In order to understand the characteristics of chloride content of tobacco in Yunnan,the chloride content of flue-cured tobacco in different production areas and varieties were analyzed in this study with 10,190 samples from 12 locations,four varieties in Yunnan from 2004 to 2008.The results showed that chloride contents in most of leaf samples were 1.0-6.0 g/kg,chloride content of 1.0-6.0 g/kg in every part of tobacco accounted for more than 70%,that of less than 3.0 g/kg accounted for over 60%.Chloride content of leaf samples of various parts existed certain difference in different prefectures and varieties.In the whole,the chloride content in Dali and Honghe was relatively high,Pu'er and Wenshan was relatively low.Four cultivars of tobacco in Yunnan,chloride content in leaf of Hongda were significantly higher than the other three varieties.Chloride content in the upper and middle leaf of K326 were significantly higher than that of Yunyan 85 and Yunyan 87.Chloride content of lower leaf were no significant difference among K326,Yunyan 87 and Yunyan 85,the difference between Yunyan 85 and Yunyan 87 of middle leaf was not significant,but that of the Yunyan 85 of upper leaf were significantly higher than that of Yunyan 87.


Investigators at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, studied the effect of early hemispherectomy on development in a consecutive series of 12 infants with hemimegalencephaly (HME) and epileptic encephalopathy.


On the base of fibrous ion exchangers, indicator materials were obtained for sorbates of an alkaline and acidic nature, intended to visualize the working time of the filter layer during ion exchange air purification. The optimal conditions for their production and operation were determined. The practical applicability for the manufacture of indicator cartridges for filters of deep air purification and personal protective equipment for human respiratory organs and skin with the aim of timely visualizing of the sorption resource depletion, due to the contrast and sensitivity of the color change, was demonstrated.


Due to intricate operating conditions, including structural clearances and assembly deviations, the acquisition of test data of landing gear retraction mechanism is limited, posing challenges for reliability analysis. To solve the problem, a Bayesian-based reliability analysis method by fusing prior and test data is proposed, focusing on the mechanism kinematic accuracy under small-sample conditions. Firstly, a dynamic simulation model is established to collect prior data, and retraction tests are conducted to obtain test data. Then, based on Bayesian theory, the motion accuracy parameter estimation model integrating prior and test samples is established. To obtain accurate hyper parameters, the prior samples are expanded using neural network. Finally, taking the retraction mechanism as the research object, the kinematic accuracy reliability is quantified, and the impact of uncertainty factors is analyzed in depth. The results show that the proposed method is superior to the classical interval estimation method in stability and effectively mitigates the impact of uncertainty factors.


One way to cope with the increasing demand in transportation networks is to integrate standard solutions with more intelligent measures. This paper discusses the effects of integrating co-evolving decision-making regarding route choices (by drivers) and control measures (by traffic lights) We use microscopic modeling and simulation, in opposition to the classical network analysis. General questions here are whether co-evolution pays off, and, if so, what kind of evolutionary approach shall be used. This is challenging for networks other than the two-route one due to the complexity of routechoice behavior, as well as control strategies by the traffic lights. Moreover, the more agents, the less effective learning strategies are, when the integration among them depicts complex interelationships. The approach was tested in different scenarios.


This paper is concerned with the existence of positive solutions of BVPs for a system of even-order ODEs.By using properties of Green functions,the origin equations are transformed into a integral equation.Sufficient conditions under which positive solutions exist are obtained by using an abstract fixed-point theorem and analysis techniques.


For an entire generation of Soviet youth, Tarzan was a provocative symbol of individualism and personal freedom. Previous scholarship has included Tarzan within the larger counterculture movement of the thaw period (1953–64), but has not specifically examined how this occurred. Joseph S. Nye has coined the term soft power to describe the ability to attract and to co-opt rather than to force another nation into accepting your ideals. Within this rubric, Tarzan's presence in the Soviet Union was simultaneously entertaining and provocative. As literary fare in the 1920s, Tarzan represented an escape from war and revolution and was sanctioned as acceptable reading for Soviet youths. The celluloid Tarzan also represented an escape, but this time from the repressive Stalinist regime and the hardships of post-WWII Soviet society. Raised on both the books and films, a new generation of Soviet youth longed for the individual freedom that Tarzan came to represent. Tarzan's impact in the Soviet Union is one example of western cultural infiltration that contributed to the idealization of American individualism over the Soviet collective within the Soviet Union.


AGENCIES: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). SUMMARY: As a result of past Federal, State, and local efforts to reduce lead in the environment, the percentage of children with elevated levels of lead in their blood has declined considerably over the last 20 years. Approximately 1.7 million children, however, still have blood-lead levels high enough to raise health concerns. Studies suggest that lead exposure from deteriorated residential lead-based paint, contaminated soil, and lead in dust are among the major existing sources of lead exposure among children in the United States. Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 directs EPA and HUD to jointly issue regulations requiring disclosure of known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards by persons selling or leasing housing constructed before the phaseout of residential lead-based paint use in 1978. Under that authority, EPA and HUD are establishing the following requirements: (1) Sellers and lessors of most residential housing built before 1978 must disclose the presence of known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing; (2) sellers and lessors must provide purchasers and lessees with any available records or reports pertaining to the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards; (3) sellers and lessors must provide purchasers and lessees with a federally approved lead hazard information pamphlet; (4) sellers must provide purchasers with a 10-day opportunity to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards before the purchaser is obligated under any purchase contract; (5) sales and leasing contracts must include certain disclosure and acknowledgment language; and (6) agents must ensure compliance with these requirements. These provisions ensure that families receive both specific information on the housing's lead history and general information on lead exposure prevention. With this information, consumers can make more informed decisions concerning home purchase, lease, and maintenance to protect their families from lead hazard exposure. information collection requirements that have not been approved by OMB. Once OMB has approved these information collection requirements, EPA and HUD will publish a document giving notice of the effective date and adding the OMB approval number to 24 CFR part 35 and 40 CFR part 9. The requirements in this final rule are applicable in the following manner: (1) For owners of more than four residential dwellings, the requirements are applicable on September 6, 1996 …


The studies were carried out in the period 2009-2010 in a young plum plantation of the Fruit-Growing Institute – Plovdiv. The cultivars included in the experiment were Tuleu timpuriu, Cacanska najbolja, Cacanska lepotica originating from Prunus domestica L. and Black Star belonging to Prunus salicina Lindley grown on own roots and grafted on the yellow plum seedling rootstock. In spring, before vegetation, the soil herbicide flumioxazin (Pledge 50 WP) was applied in the in-row strip of the orchard at the rate of 40 g/da (4 kg/ha). The herbicide efficiency of Pledge 50 WP was evaluated in dynamics (every 30 days) by the quantitative-weight method. Biometric characteristics, as shoot length increment and stem cross-section area, measured at the end of the vegetation period for evaluating the effect of the herbicide on tree growth, were reported. The applied herbicide showed very good herbicide efficiency against the weed species in the in-row strip of the plantation. The period of the efficient herbicide posteffect lasted about 5 months. External symptoms of phytotoxicity and tree growth suppression were not visualized. The values of biometric characteristics were higher in the plants involved in the treated variants as compared to the control, which confirmed the selectivity of flumioxazin in plum plantations at the applied rate. A tendency for depressing effect on the growth was established in Black Star cultivar of P. salicina.


The development of a correlation between theoretical calculations, physicochemical properties, MAT results, pilot plant data and data from a FCCU in a refinery is what justifies the high cost of research in catalysis. MAT results and their utility, greatly depend on the steam aging procedure used to reduce the physicochemical properties of newly synthesized FCC to those of the corresponding equilibrium material. It is the purpose of this paper to report the use of microcalorimetry experiments to investigate the effects of aging on FCC acidic properties.


We study the zero-temperature phase diagram of the frustrated square-lattice S = 1/2 anti-ferromagnet in an external magnetic field numerically with the Lanczos algorithm. For strong frustration, w...


It is well known that the satellite systems of the major planets Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus share many of the same regular features that can be seen in the planetary system of the Sun. The inner satellite orbits are nearly circular and lie in the plane defined by the axis of rotation of the central body. Again the distances Rn of the regular satellites, numbered inwards to the centre n = 0, 1, 2, …, form a nearly geometric sequence R n/R n + 1 ≌ constant, similar to the Titius-Bode law of planetary distances. These facts suggest that the same cosmogonic process must have been responsible for the origin of both types of systems.


It is supposed that "specific gravity" of worts and "original gravity" of beers will, as part of the process of metrication, be redefined as at 20° C. It may be difficult for the instrument makers to supply in time the very large numbers of new saccharometers which will be required. A correction Table which would permit the readings of a 60° F saccharometer to be interpreted in terms of specific gravities at 20° C might therefore be of considerable use for an interim period. Such a Table is given, together with an explanation of its derivation.


Background: One sub-population potentially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are strength athletes who use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). We examined links between disruption in AAS use and training due to the pandemic and mental health outcomes in this population, hypothesising: (a) the pandemic would be linked with reduced training and AAS use; and (b) athletes perceiving greater these did not appear to be long-lasting.


In a wireless channel above microwave frequency, rain attenuation is very important. In order to predict rain attenuation, 1- min. rain rate distribution is required. This paper discusses appropriate conversion methods to estimate 1-minute rain rate from that of other integration time. Based on the measurement data filed in ITU-R WP3J including ETRI data for 6 consecutive years, distributions of rain rate with 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 30-minute integration time were analyzed, both on the global and regional basis, and the parametric relationship between the statistical characteristics of 1-minute and other measurement data were investigated to deduce the conversion methods. It is shown that the global model works good with good accuracy for 5-, 10-, 20-min integration time, and the global model is also applicable globally with good accuracy for 5-, 10-, 20-min integration time. The global conversion model was adopted last year as an ITU-R document for new recommendation. The regional conversion model would also be very useful for locations of similar climatic zone.


Excised roots of Z. mays were treated at a water potential of – 20.8 atm, using slowly and rapidly permeating solutes both as osmotica (800 mM ) and as permeants (10 mM ) . The temperature during all experiments was 2°C. The solutes were mannitol, glycerol, and ethylene glycol. In highly vacuolated root tissues there were at least three phases for the influx and efflux of the permeants. These phases presumably represented the free space, the 'cytoplasm', and the 'vacuoIe'. Treatment with slowly permeating osmotica increased the free space of both highly and slightly vacuolated tissues. In highly vacuolated tissues all osmotica doubled the rate of exchange for the 'cytoplasm', but had very little effect on the rate of exchange for the 'vacuole'. The latter observation suggests that the permeability of the tonoplast changed little during plasmolysis. In contrast to highly vacuolated tissues, exposure of slightly vacuolated tissue to osmotica decreased the rates of exchange of the permeant mannitol. Removal of slowly permeating osmotica dramatically increased the permeability of highly vacuolated tissues. Moreover, permeability to rapidly permeating ethylene glycol increased much less than permeability to slowly permeating mannitol and glycerol. These observations suggest that deplasmolysis changed the structure of cell membranes. Permeability of slightly vacuolated tissues was not greatly increased by removal of osmotica. These different effects on the permeability of highly and slightly vacuolated tissues are consistent with earlier results, which showed that removal of slowly permeating osmotica restored metabolism of slightly vacuolated tissues, while it strongly depressed cellular activity of highly vacuolated tissues.


Objective To study the clinical features of head injury after Wenchuan Earthquake. Method From May 12 to June 12, 182 patients of head injuries related to Wenchuan Earthquake were admitted in the department of neurosurgery in West China Hospital. The epidemiology, mechanism, severity,complications, treatments and outcome of head injury were retrospectively studied. Results In this series, 102 cases were men and 80 women. Dilapidated building was the most important reason for head injuries. 88.5% patients were mild or moderated trauma. Open scalp injury was found in 68.7% cases. 46.7% patients were admitted within 72 hours after the earthquake. The data revealed that limbs fracture was the most common complication (16.5%). Only 40 patients received surgical treatment. The Glasgow Outcome Scale upon discharge or transfer were:5 for 121 cases (66.5%),4 for 38 cases(20.8%),3 or less for 23 cases, and 5 cases of death (3.3%). Conclusions The clinical features of head trauma patients after Wenchuan Earthquake included: low salvage treatment rate of severe cases before admission into hospital, high coalescent disease rate and high infective rate. Early standard treatment of multiple departments is important.

Key words:
Craniocerebral trauma;  Earthquake;  Therapy


The Inclusive education is the main trend of international special education and the tendency of education in the 21 st century The article introduces in brief implementation models,strategy and characteristics of inclusive education,with the aim to provide some references for education reform in China


The hole targets in X-ray laser jets experiments were fabricated.Holes were drilled by drill press in Al and CH films by machine and pico-second laser.The hole targets were assembled by precision assemblage and measured by Wyko NT 1100 surface profiler and 2 dimensions coordinate measuring machine.The apertures are fine and the same between face and con-face,and the interface of layers are connected closely and seem clear.


PURPOSE
The purpose of this paper is to discuss strategies for benchmarking patient safety using Lombardy region administrative archives. Patient safety indicators and statistical methods are presented that allow risk adjustment. The analysis benchmarks regional health structures, focusing on two patient safety indicators: failure to rescue; and death in low mortality diagnostic related group.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
Data were drawn from a research project promoted by the Italian Agency of Regional Health Services in 2002 to furnish statistical evidence regarding adverse events based on Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicators and methods. Hierarchical models for an equitable benchmark analyses are proposed.

FINDINGS
Empirical analysis shows that hierarchical approaches, based on comparing health structures within homogenous specialties, disaggregates and moderates failure to rescue variabilities existing between hospitals, especially in oncology, intensive care and general medicine.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS
The paper proposes using hierarchical models for properly benchmarking health structures, resolving logistic regression drawbacks and limitations.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The paper strengthens the theory that accurate coding supported by software and administrative databases could provide a valuable and economical source for patient safety research.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
The paper analyses and suggests strategies for consistent benchmark analyses based on patient safety outcomes, applicable to several situations and different health structure typologies.


Abstract: While conducting a survey on sleeping sickness during 1989-92 in Gambella, South western Ethiopia, microfilariae of Mansonella perstans were detected in the blood of the indigenous population, the Anuaks (1%), and the refugees from Southern Sudan (4.1%). No blood microfilarial infection was detected in resettlers, who arrived in the area from drought affected regions of the country during the 1985/86 resettlement program. Among the diagnostic methods applied, nearly twice more microfilaraemic cases (4.1%) were detected by the Miniature Anion Exchange Centrifugation Technique (M-AECT) while only (1.9%) were detectable by Microhaematocrit Buffy Coat Technique (MHBCT) among the refugees. Using the conventional blood film methods (thin and thick smears) only fewer positive cases (1.0%) were detected compared to the above two techniques. Besides a known standard diagnostic methods for blood filariasis, however, the MHBCT seems preferable as field diagnostic technique. Because it is more rapid, simple to operate and does not necessitate as much advanced preparation and sterile condition as M-AECT, and could be a potential diagnostic tool for blood microfilariae. There is a significant difference (P 0.01) in other age groups and sexes among Anuaks and refugees. However, there is a significant difference (P<0.01) in over all positivity among Anuaks and refugees. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1997;11(1):1-5]


Sexual differences in the diving behavior of the sexually dimorphic Japanese Cormorant, Phalacrocorax capillatus (males are 26% heavier than females), were studied at Teuri Island, Hokkaido, using time–depth recorders. A typical dive cycle involved a rapid descent phase, a bottom phase where they remained for a while, an ascent phase, and a postdive surface phase. Depth and duration across individual birds were greater for males (15.1 ± 3.7 (mean ± SD) m, 37 ± 5 s, respectively) than those for females (7.2 ± 2.4 m, 24 ± 4 s, respectively). While submerged, females spent a similar proportion of time during the bottom phase to males, hence foraging efficiency (proportion of time at the bottom to total dive cycle time) did not differ between the sexes. No sexual differences were found in descent and ascent rates, dive bout duration, or time spent underwater per day. No significant effects of dive duration on postdive surface time were observed for either sex, indicating that birds dived within an aerobic div...


In orderto achieve higherreliability and load balancing various multipath routing protocols havebeen proposed inWireless Sensor Network. Moreover, wireless sensor network typically incorporates heterogeneous applications within thesamenetwork. A sensor nodemayhavemultiple sensors i.e. light, temperature, seismic etcwithdifferent transmission characteristics. Eachapplication hasdifferent characteristics and requirements intermsoftransmission rates, bandwidth, packet lossanddelaydemandsmaybeinitiated towards thesink. But achieving desiredthroughputfor diversedata while disseminating throughmultiple pathsisnon trivial taskas occurrence ofcongestion through multipath isobvious. Inthis paperwe proposean efficient schemetocontrol multipath congestion sothatthesinkcangetpriority basedthroughput for heterogeneous data.We haveusedpacketservice ratiofor detecting congestion aswellasperformed hop-by-hop multipath congestion control basedon thatmetric. Finally, simulation results havedemonstrated theeffectiveness ofourproposed approach.


When solving this problem one often chooses a representation of G by permutations (see, for example, [1]), and as a necessary condition one uses the Ree theorem ([2], Theorem 1 below). In this note we put forward another necessary condition based on a linear representation of G on the homology space H1(X,C) of a Riemann surface X. Macbeath's result ([3], Theorem 2 below) expresses the character of this representation in group-theoretic terms. We show that the H1-condition is stronger than the Ree condition for any representation of G by permutations (Theorem 3). As an application, we give a list of triples (C1, C2, C3) of conjugacy classes of the Mathieu groupsM11 andM12 for which no generators satisfying (1) exist, which overlaps with the results in [1] regarding these groups.


During the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was under lockdown, and everyone was inside their home. There are so many restrictions for going out, so many companies introduced online shopping, and this online shopping helped more people; the e-commerce platform also increased their revenue; at the same time, online fraud has also risen worldwide. Everyone adopted online shopping during the pandemic. In 2019 India's 2019 credit/debit card fraud rate was 365, according to the National Crime Record Bureau. The developed countries are the highest rate of credit card fraud in 2020 compared to India; for that reason, we have to implement mechanisms that can detect credit theft. The machine learning algorithm with the R program will play an essential role in credit card fraud detection. The following machine learning algorithm will have used for credit card fraud, Random Forest, Logistic regression, Decision trees, and Gradient Boosting Classifiers. The European bank dataset used in our research and the dataset size is 284808. Here we used two classes, the first one is called the positive class (fraud transactions), and the second one is the negative class (genuine transactions). The final result will show us the outperforms of our proposed system.


Fifty-five years ago this month, the PROCEEDINGS OF THE RADIO ENGINEERS (IRE) included a paper by Semi J. Begun on magnetic recording and applications for radio broadcasting. At the time, the author was employed as a research engineer at the Brush Development Comp,any in Cleveland, OH, where he worked from 1938 to 19'71. He made numerous contributions to the technology of magnetic recording and was elected a Fellow of the IRE in 1952. Begun was born in Danzig, Germany, in 1905. 1He received the Master's degree from the Institute of Technology in Berlin in 1929. He earned a doctorate from the same institution in 1933. In 1929 he joined the firm Schuchardt AG in Berlin, where he did developmental work on a steel magnetic recorder known as the Daibygraph, which is shown in Fig. 1. This machine featured a cartridge with two wire wheels and could be used in offices for taking dictation or to record telephone messages. In 1932, the International Telephone and Telegraph Company acquired Schuchardt AG and transferred magnetic recording research and development activities to Lorenz Ag, a subsidiary in Berlin. Begun directed a small group at Lorenz which began work on a steel tape recorder as an alternative to steel wire. The steel tape recorder developed by Begun and his group is shown in Fig. 2. However, the rise to power of Hitler and the National Socialists in Germany caused Begun to emigrate to the United States in 1935. Soon after his arrival in the United States, Begun and two associates organized the Magneton Company to manage his magnetic recording patents. Subsequently, the Brush Development Company negotiated a license agreement with Magneton and Begun was hired to lead a group at Brush devoted to the development of magnetic recorders. They worked on various types of wire, disk, and tape recorders although none achieved commercial success prior to the war. Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a steel tape endless loop recorder developed during 1939-1941. In his August 1941 PROCEEDINGS paper, Begun reported that magnetic recording was already in use in Europe in the radio broadcasting field but not yet in the United States. He pointed out that magnetic recording permitted <a time delay and was useful when repetition was necessary. During World War 11, Begun contributed to the design of maLgnetic recorders for military applications including wire recorders


The determination of trace indium by transversely heated tungsten-coating platform graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry has been studied on TAS-990 atomic absorption spectrophotometer.The results indicate that the tangsten-coating platform graphite tube could enhance the sensitivity of determination of indium.In four chemical modifiers(Ag,Ni,La and Pd)examined,the selection of La and Ni is suitable.The determination of trace indium in aluminium,copper,calcium and zinc samples has been performed.In comparison with longitudinally heated tungsten-coating platform graphite tube,the ashing and atomization temperature/time of transversely heated are lower and shorter.The effect of mediums on the sensitivities of determination are of HNO3H2SO4HCl.The coexistent elements of Al,Zn,Ca,Mg,Na and Cu have been studied.The results indicate that the transversely heated method has stronger anti-interference ability than longitudinally heated method.


Events at the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) have prompted Canadian Family Physician (CFP) to examine its relationship with the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Fortunately, our Editorial Advisory Board recently met to discuss this issue, and, despite the fact that I have officially resigned, I thought readers should know how this issue was handled during my tenure.

The controversy surrounding the Canadian Medical Association's dismissal of John Hoey and Anne Marie Todkill appears to focus on editorial independence; whether an association journal can offer complete independence to its editors; and what, precisely, is meant by that term.

The World Association of Medical Editors defines editorial independence in fairly black-and-white terms: the editor has complete control over material that goes into the journal, whether or not it conflicts with the commercial success of the journal.1 The only restraint they cite is that views expressed in the journal should be "responsible," although this term is not defined. Most editors believe that they should have complete control over "scientific articles," although George Lundberg was fired from the Journal of the American Medical Association for publishing a "research" article that was interpreted by some as biased political commentary.

Gray areas begin to appear, however, in news or editorial sections of journals. If editorials constantly reflect a limited philosophical or political point of view, then the interests of the readers and the organization are not well served. News items, including investigative journalism, fall into a category that could, conceivably, be manipulated by an editor who wishes to promote a specific philosophical viewpoint. According to the Public Broadcasting Service guidelines in the United States, "content evaluation is an art, not a science, requiring professional judgments about the value of the content in relation to a broad range of informational, aesthetic, technical, and other considerations."2 If it is an art, then it is subject to bias.

Given these circumstances, should an editor of an association journal have complete editorial independence? Should the owner of a journal, especially one that purports to represent a spectrum of physicians, just hand over the reins of editorial power to a person who might use them as he or she pleases? Can an editor be fired only for gross failure of editorial judgment, theft, or sexual harassment? Could the CMAJ breakdown occur at CFP?

The structure of governance is somewhat different here. The Scientific Editor is hired by the College, with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Committee, and is responsible to the Publisher, who is also hired by the College. At CFP the Publisher has overall responsibility for the journal and the Scientific Editor is responsible for the content. Editorial Advisory Board members are appointed by the College Executive Committee and are ultimately responsible to it. They are not appointees of the Scientific Editor or Publisher. Although their work for the journal puts them in contact with the publishing staff, they also have a responsibility to represent the College during regular meetings.

Given the shades of gray in interpreting what is a responsible position for an editor to take on non-scientific material, I believe that editorial independence cannot be rigidly defined. It boils down to a respectful relationship between editor and publisher or owner. The editor should be free to publish articles about topics that might be sensitive for the association, but needs to be cognizant of the politics of that organization. When publishing controversial material, opposing perspectives should be balanced and the editor should encourage the organization to submit editorials or rebuttals to published material so that readers can see multiple points of view. This is true for any controversy. The publisher or owners should feel that the editor will respect the association and not abuse editorial power.

This is a delicate balance. When the relationship between editor and publisher or owner deteriorates, for whatever reason, a mechanism must be available to deal with the consequences. It is difficult to prescribe a respectful relationship, but I suggest, as a starting point, that the definition for editorial independence proposed by the World Association of Medical Editors be adopted as the main guideline for CFP.

When Scientific Editors are hired, they should be informed of these guidelines and be given specific criteria by which their performance will be evaluated at regular intervals. When the Publisher takes exception to the Scientific Editor's choice of material, and when agreeing to disagree is not an option, the Chief Executive Officer should be the first level of consultation. If that fails, then the Editorial Advisory Board should be consulted, given its joint responsibility to the College and to the journal. Should this process still not produce a resolution of the crisis, I propose that an independent, ad-hoc group be formed to mediate between the College and the Scientific Editor, just as the Journal Oversight Committee was meant to do at CMAJ. This process offers a mechanism to resolve serious issues before they reach crisis levels.

What has been my experience as Scientific Editor at CFP? I am very pleased to report that during the last 11 years I have never had any interference with editorial content for the journal. We have published editorials and occasionally other articles that were critical of the College, but there was no censure from the College. There were times when I was asked about certain content, but after I had justified its publication and offered the College space to address the issues, there was never any pressure to alter an article. While there were times when I would notify College staff of upcoming articles, so they would have time to be prepared, I never had to obtain their permission and I never had to have an article preapproved. After Jerome Kassirer left the New England Journal of Medicine, I asked then-Publisher of CFP, Peter Taylor, "What would it take to get me fired?"

"Quite a lot," was the answer. "Don't worry, Tony. The bullet would have to pass through me first."

In summary, I have had complete editorial autonomy at the journal during my tenure as Scientific Editor. The new Scientific Editor has been hired with more specific evaluation criteria that will be used regularly, and a dispute-resolution mechanism has been worked out and is awaiting final approval. I am confident that these steps will preserve editorial independence at CFP. Thank you, CMAJ, for stimulating us to examine this important question, and thank you, College of Family Physicians of Canada, for maintaining editorial integrity.


Remote assessment of scattering objects in the ocean by analyzing the statistics of backscattered returns has been of interest for decades. This presentation describes how simulated and measured backscatter results may be combined to assess the natural variability of fish density in extended schools. The simulations were based on numerical solution of Foldy's (1945) equations for harmonic illumination of spherical and spheroidal aggregations of randomly-placed omnidirectional point scatterers. The aggregations contained hundreds to thousands of scatterers, and varied in size from 12 ≤ ka ≤ 32, where k is the acoustic wave number and a is the aggregation's volume-equivalent radius. Based on thousands of realizations, simulated backscattered returns were found to be Rayleigh distributed independently of the scatterers' and aggregations' characteristics. However, the distribution of volumetric scattering strengths from echo-sounder measurements from natural fish schools is broader. When taken together, the t...


As an important part of organization for extracurricular sports activities, sports association extends sports class and roundly improves college students' physical quality and popularizes campus culture. In recent years, with the declination of college students' health condition, sports association should shoulder the responsibility to strengthen students' physical and mental health, promote their personality development, train talents and create harmonious campus culture. [5] Preliminary study indicates: because inadequate attentions are paid to sports association, it lacks gym teachers, with poor management, insufficient exercise yard and fund investment and students are not enthusiastic about it. College sports should center on education, correctly deal with relations among physical education, students' extracurricular activities and sports competition training, organically combine sports association activities with traditional physical education class to serve the public in fitness. According to college students' health condition, property and functions of sports association, the association of college students' extracurricular sports activities, the participation of different schools and departments in sports association are researched, in order to improve college students' physical and mental health and provide organizers of extracurricular sports activities in colleges. Keywords—Sunshine Sports; college sports association; extracurricular sports activities; association


This study aims to determine the feasibility of developing a multi-split model based on a hands on-mind on approach in elementary schools. The research method used is a mixed method, combining quantitative and qualitative methods in a series of studies. This research also uses RD (Research and Development), the Four-D development or 4-D models. The data source in this study was obtained from the results of the validation of the feasibility of developing a multi-split model based on a hands on-mind on approach which two experts in their fields validated. Product development in the form of a learning model, "Multi Split Model Based on Hands On-Mind On Approach" is valid or feasible. Validation was conducted to see the content validity, construct validity, and revision of the learning model. The results of the validation analysis of the feasibility of the development carried out show that the average content validity value of 4.06 is in the valid category, and the construct validity of 4.20 is in the "valid" category with a statement that it can be used with minor revisions. At the same time, the revision of the learning model is based on the value of content and construct validity and suggestions from validators. Based on the validation results, the feasibility level of developing a multi-split model based on a hands on-mind on approach is very good and suitable for use.


The purpose of this study was to describe the increase in the effectiveness of communication and learning outcomes of fourth grade students in learning science through the Open Ended in SDN 26 Kampung Aur, this type of research is a class act, with the subject of the fourth grade students of SDN 26 Kampung Aur, which has 21 students. Research was conducted in the second semester of the school year of 2015/2016, the research instrument used is the effectiveness of communicating student sheets, sheets of assessment of learning outcomes in the cognitive aspects of students at level C1 (knowledge) and C2 (understanding). Based on the research results, the effectiveness of communicating students on the aspects asked in the first cycle obtain an average value of 49.99% increase in cycle II to 67.45%, the effectiveness of communicating students on aspects of the answer in the first cycle obtain an average value of 53.96% increased in the second cycle to 71.42%. While the results of student learning at the cognitive level C1 (knowledge) in the first cycle increase in cycle II 68.33 into 80.47, cognitive learning outcomes in level C2 (understanding) in the first cycle increase in cycle II 58.09 to 71.42 , It can be concluded that the Open Ended learning model can increase the effectiveness of communication and student learning outcomes in science teaching fourth grade SDN26 Kampung Aur.Keywords: Communicating Effectiveness, Results Learning, Model Open Ended, IPA


The present invention relates to a method for applying a multifunctional coating onto the surface of a workpiece made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The invention further relates to a workpiece that can be produced by such a method.


For bubbles growing rapidly at orifices, the inertia of the liquid displacement and the resultant liquid flow field contribute to the production of an inertia force which tends to retard bubble movement. It is therefore the purpose of this paper to report on a study to examine the validity of liquid velocity fields predicted by potential flow methods and measurements made using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) techniques. Air bubbles are generated in water at atmospheric conditions from a 1 mm diameter orifice. The process is transient and occurs over a period of approximately 80 msecs. Therefore a combination of high speed video techniques and PIV image processing has been used to determine the liquid velocity vector fields during the bubble growth, detachment and translation periods. This paper will present a summary of the experimental techniques and the theoretical model and discuss the results of the study.


Various embodiments of the invention are neural network adaptive control systems and methods configured to concur rently consider both recorded and current data, so that persis tent excitation is not required. A neural network adaptive control system of the present invention can specifically select and record data that has as many linearly independent ele ments as the dimension of the basis of the uncertainty. Using this recorded data along with current data, the neural network adaptive control system can guarantee global exponential parameter convergence in adaptive parameter estimation problems. Other embodiments of the neural network adaptive control system are also disclosed.


Objective To probe the protective effects of Zhi Tang Shu(ZTS) on hepar in rat.Methods The model of CCl 4 induced hepatic injury was established in rats,ZTS was used for treatment of the model.The rats were randomly divided into contrast,normal and ZTS treated group,the latter was subdivided into high dose (10g/kg.bw),middle dose (5.0g/kg.bw) and low dose (2.5g/kg.bw) groups.The ZTS was administrate by gastrogavage.Blood serum ALT was detected and the livers were sampled for routine histological examination.Results The increase of CCl 4 induced serum ALT in rats was inhibited by ZTS(10.0g/kg,5.0g/kg,2.5g/kg).Furthermore,the liver cell degeneration and necrosis were obviously improved and repaired after administering ZTS.Conclusion ZTS has obvious protective effect on liver of rat.


Describes the use and implementation of a template to assist New Mexico Tech students in the Student Research Symposium to write their extended abstract. This publication is available in Web form 1 and also as a PDF document 2 . Please forward any


A state-of-the-art numerical technique for simulating the Sight dynamics and trajectory of a commanded missile maneuver driven by four control fins under autopilot guidance is presented. A 6-Dof model is fully integrated into the CFD solution procedure to determine the body dynamics. The resulting body accelerations, angular rates, and roll attitude are used as input to an autopilot model. The second-order autopilot model utilizes this information to determine the new control fin response parameters including desired orientation and characteristic time to achieve the commanded movements. The implementation of this model is very flexible permitting third party customization and adaptation. A highly automated Chimera/Overset grid technique has been developed and implemented into the software, CFD-FASTRAN, to achieve maximum flexibility and efficiency for multi-body dynamic motion CFD applications. A point implicit local time stepping scheme is used in combination with Roe's Riemann solver to achieve high accuracy with optimal storage resources. The complete process is applied to a complex three dimensional commanded missile maneuver to demonstrate the methodology. NOMENCLATURE acceleration vector scalar components of a external Force vector scalar components of F resultant external moment vector, about mass center angular momentum vector scalar components of h moments and products of inertia scalar components of G scalar components of w, radians/sec scalar components of V velocity vector ax, a az F Fx, F F G


Pneumonia is a major killer of children under five years of age (children) in balita (below five yearold children) in the world, compared to other diseases such as diarrhea, measles, malaria and AIDS. In 2012Indonesia was the highest order of the 6th pneumonia in developing countries with a prevalence of 6.0% .Bungo is one of the districts with the highest prevalence of pneumonia in Jambi Province in 2014 amountedto 10.4 %.The objective of the research was to analyze the correlation of balita's characteristics and familyhealth behavior with the incidence of pneumonia in balita. The research was observational analytic withcase control design. It was conducted in the working area of Muara Bungo II Health Centre, Bungo Districtfrom April, 2014 until January, 2015. The population was mothers who had 0 to 5 year-old children. Therewere 110 balita who were divided into two groups (55 balita in the case group and the other 55 balita in thecontrol group). The data were analyzed by using univatriate analysis and bivatriate analysis with chi squaretest at the significance level of 95% (p < 0.05).The result of the research showed that the variables which had the correlation with the incidence ofpneumonia were immunization status (p-value= 0.006, OR= 0.336), knowledge (p-value= 0.022, OR=0.412), attitude (p-value= 0.000, OR= 0.147), and action (p-value= 0.001, OR= 0.250). The variables whichdid not have any correlation with the incidence of pneumonia were age (p-value= 0.699, OR= 0.861) andbirth weight (p-value= 0.084, OR= 0.512).It is recommended that the District Health office of Bungo District provide counseling through healthcare providers at Muara Bungo II Health Centre and education for families, especially mothers who hadbalita, to participate in posyandu activities so that they understand how to prevent from pneumonia in balita.Besides that, healthy life behavior and clean environment should be improved so that prevention can bedone.


Lateral shear-wave velocity imaging, based on 1D surface wave inversion, is becoming routine in commercial site characterisation. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) is applied to the inversion of fundamental mode Rayleigh wave dispersion over a 3-layered, shallow, vertical-fault model. The data are calculated using a 2D finite difference method, then sorted into CMP cross-correlated (CMPCC) gathers, from which the dispersion is measured. Dispersion is relatively smooth over flat portions of the model, as well as when the spread is equally centered over the sharp lateral discontinuity. When between one and two-fifths of the spread is "overhanging" the fault, low-frequency dispersion is corrupted by wavefield scattering. Each dispersion curve is inverted using a 1D forward model, constrained to four layers, with parameters allowed to vary within liberal limits except the layer 1 shear-wave velocity. A novel variation is that the optimisation is partially directed, by including the most successful shear-wave velocity ...


Rationale: With the introduction of the Respimat* SMI there is a desire for an adapter to allow its use in ventilator circuits. An adapter (RespiConnect*) was assessed in terms of drug delivery and safety features. Methods: The adapter contains a self-sealing valve and safety cap intended to prevent loss of airway pressure and maintain a closed ventilator circuit. The adapter was assessed for its ability to retain circuit integrity as well as aerosol drug delivery. Each adapter (n=10) was inserted in the inspiratory limb of a heated adult circuit. A 7.0 mm ET tube was attached to a filter and the distal side of the filter coupled to an adult test lung to simulate a patient. Ventilation (600-mL, I:E 1:3, 10 BPM) was created by a Siemens 900C. Five actuations of Combivent® SMI were delivered, each actuation followed by 6 complete breathing cycles. Between actuations the SMI was removed from the adapter and primed according to manufacturer's instructions. Salbutamol (SAL) and ipratropium (IPR) were recovered from the filter and quantified by HPLC as % label claim (LC). Results: During the experiment the circuit did not lose pressure and no alarms were triggered, indicating that the self sealing valve was effective. Mean values of 30.3% and 29.4% LC were determined for SAL and IPR respectively. Conclusions: Approximately 30% LC of both drug components in the SMI was delivered to the distal end of ET tube via the adapter. The presence of a self-sealing valve and safety cap for the adapter should ensure ventilator circuit integrity and therefore also help protect the safety of the patient.


Minimum variance (MinVar) method for control performance assessment constitutes one of the most common approaches to the control quality estimation. There are dozens of versions, enriched with numerous reported industrial implementations. MinVar methodology uses the idea of minimum variance, which has been introduced by Kalman. Therefore, it should be remembered that MinVar concept relies on the same assumptions as an idea of the minimum variance control. Among other assumptions, it is essential that the modeled disturbance is an independent random sequence. This article addresses scenarios, when loop noise exhibits non‐Gaussian properties and is characterized by outliers having fat‐tailed distribution. Sensitivity analysis of minimum variance method against such disturbances is evaluated using commonly used PID SISO control benchmarks. It is shown that MinVar method may be significantly biased in such non‐Gaussian situations, which are very frequent in the industrial reality. Reasons of the biased performance are traced and respective solutions are proposed.


The paper elaborated the importance of regional strategy in soccer robot simulation game,and put forward the related concepts of soccer players' role and regional strategy.During online match,the cooperation is completed by each player's observation and reasoning,and the regional strategy is completed on the basis of the players' cooperation.Based on the regional strategy,we can improve the players' attack and defense efficiency.


The algorithms that processes electromagnetic back scattered echo holds importance in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. The selection criteria of an appropriate algorithm depend on application requirement of SAR technique. The computational complexity of Range Doppler Algorithm (RDA) and Chirp Scaling Algorithm (CSA) differs in terms of the procedure adopted for Range Cell Migration Correction (RCMC). In this paper, computational complexities and structural similarities between processed images by these two algorithms are studied through their processing steps on varying pixel size images with the help of MATLAB tool.


The modern legal system, which takes the vector of development of humanistic ideas, defines any person who is a part of society and a subject of social relations as an independent individual. In modern realities, the most acute and problematic area of public relations is the sphere of human life and health protection, the main subjects of which are employees of medical organizations (specialist doctors, secondary medical staff, etc.) and patients. Legal relations that have arisen in the process of providing specialized medical care are characterized by versatility, a high rate of variability associated with both the most unique personality of the patient and the specifics of the implementation of various levels of complexity of medical interventions by a medical professional.


This chapter will provide a comprehensive review of post-infectious glomerulonephritis focusing in particular on the changing epidemiology and long term outcome. The immunological response of the kidney to an insult results in glomerulonephritis. The insult can result from a large number of conditions, both infectious and non-infectious. Regardless of the initial insult, the outcome is similar in terms of pathology and clinical symptoms. The most common and most-studied cause is post streptococcal Glomerulonephritis (PSGN). A list of causes is presented in Table 1.


Relationships between tributary catchments, valley-bottom width, debris-fan area, and mainstem gradient on the Colorado Plateau: A case study in Desolation and Gray Canyons on the Green River


Objective Analyzed the clinical efficacy of Kirschner wire auxiliary revealed cut of severe calcaneal fracture reduction and internal fixation,the basis for clinical reference.Methods Using Kirschner wire auxiliary revealed open reduction and autologous bone grafts for 32 foot,30 cases of severe calcaneus fractures,Anatomic reduction with away from the articular surface through surgery,the recovery Bohler angle and Gissane angle.Results All cases were followed up for 8-26 months,average fracture healing,and postoperative evaluation by Kerr foot score system,were excellent in 18 cases,good in 7 cases,in 5 cases,good rate of 83.33%.Conclusion Kirschner wire auxiliary revealed open reduction and internal fixation is an effective way to treating severe calcaneus fracture.


A very rare case of glomus tumor of the colon presenting with forsion of the sigmoid colon is reported. An 82-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of abdominal distension and abdominal pain. There was a previous history of undergoing an operation for a mesenteric mesothelioma 7 years before. The patient underwent sigmoidectomy for torsion of the sigmoid colon and a tumorous lesion was found at the neck of the torsion. Pathological findings of the lesion revealed glomus tumor without malignancy arising from the proper muscle layer, serosa and mesenterium of the colon. Clomus tumors are painful and occur mostly in the extremities, particularly in the subungal region. These tumors can occasionally occur in the gastrointestinal tract, wherein the stomach is the most frequent site of occurrence. According to our knowledge, only one case of glomus tumor of the colon has been reported by Baura in 1988.


Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality. However, CRC risk can be decreased through regular CRC screening and removal of precancerous polyps during endoscopic screening tests. Indeed, it has been estimated that 75%-90% of CRC cases could be prevented through adherence to CRC screening guidelines. The CDC recommends CRC screening for average risk adults starting at age 50 with five test options including: (1) annual fecal occult blood test fecal (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT); (2) flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years; (3) virtual colonoscopy every 5 years; (4) double-contrast barium enema every 5 years; or (5) colonoscopy every 10 years. In the U.S. population, demographic factors predict adherence to CRC screening guidelines such as completing high school, having a partner, and older age. Other predictors of CRC screening adherence in the general population include urban residency, White race, and having health insurance. However, few studies have examined predictors of CRC screening adherence among veterans. The present study focused on male veterans, as its primary aim was to examine masculinity beliefs as predictors of CRC screening. The proposed secondary analyses examine potential demographic and health correlates of adherence to CRC screening guidelines. In one prior study, increasing age was associated with decreased likelihood that male veterans were adherent to CRC screening guidelines. In the current study, 250 male veterans aged 51-75 at the Roudebush VA primary care clinic complete a survey on one occasion. Currently, 175 participants who are adherent to CRC screening and 64 non-adherent participants are enrolled. Participants' CRC screening behaviors are collected via self-report and medical records. Correlations will be computed between demographic factors (e.g., age, race, education), BMI, and CRC screening guideline adherence. Findings will enhance our understanding of factors associated with veterans' CRC screening behaviors.


Structural biology has opened many new avenues for drug-lead discovery by making available an increasing number of high-resolution structures of drug targets. In order to realize the drug discovery potential of these structures, it is important to accurately evaluate, in silico, the interactions of ...


As a continuation of part I of this work, further experiments were designed for the physics class using pressure sensors. An experimental setup using a pressure sensor and two optical fiber sensors makes it possible to verify the Hagen–Poiseuille equation, to measure the viscosity of several gases and, by analogy with an electric current circuit, to verify that the parallel and series association of flow resistance may be solved as if they were electrical resistances.


This paper investigates the survivable traffic grooming problem for optical mesh networks employing wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). While the transmission rate of a wavelength channel is high, the bandwidth requirement of a typical connection request can vary from the full wavelength capacity down to subwavelength. To efficiently utilize network resources, subwavelength-granularity connections can be groomed onto direct optical transmission channels, or lightpaths. Meanwhile, the failure of a network element can cause the failure of several lightpaths, thereby leading to large data and revenue loss. Fault-management schemes such as protection are essential to survive such failures. Different low-speed connections may request different bandwidth granularities as well as different protection schemes. How to efficiently groom such low-speed connections while satisfying their protection requirements is the main focus of our investigation. The paper tackles the dynamic survivable traffic grooming problems in multifiber wavelength-routed optical networks by representing the network as a layered graph model. This graph multi layers, where each layer represents a specific wavelength. Each link in the layered graph has more than one fibers and an associated cost. We use a modified Dijkstra algorithm that has a reduced complexity due to the structure of the layered graph. Heuristic algorithms for fiber selection based on a well-designed link-cost metrics are proposed. The performance of various routing algorithms is evaluated through simulation studies.


Conservation nowadays is understood as a
broad concept that considers objects as contextual
and contingent. The social dimensions
of the conservation object, however, have been
successively overlooked in most conservation
endeavours. Although communities are considered
an important stakeholder in conservation
decision-making processes, engagement with
communities in practice is clearly deficient. The
lack of communication with these communities
can be understood as a symptom of the overall
misrecognition of this peripheral stakeholder
that raises questions concerning the justice of
the conservation process in its social context.
The aim of this paper is to explore how the notion
of justice can be applied to conservation
decision-making through the example of two
performance-based artworks. Finally, a reflective
approach that acknowledges the 'documentation
of absence' is suggested.


Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to show that HRM is not the sole responsibility of HR departments, but also of other agents inside and outside the organisation, such as top and line managers, and external HRM service providers. This paper seeks to examine how organisations distribute HRM activities and responsibilities among these agents. The study attempts to classify organisations according to agent distribution and to explore whether a number of internal and external context characteristics affect this distribution. Design/methodology/approach – The survey in the paper shows the methodology chosen in order to collect and analyse factual data about the participation of different agents in HRM activities and the characteristics of the organisations and their context. The questionnaire obtained a valid sample of 231 Spanish companies. A multiple correspondence analysis approach was taken in order to cluster the organisations. Findings – The analysis of the data in this paper clearly produced seven groups, each involving organisations that allocated responsibilities to the various agents in a similar fashion. However, no common contextual characteristics were found among the companies in each of the seven categories. Research limitations/implications – The main limitations in the paper are related to the length of the questionnaire, the adequacy of the respondents related to the unit of observation; and the relative newness of the techniques used. Originality/value – The main contribution of the paper consists of the incorporation of existing partial areas of study in the field of HRM (roles of the HR department, devolution to line management, and outsourcing of the HR function) into an integrated study.


Discourses and practices of agrarian reform as well as debates on agrarian issues are very dynamic and continuously ramified as many perspectives developed and evolved along the way. To avoid over-simplification and unnuanced debate on agrarian reform and agrarian issues, it is very important in the first place to comprehend the evolution of agrarian reform policies as well as the complexity of scholarships on agrarian issues. For this purpose, this article offers a brief and preliminary sketch on the evolution of agrarian reform and agrarian studies since post-World War II to the present. Keywords : agrarian reform, agrarian questions, social movement


The objectives of this program involve the study of the catalysis of liquefaction of low rank coals. Ion exchange and adsorption techniques are being used or modified to incorporate catalytically active metals into coal samples. Relative oil yields will be determined by Sandia National Laboratory and PETC collaborators to establish the effectiveness of the catalyst incorporation techniques. This report describes work done over the past 12 months of an on-going project.


Since 2013, a series of air pollution prevention and control (APPC) measures have been promulgated in China for reducing the level of air pollution, which can affect regional short-term electricity power demand by changing the behavior of power users electricity consumption. This paper analyzes the policy system of the APPC measures and its impact on regional short-term electricity demand, and determines the regional short-term load impact factors considering the impact of APPC measures. On this basis, this paper proposes a similar day selection method based on the best and worst method and grey relational analysis (BWM-GRA) in order to construct the training sample set, which considers the difference in the influence degree of characteristic indicators on daily power load. Further, a short-term load forecasting method based on least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) optimized by salp swarm algorithm (SSA) is developed. By forecasting the load of a city affected by air pollution in Northern China, and comparing the results with several selected models, it reveals that the impact of APPC measures on regional short-term load is significant. Moreover, by considering the influence of APPC measures and avoiding the subjectivity of model parameter settings, the proposed load forecasting model can improve the accuracy of, and provide an effective tool for short-term load forecasting. Finally, some limitations of this paper are discussed.


ABSTRACT The quantitative and qualitative determinations of the sodium salt of 4,4′-diaminostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DASDS) were made using high performance liquid chromatography in the reverse phase system. The determinations were made in samples taken from a reaction mixture which also contained salts of 4,4′-diaminostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DNSDS) and 4-nitro-4′-aminostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (NASDS). The calibration chart and extensive discussion of the method are presented.


Detailed calculations of the band structure and the generalized electronic susceptibility χ(q, 0) have been performed to verify the earlier suggestion that the β → θ transition in NiMn is caused by the nesting features of the Fermi surface. It is suggested that this transition has no relation to the Fermi surface features but is a Zener transition in which the decisive part is played by the vibrational entropy


Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) has been used to identify and measure autoantibody levels in pemphigus vulgaris but data about relationship between clinical severity of disease and antibody titers by IIF have been conflicting. We conducted this cross-sectional study to correlate the severity of oral and/or cutaneous involvement in patients with pemphigus vulgaris based on Pemphigus Area and Activity Score with IIF titers. Sixty-one new pemphigus vulgaris patients were included in this study. Human prepuce was used as substrate for IIF and assessment of disease severity was based on Pemphigus Area and Activity Score. The mean±SD age was 44.04±30.46 years, with a range of 18 to 79 years. IIF was positive in 56 (91.8%) patients. There was a significant relationship between total disease score and IIF titers ((P<0.001). Also a significant relationship was found between skin score (P=0.04) and mucosal score (P=0.04) with IIF titers. Our results show that there is a significant relationship between disease activity based on Pemphigus Area and Activity Score and antibody titers by IIF. Further studies are recommended to determine the usefulness of this technique for monitoring disease.


The working principles of the linear motors and the fundamental structure of bogies are described.It is put forward that the metro car with linear motor is a feasible selection in modern rail traffic.


A method of localized stimulation of the human brain is proposed. The basic idea is to concentrate induced eddy currents locally in the vicinity of a target in the cortex by a pair of coils which are positioned outside the head so that time‐varying magnetic fields pass through the head in the opposite directions around a target. The eddy currents induced at the target are expected to flow together, which results in an increased current flow at the target. Spatial distributions of induced eddy currents are calculated in cubical and spherical volume conductor models by a finite element method. The results show that the current vectors make themselves two vortexes which flow together at the target. The current density at the target makes a peak which is higher by 2–3 times than current densities at nontarget regions. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated by experiments using frog nerve‐muscle preparations.


The article presents a diagram of an air decarbonization device, a differentiated mathematical model of the decarbonization process created using the Python programming language, and also outlines methods for improving the quality of the decarbonization process depending on the system parameters, and also outlines the possible areas of application of this technology. The study is carried out using the technology of plasma pyrolysis, in particular, using a corona ionizing discharge.


Recent progress in microprocessor-based relaying systems and the technology involved in the new measurement systems for assessment of on-line dynamic security of electric power systems are described. The technique of obtaining the measurements from selected locations on interconnected electric power systems is presented. The measurements require a number of algorithms that have been developed. A comparison of the different approaches has also been conducted using a realistic system for confirmation of the developed technique.


Cubic phase gadolinium oxide nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method at various reaction temperatures like 60 °C, 120 °C, 180 °C and 240 °C. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the formation of cubic phase Gd2O3. The broadening of XRD peak, due to crystallite size was investigated with the aid of gaussian and voigt peak fitting function and its comparisons were also performed. Crystallite size calculated from Scherrer formula for Gd2O3 nanoparticles for various reactions temperatures varies between 21 nm and 39 nm. Thermal analysis of as-prepared sample was done and the decomposition temperature was found to be 433 °C for the formation of Gd2O3. The metal-oxygen band in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra confirmed the presence of Gd2O3. Band gap studies from Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) revealed the decrease in band gap with respect to the increase in crystallite size. In Photoluminescence (PL) spectra, a broad ultra violet emission is observed between 320 nm and 400 nm. Irrespective of reaction temperature, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images reported the formation of nanorods.


Objectives: Acute appendicitis is the most common non-obstetric pathology requiring emergency surgery on pregnant women. The aim of the study is to show the effect of uncomplicated and complicated acute appendicitis on pregnancy.
Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively at the Department of General Surgery of Konya City Hospital. Pregnant patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021, were included in the study. The cases were divided into two groups as complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis and compared. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of the patients were obtained by screening the patient files. The cases were divided into two groups as complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis and compared.
Results: The study included 46 pregnant patients with a mean age of 25.9 years. The mean gestational age of the patients at the time of surgery was 16.5 weeks. Of the patients, 47.8% were in the first trimester. Open appendectomy was performed in 35 (76.1%) patients, and laparoscopic appendectomy in eight (17.4%). Seven (15.2%) appendicitis cases were complicated. A negative appendectomy was performed in two (4.3%) patients. Preterm labor was seen at a rate of 28.6% in the complicated appendicitis group and 5.1% in the uncomplicated appendicitis group (p = 0.04), and the mean operative times were 65.8 and 46.1 minutes, respectively (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Both postoperative complications due to surgery and obstetric complications increase in patients with complicated appendicitis; therefore, it is particularly important to closely follow up these cases.


The storage of angiographic imaging data on picture archive and communication systems (PACS) is discussed. The goal is to compact all medically relevant data without any information loss and discard irrelevant or redundant information. Therefore, a concept is proposed that introduces a novel workplace for the cardiologist: the movie cutting report workstation, a place to select the medically relevant images from the total sequence in view of all the other data available. The essential data, compacted by a SPI (Standard Product Interconnect) standardized image sequence compression and stored under SPI management, can fit both technical restrictions and practical useability, provided that viewing stations can offer a unique and easy human interface with a free expandable display option for viewing arbitrary associated data.<<ETX>>


Two mine areas,where the distribution of limestone is relatively rich in Hebei province,were selected as objects of this study.Combined with field survey,using the remote-sensing information of 1987 and 2007,we analyzed the ecological environment trend and problems in these two typical mining areas.The result shows that two mining areas are expanding rapidly by chiefly taking over the original bush-and-grass land and unused land;in the selected areas,the proportion of the destructed area and the quantity of soil and water loss are both growing;ecological damage,along with environmental sensitivity of the region,is gradually increasing;more and more protection measures are required.


This paper analyzes the performance of millimeter-wave (mmWave) non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system with the aid of an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS). We derive the outage probability (OP) expressions at two users D1 and D2 of the IRS aided mmWave-NOMA system (the IRS-mmWave-NOMA system in the following). We validate the derived expressions via computer simulations. By considering the Nakagami-m fading channels and the path loss model proposed for 5G standard in the IRS-mmWave-NOMA system, our results are more suitable in practical scenarios. Specifically, numerical results observe that even the carrier frequency is extremely high (fc = 90 GHz) and the transmitter-receiver distances are further than 50 m, the OPs at D1 and D2 can achieve 10-4 when the transmit power of base station (BS) is 30 dBm (dB in the following). Moreover, the OPs at D1 and D2 with IRS are greatly lower than OPs without IRS. This result demonstrates the huge benefits of utilizing IRS in mmWave-NOMA system. In addition, we can use an IRS with larger number of reflecting elements to maintain the OP performance at D1 and D2 when the distances are increased and fc is higher. On the other hand, we should choose a suitable value of power allocation coefficients to obtain the same performance at D1 and D2.


We investigate a dual-annular-ring CMUT array configuration for forward-looking intravascular ultrasound (FL-IVUS) imaging. The array consists of separate, concentric transmit and receive ring arrays built on the same silicon substrate. This configuration has the potential for independent optimization of each array and uses the silicon area more effectively without any particular drawback. We designed and fabricated a 1 mm diameter test array which consists of 24 transmit and 32 receive elements. We investigated synthetic phased array beamforming with a non-redundant subset of transmit-receive element pairs of the dual-annular-ring array. For imaging experiments, we designed and constructed a programmable FPGA-based data acquisition and phased array beamforming system. Pulse-echo measurements along with imaging simulations suggest that dual-ring-annular array should provide performance suitable for real-time FL-IVUS applications


ABSTRACT: Increased fetal Hb (HbF) synthesis has been shown to occur during fetal hypoxemia and severe anemia. To determine whether increased HbF synthesis occurs during anemia of prematurity, the levels of HbF synthesis were correlated with the degree of anemia and plasma erythropoietin levels. Thirteen newborn infants born at 29.2 ± 1.7 wk of gestation were studied at a postconceptional age 36.0 ± 1.1 wk. Hb levels ranged from 65 to 78 g/L. Blood samples were incubated in an amino acid mixture containing [3H]leucine and chromatographed allowing the separation and quantitation of the α, β, and ν (AνT, Gν AνI) chains. Erythropoietin was determined by RIA. The mean HbF synthesis was 77.9 ± 8.9% of total Hb synthesis (range: 61 to 91%). Plasma erythropoietin concentrations were 21.4 ± 6.4 mU/mL. There was no correlation between the total Hb or HbF synthesis and the level of erythropoietin. There was, however, a significant inverse correlation between the Hb level and HbF synthesis (p < 0.01). Nine infants who had received transfusions during the first few days of life had a mean HbF that was 53.5 ± 15.2% of total Hb, whereas their HbF synthesis was 78.4 ± 7.6%. Four of the infants never received transfusions; the total circulating HbF and HbF synthesis in these infants were 87.7 ± 7.7% and 76.8 ± 12.7%, respectively. This study shows that there can be a reactivation of HbF synthesis during severe anemia of prematurity.


The objectives of this program are to demonstrate the feasibility of producing ultra-lightweight aggregates (ULWA) from solid residues (slag) generated during the gasification of Illinois coals, and to test the products as substitutes for conventional aggregates produced by pyroprocessing of perlite ores. In Phase 1 of this project, Praxis developed a pilotscale production technique and produced a large batch of expanded aggregates from an Illinois coal slag feed. The Phase 2 work focuses on characterization and applications-oriented testing of the expanded slag products as substitutes for conventional ULWAs. Target applications include high-volume uses such as loose fill insulation, insulating concrete, lightweight precast products (blocks), waterproof wallboard, rooftiles, and filtration media. The precast products will be subjected to performance and characterization testing in conjunction with a commercial manufacturer of such products in order to obtain input from a potential user. The production of value-added products from slag will eliminate a solid waste and possibly enhance the overall gasification process economics, especially when the avoided costs of disposal are taken into consideration.


The goal of this research is to implement an extensible, user-friendly, portable and affordable medical image analysis environment that frees the analyst from having to deal with low-level programming issues. With this environment, the user can rapidly prototype, test, validate and statistically analyze new medical image analysis algorithms. The environment tightly integrates a medical image database that supports image content and metadata based querying; visualization and browsing of query results; S-Plus, a powerful object-oriented, interpreted programming environment, with a large suite of built-in visualization, data analysis, statistics and image processing tools. The system interfaces with any SQL-based relational database management system. The database schema is based on the DICOM standard. Using MedPlus, the user can develop image analysis procedures that integrate database queries, interactive image analysis, statistical inference and database archival of results using ether a scripting language.


Processes for the manufacture of advanced metal matrix composites are rapidly approaching maturity in the research laboratory and there is growing interest in their transition to industrial production. However, research conducted to date has almost exclusively focused on overcoming the technical barriers to producing high-quality material and little attention has been given to the economical feasibility of these laboratory approaches and process cost issues. A quantitative cost modeling (QCM) approach was developed to address these issues. QCM are cost analysis tools based on predictive process models relating process conditions to the attributes of the final product. An important attribute, of the QCM approach is the ability to predict the sensitivity of material production costs to product quality and to quantitatively explore trade-offs between cost and quality. Applications of the cost models allow more efficient direction of future MMC process technology development and a more accurate assessment of MMC market potential. Cost models were developed for two state-of-the art metal matrix composite (MMC) manufacturing processes: tape casting and plasma spray deposition. Quality and Cost models are presented for both processes and the resulting predicted quality-cost curves are presented and discussed.


Introduction:

 Parkinson Disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects more than a million Americans. It is estimated there will be an increase from 4.1 million PD patients in 2005 to 8.7 million by the year 2030, making it particularly important to find a longterm effective therapy for it. It is characterized by a loss of the midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons, resulting in a characteristic movement disorder. Studies involving grafting of fetal DA neurons have yielded positive repair in a non-human primate [2,3] and clinical transplantation of fetal ventral mesencephalic tissues rich in DA neuron progenitors in Parkinsonian patients has also shown favorable results up to 18 years post-transplantation, with no further treatment with levodopa. Since 2015, TRANSEURO, a trial in Europe have engrafted at least eleven patients with human fetal mesencephalic allografts although the lack of adequate samples have resulted in only 20 out of the intended 90 surgeries actually being realized. In addition, dopaminergic cell therapy is potentially useful as the disease progression occurs over a long time, with grafted neurons unaffected even after a decade. However, dyskinesis have been encountered by some of the graft recipients, highlighting the lack of control of the grafts. In addition, the use of fetal mesencephalic tissue has been encumbered by the need for multiple fetal samples per transplantation, the limited duration of storage before transplantation, and ongoing ethical, safety and quality concerns have curtailed its implementation as a mainstream treatment for Parkinsons disease (PD). Nonetheless, PD remains one of the primary targets for cell regenerative therapies as only a limited number of neurons degenerate in a specific brain region, the substantia nigra, with a unique biochemical deficit. There is a need to find a well-defined neural cell population to address the efficacy and safety for clinical purposes such as Neural Stem Cells (NSCs), which will be more controlled and homogenous than fetal neural tissue allografts. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) has also been suggested as a viable cell source, with efficient directed differentiation shown, and engraftment into animal models of PD. However, the use of pluripotent stem cells has been beset by risks of tumor formation and integration events. While purification of desired cells can be done to reduce tumorigenicity, this technology is still relatively new and requires further testing. Moreover, the genetic component for PD will remain with the use of autologous iPSCs, although emerging technological tools through CRISPR/cas9 editing may be able to efficiently circumvent that. NSCs have been proposed to be an alternative cell source as they can be generated in large quantities in suspension bioreactors under standardized conditions. Cryopreservation also permits the longterm storage of NSCs with a post-thaw ability of 70-95% and no reduction in neuronal differentiation capacity. Finally, longterm expanded NSCs have been shown to be non-tumorigenic after transplantation in the murine striatum. In addition to its potential in neuronal replacement therapy, NSCs have been shown to rescue dysfunctional endogenous neurons through chaperon and trophic effects and may serve as cellular gene delivery vehicles for growth factors such as Glial-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), leading to functional improvements. While adult NSCs has only been found in the sub-ventricular zone (SVZ) and hippocampus, NSCs can be derived from virtually every part of the developing central nervous system in the first half of pregnancy [25-31]. Human fetal NSCs (hfNSCs) possess unique regional and temporal identities which are postulated to develop during early embryogenesis due to graded morphogen levels and the differential expression of regulatory genes found in the developing brain. Subpopulations of NSCs, with a distinct expression of transcription factors, can also be found in the telencephalon. Weiss et al. Provided pioneering evidence of the different mitogenic requirements of adult spinal cord versus forebrain NSCs in culture. Mukhida et al. reported that telencephalon-derived hfNSCs exhibited significantly higher cell-fold expansion rates and larger neurosphere diameters than ventral mesencephalon (VM)-isolated fNSCs [36]. hfNSCs derived from more rostral regions of the CNS were shown to display faster proliferation rates. Short and longterm cultures revealed that forebrain NSCs were consistently more neurogenic than midbrain and hindbrain NSCs. Extended cultures generally exhibited reduced neurogenesis and increased astrocyte production except for cerebellar NSCs, which differentiated into significantly more neurons. This suggests a developmental timing whereby a maturing brain generally produces more astrocytes , which is concordant with what is known about the timing at which neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis take place. More recently, we have reported that the regionally derived NSCs from a fetus between 14 and 23 weeks exhibit different efficiencies in neurosphere initiation and neuronal/glial differentiation. We have also shown pre-differentiated GABA neurons from hfNSCs are more efficacious in engraftment and bringing about functional recovery after transient ischemic stroke. NSC differentiation has been shown to be regulated by intrinsic genetic programming. An inductive signal produced by floor plate cells, the amino-terminal product of Sonic hedgehog auto-proteolysis, Shh-N, can determine DA neuron differentiation in vitro and in vivo through a contact-dependent manner [42]. Exogenous factors present in the differentiation medium, such as interleukin-1, can similarly influence DA neuron induction. We hypothesize that regionallyderived second-trimester primary hfNSCs have different neurogenic capacity for DA neuronal differentiation due to differences in intrinsic genetic programming. Our objectives are to define the optimal DA neuronal differentiation conditions for the different regionally-derived hfNSCs. Understanding these keys may facilitate the choice of hfNSCs for different clinical scenarios such as neurodegenerative or traumatic brain injuries.

Conclusion:

Current treatment modalities for PD have been hampered by limited efficacy and the eventual exhaustion of DA neurons in the nigra-striatal tract. While first-trimester neural tissues have been studied as a source for TH+ neurons, they are limited by the small cell numbers. Here we provide evidence for the differential neurogenic potential of regionally-derived NSCs and their putative genetic programming in the developing second trimester CNS. In turn, this may have implications for their utility as neural cell replacement sources for PD and other neurodegenerative disorders.

References

1. Tarazi FI, Sahli ZT, Wolny M, Mousa SA (2014) Emerging therapies for Parkinson's disease: from bench to bedside. Pharmacol Ther 144: 123-133. [Pubmed]

2. Redmond DE, Sladek JR Jr, Roth RH, Collier TJ, Elsworth JD, et al. (1986) Fetal neuronal grafts in monkeys given methylphenyltetrahydropyridine. Lancet 1: 1125-1127. [Pubmed]

3. Redmond DE Jr, Naftolin F, Collier TJ, Leranth C, Robbins RJ, et al. (1988) Cryopreservation, culture, and transplantation of human fetal mesencephalic tissue into monkeys. Science 242: 768-771. [Pubmed]

4. Mendez I, Dagher A, Hong M, Gaudet P, Weerasinghe S, et al. (2002) Simultaneous intrastriatal and intranigral fetal dopaminergic grafts in patients with Parkinson disease: a pilot study. Report of three cases. J Neurosurg 96: 589-596. [Pubmed]

5. Kefalopoulou Z, Politis M, Piccini P, Mencacci N, Bhatia K, et al. (2014) Long-term clinical outcome of fetal cell transplantation for Parkinson disease: two case reports. JAMA Neurol 71: 83-87. [Pubmed]

6. Barker RA, Parmar M, Studer L, Takahashi J (2017) Human trials of stem cell-derived dopamine neurons for parkinson's disease: dawn of a new era. Cell Stem Cell 21: 569-573. [Pubmed]

7. Lindvall O (2013) Developing dopaminergic cell therapy for Parkinson's disease-give up or move forward? Mov Disord 28: 268-273. [Pubmed]

8. Olanow CW, Goetz CG, Kordower JH, Stoessl AJ, Sossi V, et al. (2003) A double-blind controlled trial of bilateral fetal nigral transplantation in Parkinson's disease. Ann Neurol 54: 403-414. [Pubmed]

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This thesis elaborates the relationship between the scientific view of development and history study from three aspects: the scientific view of development is a new approach of history,several considerations in guiding history study by the scientific view of development,the operation significance of guiding history study by the view of scientific development.It sets out many issues worthy of deliberation and further discussion.The author thinks that the scientific view of development is one brand-new historical reflection of the Chinese history profession on the basis of a sufficient summing-up of the advantages and disadvantages of the existed historical approaches and an overall reflection on the historical approach bygone.With the view of scientific development as a guide of history study we shall correct,enrich and perfect the old research system from a newer and more scientific angle and make a guidance and example to the present history study.


Aiming at protein yield rate,the fermentation technology for single cell protein production from acidolysis maize straws was established through the experiments of product-restraining from reducing sugar,and fermentation conditions,and the symbiosis and nutrition competition between TrichodermaviridecNUA-051 and Candida utilis were taken into account.After Trichodermaviride growth 40h,2% Candida utilis culture was inoculation,aacidolysis maize straws concentration is 150g/L,(NH4)2SO4 25.0g/L,KH2PO4 6g/L,MgSO4·7H2O 0.4g/L,aeration rate 4.5L/L·min,mixing speed,600r/min,pH5~6,and temperature 35℃.Candida utilis fermentaion time was 24h,and the total fermentation time was 64h.


Background: Chronic, nonhealing wounds, foot ulcers, and lower extremity amputations are among the most problematic complications associated with diabetes mellitus. Standard care for diabetes-related chronic ulcers has included treatment of infection, weight off-loading, aggressive surgical débridement, and maintenance of a moist wound environment with frequent dressing changes. Objective: Yeast glucan is a particular high-molecular-weight polymer of β-(1,3)-glycosidic linkages of glycopyranose. We report our observations about the effectiveness of topically and orally administrated β-(1,3)-glucan for the treatment of chronic diabetic wounds and compare them to the literature results previously reported for similar wounds. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients with nonhealing ulcers associated with diabetes were included in this study. β-Glucan was given both orally and topically for the treatment of nonhealing ulcers. Macroscopic changes and surface areas of diabetic ulcers were recorded, and complete healing times were noted for each patient. Results: A rapid decrease in size and healthy granulation were significantly observed in most patients. The duration of complete healing averaged 10.8 weeks (range 6–20 weeks). No adverse events were observed in the treatment period. The complete healing time was shorter than the results previously reported in the literature. Conclusions: Our observations support the view that application of glucan hastens epithelialization and wound closure, so topically and orally administered β-(1,3)-glucan therapy can help reverse some of the deficits in impaired healing diseases such as diabetes mellitus.


In recent years,extensive attention has been paid to researches and applications of shape memory alloy(SMA)as a remarkable smart material for structural vibration control.In this paper,some important characteristics of SMA are introduced,and then state-of-the-art researches of SMA's passive and active structural vibration controls are presented.Some application questions of SMA in structural vibration control are discussed.Finally,prospects for further research on civil engineering structure vibration control based on SMA are suggested.


The success of NIV depends on patient–ventilator interactions. These interactions are evaluated with the subjective comfort score which is not always reliable. An objective evaluation is thus required. To evaluate these interactions, we use a statistical measure of the variability of a physiological signal, i.e the Shannon entropy. Our purpose is to show whether estimating Shannon entropy from airway pressure (SP) and from the total duration of ventilatory cycles (ST) may evaluate objectively the patient–ventilator interactions during NIV. Pressure support NIV was applied to 4 COPD patients, 4 OHS patients in stable state and 4 healthy subjects during six successive 10-min periods with various inspiratory pressure. The flow and the airway pressure signals were recorded with sensors located near the mask. Good patient–ventilator interactions were assumed to correspond to patient well synchronized (low ineffective efforts) and with low ventilatory variability. All the subjects were awaked and both Shannon entropies SP and ST were computed for each ventilatory tracing. The incidence of ineffective efforts (IE) varied from 0 to 64.7 %. SP appeared to be strongly correlated to this incidence (r = 0.91). ST quantified precisely the ventilatory variability. When SP was plotted versus ST, 4 distinct groups of patients were distinguished as follows: SP<1 and ST<1: IE<10% but no ventilatory variability SP<1 and ST>1: IE <10% with high ventilatory variability SP>1 and ST<1: IE >10% but no ventilatory variability SP>1 and ST>1: IE > 10% with high ventilatory variability Shannon entropies objectively evaluate the patient–ventilator interactions in terms of ineffective efforts and ventilatory variability. Good patient–ventilator interactions occur when there is only few ineffective efforts (SP<1) and a low ventilatory variability (ST<1).


[reaction: see text] A comprehensive scan of the transition state space for the reaction of 2-(trimethylsiloxy)furan and methacrolein (24 combinations) offered a satisfactory explanation of the high like diastereoselectivity obtained experimentally in the Mukaiyama vinylogous aldol reaction of these and related partners. It was determined that the syn-gamma-hydroxyalkylbutenolides are formed preferentially following a g(+) orientation of the two reactants with the aldehyde in the s-trans conformation. Diastereoselectivity is shown to be caused by a combination of subtle effects favoring the formation of the like product.


Vertically aligned ZnO/TiO2 (VA-ZnO/TiO2) core-shell composites deposited on ZnO-seeded indium tin oxide (ITO) glasses have been synthesized by a chemical bath deposition approach for growing one-dimensional ZnO structure followed by a spin procedure for coating TiO2 on the surface of ZnO structure. The influences of the cycles of spin coating of TiO2 (CSCT) on the properties of VA-ZnO/TiO2 and performances of the assembled DSSCs were studied. The power conversion efficiency of the VA-ZnO/TiO2-based DSSC measured under illumination of 100 mW/cm2 and AM 1.5 can reach 0.81%, representing 93% improvement when compared with that of the pristine VA-ZnO electrode (0.42%). The intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were applied to study the kinetics and interfacial transfer of the photogenerated electrons. Both the photocurrent and power conversion efficiency correlate well with the steady state electron density. Enlargement in surface area and dye adsorption, suppression of dissolution of Zn2


Learning is an intangible production of a tangible product and like all production processes, it requires someone who knows how to manage the process in order to achieve the desired result. It really has been long enough 12 years in the new century and still one can see the 25-30 students in traditional classrooms with students sitting in rows at the desks listening (or pretending to listen) to teachers and doing monotonous activities. Classrooms have improved, they have better desks and chairs that are more comfortable, the introduction of technology like data projectors, audio and visual systems, interactive white boards, but essentially they are designed for the same traditional mode of teaching because they are:  teacher-centred,  lacking flexibility,  having limited support for technology,  'fixed' in design so difficult to be adapted for any other purposes,  individual focused rather than group focused. At the same time face-to-face and traditional distance approaches can no longer meet the needs of education and learners. Flexible learning challenges the necessity of open interactions among teachers and learners in terms of place, time and media – the goals being to increase learners' control over where, when and how they learn. Learners nowadays are:  technology literate,  flexible,  multitasking,  interactive and networked,  reflective,  creative and adaptive,  anywhere anytime learners.


The processes leading to excitation of inhomogeneous, plane compression/dilatation bulk acoustic strain pulses and shear bulk acoustic strain fronts following the creation of a transient laser interference pattern at a mechanically free surface of an elastically isotropic medium are described. It is shown that the characteristic frequencies of these acoustic disturbances can be much higher than those corresponding to the spatial period of the laser-induced grating. As well, it is shown that the inherent dispersive nature of these bulk acoustic eigenmodes provides plausible explanation for the reported observations of acoustic echo transformation in thin film, ultrafast laser ultrasonics experiments.


We develop a systematic approach to Markovian projection onto an effective displaced diffusion, and work out a set of computationally efficient formulas valid for a large class of non-Markovian underlying processes. The generic derivation is followed by applications, including the calculation of FX options in cross-currency models and swaption pricing in LIBOR Market Models, where we are able to recover in an unambiguous way many known analytical approximations and derive several new ones.


A primary purpose of the large bore (0.5 m dia.) FRX-C field-reversed theta pinch experiment is to study the scaling of plasma particle containment time, tau/sub N/, with major radius, R, of the field-reversed configuration (FRC). At 20 mtorr fill pressure the FRX-C plasma parameters, anti n approx. 4 x 10/sup 15/ c/sup -3/, T/sub e/ approx. 100 eV, T/sub i/ approx. 150 eV, are comparable to those obtained in the smaller bore (0.25 m dia.) FRX-B device. Under these conditions, the present measurement of particle confinement time in FRX-C is tau/sub N/ approx. 140 ..mu..s, consistent with the scaling tau/sub N/ ..cap alpha.. R/sup 2/, when compared with the earlier FRX-B results. This favorable scaling has been observed with R/rho/sub i/ approx. 30 (rho/sub i/ = ion gyro radius), twice as large as in FRX-B, despite theoretical indications that various MHD instabilities would appear as R/rho/sub i/ was increased. The characteristics of hotter, neutron generating FRC plasma produced at lower fill pressure (5 mtorr), where anti n approx. 2 x 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -3/, T/sub e/ approx. 170 eV, T/sub i/ approx. 600 eV, are also presented. In this plasma regime an accurate determination of tau/sub N/ is difficultmore » because of the short stable period observed.« less