Introduction: Calcaneal articular facet of talus plays an important role in joint stability as well as in mobility. In many diseases of foot viz., talocalcaneal arthritis, coalition, intra-articular fracture, congenital flatfoot, valgus deformity; as well as in different surgical procedures viz., triple arthrodesis, internal and external fixation, osteotomy, and anatomic reduction; the size and shape of bones, the inter-relationship of talus and calcaneum with other bones of foot is an important clinical consideration. Aim: To explore the variability of the types of the calcaneal facets of talus in population of West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: An observational descriptive study was conducted with dry specimens of tali preserved in Department of Anatomy of medical teaching institutions of Kolkata for six months; with 144 tali of unknown age and sex (69 right and 75 left-sided), collected from bone libraries of seven different medical colleges of West Bengal by non probability sampling. The borders of the calcaneal articular facets were traced with colour sketch pen, following which authors unanimously agreed upon the 'type' of the calcaneal facets on visual impression as was guided in the mostly used classification standard method as described by Arora AK et al., and Kaur M et al. Data was extrapolated and analysed in Microsoft excel software 2010. Results: Out of 144 tali (right=69, left=75) maximum number of type II (47.92%) was observed. For right-side, type I, II and V facets in 47.83%, 43.48% and 8.70% were observed respectively. On left-side, type I- 36%, type II- 52%, type III, IV, V 4% was observed each. Authors did not find any type III or type IV on right-side. Conclusion: Maximum prevalence of the type II articular facet was found and absence of type III/IV facets in the right-side in the current study population provides us a reflection of the anthropometric data for the population of West Bengal, but there remains scope of further study with larger sample size supported by imaging facilities.


http://lup.sagepub.com/content/19/10/1195 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/0961203310368409 2010 19: 1195 originally published online 26 May 2010 Lupus Y. Shen, X-W. Chen, C-Y. Sun, M. Dai, Y-C. Yan and C-D. Yang nephritis patients with glomerular microthrombosis: a prospective study of 155 cases 2 glycoprotein I antibodies and renal glomerular C4d deposition in lupus β Association between anti-


W. Crowe, C.M. McLaughlin, P.J. Allsopp, M.M. Slevin, P.A. Harnedy, Y. Cassidy, J. Baird, M. Devaney, R.J. Fitzgerald, F.P.M. O'Harte and E.M. McSorley Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Co. Derry, BT52 1SA, The SAAD Centre for Pharmacy & Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Co. Derry, BT52 1SA and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland


Well radiometrically calibrated UAV-derived reflectance maps are important when analysing time series of vegetation canopies. In this paper, we assessed the quality of reflectance calibration of a multispectral camera system, MicaSense Dual, using two different methods: a single-panel approach offered by the camera manufacturer and an empirical line method. The results show a significant discrepancy between the reference reflectance measurements, and the single-panel approach in the NIR and the red edge bands. This discrepancy is especially pronounced for dark targets. The empirical line correction method has proven to be more accurate, yet for shaded and densely vegetated areas it has led to negative reflectance values in the visible bands. Hence, we argue that users should be aware of the caveats of both reflectance calibration pipelines when working with time-series UAV data.


One of important pathogens onstrawberry isColletotrichum fragariaecausingfruit rot.The study aimed to investigate the potency of water betel leaf extract (Piper betleliin) as biofungicides for inhibiting growth of C. Fragariaeunder in-vitrotest. The study was arranged inComp letely Randomized Design that consisted of five treatments: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% concentration of water betel leaf extract. Betel leaf was extracted by grinded in mortal, addedsteril water and mixedwith PDA medium. The study showed that the 40% concentration of water betel leaf axtraction was most effectiv eto inhibit growthof C. Fragariae in-vitro on PDA medium. The inhibiting abilityof coloni grownwas 58,57% , whileinhibiting of spore germination was33,59%. Key word:Colletotrichum frag ariae,strawberry, water betel leaf extract.


The reaction of phenylsilane (PhSiH3) and titanium(IV) isopropoxide Ti(OiPr)(4)] generates low-valent titanium alkoxides that reduce and reductively couple imines. The C-C coupling reaction is diastereospecific, with exclusive formation of the (+/-)-isomer. The yield is dependent on the concentration of titanium(IV) isopropoxide used. Using imines with varying electronic demand revealed that the coupling is most efficient for unsubstituted imines. The involvement of a trimeric titanium biradical species is invoked to explain the observed concentration dependence and diastereospecificity in the reaction. Multilayer ONIOM (''our own n-layered integrated molecular orbital and molecular mechanics'') calculations were carried out on the plausible intermediates involved by using the Guassian 09 suite of programs. Formation of the trimeric biradical species leading to the formation of the (+/-)-isomer is more favored than formation of the trimeric biradical species, which leads to the meso-isomer. Similar calculations with dimeric intermediates do not predict the (+/-)-selectivity. Mass spectral analysis of the reaction mixture indicates the presence of a trimeric titanium alkoxide species.


...................................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.................................................................................................................................. 4 DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................................... 5 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE FIELD .................................................. 8 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 8 1.1 RESEARCH QUESTION .......................................................................................................................... 11 1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................... 12 1.3 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................................... 13 1.3.1 Project Design................................................................................................................................ 13 1.3.2 Feminist Methodology................................................................................................................... 14 1.3.3 The Interview and Observations .................................................................................................... 15 1.3.4 Informants...................................................................................................................................... 15 1.3.5 Analyses of existing data ............................................................................................................... 17 1.3.6 Access to the field.......................................................................................................................... 17 1.3.6 Ethical considerations .................................................................................................................... 18 1.3.7 Key concepts.................................................................................................................................. 21 1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS ................................................................................................................... 24 1.5 THESIS OUTLINE IN CHAPTERS.......................................................................................................... 26 1.6 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................... 26 2.0 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 26 2.1 SOCIAL ACTIVISTS AND NGO'S ......................................................................................................... 27 2.2 IMPLEMENTATION THEORIES ............................................................................................................ 30 2.3 FEMINISM AND PARTICIPATION........................................................................................................ 32 2.3.0 Women and Political participation................................................................................................. 32 2.3.1 "Third World" Feminism............................................................................................................... 33 2.3.2 Young and the participation of marginalized groups ..................................................................... 33 2.4 FEMINIST THEORIES AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ........................................................... 34 2.5 GENDER IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ...................................................................................... 38 2.5.0 Gender Approaches to IR............................................................................................................... 38 2.5.1 Feminist conceptualization of power ............................................................................................. 39 2.5.2 A broader definition of security..................................................................................................... 40 2.6 THE UN DISCOURSE ON GENDER IN CONFLICT............................................................................. 42 2.7 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... 42 CHAPTER THREE: CONTEXTUAL OUTLINE........................................................ 43 3.0 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 43 3.1 UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK........................................................................................................ 43 3.1.0 GENDER AND PARTICIPATION IN THE UN CONTEXT ...................................................... 43 3.1.1 UN SCR 1325 ................................................................................................................................ 45 3.2 THE UGANDAN CONTEXT ................................................................................................................... 47 3.2.0 Modern Politics in Uganda ............................................................................................................ 47 3.2.1 The Civil War in Uganda............................................................................................................... 48 3.2.2 Legal Framework........................................................................................................................... 50 3.2.3 Gender in Ugandan politics ........................................................................................................... 52 3.2.4 Official initiatives for gender equality and the roles of NGOs ...................................................... 53 3.2.5 SCR 1325 in Uganda ..................................................................................................................... 54 3.3 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSES ............................................................................... 55


Study design, materials and methods This study is a quantitative, descriptive, observational and cross-sectional. The study was conducted in Germany between 2010 and 2011. Only neurogenic bowel data in German patients were analyzed. The data collection in Germany was conducted through an online questionnaire which allowed for data to be collected from different regions of the country. The target sample size was calculated using the Freeman formula for logistical regression and it was comprised of 100 German patients diagnosed with spina bifida. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire consisted of 39 items. The online questionnaire page had about 150 hits and of these 100 patients answered the questionnaire completely. Data collection took place over a period of about 60 days and was stopped when the goal of 100 complete questionnaires was reached. The study examined the variables in the German sample, including: difficulties with the intermittent catheterization and method used to function the bowel. However, these variables were not subject to comparison, and were only described. Data were analyzed using to absolute frequency and relative frequency respectively.


Abstract This paper draws attention to the omnipresent self-consciousness of so much of Mann's narrative art. Time and again the narrative performance is one that thematizes itself, and in the process it invites us, the readers, to reflect on the generic mode of the text before us (Novelle, realistic novel, Bildungsroman, historical novel, symbolic panorama). The yield of this reflectivity is, above all, diagnostic. The texts in question enable us to understand critically the cultural specificity of human experience.


In Luke 24. 13-32, we read of two disciples (Cleopas who may or may not be the Clopas of John 19. 25 and an unnamed disciple) being joined on the evening of the day of Jesus' Resurrection as they walk to Emmaus (a village of uncertain location, but said by Luke to be about seven miles from Jerusalem) by the Risen Lord, whom they recognise only after they recline at table with him and he breaks bread and distributes it to them (24. 30-31). Their visitor then abruptly disappears (24. 31) and they return to Jerusalem to tell the Eleven (24. 35). In this deservedly well known story 'a gem of narrative art' several distinctively Lucan motifs come together: the motifs of the Journey; Fulfilment of Prophecy; Recognition; and Hospitality. The first three I shall discuss briefly, the fourth at greater length.


The present invention relates to an integrated installation apparatus of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner and an aerogenerator which generates electric energy from the aerogenerator using strong wind generated from an air outlet of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and which comprises the following: the aerogenerator including a wind power driving unit, a magnetic rise formation unit, and a power transfer unit installed in between the wind power driving unit and the magnetic rice formation unit; and the installation apparatus for integrating the aerogenerator and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. The installation apparatus comprises the following: an integrated fixing supporter; a generator horizontal supporter; an ascending supporter sliding the generator horizontal supporter toward the vertical direction to a set position for preventing the rotation of the generator horizontal supporter; a mounting stand; a safety guider; an inducing guider located on the upper side of the safety guider; a guider fixing bracket with a through-hole; and a bracket supporter.


John C Slessor's seminal work was, arguably, Air Power and Armies which contained his arguments for what, today, we would call air interdiction. It is thus extremely timely that Colonel Phillip S Meilinger here, provides an overview of Slessor's early career proceeding to explore his important influence on airpower thinking—work which was very much ahead of its time. This detailed analysis clearly places Slessor in his historical context, whilst noting the contemporary relevance of his work.


Purpose :Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a genetically determined, chronic relapsing skin disease. The pathogenesis of AD is complex and the course is unpredictable. Atopy is an important risk factor for the development of AD. Cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) were implicated in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases, and are being targeted for their diagnosis and treatments. Early detection of tissue inflammation of target organ is important to enable early prevention and management of allergic diseases. The aim of our study is to evaluate the differences in urinary leukotrienes E4 (LTE4) levels, according to AD symptom score and aeroallergen sensitization in children with AD by using noninvasive techniques. Methods :We recruited 46 children with AD, using predetermined criteria. Clinical features of AD were evaluated by a physician, using scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. Aeroallergen sensitization was measured by using a skin prick test and UniCap. Urine samples were also collected on day of the 1st and 2nd visits, and were analyzed for LTE4 with an enzyme-linked immunoassay kit. Results :SCORAD indeces of children with AD were correlated with urinary LTE4 levels. Total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophil counts also had significant correlation with urinary LTE4 levels. Especially, aeroallergen sensitization of atopic AD significantly correlated with urinary LTE4 of these patients. Conclusion :Urinary LTE4 levels significantly correlated with serum total IgE and number of sensitized aeroallergen in children with AD. Clinical features of AD evaluated with SCORAD index related with urinary LTE4 level. Urinary LTE4 might be a valuable, noninvasive marker for different pathogenesis of AD. [Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis(Korea) 2012;22:302-311]


As the basic principle of universal running,"Tao" is characterized as "Great".Man carrying out "Tao" has the same feature.As concerned man carrying out "Tao",Their soul state in "Lao Tzu" shows Great wisdom 、great kindness、 great courage.In "Chuang Tau",besides these three aspects,the soul state shows specially philanthropy and freedom.Both of them are neither different from "Great man",the individual moral spirit of confucianist in pre-qin period,nor the butch and extensive conception in later periods.


The study used the method of literature to expound the cause of municipal community residential roles changing from "unit persons" to "social persons". It analyzed such problems as: the constitution of the group participating in municipal community sports activities, the space of sports activities, sports instructors fund etc., and pointed out the factors of restricting the development of municipal community mass sports and the countermoves for the future development.


This paper represents a study of archaeological fi sh remains retrieved from the excavations conducted by C. S. Phillips between 1993 and 2001 at Kalb ā ʾ 4 (Emirate of Sharjah, UAE). Kalb ā ʾ 4 is a major coastal site that was continuously occupied from the Umm an ‐ Nar period to the Iron Age (c. 2700 – 600 BCE). The site is of particular interest regarding monumental architecture, pottery studies and exchange networks across Arabia and its neighbouring regions from the Bronze Age onwards. A corpus of about 5500 fi sh remains provides information on fi shing economies during the entire occupation of the site. Data regarding fi sh complement results previously obtained from the study of other fauna including marine molluscs, sea turtles, terrestrial and marine mammals. They allow us to document a fi shing ‐ based economy at Kalb ā ʾ 4. The results highlight the exploitation of a quite limited range of fi sh taxa associated mostly with reef areas (groupers, trevallies, snappers, spangled emperors, King soldierbreams), brackish waters (mul-lets) and the open sea (scombrids). The techniques seem to have mainly involved the use of baited lines from boats, fi shing nets and possibly cage traps. The discussion includes comparisons with the other main fi sh studies conducted for the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in Eastern Arabia.


The intensity dependence of the anomalous photovoltaic effect was measured on ZnS crystals at room temperature and at 77°K. A decrease in photovoltage caused by an increase in illumination intensity was observed in many crystals. For all the investigated crystals, the short‐circuit current was found to increase linearly with light intensity. These results are explained in terms of the general theory of photovoltaic effects. It is shown that a decrease in photovoltage caused by an increase in carrier concentrations is to be expected to occur in photovoltaic effects observed under the following conditions: (1) sample is under high‐level excitation so that the thermal equilibrium carrier concentrations are negligible in comparison with the excess carrier concentrations. (2) The conditions at both contacts are identical (i.e., no contact effects). The decreases in photovoltages can be explained by the tendency of all the elementary photocells to saturate at high carrier concentrations. These considerations al...


Most of the accidents are caused by other cars, and also for the improvement of road safety vehicle detection arises as the key challenge for ADAS(advanced driver assistance systems). Most of the methods address vehicle detection in two stages, namely hypothesis generation and hypothesis verification. In the first stage to detect the vehicle based on some expected feature of vehicles, such as color, shadow, vertical edges , or motion. The aim of the second stage is to verify the correctness of the vehicle candidates provided by the hypothesis generation stage. The objectives of the project includes, [1]Detect the moving object in a real time video environment. [2] Classify the vehicle type based on its templates. [3] Analyze its performance. In practical applications, however there are many factors that make the problem complex such as illumination variation, appearance change, shape deformation, partial occlusion, and camera motion. Moreover, lots of these applications require a realtime response. Therefore the development of realtime working algorithms is of essential importance.


The oyster industry is a significant component of United States aquaculture and is vulnerable to various food frauds. In addition to species substitution, mislabeling of oyster geographical origin is performed for economic gains. The geographical origin misrepresentations are performed to claim a famed region of origin known for its unique flavor profile. DNA barcoding is the gold standard method for identifying seafood species but has limited resolution to the species level. This pilot study was conducted to characterize and compare the oyster gill microbiome as an alternative approach for tracking oysters' origin. Commercially available raw east coast oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from two distinct geographical locations were purchased. Genomic DNA isolated from the gills was processed for microbiome analysis. The data revealed distinct microbiome signatures among the two sample sets. Oysters from Louisiana showed the presence of eighteen unique bacterial genera, whereas Maryland oysters showed a higher abundance of twelve genera. Findings from this study demonstrate the applicability of microbiome analysis as an emerging alternative approach for identifying geographical origin misrepresentations.


Galician coastal waters (NW of Spain) present the suitable conditions for the growth of a great amount of different species, overail the bivalve molluscs. However, the presence of marine biotolens during some periods of the year seriously affects the Galician industry, causing important socioeconornic damage. The abalone, Haliotis tuberculata, is a species that it was began to exploit since time ago. This species is exported to Japan where it is very appreciated. The abalones are also affected by the appearance of severai species of dinoflagellatesi marine phytoplankton which produce paralyhc (PSP) and diarrhetic toxins (DSP). Bioassay with mouse is the officiai method for the analysis of these toxic compounds but due to its lack of sensiuvity. High Performance Liquid Chromatography with fluorescent detection (HPLC-FLD) was proposed as a n anaiyticai aitemative because of its sensibility and selectivity for these toxic components. In this study we report on the work carried out by applying HPLC-FLD methods for the anaiysis of marine biotoxins present on the studied samples.


Objective:To observe the clinical effect of Shuxuetong combined with aspirin in treatment of ischemic stroke. Method:166 cases with ischemic stroke were divided into two groups in accordance with the order of admission,and the treatment group(84 cases)was given Shuxuetong injection combined with aspirin while the control group(82 cases)received Xueshuantong injection combined with aspirin. All of the patients were treated for 14 days.The clinical effect and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Result:The total effective rate of the treatment group was 89.3%,which was significantly higher than 72.0% of the control group,the difference was statistically significant between the two groups( P 0.05);the incidence of adverse reactions of the groups showed no significant difference( P 0.05). Conclusion:Shuxuetong combined with aspirin in treatment of ischemic stroke has curative effect,and it has few adverse reactions,which should be widely applied in clinical.


Derivative-Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood (DFREML) procedure was used with a reduced animal model to estimate variance components for body weights at 7 and 30 weeks of age, age at first egg and egg weight at 34 weeks of age in broiler chicken. The mixed linear model took account of year, sex and house as fixed effects. The same type of analyses were carried out on sums of measurements of different combinations of the four traits for the purpose of obtaining covariance components between pairs of traits. Data were from a selection program on 5 1ines of White Plymouth Rock chicken and 4 1ines of White Cornish chicken at the National Livestock Improvement Center, Hyogo Station. Heritability estimates for body weights at 7 weeks and 30 weeks of age were between 0.10 and 0.34 for all lines. Heritability estimates for egg weight were between 0.46 and 0.68 while those for age at first egg ranged from 0.18 to 0.63. Heritability estimates for body weight traits were low compared to other values cited in the literature, while those for age at first egg and egg weight were comparable to other literature estimates. Estimates of genetic correlations between body weight at 7 weeks of age and body weight at 30 weeks of age, egg weight, and age at first egg were 0.21 to 0.71, -0.10 to 0.38, and-0.15 to 0.75, respectively. Body weight at 30 weeks had genetic correlation estimates of 0.14 to O.34 and-0.19 to 0.89 with egg weight and age at first egg, respectively, while the genetic correlation between egg weight and age at first egg was estimated at-0.21 to 0.26.The low to moderate heritabilities obtained for the weight traits indicate that the use of predicted breeding values obtained by animal model-BLUP for selection will be more effective for the achievement of rapid genetic gains.


For the encoders, especially the sine-cosine magnetic ones, a new method to measure absolute angular position is proposed in the paper. In the method, the code disc of the encoder has only two circle tracks and each one was divided into and () equal code cells. The cell angles, changing from 0° to 360° between any two neighboring code cells, are defined to represent any position on the code disc. The position value of the same point can be represented by different cell angle values of different tracks and the absolute angular position of the point can be obtained by the difference value between the cell angle value of the outer track and the inner one. To validate the correctness of the method theoretically, the derivation process of the method was provided. An electromagnetic encoder system was designed and the experimental platform was established to test the method. The experimental results indicate that the electromagnetic encoder can measure the absolute angular position. Besides, it shows that the method is easy to be realized in algorithm and can reduce computational complexity and decrease dimension of the encoder.


After a decline in the recession years of the early 1990s, public transit use in the United States rose sharply from 1995 to 2000. Unlinked passenger trips increased by 21%, raising total ridership to the highest level in 40 years. The New York metropolitan area accounted for half of the entire nationwide growth. Transit use increased twice as fast in New York as in the rest of the country. The reasons for transit's success include the economic boom in the late 1990s, stable transit fares, rising gasoline prices, improved service quality, and expansions in rail transit systems.


PURPOSE: Provided are a porous deodorizing filter and a manufacturing method thereof. The filter has a three dimensional constitution, so that air can flow freely in the filter and a contact area with the filter and odor particles is enlarged. Therefore, deodorization can be performed in a shortened time. The filter can be installed at various locations such as a refrigerator inlet and a food waste treatment device and deodorize effectively. CONSTITUTION: The filter comprises the followings: (i) a stem part (1) of porous support that is made of a material selected from a group consisting of polyester filter, polyurethane filter, ceramic honey comb, plastic honey comb, sponge and net and has a porosity of 10-60 ppi, the support having an under layer made of a material selected from a group consisting of activated alumina, silica and zinc oxide; and (ii) a coated part (2) that is coated on the stem part (1) in a thickness of 0.01-1 mm.


This paper proposes a method for a numerical analysis of the bifurcation in the nonautonomous system containing hysteretic elements. Previously, the authors discussed the case where the characteristics of the hysteretic elements can be represented by Preisach's model, and proposed a method for steady-state analysis of the nonautonomous system containing hysteretic elements.

First, a method is presented to investigate the change of the steady-state behavior with the variation of the system parameters by combining the proposed method and the continuation method. Then another method is presented in which the singular point on the characteristic curve (solution curve) is determined using the previously derived variational equations of the system. Finally, examples of analysis by the newly proposed method are presented, and the effects of the hysteresis loss and the ohmic loss on the bifurcation are compared. A remarkable difference between the two is indicated.


(University Hospital of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium): I am not quite sure that the effect of progestogens is only to be an antiestrogen; moreover, first of all, pharmacological tests prove that most progestogens have androgenic responses. The second point is that when progestogens, such as Provera, are administered to postmenopausal women, there is also a decrease in SHBG. It is unlikely that in these women this is an antiestrogenic response. Some of these progestogens have direct androgenic and anabolic effects resulting in a decrease in SHBG. Of course, many of them do have antiestrogenic effects. K. FOTHERBY (Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England): To reply to Dr. Vermeulen; if you test the gestagens in animals under the usual bioassay conditions, you can show that they d o have androgenic effects. But this is not a suitable model, and usually the doses used are extremely high. I know of no evidence, which suggests that in the doses at which these compounds are used for contraception, they have androgenic activity. This is my main criticism of attempts to ascribe their effects on responses like SHBG to androgenic activity. This has been claimed because we know that androgens reduce SHBG concentrations and because in animal bioassays some of these compounds can be shown to be androgenic. If you give the gestagen by itself, as I showed, you cause a decrease in serum SHBG, but this is a relatively minor decrease, much smaller than the magnitude of the decrease that you achieve when you reduce the estrogen-induced rise in serum SHBG. This is why I would say that this is an anti-estrogenic, or more likely a progestogenic effect. The simplest solution to this dilemma is to treat it as a progestogenic effect. Some of these progestogens will certainly interact with the androgen receptor but usually only at very high doses. VERMEULEN: Nevertheless, when determining the relative potency or androgenic activity of the progestogens the binding to the androgen receptor is just measured, which gives very wide variations even at different temperatures (e.g., some of them binding strongly at 4°C and with very different binding at 37°C). But they do bind to the androgen receptor. It has been said that even levonorgestrel, even at the low doses used in contraceptives, might cause hirsutism, although I do not have any direct evidence. J. H. H. THIJSSEN (University Hospital. Utrecht, The Netherlands): Part of this discussion arises from an oversimplification as I tried to stress in my paper. The manufacturers say that it is the intrinsic androgenicity of the compounds which is responsible: and it is with this that you are disagreeing. FOTHERBY: I do not know of any evidence that any of these compounds, in the doses in which they are used in oral contraceptives, have any androgenic effect. I agree with Dr. Vermeulen that it can be shown that under in vitro conditions they will interact with the androgen receptor. But this is a very artificial condition which completely ignores the pharmacokinetic behavior of these compounds in animals or in human subjects. This is extremely important. P. K. SIITERI: (University of California. San Francisco, San Francisco, CA): An alternative mechanism is the one proposed in my paper for the mechanism of estrogen action. Since these compounds do bind to SHBG, they displace or prevent the binding of estradiol to SHBG and this could be the entire estrogenic action of contraceptive progestogens, without invoking any androgenic mechanisms. THIJSSEN: Does MAP bind to SHBG?


In this paper we present evidence for ternary metrical constituents in Gilbertese (Kiribati), a Micronesian language. The terminal elements of stress feet in Gilbertese are moras, not syllables. Further, the typical foot in Gilbertese contains three moras. These trimoraic constituents are units of stress in Gilbertese, and also define minimal prosodic word size, where possible. Ternary metrical constituents of the sort found in Gilbertese are quite rare cross-linguistically, and as far as we know, Gilbertese is the only language in the world reported to have a ternary constraint on prosodic word size. We present a constraint-based analysis of Gilbertese prosody that also makes use of a language-specific template-mapping algorithm


To compare single dose preoperative antibiotic versus five days antibiotic course in preventing surgical site infection for the pediatric inguinal herniotomy.The present study was conducted on 100 patients of elective inguinal herniotomy from January 2019 to April 2020 and compared on the basis of single dose preoperative antibiotic versus five days antibiotic course. All the patients were evaluated on the 3rd, 7th and 28th post-operative period and instructions were given to the guardians about wound care and to attend for early follow up if any signs & symptoms of wound infection appear.50% of the patients were treated with prophylactic single dose antibiotic, i.e. inj. Ceftriaxone (30 mg/kg/dose) at the time of induction only and rest 50% were treated with inj. Ceftriaxone(30mg/kg/dose) at the time of induction as well as postoperatively at night followed by four days of oral antibiotic with Syr/Tablet. Cephalexin (25mg/kg/day) three times daily for another 4 days.Surgical Site Infection (SSI) in Group-B (4.0%) was higher than that of Group-A (2.0%) on day 3 but it was not significant (p=0.40). There was no significant difference in health status of the patients of the two groups when compared on post-operative day 7 and day 28 (p=0.99, p=0.99 respectively).Implementation of single dose antibiotic prophylaxis regimes tailored to the prevalent organisms in the institution can result in enormous savings, as the study shows significant reduction in hospital stay with no significant increase in incidence of SSI.


Mastitis is frequently brought on by a wide range of microorganisms, which results in significant economic consequences and impairment to the dairy processing industry (Bakr et al., 2015). The use of injectable tools, cannulas, or antibiotic preparations (intramammary infusions) during the treatment of animal disorders is frequently linked to mycotic mastitis. Teat injuries may also increase the risk of the development of fungal infection (Farag and El Said, 2012).


The article deals with the attempt to show the modern society changes actualize the problem of finding optimal ways of managing the staff of enterprises. The analysis to the basic approaches of adaptive management is presented. Adaptation is being considered as the interaction of an individual or social group with the social environment. Most modern organizations fall short of standards of modern management systems for their ability to change quickly. The conclusion is made that increasing the level of adaptation of staff to new conditions has a positive impact on the attitude of the staff to their work. At the same time, increasing the level of staff adaptation to new conditions has a positive effect on the return of staff to the enterprise. As a result of the analysis, the author reveals possible ways to move the company to a higher stage in the market through the efficient work of staff, which is traced through the system of adaptive management.
The article discusses the conditions and examples of flexible management. The main condition is staff motivation. In private organizations and firms, material motivation is used. This is a bonus, an internal loan, a payment during the year of part of the profits provided by the employees of the firm. In addition, attention is paid to intangible incentives, which enables staff to feel like a professional, to gain social recognition, to increase their professional competence, and so on.
Japanese companies treat employees as family members, create a supportive environment, confidence in the future, a positive working climate, employee involvement in managerial decisions, and others.
Adaptive management involves periodic measurement of the quality of staff for conscious self-development and self-organization, aimed at improving the quality of staff through their involvement in management processes.


:The LiFE project is a National Science Foundation-funded initiative that aims to promote STEM interest among girls in grades 2 through 6 in seven school districts in New Jersey. The project utilized a collective impact approach and involved stakeholders in designing and implementing activities, which included professional development experiences, STEM club support, and student showcases. Despite COVID-19 challenges, the project provided online STEM demonstrations and produced freely available digital resources. The project's after-school opportunities are crucial in engaging girls in STEM activities and developing 21st-century skills. The project's mission continues through STEM for Success, which provides positive STEM experiences for girls in elementary grades and collaborates with other organizations to promote STEM education. The LiFE project can serve as a model for organizations seeking to promote STEM interest among girls in elementary school.


According to R. Stalnaker, context plays a role in determining the proposition expressed by a sentence by providing the domain of possible worlds that propositions distinguish between: a sentence expresses a proposition by selecting a subset of the set of possible situations given by the context. This is also true for embedded sentences, but these sentences express propositions by selecting subsets out of contexts derived from the basic one. In this paper we propose a semantic analysis of sentences of the form "In fiction x, p" based on this picture of context. We argue that the derived contexts for sentences in the scope of "In fiction x" are determined by three factors: what the beliefs of the author are taken to be, the conventions established for the fiction, and a defeasible presumption of reliability of the narrator. We develop a formal implementation based on the notion of a system of spheres centered on a set of worlds.


The article presents the results of research on a new design of a combined disc coulter, which makes it possible to implement the technology of sowing wheat by pressing the seeds into the bottom of the furrow. The material for the study was the seeds of winter wheat variety "Zustrich". Studies have shown that the maximum pressing force of winter wheat seeds is much less than the force of their destruction, the depth of pressing is from 5 to 8 mm, the speed of the seeder is about 10 km · h−1. On the basis of analytical studies, the design parameters and operating modes of the combined disc coulter were substantiated, which made it possible to obtain soil density at the bottom of the sowing furrow of 1.15 t · m−3, seed germination – 86, 9%; uniformity of seed distribution in a row – 83, 6%, which fully complies with agricultural requirements.


: Phasor measurement unit can monitor the variation of phase angle of power grid in real time, which is of great significance to ensure the safe and stable operation of power grid. Among them, the virtual phasor measurement algorithm based on discrete Fourier transform (DFT) has been widely used because of its simple principle and relatively easy implementation. However, the existing virtual phasor measurement algorithm only gives the dynamic error reduction effect under the fixed offset angle, and does not give the rule of the reduction effect with the different offset angle. The relationship between anti-harmonic interference capability and response speed with the different offset angles is not analysed. Therefore, this study deduces the pattern of dynamic error reduction effect, anti-harmonic interference ability and response speed with the different offset angles. The dynamic error reduction effect of the algorithm is the best when the offset angle is π /2, and the anti-harmonic interference ability of the algorithm is the strongest when the offset angle is π /3. The response speed of the algorithm increases linearly with the increase of the offset angle. On this basis, the correctness of the algorithm is verified by numerical simulation experiments.


Objective:To explore the curative effects and side effects of risperidone for oral use in the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of senile dementia.Methods:The clinical data of 30patients with the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in our hospital from June 2010to June 2012were retrospectively analyzed.They were administered with riperidone oral solution for 8weeks.Results:The effective treatment of risperidone oral solution,relatively low dose,less adverse reaction,good tolerability.Conclusion:Risperidone oral solution is more suitable for the treatment of senile dementia and promoting mental abnormal,conducive to improving the quality of life.


The utility model discloses a digitized transformation patrolling device, which comprises a microprocessor, a memory, a USB interface, a keyboard, a touch screen, a bar code signal acquisition circuitconnected with the microprocessor, an audio signal processing circuit and a video signal processing circuit, wherein the bar code signal acquisition circuit comprises a bar code scanner and a baseband processor; the video signal processing circuit comprises a camera, a video processing unit and an encoding and decoding processor; and the audio signal processing circuit comprises an audio processing unit, a microphone and a loudspeaker. By adopting the digitized transformation patrolling device in the transformation patrolling operation, the patrolling operation procedure can be standardized,the patrolling result data are electronized, the patrolling operation is informationalized and paperless, and the transformation patrolling and the deficiency elimination process in overhaul are integrated, so that the working efficiency of transformation patrolling operation is greatly enhanced, meanwhile, the supervision and management and control on the field operating personnel can be realized, and the device has the advantages of small volume ,easy operation and the like.


This study found out influence of work motivation and teacher certificate in SMP Negeri 2 Tebing Tinggi Kabupaten Empat Lawang. There are three hypothesis in this research. First, there are influence between work motivation and teachers work. Second, there are influence between teacher certificate and teachers work. Third, there are influence together from work motivation and teacher to teachers work. The instrument that used in this research is Skala Likert construct from many kinds of theory, and it has been formed in variable operational. To know the instrument validity used validity test and reliability test. The implementation in order to motivated all the teachers in SMP Negeri 2 Tebing Tinggi Kabupaten Empat Lawang to standard their work motivation and certificate with the result that they can aware to always try their best to get their aim.


In 21st Century, it raised new demands in mathematics teaching in colleges and universities, while mathematical experiment courses playing an increasingly important role. In this paper, it explained the necessity and significance of offering mathematical experiment courses in the Normal Colleges and universities pointed out the current situation and implementation of it, and provided clues for the reform of mathematics teaching in colleges and universities.


The paper attempts to show that the early translation of Buddhist Scriptures produced an effect on the numbers of the personal pronoun in Chinese Buddhist Scriptures from two perspectives:(a)the personal pronoun distinguished the singular number and plural number;(b)the plural number forms of the personal pronoun appeared.The effect on the numbers of the personal pronoun in Chinese Buddhist Scriptures originated from their literal translation.


WTO AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS
- Proposal by NorwaySubmitted to the Special Session of
the WTO Committee on Agriculture
16 January 2001
(Link to official
Word-document)Table of ContentsPart I: Proposal
1.
General principles2.
Areas for negoti...


Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to provide a discussion of the importance of social science research in areas of energy, economics, and the environment from the point of view of the director of a major interdisciplinary institute, Institute for Energy Systems Economics and Sustainability (IESES), at Florida State University (FSU). The author is himself a mechanical engineer who has steered the new institute into an explicit mission of linking engineering and social science research.

Design and methodology – The chapter is a viewpoint paper. It begins with a brief history of the IESES institute and then addresses three specific policy areas: electrical grid improvements, transportation, and land use.

Implications – At this time, our society needs exceptional energy policy as much or more than it needs direct technology investment.

Originality – It is a tradition at Research in Experimental Economics to include an overview from scholars outside the field but with practical experience in the policy issues being addressed. This is the first time that the overview has been provided by an author whose primary training is as an engineer.


An overview is provided of the women's health initiative clinical trial and observational study of 161 808 postmenopausal women in the age range 50 to 79. The clinical trial includes 68 132 women in a partial factorial design having four intervention comparisons: a low-fat eating pattern among 48 835 women; a hormone therapy trial of 0.625 mg per day of conjugated equine estrogen among 10 739 women who were posthysterectomy at baseline; a hormone therapy trial of this same estrogen plus 2.5 mg per day of medroxyprogesterone acetate among 16 608 women with uterus at baseline; and a calcium (1000 mg/day) plus vitamin D (400 international units/day) trial among 36 282 women. Each CT component had its specified primary and secondary hypotheses, along with an overriding emphasis on overall health benefits versus risks. A so-called global index was defined for each CT component as the earliest occurrence of a set of clinical outcomes plausibly affected by the intervention, or death from other causes. Specialized data management communication, quality assurance, and data monitoring procedures were established to support this large and complex research program. Some detail is provided on the results of the combined hormone trial component, which was stopped early in 2002 when the external Data and Safety Monitoring Board judged that overall health risks exceeded benefits over an average follow-up period in excess of five years.

Keywords:

chronic disease prevention;
data management;
data and safety monitoring;
factorial design;
quality assurance;
randomized controlled trial;
study power;
women's health


In this work the low density regions of nuclear and neutron star matter are studied. The search for the existence of pasta phases in this region is performed within the context of the quark-meson coupling (QMC) model, which incorporates quark degrees of freedom. Fixed proton fractions are considered, as well as nuclear matter in beta equilibrium at zero temperature. We analyze the influence of the nuclear pasta on some neutron star properties.


Phase and chemical structures of diffusive boride coatings on die steel X40CrMoV5-1 have been investigated. Values of electromagnetic properties of samples without coating and with diffusive boride coating of different thickness have been defined. It is shown that boriding of steel changes parameters of magnetic hysteresis loop, increasing values of coercive force, the residual magnetic induction and reducing magnetic permeability. While boride coatings thickness increases magnetic characteristics change slightly, and values of specific resistance increase too. Measurement of values of the maximum differential magnetic permeability can be used at control of boride coatings with not less than 100 microns thick existence dies after operation at the solution of resource extension, and resistance values – for control of boride coatings thickness.


Reactions that inter‐convert OH and HO2 are directly involved in the catalytic removal of O3 in the lower stratosphere and in the catalytic production of O3 in the upper troposphere. The agreement between the measured and modeled [HO2]/[OH] tests our current understanding of this important chemistry. Recent changes to the recommended rate constants for OH+O3 and HO2+O3 call into question how accurately the chemistry of the stratosphere is understood. [HO2]/[OH] calculated with the new recommendations is 48% higher than the observations throughout the lower stratosphere, exceeding the uncertainty limits of the observations (20%). The extensive atmospheric data set allows tests of the rates of the individual processes that couple these free radicals. This work shows that the discrepancy is largest when the ratio is controlled by the reactions of OH and HO2 with ozone.


Kathryn Griffith helped to develop the 18 week pathway for chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this article she gives an overview of why it was necessary to develop the pathway and how to use it, ensuring patients wait a maximum of 18 weeks from being referred by their GPs to being treated at the hospital. The information and links below have been developed to support the implementation of the 18 weeks commissioning pathway for chronic kidney disease (CKD). These links will also be helpful for other pathways/specialties and can be read in conjunction with the commissioning pathways or on their own. They are specifically aimed at supporting local implementation of good practice, to improve efficiency, reduce delays, and improve quality of service provision in a safe and effective way.


Objective Discuss the diagnosis and strategies of blunt abdominal injury.Methods Summarized 90 patients blunt abdominal injury patients with early diagnosis and strategies in our hospital.Results 90 patients were used abdominal paracentesis,positive were 77 cases(85.6%),42 patients were used B-mode ultrasound,positive were 36 cases(85.7%),14 cases patients B-mode ultrasound diagnosis ambiguous or did not use B-ultrasound ambiguous were used CT to examine,positive were 12 cases(85.7%),surgical treatment 80 cases,postoperative subphrenic hematoma in 11 cases,pleural effusion in 5 cases,4 cases of biliary fistula,liver weeks or 3 cases of wound infection,1 case of recurrent bleeding,were symptomatic cure;conservative treatment 10 cases.86 cases Cured and 4 cases death.Conclusion Blunt abdominal injury patients should be diagnosed as early as possible,objective,comprehensive analysis the injury,strict,careful observe the condition changes,timely and reasonable treatment and avoid over-reliance on the special inspection results,can not exist to wait for the chances so as to avoid delay in diagnosis,lose optimal timing of surgery.


The research shows that there are "islands of information" for various heterogeneous causes in relay protection management.For this phenomenon,this article compares and analyzes network model,federal model and SOA model,and points out that the integration of the relay protection systems can be realized by SOA.This article models major services in the management support system,and proposes an architecture model of management support system for the relay protection based on SOA.The application indicates that the system architecture can effectively implement flexible calling services,ensure compatibility and interactions with existing applications,and meet the needs of the relay protection management.


The purpose of this roundtable discussion is to talk about the design of Integrating Technology into the Curriculum to Support Learning and Inquiry, a course for degreecandidate students at Bank Street College of Education. The course was structured around a study of New York City subway stations. This curriculum-based model allowed students to engage in an authentic, project-based learning experience using both technology and non-technology tools. Participants continuously reflected on their experiences both as a learner and a teacher in order to develop ideas about how to integrate technology into curricula that creates access to learning for a range of students. Three questions anchored this course: What technologies can support student inquiry? When can technology be meaningfully integrated into curricula? What types of learners can be supported by technology integration choices? Project Description In the spring of 2004, thirty teacher candidates undertook a study of New York City Subway system. They engaged in a rich curriculum in which they formed hypotheses, did research, took digital photographs, made sketches and rubbings. They asked questions of a subway expert using an online discussion space. Ultimately, they digitized their findings and created a multimedia PowerPoint presentation to share what they learned. Immersion in authentic project-based, elementarylevel learning activities with technology makes explicit the inclusive nature of such learning and the multiple modalities offered by multimedia. In every course session, participants reflected on themselves as learners, identifying their strengths and challenges. They used this reflection as a lens for looking at their experience from the standpoint of both a teacher and a learner. This allowed them to think about the implications for the use of technology tools in teaching and learning. This course model supported technology skill development through curriculum. Skills were learned in the context of meaningful learning activities. When new learning is anchored in the familiar, reticent adult learners were able to use the technology tools more comfortably. "Not knowing" the technology when they were given the opportunity to draw upon the things that they did know made for successful tool exploration. The roundtable format will allow us to share our model and our most recent implementation of it happening this fall. The informal structure will allow us to answer individual questions directly and learn from others about their approaches to preparing teacher candidates to integrate technology into their teaching. Our goals for the discussion are: • To share an approach to a graduatelevel course on technology integration • To discuss the importance of skill development in the context of meaningful learning activities • To share examples of student work Presenter Background and Qualifications: Kira Kingren helps to design and implement large grantfunded projects that facilitate the infusion of technology into teacher preparation. Before coming to Bank Street in 2000, her work teaching video production and web design to middle school students revealed the potential of technology to support struggling readers and writers. This informs her most recent work with K-8 teachers to implement action-research projects in their classrooms. She also co-teaches Integrating Technology into K-8 Curriculum to Support Student Learning and Inquiry, an introductory course for teacher candidates. She has created three professional development workshop series through which she has worked with 45 faculty members, and has supported approximately twenty faculty-led technology projects in K-8 classrooms. Andrea Brothman joined Bank Street with a background in elementary education, educational publishing, and media program development with expertise in children's use of video in support of inquiry, self-expression, exploration, and discovery. She has created media production and media literacy programs for middle and high school students and has directed technology programs in support of literacy development for elementary English Language Learners. Her belief that technologies, when thoughtfully integrated, can support children's needs and strengths has deepened due to her current work supporting K-8 teachers' research about the impacts of technology on their students' learning. She supports graduate students' considerations of technology integration in the classroom through Integrating Technology into K-8 Curriculum to Support Student Learning and Inquiry, a course co-taught with Kira Kingren. She is currently codeveloping Math for All, a series of video case studies that focus on inclusive math teaching and learning.


In this study, we apply artificial neural network (ANN) for the diagnosis of clinical phenotypes of Human Skeletal Muscular Channelopathies (HSMCs) for the proper genetic tests. We systematically reviewed over 500 literatures on the human skeletal muscle channelopathies (205 literatures for SCN4A, 69 CACNA1S, 91 CLCN1 and 141 KCNJ2 mutations) based on the studies of all genetically confirmed cases of HSMCs up to November 2010. Finally, we perform genotype-phenotype correlation with 627 genetically proven HSMC cases (from 585 kindreds and 1082 affected family members). We design back propagation ANN. All the data were used as input data. ANN is designed as 45-8-4. Total number of first layer is 45 neurons, 8 hidden layer neurons and four output layer neurons. We use the bootstrapping method to estimate the experimental results for both training and testing data. After training, the program is able to differentiate all genetic-types. In test set, our system successfully classify all the genetic-types of CNCNA1S, CLCL1, KCNJ2 and SCN4A. The overall performance accuracy is 98.06% for CACNA1S, 91.84% for CLCN1, 83.33% for KCNJ2, 79.26% for SCN4A and average accuracy was 88.52%. According to the results, the priority of gene or domain that should be tested is determined more readily, accurately, and promptly. We introduce here our system for proper genetic tests that is being operated on the basis of the clinical data from almost all genetically proven HSMC cases ever reported. It is expected that our system would become more powerful when the phenotype-genotype correlation data from new cases are further accumulated and would contribute to construct the database for a new genetic classification system for HSMCs.


A Shopping Centre (SC) is a ''shop open to the public', installed in a building, which include parking, several shops, technical, management, and shopping arcade. In the current economic climate, the maintenance of complex buildings, like shopping centres, is performed under a tight budget context, and is essentially based on systems conditions. A maintenance model, to be effective, requires that maintenance service performance, covering the different building systems and components, is measured. This paper presents a methodology to measure the performance of SCs maintenance management through two major performance indicators: the Building Performance Indicator (BPI); and the Maintenance Efficiency Indicator (MEI). The results of its implementation to seven shopping centres, in Portugal, show that the general condition of the facilities is good (overall BPI= 86,45%) but the low MEI values (<0,37) indicates that insufficient resources are allocated to maintenance activities and this can compromise the future condition of the facilities.


This paper proposes a new C++ embedded Domain-Specific Language (DSL) for expressing stream parallelism by using standard C++11 attributes annotations. The main goal is to introduce high-level parallel abstractions for developing stream based parallel programs as well as reducing sequential source code rewriting. We demonstrated that by using a small set of attributes it is possible to produce different parallel versions depending on the way the source code is annotated. The performances of the parallel code produced are comparable with those obtained by manual parallelization.


The present invention, orexin receptor antagonist compounds and their isomers of formula (I), salts and solvates; pharmaceutical compositions containing them; and to their therapeutic applications.


There is scarcely another term in medicine so frequently misused as the word "auto-intoxication." This word has an unpleasant sound in scientific literature. The attempt has been made to explain with it many pathologic conditions when other explanations were lacking, or when insufficient investigations needed to be supplemented by a fine-sounding word. If we review the history of the term "auto-intoxication" we must distinguish in it several phases. The word was first applied to those well-known conditions which occur in the final stages of severe diabetes mellitus, and further in uremia and cholemia. In these and similar conditions the word retained its original meaning, and no one doubts that in these cases well-characterized forms of auto-intoxication are involved. Then came the well-known work by Bouchard, who extended the conception in an interesting way and explained almost all pathologic conditions which were not caused by microbes as autointoxication. The methods which Bouchard introduced for the support of his views have fallen into discredit. Scarcely a single stone of his structure remains. Indeed, it may be said that the fear of making the same mistake as Bouchard has been a hindrance to the further development of the theory of auto-intoxication. We cannot blame Bouchard, however, for, at the time when he wrote his book on auto-intoxication, chemical and biologic methods were not yet sufficiently developed to guard him against incorrect experiments and conclusions.


ABSTRACT We show that the first non-finitely generated generalized local cohomology modules of a finite modules M and N over a Noetherian ring R with respect to an ideal of R has only finitely many associated primes. This generalizes the corresponding result which is shown in [1] for standard local cohomology module.


A quick and convenient procedure for microdetermination of mercury contained in various materials was established. The method involved a combustion of the materials in a steel oxygen bomb. The samples were burned in the oxygen-filled bomb and the combustion products were absorbed in 1.0 N nitric acid. Mercury was extracted with dithizon solution. The mercury dithizonate thus formed was chromatographically separated using an aluminum oxide column, and was determined colorimetrically. The method is recommendable for quick analysis of voluminous samples having low mercury content. By this method, mercury recoveries from rice bran, which contained mercury at levels between 0.5 and 1.5 ppm, averaged 93%. Unpolished rice, vegetable oil, hair, brain and internal organ of lives as well as rice bran were analyzed.


Application of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) for fluorescence‐guided second‐look laparoscopy has been shown to be a promising new procedure in the early diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma metastases. However, for assessing the reliability of this method, information on the microscopic distribution of protoporphyrin IX (PP IX) in the tissue is needed. Additionally, the selectivity of PP IX uptake is essential for a potential photodynamic therapy (PDT) of ovarian cancer metastases.


Background and Aim: Arrhythmias are the main causes of mortality in repaired TOF patients and ventricular tachycardia, due to abnormal electrical conduction near patches and surgical incisions, is refractory to medical therapy. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical ventricular RF ablation during pulmonary valve replacement. Methods: 20 patients (median age 37,5 y) in 2004–2013 underwent re-operation for symptomatic pulmonary valve regurgitation with RF ablation, 28 (16–39) years after first repair. Inducible VT was demonstrated during preoperative electrophysiological study in all. Median QRS was 178 (100–268) ms. Right ventricular dilation and dysfunction were present in all, with moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation in 20%. Eleven patients showed spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia, 5 had preoperative ICD, and one presented out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Surgical ablation of the slow-conducting isthmus between the VSD patch and the pulmonary annulus was performed with linear RF lesions. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, echocardiography and Holter-ECG at 1-3-6 months together with electrophysiological study after 6 months. Results: 16 patients underwent RVOT reduction and 4 TV repair. Median follow-up of 6.5 years was complete. 1 patient with pulmonary artery occlusion died on V-V ECMO for respiratory failure. No late mortality was observed. Residual inducible VT was present in 3/19 patients, whom received ICD as primary prevention. Freedom from ventricular arrhythmia was respectively 94% and 89.5% at 1 and 5 years of follow-up. Conclusion: Pulmonary regurgitation and ventricular dysfunction are correlated with SCD. Ablation of slow-conducting isthmus between the pulmonary valve and VSD patch prevents ventricular arrhythmias.


above the level of the surrounding skin, and the skin over it was reddened. A similar and slightly larger nodule was present over the upper part of the right shin; this was more deeply placed, but was fixed to the deep layers of the skin. There was very slight projection, and the skin was not reddened. The case was shown for diagnosis; the exhibitor was not able to explain the association of the deep-seated nodules with the erythematous rings, and had thought that the lesions might be tuberculides. It appeared, however, that most members who had seen the case had no doubt that it was a case of "granuloma annulare," and Dr. Graham Little had told him that he had seen subcutaneous nodules present in such cases. He was therefore prepared to accept this diagnosis.


Objective To investigate the rodent species and Hantavirus infections at Heilongjiang frontier ports between Sino-Russia border,and to provide scientific evidence for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome prevention.Methods Night trapping method and mouse cages were used to capture rodents.The rodent lung tissues were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.Results Two hundred and ninety five captured rodents were identified as 3 families 8 genera 10 species.Apodmus agrarius was the dominant specie.A total of 22 samples carried Hantavirus with the infection rate of 7.46%.In which,15 samples belonged to HNTV and 7 samples belonged to SEOV.Hantaviruses were carried by rodents in Xunke,Fuyuan,Heihe,Dongning,Suifenhe of Heilongjiang province.Conclusion Hantaviruses were carried by rodents at five ports between Sido-Russia border in this study.The situation of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome prevention was still grim.


The present invention provides a cryogenic CO2 steel liner side welding blocks, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: the raw material by welding backing block consists of the following components by weight percentage: kaolin? 20-30% aluminum oxide? 15-18% talc? 15-20% Shi Ying? 10-21%, feldspar? 13-18% water glass? 3-5% iron oxide? 0.8-1%. When the present invention is a combustion liner block into a welding arc slag, slag system can adapt to low CO2 flux cored steel slag can be fused to each other and form a protective shell weld slag, weld back surface to ensure a good weld joints, weld wave symmetry, smooth, and can absorb the heat of the arc portion of the input, so that the low temperature -60 ℃ KV impact value of weld metal is greater than equal to 27 (J). Improved welding productivity, saving material and welding welders.


The present invention, in a medium acceptable pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical active agent derived from vitamin D, a volatile silicone, and includes a nonvolatile oily phase, relates to a composition in the form of spray compositions.


In this work we present a systematic experimental and theoretical study of the structural, transport, and superconducting properties of $\text{Sm}({\text{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Ru}}_{x})\text{As}({\text{O}}_{0.85}{\text{F}}_{0.15})$ polycrystalline samples as a function of Ru content $(x)$ ranging from 0 to 1. The choice of Ru as isoelectronic substitution at Fe site of F-doped compounds allows to better clarify the role of structural disorder in modifying the normal and superconducting properties of these recently discovered multiband superconductors. Two different regions are identified: the Fe-rich phase $(xl0.5)$ where superconducting and normal-state properties are strongly affected by disorder induced by Ru substitution; the Ru-rich phase $(xg0.5)$ where the system is metallic and strongly compensated and the presence of Ru frustrates the magnetic moment on Fe ions. Here the lack of magnetic features and related spin fluctuations may be the cause for the suppression of superconductivity.


Family planning social franchising has succeeded in countries with an active private sector serving low- and middle-income clients, with services provided mostly by mid-level providers, such as nurses and midwives. Key support for social franchising includes: clinical training and supportive supervision, help building sustainable businesses, marketing and demand creation, and mechanisms to make services affordable for clients. The forward agenda includes selectively introducing other priority health services, improving cost-effectiveness of the model, and promoting sustainability and health system integration. Family planning social franchising has succeeded in countries with an active private sector serving low- and middle-income clients, with services provided mostly by mid-level providers, such as nurses and midwives. Key support for social franchising includes: clinical training and supportive supervision, help building sustainable businesses, marketing and demand creation, and mechanisms to make services affordable for clients. The forward agenda includes selectively introducing other priority health services, improving cost-effectiveness of the model, and promoting sustainability and health systems integration. In many low- and middle-income countries, a majority of people seek health care from the private sector. However, fragmentation, poor economies of scale, inadequate financing, political opposition, a bias toward curative services, and weak regulatory and quality control systems pose serious challenges for the private sector. Social franchising addresses a number of these challenges by organizing small, independent health care businesses into quality-assured networks. Global franchisors Marie Stopes International (MSI) and Population Services International (PSI) have rapidly scaled their family planning social franchising programs in recent years, jointly delivering over 10.8 million couple-years of protection (CYPs) in 2014—up 26% from 8.6 million CYPs just 1 year prior. Drawing on experience across MSI's 17 and PSI's 25 social franchise networks across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, this article documents the organizations' operational approaches, challenges faced, and solutions implemented. The organizations provide intensive capacity building and support for private-sector providers, including clinical training, branding, monitoring quality of franchised services, and commodity support. In addition, franchising programs engage providers and clients through behavior change communication (BCC) and demand generation activities to raise awareness and to attract clients, and they implement initiatives to ensure services are affordable for the lowest-income clients. Social franchise programs offer the private sector a collective platform to better engage government in health policy advocacy and for integrating into new public health care financing and procurement mechanisms. The future of social franchising will require developing approaches to scale-up and sustain the model cost-effectively, selectively integrating other health services into the franchise package, and being responsive to evolving health care financing approaches with the potential to contribute to universal health coverage.


The article tries to survey the traits and causes for the Yu's family studies by analyzing its historical background.It demonstrates the traits of Confucianism and historiography in the family studies,and the properties of strict family education,loyalty,justice and avoidance of force,mainly arising from the family's worship of strict tutorial and traditional advocancy Confucianism as well as its vigilant awareness in peace times.


LSE's Sonia Livingstone and University of Leicester's Peter Lunt, authors of Media Regulation: Governance and the interests of citizens and consumers, look at Ofcom's new report: Citizens and communications services and outline four ways Ofcom can meet its obligations under the 2003 Communications Act to better grasp citizens' interests.


The true noble metals are those which have an inherent resistance to corrosion which does not primarily stem from the formation of an inert protective oxide film, though such films may be present in some environments. Not many years ago the noble metals received little attention from corrosion engineers and were dismissed as expensive, of poor mechanical properties, and only in exceptional cases were they seriously considered as tools against the ravages of corrosion.


[Objective]to know the sex knowledge among high school students so as to publicize sex education among them.[Methods]Questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 623 junior middle students and 1 748 senior middle school students chosen with Chester random sampling method.[Results]The major channels for high school students to acquire sex knowledge are from books and magazines: 34.3% junior and 38.2% senior school students were investigated respectively;They had more knowledge on AIDS than other venereal diseases: The correct rate of knowledge on AIDS was 60.0% and 49.0% among junior middle school students,76.7% and 66.9% among senior middle school students.There was a difference(P0.01 or 0.05).Currently,the knowledge on adolescent health and contraception is what really needed for middle school students with 31.2%,20.9% for juniors and 35.6%,28.6% for seniors from which we can see that the seniors has a higher demand for sex knowledge than the juniors and the comparison is of great statistic significance(P0.01).[Conclusion]The education department should pay more attention to sex education for middle school students and it is necessary to launch formal sex education for middle school students.


We report the density functional theory total energy calculations of thermal stability and formation barrier of polymer nitrogen confined in carbon nanotubes (CNT). The analysis suggests that N8 polymer nitrogen encapsulated in (5,5) carbon nanotube [N8@CNT(5,5)] is thermally (meta)stable at a finite temperature up to energy scale of at least 5000 K, similar to nitrogen molecule gas phase confined in CNT [N2@CNT(5,5)]. The energetic difference between these two phases of N does not significantly change with temperature. A barrier of 1.07 eV was found for the formation of N8@CNT(5,5) from N2@CNT(5,5), while the dissociation barrier was found to be 0.2 eV. Snapshots of the reaction pathway show that the transition state is composed by a N2 and a N6 inside a CNT(5,5).


This article is intended to be an overview of the position of Russia in the foreign policies of the four Visegrad countries, thus of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The background motivation behind preparing this analysis was on the one hand to provide a general overview of an important direction of Visegrad external relations and to compare the national interests related to Russia. On the other hand, the study also intends to explore the common interests and the differences in the individual Russia policies of the Visegrad countries, and thus to assess the coherence of Visegrad cooperation towards Russia in general. The article focuses on the current state of affairs, thus the historical context of Visegrad-Russia relations will be touched only briefly.Hence, the main research questions to answer are the following. First, what are the common elements of the Visegrad's national foreign policies towards Russia? In other words, by turning to the vocabulary of mathematics, what are the common denominators in the four Visegrad countries' Russia policies?The second research question is closely related to the first one: what are the points of disagreement on Russia-what are the divisors? Of course, one needs to handle separately those issues where opinions in the Visegrad simply differ from those cases where the countries are rivalling each other, e.g., where a zero sum game is going on.The last question to answer is that when taking into account the common interests of the Visegrad countries in Russia, to what extent are the activities of the International Visegrad Fund (IVF) as an organisation in accordance with these objectives? The International Visegrad Fund is the only institutional emanation of the Visegrad cooperation,2 thus its activities deserve a closer look, and hence the question to be answered is does the IVF represent the shared interests of the Visegrad countries towards Russia? Is the IVF able to serve as an effective instrument in fostering the Visegrad interests related to Russia?Regarding the sources, the analysis strongly builds on primary sources, particularly on official government documents, used in order to define the individual national foreign policy interests. Academicians analysing the subject of Russia are in a surprisingly good position regarding the availability of primary sources: all four Visegrad countries have their foreign policy strategies and national security strategies accessible in English, and several interviews and declarations by various officials are also available. The same is true for study of the relevant activities of the International Visegrad Fund.3Secondary sources for the subject are also available in remarkable quantities, both from Visegrad authors and from outside the region. Thus, plenty of analyses is connected, of course, to the obvious importance of Russia for the whole region. In all four Visegrad countries several studies and analytical papers have been prepared about various aspects of the relationship with Russia.Poland has by far the largest and most diverse academic capabilities available for conducting Russia-related research. One may mention, among many others, the works of Marek Menkiszak,4 Adam Eberhardt,5 Przemys3aw urawski vel Grajewski6 and Agata £oskot-Strachota.7 From the Czech Republic, the works of Petr Kratochvil8 deserve particular attention in addition to the experts dealing specifically with energy security. From Slovakia, among many others, both Alexander Duleba9 and Vladimir Bene10 regularly prepare articles and studies related to Russia. The Hungarian expert community also has many well-known, competent analysts dealing with Russia. One may mention, for example the energy security expert Andras Deak,11 active diplomat Erno Keskeny,12 and the economist Zsuzsa Ludvig.13Regarding the knowledge on the Visegrad region in general from the Russian side, one definitely needs to mention the recently published Russian language book by Lyubov Shishelina from the Institute of Europe of the Russia Academy of Sciences titled Vishegradskaya Evropa: otkuda i kuda? …


Lithuanian social, health care legislation and preparedness of these systems in Vilnius municipality to comply with obligations of Article 19 of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are analysed in this article. Results show unpreparedness of municipality to ensure human right standards for persons with disabilities.


Learning experiences with autonomous and multi-cultural teams are relevant for the future because the composition of the groups and engineering working environments are becoming more ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse. This paper analyzes of the sentiments generated through learning experiences created for autonomous and multicultural teams. The generated knowledge is helpful for students, academicians and administrators to align expectations and improve management, execution and feedback in learning experiences of this kind. The data was gathered from students' logbooks and written feedback from academicians who participated in two implementations of a summer engineering program at three universities in Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand. The key findings are: 1) the sentiment journey patterns of students and lectures, 2) sentiments from lecturers are manifested in students weeks later, and 3) confidence is the sentiment with the greatest tonality in learning experiences among autonomous and multicultural teams in this learning context.


AbstractA brief review and results of experimental investigation of the properties of energy-saturated nanoporous silicon-based composites are presented. Various types of oxidants used in the composites are examined. Calcium perchlorate has been used as an oxidant. The energy-saturated composite under study is shown to exceed in several parameters the primary explosive, mercury fulminate and brisant explosive, RDX.


As a color confinement mechanism, a dual Meissner effect due to Abelian monopoles involved in QCD has been discussed so far in various ways. But still there is an important problem unsolved. It is gauge invariance of the schemes or, in other words, the reason why non-Abelian color confinement is explained by means of the Abelian dual Meissner effect. Here it is shown that an Abelian method proposed by the present author based on the violation of non-Abelian Bianchi identity (VNABI) can prove SU(3) invariance and explain why color-singlets alone can survive in the confinement phase of QCD in the framework of the Abelian dual Meissner effect due to Abelian monopole condensation. This is completely different from the 't Hooft's Abelian projection scheme which introduces an additional partial gauge-fixing or the idea of Bonati et al. which is based also on VNABI. Bonati et al. say that VNABI itself could account for the gauge invariance of the 't Hooft's Abelian projection schemes. But the last idea is found to be incorrect. Existence of VNABI alone can not account for gauge invariance of 't Hooft Abelian projection schemes.


This paper is concerned with the multi-sensor filtering fusion problem subject to stochastic uncertainties under the Round-Robin protocol (RRP). The uncertainties originate from three sources, namely, censored observations, dynamical biases and additive white noises. To reflect the dead-zone-like censoring phenomenon, the measurement observation is described by the Tobit model where the censored region is constrained by prescribed left- and right-censoring thresholds. The bias is modeled as a dynamical stochastic process driven by a white noise in order to reflect the random behavior of possible ambient disturbances. The RRP is employed to decide the transmission sequence of sensors so as to alleviate undesirable data collisions. The filtering fusion is conducted via two stages: 1) the sensor observations arriving at its corresponding estimator are first leveraged to generate a local estimate, and 2) the local estimates are then gathered together at the fusion center in order to form the fused estimate. The local estimator implements a Tobit Kalman filtering algorithm on the basis of an enhanced Tobit regression model, whilst the fusion center realizes a filtering fusion algorithm in accordance with the well-known federated fusion principle. The validity of the fusion approach is finally shown via a simulation example.


The paper discusses the character and application of kelmets, analyzes some defects of rolling bearings and advantages of kelmets under the particular application Situation, and previews the development of keimets


"How marvelous language is that it can freeze an author's thoughts and emotions and preserve them until they melt into the minds and hearts of a reader. What a wonder words are, they can transcend space, time, class and race until all people are in a literacy fellmhip of reading. These peculiar marks on a page are able to inform us, to entertain us to laughter and tears and that is what reading is all about. . .My tutor. . .was not only a tutor but a friend with lots of love and understanding"


Objective: to evaluate the three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) as a recent method for detection of fetal congenital anomalies in comparison with the traditional 2 D US. Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight fetuses had been examined with the same equipment containing the traditional 2D US and 3D US. Each fetus had been scanned with one volume probe that has the 2 options; 2D and 3D US. The gestational ages of the examined fetuses were 22-36 weeks. Results: Seventy-two abnormalities were detected with 2D US, real-time 3D US, or both in 38 fetuses. Of the 72 fetal abnormalities, sixteen (22%) that had not been identified adequately at 2D US were disclosed with real-time 3D US. For eighteen abnormalities (25%) diagnosed at 2D US, real-time 3D US gave further information. Thirty-eight abnormalities (53%) were diagnosed only with 2D US. Conclusion: Real-time 3D US is useful for evaluating fetal abnormalities as a supplement to 2D US, particularly for abnormalities of the face, head, fingers, and skeleton, but real-time 3D US is unlikely to be helpful for detecting intra-fetal abnormalities except for skeletal abnormalities and some pathologic changes with fluid accumulation.


The petroleum industry is inherently subject to a tremendous degree of volatility through fluctuation in world market prices and vagaries of world politics. A more recent stressful demand on the existing domestic petroleum exploration and production system has been the burgeoning number of environmental regulations imposed on this segment of the industry. Prudent and acceptable oil-field practices must now include agency-regulated environmental protection measures. Many independent producers are unfamiliar not only with the regulatory agencies, but also with the jargon and ambiguities, of regulations that very widely from state to state. Whereas some companies perceive only the restrictions and added cost of regulatory compliance, other companies have sought to optimize benefits while minimizing financial burdens by approaching this modern necessity more creatively, thereby discovering numerous means to become even more competitive. The domestic oil field of the 1990s will be increasingly affected by environmental regulation and public opinion. A number of companies have taken a proactive position on environmental issues. Industry examples include Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's history of wetlands conservation and Chevron's SMART (Save Money and Reduce Toxics). The future of the quality of life of this nation, and indeed the planet as a whole, lies in ourmore » capability to deal concurrently with the issues of a petroleum-based economy while protecting the natural environment that sustains life.« less


The soliton propagation in an anisotropic ferromagnetic chain where the exchange interactions of an impurity spin with its neighbors are modified is investigated. We considered easy-axis anisotropy of the chain which leads to the formation of bright soliton solutions. The character of the soliton-impurity interaction is different when the exchange coupling of the spin is modified in the x,y-plane or in the z-direction. Our results show that the action of the defect depends on the soliton wave number in a complicated manner and for large velocities becomes significant. A comparison with the soliton dynamics in the presence of point defects is made.


In the article we first introduce a new software system named ISA Server recommended by MS recently and the Virtual private net technique.Then we talk about how to build a VPN on an ISA server and the problems in the installation and configuration.Finally we dwell on how to use the VPN to let the clients into the in-web.


Microglia play an important role in the inflammatory process that occurs in Parkinson's disease (PD). Activated microglia produce cytokines and neurotrophins and may have neurotoxic or neurotrophic effects. Because microglia are most proliferative and easily activated during the neonatal period, we examined the effects of neonatal microglia activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the nigro‐striatal dopamine neurons in mice treated with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), in comparison with activated microglia from the aged mice. By MPTP administration to neonatal mice, the number of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) was decreased significantly, whereas that in the mice treated with LPS and MPTP was recovered to normal, along with significant microglial activation. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity, the levels of dopamine and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and the levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐1β and IL‐6 in the midbrain were elevated in the neonates treated with LPS and MPTP. On the contrary, although the number of dopamine neurons in the 60‐week‐old mice treated with MPTP was also decreased significantly, the microglial activation by LPS treatment caused a further decrease in their number. These results suggest that the activated microglia in neonatal mice are different from those in aged mice, with the former having neurotrophic potential toward the dopamine neurons in the SN, in contrast to the neurotoxic effect of the latter. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The practice of mentoring student teachers seeks the much needed intervention and reform in the preparation of future teacher professionals who will eventually implement the K-12 Curriculum in the Philippines. The present study investigated on the perception of student teachers on the way they were mentored during their practice teaching in the selected partner schools. Additionally, this paper presents the beliefs and practices of cooperating teachers which student teachers perceive to be effective in the mentoring process. Data gathered from surveys and interviews with student teachers and cooperating teachers for this study pointed the strengths of the mentoring program as well as pitfalls that need to be addressed. The cooperating teachers in the different partner schools identified elements which are believed to be areas of concern that make them feel the need to undergo capability building. The findings presented here are intended to inform the development of policies in building cooperating teachers" capability for effective mentoring.


It has been previously reported that von Willebrand factor (vWF) was incorporated into fibrin clot by factor XIIIa (F. XIIIa) in delayed blood coagulation process. In the present study, the effects of F. XIIIa concentration and clotting time on the incorporation reaction of vWF into fibrin clot were observed, and then the incorporation mechanism besed on the F. XIIIa dependent crosslinking of vWF into fibrin clot was analyzed by using 131I-fibrinogen and 125I-vWF in purified system.Constant amount of F. XIIIa was added into fibrinogen-vWF mixture contained various concentration of hirudin to elongate clotting time, and then, the amount of vWF incorporated in clot was measured by radioactivity after incubation for 18 hours. It was recognized that vWF incorporation tended to increase in proportion to the delayed clotting time and depended on F. XIIIa concentration (Fig. 1). To elucidate the mechanism of vWF incorporation, SDS-PAGE was performed on the clot which was reduced and dissolved with urea-SDS-DTT, and radioactivity of each sliced gel was counted. Radioactive analysis with 131I-fibrinogen and 125I-vWF proved that vWF was crosslinked to α-chain and entered into high molecular weight α-polymer (Fig. 2).


Objective
To investigate the expression of HMBOX1 and CD133 in gastric cancer tissues and its impact on prognosis.

Methods
Included in this study were 183 patients with gastric cancer who were treated at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between March 2012 and March 2013, who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy and were followed up for 5 years. The expression levels of HMBOX1 and CD133 in the gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric mucosa tissues were detected, and their relationship with patient prognosis was analyzed.

Results
HMBOX1 expression was down-regulated in 91.80% of the 183 patients with gastric cancer, and was normal in 100% of the controls. In the gastric cancer patients, the positive expression rate of CD133 was 51.91%, which was significantly higher than that 14.44% in the control group (P<0.05) . The median follow-up length was 42 months, and the overall survival rate was 43.17%. The 5-year survival rates in patients with normal HMBOX1 expression, WHO-Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ classifications were 80%, 53.62%, 40%, and 23.73%, respectively (P<0.05) . The 5-year survival rates of CD133+ and CD133- patients were 28.42% and 59.09%, respectively (P<0.05) . Univariate analysis showed that TNM stage, depth of invasion, cancer differentiation, lymph node metastasis, HMBOX1 and CD133 expression levels were significantly associated with 5-year survival rates in patients with gastric cancer (P<0.05) . Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that TNM stage, depth of invasion, cancer differentiation, lymph node metastasis, HMBOX1 and CD133 expression levels were independent risk factors for the prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (P<0.05) .

Conclusion
In gastric cancer, HMBOX1 is down-regulated and CD133 is up-regulated. The both may be used as tumor biomarkers for predicting the prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

Key words:
HMBOX1; CD133; Gastric cancer; Prognosis


Respecting different characteristics of students is one of the most important tasks to which contemporary school strives, so that differentiating of teaching and educational standards obtain a great importance. Educational standards, defined at three levels, may help teachers when preparing differentiated initial teaching of mathematics. The paper presents the examples of tasks used during the research. The impact of differentiated teaching, organized in accordance with educational standards, on students' achievements in the initial teaching of mathematics in the domain of fractions is examined. The research sample consisted of 228 fourth grade elementary school students. The results of the research have shown that differenti- ated teaching, organized in accordance with educational standards, has positive impact on the achievement of students in the domain of fractions.


This article reviews three bilateral agreements made between Jordan and Syria over the last 50 years regarding use of the shared waters of the Yarmouk River. Jordan began constructing the long-plan...


The banking sector is a dominant component of the financial system in the Czech Republic. The stability of the banking system is of key importance as regards the financial stability of the economy as a whole. Any turbulence in the banking system can, moreover, generate a need for additional fiscal expenses in this area. For these reasons it is important to analyse banking sector developments in more detail and to attempt to enhance the early warning system toolkit – bank ratings, in order to prevent bank failures more effectively. This article sets out to describe a potentially usable concept of cost efficiency for more objective measurement of banks' management quality and demonstrates that this indicator is a good indicator of bank failure.