Abstract. Bats have always fascinated people by their unusual appearance, but fear towards them is also common, particularly in Western societies. Making headlines worldwide during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, bats were all too often accused of carrying and transmitting a disproportionate share of dangerous viruses. We enquired about the origin and persistence of this thinking in Sweden by searching old literature and original museum records where bats are mentioned. In the Bible, the bat is an explicitly unclean animal. At least since the Middle Ages, it has been used as a symbol of the Devil, with the dark skin wings in deliberate contrast to the white wings of angels. However, according to our folklore records, the bat was usually seen in a different and generally positive context by the people, and was treated with respect. Its magic properties, particularly contained in the blood, eyes, and wings, could bring fortune and prevent bad luck in various everyday contexts. A minority of records refer to bats being used in witchcraft, black magic, or, following the religious dogma, claiming that they are ugly or unclean and cannot be the work of God. We found no indication that bats were considered aggressive, dangerous, or to carry disease. Hence, we surmise there was little fear of bats in Swedish (Nordic) history, despite the religious message. Hence, the general attitude towards bats in the past seems to have been opposite to the view currently met in Western societies.


Active Front-End (AFE) rectifiers have regained momentum as the demand for highpower Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure increases exponentially. AFE rectifiers have high efficiency and reliability, and they minimize the disturbances that could be generated due to the operation of the EV charging systems by reducing harmonic distortion and operating close to the Unity Power Factor (UPF). The purpose of this review is to present the current state-of-the-art AFE rectifiers used in fast chargers, focusing on the comparison between different AFE topologies and their components, as well as modular AFE solutions. Furthermore, different control strategies of AFE converters are presented and compared. Some of their more widely used control techniques, namely Voltage Oriented Control (VOC), Direct Power Control (DPC), Hysteresis Current Control (HCC), and Model Predictive Control (MPC), have been implemented, and their performance compared. Centralized and distributed control systems are compared for operating parallel AFE rectifiers for modular, fast charging systems. An overview of cooling systems and reliability evaluation tools is also presented. Finally, trends and future outlooks are analyzed.


The problems of water quality sensors and actuators placement in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) are addressed as separate, primarily. However, against the background of control systems theory, the nature of DWDSs dynamics indicates that these both problems are interdependent and impact the design of related water quality monitoring and control structures and algorithms. The research work presented in this paper is to investigate the state-of-the-art in this field and discuss the problems of water quality sensors and actuators placement within DWDS and to highlight the potential benefits of considering the joint task of their allocation.


Catalytic combustion of chlorobenzene over supported vanadium oxides has been investigated. TiO2 was prepared by the sol-gel method from titanium isopropoxide. The supported vanadium oxide catalysts have been prepared by precipitation-deposition and impregnation method and characterized by XRD, FTRaman and TPR. In the VOx/TiO2 catalysts prepared using the impregnation method, when vanadium loading reaches 3 wt.%, the activity shows a maximum. However, in the VOx/TiO2 catalysts prepared by precipitation-deposition, when vanadium loading reaches 7 wt.%, the activity shows a maximum. This result suggests that the precipitation-deposition can yield a higher metal loading on the support and a high dispersion compared to the impregnation method.


The fixed-wing EPP-FPV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with mounted digital camera Canon S100 was used as a platform for images acquisition. Up-to-date the application of such means has increased significantly. Implemented features are low-cost, mobile and simple. Digital photogrammetric software Lisa has been used for UAV images processing and area mapping. High correctness of digital terrain model is required for the generating standard mapping products, as is orthophoto map. The quality of mapping products mainly depends on flight height, camera characteristics and ground control point's accuracy. Applying appropriate technique for digital elevation model checking, DEM errors has been determined.


The Eco-Schools programme is an established international programme for environmental education, which is developing a responsible attitude towards the environment, nature and way of living. Its aim is to promote and raise awareness of sustainable development among children and youth at different stages of education. Faculty of Education in Ljubljana is participating in the Eco-Schools programme. In my thesis, I was trying to determine what is the students' attitude towards the Eco-Schools project, how familiar they are with the activities, carried out as a part of the Eco-Schools programme, and what is their sustainable behaviour like. Data was gathered by anonymous questionnaire in a survey involving 83 students of Faculty of Education. The results have shown that the students have a positive attitude towards the activities carried out by the Eco-Schools programme, but wish it would be more recognizable. The students are more familiar with some and less with other activities carried out as a part of the Eco-Schools programme. My estimates are that the reason for this is that some of them are promoted more than others. They are most familiar with the activities related to the waste separation, energy conservation and reduction of paper towel use in the toilets. Signs that remind them to consistently switch off the lights and to economically use paper towels help them in being more environmentally aware. With the Eco-Schools programme, Faculty of Education in Ljubljana encourages both students and teachers to opt for sustainable behaviour. By behaving sustainably, the students, as future teachers, could serve as role models for their future pupils and students – they could direct them towards sustainable-oriented decisions and behaviour.


The international management modes are mainly classified into the British one and the American one,and both of these two modes have their advantages and disadvantages.In recent years these two modes have shown the tendency of assimilation and have influenced at the same time on the companies in China and cast implications on structure of stock property,company supervision,disclosure of company information and other management mechanisms.


The basic assumption of statistical analysis is that the data have normally distributed. When analyzing data do not match the assumptions of the conventional method of analysis, there are two choices; transform the data to fit the assumptions or develop some new robust methods of analysis. If a satisfied transformation can find, it will almost always be easier to use it rather than to develop a new method of analysis. The well-known Box-Cox transformations often used in previous studies. However, they are not always applicable, they should be used with caution in some cases such as failure time and survival data. Because the some observations in the sets of right skew data may be zero, the Box-Cox transformations are not appropriate. In this paper, the several transformations are investigated for some sets of right skew data. They performs few better than the Box-Cox transformations in sense of normality and homogeneity of variances for several groups of data in some situations.


The Iowa soil-test interpretations and fertilizer recommendations for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were last updated in 1996 and 1999. The 1996 update involved the most important changes compared with previous recommendations. New soil-test P and K interpretation classes (very low, low, optimum, high, and very high) were developed to classify soil-test values into two sets corresponding to Iowa soils with either low or high subsoil P and K levels. This classification recognized research results suggesting that less topsoil P or K was needed when subsoil nutrient levels were comparatively higher. The probability of yield response to fertilization in the optimum class was considered small, and only maintenance fertilization based on nutrient removal was recommended for this class. No fertilization was recommended for soils testing in the high or very high classes, except for starter fertilization for corn under specific conditions.


X‐ray microtomography (XMT) is a non‐destructive technique that allows the internal structure of a material to be imaged by the spatial distribution of its linear X‐ray absorption coefficients. This paper demonstrates the use of XMT to investigate: (1) the distribution of TiB2 reinforcement in composites formed by powder processing; (2) the local void volume fraction as a function of position in highly deformed regions of failed tensile specimens of SiC‐reinforced material allowing a valid damage parameter to be defined at high strains; (3) absorption coefficients measured at different energies simultaneously using a multichannel analyser which can sometimes be used to separate linear absorption changes due to (a) density variations and (b) compositional variations in individual voxels; and (4) the use of sequential sections to provide a three‐dimensional representation of the failed specimens.


Wireless Sensor Networks are present in a wide range of environments. The possibility of secure interaction with other networks is a current challenge. It will be necessary that the components of the network can adapt its algorithms (authentication, cryptography) to the requirements of the application in real time. This paper presents a flexible hardware-based approach using partial reconfiguration of an FPGA to modify certain elements of the network nodes. Details about the implementation of reconfigurable security algorithms is presented in this paper to explore the possibilities that this type of devices offer in the design of WSN components.


A method for packing a slurry carrier bed in the column (3) is a dispersion of automatically carrier particles and a liquid without requiring manual interaction, following all be performed automatically step a) -f) comprising, said method. Filling the slurry of constant volume on a) the column (3). b) packing the carrier bed from predefined target bed height or predefined slurry to the floor degree of compression of the target. c) testing the separation efficiency of the packed bed. d) Test results may not be acceptable automatically floor or test results unpacking conditioned flow when packed bed unacceptable, return to c). Calculating a new volume of the slurry to be packed into a column based on e) test results. Repeat from f) a). .FIELD 1


This article is written from the perspective of a faculty member in a professional graduate degree program who is committed to internationalization, but also notes its challenges given the context in which higher education finds itself. First, the article outlines the ways in which higher education is thinking about internationalization, in particular with a focus on faculty-led short-term study abroad programs. Second, the article juxtaposes internationalization with the current conversation and debates about academic capitalism. Finally, it ends with overarching topics that deserve further exploration and include: (a) that internationalization is often tailored to faculty interests but that this might make systemic assessment challenging; (b) that there are shifting relations among the university central offices related to internationalization processes and academic departments; and (c) given the academic capitalism debates, the article asks whether we can implement and assess our internationalization processes while still adhering to academic quality and credibility.


In this paper an efficient implementation of a 13 kbps QCELP vocoder ASIC having a speech compression function used in the digital mobile communication is presented The 13 kbps QCELP algorithm has better quality than 8 kbps one, but it requires much more computation. Especially, the complexity load of the pitch and codebook search process for speech synthesis is predominant. We propose an optimized routine for convolution computation by utilizing pipeline structure characteristics of the DSP. Our DSP, specifically designed for vocoder applications, is a 16-bit fixed-point one. We adopt RISC type instruction set, distributed decoding, alternative program fetch, dual bank memory structure, and repeat loop without loss in order to reduce the power consumption and to obtain fast operating capability while keeping the chip size small. The concurrent development of the DSP and the QCELP assembly code enables us to optimize the assembly code more successfully than adopting other general-purpose DSP chips.


The maintenance of offshore wind turbines is a complex and costly task which represents a barrier to the development of this source of energy. The combination of the size of the farm and the size of the turbines themselves, the distance from the coast and difficult meteorological conditions make the choice of maintenance strategy difficult. Several modern maintenance techniques have been tried in order to reduce cost and time of maintenance. In this paper we propose a hybrid model of maintenance based on multi-agent systems, which allows for the modelling of systems with dynamic interactions between multiple parts. A multi-criteria decision algorithm has been developed to allow analysis and choosing of different maintenance strategies. A cost model including maintenance action cost, energy loss and installation of monitoring system cost has been presented. A simulator has been developed using NetLogo software and this is presented along with initial results at the end of this paper. These results show that employing a new hybrid maintenance strategy which we propose could increase wind farm productivity and reduce maintenance cost.


The enhanced electromigration (EM) performance of 20 nm-wide Cu interconnects with a Mn-doped Cu seed and a Mn-based barrier is studied by means of low-frequency (LF) noise measurements and atom probe tomography (APT). While the EM activation energy of reference interconnects without Mn is 0.8 eV, standard EM tests revealed an activation energy of 1.0 eV for Cu(Mn) interconnects. The LF noise measurements confirm the activation energy of 1.0–1.1 eV in the Cu(Mn) interconnects, but also the activation energy of 0.8 eV is still visible, though less pronounced. Furthermore, the extent to which the mechanism at 0.8 eV is suppressed is strongly subjected to sample variations. These observations are confirmed by APT; Mn is found at the top surface and small clusters of Mn are present in the Cu bulk up to 5 nm away from the sidewalls. Mn segregation at the grain boundaries was not observed such that the hypothesis of Mn blocking grain boundary diffusion cannot be confirmed.The enhanced electromigration (EM) performance of 20 nm-wide Cu interconnects with a Mn-doped Cu seed and a Mn-based barrier is studied by means of low-frequency (LF) noise measurements and atom probe tomography (APT). While the EM activation energy of reference interconnects without Mn is 0.8 eV, standard EM tests revealed an activation energy of 1.0 eV for Cu(Mn) interconnects. The LF noise measurements confirm the activation energy of 1.0–1.1 eV in the Cu(Mn) interconnects, but also the activation energy of 0.8 eV is still visible, though less pronounced. Furthermore, the extent to which the mechanism at 0.8 eV is suppressed is strongly subjected to sample variations. These observations are confirmed by APT; Mn is found at the top surface and small clusters of Mn are present in the Cu bulk up to 5 nm away from the sidewalls. Mn segregation at the grain boundaries was not observed such that the hypothesis of Mn blocking grain boundary diffusion cannot be confirmed.


Introduction. I chose this theme because the sporting value of a handball player largely resides in the qualities of training, including the speed that shapes and refines the principles and skills required by content development. Technical and tactical preparation is specific to the modern handball game practiced by the best teams in the world.Objective. This paper tries to make a contribution to the enrichment of the methodical material available to those who have chosen the beautiful mission to initiate the athletes in the handball secrets, to teach them specific movements of the game: as close as possible to Play and the effort to the special requirements of handball.Therefore, the main purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of a specific speed training program.Methods. The target group consists of 18 members of the men's team C.S. Medgidia, with an average age of 19.94 ± 1.28 years. This team is active in the National Championship, A Division.The subjects underwent initial screening on July 4, 2018. Final testing was conducted on August 29, 2018.During 8 weeks (July 6 - August 30, 2018) related to two tests, the team had included in their training program this training program we designed to improve their speed.Results. The parameter values recorded in the two initial and final tests differ statistically significantly from all parameters, meaning a 100% test. At these parameters, following the verification of statistical hypotheses using Test t, the null hypothesis was rejected, the significance threshold (p) being calculated being less than 0.05. Parameter averages calculated for final testing indicate an improvement in the athletes' preparation for initial testing at all tests.Conclusions. The main result of this paper is that the speed of subjects has increased, and that confirms the hypothesis that by performing a rigorously standardized program, based on specific speed training, the level of training of the motor quality speed will increase.


This article is qualitative-descriptive analytical research on multiple intelligences, a theory which Howard Gardner introduced. According to Howard Gardner's findings, the concept of multiple intelligences has been widely known and used in educational institutions. Multiple intelligences are also considered a theory that first recognized the diversity of human intelligence. With multiple intelligences, it can be said that no child is stupid. Therefore, each child is born with intelligence that is not always equal to each other. In Islam, the Quran is a complete guide for life. This research has discovered the powerful instruments to develop Qur'anic multiple intelligences in educational institutions through literature. With the thematic interpretation method (maudhui) approach, this study described the practical efforts, using the mindset of interpretation and reflection, to develop the concept of multiple intelligences based on the perspective of the Quran. After researching, collecting, and analyzing all terms in the Quran that relate to intelligence, it is found that the Quran is distinguishing the concept of multiple intelligences. It can be used further as a practical guide for educational institutions in developing the concept of multiple intelligences from the perspective of the Quran


High efficiency, high density and galvanically isolated power converters are attractive for medium voltage high power applications. This paper presents a 1.5kV/200kW bidirectional Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter using a newly developed 1.7kV SiC MOSFET module. The intended application is megawatt scale solid state transformer (SST) and 1500V PV inverter application using modular architecture. One novel model to estimate the turn-off loss using snubber capacitors is proposed and experimentally verified. An optimized PCB-based busbar design is introduced to reduce the voltage overshoot across the SiC device, making the design suitable for 1.5kVdc applications. The mechanism of how the optimized PCB-based busbar can reduce the voltage overshoot is quantitatively interpreted and experimentally verified. The DAB converter achieved an efficiency of 98.85% at 200kW and a maximum of 99.53% at 60kW. The maximum efficiency for series-resonant mode is 99.6% at 85kW and 99.3% at 200kW. The power density is 26W/inch3 (1.6MW/m3) which is much higher than traditional industry products.


CD4+ T helper (Th) lymphocytes play a central role in orchestrating immune responses. While the specificity of naive CD4+ T cells is fixed and constrained by the TCR they express, their effector potential is flexible and unbiased. After antigen encounter, Th lymphocytes acquire a specific effector function by responding to the summation of input signals provided by antigen-presenting cells (APC) and cytokine microenvironment. The functional diversity of Th cells provides the immune system with the capacity to mount an appropriate defense mechanism against various types of pathogens.

The initial discovery of the existence of specialized Th effector populations came from an analysis of mouse CD4+ T cell clones by Mosmann and Coffman (1). This seminal study demonstrated that differentiated CD4+ T cells can be classified into two groups, designated Th1 and Th2 cells, based on their cytokine production. Th1 lymphocytes, which are defined by secretion of IFN-γ, TNF, and IL-2, promote cell-mediated immunity and control infections with intracellular pathogens. In contrast, Th2 lymphocytes, which produce IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, mediate humoral immune responses and resistance to helminth parasites. In addition, the Th1/Th2 dichotomy was also demonstrated in immunopathological settings where Th1 and Th2 cells are implicated in autoimmune diseases and allergic conditions, respectively.

The recognition that different CD4+ T cell subsets are associated with specific outcomes in both infection diseases and immune disorders propelled research into the Th1/2 paradigm. Generation of mature Th effectors was defined as an endpoint of a multistep lineage-specific differentiation process in which naive CD4 T lymphocytes gain the ability to produce exclusively Th1 or Th2 cytokines. Moreover, a similar concept of dichotomous Th1/2 immune functions has been put forward for other lymphocyte populations (Tc1/Tc2), as well as other types of immune cells such as macrophages (M1/M2) and dendritic cells (DC1/DC2).

However, significant technical advances in CD4+ T cell biology research over past 20 years have revealed that the Th1/Th2 paradigm cannot fully explain the complexity of Th effectors and led to the discovery of new Th subsets that have distinct yet overlapping functions with Th1/Th2 cells (2–4). For example, Th17 cells, which produce IL-17, are important in controlling extracellular bacterial and fungal pathogens, but can also promote autoimmune disorders (5, 6). Similarly, Tfh cells, which produce IL-21, are important for germinal center formation and antibody production, have taken on some of the functions originally attributed to Th2 cells (7, 8). Together, these findings clearly challenge Th1/2 concept and the model of Th effector choice as a bidirectional and linear differentiation process. Indeed, new molecular techniques that enable comparative analysis between genome-wide landscape of different transcriptional factors and cell-specific transcriptional output revealed that Th polarization is a flexible course of progressions that allows different degrees of functional specialization and diversity among Th cells.

The Research Topic presented here, "CD4 T cell differentiation in infection: an amendment to Th1/Th2 axiom" is a collection of reviews that cover the most recent progress on Th effector choice mechanisms in various infection models.

The Topic opens with two reviews on the functional dichotomy of innate immune cells. The review by Muraille et al. (9) focuses on classically (M1) and alternatively (M2) activated macrophages and their distinct metabolic programs that can be exploited by pathogens as immune evasion strategies. The paper by Hussaarts et al. (10) describes the mechanisms by which helminth components condition dendritic cells for Th2 differentiation and discusses Th2-associated inflammatory responses in the context of metabolic disorders. The immune response to intestinal worm infections is also the topic of the review by Bouchery et al. (11), which focuses on Th2-polarizing signals in CD4+ T lymphocytes and the relative contribution of Th2 vs. recently discovered new Th subsets to helminth immunity. The CD4+ T cells responses during fungal and malaria infection originally characterized based on Th1/Th2 paradigm are re-examined by Borghi et al. (12) and Perez-Maliah and Langhorne (13), respectively. Borghi et al. (12) describe different Th effectors implicated in anti-fungal resistance and tolerance, while Perez-Maliah and Langhorne (13) discuss the types of Th subsets, including the population of self-controlling multifunctional IL-10+ Th1 cells, induced during malaria infection. The review by Engwerda et al. (14) focuses on the mechanisms underlying IL-10 expression in Foxp3− IL-10+ Th1 cells and Foxp3+ CD4+ T regulatory lymphocytes, as well as the role these two populations play in host-protection during protozoan infection.

The notion of CD4+ T cell heterogeneity beyond Th1/Th2 effectors is also supported by studies in humans as reviewed by Geginat et al. (15). The molecular mechanisms controlling plasticity vs. stability are just beginning to emerge in both murine and human Th lymphocytes. The paper by Panzeri et al. (16) presents evidence that long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) play a role in the Th1 differentiation program of human CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Compartmentalized microenvironments with tissue specific conditions (e.g., APC, cytokines) may also contribute to the plasticity of Th effectors. This is certainly true for Th differentiation in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, as discussed by Brucklacher-Waldert et al. (17). Ongoing discoveries of the variable but significant degrees of flexibility among lineage committed CD4 T cells cast doubts on "bona fide" Th effector memory responses. Although the Tfh effector subset is considered to be highly unstable, the review by Hale and Ahmed (18) upholds the concept that memory Tfh cells are generated during a viral infection.

The Th1/Th2 paradigm has revolutionized the concept of CD4+ T cell differentiation. However, recent discoveries of additional T cell subsets have revealed previously unexpected complexity in the CD4+ effector T cell decision-making process. Together, the papers presented here review our current understanding of Th effector choice in infection and emphasize the importance of defining molecular pathways dictating specificity vs. diversity and stability vs. plasticity in CD4+ T cells. Ultimately, these new advances will have important implications for rational design of better vaccines and immunotherapies.


As in dress, art, and politics, so there are fashions, fads, and fancies in science. At present, molecular biology is at the top, and systematics at the bottom, of the peck order in biology. Two authorities have recently stated bluntly (in Science and in the AIBS Bulletin respectively) that to be up-to-date a biologist must be a biochemist or a nerve physiologist, and all "natural history" is to be given short shrift. Now, it is true that molecular biology is making spectacular progress; that it is solving some long-standing riddles of nature; and that it is a better-paying proposition than philosophical biology or natural history. And yet organic diversity has and always will have irresistible fascination to many minds; no matter how completely molecular biology tells its story, an immense realm of life processes will remain challenging our ingenuity and inviting study; and these non-molecular aspects of biology happen to be the ones chiefly relevant to understanding man and his place in the universe, to problems of anthropology, sociology, and psychology, in shortto humanism. Much of the work in molecular biology is exciting and thought-provoking, but some of it is intellectually shallow. This also applies, of course, to other fields of biology and of science in general. It is really the assumption that being at the top of the present peck order somehow confers a high intellectual status, together with claims for juicier research grants and academic preferments, that must be disallowed. G. G. Simpson's book* is about taxonomy-near the bottom of the peck order. Some of the problems it deals with are two centuries old. It has no startling new discoveries to report. But it provides a treat for any biologist who derives satisfaction from thought and reflection about life and its manifestations. Simpson begins by clearing away some terminological log jams. He defines systematics as "the scientific study of the kinds and diversity of organisms and of any and all relationships among them," classification as "the ordering of animals into groups (or sets) on the basis of their relationships, that is, of association by contiguity, similarity, or both," and taxonomy as "the theoretical study of classification, including its bases, principles, and rules." He discusses tolerantly some recent attempts to express taxonomy in terms of symbolic logic, which fail to see any difference between classification of organisms and classification of, say, postage stamps, although he points out that these attempts have not said


With the developmet of society adolescent face more and more pressure.Under this background,the adolescent's psychological consultation has coming into a moment of flourish development,and the problem of adolescent's psychological counseling outcome assessment is also highlighted.This article firstly discussed what are adolescent's psychological health standards.Then it described related psychological counseling outcome assessment model and discussed points for attention in the process of adolescent's psychological counseling outcome.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is exploring the challenges it faces in the development status of domestic autonomous vehicle, looks forward to its future, and hopes to promote the research and development in this field and provide reference for promoting the development of autonomous vehicle.
Design/Methodology/Approach – Through the theoretical research on the development status of autonomous driving industry and national policies.
Findings – This paper studies precision marketing and smart recommendation, creative advertising improves revenue structure, optimizing user experience, resolving copyright disputes.
Research Implications – Affected by the COVID-19, the automobile industry as a whole is in a depressed state, and the future market competition will become increasingly fierce. Since the outbreak of the new crown disease, unmanned distribution vehicles have played an active role in epidemic prevention in many cities. The automobile industry is bound to complete the transformation from traditional manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing.


Leadership effectiveness is critical for organisational success. An assessment of the factors which promote leadership effectiveness is therefore warranted. The study sought to investigate the attributes of effective leaders within the retail industry and reveal how they influence the perceptions of subordinates of the level of leadership in the sector. A self-administered questionnaire was hand-delivered to a sample of managers employed by retailing firms in the greater Tshwane area. The researchers analysed survey data from 104 respondents, using exploratory factor analysis to tease out the factors representing the attributes of effective leaders relative to the level of leadership. The findings suggest that subordinates believed the level of leadership among retail managers to be average. The results of the multiple-factor analysis revealed four categories of attributes, namely skilful, inspiring, compassionate and persistent. The correlation analysis between the level of leadership and attributes of leadership/management team revealed the level of leadership to be significantly and positively related to skilful, inspiring and persistent. Our discussion highlights the importance of understanding the qualities that make an effective leader. The study furthers the results of the inquiry into leadership and suggests avenues for future research on enhancing leadership effectiveness among retail managers.


Horseradish peroxidase nanoparticles was immobilized covalently onto inner wall of polyvinyl chloride (PVC/plastic) vial through glutaraldehyde coupling with 64.13% retention of its initial activity and conjugation yield of 0.35mg/cm2. The vial bound enzyme nanoparticles showed optimum activity at pH-7.2, when incubated at 40oC for 5min. There was a linear relationship between immobilized peroxidase nanoparticles activity and H2O2 concentration in the range of 0.01mM to 100mM with apparent Km for H2O2 as 20mM. The vial bound enzyme nanoparticles was employed for enzymic colorimetric determination of H2O2 in milk and urine. Minimum detection limit of 0.01mM was obtained. Analytical recoveries of added H2O2 in urine (10mM and 20mM) were observed by 98.0% and 96.5% respectively. Within and between assays coefficients of variation (CVs) for H2O2 in urine determinations were detected by 5.3% and 4.5% respectively. A good correlation (r=0.997) was obtained between H2O2 values by standard enzymatic colorimetric method using free enzyme and the present method. The polyvinyl chloride vial was reused 150 times over a period of 4 months, when stored at 4oC. The method has the advantage that it provides the reusability of immobilized enzymes nanoparticles with enormous ease.


We report a case of progressive retrograde acute coronary occlusion after Gianturco-Roubin (GR) stenting in a patient with two vessel diseases. A GR stent was implanted in the proximal part of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) because of suboptimal results of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). More than 90% stenosis occurred in the non-stented region just distal to the edge of the GR stent. Another stenosis ensued mid-stent after PTCA was performed for that lesion. Acute occlusion from the mid-LAD to the main trunk progressed immediately after PTCA for the LAD. The patient died of cardiogenic shock despite repeated bail-out PTCA procedures for both the main trunk and the proximal LAD. Acute retrograde occlusion might be caused by in-stent thrombosis, or acute recoil of GR stent associated with insufficient stent dilatation and acute coronary arterial elastic recoil.


In order to study the interactive effect of additive of Se/Zn/Cu on the concentration of copper,zinc,iron,manganese and calcium in breast muscles in broilers,the experiment was conducted using a total of 720 four-week-old Rose 308 broilers to investigate the effects of adding methionine-Se,Glycine-Zn and Glycine-Cu to corn soybean diets on growth and slaughter performance in broilers and their interaction.Broilers were randomly divided into 9 treatments.The basal diet was used as control group,and the experiment lasted for seven weeks.The results showed:1)different level of Se had significant effect on Cu concentration from 0 to 5 weeks,Zn concentration from 3 to 5 weeks and Fe concentration from 5 to 7 weeks in breast muscles of broilers,but no significant effect on Ca concentration from 0 to 7 weeks.It has significant greatly effect on Mn concentration from 0 to 3 weeks.2)different level of Zn had significant greatly effect on Cu concentration from 0 to 7 weeks,Zn concentration from 3 to 5 weeks,Fe concentration from 3 to 5 weeks and Mn concentration from 0 to 3 weeks,but no significant effect on Ca concentration from 0 to 7 weeks.It has significant greatly effect on Zn concentration from 3 to 5 weeks.3)different level of Cu had significant greatly effect on Cu and Zn concentration from 0 to 5 weeks and Mn concentration from 5 to 7 weeks,but no significant effect on Fe and Ca concentration from 0 to 7 weeks.4)interaction of Se,Zn and Cu had significant greatly effect on Cu,Zn and Mn concentration from 0 to 7 weeks,Fe concentration from 3 to 7 weeks and Ca concentration from 3 to 5 weeks in breast muscles of broilers.


For many years, video game developers have been striving to realize fully simulated and rendered hair at interactive frame rates. This presentation focuses on how Crystal Dynamics, with support from AMD, crafted one of the first real-time, GPU-driven hair solutions for games.


This paper proposes a Strain-Deformation Expansion Mechanism with Flexure Hinges for joint torque sensing. By the torque sensing mechanism, the small strain-deformation on a joint used for torque sensing can be expanded wihile the sensor stiffness will not be reduced but will be heightened. For the mechanism, a novel flexure hinge with two overlap semicircular notches, where there are no friction and gap which are often existing in a rotational hinge, is proposed for preforming hign-precision sensing. In this paper, the force sensing principle is addressed by analyzing the deformation of the sensing mechanism and the forces acting on the sensor theoretically. Then, the sensitivity of the sensing mechanism are defined, and a design method for realizing the sensing mechanism with high sensitivity is discussed. Lastly, some experiments with robot finger are performed to show the basic characteristics and the effectiveness of the proposed joint torque sensing mechanism.


Wealthy investors seeking to actively manage their international investments and business interests may benefit from obtaining citizenship of another country.


Penetration and non-penetration lap laser welding is the joining method for assembling side facade panels of railway passenger cars, while their fatigue performances and the difference between them are not completely understood. In this study, the fatigue resistance and failure behavior of penetration 1.5+0.8-P and non-penetration 0.8+1.5-N laser welded lap joints prepared with 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm cold-rolled 301L plates were investigated. The weld beads showed a solidification microstructure of primary ferrite with good thermal cracking resistance, and their hardness was lower than that of the plates. The 1.5+0.8-P joint exhibited better fatigue resistance to low stress amplitudes, whereas the 0.8+1.5-N joint showed greater resistance to high stress amplitudes. The failure modes of 0.8+1.5-N and 1.5+0.8-P joints were 1.5 mm and 0.8 mm lower lap plate fracture, respectively, and the primary cracks were initiated at welding fusion lines on the lap surface. There were long plastic ribs on the penetration plate fracture, but not on the non-penetration plate fracture. The fatigue resistance stresses in the crack initiation area of the penetration and non-penetration plates calculated based on the mean fatigue limits are 408 MPa and 326 MPa, respectively, which can be used as reference stress for the fatigue design of the laser welded structures. The main reason for the difference in fatigue performance between the two laser welded joints was that the asymmetrical heating in the non-penetration plate thickness resulted in higher residual stress near the welding fusion line.


Kinetochores are essential for accurately partitioning DNA during cell division. Little is known regarding kinetochores in Apicomplexa, a group that includes malaria parasites and Toxoplasma gondii. Here, Brusini et al. identify 13 previously unknown apicomplexan kinetochore proteins and potential therapeutic targets for selective inhibition.


Formaldehyde is one of the most harmful pollutants that endanger occupants' health and the way of its effective removal has become a focus in the field of air quality. This paper studies the static photocatalytic removal of formaldehyde experimentally and finds out that carbon monoxide, which is more harmful to occupants' health than the formaldehyde itself, is one of the by-products in the process of photocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde. The increase of carbon monoxide concentration should be taken into consideration in the photocatalytic application. The photocatalyst surface at room temperature can weakly adsorb CO and CO2, which can deactivate the photocatalysts.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to the need for tracking of physical contacts and potential exposure to disease. Traditional contact tracing can be augmented by electronic tools called "electronic contact tracing" or "exposure notification.". Some methods were built to work with smartphones; however, smartphones are not prevalent in some high-contact areas (e.g., schools and nursing homes). We present the design and initial testing of low-cost, highly privacy preserving wearable exposure notification devices. Several devices were constructed based on existing hardware and operated independently of a smartphone. The method (devices and analyses) was not able to reliably use the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) as a proxy for distance between pairs of devices; the accuracy of RSSI as a proxy for distance decreased dramatically outside of the idealized conditions. However, even an imperfect device could be useful for research on how people use and move through spaces. With some improvement, these devices could be used to understand disease spread and human or animal interaction in indoor environments.


reputation and the darker side of sociability; and the social context for church attendance and religious adherence in the Second Great Awakening. Among the strengths of Hansen's approach are her readiness to let her subjects "speak for themselves," her attention to African American as well as white experience, and her focus on men and women in manual occupations who were not college educated and not members of the professional or commercial middle-class. Her book vividly conveys the richness and variety of social life captured in the diaries, correspondence and memoirs of working people. Though for the most part powerful and convincing, Hansen's argument raises questions that will now need to be addressed. On the face of it her evidence contests the tendency to see New England history as a long shift from community to individuality, but the class and chronological bounds of her study leave this broader issue moot. Hansen seems to suggest that middle-class life (which she portrays from the work of other scholars, not her own research) conformed to the public/private "separate spheres" paradigm. But would a study like hers of middle-class diaries and letters actually bear that out? Might it not reveal a "social" sphere too? She also implies that the sociable bases of working peoples' lives were eroded at some time after the middle of the nineteenth century, but gives little evidence or explanation for this beyond conventional references to migration and the growth of industrial capitalism. Many labour historians might question that assumption. Hansen's work provides a new basis from which to reexamine it.


This article focuses on 16th-century written monuments of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, representing the first and second Belarusian-Lithuanian redactions. Their common part – the Chronicle of Grand Dukes of Lithuania – was created in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The article analyses the changes occurring in the system of Old Belarusian active participles and compares them with all-Ruthenian state. The analysis has shown that in the participle system, on the one hand, some forms, such as inflectional forms of complex declension of active participles, tended to decline. On the other hand, a new morphological category was emerging, namely, undeclinable adverbial present and past participle.


Various methods of wort aeration were tested for their ability to dissolve oxygen in water. Boiled and cooled water was aerated using pumped air at 99 mL/min and 1009 mL/min, with and without the use of an aeration stone, and the dissolved oxygen content was measured for up to 90 minutes of aeration. In addition, rocking/shacking the fermentor was tested as another commonly used method of wort aeration. Results: Boiled and cooled water contained a significant amount of dissolved oxygen after it was delivered to the fermentor even before active aeration was initiated. Rocking/shaking the fermentor was the quickest method of saturating the water with oxygen. Pumping air at the high flow rate using an aeration stone was also effective. Pumping air without the aeration stone required significantly longer time to dissolve oxygen. Pumping air at the low flow rate, similar to the flow rate produced by an inexpensive aquarium pump, was slow to dissolve oxygen. Conclusion: Oxygen can be quickly dissolved into wort from the headspace of the fermentor with rocking/shaking. Wort may also be effectively aerated in a reasonably short time by pumping air into it with an aeration stone, but only if the airflow rate is relatively high. Pumping air at lower flow rates can be effective if performed over a long period of time.


The U.S. Department of Transportation has undertaken the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI) to improve transportation safety and productivity by accelerating the progressive deployment of intelligent transportation systems/automated highway system (ITS/AHS) technologies. Commercial vehicle operations (CVO) stand a unique chance to benefit from this initiative. Truck manufacturers and the trucking industry have made great progress in raising the standards of safety and operating efficiency over the past few years, but further significant advancements can be accomplished only by increased automation of vehicle controls and operations. That opportunity is addressed.


In their crystalilne phases, the conformation of non-rigid polyphenyl molecules results from a delicate balance between competing intramolecular and intermolecular forces. At low temperature, the polyphenyl crystals undergo structural phase transitions associated with stablization of a non-planar conformation, with respect to a torsional angle between the phenyl rings. An interesting feature is the different natures of these phase transitions: displacive in biphenyl and order–disorder in p-terphenyl. In order to illustrate this point we consider the following features: the thermal motion in the high-temperature phases, the influence of hydrostatic pressure on the phase transition in p-terphenyl, the transitional heat capacities, the observation of the critical slowing down of fluctuations in p-terphenyl and the existence of incommensurate phases in biphenyl.


AIMS To determine the effect of chemotherapy on the gastrointestinal hormones, serum levels of motilin and gastrin were measured in patients treated with chemotherapy. METHODS A total of 9 leukemia patients treated with chemotherapy have been enrolled in the study, including ALL(n=2), AML-Ms(n=3), AML-M4 (n=1) and MDS-CMML(n=2). Patients received a VDP regimen (VCR on 1, 7, 14 and day 21, DNR on day 1-3, and Pred on day 1-28) for ALL, a DA regimen (DNR on day 1-3, Ara-C on day 1-7) for AML-M_(4.5), and with Ara-C(on day 1-10) and RAR (on day 1-28) for MDS-CMML. Blood samples of 2 ml were collected in dry tubes in fasting condition in pretreatment and on day 3, 7, 14 and 28 after/during chemotherapy. Serum motilin and gastrin were measured by radioimmunoassay kit. RESULTS In pretreatment patients, serum motlin (224.16±5:131.57 vs 207.32±98.45 ng/L) and gastrin (62.46±25.60 vs 56.92±21.47 ng/L) had no difference than that in normal subjects. In posttreatmerit patients, motilin and gastrin on day 3 (786.66±234.52 and 96.21±39.07, P0.01, respectively), on day 7 (810.49±281.91and 98.18±44.3, P0.01, respectively) and day 14 (357.82± 126.39 P0.05 for motilin) were bighter than those in the normal subjects. The serum motilin level correleted with the gastrin on day 3 (r=0.462, P0.05) and day 7 (r=0.458, P0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serum values of motilin and gastrin are increased in leukemia patients received chemotherapy, and is of a clinical significance to prevent nausea/vomiting in chemotherapy.


The relationship between frozen storage temperature and texture of grass carp was studied.The grass carp dealt with two different ways(one group dealt with ice-coating and another group dealt without ice-coating) and frozen in four different temperatures(-18,-25,-30,-80℃) for 360 days,grass carp was analyzed by texture profile analysis(TPA) every 15 days,analyzed with hardness,springiness,resilience,gumminess and chewiness.The result showed that as frozen storage time extension,the indicators were in decline.Grass carp which frozen in-80℃ had the highest indicators and which frozen in-18℃ had the lowest indicators.Meanwhile,at the same frozen temperature found that the grass carp with ice-coating had the better effect of the indicator than which had no ice-coating.


The aim of this study is to present and apply a programming model to the Newfoundland economy through which the efficient allocation of scarce factor inputs can be determined. In addition the possible results that the elimination of resource misallocation would have on the level of Provincial income and on the rate of growth of the economy within the next five years are explored. -- The model used to achieve this aim is based on a combination of linear programming and input-output analysis. This allows general equilibrium and structural interdependence to be taken into account so that efficient and optimum resource allocation can be achieved for the economy as a whole. -- Chapter I briefly examines the crucial variables in the Newfoundland economy which reveal that resource misallocation has taken place to some extent. -- In Chapter II the theoretical aspects of allocation are discussed. The conclusion is that to prevent resource misallocation coordinated investment is required, that is, planning. -- The general activity model is presented in Chapter III and two empirical models used in planning regional economic development are criticized. The planning model and methodology used in this study is then discussed. -- In Chapter IV the planning model is applied to the Newfoundland economy. An optimum solution for each period of the planning period is obtained and briefly discussed. -- Chapter V gives the main conclusions of the study. These are: -- 1) Relatively high rates of growth are possible in Newfoundland of up to a maximum of 15% per annum. -- 2) Labour, although relatively abundant in the initial periods, becomes the operative constraint quite early in the planning period. -- 3) With efficient allocation of resources the gap between Newfoundland and Canadian per capita income would close quite rapidly.


5034 Background: Perifosine, a synthetic alkylphospholipid, inhibits or modulates a number of different signal transduction pathways (AKT, MAPK and JNK). In a prior trial, 15 RCC patients (pts) were enrolled in a randomized dose finding study, 9 were evaluable for response and 3 (33%) had a partial response (PR). Thus phase II trials were begun for pts who had been treated with one prior VEGFr inhibitor (Group A) or with a prior VEGFr inhibitor and prior mTOR inhibitor (Group B). We report the results of Group A (closed), and Group B (enrollment open).

METHODS
To measure the objective response rate (RECIST) and PFS to single agent perifosine (100 mg qhs with food) after 3 mos of Rx; Prior Rx with vaccine therapy, bevacizumab and/or cytokines was permitted. Normal organ/marrow function was required.

RESULTS
From 12/07-12/08, 46 pts (31 Group A/ 15 Group B) were treated at 13 sites. Median age 64 (range 46-80) and 36 were male; Median prior Rx was 2 (range 1 - 5); Clear cell = 37, non clear cell = 6, data n/a = 3. Prior sunitinib = 35, prior sorafenib = 10, 1 unknown due to blinded study. Prior mTOR; Tem = 9 and Rad001 = 6. As of 12/08, 44 pts were evaluable for response and PFS (two pts not eval; 1 withdrew consent, 1 toxicity < 5 days on Rx). Results listed in the table below. As of 12/08, 12/44 pts (5 Group A/ 7 Group B) remain on treatment. Median survival; not reached. Most common toxicity was grade 1 & 2 nausea (56%), arthralgia (47%), vomiting (36%), fatigue (33%) and cognitive changes (28%). Grade 3 & 4 toxicity was uncommon; arthralgia (14%) and hyperuricemia/gout (8%).

CONCLUSIONS
Perifosine, similar to mTOR inhibitors, appears to have clinical benefit in mRCC as reflected by the PR rate and a 15 wk median overall PFS. This is most notably in patients who failed both a prior VEGFr and mTOR inhibitor where 7/14 remain on study as of 12/08. Randomized studies are under consideration to further evaluate perifosine's clinical benefit as 2nd or 3rd line therapy of mRCC. [Table: see text] [Table: see text].


Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) are multipotent precursors endowed with the ability to home to primary and metastatic tumor sites, where they can integrate into the tumor‐associated stroma. However, molecular mechanisms and outcome of their interaction with cancer cells have not been fully clarified. In this study, we investigated the effects mediated by bone marrow‐derived MSC on human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that MSC triggered epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells in vitro, as indicated by upregulation of EMT‐related genes, downregulation of E‐cadherin and acquisition of mesenchymal morphology. These effects required cell‐to‐cell contact and were mediated by surface‐bound TGF‐β newly expressed on MSC upon coculture with tumor cells. In vivo tumor masses formed by MSC‐conditioned CRC cells were larger and characterized by higher vessel density, decreased E‐cadherin expression and increased expression of mesenchymal markers. Furthermore, MSC‐conditioned tumor cells displayed increased invasiveness in vitro and enhanced capacity to invade peripheral tissues in vivo. Thus, by promoting EMT‐related phenomena, MSC appear to favor the acquisition of an aggressive phenotype by CRC cells.


1: Enzymology of the replication fork. 2: SV40 DNA replication. 3: The initiation of DNA replication in the year Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 4: Replication origins in metazoan chromosomes. 5: Role of nuclear structure in DNA replication. 6: Chromosome replication in Xenopus egg extracts. 7: Cell cycle control of DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 8: Regulation of S phase in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe


Chinese-date classification words have three situations:Express Chinese-date.Chinese-date expressed general term,whose nomenclatures were Chinese-date branchs with pricks.Chinese-date classification words Refered in particular to were much more.Ancient times Chinese-date classification words grounds included form,colour,taste,job operation,function.Express non Chinese-date.The words formed by"Chinese-date"expressed non Chinese-date classification plants.Nomenclature depended on near relation between other plants and Chinese-dates,shapes.Fabricate Chinese-date.The words formed by"Chinese-date"expressed legendary Chinese-dates.Some depended on fruit colour or place of production,some depended on theory about yinyang and wuxing.


The aim of this research is to determine the reasons of social media usage of students studying in school of physical education and sport. The universe of the research was created 750 students from Yozgat Bozok University School of Physical Education and Sports. The sample of the study consisted of 283 students who were studying at different departments of Physical Education and Sport Department of Yozgat Bozok University in 2018-2019 academic year. Survey method was used in the study. Information on the demographic characteristics of the students was obtained by 'personal information form. Information about determining the reasons of social media usage for students, Cemrek et al. (2014) developed by the usage of social media scale was obtained. The data were transferred to SPSS 18 software program for statistical operations. Frequency analysis, percentage analysis, arithmetic mean, t test, Anova analysis and post hoc tests were used to analyze the data.As a result of the analyzes performed; Statistically significant differences were found among the reasons of social media usage according to the education department, the purpose of using the internet, the most followed social media tool and the time variables spent on social media during the day (p<.05). There were no statistically significant differences according to gender variable (p>.05).


In 1484 Peter Schoffer, in Mainz, published a book on popular medicine entitled Herbarius. This was the first of the large class of books called "herbals," which contained illustrations of animals and plants by means of woodcuts. Previously woodcuts had been used mainly to multiply pictures of landscapes and designs on maps and playing cards. The new departure speedily was exploited farther by Schoffer in a larger and more pretentious work, published in 1485 under the felicitous title Ortus [Hortus] Sanitatis, or Garten der Gesundheit. The main text of this German book is divided into


Quantal calculations of electron-capture and elastic cross sections have been carried out for collisions of C{sup 4+} and B{sup 5+} with H(1s) at collision energies 0.00025<E<0.02 eV, where the cross sections show numerous resonances. Positions and widths of the resonances are studied by using the phase-amplitude method.


This paper presents similarities in data by expressing them as a new type. Instead of copy-pasting a group of similar data elements, it is packed up in a class or structure and then many instances of it is created.


Homocystinuria is an autosomal recessive disorder usually caused by deficiency of cystathionine β-synthase, leading to grossly increased plasma and urine concentrations of homocysteine. There is considerable evidence that early detection and treatment can prevent the clinical consequences of the enzyme deficiency (1)(2); therefore, screening for the disorder has been advocated (1). Many cases of homocystinuria have secondary hypermethioninemia. Neonatal screening for homocystinuria by measurement of increased methionine concentrations in dried blood spots (DBS) has been performed in some centers but has poor sensitivity. Approximately 20% of cases are missed, partly because of low methionine concentrations in breast milk and some infant formulas (3). The measurement of homocysteine in DBS has not been used as a screen for homocystinuria, partly because of uncertainty about the suitability of DBS samples. Homocysteine concentrations are unstable in whole blood stored at room temperature and increase by ∼1.0 μmol/L per hour (4). This is attributable to in vitro erythrocyte transmethylation reactions that lead to continuous production and release of homocysteine (5). It is not known whether homocysteine is released from erythrocytes in blood that has been spotted on filter paper and dried, either during the spotting and drying process or during storage at room temperature. A recent report assessed stability in screening cards that were stored at 4 °C, which does not reflect routine practice (6). Another investigated the stability of DBS samples, using whole blood to which large concentrations of aqueous homocysteine calibrator had been added, thus potentially masking any increase in homocysteine attributable to release from erythrocytes (7). The lack of information on the stability …


On April 6, 1993, there was an uncontrolled release of radioactive material from the fuel reprocessing plant at the Siberian Chemical Combine in Tomsk. The release resulted from the rupture of an over-pressurized feed adjustment tank and subsequent explosion that destroyed the walls and roof of the operating gallery. Radioactive material was released through a 150 meter stack, as well as through the destroyed walls and roof. Relatively stable atmospheric conditions prevailed and a light snow was falling. The radiation release was not excessive, but the spread of radioactive material was compounded by the explosion. Radiation was detected about 26 km from the source. This paper summarizes the information available in the US regarding the release and, using reasonable assumptions, compares the calculated ground activity and radiation levels with the reported measured values.


Objective: To establish an effective method for determining the content of curcumine in the gelatin microspheres.Methods: HPLC was used to determine the content of curcumine by(5 μm,250 mm×4.6 mm) SinochromODS-APC18 column,the mobile phase consisting of Acetontrile-5% glacial acetic acid(55∶45),1 ml/min flow rate and the 425 nm detection wavelength.Results: HPLC was highly special in determining curcumine,and there showed the linear relationship between the concentration of the medicine and the peak areas over the concentration range 0.5~32 μg/ml.Conclusion: The method is simple,easy to conduct and suitable for the content determination of curcumine in the gelatin microspheres.


In order to improve the power quality of shipboard power system (SPS), this paper proposes a new power supply system based on a rectifier transformer with integrated linear filtering reactors. Due to the reactors for filters are integrated into the rectifier transformer, the installed space for the filters can be reduced greatly. First, the topology of the proposed power supply is introduced and then, the principle of integrating the linear reactors into the transformer is presented. Furthermore, the operating mechanism for implementing the inductive filtering method is presented. Finally, the simulation and the experimental results validate the proposed power supply system and indicate that it can greatly reduce the harmonic currents at the source side, can improve the power factor effectively, and can reduce the noise of the rectifier transformer in SPS.


A three-dimensional (3D) Monte Carlo model is developed to study the fiber curliness effect on the percolation threshold of a composite filled with electrically conductive curved fibers. These fibers are simulated as zigzag-shaped fibers that are randomly positioned in the composite, forming a 3D random network. The simulation results show that the fiber curliness can significantly affect the percolation threshold: the more curved the fibers, the higher the threshold. The results also reveal an exponential relationship between the threshold and the fiber aspect ratio: the higher the aspect ratio, the lower the threshold. These predicted trends agree well with existing experimental and simulation results based on straight fibers or curved fibers with simpler shapes.


Child-resistant caps (CRC) are well-known as a solution to create a child-resistant barrier for bottles with toxic chemicals inside such as bleach or turpentine. The problem of intoxications with children however still exists. The problem lies in the fact that the real reasons of intoxications are not being tackled. Almost every CRC on the market today is a force-based design. Meaning that the force required to open the caps is high, a force so high a child is not able to open the caps. This statement is true, but only for the caps that are sold in the stores. After the first use, the caps are often not placed back with the same amount of force at which the cap was released from the bottle. Then, the child still only needs little force to open the cap and take a sip of the liquid inside the bottle. In other cases, intoxication occurs while the cap is separated from the bottle. In an unguarded moment, the child simply grabs the bottle and the inevitable occurs. Next to the problems of intoxications is the fact that any adults seems to have a bad experience and therefore trouble with opening any CRC. It takes too much force for any healthy adult, let alone people with physical limitations in hand force and dexterity such as people with rheumatism and elderly. The aim for this project has been to create a cap design which could be opened by people with physical limitations, next to still being child-resistant. The new cap design aims to no longer try to solve the problem of intoxications with children by creating a force-based child-resistant packaging, but looking at the problem differently.


In this paper, we aim to identify and track people in a given video footage. We perform face detection and recognition, and then use a block matching algorithm to continuously track each detected face. We develop a simple, intuitive, user-friendly interface that enables search by name or image that is useful and convenient for people identification and activity recognition. In addition, we also generate trajectory maps and potential interaction details to help further analyze the movements and interactions of persons throughout the day.


Christine J Orr Ranil R Sonnadara 1Discipline of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; 2Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada Abstract: As curricula move from a time-based system to a competency-based medical education system, faculty development will be required. Faculty will be asked to engage in the observation, assessment and feedback of tasks in the form of educational coaching. Faculty development in coaching is necessary, as the processes and tools for coaching learners toward competence are evolving with a novel assessment system. Here, we provide a scoping review of coaching in medical education. Techniques and content that could be included in the curricular design of faculty development programming for coaching (faculty as coach) are discussed based on current educational theory. A novel model of coaching for faculty (faculty as coachee) has been developed and is described by the authors. Its use is proposed for continuing professional development.


The stiffness method originally proposed by Kausel and Roesset in 1981 for the analysis of wave propagation problems is used here to determine the deformations of horizontally layered systems subjected to static loads under plane‐strain conditions. Comparisons carried out by the writers have proved that this approach provides accurate results and constitutes an effective alternative to the use of other numerical techniques such as finite element or boundary element methods, which are significantly more costly and time‐consuming. In particular, the procedure is employed to investigate how the inclusion of a soft or stiff layer, placed at various depths within a uniform soil deposit, can affect the settlement of a footing.


Convex guidance is a developing guidance algorithm that seeks to unify the trajectory optimisation for pin-point landings. The unification would mean the elimination of the need of different optimisation techniques for different stages of the landing. Using convex optimisation, convex guidance is guaranteed to find the global-optimum of the design space. This study analysis the convex guidance algorithm in depth and establishes the magnitude of the errors introduced by simplifying assumptions. Subsequently, the performance and robustness of convex guidance is investigated in a full guidance, navigation and control loop. It is found that convex guidance can practically be used for a pin-point Lunar landing. However, the combination of a large discretisation step with a zero-order hold function for the optimal control proved to be an ineffcient solution for optimising the spacecraft's attitude. A linear control function proved to greatly reduce the attitude control effort, and requires far less computational effort than reducing the discretisation step of convex guidance. Therefore, it is recommended to at least use a first-order function for the control vector. Furthermore, because no attitude dynamics are modelled by convex guidance, large attitude discontinuities can occur during the landing, and no initial- or final-boundary attitude conditions can be imposed. Carefully tuned controllers can deal with these discontinuities without upsetting the system, but deviations from the optimal trajectory cannot be avoided. Therefore, a future study is recommended into expanding convex guidance with angular rate limiters to improve the robustness of the algorithm.


Annual height growth rates for six species of tree seedlings were modeled during the first 10 years of cohort initiation following an experimental hurricane in central Massachusetts. Selected canopy trees in a second-growth, transition oak – northern hardwoods forest were pulled over with a winch in a 50 m × 160 m area. Regeneration height growth did not follow the species-specific patterns anticipated if the disturbance had been stand replacing. Instead, the temporal increase in shade from crown expansion and sprouting of residual trees slowed cohort development and resulted in a variety of annual height growth patterns among species. Height development was followed separately for advance regeneration and new seedlings of red maple white ash, black cherry, black and yellow birch, paper birch, and red oak. All species had increasing height growth rates for 3 years followed by either decreasing or unchanged (flat) rates except red maple and ash advance regeneration, which had increasing rates throughout th...


The paradoxes of evolution are considered from the perspective of self-organization theory. The S-elements having several modalities, and this circumstance will help to understand why evolution is happening exactly this way. The evolution does not stop at the formation of human of a modern type. Slight changes in the human body and huge changes in his mind have occurred; the evolution markers should be defined. Behavior is another aspect of evolution. A simple criterion for determining psychological types may be the relative development of channels of human-environment interaction. The way of interaction determines preferential needs, motivations, and patterns of behavior, what, in turn, determines social structure and place of a specific human in it. Here a reservation is necessary - of course, the ideology, origin, historical and other circumstances are of great importance, after all, a particular human may have two or more dominant channels, but his inclinations will still determine his social behavior.


A ships designer have the responsibility of developing the design methodologies and construction technologies, which, based on the actions exhibited by the natural environment under the hull, allow performing operation, adequate to the ship proper functionality. The complications arising from the problematic of the general motions of the ship sailing under real sea, establish the needs for anticipation in the functional performance of the ships in real sea navigation, since the early stages of design, the motivation being dictate by the need to reduce design time and cost of construction. This paper presents a study on roll motions of a platform supply vessels in hydrometeorological conditions of navigation of the Mediterranean Sea. Geometrical, constructive and hydrodynamic particularities of these special vessels make interesting and also necessary for safety of the navigation and operation of the ship a study for the roll movements. The content of the paper offer a study of simple roll compared to the simple vertical oscillations. The study provides comparative information regarding RAO (Response Amplitude Operator) operator of the ship for the position, velocity and acceleration of the indicated points belonging hull, in the incident wave systems in the Mediterranean Sea, interpreted by the Jonswap energy spectrum. There will also be highlighted compared the answers of the ship for the points of interest, depending on the characteristics of the incident waves (significant height of the wave, wave period, pulsation of the wave). The study takes into account both types of oscillation (simple roll and simple vertical motion), for different positioning of the vessel in relation to front of the waves, showing the recommended position (favorable) and avoided (unfavorable). Was not neglected in the study the interpretations regarding the shear forces and bending moments at points of interest chosen, depending on the characteristics of the incident waves and the ship's position in relation to them. For the study, were used features as a tool for modeling and simulation offered by OCTOPUS / SEAWAY software that allows the study of the computerized behavior of the ship on the waves in the real sailing conditions. Program library was used for both the vessel itself and navigation modeling environment, for regular waves as well for the irregular waves which was modeled using Jonswap energy spectrum.


Data about regularities of influence of filler, based on the calcium hydrosilicate, on properties of limy dry construction mixes and coverings in their basis are given. Higher water resistance of limy coverings with application of containing silicate filler is established.The conducted researches established efficiency of application in a compounding of limy dry construction mixes (DCM) the nanostructuring additives based on aluminosilicates [1, 2]. For regulation of structure and properties of limy dry construction mixes (DCM), intended for restoration of historical building, and also finishing of again constructed facilities, we offered to enter into their compounding an additive based on the synthesized hydrosilicates (HSC) [3, 4].Hydrosilicates of calcium (HSC) are received by synthesis from liquid sodium glass in the presence of calcium chloride CaCl2 with the subsequent drying of sediment at a temperature 105-300°C and its crushing. Studying of material composition of the filler, made by methods of the X-ray phase analysis (RFA) and infrared (IK) spectroscopy, and also structure on the electronic scanning microscope of PhenomTM G2 pro showed the existence in synthesizable material the calcium silicates of various basicity.The conducted researches show that the filler based on HSC possesses hydraulic activity. The activity of filler, defined according to a technique [5], makes 195-250 mg/g depending on the synthesis mode.At developing of compounding of DCM the modifying additives: softeners, redispersion powders were applied. As the plasticizing additives the Kratasol, Hidetal P-4, S-3, SP-3, MelmentR F15G and MelfluxR 1641F were entered into a compounding. Additives of "Kratasol" series represent salts of naphthalenesulfoacids with the high maintenance of high-molecular fractions, an additive Hidetal of P-4 – hyper softener based on polikarboxylate.


Y2O3 has a great application potential at reaction barrier coating of high-temperature composites due to its high thermodynamic stability and high melting point, and the phase structure stability at high temperature and structure dependent mechanical property are key parameters for this application. Y2O3 thin films were deposited on silicon (100) wafers by DC magnetron sputtering with various oxygen partial pressure and substrate bias, and then vacuum annealing at 1000°C was performed to investigate the phase structure stability. The microstructure, stress and hardness of as-deposited and annealed Y2O3 thin films were explored by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, and nanoindenter. The result showed that as-60 bias voltage was applied to substrate, cubic-c phase formed regardless of variation of oxygen partial pressure, and the cubic-c phase remains stability and crystallinity became better after annealing at 1000 °C.In addition, the hardness and modulus also just had minor changes as a function of oxygen partial pressure. As oxygen partial pressure was kept at 0.043 Pa, phase transition from cubic-c to monoclinic-b phase took place with increasing substrate bias, accompanying by the increment of hardness and modulus, and 1000 °Chigh-temperature annealing resulted in that as-deposited monoclinic-b phase transforms to cubic-c phase.


[Objective]To find out the characteristics and the causes of injuries among children aged 0-14 years in Qingdao,so as to provide evidence for injury prevention.[Methods]The injured children aged 0-14 years,who first visited upper town level hospitals in Qingdao during January to December of 2009,was investigated.These patients were asked by their doctors,then filled the uniform questionnaires.[Results]8 819 cases of childhood injury were investigated,including 5 847 boys and 2 972 girls.The first five reasons of injury were fall(46.26%),animal scratch(15.88%),traffic accident(11.70%),blunt force injury(10.02%),sharo injury(8.49%)and burn injury(4.18%).[Conclusion]The main causes of childhood injuries are fall and animal scratch.


PURPOSE: An automatic application installation system, a method thereof, an application providing device, and a portable terminal are provided to enable the automatic installation of desired application on the portable terminal since the application providing apparatus of an independent embedded system is mounted in the portable terminal. CONSTITUTION: A storage(11) stores installation program and a device driver of the application used in a portable terminal. The first connector(12) performs USB(Universal Serial Bus) communications with the portable terminal. When the portable terminal is connected, the first controller(13) checks whether the installation of the application in the portable terminal is possible or not. If the portable terminal is possible for the installation of the application, the first controller transmits the install program of the application to the portable terminal.


The BLAZE Multiphysics simulation suite was utilized for investigation of the nonequilibrium plasma-assisted combustion (PAC) in methane-air mixtures. The simulation technique couples five solver modules: pressure-based coupled Navier-Stokes, SpalartAllmaras turbulence, Poisson wall distance, Poisson electric field, and reactive molecular transport. A reduced plasma-assisted combustion reaction set was incorporated in the molecular transport model including both elastic and inelastic electron energy distributiondependent electron impact reactions for major species, as well as volume and surface reactions for plasma-generated species and methane combustion constituents in air. Development of the multiphysics model is described along with discussion of initial DCapproximation solutions for coupled plasma-combustion in an existing experimental coaxial microwave reactor geometry currently being investigated with advanced diagnostic techniques.


In this article the author highlights the issue of sentencing when concluding and approving reconciliation agreements and plea agreements. The problem of the discretion of the criminal law is distinguished as one of the most important ones. This is reflected through the question of what should be the judicial discretion in criminal matters. The author gives the original definition of the judicial discretion at sentencing process and indicates the regulatory reasons for its existence are. It is suggested that the grounds of the judicial discretion in case of imposing punishments should be considered as criminal sanctions provided by the Criminal Code, authorizing rules, legal facts, which are objectified in legal terms and concepts, and rules of the individualization of punishments. This is very important for improving domestic legislative technology and for editing sentencing rules when conciliation or plea agreements are in place. Private interest, being dominant in the concept of conciliation agreements, was found not to have eliminated the discretionary powers of the judges at sentencing process. The rule on mandatory sentencing specified in the conciliation agreement is denied by the power of judges to carry out a legal analysis of the consensual decision and the possibility not to approve the agreement in established cases. The author's attention is concentrated on the problems of concluding the reconciliation agreements or plea agreements to crimes related to domestic violence, punishment for the set of crimes and the set of sentences, as well as the possibility of concluding and approving such agreements for two-object (multi-objective) crimes. In this paper the scientist analyses the current criminal law, as well as the practice of its application. Appropriate remarks and conclusions have been made regarding to the issue of the optimization of the domestic mechanism of criminal law regulation. This item should be provided by taking into account the tendencies in the practice of application of the criminal law. Particular attention is directed to the problem of specifying the rules of sentencing, as well as the need to develop rules for the appointment of the different criminal measures.


First,the paper analyses consumer behavior and the difference between service marketing and tangible products' marketing, puts forward service firms' relationship marketing paradigms. Then studies the utility which relationship marketing paradigms brings to all stakeholders. At last, the paper puts forward tactics and methods how service enterprises implement relationship marketing paradigms.


Fast-growing Austin, Texas, is at the center of a number of trends facing cities across the country. The rise of high tech and other knowledge-based industries, the return to the city of highand middle-income families, and the rise of the consumer city based around access to amenities have all played out in Austin over the last two decades. In 2009, the City set out to update its decadesold comprehensive plan. The ambitious two-year process, called "Imagine Austin," was driven by community engagement. The process sought to address some limits of the traditional comprehensive plan and planning process in grappling with problems of the New Economy.


ABSTRACT Partially specified correlation matrices (not to be confused with matrices with missing data or EM-correlation matrices) can appear in research settings such as integrative data analyses, quantitative systematic reviews or whenever the study design only allows for the collection of certain variables. Although approaches to fill in these missing entries have been considered for special cases of low-dimensional matrices, a general approach that can handle correlation matrices of arbitrary size and number of missing entries is needed. The present article relies on the theory of convex optimization and semidefinite programming to derive a semidefinite program that can offer researchers a mathematically principled approach to fill in the missing entries. An easy-to-use function in the R programming language is also presented that implements the theory derived herein.


Brassica rapa var. rapa (turnip) is considered a main source of food for the inhabitants of the QinghaiTibetan Plateau (QTP) and its adjacent highlands when other crops are scarce. The QTP ranges from lat. 25.598N to 39.498N and from long. 73.298E to 104.408E, whereas the Yunnan Plateau ranges from lat. 20.008N to 29.168N and from long. 96.008E to 110.198E. A comparison between the turnip landraces of two different plateau environments can provide a mechanistic insight into plant adaptation in highlands. The aim of this investigation was to understand the patterns in variation in genome size (GS) between the turnip landraces of two plateau environments. We used a wellestablished protocol to count chromosome number and performed propidium iodide flow cytometry to measure GS. No polyploidy was detected among the turnip landraces tested, and 15.5% variation in GS was observed between the landraces. No consistent pattern pertaining to GS variation emerged after the environmental variables were considered. Thus, we propose that such pattern may reflect the indirect effect of selection, random process, genetic drift, or some other factors on GS through interaction of life-form and phenotypic traits. One of the goals of ecology is to explain the patterns of species abundance across different regions. Such patterns are assessed by investigating the phenotypic traits of congeneric taxa, such as seed size/number, plant height, and specific leaf area. Genome size (GS) is the amount ofDNA in an unreplicated, basic, and gametic chromosome set; the regional abundance of a species can be predicted by using GS as a proxy for plant phenotypic traits because GS covaries with the rate of cell division and cell size (Knight and Beaulieu, 2008). Hence, GS is proposed as a key determinant constraining plant fitness over ecological time (Knight et al., 2005). For example, researchers who studied large-scale cytotype distribution (McAllister et al., 2015) hypothesized that higher GS plants adapt better in high altitudes than lower GS plants. However, the results of some studies are inconsistent with this hypothesis (Guo et al., 2016). For instance, Bennett et al. (1982) indicated that lower GS plants have increased tolerance in highlands. These contrasting ideas illustrate that higher GSmay be a necessary but not critical to life in high-elevation areas (Knight and Ackerly, 2002). However, this hypothesis remains to be validated experimentally for flowering plants adapted to cultivation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and the Yunnan Plateau (YP), which may strengthen knowledge in plant domestication in the highlands. QTP is one of the world's largest biodiversity hotspots. It has an average altitude of more than 4500 m and is thus called ''the roof of the world.'' QTP had undergone a dramatic change in climate during the past million years, such as conversion of forests to grasslands; formation of glaciers and desserts; arid and chilly climate (Wu et al., 2001). Meanwhile, YP, situated at an average elevation of 2000 m, is known as a hotspot for plant diversity (Ruth et al., 2008). In QTP, environmental extremes have led to the evolution of many flowering plants at the intraspatial scale, whereas, flora in YP exhibits particularly strong spatial and ecological isolation because of its unique landscape and climate. Intraspatial comparative phylogenomic study between the two areas shows two distinct populations resulting from the fragmentation of two plateaus by periods of glaciation and subsequent interruption in gene flow (Li et al., 2011). Moreover, species adapted to QTP show higher genetic diversity than in YP because of their enhanced tolerance to extreme climate (Li et al., 2011). Low temperature, high ultraviolet radiation, and drought severely affect the physiology of highland vegetation and shape GS by imposing selection pressure on the physiology and life history traits correlated to GS (Knight and Ackerly, 2002). Unfortunately, intraspatial GS variation among landraces that adapted to cultivation inQTP andYP is rarely investigated. In this study, we investigated GS variation between the landraces grown in QTP and YP at the intraspatial scale. In flowering plants, intraspatial GS research has considerable gaps. Although there are several studies reporting the existence of intraspatial genome plasticity, these results were either doubted or rejected on taxonomical and technological grounds. Feulgen densitometry was used in the late 19th century to compare GS variation; however, this method was not appropriate to assess intraspecies GS variation. This has changed because flow cytometry became available, as it provides the necessary accuracy to obtain estimates of intraspecies GS variation. But usage of internal standards, consideration of cytosolic inhibitors, and documentation of double peak by cochopping plant specimen are absolutely Received for publication 26 Jan. 2018. Accepted for publication 8 Mar. 2018. We thank Yuanwen Duan for statistical advice. This work was financially supported by Yunnan Postdoctoral Grants to S. Basak, Major State Basic Research Development Program (2010CB951704), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (41271058) to Y. P. Yang. Corresponding author. E-mail: email@example.com. 136 J. AMER. SOC. HORT. SCI. 143(2):136–143. 2018. important for flow cytometry to provide evidence for intraspecies GS variation. Hence, there was necessity to generate standard operating procedures for identifying intraspecies variation of GS throughout the world. During the last decade, several groups developed standardized protocols for measuring intraspecies GS variation (Dole zel and Barto s, 2005). Recent investigation based on flow cytometry confirmed that true intraspatial variation exists among angiosperms, but the level of intraspatial variation that can be accommodated by a species remains unclear (Benor et al., 2011). Moreover, whether GS variation is governed by a selection process is unknown so far. Although sequencing is the most powerful technique for the investigation of adaptive evolution in angiosperms, GS calculated from sequencing data is still prone to errors because of the misassembly of repetitive genomes. Despite the availability of GS estimates for 220 species of 4060 members from Brassicaceae family (5%) (Bennett and Leitch, 2011), intraspatial GS information remains scarce (but see Long et al., 2013). The mechanism by which GS has been shaped by ecological and evolutionary forces among cultivated members of this family is unknown. Turnip is an important biennial, outcrossing, mesopolyploid herbaceous plant in the Brassicaceae family and is native throughout Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and Near East. Europe has been proposed to be the center of origin. In the alpine regions of QTP, turnip was widely used as a food source when other crops are scarce. The highlands of QTP which range in altitude between 3000 and 4500 m are characterized by strong ultraviolet-B radiation and low accessibility of water (Liu et al., 2012). Turnip is able to germinate during cold and drought. It also grows at high elevation (up to 1000 m in Kumaon Himalaya, India) in tropical countries, such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Because of its AA genome, turnip is one of the ancestor species of Brassica juncea (2n = 36, genome AABB) and Table 1. Information of the collection sites and distinguishing morphological characteristics of 23 Brassica rapa var. rapa landraces. From this table, it is evident that Yunnan Plateau (YP) landraces selected in this investigation are relatively from lower latitude depicting the geographical distribution of YP compared with Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Moreover, morphological description of leaf length, aboveground biomass, tuber diameter, and underground biomass for 23 landraces from the two plateau environments demonstrate that YP landraces are bigger than QTP landraces.


CZECZUGA B. 1986. The effect of light on the content of photosynthetically active pigments in plants. V. Desmococcus vulgaris as a representative of epiphytes. — Phyton (Austria) 26 (1): 59-64, 2 figures. English with German summary. The photosynthetic active pigments (chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids) of Desmococcus vulgars as a representative of epiphytes, grown in white, red, yellow green and blue light were examinated. Yellow light caused major chlorophylls and carotenoids increases in this specimen of the examinated algae. Yellow light causes the major enhancement of both cell propagation and cell size and increasing of the content of the photosynthetic active pigments in the specimens examinated.


With the development of cable data services, DOCSIS2.0 standards in the deployment and operation can not meet the needs of business development. Now DOCSIS3.0 standard can solve these problems. This new standard provides higher bandwidth, better quality and more ability to multi-service. Its main characteristics are to design, channel bonding and modular framework, etc.


Muslims recite the Quran as source of guidance in all aspects of life. However, their recitation is sometimes without comprehension especially to those who do not understand the Arabic language. To help reduce this comprehension problem, visualization is proposed based on the theory that the learning process involves the perception and the processing stages. In particular, the visualization helps to support the perception stage and is used as a strategy to solve the word recognition with meaning retrieval problem. The occurrences of the Arabic words are visualized since the Quranic verses contain many repeated words. This is achieved through Scatter Plot and word segmentation visualization techniques. The next stage is to process the information and this is supported by a vocabulary tracking system. The system is able to track a user's personal vocabulary with the presentation of the percentage and position in context of the Quran. In direct consequence, the users know their ability to recognize the Arabic words in relation to the whole Quran to achieve reading comprehension. The hypothesis is that visualization with vocabulary tracking mechanism supports Arabic word recognition in the Quranic verses.

The trademark registered in class 9, 16, 35, 38, 41 and 42.


The invention discloses poison bait for killing solenopsis invicta, and a preparation method of the poison bait. The poison bait is prepared from the following raw materials by weight percent: 0.15-1.0% of a preservative, 0.005-0.8% of pesticide crude drug and 98.20-99.845% of an attractant, wherein the attractant is silkworm chrysalis meal. The preparation method comprises the steps of A. reeling off raw silk from cocoons, cleaning silkworm chrysalis by water, and then draining off; putting the silkworm chrysalis into a hot pot, drying, frying, grinding the silkworm chrysalis when the silkworm chrysalis is hot, and sieving to obtain the silkworm chrysalis meal; B. evenly mixing the silkworm chrysalis meal and the preservative; C. dissolving the pesticide crude drug by taking ethyl alcohol or acetone as a solvent, and preparing a 0.1-5% pesticide solution; D. spraying the solution obtained in the step C onto the product obtained in the step B, stirring while spraying, drying the whole material after evenly mixing, and respectively packaging. The poison bait is remarkable in solenopsis invicta killing effect, and has the effective killing rate of more than 98%; the silkworm chrysalis raw material is enough and convenient and easy to obtain, so that the poison bait is low in production cost; the poison bait belongs to a biological insecticide which is low in toxicity, efficient and less in residue.


From an industrial point of view, the use of microorganisms as a wastewater bioremediation practice represents a sustainable and economic alternative for conventional treatments. In this work, we investigated the starch bioremediation of paper mill wastewater (PMW) with Aspergillus oryzae. This amylase-producing fungus was tested in submerged fermentation technology (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) on rice hulls. The tests were conducted to assay the concentration of the reducing sugars on paper mill wastewater. The bioremediation of starch in the wastewater was carried out by A. oryzae, which proved capable of growing in this complex media as well as expressing its amylase activity.


Objective To study the roles of caspases in retinoic acid (RA) induced apoptosis of tumor cells transfected with the IFNα expression vector containing retinoic acid response element. Methods The IFNα gene eukaryotic expression vector containing four copies of RARE (pRARE4-IFNα) was constructed with recombinant DNA technique, and transfected into the cells of HL-60 and MCF-7 with liposome DOTAP. The IFNα expression induced by RA was detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. Then, the cellular proliferation capacity and the cell apoptosis were measured by MTT assay and DNA laddering assay, respectively; the expressions of caspase-1 and caspase-3 mRNA were analyzed by RT-PCR. Meanwhile, the activity and the protein expression of caspase-3 were analyzed. Results The proliferation capacity was decreased but the caspase-1 expression was increased in RA-treated cells, in which the DNA ladder was detectable. The activity and expression of caspase-3 were up-regulated in RA-treated HL-60 cells. These changes in transfected cells were more obvious than those in nontransfected cells. DEVD-CHO, the specific caspase-3 inhibitor, could inhibit the activity of caspase-3 and impair the growth inhibition and apoptosis induced by RA. Conclusion RA and IFNα can cooperate in inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis. the up-regulated expression and activity of caspase-3 may be play a partial role in cell apoptosis induced by RA and IFNα.


The article reviews language mechanisms of the formation of absurd dialogues in Mykola Kulish's plays «Mina Mazajlo», «People Malachij» and «Pathetic Sonata». The main reason of acquir-ing the features of absurdity by a number of fragments of these plays is molding and stereotyping of the members' of interaction linguistic behaviour. The result of these phenomena is semantic, morphological and syntactic deviations of words, word forms and word structures, contamina-tion of phraseological units, combining the means of different functional styles, imbalance of tonal characteristics of communication. Keywords:communicative absurdity, language absurdity, linguistic deviation, communicative deviation, stylistic deviation, tone of communication


In some embodiments, the display pipe includes one or more translation units corresponding to the image display pipe is about to be read for display. Each translation unit, prior to fetching of image data is configured to prefetch translation, (at least in the case of most) translation miss on the display pipe is prevented. Translation unit, the translation has been maintained in the first-in-first-out (FIFO) formula, display pipe fetch hardware notifies the translation unit when it is no longer needed anymore is given one or more of the translation. Translation unit is to disable the identified translation, it will be pre-fetch an additional translation of the virtual page connected to the virtual page that has been pre-fetch to the most recent.


We studied the interaction of Bis-diethylaminosilane (SiH2[N(C2H5)2]2, BDEAS) with a hydroxylized Si (001) surface for SiO2 thin-film growth using density functional theory (DFT). BDEAS was adsorbed on the Si surface and reacted with the H atom of hydroxyl (-OH) to produce thedi-ethylaminosilane (-SiH2[N(C2H5)2], DEAS) group and di-ethylamine (NH(C2H5)2, DEA). Then, DEAS was able to react with another H atom of -OH to produce DEA and to form the O-(SiH2)-O bond at the inter-dimer, inter-row, or intra-dimer site. Among the three different sites, the intra-dimer site was the most probable when it came to forming the O-(SiH2)-O bond.