA(P0.05);there were no significant changes in levels of NE,DA,and 5-HT in the cerebral cortex(P0.05).Conclusion Some disorders exist in the levels of NE,DA and 5-HT in serum and cerebral cortex of rats with lung-qi deficiency,and the disorders can partly be intervened by qi-supplementing drugs.


In the present study, binary mixture of Mg and Cu with nominal composition of nanocrystalline Mg50Cu50 powder alloy was synthesized by mechanical alloying. The effect of mechanical alloying time on the phase evolution and microhardness of the powder alloy was investigated by X-Ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Vickers microhardness (HV) tester. The micro hardness value of the alloy increased with increasing mechanical alloying time and it was measured ~600 Mpa for final product. The crystallite size of Mg50Cu50 alloy calculated with broadening of XRD peaks by Debye Scherrer equation. The crystallite size of the powder alloy was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and it was determined approximately 10 nm. Thermal properties of the mechanically alloyed Mg50Cu50 powders were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From DSC traces, an endothermic peak which belongs to melting point of Magnesium (Mg) element was observed at ~ 650 ̊C


In this issue of Blood, Schuetzmann et al show that PU.1 autoregulation and the looping factor Lim domain–binding 1 (LDB1) are required for dynamic chromosome architecture remodeling involving PU.1 during myeloid differentiation, which is impaired in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).1


Some of the viscoelastic properties of four peanut varieties were investigated by a series of uniaxial compression tests. The uniaxial tests were performed with a universal testing machine at temperatures of 5, 20 and 30°C, all at 55% relative humidity. Individual amino acid contents of the peanuts were determined by ion exchange chromatography. A proximate analysis was run to determine Kjeldahl nitrogen and oil. The results of the mechanical tests were analyzed to obtain uniaxial modulus of elasticity at various times and a decay constant. A correlation analysis of viscoelastic properties with chemical composition yielded significant correlations between modulus of elasticity and some individual amino acids, protein and oil. The amino aicds and protein were positively correlated while oil exhibited a negative correlation to the viscoelastic properties.


The purpose of this study was to know the seed longevity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm for effective viability monitoring. The longevity was determined via germination tests of 3,066 accessions of rice germplasm from the National Agrobiodiversity Center, Rural Development Administration, Korea. The rice germplasm accessions have been conserved at a mid-term storage (4°C, 30% RH) in plastic bottle containing dehydrated (blue) silica-gel and longterm storage (-18°C, 35% RH) in hermetically sealed metal can on either sides for 25~26.5 years. The final germination percentages of 3,066 rice germplasm accessions of 6.5±1.0% seed moisture content with 94% initial germination stored at 4°C for 26.5 years declined to 47% while at -18°C for 25 years maintained high germinability as 93%. Germination time courses, which represent the average performance of rice ecotypes stored at 4°C and 30% RH, were fitted regression equation, to calculate the time at which germination characteristically declined to 50% (P50). These P50 values of Indica, Japonica, Javanica and Tongil type in rice were 39.9, 22.9, 25.4 and 31.8 years, respectively. The rice germplasm stored at 4°C could be clustered in 4 groups using quartile of final germination after 26.5 years storage. The seed longevity (P50) of each group was estimated by regression equation of changed germination percentages according to storage periods. The P50 values of group I, group II, group III and group IV were 21.1, 23.6, 30.0 and 75.7 years.


A 25-year-old woman with focal seizure, intermittent morning headache and vomiting for 2 years showed microcytic hypochromic anemia on peripheral blood smear and a 6 x 6 x 7.5cm sized intracranial mass with cystic and solid portions at the right temporoparietal convexity on brain CT and MRI which was hypervascular on cerebral angiography. Histopathologic findings on light microscopy suggested chordoma, but it was confirmed as a chordoid meningioma by immunohistochemical study. The present case suggests that the diagnosis of chordoid meningioma shoud be considered in a juvenile or young adult who is presented with an extra-axial mass with typical location of meningiomas, findings of chordomas on light microscopy, and clinical findings of Castleman syndrome.


Australian horticulture, in conjunction with the Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, has successfully implemented a program over the last 13 years to phase out the use of methyl bromide (MB), in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. While growers have adopted chemical and non-chemical alternatives to MB, there remains a pressing need to further develop these alternatives, and evaluate several new products recently imported or developed in Australia (e.g. methyl iodide – MI, ethanedinitrile – EDN, propylene oxide – PPO). This paper reports on trials conducted with these fumigants to determine their suitability for Australian environments and optimise their application for pepper, strawberry and ornamental flower production. To assess their performance, trials monitored fumigant efficacy against weeds and nematodes, disease incidence, and their effect on crop growth and yields.


Abstract Background Standard treatment of advanced biliary tract cancer (aBTC) is represented by first-line chemotherapy (CT1). However, some patients do not gain any benefit from CT1, contributing to the overall dismal prognosis of aBTC. The present study aimed to devise a prognostic model in aBTC patients receiving CT1. Methods A large panel of clinical, laboratory, and pathology variables, available before the start of CT1, were retrospectively assessed in a multi-centric cohort to determine their prognostic value on univariate and multivariate regression analysis. The variables that showed a significant correlation with overall survival (OS) were computed in a three-tier prognostic score. External validation of the prognostication performance was carried out. Results Clinical histories of 935 patients (median OS 10.3 months), with diagnosis dates ranging from 2001 to 2017, were retrieved from 14 institutions. According to multivariate analysis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, carbohydrate antigen 19.9, albumin levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were strongly associated with OS (p <0.01). The prognostic score could generate a highly significant stratification (all between-group p values ≤0.001) into groups of favorable (comprising 51.5% of the sample), intermediate (39.2%), and poor prognosis (9.3%): median OS was 12.7 (CI95% 11.0–14.4), 7.1 (CI95% 5.8–8.4), and 3.2 months (CI95% 1.7–4.7), respectively. This OS gradient was replicated in the validation set (129 patients), with median OS of 12.7 (CI95% 11.0–14.3), 7.5 (CI95% 6.1–8.9), and 1.4 months (CI95% 0.1–2.7), respectively (all between-group p values ≤0.05). Conclusion A prognostic score, derived from a limited set of easily-retrievable variables, efficiently stratified a large population of unselected aBTC patients undergoing CT1. This tool could be useful to clinicians, to ascertain the potential benefit from CT1 at the start of treatment.


Submitted for the APR17 Meeting of The American Physical Society Gravitational waves in axion inflation: implications for CMB and small-scales interferometer measurements1 CANER UNAL, MARCO PELOSO, Univ of Minnesota Twin Cities, LORENZO SORBO, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, JUAN GARCIA-BELLIDO, Autonomous University of Madrid — A strong experimental effort is ongoing to detect the primordial gravitational waves (GW) generated during inflation from their impact on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). This effort is motivated by the direct relation between the amplitude of GW signal and the energy scale of inflation, in the standard case of GW production from vacuum. I will discuss the robustness of this relation and the conditions under which particle production mechanisms during inflation can generate a stronger GW signal than the vacuum one. I will present a concrete model employing a coupling between a rolling axion and a gauge field, that can produce a detectable GW signal for an arbitrarily small inflation scale, respecting bounds from back-reaction, perturbativity, and the gaussianity of the measured density perturbations. I will show how the GW produced by this mechanism can be distinguished from the vacuum ones by their spectral dependence and statistical properties. I will finally discuss the possibility of detecting an inflationary GW signal at terrestrial (AdvLIGO) and space (LISA) interferometers. Such experiments are sensitive to the modes much smaller than the ones corresponding to CMB and Large Scale Structure, presenting a unique observational window on the final stages of inflation. 1The work of C.U. is s supported by a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota. Caner Unal Univ of Minnesota Twin Cities Date submitted: 30 Sep 2016 Electronic form version 1.4


Observational evidence that L-band backscatter measurements are distorted by Faraday rotation (FR) is presented using match-ups consisting of the phased-array type L-band synthetic aperture radar-2 (PALSAR-2) data, scatterometer winds, and FR estimated from total electron contents (TEC) and magnetic fields. Investigating these data reveals that the PALSAR-2-derived ocean surface HH normalized radar cross section (NRCS) tends to decrease slightly as the FR angle increases and the HV one tends to increase the most. At an incidence angle of 27.5°, the measured HV NRCS increases by about 15 dB or more, whereas the FR angle increases from 0° to 15°. The variation of the PALSAR-2 observations with FR and its incident angle dependence are roughly explained by a model based on the scattering matrix of linearly polarized backscatter signatures. The error of wind speeds estimated by the L-band HH geophysical model function of ocean surface winds from the match-ups shows a tendency to underestimate wind speeds as FR increases. This is explained by the fact that the HH NRCS decreases as FR increases. Meanwhile, it is suggested that because ocean cross-polarized (HV) data with large co- and cross-polarization ratio has strong sensitivity to FR due to the inclusion of the co-polarization component, correction for the influence of the FR angle is essential for accurate ocean wind estimation.


We appreciated Krieger and Williams' discussion of changes that can be expected with the implementation of the new 2000 standard population for age-adjusting mortality data.1 We would like to address the authors' recommendation that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) "should either present 'bridge' data allowing comparisons of contemporary rates adjusted to the 1940 and 2000 standard or else should reissue older data readjusted to the 2000 standard"1(p 1213). In fact, NCHS implemented this recommendation concurrent with the first publication of 1999 mortality data.2

On June 26, 2001, a series of tables showing age-adjusted death rates using the 2000 standard population was published on the National Vital Statistics System mortality Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/statab/unpubd/mortabs/hist-tabs.htm).These tables provide age-adjusted death rates for standard cause-of-death lists used by NCHS beginning with data for 1960 and for selected causes of death for each year from 1900 through 1959. In the future, more causes of death will be made available for the period 1900 through 1959. Each of these tables provides age-adjusted rates by sex and race. The categories of race for all years include "all races," "white," and "all other." Beginning with tables for 1968, rates are also available for the Black population.

The Web site also contains tables showing numbers of deaths, age-specific death rates, and other detailed mortality data. These tables provide the public health community with consistent long-term trends of causespecific, age-adjusted death rates and other resources with which to take analyses of mortality data beyond the summary measure, as Pamuk and others have recommended.3–5


ABSTRACT This paper is about socialising Saudi female preservice teachers (PSTs) while they are attending university into the role of educational leadership. This leadership role should be broadened to include nation building per the tenets of Saudi Arabia's national development plan, Vision 2030. After discussing nation building and profiling the Saudi educational context (including educational reform initiatives), and after explaining Islamic understandings of educational leadership (values and traditions), an overview of the intentionally planned professional socialisation process is presented. The paper culminates in ideas around what an aligned curriculum might contain so Saudi female PSTs are exposed to educational leadership for nation building while at university. With intentional socialisation into this role, upon graduation, they should be more inclined to assume a role in nation building by (a) influencing the educational sector, players, and policies to benefit the nation and (b) convincing other sectors of the value of women and the education sector in ensuring an ambitious nation. Insights apply to other nations engaged in nation building including Arab nations.


Background: Photovoice is community-based participatory research method in which community members partner to take photos and provide narrative to inspire social or political change, and to raise critical consciousness. Of particular value is the potential for this method to bring voice to a population that is systematically silenced from public advocacy efforts due to fear of legal or social repercussions. The photos and narrative products become the 'voice' and offer a vehicle for safe participation in the advocacy process. However, the risks of using identifiable photography may negate the benefits of having photos speak for participants, prompting researcher or review board decisions to use only anonymous photography. Little is known about how these decisions might affect participant power and self-determination in the research process, and perceptions of partnership in this collaborative method. Methods: N=25 people who inject drugs (PWID) were recruited to be part of a Photovoice project addressing the pervasive stigma they face in Chicago communities. Participants partnered to provide anonymous photos and narrative to prompt critical consciousness about stigma and the need for social and political change. The sample was also engaged in a qualitative, phenomenological study to examine how Human Subjects protections in this study affected perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness throughout the research process. The purposeful sample was reflective of the local PWID community demographics and met published estimations required to reach saturation in phenomenological data. Participants were engaged in semi-structured interviews that were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim by a professional transcription service, verified by the research team, and assigned as documents in software designed to aid analysis of qualitative data. Weiss' issue focused analysis guided the team, with index codes to start the coding process, and coded by two members of the research team. Interrater reliability was assessed using Cohen's Kappa and evaluated using benchmarks established by Landis & Koch. Member checking of emerging themes occurred with the use of a Community Advisory Board of local PWIDs, convened for this study. Results: Thematic analysis examined conceptualizations of partnership, power, safety, voice, and capacity to fulfill research expectations were further distilled through a Self-Determination Theory Lens. The Theory stipulates that autonomy (defined here as choice of photos and active participation), competence (capacity to answer questions within the safety constraints),


Overview of assessment in geographical areas (GIS) and model reviews, positioning (GNSS), positioning, this study was conducted for the purpose of estimating the soil quality of the Gharat River Basin in the north of Dhi Qar Governorate using geomatics techniques represented by geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS) and positioning systems (GNSS). Which is about (90 km) from the city center. In nature soils and the correlation (B / C) reached (R2 = 0.907) for sand, while the clay was correlation with the range (B / R) and it was (R2 = 0.763) in While the correlation between the silt and the band (B/R) was recorded (R2 = 0.730), the ph record (7.8-8.42) as it was classified as a neutral slant to the basal and it was clear from the statistical analysis that there is a relationship with the range (C / B) as it reached (R2 = 0.583). The results showed a decrease in the values of soil samples between (0.2 - 1.7%) and the results of the analysis. 0.114% -0.197%) and the results of the statistical analysis showed the correlation of the range (C/NIR) and gypsum with a correlation value of (R2 = 0.686) in the proportion of lime ranged between (64.5% -21.5%) and the statistical analysis showed a correlation between calcium carbonate and the relativity of the range (C / NIR) as recorded (R2 = 0.513), the results of the analysis of samples from the study samples ranged between (26.86-395.55), and through the statistical analysis it was found that there is a relationship between the rate of sodium adsorption and the ratio of the bandwidth of the satellite visual correlation amounted to (R2 = 0.736), and it ranged The electrical conductivity values for the soils of the study area (5.79 -44.2 dS.m¯1) and it was a correlation (G / R) and the correlation value was (R2 = 0.602), the calcium values in the area. The study ranged between (400-1944 ppm) and the correlation numbering (R2 = 0.640) and the rates of magnesium in the study table ranged, the correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.602), the sodium record between (50-1307 ppm) and the correlation range was (C / NIR) ) Correlation coefficient reached (R2 = 0.920), calcium carbonate ratios were found in the study stations (64.5% -21.5%) and its ratio reached with the range (C / NIR) as the proportion of gypsum in the region was calculated. The correlation coefficient of gypsum and range (C / NIR) was calculated) where it reached (R2 = 0.686), the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) was calculated and meals were between (26.86-395.5) and there was an association with the range (B / R + NIR) as it was recorded (R2 = 0.737)


Polarized single crystal Raman spectra of the fundamental modes offorsterite (Mg2Si04), olivine (M&.88,Feo.12),fayalite (Fe2Si04), and monticellite (CaMgSi04) are presented. Seven low energy modes «450 cm-I) in forsterite differ from those of all previous studies. All modes predicted by symmetry for forsterite and monticellite were observed; 34 out of 36 modes were observed for fayalite. Assignment of the modes was determined by systematics in frequency changes resulting from cation substitution. Although the lattice modes are generally mixed, likely mode assignments are made using the following observations. The lowest energy modes are assigned to Si04 translations and appear to be mixed with the cation translations. The lattice modes between 330 and 435 cm-I in forsterite that changed the least with composition were assigned as Si04 rotations. The modes from 300 to 390 cm-I that showed the greatest variation with composition or showed signs of two-mode behavior in the olivine Mg88were assigned as M2 translations. The Si04 internal stretching and bending modes were assigned to the highest frequencies; they vary little from forsterite to monticellite to fayalite and appear to depend more on cation mass than volume. These assignments are consistent with previous single-crystal infrared studies of forsterite and fayalite and with mode Griineisen parameters 'Yimeasured vs. pressure in that the highest 'Yivalues should be associated with the M2 cations and the lowest with the Si04 internal modes. INTRODUCTION important modes are those below 450 cm-I, as the estiThe vibrational modes of olivines, important geophysmat~s of heat capacity and entropy vs. tem~~rature at ical and cosmochemical phases, have been studied extenambIent temperatures and below are very sensItIve to the sively by Raman spectroscopy (Iishi, 1978; Servoin and number of these mo~es and their distribution. These are, Piriou, 1973; Piriou and McMillan, 1983; Stidham et aI., h,owever, the most dIfficult to measure because of exten1976; Hohler and Funck, 1973; Chopelas, 1990), infrared ~IV~over~apping: breadth ofp~aks a~~ t~o-mode behavspectroscopy (Hofmeister, 1987. Tarte 1963. Paqueslor In sohd solutIons, and low IntensItIes In Raman specLedent and Tarte, 1973; Kovach 'et aI., 1'975; Hofmeister tra because ~f the low polarizabilities of the octahedral et aI., 1989; plus some references given above for Raman structural unIts. spectroscopy), inelastic neutron scattering (Rao et aI., T~e polarized ,Raman spectrum of forsterite has been 1988), and lattice dynamical calculations (Price et aI., prevl0.u~ly descnbe~ (~ohler and Funck, 1973; Servoin 1987a, 1987b). Study of these properties yields insight and Plnou, 1973; IIS~I, 1978), bu~ none, of the results into the interatomic forces within the crystal structure agree for the ~r~qUencies o,f the low IntensIty modes. The and a basis for understanding the effect of cation substionly other ohvlne for whIch a (nearly) complete singletutions on the thermodynamic properties. For example, crystal, Rama~ spectrum has been des~ribed is tephroi,te the heat capacity and entropy can be estimated to better (Mn2SI04) (StIdham et aI., 1976); partIal data are avallthan 50/0over a moderate temperature range (, , 500 K, a~l~ for Ca-beari~g phases (e.g., ~ohler and Funck, 1973; Kieffer, 1979) from the mode frequency information ob~lnou and McMIllan, 1983). ThIS study was prompted, tained by infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The accuIn part, by the general lack of Raman data in the low racy in estimating these quantities can increase to better frequency range for other olivines and, in part, by disthan 0.5% over a larger temperature range (> 1000 K) if crepancies with the previously reported data for forsterite all of the infrared and Raman modes are enumerated and (Chopelas, 1990). assigned to atomic motions. The detailed mode assignIn this study, single-crystal polarized Raman spectra of ments provide an accurate method for estimating the freforsterite, olivine (Mgo.88,Feo.12)2Si04,monticellite, and quencies of inactive or unobserved modes, thereby yieldfayalite are presented. Mode assignments to molecular ing more precise information on the frequency distribution motions are made by comparison of analogue modes in or density of states (see Hofmeister, 1987; Hofmeister these olivines and previous results of tephroite (Stidham and Chopelas, 1991a; Chopelas, 1990, 1991). The most et aI., 1976) and 'Y-Ca2Si04 (Piriou and McMillan, 1983). 0003-004X/91/0708-1101$02.0


We investigate the origin of the experimentally observed varying current-frequency nonlinearity of the propagating spin wave mode in nano-contact spin torque oscillators. Nominally identical devices with 100 nm diameter are characterized by electrical microwave measurements and show large variation in the generated frequency as a function of drive current. This quantitative and qualitative device-to-device variation is described in terms of continuous and discontinuous nonlinear transitions between linear current intervals. The thin film grain microstructure in our samples is determined using atomic force and scanning electron microscopy to be on the scale of 30 nm. Micromagnetic simulations show that the reflection of spin waves against the grain boundaries results in standing wave resonance configurations. For a simulated device with a single artificial grain, the frequency increases linearly with the drive current until the decreased wavelength eventually forces another spin wave anti-node to be formed. This transition results in a discontinuous step in the frequency versus current relation. Simulations of complete, randomly generated grain microstructures additionally shows continuous nonlinearity and a resulting device-to-device variation in frequency that is similar to the experimental levels. The impact of temperature from 4 K to 300 K on the resonance mode-transition nonlinearity and frequency noise is investigated using simulations and it is found that the peak levels of the spectral linewidth as a function of drive current agrees quantitatively with typical levels found in experiments at room temperature.


M40 has always been something of an oddity in the Messier Catalogue, since it is just a pair of stars rather than an extended object. Doubts have also been expressed as to whether it is even a physical binary. Here, we note that the Hipparcos/Gaia parallaxes for these two stars remove all doubt: Messier 40 comprises a pair of entirely unrelated stars.


This paper discusses anekdots published in the "Smiles from Different Latitudes" column published in the 1970s in the Soviet humorous journal "Krokodil." Belonging to the spheres of official and non-official culture, anekdots published in the "Smiles from Different Latitudes" column represents an interesting, although thoroughly artificial phenomenon: a creative combination of a folk, "soviet anekdot culture" and an official political satire. This paper provides an overview of the structure, themes and characters of these constructed anekdots, as well as the authors and intended addressees.


We have taken great strides in the treatment of asthma. In recent years, both hospitalisation and mortality due to asthma have declined in Australia. Unfortunately the risk of mortality from asthma is still present and is high relative to other nations. Patients with asthma still report poorer quality of life via reduced physical activity and engagement in social roles.


In this paper, the experimental results from examining the electrical insulating characteristics and third harmonic components in salt fog aging test for polymer materials are presented. From the aging test results, when polymer hydrophobicity deteriorates with aging time, waterdroplets will make contact in the case of vibration of the waterdroplet under AC applied voltage, deteriorate the resistance on the polymer surface and increase harmonic components of leakage current. Investigations of form change in waterdroplets and change in leakage current in humid conditions thus the rate of the third harmonics were done. Also investigations on polymer hydrophobicity deterioration, contamination of the material surface by salt and the increase of third harmonics with insulation deterioration were conducted. The results showed that, the third harmonics increased with aging time and the rate of the third harmonics to a fundamental wave component also increased. The above-mentioned summary is presumed to be related to the increase in dryband arcing.


Taking the college students from Hubei province as research subject,this paper makes category of sport consumption behavior and deeply analyzes the determinant factors and quantitative relationship between determinants and related sport consumption.The result shows that except for the subjective factors such as your interest in sports,the student annual living cost,the pressure of curriculum and gender are the main objective factors which determinate sport material consumption.The student annual living cost and gender are the main objective determinant factors of sport information consumption,and the place where student come from is the main objective factor which determinate service consumption.All these are important for us to learn more about and forecast the student sport consumption behavior.


Oseltamivir is an influenza virus neuraminidase inhibitor. It is commonly prescribed for the prevention and treatment of influenza virus infection. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Delirium rarely has been reported in the elderly. We present the case of an 80-year-old man who developed delirium after taking oseltamivir. He had a past history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, triple-vessel coronary artery disease that underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery, hypertension, dyslipidemia, benign prostate hypertrophy and rheumatoid arthritis. He was admitted due to fever, dry cough and myalgia for 2 days. Influenza B rapid test was positive. Delirium developed 4 days after he took oseltamivir and gradually subsided after ceasing it. This case report should remind medical staff of possibility of inducing delirium in the elderly with oseltamivir use.


metaphoric in a way consistent with his materialism; and surrenders to the sovereign all matters of interpretation. Far from being tolerant in Tuck's sense, Hobbes was concerned with the propagation of truth, because, as he saw it, truth and peace cannot be inconsistent, returning us to the relation of knowledge and politics whence we began. Even the disagreements among contributors are heuristic. Take, for example, the debate between Tuck and Fair on Hobbes's putative toleration. The theorist does two things: he confers upon the sovereign as much authority in religious affairs as can be. This does not extend to inquisition over inner belief, which is neither possible nor needful, and indeed is counterproductive. But, he enjoins upon the absolute sovereign a policy of toleration, as a pragmatic and not principled matter (a point, as Fair observes, that Tuck makes more specifically in "Scepticism and Toleration in the Seventeenth Century" (in Susan Mendus, [ed.], Justifying Toleration [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988]). If the foregoing is correct, then Tuck might well have overstated his case when he concludes that the very lack of an independent source of moral or religious judgment implies toleration. In Hobbes's mind it entails, as several contributors note, the need for a humanly constituted authority, and allows, but does not require, toleration. Nor is Farr's conclusion more plausible, since Hobbes concludes his peroration against the suppression of reason at the end of Leviathan XLVI with the proposition, unambiguously intolerant of truth, that "disobedience may lawfully be punished in them, that against the laws teach even true philosophy" (emphasis added). The greatest merit of this collection is that it concentrates on the central interpretive issues of what engaged Hobbes's political attention, the political purchase of his responses, and the springs in the human constitution which, in Hobbes's mind, had produced the crisis of his times and conditioned any political response. One can detect in the pages of this debate the outline of a more historically credible, and more theoretically challenging, figure four centuries after his birth.


In injury and death cases in some jurisdictions, the economic valuations of the lost earnings of foreign born migrant workers are based on the wages the individuals would have been expected to earn while working in the U.S. had they not been injured or killed. In these instances, estimating the amount of time that the foreign born workers would have been expected to be active in the U.S. labor force is critical. In this paper we use data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP) to estimate the number of years a Mexican born foreign worker could reasonably be expected to be employed or seeking employment in the U.S. labor market. We find, consistent with other studies of Mexican migrant workers, that the typical Mexican born worker who migrates to the U.S. to work does not spend their entire working life in the U.S. Our analysis shows the typical Mexican migrant can be expected to be active in the U.S. workforce between 6.1 and 11.1 years on average. In addition, our proportional hazards model suggests that the time spent in the U.S. is dependent on a number of individual-specific factors such as a worker's gender, age, social network, and martial status. The probabilities obtained from the proportional hazards model can be used in some injury and death cases to construct more detailed and precise estimates of the time a Mexican migrant worker works in the U.S.


A major constraint in hospitals and clinics in the interior villages of low resource countries is the access to stable power supply. Decontamination of reusable metal-based surgical tools is an energy-intensive process, the power required for this procedure may not be accessible in many health centres in low resource countries. Hence, decontamination device with low-energy requirements could immensely benefit village clinical settings. The developed sterilizer utilizes a Fresnel lens in a multi-baffle multi-pass chamber to amplify radiation intensity. An intelligent scheme of air passage was achieved using Fuzzy logic control to ensure control of pressure and temperature regime thermal transport within the chamber. The Fuzzy logic controller program was designed on Matlab's fuzzy logic toolbox and simulated with Simulink to evaluate its accuracy. The performance evaluation of the device showed that at an ambient temperature of 27℃ and a solar radiation intensity of 1362 W/m2, the sterilizer was able to sterilize at a temperature of 169.69℃ which is within the range for efficient dry heat sterilization to take place (140℃-170℃). This work has demonstrated that fuzzy logic controlled dry air sterilizer could achieve temperature ~ 150℃ within the heater chamber which may be suitable for sterilizing used surgical equipment.


Abstract Various concentrations of molybdate (MoO42−) were added to the protein-containing and deproteinated exopolymers of the marine bacterium Deleya marina. Interaction was investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron spin resonance (ESR). MoO42− reduction was observed exclusively in the deaerated protein-containing exopolymer, resulting in the formation of a Mo5+ species. This species appeared susceptible to reoxidation in the presence of soluble oxygen. Only hexavalent molybdenum (Mo6+) was seen in the aerated suspension. The reducing agents may have been the residual proteins that remained in the exopolymer without subsequent deproteination. The influence of this reduction on corrosion resistance of Mo-bearing stainless steels (SS) was simulated with an austenitic type 304 SS (UNS S30400), whose surface was treated with MoO42− before exposure to the exopolymer. In addition to formation of the Mo5+ species, a small amount of molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) was detected, and hydrat...


With the forging and making operational consortia subscription of E resources, beginning with journals, by various Academic and Government R&D organizations in the country, there is an immediate need to formulate standard metrics for the analysis of the usage of such resources. In the subsequent phase the outcomes of the analysis can be co-related against various parameters to develop performance measures as relevant to the consortium members. These performance measures can then be used to benchmark against the 'leaders' and action item for improving the average usage across the consortium. Ultimately translating into a justifiable ROI – not necessarily in money terms. Unlike in the physical subscription, such measurements and analysis is an intrinsic benefit in E subscription and must be fully utilized. This paper will generally discuss the utility of metrics , prevailing practices of a few E content providers and lay down broad parameters to serve as a basis for evolving a standard set of E metrics.


The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used to analyze genetics, development, and signaling for nearly a century. About 60% of the genes that are believed to cause human disease have found to a recognizable match in the genetic code of the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), and 50% of Drosophila's protein sequences are similar to those of mammals. Fruit flies are mostly used in disease analysis of human because their gene and protein similarities are included in an organism with only four pairs of chromosomes, the X/Y sex chromosomes and three autosomes, numbered 2, 3 and 4. The advantages of using Drosophila are that they breed and mature rapidly, are inexpensive and easy to grow, produce several hundred offspring per generation, and need very little space. The fruit fly is also an ideal candidate for human disease studies because simple mutations cause obvious phenotype differences and its genome map has been fully sequenced.


We demonstrate by means of simple, noninvasive methods (analy-sis of satellite images, field observations, and measuring ''deer beds'' in snow) that domestic cattle ( n (cid:1) 8,510 in 308 pastures) across the globe, and grazing and resting red and roe deer ( n (cid:1) 2,974 at 241 localities), align their body axes in roughly a north– south direction. Direct observations of roe deer revealed that animals orient their heads northward when grazing or resting. Amazingly, this ubiquitous phenomenon does not seem to have been noticed by herdsmen, ranchers, or hunters. Because wind and light conditions could be excluded as a common denominator determining the body axis orientation, magnetic alignment is the most parsimonious explanation. To test the hypothesis that cattle orient their body axes along the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field, we analyzed the body orientation of cattle from localities with high magnetic declination. Here, magnetic north was a better predictor than geographic north. This study reveals the magnetic alignment in large mammals based on statistically sufficient sample sizes. Our findings open horizons for the study of magnetoreception in general and are of potential significance for applied ethology (husbandry, animal welfare). They challenge neuroscien-tists and biophysics to explain the proximate mechanisms. grazing applied significant uniform of calculated


Due to the huge amount of hair, it is very difficult for real-time rendering of virtual human hair, let alone hairstyle designing. An improved method based on hair strips is put forward, by which a variety of hairstyles can be realized. To the NURBS surface model, when positioning of the control points, the cantilever beam is imported to show hair natural state of prolapse. To calculate the light effect accurately, a kind of rapid and accurate method to calculate the unit reflection ray vector in Phong shading model is put forward, and the hair texture and Phong shading interaction is fully considered. In addition, this paper puts forward a new method to gain various hairstyles in texture level, that is, through modifying the alpha texture and the texture coordinates using disturbance function, to realize different length and bending styles. The experimental results show that,the new method can realize high fidelity virtual human hair simulation, and support a variety of hairstyles.


(a) Department of Silviculture, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering Estonian University of Life Sciences 5 Kreutzwaldi St., 51014 Tartu, Estonia (b) Chair of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography University of Tartu 46 Vanemuise St., 51014 Tartu, Estonia (c) Chair of Plant Ecology, Institute of Botany and Ecology University of Tartu, 40 Lai St., 51005 Tartu, Estonia


The strict relation between a certain class of multi-boson Hamiltonian systems and the corresponding class of orthogonal polynomials is established. The correspondence is effectively used to integrate the systems. As an explicit example we integrate the class of multi-boson systems corresponding to q-Hahn class polynomials.


Study plant diseases and insect pests base on images.Traditional plant diseases and insect pests detection algorithm depends on clear pest pixel,when the quality of the pest images is poorer,the detection result is bad.Aiming at the problems,the paper put forward a pest detection method based on the low quality of images.By establishing the feature library of minutiae amd using fuzzy discriminate method,the few details characteristics were detected and then the situation of plant diseases and insect pests can be obtained.This method need only few detailed features to finish the detection,which avoides large pixel dependence.The experiment results show that the method can effectively detect most low quality images of plant diseases and insect pests,and achieve good results.


This paper presents a PSO based design of classical Proportional-Integral (PI) controller for consistency of stock, one of the most important papermaking parameters used as a single input single output (SISO) system. Various transfer function models of this parameter reported in the literature have been employed. These transfer functions are actually developed from experimental data from real systems i.e. paper industry. Out of so many tuning techniques for controller settings, the Ziegler-Nichols (ZN), internal model control (IMC) & Tyreus-Luyben (TL) techniques are mostly used in industries. These controller tuning methods usually produce large overshoot, larger settling time slower dynamics and less comparative stability. Therefore, modern heuristics approach such as particle swarm optimization (PSO) is proposed to examine its suitability in enhancing the capability of traditional techniques. For comparison purposes, the simulation with ZN -PI, TL-PI, and IMC-PI are also presented. The analysis reveals that the PSO-based PI approach in most of the situations provides better optimal performance pertaining to overshoot, frequency response & relative stability (gain Margin and phase Margin), and low-performance index values of given process models of stock consistency.


In this paper, we investigate the problem of optimal power control for multiuser variable bit rate (VBR) video streaming in a cellular network with orthogonal channels. We adopt a deterministic model for VBR video traffic that incorporates video frame and playout buffer characteristics, and formulate a constrained stochastic optimization problem. We then develop a majorization-based solution approach. For the case of a single VBR video session with relaxed peak power constraint, we develop a power optimal algorithm with low complexity. We prove the power optimality of the proposed algorithm and the uniqueness of the global optimum, and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is also smoothness optimal. For the case of multiuser VBR video streaming, we develop a heuristic algorithm that selectively suspends some video sessions when the peak power constraint is violated. The proposed algorithms are evaluated with trace-driven simulations, and are shown to achieve considerable power savings and improved video quality over a conventional "lazy" scheme.


A variety of statistical and analytical issues should be considered whenever psychosocial resource variables are used in cancer research. Measures of resource variables should not be used unless their validity and reliability have been firmly established. Once one decides to measure a resource variable, the sample must be large enough to detect real effects. Most resource variables are measured along a quantitative dimension (e.g., low to high self-esteem). The common practice of imposing cut points on such measures often produces a loss of valuable information. It is also important to recognize that most of the commonly used statistical methods represent only linear relationships among variables. Special statistical methods are needed to represent potential nonlinear relationships. Distinguishing between resource variables that function as moderators and those that function as mediators can be useful. Finally, multivariate statistical methods such as factor analysis and covariance structure modeling provide powerful tools for analyzing psychosocial resource variables, but they must be used with caution.


Cellulose nano fi (CNF) is a sustainable bionanomaterial which has fi bril ' s width varying from 5nm to ~ 73 nm with an average length of 8 μ m. It can be used as a base material for various functional materials such as barrier, fl exible electronic substrates, and membrane etc. Though several methods such as solvent casting and vacuum fi ltration are available for the production of CNF fi lm in laboratory scale, the major constraints are fi lm formation time, shrinkage on the fi lm, and poor uniformity. Spraying CNF suspension is one of the emerging methods which forms the fi lm rapidly. The present investigation deals with the optimization of critical parameters such as CNF suspension concentration, velocity of the conveyor, and spray distance involved in the spraying process via central composite design (CCD) in the response surface methodology (RSM). The in fl uence of these parameters on the basis weight and thickness of the CNF fi lm was evaluated from the linear models. It concludes that the CNF suspension concentration is a strong parameter for controlling the basis weight and the thickness of the CNF fi lm. The developed linear models were validated with experimental data con fi rming that it was a good fi t. Given this correspondence, these models may be used for scaling up the spraying process for the fast production of CNF fi lm.


Laminar natural convection heat transfer from a torus is numerically investigated for two conditions: having an isothermal surface or being uniformly heated. Tori with different diameter ratios are examined under laminar conditions. The computational procedure is based on the finite volume technique. Results are presented in the form of velocity and temperature contour plots around the perimeter of the torus. Heat transfer data are generated and presented in terms of the average Nusselt number versus the modified Rayleigh number. General correlations of Nusselt numbers in terms of a wide range of Rayleigh or modified Rayleigh number are obtained to cover two different heating conditions.


Even though there has been a growing effort to advance research on dual-earner couples, we know very little about how an individual's demands may overload their partner at work and/or at home. In t...


A proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) current element along with a current controlled oscillator (CCO) operational down to 0.2 V supply enables an ultra-low-power (ULP) temperature sensor. A bit-weighted current mirror (BWCM) architecture resists process-induced variation in the PTAT current. The power consumption is 23nW and the maximum inaccuracy is +1.5/-1.7°C from 0°C to 100°C with a 2-point calibration.


Governmental and organizational policy increasingly claims to be data‐driven, data‐informed, or knowledge‐driven. We explore the data practices of local governments and nonprofits a seeking to end homelessness in the City of Austin. Drawing on 31 interviews with stakeholders, alongside the reflections and experiences of our interdisciplinary, cross‐sector collaborative team, we consider the role of data in guiding and informing interventions and policy regarding homelessness. Ending homelessness is a particularly challenging scenario for intervention, with increasing politicization, changing circumstances, and needing rapid intervention to reduce harm. In exploring some implications of data science "in the wild" as it is deployed, understood, and supported within the Travis County Continuum of Care (CoC), we analyze how data‐intensive work connects and engages across disciplinary boundaries. Furthermore, we consider how data science and the iField can collaborate in addressing complex, social problems as advisors and partners with invested organizations.


Cultural factors have a significant impact on the manifestation of psychiatric illness and the development of the ego ideal. The evolution of the widow's cultural role in a South India village provides insight on the ego ideal through several generations. As treatment of widows changed so that their appearance became indistinguishable from other women, they no longer became objects of revulsion. A case study approach documents the interrelationship of changes in the cultural ego ideal on psychiatric illness among widows in a South India village over a period of more than four decades.


In this second year of the grant, we have made good progress toward our goals of elucidating the basic materials response to repeated laser pulsing. This work includes both computer simulation and experimentation, as we now describe.


This paper discusses the application of robust control theory to evaluate robustness of the Ares-I control systems. Three techniques for estimating upper and lower bounds of uncertain parameters which yield stable closed-loop response are used here: (1) Monte Carlo analysis, (2) mu analysis, and (3) characteristic frequency response analysis. All three methods are used to evaluate stability envelopes of the Ares-I control systems with uncertain aerodynamics and flex dynamics. The results show that characteristic frequency response analysis is the most effective of these methods for assessing robustness.


A 68-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a 24-h history of haemoptysis and fever. The patient also reported a productive cough for 5 years. He was a current smoker (smoking history of 80 pack-years) with an otherwise unremarkable past medical history. On examination, his respiratory rate was 24 breaths per min, heart rate was 120 beats per min, temperature 39.2°C and his oxyhaemoglobin saturation was 98% in room air. On auscultation, breath sounds were reduced and end-expiratory crackles were heard over the left lung. Physical examination was otherwise normal. Blood tests showed: white blood cells 14 500 cells·μL−1 (neutrophils 12 000 cells·μL−1, lymphocytes 1900 cells·μL−1), haemoglobin 13.9 g·dL−1, platelets 256 000 μL−1, C-reactive protein (CRP) 128 mg·L−1, erythrocyte sedimentation rate 90 mm·h−1, normal electrolytes, urea 45 mg·dL−1 and creatinine 1.22 mg·dL−1. Can you diagnose this 68-year-old male with 24-h history of haemoptysis, 5-year history of productive cough and ipsilateral lung infiltrates? https://bit.ly/3tyhANB


Integrated information systems continuously develop into a strategic instrument for higher education institutions. In contrast to private companies, specific characteristics of higher education institutions in regards to their organizational structure as well as their management and operations require a tailored project management approach. There is need for thorough research and practical recommendations for implementation of integrated information systems in higher education institutions. This paper provides a systematic meta-analysis and a state of the art overview of critical success factors for selection and implementation of integrated information systems based on the characteristic of the higher education sector. A qualitative content analysis is applied to receive a comprehensive list of critical success factors for higher education institutions. The mostly named critical success factors are stakeholder participation, business process reengineering and communication which align well with the peculiarities of the higher education sector.


Sea cucumbers are important due to their rotation of key nutrients and high medicinal values. With this in mind and considering the lack of scientific knowledge about them, the purpose of this research was to identify the species of sea cucumber occurring in the intertidal habitats of Hengam Island. Field sampling and surveys were carried out along the coastline based on the geomorphic and habitat characteristics of eight sampling stations in the inter-tidal zone. The samples that were collected from the stations were transferred to the laboratory and identified using morphological keys and a review of their ossicles. By reviewing the literature on the distribution of sea cucumbers, it was determined that a new observation had been made of Holothuria arenicola and Holothuria bacilla from Hengam Island (Persian Gulf).


Quantum causality extends the conventional notion of the fixed causal structure by allowing channels and operations to act in an indefinite causal order. The importance of such an indefinite causal order ranges from the foundational—e.g., towards a theory of quantum gravity—to the applied—e.g., for advantages in communication and computation. In this review, the authors will walk through the basic theory of indefinite causal order and focus on experiments that rely on a physically realizable indefinite causal ordered process—the quantum switch.


Zixing is rich in bamboo forestry,and have a long management history,but the forestry cultivating technology is behindhand.After investigating all the bamboo forestry in Zixing,we established transformation plan.7 years ago,the number of new bamboo increased about 102 per mu,and the yield was 1.7-3.6 times more than CK,the diameter increased 0.6cm.The yield of bamboo shoot with intensive management was about 50 times than extensive management,and the stand structure become reasonable.,2tabs.,9refs.


XML will be used in lots of areas in the Web environment as a method of information exchange, We have to use dat'abases to manipulate lots of XML documents efficiently, When we use database to manipulate XML, not only type of database but also its interface is important We develop a system using relational database, object-oriented database and wrapper to store XML data, of which interfaces are XML-View, ODMG C++ binding, OQL and DOM, We discuss pros and cons of each method by the implementation of the system, and propose an efficient manipulation method of XNIL documents.


Introduction: Emerging evidence highlights the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in symptom burden related to cancer treatments. However, its underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the associations between patients' education, as an indicator of SES, and the gut microbiome with psychoneurological symptoms (PNS) cluster in gynecologic cancer patients over time.
 Methods: Nineteen women with cervical and endometrial cancers treated with radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy were followed at pre-treatment, 6-8 weeks, and 6 months post-treatment. Functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) and patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to measure symptoms. An average Z score of at least three out of five symptoms was computed as the PNS cluster total score. Patients' SES was evaluated using data on education. Rectal swabs were also collected at the same time points and sequenced using 16S rRNA V4 regions. The Kruskal-Wallis and permutational multivariable analysis of variance tests were used to compare α-diversity (within one sample) and β-diversity (between samples) between patients with high and low PNS cluster as well as patients with "below college" and "college or above" level education. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) tested taxa differences between study groups. Also, the linear mixed effect model was used to evaluate the association of the gut microbiome, education, and the PNS cluster over cancer treatment.
 Results: The patients' mean age was 58 years, 47% were Black, and 66% had college or above education. Among the participants, 63% had endometrial cancer with stage I disease (63%). There was a different taxonomy profile between patients with high and low PNS as well as patients with "below college" and "college or above" levels of education. Patients with high PNS had a lower α-diversity compared to patients with low PNS (Shannon, p=0.03, Evenness, p=0.03). Also, patients with below college-level education had a lower α-diversity trend after treatment (higher diversity is seen in the "normal" gut) but did not reach significant results. The mixed effects model results showed that low α-diversity, below college-level education, and low abundance of Fusicatenibacter and Ruminococcus were associated with high PNS cluster over cancer treatment.
 Conclusions: The present study demonstrated alteration in the gut microbiome composition between patients with high and low PNS cluster as well as patients with high and low education. The associations between the gut microbiome and education with the PNS cluster suggest the role of educational level and biological factors in developing PNS cluster. More studies using a larger sample size are required to evaluate the interactions of the gut microbiome and SES to shed light on their role in symptom development.
 Citation Format: Zahra Barandouzi, Tony Eng, Namita Khanna, Joseph Shelton, Pretesh Patel, Isabelle Scott, Rebecca Meador, Deborah Bruner. Associations of socioeconomic status and gut microbiome with psychoneurological symptom cluster in gynecologic cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3214.


Development of high voltage electrolyte is one of the effective ways to improve the performance of supercapacitor. The new ionic liquid N-propyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium difluoro(oxalato)borate (Py13DFOB) was designed and mixed with propylene carbonate (PC) as electrolyte for supercapacitor. The operating voltage of the new electrolyte system has been proven to be up to 3.0 V by a series of electrochemical techniques. Surprisingly, the new salt exhibits nearly symmetric capacitance contribution in the positive and negative electrodes, leading to a high capacitance value of 130 F g−1. The energy and power density of EDLCs using Py13DFOB in the PC electrolyte reach 39.06 Wh kg−1 (100 mA g−1) and 8.03 kW kg−1 (5,000 mA g−1), respectively, at the working voltage of 3.0 V, significantly exceeding the performance of commercial electrolyte tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4). The results indicate that Py13DFOB can be a promising electrolyte salt for supercapacitor.


This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-support vector regression (nu-SVR) model for the reconstruction of missing data of hydrological time series from a sensor network. Sensor networks are currently experiencing rapid growth of applications in experimental research and monitoring and provide an opportunity to study the dynamics of hydrological processes in previously ungauged or remote areas. Due to physical vulnerability or limited maintenance, networks are prone to data outages, which can devaluate the unique data sources. This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-SVR model to simulate water levels in a network of sensors in four nested experimental catchments in a mid-latitude montane environment. The model was applied to a range of typical runoff situations, including a single event storm, multi-peak flood event, snowmelt, rain on snow and a low flow period. The simulations based on daily values proved the high efficiency of the nu-SVR modeling approach to simulate the hydrological processes in a network of monitoring stations. The model proved its ability to reliably reconstruct and simulate typical runoff situations, including complex events, such as rain on snow or flooding from recurrent regional rain. The worst model performance was observed at low flow periods and for single peak flows, especially in the high-altitude catchments.


Densities and kinematic viscosities of the ternary subsystems of the following regular quinary system: toluene (1) + octane (2) + ethylbenzene (3) + tetradecane (4) + hexadecane (5) were measured over the entire composition range at 293.15 K and 298.15 K. The viscosity deviations from a mole fraction-averaged viscosity of the mixture were calculated from the absolute viscosity data. All the viscosity deviations are negative. The viscosity data reported herein were utilized for testing the predictive capabilities of McAllister model and Grunberg-Nissan equation. The overall % AAD in the case of McAllister model is 1.3% as compared to 3.1% in the case of Grunberg-Nissan equation.


Segmentation of the infected areas of the lung is essential for quantifying the severity of lung disease like pulmonary infections. Existing medical image segmentation methods are almost uni-modal methods based on image. However, these image-only methods tend to produce inaccurate results unless trained with large amounts of annotated data. To overcome this challenge, we propose a language-driven segmentation method that uses text prompt to improve to the segmentation result. Experiments on the QaTa-COV19 dataset indicate that our method improves the Dice score by 6.09% at least compared to the uni-modal methods. Besides, our extended study reveals the flexibility of multi-modal methods in terms of the information granularity of text and demonstrates that multi-modal methods have a significant advantage over image-only methods in terms of the size of training data required.


General comments The paper deals with a very important issue of atmospheric chemistry, i.e. the determination and quantification of the fraction of carbon which is "water soluble" (WSOC). A very large number of data is presented, covering a period longer than two years in two different alpine valleys. As far as I know is the only work presenting a so extended database on WSOC. The main scientific goal, however, is not to present a list of numbers but to verify if "The current belief (which) maintains that the WSOC fraction is "low" for primary OC and that it increases with aging of the aerosol, together with the general oxidation state of organic matter", may be verified (or confuted) by the elaboration and interpretation of full seasonal cycles. In view of such an


This paper proposes a fast I-frame searching algorithm based on an analysis of statistical characteristics of MPEG video stream. Computer simulations confirm that the proposed algorithm outperforms existing algorithms, which ensures the searching quality with a low computational complexity.


Since China's reform and opening to the outside world,China's economy keeps on increasing,but the residents' consumption has been always low.Under the background of aging population,it is of great significance to study the problem of aging population and its impact on consumption.Under the supposition that the supposed age is the endogenous variable of consumption functions,we set up a model for the household consumption choices during a certain period of time.As to the different kinds of population structure function,we illustrate some of important features of consumption functions respectively,and focus on the relationship between population structure and consumption aggregate.The study indicates that the aging population increase does not pull down the consumption but apparently pulls up the consumption instead.Further,by using the panel data from different provinces from 2005 to 2010,we choose the dynamic panel GMM method and make an estimate of the above effect based on the examination the endogenous variables,reaching a result which is in line with the above theoretical supposition,i.e.the increased rate of old people care contributes to the increased consumption.Finally,we make some proposals on the policy-making of aging population consumption.


FPGA-based accelerators have recently evolved as strong competitors to the traditional GPU-based accelerators in modern high-performance computing systems. They offer both high computational capabilities and considerably lower energy consumption. High-level synthesis (HLS) can be used to overcome the main hurdle in the mainstream usage of the FPGA-based accelerators, i.e., the complexity of their design flow. HLS enables the designers to program an FPGA directly by using high-level languages, e.g., C, C++, SystemC, and OpenCL. This paper presents an HLS-based FPGA implementation of several algorithms from a variety of application domains. A performance comparison in terms of execution time, energy, and power consumption with some high-end GPUs is performed as well. The algorithms have been modeled in OpenCL for both GPU and FPGA implementation. We conclude that FPGAs are much more energy-efficient than GPUs in all the test cases that we considered. Moreover, FPGAs can sometimes be faster than GPUs by using an FPGA-specific OpenCL programming style and utilizing a variety of appropriate HLS directives.


Provided is an image transmission system that can efficiently reduce the amount of encoding while maintaining the gradation in a high-gradation image, even in the case that a subsequent-stage application changes. The image transmission system, which transmits image data from a transmission side and performs image processing at a reception side, is provided with: an image transmission device that encodes an input image and outputs and transmits a bitstream; an image reception device that receives and decodes the bitstream and performs image processing; a bit precision information generation unit that generates bit precision information for each region in the image; a quantization control unit that controls the quantization step width in a quantization process performed in the image transmission device in accordance with the bit precision information generated by the bit precision information generation unit; and an image processing unit that performs image processing using the decoded image that has been decoded by the image reception device. The bit precision information generation unit switches the method for generating bit precision information in accordance with the processing mode of the image processing unit.


This paper investigates the value of firm political connections using a regression discontinuity design in a sample of close, off-cycle U.S. congressional elections. I compare firms donating to winning candidates and firms donating to losing candidates and find that postelection abnormal equity returns are 3% higher for firms donating to winning candidates. Connections to politicians serving on powerful congressional committees, such as appropriations and taxation, are especially valuable and impact contributing firms sales. Firms' campaign contributions are correlated with other political activities such as lobbying and hiring former government employees, suggesting that firms take coordinated actions to build political networks.


The gas turbines owned and operated by utilities throughout the world burn expensive fuels and are under-utilised. Much research work has been done into burning cheaper, alternative fuels. The range of alternative fuels that are available is extensive and the gas turbine can be adapted to burn most of them. The adaptation process will cost the utility money, the pay back period for which depends on the utilisation of the modified plant. Modification of gas turbine plant to burn acceptable fuels can delay purchase of new plant. No major problems are envisaged in the modification of gas turbine plant operated in New Zealand.Copyright © 1985 by ASME


The study of linear and nonlinear differential equations constitute a main topic in the undergraduate curriculum. Several standard methods are normally employed for the solution of such problems. In this paper, the decomposition method is introduced as a powerful alternative scheme for solving ordinary differential equations. The technique is well adapted for obtaining and identifying the closed form solution or for getting an approximate solution comparable to existing numerical schemes. The solution obtained is in the form of a power series with elegantly computable terms. An essential feature of this technique is its rapid convergence and the high degree of accuracy by which it approximates a solution; it is shown that only few iterations are sufficient to obtain accurate approximation to the exact solution. The technique is implemented for well-known nonlinear differential equations that are usually taught at the undergraduate level. The method is illustrated by considering the Abel, Bernoulli and Ricatti differential equations. Most of the symbolic and numerical computations have been performed using the computer algebra system Maple.


Chronic Rhinosinusitis" (CRS) is characterized by mucosal inflammation of nasal cavity and Para nasal sinuses, accompanied by edema and obstruction. Various agents including bacteria, viruses and fungi have been introduced as etiological origins of the disease.Fungi with different abundances have been reported as a common cause of allergic Rhinosinusitis that among them aspergillus species were the usual. This study was associeted to explore the frequency of different fungi isolates by in vitro culture and histological assays from drainage and biopsy samples obtained from operated Rhinosinusitis patients and comparing with healthy controls. This prospective experimental study was undertaken on drainage or biopsy samples from 83 Rhinosinusitis patients who had been admitted thorough 18 months (from March 2006 until September 2007) in Khorram Abad's state hospital. Nasal from 34 age and sex matched healthy control subjects were also included. Direct microscopy with KOH, histopathology examinations on biopsies with gomori's methenamine silver; PAS and HE SDA-C and BHI agar media were done.Samples from 12 out of 83 Patients (14.46%) had fungi elements approved by histopathiligical and cultural examinations. Frequencies of isolated fungi, candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor spp were 6, 3, 2, 1; respectively. In conclusion, an overall frequency of fungal Rhinosinusitis in studied population was 14.46%. According to the findings, there is a major role for Candida spp. in rhinosinusitis generation that had not been noticed previously.


In countries where child marriage remains widespread, concerted efforts are underway to eliminate it, but overall progress remains uneven and slow. One in three Zimbabwean girls marries by age 18. To inform the country's efforts to reduce child marriage, data from 5,542 women aged 20 to 24 years in the 2005-2006, 2010-2011, and 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Surveys are used to examine individual-, household-, and cluster-level correlates. Cumulative incidence functions first document changes over time, and multilevel models are used to explore correlates. Although prevalence is high, younger cohorts were less likely to marry young. A woman's education, wealth quintile, religion, and provincial residence correlated with marrying as a child. Cluster-level female schooling, number of children ever born, and proportions using contraceptives were also correlated with child marriage. Efforts should promote socioeconomic well-being and target cultural practices promoting the practice. Interventions targeting at-risk women should complement universal approaches to combating child marriage.


The purpose of this thesis is to study the impacts of advertising influence in lifestyle magazines from editors-in-chief's perspective. Lifestyle magazines publish service journalism that views readers as consumers. The study also aims to increase awareness of lifestyle magazines. This research is based on interviews of eight editors in lifestyle magazines. Thematic interviews have been analyzed in two ways: the data is described by thematic coding and analysis is formed by narrative approach. Narrative analysis separated editors' views to stories of advertising. Magazines accept advertising influence attempts, for example, advertiser's support and the usage of PR material if they are to benefit them. Often the editors describe advertising influence attempts as collaboration, in which both will benefit. Editors-inchief are the representatives of the magazine brand and they are responsible for the editorial content. Often, the role includes marketing responsibility, for example editor-in-chief attends to the advertisers' meetings. This can cause the editor of the socalled double role, a hybrid-editor, which has dilemmas. The following dilemmas interviews have been identified as: value, role, loyalty and online publishing dilemma. The research also shortly discusses about the future of lifestyle magazines. This work has been used many literature sources to explain the influence of advertising. McQuail's (2010) mass communication model and Shoemaker's and Reese's (2014) hierarchical model explain the influence theory. In addition, a number of other articles for scientific work clarify advertising influence.


The invention relates to a holding device for holding a calibrating body (27) for calibrating a measuring sensor of a coordinate measuring machine, wherein the holding means includes adjusting means (11, 19) which is configured by operation of a user, in particular by rotation of a rotatable member (19), adjusting an orientation of the calibration element retained on the retaining device (27).


In their article published in this issue of the MJA, Roberts and colleagues report that the prevalence of NAFLD in regional Victoria is high; based on fatty liver index scores, the crude prevalence rate was 39%, the ageand sexstandardised rate 36%.2 NAFLD is closely associated with components of the metabolic syndrome,3 and the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in this rural sample was high, including obesity (36%), hypertension (55%), dyslipidaemia (44%), diabetes (12%), and metabolic syndrome (30%). The diagnosis of NAFLD requires the detection of hepatic steatosis and the exclusion of secondary causes, such as excessive alcohol use and other chronic liver diseases; excluding secondary causes of steatosis distinguishes NAFLD from the descriptive term "fatty liver".4 In epidemiological studies, NAFLD can be inferred from the fatty liver index score,5 a clinical risk score based on body mass index, waist circumference, and serum γglutamyltransferase and triglyceride levels. The prevalence of NAFLD in the four regional Victorian towns2 was higher than the estimated global prevalence of NAFLD diagnosed by liver imaging (about 25%6), probably reflecting the high frequency of comorbid metabolic conditions.


We present multi-exposure compressive in-line holography (MCIH), which applies compressive holography to multi-exposure in-line holograms. Multi-exposure holograms of 4D moving object can be captured continuously at different time by in-line hologram recording setup. A new single hologram is generated by coded multi-exposure holograms uniformly. 4D moving object can be reconstructed by the new single hologram. And then the trajectory of moving object can be tracked, and the location of time-space object can be defined. The method is verified by two experiments. The results of experiments show that MCIH can obtain the time-varying location of moving object.


This comprehensive guide to traditional style square and contra dancing, sometimes referred to as country dancing, covers both music and style and gives background information on various dance types and calling techniques. Ninety dances, presented in chapters according to type (mixers, progressive circles, contra, Southern mountain style, squares and others), in a wide variety of formations are described with drawings and diagrams for many of the movements. A glossary of terms, a directory of addresses (organizations; vendors of books, recordings and audio equipment; and dance camps), and an annotated discography and bibliography are also provided.


Ringed flexible tube protection. The corrugated tube of flexible protection (1) is formed by at least two different yarns and comprising a plurality of areas of greater diameter (2) and a plurality of zones of smaller diameter (3) alternating with each other along the length of tube (1). It is characterized by the fact that first yarns (4) form a weave of weft courses combined with stitch courses. The tube may also comprise second yarns (5) which also form a weave of stitch courses combined with weft courses. a tube having a flexibility, adaptability and ease to curve improved is achieved.


Infliximab, a humanised, mouse derived, genetically engineered, monoclonal antibody to tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), is successfully used in association with low dose methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 Serious infections have been reported to be associated with infliximab treatment.1,2 However, the safety of infliximab is unknown or has not been yet established in chronic viral infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infections. We describe a case, from our cohort of 102 patients treated with infliximab plus methotrexate, who carried hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and subsequently developed acute hepatitis due to HBV reactivation after 16 months of treatment with infliximab.

A 49 year old man was diagnosed as having RA in January 1990. HBsAg, and HBe and HBc antibodies were positive, while HBe antigen and HBs …


Introduction
Programme Benefits - Energy benefits, Economy benefits, Social and employment benefits, improving the standard of living, Environmental benefits, improving the international competitiveness of tourism and agriculture, Trade and competetiveness, Development of national technical standards and legislation, Improving health and welfare of communities
Obstacle and Barriers
Technical and Economic Solar Potential
The Most Promising Solar Applications
Tasks, Actions and Recommendations
Conclusion


Vocal Tract Length Normalization (VTLN) is a well known and widely accepted technique in order to minimize inter-speaker variation and it works particularly well in clean environments. This paper deals with the applicability of VTLN in noisy environments. The question here we ask is whether the performance of current state of art Automatic Speech Recognizer (ASR) can reliably improved by the application of VTLN despite a large mismatch between the operating environments (clean and noisy). Our experiments demonstrate that feature based VTLN is able to improve the performance of ASR in clean speech, and by comparison we present the drawbacks of this technique when applied to noisy speech. Therefore, feature based VTLN in noise should be carefully addressed and combined with other dedicated techniques for environment compensation, such as adaptive filtering or energy normalization. We also point out in this paper the reasons why VTLN feature is not so effective for processing noisy speech in compare to clean speech.


Constructing national identity has proved difficult in the Pacific, especially in Fiji where there are significant ethnic divisions. The "People" column in the Fiji Times has provided a populist focus on "good citizens" who have become successful, often in commerce. Such people have demonstrated values and directions such as hard work, training, education, initiative, and cooperation outside the nuclear family. Religious values have assisted, but "tradition" plays no role. Good citizens have achieved social mobility and often transgressed gender, geographical, and ethnic constraints. They constitute part of a new, modern, moral economy and social space that provides the basis for a modern nation where history and ethnicity have limited place.


Five pediatric patients with acute traumatic "first-time" lateral patellar dislocations were successfully reduced using a novel, atraumatic, and simple technique. Uniquely, unlike the traditional method of patellar reduction, the patellar dislocations were reduced without any direct manipulation of the patella. In co-operative patients, no analgesia was required. Further validation of the reproducibility of the effectiveness of this method for successful patellar reduction in pediatric and adult populations are required.