We have examined over the course of a 1‐week period the independent and combined effects of chronically increased muscle contraction and the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)α and PPARγ activators, Wy 14,643 and rosiglitazone, on the expression and plasmalemmal content of the fatty acid transporters, FAT/CD36 and FABPpm, as well as on the rate of fatty acid transport. In resting muscle, the activation of either PPARα or PPARγ failed to induce the protein expression of FAT/CD36. PPARα activation also failed to induce the protein expression of FABPpm. In contrast, PPARγ activation induced the expression of FABPpm protein (40%; P < 0.05). Chronic muscle contraction increased the protein expression of FAT/CD36 (∼50%; P < 0.05), whereas FABPpm was slightly increased (12%; P < 0.05). Neither PPARα nor PPARγ activation altered the contraction‐induced expression of FAT/CD36 or FABPpm. Changes in protein expression of FAT/CD36 or FABPpm, induced by either contractions or by administration of rosiglitazone, were largely attributable to increased transcription. The contraction‐induced increments in FAT/CD36 were accompanied by parallel increments in plasmalemmal FAT/CD36 and in rates of fatty acid transport (P < 0.05). Up‐regulation of FABPpm expression was, however, accompanied by a reduction in plasmalemmal FABPpm, which did not affect the rates of long chain fatty acid (LCFA) transport. These studies have shown that in skeletal muscle (i) neither PPARα nor PPARγ activation alters FAT/CD36 expression, (ii) PPARγ activation selectively up‐regulates FABPpm expression and (iii) contraction‐induced up‐regulation of LCFA transport does not appear to occur via activation of either PPARα or PPARγ.


CdS and CdS:Sn films (at Sn percentage of 10) were deposited onto glass substrates at room temperature (R.T) using thermally evaporation technique .The effect of Sn on some physical properties of the films were presented. The pure an d doped CdS films were polycrystalline with zincblende structure with lattice constants,a, of 5.84 o A and 5.86 o A respectively.


Harold Pinter is one of the most influential British playwrights in the modern theater.He experimented on the Theater of Absurd and added elements of realism to it,thus formed his own style.By analyzing one of the classic masterpieces The Caretaker,this article explores and shows Pinter's philosophy and his unique "Pinteresque".


This paper describes Nescume – a Web enabled packag e for managing student (lab) assignments. The package has been designed targeting a number of req uirements met in teaching software-based courses. The paper discusses objectives for Nescume developm nt, presents its capabilities such as source code comparison for cheating detection, testing of devel op d program and source code archiving, and shows its architecture. Furthermore, the paper explains h ow the system can be used to improve both the cours e as well as students quality. Integration with the c ourse management software is also considered, as illustrated by the WODLS package.


Purpose
The visible time window (VTW) calculation of satellites to ground targets is significant for Earth observation satellites' operation management and control. With the improvement of satellite maneuvering capability and the complexity of on-orbit observation tasks, the traditional VTW calculation methods can no longer meet the demands of satellite operation management and control due to a large amount of calculation and low efficiency. The purpose of this study is to propose a fast VTW calculation method based on map segmentation named map segmentation method (MSM), to improve the calculation efficiency, and further solve this problem.

Design/methodology/approach
The main feature of the MSM method is to segment the map and subsatellite trajectories and traverse the subsatellite points within a specific range around the target, significantly reducing the search space and the amount of computation and improving computational efficiency.

Findings
Numerical simulations for two satellite orbits are implemented to verify the feasibility of the proposed VTW calculation method, and the traditional traversal method (TM) is also performed for comparative analysis. The results show that the proposed method can obtain the same VTW, using less calculation time than the TM. The computational efficiency is significantly improved, especially for many tasks. The calculation time of observing 500 targets is saved by more than 70%, indicating a broad application prospect.

Originality/value
This paper proposes an original VTW calculation method based on map segmentation to improve the calculation efficiency. The simulation scenarios are designed to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method, and the observation targets are randomly distributed on the map. For comparative analysis, the TM is also performed under the same simulation conditions.


deterioration is progressive, as are the visual disturbances, which result in total blindness. If the disease is diagnosed within the first year of life, the child is unlikely to survive beyond 10 years of age. Adult onset of the disease is milder, with no resultant blindness and with normal life expectancy (2). A 17-month-old girl, initially diagnosed with Batten disease as an infant, was scheduled for an eye examination under anesthesia, electroretinogram, and biopsy of the conjunctiva. Preoperative examination revealed a smallfor-age girl weighing 10.5 kg, with marked hypotonia. She had mild mental retardation with a history of seizures. During this hospitalization she was taking no medications. She was allergic to phenobarbital. She had undergone two general anesthetics for magnetic resonance imaging, and for a Nissen fundoplication and G-tube placement, both without incidence. Review of the previous medical records revealed that she had received a number of drugs including halothane, isoflurane, propofol, pentothal, rocuronium, and succinylcholine. After placement of SpO2 monitor, noninvasive blood pressure cuff, electrocardiogram, and a precordial stethoscope, anesthesia was induced with oxygen, nitrous oxide and sevoflurane. Following placement of an intravenous line, glycopyrrolate and propofol, her trachea was intubated without difficulty. She was placed on mechanical ventilation for the remainder of the case. At the conclusion of the procedure her trachea was extubated when she spontaneously opened her eyes. After an uneventful recovery, she was discharged on the same day of surgery. Although our patient exhibited marked hypotonia, most children with Batten disease have increased muscle tone and myoclonus; therefore, the routine use of a depolarizing muscle relaxant such as succinylcholine must be given careful thought. However, after review of our patients' two previous anesthetics, both at our institution, one using halothane and isoflurane and the other using thiopental, succinylcholine and isoflurane, we elected to induce anesthesia with thiopental and use rocuronium for muscle relaxation. We avoided agents that pose an epileptic potential such as fentanyl, ketamine and etomidate. Although this is the first anesthetic management in a patient with Batten disease that we can document in the literature, our patient did receive three anesthetics without incidence. There appears to be no relationship to malignant hyperthermia and, despite the abnormal muscle physiology, there were no untoward effects from either succinylcholine or the nondepolarizing muscle relaxant.


Introduction For much of the nineteenth century urban India was abuzz with the rhetoric of reconstruction. The notion that the country was in a civilisational trough between past glory and a revived future was the theme upon which a panoply of established and emerging reform organisations—from amongst Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, women, low-castes, and including a number of Christian missions—set about creating their own variations. They produced diverse practical programs focusing on basic education, social welfare, the status of women, and the pruning of what they regarded as undesirable aspects of local or national socio-religious culture, in individuals' daily lives and occasionally through legislation. All sought a metamorphosis in social attitudes and practices; some extended this to a promotion of their particular brand of religion.


. We prove that if a Z d shift of finite type with entropy greater than log N satisfies the corner gluing mixing condition of Johnson and Madden, then it must factor onto the full N -shift.


This paper describes the characteristics of network teaching,the requirements of net-work courseware function and design principles of network courseware and introduces its applica-tions in teaching reforms.The author also discusses the benefits of the application of network courseware on the basis of his own teaching experience.


INTRODUCTION The problems of observing the behaviour of mid-water animals are considerable. The depths involved are generally too great to allow free diving, and because the population density is low, useful observations from submersibles and remote cameras are rare. Animals brought to the surface are often in too poor a condition to behave at all normally. The hyperiid amphipods are one of the best groups to work with in trying to overcome these difficulties. They are relatively common and frequently observed from submersibles, where they congregate round the lights. They are tough, survive capture and behave well in aquaria at the surface (Land, 1992a). Compared with other groups, a reasonable amount is known about their habits, especially their associations with gelatinous animals on which they prey or have commensal relationships (Harbison et al., 1977; Madin & Harbison, 1977; Diebel, 1988). It is also known that they sometimes form swarms (Lobel & Randall, 1986).


The purpose of this application under Article 23.9.5 of the Code is to conserve the specific names of Gryllus brachypterus Ocskay, 1826 (currently Euthystira brachyptera Caelifera, ACRIDOIDEA) and G. brachypterus Haan, 1842 (currently Duolandrevus brachypterus Ensifera, GRYLLOIDEA) for two distinct species of grasshopper and cricket (Orthoptera) respectively. These two specific names are junior primary homonyms of C. brachypterus Linnaeus, 1761 (currently Metrioptera brachyptera Ensifera, TETTIGONIOIDEA) a bush cricket. A third junior primary homonym, C. brachypterus Linnaeus, 1763 (Phasmida) was later in 1763 given the replacement name C. necydaloides by Linnaeus (currently Pseudophasma phthisicum (Linnaeus, 1758» a stick-insect. None of these species has been considered congeneric since the mid-nineteenth century.


The alkyne zipper reaction is an internal-to-terminal alkyne isomerization reaction with many interesting applications in synthetic chemistry, as it constitutes an efficient means of achieving acetylene functionalization. A review of its applications in synthesis processes is presented in this paper, with a brief overview of the mechanistic features of the alkyne zipper reaction, as well as a brief overview of its future potential.


It is argued that with a small number of stocks (N) in a portfolio (which suits individuals rather than institutional investors), naive Talmudic diversification rule (1/N) offers a superior trading outcome against mathematically optimal portfolios due to its robustness against estimation error. As this puzzle has not been resolved, we explore it using an alternative portfolio choice problem that seeks to outperform the benchmark market index - FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI. This study makes a significant contribution by using an industry-common objective function and also incorporating floor/ceiling constraints and the effect of delisting. Using evolutionary algorithm, we construct optimal portfolios with varying Ns in-sample for out-of-sample analysis. We find that 1/N is superior with smaller Ns, although optimised portfolio dominates as N increases. However, with both diversification policies underperform the market and produce very low Sharpe ratios, their efficacies for practical applications are highly suspect.


The wire and tube heat exchanger has been mostly utilized as a condenser unit in various refrigeration systems. As a class of extended surface-based heat exchanger, not only the operating condition but also the geometry of the wire and tube heat exchanger plays a critical role in determining the overall performance of the heat exchanger. Despite the fact that the current designs that include the inline, single-staggered, and woven matrix-based wire and tube heat exchangers already exhibits positive performance, future design and optimization remain challenging from the thermal and fluids engineering point of view. To guide the optimization strategy in the heat exchanger design, this chapter provides an insight into how the geometrical design impacts the performance of various wire and tube heat exchangers, which can be deduced from either the heat exchanger capacity or efficiency.


The analysis of the results of steel de-oxidation with manganese and silicon during tapping from an arc furnace in the Ural Steel is carried out. It is shown that the absorption of manganese and silicon during de-oxidation varies widely: from 33.0 to 88.4% (average 68.8%) for manganese and from 25.9 to 79.8% (average 63.8%) for silicon. The main causes of high varies and low absorption of deoxidizing agents were established: low carbon content and high metal overheating before de-oxidation. A statistical analysis of St 37-3 steel de-oxidation data was performed with the aim of improving the efficiency of steel de-oxidation technology in a ladle. The regression equations are obtained, allowing to calculate the assimilation of deoxidizers and the consumption of ferroalloys, depending on the temperature and carbon content in the metal during tapping from the arc furnace.


Internal hernia into epiploic foramen is a rare clinical entity, representing 1% of all herniae and 8% of internal herniae. We report a peculiar case of internal herniation presented during a laparotomy for acute colecystitis where the caecum and ascending colon entered the lesser sac through the forame of Winslow and reentered the main abdominal cavity through a congenital defect of the lesser omentum.


The provision of financing options to stimulate consumption has become a pervasive and important strategic marketing tool. While many firms are increasingly deriving more profit from financing than selling products, this has coincided with an increase in household debt relative to disposable personal income from about 60% in 1980 to 90% in 2000. Using quarterly U.S. data for 1980–2000, we empirically examine the effect of income inequality on debt relative to disposable personal income and find a strong effect. We argue that rising income inequality induces households with smaller gains to increase borrowing to maintain social position.


Agriculture plays a major role in India's economy. A large number of the Indian households depend on agriculture as their principal means of living. Agriculture is both a major industry and foundation of the economy for the country. Factors such as climate change, population growth and food security concerns have compelled the sector into seeking more innovative approaches to protecting and improving crop yield. As a result, AI is steadily evolving as part of the industry's technological evolution. This paper focuses on the current and emerging applications of artificial intelligence in the agrarian sector


A new enantiocontrolled synthesis of a potent immunosuppressant(-)-mycestericin E has been accomplished by using cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed asymmetric Baylis-Hillman reaction of an aldehyde with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate and Lewis acid-promoted cyclisation of an epoxytrichloroacetimidate as the key steps.


Character education in Baubau City has not benefited the current young generation. Thus, the younger generation can use past lessons to strengthen education in the present. The aim of this research is to find out the contribution of the history of the 19th century Buton sultanate to the character education of the young generation of Baubau City. The research method is qualitative research, namely research that does not use numerical calculations and describes the facts found in the field in a structured and systematic way. The main data collection techniques in this study are observation, interviews, and documentation studies. The results of the study show that 1) The contribution of the 19th century Sultanate of Buton to character education for the younger generation regarding ethical values in society is very important and can bring great benefits to individuals and society as a whole, 2) Sultan Muhammad Idrus Kaimudin's strong contribution in strengthening the values of honesty in society, and 3) Sultan Muhammad Idrus Kaimudin's contribution regarding the value of education in society is very large because education does not only provide knowledge, but also forms the character, attitudes, and values needed in social life.


Although less important than in Racine or Shakespeare, place in Moliere deserves attention. The more farcical plays have an outdoor, Italianate setting. In the highertoned indoor comedies the characters inhabit concentric circles; props, set, house, city, province, universe. At the center of Tartuffe stands the intruder, Tartuffe himself. A sequence of entrance and exit scenes defines the broader aspects of place in the play. Madame Pernelle's exit scene situates Orgon's family, a disputatious and gossipy household. Orgon's entrance reveals a person who has lost his sense of place. Conventionally in comedy the bourgeois father is happy to return from the hazards of the country to the security of his role as owner and master. To Orgon, however, the return means only reunion with Tartuffe. His entrance scene is balanced by his eviction at the hands of his protégé who changes places with him. Tartuffe's place is Orgon's house: his exits are false exits or strategic withdrawals, his return is triumphant until the regal denouement which sends him to the King's prison and Orgon's family to the King's palace where they will kneel in gratitude.


Significant efforts are being put into the development of efficient micrometer-scale light emitting diodes (LEDs) for future display technologies due to their marked benefits over existing displays. To date, however, the efficiency of microLED devices remains significantly lower than that of conventional broad-area devices. The deterioration in device performance with smaller device size has been linked to the plasma damage induced on mesa sidewalls during device fabrication. Here, we studied bottom-up red-emitting nanowire LEDs with different Mg doping levels in the p-GaN layer. The resulting sub-micron LED devices show a distinct improvement in efficiency with increasing Mg dopant incorporation. Through optimization of the doping, we measured an external quantum efficiency of ∼8.3% and a wall-plug efficiency of ∼4.6%, at a current density of ∼1 A/cm2, for a red-emitting sub-micrometer scale LED operating at >630 nm. This study highlights the importance of p-doping in microLEDs for attaining high efficiency performance in nanostructure-based devices.


Action notation is used in the action semantics fratnework, for specifying actions representing program behaviour. It is defined by a structural operational semantics together with a bisimulation-based equivalence that satisfies some simple algebraic laws.


Twin-field quantum key distribution can break through the linear bound, and promises higher key rate over longer distance. But there are two main challenges of signal processing when the twin-field protocol is implemented. One is remote generation of twin fields, the other is perfect compensation of the fast phase drift. Here, we introduce the typical methods and strategies to deal with these challenges by analysis of recent experiments, especially the latest twin-field experiment over 833.8 km fiber.


By November 2004, Seoul's Ch'0nggyech'0n reclamation project had advanced into its final stage of construction and landscaping. A remarkable feat of advanced urbanization in which the natural environment and commercialism coexist, the project offers a felicitous, symbolic conclusion to the tumultuous, often dehumanizing paths of the nation's modernization that left behind trails of devastation and misery. This curative view of the project is informed by a sustained effort of nationalist historiography to promote a potential for cultural creativity and social progress in the formation of modern Korea's selfidentity. This essay argues, however, that such an approach fails to take into account a sense of ambivalence lodged in the restoration project, which reflects the contentious site of the everyday in which Ch'0nggyech0n's drastic change is translated into job loss, business relocation, and changing opportunities. This article draws attention to varying images of rubbish or rubbish salvaging that are often inextricably linked to different phases of the area's modernization. These images bear out the material or practical realities of modernization devoid of a tendency of nationalist historiography for "selfinflated" story-telling. Such an unassuming observation of the region's changing façade brings to light the challenging aspect of the everyday in coping with adverse circumstances of modernization. Attention is given to different types of "rubbish discourse" set in Ch'0nggyech'0n and its immediate localities. Using these discursive types as loops of meaning to interweave, the article offers an interdisciplinary insight into the tension between modernization and everyday life.


In whole-genome association studies, at the first stage, all markers are tested for association and their test statistics or p-values are ranked. At the second stage, some most significant markers are further analyzed by more powerful statistical methods. This helps reduce the number of hypotheses to be corrected for in multiple testing. Ranks of true associations in genome-wide scans using a single test statistic have been studied. In a case-control design for association, the trend test has been proposed. However, three different trend tests, optimal for the recessive, additive, and dominant models, respectively, are available for each marker. Because the true genetic model is unknown, we rank markers based on multiple test statistics or test statistics robust to model misspecification. We studied this problem with application to Problem 3 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 15. An independent simulation study was also conducted to further evaluate the proposed procedure. Background For a large genetic study, a two-stage analysis is often employed. At the first stage, each marker is tested for association with a disease. The p-values of all markers are ranked. Then some of the most significant markers are analyzed in the second stage. This two-stage analysis reduces the number of hypotheses to be tested in the second stage. Hence, it enhances the power to identify true marker susceptibility to the disease. However, it is important to know how many of the most significant markers one should study in the second stage so that the probability that one or several true markers will be studied in the second stage is greater than a given value. On the other hand, when a given number of the most significant markers is selected, it is important to know the probability that this list of markers would contain one or more true markers. A small list of the most significant markers may not contain any true markers at all, which leads to spurious associations or negative findings in the second stage. Zaykin and Zhivotovsky [1] used p-values of a single test statistic to rank markers. In a case-control study for comfrom Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA. 11–15 November 2006 Published: 18 December 2007 BMC Proceedings 2007, 1(Suppl 1):S165 <supplement> <title>
Genetic Analysis Workshop 15: Gene Expression Analysis and Approaches to Detecting Multiple Functional Loci
 </title> <editor>Heather J Cordell, Mariza de Andrade, Marie-Claude Babron, Christopher W Bartlett, Joseph Beyene, Heike Bickeböller, Robert Culverhouse, Adrienne Cupples, E Warwick Daw, Josée Dupuis, Catherine T Falk, Saurabh Ghosh, Katrina A Goddard, Ellen L Goode, Elizabeth R Hauser, Lisa J Martin, Maria Martinez, Kari E North, Nancy L Saccone, Silke Schmidt, William Tapper, Duncan Thomas, David Tritchler, Veronica J Vieland, Ellen M Wijsman, Marsha A Wilcox, John S Witte, Qio g Yang, Andreas Ziegler, Laura Almasy a d Jean W MacCluer</editor> <note>Proce dings</note> <url>http://www.biomedc ntral.com/content/pdf/1753-6561-1-S1-info.pdf</url> </supplement> This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1753-6561/1/S1/S165 © 2007 Zheng et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


The HAZOP technique was briefly introduced.Through process example,the safety analysis process and concrete steps of application of this technique to PET plant design process were discussed.


PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate cleaning, by protruding an airtight sensor inserted in a container from the lower end of a valve body for a compressed gas. SOLUTION: A vertical and cylindrical delivery opening 9 is formed at the lower side of a valve block 8. The valve body 16 formes a liquid valve 17 of a filling mechanism 5 together with the valve seat 10. The valve seat 20 forms a compression gas valve 22 of the filling mechanism 5 in cooperation with other vertical valve body 21 which is vertically adjustable. A sensor 31 is freely protruded downward from thick part 23 at the lower end of the valve body 21, interposing a seal ring therebetween to drive the normal stroke of the valve body 21. Liquid flows in a bottle 1 through the liquid valve 17 and the delivery opening 9. When the liquid level reaches the lower zone of the sensor 31, a signal is immediately transmitted to a controller 35 through a measurement cable 34. In this way, air supply to a pneumatic cylinder 29 is started. Both liquid valve 17 and compressed gas valve 22 are closed and the bottle is accurately charged up to a required level. COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO


Abstract. Agriculture continues to play its role as the backbone of the Ghanaian economy despite that its contribution to GDP has declined by seven-percentage points between 2007 and 2013. The relationship between agricultural practices and environmental sustainability poses serious challenges, yet it has attracted less attention in many developing countries particularly in Ghana. This paper presents a review of the impact of agricultural practices on environmental sustainability in Ghana. The findings of the study reveal that some of the country's agricultural practices such as deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, negative soil nutrients balance, increased dependence on agro-chemicals for both crop and animal production – chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, vaccines and antibiotics, antimicrobial drugs, biotechnology, etc threaten our environmental sustainability and need to be altered. Besides, degrading the soil, water, air and biodiversity as well as posing health risks to both famers and consumers, the practices also contribute to high carbon-emissions into the atmosphere facilitating climate change. The effects of climate on agricultural production and productivity are devastating and negate farmers' income and livelihoods, health and the environment in general. These agricultural practices are not sustainable; as they degrade the environment and reduce the effective functioning of the essential ecosystem services; and ultimately, undermine the nutritional and health value of foods. The study recommended sustainable agricultural practices to enhance environmental sustainability through developing resilient/adaptive and low-carbon economy technologies that aim to cope with the vagaries of climate change and reduce the emissions of carbon compounds thereby, protecting the natural resource base of the environment for both present and future generations.


In the era of ever increasing deregulation in power systems., load growth due to improvement of global economic rise., industrial infrastructure development., social living status of people, the power system faces new challenges every single day. However the power system has to operate under these ever changing conditions in order to meet the load demand satisfying constraints pertaining to technical., environmental and regulatory issues. In order to achieve this, system must be stable. Of all stabilities related to power system, voltage stability achieves significant importance because of its inherent nature of gradually endangering the power system operation leading to system blackouts. The major reason for voltage instability is the system operation under stressed conditions which is a consequence of many technical issues such as limited generation, increased loading and transmission congestion. In this situation, it is essential to supervise the power system for an extensive range of system circumstances in order to assess voltage stability. FACTS devices prove to be extremely useful in enhancing the voltage stability limits of the power system. Hence, keeping in view, the current scenario of power system deregulation, it is intended to study the effects of incorporating renewable energy sources in power system network and the effectiveness of FACTS devices in improving the voltage stability margin. The proposed work has been implemented on modified IEEE 14 bus test system and the results are analysed.


We characterize sheets of white paper using three bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model parameters estimated from the BRDF in the specular reflection plane. The radiance factors of eight types of paper sheets having a wide range of material characteristics were measured for 284 geometries in the specular reflection plane. They were approximated within an average error of 4.5% using a linear combination of Torrance-Sparrow and Lambert's BRDF models. The proposed model well approximated the BRDF of samples in the specular plane. Based on the estimated BRDF model parameters, the eight measured paper sheets could be broadly classified into glossy papers and rough papers. The two glossy papers were distinguishable from each other, while the six rough papers could be classified into three groups using the BRDF model parameters. The proposed method is considered to be effective for characterizing a wide range of white paper ranging from glossy to matte paper.


Re‐LT is the only recourse for patients with liver graft failure. However, survival rates after re‐LT are lower than those of primary transplants. Few reports are available regarding re‐LT with LDs in children. The objective of this study was to describe our cohort of patients retransplanted with LD and emphasize the technical aspects of a re‐LT with LD. This is a retrospective report of a series of 18 children (<18 yr old) submitted to 20 re‐LT from January 1997 to December 2013 at Hospital Sirio‐Libanes and Hospital AC Camargo Cancer Center. The one‐ and five‐yr survival for patients retransplanted with LD was 70.6% and 58.6%. Little technical modifications from a regular LD primary transplant were needed in patients retransplanted with LD. Seven (38.8%) patients presented vascular complications following re‐LT and three presented biliary complications (16.6%). In conclusion, a re‐LT with LD is an acceptable alternative for children who experience liver graft failure and it does not compromise the donor pool. Further experience with re‐LT with LD may support this therapy.


successfully brought migration memories into the realm of national politics by arguing that they can be incorporated into narratives of the nation. That this process of incorporation is not without conflicts and contradictions has been made evident for museums and is true beyond. The social conditions and consequences of migration memories differ by epoch, society and politics, and future research will have to explore the impact of memory and migration upon each other in different contexts. Baur provides an essential contribution to the discussion to come about the merits and limits of the politics of migration memories. The greatest downside of the book is that it is not available in English.


Give a general method for force equilibrium circuits dividing coupling controller of the double freedom gyro,according to the active disturbance rejection control technique,the method based on ADRC was presented for double freedom gyro.Gave some analyse in the principle and accomplishing mode,so the method is a little simpleness and doable.


Two new vascular health markers which are derived from finger photoplethysmography (PPG) waveform have been introduced based on Malaysian population, namely PPG fitness index (PPGF) and vascular risk prediction index (VRPI). The objectives of this study were to investigate the associations between PPGF and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) markers such as carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVCF), to compare PPGF between those with and without CVD risk factors and to determine the sensitivity of VRPI in identifying young subjects with CVD risk factors. A total of 114 men age 20 to 40 yrs with and without CVD risk factors were recruited. Risk factors included hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity and family history of premature CVD. Subjects were divided into healthy, those with one risk factor and those with at least two risk factors. Their weight, height, peripheral and central blood pressure (BP), PWVCF and PPGF were measured and the sensitivity of VRPI in predicting subjects with CVD risk factor was calculated. Data was analyzed via SPSS version 15 and p 0.05). The independent variables for PPGF were forward pressure (Beta = 0.35, p < 0.01), PWVCF (Beta = -0.26, p < 0.01), systolic BP (Beta = -0.26, p = 0.04) and height (Beta = 0.24, p < 0.01). The sensitivity of VRPI was 82.02%. In conclusion, PPGF was correlated to PWVCF and may be a potential marker of arterial stiffness. In addition, VRPI is sensitive to be used as an early screening of CVD risk factors.


A new and easy-to-make polymer film sensor was prepared by dip-coating technique and this film used as fluorescent chemosensor for the detection of metal ions in aqueous solution. The proposed film sensor exhibited dual emissions at 540 and 582 nm under a single excitation wavelength. The fluorescence behavior of this film sensor toward metal ions has been investigated using these two wavelengths. The proposed sensor was found to show selectivity and sensitive to Fe3+ ion when compared the other metal ions in deionized water with excellent photostability. Detection limit of the polymeric film sensor was calculated as 86.15 and 28.90 μM. The results showed that the sensor can be successfully applied to the determination of Fe3+ ions in aqueous media. Contact angle measurement of PAZU film probe was also investigated and the result showed that the proposed film probe has hydrophobic property.


The invention discloses an oral administration pharmaceutical composition for treating nerve root type cervical vertebra diseases, which is prepared from astragalus root, pilose asiabell root, root of red rooted saliva, kudzu vine root, root of herbaceous peony, prepared Sichuan aconite root, Ligusticum wallichii, epimeddium, cassia twig, Chinese angelica root, large-leaf gentian root, pyrola, cortex acanthopanacis, spatholobus stem, wood louse, fleece-flower root, dahurian angelica root, futokadsura stem, Clematis chinensis, asaryl, flatsedge tuber and earthworm. The medicament should be decocted in water for the oral dose.


There is much controversy on the psychological mechanism of Judgements of learning (JOLs). Cue-utilization approach proposed by Koriat considers that most of the cues can be grouped into three classes: intrinsic, extrinsic, and mnemonic. Both intrinsic and extrinsic cues may affect JOLs directly, and they may also exert their effect indirectly through their influence on any of the internal, mnemonic cues. The theory can explain successfully the bases or implications of JOLs from a broad perspective, but it can not state the way how individuals make JOLs. Meanwhile, some researchers proposed encoding fluency and retrieval fluency to explain and examine their effects on JOLs during leaning process, which are helpful for researchers to probe into the psychological mechanism of JOLs deeply. In addition, some research focused on children with learning disabilities (LD) found that, compared to their normal peers, lower metacognitive accuracy was one of their important characteristics. However, most of research was descriptive, and can not provide suitable targeted direction for educational practices. According to these, the present study would examine the different effects of different fluency cues on children with LD to find their specific influencial patterns. Twenty children with LD and twenty normal children selected from a common primary school (Mean age = 10.5 years) participated in the experiment to make item-by-item JOLs for paired words presented using a PC. This study examined the effects of encoding fluency (inferred from self-paced study time) and retrieval fluency (inferred from the latency of pre-JOL retrieval) on JOLs, wihch were elicited either immediately after study or after a short or longer delay. Results showed that: (1) Children with LD mainly utilized retrieval fluency to make JOL across immediate and delay conditions. However, for normal children, it showed some distinction between encoding and retrieval fluency as potential cues for JOL across immediate and delay conditions. (2)As a kind of JOLs cues, encoding fluency was more valid than retrieval fluency with immediate JOLs condition, whereas retrieval fluency validity increased with JOLs delay. Based on the above all results, normal children's JOLs are based on the flexible and adaptive utilization of different mnemonic cues according to their relative validity in predicting their final recall, whereas the cues children's with LD JOLs based on are not comparably flexible.


Bird depredations are a serious economic loss in some vineyards. Control depends upon the bird species, environment, season, time of day, grape variety, sugar-acid ratio, tillage, foliage cover, attractant vegetation, weather, and other factors. Present control measures are discussed and evaluated. Also covered is the need for study of bird behavior, physiology, and neurophysiology.


Herein, we describe a new flexible atmospheric pressure plasma jet device composed of hollow-core optical fibers and introduce two potential applications of the device: endoscopic plasma treatment and decomposition of aqueous phosphorus compounds. The proposed device is 1.6 m long and highly flexible, has a small probe size of several hundred micrometers, and spatially separates the plasma jet from the electrical input, making it very suitable for treatment through the biopsy channel of a conventional endoscope. Because the wire electrode of the fabricated atmospheric pressure plasma jet device is thoroughly isolated inside the hollow of the optical fiber, the device produces a plasma column in an identical discharge state regardless of external environmental conditions. As a result, the device can operate safely and steadily in highly humid environments, such as underwater, which can be utilized to decompose phosphorus compounds in fresh water.


An algorithm to derive simple presentation of medical image is introduced in this paper. It sounds important since the complex scene of this type of image resists any application for holding further image analysis. The algorithm consists of four processing stage i.e. gradient image, opening operation, watershed transform, and region merging. Due to the undesired characteristic of the existing operation for supporting segmentation process, an extension of the existing gradient image, opening operation and region merging procedure is proposed. Experiment has successfully been taken to some MRI skull images in which the proposed algorithm produced a simplified shape of the image object.


It is shown how to obtain $O(\varepsilon )$ (or any higher order)-approximations to the solutions of the differential equation \[\begin{gathered} \dot \phi = 1 + \sum\limits_{p = 1}^p {\varepsilon ^p X^p (\phi ,X),\quad \phi \in S^1, } \hfill \\ \dot x = \sum_{p = 1}^p {\varepsilon ^p Y^p (\phi ,X),\quad \begin{array}{*{20}c} {\varepsilon \in (0,\varepsilon _0 ],} \\ {x \in D_0 \subset \mathbb{R}^n,} \\ \end{array} } \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \] in such a way that they are valid on the interval $0 \leqq \varepsilon ^{\tilde N} t \leqq L$, with $\tilde N \in \mathbb{N}$ arbitrary and L an $\varepsilon $-independent constant under the condition that the averaged equation has an attracting nondegenerate limit-cycle.The proof uses higher order averaging techniques and the Sanchez–Palencia contraction argument, together with Gronwall-estimates. In fact, for the x-component the approximation is uniformly valid on $[0,\infty )$.An application to the Van der Pol-oscillator is given, extending the usual interval of...


The interaction of urea and ammonia with humic and fulvic acids was studied. It was found that a considerable amount of nitrogen had been fixed by fulvic acids and more fixation occurred in the case of urea treated material. The carboxyl acidity is reduced by this interaction. The nitrogen containing reaction products had higher negative charges and higher electrophoretic mobilities than the original ones. Urea treated humic acid fixed much greater amount of metal ions than the untreated and ammonia treated humic acids.


The use of combined reaction-separation processes in steam methane reforming (SMR) has recently received significant attention as an enticing route to meet the challenging requirements of distributed hydrogen production for fuel cell vehicles. While many of the investigations in recent literature focus solely on either CO2 adsorption or selective H2 membrane permeation to reduce the reactor footprint and the temperature required to drive the endothermic reaction in continuous flow reactors, the CHAMP-SORB is a new variable volume, transient batch reactor technology that utilizes both strategies simultaneously. Building upon our prior study in which we experimentally demonstrated the viability of CHAMP-SORB reactor concept on bench scale, this work focuses on understanding the heat/mass transfer and reaction/separation interactions to develop guidelines for the reactor scale-up. A combined transport-kinetic model is developed, including spatial variations of SMR reaction and CO2 adsorption rates within the...


It is suggested that the productivity of ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis can be increased substantially where the desired product is concentrated in the diffusional boundary layer adjacent to the membrane. This increase can be achieved by removing product preferentially from the boundary-layer region. The possible concentration increase and yield of such a skimming process are predicted to be very significant for the constant-property approximation and stagnation flow considered in this exploratory paper.


Twenty-four former presidents and prime ministers, representing five continents and calling themselves the InterAction Council, have produced a landmark proposal for global ethics. Reflecting this year's 50th anniversary of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, their document is called the Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities (a text of it is appended to this article). A key point of interest is that these ex-leaders of governments sought advice from a range of religious leaders and philosophers.


According to the characteristic of smart home control system and user's need,to meet the demands of one-button click with multiple device implement,this paper designs scene mode based on zigbee wireless sensor network technology.This paper analyzes the daily mode of people's life and set the frequent scene,studies the technology of adjustment of the light brightness,designs the software based on the bind technologies in zigbee protocol.


Objective:To study the functional status of the monocytes-derived dendritic cells (DCs) plused with HBsAg from patients with chronic hepatitis B and their capacity of inducing the HBV- special cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs),and explore a new method of inducing the special anti-HBV cell-mediated immunity.Methods:Monocytes of patients were isolated from peripheral blood and incubated with GM-CSF+IL-4+TNF-α to induce DCs generation. Those DCs were pulsed with HBsAg to induce HBV- special DCs. The phenotype of DCs including CD1a,CD80,CD83,CD86,CD40 and HLA-DR was characterized by FCM and the stimulating reaction of allogenic T lymphocytes was detected by MTT assay. The concentration of cytokines such as IL-12 and IL-6 in supernate was tested by ELISA and the cytotoxicity of CTLs inducing by the DCs against HepG2 2.2.15 cells,HepG2 cells and K562 cells were detected by LDH assay.Results:The expression of CD1a, CD80, CD83,CD86, CD40, HLA-DR molecules on the DCs pulsed with HBsAg was higher than those of the control group (P0 01, P0 05). The concentration of IL-12 was higher ( P 0 01),but that of IL-6 was much lower (P0 01) in the supernatants of the DCs plused with HBsAg. The capacity of DCs pulsed with HBsAg to stimulate proliferation of the allogeneic lymphocyte was increased in comparison with those of controls (P0 01) and DCs pulsed with HBsAg could induce T lymphocytes to differentiate into HBV- special CTLs which could efficiently kill HepG2 2.2.15 cells that express HBsAg on the surface.Conclusion:By pulsed with HBsAg, the monocytes-derived DCs from patients with chronic hepatitis B can not only increase its biologic activities but efficiently induce HBV special CTLs.


Some of the massless fermibosonic entity fundamental to E8 symmetry universe theory failed to develop its fully massless character (i.e. the ttH process entity) during the prior unbroken E8 symmetry epoch before the big bang and now be observed.


OBJECTIVE To investigate the bacterial infection and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria of ventilator-associated pneumonia at acute exacerbation phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases(COPD) in respiratory intensive care unit,to provide reference for clinical therapy.METHODS Lower respiratory tract specimen were collected from patients with VAP complicating AECOPD hospitalized in RICU from 1/2008-12/2009 by bronchoscopic.The bacteria were isolated and cultured,the drug susceptibility test was performed and the results were analyzed.RESULTS The isolated rate of pathogens from lower respiratory tract was 84.7%%,pathogenic bacteria for VAP were mostly Gram-negative bacteria,accounting for 69.4%,and the detected rate of ESBLs producing strains was 58.8%,while Gram-positive strains accounted for 12.5%.The main gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus,in which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains accounted for 66.7%,fungi accounted for 18.1%.CONCLUSION Drug resistance is serious in AECOPD patients combination ventilator-associated pneumonia in RICU,especially pan-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains are founded.The fungi infection rate and the drug resistance are increasing.


Martin Spencer1 , Tatiana Kameneva1,2 , David B Grayden1,3, Hamish Meffin4,5,6 and Anthony N Burkitt1,3,6 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 2 Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia 3 Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 4 Department of Optometry & Vision Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 5 National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Victoria, Australia


Large amounts of lignin residue is expected in the future when biorefineries for producing biofuels and bio-products will increase in numbers. It is, therefore, valuable to find solutions for using this resource for the sustained production of useful bioenergy or bio-products. Anaerobic digestion could potentially be an option for converting the biorefinery lignin into a valuable energy product. However, lignin is recalcitrant to biodegradation under anaerobic conditions unless the structure is modified. Wet oxidation followed by steam explosion (wet explosion) was previously found to make significant changes to the lignin structure allowing for biodegradation under anaerobic conditions. In this study, we examine the effect of wet explosion pretreatment for anaerobic digestion of wheat straw lignin under mesophilic (37 °C) conditions. Besides the biorefinery lignin produced from wheat straw, untreated lignin was further tested as feed material for anaerobic digestion. Our results showed that wet exploded lignin pretreated with 2% NaOH showed the highest lignin degradation (41.8%) as well as the highest methane potential of 157.3 ± 9.9 mL/g VS. The untreated lignin with no pretreatment showed the lowest methane yield of 65.8 ± 4.8 and only 3.5% of the lignin was degraded. Overall, increased severity of the pretreatment was found to enhance anaerobic degradation of lignin.


The regenerator is an important element in Stirling engines. As a regenerator element, a fire-hardened layer of wire mesh became popular for Stirling engines. However, such a mesh is expensive. Recently, a packed wire mesh has been used widely in Japan, but its basic performance, such as flow resistance and heat transfer ratio, has yet to be clarified. In the present study, a new method to estimate the Nusselt number of wire meshes in oscillating flow is proposed and reported. This method employs a cylindrical probe having two thermocouples in the axis symmetry direction. The present method has a feature that temperature variation in oscillating flow conditions can be estimated without expensive instruments for unsteady measurements. It became clear that the measured Nusselt numbers of usual meshes are from 45% lower to 30% higher than the empirical equations of previous studies. The Nusselt number of the packed wire mesh became about 1/6 of the equivalent layer of a usual mesh. These results shows that a rough estimation of performance of heat transfer is possible by the present method.


The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a known genetic subtype of schizophrenia, with an often cited figure of 30% prevalence of major psychotic disorders (1). Several other neuropsychiatric phenotypes have also been reported in 22q11.2DS (1). Nonetheless, no studies, to our knowledge, have used completely nonpsychiatrically ascertained samples, thus leading to possible ascertainment bias in prevalence estimates. To minimize psychiatric ascertainment bias, we studied the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in 40 adults with 22q11.2DS (18 men; median age: 30 years 20–57 years]) who were systematically ascertained at an adult congenital cardiac clinic and confirmed to have 22q11.2 deletions by standard methods (1). Patients were assessed by direct interview and comprehensive collateral information (including medical records, many originating before the diagnosis of 22q11.2DS) for lifetime axis I DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders as previously described Prevalence of each disorder was calculated and compared with general population estimates from major studies (2, 3) using Fisher's exact test or Yates' chi-square test, after excluding five subjects with moderate/severe mental retardation. Two-tailed p values <0.05 were considered generalized anxiety disorder in adults with 22q11.2DS compared with the general population. Among adults with no to mild mental retardation, about twice as many may be expected to have treatable nonpsychotic disorders as psychotic disorders. Prevalence of major psychotic disorders may be lower than some previous estimates using heterogeneous samples. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of psychiatric illnesses in adults with 22q11.2DS are essential for management and genetic counseling. The present results also have implications for variable expression in human and animal models of 22q11.2 deletions and the need for raised awareness of 22q11DS for clinicians in mood and anxiety clinics. This study demonstrates the utility of nonpsychiatrically ascertained samples for elucidating the significant psychiatric disorders in genetic syndromes, which is of particular relevance given emerging reports of other copy number variations in psychiatric samples.


The aim of our study was to analyse the presence of selected heavy metals in surface water located in a game reserve, and their effect on selected biochemical indices in female mouflon. The results of statistical testing of the experimental group of female mouflon in 2014 and 2015 confirmed a significant negative dependency (P ˂ 0.05) between albumin and aspartate aminotransferase and selected heavy metals. A significantly negative correlation (P ˂ 0.01) was shown between phosphorus and creatinine and selected heavy metals. In case of bilirubin and urea, we observed a significant positive correlation with selected heavy metals (P ˂ 0.05). A significantly negative correlation (P ˂ 0.0001) was observed between calcium and selected heavy metals. Our results point out the interaction of selected heavy metals and selected biochemical indices. Biomarker, environment, female, herd, wildlife The concentration and mobility of heavy metals in the environment has radically increased in the last 100 years. Their increased concentration in the food chain can cause significant health consequences in the long term (Heroldova et al. 2007). Toxic metals bind to the functional groups of bio molecules, changing their structure and function, and act as enzyme toxins (Jezný et al. 2014). The impact of heavy metals on various biochemical markers is considerable due to a lifetime exposure. Disease can cause substantial costs for the game farmer and results in serious problems regarding animal welfare and food safety (Beníšek et al. 2000). Biochemical markers can be used as a tool for monitoring the game herd's health status (Žele and Vengušt 2012). The aim of our study was to analyse the presence of selected heavy metals in surface water located in the present game reserve and their effect on selected biochemical indices in female mouflon. Materials and Methods The mouflon used in the research came from a game reserve in the Eastern part of the Slovak Republic. Water intake was unrestricted from natural water sources. The mouflon were fed hay during the winter time. They showed no signs of disease. Blood was taken from the jugular vein by a veterinarian. The experimental group consisted of females (n = 15), at approximately the same age and average live weight of 34.5 kg. Samples were collected in spring using blood collection tubes (Serum Separator Tubes -SSTTM II Advance and Plasma Separation Tubes – PSTTM II containing lithium heparin and gel, BD Diagnostics, USA) and immediately centrifuged. Blood samples were taken and analysed in years 2014 and 2015. Serum was stored at -20 °C until analysed in case ACTA VET. BRNO 2017, 86: 45–49; https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201786010045 Address for correspondence: RNDr. Terézia Pošiváková PhD Department of the Environment, Veterinary Legislation and Economy University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice Komenského 73, 041 81, Slovak Republic Phone: +421 915 984 768 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com http://actavet.vfu.cz/ of serum for the results for LDL were analysed immediately after centrifugation. The following biochemical indices were analysed: albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose (GLU), bilirubin (BIL), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TRIG), creatinine (CREA), and urea (UREA). Biochemical indicators were measured using the automatic analyser COBAS® c111, with a flexible system for consolidating routine examinations, according to manufacturer's guidelines (Roche Diagnostics, Switzerland). Water samples for the analysis of presence of selected heavy metals were collected from three sampling places in the game reserve. Water sampling was analysed by microprocessor controlled colorimeter, Hach Dr/890 suitable for colorimetric detection (Hach, USA). Of the heavy metals present in water sources, manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) were analysed. The biochemical indices were evaluated in relation to the presence heavy metals in water sources. The obtained results were statistically analysed by Mann-Whitney's U test for comparisons of biochemical indices between females depending on the year and the biochemical properties. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used for identify correlation between selected biochemical indices of females and the mean content of heavy metals in the years. Results Analysis of water samples confirmed the presence of selected heavy metals in spring of years 2014 and 2015 from three surface resources within the game reserve. Figs 1 and 2 report the mean values of selected heavy metals Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, and Zn in water sources in 2014 and 2015. The mean increase in total iron was almost threefold in 2015 compared to 2014. Compared to 2014, the increase of the mean values of selected heavy metals in water sources in 2015 was 65% for manganese, 10.31% for copper, 14.02% for lead and 34.51% for zinc. Comparison of the mean values of selected heavy metals by years found an overall increase of the heavy metals in 2015 compared to 2014. The mean values of selected biochemical indices in 2014 and 2015 are presented in Tables 1 and 2. For comparison of various biochemical indices of females in 2014 and 2015 we used Mann-Whitney's U test with a significance level of P < 0.05. Significant differences were found for ALP (P = 0.3165), ALT (P = 0.2535), and LDH (P = 0.3391) comparing 46 Fig. 1. Mean values of selected heavy metals in the water sources analysed in the years 2014 and 2015 Fig. 2. Mean values of selected heavy metals in the water sources analysed in the years 2014 and 2015


Objective To study the clinical effect of one-visit root canal prepared by ProTaper nickeltitanium instrument.Methods 350 teeth of 48 patients with pulpitis and chronic periapical periodontitis requiring root canal therapy were included in this study.Teeth in group 1 were prepared by ProTaper nickel-titanium instrument.Teeth in group 2 were prepared by K-file.The postoperative and long term effects were analyzed after treatment.Results There was statistically difference in postoperative pain between two groups P0.05.There was no statistically difference between two groups after one year follow-up.Conclusion ProTaper nickel-titanium instrument might reduce postoperative pain in one-visit root canal therapy.


Proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) has an extensive application respective in EV, portable electronic device, stationary power plant and special power with the advantages of high energy conversion efficiency and quick startup at ambient temperature. The technology and mechanism of PEMFC was researched, and its structure defects were analyzed. It is concluded that to research novel catalysts with high activity and excellent stability is very important for the future fuel cell.


Regional and global food systems are constantly evolving, thus the contextual elements presented in Chapter 1 are likely to evolve, and food systems will be transformed. Because it is impossible to predict the food systems of tomorrow, we have adopted a foresight approach in order to try and understand possible future changes. Our approach, which is presented in the first part of this chapter, has therefore mainly been based on identitying the main drivers of the transformation of food systems. This work was the fruit of collective discussions by a multidisciplinary group made up of sorne 15 experts. The plurality of their views and their are as of competence allowed them to analyse the potential impacts of the different evolutions identified relative to the sustainability of food systems in terms of their nutritional, economie, social, cultural, environmental and territorial dimensions. This step of the analysis also enabled us to highlight a certain number of points at issue, which are presented in the second part of the chapter; this does not end with a presentation of different scenarios (as might have be en expected), but conclu des with the three transversal messages arising from debate by this workshop: issues linked to inequalities ofaccess to food, territorial dynamics and the govemance of food systems. (Resume d'auteur)


This study aims at exploring the most frequently used amplifiers in American English by using the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). The focus is to investigate amplifiers with regard to two contextual factors known to affect the use of amplifiers: amplifier type (both maximizers and boosters) and amplifiers used to intensify adjectives as it has been shown by several studies that most amplifiers are used with adjectival heads. The sociolinguistic variable tested in this study is the difference between registers in amplifier use. To answer the present study's questions, several steps were followed. First, a pilot study was run for the whole corpus and for each register to search for the most frequently used amplifiers. Second, a list of the frequencies of the ten most frequently used amplifiers in each register was created for comparison. Third, a final list of the most frequently used amplifiers in all registers in COCA was set for further analysis. The results gained from the present study suggest that the more formality of the register increases, less intensification is used. It is also found that the more frequency increases in a register, less versatility in the use of different amplifiers is found. Furthermore, this study shows that there is a fixed pattern of boosters being most frequently used in all registers in COCA, and that very so and really are still the most prevailing boosters in American English. Finally, the genre and style of each register affect the amplifiers used, the adjectives collocating with the amplifier and the frequency of intensity and vice versa; certain amplifiers are found to be used more frequently and thus 'preferred' in certain registers and contexts over other amplifiers.


Introduction An estimated 200 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic concentrations in drinking water that exceed the recommended limit of 10 [micro]g/l (1) as set out in the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). (2) The majority of this exposed population lives in southern Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal and Viet Nam. In addition, elevated levels of arsenic have been found in several countries in Latin America, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Mexico. Recent estimates suggest that at least 4.5 million people in Latin America are exposed to arsenic levels higher than 50 [micro]g/l--the Bangladeshi threshold. (1) In Peru, the current national regulatory standards for arsenic in drinking water are based on WHO's recommended limit; (4) however, little is known about the extent of arsenic contamination of the drinking water and about its health implications in the country. Exposure to moderate to high (more than 50 [micro]g/l) levels of arsenic in drinking water is associated with an increased risk of lung, bladder and skin cancer, (5) as well as with numerous cardiovascular, (6) neurological, (7) skin lesion (8) and respiratory diseases, (4) and with increased all-cause mortality. (10) Chronic exposure to arsenic is also associated with deficits in children's cognitive and motor functions. (11) Arsenic contamination of drinking water can occur naturally or as a consequence of human activities such as mining. Natural sources of arsenic in Peru are mainly enargite-bearing copper, zinc and lead deposits. Historically, Peru, together with China, France, Germany, Mexico and the former Soviet Union have been among the main global producers of arsenic, used primarily in insecticide and pesticide production. (12) Peru is also a world leader in gold, silver and copper production. (13) It has been estimated that about 1.6 million people in the country live within 5 km of active or historical mining operations. (14) A study performed in the Rimac river basin showed that mine tailings resulted in elevated arsenic, copper and lead concentrations in the river and its tributaries. (15) Consistent with this finding, elevated arsenic in drinking water was also found in La Oroya, a small industrial town that had a smelter for processing copper, zinc and lead. (16) Despite the scientific evidence that mining activities could be damaging to human health, there are no systematic environmental surveillance studies with thorough data collection for most areas of the country where mining takes place. Kits such as the Arsenic Econo-Quick" (EQ) kit (Industrial Test Systems, Inc., Rock Hill, United States of America), the Digital Arsenator (Wagtech WTD, Gateshead, England) and the EZ kit (Hach Co., Loveland, USA) (17-19) have already been assessed for measuring arsenic concentrations in groundwater. However, an evaluation of the accuracy of these kits for measuring arsenic in surface water has not been published yet. These kits have been used almost exclusively in the United States and Asia. We selected the EQ kit for this study because it has a shorter reaction period (12 minutes compared with 20-40 minutes for the Hach EZ kit, and 40 minutes for the Digital Arsenator). (18,19) There is only one study available to date that has evaluated the accuracy of this kit by comparing results with those obtained in the laboratory (the gold standard). (19) Therefore, further validation of the kit is still required. The objectives of the field study reported here were to measure arsenic concentrations in drinking water in areas of Peru with historical or current mining activities and to test the accuracy of the EQ kit for measuring arsenic concentrations both in groundwater and in surface water. Methods Samples of water were taken in 12 districts -Achaya, Ananea, Caracoto, Chucuito, Crucero, Juliaca, La Oroya, Lima, Plateria, Puno, San Anton and Taraco between August and October 2012. …


The Biostatistics and Research Data Systems area of Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) has successfully addressed the dual needs of standardization and flexibility with the development of a powerful data reporting system for vaccine data. A generic automated reporting package for vaccines—Generic Table Package for Vaccines (GTV) — has been developed to provide medical and statistical users with the ability to screen and report vaccine data quickly and accurately. This package is immediately available to all new vaccines, without further programming, thus providing the user community with access to data summaries immediately after data entry. A Vaccine Standards Committee has been used to ensure that the system remains useful, complete, and stable, yet flexible. Data coding guidelines for tracking injections, injection components, and study progression have been developed to manage the intricacies of vaccine data. The success of the GTV1 programming effort can be attributed to three critical factors: 1. similar database design for all GTV1 compounds, 2. the development of, and compliance with, programming guidelines, and 3. parameter-driven software to provide the flexibility needed for data reporting. The keys to developing a standard reporting system in any pharmaceutical organization can be derived from the standards and procedures implemented in vaccine development at Merck.


Rural informal finance is institutional innovation of rural economic subject who resolve the problem of information,cost and crisis in rurai financinal market.By a credit contract model,this paper analyzes the problem of contract implementation of informal finance.On the basis of that,it gives some advices on how to improve efficiency of rural informal finance in our country.


A 60 day feeding trial involving forty-five, 6 weeks old weaner grass cutters of mixed sex with an initial weight of 745 -750g was conducted to examine the effect of feeding varying levels of tiger nut seed meal on the performance, heamatological parameters, some biochemical parameters and enzymes assay of weaner grass cutters. The grass cutters were divided into five (5) treatment groups of nine (9) grass cutters per group in a completely randomized design experiment. The five treatments groups had diets containing tiger nut seed meal at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% dietary inclusions levels. The performance criteria were initial live weight, final live weight, total feed intake and mortality while the blood profile includes the hematological and serum biochemical analysis. All the hematological parameters evaluated : Pack cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), White blood cell (WBC), Red blood cell (RBC), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were not significantly(P>0.05) affected by the inclusion of Tiger nut meal. Significant influences were not observed for albumin, globulin and total protein. Serum glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) were significantly affected (P<0.05) as the level of tiger nut meal increased in the diets. The results of this experiment demonstrated that the inclusion of tiger nut meal up to 40% has no deleterious effect on the performance and health status of grass cutters.


Correspondence Myeong-Ho Yeo, Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific, 303 University Drive, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU 96923, USA. Email: email@example.com Abstract This article compares the performances of three fitting methods (SLmom, S1NCM, and S3NCM) to account for temporal characteristics of Annual Maximum Precipitations (AMPs) on daily and sub-daily time scales using scaling General Extreme Value (GEV) distribution at a local site. Based on simple scaling properties of AMPs, the temporal downscaling model (called Scaling-GEV) with parameter estimation methods are used to estimate sub-daily AMPs from observed daily data. The feasibility and accuracy of the suggested method were assessed using rainfall data available from Dorval in Quebec (Canada) and Seoul (South Korea) for the period 1961–1990. Presence of simple scaling properties of AMPs for two stations has shown that it is feasible to use the temporal downscaling method for describing the linkage between AMPs of different time scales. Numerical and graphical analyses revealed that the Scaling-GEV distribution by the Three-Non central moments (NCM) method (S3NCM) provides the most accurate estimates compared to observed data amongst three fitting methods. In addition, this study suggested a modified bootstrap technique to determine confidence intervals (CIs) CIs of extreme rainfall series using the simple scaling properties of extreme rainfalls and only daily AMPs. Although the CIs were constructed by only daily AMPs and the simple scaling properties, the observed sub-daily AMPs are generally within the 95% CI estimated.


We treat the recently discovered UPSILON particle at 9.41 GeV as evidence for a fifth quark flavor, the b quark. An SU(5) mass formula is then used to predict the masses of other bb-bar states. The masses of the b-quark analogs of the D and F mesons (B/sub N/, B/sub s/, B/sub c/, etc.) are predicted, as are their production cross sections in e/sup +/e/sup -/ annihilation. At best, the B*/sub N/B-bar*/sub N/ combination will be seen at 12 GeV with a cross section of approx. 0.3 nb. As with the charm domain, the B*/sub N/-B/sub N/ mass difference is about one pion mass. The predicted electromagnetic mass splitting is only about 2 MeV for B/sup +//sub N/-B/sup 0//sub N/, so that the strong-interaction decay widths of the B*'s will be of the same order as the electromagnetic decay widths.


Given a family of curves constituting the general solution of a system of ordinary differential equations, the natural question occurs whether the family is identical with the totality of all extremals of an appropriate variational problem. Assuming the regularity of the latter problem, effective approaches are available but they fail in the non-regular case. However, a rather unusual variant of the calculus of variations based on infinitely prolonged differential equations and systematic use of Poincare-Cartan forms makes it possible to include even all constrained variational problems. The new method avoids the use of Lagrange multiplitiers. For this reason, it is of independent interest especially in regard to the 23rd Hilbert's problem.


The present invention discloses a pyrene compound and an organic light emitting diode device comprising the compound. The organic light emitting diode device comprises at least two stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a N-type charge generation layer comprising a charge generating layer and a P-type charge-generating layer is disposed between the laminate, wherein N-type charge generating layer is made of the pyrene compound.


The purpose of this study is to analyze (1) the significance of affecting the quality of service to customer satisfaction. (2) the significance of the interest rate of credit on customer satisfaction. (3) the significance of the effect of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty. (4) significance affects the quality of service to customer loyalty. (5) the significance of the effect of lending rate on customer loyalty. (6) customer satisfaction in mediation affects the quality of service to loyalty. (7). customer satisfaction in mediating influence. The research was conducted at Jateng KCP Jatipuro Bank. Population of 300 people. Sample of 60 people, with snowball sampling technique and convenience sampling technique. Data completion technique with questionnaire Technical analysis using path analysis model and mediation with Sobel Test. The results of research proved by quality. Significant to customer satisfaction, significant interest rates on customer loyalty, significant interest rates on customer loyalty, customer satisfaction variables moderation influence service quality variables with customer loyalty, and customer satisfaction variables. Keywords: service quality, credit interest rate, satisfaction, loyalty


Abstract Data science is a highly interdisciplinary field that comprises various principles, methodologies, and guidelines for the analysis of data. The creation of appropriate curricula that use computational tools and teaching activities is necessary for building skills and knowledge in data science. However, much of the literature about data science curricula focuses on the undergraduate university level. In this study, we developed an introductory data science curriculum for an out of school enrichment program aimed at middle grade learners (ages 11–13). We observed how the participants in the program (n = 11) learned data science practices through the combination of nonprogramming activities and programming activities using the language R. The results revealed that participants in the program were able to investigate statistical questions of their creation, perform data analysis using statistics and the creation of data visuals, make meaning from their results, and communicate their findings. These results suggest that a series of learner-centered nonprogramming and programming activities using R can facilitate the learning of data science skills for middle-school age students.


Heat supply networks in Tyumen region are characterized by a high damage rate, and as a result increase heat losses and reduce operating efficiency of heat supply networks. Reducing the reliability of heating networks increases the cost for their operation, for the elimination of the consequences of accidents and the restoration of the urban environment. The authors of this article consider that the cause of increased pipeline failure is internal corrosion damage and its consequences, detected in the operation at the resource supply company in Tobolsk during the heating periods of 2018-2022. An analysis of the source of the internal corrosion appearance on steel pipelines of different diameters and different types of laying was carried out, an attempt to determine the correlation between external corrosion layer and internal one was made, the influence of the oxygen content in the heat transfer fluid was taken into account. During preparing the article, different variants to minimize the corrosion damage of the internal pipeline surface and to reduce the level of oxygen dissolved in the aqueous environment have been considered.


The Savannah River Site (SRS) reactors have historically operated at power levels of -2500 MW; thus, previous reactor physics data libraries were created based on that constant power. However, as a result of recent lower power operation, the existing physics data libraries are no longer adequate. Therefore, a new power-dependent physics library was needed to model the reactor at different power levels. The design and development of a new power-dependent physics data library is discussed in this paper.


Two cases of transient latchup specific to power management analog integrated circuit design are described and analyzed experimentally. The representative case studies include the interaction of a power array and ESD clamp and the interaction of two high voltage ESD clamps


Our approach aims to provide a historical and chronological outline on the evolution, over centuries, of the three communities that form the present Bocsa. Therefore, we focused on the spa status that Bocsa Montană acquired during ante and inter-war period. Thus, there are presented the most important leisure tourist sights which were used until mid- twentieth century, well-known local tourist routes, promenade area 'Izvor' set up by StEG and UDR, the network of local tourist units. Given the World Bank report on West Region (2011), West Region Development Strategy between 2014-2020 and the Development Strategy of BOCŞA (2014-2020) we assume that one of the most important axis of local and regional development in the next six years is tourism. Hence, in terms of tourism Bocsa aims to become the 'gateway' in the mountainous tourism. To sum up, in the final part of our study we stressed the need to regain the inter-war tourist brand by reopening the local tourist niches, such as ecumenical tourism (monastery and churches within the locality) industrial tourism ("iron" road, - Bocsa -Ocna de Fier), cultural tourism ("Constantin Lucaci" and "Constantin Gruescu" museum), leisure tourism (local pensions' system). Our comparative study proposes an update and a recall of tourist traditions within Bocsa's communities, a summary of prewar and interwar tourism and, in this way, a projective foundation of Bocsa's development strategy, through the tourist offer in perspective of 2020s, recognizing that it is a reliable source to increase the quality of community life. The methodology of our approach presents a synthetic and interdisciplinary perspective - history and geography - focusing on tourism comparative method on two different historical periods, focusing on the synthesis on the invoice historical and geographical data in order to grasp the essential in Bocsa's historic becoming. 1.1. GEOGRAPHIC AND HISTORIC MILESTONES To approach the evolutive dimensions related to the touristic geography of the town of Bocsa means to engage in a brief initial review of the most relevant local geographic characteristics and of the most relevant local geographic features, as well as the most representative events in the town's historical development. From this esentialised excursion we may remark the diversity of the town habitat's natural frame; surely the beginnings of its urban modernisation is due to the pre- and inter-war industrialisation, and the preoccupations for the support of the local tourism development.


We present a case in which a thoracocervical epidural blood patch was used to treat an anteriorly situated cerebrospinal fluid leak following 2 failed blood patches in the lumbar region. The challenge in identifying the source of the leak, deteriorating health of the patient, and risks from the procedure, contributes to the uniqueness of this case.


Internet, Fintech and Auto-Intelligent sounds like the most popular words in 21st financial industry. The Internet big name bring the information technology in and destroyed the traditional. These new financial institutions have integrated management model and data-driven decision system, their business decision is quicker and preciously with lower risk. We do interest in the application of information technology especially data-analytics in the secondary market. So we do deep learning and research, collect data and valuable information from essay and academic journal. Based on the new concepts and technologies like ESG, we demonstrate its performance through several actual industry cases.


To improve the risk identification of gas explosion disaster in coal mines,an approach was made to combination of a model for gas explosion pattern recognition with typical risk samples of gas explosions.A PSO-SVM model was built for the risk identification.The PSO-SVM model was trained and tested with the typical samples,the recognition rate of the sample was 100%.


A giant undulation event observed at SANAE, Antarctica (L = 4) is reported. During the event the geomagnetic activity was high, as was the case in previously reported observations of giant undulations. Data were recorded by all-sky and small field-of-view TV cameras, from 2346 UT on September 10, to 0007 UT on September 11 (MLT ∼ 2200 h) 1987. The fine temporal and spatial resolution of the TV data made a detailed study of the undulation possible. The average wavelength was 170 km and the amplitude of the wave increased from 70 km to 140 km in 10 minutes. Wave propagation, measured at different positions on the undulation, was duskward with a phase speed of 540 to 650 m/s. An inner structure, propagating at a speed of 2.5 to 4.0 km/s, about 3 times as fast as the undulation form, was observed just poleward of the undulation boundary, indicating the presence of strong velocity shear. The linear theory of the velocity shear instability is examined as a possible generation mechanism on the basis of these observations.


In conditions when the water factor is increasingly affecting the economic development of the CIS countries, the adoption and implementation of modern technological and organizational and managerial decisions on the most effective use of water become an urgent, imperative necessity. This is all the more so because, on the one hand, the decarbonization recommended by the UN cannot be considered as the main means of solving the water problem in the economies of the Commonwealth States. On the other hand, reducing the water capacity of these economies can both accelerate their technological renewal, and become a factor in reducing the negative climate changes occurring in the post-Soviet-Eurasian area. Starting from these considerations, the authors of the article use the example of Azerbaijan — a country with limited water resources — to identify ways to modernize the water management system. This management reform is designed to address aspects of the water problem related not only to climate change, water pollution and large losses during delivery to consumers, but also to the water management policies of neighboring States located upstream of the main rivers. According to the author's final conclusion, the experience of Azerbaijan shows a very significant role of various formats of international cooperation in the creation of effective national integrated water resources management systems in the CIS countries.


Objective
To evaluate the effects of intraperitoneal transplantation of encapsulated adult pit islets on blood glucose of diabetic mice.

Methods
Pancreata were digested with collagenase P using Ricordi chamber and purified with discontinued density gradient centrifugation and subsequently cultured.Islets were encapsulated using alginate-polylysine polymers.The quantity and purity of islets was determined by manual and counter machine after dithizone (DTZ) staining.Glucose stimulated insulin secretion test was performed to test the function of purified islets and encapsulated islets in vitro.BALB/c mice were intraperitoneal injected with streptozocin (STZ) 200 mg/kg body weight to induce type 1 diabetes model.Diabetic mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: encapsulated pig islet group, empty capsule group and saline control group.Encapsulated capsules (equivilent to 500 pig islets), empty caplules and normal saline were respectively transplanted into peritoneal cavity of three groups.The blood glucose of all the mice were regularly monitored before and after transplantation.

Results
After purification of discontinued density gradient centrifugation, the mean purity of the islets was more than 90%.The viability of the islets was more than 90% by propidium iodide (PI) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining.Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) of purified islet and encapsulated islet was more than 2.0 in vitro.In vivo, after transplantation, encapsulated pig islets group had a significantly improved survival and biochemical profile, compared to mice transplanted with empty capsule group and saline control group.Blood glucose of encapsulated pig islets group significantly reduced more than 60 days (<9.3 mmol/L), Duration time of normal blood glucose in encapsulated pig islets group was significantly longer, compared with empty capsules group and saline control group (F=13.587, P<0.05). The pathologic structure of encapsulated islets was normal, which of insulin staining was positive.

Conclusions
Encapsulated pig islet transplantation exerts good effects of reduction of blood glucose on diabetic mice and the capsules have good immuno-isolating function.

Key words:
Diabetes; Xenotransplantation; Encapsulation; Adult pig islet isolation; Peritoneal cavity transplantation


This paper presents a new rational shear modulus for the fixed-angle softened truss model (FA-STM) based on the smeared-crack concept. This rational, yet very simple, modulus not only greatly simplifies the solution of the FA-STM but also improves its accuracy. Moreover, this new shear modulus can be used widely to replace the many complicated empirical constitutive laws for shear of cracked concrete, as employed in the various nonlinear analyses of reinforced concrete structures. A notable example is the finite-element analysis.


Within this scientific paper is being analyzed the economy of South-West region of Oltenia, in Romania. This analysis highlights an evolution of certain indicators such as: regional gross domestic product; gross domestic product per capita; number of active companies; the staff in active local units; turnover in local active companies; gross and net investments. South-West region of Oltenia recorded a percentage of 12.3% of the country's total surface and at the same time, it has numerous landforms, along with a variety of natural economical resources. This area is both specialized in producing thermo and hydroelectric energy and in agriculture, using large plots of land. Nowadays, one could observe an increase of inter and intraregional disparities. There must be attracted massive investments all over this region in order to reduce unemployment rate. In this paper there are being introduced the main economic indicators, estimated from 2015 to 2017. In order to realize this scientific paper, there have been used data given by the National Institute of Statistics and by the National Committee of Prognosis.


The number of older adults living in Europe is expected to grow rapidly over the next 15 years, raising a number of new public health challenges. Inequalities in health are evident within all European countries, the most prominent of which relate to socio-economic differences. In the current European context of economic difficulties and austerity, fundamental aspects of welfare provision through the state have been challenged. In the UK, there have been calls to reconsider the viability and fairness of …


Computer technology represented by artificial intelligence and big data has begun to combine with genetic technology, and has gradually played an increasingly important role in the fields of gene sequencing, disease diagnosis, and drug development. The intersection of computer science and genomics brings new opportunities for technological innovation in the medical field. In this context, this paper analyzes the published patents in the intersection of computer science and genomics, focusing on the comprehensive competitiveness of countries/regions, the R&D capability of major patent applicants, the content of patented technology and the industrial application of these technologies. Based on the above research, this paper points out China's competitive landscape and industry prospects in this field, and then puts forward relevant suggestions.


The behavior of aqueous solutions of partly hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymers, numbers 500 and 700, was studied, including viscosity, thermal stability, adsorption and transport in porous media. The addition of sodium chloride to the solutions decreased their viscosity and decreased the amount of polymer which was adsorbed out of the solution. The higher molecular weight polymer developed greater viscosities than the lower molecular weight polymer. The polymers were not stable at 275 to 300/sup 0/F in an oxygen-free environment. The adsorption of polymer in consolidated porous media was significantly less than adsorption on unconsolidated sandstone or silica sand.


Objective:To determine the expression and clinical value of TrkB in the prostate cancer tissues.Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of TrkB in the malignant tumor of prostate.The tissue of benign neoplasia was used as the control.Results:The expression of TrkB was higher in prostate cancer tissues than that in the benign neoplasia.And its expression trend was correlated with the malignant degree of the carcinoma.TrkB was mainly expressed on the cellular membrane and the cytoplasma.Conclusion:TrkB may involve in the program of prostate carcinogenesis.


We discuss various aspects of centimeter and millimeter wavelength continuum and line observations of high redshift star forming galaxies. Perhaps the most important lesson is that sensitive observations at submm through cm wavelengths reveal a population of active star forming galaxies at high redshift which are unseen in deep optical surveys due to dust obscuration. Current models suggest that this population represents the formation of the spheroidal components of galaxies at z between 2 and 5, constituting about half of the total amount of cosmic star formation from the big bang to the present. High resolution imaging at cm wavelengths provides sub-arcsecond astrometry, and can be used to search for gravitational lensing and/or for the presence of an AGN. Radio continuum observations provide unique information on the magnetic fields in early galaxies, and give a gross indication of the star formation rate, while the radio-to-submm spectral index provides a rough indication of source redshift. Low J transitions of CO are redshifted into the cm bands for z > 2, allowing for sensitive searches for CO emission over large volumes at high redshift. We present recent results from the Very Large Array (VLA), and from the new 230 GHz MPIfR bolometer array at the IRAM 30m telescope. A wide field survey with the bolometer array indicates a cut-off in the source distribution function at FIR luminosities > 3e12 L_sun. Lastly, we summarize the scientific promise of the New VLA.


COVID-19 is affecting people's lives from 2020 to today. Among all the influences, the influence on people's consumption behavior is particularly prominent. In this paper, the impact of the epidemic on the consumption behavior of high school students in Beijing is studied. With the progress of The Times and the development of science and technology, the consumption behavior of senior high school students becomes more and more, no matter online consumption or offline entity shop. Therefore, studying the impact of the epidemic on the consumption behavior of high school students can also extend the impact of the epidemic on the society and even the macro economy of the country.


The contributions of heat and work in generating a new surface area are considered. Unlike the classical theory of vapor/droplet equilibrium, which associates changing surface areas with work done against the surface tension, an alternative approach assumes that the droplets grow due to a controllable condensation of vapor and the internal energy of droplets changes due to the heat of the phase transition, and not due to the mechanical work. The effect of radii on the internal energy is discussed. The theory of the vapor/droplet equilibrium is constructed on the basis of the fundamental Clapeyron equation. When droplet radii exceed about 50 Lennard-Jones' molecular diameters, the classical and new models yield similar values of thermodynamic parameters, but differ essentially in the range of the finest clusters and nanocapillaries. In contrast to the Kelvin equation, which is not applicable for adsorption in micropores with radii less than 1 nm and fails in its description of hysteresis loops in mesopores, the present approach is in reasonably good agreement with observations; the model gives rational explanations to the mechanism of a droplet growth and critical parameters of nucleation.


As time progresses and technology develops in recent years, the demand for networking communication products is on the increase. Almost all nations throughout the world adopt AC power transmission system. To avoid current phase shift or distortion that would indirectly influence energy conversion performance and power quality in the AC-DC conversion process, it's important to insert PFC into power supplies. A PFC is to change the waveform of current drawn by a load to improve the power factor, reduce input current spike and control the harmonic current. This proposal aimed to design and implement a high efficiency, high power factor, high power density and low input current harmonic PFC. Due to the fast switching property of Wide Bandgap (WBG) Power Semiconductor Devices, it can reduce the loss and improve conversion efficiency, therefore increase the total power density.


The article deals with the concept of abuse of office as defined in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania. The abuse of office is the most frequent criminal deed against public service and execution of public interests. The concept of abuse of office involves numerous attributes that have to be proved during the investigation of criminal cases of abuse of office. However, some problems prevail in the practice of law enforcement agencies dealing with the investigation of abuse of office. First and foremost, the attribute of major harm to the state, international public organization, natural or legal person remains unclear, thus creating ambiguous interpretations. The attempts to clarify the attribute in question are taken by prosecution as well as the courts dealing with the abuse of office. However, this leads to superfluous attempts of stating the same attribute in different cases. The author presents theoretical arguments and examples of criminal cases which lead the suggestions on the interpretation of the attribute of major harm. In addition the author supports the opinion by which major harm as material damage should not be calculated according to the rules of the old Criminal Code. By presenting the position of the Supreme Court of Lithuania, the author denies the margin of 250 Minimum Wage Unit (MWU). The more appropriate definitive margin of 150 MWU is suggested and supported by the systematic analysis of various chapters of the Criminal Code. The author discusses problematic issues of insufficient balance between the Articles 225 and 228 of the Criminal Code and presents some theoretical suggestions. Another major failing presents the structure of the Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania which does not foresee the abuse of office as a criminal offence, thus a more lenient criminal responsibility is impossible. The existing structure of liability for the abuse of office presents a dual approach: the abuse of office in cases of nonmajor harm for public interests is prosecuted as a disciplinary offence. Cases of abuse of office that causes major harm are prosecuted according to the criminal legislation. The author points out that a such legal duality creates situations when disciplinary prosecution is insufficient (or even non-existent in cases of official's resignation) and at the same time criminal prosecution is impossible. As a result, criminal responsibility lacks much needed balance. The interjacent position would be welcome as it would present a real approach to the offender without being too harsh. Thus, the author suggests various improvements by implementing the concept of abuse of office as a criminal offence. The author presents his own position on the rulings of the Supreme Court in cases of abuse of office which in some cases are too formal and based only on legal phrasings rather than on principles of justice.


The dynamic response of a concrete railway arch bridge is studied through a case study of the bridge over Kalix River, situated at Langforsen on the railway line between Kalix and Morjarv in northe ...