Abstract : Anxiety may cause adverse outcomes through physiologic pathways in patients with cardiac disease. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate anxiety and its correlates in persons with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF). The specific aims were to: 1) evaluate whether anxiety levels early after AMI differ across five countries, and to determine whether an interaction between country, and sociodemographic and clinical variables contributes to variations in reporting anxiety; 2) review and analyze the measurement of anxiety for cardiac patients; 3) determine whether heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) are related to anxiety in patients with HF, patients with AMI, and healthy individuals; 4) determine whether the single-item Anxiety Level Index (ALI) is a valid alternative to the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) or the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) for assessing state anxiety in patients with AMI; 5) determine the best predictive model of health status, given sociodemographic, clinical, health perception, and emotional variables for patients with HF; and 6) review neural control of HR, describe heart rate variability (HRV), and summarize research findings regarding HRV of HF patients. Four studies were conducted using existing data from four samples of patients with either AMI or HF. The first was a prospective, comparative study of 912 patients from five countries regarding anxiety after AMI. In the second study, a cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationships of anxiety with and HR and BP in 54 patients with AMI, 32 patients with HF, and 31 healthy individuals. Next, cross-sectional data on three measures of anxiety were analyzed in 243 patients with AMI. Finally, cross-sectional data from 87 patients with HF were evaluated to determine predictors of health status.


Resumen en: Biotechnology of boar semen cryopreservation has not succeeded due to the high sensitivity of swine sperm to the freezing and thawing process. However, i...


At high temperatures, gravitinos are generated in inelastic scattering processes with particles that are in thermal equilibrium with the hot primordial plasma. We consider the regeneration of gravitinos that starts with completion of reheating after inflation. Following a consistent finite-temperature approach, we provide the complete result for the gravitino production rate to leading order in the gauge couplings. Focusing on gravitino dark matter scenarios we compute the relic density of thermally produced gravitinos. Moreover, we show that a conceivable determination of the gravitino mass at future colliders will allow for a unique test of the viability of thermal leptogenesis in the laboratory.


Abstract This curriculum studies article uncovers how ideological commitments often, without acknowledgment, determine instruction. Through a comparison of two popular Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) curricula, both focused on the same subject, one emerging out of a fundamentalist religious worldview and the other a progressive, modernist religious worldview, curricular nuances are explored and theorized. Ultimately, this article argues that small differences in instruction serve to shape radically different conceptions of religious activity.


The Object-Oriented (OO) technology is becoming an increasingly popular software development environment. Researchers agree that, although maintenance may turn out to be easier for OO systems, it is unlikely that the maintenance burden will completely disappear. One approach to controlling software maintenance costs is the utilization of software metrics during the development phase, to help identify potential problem areas. Many new metrics have been proposed for OO systems, but only a few of them have been validated. The purpose of this research is to empirically explore the validation of three existing OO design cognitive complexity metrics, to assess their ability to predict maintenance time and a propose maintenance effort prediction model. This research reports the results of validating three metrics, Attributed Weighed Class Complexity (AWCC), Cognitive Weighted Response For a Class (CWRFC) and Cognitive Weighted Coupling Between Object (CWCBO). A controlled experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of design complexity (as measured by the above metrics) on maintenance time. Each of the three metrics was found to be useful in the experiment in predicting maintenance performance.


Abstract Several 2-substituted benzaldehyde-2-furanthiocarboxyhydrazones and their nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes have been synthesized. These compounds were characterized by their elemental analyses and infrared spectra. Electrical conductivities and magnetic susceptibilities of the metal complexes were also measured. All compounds were tested against inhibition of growth of f. coli and B. subtilis. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the active compounds are reported. Results of screening against HIV are also reported.


With many advantages of rectangular waveguide and microstrip lines, substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) can be used for design of planar waveguide-like slot antenna. However, the bandwidth of this kind of antenna structure is limited. In this work, a parasitic dipole is introduced and coupled with the SIW radiate slot. The results have indicated that the proposed technique can enhance the bandwidth of the SIW slot antenna significantly. The measured bandwidth of fabricated antenna prototype is about 19%, indicating about 115% bandwidth enhancement than the ridged substrate integrated waveguide (RSIW) slot antenna.


Myocardial Infarction (MI) is leading cause of growing global mortality rate. Existing methods currently in use are less accurate, expensive and difficult to operate. This works targets detection of MI through a novel Pulse Plethysmograph (PuPG) signal analysis. PuPG signal data for this study is collected from total 102 subjects which contains data from 30 persons who were positively identified as MI subjects by medical experts. PuPG signal is acquired through subject's index finger and preprocessed to remove noise. After comprehensive feature analysis, three features posing maximum intraclass difference were selected to classify MI and normal signals through Support Vector Machines (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN) and Decision tree (DT) classification methods. SVM with Gaussian kernel achieves maximum average accuracy of 98.5%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95.1% upon comprehensive experimentation. Proposed methodology is non-invasive, low cost and accurate as compared to the existing solutions and gives excellent insights towards alternate diagnosis techniques.


In this paper,the Roselle calyx red pigment was extracted and purified by paper chromatography. The results showed that the Roselle calyx pigment was a kind of anthocyanin. The pigment would appear in purplish red, light red and light orange colour spots when the pigment was analysed by paper chromatography. Purplish red colour spots were the major pigment when the Rf was 0.203. The optimum developer was CH3(CH2)3OH:HAC:H2O=4:1:1 and the optimum eluent was 0.1% HCl. The extraction rate of the purplish red pigment was 0.704%, accounted for 46.93 per cent of the total pigment content.


With the development of speech recognition, a robust speech detector has been the integral part of the practical speech recognition system. In this paper we propose a new finite state machine (FSM) based speech detection algorithm. The inputs of the FSM are derived from a zero-crossing detector and a LML (Logarithm Maximum Likelihood) frame-energy detector, where two kinds of noise robust energy are respectively used for MFCC and LPCC. Based on the proposed scheme, a small-vocabulary mandarin speech recognition system on OAK DSP can give real-time accurate speech recognition result. Experiments have been conduct to verify the viability of the proposed algorithm.


An integrated-optic biosensor based on electro-optically modulated localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is demonstrated. This biosensor utilizes the electro-optic effect to modulate the wave vector of incident lightwave used to excite localized surface plasmons. Electro-optically modulated LSPR results in the analyte-dependent variation of output intensity with the applied voltage. The linear regression slope of this relation is used to determine the analyte concentration. On the sensing region of LSPR biosensor, human serum albumin is self-assembled on gold nanoparticles in order to sense the beta-blocker concentration. The use of the presented biosensor has the features of no intensity drift problem, no absorption diversity problem in different sample media, and noise reduction by linear regression analysis.


Over the past 30 years, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have developed signifcantly, despite this, not every woman gets a long-awaited pregnancy on her frst attempt at in vitro fertilization (IVF). Not only the quality of gametes is important for successful embryo implantation, but also the readiness of the endometrium for nidation. Dysbiosis of the uterine microbiome can interfere with the necessary physiological changes of the endometrium in the dynamics of the menstrual cycle, reducing the success rate of ART programs. Endometrial structure mismatch with embryonic development leads to an implantation window shift, which together with uterine microbiome changes is one of the causes of recurrent implantation failures (RIF). In recent years, to improve the effectiveness of ART programs, increasing attention has been paid to the study and preparation of the endometrium for embryo transfer. High-throughput sequencing and analysis of the variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene is a rapid and affordable diagnostic tool that allows identifcation of culturable and non-culturable microorganisms. The debate about the need for treatment of chronic endometritis (CE), becomes more relevant when considering the prevalence of CE (21% among RIFs). The use of matrix RNA sequencing from endometrial tissue sample cells (RNA-seq) as an additional diagnostic method for RIF causes can help in personalized embryo transfer. This can increase the chances of successful implantation. RIF of endometrial origin is a complex problem of modern reproductive medicine. Currently, there is no consensus on the role of the listed endometrial factors of RIF. Receptive endometrium is one of the determinants of successful implantation. However published studies are insuffcient to reasonably recommend the wide application of methods for diagnosis and treatment of such endometrial factors as uterine microbiome changes and implantation window displacement.


This paper investigates the use of aluminium (Al) as an alternative to the more common copper (Cu) conductors used in the construction of future cost effective PM machines. The use of Al conductors in the context of PM machine design has not been widely explored or reported in the literature. The main focus of this research has been placed on the power loss generated at ac operation and associated thermal and heat transfer phenomena, which are essential to understand when a compact and efficient machine design utilising Al conductors is considered.


Kinetair is an interactive stairs prototype which could change its appearance according to the surrounding conditions, providing a diversity of functions, such as stairs, exhibition walls, furniture and so on. This research is based on the Interactive Architecture theory, integrating with digital fabrication technology. This paper will illustrate the origin of the concept, the concept development process, the fabrication process and the various possible application of Kinetair. This experiment evokes us to rethink the fundamental meanings of the architecture components in a brand new perspective, and stimulates designers to explore the new features of conventional constructions with cutting-edge technologies.


It has been shown in an earlier paper that I-realizability of a unate function F of up to six variables corresponds to ' compactness ' of the plot of F on a Karnaugh map. Here, an algorithm has been presented to synthesize on a Karnaugh map a non-threahold function of up to Bix variables with the minimum number of threshold gates connected in cascade. Incompletely specified functions can also be treated. No resort to inequalities is made and no pre-processing (such as positivizing and ordering) of the given switching function is required.


Focuses on the concept of community media. Components that construct the identity of community media; Multi-theoretical approaches for analysis of community media; Definition of community media based on the concept of alternative media; Link between community media and civil society; Problems faced by community media organizations in European countries.


In a qualitative evaluation of a college paraeducator-to-bilingual-teacher program, participants talked about life experiences that contributed to their commitments to teaching and what helped and encouraged them to be successful in their academic work. Some themes that emerged were previous education in participants' home countries, involvement in their children's school experiences, the respect they received from professors, the support of their families, and the opportunity to be role models to their children.


A study on customer satisfaction is a term frequently used in marketing is a measure of how products and services Supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectations its seen that Key Performance indicator within business and is often part of a balanced scorecard. In a competitive market place where business competes for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy Within organization customer satisfaction ratings can have powerful effects they focus on employees on the importance of fulfilling customer expectations, when the ratings dip they warn of problems that can affect sales and profitability, these metrics quantify an important dynamics, when a brand loyal customer it gains positive word of mouth communication which is absolutely free and effective


The specific practice on retuning cultivated land to forests and grassland of Suide county, Shaanxi province is studied. The result shows that, in order to make more achievement in this work, We should study the following problems: (1) to reach a common understanding on the work; (2) to study and solve the concerned problem seriously; (3) to summarize experiences and lessons of the historic practice; (4) to instruct the work according the certain condition; (5) to harness the area comprehensively according the local reality.


The servo ratio valve and servo cylinder were regarded as the control mechanism of the variable stator vane control system for a gas turbine. The closed -loop control for the variable guide vane corner was achieved. The control system has run almost 2000h in the oil field and the performance and reliability all could meet the condition requirements. The stable operation was also assured.


ABSTRACT Translator trainers are faced with the challenges of helping translator trainees develop translator competence that meets the needs of the current language services industry. However, the existing literature provides little information on translator trainers' beliefs about translator competence or their actual training practices. The study reported here adopted a mixed methods approach, in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to investigate translator trainers' beliefs and training practices in the Chinese context. Analysis of the responses to a questionnaire as well as the interview and classroom observation data suggests that there were discrepancies between Chinese translator trainers' beliefs and their training practices. It was found that the translator trainers generally recognised the importance of all the sub-competences of translator competence. However, they primarily focused on developing trainee's bilingual and translation knowledge sub-competences and marginalised other sub-competences in their training practices. The observed discrepancies could be attributed to several internal factors (e.g., self-efficacy and motivation) and external factors (e.g., students' abilities, curricula, examinations, colleagues and facilities). Based on these findings, several implications for the (self-)training of translator trainers are elaborated.


Dimethyl fumarate (DMF; BG-12) is an oral compound that, in combination with monoethylfumarate salts, has been licensed in Germany since 1994 as a


Accurate tracking of a prescribed preplanned trajectory and anatomical obstacle avoidance are the two major challenges in Minimum Invasive Surgeries and percutaneous intervention procedures. This paper aims to address these challenges by the design and development of a novel smart four degrees of freedom (DOF) needling system with self-actuating capability to track the preplanned trajectory accurately. Out of the four DOF, three are for rotational movement and one for translational movement. The Smart Flexible Needle consists of a total of four actuators, three out of them are nitinol shape memory alloy wire actuator for rotational motion and one is a stepper motor paired with a Rack and Pinion arrangement for providing the translational movement of the entire needle at its base. Closed loop control of the developed needling system is performed using color image feedback using a monocular vision system. Finally, in-air experiments are performed along with simulation verifications, to test the efficacy of the proposed needle in tracking the given desired planar trajectory.


Purpose: Increasingly, brass mesh bolus is used to insure dosimetric coverage of the skin for patients treated post-mastectomy for breast cancer. Contribution of photoelectrons from interactions between the bolus and the primary beam increases dose superficially without affecting dose at greater depths. We present our experience using brass mesh bolus – including patients for whom the bolus was dosimetrically inadequate – along with analysis of relevant patient-specific parameters. Methods: Optically-stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) were used to determine the effect of the bolus for 15 patients. They were positioned beneath the bolus within the tangent fields at three positions: 1.5–3cm inside the medial and lateral field edges, and midway between the two. All OSLDs were midfield in the cranial-caudal direction. The measurements were compared with patient-specific parameters including separation, chest wall/breast tissue thickness, beam angle incidence, and planned surface dose. Results: The average OSLD measurement at the medial field edge, midfield, and lateral field edge position was 86.8%, 101.8%, and 92.8% of the prescription dose, respectively. A measurement for one patient was low enough (77.0%) to warrant a switch to an alternative type of bolus. Anatomic parameters were analyzed to investigate the low dose in this case, not observed in the planning system. The patient was observed to have a thin chest wall and very oblique beam angles. A second patient was also switched to an alternative type of bolus due to her being high risk and treated with an electron patch that extended onto the breast. Conclusion: Brass mesh bolus increases dose superficially while leaving dose at greater depths unaffected. However, our results suggest that this effect may be insufficient in patients with a thin chest wall or very oblique beam angles. More data and analysis is necessary to proactively identify patients for whom brass mesh bolus is effective.


. Let G be the semidirect product A 1 ⋉ A of the adeles and the norm 1 ideles. Let Γ be the discrete subgroup Q × ⋉ Q . In this paper the trace formula for this setting is established and used to give the complete decomposition of the G -representation on L 2 (Γ \ G ). It turns out that every character of the norm-1 idele class group gives a one dimensional isotype and the complement of those consists of one irreducible representation.


Lamoreaux and Rosenthal (2004, 2005) and Guinnane, Harris, Lamoreaux, and Rosenthal (2007) argue that perhaps in the nineteenth century civil law countries, like France and Germany, had commerce codes that provided more organizational flexibility than similar laws in the United States. We examine the impact that having a large menu of organizational forms had on the choices of Mexican entrepreneurs between 1886 and 1930. We construct a database of new firm charters using the notary records of Mexico City and run multinomial Logit estimates to study the entrepreneurs' choice of organizational form. Given the costs of chartering and running a corporation and the risks associated with simple partnerships (e.g., untimely dissolution or no entity shielding) we expected to find a significant number of firms choosing the limited liability partnership (LLP) form. Yet, we show that the corporation and the simple partnership were the preferred organizational forms in Mexico. We find only a negligible share of companies adopting the LLP form. We explain that this preference was in part a consequence of the low costs of running a corporation, because disclosure requirements were poorly enforced. Still we do not dismiss the importance of the LLP, given that it was the preferred organizational form during the years of more political instability in Mexico (1910-1920).


Introduction :The aim of this study is to explore career perceptions of male and female medical students. Methods :Semi-structured interviews to 16 medical students (9males, 7 females) were undertaken. Results :Qualitative data analysis showed that development of their career perceptions were aff ected by "gender view", "interests in medicine" as well as their "perceptions of family". Specifi cally, female students in the lower grades felt diffi culty in making decisions on career choices due to the confl ict between carry-ing out family responsibilities (e.g., housework and childcare) and interests in medicine. After clinical clerk-ships, their perceptions of a career were formed in one of two ways:giving priority to family responsibilities or interest in medicine. On the other hand, male students in lower and higher grades consistently gave priority to their interests in medicine for their career choices. Conclusion :Diff ering career perceptions between male and female medical students emerged from this study, and supports the need for undergraduate education on gender-equality in society. (cid:9487)(cid:9513)(cid:9533)(cid:9531)(cid:9523)(cid:9526)(cid:9512)(cid:9527) and female


This article deals with the problem of item nonresponse in contingent valuation surveys using a payment-card method, by applying a grouped-data sample-selection estimation technique that is capable of imputing the missing values conditional upon a respondent's decision to answer a willingness-to-pay question. The advantage of the technique lies in its ability to utilize all of the information in the sample, permitting a more efficient estimation in the presence of item nonresponse bias. The major determinants of willingness to pay appear to be household income, number of children, education, perception of existing water quality, and identification with environmental issues. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.


Ensuring reliable operation of belt conveyors includes measures to clean their belts, since the cargo sticking to the working bodies violates the normal operation of the conveyor. Such events are especially relevant for belt conveyors operating in the harsh conditions of the mining industry. One of the ways to clean the tape is the use of self-cleaning drums. There are a large number of designs of self-cleaning drums with a general principle of operation. The manufacturers do not disclose specific technical information about these reels. Therefore, a decision was made to conduct calculation and experimental verification of the main technical characteristics of self-cleaning drums. The selection of the most promising versions of selfcleaning drums from the whole variety of nomenclature of their constructive designs was carried out based on the expert evaluation method - the method of preference vectors. Based on the results of expert evaluation of self-cleaning drums, drums for drive and tension station were selected...


The Russian experience in clinical anatomy education is described in this article. Such training is provided by the Department of Operative Surgery and Topographical Anatomy both during the pregraduate (undergraduate) period for medical students and in the postgraduate period for interns, residents, physicians, and surgeons of different specialties. The teaching of clinical anatomy in the pregraduate period occurs in combination with the study of operative surgery and follows the study of gross anatomy in the Department of Human Anatomy and microscopic anatomy in the Department of Histology, Cytology and Embryology. Clin. Anat. 15:152–156, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


An eponym is the name of a person, whether real or fictitious, which has or is thought to have given rise to the name of a particular place, tribe, era, discovery or substances. Notwithstanding debates about their continuing use in medical literature. Eponyms,describing stains used in pathology are less affected by changes overtime and their uses are still in vogue. The history of such persons is diverse, often many specialties, and thus makes reading interesting. The recent comprehensive review published in this journal by Bari and Farooq stimulated us to write this communication that elaborates more on the eponymous laboratory stains used in dermatology and highlights those whose observations have led to better delineation of pathogenesis of the disease leading to correct diagnosis.


This cross-sectional study compared physical characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in a cohort of82 young women separated into three groups: sedentary (SED. ii = 48), aerobically trained (AT, ii = 2 1 ), and resistance trained (RT, n = 13). Body mass and fatfree mass (FFM) were not different between groups whereas percent body fat was lower in the AT (16.2 ± 0.7%) and RT (14.7 ± 0.8%) groups than in the SED group (21.8 ± 0.8%). There were no between-group differences for blood pressure or blood lipids. RMRs (kJ/min) for the AT (4.31 ± 0.06) and RT (4.25 ± 0.09) groups were significantly greater than those for the SED group (3.99 ± 0.05). When adjusted for differences in FFM, RMRs for the AT group (4.24 ± 0.05) were different from those of both the RT (4. 1 3 ± 0.05) and SED (4.05 ± 0.03) groups; RMRs for the RT and SED groups were not different from each other. No differences were found in cardiovascular risk in young nonobese women of differing exercise status. Aerobic training in young women seems to increase the rate ofmetabolic activity of resting tissues whereas resistance training does not. Am J C/in Nuir 1992;56:968-74.


Abstract : The USAF/CAL variable stability T-33 airplane is a jet trainer which has been extensively modified for use as a research vehicle. A response-feedback system allows the normal T-33 derivatives to be augmented so that handling qualities of existing airplanes, future airplanes, or hypothetical configurations may be simulated in flight or in a fixed-base ground simulator. The report attempts to provide an updated functional description of the variable stability T-33. The information is presented for setting up a simulation program and for performing calibration procedures. A brief description of the equipment and airplane systems is also included. (Author)


Since the end of the XVIIIth century the modern concept of public opinion was known in Spain. It referred to the capacity of society to publicly criticize Government. To counterattack this new concept, the Spanish traditionalism pursued a double strategy: on the one hand, it challenged the very idea of public opinion; on the other hand, it replaced it by a nationalist, populist alternative («the true public opinion»). Against the liberal interpretation of a reason-based public opinion, the traditionalists argued that this rationalist endeavor would be misleading and would provoke the disunion of Spaniards. Reason, it was assumed, should cede to religion, which was deemed to be, even more than monarchy, the main spiritual linkage among the Spaniards. Furthermore, according to Balmes, the «true public opinion» lies at the «true Spanish people»-a Catholic, pure and traditionalist people, champion of the national tradition and values, hostile to liberalism and even radically alien to politics: a passive people always obedient to the Catholic clergy. That way, the nationalist myth of a «true Spain» was formed-a traditionalist, absolutist, and Catholic Spain in front of an enlightened, cosmopolitan, and liberal anti-Spain.


The triple heat, electricity and cold supplying system based on gas burning heat pump and gas turbine engine includes fuel gas supplying and smoke exhausting system, afterheat recovering and utilizing system, steam compressing and refrigerating system with compressor driven directly with gas burning engine, and miniature gas turbine to drive power generator. The air conditioning system is driven completely with natural gas without need of outer electric power supply. The present invention has greatly improved frosting state of the heat pump, raised water temperature and increased hot water supplying capacity of heat pump.


Rabka Zdroj (Spa) is a popular Polish resort. The Silesian Rehabilitation and Spa Centre built here in 1949 was designed by Stanislaw Gruszka in the International Style, which was innovative at that time. The park surrounding the spa building has interesting tree specimens laid out according to a simple geometrical principle with free fillers. In the west part, the path arrangement is geometrical with three symmetrical gardens on rectangular terraces. Whereas in the south part, its form of abstract winding paths is quite unique, resembling a totem placed horizontally. The research conducted shows that the shapes applied here and the deformed symmetry may refer to the works of Miró or Hans Arp. The project's author was related to the community of Warsaw artists fascinated with futurism and surrealism in the 20 years of Poland's independence after World War I. In the late 1940s the destructive influence of the communist ideology did not yet manage to leave its mark on the architecture of the structure discussed, and thus the place was given its unique beauty. Nowadays the park is being revitalized following the project designed by the author of the article and his team and its implementation has gained financial support from the EU. The leitmotif for the revitalization is to emphasize its surrealistic forms. In the surrealistic garden, there will be created a multi-layered narrative structure with an emphasized outline of plant field paths and surrealistic benches and deckchairs especially designed. Educational paths are designed to discuss various topics, like the history of modernist spa buildings in Malopolska (Little Poland – a province in the south of Poland, whose capital is Cracow), the history of Polish poster design in the 20 years of Poland's independence between WWI and WWII, as well as the park's natural aspects. Another abstract idea will also be found in the Rabka Code, a game enabling to develop tasks of one's own choice to be solved in the field. The present article discusses the research carried out on the history of the structure and its formal relations as well as the design decisions already taken. It should be stressed that a surrealistic path layout is a very rare solution in the history of park architecture. Even if parks may have surrealistic sculptures, the surrounding area usually retains its modernist, simple geometrical form. In the future surrealistic sculptures may also appear in the park in Rabka Zdroj. Nowadays, however, it is more important to maintain its unique aesthetic values both in the park plan and in the detail of decorative structures.


Parents and public officials are increasingly concerned about the school readiness of young children. In response, in recent years, state governments have boosted their support for pre-K programs. Several states, including Oklahoma, have opted for universal pre-K, making it available, on a voluntary basis, to all 4-year-olds. At the same time, the federal government, through the No Child Left Behind Act, has imposed new testing requirements on public schools to determine whether students as a whole and particular subgroups of students are making good academic progress. These trends have heightened interest in the effectiveness of pre-K programs. The Oklahoma pre-K program is of special interest because it enrolls a higher percentage of 4-year-olds than any pre-K program in the United States (Barnett, Epstein, Friedman, Sansanelli, & Hustedt, 2009). It is also of particular interest because it is based in the public schools and because it places strong emphasis on high quality: All lead teachers must have a college degree and be early-childhood certified; to facilitate the recruitment and retention of outstanding individuals, lead teachers are paid at the same rate as other public school teachers. Many studies have demonstrated that considerable benefits flow from a high-quality targeted pre-K program. But can a large-scale universal pre-K program also produce substantial benefits by enhancing the school readiness of young children? Do all children benefit from such a program? Do some children benefit more? And how large are the impacts of such a program, in absolute or relative terms?


ABSTRACT Using the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) data, this study explored the relationship between professional development (PD) and teacher efficacy. In particular, the analysis focused on how 4 aspects of PD (format, content, duration, and quality) are statistically related to the overall as well as the 3 subscales of teacher efficacy in classroom management, instruction, and student engagement. This study found PD programs (a) in the formats that promoted job-embedded, inquiry-oriented, and collaborative learning and (b) that offered contents for curriculum, instructional skills, school management, and technology were statistically correlated with the overall as well as the subscales of teacher efficacy in a positive way. As for PD duration and quality, this study found the length of PD and teacher-perceived quality of PD were positively associated with some of the 4 teacher efficacy variables.


Oral health is considered to be an important factor in a child's overall growth and development. Dental caries being one of the major threats to children is multifactorial. It leads to decalcification of the teeth due to acid production caused by oral bacteria. The reaction between sugars in drinks, foods and bacteria in the dental biofilm present on the tooth surface causes the production of acid which is responsible for the initiation of dental caries.1,2


Summary In present study, Transdermal Drug Delivery System (TDDS) of herbal drugs is used to check a feasibility of herbal drugs in such a novel drug delivery system. Fruits powder was successively extracted with petroleum ether and acetone using soxhlet apparatus. Blank polymeric film was developed by mercury substrate method using various combinations of polymers, copolymers, plasticizer and penetration enhancers. Incorporating acetone extract of Momordica charantia developed medicated polymeric film. TDDS patches were prepared using blank and medicated polymeric film. Combination of herbal extract and novel drug delivery system shows significant and improved activity.


This is an analysis of the December 2001 interpretive release concerning the soft‐dollar "safe harbor" under 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The article examines the interpretation as it applies to asset managers in connection with the allocation of brokerage on a "soft dollar" basis.


Celery, dill, parsley, onion and garlic are good source of polyphenols. They have also other positive effects on human health. The aim of current research was to study and compare an antiradical activity, total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of dried celery (Apium graveolens), dill (Anethum graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum) using conventive and microwave-vacuum driers. Samples were harvested in Latvia in 2012 and gathered during degree of readiness and then dried, for celery, dill, parsley and onion steaming was used as pretreatment using microwave-vacuum dryer. Analysis of TPC and TFC were made in Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Food Technology laboratories. The total polyphenol and flavonoid content was determined using spectrophotometric method. Antiradial activity was analyzed by the 2,2diphenyl-1picrilhydrazyl assay. The results of experiments demonstrate that the total polyphenol content in analysed samples ranged from 349.28 (garlic dried in microwavevacuum dryer) to 1651.20 (parsley steamed for 1.5 min and dried in microwave-vacuum dryer) mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) 100 g -1 in dry weight. Total flavonoid content ranged from 8.90 (garlic dried in conventive dryer) to 352.99 (celery steamed for 3.0 min and dried in microwavevacuum dryer) mg catechin equivalent (CE) 100 g -1 in dry weight. The value of DPPH antiradical activity of samples ranged from 11.98 (parsley dried in conventive dryer) to 88.84 (celery steamed for 3.0 min and dried in microwavevacuum dryer) %.


Abstract
This study aims to determine the effect of the traditional engklek game on improving the learning of fourth grade students of SDN Bluluk I Lamongan. One of the problems of education is the lack of media facilities and infrastructure, so teachers are required to be creative in improving the quality of learning in the classroom, such as developing learning media in the classroom. One of the interesting learning media that can overcome student boredom in learning activities is game-based learning activities, such as the application of the traditional engklek game media. The research method used is a quasi-experimental method. The quasi -experimental method is a research method used to find the effect of certain treatments. To obtain data in accordance with the purpose of this study, using experiments, namely by giving treatment to students in the form of pre-test activities, treatment or exercises and final tests. From the learning outcomes of fourth grade students of SDN Bluluk I Lamongan with the traditional engklek game media, it can be concluded that the media can improve the student learning process and increase students' enthusiasm after using the engklek traditional game media and the use of learning media in learning activities makes it easier for students to gain understanding and motivate students to learn so as to get good learning outcomes and learning outcomes increase.
Keywords : Traditional Englek Game, Learning.


The article deals with the analysis of influence of shielding layer parameters on the amount of excessive pressure impulse translated on the fixed rigid wall by the shock wave. It is demonstrated that the decrease in the diameter of particles in shielding layer leads to gas drainage from the barrier, which in turn leads to the increase of excessive pressure impulse. The suggestions on increasing the shielding efficiency are made based on the numerical experiment and taking into account the described effect


The authors have investigated the potential enhancement in dose distribution and cell killing effectiveness for Cf-252 brain implants by the addition of boron-10 enriched boron compounds which cross the blood brain barrier. There is a significant enhancement in both the absorbed dose and the high LET event frequency at distances of 3-5 cm from the sources. The principal difficulty, aside from toxicity and delivery problems, is a tendency for the thermal neutron distribution to peak at the center of the head instead of centering on the source distribution. The increase in cell killing was found to closely parallel the increase in absorbed dose from the boron capture events.


Summary. It has been suggested that the phenomenon of retroactive interference, by which retention of verbal materials is decreased by the subsequent presentation of similar interpolated items, occurs only in unstructured items, and not in the meaningful and connected information more commonly encountered in educational learning circumstances. An experiment was undertaken to investigate the possibility of retroactive interference occurring in a structured and meaningful prose learning situation. The sample consisted of 18 university students allocated randomly to two groups. The experimental group studied an original prose passage, followed by two very similar interpolated passages. Their final cued recall scores were significantly lower than the scores of a control group, who learned the identical original prose passage, followed by the dissimilar passages.


Among the various insecticides evaluated for their field efficacy against pod borers of Indian bean, the treatment of emamectin benzoate 5SG at 0.002%, indoxacarb 14.5SC at 0.007% and lambdacyhalothrin 5SC at 0.005% were found to be most effective against Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) and Maruca vitrata Geyer. While, thiacloprid 21.7SC at 0.012% and novaluron 10EC at 0.01% were moderately effective. The least pod damage was observed with emamectin benzoate 5SG at 0.002% (13.16%) which was at par with indoxacarb 14.5SC at 0.007% (14.16%) and lambdacyhalothrin 5SC at 0.005% (16.33%). Maximum pod yield (21.75 q/ ha), increase in yield over control (95.76%) and % of avoidable loss (48.91%) was observed with emamectin benzoate 5SG at 0.002%.


Critics have long complained that naïve realism cannot adequately account for perceptual illusion. This complaint has a tendency to ally itself with the aspersion that naïve realism is hopelessly out of touch with vision science. Here I offer a partial reply to both complaint and aspersion. I do so by showing how careful reflection on a simple, empirically grounded model of illusion reveals heterodox ways of thinking about familiar illusions which are quite congenial to the naïve realist.


Commercially available avobenzone readily reacts with boron trichloride or tribromide to afford boron-bisavobenzone salts. The complexes were found to exhibit unusual solvent-dependent fluorescence in solution and hydrochromic fluorescence in the solid state: a blue-to-orange emission colour change was observed upon water vapour exposure. The phenomenon was likely caused by interference of the boron coordination sphere by water molecules.


Abstract Nitrate reduction to ammonia by marine Vibrio species was studied in batch and continuous culture. In pH-controlled batch cultures (pH 7.4; 50 mM glucose, 20 mM KNO 3 ), the nitrate consumed accumulated to more than 90% as nitrite. Under these conditions, the nitrite reductase (NO − 2 → NH 3 ) was severely repressed. In pH-controlled continuous cultures of V. alginolyticus with glucose or glycerol as substrates ( D = 0.045 h −1 ) and limiting N-source (nitrate or nitrite), nitrite reductase was significantly derepressed with cellular activities in the range of 0.7–1.2 μmol min −1 (mg protein) −1 . The enzyme was purified close to electrophoretic homogeneity with catalytic activity concentrations of about 1800 nkat/mg protein. It catalyzed the reduction of nitrite to ammonia with dithionite-reduced viologen dyes or flavins as electron donors, had an M r of about 50 000 (determined by gel filtration) and contained c-type heme groups (probably 4–6 per molecule).


There are many biological investigations that have been done to determine cure for the dysfunction of GIT, using herbal medicine. It has been reported that Carum copticum is a plant in Umbelliferae family grows as herb with feliciaform roots, possesses bactericidal, anticholienergic and antistaminic activities. In addition, it has also Beta-adrenergic stimulatory effects. However, these effects of Carum copticum are not yet identified with respect to mechanical activities of isolated tissues. Therefore, the present study has been designed to find out the specific effects of Carum copticum on mechanical activity of ileum, both qualitatively & quantitatively. In this study anaesthetized rats (male albino rat) will be used in experiments for mechanical recording through isolated organ bath and oscillograph. The affect of Carum copticum obtained on intestinal motility will also be tested for receptors identification and differentiation with cholinergic and adrenergic agents.The results showed the effective concentrations of acetyl choline causing 50% of maximum response (EC50) obtained in the presence of 0.01 extracts in all five sets of experiments were significantly higher than those of saline (P = 0.000) and also the maximum response to acetyl choline obtained in the presence of extracts were lower (P = 0.000) The results of this study indicated a competitive antagonism effect of Carum copticum at acetyl choline receptors. An anti-cholinergic property of the plant were also suggested


Method for generating information of a hoistway which serve for lift control with an elevator car that moves within the hoistway where the box information is generated from recognizable patterns as images and where information box is generated from patterns in the hoistway, characterized in that as surface structure pattern of box components or box equipment that serve other functions is used.


Correspondence: Kenneth Zakariasen 3-50P University Terrace, 8303 – 112 St, edmonton, Alberta T6g 2T4, Canada Tel +1-780-492-1907 Fax +1-780-492-0364 email firstname.lastname@example.com Abstract: Whole-systems approaches to organizational change dominate the contemporary change literature. They focus on widespread engagement of people within organizations, individual and collective ownership of both process and results, and encouragement of creativity and optimism regarding the future. One potential barrier to using whole-systems methods in health care is the frequent recommendation to bring many people together at the same time, sometimes for several days. In health care, it is very difficult to find blocks of time when a group can come together, even when the target unit is relatively small. Rapid-cycle brainstorming is an alternative process for using a whole-systems change method, in this case appreciative inquiry, in a time-efficient, effective manner for change planning in health care. It was used in this case to facilitate strategic planning for a hospital-based dental service for geriatric patients and persons with disabilities. The goals of this method for applying a whole-systems approach to change planning are (1) to minimize the time required to effectively work through the whole-systems process, while at the same time (2) to maximize the engagement of participants, (3) to develop creative synergism between small groups addressing specific planning topics, and when called for (4) to be able to facilitate the involvement of large numbers of individuals across an organization.


During extreme drought in eastern Nebraska in 1974 in which only 1.57 cm of rain fell from June 11 to Aug. 9, differences of 1274 and 991 biotype C greenbugs/plant caused significant yield reductions of 365 and 757 kg/ha respectively on grain sorghum in 2 field tests. These yield losses were 3 and 6 times greater than the then current loss associated with the economic injury level (121 kg/ha). Greenbug densities on the 3 dates of insecticide application and at peak density were significantly (P = 0.05) and inversely related to the numbers of heads in both tests.


A chatbot is a software that produces a computer model of conversation through auditory or textual method between the user and the computer. Such bots use AI and NLP to understand user's questions and automate responses to them, simulating human conversation. In this modern technology almost, every person utilize smartphones in their day to day lives. Simply because, it has made life of a person simple by the touch of the screen, from extracting information from the internet, to provide personal assistance to entertainment everything happens just by the click of a button. Today Chatbots are used in various domains like education, customer service, medical, website help etc for seeking information, FAQ answering and guidance. Due to the advancements in AI and techniques used in data mining, healthcare chatbots are often used for medical screening. The aim of this paper is to do detailed study of various research papers related to chatbots and analyze the different tools, algorithms, software and platforms that are utilized.


Small clusters of infections with Neisseria meningitidis , a notoriously fast killer, are popping up in gay communities in North America and Europe. Public health experts are on the lookout for more cases as scientists try to understand the emerging pattern.


We present an atomistic simulation of an InxGa1-xAs/GaAs quantum dot with a non-uniform composition, embedded in a GaAs matrix. Optimised empirical potentials are employed to model the interatomic interactions of up to similar to400,000 atoms in order to obtain dynamic relaxation through energy minimisation. A simulation of a quantum dot cleaved in the (110) plane is implemented, and simulated Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy topographical maps are obtained and compared with experimental maps. Finally another simulation of a capped quantum dot is implemented and the strain tensor is obtained directly from the relaxed positions of the individual atoms, revealing the nature of the lattice distortion in both the island and the capping layer.


Time-frequency representation of multi-element ultrasonic pulses plays an important role in characterizing the scattering and dispersive effects in time and frequency domain simultaneously. Renyi information of the Choi-William distribution can disclose quantitative complexity of ultrasonic signals, and relate them to tissue structure. The application of Renyi information of radio frequency ultrasonic signals in medical ultrasound is investigated. Experiment results indicate that Renyi information can disclose scattered information of tissue structure, and differential Renyi information can disclose the change of tissue structure or tissue element. Furthermore, apriori information of tissue inhomogeneity can be obtained through DRI method based on Renyi information. It is concluded that Renyi information of radio frequency ultrasonic signals has potential application in ultrasound tissue characteristic and elastography.


The theory presented in this article is a unique blending of care and culture. This theory considers every culture's way of caring essential for studying and practicing nursing. From that point of view, Leininger opens a new area to the Nursing profession as the classic theoretical and practical goals are considerably modified. The Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality and its research reveal a humanism formed by the study of care and caring observed in different cultures of the world. This theory initiates the paradigm of human care accompannied with the ethnonursing method who allows unknown nursing dimensions to be cautiously investigated, particularly from the people's view point.


Abstract The metabolism of 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4), a major adrenal C19 steroid, was first characterised in our in vitro prostate models showing that 11OHA4, catalysed by 11βHSDs, 17βHSDs and 5α-reductases, yields potent androgens, 11keto-testosterone (11KT) and 11keto-dihydrotestosterone (11KDHT) in the 11OHA4-pathway [1]. Findings have since led to the analysis of C11-oxy steroids in PCOS, CAH and 21OHD. However, the only circulating C11-oxy steroids included to date have been 11OHA4, 11keto-androstenedione (11KA4), 11β-hydroxytestosterone (11OHT) and 11KT, with 11KT reported as the only potent androgen produced from 11OHA4. We have identified higher levels of 11KDHT compared to 11KT in prostate cancer tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue and serum, with data suggesting impeded glucuronidation of the C11-oxy androgens [2,3]. The assessment of 11KDHT and the inactivation/conjugation of the C11-oxy steroids in clinical conditions is therefore crucial. We investigated the metabolism of testosterone, 11KT, 11OHT, dihydrotestosterone, 11KDHT and 11OHDHT in JEG-3 placenta choriocarcinoma, MCF-7 BUS and T-47D breast cancer cells, focusing on glucuronidation and sulfation. Steroids were assayed at 1 µM and metabolites were quantified using UPC2-MS/MS. Conjugated steroids were not detected in JEG-3 cells with DHT (0.6 µM remaining) metabolised to 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol and androsterone (AST), and 11KDHT (0.9 µM remaining) to 11OHAST and 11KAST. 11OHA4 was converted to 11KA4 (12%) and 11KT (2.5%); and 11KT to 11KDHT (14%). In MCF-7 BUS cells, DHT was significantly glucuronidated, whereas 11KDHT was not. 11KAST was the only steroid in the MCF-7 BUS and T-47D cells that was significantly sulfated (p<0.05). In parallel we investigated sulfation in the LNCaP prostate model. Comparing sulfated to glucuronidated levels, only DHT was sulfated, 26%. Analysis showed that C19 steroids were significantly conjugated (glucuronidated + sulfated) compared to the C11-oxy C19 steroids. As there exists an intricate interplay between steroid production and inactivation, impacting pre- and post-receptor activation, efficient conjugation would limit adverse downstream effects. Our data demonstrates the production and impeded conjugation of active C11-oxy C19 steroids, allowing the prolonged presence of androgenic steroids in the cellular microenvironment. Identified for the first time is the 11OHA4-pathway in placenta and breast cancer cells, and the sulfation of 11KAST. Characterising steroidogenic pathways in in vitro models paves the direction for in vivo studies associated with characterising clinical disorders and disease, which the C11-oxy C19 steroids and their intermediates, including inactivated and conjugated end-products, have highlighted. [1] Bloem, et al. JSBMB 2015, 153; [2] Du Toit & Swart. MCE 2018, 461; [3] Du Toit & Swart, JSBMB 2020, 105497.


The authors present the correct solution of the example discussed in a paper by Lubbock and Bansal (1969). The solution of this example is further illustrated by drawing various graphs of the rotor angle versus time.


Background:
 We recently described the T cell antigen coupler (TAC) technology (Helsen et. al. Nature Communications) which is a chimeric receptor that targets antigens in an MHC-independent fashion and activates T cells by co-opting the natural TCR receptor. In vitro and in vivo assessments of TAC T cells in solid tumor models have revealed that TACs mediate biological effects that are distinct from conventional chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and offer safety advantages, including greater target selectivity and reduced off-target toxicity. Here, we present in vitro and in vivo data showing that TAC-engineered T cells directed against CD19 and BCMA demonstrate robust anti-tumor efficacy in haematological malignancies with no detectable side effects.
 Materials and Methods:
 T cells from health donors were engineered with TAC receptors directed against CD19 or BCMA using lentivirus vectors. Flow cytometry was employed to measure surface expression of TAC receptors, cytokine production and proliferation of TAC T cells following stimulation with relevant target cells. Antigen-specific toxicity was measured using a luciferase-based killing assay. Anti-tumor activity was measured against acute lymphoblast leukemia for CD19 and multiple myeloma for BCMA xenografts in immunodeficient NRG mice.
 Results:
 Engineering T cells with TAC receptors targeted against either CD19 or BCMA revealed antigen-specific activation of cytokine production, cytotoxic function and proliferation. TAC T cells, but not CAR engineered T cells, show significant selectivity towards the context of antigen presentation. This is reflected by the differential proliferative response to a diverse framework of antigen surface arrangement, potentially indicating that TAC T cells are less susceptible to off target activation and the resulting toxicities.
 Treatment of established NALM-6 xenografts (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and KMS-11 xenografts (multiple myeloma) with CD19 TAC T cells and BCMA TAC T cells, respectively, resulted in clearance of tumors within a few weeks of T cell infusion. Mice that cleared tumors following TAC T cell treatment were resistant to subsequent challenge with fresh tumor cells demonstrating persistence of TAC T cells. Treatment with control TAC T cells that carry no binding domain had no impact on tumor growth. Monitoring of TAC T cells post-infusion revealed robust expansion that peaked in the peripheral blood 1-2 weeks post-infusion. A clinical manufacturing protocol has been developed for the CD19 TAC T cells in anticipation of human trials.
 Conclusion:
 Our pre-clinical evaluation suggests that TAC therapy has the potential to becoming a safer and more effective alternative to conventional CAR therapy. A first in human Phase I/II trial with CD19 TAC T cells is expected to start in the first half of 2019.

 Helsen: Triumvira Immunologics: Employment, Patents & Royalties. Hammill:Triumvira Immunologics: Other: Holding shares, Patents & Royalties. Mwawasi:Triumvira Immunologics: Other: Holding shares, Patents & Royalties. Hayes:Triumvira Immunologics: Employment. Afsahi:Triumvira Immunologics: Patents & Royalties. Denisova:Triumvira Immunologics: Patents & Royalties. Bramson:Triumvira Immunologics: Employment, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding.


Time Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) is a communication mode of the IEEE 802.15.4e standard introduced as an enhancement to the previous standard (IEEE 802.15.42011) to address the industrial market. This mode is designed specifically for process automation and factory monitoring. It uses time-slotted access and channel hopping mechanism. It also provides low latency and high reliability reducing remarkably the energy consumption. Moreover, the 6TiSCH protocol stack combines TSCH with IPv6 to form a well-tuned and complete networking solution. A key element that significantly affects the adoption of TSCH as a MAC protocol is the performance of the network formation process in terms of joining delay and power consumption. This paper studies the process of network formation both in TSCH and 6TiSCH networks, surveying a significant number of research contributions on the subject, and highlighting the advertisement policies developed by researchers. It also sheds light on some open issues not covered or poorly addressed by the surveyed contributions.


The current experiment is part of an ongoing feasibility testing of grip force as a measure of stress in joystick-controlled tasks. In a previous experiment, we showed that mean grip force of a group of students was higher under a stress manipulation, and higher than of another group of students with no stress manipulation. In the current experiment, we tested if we could identify greater grip force under stress, per individual. Fourteen male participants performed tracking tasks on trials with and without a stress manipulation. After the experiment, we computed the mean grip force of each participant in several intervals to test how soon (if at all) his mean grip force on the trials with the stress manipulation had become significantly higher than his mean grip force on the trials without the stress manipulation. In ∼31% of the comparisons we were able to detect higher grip force with than without the stress manipulation after 5 seconds through the trials. Other detections of greater grip force took longer, but no longer than 30 sec. However, we could not find significant changes in grip force in certain comparisons for six individuals, and in none of the comparisons for four individuals. The sources and extent of these limitations of grip force as a measure of stress should be explored in future studies. The current experiment added support to the feasibility of using grip force as a measure of stress in joystick-controlled tasks and pointed to the next necessary steps in evaluating its feasibility.


The objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity using SSR marker and investigate the fatty acid composition of perilla (P. frutescens var. frutescens) germplasm. Genetic diversity among 95 accessions, which consisted of 29 weedy types and 66 landrace accessions, was evaluated based on 12 SSR markers carrying 91 alleles. The mean values of observed (HO) and expected heterozygosities (HE) were 0.574 and 0.640, respectively, indicating a considerable amount of polymorphism within this collection. A genetic distance-based phylogeny grouped into two distinct groups, which were the landrace, moderate and weedy type, genetic distance (GD) value was 0.609. The physicochemical traits about crude oil contents and fatty acid compositions were analyzed using GC. Among tested germplasm, the total average oil contents (%) showed a range from 28.57 to 49.67 %. Five fatty acids and their contents in the crude oils are as follows: α-linolenic acid (41.12%-51.81%), linoleic acid (15.38%-16.43%), oleic acid (18.93%-27.28%), stearic acid (2.56%-4.01%), and palmitic acid (7.38%-10.77%). The average oil content of wild types was lower than landrace, and the oil content of middle genotype accessions was higher than other germplasm, but no significant variation between landrace and wild types was shown. Nevertheless, IT117174, landrace of Korea, was highest in crude oil content (47.11%) and linolenic acid composition (64.58%) among the used germplasm. These traits of the selected accessions will be helped for new functional plant breeding in perilla crop.


Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy was applied to the investigation of a hemicyanine dye and a 2-amino-5-nitropyridine derivative as Langmuir-Blodgett layers deposited onto smooth copper surfaces. Raman spectra of neat materials, thin layers, and LB films on Cu surfaces are reported. SERS enhancement was achieved by using colloidal silver. Orientation of the molecules in the LB films and interactions with the metal substrate are discussed.


The concept of Cloud computing has significantly changed the field of parallel and distributed computing systems today. Load balancing is a methodology to distribute workload across multiple computers, or other resources over the networks to achieve optimal resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimum response time, and avoid overload. In this project, we create two different servers in a cloud. This server is connected through IP addresses of each other and server synchronized at a given time span. When a client download file from 1 st or 2 nd server and instantly same client download other file from same server then 2 nd file automatically shift to the 2 nd server and download the file. If again same client gives a new file to download list then client wait for some given time span. Hence load balancing will be done. And we covered other requirements of cloud computing for access control, migration, security, data availability, trust issues and sensitive information.


We investigate the effects of quantum backreaction on the Schwarzschild geometry in the semiclassical approximation. The renormalized stress-energy tensor (RSET) of a scalar field is modelled via an order reduction of the analytical approximation derived by Anderson, Hiscock and Samuel (AHS). As the resulting AHS semiclassical Einstein equations are of fourth-derivative order in the metric, we follow a reduction of order prescription to shrink the space of solutions. Motivated by this prescription, we develop a method that allows to obtain a novel analytic approximation for the RSET that exhibits all the desired properties for a well-posed RSET: conservation, regularity, and correct estimation of vacuum-state contributions. We derive a set of semiclassical equations sourced by the order-reduced AHS-RSET in the Boulware state. We classify the self-consistent solutions to this set of field equations, discuss their main features and address how well they resemble the solutions of the higher-order semiclassical theory. Finally, we establish a comparison with previous results in the literature obtained through the Polyakov approximation for minimally coupled scalar fields.


This paper focuses on the possible impact of the Basel III higher tier 1 capital (common equity) requirements on bank lending rates in four African countries (Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa). In the methodology, an accounting model is employed to estimate the increase in the bank lending rates that is necessary to keep the bank return on equity (ROE) unchanged under the heightened regulatory capital framework. According to the estimates, the impact of the higher equity capital requirement on bank lending rates in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa would be 47.43, 32.41, 18.36 and 12.59 basis points increase (respectively) for every one percentage-point increase in the equity-capital ratio. Apart from increasing the bank lending rates, other alternatives that can be explored to keep the bank ROE unchanged are also provided in this paper.


As this volume's editors point out, throughout contemporary Europe, the testing of linguistic abilities in national and standard languages is at the core of the civil integration policies. One of this book's aims is to address the complexities of this situation through a cross-national and cross-linguistic discussion, a goal achieved with an analysis that unfolds across twelve case studies, eight of which deal with European countries and four with countries elsewhere. The volume's introduction contextualizes the concepts nation-state, language, and identity in terms of European public and private discourses on foreigners and integration. It also explains the Common European Framework for Reference, an instrument many countries utilize in developing language policy concerning immigration. At its lower levels, the CEFR assumes basic knowledge and literacy on the part of immigrants taking tests. This is unacceptable given its use '[. . .] where a large part of the target group are either functionally illiterate or have low literacy skills' (p. 17). In addition, the CEFR has been used to deny people admission, residence, and citizenship on the basis of failure on tests that were actually designed for other purposes. But the editors' main concern reflects one of the collection's most consistent messages, that policymakers use the CEFR to underscore what new arrivals lack, rather than 'what they might be able to contribute and add in terms of resources to a more diverse society' (p. 18). Chapters 2 and 3 discuss language and citizenship. Written by Gabrielle Hogan-Burn, the former focuses on Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during the 1990s. The author begins with historical background (like the chapters that follow) and then examines laws and regulations pertaining to linguistic competence and cultural knowledge, pointing out that minorities are expected to value human rights and tolerance while state mechanisms reinforce dominant norms rather than diversity and multiculturalism, a pattern subsequent contributors document in Germany and the Netherlands. In Chapter 3, Lilian Nygren-Junkin describes language testing in Sweden. She explains that the equation of language abilities with rights has been a major election issue and underscores the importance of consistently distinguishing between refugee/residency status and citizenship. The volume's next two chapters deal with the UK and Germany, respectively. In Chapter 4, Adrian Blackledge offers an informative discussion of the 2002 extension of English language testing requirements to applicant spouses of British citizens and the 2007 decision to extend computer testing to those wishing to remain in the country through indefinite leave. Tony Blair introduced the latter alongside comments about 'British-born suicide bombers' and 'the duty to integrate'. In Chapter 5, Patrick Stevenson and Livia Schanze review Germany's 'integration agenda' and the development of a national curriculum for language and citizenship testing. Discussing the 2004 Immigration Law, they assert that Germany's reactions to war and terrorism situate language requirements as a potential 'instrument of social control' (p. 93). Somewhat reassuring is Stevenson and Schanze's optimism about 'a differentiated and sophisticated approach to language learning' (p. 103).


A continuous monitoring technique for measuring all gases generated from coal during coking reaction was developed. This system has two gas detectors, which are a Fourier transform-infrared spectrometer for hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and a semiconductor sensor (SnO2) for hydrogen. Using this system, the gas generation behavior on the condition of two levels, a laboratory scale (about 50 mg sample) and a coke test oven scale (about 120kg), were investigated. As a result, the tendency of both gas generation behaviors was in agreement and the gas generation behavior by difference of a coal combination was found. It was shown that the gas generated from plural coals was based on the additive property of gas from each combination coal.


Research in Urology: A National Survey on Attitudes and Experience of Research in Urology Residency Jason Izard, D. Robert Siemens Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, ON, Canada Introduction and Objective: Involvement in clinical or basic science research as one component of the scholar role is an important part of urologic residency training. The teaching and evaluation of this role is often observational, based on participation in research, and performance-related, with respect to production of research publications and attendance at conferences. We sought to access the experiences with and attitudes towards research endeavours in Urology residents across Canada. Materials and Methods: An anonymous, self-report questionnaire was filled out by 26 chief residents in Canadian Urology programs in February 2009. The questionnaire was composed of 30 open and closed-ended questions set to evaluate the residents experience with and attitudes toward research, both prior to, and during residency. The closed-ended questions were based on a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive and correlative statistics were used to evaluate responses to the survey. For ease of reporting herein, an agreement score was given by combining two agreement points on the Likert scale. Results: The response rate from the questionnaire was 100%. The vast majority of residents had some experience in research prior to residency and have published at least one paper (92.3% and 84.6% respectively), with the average resident publishing over 4 papers (mean=4.65, range 0 11). However less than half those surveyed believed that research during their residency was important to their overall training (42%). Over half (58%) admitted that their motives for doing research was mainly to increase their chances of obtaining their desired fellowship program. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents agreed that there was dedicated time set aside for research endeavours in their residency and 69% of those surveyed would be more inclined to take part in research. The greatest obstacle to participating in research in urology residency appeared to be dedicated time and available preceptors. Conclusion: There is a wide range of medical research activity and opinion regarding research during a urologic residency-training program. A significant proportion of respondents feel research is unimportant in their training. Nonetheless, over two-thirds of residents believe that they would be more inclined to perform research if they were provided more protected research rotations and time constraints were identified as the most common and important self-reported limiting factor to participation in research during residency.


After briefly reviewing the history of dual-process theories in cognitive and social psychology,
this chapter explores implications of the dual-process perspective for Buddhist contemplative
practices, including mindfulness. On the one hand, the impulsive and habitual processes in
dual-process theories offer a natural account of the phenomena that contemplative practices
address (e.g., craving, negative emotion, self-interest, mind wandering). On the other hand,
the regulatory and reflective processes in dual-process theories offer insightful perspective
into how contemplative practices modulate these phenomena. Additionally, dual-process
theories offer useful accounts of the constant interplay between habitual and regulatory
processing in everyday life, and how contemplative practices establish healthy new cognitive,
affective, and behavioral habits that replace less healthy well-entrenched ones. In turn,
contemplative practices—especially the collection of Buddhist practices known as the Eight-
Fold Path—provide insight into the nature of habitual processing, and offer provocative ideas
for developing interventions to change it.


In the last few years, our Trap Collaboration at CERN has succeeded in slowing antiprotons by more than 10 orders of magnitude in energy and in demonstrating long-term storage of 4-K antiprotons in a Penning trap. The first measurement with extremely cold antiprotons was a 1000-fold improvement in the measured antiproton mass,1 and an additional improvement of by a factor of 40 is nearly in hand. Sharp resonances from single trapped antiprotons, less than 1 part in 109 wide, are now being observed. Techniques developed, such has degrader slowing and electron cooling in a trap, make it possible to store enough antiprotons to also contemplate the production of low-energy antihydrogen. Demonstrated stacking techniques have produced more than 105 antiprotons trapped at 4 K in less than an hour, with an increase of 1 or 2 orders of magnitude expected in apparatus optimized for accumulation.


Speech examination has been conducted on junior school children with general speech underdevelopment, phonetic-phonematic and phonematic disorders, psychological parameters were studied using Wechsler, Schulte, Philos, Eysenck, Lusher tests. Complex nature of the violations involving both cognitive and psycho-emotional sphere of children, which has been found out, justified the need for psycho-correction by speech therafy for children with the characteristics of speech disorders.


The study aims to investigate agricultural loan disbursement and recovery problems faced by Bangladesh Krishi (agricultural) Bank and suggest measures to overcome these problems. Survey data were collected from 90 bank officials entrusted with the responsibility of disbursing and recovering loans. Secondary data were also used for this purpose. The findings indicated that to the extent that a reporting system allowing for timely monitoring and follow-up action was established, an incentive system for on-time payment was instituted, proper credit worthiness evaluation was done and work mechanisms were free from political interference and pressure, the loan disbursement and loan recovery problems would reduce to a great extent.

 Key words: Loan disbursement, loan recovery, Krishi, marginal farmers.


The dipole-dipole broadening of ns-np microwave transitions of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap has been recorded for 28{<=}n{<=}51. Since the electric dipole transition matrix elements scale as n{sup 2}, a broadening rate scaling as n{sup 4} is expected and a broadening rate of 8.2x10{sup -15}n{sup 4} MHz cm{sup 3} is observed. The observed broadening is smaller than expected from a classical picture due to the spin-orbit interaction in the np atoms. The broadened resonances are asymmetric and cusp shaped, and their line shapes can be reproduced by a diatomic model which takes into account the dipole-dipole interaction, including the spin-orbit interaction, the strengths of the allowed microwave transitions, and the distribution of the atomic spacings in the trap.


The ability of existing operational support systems (OSSs) to accommodate the telecommunication network's evolution from copper cable plant to fiber optic based local loop technology is discussed. Many of the current OSSs were designed and built entirely around the copper plant design and therefore are not easily adaptable to fiber-in-the-loop (FITL) technology. It is argued that without the appropriate operations support, loop fiber is too costly and difficult for regional Bell operating companies to develop. An alternative approach, providing an integrated gateway OSS that insulates the FITL equipment from the older OSSs, is discussed. The gateway OSS enables FITL systems to be compatible with the current procedures and costly manual methods can be eliminated entirely.<<ETX>>


Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a holistic and comprehensive business transformation method to define and plan changes to the organisationpsilas processes and operations. The value of an EA initiative is only realised by embracing and using the deliverable outputs. Frameworks, are the building blocks and process steps to assist with an EA project. The paper provides a non technical contextual overview of EA, an environment scan of its applicability across governments and references a detailed case study account with the NSW Department of Lands.


Microfluidics has been an active research field for several years. Numerous micro devices such as pumps, valves, flow sensors and integrated systems for chemical analysis and medical applications have been developed. However, experimental studies of fluid flow in those micro devices are rare to find. As a result, design and analysis of microfluidic devices are mostly based upon continuous flow theory which is subjected to serious suspection as dimensions of the device become smaller and smaller. Several experimental studies have actually shown their results can not be explained with continuous flow model.

So far, almost all the experimental studies of microflow are limited to the two-point pressure (inlet and outlet) and flow rate measurements using either conventional capillaries or micromachined channels. In order to measure the microflow with more details, several integrated microflow systems are presented in the thesis. These systems include microchannels (with either uniform or non-uniform cross-sections) and pressure sensors (which are distributed along the channels). Using the integrated microflow systems, some preliminary gas flow experiments have been conducted. For the first time, the gaseous pressure distribution inside microchannels are measured experimentally. The pressure distribution inside a microchannel with uniform cross-sectional area is found to be nonlinear. The experimental results can be explained with an isothermal viscous flow model with slip-flow boundary conditions. Furthermore, it is found that a channel with non-uniform cross-sections can cause a non-trivial pressure change.

During the developments of the integrated microflow systems, several related problems has been studied and solved, for example, a universal model has been found which can be used to simulate PSG or oxide sacrificial layer etching process in HF based solutions, a surface micromachined pressure sensor has been designed and modeled. Many technical difficulties such as, thin film stress, etching and sealing of the microchannels and chambers, process integration for microchannels and pressure sensors, etc., have been overcome. All the details related to the design and fabrication have been discussed in the thesis.


This paper experimentally validates the efficacy of scheduling method that satisfies the performance requirement of periodic data in the Foundation Fieldbus. The scheduling method allocates periodic data traffic to a bandwidth-limited fieldbus medium. The scheduling method generates schedule list that records schedule starting time and schedule period of each periodic data. This study developed an experimental model of a Foundation Fieldbus network system. Using the experimental model, this study showed that the scheduling method can be easily implemented in a practical Foundation Fieldbus network system. The results obtained from the experimental evaluation showed that the scheduling method restricts the delay of periodic data to a pre-specified bound.


When Dr. Charles Arntzen of Arizona State University visited Thailand in 1992, he was not expecting a moment of scientific "eureka" that would redirect his career. However, after observing a young Thai mother soothing her fussy infant with bits of banana, this plant molecular biologist was struck with an idea that is both startling and ingenious. What if, in addition to quieting her child, the mother could also administer a life-saving vaccine in the banana?


Adolescence is a time when new opportunities present that allow the development of new relationships, new skills and a growing sense of independence and self for young people. However, it can also be a time of challenge as adolescents need to negotiate more complex and differentiated social and family relationships, and questions about identity and the future become more apparent. Evidence has concluded that although most adolescents navigate this stage of life with few difficulties, some do find this stage of life challenging, and their ways of coping may have negative consequences for both themselves and others (Shaffer et al., 1996; Beautrais, 2003).


This article discusses the Matlab in the experiment teaching,through the designed problem: "Is music related with mathematics?"The problem reveals that the music signal is a superposition of a series of sine waves. Their different amplitudes and frequencies are enveloped,so that these envelopes can be made by using curve fitting. The synthesis of Fourier transform can be applied to study music. The teaching is from a mathematical point of view,can vivid show the infinite charm of the combination of mathematics and music. It will stimulate students' interest in learning and enhance the students' comprehensive quality and innovation ability.


Thibaudet's use of Thucidydes to make sense of the First World War signals a critical position confident of its culture and classicism, a position we may now understand but probably not recapture, but which is a component of returning to Thibaudet, the real point worth reflecting upon.


The A* algorithm finds the path in a finite depth binary tree that optimizes a function. Here, it is applied to maximum-likelihood soft-decision decoding of block codes where the function optimized over the codewords is the likelihood function of the received sequence given each codeword. The algorithm considers codewords one bit at a time, making use of the most reliable received symbols first and pursuing only the partially expanded codewords that might be maximally likely. A version of the A* algorithm for maximum-likelihood decoding of block codes has been implemented for block codes up to 64 bits in length. The efficiency of this algorithm makes simulations of codes up to length 64 feasible. This article details the implementation currently in use, compares the decoding complexity with that of exhaustive search and Viterbi decoding algorithms, and presents performance curves obtained with this implementation of the A* algorithm for several codes.


An examination of the theoretical impact of an oil shortage on the U.S. economy and the problems that such shortages present for monetary policy.


Abstract A long-cherished assumption in standard periodisations of Ottoman history holds that Westernisation in the Ottoman empire had its beginnings in the early eighteenth century. According to the traditional view, the effects of the European Enlightenment began to be felt in the Ottoman empire with the establishment of the Muteferrika Press in 1727, gained pace as the century progressed and achieved a kind of culmination under the rule of the would-be reformist sultan Selim III (reigned 1789-1807). This study examines the evidence for the broader reception of Western, especially secular, ideas at the community level among various of the principal population groups (both Christian and Muslim) of the empire, and attempts a reassessment of the pace of Westernisation divorced from the usual Istanbul-centric and court-centred framework of analysis.


Let G be an affine Kac-Moody group, 0 r its fundamental irreducible representations and 0 r their characters. We determine the set of all group elements x such that all i(x) act as trace class operators, i.e., such that i(x) exists, then prove that the i are class functions. Thus, := ( 0 r ) factors to an adjoint quotientfor G. In a second part, following Steinberg, we define a cross-section C for the potential regular classes in G. We prove that the restriction C behaves well algebraically. Moreover, we obtain an action of on C, which leads to a functional identity for C which shows that C is quasi-homogeneous.


When the mechanical transmission mechanism fails, such as gears and bearings in the gearbox, its vibration signal often appears as a periodic impact. Considering the influence of noise, however, the fault signal is often submerged in the noise, so it is necessary to propose a feasible and effective fault extraction method. MOMEDA (multipoint optimal minimum entropy deconvolution adjusted) overcomes the tedious iterative process of MED (minimum entropy deconvolution) and overcomes the resampling trouble in MCKD (maximum correlated kurtosis deconvolution). It is suitable for dealing with periodic impact signal. Besides, aiming at the poor ability of MOMEDA to capture the deconvolution result of target function in a strong noise environment, this paper proposes an improved MOMEDA gearbox fault feature extraction method. Considering that MOMEDA has poor anti-noise performance and can easily cause misdiagnosis in a strong noisy environment, this paper constructs an autoregressive mean sliding model to improve the noise immunity of MOMEDA. Firstly, the stability of the test signal is judged by the autocorrelation coefficient (ACF) and the partial correlation coefficient (PACF). Secondly, the ARMA (autoregressive moving average) model is constructed and a set of optimal model coefficients are obtained to filter the signal, which greatly improves MOMEDA's ability to capture fault features. Thirdly, the fault feature is extracted by MOMEDA, and the fault information is extracted accurately under a strong noise environment. Finally, compared with AR-MED, ARMAMED, and other methods, the advantages of ARMAMOMEDA are verified. Moreover, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by simulation signals and experimental data from the Case Western Reserve University Bearing Data Center.


This paper explores how a prominent place-based policy in China, the national high-tech zones, affects local innovation output and entrepreneurial activities. Relying on plausible exogenous variation in place-based policies caused by staggered establishments of national high-tech zones, we find that the establishment of national high-tech zones has positive effects on local innovation output and entrepreneurial activities. A number of additional tests suggest that the effects appear causal. Access to finance, reductions in administrative burdens, and talent cultivation are three plausible underlying channels through which national high-tech zones positively affect local innovation and entrepreneurship. Our paper sheds new light on the debate about the real effects of place-based government policies.


We consider a special case of factor copula models with additive common factors and independent components. These models are flexible and parsimonious with O(d) parameters where d is the dimension. The linear structure allows one to obtain closed form expressions for some copulas and their extreme‐value limits. These copulas can be used to model data with strong tail dependencies, such as extreme data. We study the dependence properties of these linear factor copula models and derive the corresponding limiting extreme‐value copulas with a factor structure. We show how parameter estimates can be obtained for these copulas and apply one of these copulas to analyse a financial data set.


This brief volume reports on the development of community-based forensic services in Virginia during the early 1980s. The authors present their experience in developing a pilot program, evaluating its implementation, and establishing its feasibility for widespread implementation. They are persuasive in their arguments for basing forensic services in community mental health clinics, especially in terms of cost efficiency, constitutional guarantees, and common sense. Their work is a model for how to develop complex innovative programs in the face of tradition, inertia, and occasional hostility. One should read this book for the excellent guidance given in Chapters 6 and 7 rather than for the somewhat flawed research. The discussion of problems of program implementation (Chapter 6) recapitulates the issues that any innovative public program encounters and presents practical and logical solutions. The recommendations for establishing model systems (Chapter 7) should be of assistance to other states that might contemplate creating forensic services at the local community mental health level. The clear message of this book is that one should not underestimate the difficulty of inaugurating forensic services within community mental health clinics but that, if one pays attention to planning, training, coordination, political realities, and ongoing program evaluation, it is possible. Because innovative programs often wither with time, equal attention needs to be devoted to how to sustain them. One can only hope that the authors will give us a follow-up in a few years.


no recognisable embryonic area. This might be due to the imperfect preservation. The specimen was discovered by accident in a fragment of uterine decidua sent for examination. A fuller report would appear later. (2) A specimen of chorion epithelioma of uterus. Dr W. F. T. Haultain showed a specimen of sarcoma in the main horn of a double-horned uterus. History?The patient, aged 42, unmarried, had suffered from menorrhagia for some time, the periods lasting for ten days, but came regularly every twenty-eight days. Three months before I saw her at Leith Hospital she had a period lasting three weeks, followed by another lasting the same time after an interval of a week. She then had another week's interval, and when I saw her had been bleeding for another fortnight. She stated that otherwise she was feeling quite fit and had not lost weight to her knowledge. Operations.?It was intended to perform a diagnostic curettage, but 011 trying to do so it was found impossible to guide the sound into the uterus. It was also noted at the time that the external os


Based on the summary of personal loyalty theory,this paper proposes indicators to measure personal customer loyalty and an evaluation model.With the huge amounts of data accumulated by the commercial bank's data base,the author empirically researches the personal customer loyalty,analyses and evaluates the overall personal customer loyalty and the loyalty towards different products,such as current deposit,credit card,term deposit,wealth management products and loans.According to the revenue contribution of customers,the author divides the personal customers into four groups(friend,barnacle,butterfly,and stranger),and suggests that,in the actual business,it should be the key to maintain the customer "friend",market the customer "barnacle"and increase its value,retain the customer"butterfly"when it is served,and timely identify and waken the customer "stranger"so as to reduce maintenance cost.


This study aimed to determine teachers' perception toward teaching media in English language learning in the form of educational video using Project-Based Learning elementary school students. This research used case studies as the research method by using qualitative as the research design. Elementary school teachers in Buleleng regency were the object of this research. The content of the video was designed by using Project-based learning as the steps in delivering the material. The data were collected from interviews and a checklist. The analysis result of the research was most teachers preferred to use video as the learning media. The use of the video perceived positive perception by the teacher since video brings effective learning during the pandemic.


Objective To strengthen the capacity of the county hospitals in Tibet through conducting hospital classification assessment.Methods We made analysis and conclusions based on literature review and field work reports.Results Some county hospitals had improved their management and clinical capacities and successfully passed the classification assessment.Conclusions The relevant departments in Tibet should continue to improve the capacity of the basic-level hospitals by undertaking hospital classification assessment.


Creativity and quality play a vital role in information systems (IS) organizations. The relationship between these two constructs is particularly important to education and research in IS. The authors reported a survey that asked 200 IS educators in Finland about their perceptions of creativity and quality concepts. Part of the survey focused on the general meaning of creativity and quality. Another portion of the questionnaire explored the area of creativity and software quality. Results indicate that the respondents chose generally accepted responses to questions regarding quality and creativity. Further, most of the educators surveyed had opinions regarding creativity concepts that will ultimately encourage their students to become more creative employees after graduation.<<ETX>>


The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a microcarrier, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a wafer having a sandwich structure (6), comprising a bottom (7), the top layer (8) and located on the bottom and an insulating layer between the top layer (7,8) (9), (b) etching away the top layer (8) to delineate microcarriers body (11) of the side wall (12), (c) at least the body (11) the first active layer deposited on the surface (13) (14), (d) a continuous polymer layer (16) coated on the first active layer (13), (e) etching away the layer (7) and an insulating layer (9), (f) removing the polymer layer (16) to release the microcarrier.


2012 Construct expression vectors of pCMV-DR4-HA and pCMV-PRMT5-Flag, and transfect them into HEK293 cells to identify the interaction between TRAIL-R1 and PRMT5 and the molecular mechanism underlying DR4-mediated inhibition of chemokine CCL20 release via TRAIL receptor 1 (DR4). Inflammatory cytokine was detected by RT-PCR and ELISA after TRAIL-R1 and/or PRMT5 transfection, respectively. NF- κ B activity was detected by Dual Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was analyzed by Western blot. PRMT5 could inhibit DR4-activated NF- κ B activity and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. PRMT5 could inhibit NF- κ B activition, ERK1/2 phosphorylation as well as CCL20 secretion via binding with DR4 in HEK293 cell, suggesting that PRMT5 may involve in DR4 dependent immune regulation. TRAIL, PRMT5, cytokine,


Racialdifferences inpersonality, behavior, andfamily environment oflowerelementary school children wereexamined inasampleof 433blackand897whitechildren. Numerous significant differences inscoreson scales oftheMissouri Children's Picture Series, the Missouri Children's Behavior Checklist, and theFamily Environment Scalepersisted after adjustment forsocioeconomic status. Important racial differences exist intheoccurrenceofseveral diseases thought tohavepsychosomatic components intheir etiology. These include essential hypertension, coronary heart disease, accidents, andviolence. '-3 Prevention might beenhanced ifprecursors ofthese disorders could bedetected inchildhood. Children's personality, behavior, andfamily environment havebeeninvestigated aspossible precursors ofadult hypertension.4 Furthermore, thesefactors arecandidatesforexplaining thehigher incidence and


Task-level servo schemes are an essential ingredient of "intelligent" robot arm control behavior. The idea of a task-level servo scheme is illustrated by the case of free and constrained trajectory tracking of a non-redundant robot arm. Experimental results of the tracking performance for the same are presented on a PUMA 560 manipulator. This task-level servo concept is extended to the problem of object handling by a multi-arm robotic system. Four classes of task-level entities are identified: Position P, Environmental Interaction Force $F\sb{oe},$ Internal Force $F\sb{int}$ and Zero Dynamics Z. The primary goal is to make the object exhibit a prescribed behavior in the presence of an environment. The aspect of task definition to achieve decoupling and linearizing control laws is discussed. Control laws are first formulated at the object level to provide decoupled force and position servo loops. The object level control laws are then used to formulate control laws at the level of the robot arms. Redundancies that exist at object and robot arm levels are identified and novel strategies to resolve them are suggested. Full use of available inputs is made, and servo loops equal to the total number of inputs, control the system as a whole. Numerical simulations for a dual-arm situation illustrate the validity of the approach. Further mathematical analysis of practical situations in multi-arm object handling is done using singular value decomposition. Essential computational structures for task-level control of sensor-based multi-arm robot system are identified. A distributed control and computing architecture that can accommodate this control scheme is discussed.