Taxol not only raised environmental and employment issues, it also raised questions about the use of taxpayers' money to subsidize private industry. The  agreement gave Bristol-Myers Squibb a monopoly over the supply of yew bark from public lands, full access to the NCI's development files, and exclusive rights to its intellectual property. Yet it was a controversial deal, in part because some former NCI employees now worked for the company, but also because the company was not required to compensate NCI for the rights to develop taxol. Taxol eventually achieved world sales of $. billion in , making it then the best selling anticancer drug of all time. But when negotiations started, it was quite unclear how big the market in taxol would be. Its activity in breast cancer was unknown, and voices within the company doubted whether they should bid on the drug. Goodman and Walsh trace the ways in which the NCI successfully sought to overcome such doubts. They also show how Bristol-Myers Squibb sealed its possession of the drug by trademarking the name in : thereafter, all references to taxol would be required to carry the registered sign, and taxol became Taxol(r). The generic substance named taxol in  became "paclitaxel" after , and Bristol-Myers Squibb sought to rewrite its early history in ways that downplayed the role of the NCI. Part of the aim of this book is to challenge such misrepresentations. For such reasons the book is to be welcomed. It is a meticulously researched and conceptually sophisticated work that follows taxol's path from the forest to the marketplace. There are some lapses; the authors do not follow it into the archives of the FDA, which approved the drug in , and taxol's role in the advocacy politics around breast cancer that emerged in the early s might have been expanded. These caveats aside, this is a beautifully nuanced tale that nicely captures the uncertainty, unexpected outcomes, conflicts of interest, andmultiple meanings associated with the development of this drug. Readers may wonder at Goodman and Walsh's claim to recover the voice of the Pacific yew (p. )What? Talking trees?but they certainly succeed in recovering the many different human voices that spoke for the tree and one particular compound within it.


Sample preparation pathway of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) influences their thermal properties, which in turn governs the ionic conductivity of the materials especially for system consists of a crystallizable constituent. Majority of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based SPEs with molar masses of PEO well above M > 104 g mol−1 (i.e. PEO is crystallizable and should reach asymptote in thermal behavior) displays molar mass dependence on the thermal properties and ionic conductivities in non-equilibrium conditions as reported in literature. In this study, PEO of different viscosity-molar masses (Mղ = 3 × 105, 6 × 105, 1 × 106, 4 × 106 g mol−1) and LiClO4 salt (0 to 16.7 wt.%) were used. Here, SPEs were thermally treated under inert atmosphere above the melting temperature of PEO and then cooled down for subsequent isothermal crystallization for sufficient experimental time to develop morphology close to equilibrium condition. Thermal properties (e.g. glass transition temperature, melting temperature, crystallinity) according to differential scanning calorimetry and ionic conductivity obtained from impedance spectroscopy at room temperature (σDC ~ 10−6 S cm−1) demonstrate insignificant variation with respect to molar mass of PEO at constant salt concentration. These findings are in agreement with PEO crystalline structures using x-ray diffraction and ion-dipole interaction by Fourier transform infrared results.


The invention relates to a deicing system (10) of an inlet cone (1) of aviation turbomachine comprising a sleeve (30) positioned within an inner space delimited by the upstream cone input, said sheath comprising a first conduit (38) having at least a hot air inlet (42), said first conduit being configured to route the hot air from a bearing enclosure (22) the turbomachine towards a wall of the inlet cone so as to heat it from the inside, the sleeve further comprising a second conduit (40) having at least one outlet located downstream of the first inlet of conduit , said second conduit being configured to discharge air from the first conduit downstream of the turbomachine. The invention also provides a defrosting method of a turbomachine inlet cone.


Since its inception Latin American Perspectives has recognized many Marxisms and a Marxist tradition of many contending theories and strategies. More important, the journal represents the view that no single tendency within Marxism should dominate its pages, and that Marxism is not reducible to the conceptualization of class, relations of production, or mode of production, but that all of these concepts are fundamental in understanding the problems of contemporary capitalist society. It is also evident that attention to individual, group, and class interests may be relevant to analysis of struggles that seek political equality, resolution of human needs, and a fair distribution of available resources. Marxism today, however, is in a period of crisis, provoking a rethinking of its premises and usefulness but also leading some left theorists to search for a new understanding as they move on to a "post-Marxist terrain." This journal issue explores the implications of this crisis and the turn of some intellectuals away from Marxism in their retreat from analysis of class and class struggle in Latin America. The intent is not only to invite dialogue on this question, but also to challenge the premises of the new thinking. Among questions asked of contributors were: To what extent did Latin American intellectuals exiled in Europe associate with the thought of Gramsci, Poulantzas, Althusser, and others? Did Eurocommunism of the late 1970s influence their thinking? What has been the impact of dictatorship and repression upon the new thinking as discussion moves from rural and urban guerrilla warfare to issues of political culture, pluralist democracy, and reformism? What has been the significance of the split in the Communist movement since the 1960s, especially among currents that sought collaborative political arrangements and alliances with social democratic and liberal currents? What has happened to the political parties as they came to dominate


This report details the case of an 11-year-old white male with a typical presentation of a unilateral iris and chorioretinal coloboma associated with multisystem disorders. The results of routine clinical and noninvasive neurophysiological tests are presented to demonstrate the anatomical and functional correlates of this striking and infrequently encountered ocular defect.


The invention discloses a preparation method of a thermal insulation material for a boiler. The preparation method comprises steps as follows: firstly, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, polycarbonate, silicone rubber and epoxy resin are added into a stirring and mixing machine and uniformly stirred and mixed to obtain a mixture I; then, ethylenediamine is added into the mixture I which is heated and stirred for reaction to obtain a mixture II; tungsten dioxide, ceramic cenospheres, glass fiber, liquid acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and polyoxyethylene isobutyl phenolic ether are mixed and react under the vacuum heating condition to obtain a mixture III; the mixture III and the mixture II are mixed, heated and jointly cured, the first stage of joint curing condition is that the mixture III and the mixture II are heated to the temperature of 300-400 DEG C under the protection condition of inert gas, the second stage of joint curing condition is that the mixture III and the mixture II are heated to the temperature of 180-250 DEG C under the protection condition of inert gas, and a thermal insulation material is obtained; and finally, the thermal insulation material is machined into a finished product with a required shape, and the thermal insulation material for the boiler is obtained.


Abstract : The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is about defending against relentless ideological enemies who are bent on destroying the American way of life. However, the methods employed by the members of the homeland security, intelligence, law enforcement, and military communities that are charged with protecting the United States must be carefully measured. American citizens' individual civil liberties must be safeguarded from infringement against a backdrop of evolving intelligence requirements. This paper will examine several related questions. First, what laws, judicial rulings, executive orders, regulations, policies, and precedents govern U.S. intelligence gathering related to operations that could affect American citizens? Are governmental departments and agencies operating in compliance? Does our current legal framework permit the sort of intelligence collection, sharing, and dissemination needed? If not, how can the agencies charged with doing so continue collecting the domestic intelligence needed to meet homeland security requirements, without trampling on the very Constitution those of us in the military are sworn to defend? Thoughtful consideration of these issues is the key to a true "victory" in the GWOT, lest we sacrifice our way of life along the way.


Has good oil resistance and heat resistance, a These rubber composition capable of producing a consistent cross-linked rubber and moldings of balance of properties, structural units derived from (i) a conjugated diene in the total structural units α containing 30 to 60 wt%, and β- unsaturated nitrile conjugated diene rubber, (ii) 135 ° C., is the intrinsic viscosity is 3.3 dl / g or more in a decalin solvent, the ethylene-alpha-olefin-nonconjugated the diene copolymer rubber, a rubber composition containing, and (iii) a crosslinking agent.


Along with the changes of the current affairs, our society has higher demands on the teaching and learning of College Enlish. This article has pointed out that, to improve college students' ability to use the English in a practical way, the traditional teacher - centered mode of classroom teaching should be altered of reformed, and a student - oriented teaching concept should be firmly established. And the teaching strategies aiming at bringing out students' highly -motivated and active role in learning language should be put into pratice.


The regularity analysis of one dimensional reaction-diffusion systems is investigated. The systems under consideration are only assumed to satisfy natural assumptions, namely the preservation of non-negativity and a control of the total mass. It is proved that if nonlinearities have (slightly super-) cubic growth rates then the system has a unique global classical solutions. Moreover, in the case of mass dissipation, the solution is bounded uniformly in time in sup-norm. One key idea in the proof is the Hölder continuity of gradient of solutions to parabolic equation with possibly discontinuous diffusion coefficients and low regular forcing terms. When the system possesses additionally an entropy inequality, the global existence and boundedness of a unique classical solution is shown for nonlinearities satisfying a cubic intermediate sum condition, which is a significant generalization of cubic growth rates. The main idea in this case is to combine a modified Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality and the newly developed L-energy method in [MT21, FMTY21]. This idea also allows us to deal with the case of discontinuous diffusion coefficients which has been barely touched in the context of mass controlled reaction-diffusion systems. Classification AMS 2010: 35A01, 35A09, 35K57, 35Q92.


Recent advances by the author and his students are described on the dynamics of turbulent fluid interfaces, especially mixed-fluid and refractive fluid interfaces, with applications to mixing, aero-optics, and airborne lasers. Basic issues addressed include the distribution of scales in fully-developed turbulent flows, the dependence of the flow behavior on scale, the extent to which large-Reynolds-number fluid interfaces are convoluted, the organized large-scale dynamics, the small-scale behavior, the dynamics of fluid regions bounded by interfaces, high-speed flows, and compressibility effects. Engineering issues examined include a general approach for the mixing efficiency based on the outer fluid interfaces, a general approach for aero-optics based on the interfacial fluid thickness, laser-beam propagation in high-speed flows, and aero-optical aspects of airborne lasers. The present ideas suggest new perspectives and prospects on fundamental and applied challenges such as the limiting behavior of turbulence and mixing at large Reynolds numbers, mixing efficiency, flow optimization, flows regularization, high-speed turbulence, laser beam propagation through turbulent flows, directed energy, laser communications, airborne high-energy lasers, and planetary defense


Results Fully one-third of the people who called requested a screening and meeting with W.E. And 45 % of those purchased the procedure with in 90 days. The staff also followed up four times with those who didn't buy right away. The return on investment tipped 1000%. W.B. reflects, "You have to take it slowly with people who don't know you . Just give them time to get to know you in a low-key way and it pays off." W.B. knew that people who weren 't his existing patients needed a whole lot more information and interaction with him before they wou ld buy a big-ticket service. So he thought about it, mostly from the point of view of "if he were the patient. " And here' s what he did. W.B. rented a list of people in his area with household incomes over $40,000 and in the target ages for his procedures. Next he sent them a one-page letter on a notesized Monarch sheet of paper. He wrote cryptically of how he had this new procedure and its benefits. W.E. urged readers to call his 800 number to hear his pre-recorded message about the details and how to figure out if this was right for them. It was nonthreatening in tone. The tape was great. W.E. was animated as he spoke of the benefits. He also told a lot about himself so people would get a feel for who he was. He sounded credible and quite likable. After listening, if the listener liked, he or she could take advantage of a free meeting with W.E., who would scree n them to make sure they were a candidate. They just had to leave a message and the staff would sched ule them up. I References I. Janecka IP, Sen C, Sekhar LN, et al. Cranial base surgery : Results in 183 patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1994; 110:539-46. 2. Kragh LV , Soul e EH, Masson JK. Beni gn and mal ignan t neurilemomas of the head and neck. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1960; 111:211-1 8. 3. Das Grupta TK . Benign solitary schwannomas (neurilemomas) . Cancer 1969; 24 :35560. 4. Perzin KH, Panyu H, Wechter S. Nonepithelial tumors of the nasal cav ity, paranasal sinuses and nasoph arynx: A clinic opathological study, XII: Sch wann cell tumors (neurilemoma, neurofibroma, malignant schwannoma). Cancer 1982; 50:2193-2202. 5. Bruner JM. Peripheral nerve shea th tumors of the head and neck. Diag Path 1987; 4(2):136-49. 6. DiNard o LJ, Mell is MG . Skull base schwannoma. Ear Nose Thro at J 1993; 72(12) :816-1 8. 7. Ross C, Wright E, Moseley J, et al. Massive schwannoma of the nose and parana sal sinuses. South Med J 1988; 81:1588-9 1. 8. Nagayama I, Nishimura T, Furuk awa M. Malignant schwa nnoma . arising in a paranasal sinus. J Laryngol Otol 1993; 107:146-8. 9. Brooks JS, Freeman M, Enterline H. Malignant "triton" tumors: Natural history and immunohistochemi stry of nine new cases. Cancer 1985; 55:254 3-9. 10. Greager JA , Rei chard KW, Ca mpana JP, et al. Malignant sehwa nnoma of the head and neck . Am J Surg 1992; 163:440-2. II. White HR. Sur vival in malignant schwa nnoma. Cancer 1971 ; 27:725 -9. 12. Batsakis JG. Tu mors of the peripheral nervous sys tem; in Tu mors of the Head and Neck, 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD , Willi ams and Wilkins, 1979; 3 13-33. 13. Ghosh BC, Ghosh L, Huvos AG. Malignant schwan noma: A clin icopathologic study. Cancer 1973; 3 1:184-90. 14. Ducatman BS, Scheith auer BW, Piepgrass DG. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: A clini copathologic study of 120 cases . Cancer 1986; 57:2006-21. 15. D'Agostino AN, Soule EH, Miller RH. Sarcomas of the per ipheral nerv es and soma tic soft ti ssu es as soc ia ted wi th multiple neurofibrom atosis. Cancer 1963 ; 16:1015-27. 16. Bailet JW, Abemayor E, Andrews J, et al. Ma lignant nerve sheath tumor s of the head and neck: A combined experienc e from two university hospitals. Laryngoscope 1991; 101:1044-9. 17. Hoffm an DF, Everts EC, Smi th JD . Malignant nerve sheath tumors of the head and neck. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1988; 99:30914. 18. WilsonJA, McLa sen K, Mcintyre MA. Nerve-sheath tumors of the head and neck. Ear Nose Throat J 1988; 67:103-10 . 19. Goepfert H, Lindbe rg RO, Sink ov icsJA. Soft tissue sarcoma of the head and neck after puberty: Treatm ent by surgery and postoperative radiation ther apy. Arch Otolaryngol 1977 ; 103:365-8. 20. Hutcherson RW, Jenkin s HA, Canalis RF. Neurogenic sarcoma of the head and nec k. Arch Otolaryngol 1979; 105:267-70 . 2 1. Basso-Rice S. Therapy of malignant schwa nnomas: Usefulness of an integrated radiologic surgical therapy . J Neuros urg Sci 1989; 33:253-7 . 22. Youn is R, Gross CW, Lazar RH. Schwannomas of the paranasal sinuses: Case report and clinicopathologic analys is. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1991; 117:677-80. 23. Van Tuyl R, Gussack GS. Prognostic factors in craniofacial surgery. Laryngoscope 1991; 10 1:240-4. 24. Gullane PJ, Gilb ert RW, Van Nostrand AP, et al. Mal ignant schwa n-noma in the head and neck. J Otolaryngol1 985; 14(3):1715. 25. Shajrawi I, Podoshin L, Fradis M, et al, Malignant triton tumor of the nose and paranasal sinuses: A ease study. Hum Patho l 1989; 20(8):81 1-14. 01 NARDO, RUMSEY


The use of religious and value-oriented symbols and clothing in the public sphere has been a theme for several debates in many European countries over the last couple of years. Affiliation and indi ...


Photogrammetry at close ranges can be applied to solve a great number of interesting and important non-topographical problems. The author presents and illustrates a dozen examples taken from the fields of engineering and architecture, most of them involving work performed in his laboratory. In order to introduce modern photogrammetry to the engineer's working methods, it must, as far as possible, be made independent of the existence of surveying cameras. Three different, well-tried types of simple camera are illustrated. If precise and reliable results are desired, three requirements must be fulfilled: careful calibration of the camera, a sufficient number of control points and, as a rule, a medium-sized computer to enable a numerical treatment of the problems.

Resume

La photogrammetrie peut etre appliquee a la solution de maints problemes importants, non-topographiques. L'auteur donne une douzaine d'exemples tires du domaine d'application du genie et de l'architecture, la plupart concernant des travaux acheves dans son propre laboratoire. Pour que la photogrammetrie moderne soit utile aux ingenieurs il faut qu'elle soit independante des appareils photographiques specialises. L'auteur met en evidence trois appareils non-specialises deja utilises pour ses travaux. Pour assurer le succes de pareils travaux il faut avoir: (1) une chambre soigneusement etalonnee; (2) un reseau de points de control suffisament dense; (3) un ordinateur d'une capacitye moyenne.


Since 1954 an increasing number of adult hemophiliacs have been followed and "inhibitors" have been found in a minority of patients. A retrospective study was made of 9 factor-VIII and of 9 factor-IX cases who have attended with sufficient regularity for adequate documentation. The presence of this complication was, until recently, suspected because of failure clinically to respond to replacement therapy and confirmed by the original Biggs' technique in the laboratory. In the past k years, this has been replaced by her method using serial dilutions at room temperature and at 37°C, incubated for 1 hour. In addition, studies have been made of factor recovery and survival following infusions. In no case were immuno-suppressive agents used. There were no deaths. Life-threatening crises were met by conservative measures, including hypothermia, and by the use of porcine factor-VIII. Instances when in vivo survival of infused concentrate was shortened were usually managed successfully by more frequent administration of equal or lesser dosage quantities; it was exceptional in such cases to witness enhancement of "inhibitor" potency as a consequence. In no less than 6 of the 9 patients would it seem that the "inhibitor" has disappeared and full clinical response is now being obtained with standard dosage schedules. The nature of "inhibitors" would not seem to be well understood.


X1822-371 is a low mass X-ray binary with an accretion disk corona exhibiting partial eclipses and pulsations in the X-ray band. We update its orbital ephemeris by combining new RXTE observations and historical records, with a total time span of 34 years. There were 11 RXTE observations in 2011 but the eclipsing profile can be seen in only 4 of them. The eclipsing center times were obtained by fitting the profile with the same model as previous studies. Combined with the eclipsing center times reported by Iaria et al. (2011), the O-C analysis was processed. A quadratic model was applied to fit the O-C results and produced a mean orbital period derivative of Ṗorb = 1.339(25) × 10−10s/s, which is slightly smaller than previous records. In addition to the orbital modulation from the orbital profile, we also present our preliminary results for measuring the orbital parameters using the orbital Doppler effect from the pulsation of the neutron star in X1822-371. The updated orbital parameters from eclipsing profiles will be further compared with the ones from pulsar timing.


Specific knowledge of the nutritive value of raw materials is fundamental to formulate balanced diets for rabbits and allows greater use of by-products and non-conventional feedstuffs. This paper examines the feeding value of sun-dried brewers' grain and maize silage (whole plant) for fattening rabbits. Twenty-four individually caged 8-wk-old rabbits were used to determine the digestibility. Both wet products were sun-dried and ground before being incorporated into a basal diet. The inclusion level at the expense of all basal ingredients amounted to 30%. Basal diet and both experimental diets were fed ad libitum to 8 rabbits during the 4-d balance trial. The determined digestibility of protein, fat, crude fibre and neutral detergent fibre digestibility amounted to 76.2 and 77.2%; 86.5 and 99.1%; 8.1 and 8.3% and 28.0 and 13.5%, respectively, for brewers' grain and maize silage. The digestible energy content amounted to 11.66 MJ/kg dry matter (DM) (brewers' grain) and 11.10 MJ/kg DM (maize silage). Both by-products have potential as alternative feedstuff in rabbit diets. However, further experiments are necessary to determine the effect of ensilaging the whole maize plant, as a significantly lower (P<0.001) feed intake was observed.


Purpose: To investigate the effect of foreign exchange market instruments on financial performance of commercial banks in Meru County, Kenya
Methodology: Descriptive survey research design was used when collecting data using closed-ended questionnaires from 15 commercial banks in Meru County Kenya. The respondents were selected using stratified sampling method to have 4 units of observation such as banking operations, business development, personal banking and marketing operations. Once the strata were derived, the study used Krejcie & Morgan (1970) sampling formular to get the sampled respondents. This resulted to a sample of 55 banking operations officers, 45 business development officers, 55 personal banking officers and 72 marketing operations officers. The study further issued closed questionnaires and analysis from secondary data reports such as statement of affairs and income statements. The pre-test was done on two commercial banks in Isiolo-County. The banks were Kenya Commercial Bank and Consolidated bank. This was because Isiolo County was a county that was well developed with banks that were actively engaged in banking operations. The respondents were 6 banking operations officers, 5 business development officers, 6 personal banking officers and 9 marketing operations officers. The data from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as median, frequencies and percentage. Data was presented using tables.  SPSS version 24 was used to analyze the data which was presented using tables. Analysis of documents was done using the ratio analysis technique.
Results: The results on the questionnaires indicate that most respondents agreed that there were several training forums to clients on issues pertaining foreign exchange market (mean of 3.01). However, most respondents had a contrary opinion on the government support to always maintain the value of a shilling vis-à-vis an US dollar (mean of 2.34). Additionally, the respondents indicated that the bank did not provide all information pertaining to foreign exchange (mean of 2.47). Foreign exchange market instruments had an R value of 0.756 and R-square of 0.572. This indicated that foreign exchange market instruments had an 57.2% influence on financial performance while 42.8% were on other factors not investigated in this study. The significance level was 0.000 hence below than 0.05. Therefore, the results meant that the study rejected the null hypothesis that there is no Effects of foreign exchange market instruments and financial performance of commercial banks in Meru County, Kenya.
Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: Foreign exchange market instruments were key determinants on financial performance of a bank as long as currencies are involved. The more a bank invests in acquiring qualified personnel, updated ICT systems and reliable communication channels, the easier it will be to improve their performance. Nevertheless, this has not been the case since most banks do not have reliable systems that could support foreign exchange operation without necessarily exposing the bank to cyber fraud when seeking and consistent losses due to price volatility.


The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of motivation, work environment on employee performance with job satisfaction as an intervening variable at Universitas Prima Indonesia. The research method used is explanatory quantitative. Data collection techniques are using questionnaires and observations. The population and sample in this study were 140 employees of the University of Prima Indonesia, using the Simple Random Sampling techniques. This research uses multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis, which first tested the classical assumption with normality test, multicollinearity test and heteroscedasticity test. The results showed that Motivation, work environment, and work discipline had a significant effect on job satisfaction. Motivation and job satisfaction, work environment, and work discipline have a positive and significant effect on employee performance. The conclusion motivation, work environment and work discipline affect job satisfaction and employee performance.


The provided process method for video data comprises: buffering received data, deciding whether video data same, and saving half the same video. This invention thereby saves the storage room for video data obviously.


We report studies on stabilities of dimer and trimer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon PAH in a small electrostatic storage device. Different nslaser energies were used at different time delays as the probe to determine the dissociation energy. The effect of dehydrogenation on the stability is also studied.


Background: In the last two decades, endoscopy established itself as an alternative to traditional1-3 (often indirect mirror based4-6) microscopic tympanoscopy and became strongly promoted for various endoscopic middle ear procedures7-12. This study evaluates the diagnostic potential of todays available endoscopic systems. Materials and Methods: Seven otologists rated the degree of visualization (in % of visible area of interest) and the digital image quality on visual analogue scale (VAS). Tympanoscopy (Fig 1) of eight middle ear landmarks16,17 was systematically performed13-15 in a human formalin fixed temporal bone. In addition to a microscope (OPMI 8SSTM ZEISS), a 1.3mm sialendoscope (KARL STORZ) , a 45° endoscope with or without digital image processing (SPIESTM KARL STORZ) and a chip on tip camera have been used for transcanal middle ear inspection. Figure 1: Systematic tympanoscopy (A) of 1: promontori (P), 2: round window niche (RWN), 3: stapes footplate (SF), 4: sinus tympani (ST), 5: facial recess (FR), 6: epitympanon (EPI), 7: Eustachien tube (ET), 8: hypotympanon (HT) evaluated by 45° rod lens (45), 45° rod lens SPIESTM (45S), 1.3mm sialendoscope (Sial), Chip on Tip (COT) and microscope (Mic).


The production of poultry and eggs has developed into one of the leading agricultural industries of the United States. Farm income from chicken and eggs has been close to a billion dollars annually during the last four years. In 1920 and again in 1929 it reached approximately one and one-half billion dollars. Income from turkey production amounted to almost 69 million dollars in 1938 and is expected to be even larger in 1939 because of a 22 per cent larger production, the largest of record, with only a small decline in prices. Annual income from ducks and geese is probably between 15 and 20 million dollars. Farm income from poultry products ranked fourth in 1937 and 1938 as a source of farm income, being exceeded only by the value of milk, cattle and calves, and hogs. It exceeds the income not only from every other major agricultural commodity, but the combined income from large groups of commodities, such as all grains, all vegetables, and all fruits. The chicken and egg industry, which is found on 86 per cent of the farms in the United States, has a significant influence on the living standards in farm homes as it has long been a principal source of cash income for the payment of current household expenses. The stability of the enterprise during late depression years has emphasized its importance in the farm economy. Until comparatively recent years production of chicken and eggs was almost exclusively in moderate sized farm flocks but during the last 20 years the industry has become more and more specialized with commercial production in large flocks becoming more widespread. Development of Poultry Data.-The first general statistics on chicken and eggs were collected by the United States Census Bureau in 1880. Every 10 years from that time until 1920 and every 5 years since 1920 the Census has collected information on numbers of chickens and other classes of poultry and on production of chicken and eggs. Since about 1920, the data from the Census have been supplemented by annual information on January numbers of layers, collected by the Department of Agriculture from crop correspondents. Beginning in 1924 monthly inquiries were begun by the Department covering both numbers of layers and production of eggs. During the last three years various intensive studies have been made, covering the whole field of poultry statistics including in-


The thyroid gland and its diseases represent an important area of research in medicine and a chronic burden for patients. An embryological offspring of the primitive pharynx and the neural crest in the front of the neck, the thyroid gland, has been meticulously studied over the years by means of genetics, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutics [1]. However, the very term "thyroid" might be wrong from an etymological point of view. The etymological whereabouts of the thyroid can be traced back to ancient Greek, to the term thyreoeidḗs, an adjective meaning "shield-shaped." The adjective in turn comes from thyreós meaning an oblong door—shaped shield. Thyreós itself is a derivative of thýra (= door) combined with the suffix of appurtenance "eos." Τhe term "thyreoeidis"—the Greek equivalent of the term thyroid, which is still in use in modern Greek medical terminology—was first used to describe a door, stopper, a means to close an entrance, for example, the huge rock used by the Cyclops Polyphemus to block the opening to his cave in Homer's Odyssey (Ninth century BC). It appeared with the same definition in the treatises of Callixenus of Rhodes (Second century BC) and of Plutarch (46–119 AD). This definition gradually went out of use after the third century BC when Greek troops began to use an oblongor oval-shaped type of shield, termed a "thyreós" (escutcheon) in Plutarch's manuscripts. In the Middle Ages, thyreós also acquired the meaning of the coat of arms engraved on the shields of knights and of other prominent fighters [2]. A schematic comparison of the terms can be found in Fig. 1. Thyreos would still have a long way to go from battlefields and heraldic engravings to anatomical textbooks and clinical medicine. Ancient Greek physicians and philosophers were aware of the disorders of the thyroid gland, particularly "bronchocele" (goiter) and "exophthalmos," a condition that afflicted the famous philosopher Socrates, among others. Aristotle and Galen also knew of the connection of the thyroid with the brain, hypothesizing the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. However, because of the prohibition against dissecting cadavers, their anatomical knowledge was limited. Thus, Hippocrates and his disciples did not distinguish the thyr(e)oid from the salivary glands and the thymus, which were usually addressed, known as the cervical glands, considering them to be a lubricating system for the respiratory tract with limited involvement in the production of the humors. Goiter and thyroid tumors were usually thought to be an abnormal accumulation of humors or herniations of laryngeal structures. These beliefs survived through ancient Roman times and even during the medieval era [3]. It is believed that Leonardo Da Vinci (1452–1519) was the first to draw the thyroid gland as an anatomical organ to create a depiction of the thyroid gland, although it seems that he did not name his discovery. Michelangelo (1475–1564) was assigned the task of illustrating the thyroid in the "De Re Anatomica" of Realdus Columbus, but this work was left unfinished. Bartolomeo Eustachi (1500–1510 to 1574) provided a similar illustration, which was not published until 1714 by Johannes Maria Lancisius. The eminent anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) was the first to describe the thyroid gland and its functions, although he also did * Dimitrios V. Moysidis firstname.lastname@example.com


We have investigated 114 cases with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to clarify the characteristics of DLBCL with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) infection. Thirteen cases (11.4%) showed EBVencoded RNA 1 (EBER1) signals by RNA in situ hybridization. EBV‐encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and EBV‐encoded nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) were expressed in 11 and 4 cases, respectively. Expression of CD30, Bcl‐6 and immunoglobulin (Ig) was found in 92%, 31% and 23% with EBV+ DLBCL, and in 15%, 79% and 82% with EBV‐ DLBCL, respectively. The sequence of rearranged Ig heavy chain (IgH) variable (V) region gene was analyzed in 5 cases with EBV+ DLBCL and 61 cases with EBV‐ DLBCL. Somatic mutation was found in all cases except one with EBV‐ DLBCL. Average mutation frequency was 9.6% in EBV+ DLBCL vs. 11.5% in EBV‐ DLBCL. The rates of replacement mutation vs. silent mutation (R/S values) in complementarity determining region II and framework region III were 2.7 and 1.5 in EBV+ DLBCL, 2.6 and 1.4 in EBV‐ DLBCL. Crippling mutation generating a stop codon was found in 2 of 5 cases (40%) with EBV+ DLBCL, but none of 61 cases (0%) with EBV‐ DLBCL. These findings suggest that EBV+ DLBCL and EBV‐ DLBCL were both derived from germinal center (GC) or post‐GCB cells, and EBV+ DLBCL frequently have a non‐functional IgH gene owing to crippling mutation.


Online customer reviews, being an essential factor that determines success or failure in business, in particular
 in the tourism industry, demand close attention since the investigation of this type of discourse might bear some implications
 both for language specialists and for hotel managers. This paper is a quantitative and qualitative study of evaluation devices
 occurring in the corpus of hotel reviews from Booking.com. The analysis is based on
 methods associated with corpus linguistics and Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday
 1994; Eggins 2004), specifically, the Appraisal framework (Martin & White 2005), which is applied here to a new type of discourse, that of hotel
 ratings. The study focuses on the categories of Attitude, Graduation and Engagement suggested by Martin and White and investigates
 inscribed and invoked evaluation. In order to adapt the Attitude dimensions to the corpus under study, new subcategories were
 created as a contribution to evaluation theory. The practical result of the study is a list of evaluation devices employed in
 hotel reviews; the list may be useful for further corpus analyses and for designing systems for automated analysis of customer
 evaluation. Since online customer reviews are commonly used by hotels as a benchmark of their guests' satisfaction and a valuable
 information source of features and services that need to be improved, the present study is also likely to make an important
 contribution to the industry.


State contracting is a management mode that involves the affectation of the Nation's assets and public resources. This is how the legitimate trust in the contracting process and the activity of the state contractor, according to the qualities granted by paragraph 3 of article 123 of the Political Constitution, and paragraph 2 of article 210 of the same instrument, as collaborators of the administration; and the transparency in the attainment of the general interest, makes necessary the execution of operations destined to the prevention and sanction of the acts of corruption that could happen in the public scenario. In this sense, the fact of losing confidence in the hiring process, or in its agents, involves the occurrence of risks of the contract activity itself, with legal, financial and opinion-related effects, leading to the transgression of the system of public resources and the illegitimacy of institutions. Thus, because it is a phenomenon of transnational implications, it is possible to demonstrate that there is a public opinion that discredits acts of corruption and that disapproves of the management of agents that lack the transparency of the nature of a process of corruption. public contract. In addition, international cooperation constitutes a combat front, generating international systems of prevention and punishment against corrupt acts. In this order of ideas, it is valid to affirm that corruption in state contracting has control and eradication mechanisms, provided that the will of the States and political and social responsibility prevail, but, above all, the establishment of norms strengthened with jurisprudence and doctrine. And so, the public entities involved will not only be governed by Law 80 of 1993, but also those with their own procurement manuals, since in both modalities there is the imperative application of the principles of public procurement and the regime of disabilities. and incompatibilities, stipulated in the Magna Carta and Law 80 of 1993. Likewise, there will be oversight of public servants, officials of managerial level, adviser or executive, or their counterparts, who are delegates in the conclusion of contracts, individuals who perform public functions, natural persons, legal entities, consortiums, temporary unions, non-profit entities that provide their services to organizations and entities, lawyers and the community in general; This phenomenon, not only in Colombia, but also at the transnational level, is an obstacle to the development of adequate economic, social and legal dynamics, generating an increase in the level of poverty, and causing the promotion of inefficiency, imbalance and the lack of credibility of the State.


The Greenland Telescope (GLT), currently located at Thule Air Base, is a 12-m single dish telescope operating at frequencies of 86, 230 and 345 GHz. Since April 2018, the GLT has regularly participated in (sub-)mm VLBI observations of supermassive black holes as part of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) and the Global mm VLBI Array (GMVA). We present the status of scientific commissioning activities at the GLT, including most recently the 345 GHz first light and test observations. The antenna surface accuracy has been improved to ~25 microns through panel adjustments aided by photogrammetry, significantly increasing the antenna efficiency. Through all-sky spectral line pointing observations (SiO masers at 86 GHz and CO at 230 and 345 GHz), we have improved the radio pointing accuracy down to <~ 3" at all 3 frequencies. Due to the pandemic, we are in the process of transitioning GLT commissioning and observing activities to remote operations.


Jim Blietz is at the Lakeland Area Education Agency. Lee Courtnace is a faculty member at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. The impact of P.L 94-142, guaranteeing an equal and appropriate education for all handicapped pupils, has been felt nationwide since its passage in 1975. Foliowing a rapid increase in the quantity of special education programs since those responsible for carrying out the are


Twenty normal persons were studied by elec-tronystagmography (ENG) for spontaneous, positional, and caloric nystagmus. In addition, a pendulum test was performed. Spontaneous nystagmus was demonstrated in 3 persons. Another 6 had positional nystagmus in 1-4 positions, with a maximum angular velocity of 7.5/scc. The parameters (duration, frequency, and angular velocity) after caloric stimulation were analysed statistically. The duration parameter showed least relative standard deviation. There was no sign of a correlation between sex, age, and the data measured. No abnormal curves were found in the pendulum test. On the basis of examples of centrally and peripherally conditioned nystagmus, the pendulum test appears well-suited for distinguishing between these types of nystagmus


Marek's disease is the most commonly occurring neoplasm of any animal population and until recently it has caused extensive economic loss globally. Marek's virus, an actively evolving virus is the causative agent. Now with the virus's genetic code in hand we could easily characterise the immunogenic proteins of the closest relative of the virus, the Herpes virus of Turkey's.The important glycoprotein genes gC, gD,and gI of an isolated strain of Herpes virus of Turkey's were amplified, cloned in pGEM T-Easy vector and sequenced as an initial step in developing a recombinant vaccine against Marek's Disease. The recombinant genes were analysed and sequence data confirmed that the isolated strain was HVT (FC126), a vaccine strain.


Automated guided vehicles have been used for transporting material and parts between workstations. This reduces human efforts and time. In this project a three wheeled AGV prototype is built that can move on a flat surface to deliver material from loading station to required station. There is one loading station and three unloading stations. The AGV uses line follower sensor to follow the path.The path is black in color. The controller used is PIC 16F877 microcontroller that control all navigation .An IR sensor is added that makes AGV to stop as soon as it reaches the required station. The AGV was tested for all the three workstations and performed as per requirement. Index term : Automated guided Vehicle, Track, and Workstations.


Objective:To analyze the clinical manifestations of tuberous sclerousis, in order to decrease it′s misdiagnotic rate.Methods:Analyzed a case with tuberous sclerousis who suffered from poly-system defect and fever misdiagnosed as connective tissue disease and reviewed the relative literature.Results:The patient was a 17-year-old girl diagnosed as tuberous sclerousis because of her skin characteristics for 4 years, who had poly-system defect including renal, liver and lung. When she had fever with unknown reason, connective tissue disease was suspected but no evidence found. Fever disappeared when she was given non-steroid anti-inflammaion drugs.Conclusion:For a patient with poly-system defect, genetic disease should be considered as well as connective tissue disease, infective disease and tumor.


The utilization of lignocellulose biomass as an alternative source of renewable energy production via green technology is becoming important, and is in line with sustainable development goal initiatives. Lignocellulolytic bacteria, such as Bacillus spp., can break down biomass by producing hydrolytic enzymes, which are crucial in the successful conversion of biomass or lignocellulosic material into renewable energy. This information gave rise to this study, where municipal solid waste sediments of a sanitary municipal solid waste landfill were sampled and screened, and lignocellulolytic bacteria were isolated and characterized. Samples were taken from four different locations at the Pulau Burung landfill site in Malaysia. Lignin and starch were used as sources of carbon to identify potential bacteria that exhibit multi-enzymatic activity. The growth rate and doubling time of bacterial isolates in lignin and starch were taken as the criteria for selection. Eleven bacterial isolates were screened for cellulase activity using iodine and Congo red dyes. The cellulase activity of these isolates ranged from 0.8 to 1.7 U/mL. We carried out 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify the phyla of the selected bacterial isolates. Phylogenetic analysis was also conducted based on the 16S rRNA sequences of the bacterial isolates and related Bacillus species, and a tree was generated using the Neighbor-Joining method. In this study, Bacillus proteolyticus, Bacillus Sanguinis, Bacillus spizizenii, Bacillus paramycoides, Bacillus paranthracis and Neobacillus fumarioli were identified as promising bacteria capable of expressing lignocellulolytic enzymes and degrading the lignocellulosic biomass present in municipal solid waste.


There are different options to reduce CO2 emissions: efficiency improvement, structural changes to low carbon or carbon-free technologies, sequestration and demand reduction. While the decarbonisation of secondary energy carriers and technological changes have an important role in climate change mitigation, this paper addresses the role of demand reduction. For this analysis, the elastic demand version of the TIAM-UCL global energy system model is used under different long-term low carbon energy scenarios through to 2100 at low, medium and high values for demand elasticity. The role of demand reduction is examined by means of decomposition analysis at regional and global level. The results of the emission decomposition indicate that a reduction in the demand for energy services can play a limited role, contributing around 5% to global emission reduction in the 21 st century. A look at the sectoral level reveals that demand reduction is very different from sector to sector with demand reduction contributing around 16% in the transport sector and about 2% in the residential sector at a global level. Analysis also finds that demand reduction can significantly affect the regional emission mix.


This chapter argues for a more rigorous description of the culture-boundness of phrasemes, making a number of terminological proposals; also, for a clear distinction to be made between linguistic analyses and categorizations on the one hand, and claims to modes of thinking of the present-day speaker on the other, the latter generally being seen as belonging to the cognitive dimension of culture. A parallelism with two fundamental modes of existence of a group's 'cultural memory' is identified.


Computational framework shown Fig. 7. is useful to estimate electrical properties of any emerging interconnect materials. Few key results, 1. Graphene/Copper (G/Cu) is better in terms of electrical and thermal conductivity. 2. G/Cu has more DOS near Fermi energy to be more conductive. 3. G/Cu provides more thermal dissipation pathway than Cu or Graphene only interconnect. 4. Compatible with CMOS and good candidate for 5nm node.


X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) is a promising imaging modality. It calculates the spatial distribution and concentration of various elements by detecting the fluorescent signals excited by incident x-rays. XFCT has a promising future in the fields like molecular imaging in fundamental studies, drug development and clinical experiments. XFCT was used to be performed on synchrotron radiation source. However, the synchrotron radiation facility is not available for most researchers. So people are exploring the feasibility of performing XFCT imaging using benchtop X-ray tube under a typical laboratory setting. In this paper, we demonstrated a simulation study of a fan-beam XFCT. We use the SpekCalc software to simulate the polychromatic source and a phantom composed of PMMA and four gold nanoparticles solver with different concentrations is imaged. Linear photon counting detector arrays are used to detect the fluorescent signals. ML-EM algorithm is used to reconstruct the image. Specific scattering correction and attenuation correction methods are also proposed to improve the quality of reconstructed images.


It is critical to manage water supply in a safe and efficient manner. Significant amounts of water are lost each year as a result of leaks in water distribution systems (WDN). As a result, locating leaks in a reliable manner is critical. Water leaks can be detected using monitoring software that analyses the flow of water. Apps that track the user's location can be extremely useful. If this technology is widely adopted, it will aid in the resolution of water management issues such as human error and waste of limited water resources. Water leaks can be located predictably using the Internet of Things (Internet of Things). Many countries struggle to get enough water, but the situation is not hopeless. It is critical to accurately locate water leaks in order to reduce system resistance.


By analyzing the working principle and characteristics of the shutter separator used in supercharged boiler,the gas-solid phase flow experimental system is established.Selecting three kinds of solid particles: resin,EPS polystyrene and small rice as test material,the separation efficiency and resistance characteristic in different loads for a sample of one specific flue-gas filter used in a marine supercharged boiler and a new production are investigated.This paper mainly introduces the experimental system and analytical method.


The concept of Eco-driving is proposed to reduce the fuel consumption of vehicles while maintaining dynamic performance. MPC controller has been introduced to achieve comprehensive goals including safety, fuel consumption and comfort of driving. Yet the information of the surrounded vehicles and road conditions have not been fully utilized. An enhanced algorithm taking the driving style of preceding vehicle, host vehicle drivers and road information into account is proposed in this paper. It is tested by the results of simulation that the controller becomes more flexible and can reduce the fuel consumption of the controlled vehicle in different working conditions with the help of the enhanced algorithm.


Some suggestions about the pile raft foundation designed on the spatial truss theory are proposed, and the tentative design of an eighteen story frame-tube building and the field observation for the pile raft foundation in all the processes of construction are also presented. According to the result of the field observation, the design by load equivalent simplification and plotting out representative local models following spatial strut-and-tie theory are obviously practical, recommendations for design on the basis of the result are put forward, including skipping rafts processing straight transmittal function so as to induce thickness of the plank and use of reinforced steel.


The most popular message-passing models, based on network parallel computing, are currently PVM and MPI. However, users usually consider that PVM and MPI represent different solution to the same problem. Combining with Dawning-2000, the distributed large scale parallel computer system, the paper shows that the two systems can solve different problems through comparing their differences in design ideas, sources, specifications, dynamic processes, and nonblocking operations.


By mental illness, we mean a medical condition, which disturbs a person's intellectual and psychic capacities and ability to have normal relation with others. It may affect daily functioning of the person.1 Social inequalities result in increased risk of many common mental disorders. Psychiatric disorders differ in their nature, severity, and prevalence. Common causes of Mental Disorders are communities and cultures, relationships, environmental factors, structure of the brain, biological factors, drug intakes etc.2


THE observation by Becker (1954) that the oral administration of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, 2-acetylamino-1, 3, 4-Lhiadiazole-5-sulphonamide (Diamox, Lederle), causes a reduction of ocular tension in many glaucoma patients has been fully confirmed by other investigators (Grant and Trotter, 1954; Breinin and Gortz, 1954; Kleinert, 1954; Perkins, 1955). The efficacy of this drug is independent of the aetiology of the glaucomatous condition, a fact which suggests that it interferes with a basic mechanism concerned with the maintenance of intra-ocular pressure, and which has prompted investigations of its action on the intra-ocular pressure in normal animals. Grant and Trotter (1954) stated that intravenous injection of the sodium salt of Diamox reduced the intra-ocular pressure in normal rabbits, and Becker (1955) reported similar findings in rabbits and dogs. Becker estimated the intra-ocular pressure in conscious animals by tonometry, a procedure which has certain disadvantages, among these being the uncertainty of the absolute value of the intra-ocular pressures and the limitation of the number of readings which can be made in a given time; moreover, a simultaneous record of, the blood pressure could not be obtained and this is essential since variations in blood pressure may have a significant effect on the intra-ocular pressure of experimental animals. These disadvantages can be overcome by obtaining continuous manometric records of the intraocular and blood pressure. Using such methods the following experiments were performed.


The theory and methodology of data processing of wide area high-precision GPS networks-Asia Pacific Regional Geodesy Project(APRGP) are discussed systematically in this article.With the updated software BSE5.0,the annual results of APRGP coordinates and velocity field were computed again,also the corresponding accuracy of different constraints for adjustment were presented here.Velocity field of Asia-Pacific region was analyzed and compared with that of IGS,and the velocity of APRGP agrees with that of IGS was concluded in the article.


Eukaryotic expression plasmid pcD 2, as a carrier of EPO gene, was introduced into rat quadriceps muscle cells via suture or into CHO cells via calcium phosphate DNA coprecipitate method. The expression activities of recombinant pcD 2 EPO in CHO and in the muscle were detected by RT PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The effect of expression products on proliferation of bone marrow precursor cells was determined by 3 H TdR incorporation, and the therapeutic effectiveness on renal anemia was estimated by levels of HGB and RBC. The results indicated that transcript of the exogenous EPO gene could be detected by RT PCR in the transfected CHO and sutured skeletal muscle cells. In addition, using Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis, EPO was found in both the transfected cells and the culture medium of transfected CHO. Moreover, the culture medium of transfected CHO and the serum of pcD 2 EPO sutured rats could significantly stimulate the cell proliferation. The levels of HGB and RBC of rats with renal anemia were remarkably elevated after treating with EPO gene suture. These data implied that pcD 2 EPO could be correctly transcripted, translated and secreted out of the cells, and the expression products had the dramatic effects on proliferation of bone marrow precursor cells.


The spatial variability of soil physical properties on the landscape scale is often increased by anthropogenic land occupation, not only by current land use but also through the legacies of past land use systems. The remains of historic charcoal hearts are an example for such a disturbance of the soil landscape by former forestry. Such relict charcoal hearths (RCH) exhibit a clearly altered soil stratigraphy, most prominently characterized by a technogenic substrate layer on the soil surface, and their soil physical properties can considerably differ from those of surrounding forest soils. The aim of our study is to characterize the soil water and temperature regime on RHC in a pre-industrial charcoal production area in Brandenburg, Germany, as compared with the surrounding sandy forest soils. Soil properties were analyzed in profiles on and around hearth sites and are monitored in a sensor transect equipped with soil

moisture sensors and pF-meters. Results of soil sample analyses show differences in density and porosity between the RCH soils and surrounding forest soils, not only in the technogenic layer but also in the buried soil layers on hearth sites. The soil water characteristic curves determined in the laboratory indicate a modified pore size distribution and lower plant available water contents in the RCH soils. Preliminary results of the ongoing soil water monitoring, however, show increased soil wetness in the RCH soils, along with lower soil moisture tensions. Furthermore, the measurements show higher variations of soil temperature in RCH soils. The results affirm that the legacies of historic charcoal production can increase the spatial variability of soil physical properties and therefore also of ecological site conditions in forest areas. The results of soil moisture monitoring suggest that a determination of soil physical parameters in the laboratory is not sufficient to characterize the spatio-temporal variations of the soil water regime.


A conventional figure-of-merit for a phase-locked loop (PLL) based on integrated RMS jitter and power consumption has been a strong indicator to compare and to normalize PLL performance over different designs. However, it has some limitations because any impact from reference clock is not reflected. As a result, it is not enough to evaluate state-of-the- art PLL designs such as injection-locked PLL, clock-multiplying delay-locked loop, and sub-sampling PLL where PLL circuit noise is effectively suppressed so the reference clock contributes more on PLL jitter performance. This paper discusses alternative figure-of-merits capturing the reference clock impacts based on an extensive survey of state-of-the-art PLL designs, and also validates them with the survey.


This editorial refers to the paper entitled 'Heart failure in patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes: observations from the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE)' by Alawi A. Alsheikh-Ali et al., on page 1135.


In this talk, we provide a comprehensive overview of how to use a subset of advanced AI techniques, most specifically Deep Learning (DL), to bolster analytics as well as learning in the IoT URL. First and foremost, we define a development environment that integrates big data designs with deep learning models to promote rapid experimentation. There are three main promises made in the proposal: To begin, it illustrates a big data engineering that facilitates big data assortment in the same way that businesses facilitate deep learning models. Then, the language for creating a data perspective is shown, one that transforms the many streams of large data into a format that can be used by an advanced learning system. Third, it demonstrates the success of the framework by applying the tool to a wide range of deep learning use cases. We provide a generalized basis for a variety of DL architectures using numerical examples. We also evaluate and summarize major published research projects that made use of DL in the IoT context. Wonderful Internet of Things gadgets that have integrated DL into their prior knowledge are often discussed.


Owing to its compactness, lightness, and low cost, laser diodes (LD) play an important role as a coherent source in various fields of technology. Because of the waveguide properties of their active areas, laser diodes generate large divergence-angle beams with elliptically shaped intensity profiles. And the beam of LD has astigmatism. So it is difficult to collimate LD beams effectively. The binary optical elements are small, light, easy to be copied and able to realize multi-purpose integrated, especially suits for the beam shaping of laser diode array. Based on accurate far-field model of high-power laser diode, a design method of binary optical element for laser diode beams, which can correct the astigmatism of the laser beam, has been developed, and the principle and process has been given in detail. The method is simple and practical. The relief surface of the element is of multiphase structure. And its theoretical diffraction efficiency is as high as 95%.


Aim: The aim of this work was to perform a literature review of nurses' job satisfaction factors with respect to their retention in the workplace. Methods: Data sources – electronic databases: MEDLINE, Wiley Online Library, PubMed, Bibliographia medica Čechoslovaca; journals: Kontakt, Profese on-line, Ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence, Ošetrovateľstvo: teória, výskum, vzdelávanie; and peer-reviewed publications. The key words were entered into the databases published from 1990 or later that have examined the job satisfaction of nurses and its impact on their retention in work. Literature results are presented in a tabular format for the comparison of individual studies. Results: Out of a total of 42 articles or abstracts, 29 – mostly quantitative – studies were included in this review. The following predictors of nurses' job satisfaction that influence their intention to remain in the workplace were identified: (1) working relationships, (2) job rewards, (3) leadership style, relationship and support of a manager, (4) organizational support, the state of the work environment, and (5) physical and psychological reactions to work. Conclusion: Nursing care managers play an important role in maintaining job satisfaction of nurses. Awareness of the variables of nurses' job satisfaction can help healthcare facility managers implement strategies to maintain nurses' job satisfaction. Attention should be directed particularly to strengthening interpersonal relationships and necessary staffing in the facility in order to maintain the quality of patient care.


TNO has developed a GIS based instrument, named Urbis, which makes it possible to assess the noise situation in a municipality or region as a whole, with a high level of detail. On the basis of activity or emission data (road-traffic intensities, acoustical reports, etc.), noise loads are calculated for different source-types (road traffic, rail traffic, aviation, and industry). By using existing dose-response relations, the percentage highly annoyed can be calculated by area for each source-type. Cumulated noise loads from different source-types are calculated by combining the equal annoying noise levels of road-traffic, so that the total percentage of highly annoyed can be determined. Besides noise, air pollution, odor and safety hazards are integrated in the system. Urbis makes it also possible to assess and compare future situations on the basis of scenario's.


Ecological theories lead the authors to hypothesize that the social and economic status of blacks varies by size of place. Data from the March 1988 Current Population Survey are used to test these hypotheses. Results suggest that size-of-place differences in family structures and employment were small for both black and white men and women. Weekly earnings and occupational status were quite strongly and positively related to size of metropolitan areas. However the status of blacks relative to that of whites did not vary systematically with metropolitan area population size. Given these findings it appears futile to focus upon population size as a key variable influencing racial differences. There are however large between-metropolis differences in the actual and relative status of blacks. For example the poverty rate for Chicago area blacks is roughly 3 times that of blacks of Washington D.C. The challenge if we are to understand current racial stratification is that of explaining why blacks are much more prosperous in some locations than others. (authors)


Sabnis, Kaiwalya D. Ph.D., Purdue University, May 2015. Structure-Activity Relationships for the Water-Gas Shift Reaction over Supported Metal Catalysts. Major Professors: Fabio H. Ribeiro and W. Nicholas Delgass. The Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction (CO + H2O → CO2 + H2) has significant impact on the energy issues as it plays a pivotal role in hydrogen generation. Higher conversions can be achieved at lower temperatures, but lower temperatures result in lower reaction rates, so high performance catalysts are desired to speed up the reaction. The overall goal of this work is to develop a model-based approach to catalyst design that we call Discovery Informatics, which involves building a database with sufficient chemical and information diversity to allow identification of active sites, to model the kinetics and identify descriptors of the kinetic parameters. High throughput kinetic experiments and in situ characterization techniques are used in tandem to derive structure-activity relationships for various catalytic systems. The first study focuses on WGS catalysis over molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) and different transition metals supported on Mo2C. A kinetic analysis was used to identify the descriptor for the promotion in the WGS rate over Mo2C caused by metal promoters. The unsupported Mo2C was prepared by temperature programmed carburization of


myopathy and rupture were resolved by administering 11,000 iu vitamin E/ton of fodder and 0-1 ppm of selenium to the pigs. Consequently, a nutritional deficiency was considered to play an important role as a predisposing factor in the process. The location of myopathy almost exclusively in the gracilis muscle is not a previously documented finding, and could be due to the high weight of the affected pigs (approximately 165 kg) which have predisposed the muscle to suffer injury during transportation. In summary, this short communication has described the first known case of a myopathy with fibrillar rupture in Iberian pigs in southern Spain possibly associated with a vitamin E and selenium deficiency believed to be caused by a drought during the past five years which has conditioned the bioavailability ofvitamin E and selenium. Muscle rupture, the associated haemorrhage and myopathy may have been precipitated by events in the immediate preslaughter period, including transportation.


The method to determine hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine in surface water by furfural derivation and GC/MS analysis was established.The analytical parameters were optimized.10-mL furfural derivation reagent was added into 200-mL sample(pH=7) at room temperature to react for two hours,and then the derivative product was extracted using 15-mL dichloromethane for 10 minutes.The sample was blown using nitrogen until becoming 1.0 mL volume for injection.This method had a good linearity in the range of 0~100 μg/L(R0.996).The detection limits of hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine were 0.70 and 0.88 μg/L,respectively.The RSDs of the spiked water samples for both hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine in surface water were less than 21%(n=6).The recoveries of the spiked samples of hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine were 71%~130% and 82%~124%,respectively.


Trusted information on cervical cancer treatment including for precancerous abnormalities and early stage or localised cancer, and links to trusted resources


Of the many forms of new social behavior to become an integral part of enlightened culture during the eighteenth century, Freemasonry has been the most difficult to understand. Secretive, ritualistic, devoted in many Grand Lodges to hierarchy that would be one set of characteristics. Benjamin Franklin's Freemasonry warrants further consideration for what it can tell one about the role of Freemasonry in the Enlightenment and vice-versa. Indeed there are a host of major themes emerging out of Franklin's relationship to Freemasonry. Freemasonry played a significant and complex role in the development and transmission of intellectual currents in Enlightenment thought as well as in the revolutionary creation of democratic republics on both sides of the Atlantic. In France, and other European locales before the middle of the eighteenth century, women were welcomed as members of lodges, sometimes in the same lodges as men. Keywords: Benjamin Franklin; democratic republics; enlightenment naturalism; European locales; Freemasonry


The 1990s decade has seen the testing of treatments to slow disease progression in patients with ALS. Two such treatments (riluzole and myotrophin) have shown minimal or modest efficacy. Of these, riluzole has been approved for marketing in the United States, in Europe and in other countries. Patients and physicians who are trying to decide whether to use these treatments require background information: (a) to place these treatments in the context of other treatments; (b) to under stand the outcome measures used; and (c) to understand the significance of the efficacy these treatments have shown. For example, in some cases treatment efficacy has been shown by some measures, but not others. This paper attempts to assist in this process. In addition, we attempt to show how to integrate objective data with relative or subjective factors, such as patient values, economic considerations, and the role of hope. (Amyot Lat Scler 1999; 1;3–14)


PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for managing the accessing state of a terminal for group communication services in a wireless communication system are provided to reduce loads applied to a push-to-all(PTA) server and an access service network gateway(ASN-GW). CONSTITUTION: A bandwidth ranging message is transmitted to a base station under an idle state(301). An uplink resource is allocated from the base station(303). A message for transmitting an accessing state is generated(305). The message for transmitting the accessing state includes a multicast connection identification(CID). Based on the allocated uplink resource, the message for transmitting the accessing state is transmitted to the base station(307). The message for transmitting the accessing state is a bandwidth request message.


Ann Brooks & Alison Mackinnon (eds), Gender and the Restructured University, Buckingham, The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press, 2001, pp. 208, ISBN 0 335 20671 9


The use and implementation of fault sensitive filters in fault detection and isolation to a real plant is presented. The paper gives some basic background on fault sensitive filters and their derivation on the basis of the mathematical fault model, and some theory on adaptive thresholds used for quality fault detection. The reference table of faults is presented to show full isolability of the faults that can be introduced to the plant. A sample FDI scheme was performed on a most popular case study, namely the three-tank system, using online data acquisition and the Matlab/ Simulink environment. Experimental results illustrate the applicability and efficiency of the FDI scheme, which operates well even when small abrupt faults are introduced to the real plant


Early in 1847 Leonard Horner, factory inspector and president of the Geological Society of London, delivered the customary address on. the scientific accomplishments of the preceding year. With good reason most of his attention centred on a single volume, which many welcomed as the most important contribution of the entire decade: the first in the series of Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain and of the Museum of Economic Geology in London. In many ways this volume stood unparalleled in the history of British science. It heralded new directions for the study of past environments, the investigation of erosion and the physico-chemical processes affecting deposition; it pointed to new conclusions about the distribution of life on earth. Most important of all, it represented the efforts of a group of researchers gathered together to pursue common objectives. The Geological Survey departed strikingly from a tradition that had emphasized individuals working alone or in voluntary association. As Horner said, it represented "a combination of forces"; field geologists, mineralogists, natural philosophers, zoologists, artists, botanists, chemists and palaeontologists had united "for the accomplishment ofa great work, not surpassed ... by any similar establishment in any other country".1 So important a development has attracted attention from historians. Traditionally, the Survey's establishment is viewed as a watershed in the professionalization of science in the British Isles. Given the precarious financial circumstances of young naturalists in the 1840s, even a handful of paid positions could prove vital in ensuring the continuity of the national tradition in science. As yet, however, the substantive intellectual accomplishments of the Survey have received much less attention. Although the importance of its maps, sections and descriptive work is sometimes recognized, it is usually taken for granted that the creation of the organization had no bearing on the great theoretical questions facing geology and natural history. In fact, emphasis on the Survey's role in establishing a career structure has led to an assumption that work produced under its auspices must be regularized and uninteresting; the emergence of professional science is seen as a constraint to


Summary:  Purpose: To study the impact of epilepsy and its treatment on the quality of life of people living in Iran and in countries in the Gulf and Near East.


Zhang zhi-dong was one of the important representatives in the late Westernization Movement.He not only set up businesses,founded schools,trained scldiers,but also attached great importance to the development of agriculture.On the one hand,he inherited the traditional agriculture thought.And on the other hand he made efforts to apply the agriculture amelioration thought into the practice.His thought of agriculture exerted great influence on the improvement of the agriculture in Hu Bei as well as on the reform of the agriculture in the late Qing dynasty.


The plant-specific R2R3MYB proteins constitute a largest subfamily in MYB transcription factors and are widely involved in growth and developmental processes. In spite of their highly conserved DNA -binding domains, the biologic functions are strikingly varied across plant species. Recently, their role s in making plant more survivable under adverse environmental conditions including cold, drought, pathogen, salinity have received considerable attention. Nowadays, the R2R3MYBs in response to stresses, here termed as stress -responsive R2R3MYBs (SR-R2R3MYBs), were continuously identified from different plant species. This review mainly focused on the recent progresses in SR R2R3MYBs gene structure, biological functions and their expression pattern under varied stresses. Additionally, we have also discussed the genetic relationship of SR-R2R3MYB proteins, and their role in integrating a diversity of pathways including metabolic, SOS, signal transduction pathways etc, with an aim to use them for crop improvement via transgenic technologies.


Increased sodium intake aggravates cardiovascular diseases. Salt substitute containing potassium chlorideimproves cardiovascular outcome in hypertensive patients with high cardiovascular risk, however it isunknown whether it is attributed to potassium (K+) supplementation or sodium reduction. Here, weinvestigate the role of high K+ intake on the development of hypertensive cardiac damage in the presenceor absence of high salt diet. 8-10 weeks old apolipoproteinE-deficient mice (apoE-KO) were fed a normalK+ (0,55%) or high K+ (5%) diet throughout the experiment. Two weeks after diet start,mice were infusedwith angiotensin (Ang)II (500ng/kg/min) for 28 days. Cardiac function was assessed by MRI. High K+ dietincreased serum K+ levels compared to mice fed a normal K+ diet (5.3±1.2 vs. 3.9±0.4mmol/L, p<0.05).Interestingly, high K+ diet did not affect blood pressure or cardiac function. As expected, aldosteroneexcretion was increased in high K+ diet group compared to normal K+ diet (132±20 vs 8±18 ng/24h,p<0.01). To evaluate the consequence of K+ mediated aldosterone secretion for hypertensivecardiovascular damage, we additionally treated our high K+ group with high salt diet (1%NaCl) in thedrinking water. High K+ induced aldosterone production in the presence of high NaCl intake aggravatedhypertensive cardiac damage characterized by higher left ventricular mass, more cardiac fibrosis andinflammation compared to mice fed a high K+ or a high NaCl diet solely. Furthermore, the simultaneousintake of high K+/NaCl diet, induced higher mitochondrial ROS production in cardiac endothelial cellscompared to high K+ or high NaCl diet alone. As a consequence, cellular senescence markers such as p16and p21 were significantly higher in mice fed a high K+ / NaCl diet. Of note, co-treatment withspironolactone (50mg/kg/day), significantly attenuated cellular senescence and cardiovascular damage inmice fed a high K+/NaCl diet. High K+ diet compared to normal K+ diet does not have a beneficial effecton hypertensive cardiac damage in apoE-KO mice. Moreover, the present study indicates that potassium-induced aldosterone production aggravates the detrimental effect of high salt intake on cardiac health inhypertension by influencing cardiac senescence.


We calculate the single-outcome information gain of quantum measurements on a completely unknown qubit state randomly chosen from different state ensembles. It is shown that the information gain decreases when the ensemble size increases. We obtain analytic single-outcome information gain formulas for continuous equatorial and spherical state ensembles, which show that the states in the former ensemble are relatively easier to identify. The squared fidelity between post-measurement state and pre-measurement state is also calculated, and the qualitative tradeoff relations between information gain and fidelity are illustrated by our results.


With the technological progress in the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanotubes, more attention was attracted to the synthesis of carbon nanotubes with diameter distribution, ideal length, different chirality and certain orientation. In recent decade, all these factors have been investigated and a number of progresses have been made for the application of carbon nanotubes. The latest researches on the growth of diameter-controlled single-walled carbon nanotubes are reviewed and discussed. The existing problems and challenges of the synthesis processes have been addressed in the future directions.


Emotional intelligence is essential in effective leadership and has a direct impact on work performance. Research at the Center for Creative Leadership has shown that the primary cause of executive turnover was individual deficiency in the area of emotional competence. In this article we will try to establish the importance of the emotional intelligence in business and in personal life.


We propose an efficient numerical method for two population models, based on the nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) schemes and composition methods with complex time steps. The NSFD scheme is able to give positive numerical solutions that satisfy the conservation law, which is a key property for biological population models. The accuracy is improved by using the composition methods with complex time steps. Numerical tests on the plankton nutrient model and whooping cough model are presented to show the efficiency and advantage of the proposed numerical method.


paper we evaluate Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) in terms of network latency. Network Latency main requirements, given in the literature for CVEs, have been summarized. We also discuss effects of network latency on users" performance in the CVEs. Different factors can improve, by minimizing overall network latency, the performance of users in the CVEs. This review provides a comprehensive inside look to network latency in the CVEs and will help the researchers to adopt a network, with minimum latency, for their CVEs. The algorithms and ideas, suggested by the researchers, to be adopted by the CVEs to minimize network latency in virtual environment, are also discussed critically. Reducing network latency will ultimately improve the overall efficiency of CVEs.


In a previous study on several independently established Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐converted sublines of the EBV‐negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL) line BL41, we found that expression of the virally encoded membrane protein LMP I was accompanied by reduced agarose clonability and tumorigenicity. In order to investigate whether LMPI can induce these phenotypic changes by itself, we have now studied the growth in suspension culture, the clonability in agarose and the tumorigenicity in immunosuppressed and SCID mice of 4 LMPItransfected sublines of BL4I that carry the gene under the control of the ZnSO4‐inducible metallothionein promoter. Expression of LMPI at levels comparable to those detected in EBV‐transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) correlated with impairment of growth in suspension and reduction of clonability and tumorigenicity. Only minor changes were observed in transfectants expressing low LMPI levels. Upregulation of LMPI by ZnSO4 treatment of the low LMPI clone MTLM5 was accompanied by a slowing down of proliferation, increased cell clumping and decreased clonability. The results suggest that expression of LMP I at levels which are compatible with immortalization of normal B‐cells antagonizes the ability of BL cells to grow in vitro and in vivo, and illustrate a possible mechanism by which down‐regulation of this viral antigen may favor tumorigenicity in EBV‐carrying BLs. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


ABS TRACT Objective: In the during coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), the unprecedented increase in the use of face masks and their variants has been associated with the emergence of several concerns on human health regarding their safety and impact on physiology. This study was conducted to examine the effects of different masks used by pregnant women on vital signs and non-stress test (NST) during the COVID-19. Material and Methods: The study consisted of a single surgical mask group (n=30), double surgical mask group (n=30), and N95 mask group (n=31). Masks were given to the resting pregnant women 30 minutes (min) before the NST, and they were provided to wear masks. Vital signs of the pregnant women were measured 30 min after wearing the mask, just before and after the NST, and the images of the NST traces were taken. Results: After NST, the systolic blood pressure of the double surgical mask group was lower than the other groups. Diastolic blood pressure before and after NST was lower in the double surgical mask group than in the N95 mask group. The respiratory rate decreased significantly in the N95 mask group (p<0.05). Before and after NST, SpO2 and pulse were similar between and within the groups. The groups were similar in terms of fetal heart rate, acceleration, variability, contraction, deceleration, reactivity/non-reactivity (p>0.05). Conclusion: It is difficult to say that statistically significant results obtained with vital signs were clinically significant. Besides, the use of different masks had no effect on the NST parameters.


The present invention relates to a method, device and system for dividing a domain for a data communication network. The method for dividing a domain for a data communication network comprises: receiving, by a target node, a command for dividing a domain, the command for dividing a domain comprising information about various target nodes needing to be divided from an old domain to a new domain and an identifier of the new domain; judging, by the target node, whether the distance between itself and a gateway of the old domain is the minimum of distances between various target nodes and the gateway according to network topology information about the old domain and information about various target nodes; in the case that the distance between the target node and the gateway is the minimum of the distances between various target nodes and the gateway, setting, by the target node, itself to be a boundary point. In the embodiments of the present invention, in accordance with network topology information and information about various target nodes, if the distance between a target node itself and a gateway is the minimum of distances between various target nodes and the gateway, then the target node sets itself to be a boundary point; the determining process is simple, which may reduce detachment caused by the fault of manually planning the boundary point or searching the boundary point.


The magnetic hysteresis properties of Nd‐Fe films have been examined in films with different composition and thickness. All the films show a similar behavior; the coercivity is rather small at room temperature but it increases rapidly upon cooling to cryogenic temperatures. At these temperatures the coercivity is found to increase initially with the film thickness and then saturate at higher thickness. The maximum value of coercivity is much lower than that of melt‐spun ribbons with similar composition. The coercivity has been attributed to domain wall pinning by small regions having a short‐range order embedded in a Nd‐Fe amorphous matrix.


During the convection weather, the combination of echos will normally generatestrong convection. According to the strong convection weather happened on July 6,2004 atthe middle-north part of Zhejiang Province, the article analyzes the two conbinations ofthe echos appeared in this weather by new weather radar data in Zhoushan City. Theanalysis shows that the two strong convection weather courses have close relation withthe conbination of the echos. The severe weather most probably occurs between thecombination being starting to the complete combination of the echos.


In this letter, a general robust reference path selection method (RPSM) that can be integrated into current existing motion planning algorithms is proposed to improve the mobile performance of autonomous patrol robots. The proposed RPSM maintains a dynamic array of path candidates that contains newly found paths, optimal historical paths, and hybrid paths that incorporate local trajectories. All these candidates will be evaluated in a unified criterion, and the best path with the minimal cost will be presented for trajectory tracking, ensuring the consistency and smoothness of the actual motion. Experiments with two different kinds of robots in various scenarios confirm that RPSM enriches the diversity and robustness of reference paths, and improves the execution efficiency by significantly reducing the average actual trajectory distance, orientation change, and total execution time, with an acceptable extra computational cost in comparison to the corresponding original hybrid A* algorithm.


A novel microstructure of an A1BA2‐type ZnSTe/ZnSe quantum structure has been investigated by high‐resolution x‐ray two‐axis diffraction, reflectivity, and x‐ray topography which offer a nondestructive, high‐strain‐sensitive method for analyzing low‐dimensional structures. The results show that the molecular‐beam‐epitaxy growth condition was well controlled to suppress dislocations extending from the substrate and the epitaxial layers have high crystalline quality. The ZnS0.665Te0.335 epilayer undergoes a tensile strain with eT∥=2.5633×10−2 and eT⊥=8.8254×10−2 while a compressed strain with eB∥=2.7864×10−3 and eB⊥=9.5061×10−3 exists in the first layer of ZnSe. The interfacial roughness is about 5 A and the lateral correlation length ≥2000 A.


The increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and the potential dangers this pose to the Earth through climate change, ocean acidification and sea-level rise has lead to a substantial number of projects attempting to find a safe and benign way to capture and store CO2 in geological formations, also referred to as the CCS (Carbon Capture Storage) technology. One of these CCS attempts is currently taking place in Iceland at the geothermal power plant Hellisheiði, located close to the capital Reykjavik (the CarbFix project). CO2 and other gasses (H2S, N2, H2, CH4) are waste products of the geothermal energy exploitation and the aim is with time to store all of this anthropogenic-made CO2 in the basaltic formations underlying Hellisheiði. The CO2 is dissolved in groundwater as it is pumped down to 350 meters depth and then injected into mixed horizons of basaltic glass and crystalline basalt. The basaltic rocks are characterized by high contents of divalent cations like Mg2+, Fe2+ and Ca2+ and relatively fast dissolution rates. The acidic CO2-loaded water will dissolve the basalt thereby releasing cations, which can react with the aqueous carbonate ions to form carbonate minerals (magnesite, siderite, calcite, ankerite and Ca-Mg-Fe solid solutions). The rate-limiting step of this carbon sequestration process is thought to be the dissolution of basaltic rocks, thus any effect that could potentially limit basalt dissolution would be detrimental to the overall CO2 sequestration process. My part of the CarbFix project has been to look at the effects the formation of calcium carbonate coatings would have on the dissolution of the primary phase, in this case basaltic glass and the clinopyroxene diopside, so there would be a glass phase to compare with the results of a mineral phase. Furthermore, a series of experiments were conducted where we tested the primary mineral structure's affect on calcite nucleation. This was done in order to test if different silicate structures would lead to different extent of calcite nucleation and growth. Finally, extensive series were conducted on the dissolution of basaltic glass in the presence of dead and live heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas reactans in order to determine the potential effect of bacteria on the carbon storage effort at the Hellisheiði site. The basaltic glass and diopside dissolution experiments were run at 25 and 70 oC and pH 7-8 in mixed-flow reactors connected to solutions containing CaCl2±NaHCO3 with ionic strengths > 0.03 mol/kg. Two sets of experimental series were run simultaneously, one series called the "precipitation" experiments in which the solution inside the reactor was supersaturated with respect to calcite, and the other series called the "control" experiments, where PHREEQC modeling foretold no major secondary mineral formation. By this, it was possible to compare dissolution rates of basaltic glass and diopside at 25 oC with and without calcium carbonate and other secondary mineral formation in order to deduce the effect on their dissolution rates. Scanning electron microscope images showed substantial amounts of calcium carbonate had precipitated in the "precipitation" experiments, but in the case of basaltic glass the primary growth appeared as big, discrete cluster of calcite and aragonite with no growth on the glass itself. Opposed to this, several of the diopside crystals were extensively overgrown by calcite coatings and no aragonite was found. In neither cases did the presence of calcite/aragonite have an effect on the dissolution rates of basaltic glass and diopside when compared to the "control' dissolution rates. It appears the discontinuous cover of the carbonate allows the ions of the primary phases to continue to diffuse through the secondary layer unhindered. To further assess the effect of silicate surface on the nucleation of calcite, the dissolution rates of six selected silicate minerals and rocks were measured in mixed-flow reactors in solutions supersaturated with respect to calcite at 25 oC and pH ~9.1. The silicate phases were: Mg-rich olivine, enstatite, augite, labradorite, basaltic glass and peridotite. The results show different onset time of calcite nucleation and thus different extent of carbonate coverage with elapsed time depending on silicate phase. Within the same timeframe olivine, enstatite and peridotite (mainly composed of Mg-rich olivine) were the most covered by calcite precipitations, followed by augite, labradorite and finally basaltic glass. All calcite growth took place on the silicate surface including on the basaltic glass. Kinetics favor calcite nucleation growth on the orthorhombic minerals (enstatite and olivine) over the monoclinic and triclinic minerals. Least calcite was found on the glass, which has no ordered silicate structure. Heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas reactans was extracted from one of the monitoring wells at Hellisheiði, and then separated, purified and cultured in the laboratory. Its optimal growth conditions were found to be 5-37 oC and pH 7.0-8.2 on Brain Heart Broth nutrient. Being a common water- and soil bacteria it offered a good candidacy to test what could be expected of heterotrophic bacteria in general when storing CO2 in a natural aquifers like the one at the Hellisheiði site, in Iceland. Basaltic glass dissolution rates were measured at 25 oC in newly developed Bacterial Mixed-Flow reactors (BMFR) in buffer solutions carrying 0.1-0.4 g/L of dead bacteria and 0.9-19 g/L of live bacteria at 4 ≤ pH ≤10. The results show that the presence had either no or a slightly rate-limiting effect. The overall conclusion is that neither the carbonate coatings nor the bacteria had major impact on the measured dissolution rates of the primary silicate phases, thus their effect are expected to be negligible on the CO2 sequestration process in basalt. Crystalline basalt might be faster covered by calcium carbonate, but also basaltic glass can act as a nucleation platform for calcite nucleation.


The present study has two main objectives. The first is to characterize antimicrobial peptide (AMP) cryptdin‐4 (Crp‐4) interactions with biological membranes and to compare those interactions with those of magainin 2. The second is to combine the complementary experimental approaches of laser scanning microscopy (LSM), ellipsometry, and Z‐scan fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to acquire comprehensive information on mechanisms of AMP interactions with supported phospholipid bilayers (SPBs)—a popular model of biological membranes. LSM shows appearance of inhomogeneities in spatial distribution of lipids in the bilayer after treatment with Crp‐4. Ellipsometric measurements show that binding of Crp‐4 does not significantly change the lipid structure of the bilayer (increase in adsorbed mass without a change in thickness of adsorbed layer). Furthermore, Crp‐4 slows the lateral diffusion of lipids within the membrane as shown by Z‐scan FCS. All changes of the bilayer induced by Crp‐4 can be partially reversed by flushing the sample with excess of buffer. Bilayer interactions of magainin 2 are significantly different, causing large loss of lipids and extensive damage to the bilayer. It seems likely that differences in peptide mode of action, readily distinguished using these combined experimental methods, are related to the distinctive β‐sheet and α‐helical structures of the respective peptides. Copyright © 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract : The safe disposal of range residue is one of the most challenging tasks facing Department of Defense (DoD) test and training range managers. Each year, DoD components expend almost 250,000 tons of ammunition to train warfighting forces; test the reliability of ammunition stockpiles; and develop new, more effective weapons to meet the demands associated with evolving military needs. Each of these facets of the range mission generates a corresponding quantity of residue that needs to be cleared from ranges and ultimately disposed of by range operating agencies. Range residue consists of practice munitions; residual scrap from the expenditure of high-explosive rounds; and munitions components such as cartridge cases, flare canisters, bomb fins, or expended rocket motors. It also includes target vehicle residue, dirt from earthen berms and backstops, and concrete or lumber from mockup targets.


A simple, rapid, and precise RP-HPLC method for analysis of Rosuvastatin calcium in bulk and its pharmaceutical formulations has been developed and validated. The separation was achieved on Luna C18, 5μm 4.6 mm×250 mm column, using mobile phase composition of buffer (pH 4.5): Acetonitrile: methanol (45:25:35), at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min at a detection wavelength of 248 nm. Rosuvastatin is eluted at retention time of 9.9 min. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity and sensitivity in accordance with ICH guidelines. Validation revealed the method is specific, rapid, accurate, precise, reliable, and reproducible. Calibration plots were linear over the concentration ranges 25-75 μg mL−1. Limits of detection and limits of quantification were 3.5μg mL−1 and 10.5μg mL−1, respectively for both the drugs. The high recovery and low coefficients of variation confirm the suitability of the method for analysis of the rosuvastatin in formulations.