Background: PIP joint surface replacement has been shown to be effective in the treatment of arthritis. We performed a retrospective review to evaluate the clinical results and functional outcome of pyrocarbon proximal interphalangeal joint replacement, motion preserving and function in selected patients. Method: The patients who underwent pyrocarbon PIP joint arthroplasty by the two senior authors were reviewed. Clinical assessment included range of motion, degree of pain and deformity pre and post operatively. Independent functional scores were collected. Radiographs were reviewed for evidence of loosening, fracture and dislocation. Patient overall satisfaction was assessed. Results: 25 patients had 27 pyrocarbon PIP joint replacements between 2004 and 2008. Of these patients, there were 21 female (84%) and 4 male (16%) with average age of 62.5 (43–78). Indications for surgery were pain and loss of function. The preoperative diagnosis was post traumatic osteoarthritis in 9 (33.3%) and primary osteoarthritis in 18 (66.7%). The average arc of motion preoperatively was 42.3 (5–60), and the average postoperative one was 74.3 (45–100). Pain was relieved in majority of patients. 23 patients (92%) were satisfied completely with the procedure. Pain was relieved in the majority of cases and we had 2 dislocations requiring revision to silicone joint replacement and 2 adhesions/stiffness requiring tenolysis. There were no infections. Conclusion: Our experience of pyrocarbon PIP joint replacement over the 4 years showed this implant is useful for relief of pain and function. A technically demanding procedure, it improves arc of motion, corrects deformity and achieves satisfactory function. We had 7 % revision rate and longer term follow-up is required.


Metaphors are ubiquitous in natural language, and detecting them requires contextual reasoning about whether a semantic incongruence actually exists. Most existing work addresses this problem using pre-trained contextualized models. Despite their success, these models require a large amount of labeled data and are not linguistically-based. In this paper, we proposed a ContrAstive pre-Trained modEl (CATE) for metaphor detection with semi-supervised learning. Our model first uses a pre-trained model to obtain a contextual representation of target words and employs a contrastive objective to promote an increased distance between target words' literal and metaphorical senses based on linguistic theories. Furthermore, we propose a simple strategy to collect large-scale candidate instances from the general corpus and generalize the model via self-training. Extensive experiments show that CATE achieves better performance against state-of-the-art baselines on several benchmark datasets.


PurposeIn recent years, the People's Republic of China has made remarkable progress in science and technology. The Chinese industry is competing for leadership in cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, robotics, artificial intelligence, aerospace and green energy. This article aims to analyze: What role do industrial parks, especially Suzhou Industrial Park, play in upgrading technology to encourage independent innovation and economic development? How SIP is related to the Belt and Road Initiative?Design/methodology/approachThis research summarizes China's most important scientific and technological reforms and policies and in particular the Torch Program. In addition, it develops a case study of the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) by analyzing documents, bibliography and presenting data. It ends with a case study of the role of SIP in the Belt and Road Initiative analyzing the Great Stone Park in Belarus.FindingsThis article highlights that: China's experience clearly shows that the "visible hand" of the State plays a very important role in economic development and technological catch-up. All of them are implemented from a strategy linking the national objectives with the local ones, this is done from a top-down perspective. As an important aspect of economic and social development, China's experience in promoting indigenous innovation in science and technology provides a relevant example for developing countries.Research limitations/implicationsThere are few academic literature on Great Stone Industrial Park.Practical implicationsThe international cooperation of the SIP with the technology parks throughout the BRI-countries provides relevant information to deepen collaboration in this field and could contribute to closing the technological gap in developing countries.Originality/valueThe role of the SIP in the Belt and Road initiative is an under research topic. There is few bibliography discussing the impacts of the cooperation in science and technology in the framework of the BRI.


* Abbreviations:
 AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics
 ACIP — : Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
 MenB — : serogroup B meningococcal

Published recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which carry the approval of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, provide guidance on how licensed vaccines should be used. Professional organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also develop immunization recommendations. Since 1995, the recommendations of the ACIP, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the AAP have been harmonized, although minor differences have surfaced from time to time. In the end, some vaccines are recommended for universal use and some are not, despite approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and commercial availability.

Deliberations of the recommending bodies have always been methodical, data-driven, and comprehensive, but they were not always codified or, for that matter, entirely transparent. A change in that direction took place in 2010, when the ACIP adopted the modified GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.1 In this formal process, the evidence germane to a particular disease and vaccine is ranked according to type and quality (Table 1). Key factors (eg, the balance between benefits and harm, the evidence type, values and preferences, health economic analyses) are used to refine the …

Address correspondence to Gary S. Marshall, MD, 571 S. Floyd St, Suite 321, Louisville, KY 40202. E-mail: gary.marshall{at}louisville.edu


Property law, as it varies from country to country throughout the world, is thought to be as different as the people of those nations. But in essence, most property law has the same substance; it is only different in form. The idea behind Basic Principles of Property Law: A Comparative Legal and Economic Introduction is that there is a basic comparative framework of how property law has developed in successful countries such as Britain, Germany, Italy, and America. This basic framework is what a country, transitioning from communism, could use to help set up its own property law, based on the centralized ideas of the other countries. This project is not the sole idea of author Ugo Mattei, of the University of Turin, Italy. Rather, the book is a project sponsored by the Constitutional and Legislative Policy Institute in Budapest. These common legal and economic ideas, problems, and solutions can help nations develop a legal foundation for a new working market.


Currently, there are two opposing research lines regarding the capacity of tourism to influence the level of economic development. In this context, this research study, after analysing the validity of each one of these two lines, advocates for an intermediate situation based on the premise that there is no automatic relationship between these two dimensions, but instead, a country must meet certain characteristics in order for this link to occur. In this sense, once proven the importance of population characteristics in the level of socioeconomic progress by scientific literature, applying an econometric model, using a sample of 144 countries – divided between more developed countries and less developed countries –, it has showed that the reduction of the emigrant population – especially high-qualified people – and the existence of low unemployment rates have contributed to the transformation of tourism growth into economic development. In addition, it has also demonstrated that countries with regressive population pyramids have greater difficulties for tourism growth improve their socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, international agencies and institutions that seek to use tourism as an effective tool for alleviate poverty should consider these factors before making significant investments that ultimately do not produce the expected results


Constitutive expression of human hsp27 resulted in a 100‐fold increase in survival to a single lethal heat shock in CHO cells without effecting the development of thermotolerance. A possible mechanism for the thermoprotective function of hsp27 may be increased recovery of protein synthesis and RNA synthesis following a heat shock. A lethal heat shock (44°C, 30 min) results in a 90% reduction in the rate of protein synthesis in non‐tolerant cells. Control transfected cells recovered protein synthesis to a pre‐heat shock rate 10 h after the heat shock; while cell lines that constitutively express human hsp27 recovered 6 h after the heat shock. Thermotolerant cells had a 50% reduction in protein synthesis, which recovered within 7 h following the heat shock. The same lethal heat shock (44°C, 30 min) reduced RNA synthesis by 60% in the transfected cell lines, with the controls recovering in 7 h; while the hsp27 expressing cell lines recovered within 5 h. Thermotolerant cells had a 40% reduction in RNA synthesis and were able to recover within 4 h. The enhanced ability of hsp27 to facilitate recovery of protein synthesis and RNA synthesis following a heat shock may provide the cell with a survival advantage. J. Cell. Biochem. 66:153–164, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.


The present invention, editing of compressed video signal, while protecting the constraints of the buffer, by executing assign the optimum amount of generated code, so that it is possible to prevent deterioration of image quality, the information processing apparatus and an information processing method, recording medium, and a program. Re-encoding Duration is an overall re-encoding section is extended, No in The Editing re-encoding Duration is a portion other than The Editing Duration, No in The Editing re-encoding GOP Duration is a portion other than The Editing GOP Duration. Due to the effect on the picture of the encoding degree of difficulty is high becomes likely edit point range, from the picture of No Editing re-encoded GOP Duration, because the amount of generated code is allocated, it is possible to use a greater amount of code generation it can. The present invention is applicable to the editing apparatus.


The article on the basis of the civilizational approach analyzes the approaches of urban scientists about the development of society in chronological order. The role of Central Asia in the system of civilizations of the ancient East is discussed. On the basis of archaeological, anthropological, ethnographic sources, the influence of migration processes on the transformation of local cultures to the level of the first civilizations has been revealed. The nature of the migration processes of the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (Oxus civilization).


The correlation dimension(CD) and the maximum Lyapunov exponent(MLE) were explored on the basis of the magntocardiography(MCG) recordings and the synchronous electrocardiography(ECG) signals from an individual patient.The CD appears to vary between MCG and ECG,ranging 2.28 ±0.27 and 1.12±0.13,as does the MLE,ranging 0.68±0.12 and 0.32±0.04.The results show that for both the MCG and ECG signals,chaos characteristics exist in the central measurement area in other four patients.The MCG chaotic attractors are different between the central portion and the margin of the chest,allowing valid measurement areas to be identified.


Phonons are quantized vibrations of a crystal lattice that play a crucial role in understanding many properties of solids. Density functional theory (DFT) provides a state-of-the-art computational approach to lattice vibrations from first-principles. We present a successful software implementation for calculating phonons in the harmonic approximation, employing density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT) within the framework of the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FLAPW) method as implemented in the electronic structure package FLEUR. The implementation, which involves the Sternheimer equation for the linear response of the wave function, charge density, and potential with respect to infinitesimal atomic displacements, as well as the setup of the dynamical matrix, is presented and the specifics due to the muffin-tin sphere centered LAPW basis-set and the all-electron nature are discussed. As a test, we calculate the phonon dispersion of several solids including an insulator, a semiconductor as well as several metals. The latter are comprised of magnetic, simple, and transition metals. The results are validated on the basis of phonon dispersions calculated using the finite displacement approach in conjunction with the FLEUR code and the phonopy package, as well as by some experimental results. An excellent agreement is obtained.


This paper describes a simple, discrete deterministic model for the allocation of project contingency as a function of project phase. When a project starts, there is always some uncertainty regarding the resources it will require. As the project proceeds, the participants discover this uncertainty and remove it through the expenditure of resources. In addition, the project may encounter unexpected changes in its environment that force the project to change. The model assumes that the project will eventually discover a (relatively small) number of contingencies, each of which requires the same workforce and duration to resolve. Because the time of appearance and resolution time for each contingency is independent of other contingencies, there may be several overlapping contingencies the project will work on at the same time. Because the model assumes that contingencies suddenly add and subtract staff, managing staff becomes much more complex than is the case with a more uniform staffing plan. In particular, if there are appreciable hiring and firing costs, a project may find it desirable to simply retain staff that can be assigned to contingencies, even though there may be periods with no contingency work.


A common gate CMOS low noise amplifier (LNA) with an active-inductor load is presented. For large inductance values, an on-chip passive inductor requires considerable silicon area and it is quality-factor (Q) limited; a situation that can be rendered as impractical. Hence, the purpose of this work is to seek the possibility of using active inductors in RF circuits as substitutes for passive ones. Moreover, an active inductor opens avenues for programmability, e.g. it is possible to attain an amplifier with a programmable center frequency. It is shown in this paper that by proper design optimization the active-inductor's noise contribution can be minimized. HSPICE simulations using 0.5 /spl mu/m HP technology show that our amplifier has a tuning range of half decade for a center frequency at 1 GHz. The simulated gain, noise figure, and power consumption are 20 dB, 3.65 dB, and 14 mW, respectively.


The production of cellulose-based aerogels from the conversion of cheap and rich precursors using environmentally friendly techniques is a very attractive subject in materials chemistry. In this work, we report a facile strategy to construct flame retardant, sound-adsorption, and mechanical enhancement cellulose-based composite aerogels by the incorporation of aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles (AH NPs) into cellulose gels via an in situ sol–gel process, followed by freeze-drying to coat AH NPs on cellulose composite aerogels (AH NPs@cellulose composite aerogels). The results demonstrated that the AH NP homogeneous dispersion within cellulose aerogels and the presence of AH NPs did not have a remarkable influence on the homogeneous porous structure of cellulose aerogels when compared with cellulose aerogels prepared from the NaOH/urea/thiourea solution. The prepared composite cellulose aerogels showed excellent flame retardancy, the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) of the composite aerogels decreased signif...


The primary objective of the current study is to examine the impact that the size of a police department and workload on a department have on response time. Secondarily, the authors look at the effect that incident-level factors such as the severity of a call for service (CFS) and community-level factors such as ethnic diversity have on police response time.,The current study examined CFSs data collected over a three-year period and organizational information from 26 police departments in Northeast Texas, as well as community-level information. In order to measure the effect of organizational variables, community factors and incident-level variables on police response time, the authors employed the use of hierarchical linear models (HLMs).,The results of hierarchical linear modeling indicated that incident-level factors and police department size are significant predictors of response time.,There are two primary limitations: first, there were a lack of available organizational structure correlates such as age and differentiation. Second, the primary data set had a significant number of incomplete or repeating cases, thereby limiting the accuracy of the current study's analysis.,The most unique aspect of this manuscript is that it examines how organizational factors affect police response time. Numerous studies analyzed determinants of police response time such as incident- and community-level factors, but the importance of organizational factors has not been analyzed.


A generalized finite-difference computational methodology is presented to model the transient and steady-state behavior of the nosecap and the leading edge heat pipes . The numerical simulation includes a consideration of capillary and sonic limits in the wick structures


An increasing number of resources are becoming available to support the professional development of scientists transitioning to studying science education. CBE-Life Sciences Education is adding to the available professional development resources by launching a new type of essay, titled Research Methods.


Excerpt To THE EDITOR: Dr. Wolstenholme and I were very pleased to read the favourable review ofAromatic Amino Acids in the Brainin the April 1975 issue (Ann Intern Med82:599-600). Many thanks. For...


Thaumatococcus daniellii (Benn.) Benth is a tropical rhizomatous herb recognized as the natural source of the protein sweetner, thaumatin. Thaumatin is extracted from the fruit arils, which constitutes about 4% of the fruit leaving a large chunk as waste in the extraction process. In this study, we examined the effect of ethanolic extract of T. daniellii fruit pulp on some oxidative stress parameters in male Wistar rats. The fruit pulp was extracted with 80% ethanol and a graded concentration was administered orally to the rats for 14 days. The liver and kidney of the rats were harvested; in‐vivo antioxidant activity and liver histopathology were determined. Result were statistically analysed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) supplemented with Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Results showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in MDA levels and a significant increase (p<0.05) in SOD activity and GSH concentration compared to the normal and positive controls. Histopathological examinations indicated no pathologic abnormality. The antioxidant boosting activities of the T. daniellii fruit extract may be due to the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids and tannins. The study suggests the medicinal potential of the fruit in reducing oxidative stress. The fruit could be incorporated into animal feed for its nutritive and phytochemical constituents.


The Songliao Basin is a large-scale Mesozoic continental petroliferous basin. Based on analysis of high-resolution 3D seismic data, a large-scale lacustrine subaqueous channel system is identified in the lacustrine mudstone of the first member of the Nenjiang Formation in the central basin. This system is composed of 3 trunk channels and 4 tributary channels, and extended from north to south along the Daqing Placanticline with a maximum length of about 71 km and the largest width of about 600 m. This study indicates that this system may be resulted from river rushing into lake. Interpretation of logging and core indicates that there are rich petroliferous properties in these channel sand-bodies. Therefore, the discovery of this large-scale lacustrine subaqueous channel system will provide a new target for hydrocarbon reservoirs within the lacustrine mudstones in the central depression of the Songliao Basin.


The Hadamard multiplication by a so called transitive nxn matrix T, over the center Z(R) of a base ring R, gives a conjugate automorphism of the full nxn matrix algebra over R. Using an endomorphism d of R and an invertible matrix W, we construct a subalgebra of the full matrix algebra consisting of the so called nxn supermatrices. If the order of d is n, then for a certain permutation matrix H and for a special invertible diagonal matrix G, we exhibit natural embeddings of R amd of the skew polynomial ring R[w,d] into certain supermatrix algebras defined by H and G. If W and its inverse are over Z(R), then one of our main results claims that our supermatrix algebra is closed with respect to taking the (pre)adjoint. If R is Lie nilpotent, then the preadjoint and the corresponding determinants and characteristic polynomials provide a Cayley-Hamilton identity for any supermatrix A with right coefficients in the fixed ring Fix(d). If the order of d is n and R is Lie nilpotent, then we prove the right integrality of R over Fix(d) and of R[w,d] over Fix(d)w^n]. We explain how the classical supermatrix algebras over the Grassmann algebra appear as special supermatrix algebras determined by transitive matrices. Essentially new supermatrix algebras are presented over the Grassmann algebra.


The complex dielectric constant of TGS powders 74∼105 µm in particle size has been measured between 77 K and 340 K in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 105 Hz. Four types of dielectric relaxations are found in the ferroelectric phase. The relaxation frequencies obey the formula, fr=foexp (-U/kT). The values of fo and U are determined to be 1×108 Hz and 0.33 eV, 4×1012 Hz and 0.35 eV, 9×1013 Hz and 0.33 eV, and 2×108 Hz and 0.06 eV, respectively, which are quite different from those of multidomain single crystals.


With these statements, Chopin's teacher, J?zef Eisner (1769-1854), explored one of the more significant musical issues of his time: the creation of a national music through setting of conteporary, and often radical, Polish texts, in the decades following the last partition of Poland in 1795. Eisner published his controversial Treatise on Meter and Rhythm in the Polish Language in 1818.2 For the first time Eisner focused entirely on specific rules for the correct musical setting of Polish, rather than French, German or Italian texts. Eisner thus established a new musical aesthetic, one which looked to language and literature, during a period when Polish settings, particularly in the art song genre, were rather rare indeed. The art song now connected with Poland's past through melodic inflections derived from the metrical structure of the language. This represented a unique view of the art and differentiated the Warsaw school of composition from the Viennese classical tradition which


Tile / tile flooring is one of the building materials used in the construction of a building. These tiles are used instead of the floor plate so that the floor is more comfortable to use and look better. Tiles also many species there are types of ceramics and tiles. In this study will be made tile type floor tiles. This study aims to determine the optimum thick tiles, so that the strength of the tiles from the aggregate tile fragments is the same as ordinary tiles. In this experiment, tile fragments maximum aggregate size of 4.8 mm and the thickness variation of tile 3 cm, 3.5 cm, 4 cm, 4.5 cm, 5 cm. Overview analysis of this study is the compressive strength, flexural strength, shear strength and shear strength in two directions at the age of at least 28 days. Mortar mix design methods using methods SNI 03-6882-2002. After doing research, the thicker the tile density is getting smaller due to the manufacturing process tiles with the smallest thickness under pressure of the press machine is greatest, while the largest thick tiles under pressure is the smallest by press machine. From the calculation of the compressive strength of plain tiles with a thickness of 2.5 cm is 2.7 MPa thick obtained optimum results are almost the same compressive strength is 4.5 cm thick tiles with compressive strength of 2.8 MPa. The results of calculation of bending strength plain tiles with a thickness of 2.5 cm thick is 3,79 MPa obtained optimum results flexural strength is nearly equal that is 3 cm thick tiles firmly insisted 5.31 MPa. The results of calculation of shear strength plain tiles with a thickness of 2.5 cm is 1.31 MPa obtained from the optimum thickness shear strength approaching that is 3 cm thick tiles with the strength that is 2.42 MPa. The result of the calculation of shear strength bidirectional ordinary tiles with a thickness of 2.5 cm is the optimum thickness of 1.00 N is obtained from the results of a two-way shear strength approaching that is 3 cm thick tiles with the strength that is 2.99 N. The optimum thickness of the tiles with tile fragments aggregate is 3 cm to the same strength as ordinary tiles.


For several modern signal-processing schemes for hearing aids (e.g. singleor multi-channel noise reduction schemes, dynamic compression, dereverberation) technical measures are used during the development process for performance prediction that are either inappropriate or can only approximately predict the success for hearing impaired (and also normal hearing) people. In this context, not only the speech intelligibility, but also the subjective signal quality is of importance. In this study we present and compare subjective and objective assessment methods. Particularly, the objective quality measure PEMO-Q that is based on modern auditory models is evaluated for different hearing aid algorithms. This approach appears to be significantly superior to the classic SNR-based approaches in some quality aspects. 1. ALGORITHMS AND SIGNALS In this exemplary study, STSA algorithms according to Ephraim and Malah's weighting rules [1] where employed as single channel state-of-the-art algorithms. These algorithms are characterized by a strong reduction of noise while introducing only little of the well known musical tones or musical noise that result from subtracting an average noise spectrum from a non-stationary frame-based spectral estimate. A detailed description of the involved filter parameters can be found in Cappé [2]. The most important parameters are two signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimates: An instantaneously estimated (a posteriori) SNR and an a priori SNR estimate that is calculated by a recursive smoothing of preceding a posteriori values. The considered algorithms need a reliable noise power estimation. Here, the minimum statistics method (MinStat) by Martin [3] and a Voice Activity Detection (VAD) algorithm by Marzinzik [4] are used. The speech signals used here were taken from the Oldenburg Logatome Speech Corpus (OLLO) [5] and consisted of six sentences spoken by German male and female speakers. The noise signals were speech-shaped noise, cafeteria noise, icra7 noise (speech like modulated noise) and white gaussian noise. All signals had an approximate duration of 20 seconds and a sampling rate of 16 kHz. In the simulation system the signals were mixed at a SNR of 0 dB and 5 dB. The calculation of the time-variant filter was made on this mixture while the filtering process was also done on the separate speech and noise signals for subsequent quality assessment and the calculation of the SNRE and other quality measures. 2. OBJECTIVE MEASURES Several objective measures were assessed in this study. The quality prediction method PEMO-Q is based on a psychoacoustically validated quantitative model of the "effective" peripheral auditory processing by Dau et al. [6]. The perceptual similarity measure (PSM), obtained from PEMO-Q, is a correlation measure between two so called internal representations of acoustic stimuli, i.e., the output of the modeled peripheral auditory system. PSM serves to predict the perceived similarity between two given signals, generally a reference signal and a test signal whose quality is to be measured. As another psychoacoustical measure, the ITU standard measure PESQ is used. PESQ stands for "Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality" and is an enhanced perceptual quality measurement for voice quality in telecommunications [7]. PSM and PESQ were varied with different options and reference signals (e.g. SNR PSM, PSM b, ∆PESQ,), for details see [8]. Besides the above perceptual measures also more "technically based" quality measures where incorporated (see [8] for more details). These were signal-to-noise ratio enhancement (SNRE), coherence, a critical bandwidth weighted SNRE (freq. wt. SNRE), and the quality evaluation measures defined by Hansen and Pellom [9]: segmental SNR, LogArea Ratio (LAR), Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR) and the Itakura-Saito Distance (ISD). The last three measures are based on a LPC-Model. 3. EXPERIMENTS AND RESULTS The recursive smoothing parameter τ of the STSA algorithm was varied in the range from 0 − 800ms to cover a broad range of noise reduction and signal quality. All signals were processed with the noise estimators Minstat and VAD, respectively. For each setting, the above mentioned quality measures were calculated for a number of speech signals mixed with different types of noise. Subjective listening tests were done according to ITU-T Recommendation P.835 [10] which describes a methology for evaluating the subjective quality of speech in noise and is particularly appropriate for the evaluation of noise suppression algorithms. The data from subjective listening tests was then correlated with the quality predictions of the objective measures (see table 1 for the overall quality prediction). The best correlated measures (see Fig. 1) were chosen to predict the subjective rating curves. The objective curves have been linearly fitted to match the scaling of the subjective curves. As for the background noise rating, the highest correlations are gained by the SNRE. This means that SNRE is a good measure to rate the amount of noise reduction by an algorithm, independent of the speech signal quality. In terms of speech-signal rating the perceptual measures with the noisy reference (SNR PSM, SNR PESQ) have the highest correlations with subjective data. The best correlation in terms of overall quality rating show the perceptual measures with clean speech reference (PSM b and PESQ). Correlation with overall quality rating Cafeteria noise White noise Speechshaped noise ICRA7 noise OverallCorrelation SNRE 0.35 0.66 0.41 0.29 0.35 Coherence 0.83 0.88 0.93 0.93 0.65 seg. SNRE 0.74 0.89 0.89 0.71 0.53 freq. wt. SNRE -0.17 0.40 -0.05 -0.11 0.00 mean LAR -0.46 -0.90 -0.45 -0.28 -0.07 mean LLR -0.75 -0.94 -0.61 -0.68 -0.43 mean ISD -0.24 -0.79 -0.04 -0.16 -0.34 PSM 0.82 0.92 0.93 0.87 0.70 PSM_b 0.85 0.91 0.94 0.93 0.76 PESQ 0.85 0.92 0.94 0.94 0.81 ΔPSM 0.71 0.69 0.58 0.54 0.39 ΔPESQ 0.86 0.92 0.48 0.65 0.47 SNR_PSM 0.12 -0.04 0.09 0.01 0.04 SNR_PESQ 0.09 -0.36 0.05 0.07 0.00 Table 1: Correlation between objective and subjective measures for the overall signal quality. (from [8]) 0 200 400 600 800 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 tau / ms ra tin g Subjective data for MinStat + speech−shaped noise Background noise rating Speech signal rating Overall quality rating 0 200 400 600 800 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 tau / ms ra tin g Subjective data for VAD + speech−shaped noise Background noise rating Speech signal rating Overall quality rating 0 200 400 600 800 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 tau / ms ra tin g Subjective data for MinStat + ICRA7 noise Background noise rating Speech signal rating Overall quality rating 0 200 400 600 800 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 tau / ms ra tin g Subjective data for VAD + ICRA7 noise Background noise rating Speech signal rating Overall quality rating 0 200 400 600 800 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 tau / ms ra tin g Prediction from best correlated objective measures


Gallium nitride (GaN) films on high-thermal-conductivity substrates have attracted considerable attention for their applications in high-power light-emitting diodes and electronic devices. Herein, a 2-inch 8-µm-thick thermostable GaN/Mo template with Ga-face was fabricated via two consecutive layer transfer technique. The full-widths at half-maximum for the x-ray rocking curves of GaN (002) and (102) plane were 314 and 325 arcsec, respectively. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the surface had step-and-terrace structures with a root-mean-square value of 0.397 nm. Five periods of In0.15Ga0.85N/GaN multiple-quantum-wells and Mg-doped p-type GaN layers were regrown on the GaN/Mo template, which exhibited blue light emission without distinct degradation.


Although the safety of blood transfusion has become a major concern for physicians, transfusions may still result in either serious or troublesome complications. In fact, about 20% of all transfusions lead to some type of adverse effect [l]. One of the less frequently described side effects of blood transfusion is the development of primary or secondary alloimmunization against red blood cell (RBC) antigens after the administration of fresh frozen plasma (FFP). A 53-year-old (para 3, gravida 4, abort 1) group A, Rh-D-negative (dcE/dce) woman was admitted to our hospital for cardiacvalve replacement. In August 1975, she received two cross-match compatible A, Rh-D-negative RBC concentrates during a mitral commissurotomy. In October 1992, the patient underwent a mitral plus tricuspid valve replacement with implantation of mechanical prosthetic heart valves. An antibody screening test (AST) was then performed which showed an anti-Lea antibody in the room temperature incubation step. During surgery and within the following 6days, she was transfused with 3 units of cross-match compatible A, Rh-D-negative (dce/dce) RBC concentrate and 4 units of group 0, Rh-Dpositive FFP. An AST performed 10 days later detected the previous anti-Lea antibody and showed the presence of an anti-D antibody to a dilution of 1:32. No other clinical or hematological abnormalities were observed and she was discharged 17 days later with an acceptable left ventricular ejection fraction. Pretransfusion red cell compatibility testing was performed by means of AST with Biocells@ (Organon Teknika Corporation, Durham, N.C., USA) including three steps: Anti-D Immunization after Transfusion of 4 Units of Fresh Frozen Plasma


Background Despite a wide range of biological treatments (bDMARDs) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), some patients fail in different lines of treatment. Currently, there is no consensual definition of multiresistance to bDMARDs in RA. Objectives The aim of our study was to describe the characteristics of « multiresistant » patients and to establish associated factors with multiresistance to bDMARDs in RA. Methods In this observational and retrospective study were identified patients with RA admitted for administration of a bDMARD at Rouen University Hospital (France) between January 2007 and July 2017 (sources : diagnostic coding using International Classification of Diseases 10th revision and traceability of intra-hospital pharmacy). In the absence of a consensual definition, multiresistance to bDMARD was defined in this study by failure, primary and/or secondary, to at least 2 bDMARDs. The clinical and paraclinical characteristics of these patients at the initiation of the first bDMARD were collected using data from their standardized monitoring, then compared to those of patients who received a single bDMARD effective for 10 years or more, constituting the "responder" group. Results We identified 794 patients: 385 constituted our active RA file under bDMARD, 192 patients excluded for different reasons (6 patients not fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria, 18 followed in another department, 45 for missing data at bDMARD's initiation, 50 not found in computerized file, 73 for whom the expected bDMARD was never started) and 217 lost to follow-up. Among our active RA file under bDMARD (385 patients), 53 were « multiresistant » (at least 2 bDMARDs failed), and 50 patients received a single and effective bDMARD for 10 years or more, after excluding some patients for missing data (Figure 1). The mean age of « multiresistant » patients at initiation of bDMARD was 50.3 years (±13.2 years), and the sex ratio was 2.8 women/1 man. They presented erosive RA (77.4%), rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies positive (73.6%), highly active (median number of tender and swollen joints 8/28, median visual analog scale disease activity 70/100, median C-reactive protein (CRP) 21 mg/L, mean Disease Activity Score 28 CRP mean 5.36±1.28), and with high functional impact (Health Questionnaire Median Assessment: 1,500/3). The age of disease onset was significantly later in « multiresistant » patients than in « responder » patients (43±14.2 years versus 37.9±10.7 years, p = 0.042). No demographic, anamnestic, clinical and paraclinical characteristics differed significantly between « multiresistant » and « responder » patients. Conclusion It is an original work, counting in the literature as a single similar study [1], with nevertheless significant methodological differences. There is no consensual definition of multiresistance to bDMARD in RA, and its mechanisms remain misunderstood. Identifying predictive factors would make it possible to early identified patients with a refractory profile, in order to adapt the therapeutic strategy. Multidrug resistance in RA remains one of the challenges in the management of this pathology. Reference [1] Kearsley-Fleet L, Davies R, De Cock D, Watson KD, Lunt M, Buch MH, et al. Biologic refractory disease in rheumatoid arthritis: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Ann Rheum DisEpub ahead of print : 8 July 2018 Disclosure of Interests None declared


The aim of this research is to create good sound environments in rooms of ordinary buildings (schools, dwellings, offices, hospitals) for people with hearing deficits. If the deterioration of hearing with age is considered, this group of people may represent a majority rather than a minority of the population. From the many evaluation criteria of natural sounds, both stationary and nonstationary and in room environments, used by subjects, the authors have identified independent ones. These criteria may be named attributes and primarily define the ''quality'' of the sound‐perception space in rooms. New experiments involving perceptual evaluation of sound and environments by 40 randomly chosen subjects and the use of multidimensional data analysis confirm in part our earlier results regarding the particular evaluation criteria applied [Furmann et al., J. Acoust. 4, 535–551 (1991)]. According to Stevens' argument, it seems that the relationship between the values of the evaluation scale and the perceptions a...


The story of seeds, in a nutshell, is a tale of evolution. From the tiny sesame that we sprinkle on our bagels to the forty-five-pound double coconut borne by the coco de mer tree, seeds are a perpetual reminder of the complexity and diversity of life on earth. With An Orchard Invisible, Jonathan Silvertown presents the oft-ignored seed with the natural history it deserves, one nearly as varied and surprising as the earth's flora itself.


An experiment was conducted to determine which of several candidate user interfaces for panning is most usable and intuitive: panning by pushing the background, panning by pushing the view/window, and panning by touching the side of die display screen. Twelve subjects participated in the experiment, which consisted of three parts: 1) subjects were asked to suggest panning user interfaces that seemed natural to them, 2) subjects each used three different paiming user interfaces to perform a structured panning task, with experimenters recording their performance, and 3) subjects were asked which of the three panning mediods they preferred. One panning method, panning by pushing the background, emerged as superior in performance and user preference, and slightly better in intuitiveness than panning by touching the side of the screen. Panning by p u s ^g the view/window fared poorly relative to the ot^rs on all measures.


Objective To explore the life quality and partial recurrence rate of patients after TME treatment of middle-low set rectal cancer.Methods Equally divided 102 middle-low set rectal cancer patients of the corre-sponding period into two groups:TME group and non-TME group.TME group adopts TME operation,while non-TME group adopts traditional operation.Both operations were assisted by a celioscope.The post-operational com-plication and recurrence rates of the two groups were recorded.Results There was no statistical difference in the general situation and time for operation in two groups.There was one patient having sexual dysfunction,two patients having partial recurrence in TME group after the operation,while there were five patients having sexual dysfunction,ten patients having partial recurrence in non-TME group after the operation,and there was significant difference between two groups(P0.05).Conclusion TME can greatly reduce partial recurrence rate in the treatment of middle-low set rectal cancer,with no chance of complication increasing.


An attempt has been made to investigate the behavior of a magnetic fluid based squeeze film between two curved rough circular plates where in, the curved upper plate lying along the surface determined by an exponential function approaches the stationary curved lower plate along the surface generated by a hyperbolic function. A magnetic fluid is used as a lubricant in the presence of an external magnetic field oblique to the radial axis. The roughness of the bearing surface is characterized by a stochastic random variable with nonzero mean, variance and skewness. The Reynolds equation governing the film pressure is averaged with respect to the random roughness parameter. The associated non-dimensional differential equation is solved with suitable boundary conditions in dimensionless form, in order to obtain the pressure distribution. This is then used to derive the expression for the load carrying capacity thereby, leading to the way for the calculation of response time. The results are presented graphically as well as in tabular form. The results establish that the performance of the bearing system improves significantly as compared to that of a bearing system working with a conventional lubricant. It is seen that the pressure, the load carrying capacity and the response time substantially increase with increasing magnetization parameter. This investigation tends to suggest that albeit the bearing suffers in general due to transverse surface roughness, there exist some scopes for obtaining better performance in the case of negatively skewed roughness, by suitably choosing the curvature parameters of both the plates. In addition, variance (-ve) adds to the positive effect introduced by negatively skewed roughness.


Carbaryl was very effective against head lice when used as a 0·5%, lotion or a 0·5%, shampoo at a dose of 50 mg active ingredient per head. Unexpectedly good ovicidal and residual effects were found, especially when carbaryl was employed as a lotion. These effects equalled those of malathion and exceeded those of gamma‐benzene hexachloride (HCH or Lindane), bioresmethrin and chlorphenamidine. The ovicidal effect was also demonstrated in the laboratory, but shown to be highly thermo‐labile. It was also shown that the only known form of malathion resistance in any of the human lice does not extend to carbaryl.


The technology of augmented reality is often confused with virtual reality and differs fundamentally. While augmented reality complements the real environment with virtual elements, virtual reality completely replaces this environment. Complicating the currently used technological process due to incorrectly or "violently" augmented reality can result in a primary prolongation or overpricing of the process, and secondarily also a reduction in the safety of employees performing the technological procedure operations in the track. The analysis of technological procedures in transport and logistics with the aim of innovating established procedures is an ongoing process not only in the present. Innovation can result in lower operating costs, increased transport speeds and adaptation to the needs of customers so that the rail sector remains competitive compared to other modes of transport. With the development of information technology in recent decades, new and new opportunities for innovative practices are gaining ground, while innovation itself is not proceeding as fast as development allows. This is for various reasons, whether in terms of operational safety or the relevance of technological progress to rail transport issues. The aim of this paper is to assess the possibilities of implementing technology of augmented reality in terms of procedures for processing sets of wagons in freight transport based on the analysis of technological procedures in rail freight transport at the Žilina - Teplička marshalling yard and characteristics of augmented reality. The implementation options are assessed on the basis of their feasibility separately in the case of the carrier, separately in the case of the infrastructure manager and finally in the simultaneous implementation in both entities. The implementation of augmented reality is always rational, which means that it must always represent a simplification, acceleration or reduction of costs in the usual technological procedures.


Objective To study of pirarubicin hydrochloride and mitomycin alternate intravesical instillation of intervention on quality of life and recurrence after operation of cystitis glandularis.Methods After operation,60 cases of cystitis glandularis patients were randomly divided into the observation group and control group.The control group : using intravesical instillation of pirarubicin hydrochloride.The observation group: using pirarubicin hydrochloride and MMC alternate irrigation of bladder.Results Comparison of efficacy between the observation group and the control group,the difference was not statistically significant(P 0.05).After treatment,the physical function and psychological function in two aspects of the observation group less than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05).During treatment,the total rate of adverse reactions was 16.67% lower than 40% in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05).Conclusion Prevention of glandular cystitis recurred after operation curative effect is reliable,pirarubicin hydrochloride and mitomycin alternate bladder perfusion,the quality of life of patients with higher,and adverse reaction is light,better safety.


Studies in which the rate of local cerebral blood flow is determined by xenon-enhanced computerized tomography require measurement of end-tidal gas. A mass spectrometer and a thermoconductivity detector were compared in measuring the concentration of xenon in end-tidal gas both in humans and in a clinically simulated ("breathing bag") system. The experiments showed that the two instruments provided virtually identical results up to a rate of 18 breaths/min, at which rate recorded concentrations showed marginal degradation with the thermoconductivity detector. Given the absence of a significant difference in the ability of the mass spectrometer and the thermoconductivity detector to measure end-tidal xenon concentration, the thermoconductivity detector appears to be a satisfactory alternative in studies measuring the rate of local cerebral blood flow by enhanced computerized tomography.


Objective To predict the needed amount of community nurses,discover the personnel placement problems in the community health service institutions,and put forward suggestions for improvement.Methods All the 8 community nurses of all the 8 community health service teams in a community health service center in Beijing were selected as the subjects.Such methods in job analysis as field inspection,self recording,and interview analysis were applied in combination with statistical analysis to determine the quantitative work items,one-year workload,work time,and work saturation,then one-year working time was calculated.The improved formula of health manpower demand was used to predict the needed amount of community nurses.Results This community health service center should be staffed with 18 community nurses,and now there are 8.The personnel demand index is 0.44.Conclusion The amount of community nurses is not enough in the community health service center,and the community nurses allocation is imbalanced in four of the community health service stations.It is necessary to supplement the gap of community nurses,and carry out the on-the-job training for improving the service ability so as to relieve the pressure due to quantitative shortage of personnel to a certain degree.


The proposal of this work is to detect the existence of patterns of interactive sequential discursive behavior in three single woman Mexican adults from prospective analysis of the interview between them and the interviewer. The methodology used was observational. It was developed iteratively and thorough, a category system as an instrument of observation, and then it was underwent a recategorization process. The number of sessions observed were 3, of 3 hours duration each one. Intersessional sequential analysis was used through the SDIS-GSEQ software. Thus we first, in probability of occurrence, are the categories of Worry and Self determination, the next significant Uncomprehending, and Heterosatisfaction; followed in sequential occurrence order by: Myself, Hetero realization, Paradox, and Auto realization. Last in sequential inhibitory occurrence are: For others, and Incomprehending. Finally, the categories that are inhibitory occurrence probabilistically negative are: My self, self-understanding. Finding that these women are learning to live for themselves within a process of emancipation from their families and social structures.


A. dubius is the only natural polyploid reported so far in the genus Amaranthus and meiosis in its polyhaploid would throw light on the nature of its polyploidy. There are on an average about 2–24II+27.521 accompanied by total sterility. The lack of pairing in the polyhaploid is in total contrast to the formation of bivalents in the interspecific hybrids in the Sect. Amaranthus to which this species belongss Whether the predominant asynapsis seen in the polyhaploid reflects the situation of the original hybrid that gave rise to A. dubius, or has arisen subsequent to the origin by progressive differentiation and divergence of the 2 genomes or by fixation of mutations for multivalent suppression enabling strict preferential pairing is not known.


SUMMARY In this paper, we present the work related to the application of a visual odometry approach to estimate the location of mobile robots operating in off-road conditions. The visual odometry approach is based on template matching, which deals with estimating the robot displacement through a matching process between two consecutive images. Standard visual odometry has been improved using visual compass method for orientation estimation. For this purpose, two consumer-grade monocular cameras have been employed. One camera is pointing at the ground under the robot, and the other is looking at the surrounding environment. Comparisons with popular localization approaches, through physical experiments in off-road conditions, have shown the satisfactory behavior of the proposed strategy.


It is generated in the growth furnace of a multi-lane, a method for reducing the range of the resistivity of the semiconductor crystalline sheet. Furnace for growing crystalline sheets, the material introduction region is provided to include a crucible with a crystal growth region including a plurality of crystal sheet grown lane. Crucible, a material introduction region, is configured to produce the most distant substantially unidirectional flow of material towards the crystal sheet grown lane material introduction region. Silicon doped with both the above trace amounts p- type dopant and the n- type dopant is introduced into the material introduction zone. Doped silicon, to form a molten substance called melt in the crucible. Crystalline sheet is formed from the melt at each generation lane crystal formation region. Co-doping of the silicon raw material can reduce the variation in resistivity between the crystalline sheet formed in each lane.


The theory of the functional of the density ( DFT) is a reformulation of the quantum problem in N body where the energy of the fundamental state is expressed under the shape of a function(office) of the electronic density. In the approach of Kohn-Sham of the DFT, only the said energy of exchange-correlation describing the not classic part(party) of the interaction electron-electron requires to be approached as a functional of the density. Within the framework of the thesis(theory) we are interested in an approximation to improve the precision and which consists in combining(organizing) in a rigorous way an approximation of type(chap) " functional of the density " with an explicit calculation of type(chap) " function(office) of wave " by means of a decomposition of the interaction electron-electron coulombienne. The objective is to have methods.


In the past thirty years developed countries worldwide have witnessed considerable economic growth. Whilst income inequality gradually decreased over much of the 1970s, the trend reversed in the 1980s to the extent that by 2001 over five million people in the UK were reported to be living in absolute poverty (BBC, 2001). More recently, Save the Children (2008) reported that: ''1.4 million children in the UK live in severe poverty, in families living on an average of £7,000 a year after housing costs''. In real terms this equates to an income of £19 per day to cover electricity and gas, phones, other bills, food, clothes, washing, transport, health needs and other essential items. Evidence from the United States indicates a similar pattern of growing income inequality, with the number of people claiming food stamps predicted to increase from 26.7 million in 2007 to 28 million in October 2008 (Usborne, 2008). Consequently, a growing number of families, particularly single-parent families, find themselves with incomes on or below the poverty line. The impact of poverty is pervasive and insidious, exerting a negative effect on all aspects of family life, including access to: higher-level education, employment opportunities, quality health care, service provision, economic support and support with child care. These issues, amongst others, form the foci of this edition. Drawing on a wide range of pertinent literatures, the authors explore issues central to the health, education and well-being of families. A central theme of these papers is the need for closer inter-agency collaboration. Several of the papers address the changing role of key service providers to determine how their changing roles are understood and affect service users. The first paper begins by reporting evidence from a survey of 81 parents and 183 children between 0 and 17 years of age living on a housing estate in Dublin, and seeks to provide a representative picture of the needs and service-use of children and families in that area. It describes the situation of the children and their families quantitatively in terms of their living situation, family and social relationships, social and anti-social behaviour, physical and psychological health and education and employment. Adopting a normative or expert-defined measure of need using social survey techniques, the authors, Axford and Whear, report that less than 40% of the


Attitude and heading are the important parameters in unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV).The hardware and software design of the attitude and heading reference system(AHRS) based on S3C44B0X microprocessor is analyzed.It emphasizes to introduce the realization procedure of this system based on μC/OS-II real-time operating system(R-TOS).A performance test is performed.Test results show that the angle accuracy of the AHRS is ±0.5°for tilt and ±1°for heading,which satisfy the requirement to attitude and heading measurement for UAV flight control.


An all-solid-state battery system comprising an all-solid-state battery comprising a positive electrode active material layer 2, a solid electrolyte layer 3, and a negative electrode active material layer 4, and a control device configured to control a charge-discharge voltage during use of the all-solid-state battery. The negative electrode active material layer includes alloy negative electrode active material particles. The amorphization degree of the alloy negative electrode active material particles is in the range of 27.8% to 82.8% and a ratio Z/W is in the range of 0.32 to 0.60, where Z is a controlled discharge capacity of the all-solid-state battery, and W is a theoretical capacity of the alloy negative electrode active material particles*a total weight of the alloy negative electrode active material particles*the amorphization degree. The method comprises laminating the positive electrode active material layer, the solid electrolyte layer, and the negative electrode active material layer including the alloy negative electrode active material particles, and performing initial charging of the all-solid-state battery to an initial charge voltage that is higher than the charge-discharge voltage.


Although there remains a difference between the disciplines of comparative literature (literature from multiple languages) and national-language literatures, the fact is that instructors for national language courses (such as English literature) often need to use material translated from other languages on their syllabi. I find myself with several questions about this problem, some of which I had before, and some of which I had after beginning this literature review. If this is an "English" department, why teach works that are not originally in English? Can students actually learn something meaningful— something worth their money—from an at-a-remove text?1 Finally, what if I, as an instructor, do not know the original language? To put if more succinctly, are texts-intranslation necessary, and if so, how can their benefits be maximized? These are questions also addressed by a series of articles in the latest issue of Profession, the Modern Language Association's journal dedicated to the business of teaching and researching language and literature. Profession carries significant influence, as the Association sends it out to all of its members, and it often features articles written by famous scholars. For this reason, I have chosen to focus on it instead of other worthy scholarship on the topic, such as the book Literature in Translation, edited by Carol Maier and Francoise Massardier-Kenney. The latest issue of Profession has a section themed "The Tasks of Translation in the Global Context." There is a variety of opinions in these articles, though there is a general consensus in favour of using translations in syllabi for various reasons. I agree with this consensus, and after reading these and other works of scholarship on the topic, I am prepared to give my own reason: works in translation, regardless of whether or not they have value in and of themselves, offer crucial historical background for English literature, and no doubt literature from other language traditions.


This research aims to tested the Discovery Learning model is more effective than Inquiry Learning model seen from critical thinking skills of mathematic for students grade 5. This research used the Quasi experimental design. The sample of research is 24 students grade 5 at Sidorejo Lor 03 elementary school as experimenta class and 24 students at Sidorejo Lor 02 as control class. The variable of the research is Discovery learning and Inquiry Learning as X variabel and critical thinking as Y variable. The techique data analysis used normality datatest, homogenity test, t-test, and hypothesis test. The result of t-test score is sig (2-tailed) 0,003 ˂ 0,005 and the conclusion that Ho is refused and Ha is accepted, so the implementating of Discovery learning model is better than Inquiry Learning model seen from critical thinking skills of mathematic grade 5 of students elemtary school, difference in effectiveness model for critical thinking skills supported with the result of post test both of the classes is 81 experimental class and 72 control class.


We performed simultaneous observations at 326.5 MHz with the Ooty Radio Telescope and at 326, 610 and 1308 MHz with the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope for a sample of 12 pulsars, where frequency dependent single pulse behaviour was reported. The single pulse sequences were analysed with fluctuation analysis, sensitive to both the average fluctuation properties (using longitude resolved fluctuation spectrum and two-dimensional fluctuation spectrum) as well as temporal changes in these (using sliding two-dimensional fluctuation spectrum ) to establish concurrent changes in subpulse drifting over the multiple frequencies employed. We report subpulse drifting in PSR J0934$-$5249 for the first time. We also report pulse nulling measurements in PSRs J0934$-$5249, B1508+55, J1822$-$2256, B1845$-$19 and J1901$-$0906 for the first time. Our measurements of subpulse drifting and pulse nulling for the rest of the pulsars are consistent with previously reported values. Contrary to previous belief, we find no evidence for a frequency dependent drift pattern in PSR B2016+28 implied by non-simultaneous observations by Oster et al. (1977). In PSRs B1237+25, J1822$-$2256, J1901$-$0906 and B2045$-$16, our longer and more sensitive observations reveal multiple drift rates with distinct P3. We increase the sample of pulsars showing concurrent nulling across multiple frequencies by more than 100 percent, adding 4 more pulsars to this sample. Our results confirm and further strengthen the understanding that the subpulse drifting and pulse nulling are broadband consistent with previous studies (Gajjar et al. 2014a; Rankin 1986; Weltevrede et al. 2007) and are closely tied to physics of polar gap.


THE COMPOSITE NETWORK IS DEFINED AS ALL COMBINATIONS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE LINKS SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE EXISTING ARTERIAL NETWORK OF A REGION WITH ACCESS POINTS PROVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO LAYERS OF NETWORKS. COMPOSITE NETWORKS REQUIRE LESS DETAIL IN CODING LINK NODES AND ALLOW THE NET- WORK CONFIGURATIONS TO BE CHANGED WITHOUT INTRUDUCING ERRORS INTO THE PROCESS. AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF NETWORK CONFIGURATIONS IS PROVIDED, EACH CONFIGURATION OF WHICH CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR TRAFFIC ASSIGNMENT WITHIN A TWO TO FOUR HOUR PERIOD. COMPOSITE NETWORKS ALSO TAKE MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE OF ABBREVIATED CODING TECHNIQUES AND ELIMINATE MUCH OF THE POSTING TIME REQUIRED IN PREPARING CODING MAPS FOR A NORMAL NETWORK CODING OPERATION.


To the Editor.— In our article, "Thrombophlebitis With Diazepam Used Intravenously" (223:184, 1973), we alluded to preliminary results of a controlled study using various flush media. The flush material was used in a double-blind manner except for the volume given. The results in 1,089 patients are shown in the Table. All cases not indicative of thrombophlebitis with a segment of 2 cm or more were included. The majority were of minor impact, but some were protracted and involved long vein segments. There was no statistical difference between the additives. As can be seen, volumes of 150 to 250 ml of saline were beneficial. Amnesia and rapidity of action are the prime advantages of diazepam by intravenous rather than intramuscular routes for endoscopy. In our endoscopy clinic during the past seven years, protracted long-segment phlebitis remains the only major complication of fiberoptic endoscopy. We still think diazepam is a premedication of


Tirathaba mundella Wlk. (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) was recorded as a serious pest on the inflorescence of arecanut palms in different parts of India by Appanna (1959), Anonymous (1962, 1965) and Nair (1963). Quite often this pest assumed serious proportions and as no information was available on the biology of the insect it was worked out at the Regional Arecanut Research Station, Palode, Kerala, the results of which are presented here.


In order to perform useful tasks, robots must have the ability to notice, recognize, and respond to objects in their environment. This requires the acquisition and synthesis of information from a variety of sensors. Here we focus on acoustic echolocation measurements of approaching vehicles, where an acoustic parametric array propagates an audible signal to the oncoming target and the reflected backscattered signal is recorded using the Microsoft Kinect microphone array. Although useful information about the target is hidden inside the noisy time domain measurements, the Dynamic Wavelet Fingerprint process (DWFP) is used to create a time-frequency representation of the data. Intelligent feature selection allows the creation of a small-dimensional feature vector that best differentiates between vehicle types for use in statistical pattern classification routines. Using experimentally measured data from real vehicles at 50 m, this process is able to correctly classify vehicles into one of five known classes with 94% accuracy. Fully three-dimensional simulations allow us to study the nonlinear beam propagation and interaction with real-world targets to improve classification results.In order to perform useful tasks, robots must have the ability to notice, recognize, and respond to objects in their environment. This requires the acquisition and synthesis of information from a variety of sensors. Here we focus on acoustic echolocation measurements of approaching vehicles, where an acoustic parametric array propagates an audible signal to the oncoming target and the reflected backscattered signal is recorded using the Microsoft Kinect microphone array. Although useful information about the target is hidden inside the noisy time domain measurements, the Dynamic Wavelet Fingerprint process (DWFP) is used to create a time-frequency representation of the data. Intelligent feature selection allows the creation of a small-dimensional feature vector that best differentiates between vehicle types for use in statistical pattern classification routines. Using experimentally measured data from real vehicles at 50 m, this process is able to correctly classify vehicles into one of five known classes...


We report on a numerical investigation of melt convection in a model of a Czochralski process. The study is related to an actual growth experiment carried out on BGO crystals. The analysis focuses on the time-dependent disturbances that arise in the melt and on their control by crystal rotation. These unsteady motions are found to be important because they result in inhomogeneities in the crystal composition. The results emphasize the strong correlation that exists between the occurrence of striations in a grown Bi 12 GeO 20 crystal, and the computed time-dependent bulk flow at specific melt heights that corrrespond to the beginning of the growth process. The effect of varying the rotation Reynolds number on the flow and on the temperature distribution in the melt is explored over a range of rotation rates.


This paper presents an electrical drive designed for an electrical active suspension system with motor, pump wheel and power electronics integrated in the same housing, sharing the same cooling method. The proposed drive is designed for the new 48V automotive standard for auxiliary drives having a maximum load of 2.5kW. The necessary mechanical and electrical requirements for the complete drive are documented. Design guidelines are presented for the integrated power electronics and motor drive and verified through experimental results. Thermal simulations are conducted to support the thermal design of the system.


This article describes the bias and discrimination that play a role in the lives of people viewed as different based on color, ethnicity, gender, language, appearance, age, religion, sexual orientation, or country of origin. Bias and discrimination play a major role in the difficulties faced by unserved and underserved populations such as migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and others across the globe.


Purpose - to investigate the clinical-instrumental, cytological and inflammatory characteristics of the disease in children with bronchial asthma, taking into account the content of the remodeling marker matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the sputum to optimize the timely detection of structural remodeling of the bronchi. Materials and methods. A cohort of 99 children with BA was examined by the method of random sampling in the conditions of the Pulmonary Allergology Department of the RMCE CRCCH. All children underwent a complex clinical and paraclinical examination with the determination of the cytological composition of sputum, the determination of bronchial hyperreactivity and their hypersensitivity in a sample with serial dilution of histamine, the study of the concentration of metabolites of nitrogen monoxide in peripheral blood and condensate of pulmonary expiratory air. Two clinical groups were formed. The Group I included 55 patients in whom the content of MMP-9 in the sputum supernatant did not reach the level of 5.4 ng/ml, and the II group was formed by 44 patients with MMP-9 content ≥5.4 ng/ml. The main clinical characteristics of the observation groups were comparable. Results. It was established that the risk of a clinically more severe exacerbation of the disease is twice as high in children with an increased content of MMP-9 in the sputum (relative risk - 1.4, odds ratio - 2.0) with the preservation of this trend during 5 days of inpatient treatment. The work also shows that in patients with an increased content of MMP-9 in sputum, the concentration of FeNO more than 22.0 μmol/l occurs twice as often as in the first clinical group (pφ<0.05). This finding reflects the association of the processes of allergic inflammation of the respiratory tract and their remodeling. The results of the PC20H bronchoprovocation test indicate statistically significantly lower levels of the provocation dose and provocation concentration of histamine, which corresponds to significant bronchial hypersensitivity, the chances of which increase against the background of the accumulation of MMP-9 in sputum: 27.7 times for PC20H (FEV1) <3.7mg/ml and 48.8 times for PD20H (FEV1) <0.8mg. Conclusions. An increase in the content of MMP-9 in the supernatant fluid of sputum was associated with a more severe course of exacerbations of bronchial asthma in children, an increase in the content of metabolites of nitrogen monoxide in the blood and lung expiratory air, more pronounced signs of bronchial hypersensitivity. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.


This study is to analyze and discuss the influence of customer trust and corporate image on customer satisfaction in the Big Royal Branch Gresik. This study using 105 samples, the sampling method is nonprobability sampling and purposive sampling technique. The data collection is done by distributing questionnaires and the data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis using SPSS 16. This study shows that customer trust and corporate image significantly influence consumer satisfaction in Big Royal Branch Gresik.  Keywords: customer trust, corporate image, customer satisfaction.


Abstract Lake Tuz, the largest hypersaline lake in Turkey, has a great variety of microbial communities that adapted to its extreme environment and produce many industrially important compounds such as photosensitive bacteriorhodopsins. So far, the information about the bacteriorhodopsin-producing haloarchaea species of the lake is still limited. In the present study, archaeal bacteriorhodopsin producers were isolated from three locations of the lake. Their bacteriorhodopsin-producing capability was validated by the purification and SDS-PAGE analysis of the delipidated bacteriorhodopsin molecule. The active isolates were identified by the sequencing of partial 16S rDNA gene regions. According to the results, 11 bacteriorhodopsin-producing isolates grouped in Halobacterium salinarum (4), Halobacterium sp. (3), Haloarcula salaria (2), Haloarcula sp. (1) and Halorubrum sp. (1). Our research demonstrated that Lake Tuz is an important natural source of bacteriorhodopsin-producing haloarchaea and the isolates can be valuable for the related technological applications.


Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are hypothesised to play a critical part and serve as a crucial source of income and employment creation in many economies. SMEs contribute about 12% of the Namibian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide employment or income to about 160 000 Namibian citizens. Namibia has witnessed remarkable growth in the number of SMEs in recent decades, with over 28 000 formally registered SMEs. However, most SMEs in Namibia experience difficulties, some of which may threaten their existence. Numerous external and internal factors impact business performance: failure to develop strategic plans, lack of finance, poor financial management, and lack of suitable management skills. The literature argues that financial performance challenges faced by SMEs can be mitigated with a clear and well-articulated strategic plan. This study set out to investigate the effect of strategic planning on the financial performance of SMEs. The results confirm that strategic planning has a positive effect on the financial performance of SMEs. However, many SMEs indicated that they had never done strategic planning. The study also found that Issue-based strategic planning is a commonly used strategic planning model. Policy implications indicate that although strategic planning is found to enhance SMEs' financial performance, the majority of them lack an optimal mix of strategic planning elements. The study recommends using strategic planning to set clear financial performance targets and for relevant stakeholders to introduce policies that help equip SME owners/managers with the optimal mix of business management skills.


The time and zonally averaged momentum and thermodynamic equations on a spherical earth are combined to formulate an equation for the mean meridional circulation based on the quasi-static assumption discussed in Eliassen (Astrophys. Nor. 1951, 19–60). The forcing terms and coefficients in the equation are taken from previously published zonally and seasonally averaged data, which include the net radiative heating, condensation heating, boundary layer friction and sensible heating, tropical cumulus friction, the mean zonal wind and large-scale eddy transports of momentum and heat in winter. The computed meridional circulation in the Northern Hemisphere compares well to the observations with a three-cell structure of Hadley, Ferrel and polar circulations. To estimate the relative importance in maintaining the meridional circulation a series of solutions is computed by removing one of the individual sources at a time and the solutions are compared to the standard solution. It is found that the Hadley cell maintains the intensity level at only one-third of the standard solution if the condensation heating is absent. Although there is virtually no source in the tropics due to eddy momentum and heat transports, the mid-latitude eddy transport affects the Hadley circulation significantly, suggesting that the cooling due to eddy heat transport in the subtropics is an important component balancing the adiabatic heating in the downward branch of the Hadley cell. The individual effects of radiation, surface sensible heating and surface friction are all comparable, but the contributions in the balance of meridional circulation is, on the global average, not more than one-third of the condensation and resultant eddy effect, although the effects are different for the individual Hadley, Ferrel and polar circulations. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1981.tb01756.x


This article analyses the ethnic and linguistic world vision of the peoples of Russia with the aim of revealing the most representative mythologemes connected with swamps and defining their meaning and place in the cultural landscape. Swamps are dangerous areas for humans and, at the same time, they are also a source of food and biological diversity. In the boreal and circumpolar areas, swamps are seen as a separate world that has been perceived as a chaos that exists beyond the control of human beings. The range of meanings of the swamp manifests itself in the archaic pagan world picture as a primordial space. Swamps can be seen as chthonic or liminal spaces on the threshold of the 'upper' and 'lower' worlds, providing connection between them. In the Christian – and partly in the Muslim – world pictures, the swamp is infernal space where the deities of the ancient world live disguised as devils. The city dwellers who travel to the countryside to pick berries and mushrooms or to go hunting reveal an archaic tendency to depersonalise swamp spirits and other natural forces by avoiding names and precise definitions.


In view of the trend of development in China's economy and society, a humanist and scientific outlook of the development of higher education should be adopted regarding an overall coordination of quality, quantity, structure and efficiency, the essence of which includes a well coordinated relationship between quality and quantity, preventing from a deterioration in quality, a well framed layer structure, preventing from a devaluation in academic degrees, a well laid out areas of learning and school campus, preventing from a waste of resources, a well distributed rights and responsibilities among the university, the school and the department, preventing from the emergence of "mini workshops", and a scientific and well designed outlook of development of higher education.


In the framework of the experiment platform LEnsE (Laboratoire d'Enseignement Expérimental) of the Institut d'Optique Graduate School in Palaiseau, we present a new lab work dedicated to Master-‐II-‐level students. This lab work is integrated in the formation in the field of ultrashort-‐pulse lasers and its objective is to train students to this specific technology. The varied topics include generation, measurement and basic control of ultrashort pulses. Key concepts are studied, such as the time-‐frequency duality, nonlinear effects, the group velocity dispersion (GVD) and more generally managing spectral and temporal phase. The lab work is based on a totally accessible Ti:sapphire laser (Mira 800 from Coherent). It is used to understand crucial concepts in the generation process such as GVD and self-‐phase-‐modulation in the solitonic regime and Kerr lens mode-‐locking. Because the pulse measurement is a crucial issue to address in ultrafast optics, the lab work also studies different apparatus commonly used to fully characterize fs pulse train: photodiode, spectrometer, and more specifically second-‐order autocorrelator. The autocorrelation concept is detailed using a homemade accessible apparatus. For a simple manipulation of femtosecond pulses, we propose to realize a spectral-‐phase control with high-‐dispersive glass to temporally stretch the pulses. GTI mirrors then re-‐compress them. The three pillars generation-‐measurement-‐control will be described with a practical approach at the conference.


In the theory of optimal inventory control, a class of com plex Laplace transforms arises for which the theoretist needs to know the form and shape of the time domain equivalents. Several methods have been used to obtain these time domain equivalents. In this paper simulation by analog computer has been used, and a low-order approximation of higher-order transfer functions has been simulated. The accuracy of this low-order approximation has been de termined by use of time domain plots.


The architectural distorted regions in mammogram images are detected and segmented using computer aided hybrid classification approach in this paper. The main importance of this research work is to provide a computer aided methodology for screening the distorted regions in mammogram
 images. In present approach, the classification accuracy of the conventional methods is not suitable for further diagnosis process such as malignant and benign. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to develop an efficient architectural region detection method using soft computing method
 with high classification accuracy for further diagnosis purpose. This proposed method has two stages of the proposed flow as architectural distorted detected mammogram image and segmentation of architectural distorted regions in mammogram images. The first stage of this proposed method uses
 Random Forest (RF) classification method which classifies the source mammogram image into either normal or abnormal. In second stage of the proposed method, the abnormal image is further classified into either Benign or Malignant using Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) classification
 approach. The proposed methodology for architectural distorted region detection is tested on the publicly available mammogram datasets Mammographic Image Analysis Society (MIAS) and Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) respectively. In this paper, the mammogram images from MIAS
 dataset are grouped into normal case (156 images), benign case (122 images) and malignant case (98 images). The mammogram images from DDSM dataset are grouped into normal case (144 images), benign case (112 images) and malignant case (145 images). The overall average detection rate of the
 proposed system on the mammogram images in MIAS dataset is about 98.7%. The overall average detection rate of the proposed system on the mammogram images in DDSM dataset is about 98.3%. The extensive simulations are carried out on the mammogram images which are obtained from these dataset
 and the results are compared with stated of art methods.


We consider a body in a parallel flow of non-interacting particles. The interaction of particles with the body is perfectly elastic. We introduce the notions of a body of zero resistance, a body that leaves no trace, and an invisible body, and prove that all such bodies do exist.


Objective
To investigate the anatomy characteristics of saphenous artery(SA) and its perforator vessels in mini pig, and to provide a new perforator flap animal model.

Methods
Between May, 2018 and August, 2018, 6 7-months-old mini pigs weight 25 kilograms were sacrificed by blooding under general anesthesia. The bilateral external iliac arteries were injected with a mixture of latex-lead oxide mixture and underwent CT-scanning to provide 3-dimensional reconstruction. The origin, diameter, courses and distribution of the SA and perforators of both hind limbs were observed.

Results
One of the hind limbs was abandoned due to the leakage of perfusion fluid. The other 11 hind limbs were available. The femoral artery passed through the medial femoral muscle and sartorius muscle in the middle of thigh, and run between the medial femoral muscle and gracilis muscle above the knee. Below the knee, it run on the surface of the medial leg muscles. A number of small branches were distributed in the tarsal joint and calcaneus at the medial malleolus, and there were abundant communicating branches with the posterior tibial artery. The average length of SA was (14.86±0.76) mm. The outer diameters of SA at initiative, medial tibial condyle and medial malleolus were(1.73±0.15) mm, (1.50±0.12) mm and (1.30±0.13) mm, respectively. There were a total of 79 perforators which were identified, with a mean of (7.09±1.16) perforators per hind limbs. And the average outer diameter was 0.10-0.78 (0.40±0.13) mm.

Conclusion
The SA constantly exist with good outer diameter. The number of perforator is abundant. SA can be used as a reliable animal model for studying and training of perforator flap.

Key words:
Saphenous artery; Perforator flap; Mini pig; Animal model


Several authors have investigated the problem under which assumptions a convex subset of a topological linear space can be embedded into a locally convex linear space. Jamison with O'Brien and Taylor in [7], Lawson in [14] and Roberts in [21] have only considered the case of compact convex sets. Semadeni in [23], [24] proves the existence of a universal compactification of a bounded convex subset of a Hausdorff locally convex linear space, which he calls the "affine compactificationÔ. The method he uses can be applied to the far more general case of any convex subset of a topological linear space, as is shown in the following.


The first version of this document was published in 2000. At that stage, although the IUCN-WCPA Management Effectiveness Evaluation Framework had been developed over several years, it had only been field tested in a few countries. The whole concept of assessing management effectiveness of protected areas was still in its infancy. The need for methodologies to assess protected areas had been discussed by protected area practitioners for several years, but only a handful of systems had been field-tested and implemented, and there was little commitment to management effectiveness beyond a few enlightened individuals in nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and parks agencies. There was also, in consequence, little evidence of the suitability of particular methodologies to meet the needs of the vast array of different types of protected area, and little experience in implementing the findings of assessments to achieve the aim of the whole exercise: more effective conservation. Six years later, the situation is very different. Management effectiveness evaluation is a term now well recognised in the lexicon of protected area management. Many different assessment methodologies have emerged, most of them developed using the Framework agreed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), and the number of individual protected areas that have undergone some form of evaluation has risen from a few hundred to many thousand.


An optimal operation method in smart‐energy houses with photovoltaics (PV) and a storage battery was investigated in a trial production system. In this method, the inverse current of the PV output is not conveyed to the commercial electricity system as operation conditions. Instead, the excess of the consumed PV power is applied to leveling the electricity purchase by appropriately charging and discharging the storage battery. To validate the proposed system, a lithium battery (4 kWh) and PV cell (3 kW) used in average individual houses was installed in a smart‐energy house in a local city (Kitami) in Japan. Another example was introduced into a wider area (Hokkaido, Japan). Accounting for the error between the weather forecast and actual solar radiation, the trial production system reduced the range in the electricity purchase amount by 75.0%, 77.0%, and 73.0% on a representative day in January, April, and July, respectively. The accuracy of the reduction effect in the trial production system, obtained in the proposed optimization analysis, ranged from 1.9% to 7.2%. Moreover, the CO2 emissions were reduced by 1.990 kg‐CO2/(Day‐House) in January, 2.910 kg‐CO2/(Day‐House) in April, and 2.210 kg‐CO2/(Day‐House) in July.


Long-shaped rice,polished round-grained rice,sticky rice as raw material,flour was replaced by the rice flour with a certain proportion to make cake. The effect of rice types and dosages on cake qualities were evaluated by sensory evaluation ,texture ,and specific volume and so on. The correlation between rice flour physical indicators and cake qualities was established. The result showed that effects of rice types and dosages on cake sensory evaluation,texture,and specific volume were of significance. A certain correlation between rice flour physical indicators and cake qualities was observed,a significant negative correlation between cake taste and the adding amount of rice flour ( - 0 . 910 ) , while a significant positive correlation (0.811) between cake springiness and the dosages of rice flour were observed. Correlation analysis indicated that cake specific volume had a significant positive correlation with the rice moisture content (0.823) and fat content (0.764 ). The regression equation of cake sensory evaluation was :Y sensory evaluation =1.63 +0.990X cake taste + 1.646X rice adding amount -8.058X rice water content +0.136 X cake appearance -0.23 X cake special volume .


Supplements marketed as nitric oxide stimulators have recently become extremely popular among people engaged in resistance exercise training, but their efficacy has not been fully documented. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the ergogenic properties of acute L-arginine α-ketoglutarate ingestion in untrained and resistance exercise trained young females. Six untrained and 13 resistance-exercise trained young, healthy females ingested either 3,000 mg of L-arginine α-ketoglutarate or a placebo 45 minutes prior to a resistance exercise protocol in a randomized, double-blind crossover design. One repetition maximum on the chest press was obtained. Furthermore, total load volume (calculated as 60% of one repetition maximum X number of repetitions to failure) was determined. One week later, subjects ingested the other supplement, and the same exercise protocol was performed. Our data showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between untrained and resistance-exercise trained subjects for both one repetition maximum and total load volume. However, one repetition maximum, and total load volume were no statistically significant different (p > 0.05) between subjects supplemented with L-arginine α-ketoglutarate or placebo for either untrained or resistanceexercise trained females. In addition, acute L-arginine α-ketoglutarate ingestion did not result in significant differences (p < 0.05) in heart rate or blood pressure before or after exercise. In conclusion, the results from our study indicate that acute ingestion of a nitric oxide stimulator provides no ergogenic benefit on maximal strength or muscular endurance in females as measured by the chest press exercise, regardless of the subject's


We are investigating the use of optics to solve highly connected graphical models by probabilistic inference, and more specifically the sum-product message passing algorithm. We are examining the fundamental limit of size and power requirement according to the best multiplexing strategy we have found. For a million nodes, and an alphabet of a hundred, we found that the minimum size for the optical implementation is 10mm3, and the lowest bound for the power is 200 watts for operation at the shot noise limit. The various functions required for the algorithm to be operational are presented and potential implementations are discussed. These include a vector matrix multiplication using spectral hole burning, a logarithm carried out with two photon absorption, an exponential performed with saturable absorption, a normalization executed with an thermo-optics interferometer, and a wavelength remapping accomplished with a pump-probe amplifier.


For non‐normal Pearsonian processes, Clements proposed a method for calculating estimators of the two basic process capability indices Cp and Cpk. Pearn and Kotz applied Clements' method to obtain estimators for the other two more advanced process capability indices Cpm and Cpmk. Their considerations on those indices, however, are restricted to processes with symmetric tolerances. Recently, Pearn and Chen proposed a generalization of the index Cpk to handle cases with asymmetric tolerances. The generalization takes into account the asymmetry of the manufacturing specifications, which is shown to be superior to the other existing methods. In this paper, we apply this approach and consider a generalization of Clements' method for non‐normal Pearsonian processes where the manufacturing tolerances are asymmetric. Comparisons between the original Clements' method and the proposed generalization are provided. The results indicate that the generalization is more accurate than the original Clements' method in measuring process capability.


Weekly samples of dust collected from ground level air at Bern (47° N) have been analysed for their contents of cosmic ray produced Be 7 and P 32 during January-September 1965. The observed ratios of Be 7 /P 32 place a limit on the spring influx of stratospheric air. It is discussed that the pronounced spring maximum in Be 7 concentration in ground level air, observed by some investigators at temperate and high latitudes is, to a large part, a manifestation of other meteorological factors, e.g. better vertical mixing within the troposphere, rather than due to a large influx of air from the stratosphere. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1966.tb00228.x


Remembering Christ's words of His presence when two or three are gathered, a physician and a patient's wife join in prayer, knowing that Christ shares our wounds as much as He heals them.


Purpose – Aims to question whether political principles, for example, those of socialism or libertarianism, have lasting significance. Design/methodology/approach – Lays out a case for the stability of at least one variety of political principle, namely that of libertarianism or classical liberalism and argues that the normative version of these positions does manage to have lasting stability and significance. Findings – There is much that is true that people do not necessarily attend to – including certain principles of political life. It may well be true that everybody has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, yet many of us reject this fact. Even judges and Supreme Court justices often fail to rule in a manner consistent with these principles. Originality/value – Provides insights concerning the nature of political and ethical principles.


Introduction Despite advances in implant designs and prosthetic materials, the durability of knee prostheses is challenged by the demands of younger and more active individuals. Manufacturers and standards organizations have attempted to improve implant performance through pre-clinical testing using wear testing machines simulating normal gait. However, the pattern and severity of damage observed on retrieved implants often differs from that generated by laboratory testing using wear simulators. This suggests that either: (i) we do not appreciate the severity of the mechanical conditions imposed on knee prostheses, or (ii) that laboratory testing underestimates the loads and torques developed in vivo. In this study we use data collected from instrumented total knee prostheses to test the hypothesis that the ISO simulation of knee loading replicates the forces and moments imposed on knee prostheses during physiologic activities.


Melengestrol, a steroid with progestational activity but with a structure that does not resemble that of cortisol, suppresses plasma cortisol in humans with a potency 1/40th that of dexamethasone. The 6α‐methyl and 17α‐acetoxy substituents and the 6,7 double bond of melengestrol acetate are known to slow the metabolism of similar steroids. Insertion of a 6a‐methyl group markedly increases the glucocorticoid activity of 17α‐OR‐progesterone. The glucocorticoid activity of melengestrol is presumably attributable to the large dose administered in our study, its slow metabolism and limitations of the specificity of glucocorticoid tissue receptors.


The focus of this inquiry is the prospect of the decline of nation-states and the emergence of cyber-states as governing institutions, resulting in a technological form of government that is automated, intelligent, and with minimum human intervention. The design of this paper will define the 'what is' and the nature of a cyber-state by a posteriori reasoning, uncovering the differentiated and empirical components we can observe, globalization and computer networks, cyberwarfare and autonomous weapons systems, e-governance, e-economy and virtual currency, and the internet as a new social contract. The decline of the nation-state is not a proposition of elimination; it is a suggestion of metamorphosis. The tradition of political philosophy is to ask the question, what is an ideal regime form? The streamlined nature of technology has swiftly integrated into the human condition to such a degree, political science as a discipline has struggled to incorporate the hard sciences fast enough to catch up with the development of cyberpolitics. The discipline of economics, however, has given the best foundation for empirical integration.