Together with the massive and rapid evolution of computer networks, there has been a surge of research interest and activity surrounding network security recently. A secure network has to provide users with confidentiality, authentication, data integrity and nonrepudiation, and availability and access control, among other features. With the evolution of current attacks and the emergence of new attacks, in addition to traditional countermeasures, networked systems have to adopt more quantitative approaches to guarantee these features. In response to this need, we study in this thesis several quantitative approaches based on decision theory and game theory for network security.
We first examine decentralized detection problems with a finite number of sensors making conditionally correlated measurements regarding several hypotheses. Each sensor sends to a fusion center an integer from a finite alphabet, and the fusion center makes a decision on the actual hypothesis based on the messages it receives from the sensors. We show that when the observations are conditionally dependent, the Bayesian probability of error can no longer be expressed as a function of the marginal probabilities. We then characterize this probability of error based on the set of joint probabilities of the sensor messages. We show that there exist optimal solutions under both Bayesian and Neyman-Pearson formulations, in the general case as well as in the special case where the sensors are restricted to threshold rules based on likelihood ratios. We provide an enumeration method to search for the optimal thresholds, which works for both the case where sensor observations are given as probability density functions and the case where they are given as probability mass functions. This search algorithm is applied to a dataset extracted from TCP dump data to detect attacks from regular connections.
We also study two-player classical and stochastic fictitious play processes which can be viewed as sequences of nonzero-sum matrix games between an Attacker and a Defender. Players do not have access to each other's payoff matrix. Each has to observe the other's actions up to the present and plays the action generated based on the best response to these observations. However, when the game is played over a communication network, there are several practical issues that need to be taken into account: First, the players may make random decision errors from time to time. Second, the players' observations of each other's previous actions may be incorrect. The players will try to compensate for these errors based on the information they have. We examine the convergence property of the game in such scenarios, and establish convergence to the equilibrium point under some mild assumptions when both players are restricted to two actions. We also propose and establish the local stability property of a modified version of stochastic fictitious play where the frequency update is time-invariant. We then apply a fictitious play algorithm in the push-back defense against DDoS attacks and observe the convergence to a Nash equilibrium of the static game.
We finally formulate the security problem on a network with multiple nodes as a two-player stochastic game between the Attacker and the Defender. We propose a linear model to quantify the interdependency among constituent nodes in terms of security assets and vulnerability. This model is general enough to address the differences in security asset valuation between the Attacker and the Defender, as well as the costs of attacking and defending. We solve the game using an iterative algorithm when the game is zero-sum and using a nonlinear program in the general case when the game is nonzero-sum. The solutions provide the players with the optimal stationary strategies at each state of the network and the overall payoffs of the game. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate our model.
Our analysesand designs in this thesis thus cover multiple components of the decision making and resource allocation processes in a network intrusion detection and prevention system. They are meant to complement current research in network security with some quantitative approaches, in order to detect, prevent, and counter attacks more effectively.


The effect of soil pH on the disappearance of 14C ring-labeled atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine], hydroxyatrazine [2-hydroxy-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine], and prometryne [2,4-bis(isopropylamino)-6-(methylthio)-s-triazine] were studied over a 5-month period in a Bladen silt loam soil under greenhouse conditions. Employment of an integrated system allowed simultaneous monitoring of degradation, volatilization, respiration, plant uptake, and leaching processes. A resulting balance-sheet indicated that a range of 87 to 99% of the 14C added could be accounted for after 5 months. Degradation was found to be the primary mode of dissipation. The pattern of atrazine degradation was characteristic of nonbiological processes, while prometryne degradation was probably by microbial action. Hydroxyatrazine was the major metabolite from the atrazine treatments while prometryne yielded an unknown and hydroxypropazine [2-hydroxy-4,6-bis(isopropylamino)-s-triazine]. Ex-tractable atrazine after 5 months amounted to 35% of the initial amount added in the pH 7.5 soil and 11% in the pH 5.5 soil, while prometryne occurred as 10% in the pH 7.5 soil and 42% in the pH 5.5 soil. Plant uptake and leaching occurred to a greater extent in the more alkaline soil with each chemical, but these pathways along with volatilization and respiration were minor contributors toward the disappearance of these herbicides.


Ben Glaser's Modernism's Metronome attempts to shift readers' understanding of literary history by revising received knowledge about poetic meter's significance in twentiethcentury poetry. For Glaser, "the disavowal of meter [i]s a cover for modern poetry's nostalgia for earlier metrical culture, anxiety about its marginality and limited readership, and dependence on literary criticism." Thus, he calls meter's persistence "a self-conscious poetics through which poets mark the limits of modern and indeed twentieth-century poetics, metrical and otherwise" (1). The "metrical vestige," in Glaser's argument, remains from the time when metrically regular poetry was the norm that survives on in modernist (and later) poetry. In this respect, his book stakes an unstated claim on behalf of the importance of poetry written in traditional, metrically regular forms in the divisions between "old" and "new modernism" as well as in the "poetry wars"—the split existing at least since the 1970s among those who care about poetry and who write and/or teach it.


ObjectiveTo investigate a responsible lesion for squalor syndrome. BackgroundSqualor syndrome is a behavioral disorder characterized by extreme self-neglect and domestic squalor. Although frontal lobe dysfunction has been postulated to account for squalor syndrome, the relevant part of the frontal lobe has not been elucidated. MethodsA 49-year-old housewife who suffered rupture of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm at the age of 40 years was examined using a wide range of neuropsychologic tasks. Computed tomography of the head and brain single photon emission tomography with IMP was also carried out. ResultsHer performance on neuropsychologic testing was within the normal range, except for the gambling task. Computed tomography of the head showed low-density areas in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortices, basal forebrain, and right ventromedial caudate. Brain single photon emission tomography with IMP showed decreased regional cerebral blood flow in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortices and the basal forebrain. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that an orbitofrontal lesion may be responsible for squalor syndrome by leading to inappropriate decision-making and abnormal impulsivity.


Parent aggression exists on a continuum with corporal punishment at one end and abuse at the other. There is still controversy as to whether any kind of parent aggression toward an adolescent contributes to externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Relative to what is known about parent aggression during childhood, much less is known about parent aggression toward adolescents from a systemic and developmental perspective. This study explored the stability and mutual influence of parent aggression and adolescent externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The study found that the constructs were stable over time, and that with this sample population, parental physical and emotional aggression co‐occurred with internalizing and externalizing behaviors at both points in time. Neither form of parent aggression showed a longitudinal association with youth externalizing or internalizing behaviors. The current study found a mutual influence between parent aggression and youth maladaptive behaviors, thus adding to the growing but limited literature considering both directions of influence. Finally, the study found a temporal association between the quality of relationships with family at T1 and youth internalizing behaviors at T1 and T2, suggesting that family relationships remain important predictors of adolescent emotional wellbeing. PARENT AGGRESSION AND YOUTH EXTERNALIZING AND INTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS: STABILITY AND MUTUAL INFLUENCE By Ann Sheedy B.S.W. Syracuse University, 1990 M.S.W. Syracuse University, 1991 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Doctor of Philosophy in Child and Family Studies in the Department of Child and Family Studies May 2013 Copyright 2013 Ann Sheedy All rights reserved


The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of astrochemistry examples in teaching the potential threshold concepts (TCs) of physical chemistry that are contained in the recently published Physical Chemistry Anchoring Concepts Content Map (PChem-ACCM). The paper provides a brief overview of how selected astrochemical examples can be utilized to teach and learn suggested TCs that are commonly encountered in the three main overarching areas of physical chemistry curriculum, namely: chemical kinetics, quantum chemistry, and thermodynamics. Using astrochemical examples to decipher the abstract nature of the many fundamental physical chemistry concepts, which are usually accompanied by rigorous mathematical treatments, provides a rich ground in which to implement alternative teaching pedagogies and practices that can help the learner master the associated TCs.


Net neutrality regulations have been a hotly debated topic, discussed with passion by both proponents and opponents alike. The discussion so far, however, has been rich in rhetoric but short on rigorous economic analysis. Jay Pil Choi uses queuing theory to examine the effect of net neutrality regulation on internet service providers' investment incentives.


Background In the presence of flabby tissue, manufacturing a stable denture becomes a challenge. Flabby ridges will be easily displaced under occlusal stresses owing to unfavorable support, resulting in compromised denture retention. Intraoral digital impression has not been exposed to deal with this problem. Purpose To compare intraoral digital impression versus conventional selective pressure impression technique for maxillary flabby ridge registration in complete denture construction regarding soft tissue assessment. Patients and methods This crossover study enrolled seven completely edentulous patients with a localized maxillary anterior flabby ridge. Each patient received two identical maxillary complete dentures opposing one mandibular complete denture. The first denture was constructed using intraoral scanning of the edentulous maxillary ridge then compressing only the healthy tissues by 0.25 mm using Exocad software to simulate selective pressure technique, the second denture was constructed through conventional selective pressure impression technique. Each maxillary denture was subjectively evaluated for soft tissue response at 15 days and 3 months with 15 days rest period in between, data was statistically analyzed using χ2 test. Results There was statistically significant difference between the two maxillary dentures regarding soft tissue assessment in favor of the second maxillary denture. Conclusion Prosthodontist must pay more attention during intraoral scanning of edentulous arch due to lack of anatomical landmarks. More and more attention must be paid during intraoral scanning of edentulous ridges with flabby tissues due to the difference in the degree of mucosa compressibility.


The main object of this paper is to study the role of buffer in the process of airspace planning, so as to obtain an efficient and optimal air traffic system configuration. Specifically, this paper proposes a system modeling method to describe the nonlinear air traffic flow dynamics. The purpose is to find an optimal allocation scheme for each flight plan and define the operation process of each sub-segment. First, the model of an air traffic system with buffers is built, and it can switch between different configurations. In each configuration, the system model is described by specific parameter sets, and the configuration variation allows us to change the structure of the air traffic system. Then, we discuss some performance measures of the air traffic system and indicate how they can be applied to obtain optimal buffer allocations. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the performance of terminal control area.


Abstract The number of nonprofit organizations continues to increase and, like their for-profit counterparts, they face issues of strategy, governance and growth. Collaboration is increasingly becoming one way for the NPO to remain competitive and provide better client services in the face of competition from other agencies vying for dwindling government funds. Cultural clashes can often be the downfall of an alliance. However, because employees of nonprofits tend to be more dedicated to their mission, even disparate cultures can collaborate successfully through hard work, open communication, and focus on the ultimate goal. Using a case study involving two foodservice firms, this paper examines the role that culture can play in a nonprofit alliance and offers practical suggestions for administrators contemplating collaboration with another


This paper examines the whole of life closed loop cycle that bridge elements operate with and the interaction between design, specification, manufacture, construction and asset management. The paper is directed towards two areas where problems have recently been experienced. These are steel fabrication with an emphasis on steel bridge barrier and structural bolts and nuts -grade 8.8. The paper also provides an assessment of the issues with quality assurance procedures used by some prestressing strand suppliers. Steel fabrication and grade 8.8 bolts and nuts are two areas where many contractors and superintendents do not have experience. Steel bridge barrier and high strength bolts are purchased on price alone. Many Contractors do not attempt to ensure that the products conform to specification. The paper demonstrates that some steel bridge barriers are grossly below the required specification. Some Grade 8.8 bolts and nuts have failed to achieve minimum loads specified in the Australian Standard. This has resulted in major performance and conformance issues for the in-service performance of bridges. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E208315.


Based on the experience of rock mechanics study accumulated in the past 50 years in the fields of hydraulic and hydropower engineerings,some essential considerations including the purposes and the distinctive characteristics of these studies are studied.It is emphasized that the three parts of rock mechanics study in hydraulic engineeringsi,.e.r,econnaissance of rock mass,utilization of rock mass and reinforcement of rock mass,are closely related to each other.In addition,some attitudes associated with rock mechanics study in hydraulic engineering in aspects of uncertainties of rock mass and the corresponding strategies,phasic problems in rock mechanics study,the main contents of rock mechanics study,characteristics related to the three kinds of rock engineerings(dam,rock slope,and underground openings),relationship with engineering geology and engineering design actual behavior monitoring of engineering rock mass,and general comments considering the environmental protection and the maintenance of ecological equilibrium are presented and summarized.


Human health and interdisciplinary cross-development have brought into the birth of Health Engineering, while ageing problem and health-care system reform in China are calling for its rapid development. As an inter-discipline of biology, medicine and engineering, Health Engineering will focus on the R&D of principles, methods and technologies related to human health. One of the most concerned research areas is how to lower the cost of health-care covering 1.3 billion Chinese and how to improve the health of different age groups. Multi-core CPU technologies can help people acquire and process bio-information in parallel, which is more cost-effective and efficient compared to the usual serial process in single-core CPUs. Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) developed a distributed health-care system and released a multifunctional medical bed last year. We are working on a new mobile medical equipment, which targets the larger and larger population of migrating workers in China. Meanwhile, we are doing research on low-cost solutions for community, home and personal health-care. Besides, SIAT is progressing on new principles and methods of bio-information acquisition related to cardiac and vascular diseases. We hope we could promote the rapid development in domestic and overseas Health Engineering area through the wide correspond and cooperation of the related experts.


This study examines the magnitude and distribution of earth pressures against a support system in a jointed rock mass according to the support characteristics (strut stiffness and spacing), different rock types, and joint conditions (joint shear strength and joint inclination angle). A series of numerical parametric analyses were performed after verifying the numerical approach through a physical model test. These analyses were based on the discrete element method, which can take into account the joint characteristics of the rock strata and the interactions between the ground and the retaining structure. The results were compared with Peck's earth pressure for soil ground, which showed that the magnitude and distribution of earth pressure are strongly affected by the support characteristics, rock types, and joint conditions, and that the earth pressure in the rock stratum can be significantly different from that in the soil ground. The results suggest that the support characteristics, including the rock t...


The EEG-experiment consisted of four series in which 18 subjects were given identical sets of stimuli (patterns of coloured squares) under different instructions: either to look at the stimuli, to memorise them, to find the stimulus's element that was previously displayed to them, or to count the stimuli. The evoked potentials of the brain were recorded; for each series the co-ordinates of the dynamic equivalent dipoles were calculated; they were superposed with the subjects' MRI-tomogramms. In the series, in which the subject had to memorise and retain the image of the stimulus, the prefrontal areas 9 and 10 were activated, which did not occur in other series. There is a high correlation between the activity of the prefrontal area 10 and the visual area V3 (R=0.81), and between the activity of the area 9 and the area V4 (R=0.99). On the basis of these results, the author suggests a psychophysiological model of storing visual information in the working memory.


Sites in the basin of the Arabkir Çay, and bridges. Fine section of Roman road above Körpinik hüyük, a signalling and vantage point. Location of Dascusa, guarding a cavalry ford of the Euphrates, and important for raft traffic. Division of frontier road, towards the Antitaurus pass and towards the Antitaurus gorge. Destruction above the Keban dam.


Methods not having side effects (pure methods) are beneficial in some situations. For example, data race does not occur among pure methods in multi-thread programs. Another example is that there are some cases where developers expect methods are pure, such as equals, hashCode, and getter methods in Java. This paper presents a tool finding code changes where methods become pure/impure. This tool can prevent developers from inducing purity-related bugs to methods. The authors have applied the tool to two open source systems and found (1) a dozen of methods moved to pure/impure repeatedly and (2) there were many cases where purity of methods had changed without code changes.


I T WAS just a decade and a half ago that the legislature of Massachusetts recognized its responsibility for financial aid to the blind. On March 27, I920, the blind relief bill became law. This event marked not only the inauguration of state aid for the blind, but the culmination of a movement that for years had advanced, however turbulently, in this direction. To what may we attribute this legislative action? Superficially, it might seem that the interest which the public was at that hour devoting to the blind, through the return of the war-blinded, prompted the law-makers to grant the Commission for the Blind this special power of relief-giving. With more accuracy, that wave of popular sympathy toward the blind may be deemed only the occasion for the working out of more fundamental conditions.


This paper aims at examining the influence of English as a lingua franca on the terminology in the domain of banking and finance, which becomes more and more globalised with the increased prevalence of transnational financial operations. The analysis of examples from Romanian, Russian and German is intended to illustrate how English terminology is introduced in different languages, mainly through borrowing and loan translation or calque, and also adapted to the grammatical and structural peculiarities of the target language.


In the developing scalable extension of the HEVC/H.265 standard, a low-resolution baselayer picture may be used for predicting a higher resolution enhancement layer. This requires an upsampling process to generate the prediction, and this upsampling process is traditionally a linear and time invariant interpolator. In this paper, we consider an upsampling design that is both non-linear and content adaptive. This choice is motivated by the compression noise in the baselayer. We propose a novel approach to include content-aware filtering into the upsampling process. It has low complexity. More importantly, it has low latency and uses the same number of line buffers as a linear interpolator. Results show the efficacy of the method. Specifically, using the test model for the scalable extension of HEVC/H.265, we observe an average bit-rate reduction of 1.1%, when the change in resolution between layers is a factor of two in each dimension.


In order to overcome the drawbacks and combine the advantages of both 3G packet-switched mobile communication systems and WLAN, wireless broadband (WiBro) system based on 2.3GHz bandwidth and IEEE 802.16e has been developed in Korea. In this paper, we propose a new paging scheme helping provide various packet data services include internet services regardless of location for interworking between WiBro and IMS. WiBro system defines Idle mode for conserving power and operational resources. So we need to propose a paging mechanism for Idle mode.


This study of community participation in family planning (FP) program administration in Thailand assesses organizational issues of local and national programs and their affect on community participation (CP). Data were collected from surveys of FP program policy makers program managers at headquarters and local centers field workers community leaders and community members as well as focus groups. The sample was randomly drawn from 4 provinces from each region in November and December 1986 which represented developed and underdeveloped villages included: Mae Phsaeng Mae Suay Amphoe Mae Jan Saphan Khao Non Gra Thum Pmphoe Phra Phuthabat Saraburi Nong Gok Koon Nong Hi Amphoe Pla Pak Hin Chang Khon Thi an Amphoe Muang; 40 households were interviewed in each village as well as 8 groups of key informants 2 focus groups (1 male and 1 female group ages 28-39 years) and field workers in the sample districts. Policy level respondents were queried on the overall characteristics of the FP program the interaction with other organizations and perceptions and attitudes toward the structure and process of CP. Focus groups were used to acquire descriptive information to supplement questionnaire data. This volume was structured with chapters devoted to 1) methodology; 2) organizational structure of the program (brief history and structure of the subcommittee on population policy and planning the National FP and subcommittee); 3 the structures interactions; 4) the process of interactions with the community with efforts from the outside and views from outside the community by high and midlevel policy makers program managers and field workers); and 5) the structure and process for interactions within the community as viewed by village leaders and community members.


Drying of carrot slices was investigated in a laboratory dryer with a heater with thermostat. Carrots were grated in slices with a thickness of 1-2 mm, width of 4-5 mm and placed in the perforated container with layer thickness 30-35 mm. Based on the experimental data, the time dependency of the moisture content and drying rate were calculated and presented. Using drying rate, the layer of carrot slices drying was simulated and the received results compared with the experimental data. The obtained measurement results are in high correlation with calculations. The presented mathematical model contains a system of partial differential equations including the matter and environmental temperatures ( �(x, t) and T(x, t)) and mass exchange ( W(x, t), d(x, t)) and it can be used for thick, porous medium layers, containing small particles, drying. The experimental and theoretical results showed that the carrot slices 3.5 cm thick layer was dry in eight hours using a convective airflow with temperature 37 oC.


This paper describes a compact resolutionand scale-independent representation for penand-ink illustrations. The proposed representation consists of a low-resolution grey-scale image, augmented by a set of discontinuity segments. We also present a new reconstruction algorithm that magnifies the low-resolution image while keeping the image sharp along the discontinuities. By storing pen-and-ink illustrations in this representation, we can produce high-fidelity illustrations at any scale and resolution by generating an image of the desired size and filling that image with pen-and-ink strokes.


A 2-month-old female child presented with fussiness, macrocephaly, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrating a fourth ventricular mass associated with obstructive hydrocephalus (Fig 1A). Because of unstable clinical condition and young age, initial surgery was limited to tumor biopsy, which histologically demonstrated an embryonal appearing neoplasm composed of sheets of primitive small round blue cells without perivascular nuclear free zones. Nuclear beta-catenin staining led to the presumptive diagnosis of a WNT-activated medulloblastoma. However, the tested tumor sample was negative for an activating variant in CTNNB1, and there was no evidence of monosomy 6 using a targeted DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel (OPXv5); see Methods for additional information. Instead, a variant of uncertain significance was identified in SUFU (p.V148M), suggesting the possibility of a SHHactivated medulloblastoma subgroup. Peripheral blood testing determined that the SUFU VUS was germline. Lending further support to a possible familial tumor predisposition syndrome was a family history of basal cell carcinoma in the patient's maternal grandmother. The patient was treated with a modified infant medulloblastoma chemotherapy protocol on the basis of CCG 99703: three induction cycles of methotrexate, cisplatin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide, followed by two consolidation cycles of high-dose carboplatin and thiotepa with stem-cell rescue. Therapy was complicated by hydrocephalus and systemic cytomegalovirus infection, which was treated with ganciclovir and led to early discontinuation of therapy following two rather than three planned cycles of consolidation. Second-look surgery following four cycles of chemotherapy achieved near-total resection of residual tumor, which was , 1% viable.


The paper provides an analysis of cancer-related variables that could be available in a variety of data sources to measure the quality of cancer care in Australia. They range from the least cost-intensive but also the least detailed about cancer treatment to the most cost-intensive and detailed in terms of longitudinality or comprehensiveness. An early review by Brook et al. compared the usefulness of data sources for internal medicine and surgery. Researchers have time and again been stymied by the cost of gathering data that are not routinely available, especially for quality improvement and accountability. This work extends the effort to include cancer care. The comments that follow are offered to clarify the manuscript. Abstract Methods: The first sentence (and later text) covers a great deal of ground that may not be obvious to readers. The most critical is that guidelines do not provide measures. Guidelines use evidence to describe best practices, but the creation of measures is an exhaustive process in which a numerator and denominator must be specified in sufficient detail to enable others to consistently calculate rates; (for example, identify who should be included or excluded in both numerators and denominator. The following comments are all discretionary. The text might be edited to read …a list of processes. " A clarification in the following sentences could read " , …according to the availability of data. The categories represent increasing cost per variable. " Results: It is tempting to read the " further…% " as cumulative. However, category 3 is " extended " (that is, longitudinal), so they are not cumulative. The authors might comment on this.


Part I Doubles Foundation Chapter 1. Doubles Playing Styles Chapter 2. Poaching skills Part II Serving Team Chapter 3. Server Patterns and drills Chapter 4. Servers partner Patterns and drills Chapter 5. Serving Team Patterns and drills Part III Receiving Team Chapter 6. Receiver Patterns and drills Chapter 7. Receivers Partner Patterns and drills Chapter 8. Receiving Team Patterns and drills Part IV Planning tactical patterns Chapter 9. Selecting tactical patterns Chapter 10. Planning patterns for a match


Radio astronomers aren9t the only ones enamored of huge arrays of cheap receivers. The concept has also caught the eyes of NASA engineers, who long to overhaul the agency9s aging Deep Space Network.


Background: Among the variety of opportunistic infections, pneumonia comprises the major morbidity in immunocompromised patients. Pneumocystis carnii pneumonia (PCP) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia are common infectious illness of immunocompromised hosts. Although there are many reports regarding to the co-infection of PCP and CMV diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid examination, the effects of CMV co-infection on the outcome of PCP is still controversial. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effects of CMV detected by BAL fluid examination on the clinical course of PCP in the immunocompromised patients other than human immunodeficiency virus infection. Method: Ten patients with PCP were enrolled and retrospective analysis of their medical records were done. HIV infected persons were excluded. The PCP was diagnosed by BAL fluid examination with Calcofluor-White staining. CMV was detected in BAL fluid by Shell-vial culture system. Chest radiographic findings were reviewed. We used Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test for statistical analysis of data. Results: The underlying disorders of patients were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n=1), renal transplantation (n=4), necrotizing vasculitis (n=l), systemic lupus erythematosus (n=1), brain tumor (n=1), chronic myelogenous leukemia (n=1), unidentified (n=1). There were no difference in clinical course, APACHE III score, arterial blood gas analysis, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, serum albumin concentration, chest radiographic findings and mortality between patients with PCP alone (n=4) and those with CMV co-infection (n=6). Univariate analysis regarding to the factors that associated with mortality of PCP were revealed that the application of mechanical ventilation (p=0.028), the level of APACHE III score (p=0.018) and serum albumin concentration (p=0.048) were related to the mortality of patients with PCP. Conclusion: The clinical course of PCP patients co-infected by CMV were not different from PCP only patients. Instead, accompanied respiratory failure, high APACHE III score and poor nutritional status were associated with poor outcome of PCP.


The aim of this work is to increase the quality of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images recorded on chitosan-based films doped with gold particles of different shapes at nano- and micrometric sizes as SERS substrates for sensors. The SEM images depicting the material surface are not linearly illuminated because the contained gold particles show differences in height and distribution within the film, some of their edges being not clearly delimited. Therefore, a four-steps image quality enhancing algorithm to increase the visibility of details in SEM images is built. The proposed algorithm contains the following imaging filters: shock filter, image sharpening, homomorphic filter, contrast stretch. The advantages of using this algorithm are emphasized by a set of illustrative images consisting of the original SEM images and enhanced quality SEM images as well.


The study of interaction mechanisms of ultrashort laser pulses with covalent semiconductors such as silicon and germanium is of key importance for optimizing a range of micromachining applications. Ultrafast phase transitions have been observed in Si [1,2] and Ge [3] using pump-and-probe experiments and the appearance of solid or liquid phase overheating phenomena upon strong ultrafast excitation have received considerable attention. In such situations, nucleation of vapour bubbles from the superheated liquid may give rise to a process known as phase explosion (explosive boiling) [4]. The use of imaging techniques, such as femtosecond pump-probe microscopy, for these studies additionally yields the spatial information of the monitored process. Using these techniques it was possible to identify and spatially discriminate narrow fluence windows in which interesting ablation mechanisms take place, both in Si [5] and Ge [6].


In this paper, monotone iterative technique for nonlinear initial value prob-lems involving the difference of two functions is developed. As an application ofthis technique, existence of solution of nonlinear initial value problems involvingthe difference of two functions is obtained.


As the charging and discharging current ratio has an important influence on the charging and discharging characteristics of the lithium-ion battery pack, the research on it can provide the basis for the calculation of SOC and the safe use of the lithium battery. In this paper, the change rule of charging and discharging voltage is studied by means of experimental study. The results showed that the higher the charging current ratio is, the more the voltage drop after the voltage reached the stable state, and the maximum decrease of 0.95V.The higher the discharging current ratio is, the greater the battery discharge to the cut-off voltage after reaching steady state voltage, highest in 1.21 V. Namely, the battery pack is stable after the open circuit voltage and closed circuit voltage difference between charging and discharging current into positive correlation.


Using AHP-MAUT theory,the paper firstly analysed the main factors which affect eggs' circulation efficiency in Beijing,and then evaluated the relative efficiency of the four dominating models in the market.Research shows that the main factors that affect eggs' circulation efficiency in turn are packaging,processing,transporting,storage,selling,delivering and production.The efficiency of the four models from high to low in turn are packaging shell-eggs,processing eggs,shell-eggs from other places and shell-eggs from Beijing.Finally,it pointed out that we should promote packaging shell-eggs and processing eggs,perfect the law system and strengthen the government's regulation and services,reinforce the infrastructure,information system and mordern technology of eggs' circulation in order to improve its efficiency in Beijing City.


Efficient navigation of mobile platforms in dynamic, human centered environments is still an open research topic. We have already proposed an architecture (MEPHISTO) for a navigation system that should be able to fulfill the main requirements of efficient navigation: fast and reliable sensor processing, extensive global world modeling and distributed path planning. Our architecture uses a distributed system of sensor processing, world modeling and path planning units. In this paper we present some implemented methods in the context of distributed vision, the corresponding data fusion algorithms and the resulting 3D world model. We also show some experimental results of the implementation.


Background/Aim: The rate of coronary heart disease (CHD) is decreasing in developed countries of the world owing to a modification of risk factors. However, in countries in transition including Serbia and Montenegro the situation is quite the opposite. The aim of this study was to explore the role of acute and chronic stress in development of CHD. Methods: Two groups of examinees were studied: a control group of 170 healthy persons and experimental group of 170 patients with CHD. The group of patients with CHD consisted of 75 patients after acute myocardial infarction and 75 patients after aorto coronary by pass surgery. A semi-standardised interview was used to assess the existence of acute of chronic stress in the studied examinees. Acute stressors were classified in the following categories: (a) death of a close person, (b) threat of loss of a close person, (c) forced change of living place, (d) divorce, (e) loss of job and (f) others. Chronic stress was evaluated by establishing exposition to conflict situations at home or at job. There were three possibilities to answer: never, sometimes, or every day exposure to stressful situations. Results: Considerable difference were not found with regard to to exposition to acute stressors in control and experimental group of examinees. However, chronic exposure to stressful situations at job was more frequent in patents with CHD. There was not a difference between patients after acute myocardial infarction and after aorto coronary by pass surgery. Conclusion: Our data showed that chronic stress at job, not at home, is an important psychological risk factor in development of CHD.


Laozi and Zhuangzi thought is the source of aesthetic appreciation of ancient Chinese.The methods "tasting wateriness","with the body view body"that Laozi put forward and the methods "spirit meeting","materialization"that Zhuangzi put forward had been embraced by the late generations theoreticians,and these methods have become the important methods of aesthetic appreciation.Lao Zhuang's these standpoints constituted the theoretical system of aesthetic appreciation of ancient Chinese,and still have important theoretical and practical value.


ARIES-ST, a fusion power plant design based on the spherical tokamak concept, has many attractive features, including high beta and power density, low magnetic field and high self-driven current. The physics basis for choosing the design plasma parameters are described with respect to MHD equilibrium and stability, current drive and startup. Implications for the fusion power core design are highlighted, and key directions for ST physics research are identified.


This paper presents an analytical redundancy approach for fault detection on a simulated hovering helicopter. For this purpose, a standard state-observer fault-detection technique is extended to adopt a commensurate fractional-order model. The results are favorably compared with those of an integer-order state observer, in terms of after-fault residue amplification and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.


By a variety of ways,Sima Qian expresses his evaluation and strong feelings of historical events and historical figures in Historical Records.These well reflect the thoughts and feelings of Sima Qian and his disclosure arts.So,we should Comprehend and understand carefully the evaluation and strong feelings while reading Historical Records.By doing these,we can learn more about Sima Qian and Historical Records.


Thermochromic metal oxides with a Mott transition, such as vanadium dioxide (VO2) exhibit an extensive alteration in their infrared reflectivity when heated above the transition temperature. For VO2 the infrared reflectivity increases as the material becomes more metal-like above the transition temperature at 68°C. Given these dynamic electromagnetic properties in the IR-range, it is interesting to study the reflection of the material also in other wavelength ranges. The microwave properties of VO2 as a function of temperature have been investigated here. Measurements were made with an automated network analyzer combined with an electrical heating unit. Reflection properties of VO2 in the microwave region were determined. Above the transition temperature, an increase in the reflection of the surface was observed. The VO2 became more metal-like in the whole measured microwave frequency range, as in the infrared region. It is concluded that VO2 not only can be used to adapt the thermal emissivity of a surface but also to control the microwave reflectivity. Possible applications are switchable radomes, switchable radarabsorbers and heat protection for antenna apertures.


A high density of aligned ZnO nanorods was grown on Pt buffer layer coated Si substrates. Ultrathin Pt buffer layers were deposited on Si(111). The ZnO nanorods were synthesized by metallorganic chemical vapor deposition using diethylzinc and oxygen. The optimum growth temperature was 450°C to obtain aligned ZnO nanorods. The grown ZnO nanorods had single-crystalline atomic structure and pure compositions without any impurities. The nanorods showed a strong near-band-edge PL emission at 3.27 eV with no significant deep-level emission peaks. The morphology of ZnO nanorods grown on Pt buffer layer was compared with other buffer layers such as atomic layer deposited ZnO and Zr metal buffer film.


reality. The perception is that newspapers are to blame for this, that and the other, and the reality is that they always will be blamed. We all should remember this: newspapers should be careful about being too well liked, or they will be much less feared, and much less respected. Many veteran, reasonable and wary practitioners feel that if good fences make good neighbors, then good walls make newspapers even better. Indeed, many journalists do feel they are giving away the franchise. Many of them do not understand the principles of the debate, let alone the nuances. It is not because they are pig-headed or incapable of change or "dinosaurs"; they simply have not been included. (Of course, once it is explained, they might not buy it, or might want to modify it, a change that business plans usually aren't  exible enough to accommodate.) You do not have to think too hard, or look too far, to Žnd a current-day parallel for what happens when ill-conceived, unexplained, get-out-of-theway or get-out-of-the-building change railroads traditional thinking. Mark Willes' scheme at the LA Times "broke down walls" between newsrooms and advertising, and brought down much more with it. There are very real fears, very reasonable fears and very logical fears. As newsrooms chip off pieces of the franchise and hand it out in chunks of good will and good intentions, will the other guys end up wheeling away more of the wall in their wheelbarrows than is left standing in our own yard? Indeed, change is difŽ cult. Newspapers are supposed to champion it, but they have a hard time accepting it, adopting it and explaining it in their own universe. Change is hard—but also seductive—especially for newspapers that are told they can become heroes by focusing on those "solutions", not "problems". "Great", they said. "Let's get started". Where? By having their newsroom leaders take the time to re ect and to risk an exchange with the newsroom rank-and-Ž le, newsroom "traditionalists" trained to be a little bit suspicious (now known as "cynical"). Do not blame them if they are good at it. Do not blame them if they are slow to consider, much less unquestioningly adopt, new principles that seem at odds with what they have learned (at great expense) and practiced (with great success) for years. Their suspicions are not only understandable, but they are well advised. They are the kind of suspicions we have praised them for, and given them pay raises for. It takes a great deal of time and effort—and so, of course, money—to investigate and understand civic journalism, and then explain and teach it to newsroom staffs, from the top down. It takes patience (again, money) to allow for meaningful discourse and debate and customizing for the local market. It takes longer still to Ž gure out how to implement such change in a meaningful way, so that neither reader nor writer, salesperson nor circulation representative is left out. No one really wants that, especially the readers who love us when they agree with us and who hate us when they do not. That should not change, in the name of public journalism or anything else. That equal measures of love and hate will be heaped upon us should not be feared, but expected. Newsrooms must "budget" for meaningful debate, and especially for dissent. The result will be the worthiest brand of work, no matter what the zeitgeist.


INTRODUCTION In southern part of the steppe zone of Ukraine, the main factors limiting the intensity of productive processes and the level of grain yield of corn seeds are: water regime, content and availability of nutrients, the amount of fertilizer application, the lack of which hinders obtaining of high and stable yields. Therefore, development of new and improvement of existing elements of the scientifically based cultivation technology of new hybrids of corn, studying of action and interaction of irrigation regimes, doses of mineral fertilizers and plant density, which most significantly influence on their productivity in the conditions of southern Ukraine, is relevant. By the scale of distribution, versatility of use and energy nutritive value corn is the most important grain and fodder crop. The aim of our study was to improve the elements of cultivation technology of corn hybrids in the conditions of irrigation in the South of Ukraine. The processes of productivity formation of corn hybrids depending on the conditions of humidification, doses of mineral fertilizers and density of plants were investigated in the conditions of the South of Ukraine on darkchestnut middle-loamy soil. Growing patterns, patterns of the development and dynamics of plant productivity formation were determined, the indicators of water consumption of corn plants and efficiency of water use by the stages of their growth and development were defined. The elements of the technology of corn seeds growing in the conditions of irrigation in the South of Ukraine, which ensure lower costs of irrigation water and other resources to obtain the seed unit, the reaction of corn plants on changing background of mineral nutrition and a plants density were improved.


Studying annual growth rates (seasonal difierences) in case of seasonal data produces much more persistence, autocorrelation and stronger evidence in favour of a unit root than analyzing seasonal growth rates (ordinary difierences). First, this statement is quantifled theoretically. Second, it is supported experimentally with simulations, and, flnally, it is empirically illustrated with quarterly GDP de∞ators from 7 European economies.


Heat treatment is the key of ensuring mold quality and prolonging its utilizing lifetime.This paper presents some reasonable preventive suggestions for uneffect and deformation etc.usually occurred during the mold heat treatment.


Long-range interactions in finite density QCD necessitate a non-perturbative approach in order to reliably map out the key features and spectrum of the QCD phase diagram. However, the complex nature of the fermion determinant in this sector prohibits the use of established Monte Carlo techniques that utilize importance sampling. Whilst significant progress has been made in the low density, high temperature region, this remains a considerable challenge at mid to high density. At large chemical potential, QCD can be approximated using high density effective theory which is free from the sign problem at leading order. We investigate the implementation of this theory on the lattice in conjunction with existing re-weighting techniques.


. Recently the four-loop perturbative QCD contributions to the relations between pole and running masses of charm, bottom and top quarks were evaluated in the MS scheme with identical numerical error bars. In this work the flavour dependence of the O ( α 4 s ) correction to these asymptotic series is obtained in the semi-analytical form with the help of the least squares method. The numerical structure of the corresponding asymptotic perturbative relations between pole and running c -, b - and t -quark masses is considered and the theoretical errors of the O ( α 4 s ) contributions are discussed. The explicit dependence for these relations on the renormalization scale μ 2 and the flavour number n l is presented.


Aims and method To explore attitudes and perceptions towards workplace-based assessment (WPBA) among psychiatric trainers in Wales and to compare them with those of trainees. To identify current problems and report recommendations made by survey respondents to streamline and successfully implement WPBA. An anonymous questionnaire-based cross-sectional online survey was conducted involving consultant psychiatrists in Wales and the results compared with a previous survey of specialty registrars.

Results In total, 104 of 164 consultants participated (63%), compared with 81 of 88 trainees (92%). Both surveys highlighted numerous problems and negative attitudes towards WPBA. Compared with widespread dissatisfaction among trainees, trainers appear more diverse in their opinions, although considerable numbers are dissatisfied with the new competency-based system.

Clinical implications Negative attitudes harboured by many trainees and trainers constitute a significant hurdle to the effective implementation of WPBA and undermine its efficacy as a tool intended to improve training. Specific measures with the potential to address various shortcomings are discussed, with a view to improving WPBA and rendering it more acceptable to both trainees and trainers – and thus facilitate improvement of training.


Abstract The main aim of the paper is to investigate the empirical relationship between research and development (R&D) expenditures and economic growth in the European Union member states in the period of 2000–2013. The empirical analysis is based on panel data regressions. The estimated model is the production function type standard growth model extended with R&D stock variable. The results show a statistically significant impact of R&D expenditures on the economic growth in the EU countries. The significance for R&D coefficient remains robust to different sub-periods, but the level of significance decreases as a sub-sample of new EU countries was considered.


Per Jonson Rosio : "the agrarian prophet" : a charismatic leader's attempt to rejuvenate small agriculture and create a commitment to a cultural revolt against industrialism in Sweden, 1888-1928


This paper consists in an exploratory study to identify the factors that have sped or impaired the rendering of Labor Justice in the state of Espirito Santo, as well as the actions that could be taken to make it more effective. It analyzes the factors Iisted by 30 interviewers directly related to the area, using the management systemic approach.


We have developed the dynamic reconfigurable processor DS-HIE for the streaming processing in our laboratory. The software development environment for the DS-HIE processor was not developed. So it is difficult to evaluate the performance of the DS-HIE processor by using practical applications. Therefore, this paper explains about the development of the compiler for the DS-HIE processor, which supports high-level programming language. The compiler consists of the Front-end part and the Back-end part. Since it will take time to develop a high quality Front-end from the scratch, so we selected the COINS compiler as the Front-end compiler. The Back-end compiler extracts the parts executed by the DS-HIE processor in the input program, and then maps the operations to the Function Units in the DS-HIE processor. After that, the Back-end compiler routes wires between the Function Units. The applications to evaluate the compiler were one dimensional DCT and row processing of LDCP decoding. As a compilation result, the average usage of the function unit was 83%


The unique structural configuration found in human foot allows easy walking. Similar movement is hard to imitate even for an ape. It is obvious that human ambulation relates to the foot structure itself. Suppose the bones are represented as vertices and the joints as edges. This leads to the development of a special graph that represents human foot. On a footprint there are point-ofcontacts which have contact with the ground. It involves specific vertices. Theoretically, for an ideal ambulation, these points provide reactions onto the ground or the static equilibrium forces. They are arranged in sequence in form of a path. The ambulating footprint follows this path. Having the human foot graph and the path crossbred, it results in a representation that describes the profile of an ideal ambulation. This profile cites the locations where the point-of-contact experience normal reaction forces. It highlights the significant of these points.


ABSTRACT Introduction Nonadherence to glaucoma medication and poor follow-up is a global health concern. Areas covered Glaucoma remains one of the largest causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Traditional treatment guidelines suggest topical eye drop medication as first-line therapy followed by addition of supplementary medications before proceeding to more invasive glaucoma surgeries. Unfortunately, poor glaucoma self-management remains high, leading to disease progression and blindness. Recent advancements in the field of pharmacotherapies, surgeries, and behavioral approaches have taken aim at increasing support for glaucoma self-management. We review the current and emerging approaches toward glaucoma management, with the exception of bleb-based surgical approaches, to investigate if they have had an impact on adherence. Literature searches were conducted via MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase (Elsevier), Cochrane Library (Wiley), and Preprints from 1 January 2018 to 26 January 2023. Expert opinion The ability to offer patients a multitude of choices enables patients to tailor their glaucoma treatment to their values and lifestyle. Offering personalized patient education and coaching to support chronic glaucoma self-management would better enable patient engagement in whichever treatment path is chosen. Currently, literature regarding the impact of these new advancements on treatment engagement is lacking; this field is ripe for additional intervention and assessment.


The objective of this study is to know the level of Vo2max in football players. The type of this study was descriptive qualitative research. Sources of data in this study is to use primary data because the data is taken directly by researchers through Multistage Fitness Test. While secondary data is already available data so that can be obtained more easily and quickly, for example data name and number of football club players STKIP Taman Siswa Bima. The sample in this research was all football club players of STKIP Taman Siswa Bima which amounted to 22 people. Meanwhile, for knowing the endurance of football players, it can be used Vo2max test through Multistage Fitness Test. The result of physical fitness level in this footbal club player is with the average score of very good category of 155.5. The average score of the good category is 291.5, medium category is 283.8, low category is 239.7, and the total category is 1069.9. From the results of physical fitness test ability of average players football STKIP Taman Siswa Bima only has a vo2max 40-50, which means players far from the level of physical fitness of national foot ball players that


Effective data sharing is key to accelerating research to improve diagnostic precision, treatment efficacy, and long-term survival of pediatric cancer and other childhood catastrophic diseases. We present St. Jude Cloud (https://www.stjude.cloud), a cloud-based data sharing ecosystem for accessing, analyzing and visualizing genomic data from >10,000 pediatric cancer patients and long-term survivors, and >800 pediatric sickle cell patients. Harmonized genomic data totaling 1.25 petabytes are freely available, including 12,104 whole genomes, 7,697 whole exomes and 2,202 transcriptomes. The resource is expanding rapidly with regular data uploads from St. Jude's prospective clinical genomics programs. Three interconnected apps within the ecosystem-Genomics Platform, Pediatric Cancer Knowledgebase and Visualization Community-enable simultaneously performing advanced data analysis in the cloud and enhancing the pediatric cancer knowledgebase. We demonstrate the value of the ecosystem through use cases that classify 135 pediatric cancer subtypes by gene expression profiling and map mutational signatures across 35 pediatric cancer subtypes.


In this paper, the CPW fed Z monopole antennas has proposed for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band (2.4-2.48 GHz) applications. To make the designed antenna suitable for implantation, it is printed on biocompatible Al2O3 ceramic substrate. The proposed antenna was simulated by a phantom liquid and imitating the electrical properties of the human muscle tissue. A study of the understanding of the antenna performance as a function of its dielectric parameters of the environment in which it is immersed was performed. Simulations in various slot widths state demonstrate that the antenna covers the complete ISM band. The proposed antenna shows the lower return loss, good impedance matching and high gain compared to other implantable antennas.


Abstract: Let A be a set and f : A→ A a bijective function. Necessary and sufficient conditions on f are determined which makes it possible to endow A with a binary operation ∗ such that (A, ∗) is a cyclic group and f ∈ Aut(A). This result is extended to all abelian groups in case |A| = p, p a prime. Finally, in case A is countably infinite, those f for which it is possible to turn A into a group (A, ∗) isomorphic to Z for some n ≥ 1, and with f ∈ Aut(A), are completely characterised.


A computational model for turbulent premixed gaseous combustion is investigated, where the combustion process is modelled in terms of a single transport equation for a reaction progress variable. Turbulent closure of the source term of the progress variable is based on a model for the turbulent flame speed. In order to check the model, numerical results are compared with experimental data from a turbulent premixed V-shaped flame, where the conditions of the approaching turbulent flow and of the chemical processes have been varied separately and systematically. Additionally, three other relations from the literature for the turbulent flame speed have been tested within this turbulent flame speed approach. Furthermore, the influence of the formal structure of the reaction term is compared with that of other common approaches (gradient approach, parabolic approach, eddy dissipation concept). While for the gradient approach the calculated flame shape agrees with the experimentally found straight lines, for the other approaches a concave bounded flame shape is found. This can be understood by analyzing the reaction rate integral across the flame brush. If the length scale of the parabolic approach would be proportional to the flame brush thickness, also here width-independence could be reached, requiring, however, additional modelling equations. Numerical model and comparison with experiment A computational model for turbulent premixed gaseous combustion is investigated, where the combustion process is modelled in terms of a single transport equation for the mean reaction progress variable c , being defined as the normalized mass fraction of products (c = 0 in the unburnt mixture and c = 1 in the products). The source term of the progress variable is modelled with c s w T u c ∇ = ρ (1) where the turbulent flame speed sT includes physico-chemical properties and local turbulence parameters of the combustible mixture [1], while the coupling to the transport equations of the flow field is done with the density calculated from the reaction progress variable. These equations have been implemented as subroutines into a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code [2,3]. In order to check the model, numerical results are compared with experimental data from a turbulent premixed V-shaped Fig. 1: Experimental setup of turbulent V-flame. Flamestabilization


Aim: The purpose of this study is to explore the difficulties perceived by nurses in the process of individualization of standardized care plan in inpatient at Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. Field of study: The study will be conducted in the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. Tertiary care hospital located in Badalona. Methods: Qualitative research design. Framed in constructivist paradigm. Participants will be nurses who have worked more than six months in a hospital ward, regardless of the type of contract. Data collecting will be conducted by indepth interviews and focus groups. Data analysis will be based on Strauss and Corbin Grounded Theory approach: open coding, axial coding and selective coding.


Early intervention programme services in special education can be said to be support and assistance services to optimally develop children's development and potential. The purpose of the study is to identify the level of readiness of parents for students with special educational needs in early intervention programme services. This study was carried out with a quantitative approach of questionnaire survey design. This study is based on the Epstein Model (1995). The study sample involved 138 parents of children with special educational needs from the Johor Bahru district using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected using a questionnaire adapted from the Special Education Teacher Questionnaire Part A and Part B instrument. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Based on the findings of the study, it can be found that the level of parental readiness in the early intervention programme is at a high level. This study can provide important input and awareness to parents of children with special education needs, special education teachers and the parties concerned about the effectiveness and importance of early intervention programme for children with special education needs.


designplot produces a graphical summary of a numeric response variable given one or more "factors", "factor" here meaning any numeric or string variable treated in terms of its distinct levels in the data. By default the mean of the response is shown for all observations and for all the classes defined singly or jointly by the levels of the factors specified. Options give scope for showing other summary statistics as calculated by summarize and for restricting the results shown in the plot. By default the graph is produced by graph dot. Optionally graph hbar or graph bar may be used instead.


In 2019, 3.1 billion Euro of damage was caused by piped water, accounting for the largest share (53%) of building insurance claims in Germany. In the event of damage, the accurate determination and localization of water ingress is essential to plan for and perform efficient renovations. Neutron probes are already applied successfully on building floors to localize the source of damage and other affected areas. However, additional information about the depth of moisture penetration can only be obtained by the destructive extraction of drilling cores, which is a timeand cost-intensive procedure. With its high sensitivity to water and fast measurement procedure, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can serve as a suitable extension to the neutron probe, enabling more precise characterization of common forms of moisture damage.


In this paper, the application of sodium dodecylsulfate-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles as an adsorbent was evaluated for the extraction and preconcentration of trace amounts of terbinafine hydrochloride in biological fluids before its determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Effects of various parameters on the extraction efficiency such as pH of solution, amount of sodium dodecylsulfate surfactant, extraction time, and desorption conditions were studied and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 2.5 to 500 µg L−1 with the correlation coefficient of 0.9998. Moreover, the calibration graphs were linear in the range of 5 to 500 µg L−1 (seven standards) for both urine and plasma samples and the limits of detection were found to be 0.3, 0.7, and 1.5 µg L−1in aqueous, urine, and plasma samples, respectively. Also, the percent of relative standard deviation (RSD%) based on three replicate determinations was in the range of 0.9% to 6.8%. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied for the extraction of terbinafine from real samples, and satisfactory results were obtained. © 2014 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Production method for a kind of test CIS chip, FPGA-based module, comprising: providing a test system having a test machine and mounted MIPI bridge chip and FPGA test module carrier plate; CIS control chip tester acquired image; chip CIS the image data output mode in high speed serial signal to the MIPI bridge chip; MIPI bridge chip high-speed serial signal is read under control of FPGA modules, converted into parallel low-speed data signal to the FPGA upload module; FPGA module reads the low speed parallel data signal processing technology to obtain the calculation result, the calculation result upload under control testing machine; Analyzing and controlling program flow tester after the reading result. The present invention avoids the data specific to the transformation MIPI bridge chip high-speed dependence of the tester signal ports; while using internal FPGA DSP data processing, improve the calculation speed of data, to realize multi-bit parallel data operation than relying on testing machine serial computation workstation data processing time is shortened.


Scrummaging in a game of rugby union occurs after a minor infringement and involves up to eight players from each team pushing against each other to compete for ball possession. The scrum has the greatest propensity for injury compared to all other events in rugby. Injuries affecting the spine of front-row players are of particular concern because these injuries occur frequently and can result in significant pain and functional impairment and, in rare instances, catastrophic consequences. Therefore, identifying potential mechanisms for scrum-related spine injuries is a priority.
To develop optimal injury-prevention strategies, it is essential to better understand the biomechanics of the scrum. Kinematic investigations of the spine in front-row players during contested scrummaging could provide important information but these measurements are technically challenging, particularly because of the number of participants involved in the scrum. Given that current methods are not able to measure spinal kinematics during field-based competitive scrums, the aim of this thesis was to develop a method to measure spinal kinematics in front-row players during scrummaging under ecologically valid conditions and begin to investigate the influence of player interactions on spinal kinematics.
The novel measurement method was designed using a combination of an electromagnetic motion tracking system and close-range photogrammetry system. To be viable, the measurement method had to (1) require no bulky markers or sensors; (2) be portable to allow field-based measurements; (3) be versatile to allow measurements in any scrum formation and (4) be as reliable and as accurate as traditional measurement methods.
The first study evaluated reliability of an electromagnetic motion tracking system for the measurement of cervical spine kinematics during one-man scrums. The second study involved the development of a photogrammetry system, which consisted of five DSLR cameras, to measure thoracic and lumbar spine kinematics and also evaluated reliability and accuracy of this method. The results of the first study indicated reliability of the electromagnetic tracking system was comparable to that of an optoelectronic motion capture system. The second study showed that the photogrammetric system was sufficiently accurate and reliable for the measurement of spinal kinematics during scrums in both laboratory and field environments. Therefore, the findings of these two studies supported the use of the innovative method developed for measuring spinal kinematics during scrummaging.
Subsequently, the influence of player interactions during scrummaging was investigated. A series of investigations started with the most simple scrum formation - the one-man scrum. The one-man scrum consists of only one player scrummaging against a static scrum machine and this formation is often used in training sessions to practice the scrum technique. The third study investigated spinal kinematics during one-man scrums to determine basic kinematic patterns, as well as movement variability during the task. The results indicated front-row-players performed the basic scrum technique in a consistent manner, although large within-subject movement variability was found in the sagittal plane for the cervical spine. The difference between cervical spine kinematics during scrums against a scrum machine and against opponents was then investigated in the fourth study. The results revealed that the cervical spine was much more flexed when scrummaging against opponents than when scrummaging against a scrum machine. The fifth study further investigated these cervical spine kinematics during scrums against opponents to determine how different scrum phases affect kinematics. The results showed that impact was the most likely phase to result in traumatic injuries because the cervical spine is considerably flexed, a posture likely to increase the risk of injury. Finally, the sixth study investigated the effect of second-row players on lumbar spine kinematics in front-row players during scrums. The results showed that interactions with second-row players resulted in a substantial decrease of the neutral lumbar lordosis which may result in low back injuries. This series of studies are the first to investigate player interactions on scrum kinematics and collectively the findings suggest that machine-based scrummaging practice should be kept to a minimum given this type of practice has limited potential to prepare players for competitive scrummaging. Moreover, scrum formation should be selected carefully in training and rehabilitation programs to best foster safe and effective scrum technique given interactions between players have significant influence on front-row players' spinal kinematics.
This thesis provides an innovative method to facilitate the measurement of spinal kinematics during field-based contested scrums. The findings extend the understanding of kinematics of the cervical and lumbar spine in front-row players during scrums and provides practical information that could be implemented by coaches and those involved in the rehabilitation of players regarding scrummaging technique.


We report the case of a newborn infant who developed persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and was successfully treated with a combination of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), nasal continous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and seldinafil. This approach may decrease the need for intubati on and mechanical ventilation and subsequently lung injury in similar cases.


Cyber space moving at the speed of light is beyond the national boundaries and globalized, demonstrates the power of a country and affects people's living in the visible world. The technology in the cyber world is further complicated and advanced and it has less temporal spatial restrictions. It is almost impossible that departments of the government or individuals tackle infringements, cybercrimes and terror attacks. In this paper, the author studied a policy for national cybersecurity and research to make the laws on national cybersecurity. To do this, the author made a comparative study of the cybercrime, cyber terror, and cyber warfare. When a crisis occurs on the cyber security of the country, a study Analysis and Comparison of Regulations for National Cybersecurity that is currently in effect, and study the alert issued in step 5 of cyber crisis. The author will endeavor to establish regulations and systems and embody policies related to sustainable national cybersecurity policies for the country and people


I have read with interest Mr. Charles Nordmann's contribution1 to the study of the effects produced on the magnetic declination by the total solar eclipse of August 30, 1905. Whilst appreciating, as it deserves, Mr. Nordmann's ingenuity, I must confess that the facts which he advances, p. 23, seem to me to be inconclusive, and to bear most probably a different interpretation from that which he supposes. Before explaining my reasons for this view, I should like to make some preliminary remarks.

Mr. Nordmann's curves, p. 22, have no claim to acceptance except as the embodiment of the figures quoted on p. 20. The unit of force employed is said to be only 0.14 γ (γ = 1 × 10-5 C. G. S.). Of the five stations dealt with, Stonyhurst has the lowest horizontal force, and there I γ answers approximately to 0.′2 of declination. Thus when Mr. Nordmann on p. 20 gives values to 0.1 of his unit, he is practically recording declination changes to 0.′003 or less. It is unusual to measure declination curves to nearer than 0.′1 (answering usually to 0.′1mm approximately), and two observers will often differ by this amount in their estimate. Mr. Nordmann, it is true, has used not his actual curve measurements, but smoothed means of the type (a + 2b + c)/4; but even taking this into account one cannot but regard the figures on pp. 20 and 21 as suggesting an accuracy at least ten times that ordinarily attempted.


This study focuses on the reliable parametrization of the full Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) from saturation to oven-dryness using high resolution but limited range measured water retention data by the Hydraulic Property Analyzer (HYPROP) system. We studied the performance of five unimodal water retention models including the Brooks and Corey model (BC model), the Fredlund and Xing model (FX model), the Kosugi model (K model), the van Genuchten constrained model with four free parameters (VG model), and the van Genuchten unconstrained model with five free parameters (VGm model). In addition, eleven alternative expressions including Peters–Durner–Iden (PDI), bimodal, and bimodal-PDI variants of the original models were evaluated. We used a data set consisting of 94 soil samples from Turkey and the United States with high-resolution measured data (a total of 9264 measured water retention data pairs) mainly via the HYPROP system and supplemented for some samples with measured dry-end data using the WP4C instrument. Among unimodal expressions, the FX and the K models with the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) values equal to 0.005 cm3 cm−3 and 0.015 cm3 cm−3 have the highest and the lowest accuracy, respectively. Overall, the alternative variants provided a better fit than the unimodal expressions. The unimodal models, except for the FX model, fail to provide reliable dry-end estimations using HYPROP data (average MAE: 0.041 cm3 cm−3, average r: 0.52). Our results suggested that only models that account for the zero water content at the oven dryness and properly shift from the middle range to dry-end (i.e., the FX model and PDI variants) can adequately represent the full SWRC using typical data obtained via the HYPROP system.


, Results are presented from the analysis of three sediment cores from Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana, using mineralogy, sedimentology, palynology and grass cuticle content. The longest core is 16.9 m long and spans approximately the last 27 500 years of the lake's history. Apart from minerals ofxlastic origin, the sediments contain a variety of endogenetic and diagenetic minerals, particularly carbonates, with phosphates and zeolites also prominent in some sections. Mineral content and sedimentology are used to reconstruct the history of the lake. The oldest part of the sequence, from c.27 500 to 24 500 BP, is poorly understood, but seems to contain evidenc,e of both high and low water levels. Between 23 O00 and 19 500 BP the lake water was relatively dilute, but became more saline and alkaline between 19 O00 and 16 O00 BP when the lake level must have been low. Regressions of the lake are registered just before 13 500 BP, at c.3 750 BP and after 2 O00 BP. Maximum lake level seems to have occurred between 9 O00 and 4 O00 BP, when the lake waters were dilute. Grass pollen dominates the pollen assemblage before c.9 O00 BP indicating the existence of grassland around Bosumtwi. A dramatic rise in the abundance of arboreal pollen suggests that forest rapidly replaced grassland after 9 O00 BP. Patches of montane-like forest within the grassland are suggested by the 1. Geologisk Institutt, Avd. A, Universitet i Bergen, All~gt.41,5014 Bergen, Norway. 2. Department of Zoology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706, USA. 3. Department of Biology, Louisburg College, Louisburg, North Carolina 27549, USA. 4. ORSTOM, Laboratoire de Palynologie du CNRS, Universitd des Sciences et Tcch5. Depurtment of Biological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Cali6. Centre deu Faibles Radiouctivites, Labo. Mixtc CNRSCEA, Cif sur Yvette 91190, nique du Languedoc, Montpellier 34060, Frunce. fornia 93106, USA. , Figure 1. Map of southern Ghana, showing Lake Bosumtwi and position of major vegetation zones. WE Wet Evergreen; UE Upland Evergreen; MS Moist Semi-deciduous; DS = Dry Semi-deciduous; SM Southern Marginal (after Hall & Swaine 1976). presence of Olea hochstetteri pollen in late Pleistocene-early Holocene sections of the cores. Grass cuticle fragments are prominent in sediments deposited before c .9 O00 BP, confirming the pollen evidence that grassland formerly existed around the Bosumtwi crater. Of particular interest is the occurrence of pooid grass cuticle in the Pleistocene-early Holocene sediments. Pooid grasses, and the pollen of O.hochstetteri, imply palaeotemperatures several degrees centigrade lower than today's in southern Ghana. . -


Nigeria is yet to enact generally applicable competition laws. However, in the telecommunications sector, sector-specific competition rules were enacted with the regulator taking steps including determination of dominance in selected markets to enforce these rules. These developments are important in Nigeria as they could provide good domestic references for future application of both general competition law in Nigeria and sector-specific application of competition rules in other network industries in the country. Furthermore, with regulatory determinations of dominance relatively rare in national communications sectors of African countries, Nigerian regulatory decisions are likely to be of interest to operators and regulators in other countries within the Sub-Saharan Africa region. This article critically analyzes regulation of dominant positions in the Nigerian telecommunications sector. It identifies the relevant legal provisions on dominant positions in Nigerian telecommunications and shows that while the Nigerian Communications Commission's (NCC) approach in this area appears to be influenced by European Union (EU) law, the Nigerian rules have developed and are applied in a way different from the application of comparable EU rules. Furthermore, the article also identifies a need for revision of the applicable regulations to stipulate the basis for market selection and refine criteria for identification of the relevant market for purposes of dominance analysis. The article further identifies specific issues with the NCC's application of criteria for single dominance assessment including; an apparent misapplication of the market shares criterion; very little of the NCC's assessment is backed by available data and supporting evidence; and the entire assessment focused on application of its six criteria to the retail aspects of the mobile markets with the wholesale market is completely ignored. With regards to International Internet Connectivity market, this article argues that NCC's decision to rely only on ex-post regulatory intervention in line with the practice in other jurisdictions failed to appreciate the differences in the legal basis for regulatory action between Nigeria and the EU for instance. The EU has separate provisions for sector-specific ex ante regulation and general ex post competition laws, while Nigeria only has sector-specific prescriptive regulations governing dominant positions. This entails that reliance only on as yet nonexistence ex post basis for regulatory intervention would leave Nigerian service providers without a remedy.


The Binyanei Ha'uma Railway Station and Tunnel is the 1.6 kilometer underground portion of a proposed commuter subway system that will connect Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel. This paper describes the detailed fire modeling analysis that was performed on the entire underground railway station and tunnel system to assess the impact of a train fire developing in either the station or the tunnel on the proposed emergency ventilation system. The performance-based design criteria from the 2003 edition of NFPA 130, Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems, were used in the analysis. The purpose of the analysis was to quantify the impact on the station from a train fire developing in the tunnel, and vice-versa, so it was necessary to develop a fire model that encompassed the entire underground portion of the subway system. The complexity and physical size and shape of the tunnel and station presented a number of challenges during the development of the fire model (A). For the covering abstract of the conference se ITRD E216860.


Asymmetric polymerization of N-triphenylmethylmaleimide(TrMI) is performed with chiral anionic initiators in tetrahydrofuran and toluene at −78 and 0°C to obtain optically active polymer. It is found that the (S)-(+)-l-(2-pyrrolidinylmethyl) pyrrolidinelithium [Li-(+)-PMP] and lithium (−)-menthoxide are effective for the asymmetric polymerization of N-triphenylmethylmaleimide in THF. The polymers obtained are characterized by circular dichroism(CD). It is inferred that the propagation reaction of polymerization of TrMI with Li-(+)-PMP is dominated by ion pair mechanism and meanwhile free ion mechanism cannot be ignored based on GPC analysis.


Crystal growth of III-V semiconductor nanowires assisted by a liquid particle/droplet occurs at the solid-liquid interface. This makes the stability of a droplet on the top of a nanowire crucial for successful nanowire growth. Using in-situ transmission electron microscopy together with theoretical analysis of the capillary forces involved, we conclude that truncation of the solid-liquid interface extend the stability range for a droplet in contact with the nanowire top interface. This provides insights to the limits of nanowire growth and is used to experimentally estimate the surface energy of the wurtzite $\{11\bar{2}\}$ facet of GaAs.


SiC_f/SiC composites were fabricated by a polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process using 2.5D SiC fiber preforms.In the first slurry infiltration process,active A1 and inert SiC filler were introduced to enhance the infiltration efficiency.The effects of A1 filler addition and thickness of PyC as interphase on mechanical properties of the composites were characterized.The mechanical properties of the composite with active A1 as the filler are remarkably improved.The bending strength and proportional limit stress reach 441MPa and 380MPa,respectively.In the range of 200-500nm,the effect of PyC thickness on the bending strength is not noticeable.The elastic modulus of the composite slightly decreases with the increase of PyC thickness.


We show that an irreducible unitary representation (with discrete kernel) of a (noncompact) semisimple Lie group admits a Kahler coherent state orbit (i.e. a complex orbit on the space of all lines in the representation space) if and only if it is highest weight representation Nous prouvons qu'une representation unitaire irreductible (avec noyau discret) d'un groupe de Lie semi-simple (non compacte) admet une orbite de Kahler d'etats coherents (i.e. une orbite complexe sur l'espace de toutes les droites de l'espace de la representation) si et seulement si c'est une representation de poids maximal


6136 Background: "Patient navigation" in cancer care refers to the assistance offered to patients, survivors, families, and caregivers to help them access and then chart a course through the healthcare system and overcome barriers to quality care. Jacobi Medical Center is a municipal hospital and is the largest safety net hospital for underserved and uninsured patients in the Bronx. The department of breast surgery, in conjunction with information technology, developed a remote access system to provide outreach, education, screening, and diagnostic services for women's health within the community as a means to early detection and prevention of breast disease.

METHODS
From 2006, three patient navigators were trained to provide breast health education and awareness within the community. The navigators were equipped with wireless laptop enabled with live, off-site connectivity to access the hospital-based patient registration and appointment system. Communication was enabled with the hospital MISYS electronic medical record system. Navigator's conducted patient intake interviews off-site, registered patients directly into the hospital system, generated a hospital medical record number, and scheduled appointments for mammograms, breast exams, and gynecologic examinations within minutes of the initial encounter.

RESULTS
There were 1124 community encounters generated from local health fairs, church functions, senior centers, libraries, nursing homes, and community organizations to provide teaching, education, demonstrations, and answer questions pertaining to breast health. 716 patients received education. 306 Screening Mammograms were scheduled via wirelessly, of which 270 were performed. 58 patients were given breast clinic appointments, of which 24 patients were seen and had breast exams. In addition 29 patients were given GYN appointments.

CONCLUSIONS
The Patient Navigation Program is a critical component to accessing the Breast Center. With the use of remote access and off-site connectivity directly into the hospital registration system, the navigators were able to provide services for early detection and prevention of breast disease that would have otherwise been delayed or not done at all.


Michaels, Anne. The Adventures of Miss Petitfour , illustrated by Emma Block. Tundra Books, 2015. The winner of numerous awards, Anne Michaels has earned her place among Canada's most talented wordsmiths. Long a respected Canadian poet, her brilliant debut novel— Fugitive Pieces (1996)—brought her international acclaim. The Adventures of Miss Petitfour is Michaels' first book for children.  Emma Block is a young freelance illustrator who has already established a reputation for delicately feminine and delightfully quirky illustrations. Her work can be seen in children's books, Hallmark products, and in tableware. This book represents a nearly perfect partnership between the author and the illustrator. Among other things, this is a book about the stories we like to tell and read. The books in the village bookshop near Miss Petitfour's house are divided into two sections: ho-hum and hum. The former are books in which nothing ever happens, but are "full of interesting facts that would never come in useful" and the latter are adventure books. This charming little book is certainly not ho-hum, but neither does it offer grand adventures. The adventures of the unconventional Miss Petitfour and her sixteen fun-loving cats—all of whom go everywhere with her, quite literally wherever the wind takes them—are adventures of "just the right size—fitting into a single, magical day." These little adventures demonstrate that sometimes "the best things happen" when "things work out differently than you expect." Young bookworms and aspiring writers will be delighted to find that Michaels offers them a peak behind the curtain, one that reveals some of the key elements in the construction of a story, and explains how these elements function with clarity and wit. For example, in the midst of a major digression in a story about a trip to buy marmalade, we are told that a digression is "when the story wanders off the point and gets lost" and that it can be the best part of a story. Several digressions follow naturally and are clearly marked as such. In another story, we are told that a coincidence "is something that happens at just the right moment," and that stories use them "to fix up tricky tangles", following which, coincidentally, the story—about a confetti factory explosion—cleverly and humorously demonstrates the technique several times in rapid succession. The name of the main character—Miss Petitfour—is somewhat unexpected, but the delicate and ornate nature of the French pastry known as a petitfour makes it a suitable metaphor at the heart of a little book that celebrates little everyday adventures, decorative language, and fanciful illustrations in a way that is light and sweet and fun. This book is very highly recommended for children of all ages and is well suited for reading aloud. Highly recommended: four stars out of four Reviewer: Linda Quirk Linda taught courses in Canadian Literature, Women's Writing, and Children's Literature at Queen's University (Kingston) and at Seneca College (Toronto) before moving to Edmonton to become a teaching librarian at University of Alberta's Bruce Peel Special Collections.  Her favourite children's book to teach is  Hana's Suitcase, not only because Hana's story is so compelling, but because the format of this non-fiction book teaches students of all ages about historical investigation and reveals that it is possible to recover the stories of those who have long been forgotten by history.


Ever since the pioneering work of René Guiet, Patrick Smith and Cuthbert Girdlestone, the libretto has been recognized in eighteenth-century French opera scholarship as an important object of study in its own right. Béatrice Didier, author of La musique des lumières (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1985), returns to opera in this, her first book-length study on music since that pioneering publication. The book is divided into various loosely defined areas. First is 'Les librettistes', which comprises some synthetic discussion of the cultural and social place of librettists in general, then an examination of the two major names – Quinault and Metastasio – before finally a study of four eighteenth-century writers who were also librettists (Fontenelle, Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau). This is then followed by a study of the libretto itself, with chapters covering 'justifications' (by which Didier means both prefaces to operas and their literary sources), the different genres (the fifth of these, curiously, being entitled 'La période révolutionnaire'), languages and staging. Finally the question of myth is considered, with chapters covering the merveilleux, Rameau and 'Le premier romantisme'. As this summary will hopefully have made clear, the book is structured as a survey of the genre of opera considered in its widest sense. Whilst 'though-composed' tragédie en musique is, of course, prominent, Didier does not neglect dialogue opera, ballet or other genres, and her chronological parameters allow for discussion of Revolutionary opera as well as revealing continuities across the whole century and into the nineteenth. This kind of broad-brush survey is increasingly rare in academic publishing, and here it does not prevent the author from giving close attention to under-represented examples, rather than remaining bound by the canonical works (which, however, also receive interesting comment, if not systematic readings). By grouping her material under these large headings, Didier is able to trace patterns across the period, for instance by looking into the dominant classical sources relied on by librettists: Ovid, naturally, but also Virgil and (to a lesser extent) Plutarch. Such patterns provide lines of enquiry for future research: that of a growing trend for Plutarchian texts after Rousseau, or a greater reliance on novelistic sources after mid-century, as compared with theatrical in the earlier period. French opera's long-standing but ambiguous relationship with Italian music is also considered here, with a sub-chapter on Metastasio and some more diffuse comments on the various quarrels which traversed the century. This Didier achieves without plodding over what, for specialists, is now very well-trodden territory. In this respect the book is a rare achievement: a wide survey that can also interest the expert. Indeed, on several occasions (pages 28, 36, 104) Didier reminds the reader that her aim is to illustrate certain tendencies rather than to offer a systematic analysis; the documents used to do so are often under-studied and bring fresh insights to the question, and the specialist will often notice connections that may previously have been overlooked. The first section, r e v i e w s


Abstract : The genus Diploon is represented here by D. cuspidatum (Hoehne) Cronquist which is native to southeastern Brazil. Originally described as Chrysophyllum cuspidatum by Hoehne in 1933, it was raised to generic status by Cronquist in 1946. The anatomy of the secondary xylem substantiates this transfer. A second species, D. venezuelana Aubreville from Venezuela, was not available for this study. This paper on Diploon is the eighth in a series describing the anatomy of the secondary xylem of the neotropical Sapotaceae.


Objective To study the diagnosis and treatment of multiple inguinal hernias coexistence.Methods 8 cases of indirect inguinal hernia combined with direct inguinal hernia and 3 cases of indirect inguinal hernia combined with femoral hernia were analyzed retrospectively.Only 2 cases were accurately diagnosed preoperation.The others were diagnosed during operations.Open operation by using Kugel patch were performed in all cases.Results All of these operations were successful,no recurrence and no complication were observed.Conclusion The multiple inguinal hernias coexistence were diagnosed mostly by exploration during surgical procedures.Plastic procedure with Kugel patch may be the first choice for the treatment of these hernias.


Objectives: This study aims to identify the obstacles facing inclusive education in inclusive kindergartens from the point of view of teachers and parents in Karak Governorate.
Methods: The study followed an analytical descriptive method. The sample was (100) teachers and parents (60 teachers and 40 parents). The study tool was a scale to measure the obstacles facing inclusion. The number of items on the scale was 65 items distributed over five domains.
Results: The results `of the study showed that the obstacles to inclusive learning from the teachers' point of view came to a medium degree. Obstacles to integrating education from the parents' point of view also came to a medium degree in the general average.
Conclusions:  The study recommends encouraging families of children with disabilities to educate their children on inclusive education institutions. It also recommends urging authorities responsible for kindergartens to increase their interest in these institutions, through direct follow-up and supervision of the quality of the rehabilitation services provided and the various environmental equipment. The study also recommends activating the channels of communication between kindergarten administration and various civil society institutions.