The bilateral relations between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) are rich in their history and their agenda. The bilateral links go back to almost 3000 years ago, when an expedition dispatched by Shang Dynasty landed in Peru as its destination. Several links were established with pre-Inca cultures of those days. They are a number of historical remnants and vivid customs in the Mochica, Chavin, Chimu and Nazca Cultures. It was definitely the first contact of China with Latin America. Later on, the first organized migration of Chinese citizens went to the Americas in the 1840, helping to build railroads in the USA and looking for gold in Peru. In this process, Macao had a prominent role which is reflected in many ways. This process of the Chinese culture has influenced into the local societies and has created a unique Asian-LAC personality. Today, the Chinese culture is present in every manifestation of our local culture in many of the LAC countries. In terms of number of the Chinese communities, the largest one is in Peru with almost 3 million people, which represent 9% of the total Peruvian population. In terms of its size, it is the second one in the Western Hemisphere. The ancestors of most of the Chinese communities in LAC are natives to the South of China, from Canton to Macao, from zhuhai to hong Kong. It explains why many Chinese southern traditions exist in the LAC countries, with a clear influence in the gastronomy. The case of Peru could be highlighted, the insertion of the Chinese community into the Peruvian society has created new customs and what is well-known as "Peruvian-Chinese culture", with its own oral expressions and traditions. Peru is the only country in the world where Chinese restaurants are called "chifas", which is a variation of the word "chifan", that the Chinese people use for "let́ s eat". This closed culture links are a good foundation for the today people-to-people policies between China and Latin America. It is an authentic common ground in the bilateral ties and an advantage if you compare the relation of China with other regions. The Chinese leaders and the private sector, besides the civil society organizations, feel quite comfortable when they


Despite the poorly studied biodiversity of the Southwestern Atlantic, several exotic species have already been detected. Here we detail the distribution and abundance of the invasive ascidian Ascidiella aspersa (Muller, 1776) in the SW Atlantic and review its historical records. For this purpose, we determined ascidians collected since 1914 from museum collections and inspected randomly sampled natural biota collections as well as colonization on plates deployed in situ for two years throughout six major harbours along the Patagonian Argentine coast. Museum collections revealed a sudden presence of A. aspersa early in the 1960's. The species is actually distributed over 10 latitudinal degrees in harbours and subtidal areas along the SW Atlantic. Altogether, results suggest that this species, an exotic for the SW Atlantic, is able to colonize new areas. Further studies are needed to assess A. aspersa invasion impacts on biodiversity in the study area.


This paper studies the expressive power of the synchronous data-ow language Lustre as a speciication language, and its connection with temporal logic. After a brief overview of Lustre, we deene a temporal logic, called SL, which is shown to have exactly the expressive power of regular safety properties. Directly inspired from Boolean Lustre, this logic is executable, in the sense that the accepting automaton of any SL formula can be constructed \on the y", as the model is read. Then we consider a fragment of SL, called DSL, for the formulas of which the accepting automaton built by the previous technique is deterministic. DSL is shown to have the same expressive power as SL, and to be equivalent to Boolean Lustre.


The population growth in many urban cities and its urban activities in developing countries have resulted in an increased generation rate of municipal solid waste(MSW), an important issue. In the process of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systemin which, collection activities contributed the most of total cost that is paid for MSW collection activities by citys citizen; and transport activities are required 60 -70% of total cost that is the total expenditures spent on the transport, transfer, disposal and treatment ofMSW by city authorities. Hence optimization of routing system, systematization of collection, transport and transfer activities is the important components for an effective MSW M system. This article describes the current problems and the improvement of the management activities in a city of Chandigarh. An integrated MSW M assessment model is proposed and used as a decision suppor t tool fordaily efficient operations such as collection/ transport path management, load balancing within vehicles, fuel consumption management by using GIS application. In addition, a simple optimal routing model is proposed to achieve the minimum cost/distance/time efficient collection and transport path for MSWM .


The media respond primarily to the current situation and because of the higher incidence of extreme situations, such as drought episodes, heat waves, the occurrence of intense precipitation, their commenting is naturally a more frequent media theme.


The article discusses the process of improving the quality of service in hotel enterprises through animation activities. In the last decade, the tourism industry in Russia has been rapidly developing: new hotels, tourist complexes, tourism business enterprises and travel agencies appear, and animation is considered as a whole industry of hotel service, its integral part. Every industry is affected by how well it is managed. Quality indicators and problems with the production of quality products are specific to each sector, including the hospitality industry. Satisfaction with the needs of guests is the main task of any hotel, therefore, hospitality industry enterprises are interested not only in providing accommodation services, but also in organizing their leisure time and providing additional services. At present, the animation service has received a completely new trend — it is both a kind of animation programs, and improving their quality in serving guests, of course, and as one of the forms of advertising for a hotel company that can re-attract not only guests who are already on vacation, but also their acquaintances.


Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ that communicates with other peripheral tissues via the secretion of proteins, termed adipokines. In particular, altered secretion of specific adipokines (e.g., TNF‐α and adiponectin) has previously been shown to regulate skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. For the current study, we established a human adipose tissue – muscle crosstalk model to investigate the impact of different adipose tissue depots on skeletal myocyte insulin signaling, and if this differs between men and women. Visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue samples were collected from obese men and women during laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Adipose tissue samples were subsequently cultured for 48h and secretion media was collected. Secretion media was then transferred on to human skeletal myocytes derived from healthy, non‐diabetic male and female donors for 24h. Content of insulin signaling proteins (phosphorylated and total AKT) in mature myocytes incubated with either control M199 media or secretion media from VAT or SAT was assessed using Western Blotting in basal and insulin‐stimulated conditions (100uU/well). Adipokines in secretion media were measured with a multiplex immunoassay. In men, VAT had higher interleukin‐6 gene expression compared to SAT (p=0.004), while no differences were seen in women (p=0.271). Adiponectin and TNF‐α gene expression were not different between VAT or SAT for men or women. Secretion media collected from male SAT and VAT reduced p‐AKTThr308 activation in insulin‐stimulated myocytes compared to controls (p <0.01). Interestingly, myocytes incubated with VAT secretion media, compared to SAT secretion media, showed a significant reduction in p‐AKTSer473 in men after insulin stimulation (p<0.01). Secretion media collected from female VAT and SAT caused significant reductions in p‐AKTThr308 and p‐AKTSer473 activation following insulin stimulation, compared to controls (p<0.01). Secretion media from VAT or SAT for men or women did not affect total‐AKT levels. Independent of sex, 14 out of 18 detected adipokines (i.e., a panel consisting of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors) were more abundant in VAT secretion media compared to SAT secretion media (p<0.01). Only interleukin‐21 levels showed a sex difference, with higher levels detected in secretion media from female adipose tissue (p=0.003). In conclusion, SAT and VAT secretion media from obese men and women suppress insulin signaling in myocytes to a similar extent. These results reveal the power of this human adipose tissue – muscle model to investigate crosstalk between these two tissues.


An experiment thathasbeendesigned toyield the dielectric andlossproperties oftheicecapnearByrdStation, Antarc- tica, intheverylow-frequency range,subsequent toproperinter- pretation oftheinput admittance ofanelectrically shortdipole probe, isdescribed. Theprobe islowered into adeepdrill hole, together with appropriate measuring andtelemetering equipment, inorderthat theparameters ofinterest may berecorded asfunctions ofvertical depth andfrequency. Themotivation forsuchan experiment isdis- cussed andtheenvironmental conditions described, insofar asthey restrict thekindsofexperimental procedures thatcanbecarried out withreasonable safety andeconomy.Themeasurementtechnique itself isoutlined, together withsome background material concerning theuseofa dipole antenna asaprobe forexploring theproperties of themediuminwhichitisimmersed. Alsodiscussed isa related ex- periment performed toprovide acheckonthemethod.Itinvolved the use ofthesame probe andinstrumentation tomeasure thecomplex permittivity ofsawdust, a lossy dielectric material. The results are showntobeingoodagreement withthoseobtainedbya more con- ventional laboratcry ricthod.


Among the literary models that, in fifteenth-century epics on the conquest of Mexico, help to set into epic form the historical matter taken from the chronicles, Virgil's Aeneid plays a fundamental role. This paper is aimed at showing how the identification between Jeronimo de Aguilar and the Virgilian Achaemenides, found for the first time in Luis Zapata's Carlo famoso , reappears in Francisco de Terrazas, Gabriel Lobo Lasso de la Vega and Antonio de Saavedra Guzman, as well as at proposing some considerations on possible links between their works.


PURPOSE: An apparatus for automatically controlling a frequency of a mobile terminal is provided to enhance the communication performance by generating an accurate oscillation frequency even when there is a noise. CONSTITUTION: A peak detector(131) detects a position of a peak of a pilot signal detected from a complex correlator by comparing the pilot signal with a value of a threshold register(132). A peak period deviation detector(133) accumulates a difference value obtained by subtracting a period value from a value obtained by subtracting a previously position value from the currently detected peak position value, and outputs the difference value. A zero RUN counter(134) receives the difference value and counts the number of 0 until a value other than '0' is inputted. An AFC(Automatic Frequency Control) mapper(135) converts the difference value and the counted value of 0 into a voltage to be used for controlling a frequency.


The rapid development of internet promotes the long distance education, the multimedia coarse is the major instrument and the media stream server can accelerate the transferring of multimedia content. 


Excited states in 213 Po have been populated using the 18 O + 208 Pb reaction at 85 MeV beam energy and studied with the Euroball IV γ -multidetector array. The level scheme has been built up to ∼ 2.0 MeV excitation energy and spin I ∼ 25 / 2 ~ from the triple γ -coincidence data. Spin and parity values of several yrast states have been assigned from the γ -angular properties. The configurations of the yrast states are discussed using results of empirical shell-model calculations and by analogy with the neighbouring nuclei. The spin and parity values of several low-spin states of 213 Po previously identified from the β -decay of 213 Bi are revised.


Results of an experimental investigation on the sound field produced by a circular piston and the flow of air generated by the radiated acoustic wave are presented. The aim has been to create a strong jet-like wind by means of a beam of sound radiated by a powerful ultrasonic source, and to measure the speed of the airflow. The experimental data are compared with results of numerical simulations obtained by means of the finite-difference time-domain method. Two Langevin type transducers were used as the sound sources; one had a radiating surface with a diameter of 1.5 cm and the diameter of the other was 5 cm. The experimental results show that the speed of the airflow is more intense along the axis of the circular source, and that this flow extends along a larger distance for a source with a bigger diameter. The experimental data agree qualitatively well with the numerical simulations, but the obtained measurements were approximately twenty times larger than the values expected from the numerical simulations.


The reaction between bisulfones and the disulfide bridge of peptides or proteins allows the efficient bioconjugation without the loss of biological activity, which is often based on the three-dimensional structure of the biomolecule. This concept has been successfully applied using low molecular weight model compounds and PEG. In this article, RAFT polymers were postmodified to introduce bisulfone end-functionalities. This general approach has been tested here using poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) PVP, which was prepared via RAFT polymerization. RAFT endgroup removal, followed by the reaction with divinyl sulfone and the bisulfone linker led to a disulfide reactive polymer. NMR studies, MALDI-TOF MSMS and SDS-PAGE confirm the successful reaction between somatostatin, a cyclic hormone peptide and the end-functionalized PVP. The RAFT process as a source to potential polymers widens the scope of this bioconjugation technique to a large array of potential structures.


Indian children are caught between two cultures—the dominant setting in which they live and that of their own Indian tribe. Only through the children are the deep-rooted and significant values of the tribe trans-mitted to the next generation. Only through the right kind of education and understanding by us all can Indian children be helped to face their problems—problems perhaps greater than those facing other children.


By use of truncation of random variables,the properties of sequences of arbitrary random variables are studied and a class of strong limit theorems for sequences of arbitrary random variables are discussed under moment conditions.As corollaries,strong limit theorems for countable nonhomogeneous Markov chains are obtained,Y.S.Chow theorem for martingale difference sequence when 1≤p≤2 and p≥2 are generalized and some conclusions corresponded with these and some classical strong laws of large numbers for the sequence of independent random variables are the particular cases of the result of this paper.


Recently, a strong demand on high data rate wireless communication can be observed. The development of multi-gigabit wireless transmission systems has become very attractive. For achieving such data rates, the exploitation of 60 GHz mm wave is a very promising technical approach [1] and has been adopted in IEEE 802.15.3c. Except for physical layer (PHY) designs, the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer design is also crucial for the achievable system throughput (TP). Among the MAC functionalities, the acknowledgment (ACK) mechanism is a very important component affecting the transmission reliability and efficiency. Based on the ACK-mechanisms in 802.15.3c, this paper proposes a Hybrid Dynamic Frame Aggregation and Block-ACK (HD-FABA) scheme, which can further enhance the transmission efficiency and the system throughput. A theoretical model is developed to enable efficient parameter optimization and throughput maximization. In this way, the system can adaptively adjust its parameters according to the PHY conditions, so that the PHY data rate is exploited at best. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme was verified by numerical simulations.


This article presents a promising new gradient-based backpropagation algorithm for multi-layer feedforward networks. The method requires no manual selection of global hyperparameters and is capable of dynamic local adaptations using only first-order information at a low computational cost. Its semistochastic nature makes it fit for mini-batch training and robust to different architecture choices and data distributions. Experimental evidence shows that the proposed algorithm improves training in terms of both convergence rate and speed as compared with other well known techniques.


Purpose To investigate the relationship between the expression of Syk,VEGF-C and lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma.Methods Immunohistochemical EnVision and SP methods were used to detect the expression of Syk,NFκB(p65)and VEGF-C in 55 cases of breast carcinoma.Results The positive rates of Syk,VEGF-C and NFκB(p65)in 55 cases of breast carcinoma were 50.9%,56.4% and 81.8%,respectively.Lower positive rate of Syk was obtained in the group of positive lymph-node metastasis than that in the group of non-lymph-node metastasis (P0.05);Higher positive rate of VEGF-C was obtained in the group of positive lymph-node metastasis than that in the group of non-lymph-node metastasis (P0.05);But no significant differences was found in p65(P0.75).Higher positive rate of p65 nuclear expression was obtained in the group of positive lymph-node metastasis than that in the group of non-lymph-node metastasis (P0.025).The expression of Syk was negatively associated with VEGF-C (r=-0.620,P=0.000);the nuclear expression of p65 was associated with the low expression of Syk(r=0.448,P=0.002)and the high expression of VEGF-C (r=0.310,P=0.036).Conclusions In breast carcinoma,Syk may downregulate the expression of VEGF-C by inhibiting the activation of NFκB,which suppresses the lymph node metastasis of the cancer.


The relaxation of isolated cardiac muscles from mammals was recently shown to be sensitive to the loading conditions because the time course of relaxation could be changed by changing the load. This effect apparently is related to the amount and functional status of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypoxia affected the load sensitivity of papillary muscles isolated from both rats and cats. We used three mechanical tests to establish the presence of load-sensitive relaxation. First, we superimposed records of isotonic contractions at increasing afterloads up to isometric contraction. From these records we measured the ratio (tRi) which was the time from the initiation of the contraction to the initial decay of force at each isotonic afterload, divided by the time it took for the force of an isometric contraction to relax to that same afterload. If the tRi was less than 1.0, then the muscle was load sensitive. Hypoxia caused the loss of load-sensitive relaxation in isotonically contracting rat papillary muscles since the tRi ratios were not significantly different from 1.0 at all afterloads. Both hypoxia and caffeine were required to make cat papillary muscles load insensitive. Second, during hypoxia, loads added in midcontraction did not induce early relaxation in rat papillary muscles, but still did so in cat muscles. Hypoxia plus caffeine eliminated this load-induced early relaxation in cat papillary muscles. Third, physiologically contracting muscles made hypoxic did not lengthen earlier in response to an additional load. This decrease of load sensitivity under hypoxic conditions could contribute to the relaxation abnormalities observed during regional wall motion studies.


Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common infections in women. Although these infections can be seen in healthy women without any anatomical and functional pathology in etiology, foreign bodies should also be considered. We present a foreign body case due to iatrogenic causes which had recurrent urinary tract infections for 5-6 months and that did not respond to medical treatment.


When DRM systems are built on a specific computing platform and a coding algorithm, the interoperability among them will be improbable. For enhanced compatibility, MOSES has been developed such that it has a structure that can be decomposed into independent modules for interoperability with other DRM systems with IPMP functionality. In MOSES, security in contents transaction is provided by JPWallet which controls licenses with key management. In this paper, we present the structure of JPWallet and how the keys are handled between contents servers and contents-consuming clients. The PDA-based codes from the prototype MOSES system have been ported into PC-based codes and tested for compatibility. Analysis of JPWallet, which is the core of MOSES, will contribute to the standardization of domestic IPMP systems compatible with global standards.


The first part of this paper outlines a study conducted in Malaysia to investigate whether a systematic teaching of intonation would increase learners' awareness of its role in discourse. Two upper secondary classes of similar proficiency were selected for this purpose. The second part gives a detailed description of interesting intonation features in the data and discusses implications for teaching intonation in schools.


Somatostatin-, glucagon- and insulin-containing cells in the rat and horse pancreatic islets were investigated by an indirect immunofluorescent technique using antibodies to insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. In the rat pancreatic islets, insulin-containing cells were located centrally, and glucagon and somatostatin or somatostatin-like substance (SLS)-containing cells were peripherally disposed and glucagon-containing cells were situated more peripherally as compared with distribution of somatostatin-containing cells. On the other hand, in the horse pancreatic islets, insulin-containing cells were found in the peripheral area and glucagon and somatostatin-containing cells were distributed centrally. Insulincontaining cells were most numerous among the three types of cells in the islets of both the rat and horse. Somatostatin or SLS-containing cells in the horse were about equal in number to the glucagon-containing cells while those in the rat seemed to be smaller in number than the glucagon-containing cells. The present study clearly demonstrates that the somatostatin and glucagoncontaining cells are located, in relation to the bloodstream, on the upstream side of the insulin-containing cells in the islets of Langerhans of both the rat and the horse though these two animal species are known to have completely reverse bloodstream pattern in the islets. According to the mechanism of glucagon and insulin secretions from the islets, we proposed the hypothesis that the somatostatin-containing cells regulate the neighbouring glucagon and insulincontaining cells by an intercellular transport mechanism which provides somatostatin through the junctional complex, while other insulin-containing cells which are too remote from the somatostatin containing cells to be affected by such a mechanism are regulated by a fraction of somatostatin released and carried down by the bloodstream.


The world-wide monitoring of mega cities as well as urban and rural settlements is a key issue to analyze and understand the complex phenomenon of global urbanization. Hence, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has started two initiatives in support of the GEO (Group on Earth Observations) task 'SB-04 - Global Urban Observation and Information': a systematic analysis of the spatio-temporal mega cities development and the Global Urban Footprint project. The mega cities monitoring aims at the quantitative measurement of the spatial growth of all global mega cities over the last 40 years while the Global Urban Footprint initiative addresses the generation of a new global human settlements layer with ~75m ground resolution using data of the German SAR mission TanDEM-X. This presentation provides an overview on both, the mega cities monitoring and the Global Urban Footprint program including a description of the basic methodologies and an illustration of first results.


A polycrystalline superhard material is disclosed which comprises a mass of diamond, graphite or cubic boron nitride particles or grains bonded together by ultrathin intergranular bonding layers, the inter-granular bonding layers having an average thickness of greater than about 0.3 nm and less than about 100 nm. The bonding layers may comprise diamond, carbides including SiC, borides or nitrides including cBN. The material may be used as a wear element. There is also disclosed a method for making such a polycrystalline superhard material.


The microwave Faraday effect in a solid-state plasma waveguide under a relatively high magnetic field (/spl mu//sub e/B/sub 0/>>1) is investigated. Field configurations in the solid-state plasma waveguide are first analyzed. It is shown that two types of nondegenerate circularly polarized quasi-TE waves exist in the waveguide. The propagation constants of the quasi-TE waves are obtained by means of a variational method. The microwave Faraday effect in the solid-state plasma waveguide is formulated. It is shown that geometrical factors and reflections from the waveguide discontinuities have significant influences on the Faraday effect. Experimental results of the Faraday effect at 36 GHz through a soIid-state plasma waveguide are reported. In the experiment n-type indium antimonide crystals are used. The comparison of the experimental data with the theory shows good agreement.


In the US chlamydia infection rates are highest among 15-19 year old females. Since most chlamydia infections produce no symptoms screening asymptomatic young women is one of the only ways for such infections to be detected and treated. To examine the extent to which chlamydia screening has become part of standard care for young people covered by a large nonprofit managed care organization (Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States) a group of investigators studied patient care records from the plans 21 clinic sites in Baltimore Washington District of Columbia and surrounding suburban areas of Maryland. Overall 16% of females and 2% of males were tested for chlamydia. More than 60% of young women classified as sexually active were tested for chlamydia. Among the young people tested 15% were infected with chlamydia--14% of females tested and 19% of males. It was noted that young people who tested positive were given a prescription for antibiotics and two-thirds were retested at least a month after their initial positive test. Hence researchers noted that the limited chlamydia testing found among adolescent clients of the managed care plan reflects provider practices more than member access to care. It is suggested that managed care plans use their own operational data to develop protocols that identify and test all at-risk adolescent members.


The development and commercialization of nanoclays (NCs) offers new possibilities to tailor adhesives on the nanoscale range. Three types of functionalized nanoclays were included in the current study, two novel ones and one commercial nanoclay. The novel ones were based on aminosilane and amidoamine hyperbranched polymer, and the commercial nanoclay possessed hydroxyl functionality. All the three functionalities were expected to react with the polyurethane (PU) based thermoset adhesive. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to follow the disappearance of the isocyanate group of the polyurethane thermoset adhesive. Thermo-mechanical properties were studied using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Shear and peel properties of adhesively-bonded joints were evaluated using the appropriate test standards. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to analyze the nanoscale morphology of cryogenically fractured surfaces. DMA measurements indicated that the glass transition temperature (T g) of neat PU was 32°C. Incorporation of nanoclays in concentrations of 1, 3 and 5 wt% affected the glass transition temperature significantly. The functionalized nanoclays increased the T g gradually to the range of 60 to 62°C for 5 wt% loading. The incorporation of functionalized nanoclays into PU improved the shear strength by 170, 160 and 195% for the hydroxyl-, aminosilane- and hyperbranched-treated NCs, respectively. The functionalized nanoclays exhibited higher peel strength compared to the neat PU by 30% for the hydroxyl modified clay and by 40% for aminosilane-modified clay (at 1 wt% concentration) and almost no change for the hyperbranched modified one. AFM analysis indicated that different fracture mechanisms occurred with respect to the type and concentration of nanoclay used.


This study focuses on selecting the most sustainable foundation system based on life-cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainability assessment of alternate deep foundation systems, specifically piles and caissons, over their design life. Sustainability evaluation of alternate deep foundations is performed using triple bottom line: environmental, economic, and social impacts and by considering various life cycle stages that cover raw material extractions, construction, maintenance, and demolition efforts. For design purposes, subsurface soils, factor of safety against bearing capacity and allowable settlement for both foundations are considered to be the same. Technical designs of both systems are developed based on bearing capacity, both primary and secondary settlements and structural integrity. The LCA is conducted to assess potential environmental impacts, such as global warming, acidification, and smog, associated with the concrete and steel production along with the diesel used for transportation and on-site machinery due to mineral extraction and refining, and required energy inputs for processing. Subsequently, economic evaluation and social impact analyses are performed and the results of analyses are compared. For the site-specific conditions considered, it is concluded that a caisson is more sustainable foundation option than a pile foundation in terms of environmental, economic, and social aspects over its design life.


ABSTRACT Specific vehicle automation use-cases such as traffic jams will be the first level 3 functions on the market. When the 'traffic jam pilot' nears its limits in non-critical situations, control needs to be handed back to the driver, enabling appropriate situation awareness (SA) and vehicle handling. According to previous research, operational vehicle stabilisation can be achieved within a transfer-of-control (TOC) of a few seconds in simple traffic environments, but tactical level decisions benefit from longer hand-over times. To date, the effects of non-critical TOCs have not been studied using set time frames. To investigate the impact of short (unplanned, 5 seconds) and long (planned, 50 seconds) TOC requests, while playing/not playing an engaging tablet game, a simulator experiment was conducted with 16 participants. Comparisons of the 60-second-period of manual driving following automation suggest better longitudinal vehicle control as well as more appropriate SA following the long TOC request, and automation periods without the game. However, following no engaging game, lateral performance was worse during the first 10 seconds of manual driving. Control-level visual search patterns did not change with TOC time or the game. Future research needs to consider support for drivers' SA maintenance and readiness to drive following high automation.


The aim of the study is to examine whether the levels of students' mathematics achievement and anxiety predict their geography success in primary school and social sciences teaching programs. Predictive correlation research design was used in the study. The study included 145 randomly selected sophomore students who taught in both primary school and in social studies teaching programs of education faculty in a university, in the academic year 2010-2011. The study took place in the eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis indicate that there are significant correlations between mathematics achievement and mathematics anxiety, on the one hand, and geography achievement, on the other. Both mathematics achievement and mathematics anxiety are significant factors in successful geography achievement, and these factors explain about one-fourth of the total variance


The author reported 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 reactions of MoOCl4, MoO2Cl2, MoCl5 in CH2Cl2 medium. Owing to feeble solubility of MoO2CI2, MoCl5 and ligands in CH2Cl2 medium, reactions of MoOCl4 & MoO2CI2 & MoCl5 were carried out and reported 4, 5 by the author in CH3CN medium. In reactions reported in this paper, enhanced polarity of CH3CN medium has played an important role in reaction process. Products obtained are mostly soluble in CH3CN. This was due to better solubility of MoOCl4, MoO2CI2 & MoCl5 in CH3CN due to formation of solvent stabilized complexes, like MoO2Cl2(CH3CN)2. Many compounds reported in this paper are multinuclear as assessed by the fragments detected in mass (GC-MS)


The present invention provides a compressed air foam extinguisher, comprising: a compressed gas tank for storing compressed gas; an undiluted foam solution tank for storing a preset fixed amount of an undiluted foam solution; a fire-fighting water tank for storing a preset fixed amount of fire-fighting water so that the fire-fighting water and the undiluted foam solution have a certain mixture ratio, and for storing an aqueous foam solution in which the undiluted foam solution and the fire-fighting water are mixed; a compressed gas supply pipe for supplying the compressed gas, stored in the compressed gas tank, to the undiluted foam solution tank; an undiluted foam solution supply pipe for supplying the undiluted foam solution, stored in the undiluted foam solution tank, to the fire-fighting water tank; an aqueous foam solution supply pipe which has an inlet formed at the bottom of the fire-fighting water tank, and is connected to the outside of the fire-fighting water tank; a mixing chamber for mixing the compressed gas with the aqueous foam solution so as to form compressed air foam; a supply hose connected to the aqueous foam solution supply pipe; a constant pressure opening valve which is opened when the pressure of the compressed air foam formed in the mixing chamber reaches a preset constant pressure; and a spray nozzle connected to the supply hose or a pipe.


The tendency to underestimate others' relative performance compared to one's own is widespread among individuals in all work environments. We examine the relationship between, and the driving forces behind, individual overconfidence and voluntary cooperation in team production. Our experimental data suggest an indirect and gender-specific link: Overconfident men hold more optimistic beliefs about coworkers' cooperativeness than men who lack confidence, and are accordingly significantly more cooperative, whereas overconfidence, beliefs, and cooperativeness are not correlated in women.


In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful  Praise be to God and may prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammed, his family and companions all, then This is the abstract for my study that named the legal policy of proof ways in legal cases before the Islamic Courts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (comparative study).
In the study introduction, I have discussed the importance and the great role of the legal policy in the current reality, especially with regard to the rules and methods of proof. I have also mentioned the problem of the study that represented in the proof freedom system that enables judges to consider the evidence that they deem appropriate without any controls in which evidence is implemented as many evidences were excluded. Such as the written evidence issued by an official body, by giving priority to the witnesses evidence. This leads to raise many practical disputes, which is not the system desired goal as it aims to the transactions stability. I gave also mentioned the study methodology that relied on the Comparative jurisprudence and then concluded it with the study plan that divided into two sections.
The first section is the aspects of the proof freedom system in litigation before the Saudi courts.  I divided it into two topics. The first topic includes the nature of the proof freedom before the courts. As there are three systems on which the evidentiary system is based in comparative legal systems and the situation in the Kingdom courts.  In the second topic I have discussed the effects of the proof freedom system in civil cases before the Islamic Courts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These effects include the instability of rulings, the multiplicity of facts, disputes increasing, the expansion of interpretative judgment and the opening of conflict between reality and codified systems.
The second section includes the alternatives to the legal policy of the proof freedom in civil cases in the Kingdom. I divided it into two topics. The first topic includes the implementation of the legal policy in setting up a proof system that depends on the mixed proof principle. I pointed out that the mixed system makes the material fact proof go to all proof methods without limits. This reflects the mutual interests between the plaintiff and the defendant. At the same time it works to achieve the desired goal of the rules of this system in the transactions stability according to a clear and balanced work system that enables the judge to reach the same ruling reached by the former judges in similar lawsuits. In the second topic I have discussed the Standard Controls that limit the freedom of judges to deal with the proof rules. The first important standard is to limit the interpretative judgment in light of the codification in application of the Islamic jurisprudence policy. The second is to take the general proof principles as a method for the mixed proof system. The third is the commitment of the mixed proof system rules.


This paper proposes a near duplicate product image detection system for large scale datasets based on binary hashing. The product images are represented using global features generated by deep neural networks. An automatic evaluation method is used to choose the best feature description. A compact feature description is learnt using discriminative metric learning. A method called subspace learning for hashing is used to index images. A distributed system is designed to process large scale product images, which utilize five strategies including removing the logo area of the product images, accelerating Hamming distance computation by using SSE2, filtering results using color information, dividing the dataset into buckets, distributing the computing using Spark clusters. The experimental results show that the system can detect near duplicate product images in large scale datasets rapidly and accurately.


Sir, Available evidence demonstrated that errors in the pre-analytic phase accounted for nearly 70% in total testing process (TTP) [1]. Specimen adequacy is a critical pre-analytic factor affecting the accuracy and generalization of test result [2]. Acceptance of improper specimens for analysis may result in erroneous information that could affect patient care. This study was conducted to investigate the state of specimen acceptability for complete blood count testing in China and to identify reasons of rejection. At the same time, two creative tools of Six Sigma and quality indicators were introduced to monitor and evaluate laboratory performance on specimen acceptability, which added creativeness to our study. A total of 1192 laboratories, who had been covered in external quality assessment (EQA) programmes for complete blood count proposed by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL), were enrolled in this study. These participants were required to record information on all of their rejected specimens from 1 June 2012 to 30 June 2012, including department from which the rejected specimens came from, reasons of rejection, the total number of specimens they received during the period and data regarding laboratory practice of specimen acceptability. All these data could be submitted on an online EQA platform (www.clinet.com.cn) developed by NCCL. Mann–Whitney (M–W) and Kruskal–Wallis (K–W) tests were used to identify the potential impacts of specimen acceptability by SPSS Statistics 13.0 (Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China). P-value <0.05 was considered as significant. A total of about 512 of the 1192 (42.95%) clinical laboratories submitted their data, of which 43 were excluded because of their incomplete or improper record. During the data collection period, 4 009 523 specimens for complete blood count assay were received in total, in which 5 940 were rejected. The overall rejection rate was 0.15%. For the total rejection rate of each laboratory, the percentiles of P5, P25, P50, P75 and P95 were 0.02%, 0.07%, 0.15%, 0.26% and 0.60%, respectively. Figure 1 shows that 92.96% (436/469) of the participants had a total specimen rejection rate less than 0.5% and up to 65.88% (309/469) of laboratories had one less than 0.2%. However, we actually did not know how these participants performed, because what quality levels these percentages represented could not be defined due to lack of quality specifications for total specimen rejection rate. Therefore, the tool of Six Sigma was introduced. Six Sigma is a widely accepted quality management tool, which can quantify the performance of processes as a rate of DPMO (defects per million opportunities) [3].


This article aims to understand the communication process in a company's timber sector in central-south region of Parana and from the understanding of the process to analyze its function in the organization. To do so, it is characterized as a case study, qualitative and explanatory, with the implementation of eight semi-structured interviews on managers and directors of the company. Data collected in the interviews were subjected to content analysis technique, the analytic categories: informal groups, barriers, flow, forms of decision making, hierarchy and division of power, uncertainty, commitment and participation. Observe that the communication process of the organization does not contribute to organizational success. The lack of attention to the process does not affect the daily activities of the organization, however, notes that the analysis of the same organization would lead to a greater understanding of their situation in relation to the competitive environment in relation to their internal guidelines. In this sense, the changes must also be seen as based on the interpretation of information to decipher the organization's position relative to the different social actors, and thus their decisions to work in this environment is a positive ingredient for success.


The paper examines the Web search engine use of faculty and students to support learning, teaching, and research. We explore the academic tasks supported by search engine use to investigate if and how students and scholars vary in their use patterns. We also investigate the satisfaction levels with the search outcomes and trust in search engines in supporting their tasks. The study is based on triangulating three data-gathering methods, including a Web-based survey, interviews, and search log reviews. One of the goals of the study is to demonstrate how each methodology exhibits a unique strength in collecting information about different dimensions of search behavior and perceptions. We conclude that, although there are variations in search engine use among the faculty, graduate and undergraduate students surveyed, there is convergence in means of overall satisfaction with the outcomes of their searches and trust in search engines in supporting their studies and research. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for future search engine research and information practitioners.


The relevance of the topic of the article is due to the fact that the priority of a modern commercial bank is the effective management of its own customer base through an effective customer policy.

The profits that a commercial bank strives for are provided by the banking operations provided by the bank to its customers. Therefore, achieving this goal is impossible without the formation, maintenance and expansion of its own quality customer base.

In addition, it is in a period of unstable economic situation, when there is a decline in income of Ukrainian consumers of banking services, inflationary expectations increase and distrust of financial institutions, the formation and implementation of effective customer policy of a commercial bank become particularly relevant.

But the changing economic situation and the development of the banking business require further research in this area and the development of corrections in the current customer strategy of the bank.

The subject of the research is the formation and management of the customer base of Ukrsibbank.

The object of study is the economic relations that arise in the process of forming the customer base of the bank and its management.

The purpose of the article is to identify scientific and methodological approaches and recommendations that will contribute to more effective management of the customer base of bank.

The task of the work is to substantiate the division of the bank's customer base into segments as an object of management in the bank. After analyzing the information obtained, it is possible to explore the conceptual basis for the formation of a customer base management system because the basics of its formation is an important step to make promising recommendations for the formation of strategies for establishing cooperation with different groups of customers.

According to the results of the research, the existing scientific and methodological approaches to defining the customer base as an object of management in the bank are obtained. The conceptual bases of formation of the bank's customer base management system are analyzed, give an opportunity to develop recommendations for the formation of strategies for establishing cooperation between the bank and various groups of customers.

The obtained results can be used for future effective implementation of the customer-oriented management system in bank.


The Rev. Dirk Postma was not only the founder of the Reformed Church of South Africa (Gereformeerde Kerk), but also made significant contributions in the field of education. In this article the leading role he played with regard to the promotion of Christian education in the Netherlands (IH4H-1859) and in South Africa (1859-1890) is outlined. He was responsible for the establishment of the first Christian school in Zwolle and his dynamic involvement in education in South Africa had the result, among others, that the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education came into being. His worthwhile activities in the sen'icc of Christian education are an example for present-day Christian educators in South Africa to tackle the educational problems which are rife at present and possibly to solve them in a like manner.


Propaganda films have the characteristics of fast communication speed, wide audience, easy acceptance of communication content, and diversified communication methods. They are indispensable in enhancing the city 's popularity, reputation, and promoting economic development. Subtitle translation in promotional films plays an important role in spreading urban culture and showing the charm of the city. This paper takes the promotional film of Chengdu Universiade 'Shudaokai·Dayunlai' as an example, and studies the subtitle translation of the promotional film of Chengdu Universiade based on the three-dimensional transformation theory of eco-translatology.


In this article I have attempted to situate entrepreneurial identity in its more comprehensive personal context by tracking cultural transformations and attempting to understand how Ghanaian women entrepreneurs in Durban negotiate their day-to-day social identities. These women entrepreneurs found themselves projecting new identities in unfamiliar social spaces that are neither distinctively Ghanaian nor South African, but are rather a melange or "in-betweenness" of elements of Ghanaian identity and South African socio-cultural characteristics. Although there is a range of particular attributes that give Ghanaian women entrepreneurs in Durban their specific identity, one needs to remain aware that each of these women supports multiple identities in the course of everyday life. My main interest in this area is in how such women experience and express their sense of belonging as a product of their transnational activities. Using the concept of bounded solidarity and enforceable trust, these women are able to move in and out of identity brackets. In pursuit of this aim I examine how Ghanaian women manipulate multiple identities in the course of entrepreneurial activity. Keywords: belonging, entrepreneurship, identity, Ghanaian women, culture


A survey was conducted among the executive managers of China county-level newspapers to explore the current situation and problems of newspapers' reform and development. This paper finds that operation performances of actual-operating county newspapers are better than performance of officially registered ones. The survey shows county newspapers generally launched digital transformation but lack of confidence and profitability. This paper puts forward four countermeasures: break through the system restraint with the help of digital publishing; set up the advantages to local news information and gain competitive advantage of regional advertising market; grasp the information demand of local residents and adjustment of coverage structure; deepen the digital transformation, hold the opportunity of the urbanization and strengthen the interconnection of related industries.


A Stefan problem is a problem involving a parabolic differential equation with a moving boundary. We study one particular one-dimensional, one phase Stefan problem and two numerical methods for solving it. The first method which has been published by J. Douglas and T. M. Gallie is a finite difference method with variable step size in the t-direction. We supply a convergence proof for the iteration which, at each time step, is needed to determine the size of the step. We also derive certain estimates which we use subsequently to obtain bounds for the solution functions of the original problem. We also discuss stability of the method showing partial results but without being able to prove stability. We prove that the boundary curve of the particular Stefan Problem in question is monotone increasing with a derivative that tends to zero as t tends to infinity. Furthermore, we show that the temperature at the t-axis, u(0,t), goes asymptoticly like 2.sqrt(t/ ¼).


Functional neuroimaging studies have implicated the fusiform gyri (FG) in structural encoding of faces, while event-related potential (ERP) and magnetoen- cephalography studies have shown that such encoding occurs approximately 170 ms poststimulus. Behavioral and functional neuroimaging studies suggest that pro- cesses involved in face recognition may be strongly modulated by socially relevant information conveyed by faces. To test the hypothesis that affective informa- tion indeed modulates early stages of face processing, ERPs were recorded to individually assessed liked, neutral, and disliked faces and checkerboard-reversal stimuli. At the N170 latency, the cortical three-dimen- sional distribution of current density was computed in stereotactic space using a tomographic source local- ization technique. Mean activity was extracted from the FG, defined by structure-probability maps, and a meta-cluster delineated by the coordinates of the voxel with the strongest face-sensitive response from five published functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. In the FG, 160 ms poststimulus, liked faces elicited stronger activation than disliked and neutral faces and checkerboard-reversal stimuli. Further, confirming recent results, affect-modulated brain elec- trical activity started very early in the human brain (112 ms). These findings suggest that affective fea- tures conveyed by faces modulate structural face en- coding. Behavioral results from an independent study revealed that the stimuli were not biased toward par- ticular facial expressions and confirmed that liked faces were rated as more attractive. Increased FG ac- tivation for liked faces may thus be interpreted as reflecting enhanced attention due to their saliency.


Using a self-consistent diagrammatic theory of the one-band Hubbard model, we find that three characteristic temperatures T{sup {asterisk}}, T{sub c}{sup {asterisk}}, and T{sub c} may characterize the behavior of high-T{sub c} superconductors. The temperature T{sup {asterisk}} defines the onset of a pseudogap in the density of states and of anomalous normal-state behavior. At T{sub c}{sup {asterisk}} local mean-field-like Cooper-pair formation begins with T{sub c}{sup {asterisk}}{lt}T{sup {asterisk}}. Due to phase fluctuations of the order parameter, global spin-fluctuation-induced d{sub x{sup 2}{minus}y{sup 2}}-wave superconductivity occurs only at T{sub c} below T{sub c}{sup {asterisk}}. The suppression of T{sub c}{sup {asterisk}}{r_arrow}T{sub c} is strong for underdoped systems yielding an optimal doping where T{sub c} is largest. The doping dependence of the penetration depth and the influence of Cooper pairing and antiferromagnetic short-range correlations on photoemission experiments are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}


(57) Abstract: Method for processing received data in a distributed speech recognition process. The method common step for comparing the received form of the header information from each of a plurality of header frames; single common header information and received is different from the reference; step for classifying, based on the same received form of a predetermined number One or more of the received data frame, rather than the different forms received, constituted by the step of processing by using the reference form. Also described are devices for processing received data in a distributed speech recognition process.


We are systematically surveying all known and suspected Z Cam-type dwarf novae for classical nova shells. This survey is motivated by the discovery of the largest known classical nova shell, which surrounds the archetypal dwarf nova Z Camelopardalis. The Z Cam shell demonstrates that at least some dwarf novae must have undergone classical nova eruptions in the past, and that at least some classical novae become dwarf novae long after their nova thermonuclear outbursts, in accord with the hibernation scenario of cataclysmic binaries. Here we report the detection of a fragmented "shell," 3 arcmin in diameter, surrounding the dwarf nova AT Cancri. This second discovery demonstrates that nova shells surrounding Z Cam-type dwarf novae cannot be very rare. The shell geometry is suggestive of bipolar, conical ejection seen nearly pole-on. A spectrum of the brightest AT Cnc shell knot is similar to that of the ejecta of the classical nova GK Per, and of Z Cam, dominated by [N ii] emission. Galaxy Evolution Explorer FUV imagery reveals a similar-sized, FUV-emitting shell. We determine a distance of 460 pc to AT Cnc, and an upper limit to its ejecta mass of ∼5 × 10−5 M☉, typical of classical novae.


Fyn kinase is a key contributor in coupling FcεRI to mast cell degranulation. A limited macroarray analysis of FcεRI-induced gene expression suggested potential defects in lipid metabolism, eicosanoid and glutathione metabolism, and cytokine production. Biochemical analysis of these responses revealed that Fyn-deficient mast cells failed to secrete the inflammatory eicosanoid products leukotrienes B4 and C4, the cytokines IL-6 and TNF, and chemokines CCL2 (MCP-1) and CCL4 (MIP-1β). FcεRI-induced generation of arachidonic acid and normal induction of cytokine mRNA were defective. Defects in JNK and p38 MAPK activation were observed, whereas ERK1/2 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (S505) phosphorylation was normal. Pharmacological studies revealed that JNK activity was associated with generation of arachidonic acid. FcεRI-mediated activation of IκB kinase β and IκBα phosphorylation and degradation was defective resulting in a marked decrease of the nuclear NF-κB DNA binding activity that drives IL-6 and TNF production in mast cells. However, not all cytokine were affected, as IL-13 production and secretion was enhanced. These studies reveal a major positive role for Fyn kinase in multiple mast cell inflammatory responses and demonstrate a selective negative regulatory role for certain cytokines.


Therapeutic education of patients plays an immense role in the efficacy of treatments. Thanks to sound psychosocial and educational approaches to patients, there is a significant decrease of acute episodes of many chronic diseases. But these proofs often seem weak in the presence of the disbelief the many clinicians have: how can therapeutic patient education compete with pharmacological agents and evidence-proved medicine? To compare both is a mistake many clinicians make. One is bound to biology, the other deals with the coping process of the person who suffers from the disease and has to learn how to manage the treatment. But this disbelief of many health care providers has had and continues to have deleterious effects on the implementation of patient therapeutic education. This paper tries to provide some hints on how to help and follow patients suffering from chronic conditions.


Voice acoustic analysis in people with Parkinson's disease can be a valuable and objective tool supporting the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. The article analyses the application of non-linear coefficients for the parametrization of the speech signal representing the vowel "a" with prolonged phonation in patients with Parkinson's disease. The study was conducted using three different non-linear techniques for the generation of speech signal features. The research utilized recordings conducted at the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of Warsaw. The discriminatory ability of individual coefficients was evaluated using the LDA technique and k-nn method. The recognition accuracy is about 85 %.


This project seeks to diagnose the gaps in the customer service of Zeithmal V. & Bitner M. (2009), in BBVA Asset Management with the aim of proposing a customer service program that may reduce these failures. During the investigation it was found that the main gap is the lack of information on the part of the auxiliaries of the branches in their distributor BBVA. The study found the problem is due to troubles in the delivery of the service, due to a failure in the application of the customer service standards, thus generating a performance gap between the fiduciary and its distributor.
The methodology applied in the study was qualitative through unstructured interviews (Hernandez, et.al, 2010). These interviews were conducted with experts in the areas of Product and Investment Funds, Account Management and Trust Services; these expert interviewees talked about the problems they observed in their work areas, as well as the relationships that other areas and external situations affected the delivery of the service. Finally, a balanced scorecard was proposed that analyzes and distributes the key processes in the area (Kaplan et al., 1996). In this matrix, training was suggested with a focus on Kaufman's customer service (2012), an immediate communication platform was suggested between branches and sales representatives, and an interview model for candidates for selection processes for management assistants in the branches according to Alles (2008).


3-(5-Nitro-2-pyridon-1-yl)-1,2-benzoisothiazole 1,1-dioxide (BID-NPy) was found to be a useful condensing reagent. Various dipeptides and esters were prepared in good yields using this reagent.


In this study, diagnosis of breast cancer, the second type of the most widespread cancer in women, was performed with an evolutionary artificial neural network approach based on adaptive genetic algorithm with strong macro-search capability and global optimization, which was used to optimize initial weights and thresholds of the network. Experimental results had better precision and much lower computational cost compared to the literature related to this concept in the Wisions breast cancer data set.


Abstract The article deals with the experimental monitoring of the driver's attention during train operation. SMI eye-tracking technology and eye-tracking glasses we used to measure the train driver's attention. This unique experiment we performed on the Slovak railway (ŽSR) line no. 120 Bratislava - Žilina, in the section Žilina - Púchov. The measurement took place in the spring of 2017, and the passenger train was operated by the ZSSK electric unit series 671. The article analyses in detail the monitoring of the driver's attention during train operation. We analysed two typical processes during train driver work: driving at the section (without stopping) and driving through the train station (with stopping). Realised analysis can lead to the identification of critical points on the line, to a better understanding of the driver's way of work and to contribute to increasing railway safety. The unique measurement procedure and the used technology did not affect the safety of the train operation.


A common misconception by many EFL learners is that English /i/ as in heed is the same as /I/ as in hid, and /u/ as in who'd is the same as /u/ as in...


Objective: To map the competencies of specialist nurses in Dermatology. Method: A scoping review was conducted according to the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The Population, Concept, and Context framework established the research question. The search for publications was carried out in different sources, including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Latin America and the Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE) via PubMed, Scopus, Embase


One way that the company can do so that the company survives, namely by analyzing the company's financial statements, which aims to find out the company's financial situation and development from year to year. The author conducted research on PT. Mayora Indah Tbk, a company engaged in the processed food industry. The purpose of this study is to compare the balances that are considered related, which can reflect the company's financial position and the company's performance. This comparison is better known as the ratio. In addition to the analysis of financial statements, an analysis of indicators of bankruptcy is also carried out on the company's financial statements. Which aims to be able to find out how the condition of a company, whether the company is experiencing financial difficulties and or the possibility of bankruptcy. The research method used in this research is a case study research method with data analysis techniques that use the financial ratio method to determine the performance and financial position of PT. Mayora Indah Tbk, and the bankruptcy method of Altman Models to determine the viability of PT. Mayora Indah Tbk. From the results of the analysis, it shows that the performance and financial position of PT. Mayora Indah Tbk in 2014 to 2018 can be said to be still quite good in the midst of unstable economic turmoil in the period concerned. Where seen from the liquidity ratio and debt management ratio, the company is able to pay off its obligations; for asset management ratios, the company is able to utilize its resources effectively and efficiently; for its profitability ratio, the company has decreased. For the analysis of bankruptcy indicators, the results obtained from 2014 to 2018, the company entered the gray area. Thus, the company is expected to be able to improve itself by knowing the existing weaknesses, and be able to immediately make improvements in order to obtain better results in the coming year.


This paper is concerned with emotional responses of tactile icons. Using three sets of tactile icons in which four physical parameters-amplitude, frequency, duration, and envelope-were systematically varied, we estimated their valence and arousal scores in a perceptual experiment with 24 participants. Results showed that the four parameters have clear relationships to the emotional responses of tactile icons. Our tactile icons spanned to a large region in the valence-arousal space, but they did not elicit very positive-relaxing or very negative-relaxing emotional responses. These findings provide the design guidelines of tactile icons that have desired emotional properties.


A study of the vegetative growth of potato plants indicated that all varieties grown under identical conditions are likely to show similar growth rates during the early stages of development.

Differences in total leaf area per plant between varieties became apparent at the stage when rapid development of axillary shoots from the main axis occurred. The maincrop varieties, Stormont Dawn and King Edward, attained a greater total leaf area than the early varieties, Ulster Chieftain and Arran Pilot, because of the greater development of axillary shoots.

It is suggested that the number of nodes produced beneath the terminal inflorescence on the main axis approximates to a constant value, independent of variety. Varietal differences were manifested in the distribution between leaves above ground and stolons below, the early varieties producing fewer leaves above ground than the maincrop, in inverse proportion to the number of underground stolons.

The yields of tubers per plant are given for four varieties. Differences between varieties in the rate of tuber formation are related to differences in the development of haulms.

It is considered probable that the potato plant exhibits a basic growth form which is modified in each variety in a characteristic manner according to the stage in the growth cycle and the rate at which the growth substances are distributed to the various organs of the plant.


In 2012, European Union Member States committed to implement policies for the Validation of Nonformal and Informal Learning (VNFIL). In this article, we examine Austria and Italy and ask how VNFIL policies in these two countries relate to informal learning (IL) and how this can be interpreted from a workplace learning (WPL) perspective. The notion of IL in VNFIL is largely based on a psychological understanding of learning. We argue that a WPL perspective complements this understanding and serves to better understand learning at work. Based on assumptions concerning the influence of national education and training systems on VNFIL, a comparison is made along three categories: the preferred type of VNFIL, the notion of IL, and the references to workplaces. Despite preferences for summative types of VNFIL, Austria acknowledges a range of types, while Italy is still in the process of development and prefers the so‐called autonomous type. Findings suggest a minimalistic understanding of IL in Austria contrasting with Italy, in which IL is seen as firmly embedded within Lifelong Learning. The references to workplaces are weak in both countries. We finally address the role of employers as a delicate issue for VNFIL, when embedded in educational policies.


THE resourceful and creative ways in which D. H. Lawrence composed and revised his novels have been neglected by critics more intent on establishing canons of artistry. Indeed, the nature of Lawrence's creativity has been misrepresented by even his staunchest admirers, who have gone to the extreme of presenting him as a 'daimonic' novelist. Praising Lawrence's creativity, for example, Aldous Huxley wrote:


Using boric acid poison rather than control rods promises lower capital cost, simpler maintenance, ready control of large reactivities, freedom from rod placement problems, and elimination of rod hot-spot factors in boiling water reactors. The amount of reactivity heid down by the acid varies, but is of the order of 3%. The boric acid is added to the reactor by dissolving in hot water, inserting into a special tank isolated from reactor pressure, injecting into the reactor water and flushing the tank, and circulating the reactor heater extensively to insure thorough mixing. Four methods are used to determine the concentration: calculation, titration, neutron absorption, and control rod motion. (W.D.M.)


The main mechanisms of electron−hole generation in a semiconductor induced by absorption of a sub-band gap photon are considered. Electron−hole generation with sub-band gap light involves optical and thermal transitions between delocalized valence or conduction band states and localized band gap states. A semiconductor device with a retrieval layer in which electron−hole pairs are effectively separated is considered. For each mechanism, the steady-state photocurrent quantum yield and the photocurrent response to a harmonic modulation of the intensity of sub-band gap light is calculated. It is shown that sub-band gap intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy makes it possible to resolve different contributions to the sub-band gap photocurrent and to study the kinetics of free carrier generation induced by sub-band gap light absorption. Experimental results obtained with nanoporous GaP photoanodes are analyzed; two different mechanisms are responsible for sub-band gap photocurrent flow. The potential of...


Purpose
Following the recommendation of the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations in agricultural innovation, for taking advantage of emerging technologies, in benefit of small-farmers, the present study explores one of the most ancient crops in the world that privileging the application of tacit knowledge, to become a succulent plant called agave, into the so-called drink of the gods, the mezcal. For this, the purpose of this study is to discover innovation opportunities and reconfiguring knowledge interaction dynamics of the agricultural artisan production of agave-mezcal from Oaxaca, Mexico, using emerging technologies

Design/methodology/approach
Following a qualitative-quantitative approach, the study was carried out with 44 mezcal producers from Oaxaca, Mexico, through face-to-face session, questionaries' application and field visits, based on the model of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization (SECI) through Likert-scale questions, combining the non-parametric statistical analysis and digital compass, for the detection of technological opportunities

Findings
Basing on artisanal process, context-knowledge place, technological resources and SECIs model results, the opportunities must go in the route of labour in the logic of digital performance. In this sense, becomes relevant to develop an easy-use mobile application for improving the interaction of mezcaleros with external agents and another's producers., A second proposal is the creation of mezcal-tech-hub, thinking as collaborative space, for promoting the interaction producer-to-producer and producer-to-external agent.

Originality/value
The value of the present study is the empirical description of knowledge dynamics interaction contained in the agricultural artisan production of agave-mezcal through SECI model; the identification of problems, failure or barriers contained in the knowledge interaction dynamics of the agricultural artisan production agave-mezcal; the proposal of innovation opportunities for reconfiguring the knowledge interaction dynamics of the agricultural artisan production agave-mezcal from a developing economy, using emerging technologies.


Methods and systems for processing crude oil comprise adding water to the crude oil to produce an emulsion comprising brine and oil and solids; separating oil from brine including producing brine comprising a rag layer; separating the rag layer into a hydrocarbon emulsion having finer solids and brine comprising larger solids; and passing the hydrocarbon emulsion along a cross-flow filter to produce a retentate comprising brine and solids and a permeate comprising hydrocarbon.


JT-60SA will complement ITER in resolving key issues to finally decide an acceptable DEMO design. Diagnostics play a key role in this mission. The electron temperature and density profiles are measured by a core and an edge Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostics with high spatial resolution, needed to identify the pedestal parameters and small profile structures. The two systems use a common tangential Nd:YAG laser beam path in the plasma equatorial plane. The collection optics for the edge system (low field side) is hosted in a lower oblique port and that for the core system in a horizontal port. The optics fit in the port plug tube and image the scattering volumes into an array of fiber bundles. They both are exposed to a high neutron dose of 1016 n/cm2 over 13 years of operation. The optics are supported by a mechanical structure decoupled from the cryostat. A set of filter polychromators with avalanche photodiode (APD) detectors spectrally analyze the scattered radiation. The development of the TS systems is carried out by a joint Japan-EU team. The conceptual design of the edge TS system is presented here. Simulations of the TS signals show acceptable accuracy down to 1 × 1019 m−3 electron density, sufficient to measure the edge gradient and even a small region outside the separatrix.


This paper introduces an easy to use technique for deriving upper bounds on the expected runtime of non-elitist population-based evolutionary algorithms (EAs). Applications of the technique show how the efficiency of EAs is critically dependant on having a sufficiently strong selective pressure. Parameter settings that ensure sufficient selective pressure on commonly considered benchmark functions are derived for the most popular selection mechanisms. Together with a recent technique for deriving lower bounds, this paper contributes to a much-needed analytical tool-box for the analysis of evolutionary algorithms with populations.


It was recently shown that T cells, macrophages and fibroblasts produce growth factors for B cell hybridomas and plasmacytomas. These factors were subsequently identified as members of a new family of cytokines on the basis of NH2‐terminal amino acid sequence analyses. Using T cell‐derived interleukin‐HP1 (HP1), purified to homogeneity, as the prototype of this family, we examined the effects of these molecules in conventional polyclonal B cell activation assays with anti‐immunoglobulin antibodies or dextran sulfate as co‐stimulators.


It's DESCRIBED ONE PIECE FOR DISTRIBUTION TRANSDERMAL ketorolac. The piece is capable of delivering ketorolac therapeutically effective LEVELS THROUGH THE SKIN OF A PATIENT FOR A PERIOD OF 12 HOURS OR MORE. The piece should be an adhesive matrix returns a matrix monolithic or piece TYPE TRANSDERMAL fluid reservoir. ALSO DESCRIBED THE DISTRIBUTION Transdermal (-) ketorolac, ketorolac ACTIVE enantiomer at levels therapeutically effective FOR A PERIOD OF 12 HOURS OR MORE.


Pt/USY,Pt/1.0K-USY and Pt/2.0K-USY hydro-upgrading catalysts were prepared. The typical structure and acidity of molecular sieves and catalysts were characterized by XRD,N2absorption-desorption,NH3-TPD and Py-FT-IR. Then the hydro-upgrading performance of these catalysts was studied in a continuous down-flow fixed bed with stainless steel tubular reactor and refined FCC diesel oil was chosen as feedstock. The reaction results indicated that the activity of the catalysts mainly depended on their acid quantity,acid intensity,and acid distribution with the same Pt content and the similar pore structure. Suitable acidity was more favorable for the aromatic saturation and selective ring opening reaction. The diesel product meets national V Diesel standards.


The present invention relates to a single-layer circular overhead fly-over consisting of viaduct, approaches and circular branch road. A road viaduct and its two end approaches and ground main road are formed into the grade-separated interchange, the viaduct and ground main road are connected by mans of the circular branch road, and the outside of the circular branch road is used as right-turn lane, and its inside is used for direction-changing running lane. Said invention features small area-occupying, short construction period, low cost, reasonable running line, long approach road and smallapproach grade, no affecting normal running of all vehicles.


Many obese people have type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This pattern of metabolic dysfunction has been tied to development of various cancers. In this study, obesity and DM were evaluated as possible risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

From 1994 through 2004, researchers in France prospectively enrolled 771 consecutive patients (age, ≥40; mean age, 61) with …


We model the soft pomeron contribution to dipole-dipole scattering as a closed string exchange in AdS5 with a wall. The exchange of closed and long strings is characterized by an apparent Unruh temperature and entropy that are caused by the rapidity interval chi of the collision. We show that the primordial transverse shear viscosity to transverse entropy density ratio is eta-perp/s-perp=(pi k/chi)^2/(8 pi) for scattering dipoles of N-ality k, vanishing at large chi.


What happens to a public, domestic institution when its authority is delegated to a privately-run, transnational institution? In this article, I first present a theoretical framework for understanding how governmental tasks that have traditionally been "bundled" together in state institutions become "unbundled" and outsourced to private bodies. I apply this framework to international commercial arbitration (ICA), a widely-used system of cross-border commercial dispute resolution. I argue that ICA provides commercial actors an "exit option" from weak public institutions, thereby reducing pressure on the state to invest in capacity-enhancing reform. Using a variety of difference-in-differences estimators, I demonstrate that the enactment of strong protections for ICA leads to the gradual erosion of the quality of local legal institutions, particularly in countries with already weak legal systems. I test the underlying mechanism driving this dynamic using dispute data from the International Chamber of Commerce. I find that pro-arbitration laws increase the use of international arbitration by national firms. I find no evidence, however, that such laws increase the number of arbitrations that take place within a given jurisdiction and would therefore be subject to domestic oversight. This suggests that firms use ICA as an escape from domestic institutions. This paper contributes to debates on globalization and development as well as burgeoning work on the second-order effects of global governance institutions.


In the transport debate, policy makers seem to be under the spell of a technological determinism, in which innovation Tand novelty are the key concepts. Obsessed with westernised regimes and systems, the current debate misses the relevance of forgotten, peripheral and silent mobilities. In this regard, looking to those peripheral mobilities is not only important for reconstructing our memory, but can also offer tools to build socially and environmentally sustainable transport regimes. I suggest using Walter Benjamin's Angelus Novus to address the past and future of infrastructural systems and the role of "old" regimes. This paper relies on David Edgerton's work, but I push the argument further, claiming that an innovation-prone debate today creates the (social and environmental) failures of tomorrow. While electric cars and driver-less vehicles can be useful tools, we should consider that peripheral mobilities could better address the issue of socially and environmentally sustainable transports systems. Long-term vision can bridge the past and future of transport policies and offer hints to social science, humanity and governance.


Blitar Regency has a wholesale market managed by the Wlingi Market Association, but some horticultural products from the farmers are still absorbed by the wholesale market outside Blitar Regency and reabsorbed by the retailers from Blitar Regency. Objectives of the research were to obtain information about the superior products, supply chain, and the inhibiting factors on the development of the horticultural products. Method of the research used descriptive analysis on each member of the links. Location of the research is the wholesale market in Blitar Regency, Wlingi. Variables of the research include types, volumes, and circulation of the horticultural products. Results of the research showed 3 major horticultural commodities that include chili, red pepper, and watermelon. The potential agricultural products in Blitar Regency have inefficient and complex supply chain because they involve many actors from farmers to consumers. The inhibiting factors are as follow: 1. The farmers do not have a collective system for marketing their crops so that information about the products as well as the prices are not integrated, 2. The supply chain patterns are inefficient and complex, so that the prices are costly, and 3. Inadequate location of the wholesale market. It is expected that the approach of supply chain on horticultural commodities in Blitar Regency will provide an overview of potential commodity supply availability as a consideration for supply chain management.


In order to build realistic AI planning systems, it is necessary to develop sophisticated tools for knowledge acquisition. This paper describes two knowledge acquisition tools for a crisis action planning system. The first is a graphical operator editor that enables users to develop new planning operators and revise existing operators. The second is an inductive learning system, based on the PAGODA learning model, that learns from simulator feedback and from choices made by the user during planning. This paper describes the work done so far, and proposed for the future, on these tools.<<ETX>>


A new method is developed for a straight‐edge and compass construction of square roots of positive real numbers. Its proof, unlike that of the traditional method, is an application of a half‐angle formula from trigonometry. Additional pedagogical features of the method are mentioned in the paper.


Abstract: This article reports some findings from a wider study of decision making about neighbourhood disputes by criminal justice personnel and considers the potential for the diversion to community mediation of such cases (Mackay and Moody 1994). The study was carried out in one Scottish city for the Scottish Office. We focus on that part of the study which analyses prosecutors' approaches to neighbourhood disputes and their views about diversion. We describe how prosecutors currently make decisions about neighbourhood disputes, their perceptions of these cases and their assessment of alternative ways in which such cases might be managed by the criminal justice system.


The inverse Laplace transform can turn a linear differential equation on a complex domain into an equivalent Volterra integral equation on a real domain. This can make things simpler: for example, a differential equation with irregular singularities can become a Volterra equation with regular singularities. It can also reveal hidden structure, especially when the Volterra equation extends to a complex domain. Our main result is to show that for a certain kind of regular singular Volterra equation on a complex domain, there is always a unique solution of a certain form. As a motivating example, this kind of Volterra equation arises when using Laplace transform methods to solve a level 1 differential equation.


BOD, Binders, Manuals, Reports, etc. COVER shall include (at a minimum): For more information: Refer to latest version of ''PROJECT SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS'' https://www.fs.illinois.edu/docs/default‐source/FIR/project‐submittal‐requirements.pdf DD = link to digital download pdf and all native files (cad, word, excel, etc.) D = paper Drawings, E = emailed pdfs or link to files, e = access to F&S files, PR = paper Report, PBOD = paper Basis of Design, PC = paper Calcs / Info, FB = hard copy Finishes & FF&E Binder/Boards, PM = paper Project Manual * = As Applicable FOR ITEMS IN SUBMITTALS NOT ADDRESSED IN TABLE OR KEY ABOVE ‐ See PSC Transmittal Guidance from PM/Planner


This paper presents research in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) interoperability. Also, paper describes our work in development, intro- duces interoperability framework called GeoNis, which uses new technologies, proposed in this paper, to perform integration task between GIS applications and legacy data sources over the Internet. Our approach provides integra- tion of distributed GIS data sources and legacy information systems in local community environment. The proposed framework uses the ORHIDEA medi- ation technology to allow communications between GIS applications over the Internet/Intranet. The problem of semantic heterogeneity will be resolved by concept of mediation and ontology.


Dense video captioning involves first localizing events in a video and then generating captions for the identified events. We present the Joint Event Detection and Description Network (JEDDi-Net) for solving this task in an end-to-end fashion, which encodes the input video stream with three-dimensional convolutional layers, proposes variable- length temporal events based on pooled features, and then uses a two-level hierarchical LSTM module with context modeling to transcribe the event proposals into captions. We show the effectiveness of our proposed JEDDi-Net on the large-scale ActivityNet Captions dataset.


The fluorescence lifetime of hexafluoroacetone has been measured as a function of temperature and pressure by the direct stroboscopic technique. In addition, fluorescence enhancement was confirmed by steady‐state measurements. In both the transient and steady‐state experiments, the excitation wavelength was 3130 A. The extent to which these results are consistent with the known photochemistry of hexafluoroacetone is discussed.


In terms of styles of calligraphy for generations,they are formed based on techniques.In the Song Dynasty"advocating freehand brushwork" was the mainstream of calligraphy.The main forms were letters and correspondences.The main styles were running hand and cursive script.The individualized techniques were not only great developments in Chinese artistic history,but also a change from observing rules in the Tang Dynasty to advocating freedom.


We consider the ARTl neural network architecture. Useful properties of ART1, associated with the learning of an arbitrary list of binary input patterns, i r e examined. These properties reveal some of the "good" characteristics of the ARTl neural network architecture when it is used as a tool for the learning of recognition categories. In particular, it is found that if ARTl is repeatedly presented with an arbitrary list of binary input patterns, learning self-stabilizes in at most m list presentations, where n corresponds to the number of distinct size patterns in the input list.


The question of characterization is a basic concern in international private law. Characterizations based on different legal views can lead to different conflict rules and applicable law. That is the conflict of characterizations. Through comparison and analysis of the conflict of characterizations and the methods to solve them, this paper gives the attitude and method of our country on how to handle the conflict.


An integer-valued graph function π is an interpolating function if a set π(T (G)) = {π(T ) : T ∈ T (G)} consists of consecutive integers, where T (G) is the set of all spanning trees of a connected graph G. We consider the interpolation properties of domination related parameters.


In this study, a portable instrument for measuring residual chlorine in environmental water samples was fabricated. This instrument was composed with a CPU (central processing unit), a photodiode, a LED, a data storing EEPROM, a key controller based on keyboard, several ICs, an LCD, and a power supply. It was tried to simplify the circuit structure and improve the anti-interference of the device through the collection and processing of photoelectrical signal, and the circuit control by using a CPU with an AD/DC converter. The LED with 525 nm wavelength was selected as a light source, to which ±5 V electric power was supplied. The calibration curve developed for the residual chlorine was found linear over the range of 0.2~2.0 mg/L. Their calibration sensitivities were 0.4146 and 0.4133 in KMnO4 and NaOCl standard solution, and their correlation coefficients were 0.9997 and 0.9994, respectively. Their relative error was only about 0.3%. When the instrument was applied to the water samples of 0.1 mg/L~1.8 mg/L range, it produced standard deviation of 0.003. The method detection limit was 9.95×10(-3) mg/L, when KMnO4 standard solution was used.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use analytical method and optimization tools to suggest time-optimal vaccination program for a basic SIR epidemic model with mass action contact rate when supply is limited. Design/methodology/approach – The Lagrange Multiplier Method and Pontryagin's Maximum Principle are used to explore optimal control strategy and obtain analytical solution for the control system to minimize the total cost of disease with boundary constraint. The numerical simulation is done with Matlab using the sequential linear programming method to illustrate the impact of parameters. Findings – The result highlighted that the optimal control strategy is Bang-Bang control – to vaccinate with maximal effort until either all of the resources are used up or epidemic is over, and the optimal strategies and total cost of vaccination are usually dependent on whether there is any constraint of resource, however, the optimal strategy is independent on the relative cost of vaccination when the suppl...


Ubiquity of natural disasters during last few decades have risen serious questions towards the prediction of such events and human safety. Every disaster regardless its proportion has a precursor which is manifested as a disruption of some environmental parameter such as temperature, humidity, pressure, vibrations and etc. In order to anticipate and monitor those changes, in this paper we propose an overall system for disaster prediction and monitoring, based on wireless sensor network (WSN). Furthermore, we introduce a modified and simplified WSN routing protocol built on the top of the trickle routing algorithm. Routing algorithm was deployed using the bluetooth low energy protocol in order to achieve low power consumption. Performance of the WSN network was analyzed using a real life system implementation. Estimates of the WSN parameters such as battery life time, network size and packet delay are determined. Based on the performance of the WSN network, proposed system can be utilized for disaster monitoring and prediction due to its low power profile and mesh routing feature. Keywords—Bluetooth low energy, disaster prediction, mesh routing protocols, wireless sensor networks.


Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NtrRR) has recently become an emerging technology that can mildly convert nitrate pollutants into high-value added ammonia products. However, it is highly challenging to develop NtrRR...


Odor and gas emissions from swine production systems are important issues in the United States for both producers and their neighbors. As the swine industry continues to grow and integrate, problems associated with odors generated by pork production will become increasingly significant. The conflicts between pork producers and their neighbors emphasizes the need for technologies that decrease odor production and increase odor control. In order for producers to know which pit additives, dietary treatments, and other odor control technologies are effective, research is either conducted on full scale field systems or in simulated laboratory systems. Researchers must make sure that all experimental simulation are as close to typical production conditions as possible. The laboratory simulation protocol involves animal housing, manure collection, manure storage, and odor evaluation techniques. The purpose of this paper reports a laboratory protocol that determines odor concentration and emissions from manure storage where the animals or storage systems are subject to various experimental treatments.


The situation of macro economy is an important factor influencing on labor relations.In the nations of marketing economy,monetary policy is one of the most important means of regulating economy.Therefore,in order to build up harmonious labor relations,we must pay attention to monetary policy and participate in the whole process of policy making,tools choosing,conduction,inspection and supervision and achievement.


The M. 39 was designed by Castoldi to compete in the Schneider Cup Race of 1926 (Norfolk, VA). It is a monoplane with engine mounted in the fuselage, resting on two wing and hull mounted floats.


lt is well known that the Collatz Conjecture is one of the unsolved problems in mathematics. Supercomputer simulation has confirmed that the Collatz conjecture is correct for all positive integers unti1 2.95*10^20. Recently, Terence Tao proved that almost all orbits of the Collatz map attain almost bounded values. It is to say that the Collatz conjecture is almost correct for almost all positive integers. This paper proposes an asymptotic approach for the Collatz Conjecture by the mathematical induction and probability theory. The result of this paper means that the Collatz conjecture is correct for almost all positive integers. Keywords: Collatz Conjecture, asymptotic approach, probability, mathematical induction.


Results Summary Apparent levels of household diet, perceptions of diet and food production, rural water supplies, atti tudes to birth control, and household incomes and expenditure of families in rural areas in Transkei were studied. The results revealed problems of defi- . ciencies in family energy intake and low incomes, such that at least 40% of rural families were living in .~ state of poverty. There is urgent need for an integrated development approach aimed at fulfilling basic needs. Apparent household diet Nutrition is probably the most basic indicator of poverty.6 Like other dietary surveys in Transkei1 this survey showed that mean energy intakes in each were above acceptable standards. This finding can be misleading, as is evidenced by the fact that an analysis of the distribution of apparent household diet levels revealed that between 27% and 38% of families had below minimum energy intakes (Fig. I). ~~~~ First survey-July-Dec ~~~ ,3 Dietary information was obtained by a 24-hour recall of food intake, coupled with observation and recording. During the day of the interview, observations were made on food eaten at the midday and evening meals, and respondents were questioned on the previous day's meals. Where possible, food was weighed or ingredients measured, using locally used measuring instruments (cups, spoons, etc.). The measures were converted to grams of food using Fox's4 tables of food composition and dietary require ments for various age groups. With investigations of this nature it is possible to establish only the consumption of the whole family, a method other researchers have found satisfactory for measuring dietary trends. 5


Submitted for the MAR13 Meeting of The American Physical Society Study on a 2D system of granular particles under a cyclic shear DOYCHO KARAGYOZOV, ABIGAIL POLIN, JOHN ROYER, PAUL CHAIKIN, New York University — Recent computer simulations of granular material under cyclic shear revealed an interesting phase diagram with ordered and disordered spatial and/or temporal patterns. The transition from reversible to irreversible dynamics in systems of many interacting particles is of a fundamental importance to many-body physics. To investigate these effects experimentally we built a two dimensional version where mono-disperse and poly-disperse disks are periodically driven in a parallelepiped shear cell. We track the particle dynamics and measure local packing changes as a function of shear amplitude and find diffusive behavior, localization of motion, reversibility, and macroscopic and microscopic limit cycles. Doycho Karagyozov New York University Date submitted: 09 Nov 2012 Electronic form version 1.4


This report describes modifications of the MELCOR computer code aerosol transport module that will increase the accuracy of calculations for safety analysis of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The modifications generalize aerosol deposition models to consider gases other than air, add specialized models for aerosol deposition during high speed gas flows in ducts, and add models for resuspension of aerosols that are entrained in coolants when these coolants flash. Particular attention has been paid to the adhesion of aerosol particles once they are transported to duct walls. The results of calculations with the modified models have been successfully compared to data from Light Water Reactor Aerosol Containment Experiments (LACE) conducted by an international consortium at Hanford, Washington.


Based on an improved formulation of the singular integral equation method for microstrip and suspended substrate lines, their discontinuities including arbitrary composition of steps are analyzed using the mode-matching method. Results show that previous analyses using mode matching were not sufficiently accurate. The influence of complex modes is discussed. A computer program has been developed to deal with cascaded discontinuitiesl; it includes arbitrary composition of step discontinuities.<<ETX>>