We build an explicit $C^1$ isometric embedding $f_{\infty}:\mathbb{H}^2\to\mathbb{E}^3$ of the hyperbolic plane whose image is relatively compact. Its limit set is a closed curve of Hausdorff dimension 1. Given an initial embedding $f_0$, our construction generates iteratively a sequence of maps by adding at each step $k$ a layer of $N_{k}$ corrugations. To understand the behavior of $df_\infty$ we introduce a $formal$ $corrugation$ $process$ leading to a $formal$ $analogue$ $\Phi_{\infty}:\mathbb{H}^2\to \mathcal{L}(\mathbb{R}^2,\mathbb{R}^3)$. We show a self-similarity structure for $\Phi_{\infty}$. We next prove that $df_\infty$ is close to $\Phi_{\infty}$ up to a precision that depends on the sequence $N_*:= (N_{k})_k$. We then introduce the $pattern$ $maps$ $\boldsymbol{\nu}_{\infty}^\Phi$ and $\boldsymbol{\nu}_{\infty}$, of respectively $\Phi_{\infty}$ and $df_\infty$, that together with $df_0$ entirely describe the geometry of the Gauss maps associated to $\Phi_{\infty}$ and $df_\infty$. For well chosen sequences of corrugation numbers, we finally show an asymptotic convergence of $\boldsymbol{\nu}_{\infty}$ towards $\boldsymbol{\nu}_{\infty}^\Phi$ over circles of rational radii.


Jiangsu oilfiled has so complex condition under ground structure that it is considered as "the examination room of geologist". It is featured by fractural faults,severe multiple and igneous rocks,thus the technology of fine structural interpretation plays key role in progressive development of little fault block oilfield. In GJ and CB oilfield,horizons and fault in the area were accurately demarcated and interpretation,by making full use of fine technologies of interpretation and processing,offering the precision structure modle under ground. And area of oil-bearing and geology reserves continually increased.


The macromolecular chain conformation in solution changes with the solvent and temperature,which will affect the formation of crystalline structure in the subsequent crystallization process.The crystallization behavior of poly(L-lactide)(PLLA) samples prepared from the large molecule solvent poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) was studied by differential scanning calorimetric and X-ray diffraction.It shows that the sample recovered from a rather concentrated PLLA solution(10%) in PEG exhibits the higher crystallinity (73%),non-isothermal crystallization temperature and faster crystallization rate.The crystallization rate coefficients(CRC) is 0.659,which is much higher than that crystallized in small molecule solvents.It is presumed that the molar size of solvent exerts a large influence on the formation of helical conformation and thereby on the crystallization rate of PLLA in the solution.The condensation process of polymer chain in the solution has influence on the crystallization of polymer in the solie state.


A study on reproductive biology of Johnius carouna (Cuvier, 1830) in the coast of Songkhla Province was undertaken from February 2012 to April 2013. samples of 3,386 fish were collected by using 4 artisanal fishing gears (croaker gillnet, Rastrelliger gillnet, Metapenaeus affinis trammel net and Penaeus merguiensis trammel net). It was found that the relationship between total length and weight for female and both sex (male and female) were allometric growth. However, it indicated isometric growth for male. Moreover, the length-weight relationship was not significantly different (P=0.121) between male and  female Johnius carouna. The spawning season is during September and January. Fecundity ranged from 4,750-111,917 (27,693 ± 18,114).  Sex ratio was 1: 3.3.


For application as a low-cost conductive filler material, submicroscale Cu@Ag particles were fabricated at room temperature without any reductants by a multi-step addition method using an ethylene glycol-based Ag plating solution. Scanning electron microscopy images of the Ag-coated Cu particles demonstrated the formation of discrete Ag particles less than 100 nm in size as well as a thin Ag coating on Cu particles, during the early addition steps. However, as the thickness of the Ag coating increased, the small Ag particles agglomerated into Ag coatings with an increase in the number of Ag plating steps. Owing to the absence of additives such as surfactants, a comparison between the microstructural images and calculations indicated increased agglomeration between fabricated Ag-coated Cu particles with an increase in the number of Ag plating steps. However, thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry of the agglomerated Ag-coated Cu particles after the fifth addition of the Ag plating solution demonstrated their antioxidation behavior even after 70 min in air at 150°C.


To mark out the anaerobes isolated from genital tract of 45 cases gravidas who received elective cesarean sective. 33 species of 194 anaerobe ioslates were isolated from genital tract of 45 cases before delivery. 23 species of 88 anaerobe isolates were isolated after delivery. Most of them were Peptostreptococcus、 Bacteroides and Eubacterium. The numbers of anaerobes isolated in genital tract before delivery were higher significantly than that after delivery (P001). The cesarean section may change the numbers of anaerobes isolated in genital tract. It is easy to make dysbacteriosis in genital tract.


In this paper, we propose a queueing model based on an integer-valued rst-order autoregressive(INAR(1)) process. We derive the queue length distribution and its asymptotic decay rate of the proposed model. Also, our numerical study shows that the new model can be considered as an alternative approach to the well-known MMPP=D=1 queue in terms of performance and amount of computational work. c 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


The invention discloses a crane rotating hydraulic system used for mobile cranes. The system comprises a hydraulic pump, a rotary motor, a brake oil cylinder, and additionally a flow adjustable hydraulic operated directional valve, a first flow control valve, a second flow control valve, and a brake directional valve. The system adopts oil taking, oil return and bypass independent speed control circuits, i.e. with the oil taking circuit, oil return circuit and bypass oil circuit mutually independent. According to external load change, under complex load conditions, independent control of the three circuits can be realized by adjusting the opening amounts of the hydraulic operated directional valve, the first flow control valve, and the second flow control valve, so that the crane can operate more stably and the cost can be controlled within a certain scope. Therefore, the system provided in the invention has very high economic efficiency. The invention also discloses a control method for the crane rotating hydraulic system.


Despite all the corporate and political turmoil, it must be remembered that the company had been growing all the time. Put crudely, by 1983 Inmos was something worth fighting over. Apart from the two facilities at Cheyenne Mountain and Newport, there was the British Design Centre. This had been painstakingly built up during 1980 and thereafter emerged as one of the company's most important assets, although it has to be said that many of the Americans regarded it as something of a joke for a long time. In some ways, setting up a design team in the United Kingdom capable of turning out products at the leading edge of semiconductor technology was even more difficult than setting up an efficient and profitable semiconductor manufacturing facility in the United States. Attracting staff of the right calibre was a very big problem. 'It was really quite impracticable to attract the right people to work in the UK,' recalled Barron; 'bright engineers were reluctant to move to what they saw as a technology backwater and, in any case, we could not have afforded them.' Technologists in the United States felt, with considerable justification, that they were working where the technical action was, and that they would lose their edge if they went to work in Bristol. Even if they could have been dissuaded from this view, it would have cost the company around £90,000 a year, according to Barron's calculations, for the full expatriate package each would have demanded. This was just for fairly standard engineers; those with substantial track records or managerial experience would have been even more costly. Apart from the sheer expense involved in recruiting from the United States, It would have created


: Significant association of dietary fat and CVD risk factor in recently diagnosed type-2 Diabetes was observed Aim: To study the association of dietary fat and CVD risk factors in recently diagnosed type-2 Diabetes. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional study where 82 Diabetic subjects with newly diagnosed diabetes type 2, aged 20-50yrs, of both sexes and 68 Control subjects were recruited from the outpatient department of Osmania General Hospital. Patients were recruited after taking Institutes ethical committee approval and informed consent. Patients are on stable anti-diabetic medicines. Results: There is a significant association observed between diabetes status and consumption of vanaspati (dalda) and palm oil at 5% level of significance. A significant association also observed on the status of total cholesterol levels, TG level and LDL level with the diabetes. High prevalence of diabetes is observed for those who are having abnormal status of total cholesterol (>200mg/dl), TG (>150mg/dl), LDL (100mg/dl). The BMI status of the subject is not significantly associated with diabetes within three months, during this time BMI may not associated with diabetes. Empirical results showed that, subjects with chronic energy deficiency (CED) are non-diabetic (67%) and the subjects with overweight/obese are diabetic (54%) Conclusion: The intake of vanaspati (dalda) and palm oil is associated with the abnormalities of .lipid profile and HbA1C in recently diagnosed type-2 Diabetes.


This paper shows the design of a distributed predictive control, applied to a robotic chain of six modules. The dynamic model is obtained for a single module which is validated through the SimMechanics blockset of MATLAB. With the obtained model, a controller is designed using different predictive control strategies to choose the one that shows a better performance in terms of overshoot and settling time. Finally, the predictive control is distributed up to six modules, and its performance is evaluated by varying typical parameters of the predictive control such as the horizons of prediction, the control horizon, and the weights among others.


We argue that sociologists interested in social capital theory and social work scholars interested in child and family teams (CFTs) can productively collaborate in studying at-risk youth. Social capital theory suggests dimensions of CFTs that delineate both family meeting intervention and implementation of the resulting plan. These dimensions reflect both bonding and bridging social capital that strengthen and widen supportive networks for students and their families. We develop a model to apply to both academic and social outcomes, specifically to student grades, students' home environments, and overall family functioning. We argue that our framework may be one of substantial generality, and thus useful in studying multiple outcomes for at-risk youth.


This paper discusses whether or not there is a positive relationship between underwriters' reputation and IPO firms' quality after the sponsor system comes into effect.In this paper,we use IPO firms' data from 2004 to 2006 to measure IPO firms' quality comprehensively by factor analysis and model to test if underwriters with high reputation are correlated to high quality IPO firms.Results show that the relationship between underwriters' reputation and the firms' quality has been distorted;and the practice of sponsor system did not lead underwriter reputation mechanism to function effectively.


The stability and dynamics of an axially moving unidirectional plate partially immersed in a liquid and subjected to a nonlinear aerodynamic excitation are investigated. The method of singular functions is adopted to study the dynamic characteristics of the unidirectional plates with discontinuous characteristics. Nonlinearities due to large-amplitude plate motions are considered by using the classical nonlinear thin plate theory, with allowance for the effect of viscous structural damping. The velocity potential and Bernoulli's equation are used to describe the fluid pressure acting on the unidirectional plate. The effect of fluid on the vibrations of the plate may be equivalent to added mass of the plate. The formulation of added mass is obtained from kinematic boundary conditions of the plate–fluid interfaces. The system is discretized by Galerkin's method while a model involving two degrees of freedom, is adopted. Attention is focused on the behavior of the system in the region of dynamic instability, and several motions are found by numerical simulations. The effects of the moving speed and some other parameters on the dynamics of the system are also investigated. It is shown that chaotic motions can occur in this system in several certain regions of parameter space.


The invention discloses a data processing method and device for an electronic scale and the electronic scale comprising the device. The method comprises: a weighing step used for weighing user weight and generating weight data, a storage step used for storing the weighed weight data, and a display step used for displaying the weighed weight data. In addition, the method further comprises: a processing instruction triggering step used for triggering to delete or maintain an instruction for saving the weighed weight data in a preset period of time after weighing by virtue of a preset action, and a processing step for deleting or maintaining the saved weighed weight data in response to the triggered processing instruction. According to the data processing method and device for the electronic scale and the electronic scale comprising the device in the embodiment of the invention, the measured can be selectively deleted or saved according to willingness of users, the privacy of the users can be protected, the data accuracy can be improved, and the user experience degree is improved.


Background
Outcomes of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapies risk-adjusted by ECMO specific scores have rarely been reported. Our primary aim was to determine the risk adjusted outcome of these patients by the use of Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Survival Prediction (RESP), Survival After Veno-Arterial-ECMO (SAVE) and APACHE II scores. The differences in predicted mortality between these scoring systems were analyzed.

Methods
This is a single-center retrospective study reviewing 62 patients who received venous-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) and venous-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) between 2009 and 2017 in a tertiary ICU. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging data were analyzed. Primary outcome measures were the crude mortality and standardized mortality ratio (SMR), expressed as observed mortality divided by expected mortality predicted from RESP, SAVE and APACHE II scores, respectively. We also examined the difference in predicted mortality derived from RESP, SAVE, and APACHE II by using Bland Altman plots.

Results
Twenty and Forty-two patients received VV-ECMO (20 runs) and VA-ECMO (43 runs) respectively. For VV-ECMO, the mean RESP was 0.6 [standard deviation (SD) 4.86] with RESP-SMR of 1.16 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) =0.44-1.88]. For VA-ECMO, the mean SAVE score was -7.8 (SD 5.6), with SAVE-SMR of 0.69 (95% CI =0.39-0.98). In the Bland Altman plot for VA-ECMO, mean difference in predicted mortality between SAVE and APACHE II was 17.6% (95% CI: 7.6% to 27.6%, P<0.0001), with 95% limit of agreement of -30.2% to 65.5% and beta coefficient of -1.04. APACHE II predicted mortality for VA-ECMO was lower than that for SAVE until it crossed SAVE prediction at about 80% mortality. After this point, it becomes progressively higher than that for SAVE.

Conclusions
The mortality outcome of our patients on VV-ECMO and VA-ECMO compares favorably with predicted mortality based on RESP and SAVE, respectively. In our cohort of patients receiving VA-ECMO, APACHE II tends to underestimate mortality in lower risk patients, and overestimate the mortality in patients at high risk of death.


ions  , the parameter a of the e S   relationship and the parameter  of the lag time-area


Image processing is essential for applications such as robot vision, remote sensing, computational photography, augmented reality etc. In the design of dedicated hardware for such applications, IEEE Std 754™ floating point (float) arithmetic units have been widely used. While float-based architectures have achieved favorable results, their hardware is complicated and requires a large silicon footprint. In this paper we propose a Posit-based Image and Video processor (PositIV), a completely pipelined, configurable, image processor using posit arithmetic that guarantees lower power use and smaller silicon footprint than floats. PositIV is able to effectively overlap computation with memory access and supports multidimensional addressing, virtual border handling, prefetching and buffering. It is successfully able to integrate configurability, flexibility, and ease of development with real-time performance characteristics. The performance of PositIV is validated on several image processing algorithms for different configurations and compared against state-of-the-art implementations. Additionally, we empirically demonstrate the superiority of posits in processing images for several conventional algorithms, achieving at least 35–40% improvement in image quality over standard floats.


Editions and Abbreviations. Introduction. 1. Aquinas's SLE and its 13th Century Predecessors. 2. Aquinas and his Predecessors: Some Further Differences. 3. Aspects of Philosophy in Paris: 1215-1283. 4. The SLE: Philosophy or Theology? 5. Dating the SLE. 6. The SLE in its Historical Context. Bibliography. Index of Texts. Index of Subjects and Names.


Motivation is essential to learning and performance in elearning environments. Designing strategies to intervene in the learning process as soon as possible with the aim of keeping the learner engagement high is thus remarkably important. This paper proposes a method which allows instructors to discover learners with a performance inconsistent with the activity carried out, enabling teachers to send personalised messages to these students.


MNMNTS are streaming their new 3-song EP called The choir belongs to you, previously reported at this location. The choir belongs to you by


This thesis is devoted to the spectral theory, in particular, Fredholm theory of commuting tuples of bounded linear operators on Banach and Hilbert spaces. It is divided into four chapters dealing with different properties of the considered tuples. The first chapter treats the growth of cohomology groups of powers of commuting Fredholm tuples. In detail, we prove an upper polynomial bound for the growth and improve a known estimate for the leading coefficient of a lower polynomial bound. Chapter two considers several aspects of Arveson's conjecture about the essential normality of homogeneous submodules and quotient modules of the Drury-Arveson space on the unit ball. We show that results of Guo and Wang, Douglas and Sarkar, Eschmeier, and others, can be extended to the case of general graded Hilbert modules, and we prove that the Arveson-Douglas essential normality conjectures are equivalent within a wide range of analytic functional Hilbert spaces. In Chapter three, we prove an essential von Neumann (in-)equality for essential spherical isometries. The last chapter is embedded in the framework of Cowen-Douglas theory. We give a characterization of Cowen-Douglas tuples over suitable open sets and study their duality theory. We end with a result about strong irreducibility of dual CowenDouglas tuples.


We report the generation of a carrier-envelope-phase-stable femtosecond pulse at 10 µm with 800 nJ by the down-conversion of a 25-fs-long 800 nm pulse with 1.2 mJ obtained from a standard Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier. We discuss a simple optical setup for the spectral broadening of the 800 nm pulse by filamentation in air and the intrapulse difference frequency generation in a wide-bandgap nonlinear optical crystal, LiGaS2. From the measurement of the electric-field waveform of the generated mid-infrared pulse by electrooptic sampling, the maximum electric-field amplitude is estimated to be approximately 11 MV/cm at a beam diameter of 70 µm.


While there is a consensus that evaluation practices in music informatics (MIR) must be improved, there is no consensus about what should be prioritised in order to do so. Priorities include: 1) improving data; 2) improving figures of merit; 3) employing formal statistical testing; 4) employing cross-validation; and/or 5) implementing transparent, central and immediate evaluation. In this position paper, I argue how these priorities treat only the symptoms of the problem and not its cause: MIR lacks a formal evaluation framework relevant to its aims. I argue that the principal priority is to adapt and integrate the formal design of experiments (DOE) into the MIR research pipeline. Since the aim of DOE is to help one produce the most reliable evidence at the least cost, it stands to reason that DOE will make a significant contribution to MIR. Accomplishing this, however, will not be easy, and will require far more effort than is currently being devoted to it. 1. CONSENSUS: WE NEED BETTER PRACTICES I recall the aims of MIR research in Sec. 1.1, and the importance of evaluation to this pursuit. With respect to these, I describe the aims and shortcomings of MIREX in Sec. 1.2. These motivate the seven evaluation challenges of the MIR "Roadmap" [23], summarised in Sec. 1.3. In Sec. 1.4, I review a specific kind of task that is representative of a major portion of MIR research, and in Sec. 1.5 I look at one implementation of it. This leads to testing a causal model in Sec. 1.6, and the risk of committing the sharpshooter fallacy, which I describe in Sec. 1.7. 1.1 The aims of MIR research MIR research aims to connect real-world users with music and information about music, and to help users make music and information about music [3]. One cannot overstate the importance of relevant and reliable evaluation to this pursuit: 1 we depend upon it to measure the effectiveness of our algorithms and systems, compare them against the 1 An "evaluation" is a protocol for testing a hypothesis or estimating a quantity. An evaluation is "relevant" if it logically addresses the investigated hypothesis or quantity. An evaluation is "reliable" if it results in a repeatable and statistically sound conclusion. c © Bob L. Sturm. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Attribution: Bob L. Sturm. "Revisiting Priorities: Improving MIR Evaluation Practices", 17th International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference, 2016. state of the art, chart the progress of our discipline, and discriminate promising directions from dead ends. The design of any machine listening system 2 involves a series of complex decisions, and so we seek the best evidence to guide this process. This motivates the largest contribution so far to evaluation methodology in MIR research: the Music Information Retrieval Exchange (MIREX) [9].


Higher educational institutions play a very important role in gaining, improving, using, supplying, and storing knowledge and making it available for their students. For the sake of the institutions, such information needs to be managed properly and constantly. The aim of this paper is to describe how to establish effective knowledge management so that it can bring maximum benefit for all academicians. For this purpose, higher educational institutions need to know the definition of knowledge management, its structure and role model, the way of obtaining innovation from it, the use of it. Understanding all mentioned makes it easier for them to manage knowledge and come up with constant innovations through an academic research which will reveal result information, innovative ideas, and data of innovation developed. The success of knowledge management program depends on three components, human resources, the management processes, and existing technology adopted in the institutions.


A discussion is presented of the development of multirate-sampling-based self-tuning controllers for HVDC (high-voltage direct-current) converter current control. A suitable linearized multirate-sampling-based converter model that takes into account the appropriate discrete converter behavior is derived. This converter model is used for self-tuning controller design. Two different self-tuning controllers are developed which can also be used for servo tracking. The nature of a converter firing system necessitates the development of two-step-ahead prediction of the DC current so that the appropriate corrective action can be taken in advance. The proposed controllers were validated through extensive digital computer simulation.<<ETX>>


(1) Which fc-regular bipartite graphs on 2n vertices contain the most perfect matchings? (2) Which (n k) xn Latin rectangles have the most extensions to (n k + 1) x n Latin rectangles? (3) Which square (0,l)-matrices of order n, with precisely k ones in each row and column, achieve the maximum permanent? Items (1) to (3) will be referred to below as the maximising problem. The most general previous result was due to Bregman [1], who solved the case when k divides n. We essentially settle the complementary case (that is, when n-k divides n) which relates to a conjecture of Godsil and McKay [3]. We also make substantial progress on the general case, which is an open question listed in Mine's survey article on permanents [6]. In fact that catalogue contains three problems (numbers 4, 8 and 12) which we partly solve and five conjectures (numbers 12, 21, 22, 25 and 26) which we disprove. (Conjectures 25 and 26 were previously known to fail, but were easily patched to exclude the known counterexamples. We identify more serious flaws.) Initial results on the maximising problem appear in [5]. The method of attack is via a certain integral involving rook polynomials. These polynomials are studied in some depth, including their connections with Laguerre polynomials. An important step is to relate properties of the roots of the rook polynomials to the number of short cycles in an associated bipartite graph. On this issue we ask the following question. If G is a fc-regular bipartite graph on 2n vertices (n > 2A;) such that G maximises the number of 4-cycles among all such graphs, does G always contain a copy of Kk<k ? It is shown


In this paper, an analysis of the simplified equivalent circuit and an EMTP simulation study are presented, based on the programming of the 750 kV power transmission system in Northwest of China in 2005. With different types of transmission lines, surface gradients and power frequency overvoltages are studied and the preferred one is given. The surface gradient is one of the important parameters to evaluate the corona discharge performance. When its level exceeds certain value, it may initiate corona that results in corona loss, audible noise, radio interference etc., so a new method is used to get its value. The complicated trend of power frequency over-voltage is explained also.


The invention relates to a kit used for screening the numerical abnormality of 21-trisomy and sex chromosome at early stage. The kit adopts quantitative fluorescence multiplex polymerase chain reaction technology, carries out the fluorescent primer sevenfold multiplex amplification respectively to differential genetic locus on the 21-trisomy and sex chromosome and analyzes the numerical abnormality of chromosome according to the difference of the dosage of amplified products, thus achieving the purpose of detecting the numerical abnormality of 21-trisomy and sex chromosome.


Cleaning approximately duplicate records is an important task in data cleaning.Problems of detecting approximately duplicate records when the data set is dynamically increased on the assumption of stable data model and matching rules are studied.An improved method is proposed to deal with problems in the method based on clustering tree.The proposed method appoints proper weight to each field of the record and reduces attributes through using ranked-based weights method;clusters duplicate records by creating a clustering tree.To improve the efficiency of this method,a limen is added into the arithmetic.Finally,the validity of this method is proved by experiment and further research directions are proposed.


1 In a previous study, we developed a model to predict the effects of temperature on performance of a fungus‐based biopesticide for controlling locusts and grasshoppers. Currently, the model is limited to predicting rate of mortality after a spray application at site‐specific locations. The aim of the present study is to enhance the utility of this model by linking it with meteorological station data in a geographic information system (GIS) framework to investigate the spatial variation in the performance of the biopesticide.


Objective To study the application way of protecting innovation in Tianjin culture from the perspective of the intangible cultural heritage and the product design. Methods Study of Tianjin six hundred years of historical and cultural analysis method,through the concrete analysis of local culture and the derivative of the intangible cultural heritage and the specific product design combined with carrying out innovation protection thinking,study of cultural product design form and regional culture protection way endemic to this area. Conclusion Through the analysis of the regional intangible culture,derived from the product innovation design new resources,full background product design innovation,the concept of extended product,strengthening the design region label,there gional characteristics and cultural heritage protection.


The use of acid mud produced during the aluminum extraction of kaolinite to synthesize mobil composition of matter no. 41 (MCM‐41) type material is proposed in this work. The acid mud was placed in contact with NaOH at 550°C to release the silicon and aluminum, then the fused material obtained was mixed with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) followed by a hydrothermal treatment considering a factorial design 2k with four experimental factors (CTAB dose, synthesis time, temperature, and solid/liquid ratio). The formation of MCM‐41 was evaluated via X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with electrons dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) analysis complemented with surface area analysis from which a maximum value of 550 m2/g was obtained for the best material. XRD results showed the typical pattern of MCM‐41 measured at low angle, furthermore, the characteristic type IV isotherm of adsorption–desorption was observed in certain materials. The elemental analysis showed the presence of iron and titanium oxide, which could be of great interest for the use of the material as a photocatalyst. Preliminary tests, using the MCM‐41 samples synthesized and methyl orange revealed a moderate photocatalytic activity of the material as compared to a commercial product (P25); opening up opportunities for the further development of such materials as potential and cost‐effective photocatalysts for pollutants degradation in wastewater. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38:e13069, 2019


The effect of ethylene glycol (EG), diethylene glycol (DEG) and their monoalkyl (C1–C6) ethers (cellosolves and carbitols) and dimethyl ethers (glymes and diglymes) on the micellar behavior of a ca...


A comprehensive application method of chromium slag by dissolving in water to detoxicate it includes such technological steps as breaking chromium slag by spraying water to it, immersing in clean water for 24 hr or more, separating solid from liquid, adding barium chloride to filtrate for producing barium-chromium yellow or green, spraying water to filtered cake, adding barium chloride to separate 6-valence Cr from filtered cake, mixing the cake with cement, sand, broken stone, barium carbonate and barium chloride and pressing to obtain cement bricks. Its advantages include effective detoxication and low cost.


Teachers' ability to teach experiments is a key factor to determine students' future teaching ability after they graduate. In this paper, focus is made on the aim of the experiment teaching, and how to evaluate students' ability to carry out experiment teaching. Because we can adjust our teaching aim and students can have a full understanding of their experiment teaching ability after they are evaluated.


A hundred years ago, the quantum concept provoked a revolution in science and the search of a new conceptual basis for whole physics, as emphasized by Einstein. In this paper, I discuss the essential features of Planck's works in 1900 on the blackbody radiation and the hypothesis of energy quantization.


The present invention discloses a method of capturing preview wallpaper, when taking pictures, the mobile terminal camera preview screen to full-screen mode, and the current time on the idle screen menus and prompts loaded onto a camera preview screen; the camera button is pressed after, the mobile terminal generates a wallpaper photographs displayed to the user interface; the present invention also discloses a wallpaper preview imaging apparatus by the present invention, enables the user to preview the wallpaper in the camera interface, provides a wallpaper kinds of instant WYSIWYG preview function, to improve the user experience and enhanced entertainment.


Head-up tilting has been used to assess the autonomic functions in the cardiovascular system. It has been believed that the sympathetic regulation becomes enhanced as the tilt angle increases, which is supported by direct and indirect experimental results through spectral analysis and measurement of muscle sympathetic nerve activity. Instead, paradoxically, the baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) estimated through various techniques shows its reduction associated with an increase in the tilt angle. However, intuitionally, regulation maintaining blood pressure level should be augmented under this situation. In this paper, in order to confirm the previous findings, BRS for varied tilt angles is estimated through the sequence method applied to measured heart rate variability and systolic blood pressure and to a time series generated by the multivariate autoregressive (MAR) model driven by the innovation process. In addition, closed-loop impulse responses are calculated to characterize the cardio-vascular response to the orthostatic stress from a novel point of view.


As one of the most successful models of housing planning regulation and control of the west world,U.K.has launched a set of housing security measures based on planning tools,as provides a valuable reference to China.This paper follows a clue of the development of planning regulation and control on housing security,and mainly analyzes the concept,method and experience of four major regulation and control measures,including the ownership control,change control of use,mechanism of contribution and obligation and exception mechanism of planning,And then it proposes some suggestions to the improvement of current planning regulation policy aiming at present urban housing problems so as to offer some reference to the study,planning regulation and control and policy guiding of housing in China.


We welcome the Health Care Reform Consultation Document entitled "Your Health Your Life". The document has further developed the key issues raised in an earlier discussion document "Building a Healthy Tomorrow" to reform our health care system. It clearly articulates the vision and values of the Hong Kong health care system. Its discussion on the six supplementary financing options is objective and comprehensive, which enables the public to make an informed choice. We echo the view that the ultimate goal of health care is to improve health and quality of life, and that equity of care should be a priority. We fully agree to the active promotion of preventive care. We strongly support a reform to the currently unsustainable hospital-based system to a family-doctor led primary-care based system. We would like to submit our views and some suggestions in relation to four major areas raised in the Consultation Document:


Thirty-eight bacterial strains were isolated from waste water of olive oil mills, olives and soil in chemically defined media containing the pigment of these wastes as sole carbon source. Most of the organisms were Pseudomonas spp. Four of the six phenolic acids associated with polymeric pigments in olive oil waste degradation were used by three strains. Only one Pseudomonas strain was able to use five acids.


Fault tolerant motor drives are an interesting subject for many applications such as automotive industries and wind power generation. Among different configurations of these systems, five-phase BLDC drives are gaining more importance which is because of their compactness and high efficiency. Due to replacement of field windings by permanent magnets in their rotor structure, the main sources of power losses in these drives are iron (core) losses, copper (winding) losses, and inverter unit (semiconductor) losses. Although low amplitude of power losses in five-phase BLDC drives is an important aspect for many applications, but their efficiency under faulty conditions is not considered in previous studies. In this paper, the efficiency of an outer-rotor five phase BLDC drive is evaluated under normal and different faulty conditions. Open-circuit fault is considered for one, two adjacent and two non-adjacent faulty phases. Iron core losses are calculated via FEM simulations in Flux-Cedrat® software, and moreover, inverter losses and winding copper losses are simulated in MATLAB® environment. Experimental evaluations are conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the entire BLDC drive which verifies the theoretical developments.


This note explains the basic concept of comparative advantage and the gains from trade with an example of Ricardian technology differences. The note also laysout three basic theorems of the Hackscher-Ohlin Theory of international trade.


The objective of this paper is to present a case study of the project carried out based on the research Regional identity and social responsibility as tools to add value to the fashion of the Serra Gaucha. It is highlighted, through some examples, the importance of developing new products based on the identity of a place, by decoding this place through a systemic approach of design.


This paper shows an example of the application of the method of hierarchy analysis to build a hierarchy of programming environments, which provides support for selecting the optimal programming environment for software in accordance with the requirements of the developer and user. As a result of the application of the method of hierarchy analysis, a hierarchy of programming environments for software development was built, which will be useful for building criteria and production rules for selecting a programming environment for software. The constructed hierarchy has the following form: 1) Microsoft Visual Studio (33.1%); 2)Eclipse (19.6%); 3) PhpStorm (19.2%); 4) Netbeans (17.2%); 5) PyCharm (11%). Hierarchy analysis makes it possible to determine what is the best for software development is the Microsoft Visual Studio environment, but the price of such an environment is quite high. Next and almost equal in technical capabilities are the environments Eclipse, PhpStorm, Netbeans, PyCharm


Predictions are made for the forward-backward and charge asymmetries in bottom-quark pair production at hadron colliders. Tree-level exchanges of electroweak (EW) gauge bosons dominate the Standard Model (SM) contribution to the asymmetry near the $Z$-pole. The mixed EW-QCD corrections are computed in an approximate way, and are found to be small in magnitude. These SM predictions are consistent with experimental results from CDF, D0, and LHCb. In particular, CDF and LHCb find that the asymmetry in the invariant mass bin containing the $Z$-pole is larger than in the adjacent bins, as predicted. Several beyond the Standard Model scenarios proposed for the top-quark forward-backward asymmetry, including a 100 GeV axigluon, are disfavored by this combination of SM predictions and measurements. On the other hand, modified $Zb\bar{b}$ couplings can explain the 2$\sigma$ discrepancy in the bottom-quark forward-backward asymmetry at LEP1, while being consistent with the results of CDF and LHCb. It is also shown that $t$-channel $W$ exchange makes a non-negligible contribution to the charm-quark charge asymmetry.


Some economists have argued that the process of disintegration of world economy between the two World Wars has led to increased income divergence between the countries. This is in keeping with the view that economic integration leads to income convergence, and consequently that income divergence should follow upon economic disintegration. The paper shows that, empirically, the view that the period 1919-39 was associated with divergence of incomes among the rich countries, is wrong. On the contrary, convergence of their incomes continued and even accelerated. Since the mid-19th century, rich countries' incomes always tended to converge in peacetime regardless of whether their economies were more or less integrated. This, in turn, implies that it may not be trade, and capital and labor flows that matter for income convergence but some other, less easily observable, forces like diffusion of information and technology.


Within the limits of availability of contributors, the 5 American and 1 Japanese scholars have valiantly tried to free the American understanding of the Japanese people and affairs, from its emotional overtones and patronising stance. But papers prepared for a discussion have their obvious limitations and this collection is not free from these. Perhaps a more balanced picture of Japanese society would have been projected if more Japanese scholars could be pursuaded to write for the American Assembly. SLP


The multiplicity of edges with which the phenomenon of migration is observed, both in opinion and in public policies, forces the dialogue between scholars of the social sciences and the humanities to remain in constant dynamism. Among the questions that continue to arouse interest are those that link human mobility with the religious phenomenon. Studying the field of beliefs in migratory environments, from theoretical, empirical and theological approaches, is a proposal launched by Amilcar Carpio and Yves Solis, coordinators of the book Migracion y Religion. For the reader interested in psychology, Migration and Religion is a work that goes beyond an analysis of how migration shapes the lives of believers, practices and institutions in the context of human displacement.


Mobile fitness applications are commonly used by people to keep their body health and fitness in good levels. These days, thousands of fitness applications can be downloaded from app stores. But these applications do not have the accuracy to be specific to everyone who is using the application. The purpose of this paper is to find ways to make fitness applications to be more specific to all users, increase their accuracy and discuss how to make a fitness application which can provide unique features to anyone who is using the application. Keywords— fitness, fitness and health, mobile fitness applications, fitness apps.


Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated for 7 days with a daily injection of 1 mg/kg epinephrine in oil. They were then fasted for 24 hr. This regimen produced significant cardiac hypertrophy, a moderately lowered blood sugar and marked liver glycogen depletion with a markedly decreased plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration as compared to untreated fasted controls. The simultaneous administration of 15 mg/kg guanylic acid or of a nucleotide mixture containing guanylic, uridylic and cytidylic acids prevented the epinephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophy, liver glycogen depletion and blood sugar changes. Plasma FFA were also maintained close to nonfasting levels. Nucleotide pretreatment without concomitant epinephrine administration also acted to maintain higher liver glycogen and blood sugar levels in the fasted animals. Plasma FFA concentrations did not rise to normal fasting levels. It is suggested that stress-induced lymphatic involution under adrenal cortical mediation may release intracellular nucleo...


Millet stalks are used as fuel in pottering craftin g in Africa. A study was conducted to characterize the gaseous species produced during the reductive and oxidative combustion of millet stalks. The experiment was carried ou t on temperature ranging from 800-1000 o C, using the tubular furnace, coupled with two gas analyzers i.e. Analyzer Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) analyzer and a non-dispersive infra red (NDIR) as experimental apparatus. The gaseous products analyzed are i.e. CO, CO 2, CH 4, C 3H8, C 2H4, C 2H2, C 6H6, HCN, N 2O, NO, NO 2 and NH 3. The results show that, in reducing conditions, the levels of carbon monoxide (CO), met hane (CH 4) and acetylene (C 2H2) are increasing functions of temperature, while emissions of CO 2 and benzene (C 6H6) decrease as the temperature increases. Emissions of other compounds were remained relatively stable. Reductive combustion produced various compounds like CO 2, CO, N etc. while oxidative combustion produced compounds like light hydrocarbon, benzene etc. The over all effici ency of conversion was found about 15%.


Banking without boundaries will grow in the future, most of this because of digital business transformation. Banks need to re-interpret their business and look for a different managerial approach. A bright future for retail banks will depend above all on taking today the right actions for a long profitability, which are based on developing and reinforcing customer trust. The current account is the hook service for a bank to defend and reinforce from the competition, because it is the bank's platform for entering and developing its business . At the beginning, the retail bank of tomorrow should look at developing value in core contents as well as orchestrating a platform strategy, but moving from a technology idea of platform towards managerial and economic dimensions of it. Because technology is nothing without a strategy.


In July 2008, Congress established the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to help local governments address the neighborhood effects of concentrated foreclosures. As of the writing of this article, a total of $7 billion has been allocated to the program. This policy brief presents a theoretical justification for NSP and discusses how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development implemented the program.


The aim of this study consists in proposing and testing a methodology to estimate the spectral reflectance of the component classes in the mixed pixel problem, for the case of low spatial resolution image data. The well known linear mixing model is modified in order to estimate the components spectral reflectance. Terra-MODIS image data, with a pixel size of 500 m is used to test the results.


Chromosomal aberrations/rearrangements are the most common cause of intellectual disability (ID), developmental delay (DD), and congenital malformations. Traditionally, karyotyping has been the investigation of choice in such cases, with the advantage of being cheap and easily accessible, but with the caveat of the inability to detect copy number variations of sizes less than 5 Mb. Chromosomal microarray can solve this problem, but again the problems of expense and poor availability are major challenges in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to find the utility of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) as a middle ground, in a resource-limited setting. We also attempted to establish an optimum cutoff for the de Vries score, to enable physicians to decide between these tests on a case-to-case basis, using only clinical data. A total of 332 children with DD/ID with or without facial dysmorphism and congenital malformations were studied by MLPA probe sets P245. Assessment of clinical variables concerning birth history, facial dysmorphism, congenital malformations, and family history was done. We also scored the de Vries scoring for all the patients to find a suitable cutoff for MLPA screening. In our study, the overall detection rate of MLPA was 13.5% (45/332). The majority of patients were DiGeorge's syndrome with probe deletion in 22q11.21 in 3.3% (11/332) followed by 15q11.2 del in 3.6% (12/332, split between Angelman's and Prader–Willi's syndromes). Also, 3.0% (10/332) of patients were positive for Williams–Beuren's syndrome 7q11.23, 1.8% (6/332) for Wolf–-Hirschhorn's syndrome 4p16.3, 1.2% (4/332) for 1p36 deletion, and 1% for each trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type I 8q23.3 duplication syndrome and cri du chat syndrome. The optimum cutoff of de Vries score for MLPA testing in children with ID and/or dysmorphism came out to be 2.5 (rounded off to 3) with a sensitivity of 82.2% and specificity of 66.7%. This is the largest study from India for the detection of chromosomal aberrations using MLPA common microdeletion kit P245. Our study suggests that de Vries score with a cutoff of 3 or more can be used to offer MLPA as the first tier test for patients with unexplained ID, with or without facial dysmorphism and congenital malformations.


The article presents the results of research aimed at the selection of materials for the production of new reference materials intendedfor verification, calibration, and testing for type approval of means of measuring the viscosity of liquids, as well as certification of methods for measuring the viscosity of liquid media at temperatures below 0 °C. The developed reference materials are certified in the interval of allowed temperature values from -40 °C to -5 °C. This allows providing a wide range of modern methods for measuring the viscosity of liquids such as glass capillary viscometers, rotational viscometers, rheometers, etc.


Broad-band band-pass filters (BPFs) and band-stop filters (BSFs) constructed with coplanar waveguide's series open and short stubs are reported in this paper. The insertion loss is less than 1.6 dB for the BPF, and it has 60% relative 3-dB bandwidth and 77% 30-dB bandwidth. For the BSF, the 20 dB stop band is 20.5 GHz, with return loss is only 0.3 dB. The lower pass band insertion loss is less than 0.8 dB and higher pass band insertion loss is less than 1.5 dB


One of China's great projects in the current digital era, namely the Digital Silk Road (DSR) project, merits an examination from a Gramscian lens. While liberals are talking about how this project can beneficially the partner's country, Gramsci's thought can provide the other perspective in understanding how this project can give unexpected costs for the partner country. As the biggest market in Southeast Asia's country, Indonesia is worth the attention related to this issue as this country has become one of the strategic partners of China's DSR. However, DSR is offering both economic benefits and multi-faceted costs simultaneously for Indonesia. Hence, this study argues that the DSR project, in Gramsci lens, is giving a push for China to spread its hegemony and take over the domination in the Indonesian economy. This study is supported by the qualitative research method with the data is collected through secondary data and literature review.


Document genres help readers orient themselves when they approach a new document. Once they know a document's genre, they understand what the document is likely to contain and how they can probably navigate the document. User interfaces also fall into genres that allow users to orient themselves. For instance, Xerox introduced the powerful desktop genre, which facilitated user insight when they worked at isolated PCs. This powerful genre helps users move between Macintosh, Windows and other systems whose interfaces conform to the basic rules of the genre. Today, however, users often travel away from their desktops, to distant corporate and Internet computers. Under these conditions, we need new user interface "travel genres" based on movement metaphors. This paper suggests one such genre, based on a the metaphor of flight simulator games.


Capillary aggregate is one of the morphologies that appear in ternary mixtures of particles
and two immiscible fluids. Capillary aggregates appear when two conditions are satisfied: the
particles are fully-wetted by one of the two liquid phases, and furthermore, the wetting fluid
has a volume fraction that is roughly equal to the particle volume fraction. Under these
conditions, the wetting fluid creates highly compact particle aggregates called capillary
aggregates. Recent research suggests that capillary aggregates can stick to one another to
create a network in which capillary aggregates act as building blocks.
The aim of this study is to develop a macro-porous material from sintering capillary
aggregate networks. In this study, morphologies of ternary mixtures in which the continuous
phase is ethylene glycol, the wetting phase is light mineral oil and the solid phase is
hydrophobic particles of low melting temperature polymer were studied. Capillary aggregate
networks were prepared by suitable mixing methods, and then the mixtures were sintered to
obtain macro-porous materials. Such macro-porous materials may be used as scaffolds for
cells growth.iv
This thesis reported the implementation of capillary aggregate networks and the procedures
of sintering and washing process. The effects of composition of ternary mixtures on porosity,
pore sizes and number of aggregates were studied.
This study demonstrates that by sintering capillary aggregate networks, we can obtain high
porosity materials with low particle loading, and obtain large pore sizes without using
different size particles. Moreover, result shows that cells can grow well in the macro-porous
materials.


Objective To investigate predictive power of developing MOF risk factors in trauma patients.Methods The clinical date of 578 trauma patients surviving48 hours after injury were studied,among them 44 cases developed MOF.The data of the cases were analyzed and contrasted by indicators of AIS ISS,APS APACHE Ⅲ and BD in tissue injury,physiologic parameters,preexisting health conditions and clinic factors.Results The bimodal phenomenon in early MOF versus late MOF were related to factors of severity,shock,infection,venerable age and comorbid diseases,and it showed that the predictive power was added with measuring indicators.Conclusion The posttrauma MOF was difficult to be predicted by a single variable indicator.The predictive model should be built in the constitution of causing MOF.


Vocabulary learning plays a very important role in the process of learning a language, such as English. To help students improve their vocabulary mastery level, there are various methods that can be used. One of them is using Working with Words through Category Game. In response to this, the program reported in this article was conducted at a junior high school located in the city of Gorontalo Province. The results showed that the use of Working with Words method through Category Game for English vocabulary learning help students increase their English vocabulary mastery level, with the following details: 11 students had 65% to 79% increase of English vocabulary mastery level (Fair); 7 students had 80% to 89% (Distinction); and 5 students had  90% to 100% (High Distinction).


This book describes how software, products and projects, processes and deliverables, can and ought to be measured. It describes measuring both during 'initial' development and during on-going development (unfortunately still using the terribly out-dated terminology of maintenance). It is a primer on software measurement and, as a primer, does its job quite well. This book is exactly what its title implies (I am registering and admitting to mild surprise). It is NOT a book about general development issues that happens to put an emphasis on measuring. It is a software engineering textbook, about the software engineering task of measuring the products of our work, and anyone reading this should be able to hear me applauding! That is a critical subject for just about every organisation, and quite rightly so. Measurement is one of the most important professional needs today. One thing the authors very correctly point out it that measuring complex applications is very complex and hard to do well, while doing it less than well, can be very hazardous to corporate health. One of the interesting aspects of the book is that it does not describe any specific technology or application type. At first, this may appear to e a weakness; however, after reflective I recognise that it is its strength. The issue of measurement is examined generically and it is expected that the user will be professional enough to apply the lesson learned here to whatever application type in play. Albeit, this is also not an easy task and needs to be approached carefully. A minor criticism would be that generic guidelines would have been welcome (but I could be wrong and they might have muddled things). Having said all that, one should not expect every measurement device ever invented and published to appear here (such as Bakefiring). Trying to do such would have made the book boorish, long and cumbersome. It contains all of those generally accepted and most usable (e.g., in most cases). If others are needed, look them up; but after possessing a good background. One (minor) issue I have with it, and this could be my personal bias, is that it seems insufficiently referenced, particularly to standards. This book is not a reference work; it shows how to do a job and is probably best used as a textbook for either an industrial or academic course. The book can be read for understanding – it is quite readable and well written. Each subject/chapter follows upon the previous and there is no need to "make the case". The authors discuss different kinds of process activities. The book is designed as a textbook and certainly (and probably should) could be used as such. In short, I can certainly recommend this book. It is a good and welcome addition to any technical reference library, whether academic or corporate and for anyone who needs to use this technique – that is, who needs to manage software, either development or acquisition. I is not meant to be applicable to managers – they need to receive its results, not construct them themselves. Reviewed by Mordechai Ben-Menachem, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel, firstname.lastname@example.com


This investigation seeks to establish the appropriate parameters for the banana tree conservation (Muse acuminata), by means of a covering with wax (Carnauba and bee wax), evaluating two type of these.
Was the problem that ¨ was approached What it influences he/she would have the natural application of wax in the conservation of the banana tree? ¨ For what thought about as objective: To determine the effect of natural two types of waxes (carnauba and of bee) for banana tree covering (Muse acuminata) like half of conservation.
Also thought about to determine which of the banana tree varieties Cavendish Williams or Banana tree Gold respond from a better way to two types of wax: carnauba and of bee, with two different concentrations (0.00%, 0.02% and 0.04%), with the purpose of prolonging the useful life of the same one.
The experimental pattern allowed the application of a Design of Blocks with factorial Arrangement AxBxC with two replications that is to say 12 treatments with 2 repetitions giving a total of 24 experimental units. The factors in study were: as factor TO Varieties (Banana tree Cavendish Williams and Banana tree Gold), factor B Types wax (Carnauba and of Bee) and factor C Concentrations Zero (0.00%, 0.02% and 0.04%), for the separation of stockings of the levels of the treatments one went to the test of significance of TUKEY (p <0,05).
The analysis of data was carried out by means of the statistical package StatGraphics. ...


The USGS MOC Model is a useful tool for evaluating different well patterns in an aquifer restoration scheme under variable hydrogeologic conditions. The best well pattern for a ground-water cleanup is highly site-specific and depends upon the objectives and constraints for each problem. In this study, seven different well patterns were investigated to determine the one(s) most efficient in achieving a range of desired levels of contaminant reduction. The well patterns were evaluated on the basis of cleanup time, volume of water circulated, and volume of water requiring treatment. Eight generic hydrogeologic conditions were modeled using different combinations of drawdown, hydraulic gradient, and dispersivity. The key hydrogeologic variables which control the rate of cleanup are well locations, pumping rates, transmissivity, dispersivity, and hydraulic gradient. For a given set of well locations, by varying transmissivity and maintaining drawdown, dispersivity, and hydraulic gradient constant, the cleanup time was found to be inversely related to the pumping rate.


A wireless remote monitoring system applicable to high-speed hydraulic tamper was developed combined with the GPS,3G and computer technologies,which is capable of positioning and following,real-time monitoring and failure diagnosis.The research and application of the remote monitoring system provide a theoretical reference to intelligent control of remote information of construction machinery.


Ten strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (V1116, D254, UCD 522, Bourgoblanc, EC1118, UCD 595, S6U, Wadenswil 27, 71B, T73) were evaluated in terms of their impact on the chemical composition of fermenting Riesling and Chenin blanc musts and on the sensory characteristics of their resultant wines. All yeasts completely utilized glucose present. Fructose concentrations in finished wines ranged from 1.5 to 7.0 g/L and were highest in UCD 595. Glycerol concentration was highest in Bourgoblanc and lowest in T73. Ethanol production was similar among the various strains, although UCD 522 produced higher ethanol than D254. Some differences existed between the yeasts in terms of production and/or use of six organic acids (citric, tartaric, malic, succinic, lactic, and acetic). Lowest tartaric and malic acids were found in 71B fermentations, while highest acetic acid concentrations were measured in both 71B and Wadenswil 27. Wadenswil 27 fermentations also contained highest tartaric, succinic (along with Bourgoblanc), and lactic acids. Highest citric acid was found in S6U fermentations, while both S6U and V1116 contained lowest acetic acid concentrations. T73 contained highest malate and lowest citrate. Sensory evaluation of Riesling wines showed that most yeasts produced more intense aromas and flavors than those fermented with EC1118. Wadenswil 27 produced Chenin blanc wines with more aroma and flavor intensity than EC1118.


(I) The new dynamic mixer system of the high speed sealing robot speed'sealer was designed to overcome the limitations of static mixer systems: • Volume flow of sealant material was not sufficient enough for large silicone sealing depths • Due to high system pressure there was no chance to enlarge the volume flow considerably with the static mixing system • With the increasing share of triple glazing, the sealing robot gets more and more a bottleneck in the production The speed'sealer combines unique characteristics with the dynamic mixing system: • Best mixing homogeneity (according to independent analysis) • Maximum volume flow of 6 liter/minute, independent of sealant material • Highest applications speed of 60 meter/minute • Minimized primary pressure, discharge pressure and pressure at the nozzle of the sealant components


In recent years, the full-touch human–machine interaction (HMI) mode has gained popularity in the automotive market. However, little research has been conducted on how this interaction mode affects drivers' glance behavior and lateral control ability. In this study, we evaluated the visual engagement and driving performance of 30 participants while driving two vehicles equipped with either the full-touch interaction mode (FTIM) or the conventional interaction mode (CIM) provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). We found that both air conditioning–related tasks required more visual engagement, longer task completion time, and worse lateral vehicle control under FTIM. Furthermore, the gray correlation analysis demonstrated that FTIM exhibited slightly different disadvantages in the two secondary tasks. In the temperature adjustment task, the correlations of glance behavior and lateral control ability between the two interactive modes were 0.688 and 0.680, respectively. In the airflow adjustment task, the correlations of glance behavior and lateral control ability between the two interactive modes were 0.659 and 0.668, respectively. In addition, this study revealed that driving speed had significant effects on glance behavior and lateral driving performance in both interaction modes. As speed increased, self-adjusting glance behavior was evident in performing the secondary task; however, this behavior could not compensate for the deterioration in lateral driving performance caused by the increased speed. The findings will help improve drivers' perception of FTIM and provide theoretical guidance for the design development of HMI mode.


The article aims to 1) focus on welfare opportunities near the conflict zone in Turkey. Providing a good life for children under every condition belongs to the responsibilities of both, national and international communities. The Capability Approach Theory seems to promote such responsibilities at best. However, the Turkish example does not show effects as satisfactory as the German example with Turkish migrant children, which is discussed in this article and illustrated with research findings provided by the author.


SnO2 and SnS2 thin films have been prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique for photovoltaic application purposes and characterized by high-frequency acoustic microscopy (570 MHz).The surface acoustic images reveal contrasts explained by differences in topography according to atomic force microscopy studies. The acoustic signature V(z) of the systemslayer/substrate were modelled and refined to fit with the experimental V(z). The acoustic parameters of the layers were calculated using the results of the final simulation. The values of Young's modulus deduced from the acoustic parameters, 401 and 56 GPa for SnO2 and SnS2, respectively, are discussed in relation with the chemical structure and bonding involved. PACS Nos.: 43.35Ns and 62.65


Mixed layer smectite-illite clays comprise a significant fraction of fine-grained clastic sediments in many basins around the world. Abnormally high fluid pressure (geopressure) is associated with parts of these basins. The presence of smectite-illite is a necessary but not sufficient criterion for the existence of geopressure. Smectite reacts with potassium feldspar producing illite, silica, sodium-calcium feldspar, and releasing loosely bound water. Observations in the northern Gulf of Mexico support an equilibrium model for the reaction, the shift in the logarithm of the equilibrium coefficient with depth being proportional to the product of the reaction enthalpy and the geothermal gradient. Reaction enthalpies range from 2,000 to 26,000 cal/mole, highest reaction enthalpies occurring along the south Texas coast, lowest in the Mississippi delta. Abrupt diagenesis-depth profiles are associated with geopressure, gradual reaction with depth associated with near hydro-static fluid pressure gradients. Sediments compact over intervals where the effective pressure increases. Geopressure is associated with porosity increase and effective pressure decrease with depth. The top of the zone of sediment under-compaction coincides with change in sign of the effective pressure gradient from positive to negative. In this interval, fluid pressure increases with depth faster than does the overburden pressure. Very high fluid-pressure gradients are associated with the combination of low shale permeability, high shale porosity, and rapid basement subsidence. Because of the close connection between high fluid-pressure gradient and abrupt conversion of smectite to illite, we conclude that this reaction is responsible for abnormal loss of permeability, probably a result of the finely divided silica hat is produced. End_of_Article - Last_Page 708------------


The calculations of short-circuit current decrement with PSS/E BKDY and computational curve were compared with the one by the dynamic simulation of PSS/E. Calculation shows that the accuracy of the result by PSS/E BKDY is quite good while the one by computational curve is so conservative that it makes larger errors. The reasons for the above results have been analyzed theoretically.


Co-composting is an effective approach to biowaste management. The co-composting potential of banana pseudostem (BPS) and mushroom media waste (MMW) with chicken manure (CM) has not been explored, let alone their suitable ratios of co-composting being determined. Meanwhile, the imbalance ratios of the feedstocks used in the process severely restrict the physicochemical properties and quality of the finished product. For this reason, six different ratios of BPS, MMW, and CM, viz. 1:1:1, 1:2:1, 1:3:1, 2:1:1, 2:2:1, and 2:3:1, respectively (T1–T6), were composted together in aerobic conditions to identify the suitable ratio by evaluating the changes in the physicochemical properties in the composting process. According to the ratio of treatments, the feedstocks were mixed on fresh weight basis. The turning process of co-composting piles was repeated at seven-day intervals to maintain the uniform aeration throughout the composting period. The piles having BPS, MMW, and CM at ratios of 1:2:1, 1:3:1, and 2:3:1, respectively, demonstrated a longer thermophilic phase, indicating more complete decomposition and earlier maturity compared to piles with higher amount of BPS. Of the ratios, BPS:MMW:CM at 1:2:1 ratio (T2) resulted in the highest total nitrogen (1.53%), lowest C:N ratio (12.4), organic matter loss (54.5%), and increased CEC (41.3 cmol/kg). The highest germination index (129%) was also recorded in the T2 compost, indicating that it was toxic-free and safe for seed germination. The nutrient-rich compost with high alkaline pH (≥10) can effectively ameliorate soils of an acidic nature, for example, the acidity of Ultisols and Oxisols.


ABSTRACT:The emergence of digital and internet technologies has created new spaces for religious engagement and introduced alternative venues for community-building, identity construction, and religious practice for marginalized new religions. Ethnographic research on the Family International's reconfiguration as an online community, subsequent to a sweeping reorganization introduced in 2010 referred to as "the Reboot," explores the role its integration of digital media and virtual spaces played in the renegotiation of the movement's religious identity and community. The movement's journey to networked community affords insights into transformative ways that religious culture may be reconstituted through digital engagement, and the challenges new religious movements face in retaining community boundaries and distinctive identity within the interconnected and increasingly globalized context of today's digitized world.


Part I. Introduction: 1. Parliamentary and presidential elections in Russia: the political landscape in 1999 and 2000 Vicki L. Hesli Part II. Parties in the Electorate: 2. Television, voters, and the development of the 'broadcast party' Sarah Oates 3. Parties, voters, and foreign policy Stephen White, Neil Munro and Richard Rose 4. The foreign policy implications of the elections Andrei Melville 5. Parties, leaders, and voters in the parliamentary election Timothy Colton Part III. The Role of Regional Power: 6. Elections and national integration in Russia Richard Sakwa 7. The Duma elections: a step toward democracy or the elites' game? Mikhail Myagkov Part IV. Parties and Institutions: 8. Instrumental democracy: the end of ideology and the decline of Russian political parties Stephen Hanson 9. The impact of the elections on political party development M. Steven Fish 10. Resolving the problem of pre-election coordination: the parliamentary election as an elite presidential 'primary' Olga Shvetsova 11. Coalition politics in the New Duma Thomas Remington 12. The 1999-2000 elections and Russia's prospects for democracy William M. Reisinger Bibliography Index.


The phenomenon of frequency sensitivity in weak signal detection has been studied via numerical simulation in the cases of a single neuron and a neuronal network, respectively. The membrane potential undergoes a damping oscillation to the quiescent state with a frequency of 11\char21{}33 Hz under a subthreshold bias. In the presence of a subthreshold sinusoidal signal and noise, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of either the single neuron or the network presents the typical characteristic of stochastic resonance. In particular, there exists a frequency sensitivity range of 15\char21{}60 Hz, over which the SNR has a large value, implying that the system is more sensitive to signals with these frequencies in signal detection. Such frequency sensitivity is of functional significance, and results from the resonance between the intrinsic oscillation of the system and the input signal. In addition, two cases where either the values of the bias or the signal strength for neurons may be different are studied, respectively. The results indicate that the effect of frequency sensitivity generally exists in signal encoding. These enable us to interpret the experimental observation.


Abstract The article discusses the problems of commercial banks related to the coping with abrupt changes in activities organization due to quarantine and moving to partially remote work. The theoretical considerations concerning psychological capital role at organization operating under the unstable conditions are given and hypothesis regarding psychological capital, its individual components, leadership, leadership styles (types) and the overall effectiveness of the organization are formulated. Empirical evidence which proves formulated hypothesis is presented. Concepts of psychological health and psychological competences are presented. The research conducted shows that the psychological capital of financial institutions employees being monitored during COVID-19 quarantine at Spring 2020 is positively correlated with the impact of transformational leadership on the organization effectiveness.


Amino-substituted imidazo(1,2-a)pyridines can be prepared with yields up to 98% within a few minutes by microwave-assisted three-component reaction between 2-aminopyridines, aldehydes and isocyanides using montmorillonite as the catalyst and toluene as the solvent. The organic solvent can be replaced by ionic liquids. With guanidinium salts the microwave-assisted reaction can be performed in the absence of any further catalyst.


Induction periods have been reported in the surface pressure evolution of a wide variety of proteins. In this work, this induction period is shown to be caused by a first-order phase change from a surface gaseous to a liquid-expanded state as the protein lysozyme adsorbs and decreases the mean area per molecule. The evolution of this transition is studied using concomitant fluorescence microscopy and surface pressure measurements. The fluorescent images are obtained by using spread films of the dye NBD-HDA at the air−liquid interface. This dye fluoresces when in contact with hydrophobic moieties and is quenched when in contact with water. The hydrophobic liquid-expanded domains therefore appear bright on a dark background. Lysozyme initially adsorbs to establish a surface gaseous phase, and the interface appears dark. The surface tension is fairly insensitive to changes in area per molecule in this state. Once the adsorbed concentration of lysozyme reaches the surface gaseous binodal, protein interactions...


Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical sensing are different earth observation methods. Compared to the optical sensors, the SAR has the imaging advantages such as all-weather, all-time, ability to traverse clouds and vegetation, etc. We propose the application of the cycle-consistent generative adversarial network (CycleGAN) for translating the SAR images and the optical images with each other by training two generator networks and two discriminator networks simultaneously. In this paper, we add the structure similarity index measure (SSIM) loss factor and perceptual loss into the basis CycleGAN's loss function for keeping rich structural information. The tentative study demonstrated the potential of the SAR and the optical image translation based on the CycleGAN. The proposed method was verified and the experimental results showed the superiority of the proposed method with the combined loss function.


Perforated plate matrix heat exchangers (MHE) are employed in applications that require high compactness (typically greater than 1500 m2/m3), high effectiveness (typically greater than 95%), and a small length (typically a few mm to a few hundred mm). There are no methods known in open literature for the complete sizing of the MHE. In this paper we, a method for the optimum sizing of MHE is presented. The results have been cross-checked using both local and global optimization methods.


The actuality of civil engineering was systematic analyzed.Some Important points in the development of civil engineering were discussed from several Aspects including construction material,prestress technology and constru-ction optimization basis on reliability.


The greater lubricity of the alkyl ethers of alkylene glycols, in comparison to that of their corresponding alkanol analogs, suggested that the lubricating properties of the glycol ethers might be transmitted to their respective carbamic acid esters and, in turn, through suitable methylol derivatives, to fabric treated therewith. Increased inter- , molecular lubricity within the finished fabric might lead to improved tear strength, abrasion resistance, and fabric hand. To this end, a new class of carbamates, the alkoxyalkyl carbamates, based on polyalkylene glycols and certain of their alkyl ethers, have been investigated as finishing agents for cellulose. The relation of the chemical structure of the carbamate to the properties of fabric finished with the methylolated carbamate is discussed. Data are presented to illustrate the suitability of methylolated methoxyethyl carbamate as a cellulose reactant. In addition, the techniques employed in preparing carbamate finishes have been studied and the influence of methylolation conditions, such as formaldehyde/carbamate molar ratio; initial methylolation pH, and reaction temperature on both finish composition and performance properties is examined. An attempt to reduce or eliminate certain difficulties encountered in large-scale carbamate finishing led to the development of a new carbamate-catalyst system. This unusually efficient carbamate-catalyst system is discussed in detail and its low-tempera ture, rapid-cure characteristics are demonstrated.


Winter cover crops are often perceived as costly because there are no direct returns from selling the cover crop (Snapp et al., 2005). Additional negative concerns are expressed due to the potential for cover crop induced water stress early in the growth of the main cash crop. Cover crop conservation benefits have been documented for all major crops and growing regions of the US (Dabney, et al., 2001). Beyond the soil conservation benefits, cover crops have been shown to improve water availability by contributing to improvements in soil physical properties that directly influence water infiltration and reduce runoff (Touchton, et al., 1984; Bruce et al., 1995). Payments from government incentive programs, like the Conservation Security Program, can help offset the cost of cover crops (up to $8 acre) (Causarano et al., 2005). Another option for offsetting cover crop costs and increasing farm revenue is grazing of winter cover crops by cattle (Bos taurus L.). Grazing stocker cattle in a cotton-peanut rotation in south Alabama produced $157 gross return and $75 net return per acre from cattle (Siri-Prieto et al., 2003).


The demands of highly trained staff are becoming more challenging in the actual work field, which is why today's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) contribute to transmit knowledge to students, which must be innovative using tools that generate interest in receiving the information to successfully achieve the appropriate learning. At the present research, we analyzed the use of Moodle platform for piloting the subject of Electricity and magnetism from the area of physics and mathematical department, where data was collected specifically about learners interacting virtually with each technological resource inherent to each unit of the second semester of the career corresponding to automotive systems engineering taught at the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit of Engineering Campus Guanajuato (UPIIG) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN). The results of the group being piloted were compared with the results obtained by 5 groups that attended the learning subject on site. The results showed that 77% of the overall group expressed resistance to change by using the methodology of learning during the opening of this style of ICT teaching. At the end of the course, 35% of students were adapted in full to this methodology of virtual study. Finally it was concluded that the use of technological tools in remote mode, offer professional development opportunities to people with mobility problems, so a simple route in the evaluation of research and ongoing assessments for teachers and transmitters of knowledge.


An electrically permeable interface crack in piezoelectric biomaterial is studied. An asymptotic solution in connection with the finite element method is derived. For electromechanical loads, the complex stress intensity factor for an interface crack is obtained. For a particular case, the numerical results are compared with the exact analytical solutions, obtained for a piezoelectric biomaterial plane with an interface crack.


This paper presents a new approach in processing nonstationary signals-such as speech signals and images-through singularity characterization. In this approach, we associate a singular measure /spl mu//sub f(t/) (r) with a transient at time t of a signal f(t) (where a real number r>0 is a time perturbation around t) and use the singularity behaviour of the measure for the characterization of the signal nonstationarity. The approach is capable of characterizing isolated transients through Holder exponents (or singularity strength), as well as mixture transients (e.g. singularity everywhere) through the concept of fractality and multifractality. The paper discusses the concept and the practicality of applying this approach to signals. The paper also shows that this approach can provide a unifying framework for previously published work on applying nonlinear, chaotic, fractal, and multifractal analysis to signals. We show that the main conceptual issue in applying fractality and multifractality to signals using this framework is the proper selection of signal measures.


Relative partial photoionization cross sections and photoelectron branching ratios have been obtained for the valence bands of osmium tetraoxide in the ionization energy range 12-18 eV. The photon energies used ranged between 24 and 115 eV. The ionization cross sections of the 2t2, 1e, and 2a1 orbitals show evidence of substantial metal character. By use of an ab initio many-body Green's function formalism that takes into account the effect of electron correlation and relaxation, ionization energies of OsO4 and RuO4 have been calculated. Considerations of the spectral features and the predictions of the calculation lead to an assignment of ion state ordering of 2T1 < 2T2 < 2A1 < 2E < 2T2. The presence of a substantial p-d resonance feature in the cross section of the upper 2T2 and 2E ion states shows that the 2t2 and le orbitals have significant Os 5d character. The lower 2T2 ion state (arising from ionization from the 3t2 orbital) undergoes a spin-orbit splitting of 0.4 eV resulting from an Os 6p contribution to the 3t2 molecular orbital.


Isolation and characterization of solventogenic bacteria from animal feces were carried out. Ten samples were collected continually for 5 d from the feces of wild rabbit and wild swine in Jawaharlal Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, India. Ten acetone-positive strains were selected for evaluation of their phenotypic and physiological characteristics. Two potential solvent-producing cultures were selected for 16S rRNA gene analysis. The culture isolated from the wild rabbit feces exhibited 97.3% similarity with Clostridium beijerinckii 8052, and the culture isolated from the wild swine feces exhibited 93.8% similarity with Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum NI-4(HMT). The isolated strains utilized a wide range of carbohydrate substrates including glucose, fructose, maltose, xylose, arabinose, and glycerol. The major fermentation products from glucose, xylose, and arabinose were acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE). The total ABE concentration produced by strain YVU1 was 13.1 g/L from arabinose, 16.3 g/L from xylose, and 20.6 g/L from glucose. Strain YVU2 produced a total ABE concentration of 16.5 g/L, 18.3 g/L, and 22.4 g/L from arabinose, xylose, and glucose, respectively.


This paper introduces an unconventional constitutive model for soils, which deals with a unified thermo‐mechanical modelling for unsaturated soils. The relevant temperature and suction effects are studied in light of elasto‐plasticity. A generalized effective stress framework is adopted, which includes a number of intrinsic thermo‐hydro‐mechanical connections, to represent the stress state in the soil. Two coupled constitutive aspects are used to fully describe the non‐isothermal behaviour. The mechanical constitutive part is built on the concepts of bounding surface theory and multi‐mechanism plasticity, whereas water retention characteristics are described using elasto‐plasticity to reproduce the hysteretic response and the effect of temperature and dry density on retention properties. The theoretical formulation is supported by comparisons with experimental results on two compacted clays. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract Solubilisation of the dopamine D2 receptor from a membrane preparation of bovine corpus striatum using cholate and NaCl was independently optimised with regard to cholate (0.2%, wt/vol), NaCl (1.5 M), and membrane protein (4 mg/ml) concentrations. A maximum solubilisation yield of 58% was obtained and receptors were measured using a [3H]spiperone binding assay incorporating a polyethylene glycol precipitation step. Soiubilisation was confirmed by ultracentrifugation studies, passage of the receptor through fine‐pore filters, increased thermolability, and by retention of the prelabelled receptor on gel filtration. The soluble receptor showed saturability and reversibility of binding. Displacement of [3H]spiperone from the soluble receptor by competing compounds correlated closely with displacement from the membrane‐bound receptors. [3H]‐Spiperone binding was found to be pH‐dependent, with maximum binding occurring at pH 7.8. A comparison of solubilisation was made with six other agents both with and without added NaCl and it was concluded that the cholate/ NaCl solubilisation system provides an efficient, inexpensive, and reliable method for the preparation of functional bovine dopamine D2 receptors.


L Gleeson, J Alam, S Lane Department of Respiratory Medicine, AMNCH, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Abstract Definition of Respiratory Failure using PaO2 alone is confounded when patients are commenced on oxygen therapy prior to arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement. Furthermore, classification of Respiratory Failure as Type 1 or Type 2 using PaCO2 alone can give an inaccurate account of events as both types can co-exist. 100 consecutive presentations of acute respiratory distress were assessed initially using PaO2, and subsequently PaO2/FiO2 ratio, to diagnose Respiratory Failure. Respiratory Failure cases were classified as Type 1 or Type 2 initially using PaCO2, and subsequently alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradient. Any resultant change in management was documented. Of 100 presentations, an additional 16 cases were diagnosed as Respiratory Failure using PaO2/FiO2 ratio in place of PaO2 alone (p=0"0338). Of 57 cases of Respiratory Failure, 22 cases classified as Type 2 using PaCO2 alone were reclassified as Type 1 using A-a gradient (p<0.001). Of these 22 cases, management changed in 18.Definition of Respiratory Failure using PaO2 alone is confounded when patients are commenced on oxygen therapy prior to arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement. Furthermore, classification of Respiratory Failure as Type 1 or Type 2 using PaCO2 alone can give an inaccurate account of events as both types can co-exist. 100 consecutive presentations of acute respiratory distress were assessed initially using PaO2, and subsequently PaO2/FiO2 ratio, to diagnose Respiratory Failure. Respiratory Failure cases were classified as Type 1 or Type 2 initially using PaCO2, and subsequently alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradient. Any resultant change in management was documented. Of 100 presentations, an additional 16 cases were diagnosed as Respiratory Failure using PaO2/FiO2 ratio in place of PaO2 alone (p=0"0338). Of 57 cases of Respiratory Failure, 22 cases classified as Type 2 using PaCO2 alone were reclassified as Type 1 using A-a gradient (p<0.001). Of these 22 cases, management changed in 18. Introduction Traditionally, Respiratory Failure is defined as arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) less than 8 kilopascals (kPa) on room air at sea level, a value obtained through performance of arterial blood gas (ABG) 1 . In practice, however, patients are often commenced on oxygen therapy prior to ABG being performed, thus PaO2 value obtained is confounded by an alteration in the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2). The PaO2/FiO2 ratio, however, aids to discount a rise in PaO2 secondary to oxygen therapy and thus can assist diagnosis of Respiratory Failure 2 . Respiratory Failure occurs by two primary pathophysiologic mechanisms, giving rise to its classification into Type 1 (hypoxaemic) Failure and Type 2 (ventilatory) Failure 3–5 . Hypoxaemic Failure occurs when disease processes, such as pneumonia or pulmonary embolus, cause an increase in physiologic dead space resulting in increased mismatching between ventilation and perfusion (V/Q mismatch). In Type 1 failure PaCO2 is typically normal or low. In contrast, Type 2 (ventilatory) Failure, results from inadequate minute ventilation of the alveoli, in conditions such as chest wall deformity, neuromuscular diseases affecting the thoracic cage and end stage structural lung disease, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This results in primary hypercapnia, usually > 6kPa, with secondary hypoxaemia. Thus, "hypercapnic" respiratory failure is synonymous with ventilatory failure. In clinical practice, distinction between "Type 1" and "Type 2" Respiratory Failure leads to divergent clinical management 3 . Management of Type 1 failure involves inter alia administration of high concentration oxygen therapy, whereas Type 2 failure requires limitation of oxygen therapy concentration to prevent respiratory suppression in patients reliant on a hypoxaemic respiratory drive 6,7 . Classification also dictates inter alia modes of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) the typical choice in the treatment of severe hypoxaemic failure and bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) favoured in cases of ventilatory failure 8 . Traditionally, classification of Respiratory Failure (PaO2 < 8kPa) relies on ABG indices, with arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) greater than 6kPa representative of Type 2 failure and normal or low PaCO2 representative of Type 1 failure 1 . Though this classification directs clinical management, it oversimplifies of the pathophysiology underlying an acute respiratory presentation. Both hypoxaemic and ventilatory failure frequently co-exist and reliance on a single parameter in order to establish which mechanism predominates can result in suboptimal therapeutic decisions 9 . A more accurate account of events at alveolar level is offered by calculation of alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (A-a gradient) which represents the difference between alveolar oxygen tension and arterial oxygen tension. Hypoxaemia in the presence of increased A-a gradient indicates impaired oxygenation of capillary blood at an alveolar level, suggesting a "Type 1" Failure component 10 . Conversely, hypoxaemia in the setting of normal or low A-a gradient – implying the low arterial oxygen tension mirrors a low alveolar oxygen tension – is typical of "Type 2" or ventilatory failure. Previously, derivation of the A-a gradient involved complex and time-consuming calculations, however, with the advent of medical internet applications available on mobile phones in recent years, this has become a readily available tool to assist the clinician at the bedside. This paper seeks to address the following hypotheses: (1) that Respiratory Failure is underdiagnosed when defined by PaO2< 8 kPa alone and that incorporation of the PaO2/FiO2 ratio into diagnostic criteria increases identification of cases; (2) that in cases classified as Type 2 failure using PaCO2-related criteria, use of the A-a gradient allows greater insight into the relative components of Type 1 and Type 2 Failure that results in changes in clinical management. Methods This study compared diagnosis and classification of Acute Respiratory Failure based on ABG indices (PaO2 and PaCO2) with indices derived from ABG-based clinical equations (PaO2/FiO2 and A-a gradient). kPa units were used throughout. Data were collected prospectively for 100 consecutive cases of acute respiratory distress presenting to a dedicated Respiratory service in a Dublin Teaching Hospital. An acute respiratory presentation was defined as that in which the primary presenting complaint was that of shortness of breath. Patient age, gender, past medical history, and working diagnosis were recorded. PaO2 and PaCO2 values, and the FiO2 value at which the ABG was performed were recorded. Using medical SMART phone applications the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and the A-a gradient were calculated in accordance with the formulae: PaO2/FiO2 ratio = (PaO2 ÷ FiO2) x 100 A-a gradient = [(FiO2 x [Patm PH2O]) (PaCO2 ÷ R)] PaO2 Each case of acute respiratory distress was initially assessed using the PaO2, and then reassessed using the PaO2/FiO2 ratio to identify cases of respiratory failure. PaO2 less than 8kPa and PaO2/FiO2 less than 38 were diagnostic of Respiratory Failure. Each confirmed case of Respiratory Failure was then classified as Type 1 or Type 2 Failure based on PaCO2, and subsequently, each case was subjected to calculation of A-a gradient to identify presence of significant Type 1 or Type 2 failure components. PaCO2 less than 6 kPa indicated Type 1 Failure and greater than 6 kPa indicated Type 2 Failure. A-a gradient greater than 3 indicated a significant Type 1 component. Management plan initiated following initial classification as Type 1 or Type 2 Failure based on PaCO2 was documented for each case. Any change in this plan resulting from the calculation of the A-a gradient was recorded. Data were entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Inc. Chicago; USA: Windows Version 16"0) and results were analysed using the Chi-squared test with Yate's correction. Statistical significance was set at p < 0"05. Figure 1: Number of presentations (n) identified as Respiratory Failure (white) or not in Respiratory Failure (black) using PaO2 (a) and PaO2/FiO2 (b). Results Data were collected for 100 consecutive acute respiratory presentations, including 86 SMART Phones and the Acute Respiratory Patient 1 patients (with 14 patients presenting twice). 45 subjects were male and 41 were female. Median age was 68 years (range 30 to 85 years). Of 100 cases, underlying diagnosis was COPD in 54 cases, pneumonia in 16 cases, congestive cardiac failure in seven cases, asthma in six cases, bronchiectasis in six cases, pulmonary fibrosis in four cases, Pickwickian syndrome in four cases, pulmonary embolus in two cases, and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in one case. Identification of Respiratory Failure Using the PaO2 alone to define it, 41 of 100 cases assessed were diagnosed as Respiratory Failure (Figure 1). When reassessed using the PaO2/FiO2 ratio-based definition, 57 of 100 cases met the criteria for diagnosis. This represents an additional 16 cases of Respiratory Failure identified using the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, which was statistically significant (p=0"0338). Classification of Respiratory Failure as a Type 1 or Type 2 Picture Using PaCO2 criteria alone, 27 of these 57 cases were classified as Type 1 Failure and 30 of 57 cases classified as Type 2 Failure (Figure 2). On further bedside analysis, it was found that 49 of 57 cases had a significant Type 1 component with A-a gradient greater than 3. A-a gradient less than or equal to 3, indicating a predominantly Type 2 picture, was recorded in only 8 of 57 cases. This represents a highly statistically significant alteration in classification of Respiratory Failure using A-a gradient (p<0"001).