Dairy farming has always been a traditional component of rural life in India. Sixty percent (60%) of the farm women in western Uttar Pradesh (UP) perform the dairy activity every day. Amongst frequently performed dairy activities, milking animal in squatting posture is one of them. It causes pain in lower back, legs, knees & feet. Present study was conducted in an adopted village Sankrod of District Baghpat with an aim to collect the feedback from the respondents regarding opinion about introduced technology of revolving stool and to find out the acceptability of drudgery reducing tool in the field. Percentage distribution of the respondents to measure their opinion on the improved technology was calculated. It was found that with the use of revolving stool, 80% farm women were able to maintain comfortable posture whereas in 60% cases they synchronized the movement of animal. It is highly acceptable among farm women. It also reduced physical stress by minimizing pain in lower back, legs, knees & feet. An increase in efficiency was found as milking process took 6.5 minutes per animal using revolving stool as compared to 9 minute per animal in squatting posture. Overall revolving stool helped in reducing drudgery and enhancing efficiency.


An efficient fair queueing scheme which is feasible for broadband implementation is proposed and its performance is analyzed. The author defines fairness in a self-contained manner, eliminating the need for the hypothetical fluid-flow reference system used in the present state of art and thereby removing the associated computational complexity. The scheme is based on the adoption of an internally generated virtual time as the index of work progress, hence the name self-clocked fair queueing. The author proves that the scheme possesses the desired fairness property and is nearly optimal, in the sense that the maximum permissible disparity among the normalized services offered to the backlogged sessions is never more than two times the corresponding figure in any packet-based queueing system.<<ETX>>


This chapter focuses on technological innovations in electric power infrastructure and their enabling potential for the integration of variable generation resources, electric vehicles (EVs), and microgrids. Many of the innovations described in this chapter were driven by evolving technical and economic constraints that long predated renewable grids: factors other than clean energy have dominated problem solving and investment in new electric power hardware, software, and design strategies over the past several decades. In the context of the renewable energy transition, however, some of these rather esoteric niche technologies take on a new relevance and interest for a broader community of researchers and practitioners.


THE INVENTION CONCERNS A DEVICE SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT. IN THIS DEVICE MADE ON SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE 1 IS EXPECTED MORE CELLS CONNECTED UNITS 2 CELLS 5 FORMING THE INPUT CIRCUIT, IN OUT AND input-output, PLOTS OF JUNCTION 6A, 6B RELATED THERETO CELL UNITS 2 AND NETWORKS CONNECTING WIRING SUCH CELLS TO 2 BLOCKS OF WIRING AND OTHER CELLS. APPLICATION INCLUDING THE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT LOGIC A FIXED STRUCTURE AND LOGICAL FUNCTIONS MULTI MADE FROM A STANDARD MATRIX.


Chromatin, the native form of eukaryotic DNA, organizes the genome and regulates its use. Assembled chromatin model systems provide a powerful tool for understanding the complex structural and functional properties of chromatin. Chromatin is structurally diverse within the cell, yet current in vitro model systems do not reflect this diversity. Additionally, generating new model systems has traditionally been challenging. Here we apply the ideas of solid-phase synthesis to show that sequential ligation of DNA fragments readily generates a wide range of chromatin model systems. Using DNA fragments containing one or more nucleosome positioning sites, we generated DNA templates for assembling nucleosomal arrays containing from one to forty-eight nucleosomes, where the spacing between nucleosomes was also varied. We successfully demonstrate that the nucleosomal arrays generated are well saturated and compositionally well defined. Altogether, these strategies provide a means to vary the length and composition of chromatin models systems at the level of individual nucleosomes, and provide new tool for probing chromatin structure and function.


A rapid and accurate method has been developed for the quantitative determination of capsaicin and its most important analogues, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin in chili peppers. These components were extracted with methylene chloride and separated from interfering substances with activated charcoal. Further cleanup on Florisil cartridges and elution with ethyl acetate were performed before gas chromatographic with mass spectrometric quantitation. The concentrations found were 440 ± 64 μg/g capsaicin, 81 ± 10 μg/g dihydrocapsaicin, and 11 ± 2 μg/g nordihydrocapsaicin. The mean recovery values for triplicate analysis were between 85-94%.


Vibration characteristics of a flying head slider in hard disk drives at touchdown attract strong interest because head-disk spacing must be decreased to less than 1 nm in order to increase recording density. This study first evaluates head-disk interfacial force based on rough surface adhesion contact models and a simple air-bearing force model. Then, microwaviness-excited vibration of single-degree-of-freedom slider model at touchdown was numerically simulated in more detail than the previous study. It was found that the slider exhibits a MW-excited vibration having low frequency components of less than 100 kHz at touchdown and shifts to severe contact state near the boundary of static unstable region. When a small static unstable region is generated by decreasing air-bearing stiffness ratio, the occurrence of the low frequency spacing variation is interrupted by temporal flying state (loss of contact). When the static unstable region further increases by decreasing air-bearing stiffness ratio, the spacing variation with low frequencies can appear only at the beginning of contact and immediately jumps to light contact state and then shifts to perfect flying state during a long input power range and eventually jumps to a heavy contact state. These calculated results seem to correspond to the actual slider dynamic behaviors at touchdown in the inner, outer and middle diameter regions. The possibility of surfing recording is discussed from the analytical and experimental evidences.


There is either substitution or complement between domestic capital and foreign capital.This paper succeeds in optical substitution model by means of mathematics deduction,then makes experience analysis of introduction of foreign capital from 1994 to 2000 applying this model and draws an conclusion that there is serious substitution in China,which accords with general views and facts. On this basis,this paper also makes detail analysis of mechanism in capital substitution and factors of supply and demand,and finally makes suggestion of policies of anti-substitution.


© The invention concerns a device for the aspiration of waste, in particular for machinery used in the production of textiles. The device comprises an ejector (1) which, by means of the action of the flow M of primary fluid, aspirates waste from a secondary fluid conduit (2) which has one of its extremities positioned in the immediate vicinity of the part of the machine which produces the waste; the mixture of primary and secondary fluid containing the waste leaves the ejector (1), thus being distanced from the machinery, by passing through the successive cylindrical and conical sections (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f) of the primary fluid conduit (3) of the device.


on evaluate the management of consultations in an emergency rooms. Methods: This is a cross-section study was performed analyzing data from 1,317 electronic medical records of patients with headache complaints who sought treatment at the Barbacena City Regional Hospital's between January 1, 2017, and June 20, 2019. Medical records were classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). The data collected were statistically analyzed using chi-square tests. The study considered a p-value≤0.05 to define statistically significant differences. Results: Three medical records were excluded and 1,314 were analyzed. Among the medical records analyzed, 73.21% of initial diagnoses were classified as headache, 16.67% as migraine, and 10.12% as tension-type headache. Headache corresponded to 59.76% of final diagnoses, migraine to 17.95%, and tension-type headache to 8.52%. Regarding the treatment, 43.99% of patients were prescribed opioids for the remaining were prescribed non-opioid medications. Conclusion: The study suggests that the management of headaches is inadequate in emergency rooms, probably due to limited knowledge of health professionals about headache. This resulted in a large number of nonspecific diagnoses and inadequate therapeutic approaches. ABSTRACT


Przyby ! Iwona, Seks-zabawa w gimnazjum. Znaczenie ulotnych relacji (Sex Fun in School. The Importance of Weak Relationships) edited by M. Krajewski - "Cz !owiek i Spo !ecze "stwo", vol. XXXIII, Pozna " 2012, pp. 21-39. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISBN 978-83-232-2484-6. ISSN 0239-3271. The author of the based on literature article attempts to characterise various factors that influence sexual activity named "sexual games" among youth. The aim of this paper concentrates on the presentation of the process of constructing identity in a culture of individualism. Characteristic of the postmodern era disintegration of categorical communities, uprooting from tradition and eman- cipation from social groups and communities results in the emergence of a new man and a new model of socialization. Dynamic socio-cultural changes taking place in Poland cause transforma- tions of intrafamilial and peer relationships that involve a significant weakening of the original compounds in groups and result to identify youth with social networks and weak ties, even in such intimate sphere, which is sex. Secondly, the article tries to present the role and the consequences of this activity.


A quick analysis of current technological trends displays an increasing global tendency of turning towards data-centric solutions. The ongoing wave of wide spread implementation of machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence techniques allows us to harness the power of data to derive solutions and innovations. However, one major constraint that these algorithms face is the requirement of large amounts of data to train the models over. This project attempts to solve that issue by implementing a custom algorithm that is capable of generating NLP models that return medium to high accuracy results despite being trained on a very limited number of text data points. The posited algorithm is tested against a custom dataset consisting of answers to a set of questions pertaining to fears faced in day to day life.


Objective To analyze the diagnostic process of a rare case diagnosed of myeloid/nature killer cell precursor acute leukemia( M / NKPAL) and to improve the recognition of M / NKPAL. Methods Cell morphology was analyzed by marrow smear and related cell chemical staining. Immunophenotyping of blast cells was performed by flow cytometry. Cytogenetics technique was used for karyotype analysis. PCR was applied for detection of T-cell recepter gene rearrangement or fusion gene associated with leukemia. The related articles were reviewed. Results With regard to morphology,most of leukemic cells demonstrated that 90. 4% blasts in the bone marrow were generally L2-shaped with negative reactivity of myeloperoxidase staining and Auer's rods were occasionally found. Expression of CD34,HLA-DR,CD33,CD7,CD56,CD38 and cyCD3( dim),but no other markers including cyMPO,CD3 and CD4 were observed. Cytogenetics examination revealed abnormal karyotype. Clonal T-cell recepter gene rearrangement and fusion gene were not detected. Conclusion M / NKPAL is considered extremely rare and diagnosis is difficult depending merely on the morphology. It is important to be distinguished from T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with expression of myeloid-antigen,acute myeloid leukemia with minimal differentiation,mixed-phenotype acute leukemia with T / myeloid lineage and blastic NK cell leukemia / lymphoma.


Autonomous robots conception has to face develop- ing efficient localization and control algorithms which could be implemented in a small electronic system, embedded on a robot. The WACIF project, supported by the French government, takes up this challenge. It aims to design algorithms and electronics for an autonomous surveillance robot at home. Thanks to an original image-based framework, the developed prototype is able to navigate autonomously into an indoor environment. All the navigation algorithms are running on a programmable on-board hardware system controlling a two wheeled nonholonomic mobile robot, which is equipped with an embedded monocular vision system. The proposed framework includes the concept of visual memory of the environment. In an unknown environment, this memory results from a supervised learning step. A reference path, to be performed later in an autonomous way, is recorded as a set of ordered key images of the environment, called visual path. The robot performs the learnt path thanks to recently developed approaches of vision-based localization and visual servoing for nonholonomic mobile robots.


Abstract Various computational approaches have received ever-growing role in the design of potential inhibitors of the topoisomerase 2 (TOP2A) for cancer treatment. TOP2A plays a key role in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication before cell division and thus facilitates the growth of cells. This TOP2A function can be suppressed by targeting it with potential inhibitors in cancer cells to terminate the uncontrolled cell division. Among potential inhibitors, cryptolepine has higher selectivity along with the ability to intercalate into DNA, effectively blocking TOP2A and ceasing cell division in cancer cells. However, this compound has drawbacks of being nonspecific and possessing relatively low affinity. Therefore, a combinatorial library of 31,114 cryptolepine derivatives was designed and virtually screened by molecular docking to predict the molecular interactions between the cryptolepine derivatives and TOP2A using cryptolepine as a standard. All the binding poses of cryptolepine derivatives for TOP2A were investigated to calculate binding energy. The compounds with the database numbers 8618, 907, 147, 16755, and 8186 scored the highest binding energies, −9.88, −9.76, −9.75, −9.73, and −9.72 kcal/mol, respectively, and the highest binding affinities while the cryptolepine binding energy is −6.09 kcal/mol. The strong binding interactions of these derivatives show that they can be used as potent TOP2A inhibitors and act as more effective anticancer agents than cryptolepine itself. The interactions of these derivatives with different amino acid residues were also observed and analyzed. A comprehensive understanding of the interactions of the proposed derivatives with TOP2A helped for searching more novel and potent drug-like molecules for anticancer therapy. This computational study suggests useful references to understand inhibition mechanisms that will help in the further modifications of TOP2A inhibitors. Moreover, the DFT study of the derivatives with the highest binding energies was performed, helping to further understand the binding affinities of these compounds.


This paper analyses the problem of parking in the old residential quarters in Ningbo,through the investigation,it is found that the parking resources vary considerably with the building year and the scale of these quarters and the residents fail to agree on the ways to solve the problem.Therefore,based on the findings as well as the practices at home and abroad,such solutions are proposed as increasing the parking lots,managing the lots scientifically and strengthening the management on random parking,etc.


Using monthly data on Japanese industries, we estimate a model of dynamic labour demand that incorporates adjustment costs for hiring and firing workers, and for changing working hours.


Literary form plays an important role in the early novels of Chekhov.A mixture of dialogue and dramatic action forms the basis of Chekhov's unique narrative style.The connection between Chekhov's novels and his plays is demonstrated in the dramatic,fast paced style of his plots and narrative structure.He makes great efforts to achieve dramatic results through his literary style.Chekhov's middle and late period novels make more use of changes in the narrative viewpoint. He frequently employs a complicated narrative structure,with a third person ominiscient narrator juxtaposed with a first person narrator who knows only part of the plot.In terms of spatial and chronological organization,sometimes Chekhov weakens the importance of time and space references,and at other times adheres to a strict chronological and spatial order.Such features exemplify the multi faceted and innovative nature of his narrative style.


Two types of polyacrylonitrile(PAN) copolymers with different co-precursors have been pre-oxidized under different gradient heating conditions,and the resulting stabilized PAN fibers and carbon fibers examined on a homemade continuous test line. The samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry( DSC),Fourier transform infrared( FT-IR) spectroscopy,and wide angle X-ray diffraction( WAXD) in order to analyze the effects of copolymer composition on the regularity of the molecular chain of PAN and on the structure transitions during the pre-oxidation and carbonization stages. The results showed that,due to the greater degree of regularity of the binary copolymer of acrylonitrile( AN) and itaconic acid( IA) [P( AN / IA)],the exothermic reaction related to the cyclization reaction occurs at a higher temperature than that for the terpolymer of AN,IA and methyl acrylate(MA) [P( AN / IA / MA)]. Furthermore,compared with the terpolymer [P( AN / IA / MA)],the binary copolymer[P(AN / IA)]had a higher relative cyclization index(RCI)for the pre-oxidized fibers and a larger crystallite size(L c)for the final carbon fibers when they were treated under identical pre-oxidation conditions. In addition,on the basis of the mechanical properties of the carbon fibers it was found that the optimum pre-oxidization temperature of the binary copolymer [P( AN / IA)]was higher than that of the terpolymer [P( AN / IA / MA)].


Objective To investigate the appropriate dressing change frequency of peripherally inserted central catheter(PICC) in neonates.Methods Totally 307 neonates with PICC were randomly divided into three groups.The transparent dressings were changed every 3 days,5 days or 7 days in the three groups,respectively.The incidence rates of catheter related bloodstream infection(CRBSI) were compared among the three groups.Results The incidence rates of exit site infection in the three groups were 3.96%,4.90% and 5.77%,respectively.The incidence rates of catheter colonization were 6.10%,7.06% and 6.02%,respectively.The incidence rates of CRBSI were 0.99%,1.96% and 0.00%,respectively.No significant differences were found in the incidences of exit site infection,catheter colonization and CRBSI(P0.05).Conclusion It is suggested to change transparent dressing every 7 days in neonates with PICC.The dressing should be replaced timely in case of being damp or loosened.


Representatives of the genus Acremonium can cause diseases of plants of the familyCucurbitaceae, causing damage to agriculture. Application of Acremonium sp. 502 in the soil (creation ofan artificial infectious background – AIB) reduces the weight of the root system of plants by an averageof 13% and reduces the harvest of cucumbers by 41% compared with control. Inoculation of seeds withTriсhoderma viride 017 contributes to limiting the spread of acremiosis, the biological efficiency of thestrain is 61%. This is due to the death of seedlings of plants. The inoculation of seeds with T. viride 017provided for the formation of a more powerful root system and increased harvest by 34% (15.4 t/ha)compared with the variant containing the AIB. The present strain is a promising bioagent of a microbialpreparation for the protection of cucumber plants from acremiosis.


'The control groups of all the trials have been given placebo pills.' A more strenuous test, say the writers, would be that of the best current prophylactic, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, which would, in the case of statins, not be a placebo or another drug, but the modification of lifestyle. The decision to add drug therapy to a regimen should be made 'only after vigorous efforts at dietary treatment have not proven sufficient,' according to the US National Cholesterol Education Program in 1988. 'Vigorous efforts' are defined as a minimum of 6 months of intensive dietary counselling. In all of the trials, the researchers waited a few weeks and then, if the desired blood cholesterol concentrations were not reached, enrolled the subjects into the drug arm of the study.


This article analyses new approaches to early drama through investigating the mystery play pageant concerning Christ's appearance as a gardener to Mary Magdalene. In particular the article draws on approaches from iconographical studies, feminist readings, modern-day restagings and dance theory to argue that the gestures of the past can find a voice in the present.


We describe here a new mapping method able to find out connectivity traces among variables thanks to an original mathematical approach. This method is based on an artificial adaptive system able to define the strength of the associations of each variable with all the others in any dataset, the Auto Contractive Map (AutoCM). After the training phase, the weights matrix of the AutoCM represents the warped landscape of the dataset. We apply a simple filter to the weights matrix of AutoCM system to show the map of the main connections between the variables. The example of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease data base is extremely useful to figure out how this new approach can help to re design the overall structure of factors related to a specific disease description. This new form of data mining can be expected to contribute to a better understanding of complexity of some wicked diseases.


These proceedings contain the scholarly papers presented in two reputable joint conferences, the 5th International Conference on Aeronautical, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AAME 2022). AAME have been held in different parts of the world for some years, as indicated by the number sequence. This year (2022), the conference was scheduled to be held in Haikuo, China. However, due to unexpected surge globally in COVID-19 variant in the last three months, for safety and also travel restriction reasons, it is held virtually and all participants can attend AAME conference via "Zoom". This conference has invited keynote speakers who are professors from renowned universities in China, Canada and Russia. Delegates from around the world including China, Bulgaria, South Africa, Canada, Russia and Australia took the opportunity to share their research results and discuss potential scientific and engineering development from their work. Facilitation of the International Technical Committee which consist of members from universities and research organisations around the world is vital to the success of these conferences. All papers in these proceedings have passed the vigorous review process involving reviewers of the International Technical Committee. Authors benefited from valuable comments and improved their submissions to the satisfaction of reviewers. The virtual presentation serves as another opportunity for the conference delegates to address critiques in the real time online face-to-face meetings with the expert audience. List of Conference Committees are available in this pdf.


Introduction Although habitat loss, persecution and over-exploitation are thought to have been the most important endangering process for wild carnivores in the past, disease has now emerged as a central issue in carnivore conservation. In the Serengeti, epidemics of rabies and canine distemper virus over the past 15 years have led to major declines in several carnivore species, including African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) {GASCOYNE, KING, et al. 1993 32 /id} {Kat, Alexander, et al. 1995 1765 /id}and lions (Panthera leo) {RoelkeParker, Munson, et al. 1996 41 /id}{Kock, Chalmers, et al. 1998 313 /id}{Packer, Altizer, et al. 1999 237 /id}. Rabies and canine distemper virus have been the cause of a disproportionately large number of recent wild carnivore epidemics of conservation concern {Funk, Fiorella, et al. 2001 43 /id}{Woodroffe, Cleaveland, et al. 2004 149 /id}and typify the pathogens that currently pose the greatest threat to wild carnivore populations in many parts of the world; they are viruses that cause high mortality in adults as well as juveniles, and can infect a wide range of host species. Understanding the epidemiology of these diseases and identifying appropriate measures to reduce disease threats has therefore considerable relevance beyond the Serengeti alone. Several major reviews have recently focussed on diseases of wild carnivore and wild canid populations ({YOUNG 1994 47 /id}{Woodroffe, Ginsberg, et al. 1997 61 /id}; Murray et al., 1999; {Funk, Fiorella, et al. 2001 43 /id}; (1)). In this article, we focus on data generated from studies of rabies and canine distemper in the Serengeti, highlighting the importance of long-term studies and collaborative approaches for investigating (a) the dynamics of rabies and canine distemper virus in the Serengeti, (b) the impact of these viral diseases in Serengeti's wild carnivore populations, (c) the design of cost-effective disease control strategies and (d) the integration of conservation measures with strategies to improve community health and welfare. Disease and African Wild Dogs – Lessons for Conservation Disease first emerged as a major conservation concern in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a succession of disease outbreaks resulted in the decline and local extinction of African wild dogs{Kat, Alexander, et al. 1996 234 /id}{GASCOYNE, KING, et al. 1993 32 /id}. Following confirmation of rabies as the cause of death in both Serengeti and Masai Mara packs, a vaccination programme was implemented in the Serengeti using inactivated rabies vaccine that was administered through dart-inoculation of all individuals (n=34) in two known packs {GASCOYNE, KING, et al. 1993 32 /id}. Despite vaccination, all wild dogs in these packs died or disappeared 5-12 months after vaccination, as did a third pack that had been identified (Moru Track pack) {Woodroffe 1997 60 /id} but could not be located for either radio-collaring or vaccination. Following the local extinction of this population, the association and putative causal relationships between disease outbreaks, handling of dogs (for radio-collaring and rabies vaccination) and their ultimate disappearance was widely debated and reviewed {Woodroffe 1997 60 /id}. Several hypotheses were proposed to account for the emergence of disease outbreaks in the population, briefly: (a) outbreaks of rabies in wild dogs reflected the re-emergence of rabies in neighbouring domestic dog populations (which was absent between 1953 and 1977), with the final extinction caused by canine distemper transmitted from domestic dogs during an outbreak in 1991 {Alexander & Appel 1994 489 /id}{Cleaveland, Appel, et al. 2000 29 /id}; (b) the final demise of the wild dogs was due to rabies, which occurred despite vaccination because of the failure of a single dose to protect wild dogs from rabies {Woodroffe 1997 60 /id}{Woodroffe 2001 156 /id} and (c) the stress of handling/vaccinating dogs re-activated a latent form of rabies, which re-entered an incubation phase before causing disease and death several months later {BURROWS, Hofer, et al. 1995 241 /id}. The continuing debate surrounding the fate of the wild dogs results from a number of factors. First, temporal associations between events have been used to provide support for each hypothesis (summarized in Fig. 1), but there are insufficient data to demonstrate a causal relationship. Second, no samples were obtained from the packs that disappeared in the final extinction event in 1991 and therefore no diagnosis was possible to distinguish hypothesis (a) from either (b) or (c). However, given the rarity of latent rabies, the > 5month interval between vaccination and the disappearance of wild dogs, and the failure to detect adverse effects of handling in other wild dog populations, it is considered highly improbable that vaccination – or any other form of handlingcaused the extinction of the Serengeti wild dog population (Macdonald et al., 1992, Creel et al., 1996, Woodroffe 2001a,b). The uncertainties generated from these events had widespread implications for conservation and science, both in the Serengeti and further afield, with important lessons for carnivore disease management. Key to these is the need for good design in any intervention, with inclusion of appropriate controls and adequate resources to monitor the population and to establish cause of any deaths post-intervention, factors that were inadequate in the Serengeti study. It is recognised that these elements can be difficult to achieve, particularly in 'crisis' situations involving small populations. But the experience of recent rabies vaccination trials in the Bale Mountain Ethiopian wolf populations (Canis simensis) demonstrates that a robust study design is possible, even with critically-endangered endangered popualations (ref). A particular problem is that of confounding data; for example, in the Serengeti study, insufficient survival data were available for the unvaccinated Moru Track pack (as it was not radiocollared). As a result, this 'control' pack, which also disappeared in 1991, was excluded from subsequent survival analyses {BURROWS, Hofer, et al. 1994 250 /id}. Canine distemper in Serengeti lions In 1994, canine distemper virus caused a second major carnivore disease event in the Serengeti, with a dramatic epidemic affecting a range of carnivores including lions (Panthera leo), spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta), bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Although several cases of CDV had previously been confirmed in large cats in captivitiy {BLYTHE, SCHMITZ, et al. 1983 494 /id}{Fix, Riordan, et al. 2004 493 /id}{Appel, Yates, et al. 1994 492 /id}, the Serengeti outbreak was the first documented in free-living lion populations, and drew attention to the disease as a potential new threat for large felids. During the epidemic, 30% of lions in study areas of both the Serengeti and Masai Mara died or disappeared {RoelkeParker, MUNSON, et al. 1996 239 /id}{Kock, Chalmers, et al. 1998 313 /id} and it was estimated that, in the whole ecosystem, a total of approximately 1,000 individuals died as a result of the disease. Carnivore Viral Infection Dynamics In order to identify the need – or otherwise for disease management and to evaluate alternative strategies for diseases control, we need to understand the dynamics of infection in host populations. The dynamics of viral pathogens depends on several key factors relating both to the virus (e.g. transmission characteristics), individual host responses (e.g. immunity, host survival) and host population characteristics (e.g. population size, density, contact patterns, birth and death rates, and spatial distribution) (Anderson and May, 1991). For generalist pathogens in complex, multihost systems, such as the Serengeti, this poses a considerable challenge, requiring long-term data on different species and collaboration between disciplines. A central objective of carnivore disease studies in the Serengeti has been the identification of reservoirs of infection, which is fundamental to the evaluation and design of appropriate disease control measures in multi-host systems{Haydon, Cleaveland, et al. 2002 20 /id}. In the Serengeti studies, we have adopted several approaches, using case-incidence patterns, phylogenetic analyses, seroprevalence and demographic data, disease modelling and intervention studies to explore the dynamics of infection and to identify reservoir systems. Here we review case studies from the Serengeti, highlighting the relevance of longterm research findings to our understanding of the impact and epidemiology of rabies and CDV in the Serengeti ecosystem and the approach to disease control. Canine Distemper Virus (a) Case-incidence data It is well-recognised that diagnosis and detection of pathogens is notoriously difficult in wildlife populations (Gulland, 1995). Isolation of virus from field samples is particularly challenging, given the logistic difficulties of collecting, storing and transporting samples from remote field site. Even in the visible and intensivelymonitored study prides of the Serengeti, only 23 carcasses were retrieved from an estimated 75 (30%) [ CRAIG CHECK – Can't work it out from the Nature paper ] lions that died during the CDV epidemic in 1994, and virus isolated from six of these {RoelkeParker, Munson, et al. 1996 421 /id}{Carpenter, Appel, et al. 1998 292 /id}. Although the number of confirmed cases was relatively limited, the spatial and temporal distribution of these cases provided important epidemiological information (Fig. 1). Thus, the epidemic spread from the Seronera area (the location of the index case) throughout the ecosystem at a consistent rate of about 20 km/month (check) and progressed southwards to affect domestic dogs of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) after several months. The timing of the epidemic in Ngorongoro dogs demonstrated that the Maa


By analyzing the features of five commonly used color space models,based on the accuracy of color difference assessment in the five color spaces obtained from experiment,a kind of optimal algorithm is put forward to solve the problem of color difference assessment in the vision subsystem of soccer robot.


Based on the principle of fiber Bragg grating(FBG)and optical time-division multiplexing(OTDM),a high-speed demodulation scheme for the matched-grating strain sensor network is proposed.Ultra-high speed demodulation system for multiple FBG senor channels is achieved using FPGA+ARM circuit design.Especially,the noise effect brought by either light path or circuit is significantly suppressed using a composite filtering algorithm,and the variation range of the peak power is reduced from-1.03dB to-0.31dB.The designed system can be used in various environments and has important reference value.


This paper describes lateral misalignment characteristics of electrical resonance coupling wireless power transfer (ERC-WPT) from experimental points of view. A dead zone is an important factor for ERC-WPT because ERC-WPT cannot transfer electric power in the zone. Electrical coupling units that are composed of 2 electrodes lined up laterally have a dead zone. The dead zone exists near outer edge areas of the electrodes and certain distant areas.


This study investigates the contribution ratios of different groundwater recharge sources and influence of a dual monsoon system in Kofu basin, central Japan, through the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic analysis of precipitation, river water, and groundwater. The study is focused in the area of the Kamanashigawa and Midaigawa alluvial fans, which are formed by two main rivers. Precipitation isotopic content exhibits significant seasonal variability. Also, river water presents d- excess values higher than annual precipitation at plain areas (9 and 10‰), suggesting that two different air-masses contribute to precipitation, corresponding to the monsoon and pre-monsoon periods. The results of this study allow estimation of relative contributions of different sources to groundwater and influence of a dual monsoon system. The mass-balance analysis of the δ 18 O to identify the groundwater source indicates the river water contributes 38%–100% of the recharge, while precipitation contributes 29%–62% in Kamanashigawa alluvial fan. In the case of Midaigawa alluvial fan, river water contributes 77%–99% in the northern part; in the southern side, 30%–93% of contribution comes from precipitation. The mass-balance analysis of the d -excess indicates pre-monsoon precipitation contributes 46%–68% and 39%–65% to groundwater of the Kamanashigawa and Midaigawa alluvial fans, respectively.


THE FINAL WORDS of thanks offered by Ric Allsopp, co-organizer (with Scot deLahunta) of The Connected Body?, were to the building. But this expression of gratitude to the converted Lutheran Church in Amsterdam where the School of New Dance Development (SNDD) is based was appropriate enough, given that seemingly every conceivable space in the building had been used for one or more of an extraordinary range of body practices.


In this paper, a new redundant scalable CORDIC-like architecture is proposed for the implementation of fast rotation. The sequential nature of the conventional CORDIC algorithm in determining the direction of rotations is eliminated by computing the directions from the target angle. The proposed architecture offers high regularity and modularity. Detailed comparisons with other contributions shows that the proposed CORDIC-like fast rotator achieves 40% to 80% latency improvement.


Since Paterson'sl observation of passive transmission of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), by giving normal rats lymphocytes from diseased animals, and the demonstration of a gliotoxic effect of sensitized lymphocytes from animals with EAE,2 lymphocytes have been regarded as elements of possible pathogenic significance not only in EAE but also in multiple sclerosis (MS) . The destructive action of sera from MS patients on glial elements in brain tissue culture" and the specific aggregation of the mononuclear cells from these patients when cultured in v i t r ~ ~ . ~ have also been shown. Delayed cellular hypersensitivity to myelin basic protein in MS was suggested by the results of the lymphocyte transformation test in the presence of specific antigen, the encephal i togenic protein,": but has been q u e s t i o n e d by B a r t f e l d a n d Atoynatan'" and Rocklin and associates" have demonstrated a delayed hypersensitivity to myelin antigen in MS with the leukocyte migration test; these observations were not confirmed by Strandgaard and J ~ r g e n s e n . " Cutaneous hypersensitivity was tested to various substances in MS. Both positive and negative skin reactions have been obtained.Ig The capacity of MS patients to exhibit delayed dermal reactions was studied with autologous CSFI4 and measles and mumps antigens,Is but 808 Neurology 1 Volume 23 f August 1973 n o consistent o r significant responses to these antigens were noted. In the present study dermal sensitivity to viable au to logous lymphocytes was investigated in MS palients and in control subjects with other neurologic disorders.


Experimental studies on animals were carried out to decide the question whether hypothermia applied before and after irradiation with x rays has any influence on survival and could perhaps be used for therapeutic purposes. It was possible to show that the resistance of rats against radiation increases with the decrease of body temperature. Prolonged refrigeration, however, exceeding the duration of a whole body irradiation leads to an increase in mortality rate and so does hypothermia applied after irradiation. This procedure has therefore no protective effects against radiation. A discussion follows of the radiation- biological effects which pertain to hypothermia.


The article argues that the definitions about several forms of modus judgment are not scientific, they are short of strict logic, they are wrong. So new and scientific definitions should be given; it is wrong to regard so-called "conditional modus judgment" as the third form of modus judgment, which should be cancelled.


In order to predict the quality of batch process accurately, this paper takes some work for the typical batch process, injection molding process. Due to the slow time varying nature of the injection molding process, the characteristics of different batches may vary, so it is not easy to predict product quality with a single model. Therefore, in this paper, a batch process quality prediction method based on batch dynamic analysis is proposed for the injection molding process. The sliding window model is constructed, and the region of support is redefined, based on which batch dynamic is included into the building of the PLS regression model. The offline quality analysis and online quality prediction of products in the injection molding process are completed, and compared with the traditional quality prediction method based on PLS, the advantages of the proposed method are presented.


This paper reports on a comparative study of several automatic speaker verification systems using the Polycost database. Polycost is a multi-lingual database with non-native English and mother-tongue speech by subjects from 14 countries. We present results for the first three baseline experiments defined for the database as well as explore the multi-lingual aspects of Polycost in a number of experiments where we compare cross-language and same-language impostor attempts. Our results then lead us to suggest a revised set of baseline experiments. for log-likelihood normalization on a per-word basis. Each word score is further divided by the number of frames in the word segment, and finally averaged over words in the utterance. The non-client model is selected individually for each client and each word during enrollment as one of two competing gender-dependent multi-speaker models, with no a priori information on the gender of the client. Multi-speaker HMMs are also left-to-right and have the same dimensions as the client HMMs. When training the client model, the best matching multi-speaker model is copied as a seed for the client model. The client model means and mixture weights are then re-estimated (Maximum Likelihood training) from enrollment data while variances and transition probabilities are left untouched. The system is tested with both MFCC and the LPCC-based features. The system depends on explicit segmentation of the input speech into words during both enrollment and test, the segmentation being produced by a speech recognizer from Nuance


This research focuses on developing a model for optimal spacing between two or more successive speed humps by controlling driver speed with minimal variation from the speed limit of the road. Field spot speed studies and spacing measurements were performed on existing residential roadways—mainly local and collector roads. The model used by the California Traffic Control Devices Committee and the ITE publication Guidelines for the Design and Application of Speed Humps and Speed Tables were used for comparative analysis for the extracted model.


ABSTRACT Technology agglomeration effect is the economic effect produced by the spatial concentration of industry and economic activities, and it is one of the key factors to enhance the industrial value chain. In recent years, China's agricultural market has gradually opened up, speeding up the marketisation and commercialisation of agricultural products. However, due to the increasing competition in the Chinese agricultural market, the value chain of the agricultural product industry is facing many challenges. The challenges faced by the value chain of the agricultural product industry are of two types: upstream and downstream. The upstream is the scope to improve yield and scarcity of resources and the downstream includes food chain loss, consumption moving towards F & V and pulses and lack of transparency and traceability. Thus, on the basis of the connotation of the agricultural product industry's value chain and value flow, this article compares and analyses the development status of domestic and foreign industrial value chains, and finally proposes an upgrade path to increase the flow of Chinese agricultural industry's value chain. It is expected to provide a reference for improving the economic benefits of Chinese agricultural product industry's value chain.


Theodore Roosevelt is well-known as a rancher, hunter, naturalist, soldier, historian, explorer, and statesman. His visage is etched on Mount Rushmore—alongside those of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln—as a symbol of his vast and consequential legacy. While Roosevelt's storied life has been written about from many angles, no modern book probes deeply into his engagement with religious beliefs, practices, and controversies despite his lifelong church attendance and commentary on religious issues. Theodore Roosevelt: Preaching from the Bully Pulpit traces Roosevelt's personal religious odyssey from youthful faith and pious devotion to a sincere but more detached adult faith. It also shows the president as a champion of the separation of church and state, a defender of religious ecumenism, and a "preacher" who used his "bully pulpit" to preach morality using the language of the King James Bible. Contextualizing Roosevelt in the American religious world of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the book shows how religious groups interpreted the famous Rough Rider and how he catered to, rebuked, and interacted with various religious constituencies. Based in large part on personal correspondence and unpublished archival materials, this book offers a new interpretation of an extremely significant historical figure.


The deep reason why the rhymed words in Collection of Ming Lyric Verses overlapped with those in Sound and Rhyme of Central China is mainly related with phoneme frame established by ZHOU De-qing and the inclination of choosing rhymed words by composers of Ming Dynasty.Collection of rhymed words in the work does not include their varieties.According to their frequency in use,the rhymed words may be divided into two groups:those in common use and those in uncommon use.In terms of systematicness,the rhymed words may be classified into systematic collection and sporadic collection.According to the collection by rhymed books of same period or of previous period,the rhymed words can be grouped into those collected by Guangyun or Jiyun,those collected by word books and lyric rhyme books of Ming Dynasty.The book Collection of Ming Lyric Verses included four rhymed words with dialectal features.


One of the leading signs of a pathological process in liver cirrhosis is often protein deficiency, the relief or reduction of which is an important task in the course of complex therapy.


Since Sarbanes Oxley Act 2002, there has been growing interest in the research concerning audit committee expertise. Audit committee plays an important role on the quality and credibility of financial reporting, since they effectively function as a governance mechanism. Whilst, many studies have examined the attributes of audit committee financial expertise with regard to financial reporting quality, and their composition of expertise on the audit committee board, few have focused on the financial expertise aspect specifically and none have considered extending the meaning of expert other than the notion of a professionally qualified accountant. This study examines the audit committee expertise attribute in detail and investigates the relationship between these expertise attributes and financial reporting quality, and thus, complements extant literature on audit committee expertise


Objectives Multisystem pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) is a rare autosomal recessive aldosterone unresponsiveness syndrome that results from mutations in the genes encoding epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits α, β and γ. In this study we examined three PHA patients to identify mutations responsible for PHA with different clinical presentations.


We extend many results on Selmer groups for elliptic curves and modular forms to the non-ordinary setting. More precisely, we study the signed Selmer groups defined using the machinery of Wach modules over $\mathbf{Z}_p$-cyclotomic extensions. First, we provide a definition of residual and non-primitive Selmer groups at non-ordinary primes. This allows us to extend techniques developed by Greenberg (for $p$-ordinary elliptic curves) and Kim ($p$-supersingular elliptic curves) to show that if two $p$-non-ordinary modular forms are congruent to each other, then the Iwasawa invariants of their signed Selmer groups are related in an explicit manner. Our results have several applications. First of all, this allows us to relate the parity of the analytic ranks of such modular forms generalizing a recent result of the first-named author for $p$-supersingular elliptic curves. Second, we can prove a Kida-type formula for the signed Selmer groups generalizing results of Pollack and Weston.


The pervosldte material, La 0.75 Sr 0.25 Cr 0.5 Mn 0.5 O 3 (LSCM), was synthesized through solid-state reactions and successfully applied as anode in solid oxide fuel cell for direct oxidation of methane. Optimum sintering temperature of 1200°C was found for the LSCM/YSZ composite anode (50 wt% LSCM/50 wt% YSZ). Although the performance of the composite anode is lower than a Ni/YSZ anode, it exhibits high stability in methane. No carbon deposition and performance deterioration were observed for the LSCM/YSZ composite anode even if the dry methane was fed into the anode as the fuel. The observed OCV in 3% H 2 O-97% CH 4 /Air for LSCM/YSZ/Pt system is much lower than the theoretical value calculated from the equilibrium concentration of the mixture gases, CH 4 , CO, CO 2 , H 2 O and H 2 , implying the slow steam reforming processes of CH 4 at LSCM surface. The voltage difference between the experimental and simulation results decreases with the increase of the operating temperature (0.34 V at 750°C and 0.21 V at 950°C) suggesting that the high operating temperature favors the steam reforming processes of CH 4 at LSCM surface.


Tissue engineering is an emerging interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of life science and engineering to produce engineered tissues for the repair and replacement of damaged tissues or organs [1]. In tissue engineering, tissue scaffolds play a crucial role. A tissue scaffold is a three-dimensional (3D) structure made from biological materials and bio‐ materials, which is used to facilitate cell/tissue growth and the transport of nutrients and wastes while degrading gradually itself. To fabricate such tissue scaffolds, a number of fab‐ rication techniques have been developed and reported in the literature and these techniques can generally be classified into two categories: conventional and advanced. Conventional techniques [2], including solvent-casting, particulate-leaching, and freeze drying, can build scaffolds with interconnected porous structures. However, they offer little capacity to pre‐ cisely control pore size, pore geometry, pore interconnectivity, and spatial distribution of pores or allow for the construction of internal channels within the scaffolds. Ideally, scaf‐ folds should not only provide a supporting structure but also the chemical, mechanical, and biological signals required to respond to environmental stimuli. As an alternative to conven‐ tional scaffold fabrication methods, advanced fabrication techniques have recently been de‐ veloped in tissue engineering, such as electrospinning [3], a nanotechnology-based fabrication technique, and rapid prototyping [4], a class of techniques by which a 3D scaf‐ fold is fabricated by laying down multiple, precisely formed layers in succession. With the development of such advanced tissue engineering fabrication techniques, the new concept of "biofabrication" has emerged. Biofabrication is defined as the production of complex liv‐ ing and non-living biological products from raw materials, such as living cells, molecules, extracellular matrices, and biomaterials. It has the potential to be the manufacturing para‐ digm of the 21st century and makes a significant contribution to the development of tissue engineering strategies [5].


As a kind of complicated mechanical automation, most of key parts of breech mechanism are cams delivering forces and movements by parts' outline and figure. The major fault mode of breech mechanism is grain abrasion caused by dry sliding friction. There are no feasible and practical technologies to simulate and predict the abrasion failure lives of key parts for breech mechanism. A new simulation and prediction method is firstly put forward in this paper. Based on Pro/E and ADAMS, the virtual prototype of breech mechanism of semiautomatic vertical sliding-wedge type is established. Key parts' load spectrum can be obtained based on virtual prototype. Pin-on-disc friction and abrasion testing machine is designed and adopted to obtain typical materials' abrasion rules. Finial simulation and prediction results are given as abrasion thresholds and operating items, which provide sufficient references for breech mechanism's design and safeguard.


The present paper deals with the population dynamics of pelagic fishes in the North China Sea. In the paper, the essentials are as follows.1. Owing to the natural environment and oceanographic characteristics of the North China Sea, the pelagic fishes, such as Spanish mackerel, chub mackerel, Pacific herring, Chinese herring and pomfret, etc., seem each of them as independent stock. The population dynamics of these fishes may roughly show their population fluctuations. Because of the fishing pressures, the commercial fishes have been affected year after year.2. In the North China Sea, the trends of population structure, sexual maturity and growth rate of pelagic fish resources are disadvantagous. All of the commercial fishes, as Spanish mackerel, chub mackerel and herrings, are clearly on the decline. The low-priced fishes increase steadily to replace economic fishes.3. The structures of fish population and population dynamics are severely changed. It is necessary to make regulations of fisheries conservation, to manage fishing industry, and to negotiate fishery agreements with neighbouring states.


The latest video standard - Versatile Video Coding Standard (VVC/H.266) has been standardized and officially entered into force. Compared with the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265), owing to the introduction of the Quad-tree with Nested Multi-type Tree (QTMT) division mode, the encoder can choose a more detailed division type when dividing the Coding unit (CU), thereby improving the coding performance. However, when the CU selects the division type, it needs to traverse all possible division types and compute the Rate-distortion (RD) cost, which greatly enhances the coding complexity. Therefore, this paper designs a Joint Random Forest Classifier (JRFC) to make decisions on CU partition types, and proposes fast adaptive CU partition decision algorithm for VVC intra coding combined with our previous work. The algorithm has the capability to make partition decisions for CUs of diverse sizes (smaller than $32\times 32$ ) and completely bypass the intricate process of Rate-distortion Optimization (RDO), resulting in a significant reduction in encoding time. The experimental results demonstrate that, in comparison to the basic approach utilized in VTM10.0, the algorithm proposed in this paper reduces the encoding time by 57.27% on average, with only a marginal increase of 1.53% in Bjøntegaard delta bit rate (BDBR).


We present design, fabrication and characterisation of piezoelectric AlN MEMS resonators with usage of molybdenum as material for the bottom electrode. The stress control during the sputter process and influence on the film quality of molybdenum by adding a thin (50nm) aluminium nitride nucleation layer beneath are shown. Two design variants with and without a structural silicon layer underneath the bottom electrode are presented. Equal layers in both design variants result in the possibility of comparing their performance RF properties like piezoelectric coupling factor and quality factor.


Recent advancements in NMR are having a significant impact in structural biology. During the last two decades, NMR has become a powerful tool in the 3D structure determination of proteins. A prelude to such structure determination is the sequence-specific resonance assignments and characterization of various short ordered stretches, which are called secondary structural elements. In this communication, we propose an alternative and efficient method for the determination of secondary structures in proteins. We strongly believe that ΔC'-ΔCβ (the difference in the deviations between the observed and random coil chemical shift values of C' and Cβ spins) provides accurate signatures of various secondary structural elements present in any given protein, whether it is predominantly α-helical or β-sheet in its content.


In this work, sonication assisted exfoliated Graphene (Gr) was
separated into five different suspensions using a systematic
centrifugation scheme (4000-500 rpm) for the two different
solvents N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) and N, Ndimethylformamide
(DMF). Gr dispersions in deionized water
(DW) were prepared by the re-dispersion process with the aid
of vacuum filtration. Systematic thermal conductivity (TC)
measurements were conducted separately on the prepared Gr
dispersion in DW with rising temperature ranging from 25 to
60 oC. Defects in exfoliated Gr samples were identified in
terms of intensity ratio of D and G band (ID/IG) of Raman
spectroscopy. For a fixed time of sonication values of ID/IG
were found considerably higher in higher centrifugation speed
(rpm). This phenomenon was perceived for both of the
solvents. However, obtained values of ID/IG for the exfoliated
Gr in NMP (Gr-NMP) were lower than that of Gr exfoliated
by DMF (Gr-DMF). Lowest values of ID/IG found for 500
rpm, were 0.697 and 0.879 for the Gr-NMP and Gr-DMF
respectively. Effect of exfoliated Gr defects were evaluated on the TC of Gr dispersed DW nanofluids. At 60 ℃, TC of GrNMP dispersion in DW was obtained 1.146 W/m-K for ID/IG of 0.697 (500 rpm) and 0.935 W/m-K for ID/IG of 0.916 (4000 rpm). Similarly occurrence was also apparent for the Gr-DMF dispersion in DW.


&dquo;antireligious&dquo; religiosity remarkably well suited to the &dquo;nonhistorical, nonsocial consciousness&dquo; which pervades everyday life in the (post)modern world. Unconsciously echoing Troeltsch's discussion of the &dquo;cult,&dquo; he laments the inability of Pentecostals' &dquo;projections of desire&dquo; to represent &dquo;anything that already or primarily exists to mediate a bond in the real world or among people independent of the desires of each isolated person.&dquo; Roelofs' study of the creation and utilization of narrative by Flemish Catholic Charismatics concludes pessimistically that the Charismatic Christian metonymical model of thought inspires a fundamentalism and intolerance which may well lead to sterility and eventual exhaustion. Any doubts concerning the continuing validity of &dquo;Wesley's Law&dquo; (cited so effectively in the closing pages of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism) are dispelled by Hollenger's plea for the deliverance of Pentecostalism from its &dquo;Babylonian bourgeois captivity&dquo; in the affluent West. Calling for genuine dialogue between the Pentecostalisms of the Rich and Poor, he urges Charismatics to avoid (at their peril) the mistakes made by mainline denominations in the interests


This study explores whether fundamentals of engineering (FE) exam scores are reliable and valid measures of individual competence, program accreditation, and college performance, each of these being processes commonly assessed using FE scores. Findings indicate that a trend exists toward erosion of reliability and validity as one moves further from the individual assessment level. That is, FE exam scores are probably reliable and valid indicators of minimal technical competency at the individual level. However, program-level assessments require a careful, fine-grained comparison of the subject-content statistics reported by NCEES relative to stated program objectives, and in certain cases, FE exam data will not serve as reliable and valid assessment indicators for some engineering programs. Further, assessment of entire engineering schools based on college-wide FE exam pass rates is inappropriate and cannot be rationally supported.


Having improved properties comprises an insecticide and / or repellent impregnating textile, after washing it still contains several insecticide and / or repellent on the textile surface.


Leadership is one of the 21st century characteristics that everybody involved in distance learning institutions should have. From this point of view, the fact that individuals having a say in the functioning of open and distance learning institutions possess 21st century skills such as leadership and accountability is seen as an important point in order to correctly carry out the missions of such institutions. The fact that the individuals who operate open and distance learning institutions have 21st Century skills such as leadership and accountability will play an important role in achieving the aims of the institution. Therefore, it is important that individuals have the features required by the age in order to reach the goals they aim at. In this study, it has been emphasized that individuals must have 21st century skills in order to maintain the functioning of open and distance learning institutions in a healthy manner and the necessity of possessing leadership feature has been argued. Leadership in Open and Distance Learning Institutions Within the Scope of 21st Century Skills


The inimitable merits of USB are introduced into the GPIB automatic testing system and the GPIB controller with the USB bus and the VISA function lib is designed and developed.The paper introduces the prototype and performance of the VISA functions for USB-GPIB controller.The GPIB automatic testing system can be built expediently based on the USB-GPIB controller,and correspondingly the software for the testing system can be developed flexibly based on the VISA function lib.By use of the new USB-GPIB controller and VISA function lib,the performance of automatic testing system can be enhanced greatly.Finally,the application of the VISA function lib at Visual C++ language is given in the paper.


Huixianfeng granite body is a rare metal mineralized intrusive body of the third stage of early Yanshanian period with zoned alterations. The rare metal mineralization occurs at the top of the rock body and the out contact with the rising part of the margin, showing the "plane type" stratiform like and "vein type" occurrence.


We investigate the temperature effects on electron transport in a bound-to-continuum terahertz quantum cascade laser using Monte Carlo simulation which includes electron–electron and electron–phonon scattering. The effects of carrier transport paths and mechanisms, especially for those related to laser levels, on the device's temperature performance are evaluated. The simulation shows that the parasitic leakage of carriers from the upper laser level and the thermal backfilling to the lower laser level is the main limiting factor for high-temperature operation. The calculations are in good agreement with experimental results.


Solid waste production has increased in recent years. Many studies have shown that generated leachate from solid waste contains a high concentration of heavy metals. Their removal efficiency from leachate was investigated in aerobic suspended and attached growth systems in lab-scale within 72 hours of aeration. All of the materials used were analytical grade (Merck). Maximum efficiency of the attached growth system in removal of BOD5 and COD was, respectively, 80% and 78.28%. Maximum removal efficiency for both attached and suspended growth was related to lead, and minimum removal efficiency was related to vanadium for the attached growth, and cadmium for suspended growth. Heavy metals removal efficiencies in attached growth from max to min were lead, iron, manganese, cobalt, zinc, mercury, magnesium, copper, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and vanadium, respectively; and the removal efficiencies for suspended growth from max to min were lead, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, cobalt, mercury, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and cadmium, respectively. Generally it can be concluded that both systems are suitable for young leachate treatment, but to satisfy environmental discharge standards post treatment will be necessary.


This article analyses a manuscript collection of poetry by an unknown French officer who was held prisoner by the Government of Courland after the war of 1812. His occasional poetry echoes the Troubadours, a style typical of early nineteenth-century French poetry. The collection of verses bears witness to the prisoner's deep involvement in local sociability and his favorable contacts with local elites. The relationship between the author and his hosts is based on a common interest for books, French literature, and the command of the norms of sociability set by French aristocratic culture and adopted by the Russian Empire at the turn of the nineteenth century. As a result, this dialogue in the form of poetry transmits a particular group identity. Mediated through the common European language, this identity is not at variance with patriotic feelings nor does it impede the expression of national cultural features.


In recent years, research in natural language processing has increasingly focused on normalizing SMS messages. Different well-defined approaches have been proposed, but the problem remains far from being solved: best systems achieve a 11% Word Error Rate. This paper presents a method that shares similarities with both spell checking and machine translation approaches. The normalization part of the system is entirely based on models trained from a corpus. Evaluated in French by 10-fold-cross validation, the system achieves a 9.3% Word Error Rate and a 0.83 BLEU score.


In this paper, we introduce a method that quantifies the amount of traffic over time by the help of a cloud calculation service and vehicular communication. Furthermore, the approach is applicable also in vehicular traffic simulations, which are widely used in research to demonstrate the effects of proposed solutions to traffic problems. As unused road segments strongly influence the overall traffic load (i.e. used vs full road capacity), we propose a methodology that dynamically calculates the load over time and considers whether specific parts of the road network are used. We introduce two possibilities to filter out distortion of the created statistics due to variation in usage over time. Our novel approach is both simple but widely configurable to fit individual needs. The approach is proven by simulations and application of the load calculation in combination with an intelligent route optimization approach by comparing the optimization gain with the calculated traffic load.


In this work, the syntheses and characterization of oxygen deficient perovskite cobalt oxides prepared under ambient pressure conditions with different "x" in the Co(Sr1-xYx)O3–δ; 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 series are reported. The system studied in the present investigation undergoes structural phase transition at room temperature from cubic to tetragonal symmetry. The samples with x ≥ 0.2 show a tetragonal structure with I4/mmm space group, while the samples with 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.15 reveal cubic with pm3m group symmetry. Quite similar to Ho-substituted system [J. Appl. Phys. 103, 07B903 (2008)], the present Y-doped magnetization data clearly show the appearance of an enhanced ferromagnetic component at ~350 K for 0.15 ≤ x ≤ 0.225. Unlike the Ho-substituted system, the present narrow compositions behave as hard ferromagnet with quite high coercive field, Hc = 11.02, 12.25 and 14.0 kOe for x = 0.15, 0.2 and 0.225 compositions, respectively at T = 10 K. All the compositions show a semiconducting-like behaviour and some interesting features of temperature dependence of magnetoresistance (MR) are observed. The Co(Sr1-xYx)O3–δ samples seemly to obey variable range hopping conduction model showing a linear ln ρ versus T–1/4 dependence at the temperature range 80 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K.


This text looks at the key features of modern communalism that developed in Bengal in the 1920s. While communalism is normally seen in terms of violent physical encounters, this book locates it in multiple sites, ranging from market disputes, concern over the decline in Hindu numbers, abductions, to near civil war over the right to play music before mosques.


What is Hypertext? It has been studied and explored for over 50 years but a complete definition seems ever more elusive. The term is invoked in multiple communities, and applied in radically different domains, but if we cannot reconcile the different perspectives then we will be unable to learn from our shared history, or from each other in the future. In this paper we argue that the longevity and variety of hypertext work makes a simple definition impractical. Instead we suggest different contexts in which hypertext work has been conducted, and then attempt to draw out the relationships and commonalities between them. We describe seven contexts drawn from the literature: Hypertext as a Tool for Thought, as Knowledge Representation, as Social Fabric, as Literature, as Games, as Infrastructure, and as Interface. We argue that these are connected by a common requirement for non-regularity, driven by post-structuralist philosophy, and enshrining existentialist values in our technology. It is the application of these ideas to different problems that gives rise to current Hypertext, as we see the same technical features, and engineering and creative challenges, manifest in otherwise quite different digital domains.


The Kirchhoff migration plays an important role in converting seismic data into images of geological layers according to viewpoint in the applied geophysics. In this paper, the application of the Kirchhoff migration was used in the case of the high frequency electromagnetic method for specifying GPR velocity model. The measurements of raw GPR data collected by Ramac X3M with 500 MHz frequency in HoChiMinh city were processed on the basis of the Kirchhoff migration to velocity model by establishing a set of different velocities. The migrated results of a diffraction case were analyzed to choose the optimal velocity. The optimal velocities of being chosen from Kirchhoff migration in two cases were considered medium environment velocities.


Background: Tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) represents a percentage of neoplastic component to the combined neoplastic and tumor-associated stromal area. TSR has been demonstrated to be a new prognostic factor in cancers of several organs including the uterine cervix. In cervical cancer, TSR was evaluated in only one previous series of carcinoma with mixed histologic types. This study was aimed to assess the prognostic value of TSR in early-stage cervical cancer patients with adenocarcinoma histology only. Methods: Histologic slides of patients with early stage (IB-IIA) cervical adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical treatment between January 2003 and December 2011 were reviewed. TSR was categorized as low (<50%: stroma-rich) and high (>50%: stroma-poor). The clinical and pathological variables were correlated with the follow-up outcomes. Results: Of 131 patients, 38 (29.0%) had low TSR and 93 (71.0%) had high TSR. Cases with low TSR had significantly higher rates of infiltrative border (p < 0.001), deep stromal invasion (p = 0.011), and parametrial involvement (p = 0.026). Low TSR was associated with decreased overall survival in the univariate analysis (p = 0.041), but not in the multivariate analysis. TSR was not associated with tumor recurrence or decreased disease-free survival. Conclusions: TSR is not an independent prognostic predictor in surgically-treated early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma patients.


A convenient procedure is developed for the preparation of 2-sulfonylindoles from indoles and sodium sulfinates catalyzed by KI in water. This environmentally benign 2-sulfonylation of indoles proceeds efficiently under mild conditions, affording the products with high regioselectivity and in moderate to good yields.


In this study, different mixtures of castor oil and linseed oil were converted into their corresponding biofuel throughout homogeneous catalytic reaction using sodium hydroxide as homogeneous catalyst in the presence of methyl alcohol under optimized condition. The mechanism of the transesterification reaction of the oils was proposed. The physical properties of the obtained biodiesels were determined according to ASTM fuel specification. The results showed that the gradual increase in the abundance of castor oil in the oil mixture from 10% to 90% decreases the most of properties of the obtained biofuels to meet the standard values. The study presented a good sight into the preparation of biodiesels from various types of mixed vegetable oils.


Reverse supply chain is a process dealing with the backward flows of used/damaged products or materials. Reverse supply chain includes activities such as collection, inspection, reprocess, disposal and redistribution. A well-organized reverse supply chain can provide important advantages such as economic and environmental ones. In this study, we propose a general framework and formulate a mathematical model for product return in reverse supply chain. We consider a multi- layer, multi-product for the model. The main objective of the paper is minimizing the total costs of reverse supply chain including transportation, fixed opening, operation, maintenance and remanufacturing costs of centers. To validate the mathematical model, a numerical example is solved using Lingo 9 software and the results are reported.


We propose a novel tool based on a hierarchy of two self-organizing maps (SOMs) for analyzing financial statements. The inputs to the first-level SOM are financial indicators derived from a company's annual financial statements; these determine the company's position on the first-level SOM each year. The inputs to the second-level SOM are the coordinates of the company on the first-level SOM during two or more consecutive years. The second-level SOM turns out to give a more accurate description of the state of the company than the first-level SOM. Moreover, it is easy to interpret, as each point on the second-level SOM corresponds to a trajectory on the first-level SOM. With our method, several different patterns of corporate behavior can be recognized.


Currently, technology seeks to link basic
concepts of Graph Theory and adapt
them in scenarios useful for society, for
example: in the field of medicine,
representing the neural networks or the
representation of symptoms for the
diagnosis of diseases; In the field of
computer systems by representing
computer networks, or the
representation of social networks; Also
in Project Planning is needed the
Georeferential Representation proposal
of elements such as transportation on a
map. Java Universal Network Graph
(JUNG) is an Open-Source Library that
allows applications in Java, which aims
to link concepts of Graph Theory with
their nodes in georeferenced locations.
This article describes how we can obtain
the georeferenced nodes supported in
tools like Quantum Geographic
Information System (QGIS) and
OpenStreetMap's major corridors of
transportation in the city of Quito. The
implementation in a Java application for
viewing the information represented in
graphs, and the benefits that entails
applying georeferenced graphs with the
JUNG tool.


Tax evasion is one of the problems existing in every country in this world, has a negative impact on a country's economy; is classified as an illegal act, it is an attempt to avoid tax payable by violating tax laws. Indonesia is a country that includes the world top ten countries with the majority of illicit financial depletions, which is more than USD 109 billion; therefore, the Minister of Finance in the DGT-DGCE Synergy Program Kick Off (www.cnbcindonesia.com, 2018) asked those two Directorates to synergize and consistently try to prevent tax evasion. The purpose of this research is to find out and analyze what factors influence the occurrence of tax evasion, especially at DGCE. This research uses a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods; Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is applied for quantitative method, meanwhile the qualitative method aims to deepen and confirm the variables studied. In this qualitative research, there were some activities in data analyzing such as data reduction, dаtа displаy, and conclusion drаwing. Primary data collection is conducted by distributing questionnaires to 135 respondents, consisting of Importers and Customs Consultants; besides that, triangulation is also conducted, which interviewed with several relevant officials at DGCE, observation, and documentation. The results of this research with t table = 1,982 is Customs Audit (CR = 4,934), Self-Assessment System (CR = 3,592), Information Technology (CR = 5,348) and Possibility of Fraud Detection (CR = 2,421) influenced significantly negative for Tax Evasion. Whereas two other independent variables namely Quality Service (CR = 1.610) and Law Enforcement (CR = 1,276) have no effect on Tax Evasion. The recommended and confirmed outcome from interviews and documentation is the consistent implementation of Customs Audit (including Joint Audit with DGT), IT and the more professional handling of Law Enforcement process, which is the preparation of documents and related evidence for this case.


ABSTRACT This essay reflects on the lives of two people whose publications, pedagogy, lectures, and crucially, whose experiences helped set the terms of the debate about so-called high culture in Cultural Studies: Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) and Frank Raymond (F. R.) Leavis (1895–1978). Who was Matthew Arnold? F. R. Leavis? What were the conditions of possibility of their work and words – that is, for the practices and positions for which they advocated? What new questions might emerge by sharing in detailed and perhaps unexpected stories of individuals who, presently, seem to function in Cultural Studies mainly as known-unknowns? The argument is that the details of both Arnold and Leavis' lives are integral to understanding the conditions of possibility of their work, both individually and collectively, and indeed to more fully appreciating the meaning and implications their work holds for Cultural Studies. Apropos, this piece refines the methodology of keywords introduced by Raymond Williams [1958. Culture and society, 1780–1950. New York, NY: Columbia University Press; 1983. Keywords : A vocabulary of culture and society. Rev. ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.]. It also challenges some of the theoretical, historical, and analytical claims underpinning Tony Bennett [1996. Putting policy into cultural studies. In: what is cultural studies? A reader. London: Arnold, 307–321] and Ian Hunter's [1988. Setting limits to culture. New Formations, 4, 103–123; 1994. Rethinking the school: subjectivity, bureaucracy, criticism. St. Leonards: Allen & Unwin] work on culture as governmentality.


A new process to preparation of hydrogenation catalysts for C_5 petroleum resins was studied in this paper. The effects of catalyst composition and pretreatment methods ofγ-Al_2O_3 on reaction activity,etc.,were investigated. A impregnated catalyst suitable for catalytic hydrogenation of C_5 petroleum resins was developed.The load of palladium is 1.0%+0.05%,the load of Z-1 is 0.5%±0.05%, the load of Z-2 is 0.5%±0.05%,the load of Z-3 is 0.5%±0.05% and the support is pretreatedγ-Al_2O_3.The obtained hydrogenation catalysts product in new process can serve as substitutive foreign congeneric product in a long period continuous operation.


Solid-liquid equilibrium data of DIPP-DDHI binary systems were measured by means of thermal analysis method in the temperature range of 290K~373K. Ideal solution model and UNIQUAC model were used to correlate the data. It was found that the results obtained by UNIQUAC model were more satisfactory.


A model has been developed for shear distribution at the pile/ rock interface in a single rock-socketed pile subjected to vertical loading.Which accounts for the interfacial bond condition and is based on a shear-lag analysis.The new closed form solution has been established for a single rock-socketed pile under vertical loading.And to investigate the influence of relative rigid of pile/rock and loading grade on load-transfer of rock-socketed pile is discussed.


I speculate that technological spillover effects may have become more important over time as IT penetrated the U.S. economy. The rationale is that IT may speed up the process of knowledge transfer and make these knowledge spillovers more effective. Using US input-output tables for years 1958, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, and 2007, I compare my new results with Wolff and Nadiri (1993) covering years 1947-1977 and Wolff (1997) covering 1958- 1987. I estimate that the direct rate of return to R&D is now 22% and the indirect rate of return to R&D is 37%. The former is higher than in the previous studies. The indirect rate of return to R&D is now significant at the one percent level, in comparison to a 10 percent significance level in Wolff (1997). The newly estimated social rate of return to R&D is 59%, compared to 53% in Wolff (1997). In contrast to the earlier studies, the coefficients of R&D embodied in new investment are now statistically significant at the five percent level. Separate regressions on the 1958-1987 and 1987-2007 periods and the addition of successive periods to the sample also suggest a strengthening of R&D spillovers between the 1958-1987 and 1987-2007 periods. A decomposition of TFP growth also indicates a higher contribution from R&D spillovers in the later period. These results suggest a strengthening of the R&D spillover effect over time.


This paper explores the effectiveness of a simple equivalent model application to study the effects of weathering layers on seismic reflected waveforms. The construction of the equivalent model is first described. Then 512 harmonic wavefields with frequencies from 0 to 511 Hz are simulated using the both of the original and equivalent models. The comparison of the two sets of synthetic seismic data shows that the time delay calculated using the equivalent model is correct and the first part of its wavelet waveform is similar to that of the original model. However the shape of the total waveform and its amplitude are very different from the original model. Therefore it is valid to use the equivalent model for calculating time delays, but invalid for determining the total effects of the weathering layer on the waveforms.


Initial growth of native trees on saline-sodic soil from northeastern Brazil using amendments Salts and sodium in excess on soil is one of the main factors that contribute to chemical degradation of soils from arid and semiarid irrigated areas. The objective of this work was to evaluate the soil amendments effect on the recovery of a soil degraded by salts and sodium in excess and on the initial growth of five native trees of Caatinga biome on saline-sodic soil. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse at CCTA/UFCG, using samples of a saline-sodic soil. The first experiment consisted of five soil amendment treatments: without correction, agricultural gypsum at the rate of 100% of the gypsum need (NG), agricultural gypsum at the rate of 50% NG + organic matter (OM), elementary sulfur (S) at the rate of 100% NG and elementary sulfur at the rate of 50% NG + OM, with 15 replicates. In the second experiment, the treatments were conducted in a factorial scheme 5 x 5, with five native trees species [tamboril (Enterolobium contortisiliquum), sabia (Mimosa caelsalpiniifolia), jurema-preta (Mimosa tenuiflora), craibeira (Tabebuia aurea) e pereiro (Aspidosperma pyrifolium) and with the five soil amendment treatments from the first


Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) technology is being widely used for urban roadbed damage detection. In this paper, we present the development of a cloud‐based difference detection method using big GPR data for roadbed damage detection. Unlike many processing methods relying on standalone servers, the proposed method can achieve high accuracy and processing efficiency by distributing the computation over a server cluster. The method includes a difference detection algorithm for GPR image enhancement and damage extraction, the Hadoop Distributed File System, and MapReduce distributed parallel computing framework for big GPR data parallel processing and interpretation. Moreover, to automatize roadbed damage classification, a criterion with seven grades is established based on the wave group shape, amplitude, phase, and attenuation characteristics. We validate the proposed method through a detection experiment that was conducted on the Fourth Ring Road in Beijing, China. The detection revealed 187 damage from the efficient processing of big GPR data, thus suggesting the ability of the proposed method to provide timely support for road safety in cities.


In order to analyze the effect of RDX-based thermobaric explosive on strain rate, the stress-strain curves with different strain rates were measured by using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) and resistive strain testing technology. The different strain rates were obtained by changing the length to diameter ratio (L/D=0.46~0.92) and speed of the bullet (10~18m/s). The results showed that it is obvious to change the strain rate by the change of the L/D and speed of the bullet with different functional relationship; RDX-based thermobaric explosives have the evident strain rate: failure stress and strain are increased with the increase of strain rate.


On the investigations on the flexural properties,color stability and melting properties,the effects of treating ramie fiber with silane coupling agent on the anti-thermo-oxidative aging properties of high density polyethylene(HDPE)/ ramie fiber composites were studied.The results show that,treating the fiber with 3% coupling agent can improve the flexural strength and modulus of the composites before the aging test by 15.9% and 21.7% respectively,and also it can improve the flexural properties of the composites after the aging test;the modified composites will be more color stable,less color difference,and less disminish of the color during the aging test;the peak melting temperatures of the modified composites when aged for 0,500,1000,1500 and 3000h will be increased by 0.6,0.2, 0.5,2.3 and 3.8 oC from those of the unmodified composites;the flexural properties,color stability and melting properties of HDPE / ramie fiber composites during thermo-oxidative aging tests all indicate that treating ramie fiber with coupling agent can improve the anti-thermo-oxidative properties of the composites.


Recent reports indicate a high prevalence of human bocaviruses (HBoV 1–4) among children, commonly associated with non-severe respiratory and gastrointestinal infections (Broccolo F, et al., J Clin Virol 2015; 72: 75–81). However, bocavirus has cardiotropic features (Kuethe F et al., Clin Infect Dis 2009; 49:1660–1666) and might cause severe disease including myocarditis (Zhao M, et al., PLoS ONE 2016; 11: e0160 603). Herein, we report the case of an 8-week-old infant with subacute myocarditis and heart failure associated with HBoV infection and viremia.


Sulfated zirconia (SZ) catalysts were prepared by impregnation from commercial zirconia nanopowder with different concentrations of sulfuric acid (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 M) and calcination temperatures (600, 700, 800, and 900 OC). SZ catalysts were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Surface area analyzer (SAA), and acidity test by ammonia adsorption. FTIR showed that the modification of zirconia with sulfuric acid enhanced the catalysts acid sites which confirmed by acidity test and it also showed the 0.8 M SZ at 600 OC was the optimal condition with the highest acidity value of 3.81 mmol/g. XRD showed that SZ crystalline structure was in a monoclinic phase and the intensity decreased with increasing concentration and decreasing calcination temperature.


Stirred pulp-mixing is performed before coal flotation. In this study, a two-stage stirred pulp- mixing tank was designed based on the single-stirred process to intensify the mixing effect of pulp and flotation reagents. A tank has a pitched-impeller opening-type turbine. Stirred pulp-mixing and flotation experiments were conducted on a sample of anthracite fine coal (-0.5mm) from the Xuehu Coal Preparation Plant in Henan Province, China. The results of the two-stage stirred pulp-mixing were compared with those of a single-stage stirred pulp-mixing in terms of flotation performance. Compared with the single-stage stirred pulp-mixing, two mixing areas and double-layer impeller were able to strengthen the energy input to the stirred system, thereby improving the mixing efficiency of flotation reagents and coal particles in the pulp. The two-stage stirred pulp-mixing significantly increased the flotation feed rate of the cyclone-static micro-bubble flotation column and concentrate yield, enhanced the combustible matter recovery effect of coarse particles at a suitable flotation feed rate, and ensured the recovery effect of fine particles at high flotation feed rate.


An industrial process fabric (10) having an embossed surface (16, 56), produced by embossing the cavity (22), to facilitate the shift from the product supported thereon, for example, paper and paper products (W) of in addition to water, to facilitate processing of the fluid.


Recent concerted efforts have sought to shift provider payment away from fee-for-service and toward risk-based alternatives. Despite these efforts, fee-for-service not only remains the dominant payment method but has continued to grow, with nearly 95 percent of all physician office visits in 2013 reimbursed in this fashion.


Hollingworth (1942) observed that typical children become interested in "questions of origin and destiny" around the age of 12–13 (p. 279), and argued that early interest in such issues was an indication of gifted‐ness. Many have reiterated Hollingworth's claim that at an unusually young age highly gifted children become aware of philosophical, ethical, societal, and environmental issues. To test these claims, highly gifted 7 to 9 year‐olds were compared to agemates using data drawn from three sources: self report, parent report, and children's responses to issue‐laden drawings. Responses to issue‐laden drawings revealed considerably more issue awareness in the highly gifted than did self report data. Parents' reports strongly supported the hypothesis that highly gifted children have early issue awareness. The disparity between children's and parents' perceptions of these same phenomena is striking.


An analog-to-digital converter comprises a digital processing unit for generating a digital signal to the first below the first teeth for the second stage, the second stage below the second teeth and the second below the encoded output signal of the teeth to the. In this case, the first future dentition including, a second below dentition respectively input the output signals of the plurality of first latch a plurality of first latch which operates in the synchronization with the first clock signal for receiving an analog input signal and a reference voltage, receiving operation in synchronism with the second clock signal for receiving the output signals of the two latches to the neighboring of the plurality of first latch of a plurality of the second latch and the interpolation method that operates in synchronization with the second clock signal delayed by the first reference clock and a plurality of third latch.


penicillin era. Of these the most outstanding in the treatment of neurosyphilis is not fever therapy but tryparsamide, though scarcely less "dangerous" than malaria. The remarks quoted from J. Purdon Martin' that if penicillin fails nothing else will work, and that arsenicals and bismuth are of no value, are contrary to the clinical experience of most older venereologists. In my own experience I have seen cases of neurosyphilis with active C.S.F. formulae fail to respond to repeated, massive, but intermittent courses of penicillin, often persisted in for several years, and yet resolve to the patient administration of tryparsamide. In the use of penicillin as the treatment of choice, it is very important that it be given at least once daily to maintain a high and continuous tissue fluid level; the temptation to use the longer-acting penicillins at intervals less frequent than once daily has led to very indifferent results in my hands. Given once or twice daily as the sodium or procaine salt in three courses of 10 injections each, with adjuvant treatment in the intervals, penicillin will produce a normal C.S.F. within four months in favourable cases. If it does not, the decision to employ tryparsamide should not be further delayed. No other arsenical (and certainly no trivalent arsenical) should be considered. In view of the dangers of tryparsamide therapy (principally of precipitating an incipient optic atrophy) it should be undertaken in collaboration with a friendly and courageous ophthalmologist. On the general question of danger, all drugs are potentially dangerous in unskilled hands, and sudden death after penicillin is not unknown. The much more toxic arsenicals require experienced hands, one of the few raisons d'etre for the continued existence of the venereologist; fever therapy carries the greatest risk, and yet in skilled and experienced hands with careful selection of cases very few patients die, as those familiar with the operation of the hypertherm at Newcastle will testify. Finally, on " authorities," it is inconceivable that Dr. Kidd is not familiar with the authority on his own doorstep in Wakefield, but if this unhappily be so I will gladly supply him with the name privately.-I am, etc.,


Simple Summary Most patients with glioblastoma, the most frequent primary brain tumor in adults, develop resistance to standard first-line treatment combining temozolomide and radiotherapy. Signaling through the hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-MET) and the midkine (ALK ligand) promotes gliomagenesis and glioma stem cell maintenance, contributing to the resistance of glioma cells to anticancer therapies. This trial reports for the first time that the addition of crizotinib, an ALK, ROS1, and c-MET inhibitor, to standard RT and TMZ is safe and resulted in a promising efficacy for newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma. Abstract Background: MET-signaling and midkine (ALK ligand) promote glioma cell maintenance and resistance against anticancer therapies. ALK and c-MET inhibition with crizotinib have a preclinical therapeutic rationale to be tested in newly diagnosed GBM. Methods: Eligible patients received crizotinib with standard radiotherapy (RT)/temozolomide (TMZ) followed by maintenance with crizotinib. The primary objective was to determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) in a 3 + 3 dose escalation (DE) strategy and safety evaluation in the expansion cohort (EC). Secondary objectives included progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and exploratory biomarker analysis. Results: The study enrolled 38 patients. The median age was 52 years (33–76), 44% were male, 44% were MGMT methylated, and three patients had IDH1/2 mutation. In DE, DLTs were reported in 1/6 in the second cohort (250 mg/QD), declaring 250 mg/QD of crizotinib as the RP2D for the EC. In the EC, 9/25 patients (32%) presented grade ≥3 adverse events. The median follow up was 18.7 months (m) and the median PFS was 10.7 m (95% CI, 7.7–13.8), with a 6 m PFS and 12 m PFS of 71.5% and 38.8%, respectively. At the time of this analysis, 1 died without progression and 24 had progressed. The median OS was 22.6 m (95% CI, 14.1–31.1) with a 24 m OS of 44.5%. Molecular biomarkers showed no correlation with efficacy. Conclusions: The addition of crizotinib to standard RT and TMZ for newly diagnosed GBM was safe and the efficacy was encouraging, warranting prospective validation in an adequately powered, randomized controlled study.


2 types of ultrastructural lesions have been found in the hepatocystic systems of women taking oral contraceptives. Some affect the cellular membranes like the ductal membranes the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and the plasmic membrane. Others affect the mitochondria and the lysosomes. Even now it is not possible to affirm that the lesions are equally important. The membrane lesions might be due to a direct toxic action of the contraceptives on the cellular membranes. In certain cases there was a proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. This might explain the formation of hepatic adenomas provoked by the oral contraceptives.


Objective To compare the characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis cases in migrant population in Guangzhou, 2010-2013, and to provide scientific basis for TB control. Methods Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the surveil1 ance data of TB.Results Overall, 20784 tuberculosis patients of migrants were registered in 2010-2013. The rate of negative pulmonary tuberculosis patients(59.17%) was higher than the positive rate(40.83%). Male patients accounted for 67.01%(13928/20748), and females accounted for 32.99%(6856/20748). In March, April and May, the proportion of patients(10.15%, 9.94% and 9.84%, respectively)were higher than those in other months; The patients mainly in Baiyun District, Panyu District, Huadu District, Yuexiu District and Haizhu District, and the proportions were 18.23%, 12.06%, 14.29%, 11.68%, 11.20%, respectively. Age distribution was concentrated between 15-44(22.73%-32.94%), of which, 25-34 years old accounted for most(32.94%). Occupation distribution,in the top four, were self-employed(26.09%), housework(19.11%), unemployed(17.79%), and migrant workers(16.79).Conclusion Pulmonary tuberculosis patients of migrants in Guangzhou is dominated by men. The key of tuberculosis prevention is self-employed occupation. March-May is the key period of tuberculosis prevention and control work of migrant population.