maximum fitness may be achieved by contributing pollen to 28 conspecifics, for example. In this case, the plant might choose to elevate the floral reward to where pollen is being taken to 28 conspecifics on the average at the cost of (a) getting perhaps 15 fathers for its seed crop and (b) some of its seed crop resources. Alternatively, it may strategically hold seed parentage at six by shortening the period of time that the stigma is receptive or available and raise pollen parentage by elevating the time that pollen and associated rewards are available. As the male and female portions of the genome begin to manipulate their different parts of the flower in different ways, there should be times when it is more efficient to produce two different kinds of flowers on the same plant. A monecious plant can certainly be viewed as the outcome of this adaptive compromise. The female flowers may be specialized to obtain an optimal number and distribution of parents for the seed crop, and the male flowers are specialized to donate to an optimal number and distribution of seeds and seed crops. I would not suggest that this is the only driving force behind the evolution of dioecy in plants, but dioecy may be viewed as just carrying this process one step further. The dioecious plant is totally specialized at either donating pollen or receiving pollen and making seeds. Notably, some plants alternate back and forth between these two states over their lifespan, or start out with only the male programming active and later express their female programming when resources allow it.


Blends are surfaces that arise in manufacturing and do not usually appear on blue-prints. Methods are presented for modelling them in CAD/CAM systems. Modelling of two types of blends for parametric surfaces is considered; rolling sphere blends and general cross-section blends. The blend surface design task is split into two subtasks: identification of the normal cross section as well as the path followed by it. The path is identified as the intersection of the offsets of the given two surfaces. The offsetting technique establishes a natural parametric correspondence between the two blend boundary curves. The design of the shape of the cross section curve is left to the user. This provides the flexibility demanded by the application at hand.<<ETX>>


The low representation of ethnic minorities in the British Armed Forces, claims of racism and homophobia among the ranks of the services, and cases of sexual discrimination and sexism have stunned policymakers, tarnishing the image of the Forces in the eyes of both minority groups and among the wider population. In research done on the Army's recruitment and marketing strategy, military life was perceived as an aggressively macho world, that was hard on women, minorities and non-conformists. At a time of recruitment difficulties and political pressure, the Forces can ill-afford such bad publicity. After years of denial that problems existed, the Forces eventually accepted that something needed to be done. Indeed, action was demanded by organisations, which promote equality to tackle these problems. Acknowledgement of problems led to the implementation of several initiatives, including a new equal opportunities regime in 1998. A credible equal opportunities regime was viewed as significant in the battle to attract people from minority groups by sending out a positive message. Perhaps the most crucial intervention came from the present Labour government, which in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), has done much to promote equal opportunities in the British Armed Forces. As the Strategic Defence Review emphasised:


In this paper ,the main functions of network system are introduced,furthermore,the ways by which Shanxi University connects to Internet are analysed as far as the existing equipments and funds of our University. The feasible schemes of the connections between Shanxi University Department of Educate and all Departments are presented. At the sametime, the related techniques are discussed in detail.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of microencapsulation on the water absorption, DPPH radical scavenging activity (DRSA), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA) and tyrosinase inhibition activity (TIA) in corn silk extracts. The lowest value (0.20) of water absorption index (WAI...


BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined how adherence to antihypertensive medications varies across different regions or how neighborhood-level factors were related to individuals' medication-taking behaviors in patients. OBJECTIVE: To explore local variation in medication adherence and examine environmental and individual influences on adherence to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) among elderly hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States. METHODS: The Medicare 5% sample claim data (2006-2013), American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2005-2009) and the Health Resources and Services Administration Primary Care Service Area data (2007). The primary outcome was medication adherence, measured by Proportion of Days Covered (PDC). Geographically weighted regression (GWR) and linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the relationship between environmental factors, individual risk factors and medication adherence. RESULTS: A total of 70,201 hypertensive CKD patients residing in 2,981 counties of the US were selected. Significant spatial autocorrelation was observed in ACEIs/ARBs PDC. The West North Central and New England regions demonstrated higher adherence compared to the East South Central and West South Central regions. Residing in Medically Underserved Areas, counties with high deprivation scores, and not receiving Part D Low-income Subsidy were associated with poor medication adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Medication adherence is geographically differentiated across the US. Environmental and individual factors identified may be helpful in the design of local interventions focused on improving patient outcomes from a population perspective.


The theories of three-generation leading groups of Party,combining Marxism with China's actual situations,came down in one continuous line.In view of three different developing stages of China,three leading groups resolved timely how to establish and consolidate the new political power,how to construct and develop socialism and how to reform and perfect socialist system, etc..It can be observed that different theories of three generations have resolved different actual problems of our country,meanwhile they came down in one continuous line and developed Marxism.


This paper presents a system for real-time measurement of electrical and physical parameters of a small (12kWp) photovoltaic power plant. This experimental photovoltaic installation is located in the urban area of Ruse, on the territory of the University of Ruse. A system was designed that measures the energy produced by each solar array in shaded locations commonly found in urban environments, as well as environment parameters, solar radiation, PV cell temperature and even infrared images of the facility. The collected data will be used to model and forecast energy production from solar panels under urban conditions.


This article examines the motivators of gender notions and satisfaction in ICT informal sector jobs among youths in Ile-Ife, Osun state. A cross-sectional research design was employed to collect data. A total of 168 questionnaires and 30 in-depth interviews were administered and conducted on young ICT entrepreneurs. Findings revealed that socio-cultural factors such as peer group, parental influence, and social responsibilities have positively motivated youths to engage in ICT informal sector jobs. It also revealed that men were more prominent in ICT informal jobs like repairs, sales of mobile phones and computers, and women engage in the sale of rechargeable cards. Lastly, the study found that income (β = 0.062, p = 0.003) positively influences satisfaction with ICT informal sector jobs. The study concluded that youths are socio-culturally motivated to engage in ICT informal sector jobs. However; there are gender occupational differences in ICT informal sector jobs.


Breast and ovarian cancers account for approximately 55,000 deaths each year in the United States [1]. Both tumor types exhibit morphologic and molecular heterogeneity; each with multiple histologic subtypes that differ significantly in their prognosis and response to therapy. The recent characterization of breast and ovarian cancers by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC) and basal-like breast cancers (BLBC) share many more genetic features than previously appreciated [2–3]. In particular, both tumor types exhibit a tendency for widespread chromosomal copy number alterations, almost ubiquitous TP53 mutation, frequent disruption of the BRCA pathway, MYC gain, CCNE1 amplification together with RB loss, and FOXM1 hyperactivation [3]. These similarities strongly suggested the existence of a common shared molecular pathogenesis.

Both tumor types also share a poor 5-year survival rate in part because there are currently no means available, including serum biomarkers, for the early detection of either HGSOCs or BLBCs. The Whey Acidic Protein (WAP) gene cluster, located on chromosome 20q12-13.2 [4], is frequently amplified in HGSOC [2] and BLBC [3]. This cluster contains 14 genes, each encoding at least one WAP domain. Among these WAP-containing genes is WFDC2, the gene that encodes for HE4. We previously showed that HE4 is expressed and secreted by HGSOCs as a glycoprotein [4]. It was subsequently shown to circulate in the bloodstream of ovarian cancer patients and to be more specific for cancer detection than CA125; as such, HE4 is the second FDA-approved biomarker for ovarian cancer (CA125 being the first). Both HE4 and CA125 are used in the clinical setting to monitor patients with ovarian cancer yet neither is sensitive or specific enough for early detection in the general population.

We investigated whether other WAP genes might play a role in ovarian cancer and found that the trio of HE4, SLPI, and Elafin is overexpressed and secreted by HGSOCs [4, 5]. Elafin is an endogenous serine protease inhibitor which, under inflammatory conditions, prevents excessive damage caused by human neutrophil elastase and other serine proteases [6]. It possesses a wide range of activities including antimicrobial properties against viruses, fungi and bacteria, and anti-inflammatory properties that can modulate the immune response [6].

Like HE4, Elafin is also implicated in cancer with a number of studies showing high level expression in squamous cell carcinomas, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and HGSOC. Its expression in HGSOC was determined by immunohistochemistry and confirmed in a cohort of over 1,000 HGSOC patient samples using gene expression profiling [4, 5]. These studies also demonstrated that high levels of Elafin expression are associated with poor overall survival [4, 5, 7], a finding that appears to be true across tumor types [8] (Figure (Figure1);1); yet, interestingly, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Therefore, we conducted a series of in vitro studies to further characterize the biology of Elafin and found that Elafin acts as a mitogen to stimulate cell proliferation [5]. This effect was evident in cells engineered to overexpress Elafin as well as in assays using recombinant Elafin protein. Further, mass spectrometry and reverse phase protein arrays demonstrated that this proliferative effect is mediated by activation of the MEK-ERK signaling pathway. RNA interference, MEK pathway inhibition, and antibodies against Elafin could all independently block the effect, validating the requirement of MEK-ERK signaling for induced proliferation.

Figure 1

Elafin is associated with poor overall survival

Given the similarities between HGSOCs and BLBCs we asked whether Elafin might play a similar role in breast cancer. Over 1,100 breast tumor gene expression profiles were analyzed and demonstrated that Elafin is highly expressed by BLBCs compared to luminal or HER2-positive tumors [5]. In addition, consistent with our findings in HGSOC, BLBC cell lines that express Elafin also secrete it. Importantly, clinical data demonstrate that overexpression of Elafin is associated with shorter overall survival (OS) in breast cancer patients, especially in BLBC patients [5]. The association between HGSOC and BLBC includes at least three independent factors: first, among hereditary forms of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, HGSOC and BLBC are the predominant histological subtypes that develop in BRCA mutation carriers; second, in comparison with other breast and ovarian cancer subtypes, the majority of HGSOCs and BLBCs harbor TP53 mutations and exhibit increased genomic instability; third, both tumors are associated with poor outcome. Taken together, these data suggest that Elafin may serve not only as a biomarker but also a therapeutic target in these settings. Moreover, these data exemplify the value of not only defining biomarkers for early detection but also understanding their biological functions. Those biomarkers that serve double duty (like Elafin), that is disease detection and the potential to be a biologically therapeutic target, may define the most significant tools that can be added to the arsenal of anti-cancer therapeutics. As the field continues to identify such biomarkers, define their biology, and characterize them as potential drug targets, our ability to more specifically and potently inhibit tumor growth and metastasis will significantly improve and dramatically impact patient survival.


Expected urban population doubling calls for a compelling theory of the city. Random walks and diffusions defined on spatial city graphs spot hidden areas of geographical isolation in the urban landscape going downhill. First--passage time to a place correlates with assessed value of land in that. The method accounting the average number of random turns at junctions on the way to reach any particular place in the city from various starting points could be used to identify isolated neighborhoods in big cities with a complex web of roads, walkways and public transport systems.


Objective To explore the effect of intraventricular transplantation of human amniotic epithelial cells(hAECs) on brain edema and neurological functional recovery of intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) model in rat.Methods hAECs were isolated from human term placenta and seeded for primary culture.hAECs labeled with Hoechst33258 and transfected with enhanced green fluorescent protein(EGFP) gene using lentiviral vectors were delivered into lateral ventricle of ICH rat models.The behaviors of the animals and brain edema were observed in 28 d and the brain sections were made for morphological and immunohistochemical analyses with fluorescence microscopy.Results Transplanted hAECs could survive along the lateral wall for at least 4 weeks,some of which were stained with human specific antibody to nestin and vimentin(vim).Around the injury site,activated miroglia stained with OX-42 were decreased.The water content in rat brain was decreased,and the behavior test scores were improved in treatment group compared with control groups.Conclusion The hAECs can survive in the lateral ventricle of ICH rats after transplantation and express nestin and vim.hAECs transplantation can reduce brain edema and improve the motor function of ICH rats.


Abstract: Solifuges were observed in many habitats in Erbil- city/Iraq; on ground, under stones and between grasses especially at night. Two species belong two family Galeodidae and Rhagodidae were identified from the study area, Galeodes caspius subfuscus Birula 1937, recorded for the first time in Iraq. Keywords: solifugids, sun spider, camel – spider, Galeodidae, Rhagodidae


The reaction of tetraethylammonium superoxide (Et 4 NO 2 ) with some acetylated aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds gives the corresponding carboxylic acids under significantly mild conditions. The investigation extends the applicability of tetraethylammonium bromide (Et 4 NBr) as an efficient phase transfer catalyst.


Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency may present with hematologic, neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular symptoms. A clinical Picture of acute psychosis can be seen in rare cases and if not corrected, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to permanent demage. Acute psychosis and symptoms of anemia with sixty-year-old male patient was evaluated and found that vitamin B12 deficiency due to the terminal ileitis. The patient was healed without permanent damage with replacement therapy. The diagnosis and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency is quite simple. In order not to lead to persistent psychiatric symptoms, regardless of the presence of anemia, it would be appropriate to check blood levels of vitamin B12 in patients admitted for psychiatric problems.


Tifacogin is a recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (rTFPI) under development by Pharmacia Corp. and Chiron as a potential treatment modality for sepsis. Tifacogin is a recombinant form of TFPI that is produced in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells and is distinguished from endogenous TFPI by an alanine at the N terminus and lack of glycosylation. Sepsis is primarily characterized by the susceptibility for the development of a hypercoagulable state, the etiology of which is poorly understood. Hypercoagulability is also common in other inflammatory states such as acute coronary syndrome and diabetes. The development of effective anticoagulants for potential therapeutic use in these inflammatory states is underway with improved understanding of the coagulant pathway. Anticoagulants fall into 2 categories: natural or pharmacologic. Natural or physiological regulation of coagulation relies on 3 natural anticoagulants: antithrombin (AT) III, activated protein C (APC), and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). AT III acts as an anticoagulant by binding to and inactivating activated coagulation factors II, IX, X, and XI, a reaction accelerated approximately 1000-fold by heparin. APC acts as an anticoagulant by clearing and inactivating factor Va and VIIIa. In addition, APC may be a modulator of inflammation. Its interaction with the vessel wall and endothelium may be lost in systemic sepsis. Both AT III and APC act as anticoagulants by interfering with coagulation during its amplification phase. In contrast, TFPI blocks coagulation at its earliest stage. Apart from these main natural anticoagulants, several other physiological compounds like lipoproteins, sphingosine, thrombomodulin (TM), or cellular Marcks proteins act as anticoagulants in the body. Pharmacologic


This study - carried out between the Elephant and the Orkney islands - showed that spatial variability in the marginal ice-edge zone (MIZ) was greater than that found in open sea. Salinity and silicate contents point to the existence of two fronts: the first - near Elephant Island - separates the Surface Antarctic Water coming from Drake Passage from the winter water originating in the Weddell Sea. This water is characterized by its high concentrations of nitrate ( 30 mu M) and silicates ( 80 mu M). The second front - near the South Orkney Islands undergoes the influence by a less saline water lens ( 34 %), poor in nutrients (N-NO3 24 mu M) and rich in chlorophyll ( 3.5 mg Chl a 1(-1)). Water masses circulation reveals the existence of a series of convergences and divergences which alternate along MIZ, together with different haline fronts. These fronts limit three differents zones, taking into account the presence of chlorophyll. In zones where the surface layer presents both low salinity and stability with a thickness of about 40 m, chlorophyll contents are rather high - between 1.5 and 5 mg Chl a. m(-3). On the other hand in the mixing vertical zone, these chlorophyll contents are low ( 0.3 mg Chl a.m(-3)) while the frontal region separating these two zones presents intermediate values and the existence of deep subsurface maximum of chlorophyll. Horizontal variability of integrated Values (on the whole of the euphotic zone) is clearly inferior to the one present in surface concentrations. PON/Chl a and POC/PON relations show their minimum levels in the pack-ice fusion water, as an effect of the high photosynthetic activity.


The invention relates to an access method and a shared memory system and aims to provide a plurality of systems and methods to access a shared memory in an image processing unit. One embodiment of the invention comprising determining whether data read from a shared memory align at the boundary of the shared memory, wherein the data comprises a plurality of data blocks, determining the mixing type of a to-be-processed data block, and determining the order to execute one or more surrounding functions accordingly. The shared memory is accessed by executing one or more surrounding functions and reading multiple data blocks, and data is built according to the mixing type.


In this article, we reflect on the institutional conditions of disciplinary Geography and geographical knowledge production. While valuing diversity and vitality, we argue that Geography is becoming a 'broken bottle' with an increasingly loose conceptual or analytical 'core'. Today, our disciplinary identity hinges more on the first half of various sub-fields – economic, urban, cultural – leaving the geography hanging and open to interpretation. The trend has been exacerbated by the intensification of academic neoliberalism and impact factor-driven publishing, which further stretches what it means to be a geographer. We propose to re-centre the region and make it the heart of geographical research and teaching of the 21st century, in order to rethink how the geographical scholarly community may rebuild 'trading zones' and social engagement.


The case describes a girl with a benign skin condition named Terra Firma-Forme Dermatosis. The Terra Firma-Forme dermatosis is easy to recognize and has an easy resolution but however it has many differential diagnosis as acanthosis nigricans, tinea versicolor confluent and seborrheic keratosis. It is the typical example of "if you know it you recognize it". A correct diagnosis brings indeed to a prompt resolution and avoids useless and inadequate exams to the patient.


The invention provides aptamer Ep CAM C of an epithelial cell adhesion molecule, and a preparation method of the aptamer, relates to nucleic acid and provides the aptamer of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule with high specificity and high appetency, and the preparation method and the application of the aptamer. The aptamer of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule adopts a G-tetramer structure or a stem-loop structure. The preparation method comprises the following steps: designing and synthetizing a single-chain DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) random oligonucleotide library, screening a target oligonucleotide sequence, and identifying the specificity and the appetency in combination with target protein through a flow type analysis method. The aptamer obtained through screening is non-toxic, low in molecular weight, good in permeability and easy to synthetize and mark; only specific identification is performed to Ep CAM protein and to cell lines expressing Ep CAM protein, and cell lines that do not express the protein are not identified.


Objective To evaluate the early application of enteral nutrition(EN) support in the patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor operation.Methods Enteral nutrition was used in 20 cases of patients early after the operation.Potassium、sodium、blood glucose、urea nitrogen、glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and total serum protein、serum albumin and hemoglobin were measured.The time of gastrointestinal functional recovery and complications were observed.Results No abnormalities of Potassium、sodium、blood glucose、urea nitrogen、glutamate-pyruvate transaminase were found.Total serum protein、serum albumin and hemoglobin were kept in the same level.The rate of diarrhea or abdominal distension were 10% or 5%.Conclusion The early application of enteral nutrition in the patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor operation can maintain nutritional state,promote gastrointestinal functional recovery.It is a safe and effective nutritional support method.


Aesthetics of Obscenity (2000), and Celia Marshik's British Modernism and Censorship (2006). Their expertise in this field shines through, and topics as wide-ranging as suffrage, copyright law, libel, pornography and censorship are addressed with exacting detail. The seemingly obligatory case study on Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness (1928) also includes a contrasting study on the censorship of Joyce's Ulysses (1922), with each illuminating the other and saving a well-worn subject area from seeming repetitive. If one were to offer a criticism for the volume, it would be that, whilst it makes a few brief nods towards trans issues, Modernism, Sex, and Gender neglects both the revolutions that were taking place in the conceptualization of trans gender during the modernist period, and the exciting new scholarship that treats modernist literature in this context. The likes of Jay Prosser, Chris Coffman and Lucas Crawford have all published on the subject within the timeline of the analysis, and the omission of this newer strand of modernist study is made starker by the text's thoroughness in other areas. Regardless of this small qualification, however, Modernism, Sex, and Gender provides a thorough tour of both modernist literature and its theorists and critics by two extremely knowledgeable guides. Its nuanced approach to modernism should prove an illuminating read for any scholar interested in receiving a deeper education in the interactions of gender with modernist literature both inside and outside of the typical canon.


This report studies Swedens national preparedness regarding wildland fires. The study is done by studying literature and interviewing people with experience from larger wildland fires. The opinions from the respondents together with the findings from the literature form the basis for the analysis to conclude if the preparedness is enough in case of a climate change. The conclusion of this report is that the preparedness of today is insufficient to handle larger wildland fires.


Millennial‐scale oceanographic oscillations were identified in the southern Okhotsk Sea based on high‐resolution measurements of total organic carbon (TOC), C/N ratios, and biogenic opal, employing Core MD01‐2412 (53 m) with the bottom age of 115 ka. The oscillations are linked with the Dansgaard‐Oeschger (D‐O) climatic cycles. Inadequate data existed in the source regions of the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) formation thus far. We report the first decisive documentation of the D‐O cycles in the up stream source region of the NPIW, illustrating that the D‐O cycles observed in the down stream regions (e.g., Santa Barbara Basin) due to expansion of the NPIW were in part governed by the climatic variations occurred in the Okhotsk Sea. Increases in TOC and C/N ratios reflect abrupt sea level rises associated with 14 interstadial events over the past 115 kyrs, attributing to the downward transport of eroded continental shelf sediments.


Interfacial tensions between the weak alkali ternary system with surfactant SHSA-HN6 and Henan crude oil were measured. The effects of adding Na2CO3 and Na2CO3 concentration, SHSA-HN6 and polymer concentration on interfacial tensions were examined. The results showed that the interfacial tension reduction effect of the weak alkali ternary system was better than that of the alkali-free binary system, and the ultra-low interfacial tension (10-3 mN/m order of magnitude)for weak alkali ternary system could be reached more rapidly; the influence of polymer concentration changes on static interfacial tension of the weak alkali ternary system was small and the higher the polymer concentration was,the longer the time to reach ultra-low interfacial tension was; the interfacial tension can still be ultra-low when concentration of every component was reduced simultaneously in the weak alkali ternary system; adding Na2CO3 not only can reduce the interfacial tension and but also plays a role of sacrificial agent.


In this paper we present a probabilistic approach for analyzing the dependence of crosstalk effects on input pattern correlations. In particular, we show that the effects of coupling between interconnections, in current VLSI ICs, are strongly dependent on the spatio-temporal correlations at the primary inputs. Consequently, a smaller fraction of the total number of nets poses true crosstalk problems and only that fraction should be considered at lower levels of abstraction. The analysis is carried out at the logic-level of abstraction, which provides efficient CPU run time and memory usage.


The current reality for women ministers is that they are paid significantly less than their male counterparts. Women of color in ministry encounter an even more bleak outlook with regard to salaries and benefits. Working for equality requires something of us all. Women ministers need to advocate for themselves by participating in the process of negotiating and asking for fair and equitable salary packages. Women must also advocate for one another and stand with their sisters in this work toward pay equality. But for true change to happen, male ministers will need to take the lead. Equality in the church requires us to change the way we have always related to one another as women and men and to work together to make that equality a reality.


. Injection of aerosol particles (or their precursors) into the stratosphere to scatter solar radiation back into space has been suggested as a solar-radiation management scheme for the mitigation of global warming. TiO 2 has recently been highlighted as a possible candidate particle because of its high refractive index, but its impact on stratospheric chemistry via heterogeneous reactions is as yet unknown. this work the heterogeneous reaction of airborne sub-micrometre TiO 2 particles with N 2 O 5 has been investigated for the first time, at room temperature and different relative humidities (RH), using an atmospheric pressure aerosol flow tube. The uptake coefficient of N 2 O 5 onto TiO 2 , γ (N 2 O 5 ) , was determined to be ∼ 1.0 × 10 − 3 at low RH, increasing to ∼ 3 × 10 − 3 at 60 % RH. The uptake of N 2 O 5 onto TiO 2 is then included in the UKCA chemistry–climate model to assess the impact of this reaction on stratospheric chemistry. While the impact of TiO 2 on the scattering of solar radiation is chosen to be similar to the aerosol from the Mt Pinatubo eruption, the impact of TiO 2 injection on stratospheric N 2 O 5 is much smaller.


...............................................................................................ii Dedication.............................................................................................iv Acknowledgements...................................................................................v Vita.....................................................................................................vi List of Figures.......................................................................................xii List of Abbreviations.......................................................................... ........xiv Chapter 1: Introduction.............................................................................. .1 Chapter 2: Human ovarian tumor cells escape γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxic lysis partly by down regulating surface expression of MICA..................... ..............................18 Chapter 3: Inducing ATM/ATR pathway in combination with γδ T cells enhanced cytotoxicity of ovarian cancer cells............................................................52 References.............................................................................................81


Ivanovo State Power Engineering University (ISPEU) staff have developed and put into operation innovative designs of digital current and voltage instrument transformers (DCVT) based on resistor dividers performing technical and commercial electric power accounting, and also participating in work of relay protection and automation systems. Thermal self-diagnostics systems working in real time for instrument transformers do not exist in electric power engineering, while thermal examination is often conducted according to maintenance schedules, which negatively impacts the reliability of electrical equipment functioning. Development and building of new systems of self diagnostics for instrument transformer thermal state, revealing temperatures at several points, including values for the most heated up part, in real time, is therefore a vital task, especially for controlling operation of "smart" grids. Based on the results of physical and mathematical simulation of the process of heat exchange between a transformer and its environment at different values of ambient temperature, insolation and grid voltage, methods have been developed to determine the impact of the above factors on the thermal mode of DCVT operation. Algorithm has also been developed for thermal self-diagnostics and thermal protection against overheating of instrument transformers. System of thermal self diagnostics has been developed for 6-220 kV.


Abstract : The optical spectra and crystal growth of CeO2 and ThO2 were studied to determine their potential usefulness as laser materials. Crystal growth was carried out by the flux technique. Phase equilibria and solubility determinations were made in order to select a flux for the growth of spectroscopic samples to eventually permit the growth of laser size crystals. Erbium, terbium, europium, samarium, dysprosium, manganese, and uranium were incorporated into single crystals of CeO2. Transmission measurements were made on all samples. When samples were observed to fluoresce with x-ray or UV excitation, their emission spectra, excitation spectra, and fluorescent lifetime were studied. The effect of charge compensation on these properties was also studied.


The delegates from the UAE identified a number of programmatic and policy concerns as they improve and expand the country's early childhood education and care (ECE) system. One of the most pressing issues facing the Ministry of Education (MOE) in this sphere is the operationalization of a recent decision to define ECE to cover children from 0 to 8 years of age. In order to facilitate smooth transitions of children from KG to the early primary grades, the UAE authorities are looking to implement a more developmentally appropriate curriculum in grades 1 and 2 than is currently being used, based on the current kindergarten model for four (KG1) and five year old (KG2) children. At the moment, the Bank's engagement in the UAE education sector is at a nascent stage. There is a possibility of two parallel engagements being carried out during FY19. The Bank team will continue to engage closely with the MOE in developing the future RAS program. Given the high-level commitment to strengthening the country's ECE policies, it is likely that at least some part of the future engagement will focus on this sector. The Bank team will gauge the feasibility of collaborating with the UAE authorities-including those outside MOE on possible impact evaluations throughout the public sector.


This paper aims to show the possibility of using mobile communication devices for travel and activity survey. It describes how the positioning technology as a function of a cellular phone system is applied to determine the time and location of a passenger. A PHS based mobile communication device with a location positioning function is handed to an individual who joins the travel and activity survey. A pilot survey was made in Osaka City in which ten individuals participated for two weeks. A transfer method of the individual's location positioning data to an activity diary is developed. It is shown that the accuracy of positioning data is sufficient and the estimated travel behaviour is consistent with reported behaviour. The PHS supported system is found useful for various data collection in travel and activity survey in the future. (A*) For the covering abstract see ITRD E110327.


Description: Processed meats constitute important foods in western societies, but relatively few books cover this field. The Handbook of Meat Processing comprehensively presents the current status of the manufacturing of the most important meat products. Editor and renowned meat expert, Fidel Toldrá heads an international collection of meat scientists who have contributed to this essential reference book. Coverage is divided into three parts. Part one, Technologies, begins with discussions on meat chemistry, biochemistry and quality and then provides background information on main technologies involved in the processing of meat, such as freezing, cooking, smoking, fermentation, emulsification, drying and curing. Also included are key chapters on packaging, spoilage prevention and plant cleaning and sanitation. Part two, Products, is focused on the description of the manufacture of the most important products, including cooked and dry–cured hams, cooked and fermented sausages, bacon, canned meat, paté, restructured meats and functional meat products. Each chapter addresses raw materials, ingredients and additives, processing technology, main types of products, production data, particular characteristics and sensory aspects, and future trends. Part three, Controls, offers current approaches for the control of the quality and safety of manufactured meat products, with coverage including sensory evaluation; chemical and biological hazards including GMOs; HACCP; and quality assurance. Meat scientists, meat processors, R&D professionals and product developers alike will find the Handbook of Meat Processing an invaluable and contemporary resource.-Unparalleled international expertise of editor and contributing authors-Addresses the state of the art of manufacturing the most important meat products-Special focus on approaches to control the safety and quality of processed meats-Extensive coverage of production technologies, sanitation, packaging and sensory evaluation Contents: Preface


Bi Fei-yu's novel the lactating woman,not only the language,but also the narration is simple.But beyond the simpleness,the text contains its complexity,including calling for mother love,castigating the ugly humanity and paying attention to people's survival condition.


Mr. Donnison's thoughtful and observant article in the December Social Service Review (pp. 341-50) raises important issues for social work educators, whether British, Canadian, or American. As a British university teacher currently on study leave in order to gain more knowledge of the American system of social work education, I would like to challenge Mr. Donnison's thinking on several points. First and foremost, it would seem that his comparison of the courses in the Department of Social Administration of Manchester University and the School of Social Work at Toronto University is not very apposite since the objectives are different. All professional education surely consists in helping the student first to acquire a foundation of appropriate knowledge and then to apply that knowledge in his practice. There may be some overlap between the two stages but they are distinguishable as two separate processes. Generally speaking, students in a British university social science department are in the first stage while students in a graduate professional school in Canada or the United States are in the second. The British courses have been defined as "having a vocational bias though they are not professional in the sense of giving a specific qualification for any particular job."1 It is true that a number of British students do go directly into practice from these courses instead of proceeding to professional education, but most university practical work tutors are becoming increasingly concerned about the effects of this, both from the point of view of social work standards and from that of the stu-


Traditional Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU's) typically pair an undergraduate student with a researcher for several weeks. The student's efforts usually result in a poster, a presentation, or even a paper. While these REU's give students a taste of research and some of the technical components of conducting research, technical skills alone are not enough to be successful in a research or academic career. Research experience connected with leadership building experiences will give students a definite advantage as they continue through their graduate and professional careers. This Research and Leadership Experience for Undergraduates (RLEU) grouped a set of minority students on the verge of starting their graduate programs in a project to conduct research in optimization with various engineering applications. The group consisted of students with little to no experience in optimization, students from industrial, mechanical, and civil engineering backgrounds, and students with limited backgrounds within their assigned engineering disciplines. As in traditional REU's, these students were paired with researchers with whom they would conduct research throughout the summer. Unlike more traditional REU's, the students were formed into research teams of at least two students for the same researcher, required to attend optimization lectures, and required to participate in leadership and team building activities. The formation of the small research team gave students the advantage of not entering this process alone. While each student had an individual project, teams had projects that were closely related and on which they could collaborate throughout the summer. This gave students an immediate support group throughout the summer. With a limited background and understanding of optimization, all the students were introduced to optimization concepts and approaches for solving optimization problems together. Since the students were engaged in research, students had the opportunity to connect the lectures to their research and to discuss their research questions with their peers. Most importantly, students participated in leadership activities that required them to evaluate their communication skills, their ability to understand others, their ability to contribute to a group, and their ability to direct a group. The greatest advantage to this RLEU approach is that students gain an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as leaders and team members so that they can continue to develop in those areas long after the end of the RLEU.


Racial profiling continues to be a hotbed of controversy for both law enforcement officers and citizens, particularly in Louisiana. Based on a study conducted by Ruiz and Woessner (2006) regarding the prevalence of racial and demographic profiling along Louisiana's I-10 corridor, these authors propose to compare Ruiz and Woessner's original results with Troop I arrest statistics over the last 10 years. The predicted outcome suggests that there will be no significant differences in arrest data covering the past 10 years, along the I-10 corridor in Louisiana, when compared with data analysed by Ruiz and Woessner.


In this paper, a new bivariate generalized Poisson distribution (GPD) that allows any type of correlation is defined and studied. The marginal distributions of the bivariate model are the univariate GPDs. The parameters of the bivariate distribution are estimated by using the moment and maximum likelihood methods. Some test statistics are discussed and one numerical data set is used to illustrate the applications of the bivariate model.


In this paper a mechanical micropump is described. A force generated with an external spinning magnet drives the micropump. The pump generates a net flow in one direction due to centrifugal force.


The study was aimed to find out risk behavior related to interpersonal violence and demographic correlates among school going adolescents in a rural block of West Bengal. It was a cross sectional study conducted at a co-educational high school at Tarakeshwar block under service area of Medical College Kolkata. Overall 174 adolescents studying in class IX to class XII participated in the study. Proportions, Chi square test and Multivariate logistic regression were highlighted in statistical analysis. Twelve percent of study population thought of killing somebody, 23 % males and 50% females thought of hitting somebody in past 12 months, 12.6 % carried weapon in past 30 days, 6% of study population injured somebody, 16% involved in physical fight inside school, 30.4% repented after physical fight. Risk behavior increased with age and in nuclear families (p<0.05), females were more violent in thinking domain. Findings were nearly similar to those in other countries. Large scale studies can be further informative.


The Caribbean's creative industries have contributed significantly to the global creative economy having crafted numerous musical genres, birthed countless Nobel laureates and award winning artists, as well as creating the blueprint for the many Caribbean festivals that take place worldwide. Still, despite its successes, the region has yet to realise its full potential. This thesis argues that brand plays a critical and strategic role in cultural production, distribution and consumption, and that it can ultimately further the development of the Caribbean's creative economy. Focusing on three of the region's core creative industries – music, festivals and fashion – the thesis uses data gathered from qualitative interviews and document analysis in order to gain a deeper understanding of 'brand', its uses and its influence within the regional economy. The thesis explores the dominant definitions of brand, the process of brand building, the role of the 'metabrand', as well as various themes intrinsic to these, including creativity, value and authenticity. This thesis also explores the concept of Brand Caribbean, by first defining its core features and then examining its relationship with national brands and cultural identities. The thesis also examines the region's current role within the global creative marketplace, as well as the challenges that currently impede its growth. This newfound understanding of both brand and Brand Caribbean offers a new sociocultural framework within which to evaluate the regional creative economy, and also presents new avenues for the region to negotiate a stronger position within the global market.


In this paper, a step-stress accelerated life test with two stress variables for Weibull distribution under progressive Type-I censoring is considered. The stress-life relationship is a log-linear function of stress levels, and for each combination of stress levels, a cumulative exposure model is assumed. The maximum likelihood and Bayes estimates of the model parameters are obtained. The optimum test plan is developed using the variance-optimality criterion, which consists of finding out the optimal stress change time by minimizing the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimates of the log of the scale parameter at the design stress. The proposed study is illustrated by using simulated data.


For the complexity of the algorithm for the merger of the regional boundary. A new algorithm — the Full λ Edge List Segmentation Algorithm(FELSA) is presented. Firstly, A new list — edge list in date structure of segmentation region is introduced to improve the boundaries of multi-partition approach, and the updates value of merger list in FLSA algorithm is re-defined. Thus, segmentation algorithm may select the best boundary for the merger according to the edge list. Furthermore, the adjacent part of the region is defined by edge list, so that a new edge can be retrieved more efficiently. The results show that this improved algorithm become more efficient and effective to the merger of image segmentation.


Online system identification method provides useful insight into the electromechanical plant behavior during commissioning as well as health monitoring. In addition to controller tuning, the methods can be applied for identifying mechanical modes or resonances, sensor vibrations, and unmodeled load dynamics. Online system identification using frequency response analysis is considered in this study. The focus of this paper will be on estimating the real-time frequency response of various systems using adaptive filters. For comparative evaluation, a commercial off-the-shelf spectrum analyzer is used. The essential aspects to be addressed for adaptive filter are: understanding the influence of convergence gain on accuracy of frequency response and selecting the frequency sweep rate. In this work, online system identification using frequency response is demonstrated on two setups: 1) magnetic levitation system and 2) permanent-magnet motor drive operating in sensorless mode. The experimental result validates that the method elaborated is simple, easy to implement, and accurate when compared with spectrum analyzer.


By means of weight functions and the method of real analysis,this paper gives a new Hilbert-type integral inequality with the homogeneous kernel of-4-degree and its equivalent form with two parameters and a best constant factor.As its applications,the reverse forms are considered.


605Background: There is a substantial clinical unmet need for an accurate and effective blood biomarker of NET disease. We therefore evaluated under real-world conditions the clinical utility of th...


In this paper a configurable scheme for multiple-level voltage generators is presented. Base on this scheme and the use of charge pumps, various voltage levels those are either higher than supply voltage (VDD) or lower than ground (GND) can be produced. As being a back-bias (VBB) generator for reversely biasing the substrate of transistors, it generates voltages between VDD and 2 VDD for PMOS, and voltages between GND and -VDD for NMOS. Moreover, this scheme exhibits the configurability and the output voltage is adjustable. The configurability has been demonstrated and the circuits are simulated by using TSMC 100nm CMOS technology. According to the input settings, various voltage levels can be achieved and the accuracy is higher than 90% without current loading. Moreover, the scheme works well even the supply voltage is lowered to 0.5V.


Abstract : The experiment was undertaken during rabi season, November 2011 to February 2012 to examine the effects of different levels of nitrogen and zinc fertilizer on morphology and yield of rapeseed Brassica campestri s L. variety BARI sarisha 15. In this experiment, the treatment consisted of four different N levels viz. (N 0 : 0, N 1 : 60, N 2 :120, and N 3 :180 Kg N/ha) and three different levels of Zn viz. (Zn 0 :0, Zn 1 :1 and, Zn 2 :2 Kg/ha) using randomized complete block (RCBD) with three replications. Nitrogen showed significant variations on both morphological characters, yield contributing parameters and yield of rapeseed such as plant height, number of leaves, number of primary branches, length of inflorescence, seed yield and harvest index. Zinc did not show significant difference on morphological characters as nitrogen. But the significant differences were found on yield contributing characters and yield of rapeseed with zinc fertilization. The interaction between nitrogen and zinc showed statistical variations on all characters including morphological and yield contributing parameters and yield of rapeseed. The treatment combination, N 2 Zn 2 (120 Kg N/ha along with 2 Kg Zn/ha) produced the highest seed yield (4.22 t/ha) whereas the lowest seed yield (0.37 t/ha) recorded from N 0 Zn 0 treatment combination with nitrogen and zinc fertigation. Therefore, the experimental results suggested that both nitrogen and zinc have contribution to improve seed yield of rapeseed by altering reproductive characters.


This project proposes an effective method for detecting defects in paper boards. In the paper industries, the final stage of paperboards has many defects such as black spots, dirty marks, oil spots etc. They perform inspection manually. However, such detection methods are much expensive (i.e., labor cost) and time consuming. To overcome these problems, a method has been introduced to detect defects automatically and effectively in paper based on image processing. Although, most of the image-based approaches focus on the accuracy of fault detection, the computation time is also important for practical applications. The proposed method comprises of three steps. At the first step, the acquired RGB (Red, Green and Blue) image of the paper is converted into a gray scale image using LabVIEW tool which comes under preprocessing. Secondly, it extracts the dimensions of the paper. Finally this detects and identifies the defects i.e., holes and black spots on the paper based on their characteristics which comes under noisy object elimination. The operators at that work place are then intimated through an alarm signal.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Randomised comparative outcomes are unavailable for focal therapy in localised prostate cancer. IP4 CHRONOS is an RCT aimed to optimise recruitment of patients dependent upon clinician and patient equipoise. METHOD(S): Patients with clinically significant localised prostate cancer could opt for IP4-CHRONOS-A or IP4-CHRONOS-B. IP4- CHRONOS-A randomised patients 1:1 between focal therapy(HIFU or cryotherapy) versus radical therapy(radiation or prostatectomy). Using a multi-arm-multistage(MAMS)design, IP4-CHRONOS-B randomised between focal alone(FTA) and focal combined with neoadjuvant medication (12 weeks of finasteride [FTF] or bicalutamide [FTB]). We report the pilot phase outcomes on feasibility of randomisation, early safety outcomes relative to treatment and genito-urinary functional outcomes following over 12 months treatment in IP4-CHRONOS-B. IP4-CHRONOS had ethics committee approval and was registered(ISRCTN17796995). RESULT(S): Following COVID-19 adjustments, IP4-CHRONOSA did not meet its feasibility target. Having randomised 36 patients via10 sites with a recruitment rate (95% CI) of 18% (13-23) & randomisation rate of 97%(86-100). IP4-CHRONOS-B did meet its target, randomising 64 patients across 7 sites with a recruitment rate of 43% (35-52) &randomisation rate of 100%(94-100). The only patients to withdraw were randomised to the radical arm of IP4-CHRONOS-A(4 [22%]) All patients in IP4-CHRONOS-B were compliant with neoadjuvant treatment.Only 1 patient reported CTCAE V4.0 grade>=3 adverse event(AE) in IP4-CHRONOS-A following radical treatment, another patient in each arm reported a serious adverse event(SAE) following treatment. 1 &3 patients reported an AE &SAE following FTB. 2 and 3 patients reported an AE &SAE following FTA. No patients reported any AE or SAE event following FTF. Figure 1 demonstrates generally well preserved genito-urinary function following focal treatment+/-neoadjuvant treatment. CONCLUSION(S): IP4-CHRONOS evaluated patient and physician equipoise regarding focal therapy. Traditional randomisation was not feasible due to strong patient preferences, while a MAMS RCT investigating the role of neoadjuvant agents combined with focal therapy was.


Myocardial metabolites such as adenosine mediate reactive hyperemia (RH) partially through glibenclamide‐sensitive KATP channels in coronary vascular smooth muscle (VSM). We tested the hypothesis that A2A receptors link to KATP channel activation via hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Using A2A knockout (KO), A2BKO, and A2A/2B double KO mice, we performed RH experiments in Langendorff‐perfused hearts and whole‐cell patch clamp experiments on isolated VSM cells. Flow repayment (ml/g) following a 15 sec occlusion in WT hearts was 6.3 ± 0.4 and reduced in A2AKO (4.5 ± 0.2), but not A2BKO (6.1 ± 0.3), mice. Catalase (1250 U/ml), which breaks down H2O2, significantly reduced flow repayment (ml/g) in WT (4.4 ± 0.4) but not A2AKO (4.1 ± 0.4) hearts. Patch clamp experiments demonstrated that adenosine (10 μM) activated a glibenclamide (10 μM)‐sensitive conductance (nS/pF) in VSM cells from WT (0.05 ± 0.01) but not A2A/A2BKO (0.02 ± 0.01) mice. Additionally, in WT VSM cells, H2O2 (1 mM) activated a glibenclamide‐sensitive conductance (0.07 ± 0.02 nS/pF). Our data indicate that A2A receptors are coupled to KATP channels, in part, via the production of H2O2 as a signaling intermediate. HL027339, HL094447, HL071802, T32 HL090610.


This paper presents an efficient double-layer ant colony optimization algorithm, called DL-ACO, for autonomous robot navigation. This DL-ACO consists of two ant colony algorithms that run independently and successively. First, a parallel elite ant colony optimization method is proposed to generate an initial collision-free path in a complex map, and then, we apply a path improvement algorithm called turning point optimization algorithm, in which the initial path is optimized in terms of length, smoothness, and safety. Besides, a piecewise B-spline path smoother is presented for easier tracking control of the mobile robot. Our method is tested by simulations and compared with other path planning algorithms. The results show that our method can generate better collision-free path efficiently and consistently, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, its performance is validated by experiments in indoor and outdoor environments.


World polity theory was developed as an analytical frame for interpreting global relations, structures, and practices. Invoking an image of the world as a system of interrelated interdependent units, it is a theory of transnational interaction and global social change. It provides a sociological institutionalist account of global relations within a cultural model positing norms and identities for actors and prescribing related actions and goals. Social actors and associated structures and behaviors are viewed as shaped by the broader environment; individuals, organizations, governments, and other actors are embedded in a cultural context that frames and determines their identity, structure, and behavior. Thus, the world polity gives meaning and value to particular actors and activities, integrating them into larger schemes within a broader analytical framework. The world itself is conceived as an increasingly integrated social system within a cultural framework that affects various actors as system subunits and puts into place models of social action in a world society. (Indeed, world polity theory is sometimes referenced as world society theory.)

Keywords:

cross-cultural;
globalization


To obtain plasma biochemistry values, blood was collected for 47 nesting females of apparently healthy Eretmochelys imbricata sea turtles using sodium heparin as an anticoagulant. Blood samples were collected in April-Jun for two years (nesting season). Hematologic characteristics, including packed cell volume, white blood cell counts, red blood cell count and hemoglobin level; and plasma chemistry values, including creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and glucose were measured. The data generated from this study may be useful for clinical assessment of health and disease of wild hawksbill sea turtles on nearshore habitats in the Gulf of Mexico, thus contributing to a conservation of this species.


Submitted for the MAR09 Meeting of The American Physical Society Conductance gaps modulation by periodic perturbations in graphene nanoribbons M. PACHECO, L. ROSALES, Z. BARTICEVIC, U. Santa Maria, A. LEON, U. Diego Portales, A. LATGE, U. Federal Fluminense, P. ORELLANA, U. Catolica del Norte — Recently we have shown that the quantum conductance of a single molecule absorbed to the GNR shows the presence of Fano antiresonances at the energy levels of the molecule, suggesting that the GNR can be used as a spectrometer sensor [1]. When groups of molecules are attached, forming a periodic-like structure the conductance of the system presents forbidden minibands. Here we present a theoretical study of the electronic and transport properties of periodic perturbations on graphene nanoribbons. We study super-lattices formed by linear organic molecules side-attached at the ribbon edges and also by periodic structures of antidots in the GNR. The electronic properties of the systems are studied by using first principle calculations (LSDA), and tight binding Hamiltonian models. The quantum conductance is calculated in the Landauer formalism, with real-space renormalization techniques to obtain the Green functions. A series of well defined gaps on the conductance as a function of the Fermi energy are observed. This behavior depends on the period and topology of the perturbations and on the aspect ratio of the system. Conductance gap modulations can be obtained, suggesting new applications in graphene based nano-devices. [1] L.Rosales et al.,Nanotechnology 19,0665402 (2008). Monica Pacheco Universidad Santa Maria Date submitted: 15 Dec 2008 Electronic form version 1.4


A superconductor, NbReN, in thin film form is synthesized. Here, the deposition parameters and the electrical transport characterization of NbReN films grown by reactive dc sputtering using a NbRe target are reported. The deposition conditions are systematically varied to optimize the superconducting and electrical properties of the resulting samples. Films with polycrystalline structure and well established superconducting ordering are obtained. The results of the electrical transport properties are studied and interpreted in the framework of different theoretical models. From the analysis of the estimated microscopical parameters considerations about research perspectives as well as possible future applications of the material are discussed. In particular, the potential of NbReN thin films for the realization of SNSPDs with improved performances compared to the existing ones is evaluated.


There are arguments, that the theory of financial instability and financial crises has failed to explain why the price and quantity assessment are the most important tools in generating a permanent surplus in the demand for loans and the changes in the level of extended loans; how much the macroeconomic volatility is identified with the financial fluctuations; what is the impact of the monetary policy and whether it is possible to be used for stabilizing the financial systems and the aggregate production; whether the International Monetary Fund could act as a global lender of last resort in order to stabilize the world finances.


Assuring the safety of automated vehicles (AVs) is a major challenge which must be resolved before their widespread adoption is possible. The Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) model is a step towards this goal. RSS differentiates between structured cases considering vehicles on normal roads and unstructured cases for unmarked roads and vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians. While much of the current research in RSS addresses the first group, an analysis of the unstructured cases, especially for VRUs is still missing. Therefore, in this paper the unstructured case calculation with RSS and its usage in structured environments is analyzed with a focus on VRUs. The different kinematic behavior models are described and their parameter value ranges are discussed. Finally, by analyzing the application in common real-world scenarios, we show what is required to assure Responsibility-Sensitive Safety for VRUs.


In order to improve virtual surgery cut simulation,a newalgorithm on real-time and realistic soft tissue cutting and deformation has been presented in the paper. The algorithm uses mass-spring model to simulate the soft tissue deformation which caused by cutting force; and uses the adaptive local grid subdivision algorithm in the cutting area to refine the grids. Then the improved duplicating and moving vertices algorithm is adopted to simulate the cutting trace. So it can increase the cutting rate under the premise of ensuring the realistic of cutting and deformation. In the experiment,the particle system is used to simulate the bleeding phenomenon.And the combination algorithm based on Cosine theorem and similar triangles is applied to integration of blood beads. Testing results showthat the computation cost of the adaptive local grid subdivision model is almost the same as the initial coarser model but performs higher computational precision; and the cutting rate increases by applying the improved duplicating and moving vertices algorithm in the refinement grids. So the algorithm for the real-time simulation of soft tissue cutting and deformation can come true efficiency and realistic.


This paper presents two designs of high-efficiency polarizer reflectarray antennas able to generate a collimated beam in dual-circular polarization using a linearly polarized feed, with application to high-gain antennas for data transmission links from a Cubesat. First, an 18 cm × 18 cm polarizer reflectarray operating in the 17.2–22.7 GHz band has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The measurements of the prototype show an aperture efficiency of 52.7% for right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and 57.3% for left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), both values higher than those previously reported in related works. Then, a dual-band polarizer reflectarray is presented for the first time, which operates in dual-CP in the frequency bands of 20 GHz and 30 GHz. The proposed antenna technology enables a reduction of the complexity and cost of the feed chain to operate in dual-CP, as a linear-to-circular polarizer is no longer required. This property, combined with the lightweight, flat profile and low fabrication cost of printed reflectarrays, makes the proposed antennas good candidates for Cubesat applications.


The article presents the method for optimizing the associated gas gathering technology at the fields of Bashneft-Dobycha LLC. According to this technology the transportation of the liquid-gas mixture is carried out using multiphase pumps in the pipeline net from the production facility to the facility for processing of oil, gas and water in the absence of separate pipelines. On the example of the fields, especially Arlanskoe (Republic of Bashkortostan), the review describes their special features effecting on the application of multiphase pump stations. Some operational difficulties are caused by formation of gas accumulations in the field pipelines. The operation of a multiphase pump station can be optimized by use the RCM-04 disperser – a set of radial-coaxial chambers (inverse cones with cavitation borders). The operating principle and the mounting arrangement of the device for making liquid-gas mixtures are described. The design basis is substantiated, the step-by-step procedure of the disperser constructional design is presented. The possible design variations, the introduction prospects for optimization of technology, and also the operating limitations and difficulties able to influence on the introduction process are analyzed. The results of a pilot industrial test performed to estimate the dispersion degree changes during application the RCM-04 mixing device are presented: the first stage – without a gas blanket, the second stage – using a gas blanket. The operating parameters were analyzed for the multiphase pump station elements, for the suction, liquid and discharge lines, and also for the production header during operation without mixing device and after its installation.


The paper analyzes the influence of the internet upon enterprise practice for the management of both intra-and inter-enterprise supply chains,the findings of which could enable the enterprise to take full advantage of the opportunities brought by the internet while tackling the accompanying challenges to form sustainable competitive strength.


The paper deals with the interpretation of the concept 'education' by Richard Stanley Peters a representative of the British analytical philosophy of education. The uniqueness of his work lies in the fact that he first proposed to consider education as a single logical structure that includes logically interrelated concepts. Peters calls to reconsider the system of educational values and analyze them. This analysis initiates us to rethink the value of education and why it will be exactly so, what kinds of learning dispositions and skills people need in the future.


Background the incidence of distant metastases is over 30% in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In particular, bone is reported as the most common site of distant metastasis NSCLC. Bone metastases (BM) have a consequence of serious skeletal-related events (SREs) leading to the reduced overall survival (OS) and quality of life of NSCLC patients. Inhibition of osteolytic lesions and regulation crosstalk between metastatic NSCLC cells and bone microenvironment are the key to treating NSCLC. Due to the lack of effective treatments against NSCLC with bone metastasis, screening and identification of novel agents against both NSCLC and osteoclast effects are critically needed. Methods We assessed the effects of Aspernolide A (AA) on osteolysis and RANKL-induced pathways activation, bone resorption and F-actin ring formation in vitro. We evaluated AA effects on NCI-H460 and A549 cells in vitro through wound healing assay and transwell assay. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of AA in vivo using an intratibial xenograft NSCLC nude mouse model, followed by micro-computed tomography(micro-CT) and TRAcP staining. Results in our study, AA, a soft coral-derived agent, was shown to inhibit osteoclastogenesis via suppression of nuclear factor (NF)-κBp65, ERK, AKT and P38 phosphorylation, and then suppress the RANKL-induced c-Fos and NFATc1 activities in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). Furthermore, AA reduced the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells through diminishing the expression of MMP9, MMP7, and N-cadherin proteins and upregulating E-cadherin expression in vitro, as well as inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK, AKT, P38, and NF-κBp65. It was also demonstrated that administration of AA could help prevent NSCLC-induced bone destruction by attenuating NSCLC development and osteoclast activity in vivo. Conclusions collectively, these findings indicated that Aspernolide A is a potential candidate for NSCLC-induced osteolytic bone destruction.


The present article is an integrated approach of energetic efficiency in the field of glass manufacturing industry as well as the reduction of its environment impact. In the same time, this article is targeting an improvement of energetic and economic efficiency, a reduction of the environment impact (CO 2 , NO x , SO 2 and dust emissions) and new equipment implementation in the field of glass manufacturing industry in Romania. This article takes also in consideration the consequences of the glass waste recycling. As a result of the present model, complex appraisal methodologies of energetic efficiency, environmental impact and economic efficiency as well as new clean technologies will be available for the Romanian glass manufacturing domain. In this way, Romanian glass industry will be able to reach European efficiency and environment standards. Emissions reduction, especially CO 2 , will create appropriate conditions to implement the main Kyoto Agreement measures. New methodologies techniques and technologies (solutions, equipments, etc) and also the new developed evaluation models might have a replication potential for other industrial branches.


Abstract Objective: To examine whether a primary care-based asthma program that applies the Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma-2007 criteria to classify asthma severity increases detection of persistent asthma in inner-city children and affects "step of care" compared to routine care. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 97 consecutive children referred to the asthma program from 2011–2013. Asthma severity documented during routine health care maintenance visits was compared to the asthma severity assessed during the asthma program visit using five standardized questions and spirometry. Medication plan "step of care" was compared pre- and post- the asthma program visit. Results: 79 children, ages 5–19 years old (mean = 9.6), had spirometry tracings meeting American Thoracic Society criteria and were included in this study. 53% were male. The majority of children were Latino (45.6%) or African American (35.4%). At the asthma program visit, more children were identified with moderate or severe persistent asthma based upon clinical questions (47.9%), spirometry (56.9%) or combined criteria (75.3%) than had been identified during routine care (15.2%); all p < .05. After the asthma program visit, more children were prescribed controller medications (82.3% vs 63.3%; p < .05) and 40.6% had their medication plan stepped up. Conclusions: In this population of inner-city children, asthma severity was under-recognized and undertreated during routine care. A primary care based asthma program, which formalized applying EPR-3 criteria, increased detection of persistent asthma and led to "step-ups" in treatment plans.


Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the Universe, and such, it plays and important role in the physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium. O_2 and H_2O are among the primary reservoirs of oxygen in space (e.g. Bergin et al. 2000). Motivated by the very low O_2 and H_2O abundances (and upper limits) derived from the SWAS and Odin missions (e.g. Goldsmith et al. 2000, Pagani et al. 2003, Larsson et al. 2007), several key programs of the Herschel Space Observatory are dedicated to the chemistry of oxygen-bearing species. We present results from the HEXOS (Herschel/HIFI Observations of EXtraOrdinary Sources) and HOP (Herschel Oxygen Project) Herschel HIFI key programs. Our target is Orion S, a nearby high-mass star forming region. Orion S has a fairly large N(H_2) compared to other column density peaks in Orion but suffers much less potential line confusion. Three transitions of O_2 have been measured as part of the HOP key program: O_2 NJ = 3_3 → 1_2 at 487.2 GHz, O_2 NJ = 5_4 → 3_4 at 773.8 GHz and O_2 NJ = 7_6 → 5_6 at 1120.7 GHz. Several p-H_2O and o-H_2O transitions have been detected by the HEXOS key program, including o-H_2O 110-101 at 556.9 GHz, o-H_2O 532-441 at 620.7 GHz, o-H18_2O 110-101 at 547.7 GHz, p-H_2O 211-202 at 752.0 GHz, p-H_2O 422 - 331 at 916.2 GHz, p-H_2O 202 - 111 at 987.9 GHz and p-H_2O 111-000 at 1113.3 GHz. We report H_2O abundances and O_2 abundance upper limits and compare to chemical models. We discuss the possible explanations of the low O_2 and H_2O abundances.


T HE TOPIC OF THIS ESSAY iS one that has challenged the concern of political scientists and other mortals for a number of years, namely the similarities and differences between the political systems of Great Britain and the United States. My excuse for re-examining the subject at this time is that we are especially concerned these days on both sides of the Atlantic with the provisions of the two systems regarding the institutionalization of democratic accountability. It is that particular problem to which I wish to address myself. It is not an easy topic, except on the most superficial level, and I have never felt that my own attempts to deal with it have been quite satisfactory-perhaps because of the difficulty of defining terms and perhaps because of the uncertainty in determining the level of generality at which the analysis is to be pitched. It does seem singularly appropriate, however, in this bicentennial year, to take account of some of the considerations that led our forebears to contrive a system of government so different from that to which they were accustomed-all the more so since in the past few years, there has been a spate of proposals suggesting that various elements of the British system should be grafted onto our own, as a means of preventing any recurrence of that mixed bag of evils we lump together and call "Watergate."'


Isaiah's oracle (4:2; 11:1-2) respectively on צמח and חטר (נצר) is meaningful in the social situation of hopelessness in Judah. This hopeless socio-religious situation in Zion-Jerusalem elicited Isaiah's oracle in order to challenge the leaders as regards their exercise of authority. In a literary style (the synonymous and repetitive parallelisms) the oracle relates צמח from its literal usage (germination of the plants) to its metaphoric sense (the sprouting forth of a rightful leadership) from the Davidic line. This twofold meaning of צמח in Isaiah's message had challenged the Judean leadership as regards its moral values improvement which would have led the people of the time to enjoy the wealth of the land. This paper, firstly, analyses twofold meaning of צמח in Isaiah's oracle. Secondly, it discusses the leadership's exercise of authority and its managerial responsibilities of the wealth of the land in the Democratic Republic of Congo (thereafter DRC). Thirdly, an appropriative reading of צמח texts in their contexts provides the leadership in the Congo with insight on how to take advantage of the land fertility.


This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Cuadernos de Teoria Social and the definitive published version is available at http://www.teoriasocial.udp.cl/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CTS2.4.Experimento.pdf


In this study, we focus on the effect of black carbon aerosol and sulfate aerosol on meteorology factors during heavy pollution period and non-heavy pollution period. The version of WRF/chem V3.4 was used in this work, Four Simulation scenarios are applied to simulate the effect of the effect of black carbon aerosol and sulfate aerosol on solar radiation, temperature, PBL high. The analysis results show that the effect of black carbon and sulfate aerosol cause decline on three meteorological factors in both heavy pollution and non-heavy pollution period in both January and July. The influence of two aerosols on meteorological factors are less significant than winter. During heavy pollution, black carbon aerosol cause the loss of solar radiation is 29.1W/m2; the warming effect of black carbon aerosol caused temperature to rise 0.05°C; PBL height decreased by an average of 73.1m. Sulfate aerosols cause the loss of solar radiation is 21.5W/m2; Temperature fell an average of 0.89°C; PBL height decreased by 66.6m. The change of three meteorological factors due to aerosol feedback in non-heavy pollution period in much smaller than heavy pollution period.


We investigate the effect of availability of new drugs on survival from 17 types of cancer in 38 countries, controlling for all determinants of cancer survival that are invariant across cancer types within a given country, and that are invariant across countries for a given cancer type. We find that an increase in the number of available drugs is associated with an increase in both the one-year and the five-year survival rate. Also, the probability that a cancer drug has been launched in a country depends on the incidence of cancer cases eligible for treatment by that drug in that country.


The service model for the deterministic flow of objects going through nodal work area of service mobile processor is described. Values of two criteria have been taken into account when assessing the quality of the control policies. The algorithm of the Pareto optimal service policies is offered. The numerical experiment results are given. Figs.: 1. Refs.: 7 titles.


Rice production has been significantly hindered by frequent drought events in recent times, directly impacting food security and agricultural sustainability. In the current study, a set of 100 diverse rice accessions from 3K RG panel were evaluated for Epidermal patterning factor 2 (OsEPF2) loci which governs the stomatal density on the matured leaves by preventing excessive stomatal development. This plays an important role in drought tolerance in plants. Hence, this gene was selected for analyzing haplotype variation which revealed 27 SNPs and 59 INDELs. Seven significant non-synonymous SNPs, grouped the one hundred accessions into three haplotype groups with the allelic combination CGATGCG for H1, TTGGAAA for H2 and CGGGGCG for H3. This shows the allelic diversity of the population that can be potentially employed in breeding of rice varieties with improved drought tolerance and water use efficiency by assembling superior haplotype.


Today's world competition has increased the pressure on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to adopt lean implementations. The purpose of this study is to make a small contribution by exploring the Lean Implementation Barrier (LIB) in SMEs through three case studies of SMEs in the city of Bandung. A case study approach is used and followed by the Interpretative Structural Model (ISM) in order to see the inter-LIB relationship. The results of this study indicate that lack of management commitment and leadership, lack of employee involvement and lack of resources are the main obstacles to lean implementation in SMEs in Indonesia. Moreover, poor communication among various levels within the company and inadequate dissemination of knowledge about the benefits of lean also create barriers to lean implementation. The implication of this research is to strengthen and expand information related to research on the application of lean in SMEs, especially the results of the identified barriers that can assist SMEs in implementing lean or future research in developing and identifying barriers to implementing lean in SMEs.


Additonal data of the ebook: Practical guide for biospeckle laser in biosystems - Data set of a coffee seed illuminated by a laser. Images to research the development of a seed viability test using the biospeckle laser technique.


Based on general principles of mechanics,a formula determining the boundary shear acting on channel bed and walls in rectangular open channels is derived.The constant in the formula is determined by the published data.The formula has a simple form and is only related to the ratio of the width to the depth.The difference between the calculated value by the formula and the published data is less than that by other formulas.


ABSTRACT Corridors are narrow strips of land which differ from the matrix on either side. There are two types of corridors, namely linear corridor and stepping stone. One example of corridor is a landscape along the path of KRL Railway Bogor-Jakarta Kota. Corridor is important for bird movement. Nowadays there is habitat fragmentation along the corridor which is threatened their corridor function. Therefore it should be maintained for sustainable corridor. This study was conducted at corridor along the KRL Railway Bogor-Jakarta Kota which is divided into five segment. Three analyses were used in this study, i.e. corridor distribution analysis, vegetation analysis and bird abundance analysis. Stepping stone corridor has higher number of bird abundance than the linear corridor. Both of corridors have the potential to become a habitat of birds which is indicated by abundance species of birds. The highest abundance of a bird was found in corridor with diversity of plants (Shannon Wienner Index) in the medium level. Several recommendation have provided for managing the corridor such as managing and revitalizing the corridor, increasing vegetation diversity and increasing public awareness for bird habitat conservation Keywords : birds, GIS, habitat fragmentation, linear corridor, stepping stone


The transformation of industrial environments is progressing at a fast pace as more and more autonomous systems are installed and operated. Save and explainable AI algorithms are thus essential, especially for collaborative interactive systems that operate in human spaces. We propose the "Semantic Encoder", a 2D-vision based CNN model trained on a purely synthetic dataset, to address the explainability aspect by extracting semantic descriptions of real objects based on their visual appearances. We can use the extracted semantic information to simply describe depicted samples or to differentiate between normal and anomalous samples, with the possibility to explain what caused the anomaly detection. The semantic description can be further used to sort samples by classifying them or to find a sample with specific semantic properties. We evaluate the Semantic Encoder with respect to its informative power by comparing the computed semantic features with features extracted by a VGG-16 model and classical image processing methods. The results are quantified based on the Generalized Discriminative Value (GDV). We also investigate how accurately anomalous samples are detected by computing ROC and PR curves. We use the semantic parameters to understand what causes good and inaccurate anomaly detection decisions. In addition, we evaluate the quality of the classification based sorting by examining confusion matrices and classification accuracy.


Blood tests are described, and it is noted how volatile substances in liquid biological samples frequently require preliminary separation procedures preceding gas chromatographic analysis. Equilibration of liquid with the gas phase outside the gas chromatograph, fractional distillation, solvent extraction, or water-retaining precolumns have been used to overcome these difficulties with variable success. This article describes an exchangeable cartridge in the column entrance permitting direct on-column injection of biological samples. The exchangeable cartridge design facilities continuous operation and easy cleaning. This makes it practical to have small interior cartridge dimensions, which facilitate uniform heating of the injecting needle, minimal dilution of the sample by carrier gas, and rapid charring and retention of organic material. The results of the study are discussed.


Heedong Yun was born in Kumi, Korea, in 1975. He received a B.S. in 1999 from Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea. He obtained an M.A. from Columbia University in 2003 and he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. on the total synthesis of biologically active marine natural products under the guidance of Prof. Samuel J. Danishefsky.


To study the mechanism of a 9R-Si hexagonal phase formation upon ion irradiation of the SiO2/Si system, three types of experimental samples have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM): SiO2/Si system irradiated by Kr+, silicon irradiated by Kr+ and silicon irradiated by (Kr+ + O+) ions. All the samples were annealed after irradiation. The first type sample shows the presence of the 9R-Si phase and PL band at ∼ 1240 nm; the third type sample shows the same PL band and twin defects; for the second type sample, the PL at 1240 nm is not detected. Based on the results, the role of mechanical stresses, radiation defects and oxygen in the formation of the hexagonal silicon phase is discussed.


DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY Correction for "Distinct macrophage lineages contribute to disparate patterns of cardiac recovery and remodeling in the neonatal and adult heart," by Kory J. Lavine, Slava Epelman, Keita Uchida, Kassandra J. Weber, Colin G. Nichols, Joel D. Schilling, David M. Ornitz, Gwendalyn J. Randolph, and Douglas L. Mann, which appeared in issue 45, November 11, 2014, of Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (111:16029–16034; first published October 27, 2014; 10.1073/ pnas.1406508111). The authors note that on page 16030, left column, first full paragraph, line 8, "20 ng/kg" should instead appear as "2.5 μg/kg"; and on page 16034, right column, second full paragraph, line 3, "20 ng/kg" should instead appear as "2.5 μg/kg."


A Colour atlas of clinical conditions in:Paedodontics , A Colour atlas of clinical conditions in:Paedodontics , کتابخانه دیجیتال جندی شاپور اهواز


Cloud Data Centres deal with dynamic changes all the time. Networks in particular, need to adapt their configurations to changing workloads. Given these expectations, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) using Software Defined Networks (SDNs) have realized the aspect of programmability in networks, bringing in the necessary fidelity to managing network resources. NFVs allows network services to be programmed as software entities that can be deployed on commodity clusters in the Cloud. Being software, they inherently carry the ability to be customized to specific tenants' requirements and thus support multi-tenant variations with ease. However, the ability to exploit scaling in alignment with changing demands with minimal loss of service and improving resource usage efficiency still remains a challenge. Several recent works in literature have proposed platforms to realize Virtual Network functions (VNFs) on the Cloud using different services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and serverless computing. These approaches suffer from deployment difficulties (configuration and sizing) or adaptability to performance requirements or changing dynamics. In the current work, we propose a Hybrid Serverless Platform (HSP) to address these identified lacunae. The HSP is implemented using a combination of persistent IaaS and FaaS components. The IaaS components handle the steady state load, whereas the FaaS components activate during the dynamic change associated with scaling to minimize service loss. The HSP's controller takes provisioning decisions on Quality of Service (QoS) attributes derived from flow statistics, thereby alleviating sizing decisions for deployment. A proof-of-concept realization of HSP is presented in the paper and is evaluated for an example Service Function Chain (SFC) scenario for a dynamic workload, which shows minimal loss in flowlet service, up to 35% resource savings as compared to a pure IaaS deployment and up to 55% lower end-to-end SFC execution times as compared to a baseline FaaS implementation.


This paper studies the driving effect of scientific and technological innovation on regional economic development. From the perspective of scientific and technological innovation, it can promote the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure, as well as expand the consumer demand and investment demand. The countermeasures of driving regional economic development by scientific and technological innovation were put forward: to advocate independent innovation of regional enterprises; to attach importance to the development of new culture; to constantly optimize the Top-level design, and to build the coordinated development model of regional economy with systematic thinking; to improve government policy support and guidance.


A light guide plate and a fabrication method therefor. The light guide plate can conduct electricity. The fabrication method comprises the steps of: preparing a conductive solution; enabling the surface of a conventional light guide plate to uniformly adsorb the conductive solution; and forming a conductive film on the surface of the light guide plate by drying. Also included is a method for fabricating a light guide plate using a conductive organic high-molecular compound as the raw material. The static effect is eliminated by enabling a light guide plate to have conductivity.


The theory of non-linear realizations is used to derive the dynamics of the branes of M-theory. A crucial step in this procedure is to use the enlarged automorphism group of the supersymmetry algebra recently introduced. The field strengths of the worldvolume gauge fields arise as some of the Goldstone fields associated with this automorphism group. The relationship to the superembedding approach is given.


Tinea capitis is one of the most common dermatophyte infections in children, particularly among African American children. It can manifest with a variety of clinical presentations ranging from the subtle seborrheic dermatitis subtype to the more severe kerion pattern, with boggy and tender lesions. The most common presentation, however, is the scaly, pruritic multiple patches of alopecia with the involved hair shafts are broken off at the surface giving the appearance of black dots. A less common presentation of tinea capitis is the grey patch type and it is usually caused by M. canis.


In this paper, validation of a Robust Cyber Shield (RCS) for a grid connected inverter is presented. This paper specifically address the problem of attacks on sensor measurements. When incorrect sensor measurements are used in feedback control loops of the inverter controls, it can lead to incorrect actuation that can cause instabilities or degrade performance. The Robust Cyber Shield (RCS) approach consists of a a defense mechanism termed as dynamic watermarking to detect malicious manipulation of voltage/current sensor measurements feeding inverter control. To prove that the proposed attack detector will not be triggered when there are disturbances present in the grid, such as low-order harmonics, the detector is tested under different conditions on the grid voltage. To test the validity of the proposed approach, a testing platform is developed with a laboratory scale experiment to obtain Hardware results using a real inverter. Simulation results from a grid connected inverter system are also discussed.


While the principles of psychoanalytic technique are well known, they are constantly subject to re-examination and reevaluation. T h e need for such re-examination comes from theoretical modifications, broadened therapeutic demands, and other sources, and is a matter of consistent interest. Concurrently, our work provides us with material that validates well-known elements of our procedure.This material is also worth noting because there is a tendency for the old to become the archaic. I t is therefore the purpose of this essay to record an especially clear illustration of the value of a particular technical point. The point itself is well known. It is that the analytic process is continued to the conclusion of the analysis. Various authors use different terms to describe this idea, but there is general agreement. To cite one particularly succinct example, Glover, in his book on technique, writes that the association rule remains in force to the last minute of the last hour. We might ask why the matter should be emphasized or even made explicit or ask what alternative we have. In part the answer comes from our patients who so frequently look forward to some form of transference gratification at the conclusion and tend to use this period as an important enclave for fantasies. One of my patients said, "I have hoped that during the last week you would answer all my questions." Others have expressed the wish to sit up. In seyeral such instances the analysis of the latent fantasy proved to be valuable. T h e conclusion of an analysis also has its impact on the analyst who at that time may tend toward accentuating the interpersonal relationship because of his own needs.


Polymer concrete composite materials have now been proven to be a technically, economically, and environmentally superior alternative to standard porcelain and various conventional polymeric insulating materials. World-wide experience with polymer concrete insulation in diverse applications such as post insulators, instrument transformers, line insulators, bushings, bus ducts, cut-outs, etc, has been good over nearly three decades in the field, and continues to be good. Both large and small companies in the electrical industry are using polymer concrete insulation in diverse equipment in many parts of the world. There are testimonials to this effect from major electric utilities. There is growing interest, especially in Asia, which is planning to expand its electrical industry rapidly in view of its burgeoning population. There is a universal need to have a clear understanding of what constitutes a good and acceptable grade of polymer concrete insulation, irrespective of its application anywhere. This paper presents the basic requirements for analyzing and/or endorsing the material on the basis of several simple but necessary tests and observations. Suggestions are made for needed research which can significantly accelerate the growth and further utilization of polymer concrete insulation in the emerging new realms of electrical technology both for AC and HVDC (including possibly underground and sub-sea applications).


Recently, the high gain compact antenna for the wireless broad-band communication at millimeter-wave frequency is strongly required. It is believed the Fat Dielectric Loaded Waveguide Antenna (FDL-WGA) is one of the most promising candidate of the millimater-wave antenna for the broad-band communication. T. Tsugawa[1] reported that FDL-WGA with the cylinder dielectric diameter of 1.5λ0 and the cylinder dielectric length of 1.7λ0 has the gain of 16.66dBi. This paper describes the simulation results of the FDL-WGA using FDTD method. From the consideration of the numerical results, the FDL-WGA operates like an 2x2 array antenna with the source at the dielectric edge.


The emergence of mobile crowdsensing (MCS) has provided us with unprecedented opportunities for both sensing coverage and data transmission. However, in many MCS applications, the MCS workers are usually required to report the location information of the assigned tasks, which inevitably reveals the workers' location information, even trajectories, and severely impedes the popularization of the MCS system. It is believed that the query on the most-frequent location, e.g., querying the most congested location over a period in a city, is one of the most popular statistics queries in the MCS system, but it may disclose workers' location information. To address the issue, in this article, we propose a location privacy-preserving scheme for outsourced most-frequent item query in the MCS system, where two noncollusive semi-trusted cloud servers cooperatively handle the most-frequent item query. Specifically, by employing our pseudonymization mechanism, transposition cipher, ciphertext packing technique, and order-preserving merge function, our proposed scheme can efficiently answer the most-frequent item query while ensuring the privacy of both workers' personal information and query results. Detailed security analysis shows that our proposed scheme is privacy-preserving. In addition, extensive experiments are conducted, and the results show that our proposed scheme outperforms alternative schemes in terms of computational costs and communication overhead.