We have developed a novel nonevaporable getter named oxygen-free Pd/Ti. After activation at 133°C, oxygen-free Pd/ Ti evacuates H2 and CO. Its pumping speeds do not decrease even after repeated venting–activating cycles. Surface analysis by synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that carbon contamination decreased to an extent on heating in ultra-high vacuum, but decreased considerably on heating under an O2 pressure. The pumping speeds of the oxygen-free Pd/Ti coated chamber improved remarkably after O2 baking. The new NEG pump using oxygen-free Pd/Ti was commercialized in March 2019.


This paper proposes a novel generalized integral inequality based on free matrices and applies it to stability analysis of time-varying delay systems. The proposed integral inequality estimates the upper bound of the augmented quadratic term of the state and its derivative term by utilizing not only the single integral term but also the higher-order multiple integral terms. The proposed integral inequality includes several well-known integral inequalities as special cases. For the stability analysis of time-varying delay systems, a new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is constructed by including the double integral term with the augmented vector of the state and its derivative to utilize the proposed integral inequality when estimating the derivative of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional. Furthermore, to fully exploit the information on the time-varying delay, this paper divides the interval of the double integral term into two parts. Two numerical examples show that the results of the proposed method outperform those of the existing methods.


Acute psychosis in patients receiving physiological corticosteroid replacement is rare. The exact mechanism of this disorder is not clear. We report a case of a 50 year old female with recurrent post operative pituitary macroadenoma who had presented to us with features of adrenocortical insufficiency. The patient was started on intravenous (iv) hydrocortisone and after receiving six doses, she developed features of acute psychosis. She was put on anti-psychotics and hydrocortisone was withheld for 24 hrs. The patient recovered in a couple of days and oral hydrocortisone was re-started at 5 mg per/day and increased to 15 mg/day without recurrence of symptoms of psychosis. Case Study Chowdhury et al.; BJMMR, 12(3): 1-7, 2016; Article no.BJMMR.21557 2


Background Peripheral blood is a preferable source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) used for autologous transplantation. HSPCs are mobilized to peripheral blood and collected by leukapheresis. Prior to cryopreservation the cells need to be processed including the addition of cryoprotective mixture as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) prediluted in human serum albumin solution (HSAS). In Europe there is no commercially available albumin manufactured in packs with tubing which would enable the use of sterile tubing welder. Alternatively cryoprotective solution can be prepared using autologous plasma (AP) obtained during the same leukapheresis, allowing for the preparation of HSPCs in a completely closed system and hence to reduce the risk of contamination. The goal of our study was to test if the HSAS may be replaced by autologous plasma without negative impact on cell recovery and clonogenicity.

Methods Samples were prospectively collected from 18 patients with multiple myeloma (n=13) and lymphomas (n=5) mobilized with chemotherapy combined with G-CSF. Small volumes (1.5 ml) of cell suspensions obtained from the leukapheresis products were divided into 2 parts (0,5ml) placed in separate small vials, each containing different cryoprotective mixture - 5% HSAS or AP with a final 7.5% DMSO concentration. The final volume of cell suspensions equaling 1 ml, the cell concentration (0.7–1.5 × 108 /ml). The cells were frozen in IceCube, using a computer controlled cooling program and stored in liquid nitrogen for 2 - 4 months. Concentration of total protein and individual electrophoretic fractions of plasma proteins were measured. The quality of cryoprotective mixtures was evaluated by cell recovery and clonogenic potential. The recovery was determined by comparing number of living cells before and after cryopreservation, using trypan blue staining. Clonogenic potential was carried out by colony forming unit (CFU) assays. Depending on CD34+ percentage, 5-40 × 103 living cells were plated (in triplicates) in MethoCult medium and cultured for 14 days.

Results The median recovery of nucleated cells for AP was 68.3% (range 40.6-96.1) and was similar to HSAS 68.5%, (41.7-100); (p=0.3; Wilcoxon matched pairs test). The number of CFUs calculated per 100 000 cryopreserved cells did not differ significantly between tested cryoprotective mixture: 187.3 (11.3-806.3) for albumin, 130.5 (15-924.2) for autologous plasma (p=0.5; Wilcoxon matched pairs test). No significant differences were observed when the number of specific types of CFUs were compared. Neither total protein nor albumin concentration of plasma correlated with the clonogenic potential of the leukapheresis product cryopreserved in AP when samples from patients with higher concentration than median were compared with the other (Mann-Whitney U test). Between January and July 2013 more than 50 successful transplants of autologous HSPCs cryopreserved with 7.5% DMSO prediluted in autologous plasma were performed in our Department.

Conclusions Commercially available human serum albumin can be replaced by autologous plasma in procedure of HSPCs cryopreservation. The use of autologous plasma for cryoprotective mixture preparation does not appear to negatively affect cell recovery and clonogenic potential of leukapheresis product. The advantage of such solution is possibility of HSPCs preparation in closed system to reduce risk of auto-HSCT product contamination to the minimum.

Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Student loan default rates and the net price of higher education are currently hot topics in the financial press. But is the data and analysis on these numbers accurate?  This paper looks at inconsistencies in the data and the methodologies used, and considers alternative explanations to the current narrative.


The geometric action of the Steenrod algebra on many mod 2 cohomology spectral sequences is complemented by the action of a completely different algebra.


Inflation targeting is the monetary strategy of all EU member states; whether in the euro area, the two euro-outs, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The latter are now faced with two alternatives to achieve price stability: either remain outside the euro area or join it as full-fledged members. This paper examines this policy choice starting from the views of Knut Wicksell, who considered it in his 1920s analysis of an international monetary system based on price level targeting. Price stability could be achieved either within every country by maintaining flexible exchange rates or jointly on a global scale through a system of fixed exchange rates, that is through a monetary union. To him this was a choice between two 'evils': fluctuating price levels in the member states of a global monetary union while the average price level is maintained constant versus fluctuating exchange rates in the absence of a monetary union. To Wicksell, the choice of the proper route towards price stability was less complicated than today because he analysed it solely in monetary terms. The current choice for Sweden and the United Kingdom involves other crucial dimensions, such as the existence of nominal rigidities, and the politics of domestically issued money. Political aspects concerning the euro will be the ultimate determinants of the future monetary path for both countries.


A patient with a history of diabetes mellitus and extensive abdominal injury, but who was completely asymptomatic, underwent routine fluorescein angiography for clinically significant macular edema. He became nauseated, began vomiting violently, and shortly thereafter noted the onset of bilateral lower abdominal pain. Examination revealed bilateral, newly symptomatic inguinal hernias, which were subsequently repaired and relieved the patient's symptoms. This represents a previously unreported complication of fluorescein angiography.


For an appropriate way to deal with teaching and learning the Science Related Disciplines (SRD) there is an axiomatic need to accept an integrated-holistic approach both in terms of the way we regard them and of how we practice them. As a result of that need, this paper presents a multi-prong proposition to  substantiate that teaching and learning of the SRD have recently undergone a paradigm shift from a Relational Literacies approach, based on searching for knowledge, and  which in turn has replaced the traditional Independent Disciplines approach, based on transmitting knowledge, towards an integrated-holistic approach, bringing education into the new Integrated Competences paradigm, which is based on formulating knowledge and which should be understood as representing the confrontation of the Science Related Disciplines with the real world and its conditions.


‡The scatter photons and photoneutrons from high energy photon beams (more than 10 MV) will increase the undesired dose to the patient and the staff working in linear accelerator room. This undesired dose which is found at out-of-field area can increase the probability of secondary malignancy. The purpose of this study is to determine the equivalent dose of scatter photons and neutrons generated by 3 different treatment techniques: 3D-conformal, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The measurement was performed using two types of the optically stimulation luminescence detectors (OSL and OSLN) in the Alderson Rando phantom that was irradiated by 3 different treatment techniques following the actual prostate cancer treatment plans. The scatter photon and neutron equivalent dose were compared among the 3 treatments techniques at the surface in the out-of-field area and the critical organs. Maximum equivalent dose of scatter photons and neutrons was found when using the IMRT technique. The scatter neutrons showed average equivalent doses of 0.26, 0.63 and 0.31 mSv․Gy -1 at abdominal surface region which was 20 cm from isocenter for 3D, IMRT and VMAT, respectively. The scattered photons equivalent doses were 6.94, 10.17 and 6.56 mSv․Gy -1 for 3D, IMRT and VMAT, respectively. For the 5 organ dose measurements, the scattered neutron and photon equivalent doses in out of field from the IMRT plan were highest. The result revealed that the scatter equivalent doses for neutron and photon were higher for IMRT. So the suitable treatment techniques should be selected to benefit the patient and the treatment room staff.


References Bellone, Enrico. A World on Paper: Studies in the Second Scientific Revolution. Cambridge, MA: MIT P, 1980. Print. Cohen, Bernard. Revolution in Science. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1985. Print. Guillory, John. Cultural Capital: The Problem of Literary Canon Formation. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1993. Print. Hahn, Roger. The Anatomy of a Scientific Institution: The Paris Academy of Sciences, 1666– 1803. Berkeley: U of California P, 1971. Print. Kuhn, Thomas. "The Function of Measurement in Modern Physical Science." Isis 52.2 (1961): 161–93. Print. Repr. in Kuhn, The Essential Tension: Selected Studies in Scientific Tradition and Change. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1977.


Many stone‐covered surfaces on Earth are subject to aeolian deposition of atmospheric dust. This study investigates how the deposition of dust is affected when rock fragments become gradually more embedded in the ground or, inversely, become more concentrated on the surface. Experiments were executed in an aeolian dust wind tunnel with eight different types of pebbles. The following parameters were measured: dust deposition on the pebbles, dust deposition between and underneath pebbles, total dust deposition (pebbles + inter‐pebble space), and the fraction, of total deposition, of dust caught by the pebbles alone. The absolute amount of dust deposition and the dust deposition density (dust deposition per unit surface) were studied for each parameter. The effects exerted by pebble size, pebble flattening, pebble elongation and wind speed were also investigated. Dust patterns on and around pebbles were also studied via flow visualization.


Purpose
Most previous research assumes that the outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) decisions of multinational corporations (MNCs) are made independently of the actions or characteristics of their peers. Therefore, the important influence of peer effects on the OFDI strategy is often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to identify two broad categories of peer effects, i.e. learning-based and profit-driven imitations and examine the important influence of peer effects on MNCs' internationalization strategy.

Design/methodology/approach
Using Chinese manufacturing firms as the empirical sample, the authors employ an econometric method (logit regression) to test the relationship between peer effects and an internationalization strategy.

Findings
Learning-based and profit-driven imitations are positively associated with a focal MNC's OFDI decision. Policy uncertainty also positively moderates the relationship between peer effects and the OFDI strategy. Moreover, both peer effects are amplified when a firm is equipped with a dense export network.

Originality/value
The study offers researchers and practitioners a detailed view of interorganizational imitation behavior in terms of an internationalization strategy.


We perform a variation of geometric invariant theory stability analysis for 2nd Hilbert points of bi-log-canonically embedded pointed curves of genus 2 . As a result, we give a GIT construction of the log canonical models M ¯ 2 , 1 ( α ) for α = 2 / 3 ± ϵ and obtain a VGIT presentation of the second flip in the Hassett–Keel program for the moduli space of pointed genus 2 curves.


The purpose of the realistic load test is to determine if a battery voltage would exceed its upper voltage limit during the braking and its lower limit during acceleration. It is also used to determine whether a carpsilas batteries need cooling in summer and/or heating in winter. 100 A-h lithium polymer electric vehicle batteries were tested under simulated operating conditions. During evaluation, the batteries were given the same actual charging and discharging current collected from electric vehicle during a road driving test. The cycle includes; charging (regenerative braking), discharging (acceleration), and resting. The realistic test is followed by a residual discharging; that is, discharging the battery until it is fully discharged; so as to find the energy used during the realistic drive portion. The evaluation was conducted at four different temperatures to study the effect of seasonal changes in temperature. The test show that the lithium batteries performed well (the battery temperature and voltage stayed within their limits) during the evaluation at 0.0degC, +20degC and +40degC.


I describe progress made in recent years in determining ssion product yields for fast neutron reactions on plutonium. Discrepancies of the order of 5–10% have been partially resolved, allowing ssion burnup to be determined to a few percent accuracy.


Currently, there is no huge scale study on threat aspects and incidence of dengue fever in Pakistan, as a result it must be carried out on a priority source. It is the responsibility of the government to establish local community based laboratories and excellence research center for dengue cure, awareness and prevalence. The ailment could be cured in proper and better way. The treatment of dengue is extremely difficult due to lack of available vaccines. A developing country like Pakistan cannot handle the problems due to lake of awareness, behavior of people, terrorisms and other socioeconomic factors of the country as well as government interest to cope the other problems as compared to this one. Therefore, more measures should be carried out to prevent the disease.


The invention discloses a method for forming a metal gate in a semiconductor device, which comprises: firstly depositing a layer of metal thin layer on a grate medium layer, forming an inside wall at two sides of a grid electrode respectively, and finally forming the metal gate by physical deposition. Because inside walls are formed at the two sides of the metal gate, the method increases thickness of a dielectric medium from the grid electrode to a source electrode and a drain electrode, compensates increment of parasitic capacitance caused by reduction of size of the side walls, and reduces parasitic capacitance from the grid electrode to the source electrode and the drain electrode.


THE experiments reported here were designed to determine whether or not growth hormone normally produced by adult mammals influences embryonal growth. Fetal gigantism occurring in human diabetic or potentially diabetic mothers (Krist and Futcher, 1948) has been suggested as due to excessive maternal growth hormone production. Several investigators have demonstrated a diabetogenic effect of growth hormone in intact (Cotes et al., 1949; Campbell et al., 1950; and Milman and De Moor, 1950) as well as partially depancreatectomized adult mammals (Milman and Russell, 1949, and Houssay and Anderson, 1949). However, such a response could not be elicited in growing puppies and kittens (Young, 1941, 1944, 1949), or in pregnant or lactating cats and dogs (Young, 1938, 1946). Evans, Simpson and Li (1948) have reported that growth hormone produces a continuous growth in normal adult female rats. Recently, Reid (1952) has shown that the ratio of diabetogenic to growth-promoting activity is approximately a constant, thu...


The 3-D particle-in-cell simulations with the code MANDOR demonstrate effective ion acceleration from the interaction of intense ultrashort linearly polarized laser pulses with both ultrathin solid dense foils and low-density targets when the laser energy ranges from several millijoules to tens of joules. The optimum foil thickness and the corresponding maximum energy of the accelerated ions for a given energy of the laser pulse were found. Different mechanisms of ion acceleration, such as target normal sheath acceleration, directed Coulomb explosion, and ponderomotive acceleration, are involved. We discuss the transition from one acceleration regime to another when the target thickness and density and the laser pulse intensity change and show that reducing the target density significantly increases the ion energy. We present some examples of isotope production as a possible application of multimegaelectronvolt proton beams on the joule scale of a laser.


This paper describes a lithographically microfabricated Knudsen pump for high gas flow. Knudsen pumps operate by thermal transpiration and require no moving parts. To achieve high gas flow, high-density arrays of microchannels (with over 4000 channels/mm2) are used in parallel. These vertically oriented microchannels have 2×120 μm2 openings surrounded by 0.1 μm-thick silicon oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) sidewalls. The thin ONO sidewalls provide thermal isolation between a heat sink formed within the Si substrate, and a Cr/Pt heater that provides a temperature bias for thermal transpiration. The Knudsen pump is monolithically microfabricated on a single wafer using a four-mask process. It has a footprint of 8×10 mm2. It produces a measured air flow of 20 sccm (i.e., 0.8 sccm/mm2), with typical response times of 0.1-0.4 sec.


Phenyl carbamates were synthezed by carbonylation of nitrobenzene with alcohols or phenols and carbon monoxide in the presence of Pd-Fe/TiO2 catalyst.The effects of reaction conditions and various substrates on the yield of phenyl carbamates were investigated.It was found that Pd-Fe/TiO2 catalyst showed high activity to carbonylation reactions.Mediated by Pd-Fe/TiO2 catalyst,the carbonylation reactions of some substrates can proceed well to phenyl carbamates in 57.3%~96.8% yield under the conditions of nitrobenzene 20 mmol,alcohol or phenol 21 mmol,mass fraction of Pd 0.3%,mass fraction of Fe 0.1%,catalyst dosage 96 mg,CH3CN 20 mL,CO pressure 0.1 MPa,reaction temperature 30 ℃,and reaction time 3 h.The catalyst can be reused at least eight times without significant decrease in activity.


Islamic musical arts in Indonesia both reflect and project contemporary identity politics in the world's most populous Muslim country. The recited Qur'ān is the major vehicle/or Arab musical aesthetics in Indonesia. A range of Indonesian sacred musics may be identified related to this very musical, ritual performance. Including Arabic-language tawashih, a popular Islamic Malay song genre, the qasidah, the Western-influenced akapela, and gamelan dakwah. As Indonesia negotiates its way through the process of democratic reform and development (pembagunan), expressions of religious and cultural identity, whether global or local, traditional or modern, are played out and performed through Islamic musical arts, or what Indonesians refer to as "seni miisik Islam".


INTRODUCTION Information technology (IT) could potentially decrease the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by increasing uptake of STI testing and treatment, increasing condom use or, possibly, by reducing partner change. This article will focus on the use of practical IT interventions from a clinic or health department perspective (table 1). The use of IT outside clinics or health departments is beyond the scope of this article, but clearly many avenues are available to facilitate behaviour change, not least, of course, being the rapidly expanding phenomena of social media. The sexual history provides the risk assessment on which STI testing is based and is well suited to the use of computer-assisted self-interviewing (CASI). CASI can overcome inequalities and disadvantage through the use of audio for those who cannot read or though translation into other languages. Studies comparing CASI to clinician histories have clearly shown that CASI provides more accurate answers to social desirability questions. What is not established yet is if the routine use of CASI results in improved uptake of testing and treatment, which is essential if it is to be an effective intervention to reduce the rates of STI. The outcome of CASI on testing and treatment has been evaluated in only two studies in STI clinics. In one three-arm randomised control trial (RCT) of 2351 STI clinic attendees in the UK, HIV testing was 27% lower in those randomised to CASI compared to those randomised to see a clinician. 4 The second study was an observational study of over 14 000 individuals analysed from a clinic where CASI was operating as part of routine care. In this study, chlamydia testing was lower in the period when CASI was operating compared to the period when it was not (84% vs 88%, respectively) but HIV testing rates were not different in these two periods. Importantly, in neither of these two studies were STI testing rates significantly higher in patients who underwent CASI compared to seeing a clinician. 4 One potential advantage of CASI is that it may shorten the duration of a clinical consultation and, therefore, allow more patients to be seen (and therefore tested) with the same resources than if CASI were not in place. The effect of CASI on the time of clinical consultations has been investigated in only one study. This study showed that there were no significant differences in the mean duration of consultations. The study had 80% power to rule out differences of greater than 2 min in consultation time. Another issue that is relevant to CASI within STI services is whether they can elicit more symptoms, particularly if CASI is planned to completely replace clinical consultations. This has been assessed in two studies and both suggest that CASI is less sensitive than a clinician history for the detection of acute symptoms. 6 Given the importance of symptoms in directing testing and treatment, these two studies suggest that the use of CASI in complete isolation from clinicians may have disadvantages. However, a number of centres are using CASI in combination with express consultations but these have yet to be evaluated. The electronic medical record (EMR) has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the quality of sexual healthcare and, therefore, improving testing and treatment of STIs. There is clear evidence that the recording of consultations in EMRs is superior to their paper counterparts but EMRs also allow other quality improvement and time savings measures such as electronic prescribing. In developing countries, EMRs have also been shown to be useful with one before and after analysis of remote HIV clinics showing significant reductions in waiting time and clinical consultation times. With EMRs there is also the potential for automated quality reports for clinicians to improve their testing and treatment performance. But, importantly, if designed well, the EMR provides the opportunity to support clinical decisions through decision support software. However, the EMR will only work well in sexual health medicine if it includes the right data fields to allow these alerts to work. For example, if an alert is to remind clinicians to vaccinate men who have sex with men (MSM) there must be a field in the software for the sex of the client and the sex of their partners. The combination of CASI inputting the relevant data fields into the EMR provides a particularly efficient method for incorporating the relevant data with an EMR. Decision support software, including simple electronic prompts, has been found to be highly effective in other areas of medicine. In sexual health, a simple alert increased chlamydia testing by 32% in a cluster RCT in general practices. In another study, a simple clinician alert increased syphilis testing by 15% (from 77% to 89%) among high risk MSM. The increase was also associated with a higher proportion of syphilis cases being diagnosed when they were asymptomatic suggesting that the alert prompted earlier diagnosis and, therefore, reduced the infectious period. IT has also been used to increase access to counselling services. In two RCTs in US emergency departments, the provision of information for pre and post HIV test counselling was equally effective when provided by a counsellor or through audio assisted CASI. In another RCT, self-reported condom use was significantly higher in those exposed to two 15e40 min computer-based motivational interviewing sessions than in those exposed Sexual Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia


In recent years, efficient and effective use of scarce resources, the necessity of transparent and accountable system in spending has been raised in the public sector. Nowadays, performance based budgeting system focusing on the performance in the frame of outputs and results is accepted by many countries and tried to be implemented. Performance based budgeting system is particularly focused on the output. This system was implemented in the private sector and the public sector has started impelementing this system after the 1990s. In many countries, despite the application of this system in the public sector, there is a variety of problems and has been discussion about implementation in the public sector. In this context, especially in performance-based budgeting system in Turkey legislation and practice in the field problems will be revealed and assessments will be done.


Besides the circumferential waves [R. D. Doolittle, H. Uberall, and P. Ugincius, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 43, 1–14 (1968)], transmitted waves play an important role in the diffraction of sound waves from an elastic cylinder. Extending our results for liquid cylinders as reported previously [D. Brill and H. Uberall, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 46, 116–117 (1969)], we have derived a generalized vander Pol‐Bremmer expansion of the scattering amplitude from an elastic cylinder that mathematically describes the following: (a) an incident compressional wave gets refracted into the cylinder, thereby splitting into a compressional and a shear wave; (b) each of these either re‐emerges from the cylinder as a compressional wave; or (c) gets reflected back into the cylinder, thereby each splitting again into a compressional and a shear wave; (d) this process repeats ad infinitum. [Supported by Project Themis in Under‐Ocean Acoustics at Catholic University.]


Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is one of the most popular instruments used world-widely in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Unfortunately, there are only a few studies of the psychometric properties of non-English language versions of this instrument and none of the adaptation of its second edition (ADOS-2). The objective of this study was to verify the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2-PL). The authors recruited 401 participants: 193 with ASDs (ASD group) and 78 with non-spectrum disorders, plus 130 typically developing participants (control group). ADOS-2-PL was found to have high interrater reliability, internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a good fit of the Polish data to the two-factor model of ADOS-2. As no significant differences were found between participants with childhood autism and other ASDs, only one cut-off was established for Modules 1–4. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of ADOS-2-PL are high: sensitivity was over 90% (only for the "Older with some words" algorithm in the Toddler Module the sensitivity was 71% and "Aged 5 years or older" algorithm in Module 2 sensitivity was 84%), specificity was above 80% (with the exception of the Module 4 and Module 2 "Aged 5 years or older" algorithm where it was above 70%). The results support the use of ADOS-2-PL in clinical practice and scientific research. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports to date about adaptations of ADOS-2 and the psychometric properties of non-English language versions. As such, this constitutes the first attempt at adapting ADOS-2, and its results could be of interest for researchers outside of Poland.


ABSTRACT The use of the derivative method for near-infrared (NIR) calibration was investigated to determine protein and amylose content in rice flour. Samples for two years, 1996 and 1999, were combined to give a wide range of the constituents for development of the calibration model. The NIR spectral data were transformed with Savitzky-Golay derivative with multiplicative scatter correction. To develop the best derivative models, the polynomial fits (quadratic, cubic, and quartic), convolution intervals (3–11 points for protein, 3–17 points for amylose), and derivative orders (1st derivative D1; 2nd derivative D2) were investigated. For the protein analysis, all polynomial fits with 3–11 points were acceptable to develop both the D1 and D2 models. However, the three-point quadratic and five-point quartic fits were not acceptable for the D1 model, and the three-point quadratic fit was not acceptable for D2. For the amylose analysis, the D1 model produced generally better results than D2. Higher convolutio...


A discussion of the design and modeling issues associated with a data warehouse for the University of Florida, as developed by the office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). The data warehouse is designed and implemented on a mainframe system using a highly de-normalized DB2 repository for detailed transaction data and for feeding data to heterogeneous data models owned by different administrative units. The details of technology selection, business requirements, tools building, cultural challenges, architecture modes, models, and hardware information will be described. The data warehouse analysis, logical and physical design, application server, and implementation issues will also be explained.


In work the detailed evaluation doses loads on an organism of cows is given at a choronomic and intrinsic irradiating. Measure of such evaluation was quantity of an absorbed dose of an irradiating. In work formulas for calculation of absorbed doses are given at a choronomic and intrinsic irradiating. And, absorbed doses at an intrinsic irradiating are shaped in basic for the account β-radiances, due to receipt of radionuclides 137Cs and 90Sr with forages. Absorbed doses of a choronomic irradiating are shaped mainly for the account γ-radiances which is determined by density of the surface pollution of terrain a radionuclide 137Cs.


Considerable experimental work has been done within the past few years on the phosphatase activity of various bodily tissues. Robison 1 showed that soluble salts of hexosemonophosphoric esters were hydrolyzed by an enzyme present in ossifying cartilage, kidney, and the shafts of long bones. Kay, 2 Robison, 1 and others have shown that the intestinal mucosa, kidney, and whole bone contain the greatest concentration of this enzyme. Furthermore, the plasma and tissue phosphatase activity has been shown to vary from the normal in certain pathological conditions. Page 3 has shown that bone phosphatase is diminished if an excess of vitamin D is fed to an animal, along with the coincident decalcification of bone and metastatic calcification of other tissues. Parathormone has also been shown 4 to depress the activity of the bone enzyme in rats, though not to the same extent as the administration of vitamin D. It is known that the thyroid gland also profoundly influences calcium and phosphorus metabolism. In exophthalmic goiter the excretion of calcium and phosphorus is markedly increased and there is decalcification of bone though the level of calcium and phosphorus in the blood remains normal. 5 Kay 6 and Hunter 7 have demonstrated an increase in the phosphatase activity of the plasma in hyperthyroidism but a correlation of the increased excretion of calcium and phosphorus and the decalcification of bone with the phosphatase activity of the kidneys and bones, respectively, has not been attempted. The present study was undertaken to determine whether such a correlation exists by measuring the phosphatase content of the bones and kidneys of animals rendered thyrotoxic by injections of thyroxin.


Abstract In this essay, I discuss the legal theorist, Peter Fitzpatrick's, reading of philosopher Michel Foucault. My intent is to show how and why Foucault was important to Fitzpatrick and what this reveals about the latter's practices of reading. I characterise this particular reading in three ways. First, against the disciplinary tendency to assume that Foucault is more useful to lawyers for how he approaches law (as method), Fitzpatrick takes seriously what Foucault has to say about law as a conceptual matter. Fitzpatrick hence reads Foucault as a legal thinker. Second, Fitzpatrick does not restrict himself to the conventional archive of Foucauldian texts that legal scholars routinely consult, but reads more widely and creatively in his search for law. Third, Fitzpatrick reads Foucault open-endedly and generously rather than instrumentally or dismissively – textual ambivalence and contradiction are always, in his hands, sources of creative possibility and insight. This leads into some concluding reflections about Fitzpatrick's practice of critically rereading thinkers – all thinkers, not simply Foucault.


The year 1968 marked the apogee of High Modernity as expressed in the Old Left programs of either social-democratic reform or communist revolution. The New Left critics, in both east and west, demanded more of the same: a more "humane" socialism or less bureaucratic capitalism. Their demands, however, exceeded the limits of redistribution under each political system. Both western and eastern European power elites eventually found escape from state confines in globalization and neoliberalism. The exhaustion of modernity projects caused lasting fragmentation in the fields of ideology, culture, and politics previously structured by powerful national states and large political movements. This condition can be called "post-modern" in the simplest sense of following the breakdown of modernity without any new quality. The ex-Soviet countries serve as richly-nuanced examples of historical transformation from 1968 to 1989 and into the present morass.


OBJECTIVE:To sum up the dosmestic and abroad articles related to the molecular biology knowledge of triple-negative breast cancer,and explored its feasible therapeutic tool and development of study.METHODS: "Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),Basal-like breast cancer(BLBC),Therapy" were as key words and PubMed was searched recently 5 years.Totally 125 papers were obtained.The inclusion criteria: the origin and molecular biology character of TNBC;therapy including chemotherapy,radiotherapy and targeted therapy.According to the inclusion criteria,finally 54 articles were analyzed.RESULTS: TNBC infact comes from BLBC,it is high malignant,worse prognosis,and tolerance to therapy,but many tageted medcines may be a good choice.CONCLUSION:The field in the pathogenesis research of TNBC and choice of therapy are extensive.


The debate about financial globalization in historical perspective has produced an impressive amount of literature in recent years. Scholars have suggested that financial market integration from 1880s to today perform the so called U-shaped pattern. That means contemporary financial globalization has precedents in the Gold Standard era, then the current level of financial market integration is not unprecedented. In contrast to the widely-known U-shaped pattern, the data presented in this paper provides different evidence, precisely in the markets where scholars have found the U-pattern. The evidence presented here shows that today's financial integration has surpassed the pre-1914 period. This different historical perspective is called the J-curve. The major purpose of this article is to demonstrate the J-curve, which claims that the level of financial integration since the mid-1990s has been higher than the previous experience, so the second wave of financial globalization is historically unprecedented.


The global mass media in general depicts disasters as a spectacle for an audience of consumers. As a result, the individuals depicted effectively become generic victims, not fully developed human beings with distinct needs and interests (Drake, Tierney). In Sinha's novel, however, the chemical plant explosion, though drastically noxious to Khaufpuri citizens, is not restricted to harming only Khaufpuris. In fact, Animal's narrative conveys visual punctual violence on a Western audience, as well as the Khaufpuris. He reminds his Western audience that there are exposed human bodies in specific geographic locations. This essay investigates the corporeal experience Animal's audience has with disaster because of his narrative style. I argue that Animal's People rhetorically constructs a Western audience, and in doing so, reorients the Western audience's relationship with disaster and disaster victims. Put another way, this essay argues that Sinha's novel discloses both non-Western and Western human beings amidst catastrophe by deconstructing the fantasy that Westerners are far removed and invincible from disaster. Bangladesh...formerly India...generations wiped out as regularly as clockwork...and they are cooly aware that when you talk about apocalypse...they are leading the way in that particular field. The facts of disaster are the facts of their lives. (Smith 176) Introduction o Westerners feel as if they are "leading the way" in accruing casualties because of disasters (176)? Westerners can believe that they are relatively invulnerable from disasters. The Westerners experience with disaster is not the same relationship that Indians faced because of unnatural reasons. On the night of December 2, 1984, forty thousand tons of methyl cyanide spewed from a chemical tank over the Indian city of Bhopal, flooding the city with chemicals denser than air, and now, thirtyone years later, over 600,000 Bhopali citizens suffer from both physical and mental illnesses (Mukherjee 37). Indra Sinha's novel Animal's People depicts a fictional town called Khaufpur that is closely based on the actual events that took place in Bhopal, India. A nineteen year old boy named Animal narrates the entire story. In the novel Animal's People, these toxic chemicals corrode Animal's back, and because of this, he must walk on his hands and feet. This essay investigates the corporal experience Animal's audience has with disaster because of his narrative style. I argue that Animal's People rhetorically constructs a Western audience, and in doing so, reorients the Western audience's relationship with disaster and disaster victims. Put another way, this essay argues that Sinha's novel discloses both non-Western and Western human beings amidst catastrophe by deconstructing the fantasy that Westerners are far removed and invincible from disaster. The chemical disaster that Animal's People displays showcases the ways in which the Khaufpuri citizens are vulnerable politically, economically, and environmentally. In contrast, the global mass media depicts disasters as a spectacle for an audience of consumers. Phillip Drake and Kathleen Tierney argue, first, that mass media frames D


ABSTRACT . . . 4 Since voters rarely have access tc 'a candidate's unexpurgatedstatements, they rely on political advertising, film footage, and media interpretations. Thus, theirexpectations, of \, candidates generally reflect selective.reportIng and "' .self-aggrandizement. A framework for researching the degree of understanding reached between politicians andthe public may trg.een through the use of the coorientation model used in interpersonal research. A-content analysis was prepared frci transcripts of.the first ofthe.series of presidential debates in both 1960 and 1976, classified in terms of topidsvissues,"and othertategories relevant tp a candidate's pOlitical philosophy. A profileSofeach candidate's philosophy was prepared and compared to his revealed position. Postelection disillusionment was foundto be proportional to the degree of variance' between these positions. Such research in . conjunction with' measures of public perceptions should enable . ... ., .gdlitical communication researchers to understand performance in office and subsequent support demonstrated for elected leaders. (References and, tabulated analysis datearslualuslef14_ (DP) ....7.._. ...., .


This paper presents a RF high power Doherty amplifier for improving the efficiency of a 30 W Feedforward linear amplifier used in W-CDMA base-station applications. A Doherty amplifier using a single push-pull LDMOS FET is proposed as the main amplifier of the Feedforward linear amplifier. The peaking amplifier's compensation line and gate bias effects are analyzed, at a 6 dB backed off. From the experimental results, a 2.2% PAE improvement on the 30 W Doherty Feedforward linear amplifier is achieved in comparison to a conventional Feedforward linear amplifier.


Undoubtedly, conventional small ⁃ molecule chemical drugs have made extraordinary contributions to human health. However, after the rapid development of chemical drugs in the last century and on account of less mature tar⁃ gets and lower success rate, there is a view that chemical drugs have gradually entered into a plateau period, which is also called a stable period by optimists. From the per⁃ spective of patents, it seems that a larger number of appli⁃ cants turn their attention to further modify and optimize the existing structures and develop new crystal forms, new dos⁃ age forms and new uses. There are also enterprises making great efforts to delve into studies on impurities in drugs that have been approved to be marketed, with an aim of making breakthroughs in enhancing drug safety and market com⁃ petitiveness. In addition to conventional R&D thoughts, some industry insiders put forward a concept of"micro⁃in⁃ novations". As the name implies,"micro⁃innovations"are"micro". In order to obtain a patent successfully, one needs to accu⁃ rately find out a suitable entry point for the completion of an invention, and make an overall plan about the title of the in⁃ vention, its inventive concepts and the technical problem solved, even the drafting manner of claims, description of experimental results, analysis of experimental data and the like. In one word, it is required to break through the conven⁃ tional patent application mode. For instance, one of the "brilliant"micro⁃innovations is to change the impurity into a form of pharmaceutical composition, or file an application for the new"use"of first separated impurities as a new compound or composition. Nevertheless, there seems to be a paradox in front of us, that is, from the viewpoint of the legislation of the patent law, there is no such thing as"micro"⁃innovation. As far as the grant of patent rights is concerned, at least the non⁃ob⁃ viousness and contribution made to the field must meet the requirements of inventiveness under Article 22.3 of the Chi⁃ na's Patent Law, and the"height"of such innovation should be evaluated in accordance with the corresponding examination criteria. It can be seen that a real "micro" inno⁃ vation, if inherently insufficient, cannot pass the inventive⁃ ness examination as prescribed by the patent law. It is undeniable that the concept"micro ⁃ innovation" has its advantages as it reminds innovative entities of some blind spots in their R&D which in turn promotes technologi⁃ cal innovations. An interesting thing is that the"micro⁃inno⁃ vation"subtly introduces the economic ideology of costs and profits into the construction of invention ⁃ creations. In the early days of working in the IP field, the authors once learnt about this from the application practice from our neighboring country, Japan. As viewed from another per⁃ spective, however, the applications on"micro⁃innovations" may cause difficulties during patent examination and invali⁃ dation procedures, increase the possibility of passing off the sham as the genuine, result in more problems in patent protection and use and generate further concerns in the field. The reasons for this are surely easy to understand: as far as some"micro ⁃ innovations"are concerned, even though they are still patented after administrative examina⁃ tion or judicial trial, it does not necessarily mean that they are real invention⁃creations in the sense of the patent law, but are merely conclusions made by judges in certain ad⁃ ministrative or judicial proceedings since there were no al⁃ ternative due to the evidence presented and the arguments between the parties concerned. This article is intended to make an in⁃depth discussion over the impurity ⁃ related issue in the pharmaceutical field on the basis of a series of heatedly discussed invalidation cases concerning cinepazide maleate injection between Beijing Sihuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Beijing Sihuan) Patent Issues Concerning Pharmaceutical Impurities


The hypothesis that peripheral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a regulator of both food intake and macronutrient selection in rats was tested by administration of its antagonist, exendin 9–39, and its agonist, exendin 4. The effect of exendin 9–39 given intraperitoneally (i.p.) on food intake was measured after carbohydrate, protein or fat preloads, and on choice between a protein-free, high carbohydrate (CHO) diet and a high protein, low carbohydrate (PRO) diet. The effect of exendin 4 on selection between the CHO and PRO diets was also investigated. Exendin 9–39 significantly enhanced food intake suppression occurring after glucose, but not after corn oil or albumin preloads. In diet selection studies, exendin 9–39 selectively decreased intake of only the CHO diet. In contrast, exendin 4 decreased intake of only the PRO diet. Thus, we suggest that peripheral GLP-1 plays a role in the regulation of macronutrient selection as well as food intake in rats. J. Nutr. 131: 2164–2170, 2001.


On a need of conception and management of ecological sustainability in urban places, arises the concept of "sustainable city", synonymous of modern times and development. Applying sustainable design stimulates urban ecology and induces social, economic and ecological quality of life of all citizens. The "deformalization" of an urban landscape, if it may be called, can happen as we introduce green areas. Amongst others, parks, and "green roofs" are some of the means to reach urban sustainability, since they make possible the incorporation of self-sufficient and regenerative natural processes. This report presents a proposal of a landscape intervention of two typologically different spaces of public utility. Both items of the study area, Public Park and Senior citizen's complex respond to a large number of requests that can be integrated on the urban environment and the renovation concerns of the underlying concept of sustainability development.


The kinetic behavior of Rh supported on SiO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and TiO{sub 2} in the CO oxidation reaction has been investigated. It was found that the maximum turnover frequency (TOF) is approximately the same over the three catalysts, although the maximum is shifted to lower CO pressures for Rh/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Rh/TiO{sub 2} than for Rh/SiO{sub 2} catalyst. At high CO pressures, a change from -1 to -0.4 in the reaction order with respect to CO was observed over Rh/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} while in the case of Rh/TiO{sub 2} a similar change from -1 to -0.2 was observed. These changes are attributed to the contribution of the CO dissociation step to the total oxidation rate. Oscillatory behavior and hysteresis were observed on all catalysts at 393 K. However, the window of oscillation with respect to the CO pressure was much wider on Rh/SiO{sub 2} than on the other catalysts. On-line mass spectrometry was used to follow the precise oscillatory patterns as a function of reaction temperature over the Rh/SiO{sub 2} catalyst. The oxidation/reduction of the rhodium surface is proposed to be the dominant mechanism responsible for the observed oscillatory behavior. 46 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.


Profiling environmental parameter using a large number of spatially distributed wireless sensor network (WSN) NODEs is an extensive illustration of advanced modern technologies, but high power requirement for WSN NODEs limits the widespread deployment of these technologies. Currently, WSN NODEs are extensively powered up using batteries, but the battery has limitation of lifetime, power density, and environmental concerns. To overcome this issue, energy harvester (EH) is developed and presented in this paper. Solar-based EH has been identified as the most viable source of energy to be harvested for autonomous WSN NODEs. Besides, a novel chemical-based EH is reported as the potential secondary source for harvesting energy because of its uninterrupted availability. By integrating both solar-based EH and chemical-based EH, a hybrid energy harvester (HEH) is developed to power up WSN NODEs. Experimental results from the real-time deployment shows that, besides supporting the daily operation of WSN NODE and Router, the developed HEH is capable of producing a surplus of 971 mA·hr equivalent energy to be stored inside the storage for NODE and 528.24 mA·hr equivalent energy for Router, which is significantly enough for perpetual operation of autonomous WSN NODEs used in environmental parameter profiling.


In Revense Engineering,UG"analyse function"is ofen adopted to measure the distance from point to surface one by one to estimate precision of surface.To use the second development tools of GRIP in UG,an effective method was found to realize the error statistic from point cloud to model reconstruction.


The huge digital transitions sweeping national and international communications were bound to have an impact on the MENA media landscape. Not only have those transitions induced greater empowerment for individuals and groups in an expanding virtual public sphere, but they have also presented traditional media organizations with some existential challenges. Available data systematically suggest more young people in the region are turning to social and online media as the new frontier for their information consumption. Likewise, there are clear indications that traditional advertising is no longer defining the financial posture of legacy media, especially in view of the global financial crisis and decreasing oil revenues. The author argues that hybridization of traditional/social/online media operations in the region has emerged as a popular recipe for coming to terms with ongoing digital communications disruptions. More traditional media like newspapers and radio and television services are leveraging the power of social and online media to bolster their positions in a fast-changing communications environment. More of them are going social and online to reach out to a huge audience marked by young demographics and a passion for mobile and app-based news, information and entertainment. Online websites and portals have become distinctive features of traditional media operations in addition to accounts on a wide range of social platforms in the MENA region. In this article, the author discusses how two satellite television services: Al Jazeera Satellite Channel and BBC Arabic Television draw on hybrid physical resources to optimize audience engagement. It is argued here that in the long run, this hybridization strategy may not prove to be highly successful in view of built-in tensions between two communication models at work and the region's economic and demographic transitions. Traditional communication models draw on one-way flows of information while social models thrive on symmetrical communications and engagements. In addition, with 65% of the MENA region's populations classified as 'digital generations,' traditional media seem to have lost their appeal. Finally, fallouts of the 2009 financial crisis, aggravated by the 2016 recessions in oil revenues, have accelerated much of the online media migration across the region.


FIELD: information technology. SUBSTANCE: recording medium has a user data area and a control information area. Control information includes a space bitmap and a disc definition structure, which includes space bitmap location information. The size of the space bitmap is defined such that the combined size of the space bitmap itself and the disc definition structure is always equal to the size of one unit. If the size of the user data area in a predetermined recording layer exceeds a predetermined size, multiple space bitmaps are formed for the user data area of the predetermined recording layer. EFFECT: arranging TDDS in a predetermined location for a disc with high density of recording on a layer. 40 cl, 30 dwg


From x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the C K edge we show that interface effects in C60-Al multilayers give rise to a predominantly covalent interaction between the fullerene molecules and the metal, with minimal ionic charge transfer. In addition, an anomalous q-dependence of the spectral weight of the Al charge carrier plasmon is observed in electron energy-loss measurements, which could be related to the confinement of the Al layers between the fullerene dielectric.


Abstract:  Students' perception of 8 criteria (rationale of the problem; interdisciplinary learning; facilitator asked essential questions; learner's skills; assessments; facilitation procedures; team's use of resources [team collaboration], and facilitator within a problem-based learning context) were assessed for a food biotechnology course that was part of a 3rd year biotechnology program. The mean score for "perceived learner's skills" was the lowest whereas those for "facilitation" and "facilitator" were the highest. Selected qualitative comments from students were also analyzed. This study demonstrated interdisciplinary learning as the students could make meaningful connections across different science disciplines. Further investigation is needed to develop possible strategies to accommodate the challenges in making meaningful connections across science disciplines as well as to develop a defined hybrid method for analysis of students' responses.


Malignant deciduoid mesothelioma (MDM), a rare variant of epithelioid mesothelioma, accounts for less than 5% of mesotheliomas. The term deciduoid mesothelioma was introduced by Nascimento et al. in 1994 to describe a rare variant of epithelioid mesothelioma that bears a morphological resemblance to decidua or decidual-type changes. It has an unknown etiology, and the relation with asbestos exposure remains debatable. The presence of decidual-type cells often makes the diagnosis difficult in the small biopsy specimen, especially in the peritoneal biopsy of young female patients, as they can be misdiagnosed as normal decidualized tissue. The prognosis of deciduoid mesothelioma was considered poor, but now reports suggest that the prognosis depends on the grade of the tumor. Mesothelioma is more commonly seen in older men, but deciduoid mesothelioma most often occurs in young women and is initially thought to occur only in the peritoneum of young women. Later case reports of this rare variant occurring in the pleura, the pericardium, and the tunica vaginalis of older adults are also seen. Herein we report a case of a 60-year-old male patient diagnosed with high-grade malignant deciduoid pleural mesothelioma on small biopsy, treated with four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Pemetrexed + Carboplatin + Bevacizumab), with partial favorable response to chemotherapy underwent pleurectomy. Following this, the patient was on maintenance chemotherapy; unfortunately, he had progressive disease with adrenal and lymph node metastasis.


Copper(II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) has a wide range of applications as catalysts. The natural abundance of copper and its relatively low cost make it a viable alternative to catalysts made from expensive precious metals such as platinum and palladium. In this study, a rapid, simple and green method was developed for the synthesis of CuO NPs using an aqueous extract of Murayya koenigii leaves. Several parameters were optimized, namely, the volume of leaf extract, pH, reaction temperature and reaction time. The optimum condition for the biosynthesis was obtained by using 3 mL of leaf extract; 10 mL of 5 mM CuSO, at pH 11, at room temperature.  The biosynthesis was completed within 50 minutes. The synthesized CuO NPs were characterized using Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analyses. The UV-Vis absorption spectra confirmed the formation of CuO NPs with characteristic peak at 634 nm. The FTIR spectroscopic analysis of the biosynthesized CuO NPs confirmed the surface adsorption of the bioactive components in the leaf extract that acted as the reducing agent and stabilizing agent for the metal nanoparticles. XRD analysis showed a series of diffraction peaks at 2θ of 32.5°, 35.5°, 38.6°, 48.8°, 53.4°, 58.1°, 61.5°, 66.3°, 68.0°, 72.4° and 75.0°, corresponding to (110), (002), (111), (202), (020), (202), (113), (311), (220), (311) and (222) respectively. From TEM images, CuO NPs were of spherical shape with a mean diameter of 8.4 nm. The biosynthesized CuO NPs demonstrated good catalytic activities on the reduction 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of sodium borohydride, NaBH4 and can be reused three times without significant decrease in the catalytic activities


We report studies on the nonlinear electronic transport properties of copper point contacts. Utilizing the mechanically controllable break junction technique, various contact sizes can be realized to study ensemble-averaged differential conductance spectra at low temperatures. We investigate signatures of phonon excitations for contact sizes down to the atomic scale, where conductance fluctuations arise superimposing the phonon signatures. Applying high bias voltages to atomic-size copper contacts reveal additional features caused by atomic rearrangements.


Quantification of stress To develop a quantification method for stress within the tissue, a preliminary study has been performed to get an indication of the amount of compaction as measure for generated stress. PGA/P4HB strips were seeded with ovine myofibroblasts and cultured for four weeks (n=5). Compaction will be measured from photographs obtained over 24 hours from which the decrease in length of the strips will be measured (figure 4) .


Flu vaccine shortages and ongoing concerns about avian flu highlight the need to optimize flu vaccine use. One potential approach is to vary the


Abstract A method is described for the automatic elution of chromatographed compounds on thin-layer chromatography plates and their subsequent identification by micro infrared spectroscopy. The method is simple, easy to perform in a few minutes, and requires 5 μg of material, 3 mg of KBr powder, and 150 μl of solvent.


This study determines the frequency, location and spatial extent of such large-area monthly thermal anomalies, which are referred to in this paper as continental-scale thermal anomalies (CTAs). The research was based on monthly mean air temperature values from 210 weather stations over the 68-year period 1951-2018. A CTA is defined as an anomaly when the monthly mean temperature exceeded the long-term average by at least 2 standard deviations at a minimum of 40 stations. This study attempts to explain the occurrence of such CTAs (negative CTAs- and positive CTAs+) in relation to the circulation conditions over Europe. In the years 1951-2018, there were 16 CTAs- (mainly in winter and autumn) and 25 CTAs+ (predominantly in summer). One manifestation of climate warming is the ever less frequent occurrence of CTAs- and a growing frequency and spatial extent of CTAs+. The immediate cause behind CTAs was the occurrence of characteristic synoptic situations, leading to intensified advection of cold or hot air masses, often driven by radiation factors. The formation of CTAs- was much more often associated with very extensive and long-lasting anticyclonic systems, and that the associated synoptic situations over Europe lasted much longer than in the case of CTAs+.


Predicting the cost of cutting edge new technologies involved with spacecraft hardware can be quite complicated. A new feature of the NASA Air Force Cost Model (NAFCOM), called the Complexity Generator, is being developed to model the complexity factors that drive the cost of space hardware. This parametric approach is also designed to account for the differences in cost, based on factors that are unique to each system and subsystem. The cost driver categories included in this model are weight, inheritance from previous missions, technical complexity, and management factors. This paper explains the Complexity Generator framework, the statistical methods used to select the best model within this framework, and the procedures used to find the region of predictability and the prediction intervals for the cost of a mission.


A relation is viewed as a granularity from a granular computing perspective. A classic rough set contains only one granularity. A multi-granulation rough set contains multiple granularities, which promotes the applications of classical rough set. Firstly, this paper uses the incomplete interval-valued decision information system (IIVDIS) as research object and constructs two rough set models in the light of single granularity rough set model for applying the rough set theory to real life more widely, which are optimistic multi-granulation rough set (OMGRS) model and pessimistic multi-granulation rough set (PMGRS) model in the IIVDIS. Secondly, we design two algorithms to compute the roughness and the degree of dependence that are two tools for measuring uncertainty of rough set. Finally, several experiments are performed on six UCI data sets to verify the validity of the proposed theorems.


ABSTRACT Enterprise social software platforms (ESSPs) have emerged as an important infrastructure that enables teams to perform in the turbulent business environment. The current study adds to the scanty literature on ESSP by revealing and confirming the underlying mechanisms through which ESSP contributes to a team's ability to improvise. By surveying current ESSP users, we find that ESSP exercises its effect on team improvisation ability through team social capital as an important mediator. However, our results confirm the existence of two distinctive mediation mechanisms. First, intra-team ESSP use shapes improvisation ability through a team's internal bonding social capital partially, whereas inter-team ESSP use contributes to improvisation ability through external bonding social capital fully. Second, intra-team (not inter-team) ESSP use casts an additional impact on improvisation ability through within-team (not outside-team) bridging social capital; however, this mediation effect exists only among teams that are equipped with a high level of absorptive capacity. Therefore, the current research sheds new lights on the ESSP and contributes to the research on information technology–assisted team improvisation. Our findings also inform practitioners in leveraging ESSP for enhancement of the improvisation ability of teams in the workplace.


A test of retrievable geologic storage of spent fuel assemblies from an operating commercial nuclear reactor is underway at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) of the US Department of Energy. This generic test is located 420 m below the surface in the Climax granitic stock. Eleven canisters of spent fuel approximately 2.5 years out of reactor core (about 1.6 kW/canister thermal output) were emplaced in a storage drift along with 6 electrical simulator canisters. Two adjacent drifts contain electrical heaters, which are operated to simulate within the test array the thermal field of a large repository. Fuel was loaded during April to May 1980 and initial results of the test will be presented.


In this paper, we propose a novel framework for face alignment based on the active appearance model (AAM) in surveillance systems with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. The AAM converges poorly in face images which are affected by illumination factors, cluttered backgrounds and status of the camera. To search for robust face model parameters, we propose a robust AAM fitting method based on segmenting faces and combining person-specific and generic models to achieve accurate face alignment. We segment faces using histogram back-projection and a skin color histogram, which is updated using a skin mask extracted by the AAM. For robust face recognition, we combined generic and person-specific models with a slight reduction in processing time. The extracted AAM parameters are as accurate as those when using the person-specific model and can be used as features for face recognition. Empirical experiments show that our proposed method extracts very accurate face parameters and is not sensitive to initial shapes


From Plato To Nietzsche. By E. L. Allen. New York: Association Press, 1959. 254 pages. $3.75. How To Serve God In A Marxist Land. By Karl Barth and Johannes Hamel. New York: Association Press, 1959. 126 pages. $2.50. The Trumpet of the Lord. By William L. Bennett. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959. 118 pages. $2.00. Gefesselte Kirche-Entfesselte Welt. By Franz Baumann. Zurich: Zwhgfi Verlag, 1959. 72 pages. Sunday School Success. By Clarence H. Benson. Wheaton, Illinois: Evangelical Teacher Training Association, revised 1958. 95 pages. $1.25. Teaching Techniques for Sunday School. By Clarence H. Benson. Wheaton, Illinois: Evangelical Teacher Training Association, revised 1959. 93 pages. $1.25. Bible Readings for Boys and Girls. New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1959. 256 pages. $3.00. The Rise and Development of Calvinism. Edited by John H. Bratt. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959. 134 pages. $2.75. Following Christ In Our Work. By J. Lawrence Burkholder. Scottdale, Penna.: Herald Press, 1959. 72 pages. $1.25. Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays. By A. C. Cawley. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1959. 266 pages. $1.35. Treatises and Sermons of Meister Eckhart. Translated by James M. Clark and John V. Skinner. New York: Harper & Bros., 1958. 267 pages. $4.00. Vacation Bible School. By Mrs. Ruth A. Clark. Wheaton, Illinois: Evangelical Teacher Training Association, 1959. 93 pages. $1.25. How Shall They Hear? Compiled by M. A. Darroch. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958. 119 pages. $2.00. Hebrews. By M. R. DeHaan. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959. 212 pages. $2.50. Champion of Geneva. By Peter de Rover. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959. 32 pages. 25 cents. You Can Hope Again. By W. Albert Donalduon. Anderson, Indiana: The Warner Press, 1959. 139 pages. Values In the Church Year. By Wm. F. Dunkle, Jr. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1959. 144 pages. $2.50. Transcendentalism In New England. By Octavius Brooks Frothingham. New York: Harper & Bros., 1959. 386 pages. $1.75. The Seven Wonders of,Prayer. By Armin R. Gesswein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957. 29 pages. The Pilot Series In Literature. Book Two. By Gertrude Haan, Alice Fenenga, and Beth Merizon. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959. 560 pages. $5.50. How To Win Over ,Worry. By John Edmund Haggai. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959. Light In the Jungle. By Leo B. Halliwell. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1959. 269 pages. $4.50. The Modern Reader's Guide To John. By William Hamilton. New York: Association Press, 1959. 124 pages. 50 cents. The Modern Reader's Guide To Mark. By William Hamilton. New York: Association Press, 1959. 125 pages. 50 cents. $2.50.


Abstract Members of Parliament have traditionally enjoyed different kinds of immunities; nowadays, these are openly criticized on several grounds. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently given a judgment on the inviolability of European Parliament's members, which might be regarded as a milestone in its scarce case law on the matter: Oriol Junqueras Vies, Judgment of the Grand Chamber of December 19, 2019. This Article intends to summarize and comment on this decision, a preliminary reference requested by the Spanish Supreme Court in a notorious criminal procedure, connected with the suspended referendum on Catalonia's independence. The CJEU reinforces the inviolability of Members of European Parliament (MEPs), thus strengthening the powers of this institution. However, the judgment perhaps fails to fully capture European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case law and was rendered at a time when the controversy on Mr. Junqueras had arguably become outdated.


The technology of the electrolytic deposited Ni-Fe alloy foils from sulfate solution was researched using orthogonal regression design. Quadratic regression equations of the composition of al- loy foils, current efficiency and bath voltage varied with bath composition, pH and current density have been established. The effects of operating parameters on Ni-Fe alloy foils were extensively discussed. The results obtained are verified by continuous electrolytic deposition of Ni-20Fe alloy foil on the rotating cathode drum, and show that Ni-20Fe alloy foil has γ-Ni solid solution structure, stable composition, uniform thickness, smooth and clean appearance and good mechanical and electromagnetic performance.


The 2-tert-butylhydroquinone(TBHQ) is an excellent antioxidant for edible oils and fats.The synthesis of TBHQ with the help of microwave irradiation was studied.The effect of the irradiation power,reaction time,solvent and catalyst has been investigated.With an irradiation power of 400 W the synthesis yield reached 52.3% in 30 minutes.Compared with traditional methods,the proposed method has advantages of less reagent consumption,high yield and short reaction time.


- Land Cover classification in image processing is the task of classifying pixels whose spectral characteristics are similar and allocating them to the designated classification classes such as forests, grassland, wetlands and build-up areas. With the development of remote sensing technology and accuracy, the application of land cover images has become more widely spread. Many methods have achieved good classification results in the classification of land cover images. This paper discusses the issues and prospect by the combined effect of various methods and reviews the classification methods of remotely sensed images in statistical methods and recent machine learning methods.


Using spontaneous parametric down-conversion in ppKTP waveguides, we probe photon-number correlated states of up to 50 photons with a Klyshko efficiency of >60%, in a single mode characterised by an unheralded marginal g(2)(0) = 1.87±0.05.


Late Quaternary sediment successions originating from the northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope show one of the highest sedimentation rates in the world. Poorly consolidated muds and mudstones younger than about 56 kyr were cored during IODP Expedition 308 at two sites (U1322 and U1324) in the Ursa Basin. High pore fluid overpressures define potential slope instability, with alternating formation of mass transport deposits (MTD) and intervening intervals of normal fallout sedimentation. In order to characterize differences in magnetic fabrics resulting from fallout and compaction, in particular the MTD-related deformation overprints, we have determined AMS ellipsoids for 250 specimens from Site U1322, for which a complete sampling record exists. The samples originate from eleven MTD's and from the interleaved normally sedimented layers. Reorientation of AMS principal axes was undertaken using the available tensor tool orientation data for the drill cores. AMS ellipsoid shapes in the MTD samples are mostly triaxial, showing with a tendency towards prolate shapes, except for the uppermost MTD 1. AMS ellipsoids derrived from the normally sedimented layers subjacent to the individual MTD's depict distinct oblate shapes. In the normally deposited sediments short axes of AMS ellipsoids are vertical, whereas in the MTD they are generally inclined in the direction of downslope transport. Our preliminary interpretation is that all these differences reflect a purely compactive history in the normally sedimented sections, and a combination of compaction and transport-related shearing in the MTD. Below 174 mbsf, in the deeper part of the cored section (MTD 6 ‐ MTD 11), this distinction is present as well, but the database is generally smaller. A common feature of almost all MTD is the larger P-factor of AMS ellipsoids when compared with the subjacent normally deposited sediments. We relate this to intense sediment deformation: a feature that was probably imprinted onto the Ursa Basin muds and clays during downslope movement. The long AMS ellipsoid axes in both types of deposits seem to be linked to the initial eastward suspension transport off the axial zones of the Ursa and Southwest Pass Canyons located in the West. In summary, we show that magnetic fabrics of fine grained sediments in the Ursa Basins were capable to record the complete history of sediment transport, compaction and downslope movement and shearing.


Corresponding author: Dong Yeob Lee Department of Neurosurgery, Bumin Hospital Seoul, 389, Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07590, Republic of Korea Tel: +82-2-2620-0004 Fax: +82-2-2620-0167 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Here we report a 65-year-old man with a mobile intradural extramedullary schwannoma of the cauda equina. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated mobility of the tumor. Preoperative magnetic resonance myelography showed that tumor migration did not occur continuously. It occurred suddenly instead. With spinous process splitting laminectomy, the tumor was successfully removed.


By Jennifer Sprinks @JenniferSprinks EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) managers are budgeting for more band 5 and 6 nurses than they can recruit, but are failing to allocate sufficient funds for band 7 and 8 nurses. This is the conclusion of independent researcher and analyst Keith Hurst after examining staffing levels in EDs at 33 trusts and boards in England and Scotland. Using a patient acuity tool for emergency care settings, Mr Hurst assessed budgeted, actual and recommended numbers of whole-time equivalent (WTE) nurses. He found that EDs are being funded for more band 5 and 6 nurse posts than they can fill, and more than they need based on patient acuity. In contrast, EDs are not being funded for sufficient senior nurses according to estimates based on need. These figures mean there is a 15% gap between the budgeted and actual numbers of band 7 staff.


Of the human organs, few have been subjected to the implementation of new techniques improving diagnostic efficacy to the extent that the female breast has. It all started with the introduction of mammography decades ago, followed by ultrasonography, different nuclear medicine techniques, and then magnetic resonance tomography. Even computed tomography has played a role in this succession of different modalities. Light in different forms has also been used in the investigation of breast tumors. Currently under development are several methods based on the detection of electrophysiological properties. Whereas one of these methods is founded on differences in the electrical potential at skin level caused by neoplastic activity, others are based on measurements of the conductivity and capacitance of different tissues using multiple frequencies of alternating electric current. In this issue of Acta Radiologica, Botond K.


According to an embodiment of the present invention, a variable valve lift device comprises: a valve arranged to open and close a port; a lever arranged to drive the valve to a high lift or a low lift; and a fluid pressure gap adjusting part for supporting a lower part of a leading end of the lever. The lever includes: a first lever corresponding to a high cam of a cam shaft; a second lever, corresponding to a low cam of the cam shaft, and connected to the first lever through a hinge arranged in a rear end, and having a piston groove in a front end; a piston which is inserted into an inside of the piston groove; a piston elasticity member for elastic supporting the piston toward an inside of the piston groove; and a fluid pressure supplying part for making the first lever to press the second lever through the piston since the front end of the piston protrudes to an outside of the second lever. An oil jet for relieving a fluid pressure, which is formed between the piston groove and the piston, toward an outside is formed at a constant interval toward a movement direction of the piston. Therefore, the valve can be controlled rapidly and variably since a fluid pressure loss is reduced in case the fluid pressure is supplied, and a fluid pressure is discharged rapidly to an outside in case the fluid pressure is relieved by forming a first and a second oil jet in a piston groove at a constant interval toward a movement direction of a piston.


Five peptide thioesters of increasing length were fragmented using two processes, in-source and in-collision cell fragmentation, using an electrospray source coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Comparison of their fragmentations was made in regard to their length. The two fragmentation conditions show that the peptide length has no influence on structural information and that the fragmentation efficiency is higher for the smallest peptides than for the longest. The particularity of these peptide thioesters consists of the neutral loss of ethanethiol. The absence of the a3 fragment ion and the presence of the (a3–17) ion on the collision-induced dissociation mass spectra are noted.


Previously [1], we demonstrated a method for automated search for query-identical images and their differentiation from the query image closest analogs, based on the previously described nonprobabilistic method for hypothesis generation and verification (HyGV-2D) [2-3] applied to analysis of grayscale (or color) histograms. The HyGV method provides the differentiation between original images and their closest analogs even when the latter differ from the former as little as by the intensity of a few pixels. The image recognition approach demonstrated in [1] creates a new capability in digital watermark encoding in a copyrightable form, as well as watermark code identification, applicable to digitalized image, video, music and other files. Unlike imprinted watermarks that are supposed to be visible, digital watermarks are designed to be invisible, or – in case of audio files – inaudible. Digital watermarking is implemented as patterns of certain modifications inserted in digital images, audio or video files, to provide copyright protection from the unauthorized use of files published on the Web or other media. To view digital watermarks, one needs special programs for extraction of watermark data. In this work, we propose a simple technique that simplifies the encoding and identification of digital watermarks and can be effectively used for copyright infringement tracking.


Our project was the expansion of appropriate cultivation techniques of King mandarin (Citrus nobilis Loureiro) to growers who have average-sized farms of 1,000 to 10,000 m 2 in southern Vietnam. In this region, most citrus trees are infected by huanglongbing (HLB) within two years of planting. The HLB management techniques implemented consisted principally of Nippa palm (Nypa fruticans) or Banana (Musa spp.) windbreaks on all sides of the orchards, planting of guavas (Psidium guajava) one to two months prior to planting disease-free King mandarin trees, and insecticide applications. Insecticide applications were scheduled as follows: 1) soil-drenching with neonicotinoid around King mandarin trees 10 days before planting and every two months for one year thereafter; and 2) leaf-spraying every month from the second year on. In seven of the eleven orchards included in the project, 0.3 to 2.6% of King mandarin trees were infected by HLB in the first year and 3.0 to 21.9% in the second year. However, the infection rate in the first year reached at 21.1 to 39.3% in four orchards where the insecticide was not correctly applied. The results indicate that the appropriate use of neonicotinoid curtailed the infection of King mandarin trees by HLB. The success of our project thus depends on how precisely the techniques are transferred and incorporated by the growers.


For any positive integer n, the Pseudo Smarandache Squarefree function Zw(n) is deflned as Zw(n) = minfm : njm n ;m 2 Ng, and the function Z(n) is deflned as Z(n) = min ‰ m : nm(m + 1) 2 ; m 2 N ae . The main purpose of this paper is using the elementary methods to study the mean value properties of the function Zw(Z(n)), and give a sharper mean value formula for it. Keywords Pseudo-Smarandache-Squarefree function Zw(n), function Z(n), mean value, a- symptotic formula.


The quench zone is one of key issues for a rich-quench-lean(RQL)/trapped-vortex combustor(TVC). The characteristics of flow structures of quench zone were investigated computationally with the correction by the particle image velocimetry(PIV) results. RQL/TVC combines the potential advantages of the low emission staged combustion technology of RQL with TVC. TVC has been a very promising novel combustor concept offering improvements in lean blow-out, altitude relight, and operating range. Besides, compared to conventional combustors, TVC has a potential to decrease nitrogen oxides emissions. By utilizing quench devices with different sizes of holes under the same blockage ratio in mainstream position, this paper describes the characteristics of flow structures of quench zone in a RQL/TVC. The results show that, through the quench devices, the mainstream flow quickly mixes with the flow from the cavity zone under variable mixing levels which are related to the changing of different sizes of holes. The effects of turbulent intensity and unmixedness level were examined and discussed. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of 12ICCEU


Purpose – Despite good project front-end planning, projects typically need continuous coordination among the participants concerning scope of work, pace, and timing during the execution phase to be accomplished without delays. Coordination can be formal or informal. Research shows that informal coordination of residual and unforeseen interdependencies enhances time saving and facilitates better understandings. Still though, many sub-contractors choose not to coordinate informally. The purpose of this paper is to identify drivers that enhance or inhibit informal coordination among sub-contractors during project execution. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative, explorative case study approach was applied, involving 15 SME sub-contractors within the offshore wind power energy sector. Findings – Six drivers which enhance informal coordination and three drivers which inhibit informal coordination among sub-contractors in projects were identified. Practical implications – The findings imply that managemen...


A 16- year- old girl attended the with 3 weeks of productive cough, fever, myalgia and intermittent night sweats. She reported several days of emesis, dyspnoea and pleuritic chest pain but denied haemoptysis. On exam-ination, she was diaphoretic, tachycardic and tachypnoeic. Auscultation revealed left basal inspiratory crackles and reduced air entry. Chest X- ray (CXR) showed 'left- sided pleural effusion, patchy consolidation and opacity over the left lung field, which is presumably artefactual'. bud


It is important to determine the sediment amount transported at streams for calculation of dead storage of dams safely. The average sediment amount is determined by measuring the sediment at certain cross-section of stream. The sediment data recorded at neighbor basins has been used for prediction of sediment amount at un-gauged basins. It is proposed that the hydrological homogenous regions should be used for this aim. In this study, Kmeans method, called non-hierarchical clustering method, was used for defining of hydrological homogenous sub-regions and classification of sediment amount and concentration recorded at Turkey basins. The K-means clustering method, which is the simplest and commonly used clustering method, divides a data set into clusters by minimizing the sum of the Euclidean distance between each feature vector and its closest cluster center. The annual sediment amount and concentration records and longitude, latitude and altitude values obtained of stations operated by the General Directorate of Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIE) throughout Turkey were considered for clustering analysis. The number of clusters was determined as 6


RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
The authors developed a texture-based pattern recognition and segmentation tool for the quantitation of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP).

METHODS
In HRCT images of five patients with UIP and five patients without UIP, 1022 regions of interest (ROIs) of 5 x 5 pixels were classified by the examiner to be normal, emphysematous, ground-glass lesion, intralobular fibrosis, vessel, or bronchus section. The classes and the texture parameters calculated in the ROIs were the basis for the decision rule, using a multivariate discrimination analysis. The classification was compared with the examiner's diagnosis in 1889 new randomly selected ROIs.

RESULTS
Depending on the structure, the sensitivity (the probability that a structure would be recognized correctly) was 68.7% to 80.7%. If the system classified a structure as normal, ground glass or fibrotic region, this was correct in 77.3% to 88.1%. However, the system's diagnosis of a bronchus section was correct in only 16.2%. The overall accuracy was 70.7%.

CONCLUSIONS
Texture-based segmentation may be a valuable tool to aid the quantitative assessment of parenchymal disease in HRCT images.


A cavity in a tuberculous lung is a source of danger, and adds to the gravity of the prognosis. At the same time a large number of cavities heal without any form of collapse treatment. The modern view that a cavity must be collapsed at all costs is open to the criticism that the danger of the treatment sometimes exceeds that of the disease. It is usually good treatment to try and collapse a cavity by artificial pneumothorax, but if this fails it does not follow that surgical methods, such as thoracoplasty or plombage, should be tried. McMahon and Kerper (Amer. Journ. Med., 1933, lxxx, 170) found that 27.7 per cent. cavities treated with simple medical means healed. They also state that prognosis varies with the size of the cavity. Spontaneous closure occurred in 40 per cent. of those not larger than 2 x 2 cm., but in only 6 per cent. of those over 4 x 4 cm. In a right-sided cavity spontaneous healing was twice as likely as in a left-sided, and three times as likely as in a bilateral, case. Healing is less likely in a peripheral cavity or a thick-walled one. It is usually the type of disease rather than the presence of a cavity which renders collapse treatment necessary. In acute and rapidly spreading unilateral disease artificial pneumothorax is urgently needed before cavities have time to develop. If there are cavities when the patient is first seen collapse is still needed to check the spread of the disease as well as to close the cavities. The thin-walled cavity which may appear early in the ordinary subacute adult type of the disease will often heal with rest and simple medical treatment, but unless there are contraindications artificial pneumothorax should be tried because it usually gives the patient a better chance and, if delayed, may become impossible owing to the development of adhesions. In almost every case of this sort pneumothorax is indicated for the disease, so that it is wrong to wait for the development of a cavity before inducing it. The chronic cavity with secretion containing tubercle bacilli is a serious danger to the patient and, if it cannot be closed by pneumothorax, surgical methods are usually indicated. It is for this type of cavity that surgery offers the best chance. Apicolysis is the simplest operation, but its results are often disappointing. A partial thoracoplasty may close the cavity, but is often followed by spread of disease into the lower part of the lung, so that a total thoracoplasty becomes necessary. The dry, chronic. cavity in a patient with no toxaemia and few, if any, symptoms is usually best left alone, for the patient may have many years of active life. Periodical x-ray examirnations should be made and surgical intervention advised in the event of spread of the disease. Cases where the patient has no signs or symptoms but x rays show an annular shadow should also be left, and a inajor surgical operation is quite unjustified. They often disappear or come and go, although necropsy shows that most of these shadows are cavities. Some are probably due to bullae in the lung even if a fluid level is seen, and it is this type of shadow that varies from time to time.


Contex t First-line treatment of hypertension with lowor high-dose thiazide therapy compared to placebo or untreated control group reduced blood pressure to a similar extent but their effect on mortality or coronary events appeared to be different. Objectives.To determine the dose-related decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, withdrawal due to adverse drug effects and metabolic adverse effects of thiazide and loop diuretic monotherapy compared to a placebo control, for a duration of 3-12 weeks, in patients with primary hypertension (SBP > 160 and/or DBP > 90 mmHg). Design.A systematic review of all randomised placebo controlled trials. Setting.Electronic databases were searched using the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Hypertension Review group. Data were analysed using Review Manager 4.0. Participants.33 trials, involving 4,811 patients reported data on thiazides and only 3 trials involving 150 patients reported data on loop diuretics. Results.BP lowering efficacy: The dose of thiazide approaching near maximal systolic and diastolic blood pressure lowering efficacy with the best overall estimate in mm Hg identified was: hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/day (9/5); chlorthalidone 12.5 mg/day (10/3) and indapamide 1.0 mg/day (7/4). The overall best estimate for combined doses of all thiazide drugs was 10/4 mm Hg. Lowand high-dose thiazides lowered blood pressure to a similar extent. Evidence relating to loop diuretics is insufficient to determine a dose-related effect on any of the outcome measures. Withdrawal due to adverse drug effects were similar to the placebo group in low and high-dose thiazide trials. The overall relative risk of withdrawal due to adverse events for thiazides was 1.2(0.8, 1.2). Metabolic adverse effects: Combined high doses of all thiazide drugs showed a significant decrease in serum potassium levels as compared to combined lowdoses. A significant decrease in serum potassium and a significant increase in serum uric acid, creatinine, triglyceride and total cholesterol were observed compared to the placebo control group. Conclusion.The lowest range of clinically used doses of thiazide diuretic showed near maximal blood pressure lowering efficacy and a lower incidence of adverse metabolic effects. It is recommended that there is no advantage to using doses higher than those defined as low dose.


The Swedish philosopher Hägerström, who was professor in Uppsala during the first quarter of the present century, devoted much attention to the philosophical and psychological analysis of moral and legal phenomena. Hägersträm is a difficult writer. He had steeped himself in the works of German philosophers and philosophical jurists, and his professional prose-style both in German and in Swedish had been infected by them so that it resembles glue thickened with sawdust. But he enjoys a very high reputation in his own and adjacent countries, and it seems to me that this is well deserved. I think, therefore, that it may be interesting and useful to try to provide English philosophers with an outline in my own words of Hägerström's doctrines, as I understand them, about the topic named in the title of this paper.


Financing agri-environmental programmes in the European Union (EU) takes place in a multi-level system with mixed co-financing and shared financial responsibilities. In this paper we analyse how co-financing influences policy-making in regions taking the case of the agri-environmental programme in Saxony-Anhalt. Using an interactive linear programming approach the implications of several co-financing scenarios are analysed. EU co-financing certainly enhances the financial volume for the agri-environmental programme in Saxony-Anhalt; but as regional policy-making is distorted by the scheme of mixed co-financing as compared to unconditional financial transfers, the priorities for measures vary depending on different EU co-financing scenarios.


Nanoparticles are used to study the rheological characteristics of drilling fluids. Nanoparticles have high surface to volume ratio, therefore only small quantity is required to blend in the drilling fluid. This research evaluates the performance of nanosilica and multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as fluid loss additives in water based drilling fluid with various nanoparticles concentration and temperature. The results show that plastic viscosity, yield point and gel strength of drilling fluid increases as the concentration of nanoparticles increased. Drilling fluid with nanosilica gives the highest filtrate loss of 12 ml and mudcake thickness of 10 inch at 1 g concentration at 300°F. However, drilling fluid with MWCNT shows a decreasing trend in fluid loss and mudcake thickness. The results also show that xanthan gum containing 1 g of MWCNT gives 4.9 ml fluid loss and mudcake thickness of 4 inch at 200°F. After aging, plastic viscosity, yield point and gel strength of mud containing nanoparticles decrease significantly especially for 1 g of nanosilica and 0.01 g MWCNT. Fluid loss and mudcake thickness increased when the mud is exposed to temperature above 250°F. The results showed that xanthan gum with MWCNT gives a better rheological performance.


TWO TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THAT WILL PROVIDE NONSTOP CONSTANT SPEED TRANSPORTATION ARE DISCUSSED. ONE IS A SYSTEM UTILIZING RELATIVELY SMALL INDEPENDENT VEHICLES. THE OTHER IS A TRAIN TYPE SYSTEM. BOTH SYSTEMS ARE AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED RAIL TYPE SYSTEMS UTILIZING A PAIR OF PARALLEL TRACKS. THE SYSTEMS ARE SUITABLE FOR INTERCITY TRANSPORTATION AND FOR METROPOLITAN RAPID TRANSIT APPLICATIONS. A MINIMUM TIME TRIP FOR ANY GIVEN CRUISING SPEED IS ACHIEVED BY EXPLOITING A LIFT-OFF SWITCHING CONCEPT. THIS PRINCIPLE RESULTS IN A VEHICLE AND TRACK SYSTEM THAT PERMITS ENTRANCE TO, PASSAGE THROUGH, OR EXIT FROM ANY STATION AT FULL CRUISING SPEED, WITHOUT ALTERING THE TRACK CONFIGURATION AND WITHOUT AFFECTING OTHER VEHICLES OPERATING IN THE SYSTEM. FROM THE BOARDING STATION, AFTER ACCELERATION TO CRUISING SPEED, EACH PASSENGER TRAVELS AT A CONSTANT SPEED UNTIL THE DECELERATION AND STOP AT HIS DESTINATION. BOTH SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN ASSUMED TO UTILIZE CONVENTIONAL RAILS AND FLANGED WHEELS. NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT MIGHT INCLUDE ADVANCED WHEEL AND TRACK DESIGNS SUCH AS RUBBER OR PNEUMATIC TIRES WITH SUITABLE PROVISION FOR LATERAL GUIDANCE, AIR PAD, MAGNETIC, OR OTHER LOW FRICTION SUPPORTS, AND LINEAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION OR OTHER DRIVING MEANS.