Abstract : The dynamic topography of the Pacific Ocean has been mapped for bimonthly periods relative to 500 and 1000 decibars and based on approximately 66,600 hydrographic stations. The maps indicate that the largest seasonal fluctuations are associated with the equatorial current systems. In the subtropical gyres and in higher latitudes, dynamic topography varies seasonally in accordance with the annual cycle of surface layer temperature, but the pattern of isobars does not change much between summer and winter. In the western portion of the North Pacific anticyclonic gyre, a U-shaped ridge is developed, separating the western boundary current from the interior of the gyre and linking the north equatorial ridge with a ridge at the right flank of the Kuroshio. (Modified author abstract)


Superorbital periods are observed in the optical light curves of many Be/X-ray binaries yet their origin has remained somewhat elusive. We suggest that precession of the spin axis of the Be star can drive superorbital periods, particularly for short orbital period binaries. We consider the short orbital period ($P_{\rm orb}=16.6\,\rm day$) and highly eccentric ($e_{\rm b}=0.72$) Be/X-ray binary A0538-66 that has a superorbital period of $421\,\rm day$. First we show that the spin axis precession timescale is about twice the observed superorbital period. Then, with hydrodynamic simulations we show that the Be star decretion disc can remain locked to the equator of the precessing Be star. At each periastron passage of the neutron star, material is accreted into a disc around the neutron star. The neutron star disc nodally precesses on the same timescale as the Be star disc and therefore both discs can contribute to the observed superorbital period. For wider and less eccentric binary systems, the Be star disc can have a larger radial extent and more complex behaviour is expected as a result of disc warping and breaking.


Ambitious Afghan Government plans to provide basic health-care services to 25 million Afghan people who have one of the lowest health standards in the world are being hampered by a lack of funds and mounting insecurity, government and humanitarian officials said. Abdullah Sherzai, Deputy Minister of Public Health, told the Bulletin that his ministry was still waiting for almost half the funds needed for this year's budget alone. Donors, like USAID and The World Bank, have approved the Afghan Government plan. But some donors are not providing enough funds for this, preferring more visible projects with more immediate results, such as building a big hospital in Kabul and other cities, officials say. "Out of a total US$ 200 million we budgeted for the provision of the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) this year, only 50-60% of the money has been disbursed," Mr Sherzai said, speaking from Kabul in August. The Basic Package initiative, developed by the Afghan Government in cooperation with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and United Nations agencies including WHO, aims to provide a standardized set of basic health services at primary level to improve the health status of Afghans. Maternal mortality is alarmingly high, with about 1700 women dying for every 100 000 live births because of complications that could easily be prevented. The situation is worse in remote areas. The country has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world--with 165 deaths per 1000 live births. One in four children die before their fifth birthday. Life expectancy at birth is only 46 years. Most Afghans, particularly those in rural areas, do not have access to health care because more than two decades of war have destroyed or damaged the majority of health facilities and educational institutions, and many health-care workers have been displaced or killed. Dr Khalid Shibib of WHO's Emergency and Humanitarian Action Department said that although access to health care in Afghanistan has been improving slowly, it is not very different to many other underdeveloped countries. A serious problem is a lack of mental health resources and a shortage of professional mental health care workers. A team of researchers warned in August that the prevalence of mental disorders in Afghanistan was alarming and required immediate attention by donors and policy-makers (JAMA 2004;292:575-93). "With decades of war, the people of Afghanistan have gone through uniquely traumatic experiences that have affected their mental health," said Dr Barbara Lopes Cardozo, a psychiatrist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. …


Please cite this paper as: Friesema et al. (2012). Course of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus infection in Dutch patients. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(3), e16–e20.


Abstract Reduced frond production as well as foliar disorders and root damage to leatherleaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis [Forst.] Ching) coincided with the widespread use of Benlate fungicide in grower operations. These symptoms could not be explained by environmental conditions or the presence of new pathogens. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Benlate at labeled rates on frond production, root morphology, and soil microbial characteristics of leatherleaf ferns. A separate experiment was conducted by adding Benlate at labeled drench rate to previously untreated soil to evaluate the promotion of soil bacteria. Benlate was applied to leatherleaf fern plants in the greenhouse at labeled foliar and drench rates for 17 months. Fronds were harvested during the last nine months. Roots of the ferns were examined using electron microscopy at termination of the experiment to determine physical and microbial characteristics of the roots. Rhizosphere bacteria were evaluated to determine count...


A Q -CW 60 W laser-diode-array has been used to pump miniature zigzag slab oscillator of Nd: glass. 400 μJ output with TEM_(00) mode and slope efficiency of 8. 2%were obtained with 24 mJ pump energy at 0. 8 μm in 400 μs pulses. Improving mode-fill factor, the slope efficiency would be imcreased greatly. The strong and wide absorption bands in such phosphate glass allow efficient pumping while somewhat relaxing the expensive wavelength selection requirements for laser diode arrays compared with crystalline host materials.


Objective: To explore seniors' experiences of the intervention process after participating in a social internet-based occupational therapy intervention.Method: A qualitative interview study was con ...


The physical model of the ideal mercury-in-glass thermometer is usually considered in the first-year undergraduate courses. It is clear that the number of non-ideal effects affecting the readings of a mercury-in-glass thermometer is high, and this thermometer is not usually employed when an accuracy better than &0.5"C is required. How-ever, effects like the volume change of the glass envelope and the non-uniformity of the capillary tube seem to be of 'academic' interest, and are usually proposed in the 'problems' section of undergraduate textbooks. Though both effects have a very small impact in practical situations, the task of evaluating, inserting and comparing these corrections may be of instructional rele-vance. the process of learning physics calls to


A pilot study on Hygiene promotion was being implemented in 5 urban slums of the Indore through the support of UHRC's program partners (NGOs-CBOs). Activities pertaining to hygiene behaviour promotion were carried out intensively in the selected slums. The findings of program assessment report show that hygiene messages have been well received by the community members and most of the families have started practicing desired behaviours. Seeing the enthusiastic level of community, an operational research ?Hygiene Promotion Trial? was carried out to measure the impact of interventions in improving the health condition of children. This reports presents details of the study


. Let R = (cid:76) α ∈ Γ R α be a graded integral domain graded by an arbitrary grading torsionless monoid Γ, and (cid:63) be a semistar operation on R . In this paper we define and study the graded integral domain analogue of (cid:63) -Nagata and Kronecker function rings of R with respect to (cid:63) . We say that R is a graded Pr¨ufer (cid:63) -multiplication domain if each nonzero finitely generated homogeneous ideal of R is (cid:63) f -invertible. Using (cid:63) -Nagata and Kronecker function rings, we give several different equivalent conditions for R to be a graded Pr¨ufer (cid:63) -multiplication domain. In particular we give new characterizations for a graded integral domain, to be a P v MD.


Background and Objectives: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition characterized by heartburn and acid regurgitation without signs of oesophagal mucosal injury on one hand, and erosive oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus consequences like oesophagal cancer on the other. The aim of this study was to explore the involvement of different lifestyle-related factors in the aetiology of symptomatic GERD. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 79 patients (28 men and 51 women) aged be-tween 20-68 years old were recruited randomly through a direct interview between January to October 2021, and they were prescribed Proton Pump Inhibitors. Prior to starting this study, the approvals had been granted by the ethics committee and oral consent was gained from the participants. A questionnaire was designed and consisted of demographic and clinical characteristics regarding GERD. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 25 for describing frequencies and percentages, followed by Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests as inferential statistical analysis for finding associations between variables. Results: Among the total of 79 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, the findings indicated that more than half of the study sample (58.2%) were overweight and obese (26.6% and 31.6% respectively), and the heavy smokers made the highest percentage among smokers (19%). There was a statistically significant association between gender and smoking and BMI among GERD patients (P-value = 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively). There was a very highly significant association between BMI and heartburn and nausea and vomiting (P-value = 0.001 for both), while there was a non-significant association between BMI and chest pain, cough, and sleep pattern disturbance (P-value = 0.324, 0.558, and 0.907 respectively). Conclusion: A higher BMI and smoking are associated with a higher likelihood of GERD symptoms


Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease increasing the risk of stroke, atherosclerosis,
endothelial dysfunction. At risk (Pre hypertension) levels are - Systolic -120- 139, Diastolic – 80-89. High
Blood Pressure levels are - Systolic – 140 or above, Diastolic – 90 or above. Periodontitis and hypertension share common risk
factors: Smoking, Stress, Socio-economic factors. These Confounds the association between hypertension and periodontal
disease. Objective was to assess the risk of hypertension in participants with periodontal disease. A randomized sample of 100
patients within the age group of 18-70 years were selected from the Department of Periodontology. Clinical Parameter recorded
were missing teeth, bleeding on probing, gingival recession, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, age, BMI, Smoking
status. Blood Pressure assessment- using an automated Sphygmomanometer device. In this study, a signicant association
between periodontitis and hypertension is seen (45.5%). Association with smoking (41.8%), age and BMI is also found to be
prevalent.


Urban mineral is a description of the image of waste recycling and remanufacturing industry on a large scale. In this paper, Urban Mineral Industry is analyzed using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis systematically. The most important positive features were Political status, Well-developed regulation, Government financial support, Technology support and Potential of recycling. Shortcomings and deficiencies in the field of Waste classification, waste recycling system, management systems and market functions needs to be better improved. Construction of the World's City and Regional integration were seen as a potential opportunity for Urban Mineral Industry. However, there is substantial uncertainty and skepticism concerning that rise in energy prices and capital costs, environmental capacity and ecological safety risk and impact from foreign enterprises.


In this article,based on MAS(Multi Agent System) method,an ammunition consumption calculating method is put forward.A hybrid agent architecture is designed,that is to say,the commander-entity is made by BDI Agent,whose function is dividing the combat into several phases,and allocating task in each phase,while the fighter-entity is made by IF-Then Agent,whose function is performing the tactics behavior.What's more,the personality of commander is well expressed in this method.As a result,this method can tackle the drawback of traditional methods,reflect the confrontation better,and enhance the veracity and adaptability of calculating.


Abstract The present study describes the synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of N-benzyl indole aldehydes. The biological activities of the newly synthesized compounds were examined by investigating their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The potential of these compounds as an antioxidant was determined by 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, Nitric oxide, Superoxide, peroxide radical scavenging methods. We found that aldehydes 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4e and shows promising in vitro DPPH scavenging antioxidant activity while aldehyde 4b and 4e show good in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. Graphical Abstract


In this work, synthetic melanoidin wastes have been treated with conductive-diamond electrochemical oxidation in a bench-scale plant. The results show a significant influence of the current density and also of the electrolyte salts on the efficiency of the treatment. The electrochemical oxidation of the melanoidins in the presence of carbonate or perchlorate does not lead to the complete mineralization of the organics, but to the accumulation of refractory compounds. Conversely, the oxidation of these synthetic wastes in the presence of chlorine, sulfates, or phosphates yields the complete removal of the chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon of the wastes. In addition, the efficiency (amount of melanoidin removed per Ah) also depends on the electrolyte salt. Thus, the presence of chloride and phosphate anions allows better results to be obtained. These observations have been explained taking into account the important role of the mediated oxidation carried out by the oxidizing electrogenerated a...


It analyzes the uncertainty of transmit scheduling control in PET(Positron Emission Tomography) data acquirement system,and brings forward a solution scheme based on FPGA.Through the accurate scheduling control of various digital information from nuclear data samples,it is clear that the reliability of coincidence processing and the performance of the whole system are improved greatly.This solution has been adopted in PEM system.


Combined with field trips and hydrological,meteorological and social statistics of the Tarim River Basin in recent 50 years,the mathematical statistics and charts were used to analyze water environment change at the lower reaches of the Tarim River and causes.The results showed that since the 1950s,water source amount reduced,and groundwater depth and groundwater salinity increased;Weilu lake dried up and was in an exhaustion state.The main reasons for the change on the one hand were warm and dry climate trend,less precipitation,large evaporation,high speed of river water reducing;on the other hand,they were human activities,for example,population at the upper and middle reaches increased rapidly,arable land expanded,the distribution and consumption of water resources were uneven.Therefore,more attention should be paid to the influence of human activity in terms of the water utilization and overall control in the Tarim River Basin.


Railway subgrade mud pumping is one of the most common defects. Unfavorable combination of soil, water, dynamic load is the main cause of subgrade mud pumping. Based on the source of water causing railway subgrade mud pumping, it can be divided into 5 major categories; on the basis of three stages forming mud pumping, the defect mechanisms are explored and the influencing factors are analyzed; identifying the defect categories is the premise of determining railway subgrade rehabilitation schemes, while geological radar detection is proved to be an effective mean appropriate for railway mud pumping detection; common mud pumping prevention measures are concluded, so as to provide references for the railway subgrade mud pumping defect controlling project.


The top-k query has been studied extensively, and is considered the norm for multi-criteria decision making in large databases. In recent years, research has considered several complementary operators to the traditional top-k query, drawing inspiration (both in terms of problem formulation and solution design) from the geometric nature of the top-k processing model. In this seminar, we will present advances in that stream of work, focusing on updates since the preliminary seminar on the same topic in MDM'16.


The performance degeneration of components not only reduces the economy of aircraft engine, but also serious threat to the flight safety. Neural network with learning and reasoning abilities is widely used in fault diagnosis. In this paper, a neural network is established with improved BP method. 9 measured parameters of an aircraft engine are selected as features parameters. 21 kinds of gas path failure modes are coded with 5 bits. The data preprocessing methods and the effect of measurement noise are also discussed.


This paper focuses on packet classification and queue management based on the differentiated services (Diffserv) model. A new dynamic queue algorithm and queue-mark scheme is presented based on the analysis of the Diffserv and RED model. Also a rate and RTT aware marker is proposed based on the TCP model. Simulation results show that proposed algorithms and schemes consume less network resources, improve fairness among flows and make Diffserv more efficient.


SPARC 2021 Poster No. 3Background: Similar to global
trends, Saudi students face significant lifestyle changes as they leave their
home environment, enter university, and develop new habits. As a result of
these changes, new health-related behaviours can be established, including unhealthy
diets, low levels of physical activity, and sedentary behaviours. The Food Dome
dietary guidelines were developed in 2012 to prevent the most prevalent
diet-related diseases for the Arab countries. However, since then, no studies
have explored knowledge and attitudes about the Food Dome dietary
guidelines. This research aims to explore the relationships between
weight, nutritional behaviours, and knowledge and attitudes in relation to the
Food Dome among 18-25-years-old university students in the Eastern Province of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Methods: The orientation for this
research has been mixed-methods, including quantitative and qualitative
research elements to address the research aims and objectives. In phase one of
this study, the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS) was used, and a new Food Dome
questionnaire was developed and validated to analyse knowledge and attitudes
about the Food Dome dietary guidelines.

Results: The knowledge analysis of the Food Dome
questionnaire resulted in several emerging patterns. This included a lack of
knowledge about Food Dome, food group consumption frequencies and knowledge of
specific food groups serving sizes (e.g., cereals and their products,
vegetable, meat). Attitude and behavioural analysis showed that almost half of
the participants made the correct nutritional choices (as per Food Dome)
despite a lack of knowledge and were mostly in the normal weight category.


Contact-mediated self-avoidance/repulsion restricts dendrite in a 2D space. Defect in dendrite-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion disrupts the confinement and results in self-crossings in 3D space. In this study, epithelial genes underlying dendrite-ECM affecting larval dendrite patterning were identified through genetic screen using mutants and RNAi knockdown. In-vitro and in-vivo assays were performed to characterize the epithelial gene function. To understand their mechanism, further in-depth study is required to elucidate their roles in coordinating sensory dendrite arborization. Keywords: Dendrite; epithelial cells; Drosophila


The article presents the results of an experimental study of the possibility of removing heavy metals from solutions filtered through the thickness of the tailings of the Dzhidinsky GOK. It was found that as a result of the hydrolysis reaction of these salts (mainly iron sulfate), an acidic environment is formed, metal hydroxides are formed and a sulfate ion accumulates in the solution, which increases the migration of heavy metals both inside the tailings pond and outside it. Limestone is proposed as a neutralizing reagent. Different ways of adding limestone to man-made sand are considered. The use of 0.5-1 mm limestone by adding it to man-made sand makes it possible to increase the pH of solutions to 5.3.under these conditions, the content of a number of elements in the solution was reduced.


This paper deals with the stability of the boundary layer circulation of interstellar gas in a galaxy. This flow was derived in a previous work concerning a rotating axisymmetric galaxy containing a gaseous disk embedded in a surrounding gaseous halo. There it was shown that a boundary layer circulation should exist in the meridional plane, this flow extending from the galactic plane to several disk scale heights into the halo. Shear-flow instabilities are expected because of the presence of inflection points in the vertical structure of this flow. In this paper we derive the differential eigenvalue equations governing linear waves of arbitrary pitch angle in a (spatially) slowly varying medium. The wave dynamics are constrained by the Boussinesq approximation insofar as the adopted scaling filters out sound waves and suppresses the effects of self-gravity while preserving the buoyancy effects. By suitably defining certain quantities locally, we are able to cast the characteristic-value problem in a form which is similar to other well-known problems in the theory of shear-flow instability. Solutions of the governing equations are considered in a separate paper.


PURPOSE: to assess the prevalence of vestibulopathy and associated factors in institutionalized elderly persons through bedside clinical examination. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was performed in 12 Nursing Homes in Natal, Brazil, regulated by the Health Surveillance Department. Elderly persons who possessed a good cognitive level and were able to walk were selected, resulting in a total sample of 115 persons. They were asked whether they had experienced dizziness in the past year, and when the answer was positive, responded to a questionnaire and underwent physical examinations for the diagnosis of vestibulopathy, in accordance with the protocol established by Johnson and Lalwani (2004). The Chi-squared or Fisher's Exact tests were used for statistical analysis, with a significance level of 5%, and the Prevalence Ratio was calculated. RESULTS: the prevalence of vestibulopathy was 10.56%, and the condition was associated with osteoarthritis and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: there is a low prevalence of vestibulopathy among institutionalized elderly persons in Natal, Brazil.


The utility model relates to the technical field of switching power supplies, in particular to a circuit for suppressing the surge current of a switching power supply. The circuit comprises an alternating current power supply, a bridge rectifier, a filtering capacitor and a switching controller, wherein the pin end of the bridge rectifier is connected in series with a current limiting device. The current limiting device is a power type negative temperature coefficient thermistor which increases the resistance of the switching power supply, so that the surge current is reduced, the surge current at the moment of startup is reduced to be within a security range bearable for a system, and the reliability of the switching power supply is enhanced. When the switching power supply normally works, the thermistor is heated, and the resistance of the thermistor is decreased, so that the overhigh power of the switching power supply is avoided.


The contribution of glucose absorbed from the small intestine to whole‐body glucose metabolism was examined in ewes during late pregnancy and early lactation, using diets based on ground barley or ground maize. Glucose and L‐lactate turnover in the whole body and the mesenteric‐drained viscera were investigated in these ewes using isotope dilution techniques. The net absorption of glucose by the mesenteric‐drained viscera and whole‐body glucose turnover were unaffected by diet or reproductive status. Arterial and mesenteric venous blood glucose concentrations, arterial and mesenteric venous L‐lactate concentrations and whole‐body lactate turnover were all significantly higher in lactation than in pregnancy. The whole‐body rates of lactate conversion to glucose and to other products were significantly higher in lactation than in pregnancy. Using a two‐pool model of whole‐body glucose and lactate metabolism, a relatively high percentage of glucose was converted to lactate (64–84%), accounting for 60‐80% of whole‐body lactate turnover. A model of glucose and lactate metabolism by the mesenteric‐drained viscera was constructed. Both the calculated endogenous glucose production and the visceral conversion of glucose to lactate were greater in lactation than in pregnancy when barley was fed. Calculated total glucose absorption was relatively constant, contributing between 26 and 59% of whole‐body glucose turnover. Diet had little effect on glucose and lactate metabolism in either the mesenteric‐drained viscera or the whole‐body of breeding ewes.


The number of apps continues to grow and so do the number of scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting user.


Traps baited with 100 μg (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate and 10|ig (Z)-ll-tetradecenyl acetate are highly effective in attracting C. murinana males at varying population densities. The attractive mixture was established by electrophysiological and Field screening studies combined with chemical analysis of the female pheromone secretion. (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate is a major constituent in washes of pheromone glands of calling C. murinana females. This compound, the first dodecenyl ester pheromone known for a species of the Archipini tribe, is moderately attractive on its own at low doses. Attraction is strongly synergized by 10% (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate but is inhibited by small amounts of (Z)-9- tetradecenyl acetate. Each of the three compounds acts upon a separate type of receptor cell in hair sensilla of the male antenna.


This paper investigates the stability performances of bidirectional ac-dc converters considering operating conditions based on the small-signal impedance model. It finds that the converter has different stability margins when working in different operating conditions (including inverter mode and rectifier mode, as well as generating/absorbing reactive power), which should be taken into account in the design of the converter for bidirectional energy conversions. To have an intuitive understanding of the instability mechanisms of bidirectional converters in different operating conditions, the concept of positive feedback is used. It finds that with phase-lock loop (PLL) and dc-link voltage control loop (VCL), positive feedback effects appear when the converter operating in different conditions; and the influencing mechanisms of the parameters, including control parameters of PLL, inner current and outer voltage controllers and power ratings, on the converter's stability can be explicitly identified by the positive feedback gains. And it indicates that reducing the values of the parameters along the positive feedback paths will be a practical way to enhance the converter's stability. The theoretical stability analysis results are verified by simulations and experiments.


A finite amplitude theory for an ion‐acoustic double layer (DL) in a plasma with cold ions and two distinct groups of Boltzmann–Maxwellian distributed hot electrons is presented. Conditions are obtained under which large amplitude stationary double layers can exist. For physical parameters of interest, the DL profiles and the relationship between the maximum DL amplitude and the Mach number are found. A perturbation technique is introduced to derive a modified Korteweg–de Vries (MKdV) equation which governs the dynamics of a weak double layer. It is found that the parameter regimes for the existence of small and finite amplitude DL are not complementary to each other. The relevance of this investigation to space and laboratory plasmas is pointed out.


Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of metalloproteins is briefly discussed, and a summary of the properties of several NMR active nuclei is given. In addition, the use of these NMR properties in solving biochemical problems is presented. (JMT)


In this paper, according to the creditable degree of each line in the judgement matrix, the weight of each line is determmined The sequency vector of the judgement matrix is derived by using the weighted logarithmic least square method, and some characteristics of the weighted logarithmic least square method are given


In the present study, the acoustic source generated by the flow inside internal ducts is studied using the Large Eddy Simulation technique. The cases under study correspond to two typical components used in the aircraft climate control system. The configurations are the case of a double diaphragm and a flow splitting device with a bifurcation. The two configurations differ in the acoustics noise genera tion mechanisms and in the regime of the flow. Both simulations are performed with FLUENT V6.2 general-purpose unstructured control-volume code. For both cases the unsteady si mulations give insight into the noise production mechanisms. For the first configuration, turbulent eddies detached from the first diaphragm impact the second diaphragm where strong wall pressure fluctuations are generated. For the second case, the unsteady calcul ation reveals that eddies formed at separation are convected along the opposite wall where they induce significant wall pressure fluctuations. The detailed comparison between the e xperimental pressure spectra and the results obtained with the Large Eddy Simulation shows a reasonable agreement in both cases. Both the tonal frequencies and broadband noi se are reproduced by the simulation for the double diaphragm case. In the bifurcation case where no tonal peaks are measured, the simulation predicts reasonably well the broadband noise for the low frequency range. It is shown that contrary to the double diaphragm case, results are very sensitive to the inlet turbulent boundary conditions treatment. The work described in this paper is part of an evaluation into the use of CAA methods for aircraft climate control systems at Airbus.


A new procedure for estimating area and capital cost targets of constrained heat exchanger networks is presented. The method allows for match constrained networks and exchangers with more than one tube pass. The procedure is based on modelling the problem as a non-linear formulation where the forbidden exchanger matches are included as constraints and the temperature difference correction due to multipass exchangers is included in the model. The difficulty of converging to a solution due to the additional non-linear constraints imposed by the multipass exchangers required the use of a two-level approach: at the inner level, the area targets for simple pass exchangers are obtained, and at the outer level the temperature difference required for multipass exchangers are computed and fed back to the inner level. The procedure is repeated until an appropriate tolerance between two iterations was achieved. A comparison between the estimated exchanger areas and costs estimated by the new procedure and the area and costs obtained from the final heat exchanger design shows a very good agreement.


168 The communicative-analytical method is considered as the most effective since it meets the vast majority of needs and requirements of the research and education personnel involved in the foreign language training. The mixed structure of financing based on personal, institutional and state funds in the different stages of the project implementation is substantiated. Motivational factors including internal and external ones are analyzed to define the most encouraging aspects. Since international projects with Ukrainian academics participating in them are getting increasingly common in the process of innovative development of the educational sphere under influence of the globalization processes this direction involves intensive learning English as a language of international communication and requires particular attention to creating and pursuing specific strategies and cost-effective approaches which need further development.


This research contributes to (1) developing a learning video of Plumbing and Sanitation Practice Practice, (2) knowing the feasibility of the Plumbing and Sanitation Practice Practice video learning media, (3) knowing user perceptions regarding the Plumbing and Sanitation Practice Practice learning video applied to the Department of Education UNY Civil Engineering and Planning. This research is an R&D research with a 4D model approach (Define, Design, Development, Disseminate). Data collection techniques are based on research subjects in making video products for Plumbing practice learning videos, namely experts related to plumbing materials, media experts. The instrument used uses a Likert scale to measure the feasibility level of the product being developed. The results obtained are (1) the define stage, namely analyzing the initial conditions, analyzing the character of students, analyzing concepts and learning objectives, the design stage, namely designing a script for the delivery of information consisting of opening, content, closing, the development stage, namely the process of recording making a video learning until the completion of editing the resulting video and then testing the eligibility validation of the product by experts, the disseminate stage, namely the limited dissemination of the product produced in this case the learning video of plumbing work practices to samples to assess and find out the level of feasibility and usefulness of the product; (2) the level of product feasibility based on the material content made is worth 4.58 belonging to the "very feasible" category, while the assessment based on the media made is worth 4.91 belonging to the "very feasible" category; (3) The results of the disseminate that has been carried out obtain the value of the user's perception of the product which is included in the very high category, the percentage of product feasibility is 91.52% which is included in the "Very Eligible" category.


The Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) was introduced by the austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli in 1925. Since then, several experiments have checked its validity. From 2006 until 2010, the VIP (Violation of the Pauli Principle) experiment took data at the LNGS underground laboratory to test the PEP. This experiment looked for electronic 2p to Is transitions in copper, where 2 electrons are in the Is state before the transition happens. These transitions violate the PEP. The lack of detection of X-ray photons coming from these transitions resulted in a preliminary upper limit for the violation of the PEP of 4.7 × 10-29. Currently, the successor experiment VIP2 is under preparation. The main improvements are, on one side, the use of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) as X-ray photon detectors. On the other side an active shielding is implemented, which consists of plastic scintillator bars read by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). The employment of these detectors will improve the upper limit for the violation of the PEP by around 2 orders of magnitude.


Modeling techniques play an important role in the development of database applications. One of the trends in current database management systems is that they become object-relational (Stonebraker & Brown, 1999). The most recent version of the SQL standard, SQL:1999, includes object-relational features, and a number of leading companies have already released packages that incorporate them. Well-known modeling techniques for relational databases, such as entity-relational diagrams, do not support important features of object-relational databases. In addition, the development of a database application involves a close working relationship between the software and database developers. Software developers deal with object-oriented software development and use object-oriented modeling techniques, such as a logical class model, to represent the main view of the application, whereas database developers model, design, build, and optimize the database. The most successful projects are marked by a shared vision and clear communication of project details (IBM, 2001). A common modeling language and supporting development tools can provide good conditions for it. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) was adopted as an Object Management Group (OMG) standard for object modeling in 1997. Since that time, it has become popular and widely used and provides several types of diagrams that visualize a system from different perspectives. From database-design point of view, a class diagram is the most important diagram. It shows a set of structural elements and their static relationships. This model can be used not only as documentation, but also for data definition language (DDL) statements generation. If we want to employ the UML as a modeling language for development of a database application where persistent data is stored in an object-relational database, it is necessary to add the ability to model features of these kinds of databases in an effective and intelligible way, and the UML provides a proper extension mechanism for it. Modeling of an object-relational database schema will be called object-relational modeling in this article. If we accept three perspectives for drawing class diagrams (Fowler, 2003)—conceptual, specification, and implementation—the need for object-relational modeling is only for the implementation, and possibly specification, levels. A conceptual model should be developed with little or no regard to implementation and a target database environment.


The major potential advantage of the one-tailed test is a reduction of Type I1 error. Kimmel ' ( 3 ) , proposing limited situations where one-tailed tests may be appropriate, carefully emphasizes that the selection of test type must depend on the meaning to E of different possible outcomes. Unfortunately, the argument is made less clear by what may be a misprint. He states, ". . . there are exactly twice as many chances of committing a Type I error, with a given mean difference, under a two-tailed hypothesis." Actually, the chances of Type I error, for corresponding levels of significance, are identical in the oneand two-tailed situations. In other than the null case for parameter values, a Type I error is impossible. The apparent flexibility of the mathematical model seems to encourage some questionable applications of one-tailed tests. Mathematical rationale (in a restricted sense) does not oppose the one-and-a-half-tailed test facetiously offered by Hick ( 2 ) . On this basis, tests could be tailor-made to the genera1 feeling of E by employing various areas in the two tails-say 4.5% to the right, and 0.5% to the left. My pre-experimental hypothesis and other evidence might suggest that a directional difference will be obtained, marginally significant by usual standards. If I decide that it is appropriate to guard only slightly against the opposite alternative, the test above would be a cozy one to use. One must admit that adoption of this suggestion might not lessen confusion. W e have, however, a rationale not too unlike those given in some reports to explain why one-sided alternatives were selected. In choosing a test rationale we must not only consider experimental alternatives that may interest later workers, but should guard against bias in attempting to foresee the future. It is proposed that this last consideration is a strong, though much neglected, argument against some present uses of one-tailed tests in psychology. W e can profit from Fisher's recent emphasis, in relation to inference, that research outcomes are disseminated to serve a great variety of purposes and that no one can foresee all of these ( 1, p. 102).


In a circular economy, the aim is to close material loops that retain the highest utility, quality, and value of products, components, and materials. The environmental impact of the material used in constructing, maintaining, and renovating roads is severe. Within the European H2020 project CityLoops, the municipality of Apeldoorn prepares a circular road renovation project, yet wonders: how to align the actors in public infrastructural projects to come to a circular and, at the same time, executable project? A literature study and experiment were conducted. The experiment consisted of a co-design process aiming for the renovation of a residential road constructed in the late seventies. When conducting road renovation, multiple departments within the municipal organization and different external organizations need to collaborate. To them, circular material usage was introduced as a new specific sustainable objective, while traditional constraints, like time and costs, remained. It was visualized in a process journey, showing who is expected to meet which collaborative milestones and when. The insights from this experiment might help other municipalities, principals, and contractors to come to circular design processes in the road construction industry.


ABSTRACT This paper analyzes an variant working vacation queue with server breakdowns and repair. The server takes working vacations as soon as the system becomes empty. The service times during regular busy period, working vacation period, vacation times, breakdown times and repair times are all assumed to be exponentially distributed and are mutually independent. We have used the probability generating functions to derive the steady-state probabilities and obtain the closed form expressions of the system size. In addition, we obtain some other performance measures and their monotonicity with respect to variant working vacations.


Auricular Point Sticking Therapy is one of the traditional Chinese medicine,with the balance of yin and Yang,Conditioning organs,Dredging meridians,Rousing,blooding and Calming the nerves,invigorating the circulation of blood and Relieving pain,clearing the stool and discharging stone,and so on.Clinically,Applied to kidney stones,hemodialysis complication,laboratory exam-inations and other areas,achieved a good therapeutic effect.


For the X-ray images of weld have low contrast,noise jamming and fuzzy boundaries,it gets better weld contour and internal defect separately through image processing using the method of mathematical morphology,image subtraction and iterative threshold segmentation.It is effective,continuous and integrate compared to traditional methods.Furthermore defect coordinates of weld contour and a few parameters of internal defects are made a study,which provide a big advantage for the later weld inspection and identification.


Abstract The validity of linear stationary wave theory in accounting for the zonal asymmetries of the winter-averaged tropospheric circulation obtained in a general circulation model (GCM) is ascertained. The steady linear primitive equation model used towards this end has the same vertical and zonal resolution as the spectral GCM, but is finite-differenced in the meridional direction. It is linearized about a zonally symmetric basic state and forced by topography and 3-dimensional diabatic heating and transient flux convergence fields, all of which are taken from the GCM. As in Part I, (in which we studied a GCM with a flat lower boundary) we obtained the best correspondence, between the GCM and the linear solutions when strong Rayleigh friction is included in the linear model not only near the surface, but in the interior of the tropical troposphere as well. There is sufficient quantitative correspondence between the GCM and the linear solution to justify decomposing the linear simulation into parts for...


In previous studies methods were developed for calibrating the Arealometer readings A and D to optically-determined measurements of standard cotton fiber samples. In this paper similar principles are applied to the PH and PL readings obtained from the Shirley I.I.C. Fineness/Maturity Tester, using the same standards and optical measurements. The I.I.C. Tester is already calibrated to give the following equivalents: Micronaire, Causticaire, percent maturity, and linear density. The interrelations of these equivalents with appropriate optical measurements have been investigated.


Possessing ideological qualities is a gradual process. We should establish a multiplex, synthetical and entire assessment system for the ideological and political theory course exams in medical colleges. The innovation of exam mode can promote the diversification of teaching style.


Terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a payment, including on the basis of obtaining a store information including the unique payment order, and obtains the store information of the store corresponding to the payment terminal, a plurality of card information for billing each corresponding signals to the sequence-specific billing of the store will be sent to the payment terminal.


Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology has significant research potential, specifically for harsh maritime environment operations. Memorial University of Newfoundland recognized this potential and in 2005 the University commissioned an International Submarine Engineering Explorer AUV to be built. The Marine Environmental Research Lab for Intelligent Vehicles (MERLIN) was established to manage, maintain and operate the Explorer for Memorial University and any other potential AUV users. Over the course of ten years, MERLIN capabilities have grown to a full service AUV research team with harsh maritime and polar experiences. The Explorer was born in the Pacific Ocean, lives in the Atlantic Ocean and has vacationed in the Arctic. AUV research efforts have evolved from dynamic vehicle studies with basic sensor technology to integration of cutting edge sonar systems that push the boundaries of AUV design and successful implementations of original research into advanced autonomous navigation.


The simple compressive strength and the tensile strength by diametral compression were systematically investigated to analyze the performance of a silty soil from the metropolitan region of Curitiba (Brazil) stabilized with ash from the paper production industry and with hydrated dolomitic lime, using cure of 14, 28 and 90 days. A series of compaction tests at normal Proctor energy were performed to calculate the optimal compaction parameters of soil-ash-lime mixtures: maximum dry specific weight (γ d-max ) and optimal moisture content (ω o ). Four cellulose ash contents were added and used (5%, 10%, 15% and 20% in relation to the dry mass of the soil) and a fixed lime content (L) of 5% based on the initial consumption of modified lime and established from the interpretation of pH measurements performed on various soil-ash-lime mixtures. The results demonstrate that there is an increase in the optimal moisture content and a decrease in the maximum dry specific weight of the compaction curves with increasing cellulose ash content. On the other hand, the tests of simple compression and tension by diametral compression reveal that there is an increase in the values of mechanical strength of the mixtures up to an ash content of 15%. Finally, dosage equations that allow estimating the strength values of mixtures were developed based on a semi-empirical model taking into account the specific mass and volume of the materials in addition to the compaction energy.


In this paper, the authors present an analysis of the finite element solution to nonlinear differential equations using new Chebyshev polynomial basis functions and extends the work presented in [1].


Classical practitioners of the art of rhetoric such as Demosthenes have long been a familiar part of the rhetorical tradition, but subsequent periods have generally been confined to the history of rhetorical theory, with little attention paid to political rhetoric or public discourse. We need to develop a more rhetorical perspective on the history of rhetoric to encompass rhetoric's dual nature as an intellectual discipline and a practical political art. Such a perspective would focus on the domain between the learned culture and the public experience, the domain where rhetorical theories are applied to discursive practices to formalize who can speak, how controversial issues are to be argued, and what political purposes such arguments serve. The eighteenth century is a dynamic period in the history of rhetoric precisely because the domain between the educated world and the public sphere was transformed by the expansion of the reading public.' Rhetoricians such as Hugh Blair were the first professors to lecture on modern culture because they taught students who came from the provinces of the English reading public.2 General histories of college English studies tend to ignore eighteenth-century rhetoricians in the assumption that the study of English is more or less synonymous with the study of literature (see Baldick, Graff, McMurty, and Palmer).3 We need more rhetorically oriented histories of modem cultural studies, not just because literature specialists have tacitly accepted the erasure of rhetoric from such studies, but also because the formation of disciplinary knowledge is a rhetorical process, and the domain of rhetoric is where disciplines set themselves off from related discourses and public audiences. Rhetoricians first introduced English into the university curriculum in the middle of the eighteenth century in Scotland, America, and elsewhere in the cultural provinces. All of the figures whom Howell has categorized as "New" rhetoricians came from outside the centers of English education, while Oxford and Cambridge


On November 21, 2012, the ISO filed amendments to its tariff to create new settlement rules that would allow the ISO to recapture revenue derived from one category of intertie scheduling practices that could be considered circular scheduling. The ISO requested that the tariff changes be made effective as of February 1, 2013. In the January 29 order, the Commission accepted the ISO's proposed tariff amendments, subject to one exception.


This thesis presents the subcircuit design of the 2.4/24 GHz dual-band coexistence sensor receiver RF front-end, which can be divided into two topics by the operation frequency. The first topic is the design of 24-28 GHz double-balanced Gilbert-cell mixer and 24 GHz front-end. The second topic is the design of 2.4 GHz current-reused voltage-controlled oscillator. The circuits in this thesis are simulated and implemented in TSMC 0.18 m process.
The proposed 24-28 GHz double-balanced Gilbert-cell mixer applies a 24-28 GHz RF input signal, which is downconverted by a LO signal to 2.4 GHz band and delivers to the subsequent 2.4 GHz system. This circuit adopts inductive peaking technique, inserting an inductor between the transconductance and switch stage, to extend the bandwidth and improve the performance of high frequency operation. The proposed mixer provides a conversion gain in the desired band greater than 4.3 dB with the P1dB and IIP3 of -13 and -6 dBm, while drawing the 18.9 mW from a 1.8 V supply.
The proposed 24 GHz front-end utilizes the three-stage low-noise amplifier to enhance the overall gain, diminish the noise figure and improve the sensitivity of the front-end. The mixer in the proposed front-end employs a single-balanced mixer to lower power consumption. The proposed front-end achieves a conversion gain of 10.5 dB with the noise figure of 11.8 dB and provides a P1dB and IIP3 of -25 and -19 dBm, while taking the 32.5 mW from a 1.8 V supply.
The proposed 2.4 GHz current-reused voltage-controlled oscillator takes advantage of its topology and improves the unbalanced voltage swing, exhibiting an extreme low power consumption and a low unbalance ratio. The proposed voltage-controlled oscillator achieves -118 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset with a tuning range of 2.27-2.79 GHz (20%), drawing only 1.8mW from a 1.5 V supply; furthermore, the output power is greater than -7.3 dBm in the desired band.


The 1950s saw what has become one of the most comprehensive, if contested, scientific projects of the 20th century. It concerned the eight Marshall family expeditions to the Kalahari Desert between 1950 and 1961. The sheer scale of these missions was itself unique, and the research results and visual data generated are still being processed, as in this volume by Ilisa Barbash, the curator of visual anthropology at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. John Marshall's 16mm film (and later, video) output, which spanned 50 years and was later to be heavily criticized, has been extensively examined and used in classrooms globally ever since it was released. And the small-scale farming development strategies proposed by John after the turn of the millennium were rejected by policy-makers and donors who superseded his work in the Nyae Nyae region, in favor of wildlife tourism. I first visited eastern Bushmanland in 1996, having already met and talked with John Marshall and his mother, Lorna Marshall, in Boston. Twice I viewed with Jake Homiak (in 1990, 1994) a million feet of 16mm outtakes archived at the Smithsonian Institution's Human Studies Film Archives, and we developed analytical frameworks to try to make sense of the largely unannotated outtakes. Not surprisingly, I began to reassess during this four-year period the extraordinary enormity of this project and its research value. The Marshalls, initially rank amateurs as scholars, photographers and filmmakers, nevertheless created a new visual paradigm and field-tested new imaging technologies. John, a 17year-old student when he first arrived in South Africa, later shaped along with American filmmakers such as Richard Leacock, Frederick Wiseman and Robert Drew the documentary film movement known as direct cinema (involving "natural" performance [Barbash 2016: 134–138]. The Marshalls and the many photographers who worked for them at various times pursued visual material on a similar scale, generating some 40,000 stills, of which only about 300 were previously published. Their photography drew on earlier practices first established by Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson [ibid.: 38–39], and many of them documented the nature of the research


In this paper we calculate the value of N for the system where the intermediate formed on the disc electrode is reversibly but almost wholly converted into a second intermediate in a homogeneous reaction; this second intermediate returning through the first intermediate is destroyed at the ring electrode. We also calculate the effect of homogeneous kinetics and of slow electrochemical kinetics at a simple ring electrode and the effect of slow electrochemical kinetics for the ring-disc electrode. The results are discussed and a table summarizing the chemical and electrochemical systems dealt with in this series of papers is given.


Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) involve a human-robot team [6, 7, 14, 21]. For the purposes of this discussion, the UAS human-robot team is defined as the human personnel primarily responsible for UAS flight, navigation, and acquisition of mission-related information and will exclude consumers of information without direct control over the payload or platform (referred to as "knowledge workers" in [22]). Human team members may be co-located with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or at a remote location, and, depending on the type of UAV and mission, can vary in number. Additionally, human team member roles may overlap.


Based on the actual operation of the company and a large number of literature,this paper analyses governance structure,the degree of marketization of investment decision-making,management level,and financing channels of local government investment company,together with relationship between these factors and assets risk in China by building structural equation model of Influencing Factors of assets risk of local government investment company.It is found that the degree of marketization of investment decision-making can indirectly influence the assets risk of local government Investment Company in China,via its assets structure.The proportion of public welfare projects of whole assets has positive correlation with the company's assets risk.To raise the level of management or increase the financing channels can reduce the company's assets risk.


There are two aspects on university spirit,one is its general character,which refers to university idea,and the other is its direct and realistic character,which reflects itself through university campus culture.University spirit is a unity consisting of both university idea and university campus culture, and it always takes on a new look.Nowadays,reconstructing university spirit is a necessary and inevitable way for a university to gain a new life.


COVID-19 virus belongs to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) family raised a situation of health emergency in almost all the countries of the world Numerous machine learning and deep learning based techniques are used to diagnose COVID positive patients using different image modalities like CT SCAN, X-RAY, or CBX, etc This paper provides the works done in COVID-19 diagnosis, the role of ML and DL based methods to solve this problem, and presents limitations with respect to COVID-19 diagnosis © 2021 Karadeniz Technical University All rights reserved


On the basis of a review of the biochemical and histochemical literature, all esterases are divided into the eserine-resistant esterases (aliesterases) and the eserine-sensitive esterases (cholinesterases). It has previously been demonstrated by histochemical study that a wide spectrum of enzymes exists among the aliesterases; the present study is concentrated on the cholinesterases. The myoneural junction in four species; man, dog, rat, and mouse, was studied by histochemical techniques utilizing both choline esters and non-choline esters as substrates, and under the influence of various physical and chemical agents. On the basis of this study, it is demonstrated that none of the biochemical classifications or `types' of cholinesterases can be defended, and that the cholinesterases of the various species and tissues should therefore be viewed as a family of enzymes, forming a spectrum with multiple overlapping and differences with respect to physical properties, effects of inhibitors and substrate specificities.


Background: Tridax procumbens extract (TPE) has been widely used in tribal/folk medicine to stop bleeding and to enhance wound healing process. Based on its traditional medicinal importance, the TPE is evaluated for its possible role in blood coagulation cascade. Objective: This study has been conducted to evaluate the TPE for the presence of protease associated with fibrino (geno) lytic, collagenolytic properties, and its action on blood coagulation cascade and platelet aggregation to substantiate its procoagulant nature. Materials and Methods: The TPE was analyzed in vitro for proteolytic, fibrinogenolytic, and collagenolytic activity. It was also analyzed for its effect on blood coagulation and platelet aggregation. In vivo studies have been conducted for hemorrhagic and edema inducing activity. Results: A non-toxic serine protease having procoagulant property associated with fibrino (geno) lytic, collagenolytic (both type I and type IV), and platelet aggregation inducing was identified and evaluated from TPE. The TPE decreased the clotting time of human plasma as evaluated by recalcification time and partial thromboplastin time by 19.8 and 1.53 folds, respectively. This suggests its procoagulant nature. TPE also enhanced the adenosine diphosphate-/epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation by 1.35 and 1.38 folds, respectively. Conclusion: The TPE serine protease is a non-toxic procoagulant with fibrino (geno) lytic and collagenolytic activities and induces platelet aggregation. Further, isolation and characterization of active molecule in TPE will allow us to exploit the pharmacological potential of TPE on coagulation cascade.


In this article to show the result of scientific work about the chemical treatment and influence on the dynamic strength of Colorado beetle and his entomophage`s on potato plant in condition of Zerafshon, Hissar and Rasht valleu. To bring that after treatment of potato with preparation of fury, nurell D, desis, karate and confider the was an increase of quantity of Colorado beetle the sharply abridge, the total of 0.2-0.5 number of plant organized in one. In Condition of Republic of Tajikistan on potato's plant in June and July months the Colorado beetle is to develop, and in this period oversight of entomophage`s will be shown. Therefore for the organized the measure to struggle against is required.


The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has recently released the report containing key results of the NSS 55th Round Employment-Unemployment Survey covering the period July 1999 thru June 20001 .Being canvassed over a separate set of households, the results of the Employment-Unemployment Survey are also free of the controversies surrounding the NSS 55th Round Consumer Expenditure Survey .They therefore provide an opportunity to review the changes in the size and structure of the work force and in the unemployment situation in the country in the 1990s through a comparative analysis of the results of the large-scale quinquennial surveys for 1993-94 and 1999-2000. The analysis will be primarily at the all-India level. But, at this level of aggregation, they have considered separately the four segments differentiated by gender and rural-urban location: rural males; rural females; urban males; and, urban females. The changes in the size of the work force and the underlying work force participation rates, the industrial distribution of this work force, the changes in labour productivity and, the changes in the extent of unemployment and underemployment in the country has been examined. Finally, They examine the changes in the average number of days worked by a worker on the usual status and the changes, in real terms, in the daily average wage earnings of casual wage labourers and in the average yearly "wage earnings" per capita. [Working Paper No. 89]


To address the issue that how the EEG-EMG signals change according to different motion modes, an experiment was conducted on ten subjects with three tasks performing the voluntary, stimulated and imaginary finger flexion activities. The experiment was set two programs including 10s and 2s time intervals. Electroencephalogram (EEG) from C3/C4 channels and electromyogram (EMG) from flexor digitorum superficialis were recorded simultaneously. Besides the threshold detection of wave peaks between two points, morlet wavlet-based time-frequency analysis was adopted to study the independent variation mechanisms between EEG and EMG under different motion modes. The results indicated that EMG signals of 2s intervals exhibited a similar trend with 10s intervals. The EMG energy increased over 50 Hz when actions occurred. On the contrary, there were no significant changes in imaginary task. In addition, EEG signals performed obviously different. No pronounced similar changes were found in 10s and 2s intervals. Finally, the results demonstrated that EEG-EMG causality was high during 2s intervals in stimulation task.


The inversion mechanical model of foundation parameters based on Powell optimizing theory was studied with generalized Bayesian theory. First, the generalized Bayesian objective function for foundation parameters was deduced with maximum likelihood theory. Then, the expectation expression and the covariance expression of the foundation parameters were obtained. After selecting the Winkler foundation as representative, the governing differential equations of the typical foundation were derived. With the orthogonal series transform method, the Fourier closed form solution of a moderately-thick plate on the Winkler foundation was achieved. After the optimal step length was determined with the quadratic parabolic interpolation method, the Powell inversion mechanical model of foundation parameters was resolved, and the corresponding inversion procedure was completed. Through particular example analysis, the highlight is that the Powell inversion mechanical model of foundation parameters with generalized Bayesian theory is correct and the derived Powell inversion model has universal significance, which can be applied in other kinds of foundation parameters. Besides, the Powell inversion iterative processes of foundation parameters have excellent numerical stability and convergence. The Powell optimizing theory is unconcerned with the partial derivatives of systematic responses to foundation parameters, which undoubtedly has a satisfying iterative efficiency compared with the available Kalman filtering or conjugate gradient inversion of the foundation parameters. The generalized Bayesian objective function can synchronously take the stochastic property of systematic parameters and systematic responses into account.目的通过Powell 优化反演方法建立Winkler 地基参数 的反演力学模型,获得地基参数的稳定数值解。创新点根据Bayes 理论,推导广义Bayes 目标函数;利 用Fourier 变换,推求Winkler 地基上简支板的 Fourier 闭式解,建立地基参数的反演力学模型。方法1. 根据Bayes 理论,推导广义Bayes 目标函数(公 式(4))及地基参数的广义Bayes 均值和方差表达 式(公式(9)和(11));2. 引入Mindlin 理论,推导 Winkler 地基上板的控制微分方程,推求Winkler 地基上简支板的Fourier 闭式解;3. 提出步长的一 维自动寻优方案,结合Powell 优化方法建立 Winkler 地基参数的广义Bayes 反演力学模型。结论1. 地基参数的反演迭代过程稳定收敛于参数真 值;2. 与Kalman 滤波方法和共轭梯度法不同, Powell 优化方法的迭代过程不涉及目标函数的偏 导数计算;3. 广义Bayes 目标函数能同时考虑不 同测量点和不同测量次数的位移实测资料,计算 效率更高。


The miniaturization of circuit components introduces the problem of localized heating that can give rise to temperature overshoots and degradation in circuit reliability. While the generated heat can be removed, a profitable spin-off is to transform the heat current into electric power taking advantage of the Seebeck effect. This constitutes the basis for electric-thermal energy conversion. The optimization of Seebeck-based power conversion techniques [1], of late, have received much attention as newer materials, notably graphene, hold promise of better thermoelectric operation demonstrated by a higher thermoelectric figure of merit, $ZT$, However, the absence of a finite band gap in graphene largely precludes its applicability; this shortcoming is alleviated in other two-dimensional (2D) gapped honeycomb lattices. The laboratory-grown silicene, germanene, and stanene (identified as the X-enes) with a buckled structure and gapped Dirac cones offer a viable alternative. Here, combining first-principles and analytic calculations, we examine a strained ferromagnetic X-ene based caloritronic device wherein a spin and valley resolved current $(I_{\mathrm{t}\mathrm{h}})$ flows on account of a temperature $(T)$ gradient created difference in Fermi distribution $(f)$ at the contacts.


The quantitative description of an airlift bioreactor, in which aerobic biodegradation limited by car-bonaceoussubstrate and oxygendissolved in a liquid takes place, is presented. This process is described by the double-substrate kinetics. Mathematical models based on the assumption of plug flow and dispersion flow of liquid through the riser and the downcomer in the reactor were proposed. Calculations were performed for two representative hydrodynamic regimes of reactor operation, i.e. with the presence of gas bubbles only within the riser and for complete gas circulation. The analysis aimed at how the choice of a mathematical model of the process would enable detecting the theoretical occurrence of oxygen deficiency in the airlift reactor. It was demonstrated that the simplification of numerical calculations by assuming the "plug flow" model instead of dispersion with high Péclet numbers posed a risk of improper evaluation of the presence of oxygen deficiency zones. Conclusions related to apparatus modelling and process design were drawn on the basis of the results obtained. The paper is a continuation of an earlier publication (Grzywacz, 2012a) where an analysis of single-substrate models of the airlift reactor was presented.


The Guhyasamaja, or "Secret Assembly," Tantra and Mandala are fundamental teaching tools which developed at an early date in history to aid the Buddhist practitioner in understanding and practicing Tantric Buddhism to attain enlightenment. Starting at the core of the painting, Guhyasamaja Akshobhyavajra and his Prajna, Sparshavajri comprise the center of this classic Karma Gadris-style thangka. Moving to the bottom center of the painting and circling around it clockwise, we encounter the jina Buddhas--Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi--as well as their female counterparts--Lochana, Mamaki, Panduravasini, and Shyama Tara. The key to recognizing the overall message in this painting, as well as the larger tantra itself, is that these deities are not only generated by Guhyasamaja Akshobhyavajra, but they are all considered to be him as well.


The primary objective of this review is to understand and reveal the underlying the theoretically distinctive facts about the social identity of the individuals in Pakistan's context. The human behavior scholars are finding new theoretical concepts that are useful in understanding the group behavior. There are three critical aspects that underpin the concept of social identification cognitive, evaluative and affective. These constructs are further explained in diagrams using groups, in group dynamics, related performance and commitment. The CLD shows that how individual' social identification is related to commitment. This paper helps to understand the factors that are more associated with the social identification and social grouping of employees within the organizations in Pakistan's context. The methodology is based on system dynamics. System dynamics causal loop approach stage wise is applied to identify the unique dimensions that are associated with the distinctive underlying structure of human behavior that forms the social identity of employees within the organization. System dynamic methodology consists of three steps, the first step is CLD diagram, followed by Stock and flow maps and finally software-based simulations. This paper reveals that naturally made groups are more cohesive and individuals in natural or achieved groups are more committed emotionally towards each other. The significance of this paper lies in understanding the causal structure that influences the formation of social groups in Pakistan organization. Theoretical construct that underpin the notion of social identification of an individual includes the cognitive, evaluative, and affective components that help us to understand, how an individual adapts to the social identity.


In many species, chemical communication is a determining factor in mate choice. Some species use the composition of cuticular compounds to discriminate between potential mates. Moreover, the presence of parasites can also influence mate choice and alter the odor of an individual. In the current study, we tested the effect of the endosymbiont Wolbachia, which is naturally present in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare and can induce male feminization in the species. We compared male attraction to different types of females (Wolbachia-free, females naturally infected by Wolbachia, Wolbachia-injected females, and females injected with a bacteria-free suspension). Our behavioral assays revealed that males consistently preferred Wolbachia-free females and that this preference correlates to changes in cuticular compounds. Males also preferred naturally infected females over Wolbachia-injected females. The ability of males to discriminate between females could result in Wolbachia impacting its host phenotype, thus affecting the odor of the host. Female odor is the result of an honest signal that makes it possible for males to discriminate between Wolbachia-infected and non-infected females. The male preference for Wolbachia-free females is adaptive, and long-term studies have demonstrated that such choices confer improved fitness.


Sakaki [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 19, L735 (1980)] has investigated the mobility of semiconducting thin wire structures when the mobility of the wire is limited by scattering from ionized impurities which are located a fixed distance outside the wire. We have used a similar model to theoretically calculate the impurity‐limited mobility of such semiconducting thin wires for the cases where the impurities are either in the wire itself (background impurities) or are distributed outside the wire (remote impurities) or are distributed uniformly both inside and outside the wire. For the case of scattering from the background impurities, we find that the mobility decreases with decreasing wire radius d as [ln (kd)]−2 where k is either the thermal or Fermi wave vector of the carriers. For the case of scattering from remote impurities, the size dependence of the impurity‐limited mobility depends upon how the remote impurities are distributed outside the wire. When the distribution of ionized impurities outside the wire ...


In a copper flash smelting furnace, collision of concentrate particles plays an important role in producing the desired slag and matte. Moreover, the collision of the particles and the resulting growth in the particle diameter are also very important in order to avoid the generation of a large amount of dust.The authors have developed a mathematical model incorporated the fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, chemical reactions, and collisions of the concentrate particles. Both the gas flow and particle motion were calculated using the Eulerian method. The copper concentrate was assumed to consist mainly of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) . The concentrate reactions considered were the decomposition of CuFeS2 and the oxidation of the resulting sulfur (S) and pyrrhotite (FeS) thereby producing magnetite (Fe3O4) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) . Moreover, the oxidation-reduction reaction when concentrate particles collided was also considered. The particle collisions were assumed to occur according to a collision probability rule obtained by the model calculations. The growth in the particle diameter was described as a change in the volume fractions of the particle phases. When applied to a commercial flash smelting furnace, this model reproduced the particle diameter growth and the component transfer as observed in a pilot plant furnace.


This article presents a comparative perspective of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The investigated Member States are the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The implementation of the WFD in these Member States was researched with the help of legal experts who completed questionnaires or were interviewed and-limited to five Member States-through interviews with civil servants who were involved with the implemention of the WFD. This research demonstrates that the WFD leaves so much room for discretion that the Member States adopt different approaches concerning the implementation of fundamental parts of the Directive. Although the need for flexibility due to the differences in circumstances is recognised, the new governance approach of the WFD demonstrates a risk that unambitious national practices will leadto a lack of practical effectiveness. Especially in transboundary river basins this may harm more ambitious Member States.


To ensure the interests of stock investors, it is essential to make short-term predictions on stock prices and reduce the investment risk of stocks. In this paper, we use Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and Classification And Regression Tree (CART) algorithms and their two models based on Bagging ensemble learning (MLP-CART). Then, it discusses the impact of various factors that maaffecton stock prices on closing prices. The data of Ping An Bank are applied to the above model, and the results show that : The MLP-CART integrated algorithm constructed in this paper is applied to short-term stock price prediction, and its root means square error (RMSE) is only 0.039, 0.007, and 0.029 lower than MLP and CART. Its coefficient of determination (R2) is almost as high as 0.9, which is 0.03 and 0.26 higher than MLP and CART, respectively, indicating that its overall performance is more robust and generalizable than base learners. In summary, the research of this paper is conducive to the study of scholars ' prediction model of stock price and has played investment advice and quantitative trading advice for stock investors, which has great help to reduce investment risk.


People with disabilities are an important part of society. The world has a huge population of disabled people. Therefore, it is important to study the establishment and improvement of the disability welfare law. To carry forward the humanitarian spirit and develop the cause of the disabled is a signㄴ of social civilization. Improving the welfare system for the disabled is conducive to social progress. Disabled people have the same right to pursue a happy life as non-disabled people. Now, South Korea, China and Japan all have disability welfare laws. But the content of welfare law is not the same. China's welfare law for the disabled is also very detailed, but there are many problems. Such as education, medical care and so on. Therefore, through this study, to understand the perfect disabled persons' system in other countries, will play a positive role in the development of China's disabled persons' welfare law in the future. By comparing the welfare laws of the three countries, we can learn from each other and make progress. To contribute to the development of the cause of the disabled.


Abstract Boundary value problems for second-order differential equations on the half-line having an arbitrary number of turning points are investigated. We establish properties of the spectra, prove an expansion theorem, and study inverse problems of recovering the boundary value problem from given spectral characteristics. For these inverse problems we prove uniqueness theorems and provide a procedure for constructing the solution.


Introduction Range and diffusion of positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals are important parameters for image resolution in positron emission tomography (PET). In this study, GEANT4 toolkit was applied to study positron diffusion in soft tissues with and without a magnetic field for six commonly used isotopes in PET imaging including 11C, 13N, 15O, 18F, 68Ga, and 82Rb. Materials and Methods GEANT4 toolkit was used to simulate the transport and interactions of positrons. Calculations were performed for the soft tissue phantom (8 mm ×8 mm × 8 mm). Positrons were emitted isotropically from the center of the phantom. By the application of a magnetic field perpendicular to the path of positrons, lateral scattering of positrons could be prevented due to Lorentz force. When the positron energy was below the cut-off threshold (0.001 MeV), the simulation was terminated. Results The findings showed that the presence of a magnetic field increased the rate of positron annihilation. At magnetic field strengths of 3, 7, and 10 Tesla, 18F with the lowest decay energy showed improvements in the ratio of full width at half maximum (FWHM) resolution to the peak of curve by 3.64%, 3.89%, and 5.96%, respectively. In addition, at magnetic field strengths of 3, 7 and 10 Tesla, 82Rb with the highest decay energy showed improvements in resolution by 33%, 85%, and 99%, respectively. Conclusion Application of a magnetic field perpendicular to the positron diffusion plane prevented the scattering of positrons, and consequently, improved the intrinsic spatial resolution of PET imaging, caused by positron range effects.


Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is a powerful technique that reduces the resources necessary to solve otherwise intractable problems in computational science. The AMR strategy solves the problem on a relatively coarse grid, and dynamically refines it in regions requiring higher resolution. However, AMR codes tend to be far more complicated than their uniform grid counterparts due to the software infrastructure necessary to dynamically manage the hierarchical grid framework. Despite this complexity, it is generally believed that future multi-scale applications will increasingly rely on adaptive methods to study problems at unprecedented scale and resolution. Recently, a new generation of parallel-vector architectures have become available that promise to achieve extremely high sustained performance for a wide range of applications, and are the foundation of many leadership-class computing systems worldwide. It is therefore imperative to understand the tradeoffs between conventional scalar and parallel-vector platforms for solving AMR-based calculations. In this paper, we examine the LibraryHyperCLaw AMR framework to compare and contrast performance on the Cray X1E, IBM Power3 and Power5, and SGI Altix. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that investigates and characterizes the performance of an AMR calculation on modern parallel-vector systems.


The book recently published was undertaken as a research dissertation at Harvard University in the eighties when 1 was connected with it as a co-supervisor and reader. The book was thus known to me before its publication, and therefore I have little comments to offer today except making a general evaluation that it is a scholarly work on the mediaeval mosque architecture of Bengal, now captioned Sultans and Mosques Some new ideas in the subject, however, have crept in chapter 2 (other two chapters-1 & 3 being preliminary and catalogue) dealing with the origins of 'Bengali Mosque Architecture'.


Harvey Abrams: Satisfaction is a complex process that involves many different issues, not just satisfaction with the device and service. It includes, for instance, satisfaction with parking at the clinic and how long the patient had to wait to be scheduled or seen. Furthermore, there is the issue of value. That is, while technology improves, costs go up and so therefore do expectations of benefit. Value, therefore, becomes intrinsically linked to satisfaction. Robyn Cox: My thought is that also. I feel that we have an escalating situation in which quality and technology are improving but the relative increase in cost is greater than the improvement in technology and/or quality and that this is really holding satisfaction down. Judy Abrahamson: My response to this is related to expectations and the limitations caused by the damaged auditory system. There is a belief that improved technology should and will result in better hearing. However, a highly damaged auditory system limits what technology can achieve. No one adjusts expectations to take this into account.


A numerical simulation model of a stirred tank with PY type impeller in active service has been established by CFD method The results of CFD show good agreement with these of the LDV experiment The research on actual high velocity fluid field in the stirred tank indicates that the position and the rotate speed of impeller as well as product property are main influencing factors for distributing of flow field in the stirred tank The conclusion can provide a help to optimize design and management for high velocity fluid stirred tank


The people often establish taking notes on reading and browsing activities; hence annotation is being very important in human life in anytime and anywhere. We developed a free-form annotation tool for collaboration that provides a convenient way to create annotation easily. Our approach is characterized by two design criteria, including: 1) digital ink annotation: help users to focus on annotated concept or specified sentence on reading and browsing a web page; 2) IM-based annotation discussion board: help users to discuss sharing digital ink annotation based on each one's aspect in an efficient manner.


The article presents findings of a qualitative study focused on analysis of social interaction experiences of beginning teachers in higher education, whereby social interaction is construed as a dialogue, conversation, socio-cognitive conflict, and intersubjective solutions thereof, which influence the process of formation of new competencies.The aim of research is to show the prevailing experiences of beginning university teachers in building competencies within the context of social interaction - socio-cognitive conflict - situations. The research is based on the interactional ethnography approach. The research participants were newly hired teachers of different universities in Lithuania. The research shows that the degree of asymmetry in social relations is subject to differences in the status, experience, competencies, or age of the agents. In the context of intensity of socio-cognitive interaction, where it involves a small number or single-direction exchanges of views and opinions, socio-cognitive conflict will not necessarily be progressive in building new competencies. As regards the features of social and affective interaction, the situation of convenience - confrontation is the most favorable for the acquisition and formation of cognitive structures - competencies. Social and cognitive abilities of participants in a socio-cognitive conflict, as prerequisites for cognition, are essential for the acquisition of new structures - competencies.


Reliability modeling and deadlock control have become important issues in automated manufacturing systems (AMSs) with reliable and unreliable resources. Therefore, this paper develops a reliability modelling approach and deadlock control based on colored resource-oriented timed Petri net (CROTPN) and neural networks to find crucial reliability measures in AMSs. In the first step, a CROTPN with considering resource failures is developed to obtain "sufficient and necessary conditions" for the CROTPN liveness. In the second step, a fault diagnosis and treatment approach is proposed that integrates the obtained unreliable net with neural networks to ensure that the system is reliable. Furthermore, a neural unreliable CROTPN is used to analyze the system reliability. A simulation is carried out to illustrate the approach and compare the results to those found in the literature. The developed approach has been proved to be simpler in structure and can solve the deadlock problem and model AMS reliability.


Large service companies run complex customer service processes to provide communication services to their customers. The flawless execution of these processes is essential because customer service is an important differentiator. They must also be able to predict if processes will complete successfully or run into exceptions in order to intervene at the right time, preempt problems and maintain customer service. Business process data are sequential in nature and can be very diverse. Thus, there is a need for an efficient sequential forecasting methodology that can cope with this diversity. This paper proposes two approaches, a sequential k nearest neighbour and an extension of Markov models both with an added component based on sequence alignment. The proposed approaches exploit temporal categorical features of the data to predict the process next steps using higher order Markov models and the process outcomes using sequence alignment technique. The diversity aspect of the data is also added by considering subsets of similar process sequences based on k nearest neighbours. We have shown, via a set of experiments, that our sequential k nearest neighbour offers better results when compared with the original ones; our extension Markov model outperforms random guess, Markov models and hidden Markov models.


A phase-variable material micro-capsule as temperature-adjusting functional material, an intelligent temperature-adjusting viscose fiber and its production are disclosed. Dry breakdown strength is >=1.42CN/dtex, wet breakdown strength is>=0.64CN/dtex; It consists of cellulose 84.7-92.75wt%, micro-capsule 5-30wt% and water-content 7-15wt% and oil solution 0.15-0.30wt%. The fiber coagulation heat-liberation enthalpy valueDeltaH>=1.0J/g, melt heat-adsorption enthalpy value DeltaH>=1.0J/g. It is non-toxic, has better adaptability and no harm.


Abstract We introduce a graded version of pseudo-valuation rings for integral domains graded by a torsionless monoid, and we extend several results to the graded situation.


The interlaminar shear strength of reinforced plastic composites has long been recognized as a critical property in the structural performance of composites. However, its role in structural performance and the many factors that influence it have not been clearly elucidated. Although much attention has been given to the importance of resin-glass adhesion, little is known regarding the contribution of resin strength and composite quality. In this article it is shown that interlaminar shear strength is a direct function of both resin strength and composite void content. The curves of resin tensile strength vs interlaminar shear strength indicate a limiting value for interlaminar shear above which increases in resin tensile strength do not increase defects.


This study investigates the influence of sonication on the viscosity and mechanical properties of polymeric nanocomposites. Nanocomposites made with sonication show better mechanical properties than the analogous nanocomposites made with mechanical mixing only. In this work the comparison of polymer matrix properties with and without sonication as well as nanocomposites produced with and without sonication is performed. Parameters of study are temperature level, time of sonication, concentration of nanoparticles [nanoclay], type of neat polymer (vinyl ester, epoxy), and percentage level of catalyst (for kinetics study). It is shown that the viscosity of polymer matrix is increased after sonication and cooling to the initial temperature (Figure 1). The kinetics of solidification checked with help of viscometry is changed also. Viscometry studies significantly affect the nanoparticles dispersion quality and properties of the nanocomposite. Results indicate that there are shifts in mechanical characteristics of polymer matrix and nanocomposites. Decreases in Young's modulus and strength of polymer matrix are experienced while ultimate strain and energy absorption properties exhibit increases (Table 1). Data tend to confirm the hypothesis that cavitations of the sonication process cause rupture of macromolecules and creation of free radicals which are attached as lateral branches making polymer more grafted and rubber-like.


A card body comprises a first card body (ID-1 card 1), the second card body (plug-in card 2), and a third card body (mini card 3). The first card body has a first shape (ID-1 shape). The second card body has a second shape (plug-in shape). The first card body encompasses the second card body. The third card body has a third shape (mini shape). The second card body encompasses the third card body. The third card body has a cavity for receiving an electronic module. The first boundary is first shape (ID-1 shape) is separated from the second shape (plug-in shape), mechanical connection strength between the first card body (ID-1 card 1 and plug defining the concatenated) between the card 2, comprising a first number of openings 5,6,7,17,18 and the first number of notches 19 and 20. The second boundary, the second shape (plug-in shape) is separated from the third shape (mini shape), mechanical connection strength between the second card body (with the plug-in card 2 and mini card 3 defining the concatenated) between, and a second number of openings 21 and a second number of notches 11, 12. Second mechanical coupling strength, to be greater than the first mechanical coupling strength, the cumulative length of the first number of openings 5,6,7,17,18 the second number longer than the accumulated length of the opening 21 of, and cumulative length of the first number of notches 19 and 20 are accumulated in the second number of notches 11, 12 It was shorter than the length.


e13030Background: Older women with BC are less likely to undergo genetic cancer risk assessment since a hallmark of hereditary BC is younger age at onset. Hence there are limited data regarding genetic risk assessment findings in older women with BC. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and germline variant profiles of women with history of BC referred for genetic counseling at age ≥ 65 years, enrolled in the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network registry. Methods: Women age ≥ 65 with a history of BC (invasive or ductal carcinoma in situ) who underwent genetic testing from 1997 to 2016 were included. The profile of those found to have BC-related pathogenic variants was analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics for those with and without germline variants were compared using Fisher's test and x2statistics. Results: 1372 women age ≥ 65 with BC were identified. Genetic testing was performed in 75% (n = 1035), among whom 10.4% (n = 108) had a germline variant in a BC-associated gene...


The NRAO Mission The National Radio Astronomy Observatory enables forefront research into the Universe at radio wavelengths. In partnership with the scientific community, we: ! provide world-leading telescopes, instrumentation and expertise, ! help train the next generation of scientists and engineers, and ! promote astronomy to foster a more scientifically literate society. In the next decade, to fulfill its mission, the NRAO will be operating a suite of forefront telescopes: ALMA, EVLA, GBT and VLBA, observing from meter to sub-millimeter wavelengths, with an order of magnitude or more improvement in resolution, sensitivity, frequency coverage, spectral line capabilities, and field of view, over this entire wavelength range. These telescopes will complement the key observatories at other wavelengths as essential tools for discovery in all areas of modern astrophysics. To maximize the scientific impact of its facilities, the NRAO will provide easier access and enhanced support to the broader multi-wavelength user community. To help realize the SKA Program in the longer term, the NRAO will increase its efforts in relevant SKA technology research and development, in collaboration with the US and international community. The NRAO will also take concrete steps in the SKA development through continual development of its facilities, such as building focal plane cameras for the GBT to achieve a quantum leap in its observing speed and field of view, exploring real-time wide-bandwidth correlation for the VLBA via the internet, and expanding beyond EVLA to the North America Array as a pathfinder to the SKA-High.


Although high inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration in culture media directly inhibits generation of new osteoclasts and also inhibits bone resorption by mature osteoclasts, its precise mechanism and the physiological role have not been elucidated. The present study was performed to investigate these issues. Increase in extracellular Pi concentration ([Pi]e) (2.5–4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] or parathyroid hormone (PTH)‐(1‐34)‐induced osteoclast‐like cell formation from unfractionated bone cells in the presence of stromal cells. Increase in [Pi]e (2.5–4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited 1,25(OH)2D3‐, PTH‐(1‐34)‐, or receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF)‐induced osteoclast‐like cell formation from hemopoietic blast cells in the absence of stromal cells. Increase in [Pi]e (2.5–4 mM) dose dependently stimulated the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA and increased the expression of OPG mRNA suppressed by PTH‐(1‐34) or 1,25(OH)2D3 in unfractionated bone cells, while it did not affect RANKL mRNA. Increase in [Pi]e (2.5‐4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited the bone‐resorbing activity of isolated rabbit osteoclasts. Increase in [Pi]e (4 mM) induced the apoptosis of isolated rabbit osteoclasts while it did not affect the apoptosis of osteoclast precursor cells and mouse macrophage‐like cell line C7 cells that can differentiate into osteoclasts in the presence of RANKL and M‐CSF. These results indicate that increase in [Pi]e inhibits osteoclast differentiation both by up‐regulating OPG expression and by direct action on osteoclast precursor cells. It is also indicated that increase in [Pi]e inhibits osteoclastic activity at least in part by the direct induction of apoptosis of osteoclasts. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The invention relates to an automatic optical system for quickly and automatically aligning image and a relative operation method. The method comprises that: a central processor-programmable logic controller compares a target image and a tested image in the automatic aligning process, to compare the linear equation of the tested image after a linear regression operation with the sampling points, removing the sampling points whose distance with the linear equation is over a threshold value, and adopting the left sampling points to calculate a second linear regression linear equation to attain a calibrated reference line, rotating the left edge lines vertical/parallel with the reference line for 90 degrees with the reference line and for the projection/translation of 180 degrees to process sampling point compensation; adopting the point group for a third linear regression to attain compensated edge lines to calculate out accurate positioning center of the tested image; realizing better aligning efficiency, calibration compensation mechanism and the application for various aligning images.