Recent work by the authors on the calculation of local solvent dielectric constants around polyelectrolytes using the Poisson–Boltzmann approach is analyzed in terms of the effect on surface potentials and counterion concentrations. Polyelectrolyte surface geometry, local electric fields, and counterion distributions contribute to the self-consistent prediction of local solvent dielectric constants. For an all-atom cell model of DNA with added monovalent salt varying from 0 to 0.5M, the Poisson–Boltzmann-determined electrostatic potential increases (negatively) by 50–100% upon the inclusion of local dielectric constants. This, in turn, implies that hydronium ion concentrations in the major and minor grooves increase by about 0.65 and 0.35 pH units, respectively. While counterion concentrations in the major groove change only slightly, those in the minor groove increase by 60–90%. It is also noted that while the local dielectric constant in the major groove monotonically increases away from the surface toward the bulk value of water the dielectric constant in the minor groove has a minimum about 2 A from the surface due primarily to the local electric field. Certain other properties, such as ionic and dipole first passage times, are affected little by local dielectric constants (less than about 3%). © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 65: 1087–1093, 1997


The problems associated with diversifying the SSPC is the subject for this paper. The term diversifying is used to describe the small alterations that should be done to the standard SSPC controller, so that it will expand the functionality of the SSPC to include: ○ High Current SSPC ○ Transistor Switches associated with the SSPC ○ The Essential load SSPC All alterations that are required should be external to the SSPC controller, meaning that the standard SSPC controller is not altered by this expanded functionality. These modifications have all been required on the Power Distribution Unit for the Meteosat Second Generation project (MSG PDU [AD2]), which has been developed and manufactured by Alcatel Denmark Space (ADS). The problems associated with the load of the SSPC user is another subject that is treated in this paper. Just as the single chip SSPC is discussed briefly.


This report describes a requirements specification written in the RSML-e language for the mode logic of a Flight Guidance System of a typical regional jet aircraft. This model was created as one of the first steps in a five-year project sponsored by the NASA Langley Research Center, Rockwell Collins Inc., and the Critical Systems Research Group of the University of Minnesota to develop new methods and tools to improve the safety of avionics designs. This model will be used to demonstrate the application of a variety of methods and techniques, including safety analysis of system and subsystem requirements, verification of key properties using theorem provers and model checkers, identification of potential sources mode confusion in system designs, partitioning of applications based on the criticality of system hazards, and autogeneration of avionics quality code. While this model is representative of the mode logic of a typical regional jet aircraft, it does not describe an actual or planned product. Several aspects of a full Flight Guidance System, such as recovery from failed sensors, have been omitted, and no claims are made regarding the accuracy or completeness of this specification.


The laboratory research and field tests on movable gel as profile control and flooding for complex fractured sandstone reservoir were carried out in Huabei Oilfield. A great progress has been acquired. The interim accumulative oil production gained from seventeen blocks is 58 thousand tons. The combined water cut decreased by 10 percent,and the input-output ratio is the proportion of one to three. The test results show that the movable gel as profile control and flooding not only improve the water injection and liquid production profile but also reduce the mobility ratio oil to water, which brings down water cut and improves oil production. When the economic benefit of water flooding become worse, the movable gel as profile control and flooding should be operated as early as possible. Many factors may affect the profile control and flooding effects, including reservoir conditions, exploitation actuality, movable gel system capability, rationality of water flooding project and management during field operation. In order to improve the effect,some factors,including the gel dosage,injection rate, relationship between profile control and measures for improving wells, the water flooding system after gel flooding,should be comprehensively considered. Movable gel as profile control and flooding is an economic and available technology to improve the water-flooding effects for sandstone reservoir.


The length of telomere restriction fragments (TRF) was studied by Southern blotting in 42 patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) including 15 patients with 8;21 translocation, 8 with 15;17 translocation and 19 with a normal karyotype. The TRF length of leukemic cells with a normal karyotype and with 8;21 or 15;17 translocation showed significant reduction compared to that of lymphocytes from normal individuals (P<0.05). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in TRF length between leukemic cells with a normal karyotype and 8;21 translocation (P<0.05). Therefore, the significant difference of telomere reduction in 8;21 translocation may be an important factor in the leukemogenic process.


Causal decomposition depicts a cause-effect relationship that is not based on the concept of prediction, but based on the phase dependence of time series. It has been validated in both stochastic and deterministic systems and is now anticipated for its application in the complex dynamic process. Here, we present an extension of causal decomposition in the mutual complex dynamic process: cause and effect of time series are inherited in the decomposition of intrinsic components in a similar time scale. Furthermore, we illustrate comparative studies with predominate methods used in neuroscience, and show the applicability of the method particularly to physiological time series in brain-muscle interactions, implying the potential to the causality analysis in the complex physiological process.


Rational number proficiency is predictive of later mathematics achievement, especially for rigorous mathematics courses, such as Algebra I. Students with learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics struggle to make adequate progress on rational number concepts and skills that lay the foundation for successfully completing secondary mathematics courses. However, recent research has demonstrated that utilizing effective instructional design, such as the use of a number line with systematic and explicit instruction, can result in academic progress for students with LD in mathematics. This article presents teachers with a four-step teaching sequence utilizing the number line and effective strategies for teaching students with LD in mathematics to introduce fraction-to-decimal relationships in upper elementary, a prerequisite for middle school mathematics.


In this numerical study, we build response surfaces of two degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) of flexibly mounted cylinders for a wide range of transverse and in-line natural frequencies. We consider both the structure and the flow to be two-dimensional and the structure has a low mass damping. The emphasis is put on the representation of the hydrodynamic loads acting on the cylinder in response to the change in the natural frequencies of the structure. The system is sampled for a wide range of natural frequencies within the synchronization region, totaling 149 two-dimensional flow-structure simulations. The parametric range of the in-line frequency is chosen to be larger than the one of the transverse frequency in order to favor multi-modal responses. No preferred frequencies are emphasized within the intervals of study. The fully spectral numerical approach relies on a stochastic collocation method coupled to a spectral element-based deterministic solver.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


This  ar ticle  presents  an  approach  to modeling  the Choreogr aphy  the Web Ser vices  based  constr aints  in  or der   to achieve  a  cer tain  degree  of  automation  in  its  defi nition.   This propose  the  defin ition  fr om  the  point  of  view  str uctur al  and dynamic  components  of  the Web Services Choreography, with a view to their subsequent representation in terms of a Problem Ver ification Restr ictions.  In  the wor k  descr ibe  in  this  paper, exper iments  for   analyse  el  per formance  compared  with  other approaches, our exper iments show that the model is appropr iate to achieve automation  in  the descr iption Process Choreography Ser vices. Keywords—Web  Ser vices, Web  Ser vices  Choreogr aphy, Web Technology, Constr aint Satisfaction.


This paper represents the modern investigation on i ncredible solar energy in real World. The Sun is the ultimate sourc e of energy. Here we are focusing on 'Village Electrification by Photovoltai c Micro Grid Using Solar Energy' i.e. micro grid using solar/photovoltaic ce ll as renewable energy source Solar Energy. This Paper also deals with the variou s utilities of Solar energy and make life comfortable & nature friendly. Model of Solar/Photovoltaic Micro Grid is made using Simulink/MATLAB. Solar energy is an important, clean, cheap and abundantly available renewable energy. This Paper a lso deals with the various utilities of solar energy and makes life comfortabl e & nature friendly.


The treatment systems for strict and moderate land limited approaches were investigated. Both synthetic glucose and actual wastewater (domestic wastewater) were studied. For the strict land limited approach, a packed entrapped mixed microbial cell (PEMMC) process using cellulose triacetate as the polymer carrier was tested for synthetic wastewater. For the moderate land limited approach, a combined aquatic weed on the water surface and a bio-fixed film in the lower portion of the pond system was investigated for both the synthetic and actual wastewater. The actual domestic wastewater was examined in a single pond system with vertical flow under the BOD 5 loading rate of 135 Kg/ha/day. BOD 5 and nitrogen removal efficiencies of more than 85% and 70%, respectively, were received. The glucose synthetic wastewater was examined in a single pond system with horizontal flow at a BOD 5 loading rate of 130 Kg/ha/day. BOD 5 and nitrogen removal efficiencies of 92% and 60%, respectively, were received. For the strict land limited treatment approach, it was found that more than 90% and 85% of soluble COD and total COD (including effluent suspended solid), respectively, could be removed at the loading rate of 1.6 g COD/L/day. The hydraulic retention time of 3.5 hours and the influent COD concentration of 200-250 mg/L were maintained and operated. This is comparable with the process performance of the conventional activated sludge for treating the domestic sewage under the same operational conditions. The PEMMC process also provides the advantages of maintaining a high SRT (Solid Retention Time) without external sludge recycling and a short starting period of less than 10 days. Application of the present two systems will be dependent on the land and/or energy requirement. It is appropriate to use the treatment system of combining the aquatic plant with the bio-fixed film for moderately available land and in tropical areas. A strict land limited treatment system, of course, requires additional energy input.


Mathematical models have been developed to predict methane migration around sanitary landfills. The methane gas that is generated during the decomposition of refuse constitutes an explosion hazard if allowed to collect in buildings adjacent to landfills. User oriented computer codes are described and design charts for preliminary assessment of migration hazards are presented. Limited field verification is presented; however, more extensive evaluation of the models is highly desirable.


Background Early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) is used to reduce mortality from septic shock and could be used in early fluid resuscitation of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of restrictive (RFR) and nonrestrictive fluid resuscitation (NRFR) on hemodynamics, oxygenation, pulmonary function, tissue perfusion, and inflammation in piglets with pulmonary or extrapulmonary ARDS (ARDSp and ARDSexp). Material/Methods Chinese miniature piglets (6–8 weeks; 15±1 kg) were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=12/group) for establishing ARDSp and ARDSexp models, and were further divided into 2 subgroups (n=6/subgroup) for performing RFR and NRFR. Piglets were anesthetized and hemodynamic, pulmonary, and oxygenation indicators were collected at different time points for 6 hours. The goal of EGDT was set for PiCCO parameters (mean arterial pressure (MAP), urine output and cardiac index (CI), and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2). Results Piglets under RFR had lower urine output compared with NRFR, as well as lower total fluid volume (P<0.05). EVLW was decreased in ARDSp+RFR and NRFR, as well as in ARDSexp+RFR, but EVLW increased in ARDSexp+NRFR (P<0.05). PaO2/FiO2 decreased in ARDSp using both methods, but was higher with RFR (P<0.05), and was increased in ARDSexp+RFR. Other pulmonary indicators were comparable. The anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and LXA4 were increased in ARDSexp after RFR (P<0.05), but not in the other groups. Conclusions RFR led to better oxygenation in ARDSp and ARDSexp compared with NRFR, but fluid restriction improved oxygenation in ARDSexp only.


We present subband adaptive structures that can counteract the slow convergence which is imposed on the feed-forward part of a fractionally spaced equaliser by the spectral dynamics of the oversampled channel output. While the prewhitening of the subband approach is therefore beneficial to the feed-forward part, additionally operating the feedback part in subbands results in a more balanced and faster convergence, which is demonstrated in simulations.


Electric Power Steering (EPS) system is superior to conventional Hydraulic Power Steering (HPS) system in aspect of fuel economy and environmental concerns. The EPS system consists of torque sensor, electric motor, ECU (Electric Control Unit), gears and etc. Among the elements, the torque sensor is one of the core technologies of which output signal is used for main input of EPS controller. Usually, the torque sensor has used torsion bar to transform torsion angle into torque and needs linear characteristic in terms of flux variation with respect to rotation angle of permanent magnet. The torsion angle of both ends of a torsion bar is measured by a contact variable resistor. In this paper, the sensor is accurately analyzed using 3D finite element method and its characteristics with respect to four different shapes of the stator teeth are compared. The four shapes are rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal and circular type.


The article focuses on the study of the bone industry of Closos Can Gaia, a Bronze Age village (Portocolom, Felanitx, Mallorca). It aims to provide an innovative aspect scarcely considered for this material in the Balearic Islands; a traceology analysis and approach to the study of the techniques used for the manufacturing bone industry of this archaeological site.


This article explores the settlement and residential patterns of Slovakian Roma migrants in Chatham, Kent where a significant number have been moving since the mid-2000s. This process is analysed in the context of growing hostility to European Union migrants and of fundamental changes to the local economy, labour markets, social and demographic structures and of growing neighbourhood polarisation. Vertovec's (2006) notion of 'hyper-diversity' is used to frame the analysis allowing for a shift away from homogenising categories that conceive of Roma as being qualitatively 'different' to other migrant populations and towards the generationally specific hybrid group dynamics that evolve at the grassroots level (Tremlett, 2014). The discussion will highlight the relationship between the participants' migratory strategies, social ties and settlement patterns in the UK and the increasingly diverse intergenerational experiences of life in their adopted hometown. While many Roma are following a similar path of absorption into the lower end of the working class followed by other migrant groups, structural changes to the local economy and the deterioration of poorer neighbourhoods mean this equates to integration into the social exclusion and marginalisation experienced by large swathes of the contemporary working classes as captured by Wacquant's (2008) concept of 'advanced marginality'.


Analysis method was the determination of 250 g/L atrazine and 250 g/L terbuthylazine and 125 g/L acetochlor SC by GC on DB-5 column(30 m×0.32 mm×0.25μm),with FID detector.The average recovery of atrazine,terbuthylazine and acetochlor were 100.4%,100.2%,100.6%respectively.And the variation coefficient were 0.326%,0.291%,0.465%.


When students come to the laboratory, the objective of the instructor is to, through carefully designed exercises, familiarize the students with concepts they have been learning about in lectures before the lab class itself. Lab work is an essential part of education of an engineer and this paper discusses how and why shifting pre-lab activity online using a Learning Management System is beneficial to both the students and the instructors and creates a more efficient instructional engineering laboratory session.


This paper exhibits the optimum location and size of distributed generation (DG) supported the combined optimal power flow (OPF) and Butterfly-particle swarm optimization (Butterfly-PSO or BF-PSO) strategies. The multi-objective operate has been developed on the premise of the assorted system indices. These indices decides the performance and quality of the system. The The proposed technique has been executed on on the 33-bus radial system. The comparison of outcomes has been reported for the proposed and existing method. The achieved result shows that improved voltage profile, increment in the economy, reduction in losses (active and reactive power loss) and therefore the improvement in the overall performances of the system.


Based on the two Neural Network Study algorithim; Sensitivity Calculationand Self Constructing, two improved algorithm are proposed, which are proved to bebetter than the original algorithms by the experiments.


155 Background: Cancer early detection aims at reducing cancer deaths. Unfortunately, many established cancer screening technologies are not suitable for use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to cost, complexity, and dependency on extensive medical infrastructure. Methods: Nearly 10,000 participants [1959 cancer cases (containing more than nine common cancer types) and 7423 non-cancer cases] were divided into one training and two independent validation cohorts. One tube of peripheral blood samples was collected from each participant and quantified using a panel of seven selected protein tumour markers (PTMs) by a common clinical electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyser. An algorithm named OncoSeek was established using artificial intelligence (AI) to distinguish cancer from non-cancer cases by calculating the probability of cancer (POC) index based on the quantification results of the seven PTMs and clinical information including sex and age of the subjects, and to predict the possible affected tissue of origin (TOO) for those who have been detected with cancer signal. Results: The conventional clinical method relied only on a single threshold for each PTM which would make a big problem when combining the results of those markers, the false positive rate would accumulate as the number of markers increased. Nevertheless, OncoSeek was empowered by AI technology to significantly reduce the false positive rate, increasing the specificity from 56·9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 55·8% to 58·0%] to 92·9% (95% CI: 92·3% to 93·5%). In all cancer types, the overall sensitivity of the OncoSeek test was 51·7% (95% CI: 49·4% to 53·9%). And the performance was generally consistent in the training and the two validation cohorts. The sensitivities ranged from 37·1% to 77·6% for the detection of the nine common cancer types (breast, colorectum, liver, lung, lymphoma, oesophagus, ovary, pancreas, and stomach), which account for ~59·2% of global cancer deaths annually. Furthermore, it has shown excellent sensitivity in several high-mortality cancer types for which there are lacking routine screening tests in the clinic, such as the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer was 77·6% (95% CI: 69·3% to 84·6%). The overall accuracy of TOO prediction in the true positives was 66·8%, which could assist the clinical diagnostic workup. Conclusions: OncoSeek significantly outperforms the conventional clinical method, representing a novel blood-based test for multi-cancer early detection (MCED) which is a non-invasive, easy, efficient, and robust approach. Moreover, the accuracy of TOO facilitates the follow-up diagnostic workup and this method is affordable (less than $25) and accessible requiring nothing more than a blood draw at the screening sites, which makes it acceptable and sustainable in LMICs.


gave me the possibility to complete this thesis. The first person I would like to thank is my supervisor Professor Lim Yong Ching for his stimulating suggestions and constant encouragement throughout the entire course of this research. His enthusiasm and integral view on research and his mission for providing only high-quality work, have made a deep impression on me. I am most grateful to him for cultivating me into this attitude of doing research. Besides being an excellent supervisor, he is as close as a relative and a good friend to me. I am really glad that I am his student. for their advices on optimization techniques. The pleasant research atmosphere in the lab is due to several factors. One of the most important factors are the people through the different stages of my own stay here: Mr. for the happy hours we played tennis together during the years, to Yang Chunzhu for his delicious food cooked for us, and to Yu Wen for his kindness in providing accommodations for me at one stage. Finally, I would like to give my special thanks to my parents, Yu Qijia and Peng Wensen, and my sister, Yu Yachen, whose love and trust enabled me to complete this work. I also want to thank all of my friends for their invaluable support, patience and encouragement throughout my years of study.


Although the Sixteenth Asian Games and the Tenth Asian Paralympics have been hold successfully in Guangzhou,it cannot cover up some problems occurred in the implementation processes of the great games engineering projects.This article,mainly in landscape engineering,researches the reason and influence caused by these problems,summarizes lessons of success and failure,and offers helpful reference and revelation for future city development.


Multivalued stochastic differential equations on a Gelfand triple are studied where the drift operator is divided into a single-valued Lipschitz part and a multivalued random, time-dependent, maximal monotone part with full domain V and image sets in the dual space V^*.

The results consist of two main parts. In the first part, the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the multivalued stochastic differential equations with multiplicative Wiener noise are proved, where the multivalued maximal monotone operator admits an additional coercivity and boundedness assumption. The proof is based on the Yosida approximation approach. L^2-convergence of solutions for the approximating equations are established.

In the second part, the framework of the first part is extended by adding Poisson noise and replacing the differential dt of the drift by a more general measure dN(t) induced by a non-decreasing \cadlag process N(t). Using the Yosida approximation approach, analogous existence and uniqueness results to the Wiener case are obtained.

As examples of multivalued maximal monotone operators, the subdifferential of a lowersemicontinuous, convex proper function as well as the multivalued porous media operator are discussed.


The aim of this study was to determine the impact of age on tooth color. Characterizing tooth color by matching intact human teeth with fabricated shade guides of porcelain or plastic is difficult to repeat due to lighting conditions and grader bias. Contact colorimeter measurements are invasive and cumbersome. A method was developed that allows for repeatable, non-contact, objective reporting of intact human tooth color using the PhotoResearch PR650 spectrophotometer. Tooth color is reported in CIELAB color space, and a circular area of 5.25 mm diameter was selected as the target area of each central maxillary incisor. Reproducibility of L*, a*, b* was found to be <0.5 units for each parameter. Changes noted in tooth color can be examined by individual parameters. 213 subjects, ranging in age from 13 to 65 were assessed for tooth color. The color parameters were reported as L* (lightness), a* (red-green) and b* (yellow-blue). Four age groups were monitored: 13-17, 18-34, 35-44, and >45. Using the Student-Newman-Keuls test, differences in L* were significantly reduced (p<0.05) at each age group; 13-17 and 18-34 age groups were significantly increased from 35-44 and >45 age groups on the b* parameter.


Three patients aged fourteen and fifteen, were admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of low back pain after accident, during recent six years. On examination, two of them had clinical signs of radicular sciatica and another, of flaccid paralysis of bilateral lower extremities. In each case, a bony fragment at the posterior lower margin of the lumbar vertebral body was verified in plain radiographs and surgical exploration, as a cause of the narrowing of the vertebral canal. After the removal of the fragment or the decompression by means of laminectomy, three patients are completely free from complaints.At first we had diagnosed the fracture at the site of the lumbar vertebral body, but according to the histological findings, we thought fit to regard it as so called "persistent apophysis".The purpose of this paper is to introduce these cases and, to discuss a concept of "persistent apophysis", including a peculiarity of age, site and of its onset.


The synthesis of melanin, a multistep and highly regulated path-way, represents a major differentiated function of normal andmalignant melanocytes (reviewed in Refs 1,2). Although the mainfunction of melanin is to protect against UV-induced damage,melanin pigment can also regulate epidermal homeostasis andthus can affect melanoma behaviour (3–7).Recently, Sarna et al. (8) started to test a hypothesis that mela-nin pigment can affect the behaviour of melanoma cells in vitro.The authors had shown that the presence of melanin pigmentaffected the elastic properties of the cells as well as the transmigra-tion abilities with the inhibitory effects being mechanical in nat-ure. They had proposed that cell elasticity may play a key role inthe efficiency of melanoma cells spread in vivo and expect thattheir findings can contribute to the better understanding of theprocess of metastasis of malignant melanoma.We agree with the authors that the mechanical (physical) effectof loading of melanoma cells with melanin granules can attenuatethe movement of malignant melanocytes towards the metastaticpath. This would be expected for stage 1 melanomas that arelocalized in the epidermis and dermis. However, other parameterssuch as cell proliferation, changes in cell cytoskeleton and motilityneed to be further investigated. It must be noted that SKMEL-188cells, as well as the Bomirski Ab and AbC1 melanoma cells, whencultured in media supplemented with


The article presented is a qualitative analysis of the early education Freinet and Montessori teachers in relation to their educational practices in the scope of educational constructivism. Understanding constructivism as a metaphor describing process of learning, the authors outline similarities and differences in the conceptions attributed to the processes of learning between the two researched groups of teachers. The results of the analysis show the opposite "direction" of the thematizations. Freinet teachers concentrate on the techniques and then – in their narratives – outline the values related to education whereas Montessori teachers' narratives are oriented at values and only illustrated with some technological examples. The outcomes of the analysis can be formulated in a form of provisional synthesis: The realization of constructivism in education is not connected so much with so called "active learning techniques" but rather with values, individual and shared axio-educational orientations and the quality of relations between various subjects involved in education. Such a hypothesis leads to the questioning of the tendency according to which teachers' education should be practical. On the contrary, we claim that such a conception on teachers' education might be an obstacle to the wide implementation of constructivism in educational practices.


Abstract Extract Although the dangers of lead and its compounds to farm animals, especially cattle, have been recognized for many years, there are few recorded cases of lead-poisoning in dogs. Mitchell (1940) describes the clinical picture and post-mortem findings in one case and also comments on the dearth of information. Both Lieberman (1948) and Bond and Kubin (1949) report on a number of cases examined by them at their clinics.


PURPOSE: A power transmission device is provided to precisely control an optimal gear level depending on operation conditions. CONSTITUTION: A power transmission device comprises a drive gear(20), first and second intermediate gears(40,50), a driven gear(30), and chains(60). The drive gear is fixed to a drive shaft(10). The drive and driven gears are composed of sprocket wheels having different diameters from each other. The first and second intermediate gears are composed of sprocket wheels(41,42,51,52) having different diameters from each other. The first intermediate gear is inserted into a driven shaft(14) and is freely rotated. The second intermediate gear is inserted into the drive shaft and is freely rotated. The driven gear is inserted into the drive gear. The chains are connected between the drive gear and the first intermediate gear, between the first and second intermediate gears, and between the second intermediate gear and the driven gear.


This essay makes an summary of the present situation of the essays published on the current search topics and documents related which play a very important role in scientific researches.This paper makes an introduction to the several retrieval methods,such as: databases of science webs,annual review series,MEDLINE and holding court(information releasing system of the government) etc..The author also makes some comparisons among these methods in the article.


Consent and confidentiality Informed consent: patients listen and read, but what information do they retain? [comment] Turner P, Williams C. New Zealand Medical Journal 2002; 115(1164): U218. AIM: To determine the percentage of knowledge retained immediately following an outpatient consultation for total hip and knee joint arthroplasty, and whether any improvement in that knowledge occurred after reading an information leaflet about the operation. METHODS: Patients on the waiting list for joint replacement surgery were given verbal information during the consultation about basic operative details, post-operative programme, and potential complications. A questionnaire was completed asking them to recall these details. They were then given information leaflets to read. Six weeks later, they were contacted again and asked the same questions. RESULTS: Immediately following a consultation, patients recall only a small percentage of information. In particular, retention of post-operative recovery time frames, and possible operative complications is poor. Despite an information booklet, patients' level of knowledge deteriorates from the initial consultation. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal and written information supplied to a patient may be understood, but it is easily and quickly forgotten. In an increasingly medicolegal environment, it is essential to gain informed consent from a patient when performing interventions. The provision of an information booklet may provide nothing more than proof for the surgeon of information provision to the patient. (Authors' abstract) Readability standards for informed-consent forms as compared with actual readability Readability standards for informed-consent forms as compared with actual readability Paasche-Orlow MK, Taylor HA, Brancati FL. New England Journal of Medicine 2003; 348(8): 721–6. BACKGROUND: Institutional review boards (IRBs) are charged with safeguarding potential research subjects with limited literacy but may have an inadvertent role in promulgating unreadable consent forms. We hypothesized that text provided by IRBs in informed-consent forms falls short of the IRBs' own readability standards and that readability is influenced by the level of research activity, local literacy rates, and federal oversight. METHODS: To test these hypotheses, we conducted a cross-sectional study linking data from several public-use sources. A total of 114 Web sites of US medical schools were surveyed for IRB readability standards and informed-consent-form templates. Actual readability was measured with the Flesch–Kincaid scale, which assigns a score on the basis of the minimal grade level required to read and understand English text (range, 0–12). Data on the level of research activity, local literacy rates, and federal oversight were obtained from organizational Web sites. RESULTS: The average readability score for text provided by IRBs was 10.6 (95% confidence interval, 10.3–10.8) on the Flesch–Kincaid scale. Specific readability standards, found on 61 Web sites (54%), ranged from a fifth-grade reading level to a 10th-grade reading level. The mean Flesch–Kincaid scores for the readability of sample text provided by IRBs exceeded the stated standard by 2.8 grade levels (95% confidence interval, 2.4–3.2;Pv0.001). Readability was not associated with either the level of research funding (P~0.89) or local rates of literacy (P~0.92). However, the 52 schools that had beenmade subject to oversight by the Office for Human Research Protections (46%) had lower Flesch– Kincaid scores than the other schools (10.2 vs. 10.9, P~0.005). CONCLUSIONS: IRBs commonly provide text for informed-consent forms that falls short of their own readability standards. Federal oversight is associated with better readability. Copyright 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. (Authors' abstract) The requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 for the processing of medical data Boyd P. Journal of Medical Ethics 2003; 29(1): 34–5. The Data Protection Act 1998 presents a number of significant challenges to data controllers in the health sector. To assist data controllers in understanding their obligations under the act, the Information Commissioner has published guidance, The Use and Disclosure of Health Data, which is reproduced here. The guidance deals, among other things, with the steps that must be taken to obtain patient data fairly, the implied requirements of the act to use anonymised or psuedonymised data where possible, an exemption applicable principally to records based research, the right of patients to object to the processing of their data, and the interface of the act and the common law duty of confidence. (Author's abstract) Some limits of informed consent O'Neill O. Journal of Medical Ethics 2003; 29(1): 4–7. Many accounts of informed consent in medical ethics claim that it is valuable because it supports individual autonomy. Unfortunately there are many distinct conceptions of individual autonomy, and their ethical importance Journal of Audiovisual Media in Medicine, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 182–186 ISSN 0140-511X printed/ISSN 1465-3494 online/03/040182-05 # 2003 Institute of Medical Illustrators DOI: 10.1080/01405110310001633128 varies. A better reason for taking informed consent seriously is that it provides assurance that patients and others are neither deceived nor coerced. Present debates about the relative importance of generic and specific consent (particularly in the use of human tissues for research and in secondary studies) do not address this issue squarely. Consent is a propositional attitude, so intransitive: complete, wholly specific consent is an illusion. Since the point of consent procedures is to limit deception and coercion, they should be designed to give patients and others control over the amount of information they receive and opportunity to rescind consent already given. (Author's abstract) Security of medical multimedia Tzelepi S, Pangalos G, Nikolacopoulou G. Medical Informatics & the Internet in Medicine 2003; 27(3): 169–84. The application of information technology to health care has generated growing concern about the privacy and security of medical information. Furthermore, data and communication security requirements in the field of multimedia are higher. In this paper we describe firstly the most important security requirements that must be fulfilled by multimedia medical data, and the security measures used to satisfy these requirements. These security measures are based mainly on modern cryptographic and watermarking mechanisms as well as on security infrastructures. The objective of our work is to complete this picture, exploiting the capabilities of multimedia medical data to define and implement an authorization model for regulating access to the data. In this paper we describe an extended rolebased access control model by considering, within the specification of the role–permission relationship phase, the constraints that must be satisfied in order for the holders of the permission to use those permissions. The use of constraints allows role-based access control to be tailored to specifiy very fine-grained and flexible content-, contextand time-based access control policies. Other restrictions, such as role entry restriction also can be captured. Finally, the description of system architecture for a secure DBMS is presented. (Authors' abstract) Legal and ethical issues in the use of anonymous images in pathology teaching and research [Review] Tranberg HA, Rous BA, Rashbass J. Histopathology 2003; 42(2): 104–9. The privacy of patients' health information is of paramount importance. However, it is equally important that medical staff and students have access to photographs and video recordings of real patients for training purposes. Where the patient can be identified from such images, his or her consent is clearly required to both obtain the image and to use it in this way. However, the need for consent, both legally and ethically, is much less convincing where the patient cannot, by the very nature of the image, be identified from it. This is the case for many images used in the teaching of clinical medicine, such as videos taken of laparoscopies, images of internal organs and unlabelled X-rays. [References: 28] (Authors' abstract) Forensic photography Background correction in forensic photography (I). Photography of blood under conditions of non-uniform illumination or variable substrate color – theoretical aspects and proof of concept Wagner JH, Miskelly GM. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2003; 48(3): 593–603. The combination of photographs taken at two or three wavelengths at and bracketing an absorbance peak indicative of a particular compound can lead to an image with enhanced visualization of the compound. This procedure works best for compounds with absorbance bands that are narrow compared with 'average' chromophores. If necessary, the photographs can be taken with different exposure times to ensure that sufficient light from the substrate is detected at all three wavelengths. The combination of images is readily performed if the images are obtained with a digital camera and are then processed using an image processing program. Best results are obtained if linear images at the peak maximum, at a slightly shorter wavelength, and at a slightly longer wavelength are used. However, acceptable results can also be obtained under many conditions if non-linear photographs are used or if only two wavelengths (one of which is at the peak maximum) are combined. These latter conditions are more achievable by many 'mid-range' digital cameras. Wavelength selection can either be by controlling the illumination (e.g., by using an alternate light source) or by use of narrow bandpass filters. The technique is illustrated using blood as the target analyte, using bands of light centered at 395, 415, and 435 nm. The extension of the method to detection of blood by fluorescence quenching is also


Even casual observers of federal policy making cannot help but notice the increasing preeminence of the Congressional budget process. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which created this process, brought forth profound changes in budgeting practices, both within Congress and between Congress and the president. In addition, the last decade has seen numerous attempts to use the process for deficit control. The goal of this special symposium is how congressional procedures - adapted over time - have affected the federal budgeting process. Each article examines the original purpose of the 1974 statute and analyzes the statute's impact over more than two decades.


: Strains of Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi ( Pss ), isolated from infected olive trees ( Olea europaea L.) in three European countries (Croatia, Slovenia and Portugal) were identified and characterised according to their colony morphology, physiological and biochemical features. According to the LOPAT scheme, 38.6% of Pss isolates were grouped in the Ib cluster. The Portuguese Pss strains were fully consistent with the typical LOPAT profile for this bacterium. Conversely, most Slovenian Pss strains showed delayed oxidase activity, whilst Croatian Pss strains did not produce any fluorescent pigment when grown in vitro. For Pss molecular identification, both end-point and real-time PCR were used, as well as MALDI–TOF, which was additionally used for proteomic analysis and the subsequent species identification of a number of strains that showed deviations from expected LOPAT results. Pss was confirmed as a causal agent of olive knot disease in 46.6% of olive orchards screened. Overall, these data suggests a possible correlation of certain Pss features with the geographical origin and the ecological niche of Pss isolates.


The philosophy and the mathematical basis of the nonlinear programming algorithm underlying the development of the COEBRA program were given. A User's Manual was given in a separate document. The purpose of this work was to convert the COEBRA program from the CDC 6400/6500 digital computer system to the UNIVAC 1108 at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and to provide an instruction manual on the use of the program.


Polymer blend electrolytes based on Polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), complexed with NaIO4 salt and Graphene oxide (GO) are investigated in the present report. The electrolytes are prepared by a facile solution cast technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are employed to study the influence of ion-polymer interactions on the micro structural properties of blend electrolytes. Measurements of electrical conductivity of the blend polymer complexes have been performed by using complex impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 1 Hz - 1 MHz and within the temperature range 303 K - 343 K.A study on electrical conductivity properties of GO doped 'salt complexed electrolyte' systems is presented.


The Supreme Court's decision striking down a Texas statute prohibiting homosexual conduct in Lawrence v. Texas is vague in many ways. The opinion failed to articulate both the contours of the right the Court was recognizing and the level of scrutiny courts should apply when enforcing the right. When a question concerning the rights of minors arises under Lawrence, the answer is even more obscure. The Supreme Court of North Carolina faced precisely this question in a 2007 decision, in which the court considered whether Lawrence prohibited the state from prosecuting a minor for engaging in nontraditional sexual activity when the minor legally could have engaged in traditional, vaginal intercourse. This Note argues for an extension of Lawrence^ right to sexual privacy to minors when those minors may otherwise lawfully consent to sexual activity. Lawrence held the state may only infringe an adult's right to sexual privacy when the state has some interest other than moral aversion to the sexual act itself The Supreme Court has also held that minors generally share an adult's right to privacy unless the state has a significant interest unique to the context of minors to justify the infringement. Because the state has no interest other than moral aversion when regulating the form of a minor's sexual activity, this Note argues Lawrence should also protect minors. Copyright ? 2009 by Daniel Allender. t Duke University School of Law, J.D. expected 2009; Arkansas Tech University, .A. 2006.1 thank Professor Ernest Young and my colleague, Erin Blondel, for their gracious efforts and sound advice, as well as every editor of the Duke Law Journal. Above all, I thank my parents, Gaylon and Judy, who are always the reason for every success I have. This content downloaded from 220.127.116.11 on Thu, 01 Sep 2016 04:32:20 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1826 DUKE LAW JOURNAL [Vol. 58:1825


Objective To investigate the effects of standardized secondary prevention on lifestyle of patients with acute coronary syndrome. Methods Two hundred and forty-nine patients with acute coronary syndrome were randomly divided into standardized follow-up group(n=116) and routine follow-up group(n=133).Patients in standardized follow-up group were followed up every 3 months,and lifestyle education of secondary prevention was carried out during the follow-up,including smoking quitting,exercise,body weight control,drug use standardization and pressure regulation.Patients in routine follow-up group were followed up every 6 months.At the time points of 6 months of follow-up and 1 year of follow-up,the conditions of smoking quitting,exercise,body weight control and ultimate events(cardiac death,non-lethal myocardial infarction and revascularization of targeted vessels) were compared between groups. Results Two hundred and eighteen patients completed the 6-month follow-up,and 103 patients finished the 1-year follow-up.After follow-up for 6 months or 1 year,the percents of unsuccessful smoking quitting in standardized follow-up group were significantly lower than those in routine follow-up group(P0.01),and the percents of successful exercise in standardized follow-up group were significantly higher than those in routine follow-up group(P0.05 or P0.01).One year after follow-up,the percent of overweight in standardized follow-up group was significantly lower than that in routine follow-up group(P0.05),and there was no ultimate event in both groups. Conclusion Standardized follow-up can effectively improve the lifestyle of patients with acute coronary syndrome.


Meta-Analysis of Studies on Vitamin C Contents of Fresh and Processed Fruits and Vegetables
The effects of processing and pre- and post-harvest handling on nutritional contents, vitamin C in particular, of fruits and vegetables have been extensively researched and well documented. While fresh produce is not subjected to nutrition deterioration inevitable in chemical and thermal processing, nutrient reduction due to suboptimal storage conditions and time can be substantial. Processed produce, on the other hand, incurs minimal post-harvest damage, but is subjected to damage due to chemical and thermal processing. The extent and prevalence of the resulting deterioration in vitamin C in select fruits and vegetables have been demonstrated by many studies. While limited attempts were made to reconcile the literature findings for select fruits and vegetables, none was made to generalize the separate findings to make inference regarding the entire category of fruits and vegetables. The objective of this review is to assimilate the literature findings to derive statistical inference concerning the comparison of vitamin C contents in fresh and non-fresh fruits and vegetables. The relevant literature was reviewed to identify publications that assess the vitamin C contents of all forms of fresh and non-fresh fruits and vegetables. Meta-analytic techniques were used to assimilate the findings and statistical analysis was conducted using mixed effects model. The results show no statistical difference between the vitamin C contents of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. No statistically significant difference is detected when repeating the analysis for separate processing types – frozen, canned, and juiced. The results are robust to different specifications of the statistical model.


An education programme at the master's level normally aims to facilitate graduates' acquisition, mastery and application of advanced knowledge in specialised areas of education. However, there is no learning pathway that aims to improve the level of specific and transversal competencies and skills, with particular regard to those relevant for the labour market in the furniture sector, such as management, entrepreneurship, language competences and leadership toward wood and furniture industry 4.0. The methodology for this research inquiry was based upon a survey questionnaire of 54 respondents during the MAKING4.0 Seminar at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The results were analysed from the Work Package 1 (WP1) "Analysis and comparison of the current Higher Education training offer and furniture and woodworking industry", before the learning outcomes were defined for each of the identified topics. The definition of learning outcomes was made considering the Recommendations of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and subsequently harmonised with the Programme Learning Outcomes defined in the Malaysian Qualification Framework 2nd edition (MQF2.0) for a Master´s Degree Level 7. The identified learning outcomes have been grouped into four modules: (1) Processes and Production of Furniture, (2) Intelligent and Sustainable Design, (3) Wood and New Materials, and (4) Innovation Management. Results of the study indicated that MAKING4.0 is in line with the actions highlighted in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2015–2025) and the objectives of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in developing the National Industry 4.0 policy framework. MAKING4.0 aims to ensure an adequate supply of human capital and skills, as well as develop an innovative master's degree to modernise the current training offer in wood and furniture technology processes and design around Industry 4.0 in Malaysia.


Three components in Li Fu Jing An capsules were determined by HPLC. A Waters Delta pak C 18 column was used, with the mobile phase of methanol phosphate buffer (pH 4.5)(75∶25) for rifampicin and methanol phosphate buffer (pH 3.5)(6∶94) for isoniazid and pyrazinamide, at the detection wavelength of 254 nm. The average recoveries were 99.5%~100.2%, RSD s were less than 1.60%.


High-precision 14 N NMR shieldings are reported for all five aromatic compounds ( azines ) (4‐6) , as well as for fused available oxazoles and oxadiazoles in a variety of solvents. Both five- and six-membered ring systems ( indolizines ) (7 ). solvent polarity and hydrogen-bond effects on the nitrogen nuclear These solvent effects on the nitrogen shielding are significant shieldings of the solutes are significant and comparable in magni- and variable in magnitude. tude; both give rise to shielding increases. The increasing solvent There is a clear distinction in solvent effects on nitrogen polarity favors delocalization of electrons from oxygen atoms into shielding between the pyrrole and the pyridine types of nitrothe heteroaromatic rings with a concomitant electron charge accu- gen atom (1‐7) . For the pyridine type, the effect of solvent mulation on the nitrogen atoms concerned. This trend is parallel polarity / polarizability is to increase the nitrogen shielding to those found for analogous diazole and triazole heteroaromatic by up to 10 ppm. These nitrogen atoms are also hydrogensystems. Solvent-to-solute hydrogen bonding causes an increase in bond acceptors, and their interactions with hydrogen-bond nitrogen shielding when the nitrogen atoms in question are involved in the hydrogen bonding as acceptor sites. This reflects not donor solvents can also yield a shielding increase by up to only local effects of hydrogen bonding to a particular nitrogen 25 ppm. Such effects are valuable in disclosing the relative atom but also those arising from competition between other ac- basicities of nonequivalent nitrogen atoms in both five- and ceptor sites in a given molecule; these include oxygen and other six-membered rings. nitrogen atoms. TNDO/2-calculated nitrogen shieldings, with re- Pyrrole-type nitrogen atoms experience much smaller solspect to neat nitromethane, give a very good linear correlation vent effects on their nuclear shieldings. The most significant with experimental results when all of the nitrogen atoms in the contribution is produced by solvent polarity which is oppomolecules studied are taken into account. The present study of site to that found for pyridine-type nitrogen atoms. Hydronitrogen shieldings provides a valuable insight into solvent polarity gen-bonding effects become important for pyrrole-type nieffects on electric charge distribution in nitrogenous heteroaro- trogen atoms only when they are contained within an NH matic systems, as well as into possible competition between various moiety where the hydrogen atom can be involved in hydrohydrogen-bond acceptor centers with respect to hydrogen-bond


According to the recent years' teaching management practice research,the exploration and the summary,linking to the school reality,teaching comment by students on network has been conducted.Through several years' exploration and practice,problems existing and to be solved have been summed up and analyzed in the process of the teaching comment,so that the actual state,which should be reformed,has been found out so as to guarantee that the quality of teaching will be improved.


Discusses the difficulties facing enforcement authorities, manufacturers and users in this new law area; the implications of which are only now becoming apparent. Is the way forward a "guide to compliance" agreed between the trade and enforcement agencies and the implementation of quality systems?


Abstract This study examined factors that could potentially differentiate between sexual, violent and criminal recidivist and non-recidivist incest offenders (n=295). The objective of the study was to extend a previous study conducted on incest offenders by increasing the sample size, adding seven years to the follow-up and attempting to address some of the limitations identified in the previous study. Results indicated, that by the end of the 19th year (mean=10.78), 9.8%, 20% and 27.5% of incest offenders were charged or convicted of a sexual, violent or criminal offence, respectively. This study identified a number of predictor variables demonstrating either moderate or strong associations with recidivism (i.e. Cohen's effect size), some of which are changeable and, thus, should be considered important treatment targets for this type of offender. Specifically, sexual recidivists had higher psychopathy scores than non-recidivists. Violent recidivists were younger, demonstrated more problems with alcoholism, were more hostile, had higher psychopathy scores and had more previous criminal charges and/or convictions than non-recidivists. Finally, criminal recidivists were younger, demonstrated more problems with alcoholism, were more hostile, had higher psychopathy scores and had more previous violent and criminal charges and/or convictions than non-recidivists.


A system for controlling the introduction amount of urea in an exhaust gas of a vehicle comprises an SCR device (10) to the oxide from waste gases. Further, the system includes a pump (32) configured to supply the SCR device (10) via a urea pipe (34) with a urea solution of a urea tank (30). It has also for introducing the urea solution arranged one on the exhaust pipe (6) and the SCR device (10) on upstream metering introduction device (20). The system also includes a control element (18). If the outside temperature is at the termination of operation of the engine (2) via a predetermined base temperature, said controller (18) closes the metering introduction device (20) for non-discharge of the urea line (34) befindlicher urea solution. If at the termination of operation of the engine (2) the external temperature is equal to or lower than the surface temperature, it keeps the pump (32) and opens the metering introduction device (20) for discharging into the urea line (34) befindlicher urea solution into the urea tank (30).


This article explores the linked histories and sociocultural implications of the Texas Instruments Vocaid and the Apple iPad, two technologies produced by consumer electronics companies and used as assistive devices by nonspeaking individuals. Through this brief case study, the author argues that developments in mobile computing and advancements in electronic communication aids are inherently intertwined through the history of their research, development, commercialization, use, and reuse. Although disability is often underrepresented in the history of computing, it has played, and continues to play, a significant role in how computers augment and provide alternatives to human communication and expression.


The "classical" SAE LoA for automated driving can present several drawbacks, and the SAE-L2 and SAE-L3, in particular, can lead to the so-called "irony of automation", where the driver is substituted by the artificial system, but is still regarded as a "supervisor" or as a "fallback mechanism". To overcome this problem, while taking advantage of the latest technology, we regard both human and machine as members of a unique team that share the driving task. Depending on the available resources (in terms of driver's status, system state, and environment conditions) and considering that they are very dynamic, an adaptive assignment of authority for each member of the team is needed. This is achieved by designing a technology enabler, constituted by the intelligent and adaptive co-pilot. It comprises (1) a lateral shared controller based on NMPC, which applies the authority, (2) an arbitration module based on FIS, which calculates the authority, and (3) a visual HMI, as an enabler of trust in automation decisions and actions. The benefits of such a system are shown in this paper through a comparison of the shared control driving mode, with manual driving (as a baseline) and lane-keeping and lane-centering (as two commercial ADAS). Tests are performed in a use case where support for a distracted driver is given. Quantitative and qualitative results confirm the hypothesis that shared control offers the best balance between performance, safety, and comfort during the driving task.


Blake's pouch cyst is cystic malformation of posterior fossa characterized by infracerebellar cyst, absence of communication between the fourth ventricle and the subarachnoid space, and hydrocephalus. The child may present with clinical features depending on extent of hydrocephalus and may have atypical associations. Here we are presenting a case of three year male child having blake's pouch cyst along with corpus callosum dysgenesis, and global developmental delay.


The discipline of comparative civilizations in China and Japan has made substantial progress in the 21st Century.Chinese scholar has put forward the basic patterns of the systemic construction,and has made new definitions on such topical issues as the definition,basic categories,its components and the comparative history of civilizations.Besides,the Chinese scholar has also divided the whole civilization into eight systems which is different from the traditional notion hold by the western scholars.As to the historical morphology in comparative civilizations,Chinese scholar has argued that "the age of pottery and clay" should be viewed as the third form of civilization morphology,thus bridging the traditionally split between the Stone Age and Bronze Age.What is a disciplinary innovation and merits special reference is the notion of "the four cultural renaissance" put forth by Chinese scholars.


The present study aim is to determine the factors of training and development effectiveness by evaluating the context, inputs, process and outcomes of training between the both public and private banks in India. The objective of the study is to look at the relationship between employees and management of the selected banks. Hence the factors relating to training effectiveness of selected banks were identified. The study noticed the promotional strategies adopted by both private and public banks in India. Moreover, this study examines the differences in management and employees perception with respect to training and development effectiveness and provides the theoretical framework to improve the effectiveness of the training and development program in the context of Indian scenario. Present study shed light on the training and development processes adopted by the banks in general and specifically highlight the differences adopted by the private and public banks in India.


"The age of cloning," is the expression that we use to define the age when life is engineered by humans, and the capital targets and operates on life force itself for exploitation. The biotechnological patent that was expanded to excess, after the Supreme Court decision of Diamond vs. Chakrabarty in 1980, provided an institutional condition that allowed the modification of life forces into surplus values. As in the case of John Moore, this kind of exploitation went as far as to deny an individual's right to his own body and handed it over to the capital. However, existing theories of political economy on surplus values were unable to conceptualize this situation. In this sense, this paper attempts to redefine capital, exploitation and surplus values in relation to the exploitation of life forces. For this purpose, this paper examines the achievements of biotechnology and redefines life as the multi-dividual circulation system and capital as that which modifies the 'benefit of circulation,' something innate to circulation systems, into surplus values. Through this, I try to explain the exploitation of life that is developing on a global scale in the form of neo-colonialism. Based on this, I maintain that the central concept of politics must be replaced by the concept of "right of life" that goes beyond the concept of "human rights" which presupposes humanism.


The article deals with the study of specific features of smart-technologies use while studying the German language by would-be foreign languages teachers. It is stated that the use of Internet technologies promotes the higher education applicants' motivation and cognitive activity, their desire to study foreign languages, provides studying intensification and individualization. Having analysed scientific literature and relying on the personal experience, the author analysed specific features, opportunities and prospects for smart-technologies use in the vocational training of would-be German teachers. Smart education is proved to provoke flexibility, a long list of literature, a variety of multimedia, the ability to perform a quick and easy adaptation to the student's level and necessities. The education also causes active experience and idea-sharing, course personification, the time saving to modify the existing educational content instead of its primary formation. The fact that smart technologies are characterized by flexibility, individualization, interactivity, multimedia use of the educational process is predominated. It promotes the combined implementation of individual and group lessons. The article justifies the fact that smart-technologies use while studying the German language helps to solve a number of educational tasks: the formation of listening comprehension, reading, writing, advanced vocabulary skills and abilities. It also stimulates the higher education applicants' formation of firm motivation to study the German language. The following educational sites are used by Uman State Pedagogical University applicants of the educational programme 'Secondary education. The English language and literature, the German language and literature while studying the German language are analysed: Rosetta stone, Deutsche Welle, Deutschlernerblog, YouTube-channel "Easy German", the online newspaper 'Zeit online'. The methodology to work with the audio texts on the site "Deutsche Welle" is described. The main advantages of smart technologies implementation while the German language teaching are outlined.
Keywords: innovative educational technologies; smart technologies; smart education; online resources; foreign languages would-be teachers; the German language; Deutsche Welle; language environment


Introduction. The European integration course actualizes the need for more dynamic development of all processes aimed at the formation of digital infrastructure in Ukraine. Strengthening existing and forming new elements is one of the priority directions of the state policy of countries in the context of the transition to the digital economy. Problem Statement. The use of an institutional approach will make it possible to explain the current state and predict further ways of development of the digital infrastructure of Ukraine. Purpose.To assess the state and prospects of institutional support for the formation of Ukraine's digital infrastructure in the context of European integration processes and to develop recommendations to facilitate investment in it. Methods. The methods of dialectical logic, sociological, theoretical generalization and comparison, abstract-logical, scientific generalization are applied. Given the multifaceted nature of the research subject, the methodological basis is formed by such methods as graphic, structural-functional, and expert evaluations. Results. It was established that the institutional support for the formation of digital infrastructure is the actions of the authorities aimed at the creation of state and non-state institutions, which must provide legal, organizational and economic foundations for changing models of public management and administration, the functioning of business entities through the dominant use of technologies, products and processes using computing, telecommunications and network capabilities of electronic interaction, data exchange, signals, etc. and operate on a digital rather than analog basis. The legal basis for the formation of digital infrastructure is analyzed. The organizational basis includes the presence of relevant institutions in the state both public and private, which are part of the digital infrastructure and ensure its functioning (the state in the form of state authorities (state institutions), business entities and non-profit organizations (private institutions) ). Conclusions. Since the economic base is based on own funds and involved investments, it is proposed: at the legislative level to adopt a strategy for the development of digital infrastructure taking into account European integration processes; attract investments and invest in knowledge and human capital; initiate the creation of crowdfunding platforms, which will facilitate the search for investors for the implementation of startups in the field of digital infrastructure. As part of the development of digital infrastructure, it is proposed to shift the main attention to the development of network and information infrastructure.


A Japanese proprietor of a tailor shop talks about how his business was affected by the war and about his eight-month internment at Honouliuli in Leeward Oahu.


Analyses of bank performance around the 2007-2008 financial crisis suggest that outside directors with financial experience acquired through longer board service at their own banks are more effective than those with financial experience attained elsewhere. Institutions with more long-tenured independent directors (i) earn higher CARs around the collapse of both Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, (ii) limit their risk exposure before the crisis, (iii) exhibit better stock return and accounting performance during the crisis, (iv) are less likely to be bailed out by the U.S. government's Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), and (iv) receive proportionally less financial assistance from TARP.


Many heuristic methods are used for path planning by researchers in the past and contemporary work but due to easy implementation, convergence properties, capability of escaping local optima and the use of hill-climbing moves have made simulated annealing (SA) a good choice for path planning. In this research the simulated annealing algorithm is used to obtain a collision-free optimal path among fixed circular shaped obstacles for a mobile robot. A feasible path is computed by series of points in cells generated between start to goal point. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in different environments is shown through simulation results.


In order to accurately and quickly predict coal mine gas content,a neural network model based on ant colony algorithm is proposed.In this model an ant colony algorithm is introduced into neural network optimization training,which could avoid falling into local optimum.After that,a stable network structure is got.Then the trained neural network is used to predict the test samples.Based on t he primary mineable coal bed in the San Jia Zi of Liao Ning the network model is used to predict coal mine gas content,by experimental analysis,the results show that the algorithm is a more effective and accurate compared with the traditional algorithms.


In this paper, a non-invasive technique to measure glucose, hemoglobin, SpO2 and heart beat using both IR and Red LEDs is presented. The device is made to simultaneously measure the blood components in real time. A comparison with invasive measurements is also shown.


"Ewaise" mango is the most delicious mango variety in Egypt. It is very popular. However, it suffers from low fruit yield. The shortage of yield may be due to the adverse effects of unfavorable environmental conditions. Mono-potassium phosphate, calcium, and amino acids are proven to improve these negative effects. During the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of the application of 2% mono-potassium phosphate, 2000 ppm calcium, and 1000 ppm amino acids alone or in combination treatments on blooming characteristics, shoot length, leaf area, N, P, K, Fe, Mn, total chlorophylls, total carotenoids in the leaves, yield, as well as some physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits of "Ewaise" mango trees. The results showed that foliar application of 2% mono-potassium phosphate, 2000 ppm calcium, and 1000 ppm amino acids either individually or in combination significantly improves flowering, growth, nutrient levels (including N, P, K, Fe, and Mn), total chlorophylls, total carotenoids in the leaves, yield, and fruit quality, compared to a control treatment. In terms of the best order of application, using the 1000 ppm amino acids, 2% mono-potassium phosphate, and 2000 ppm calcium in descending order was crucial in achieving these positive outcomes. Combined applications of these materials were significantly more effective than using each material alone in improving the mentioned aspects. Specifically, carrying out four sprays (1 st week of November, the 1 st week of December, after the fruit set, and one month later) of 1000 ppm amino acids plus 2% mono-potassium phosphate plus 2000 ppm calcium yielded the best results in terms of yield and fruit quality of "Ewaise" mango


Through analysis of limitations in forest scenic aesthetics and synthesis of researches and discusses on forest ecological aesthetics,the inherent characteristics of forest ecological aesthetics were put forward.From the aspects of derivation,experience object,beauty representation,interest scale and relationship between human being and nature,forest aesthetics differed from forest scenic aesthetics.According to the dimension of ecosystem,forest ecological aesthetics could be classified into two levels,viz.,the ecological aesthetics in the inner ecosystem,and the ecological aesthetics in the integrated system of human being and forest.The forest ecological aesthetics theory had important implications for forest ecotourism especially in management of forest landscape,exploitation of forest ecotourism product and training of forest tourists.


Aiming at the problem of external composite disturbance in the conversion flight mode of the tilt-rotor aircraft, a robust resilient switching flight control scheme based on the disturbance observer is developed. First of all, the linear longitudinal kinematic switching model of the aircraft is given, and the switching rule based on the average dwell time is designed. Then, the external disturbance is compensated by the designed disturbance observer, the H∞ control method is used to suppress the energy-bounded disturbance. In addition, the non-fragile control method is introduced to reduce the effect of controller gain perturbations. With the Lyapunov function, the controller gains are solved by the linear matrix inequality toolbox. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


To solve the business blocking problem caused by DDL operation in MySQL database, an online schema change (OSC) method is implemented with non-blocking operation in reading and writing transactions.Considering the availability requirement of the electronic commerce database on the read and write transaction, OSC system divides atomic DDL statements into several successive steps, creates a temporary ghost table to make a copy of all data from the original table fragment by fragment, and adopts triggers to ensure data consistency incrementally, so as to realize schema change with non-lock and solve the problem of business long time blocking.In addition, aiming at solving the problems of the OSC system encountered in practical applications, a series of solutions are presented, such as pre-detection, concurrency execution prevention etc.Moreover, combined with the Taobao's database architecture, the analysis on the OSC's application in complex business scenarios is provided.


Radio frequency identification (RFID) system is a wireless automatic identification mechanism. Now, it is widely applied in supply chain management, supermarket checkout process, public transportation, animal identification, the localization and tracking of objects and people, and toll ways. The tag collisions in RFID system is an unavoidable problem. The number of collision in previous tag anticollision protocol algorithms is direct proportion to the number of tags. In this paper, we propose a new anticollision protocol algorithm based on divide and conquer for RFID system. Our algorithm divides the successive collision bits into several two bits groups, use these groups to search which the collision group is and where the collision occurring, and identify all tags finally. From the experiment results, the number of tag collision in our algorithm only depends on the length of tags, and is independent of the number of tags. So, the time complexity our algorithm is ) 1 ( Ο Big .


This paper studies a multiple-measurement vector (MMV)-based sparse regression approach to blind hyperspectral un-mixing. In general, sparse regression requires a dictionary. The considered approach uses the measured hyperspectral data as the dictionary, thereby intending to represent the whole measured data using the fewest number of measured hyperspectral vectors. We tackle this self-dictionary MMV (SD-MMV) approach using greedy pursuit. It is shown that the resulting greedy algorithms are identical or very similar to some representative pure pixels identification algorithms, such as vertex component analysis. Hence, our study provides a new dimension on understanding and interpreting pure pixels identification methods. We also prove that in the noiseless case, the greedy SD-MMV algorithms guarantee perfect identification of pure pixels when the pure pixel assumption holds.


This paper reports on the incorporation of three commercial fluorescent dyes, i.e., rhodamine 6G, fluorescein, and fluorescent brightener 184, in plasma coatings, by utilizing a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor, and the subsequent monitoring of the coatings homogeneity based on the emitted fluorescent light. The plasma coatings are qualitatively characterized with fluorescence microscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and profilometry for the determination of the coating thickness. The emitted fluorescent light of the coating correlates to the amount of dye per area, and deviations of these factors can hence be observed by monitoring the intensity of this light. This allows monitoring the homogeneity of the plasma coatings in a fast and simple way, without making major adjustments to the process.


An Ethical Consideration of Korea's Rise to Hegemony This paper offers a thoughtful exploration of Korea's rise to economic hegemony; the underlying historical, sociocultural and political motives; and the cultural sacrifices made in the process. Particularly illuminated is the role of higher education in Korea's narrative to individual and national success, and the need for a critical reevaluation of its priorities in light of the contemporary ethical state of affairs driving HE demand in the nation. Una consideracion etica del ascenso a la hegemonia de Corea Este articulo ofrece una exploracion reflexiva del ascenso a la hegemonia economica de Corea; los motivos historicos, socioculturales y politicos subyacentes; y los sacrificios culturales hechos en el proceso. Particularmente iluminado es el rol de la educacion superior de Corea para el exito individual y nacional, y la necesidad de una critica reevaluacion de sus prioridades a la luz de la situacion etica contemporanea que impulsa la demanda de HE en la nacion.


Altered level of consciousness is a very common medical emergency resulting in considerable mortality and morbidity. Accurate diagnosis and prompt management can reduce the complications to a great extent. There are various aetiologies of impaired consciousness including infective and metabolic causes as well as cerebro-vascular accidents. This hospital based prospective observational study described different clinical outcomes of the patients relating to specific aetiologies of the illness. Hundred patients of altered level of consciousness admitted in a tertiary hospital of Bangladesh were evaluated clinically and with relevant investigations. Their clinical outcomes in the form of mortality or residual morbidity within one month were determined on the basis of clinical, radiological and biochemical features. The mean age of the study patients was found 48.7 years with range from 19 to 92 years. Majority (58.0%) of the patients were male. CVD or stroke was identified as the commonest (39.0%)


Classroom teaching at different levels is a countermeasure of improving teaching efficiency. For different students of different levels, the teacher should make different plans, select different textbooks, set up different testing standards and use different teaching methods so as to train workers of different levels for society.


single-mode rectangular cavity in which the microwave energy deposition pat-tern in the samples can be expressed as an analysis function of space,and present a series of transient temperature distributions and heatingrates of ceramic cylinders and cuboids under variable thermal conduc-tivities,dieletric loss factors,power consumer levels,etc.These digitalsolutions may provide a better understanding of eliminating thermalrunaway and improving temperature homogeneity.


Objective To explore the relationships between Treg cell and trichloroethylene exposure induced liver damage through detecting liver function,IL-10 content secreted by hepatic Treg cell and number of spleen Treg cell in mice.Methods Female BALB/c mice were randomly devided into exposed groups that were given 2.5 mg/ml or 5 mg/ml of TCE(10%DMSO solved)contained drinking water,blank group and solvent control group that were only given water or 10%DMSO.At the end of 2,4,8 or 12 weeks of exposure,take the blood samples for liver function examination,and the samples of liver and spleen were also taken for detecting IL-10 content in liver by ELISA,and Treg cell number in spleen by flow cytometry.Results Compared with control group,levels of AST and ALT in TCE treated groups were all significantly increased at 2 weeks and 4 weeks(P0.05),liver IL-10 content decreased;and spleen Treg cell number was also significantly decreased at 2,4,8 weeks(P0.05).Correlation analysis showed that liver function negatively correlated with hepatic IL-10 level and number of spleen Treg cells(P0.05).Conclusion These results suggested that liver damage induced by TCE exposure is well correlated to the function of hepatic Treg cell and the number of spleen Treg cell.


In situ thin film thickness monitoring and profilometering was implemented for a spray pyrolysis deposition technique, based on measuring the reflection of a laser beam from the film–substrate system; the interference pattern obtained during film deposition was used to calculate the film thickness. Recording in situ the reflection pattern for points separated 0.5 cm along the film allowed the film profile to be obtained. The growth of pyrolitic ZnO film on glass was studied by this method. It was found that the in situ measured thickness is in good agreement with that measured by ex situ profilometering or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM micrographs of the films showed that the surface is formed by elongated-shaped particles, which become rounded and larger in size as the film becomes thicker. This fact was correlated with an increment of the diffuse component of the optical spectral reflectance and transmittance and with the trend of the surface roughness factor, obtained in situ.


In this paper, we present a new approach, named as dynamic window approach with collision suppression cone (DWA-CSC), to handle the issue of a robot avoiding moving obstacles in a partially known dynamic environment. The concept of collision suppression cone is firstly introduced to define a probable collision area. When moving obstacles approach this area, the proposed DWA-CSC will be activated to allow the robot avoiding the obstacles smoothly and thus preventing collision with them by suppressing its motion direction and velocity, just like the way of obstacle avoidance done by human beings. Various simulation results show that the proposed DWA-CSC approach indeed achieve the avoidance of moving obstacles safely and smoothly.


Due to its long stroke and low jig frequency,hydraulic pumping unit is favorable for oil production of deep or heavy-oil wells and enables heavy-oil wells to save energy.By using it,exploiting can be done in the manner of single-well mode,twin-well mode or multi-well mode.The hydraulic pumping unit introduced from IAL Company has been experimented with twin-well mode in Mian14-11-X97 and Mian14-3-P3 well group in Bamianhe Oilfield.The result shows that daily average power consumption is 239 KW.h,having notable energy-saving effect compared with conventional beam-pumping unit which needs 375 KW.h power consumption everyday.


This paper highlights a new learning model that introduces a contextual dimension to the well-known Q-Learning algorithm. Through the identification of different contexts, the learning process is adapted accordingly, thus converging to enhanced results. The proposed learning model includes a simulated annealing (SA) process that accelerates the convergence process. The model is integrated in a multi-agent decision support system for electricity market players negotiations, enabling the experimentation of results using real electricity market data. 1 CONTEXTUAL Q-LEARNING Let's consider an agent that operates in an environment conceptualized by a set of possible states, in which the agent can choose actions from a set of possible actions. Each time that the player performs an action, a reinforcement value is received, indicating the immediate value of the resulting state transition. Thus, the only learning source is the agents' own experience, whose goal is to acquire an actions policy that maximizes its overall performance. The methodology introduced in [3] proposes an adaptation of the Q-Learning algorithm [4] to undertake the learning process. QLearning is a very popular reinforcement learning method. It allows the autonomous establishment of an interactive action policy. It is demonstrated that the Q-Learning algorithm converges to the optimal proceeding when the learning Q state-action pairs is represented in a table containing the full information of each pair value [4]. The basic concept behind the proposed Q-Learning adaption is that the learning algorithm can learn a function of optimal evaluation over the whole space of context-scenario pairs (c x s). This evaluation defines the Q confidence value that each scenario can represent the actual encountered negotiation scenario s in context c. The Q function performs the mapping as in (1): (1) where U is the expected utility value when selecting a scenario s in context c. The expected future reward, when choosing the scenario s in context c, is learned through trial and error according to (2):


Abstract The metabolism of 5-trifluro-2′-deoxythymidine (trifluridine; F3TdR) in male BALB/c mice bearing EMT-6 tumors has been investigated using 19F NMR spectroscopy. We previously (Tandon et al, 1992) reported the detection and identification of 5,6-dihydro-5-trifluorothymine (DHF3T, 3) and 5,6-dihydroxy-5-trifluorothymine (DOHF3T) as new metabolites of F3TdR in mice urine. Further exploration of the metabolism of trifluridine has led to the identification of α-trifluoromethyl-β-ureido-propionic acid (F3MUPA, 4) as a previously unreported metabolite in the urine of F3TdR treated mice. Authentic F3MUPA was obtained by synthesis via an established route. A comparison of chemical shift and the H-F coupling constant of an authentic sample, with the 19F signal from urine, indicated the presence of F3MUPA in murine urine. Mixing crude urine with authentic F3MUPA resulted in the enhancement of the corresponding fluorine signal without affecting or introducing others, thereby confirming the presence of F3MUPA ...


We propose the concept of actuated artificial joints for human motion assist (i.e., inner skeleton power assist robot systems) to automatically assist the motion of physically weak persons such as elderly, disabled, or injured persons. We show the basic principle of the proposed system and explain the business model.


"The International Exhibition of Modern Art" of 1913, better known as the Armory Show, sparked widespread interest in avant-garde painting and sculpture throughout the United States. During and after the show's run, numerous museums, galleries, and art organizations across the country contacted those affiliated with the Association of American Painters and Sculptors (AAPS), the sponsor of the show, and requested loans of works.' Encouraged by this response, Arthur B. Davies, Walt Kuhn, and Walter Pach, along with artists within the AAPS who supported the new tendencies in art, were able to mount several shows of advanced art in the years immediately after the show.2 The first and one of the most important of these shows was a group exhibition of modern American art that toured Pittsburgh, New York, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Baltimore from December 1913 to May 19143 showing work by Howard Coluzzi, Arthur B. Davies, Manierre Dawson, William Glackens, Walt Kuhn, Elmer Livingston MacRae, George F. Of, Walter Pach, Maurice B. Prendergast, Morton L. Schamberg, Charles Sheeler, Joseph Stella, Henry Fitch Taylor, and Allen Tucker, all of whom had taken part in the Armory Show and several of whom had exhibited together before. Because the show had different titles at its various venues it was not known by scholars to be one traveling exhibition until 1987, when Judith Zilczer put the pieces of the puzzle together.4 The show was significant for several reasons, the most important of which is that it marked the beginning of a shift in American public opinion about American modernism from the amused or shocked reactions


Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury is one of the most common causes of death and major disability among adult patients. The change of quality of life that patients experience should trigger physicians to practice palliative care principles and when needed, to consult specialty palliative care. The role of palliative care in the management of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in adults has not been well studied. Furthermore, there are palliative care issues specific to patients with traumatic brain injury that need to be studied. This review describes available literature on the role of palliative care in the management of patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. It also highlights the need for further studies in palliative care and the management of devastating traumatic brain injuries and its impact in overall healthcare system and the patients' and caregivers' quality of life.


When checked on importation in Hungary, glass eels stages of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) caught at the Atlantic coast proved free from parasitic infection. After a few weeks, however, the plasmodia and cysts of Myxidium giardi were demonstrable in both the eels kept in a laboratory and those reared at an eel farm, indicating that the fish had been infected by the parasite latently already upon arrival in Hungary.
To prevent the development of infection, the elvers were fed fumagillin mixed int he feed at a dosage of 0,1% or 1,0%. Continuous feeding of the fumagillin-containing diet prevented the development of spores int he yet asymptomatic fish stocks, and reduced the intensity of infection in eels showing an advanced stage of infection.


Aiming at the dynamic design problem of large belt conveyor with planar curves, this paper presents the method of calculating its running resistance by analyzing the orienting force and resistance on its curving parts. And then the dynamic model adopting discrete finite element model is established. Additionally, a dynamic analysis software of belt conveyor with planar curves is developed, and through simulation on real time system, displacement, velocity, acceleration and tension of separate units in the start-up process and the corresponding curves are gained, which sufficiently testifies the correctness of this software. The influence on belt conveyor of curve running is also provided by comparison between the simulation results of curve-running conveyor and line-running conveyor.


The guaranteed cost control with output feedback controllers is presented for a class of uncertain continous-time stochastic systems.Firstly,for uncertain stochastic systems with bounded norm,the general form of the upper bound of quadratic performance index for closed-loop systems with output feedback controller is derived.Secondly,linear matrix inequality(LMI) is used to discuss the quadratic stability and quadratic guaranteed cost stability of the closed-loop system,and with the help of LMI optimization approach,the optimal output feedback guaranteed cost controller is obtained to make the closed-loop system asymptotically stable.Finally,a simulation example is given to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the presented method.


Direct Healthcare Professional Communication (DHPC) is essentially distributed for fast communication of new serious drug safety information to healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, the use of this tool concerning the knowledge and preferences of HCPs has never been evaluated in Egypt. This study aimed to evaluate the HCPs' knowledge, preferences, and barriers to the use of DHPC in Egypt. A cross-sectional study of a random sample of 254 HCPs surveyed via face-to-face interviews to assess the Egyptian HCPs' awareness of DHPC, the preferences, and barriers that affect its use. Among the 297 approached HCPs, only 254 accepted to participate with a response rate of 85.5%, including (50% internists, 22.83% cardiologists, 11.02% neurologists, 11.02% pediatricians, and 5.12% from other specialties). Most HCPs were not familiar with DHPC (N= 254, 61.8%). One-third of the visited HCPs who were aware of concerned drugs' risk(s) got their information from DHPC (N= 149, 36.9%). HCPs preference for communication channel was highest for meetings (N= 254, 65.7%) and least for newsletters (N= 254, 28%). HCPs reported barriers to reading DHPC included; busy schedule (N= 254, 47.6%), mistrusted source (N= 254, 24.4%), view as a marketing tool (N= 254, 21.7%), invaluable information (N= 254, 9.8%) and disbelief (N= 254, 7.5%). The DHPC did not reach the target HCPs most of the time, but when received, it was successful in conveying the required message to the target HCPs. Multiple barriers were identified that negatively impacted the success of DHPC. It is recommended to use other electronic communication methods to enhance the reachability of the current method (DHPC).


For a given set of input-output pairs of quantum states or observables, we ask the question whether there exists a physically implementable transformation that maps each of the inputs to the corresponding output. The physical maps on quantum states are trace-preserving completely positive maps, but we also consider variants of these requirements. We generalize the definition of complete positivity to linear maps defined on arbitrary subspaces, then formulate this notion as a semidefinite program, and relate it by duality to approximative extensions of this map. This gives a characterization of the maps which can be approximated arbitrarily well as the restriction of a map that is completely positive on the whole algebra, also yielding the familiar extension theorems on operator spaces. For quantum channel extensions and extensions by probabilistic operations we obtain semidefinite characterizations, and we also elucidate the special case of Abelian in- or outputs. Finally, revisiting a theorem by Alberti and Uhlmann, we provide simpler and more widely applicable conditions for certain extension problems on qubits, and by using a semidefinite programming formulation we exhibit counterexamples to seemingly reasonable but false generalizations of the Alberti-Uhlmann theorem.