The purpose of the present article is to review our discovery concerning a completely new mechanism of metal-nonmetal (M-NM) transition in expanded Se. Several mechanisms were previously proposed for M-NM transitions which includes the Bloch-Wilson transition, the Mott-Hubbard transition and the Anderson transition. In each of these cases, a transition takes place from metal to nonmetal when the system is expanded. This behavior is brought about by the narrowing of bands on the increase of volume, which leads to the opening-up of bands and the appearance of an energy gap at the Fermi level. On the other hand, a transition occurs in expanded Se from nonmetal to metal on expansion, which is perfectly against the common knowledge. In expanded Se, chains are fragmented into small sizes of 10, and consequently some of bonds are stretched. We show that the energy splitting E σ * - σ ≡ E σ * - E corresponding to these stretched bonds becomes smaller, and eventually the gap between the valence band (composed of the lone-pair orbitals) and the conduction band (composed of the anti-bonding σ* orbitals relevant to the stretched bonds) closes and the system transforms from nonmetal to metal.


The purpose of this study was to determine the mathematical disposition of students who have sanguine and melancholic personality types, and whether the mathematical disposition of students with sanguine types is higher than melancholic types. The population in this study was 260 seventh grade students of Junior High School in the Pituruh district. Sampling using a proportionate random sampling technique was taken as many as 65 students. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires and tests. The results of the first study showed that the mathematical disposition of seventh-grade students in the Pituruh Subdistrict in the 2019 school year in terms of the sanguine and melancholic personality types of more than 60%. The second research result shows that there are differences in mathematical disposition between sanguine and melancholic types, where the mathematical disposition of students with sanguine personality types is higher than students with melancholic personality types.


a new television drama based on the &dquo;Scared Straight&dquo; documentary. She also reported that she had broken down when reading, for she had never known that &dquo;such horrible things went on in prisons.&dquo; Titters rippled through the lecture hall. The class members were undoubtedly as uncomfortable as most Americans are when confronted by the rape that is endemic to American prisons. Such discomfort has resulted more often in denial and tittering rather in action or research by politicians, policy makers, sociologists, or criminologists. Except for the pioneering study done in 1968 by Davis, a district attorney in Philadelphia working under, of all people, Frank Rizzo, most research on violence in prisons has been incidental to the scholarship and concerns of prison researchers. The Davis study, published in Transaction, was never treated seriously by social scientists; and it is fair to say that even the humanitarian literature on prisons, exemplified by the scathing work written by the American Friends Service Committee (Struggle for Justice), has not carefully documented the scope, nature, or degree of violence in American prisons. This deficiency has been corrected by the excellent and scholarly work of Lee Bowker, who has made the Herculean effort of wading through the massive materials on adult prisons and juvenile institutions. His topic, prison victimization, has, until now, been treated only superficially and through anecdote. This will no longer be possible, for Bowker has culled his materials carefully to determine the amount, causes, and consequences of prison victimization. His classification of the victimizing relationships in prisons and of their causes should spur comparative research on prisons and other total institutions.


The electrolysis of concentrated solutions of acrylonitrile in aqueous tetraethylammonium p‐toluenesulfonate at lead or mercury cathodes and at controlled pH yields adiponitrile in virtually quantitative yields and at current efficiencies close to 100%. If the catholyte has acrylonitrile concentrations much below 10% or contains alkali metal cations, increasing quantities of propionitrile appear as by‐product. An explanation is offered for this shift in product distribution. Variations in laboratory cell design and supporting electrolyte composition are discussed.


The invention relates to a rim insert system for a rim having at least one opening which forms a rim channel that tapers in a funnel-like manner, and at least one funnel-like rim insert releasably engaged in the opening. The rim insert has a peripheral catch edge which engage behind an internally arranged opening edge of the rim channel in an inserted position. A first catch projection is in abutment with an inclined portion of the opening edge. The inclined portion and the inner face of the rim channel are disposed at an angle of approximately from 200 DEG -240 DEG in cross-section. A second catch projection is substantially diametrically opposed to the first catch projection and engages behind the opening edge in a positive-locking manner. The inner face of the rim channel and the opening edge form an angle of approximately from 270 DEG to 290 DEG .


A comprehensive statistical investigation of the increase in resistance associated with charge trapping in atomistic simulations is presented. A wide range of doping densities and mesh spacing are considered for both classical and quantum formalisms. A doping-dependent correction factor to modify the mobility model for the atomistic simulations is proposed to suppress the error related to the fictitious charge trapping. The validity of the new mobility model is tested in the statistical simulations of the transistors corresponding to 20-nm bulk CMOS and 14-nm FinFET transistors.


Describes the use of explicit models of goals and functions for monitoring and diagnosis of intensive-care patients. The method is based on multilevel flow models (MFM) and used in the Guardian system. It provides this system with alarm analysis, fault diagnosis, and automatic generation of explanations. Advantages include a relatively easy knowledge engineering effort and good properties for use in a system with hard real time deadlines. The results of some experiments are also reported.


The film material is composed of a mixture of a polypeptide, a plasticiser and a film-forming flexible polymer. When the film comes into contact with water, it liberates the polypeptides.


1. A study has been made of the fate of salicylohydrazide and its N-acetyl derivative, and of salicylohydroxamic acid and its 5-bromo derivative, in the rabbit. The last two compounds have also been studied in man, rat and mouse. 2. Salicylohydrazide is metabolized mainly by conjugation with glucuronic acid (55% of dose), and partly by hydrolysis to salicylic acid, which is excreted largely as salicyluric acid. 3. N1-Acetyl-N2-salicyloylhydrazine is not deacetylated and is excreted mainly as its glucuronide (70% of the dose). These hydrazides do not form ethereal sulphates. Their glucuronides have been isolated. 4. Salicylohydroxamic acid is metabolized by direct conjugation with glucuronic and sulphuric acids in the rabbit, and there is practically no conversion into salicylamide. The glucuronide was isolated. In man, mouse and the rat, it forms considerable amounts ofsalicylamide, which is excreted conjugated. 5. 5-Bromosalicylohydroxamic acid is excreted by man, mouse, rabbit and rat mainly as conjugates of 5-bromosalicylamide, and to a lesser extent as the glucuronide of 5-bromosalicylohydroxamic acid. The glucuronides of the amide and the hydroxamic acid were isolated from rabbit urine. 6. The in vitro tuberculostatic activity of 5bromosalicylamide is about half that of 5-bromosalicylohydroxamic acid, its precursor in vivo. 7. The toxicity of aroyl hydrazides and hydroxamic acids in relation to their metabolism has been discussed. We wish to thank Professor R. Cruickshank for making available the facilities for bacteriological investigations. One of us (W.M.M.) is grateful to St Mary's Hospital Medical School and to the Leverhulme Trust for Research Fellowships.


Significance Structural characterization of intrinsically disordered protein domains in transmembrane (TM) proteins is challenging due to the inherent conformational diversity. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we provide a detailed structural characterization of the conformational ensemble of full-length APP-C99 protein in monomeric and homodimeric states. The C-terminal extramembrane domain of C99 monomer forms transient β-strands that stabilize metastable α-helices, conjectured to play a role in Aβ oligomerization and cytosolic signaling. Most importantly, formation of transient β-strands influences TM homodimer formation, constituting long-range communication between the extramembrane and transmembrane domains. These observations emphasize the necessity to model extramembrane domains in TM protein complexes used to regulate cell signaling.


In this paper, equivalent tilt error models are derived which are applicable to the alignment of the small AUV attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), using quaternions in the body frame approach. And they are compared with the error models which use quaternions directly from the view of computational burdens. Based on the equivalent tilt error models, an alignment algorithm is developed for the AHRS to reduce its initial tilt angle error, which could be used in moving base alignment.


During the various fiftieth anniversary celebrations of the second world war, culminating in D-Day, VE and VJ Day commemorations, many Americans, with participants from other nations, remembered countrymen who died in the years following Pearl Harbor. Others also looked back nostalgically to the second world war which, according to some observers, was 'the Good War', America's 'finest hour', and 'the most popular war in American history'. The historical profession, having for long ignored the war altogether, is writing increasingly of it as a glorious and, in modern parlance, defining moment in modern American history, shaping a 'postwar era' which lasted up until the 1970s.' In this article I want to attempt some assessment of the war's impact on American society and try to locate it in relation to the pre-war and postwar periods. An increasing volume of scholarship has contributed to a subtle but persistent shift in emphasis in the writing of modern American history. Where once contemporary United States history was seen to begin in the New Deal era with the creation of the modern presidency, the formation of new political alliances, the rise of organized labour, and development of a welfare system, increasingly it is the second world war which is used to mark the emergence of modern America. While the limitations of the New Deal's achievements have been endlessly debated by revisionist historians, the war years are seen in a comparatively more positive light. According to Geoffrey Perrett, the war


Linkages between cholinesterases and the pharmacological sciences extend back to the mid-nineteenth century when the first organophosphate was synthesized (1) and physostigmine was recognized in the western world for possessing pharmacological activity (2). However, not until Sir Henry Dale (3) delineated two components of the cholinergic nervous system was the suggestion made that physostigmine inhibited an enzyme that catalyzed the breakdown of choline esters. Dale's and later Loewi & Navratil's (4) studies established a role for acetylcholine as a labile neurotransmitter. The high turnover number of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the specificity of its inhibitors, and the selectivity of thiocholine-metal ion interactions provided the bases for sensitive in vitro and in situ assay systems (5-7). Several cholinesterase inhibitors remain of value as medicinal agents and insecticides, but others possess the potential for insidious use as chemical warfare agents (8). Despite this long history of study, less than a decade has passed since the primary structure of a cholinesterase was determined (9), and only in 1991 was its crystal structure solved (10). Clearly, these recent events have added a new perspective to cholinesterase research wherein all facets of gene expression become amenable to study and structure-function relation ships within this family of enzymes can be approached at an atomic level


8 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijrte.D4740119420 DOI:10.35940/ijrte.D4740.119420 Abstract: Green marketing refers to the process of selling the products and services based on their environmental benefits. Green marketing is typically practiced by companies that are committed to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. The obvious assumptions of green marketing are that potential consumers will view a product or service's "greenness" as a benefit and base their buying decision accordingly. The main purpose of the study is to measure the relationship among consumer awareness, consumer perception and consumer buying decision with regard to green marketing practices carried out by ITC LIMITED. The findings reveal that there is a positive relationship between consumer awareness, consumer perception and consumer buying decision with regard to green marketing.


To provide a flowmeter capable of enhancing metering resolution to thus effect accurate metering. When a fluid to be measured is supplied to or discharged from a metering chamber 4, a membrane 11 provided in the metering chamber 4 is reciprocally actuated, and a rotation section R1 performs rotational movement in association with reciprocal movement of the membrane 11. At this time, since the rotation section R1 is provided with a magnet 5 or a direction sensor 6, the magnet 5 or the direction sensor 6 also effects rotational movement. The direction sensor 6 detects rotational movement, to thus determine a relative position between the membrane and the rotation section. Thus, the position of the membrane 11 can be detected, and metering resolution is enhanced. Thus, accurate metering can be performed.


Student catering projects occur on a regularbasis at most Hotel and Restaurant Management Programs in North America. The purpose of this paper is to describe a fundraising venture between a Hotel and Restaurant Management Program and a not-for-profit organization, the Scouts. The request was to cater a dinner for 2,500 guests with a guarantee of $12,500 for the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program. Throughout the article the author will share insights into certain decision- making along with recommendations for future events.


Thank you for downloading evaluability assessment a practical approach. As you may know, people have search numerous times for their chosen books like this evaluability assessment a practical approach, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some infectious virus inside their laptop. evaluability assessment a practical approach is available in our book collection an online access to it is set as public so you can get it instantly. Our book servers saves in multiple countries, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Merely said, the evaluability assessment a practical approach is universally compatible with any devices to read.


Nanoflower‐like composites have greater contact area and more redox reactive centers, which have great potential in the application of electrode materials for supercapacitors. A nonconductive polymer binder is usually used in preparation of electrodes, which causes an increase in interface resistance and a decrease in material active sites. Here, polyaniline (PANI) and ZIF‐9 are directly grown on the Ni foam (ZIF‐9@PANI/NF) by a simple solvothermal method without a nonconductive polymer binder. A nanoflower array is grown on the NF, which can be directly used as electrode material of supercapacitor. The attachment of PANI facilitates electron transfer and increases the conductivity of the material. At a current density of 1 A g−1, the specific capacitance is up to 7 times that of the ZIF‐9. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor has a high energy density of 52 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1, remaining 90.1% after 50 000 cycles. These great electrochemical properties show the material has good market development prospects for energy storage device.


Bismuth vanadate is a promising semiconductor for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation under visible light. Yet its PEC performance is limited by its poor electron‐transfer mobility. In this study we modified the BiVO4 surface with Zn to address this problem. We used a ZnO coating and etching treatment to dope Zn atoms at the surface of BiVO4 by replacing the Bi atoms. The surface Zn doping treatment lowered the Fermi level of the outer part of BiVO4 (surface) and formed a BiVO4/Zn:BiVO4 homojunction with a type II band alignment with the inner part of BiVO4 (bulk). With this homojunction, the charge transfer process across the depletion region of the BiVO4 electrode was improved and the surface trapping of photogenerated electrons was avoided, which led to an enhanced PEC performance.


We study a repeated game of price leadership in which a firm proposes supermarkups over Bertrand prices to a coalition of rivals. Supermarkups and marginal costs are recoverable from data on prices and quantities using the model's structure. In an application to the beer industry, we find that price leadership increases profit relative to Bertrand competition by 17 percent in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and by 22 percent in 2010 and 2011, with the change mostly due to consolidation. We simulate two mergers, which relax binding incentive compatibility constraints and increase supermarkups. These coordinated effects arise even with efficiencies that offset price increases under Bertrand competition. (JEL G34, K21, L13, L14, L41, L66)


Derivatives termed collar offers have become popular in mergers and acquisitions transactions. In this paper, we price the two most popular types of collar offers, fixed price and fixed ratio collars, and value the commonly included right to terminate the transaction before the closing date. Furthermore, we investigate the welfare implication of collar offers for the target company's shareholders. Our numerical results show that collar offers mostly reduce price risk incorporated in both all-cash and stock-for-stock deals and consequently improve the welfare of the target. In our model, the feature of terminating the deal before the closing date usually increases expected utility of target investors.


Abstract The upward and downward radiance is calculated for a realistic model of the atmosphere-ocean system by a Monte Carlo method. All known processes are taken into account which affect the solar photons, including scattering and absorption by atmospheric and oceanic molecules, and by aerosols and hydrosols, as well as reflection and refraction at the ocean surface. The scattering angles are chosen from distributions calculated from Mie theory for the aerosols and hydrosols and thus take account of the strong forward-scattering peak. Typical radiance values are presented at six wavelengths from 0.40 to 0.65 μ, for three different solar angles, and for three different models of the ocean with various amounts of turbidity. The minimum value of the upward radiance just above the ocean surface as a function of the nadir angle of observation increases 640% from the turbid to the clear ocean model. Even at the top of the atmosphere the increase is 40%. Thus, detectors in either airplanes or satellites shoul...


This paper proposes a new vertical handoff algorithm in heterogeneous wireless networks which are composed of cellular network (CN) and wireless local network (WLAN). It is an amelioration of the traditional handoff algorithm based-on hysteretic level, which utilizes two levels in different handoff directions and makes handoff decision in a probability which is a function of the received signal strength indicator (RSSI). Simulations show that our method could increase the available bandwidth and lower the number of handoffs only at cost of a little blocking probability which is tolerable to traffics in packetswitch networks.


There exist several relationships between landslide surface areas and volumes. Most of them are based on simple geometric shape such as half ellipsoid or surface prisms. Using a new inventory of 66 small and shallow landslides was created using high resolution digital elevation model in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland). The volume calculation was based on horizontal surface areas (A) and the maximum vertical depth, using both paraboloid-elliptic or half ellipsoid. The relationship between surface area – maximum vertical depth (z max ) is deduced using principal component analysis (PCA) in a log-log space, which leads to a power-law (Jaboyedoff et al., 2020). The distribution of the distances of the 66 couple of values to this line is close to a log-normal distribution. This allows to calculate the probability to overpass a volume using both paraboloidelliptic and half ellipsoid to calculate volumes based on maximum depth z max .


Transforming past events (natural disasters) into visual and experiential expressions in the built landscape provides a specific site for community member interactions and connections to occur based on these shared memories. Philosopher, Maurice Halbwachs popularized the idea of collective memory claiming that individual memories only exist within the social framework of a group in society. Aldo Rossi applied collective memory to the city, citing the people objects, and places as participating in the transformation of space as representative of a common narrative. Sophia Psarra defines narrative in architecture as the construction of meaning in buildings through social relationships and cultural implications. The concept of monument is a representational and experiential tool for connecting these memories and narratives to a community. Many landscaped riverfront parks and memorials, including Promenade Samuel-de Champlain (Quebec), the Olympic Sculpture park (Seattle), River Coast park (Argentina), and the Parc de la Villette design submission by Rem Koolhaas, address issues of place making by treatment of the river edge, memory through materials, form, program, construction of monuments, and the creation of a regulating structure for designing a park at the urban scale. By constructing a narrative landscape for Nashville, Tennessee based on the May 2010 flood, previous floods, and cultural events, a collective memory can be established for the current and future communities of Nashville. In reclaiming the riverfront of downtown Nashville for a community music center and park, the design will address the history of the place, social interactions and shared experiences in ranging scales of community spaces, flood mitigation, the use of monument, and the use of metaphor in design.


We evaluated our results with low dose intradetrusor injections of onabotulinu - mtoxinA in women with overactive bladder symptoms and the painful bladder syndrome in terms of clinically successful outcomes and the need for clean intermittent self-catheterization (CISC) and in relation to urodynamic aspects. The files of patients treated with 100 U of onabotulinumtoxinA injected at 20 sites with sparing of the trigone were retrospectively analyzed. Nearly all patients completed voiding- incontinence diaries and the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) pre- and post-operatively. Cystometric and pressure-flow studies were done in the majority of patients. Success was defined as the patient's and clinician's joint choice for re-treatment with the same dose of onabotulinumtoxinA after a period of at least six months of clinical satisfaction. Twenty-six women were treated. On average, the improvement in most voiding diary parameters and in most KHQ categories lasted less than six and three months, respectively. Eight patients (31%) were scheduled for re-treatment with 100 U again after at least six months. No prognostic cystometric parameters were found. Six patients (23%) needed CISC. None of the bladder contraction strength parameters derived from the pressure-flow studies appeared predictive of the need of CISC. We obtained a success rate of 31% after six months with 100 U of onabotulinumtoxinA, while 23% of the patients applied CISC. We consider this success rate low and find the balance between the success rate and the rate of patients needing CISC inadequate.


Planning for the long‐term management of flooding should be underpinned by credible evidence of current and future flood risk. Simulation of flood extents and depths is a key component of the evidence base of flood risk analysis, but flood modelling can be a time‐consuming activity. For scenario analysis studies, such as that undertaken on the Taihu Basin in China, the potentially extensive computational and staff time demands of standard flood modelling are compounded by the need for simulations of multiple futures over large areas. In this paper, we describe how a credible flood simulation method was selected and implemented for the Taihu Basin within the challenging data, resource and programme constraints. The lessons learned from the study are described and generalised to help inform modelling components of other studies, particularly broad scale analysis for flood risk management planning.


The expansion of Discoglossus pictus in Catalonia is analyzed at the same time as a model of potential distribution of the species is developed. From its introduction in Banyuls-sur-Mer about 100 years ago, Discoglossus pictus has been dispersed about 140 km towards the South and about 60 km towards the interior. A global dispersion rate of 1,53 km/year ± 0,8 km has been estimated. Nowadays, the distribution of Discoglossus pictus takes up an approximate surface of 4200 km 2 in Spain. Although Discoglossus pictus can coincide in ponds with all the present species in Catalonia, it prefers to use temporary or ephemeral environments for the reproduction, as Rana temporaria, Bufo calamita and Pelodytes punctatus. The analysis of the trophic, habitat and distribution overlap shows that the species that they can interact with Discoglossus pictus in the adult phase are Bufo calamita, Bufo bufo, Pelophylax perezi and Hyla meridionalis. The results indicate a certain degree of interference in adult level, especially with Bufo calamita, although it is necessary to clarify if this takes place also in the larval phase.


The paper investigates the changes in characteristics of the Atlantic Waters (AW) as they move eastwards along the Egyptian coast in the South-eastern Mediterranean. The study analyzed a long series of temperature, salinity and σt data, collected by several expeditions that were carried out by research vessels of different nationalities, including Egypt, during the period 19592008, averaged for the winter and summer seasons. The paper also examined the long-term (50 years) changes that occurred in the characteristics of the water masses off the Egyptian coast as a result of damming the Nile River in 1965 and the subsequent cessation of its discharge into the Mediterranean. These changes were considered in terms of their possible contribution to the observed changes in the characteristics of the AW along the Egyptian coast. The results show that the sea surface temperature of the southeastern Mediterranean waters off the Egyptian coast varied between 16.6-18.5 o C in winter, and between 22-28 o C in summer. Furthermore, the salinity of the coastal waters off the Egyptian coast has, on average, increased from 26.675 in 1964 before the erection of Aswan Dam, to around 38 in the 1970s and reached more than 39 in 2008. Vertically, only one water mass could be observed in winter in the upper 200 m layer, whereas in summer, three distinct water masses could be observed. The subsurface water mass, which is of Atlantic origin, occupying the 50-150 m layer and characterized by low salinities ranging from < 38.60 to 38.80, runs throughout the study area from west to east and spreads over the range of density between 27.5-28.5 σt. Temperature and salinity anomalies indicated increasing trends for both temperature and salinity that reached 0.62 o C/dec and 0.067/dec, respectively for the Mediterranean surface waters. For the Atlantic water, the trends were 0.56 o C/dec for temperature and 0.035/dec for salinity. These results confirm that the increase of temperature and salinity of AW with time are attributed to both anthropogenic modifications, especially the Nile damming, and the local climatic changes, which need further investigation. Eddy HF radar observations in the Gulf of Lions A. SCHAEFFER, A. MOLCARD, P. FORGET , P. FRAUNIÉ, P. GARREAU 1 LSEET, USTV/CNRS, France 2 IFREMER, DYNECO/PHYSED, France Coastal mesoscale eddies were evidenced during a HF radar campaign in the Gulf of Lions, North-western Mediterranean Sea, from June 2005 to January 2007. These anticyclonic eddies are characterized by repeated and intermittent occurrences as well as variable lifetime, and could have important consequences in terms of dispersion or retention at local scales. The eddy generation and driving mechanisms are investigated by means of an academic numerical study. The influence of the wind forcing is analyzed, using a number of idealized configurations in order to investigate river discharge, buoyancy and bathymetric effects. Multiscale analysis of high frequency coastal monitoring data FRANÇOIS G. SCHMITT, 1 Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, CNRS, Station Marine, 28 avenue Foch, 62930 Wimereux, France The marine environment is an example of complex system with many interactions at many time scales. To understand and characterize such system, high frequency databases are needed, together with adequate analysis models and techniques. In the LOG in Wimereux we have developed in the past years several methods to analyze such high frequency data, and characterize their multiparametric fluctuations at many different time scales. We show here several examples, considering data from a high frequency monitoring system: MAREL ("Mesures Automatiques en Réseau pour l'Environnement Littoral") network operated by IFREMER (French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea) and installed in Boulogne-sur-mer (France). This database consists in measurements of temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, nitrogen (NO3+NO2) chlorophyll a, particulate organic carbon (POC), salinity, particulate organic nitrogen (PON), phosphorus and silicates, recorded at a fixed location, automatically, every 20 minutes, from 2004 to 2009. We apply to these data several analyses techniques in order to characterize the dynamics of their fluctuations on a wide range of scales. We consider first the covariation between some parameters couples ((pH, DO), (DO, Chla), (Chla, N)) using some regression using a kernal estimator in order to consider conditional averages. We also consider the probability density function of some ratios (N:P, Si:N, Si:P, COP:Chla, COP:NOP) that reveal in all cases a "wild" behaviour with many extremes. We also use spectral analysis and estimate the Fourier spectral density of the MAREL time series, in order to reveal periodicities, scaling regimes, and turbulence influence. Finally we consider bivariate extremes in order to characterize the coupling between several quantities, highlighting physical-biological nonlinear coupling. New tools for ocean observing network assessments applied to water level measurements in the German Bight SCHULZ-STELLENFLETH, J. 1 , STANEV, E.V. 1 , STANEVA, J. 1 1) GKSS Research Centre, Institute for Coastal Research, Germany firstname.lastname@example.com A set of tools for the statistical assessment of ocean observing networks is presented and applied for the analysis of different instrumentation scenarios in the German Bight. An optimal linear estimator is used to re-construct ocean state parameters from observations taking into account both the prior distribution of the state and measurement errors. The proposed method enables a re-construction of any scalar parameter or vector field with linear relationship to the state. The performance of the observing network is quantified in terms of the re-construction quality. Apart from the capability of the network to provide estimates of state parameters at the time of the observations, the potential of the measurements for forecasts is investigated as well. Furthermore a generic method to compare single measurements with continuous observations is presented. Finally a technique is described to quantify the relative importance of different components of an observational network. The proposed methods are applied to water level measurements in the German Bight. A numerical model is used to estimate the background statistics. Synthetic measurements provided by tide gauges, satellite altimeters, and HF radar are considered in the analysis. The estimation of the complete water level field in the German Bight is compared for altimeter and tide gauge measurements. It is shown that the orientation of the satellite track with respect to the coastline is of high relevance. The importance of water level measurements taken in deeper water, e.g., at the FINO-1 platform, is demonstrated. It is shown that continuous tide gauge measurements provide more information on the area mean water level in the German Bight than altimeter observations taken by ENVISAT and JASON-1/2. It is furthermore shown how the information provided by a tide gauge propagates with the Kelvin wave. Implications for the design of an assimilation scheme are discussed. The potential of HF radar to provide information on water levels and the respective change rates is analysed. Different radar locations and systems with one and two radar stations are investigated. The monitoring system of the Kazakhstan sector of Caspian Sea LUYDMILA SHABANOVA , VLADIMIR KHACHATUROV, ALEKSANDR ZLOTOV 1 Doctor of Biological Sciences, Deputy Director General of RSE "The information-analytical centre of preservation of the environment" Ministry of environment protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Orynbor St. 11/1, 010000 Astana Kazakhstan, Phone+77172798397, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com 2 Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the department of design practices in developing systems Computing Center Dorodnicyn Computing Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov str.,40, Moscow 119991, Russia, Phone:095-135 6092, E-mail: email@example.com 3 Ph.D.in Physical-Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Subdepartment of Software of Regional Network Problems Department of CAD Methods for Developing Systems Dorodnicyn Computing Center, Russian Academy of Sciences,Vavilov str.,40, Moscow 119991, Russia, Phone: 095-135 6092, E-mail: email@example.com The Caspian Sea is the largest closed reservoir in the world, which washes the western part of Kazakhstan. The area of water territory is 371,000 sq km; the sea level is lower than the level of the ocean on 28.5 m (1971). Maximum depth is 1,025m (in the southern part); the Kazakhstan part is not deep, and the depth of the North Caspian sea is about 15-20 m. The Caspian Sea is divided according to physical and geographical conditions to 3 parts North Caspian, Middle Caspian and South Caspian Sea. Fauna is represented by 1809 species, 415 of which belong to the vertebrates, 101 species of fish, it also has the majority of the world's sturgeon, freshwater fish roach, carp, pike, saltwater fish carp, mullet, sprats, Kutum, bream, salmon, perch, pike, mammal caspian seal. The plant world is represented by 728 species, of which algae are dominated blue-green, diatoms, red, brown, Stoneworts and others, from flowering eelgrass and seagrass. Development of sea oil-and-gas deposits of the Kazakhstan sector of Caspian sea entails increase of anthropogenous pressure on the environment. According to preliminary estimates, the volume of recoverable hydrocarbon resources in the Kazakhstan sector of Caspian Sea is about 8.0 billion tons per year. The impact of terrestrial and marine infrastructure, oil and gas facilities on natural systems is reflected in discharges and emissions into the environment of gaseous, solid and liquid pollutants, consumption of natural resources for industrial, farm and household needs, and violation of coastal landscapes. Dangerous influence on the environmen


The present study deals with the flow around a circular cylinder which is located in channels with both constant and converging cross-sectional areas. The cylinder-diameter to channel-clearance ratio is of the order of unity. Experiments are performed in a water channel and a dye injection technique is used to visualize the flow. The Reynolds number ranges form 100 to 1000. The results show that there exists three-dimensional flow due to the small channel clearance. The flow patterns reveal that the flow is more stable than the two-dimensional flow around a cylinder; no traces of the Karman vortex street are detected. Some differences are also found in the flow patterns obtained for parallel and convergent walls.


Like any author, I am enormously grateful for the thoughtful reading of my book by the contributors to this special issue and the other participants in the seminar at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies on 15 December 2003. Their comments have moved me to extend, refine and modify the lessons I drew from the experience of the English legal profession in the 1990s. But first I need to clarify the book's goal, which I tried to convey in the title and preface. During the 1990s the English legal profession found itself subject to unprecedented pressures from both the market (members and those who sought to enter, consumers, third-party payers, and internal and external competitors) and the state (the three branches—Parliament, Cabinet, and courts and tribunals—and as employer, regulator, and paymaster of lawyers). I engaged in a political analysis of the complex interaction: who got what, when, where, and why. Several contributors to this volume wish I had written a different book: about relations between lawyers and clients, the macroeconomics of supply and demand, ethical ideals, or changes in practice structures, for instance. The distinguished social anthropologist Max Gluckman once said in reply to such a comment, that he promised to write a different book next time. Indeed, it was partly in response to what I acknowledged as legitimate criticisms of my 1988 book The Legal Profession in England and Wales that I wrote the present one. Although historical, the 1988 book was a relatively static chronology of what happened; in 2003 I tried to illuminate the forces for change—how it happened. The earlier book treated each branch as monolithic and the state as passive; now I emphasised that barristers and solicitors were sharply splintered, the state forceful, and the press a prominent player. The 1988 account was materialist, concentrating on the profession's construction of a cartel and extraction of monopoly rents; here I have attended more to the status concerns, what Larson calls the collective mobility project. The 1988 book was social structural; here I have highlighted culture through extensive quotations expressing the rhetorical tropes contestants mobilised to further their goals. The trajectory of rise (in Larson's title) and decline (in my Chorley Lecture), which I traced in the first book, now seems overly deterministic; certainly since 1989 contingency has been undeniable. (For instance, the Enron scandal, which destroyed Arthur Andersen, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION, VOL. 11, NO. 1 & 2, MARCH & JULY 2004


Hybrid dynamic spatial approximation trees are recently proposed data structures for search- ing in metric spaces, based on combining the concepts of spatial approximation and pivot based algorithms. These data structures are hybrid schemes, with the full features of dynamic spatial approximation trees and able of using the available memory to improve the query time. It has been shown that they compare favorably against alternative data structures in spaces of medium difficulty. In this paper we complete and improve hybrid dynamic spatial approximation trees, by pre- senting a new search alternative, an algorithm to remove objects from the tree, and an improved way of managing the available memory. The result is a fully dynamic and optimized data structure for similarity searching in metric spaces.


This article analyzes the transformations in the Cuban labor press from its earliest moments during the 1860s up to the working-class radicalization and mobilization during the War of Independence (1895-1898), and the subsequent U.S. occupation until 1902. The process of labor organization and development in Cuba over four decades is also described, revealing the complex composition and transformation of the working classes, their characteristics, internal differences, demands, and the idiosyncrasies of the world of labor, as well as its ideological evolution.


You might be the best in the world at what you do, and you could have the best advertising strategy in town, but if you don't keep an eye on ...


FIELD: construction. SUBSTANCE: flush valve comprises a fixture having a lower end, an upper end in the form of a valve seat, a through hole stretching down from the valve seat and a guide part. The guide part is installed in the through hole and stretches upwards from it. The valve body provides for restraint of water flow by means of the fixture, when it is in the first position. At the same time when the body is located in the valve seat, the valve body provides for water flow through the fixture, when it is in the second position, in which the body is not arranged in the valve seat. The valve body is made in the form of a canister. The through hole narrows down below the valve seat. The fixture applied as a part of the flush valve comprises a body in the form of a sleeve and having a lower end, simplifying installation of the body near the hole, the upper end in the form of the valve seat, a through hole stretching down from the valve seat, and a guide stand. The stand is fixed in the through hole and stretches upwards above the valve seat. The through hole narrows down below the valve seat. A sanitary unit comprises a toilet bowl, a tank for water storage and a flush valve installed in the outlet hole. The tank comprises a lower outlet hole for provision of water passage from the tank into the toilet bowl. EFFECT: improved operation of valves for flow of water drain for quick passage into a sanitary unit, as soon as flushing has started. 10 cl, 11 dwg


The mobile edge computing (MEC) and device-to-device (D2D) communications take advantage of the proximity for supporting high-speed mobile computing and high-rate data communications, respectively. In this paper, we integrate both techniques to further improve the computation capacity of the cellular networks by proposing the D2D-MEC technique. We aim to maximize the number of supported devices and formulate a mixed integer non-linear problem. To solve it, we decouple it into two subproblems and prove that the optimal solutions to the two subproblems compose the optimal solution to the original problem. The first one minimizes the required edge computation resource for a given D2D pair while the second one maximizes the number of supported devices via optimal D2D pairing. Then, by solving two subproblems, the optimal algorithm is developed and some insightful results are also highlighted. Finally, numerical results show that combining D2D communications with MEC can significantly enhance the computation capacity of the system.


The Digital Proficiency level is a measure of how effectively individuals and organizations engage with digital technology for their own benefit, and their internal and external customers. There are certification programs to identify those levels through practical tests, thus informing the digital competences of an individual associated with computer knowledge and Internet usage. Such certification and evaluation programs are not easily accessible due to the cost of application or the distance from the test site. The PROFIX method presented in this article, is also a tool for assessing the level of digital proficiency, and was developed to overcome those difficulties. This approach is based on an online survey with questions related to the main components of Digital Proficiency. In this article it also presents a comparative case study of the use of PROFIX by university students and professors, and elementary school teachers in Brazil (n = 440).The usage of this method associated with a course or distance training, provides teachers and educational designers with prior knowledge about Digital Proficiency levels, individual and collective and enables them to propose online activities appropriate to the group's profile. Also allows the planning of support and training actions about the information and communication technologies so that these contribute effectively in the formation of students in courses that use resources of Distance Education through the Internet. Thus, this method is available to the public free of charge and can be offered online, facilitating the access. PROFIX is quite flexible and can be adapted for use other public sectors (bank customers, employees, users of social networks etc.).


A double‐wrapped binder has been rationally designed with high Young's modulus polyacrylic acid (PAA) inside and low Young's modulus bifunctional polyurethane (BFPU) outside to address the large inner stress of silicon anode with drastic volume changes during cycling. Harnessing the "hard to soft" gradient distribution strategy, the rigid PAA acts as a protective layer to dissipate the inner stress first during lithiation, while the elastic binder BFPU serves as a buffer layer to disperse residual stress, and thus avoids structural damage of rigid PAA. Moreover, the introduction of BFPU with fast self‐healing ability can dynamically recover the microcracks arising from large stress, further ensuring the integrity of silicon anode. This multifunctional binder with smart design of double‐wrapped structure provides enlightenment on enlarging the cycling life of high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries that suffer enormous volume change during the cycling process.


The selectivity of some herbicides were evaluated on Pinus caribaea var. Hondurensis seedlings as well as these herbicide efficiencies in the weed control. When the tubule-produced seedlings were 20 cm height they were transplanted at 2,0 m x 2,0 m spacings in fourrows plots with 10,0 m length. The treatments with oxadiazil (600; 800 and 1000 g ha-1), oxadiazon (1140; 1520 and 1900 g ha-1), oxyfluorfen (720 g ha-1), imazpyr (250 g ha-1) and controls (weeded and without weeding) were disposed in a randomized block design with four replications. Seven days after transplantation, the herbicides were applied using a CO2 pressured costal sprayer which was calibrated to provide a 200 L ha-1 solution. The main weeds causing a larger infestation were Brachiaria plantaginea and Ipomoea grandifolia while Galinsoga parviflora and Bidens pilosa were responsible for a minor one. The oxadiazil showed an excellent control on B. plantaginea, I. grandifolia and G. parviflora; although not being efficient to control Bidens pilosa, it provided a superior control to the one observed in oxadiazon. Oxadiazon showed efficiency until 45 days after the treatment for B. plantaginea, G. parviflora and until 90 days for I. grandifolia as well. Either oxyfluorfen or imazapyr showed an excellent weed control. Among the herbicides evaluated, only imazapyr must not be recommended for "on the top" application for Pinus caribeae var. Hondurensis, due to the toxicity provoked.


Distributed Generation (DG) involving clean renewable energy resources and power electronic devices for control have been the main focus of researchers in electrical power engineering nowadays. The paper presents a new technique for obtaining the best locations and ratings of the DG units, which are based on photovoltaic solar panels, and the Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATCOM), in Radial Distribution Systems (RDSs). The objective function deployed is subject to equality and inequality constraints and aims to minimize three technical-economic system indices, which are Apparent Power Loss (APL), Total Voltage Variation (TVV), and Annual Losses Cost (ALC). Multi-Verse Optimizer (MVO) is a recently developed nature-inspired algorithm, which is utilized to obtain the optimal integration of DG and DSTATCOM into the system. In this paper, four case studies are considered, which involve the base-case, the individual deployment of either DG or DSTATCOM, and the simultaneous deployment of DG and DSTATCOM to test the system performance, while using the MVO algorithm. To verify its validity, the algorithm is tested on the standard IEEE 33- and 69-bus RDSs whose results are compared with the results obtained when using other existing algorithms. Comparison among results reflects the strength and suitability of the suggested MVO algorithm in minimizing the real power losses and enhancing the voltage profile.


We report here a new understanding of the mechanisms involved in the sonoelectrochemical synthesis of nanoparticles. Our results indicate that, in addition to the deposition-break processes, a suspended electrode that is formed by the ultrasonic wave has a major effect on the particles' properties. This new understanding of the sonoelectrochemical mechanisms clarifies some unsolved issues and allows for better design of sonoelectrochemical synthesis. However, we believe that the major significance of this new insight is the opening up of new possibilities for sonoelectrochemical synthesis of composite and core-shell materials.


We demonstrate a square-wave soliton pulse passively mode-locked fiber laser. The mode-locked pulses are achieved by using a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror. Single-pulse operation at a fundamental repetition rate of 3.2 MHz is obtained. The optical spectrum presents the soliton feature of several sidebands. The pulse duration expands with increasing pump power, but the amplitude hardly varies. Pulse breaking occurs and a stable dual-pulse is obtained with a fixed interval of 48 ns. Harmonic mode-locked states can be achieved when the total pump power is higher than 740 mW. The harmonic pulses can also operate in both single-pulse and dual-pulse states.


This paper presents all sorts of improved methods based on Fourier algorithm, which are used in microprocessor based protection in recent years, and particularly discusses the problem of how to filter decaying DC component. With the results of simulating calculation, the comparison and evaluation of the abilities, i.e. speed and precision, of these algorithms is also presented.


A method of removing paint coatings on plastic parts, wherein the paint removal is performed by immersion in a Entlackierungslosung at a bath temperature of less than 100 ° C and by the action of ultrasound and subsequent washing of the plastic part, characterized by - a Entlackungsbad with an approach combined concentration of 40-60% of the four components of 2-aminoethanol, 2,2-iminodiethanol, 2-phenoxyethanol, 2- (methoxyethoxy) ethanol, balance water, - a bath temperature of 35-50 ° C, especially 40-45 ° C, - a pH of from about Entlackungsbades 11, - a residence time of the plastic part in Entlackungsbad of 4-7 hours and - an application of ultrasound in the frequency range of 40-60 KHz.


The principle of DSSS communication is described, and its characteristic is discussed. Then the antijamming capability of DSSS communication is studied, and several useful methods to improve the antijamming capability of DSSS communication are put forward at last.


The pump is a critically important component in fertilizer plants, where they must cope with materials that are both corrosive and abrasive. Sulzer Pumps specialises in designing and supplying pumps specifically tailored to meet the demands of the fertilizer industry. In this review, Sakari Hanninen describes recent breakthroughs in the company's AHLSTAR® range of pumps.


Conformational analysis, together with i.r., N.M.R., and o.r.d. data, indicate preferred conformations of seven-membered ring A in a number of 4,5-seco-4,6-cyclosteroids.


The title molecule is almost planar, with an intramolecular S⋯O=C contact. The packing is a layer structure with dimeric units connected by a C—H⋯O=C hydrogen bond.


Here we characterise, in a complete and explicit way, the relations of algebraic dependence over Q of complex values of Hecke-Mahler series taken at algebraic points u1, . . . , um of the multiplicative group G 2 m(C), under a technical hypothesis that a certain sub-module of Gm(C) generated by the ui 's has rank one (rank one hypothesis). This is the first part of a work, announced in [Pel1], whose main objective is completely to solve a general problem on the algebraic independence of values of these series. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 11J85 (primary); 11J91 (secondary).


The creative idea blueprinted by Deng Xiaoping serves as an important guidance to solve the domestic discords.It is also a great contribution to the Marxist politicology in regard to social modes,national and governmental theories as well as the international politics.


The effect of welding parameters on mechanical properties of aluminum alloy 3003 H14 Friction stir-welded (FSW) joints were investigated in the present study. Different welded specimens were produced by employing variable rotating speeds (1000, 1250, 1500, 2000 r.p.m.), and welding speeds (20, 40, 60, 80 mm/min). Microhardness measurements and tensile strength of the produced joints were tested. The experimental results indicated that the process parameters have a significant effect on mechanical properties of joints. The optimum results of the weld gained at the parameter 80mm/min weld speed and 1500 rpm rotation speed where the efficiency reaches to 89% of the ultimate tensile strength of the parent metal


It is hard to directly create precise model of tooth surface of the involute helical gear due to its complicated curved surface.In the paper,the algorithm of generating the parametric equations of four lines of tooth profile curved line and 3D curved surface of involute helical gear,thus 2D and 3D curved surface with any angle and parameter could be rapidly generated by using the algorithm.To verify the correctness of the algorithm,MatLab program was used to simulate the gear model,then precise 2D and 3D curved surfaces with any parameter and angle output.The study offers basic theoretical references for 3D parameterized digital design,mesh analysis,contact stress analysis,dynamic and kinematic analysis of the gear.


FIELD: Field: training. SUBSTANCE: training center for ship crews contains workstations (AWS) of trainees, a programmable simulation unit, training result evaluation unit, APM of the training group supervisor, a mode and training type selection unit, interconnected in a certain way. The simulation block contains shapers of: ship dynamics parameters, external action sensor models, situational model of navigation circumstances, a control object shaper unit. The training result evaluation unit contains a block of test evaluation of trainees, a training result evaluation unit, control evaluation criteria shaper, decision unit. The APM of the training supervisor includes a personal computer, visualization and documentating units. The selection module contains training modes and types switching unit. EFFECT: expansion of the functional capabilities of the training center in assessing the professional suitability of trainees. 9 cl, 1 dwg


A flight research program using the variable stability X-22A aircraft was undertaken to investigate control, display, and guidance requirements for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) instrument transitions. The primary purpose of the experiment was to provide meaningful data related to the interaction of aircraft control system and displayed information characteristics on pilot rating and performance during a steep decelerating descending transition from a representative forward velocity (100 knots) to hover completely under instrument conditions. Thirty-eight in-flight evaluations were performed of combinations of five generic display presentations and five levels of control augmentation systems. Primary results of the program include the demonstration of an inverse relationship between control complexity and display sophistication, as was hypothesized in the experiment design, and the definition of acceptable and satisfactory control/display combinations. In particular, it was found that the explicit display of translational velocities is required for a satisfactory system, regardless of control system complexity or automation, and that rate-augmentation-only may be acceptable only if full control director commands are provided in addition to velocity status information.


• Volume 118 • Number 4 www.anesthesia-analgesia.org 701 The article by Andropoulos et al. 1 in this month's issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia summarizes the 60-year history of pediatric anesthesiology in the United States, tracing its roots from a clinical apprenticeship into an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-recognized subspecialty with defined goals, objectives, curriculum, and an American Board of Anesthesiology examination granting subspecialty certification in pediatric anesthesiology.1 In addition, the U.S. evolution of the subspecialty created an organization, the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia, that promotes the education of anesthesiologists in the clinical and social needs of children in the perioperative period. The mission of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia includes advancing the safety and quality of anesthetic care, perioperative management, and alleviation of pain in pediatric patients. Over these 60 years, the specialty of pediatric anesthesiology has undergone a significant metamorphosis. As the specialty advances, the training of pediatric anesthesiologists needs to advance as well. In this issue of the journal, Andropoulos et al.1 propose expanding the length of training of pediatric anesthesiology fellowship programs for physicians interested in further subspecialty training or in developing the foundation for an academic career in pediatric anesthesiology. This additional specialization could be in clinical pediatric subspecialties such as pediatric cardiac anesthesia, pediatric regional anesthesia, pediatric pain management, pediatric intensive care, and pediatric cardiac intensive care. Alternatively, the additional training could also be in academic areas involving basic science or translational research, clinical trials, outcomes research, education, quality assurance, or patient safety. In assessing the proposal by Andropoulos et al.,1 it is important to explore the difficult questions in pediatric anesthesiology and pediatric anesthesiology training, namely what exactly is broken, and whether the proposal fixes an identified problem. It is always difficult to argue against additional training, especially because the specialty has become even more complex and more specialized. Indeed, many pediatric program directors and faculty express concern, at least in private, about the clinical and academic readiness of trainees as they near completion of the "standard" 1-year pediatric anesthesiology fellowship. The proposal by Andropoulos et al.1 reflects an existing ad hoc approach already in place in programs with the requisite resources to support 1 or more years of additional clinical and/or academic training at the "junior attending" or "advanced fellow" level. The issues of subspecialization in pediatric anesthesiology are challenging. Many highly specialized aspects of pediatric anesthesiology, such as pediatric cardiac anesthesiology and pediatric pain management, require considerable expertise and experience. The knowledge, experience, and technical expectations in these highly specialized clinical disciplines are simply not satisfied by a core residency, followed by a 1-year pediatric anesthesiology fellowship. The proposal by Andropoulos et al.1 provides guidelines in the overall organization and content of "advanced" pediatric anesthesiology training fellowships. At the practical level, the proposal begins to address limitations inherent in the current 1-year fellowship by recommending time and directions to further concentrate in one of these areas while continuing to mature as a general pediatric anesthesiologist. The education of the trainee in a 1-year pediatric fellowship is also compromised by entering fellowship training immediately, following a conventional internship and the core anesthesiology residency without significant additional skill sets (e.g., substantial bench or clinical research background, advanced clinical pediatric medical competence, and/or Master-level training in epidemiology). Training during a 1-year pediatric anesthesiology fellowship may also be compromised by competing tasks such as board certification, moonlighting, and job-hunting. The proposal of Andropoulos et al.1 does not address what is fundamentally broken: how can pediatric anesthesiology training programs not only produce specialists who provide excellent clinical care but also advance the specialty? How can pediatric anesthesiology training programs impart to the next generation of pediatric anesthesiologists the knowledge and skill sets necessary to promote research, education, and administrative leadership in the field? The optional second year of training proposed by Andropoulos et al.1 as an advanced pediatric anesthesiology The Advanced Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship: Moving Beyond a Clinical Apprenticeship


We report proton NMR experiments on the liquid crystal material N-(p-methoxybenzylidene) p-n-butylaniline (MBBA) at 100MHz in the temperature range 110-350 K. The phase diagram was investigated by means of second moment and spin-lattice relaxation measurements in order to establish connections between dynamics and phase transitions. The results show that in a slow cooling experiment, two processes contribute to the relaxation, a slow ethyl group motion together with reorientation of the methyl groups. For the glassy nematic state, as well as for the phases observed after reheating a quenched sample, only methyl rotation is observed. The correlation times of these various mechanisms were determined and the results compared with those obtained by previous NMR and dielectric analysis.


Partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) model has attracted great interests to overcome challenges in the power integrity analysis. However, the increasing miniaturization in electronics makes the uncertainty effect an ever more central issue to accurately estimate the inductance in the power distribution networks (PDNs) of high-speed PCBs. In this paper, we propose a stochastic partial inductance modeling approach to quantify the stochastic inductance. Specifically, the deterministic partial inductance is re-formulated using the polynomial chaos expansion. Following the Galerkin projection and polynomial orthogonality, stochastic partial inductance is represented by polynomial bases, which significantly reduces the complexity of the system and leads to considerable speed-up compared to the standard Monte Carlo sampling. The stochastic partial inductance model allows product designers to predict the most crucial statistical geometry-related inductance and inspect the dissimilarity between the models and the real world. Foreseeing these results and differences is the first step to create more robust PDNs designs in the minuscule and high-speed PCBs.


Leukocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1, CD11a/CD18, αLβ2) is a cell surface adhesion protein expressed on leukocytes. Interaction of LFA-1 with its counter receptor intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) promotes the migration of leukocytes to the site of inflammation and is responsible for a variety of cell adhesion events required for normal and pathological functions of the immune system. Thus, the LFA-1/ICAM-1 interaction is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and auto-immune disease conditions such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and transplant rejection. LFA-1/ICAM-1 interaction inhibitors have been extensively studied as a therapeutic target for clinically important diseases; leading to the development of therapeutic antibodies, peptides, peptidomimetics, allosteric and competitive inhibitors. However, despite of promising preclinical results, the outcome of clinical trials with LFA-1/ICAM-1 interaction inhibitors has been inconsistent and met with limited clinical success. This article gives a brief account of rationale and efficacy of different LFA-1/ICAM-1 interaction inhibitors as promising therapeutic strategy for surmounting inflammatory disorders.


Objective:To investigate the effects of reused hemodialysis membrane and detoxification agents on activation of complement and peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC).Methods:The plasma concentration of SC5b 9 complex were measured with ELISA, and cytokine production by the cultured PBMC was measured by RIA at the time before and after the beginning of single session of hemodialysis with a new HE membrane and the fourth reused one detoxificated by Formalin and Peroxide.Results:The plasma concentration of SC5b 9 was remarkably lower and compared to a new one,no difference in the cytokine production by PBMC in the patients dialysated by the fourth reused HE membrane.Conclusions:Reused HE,sterilized with Peroxide or Formalin, decreases its ability of complement activation, and has no effects on the cytokine production by PBMC.


Tumor stem cell theory implies that causative lesions underlying human malignancies occur and are harbored in multi-potent progenitors with retained proliferative capacity and a prolonged lifespan. Transcriptional profiling of human breast cancers has identified five distinct subtypes of which the basal-epithelial subtype is most aggressive, correlates with poor prognosis, and lacks established molecular targets such as ERα, PR and Her2overexpression. These tumors display a high degree of cellular heterogeneity suggesting that they may arise as the result of unregulated self-renewal in a multipotent cell. Clinically basal epithelial tumors are recognized by their negativity for ERα, PR and Her2, suggesting that the identification and validation of markers that definitively define this subtype will improve the diagnosis of these tumors. We present evidence that nestin, a previouslydescribed neural progenitor marker is expressed in basal epithelia of the normal human mammary gland. Co-localization studies indicate two distinct populations of nestin-positive cells; one that expresses cytokeratin 14 and p63 and another that expresses desmin. Oncogenic transformation of a mammary progenitor cell culture model leads to increased expression of nestin. Immunohistochemical analysis of basal-epithelial breast tumors indicates robust expression of nestin, and CK14, punctate expression of p63, and low-toundetectable levels of desmin expression. Nestin was not detected in other breast cancer sub-types, indicating selectivity for basal-epithelial breast tumors including those known to carry BRCA1 mutations. These studies coupled to the established role for p63 in the preservation of self-renewal suggest that basal breast tumors display biochemical features of mammary progenitors.


THIS PAPER is a report of assays for urinary androgens in normal men, and in patients showing evidence of endocrine disorders relating particularly to the pituitary gland and the testes. The method employed for extraction and assay is that described by Gallagher and Koch (1, 2), employing the 15′minute acid hydrolysis. Five capons were used in each assay and 5 controls were injected with androsterone. The method of calculation used is a modification of that used by Koch and coworkers (1) and is described by McCullagh and Cuyler (3). All assays reported here were made on 24′hour urine specimens. In some instances, in normal men, we employed the method of dibutyl ether extraction described by McCullagh and McLin (4). Where this method was used, the assays are so designated. For practical purposes, we feel that both methods may be used without distinction because of the close comparison found in the yield of urinary androgens.


We consider a discrete model of the d-dimensional medium with Hamiltonian ∆ + v; the lattice potential v is constructed recursively on a nested sequence of cubes Qn obtained by successive inflations with integer coefficients. Initially, the potential is defined on the cube Q0. At the nth step the potential, which is already constructed on the cube Qn−1, gets extended Qn−1-periodically to the cube Qn; then its values at mn randomly chosen points of Qn are arbitrarily changed. This alternating process of periodic extension and introduction of impurities goes on, resulting in an (in general, unbounded) potential v. We show that if the size of the cube Qn grows fast enough with n while the sequence mn grows not too fast, then the Schrodinger operator ∆ + v almost surely does not have eigenvalues.


Financial distress is one of the leading reasons for corporate default, foreclosure, and subsequent bankruptcy. Traditionally accounting information-based models have been used to identify the financially distressed firms. Inaccurate identification results in type-I and type- II errors. These errors are attributable to the elements of conservatism and prudence within the accounting information. Enclosure of market information into these models may reduce the quantum of errors and improve the existing ability of these models to accurately identify the financially distressed firms. This study has infused the Corporate Social Responsibility information into the Altman Z-Score. The enclosure has been made using additive index methodology, resulting in formation of a Composite Default Index. 161 non- financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange have been taken as the sample over the study period of 2010-2016. The accuracy of Composite default Index has been found significantly better as compared to the Z-Score Default Index as the type-I and type-II errors are reduced by 41% and 132% respectively. This study has implication for the corporate regulators, practitioners, stakeholders and researchers in form of providing a better mechanism to identify the financially distressed firms, future studies may consider other forms of market information and the accounting information-based models to improve upon the same, further.


Household registration is a currently important administrative management system which is the basis of national administrative management with the basic function of confirming citizens' identity information.A name is a cultural concept and has cultural attribute.It is an abstract symbol which is the inheritance and accumulation of historical culture owned by an area, a nation or a country and make us identify a citizen's identity from one aspect.Gene and gene identification are superior and scientific in indetifying the individual though it hasn't legal attribute.An identification card number which is the legal grid origin of understanding household registration managemnet and can realize a citizen's legal identification and affirmance is the basic symbol of a citizen's legal identity with uniqueness, certainty and legal attribute.


Abstract: This article traces the historical roots ofCaplanian mental health consultation and lists nineaspects of the model that have proved valuable overtime. A relatively new development, mental healthcollaboration, is discussed with reference to theinternal consultant. The role of mental healthconsultation in primary prevention is brieflyreviewed, and it is argued that consulting psycholo-gists who conduct organization development woulddo well to consider explicitly the preventive aspectsof their work. The paper concludes with somethoughts regarding potential problems of workingthrough intermediary caregivers to achieve the goalsof primary prevention. IntroductionThe genesis of Caplanian consultationoccurred in Israel in 1949 when psychiatristGerald Caplan, overseeing a small staff ofsocial workers and psychologists, was giventhe responsibility to care for the mental heathneeds of 16,000 immigrant adolescents locatedat more than 100 residential institutions.Caplan soon realized that the usual practice ofproviding individual client referral/diagnosis/psychotherapy was not feasible, given thesubstantial number of referrals (about 1000)which were received during the first year, andIsrael's rough terrain and generally poor roadswhich made it difficult to transport referredclients to a central clinic location.These circumstances gave rise to analternative, indirect method of providingmental health services. Rather than meetclients at a clinic, Caplan and his staff traveledto the individual institutions and meet withreferred adolescents and with their caregiversto discuss the latter's perceptions of the clients.These collegial discussions often revealed acaregiver 's stereotyped, inaccurate perceptionof an adolescent that impeded the solution ofpresenting problems. Following sympatheticand objective discussion with the staff member,the caregiver (i.e., consultee) often returned tohis or her duties with a new perspective andbroader range of possibilities in working with theclient. In focusing efforts on improving thefunctioning of caregivers through this method, itwas believed that the mental health of many moreclients could be improved than was possiblethrough a direct service method.Although this practice was originally termed"counseling the counselors," it was renamed"mental health consultation" to reflect that thewelfare of the clients remained the ultimateprofessional concern, and the consultees were notundergoing psychotherapy. Caplan also discov-ered that meeting caregivers in their own institu-tions— originally borne of necessity—was anintegral part of the method. The consultees' worksettings provided much relevant information thatenabled clinical staff to see critical issues morereadily. Furthermore, consultees were much morelikely to speak candidly about their perceptions ofproblems while at work than at a clinic (Caplan CMeyers, Brent, Faherty, & Madferri, 1993; Oak-land, 1994), community psychology (Iscoe, 1993;


Ordinarily, if a person employed to perform services for the benefit of another is subject to a right of control by his employer, the employer is liable for the injury which the employee negligently' or even intentionally2 causes within the scope of his employment.3 The vicarious liability of the employer for the torts of his employees rests on the principle that if the employer reaps the benefit of the conduct of his employee, he as well as the careless employee should be financially responsible for injuries to innocent third parties resulting from the negligent performance of such acts.4 If, however, the employer is the state, its agency, or a political subdivision whose employee is engaged in a governmental activity,' it is not liable for the torts of its employees, since the doctrine of sovereign immunity protects it from being sued without its consent. Whatever the historical basis for the protection of the sovereign from suit,6 it seems clear that the ready judicial acceptance of the im-


Objective To explore the activity of h BMP-2 after transfection to BMSCs in rabbit femoral neck necrosis model,and to lay the theoretical foundation for the subsequent experiments. Me thods 1) Rabbit femoral head necrosis model was established by core decompression combined with liquid nitrogen frozen. 2) After the model establishment,animals were randomly divided into3 groups( n = 12 per group),Group A as control group,Group B with implant of DBM/ BMSCs,Group C with implant of h BMP-2 / BMSCs / DBM. 3) Four rabbits of each group were killed at 1,2,and 3 weeks after surgery. h BMP-2 gene and protein were detected using PCR,RTFQ-PCR,and Western blotting. Re sults After 1-,2-,and 3-week implant,PCR results showed that the expression of h BMP-2 gene in group A and group B were negative,and the expression of h BMP-2 gene in C group was positive.RTFQ-PCR showed that the relative expression in group C was 1,0. 947 ± 0. 025,and 0. 895 ± 0. 059,P = 0. 081. Western blotting showed that the expression of h BMP-2 protein in group A and group B were negative,and the expression in group C was positive.Gel imaging system analysis showed that h BMP-2 protein expression gray values( objective / reference) in group C was 0. 530 ±0. 056,0. 507 ± 0. 066,and 0. 475 ± 0. 086,respectively( P 0. 05). Conclusion The h BMP-2 can be stably expressed in transfected BMSCs after implant into the femoral head necrosis rabbit model and it can induce the differentiation of BMSCs to bone cells,and repair the necrosis of the femoral head.


Acknowledgments Grants from the Agricultural Development Board through the Kentucky Horticulture Council have allowed an expansion of the field research and demonstration program to meet the informational and educational needs of our growing vegetable and fruit industries. Important note to readers: The majority of research reports in this volume do not include treatments with experimental pesticides. It should be understood that any experimental pesticide must first be labeled for the crop in question before it can be used by growers, regardless of how it might have been used in research trials. The most recent product label is the final authority concerning application rates, precautions, harvest intervals, and other relevant information. Contact your county's Cooperative Extension office if you need assistance in interpreting pesticide labels. This is a progress report and may not reflect exactly the final outcome of ongoing projects. Please do not reproduce project reports for distribution without permission of the authors. Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.


FIELD: medicine, pharmacy. SUBSTANCE: invention describes pharmaceutical composition consisting of mainly nevirapine semihydrate having diameter particles size about from 1 to 150 mc. The preparation is prepared by treatment of acid-additive nevirapine salt with strong base followed by filtration, washing out with water and drying up to water content about 3.1-3.9 weight % and water as carrier. Invention allows to obtain stable suspension of preparation. EFFECT: improved properties of preparation. 2 cl, 2 tbl, 3 ex


Since the early 1990s, increases in public concern, legislative action, and enforcement policies have helped diminish the percentage of fatal motor


The majority of rural labor in Hubei province transfer to the outside of the province.The inter-provincial transfer showed an imbalance phenomenon,the rural labors in Hubei province mainly transferred to the middle cities in the eastern China.The causes for area distribution of rural labor in Hubei province were analyzed from economics.The results showed that farmers' immigration decision is rational,which accord with maximization of theirs income.The rural labor transfer related to the developmental level of regional economy.The transfer will increase the elasticity of income gap,and the increasing gap of economy and income between provinces will directly influences the move in amount of rural labors.Besides opportunity cost,the rural labor transfer is influenced by living cost in move in area,spatial distance between two places and self-factors of farmers.Therefore,in order to provide more employment opportunities and employment posts for the rural labor transfer in Hubei province,it should comply with the rule of rural labor transfer and developmental situations of local economy,and should pay great attention to constructing small and medium-sized towns and cities,developing the labor-intensive enterprise and the export-oriented enterprise vigorously,strengthening the economic power of Hubei Province.At the meantime,it should conduct innovation in policy and system,establish skill training system,social security system and information transfer system for rural labor,as well as management system for overall planning residents in city and countryside.


In this paper, a quasi-optimal higher order sliding mode control (HOSMC) scheme is designed using disturbance observer (DOB) and adaptive techniques. The overall HOSMC scheme is constituted by three portions: 1) a switch-based quasi-optimal control law that ensures rapid finite-time stabilization of the origin, producing a nominally uncertainty-free system, based on a perturbed chain of integrators; 2) a DOB which estimates the lumped uncertainties with lower frequencies; and 3) an adaptive controller designed to deal with the fast-varying terms of these lumped uncertainties over the pass-band of the DOB. Since the adaptive controller and the DOB work in a cooperative manner, the only requirement is that the switching gain be greater than the bound of the DOB estimation error, instead of the bound of the lumped uncertainties. As a consequence, overestimation in the adaptive controller can be avoided by resorting to the equivalent control. Simulation results confirm the capabilities of the proposed control strategy.


Data are presented on the coherency of surface scattered signals from explosive sources. Coherency figures are high and well‐grouped but the effects of surface grazing angle and frequency bands are inconclusive.


Most of the articles in the "EM Programmer's Notebook" column address either computational
 electromagnetics or electromagnetic simulation of one form or another.
 The article in this issue's "EM Programmer's Notebook" column instead considers
 new radio-frequency identification tags; these tags contain some embedded local
 processing capability and provide several new functionalities, such as autonomous
 reasoning, self-configurability, sensing, and actuation. In particular, the coding of
 "Internet of Things" applications for these new tags is discussed. As always, thanks to
 all of the contributors, and a special note of thanks to Alessandra Esposito and Luciano
 Tarricone, who have been regular contributors to this column—this is their seventh
 contribution since 2003.


Jinshan 1255, a new sweetpotato variety, developed from excellent parents by polycrossing in 1990, passed through the experts ' technological identification and was examined and approved by Fujian Crop Variety Examination Committee in 1996 and 1997. The new variety performed the characters of high yield, superior quality, high resistance to Fusarrium oxysporum f.sp. batatas , drought tolerance and storability. Its representation and extension in 16 counties such as Putian, Hui 'an, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Fuqing and so on exhibited remarkable effectiveness of increasing yield and its accumulated planting area had covered 37 027 hm 2 in total by 1999.


To helping the development of low-carbon industry system, an analysis on the industrial differences and convergence of carbon intensity is necessary. Based on technologies of distributional difference measurement and Convergence test, the industrial differences of carbon intensity about 38 industrial sectors over the period 1999–2011 in Chongqing were evaluated and tested. The results show that: the carbon intensity industrial differences were falling volatility, and there was both absolute β convergence and club convergence. The distribution character of industrial carbon intensity verified the effection of management, and the result of club convergence test shows that different regulatory policy should be taken on industries belong to different clubs.


Surveys of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) have shown that this procedure is roughly twice more common in men than in women. Here, we investigate possible differences between women and men undergoing STN DBS, with respect to health‐related quality of life.


Abstract:ABSTRACTThis trial examined phosphorus (P) loss in overland flow (OLF) at a tillage farm in the southeast of Ireland. The soil was a grey-brown podzolic, and was representative of land covering 16% of the total agricultural area, with tillage practised on approximately one-third of this area. The object of the trial was to establish whether this site is a P-pollution risk to surface water. The productive tillage field was divided into three plots, each of approximately 1ha in size. Plots had low earth dams and open lined drains on the lower boundaries. A flow meter sampler with V-notch tank was connected to each of the three drains. Macro-pore flow (MPF) samplers were installed in the plots. Average depth of overland flow across the three plots was 5.4, 17.5 and 18.1mm y−1 for 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. Phosphorus concentration was 1.01, 0.64 and 0.6mg l−1, respectively, and P load was 0.04, 0.11 and 0.18kg ha−1 y−1. The median P concentration in MPF was 1.59mg l−1. Sediment yield (95kg ha−1 y−1) was low compared to that achieved in other studies. No pollution parameter measured represented a serious pollution threat. The results of this study suggest that a large proportion of tillage land in Ireland might be classified as low risk for P loss through the overland flow pathway.


In 2009, a research program was initiated in the Netherlands to develop soilless cultivation systems for outdoor crops, with the objective to design cost effective cultivation systems with minimal emissions of fertilizers and pesticides. To test whether these objectives have been achieved, a sustainability impact assessment of growing vegetable crops on a deep flow system was performed. We developed a conceptual framework consisting of a set of quantitative and qualitative environ-mental, economic and social indicators. Application of the framework showed that compared to field cultivation, deep flow cultivation performs better on land use, pesticide use, nutrient use and water use. However, profitability decreases, and green-house gas emission and direct energy use increase considerably. Sustainability gains and losses vary between crops. Uncertainties and opportunities were revealed, thereby directing further optimization of the deep flow system in crops where its performance is promising. Moreover, transparency about the system's sustainability is crucial for the systems' social and political acceptance and for its adoption by farmers.


On the territory of Nizhnevartovsk district Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra, accidents on pipelines still have a complex destructive impact on the environment, leading to pollution and aggravation of the environmental situation in the region. Possible impact on the environment during the exploitation of deposits, even if minimized (formally), yet negative changes in the environment continue to accumulate and manifest themselves. In this case, it is impossible to completely avoid accidents. Usually, as a result of pipeline breachings, the largest emissions of oil and petroleum products occur. The reasons for the high number of accidents on pipelines operating in the district and area are equipment operation, including pipelines, in excess of the standard period; insufficient investment by oil companies of funds allocated for the reconstruction and overhaul of pipelines; as well as the progressive aging of existing networks and poor production equipment with reliable automation and remote control systems. In recent years, numerous environmental protection measures cited in the oil and gas complex have not led to a significant improvement in the environmental situation in the region. This article analyzes the results of accidents on oil pipelines from fields in the Nizhnevartovsk district Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra for 2014–2018 and determines the seasonal indexes of accidents on the oil fields of a given territory.


The athletic results or training performance of Lipizzan horses are hardly known in equestrian sports, because they rarely participate in equestrian sports. The aim of this study was to determine the values of physiological parameters of horses with emphasis on the temperature changes of the body skin areas by thermography and to investigate their acclimatization to different training loads. The study included 6 purebreed Lipizzaners with a mean age of 9 years and consisted of two work tests (spring, autumn) that included lunging at walk, trot and canter. Measurements were taken before and after the work tests and were within normal limits for warm-blooded horses in both experiments. In both experiments, body skin temperatures at rest were different between different areas or body parts. After the work test, temperatures in all body skin areas were significantly elevated compared to those measured at rest and then decreased during the rest period after the work test (recovery period) in the fall or remained nearly unchanged in the spring. This study contributes to the knowledge of thermoregulation and the use of thermography in horses, and the results not only demonstrate the physiological responses to graded exercise in Lipizzan horses, but also contribute to the knowledge of equine physiology and sports medicine. The results of our research also contribute to the establishment of standards and protocols for monitoring readiness and progress in training Lipizzan horses and provide relevant data for monitoring health status, athletic ability, and assessing welfare of horses. Keywords: Horses; Lipizzaner breed; Exercise test; Thermoregulation; Thermography


We report several results related to the dynamical evolution of dust produced in the Kuiper belt (KB). We show that its particle size frequency distribution in space is greatly changed from the distribution at production, as a result of the combined effects of radiation forces and the perturbations of the planets. We estimate the contribution of KB dust to the zodiacal cloud by calculating the radial profile of its number density near the ecliptic. We also study the contribution of KB dust to the population of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected at Earth, by calculating geocentric encounter velocities and capture rates. Our models show, in contrast with previous studies, that KB dust grains on Earth-crossing orbits have high eccentricities and inclinations and, therefore, that their encounter velocities are similar to those of cometary grains and not asteroidal grains. We estimate that at most 25% in number of captured IDPs have a cometary or KB origin; the KB contribution may be as low as 1%–2%. We present the velocity field of KB dust throughout the solar system; this, together with the number density radial profile, is potentially useful for planning spacecraft missions to the outer solar system.


Abstract Introduction There is strong evidence indicating interactions between sleep and chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, evidence on the effect of exercise training (first-line treatment for CLBP), especially of specific modes of exercise training, on sleep is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effect of two exercise-based interventions (general strength and conditioning [GSC] and motor control and manual therapy [MCMT]) on sleep quality in adults with CLBP. Methods We conducted a two-group parallel (1:1), randomised controlled trial. Forty adults (mean age [SD]: 34.7 [6.1] years) with CLBP were randomised to receive either GSC (n=20) or MCMT (n=20) for 6 months. Sleep quality and its sub-components (e.g., sleep disturbance, sleep duration) were measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Analysis employed an intention-to-treat approach and group-by-time effects were assessed with mixed linear effect models. Results Both GSC (PSQI mean change [95%CI]: -1.58 [-2.70, -0.46] points) and MCMT (-1.61 [ 2.79, -0.43]) improved sleep quality at 6 months, but no group-by-time effect was detected (β [95%CI]: 0.03 [-1.60, 1.65]). For sleep quality sub-components, GSC improved daytime dysfunction (-0.33 [-0.65, -.0.01]), but led to a small decline in sleep efficiency (0.06 [0.01, 0.10]). MCMT improved sleep disturbance ( 0.31 [-0.55, -0.07]). Conclusion Both GSC and MCMT improved sleep quality, although neither intervention appeared superior. Sleep disturbance was improved in the MCMT group and daytime dysfunction was improved in the GSC group. Future studies would benefit from including a true control, objective sleep measures, and investigation of potential mediators.


The progresses in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum) was reviewed.Several factors were summarized,such as tomato genotypes,explants,the processes of preculture and infection,the ratio of plant growth regulators and antibiotics in regeneration medium,and different target gene.The tomato genetic transformation in future was prospected.


INASMUCH AS the American industrial system is based on the fundamental concept of profit, it is understandable that some manufacturers will overlook the safety viewpoint in designing their products. All research is expensive and the product cost can be reduced by not pursuing the principles of safety engineering too thoroughly. Some companies dispense with engineering talent, others are not aware of fundamentals in safe design, and all are anxious to market their product at the earliest possible opportunity.


Over the past decade, the development of the fintech sector has been becoming one of the characteristics of Islamic finance. What are the key markets? Who are the investors? What areas of business are Islamic fintech companies represented by? This paper considers above questions by investigating more than 240 Islamic fintech companies, the data on which gathered from IFN Fintech Landscape and Crunchbase. The results of our study show that, firstly, the geography of origin and coverage of Islamic fintech companies is not limited to the countries of the Middle East (79 companies) and Southeast Asia (71), but also includes the developed markets of Western Europe (58 companies) and America (20). Moreover, the most attractive jurisdiction for the incorporation of such companies is the UK (18% of all Islamic fintech companies were created here). In the Middle East, such a center of gravity is the UAE (13%). Two markets in Southeast Asia – Indonesia and Malaysia – form almost a quarter (24%) of the global Islamic fintech. In addition, Islamic fintech is expanding financial inclusion in Africa, where 11 Islamic fintech companies have been established; secondly, 91% of all Islamic fintech projects were created in the last 10 years, and 58% in the last 5 years. The peak of activity in this sector fell on the period of 2017 and 2018, when 37 and 39 companies were created, respectively; thirdly, we classify the Islamic fintech into seven broad categories namely, P2P financing (39 companies), neobanks (38), payment services (37), asset management (35), blockchain and cryptocurrency (20), charity (16), real estate (15), among which the most successful cases are considered. In addition, 44 business initiatives were initiated in the field of other near-financial services, including business consulting, analytical support, etc.; fourthly, based on the financial data for 72 Islamic fintech companies in Crunchbase, we estimate the total volume of investments in the Islamic fintech at more than $2.44 bln, almost half of which fell on neobanks ($1.2 bln). If we exclude three mega-investments of more than $300 mln, then the average investment into one Islamic fintech company is $19.9 mln, and if we exclude eight investments worth more than $100 mln – $9.1 mln. Investors of Islamic fintech companies are mainly venture capital funds that finance businesses on the risk-sharing principle. The geography of such funds is not limited to the countries of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, but also includes Western countries (USA, UK, Germany, and Switzerland). We note that at the initial stage, many Islamic fintech projects undergo business mentoring and acceleration programs in special accelerators, including the leading Y Combinator (USA); fifth, we identify five Islamic fintech companies from the CIS, besides, we find Russian-speaking founders of five Islamic fintech companies established in the UAE, Singapore and UK. In addition, we identify Russian venture fund that has invested in two Islamic fintech companies in Bahrain and UAE. Thus, the features of Islamic fintech that we have identified show that the complex and intertwined world of finance is not constrained by borders and prejudices, but the only investment efficiency criteria is the optimal risk-to-reward ratio.


1050 BioTechniques Vol. 26, No. 6 (1999) DNA in solution were used instead of 10.75 μL of ddH2O and 8.5 μL of DNA in solution. The re-amplified eluted band was electrophoresed, gel-purified and cloned into a pGEM-T vector (Promega, Madison, WI, USA). We then identified clones containing recombinant plasmids, isolated plasmid DNA and used the insert of an individual clone as a hybridization probe in northern blot analysis. A single hybridizing mRNA of approximately 520 bases was identified in the lanes corresponding to the CM and, to a lesser extent, the 90-day-old WT hamster ventricles (Figure 1C). By using the re-amplified band of interest as a hybridization probe against northern blots, we were able to isolate, clone and identify a differentially expressed cDNA despite the fact that numerous cDNA species were present in the original band obtained. The ability to isolate and clone DNA that has hybridized to specific mRNA species should increase the speed of the secondary screening following DD and should eliminate the possibility that positive bands are not discarded simply because the specific clone is overlooked in the secondary screening analysis.