Pseudomonas aeruginosa has innate characteristics of developing resistance. Therefore, it is obligatory to find the new antipseudomonal agents: Zno colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized via chemical deposition method. Then, TEM, SEM, DLS, and UV-visible were done. Sampling was achieved from not the same sections of infectious unit and then Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from hospital and its antibiotic resistance pattern was determined. Disc diffusion, cavity, MIC, and MBC tests were done. Absorption of UV-visible occurred at about 350 nm. The mid-range of hydrodynamic diameter and the average size of the ZnO NPs were 1.48 um and 5 nm, respectively. Isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to Trimethoprim, Ampicillin, and Nitrofurantoin. The disc diffusion and cavity test of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed respectively the least sensitivity to ZnO (DIZ = 8 mm and 5 mm) in comparison of standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (DIZ = 10 mm and 8 mm). According to the results, ZnO NPs could kill all antibiotic-resistant bacteria at a ratio of 1:16 (MBC = 7.5 ppm). However, it was able to eliminate the standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at a ratio of 1:64 (MBC = 0.937 ppm). This study demonstrated that ZnO NPs have high potential for disinfection of infectious units of hospitals against nosocomial infection – especially by Pseudomonas


To study the temperature distribution and the puff-by-puff release behaviors of key smoke components of an electrically heated cigarette (iQOS), temperature distributions in the tobacco section and the residual contents of the key components were determined under two different smoking profiles. The volume averaged temperatures and the three-dimensional temperature fields in the heated tobacco section were determined. The results showed that: 1) By comparing a square-puffing profile and a bell-puffing profile, the maximum temperature difference between different positions of the tobacco section was less than 10 ℃, and the maximum relative deviations among the residual contents of the key smoke components were less than 5%. 2) By comparing different puffing volumes (35-55 mL), the maximum temperature difference between different positions of the tobacco section was less than 20 ℃, and the averaged relative deviations of the residual contents for the key smoke components were less than 10%. 3) The volume averaged temperature in the tobacco section of the electrically heated cigarette gradually increased with the puff number and displayed in a zigzag pattern during puffing.


INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative diseases. Amyloid deposits/plaques, one of its characteristic lesions, constitute the main target for diagnostics and therapeutics and have previously been identified in transgenic mouse models of AD using magnetic resonance (MR) microscopy [1,2]. These plaques typically appear as hypointense spots on T2 or T2*-weighted MR images and their sizes range from 50 μm to 200 μm. Plaques from humans are however very different than those of rodents. For example they are less compact and their detection is expected to be much more difficult than those of rodents. As a first step toward imaging amyloid plaques in humans, we evaluated plaques detection in a Primate model (the mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus)) developing spontaneously amyloid plaques [3]. Adult animals weight approximately 100 g and have a brain that measures approximately 23 mm, with a maximum width of 18 mm. These characteristics, added to their phylogenic proximity with humans, make them a promising model to evaluate protocols to detect amyloid plaques in humans. To detect amyloid plaques in mice, some investigators have used targeted contrast agents that selectively bind to amyloid plaques [4]. Such agents are not readily available and cannot yet be clinically used. Various studies demonstrated that a non-targeted contrast agent such as Gadolinium-DOTA (Gd or passive staining protocols) coupled with a very high resolution allows to identify ex-vivo but also in–vivo amyloid deposits in the brains of the transgenic mice [5,6]. Here we demonstrate that this method allows to detect spontaneously occurring amyloid plaques in the brain of aged primates.


Vegetative ultrastructure of the colonial green flagellate Basichlamys sacculifera was examined, with particular regard to the extracellular matrix. Each cell of the colonies was surrounded by a tripartite layer of matrix, the "cellular boundary". This situation, essentially different from that in the Volvocaceae, is similar to that found in the Goniaceae and the Tetrabaenaceae. Cladistic analysis based on morphological data from B. sacculifera and 25 species of the colonial Volvocales suggested that Basichlamys and Tetrabaena constitute a monophyletic group which is sister to the large monophyletic group composed of the Volvocaceae and Goniaceae. The Tetrabaenaceae thus contains these two genera and has a synapomorphy "reticulate zygote walls".


The accuracy of generator dynamic models is critical to the economic planning and secure operation of today's power grid with increasing stochastic and dynamic behavior. This paper proves a novel method of improving generator dynamic models used in stability studies, with higher accuracy and better dynamic performance. The basic structure of the new model is based on the well-established standard second-order generator equivalent circuits, with the innovative method of modeling the loaded generator field current. In-depth theoretical comparison is made between the proposed new model and the state-of-the-art GENTPJ model recently approved by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The performance and accuracy of this new model is demonstrated using field measurement results collected from in-service generator, which outperforms existing stability models implemented in major vendors' software packages.


Five new species of Thrixspermum (Orchidaceae) are described from Thailand, two from sect. Dendrocolla: T. alboluteum (South-West floristic region), T. praetermissum (East); and three from sect. Thrixspermum: T. simile (South-East), T. flammeum (East), T. polystictum (East). Descriptions, illustrations, notes on distribution, ecology, phenology, conservation status, and morphological comparisons with allied species are provided. Thrixspermum musciflorum and its variety nilagiricum are reduced to the synonymy of T. formosanum. Thrixspermum album is reduced to the synonymy of T. pulchellum. We select a lectotype and an epitype for T. trichoglottis (Hook.f.) Kuntze and provide a detailed description of this common but so far incompletely known species.


Keynes advocated for an increase in the size of government spending, as the surest and easiest way an economy can overcome recession. Government spending is an exogenous variable and should be used as a policy tool or instrument for growth.This study attempts to test this postulation made by Keynes on public expenditure being an exogenous variable in the growth-public expenditure model, and as a growth driver, ascertaining its applicability to the Nigerian situation. Secondary Data was sourced and analyzed using a Vector Error Correction Model. Pre-estimation test was done to determine the stationarity and co-integration status of the variables. The VEC result showed that there is a no long run causality between government expenditure and economy growth, thus refuting the applicability of this Keynesian hypothesis in Nigeria. However, the short run test for causality affirmed that capital expenditure caused growth in the short run while recurrent expenditure does not cause growth in both the long and short-run. The study concluded that Keynes postulation of public expenditure being used as a tool for economic growth is not justified for Nigeria in the long-run but can be accepted in the short-run. It was therefore recommended that for the economy to experience rising growth over time which would spur them into economic development, government must increase the participation level of the private sector, and reduce its participation in economic activities to the barest minimum. Government should also channel its expenditure into ensuring peace and security of lives and properties, and provision of public goods.
Keywords: Growth Driver; Keynes hypothesis; Nigeria; Public spending; Vector Error Correction Model.


Objective: to identify the scientific evidence on Patient Safety (PS) in intravenous therapy in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Method: integrative review conducted in the Theses Database Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination (CAPES) and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Quality of Care and Patient Safety (PROQUALIS) portal. Results: there were 21 productions, seven studies cited to intravenous therapy. The studies, categorized into levels of evidence 1, 2 and 7, include structural, materials and professional performance of the steps of prescription, dispensing, preparation and administration of medications aspects. The productions have low levels of evidence, and therefore do not exhibit strong degree of recommendation. Conclusion: it is believed that the establishment and maintenance of PS in intravenous therapy in ICU greater investment is needed in research with higher levels of evidence and professional preparation to act as the recommended practices. Descriptors: Patient safety, Intensive care, Administration intravenous.


The paper introduces the function and principle of torpedo launching control system test equipment,gives the hardware constitution and software design method of test equipment,analyzes key technology of the design.It provides good mancomputer interface by using LabWindows/CVI as the software development platform.


Evaluation of changes in dry-wet climate is crucial in the context of global climate change to ensure regional water resources, ecosystem stability, and socio-economic development. Long-term daily meteorological data, including temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, wind speed, sunshine duration, and air pressure data from 1680 stations across mainland China from 1971 to 2019, were collected to investigate the temporal and spatial variations in aridity index (AI), precipitation (P), reference evapotranspiration (ET0), and the underlying driving climatic factors. Results indicated that the Northwest, Northeast, and Huang-Huai regions were undergoing significant wetting processes, while the Southwest and Southeast China were undergoing significant drying processes. The changing AI was mainly decided by the changing trends of ET0. For most regions, ET0 has undergone significant increases. The average increasing rate over mainland China was 3.76 mm/10a. Stations with decreasing trends were mainly located in the Tibet Plateau, Huang-Huai, and northern Northeast China. Trends in ET0 were negatively affected by the increasing changes in relative humidity and positively affected by the decreasing changes in wind speed and sunshine duration and the increasing changes in air temperature. Wind speed and relative humidity were found to be the main dominant factors driving the changes in ET0, and their contribution varied with regions. Huang-Huai and northern Northeast China showed a significant downward trend in ET0, mainly driven by the decrease in wind speed, while the increase in relative humidity was the primary contributor to the significant upward trends in ET0 across all other regions in China.


PURPOSE: A pixel circuit, an organic light-emitting device including the same, and an operating method for the device are provided to simplify a circuit structure by omitting an operating circuit for changing a power voltage by operating the device in a simultaneous light emitting mode. CONSTITUTION: A pixel unit(20) is connected with a cross spot of a data line(Dm) and a scan line(Sn). The pixel unit receives a first power voltage(ELVDD) and a second power voltage(ELVSS) which are direct currents(DC). The pixel unit includes an operating transistor(Mdr), a first transistor(M1), a second transistor(M2), a first capacitor(C1), and a second capacitor(C2). An organic light-emitting diode(OLED) is connected with the pixel unit. A light-emitting control transistor(M3) is connected between the pixel unit and the organic light-emitting diode.


There are many scenarios that require the combination of different types of metadata. For instance, let us imagine the case of three different metadata-databases describing the elements from a library (books, reports and other kinds of documents), events (movies, theatres, recitals, etc) and geographic data (maps, satellite images, etc) respectively. These databases could be integrated into systems that provide specialized high-level services such as tourist information (events and publications can be linked with data for travelling to a tourist destination) or cultural-information (publications can be linked to an event, and it could be useful to provide maps for accessing the places where the event occurs). However, the metadata stored in the different databases are not compatible each other because they must conform to a specific domain standard (e.g. USMARC for library, Dublin Core for events and ISO 19115 for geographic data). One flexible and efficient way for developing these high-level services could be the use of metadata-crosswalks to unify the metadata-access (search and retrieval) methods. The implementation of these crosswalks should be done using emergent technologies like XML and XSL. In the aforementioned scenario, the use of these technologies would provide the mechanism for employing the same methods to query the three databases. This paper will present a metadata crosswalk-based approach for integrating services to search geographic and non-geographic data in a homogeneous way.


The axial and transverse vibration experiments to a wedged-ring joint structure are carried out at various power spectrum density (PSD) values. The theoretic model used to predict dynamic responses of the structure at higher PSD values is built according to the experimental data obtained from the experiments at lower PSD values, and then the vibration transfer curves of measurement points are constructed using the vibration transfer model. Based on the analysis of experimental and theoretic response spectrum curves, and fundamental frequencies as well at various PSD values, the relation between response frequencies and random load spectrum values are studied, and the soft nonlinearity of the structure is found and verified. To the axial random vibrations, the theoretic peaks at fundamental frequencies predicted are moderately fit with experimental ones even PSD up to a higher value. To the transverse random vibrations, the theoretic peaks at measurement points on the lower cylinder are well fit with the experimental ones, while for measurement points on the upper cylinder, the peaks predicted by the transfer model are smaller than those obtained by tests, which suggests that the nonlinearity in the joint of the wedged-ring joint structure has an obvious magnification effect, and such effect increases with increasing PSD values.


Unmmatter Plasma is a novel form of plasma, exclusively made of matter and its antimatter counterpart. It was first generated in the 2015 experiment [1, 2] based on the 2004 considerations [3]. Unmatter is formed by combinations of matter and antimatter that bound together, or by long-range mixture of matter and antimatter forming a weakly-coupled phase.


. Background. Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests that vitamin D is involved in many functions of the reproductive system. Considering the potential link between vitamin D and human fertility, authors performed this review summarizing current literature on vitamin D and possible mechanisms explaining the link of vitamin D with androgen metabolism in men. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview on the effects of vitamin D on androgen metabolism in men. Methods. Author performed a systematic literature search in


Recently, Web-based contents distribution services have become more important in mobile communications, including the telematics field. In current Web-based systems, a thin client-server model is a mainstream in which application processes are centralized and executed at servers. However, as the volume of data increases and higher quality of service is demanded, it becomes a significant problem how to provide such services from servers to users through wireless links which are not always available. In order to resolve the problem for contents distribution services to mobiles, a thick client-server model, in which processes are distributed and executed at clients, is considered to be effective. We propose and discuss a Web-based thick client-server model applicable to telematics services. A mechanism for a data distribution and management system is described, which is necessary for Web-based content distribution. An experimental platform is built, and the proposed mechanism is implemented and evaluated on it. According to experimental results, the proposed method, in which meta data is separated from content data and transferred to clients through different routes, achieves sufficient performance for these services.


Error correcting codes are essential to digital communication system design required exchange and processing of large volumes of data. In this paper, we give an improved encoding and decoding scheme for cellular automata based double error correcting code.


Yesterday's by-election in Feltham and Heston saw one of the lowest by-election turnouts in recent years. And while Labour's superior efforts on the ground to increase turnout in the Labour-loyal areas of the constituency were effective, Lewis Baston argues that in light of other recent by-elections, the result does not signify a significant swing back to Labour nationally


Pupae of the house fly, Musca domestica L., when exposed to single doses of X-rays, varying between 10,000 to 30,000 rad, show a correlation between dosage and emergence. At 10,000 and 15,000 rad 90.1 % to 73.9% of the flies, respectively, emerge. This figure declines to 42.5% at 20,000 and 19.5% at 30,000 rad. The number of flies dying in the pupal stage correspondingly increases with an increase in radiation dose. The implications of these results are discussed.


Several spectrometer upgrades are planned for future phases of the AMBER (NA66) experiment at CERN. Among these upgrades, the replacement of some aging Multi-Wire Proportional Chambers has motivated a R&D program to develop a Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector and its front-end electronics. The results of testing the first small Micromegas prototype with the TIGER-based front-end are presented.


A reduction in pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD),which synthesizes GABA, is reported in a 3 month-old infant with seizures responsive to pyridoxine treated at University of California, Davis.


In some ways, the neonatal period may be regarded as an extension of the intrauterine period. As then, the young are nutritionally dependent on what the mother may provide in that growth rate may be still limited by maternal nutrition. It is true that there is an additional constraint, the capacity of the neonate to take what is offered. Nevertheless, growth may be very similar in late pregnancy and in the early post-natal period. This may be seen if we compare typical growth in the piglet and the lamb, from about 50 d of pregnancy over the next 100 or 80 days (Fig. I). The two rates are quite similar if we ignore the fact that term for the pig is about I 15 d and for the sheep 147 d. The comparison may be extended from the findings of Hodge (1974). He compared piglets and lambs given milk artificially, from 5-50 d after birth. The most striking difference was that the voluntary feed intake (per unit metabolic


A 14-year-old boy attended our services for orthopaedic evaluation due to the development of multiple enchondromatous lesions. Clinical examination of the hands revealed painless swollen digits of asymmetric lengths (figure 1). Plain film radiographs demonstrated extensive bilateral expansile lytic lesions of metacarpals and phalanges with diffuse matrix calcification resulting in cortical thinning, which is in keeping with Ollier's disease (figure 2). With no features concerning for malignancy in the hands, this patient is being followed up annually …


Using the example of the two-dimensional (2D) Ising model, we show that in contrast to what can be done in configuration space, the tensor renormalization group formulation allows one to write exact, compact, and manifestly local blocking formulas and exact coarse-grained expressions for the partition function. We argue that similar results should hold for most models studied by lattice gauge theorists. We provide exact blocking formulas for several 2D spin models [the O(2) and O(3) sigma models and the SU(2) principal chiral model] and for the three-dimensional gauge theories with groups Z(2), U(1) and SU(2). We briefly discuss generalizations to other groups, higher dimensions and practical implementations.


methionine in its protein is derived from that in the red-cell globin. 2. The conversion by P. knowle8i of [35S]methionine into [35S]cystine has been shown to occur in vitro, and this provides a source of cystine sulphur for the parasite in addition to that already present in the haemoglobin and glutathione of the erythrocyte. Some estimates of the extent to which these sources contribute to the cystine requirement of the parasite have been made. 3. Under identical in vitro conditions it was found that the uptake of DL-[35S]methionine by parasitized erythrocytes was markedly greater than that of DL-[35S]cysteine. 4. The amounts of methionine and cystine present in the haemoglobin of a monkey erythrocyte are respectively 6-0 and 2-4 times that found in the protein of a mature parasite. The implications of this observation to the nutrition of the parasite have been discussed.


This study aimed to produce pasta of high nutritional quality, using as a basis the mixture of three materials biofortified: rice, beans and wheat. For the production of pasta a central compound rotational experiment to evaluate the effect of moisture and the percentage of bean flour on the quality of rice flour pasta was used. The best results (greater increase in weight and volume and shorter cooking time) were obtained in the treatments T4 (36% moisture, 9% beans, 21% rice), T8 (34% moisture, 9.9% beans, 20, 1% rice) and T9-13 (34.5% moisture, 5.5% beans, rice 24.5%). The selected treatments showed very similar technological characteristics of the control pasta (100% refined wheat flour), with the difference in chemical composition, where it could be seen the increase in nutrient density with the addition of bean flour and polished rice in the formulation.


S OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL PAEDIATRIC CONFERENCE, SYDNEY, MAY 14-18,1978. Paediatric Prioritles in Papua New Guinea Frank Shann Goroka Base Hospital, Papua New Guinea Children in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and other developing countries have a high mortality from common infectious diseases, rather than from exotic tropical diseases. Major causes of death in PNG children are pneumonia, diarrhoea and meningitis often exacerbated by malnutrition, malaria and the short birth interval. Enteritis necroticans (pigbel) is an important cause of death in PNG Highlands children. About 90% of PNG people live in rural areas and have a high mortality from common infectious diseases that can be controlled by simple inexpensive means. Yet, despite this, health services often reflect the Australian hospital pattern, providing high cost curative medicine to the small urban elite. Even Rural Health Centres run by paramedical workers tend to function in practice as mini-hospitals, providing curative services for people living in the immediate area. Child Health Nurse patrols from Health Centres are often infrequent, irregular and appear to village mothers to be irrelevant. Even Aid Posts are too remote from many villages, and the orderly is often poorly motivated and poorly supervised. The highest priority in PNG medicine is to devise the means to deliver health care to rural villages, particularly for the major causes of death. Village people must be trained to prevent and treat the common diseases themselves. Village dispensers already give weekly malaria prophylaxis successfully to children in coastal Madang Province. It is planned to train Highlands mothers to give intramuscular procaine penicillin to cases of pneumonia. Perhaps oral fluids for diarrhoea, nutrition education, family planning and scabies treatment could be added later. Research is needed into the common causes of death, rather than more work on interesting exotica. Evaluation is needed of the aetiology of pneumonia; the place of pneumococcal vaccine; the effect of improved village water supplies on diarrhoea; and the use of Clostridium welchii type C beta toxoid, that has been shown to protect against pigbel. But the first priority is to apply the knowledge that we already have at the village level. PNG does NOT need better equipped hospitals and more visiting international experts. We must concentrate on common diseases in rural areas, rather than high-powered medicine for the few in urban centres. The challenge to doctors in PNG is to plan, to organise, to teach, and to teach others to teach rather than to concentrate on treating individual patients. Health Problems in Aboriginal Children A. C. Walker Department of Paediatrics, Darwin Hospital The health problems of Aboriginal children are broadly similar to those of children in underdeveloped communities in other parts of the world. The major causes of mortality after the neonatal period are malnutrition, diarrhoea1 disease and respiratory infections while intestinal parasitism and chronic suppurative otitis media produce stunting of growth, chronic ill health and learning difficulties in children in the school situation already handicapped by cultural differences. The neonatal mortality rate is high and this is associated with deficient antenatal care, maternal ill health and a high incidence of low birth weight infants. Venereal disease is increasingly seen in children and petrol sniffing is practised by as many as 50% of school age children in some areas. Some clinical differences in the spectrum of disease in Aboriginal children compared with other groups in other parts of the world will be discussed. The involvement of many health professionals and the per capita expenditure of large sums of money on health has resulted in significant improvement in mortality rates, and increasing confidence of Aboriginal parents in hospitals and their staff but much remains to be achieved. Promotion of Foetal Health in the Eighties , Gillian Turner The Prince of Wales Children's Hospital, Randwick The most important period of growth in the human is intrauterine. The maximal rate of growth is determined by genetic factors and maternal constraining factors. The maximal rate of cell division may be reduced by variations of the metabolic milieu of the foetal tissue culture medium. These may lea've a permanent imprint on the end product. The various factors which may alter rates of cell division and


The present empirical study scrutinizes the use of short stories via computer technologies in teaching and learning English language. The objective of the study is two-fold: to examine how short stories could be used through computer programs in teaching and learning English and to collect data about students' perceptions of this technique via semi-structured face-to-face interview. In the scope of the present study, three different computer programs (Jing, Screencast, and Instant Messaging) and three short stories (A Dead Woman's Secret by Guy de Maupassant, Eveline by James Joyce, Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway) were used in order to shed light on the aforementioned objectives. During this approximately three-month long study, 35 ELT students studying at a state university in Turkey carried out a number of prereading/writing, while-reading/writing, and post-reading/writing activities and tasks suggested by different scholars in the field. The content analysis of the 12 semi-structured interviews revealed that the implementation of short stories through computers in language classrooms have some very positive effects on learners' language learning process: drawing attention, raising curiosity, cooperation and giving/receiving feedback, improving reading and writing skills, and increasing L2 motivation.


This work presents a simple and versatile approach for the growth of in-situ contacted single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and subsequent improvement of the contacts using a self-aligned process. We investigated the conditions for the thermal CVD growth of SWCNTs and developed a variety of multilayered metal systems for SWCNT growth at temperatures between 650 °C and 900 °C. The catalytically active layers were either an Fe/Mo bilayer or a Co layer. Further, we report that some of the multilayer systems presented allow lithography free contact improvement by electroless metal deposition.


A two day lecture series by Prof . Yi Qian from the department of Computer & Electrical Engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cellular based V2XCommunicationsA discussion on recent development and challenges on 4G LTE and 5G mobile wireless network to support efficient V2X communications. Data Driven Network Intell igence for Anomaly Detection A talk on summarizing the current development and challenges of network intell igence for anomaly detection. 1 .


This article is a development of research published by the authors (Wood and Fowlie, 2010) and explores the role of relationships and social networks within a social marketing approach to community communications in the UK. An understanding of their importance and value in delivering cost-effective customer-oriented services has grown significantly in the current political climate of cost cutting and 'Big Society'. Specifically, it evaluates the effectiveness of using innovative communications channels – with community communicators playing a central role – to increase trust and positive perceptions of local government amongst resident networks in the London Boroughs of Sutton, Havering and Bexley. The article aims to provide practitioners with practical suggestions to address these issues.


Review of the crystallization histories suggested by the chemical, crystallographic, morphological, and paragenetic relationships observed in pyroxenes from basalts collected on the Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, and Luna 16 missions. Although the final stages of lunar basalt crystallization appear to be rapid near-surface events, the initial stages are shown to vary considerably among the different basalt types.


In Macedonian traditional culture the concept of "witchcraft", is on the one hand connected to the supernatural world, i.e. with supernatural beings, but on the other hand, it is connected to the ordinary people of this world. The witchcraft which is connected to the supernatural world usually occurs at night or at the borders between night and day. In terms of space, it most often takes place near boundaries, that is at the edge of or outside the village, in the forest, near water. Thus, people who find themselves in a forbidden place at the wrong time of day can be punished by these supernatural beings. The following are demonic beings in Macedonian traditional culture that occupy liminal places: самовили in people's beliefs they are imagined as invisible, very beautiful women, with long hair and dressed in long white shirts, demons of fate (наречници, нави), vampires (вампири), ghosts (караконџул/ караконџула), and demonic personifications of illnesses (чума, колера/ кулера, треска, etc.). The second category of witchcraft is connected to the ordinary people of this world, i.e. "social" beings. In traditional culture, all aspects of people's lives, their illnesses, unexpected deaths, and their successes and failures were believed to be the result of the work of magic. Accordingly, there are entire sets of terms to distinguish those people who are able to cast "spells", and they are known as witches маѓешници, маѓосници, мамници, презимачки, вештерки and those who are able to "break" them, known as healers, spell-chasers, fortunetellers, conjurers бајачи/ки, народни исцелители, кушачки, etc. On the territory of Macedonia, the greatest condemnation was reserved for spells put on people's health and life, which were the most important values in traditional culture. The next level of condemnation fell upon the magical appropriation of corn or milk, the two most profitable branches of traditional economy. In Macedonia, the people who "perform" magic were believed to be exclusively women. There are no folk narratives about men doing magic, though such are known in many parts of the world. Also, in Macedonian lexicology, the terms reserved for those who cast spells are always feminine: маѓешница/и, маѓосница/и, мамница/и, презимачка/и, вештера/ки etc. The


Previous study has shown the effectiveness of twisted morphing wing with a double-cylinder structure. The purpose of this study was to obtain the knowledge on the appropriate cross-sectional shape of the outer cylinder in the double cylinder structure in order to achieve high bending rigidity and low torsional rigidity simultaneously. The theoretical formulas about the bending and torsional multi-beam structure in the outer cylinder were derived. The effectiveness of the theoretical formulas was demonstrated by comparing with the numerical simulation using solid elements. It was observed from the results that high bending rigidity and low torsional rigidity can be achieved by having the aspect ratio of the cross-sectional shape far from 1. Finally, in order to obtain knowledge on the cross-sectional shape that can achieve high bending rigidity and low torsional rigidity, Pareto front was investigated. As a result, it was found that the aspect ratio of the cross-sectional shape should be set smaller than 1 after the beam length was set appropriately.


By a brief introduction to ISO9000,This article focuses itself on the opportunity and challenge facing China's hotelindustry since China's entry into WTO, The author puts forward the most important condition for the sustainable development of hotel industry is integration with international practices,i.e.adoption of ISO9000. Meantime,The author expounds the main points for hotel industry while implementing ISO9000.


Lead salt materials are of high interest for midinfrared optical emitters and detectors for molecular spectroscopy. The IV-VI narrow gap semiconductors have a multivalley band structure with band extrema at the L point of the Brillioun zone. Due to the favorable mirrorlike band structure, the nonradiative Auger recombination is reduced by one or two orders of magnitude below that of narrow gap III-V and II-VI semiconductor compounds1. The photoluminescence in the midinfrared range for PbSe film structures, excited by a semiconductor laser diode, is investigated. The PbSe films were prepared by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) using an electron gun. A PbSe crystal doped with 0.1 at% Bi was used as a source for the fabrication of thin layers. Starting from the assumption that the rate of nucleation is a predominate factor in determining grain size, thin films were fabricated on substrates that had been maintained at various temperatures of deposition process2. Amorphous glass and Kapton polyimide film was used as substrate. The growth rate was 0.2 nm/s. Films were thermally treated at high oxygen pressure in a heated encapsulated system. Microstructure has been studied using XRD, AFM and HRSEM. For PbSe structures photoluminescence at temperature as high as 300 K is demonstrated.


If every finitely generated subalgebra of an algebra A has a property P , then A is said to have P as a local property. In this paper we study classes L(K) and M(K), where K is a class of unary algebras, L(K) consists of all algebras such that every finitely generated subalgebra is in K, and M(K) is the class of all algebras with every monogenic subalgebra in K. In particular, the cases where K is a variety, a generalized variety or a pseudovariety, are considered. It is also shown that the monogenic closure of a variety or a pseudovariety equals the regularization of the class. Finally, we note that some of our central concepts are derived from the theory of finite automata and hence many of the results can be interpreted in that theory. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 08A60, 03C05, 08B99, 68Q70


: Numerical study of flow through artificial macro-porous structure is presented. The Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach with dynamic sub-grid scale model were performed using opensource software-OpenFOAM. The porous structure is created using an array of blocks. The effect of porosity of the artificial structure on turbulence properties is investigated.


Food safety was related to public health. The substances were included in food such as pesticide,veterinarian,organic pollution,microbial,natural toxins and genetically modified food components. The inspection methods and techniques for these materials were briefly introduced. In addition,the development direction of China's food inspection were given.


Abstract The literature shows that integrating tourism management with place governance practices is conducive to harmony and development in urban areas. However, protected areas face peculiar governance and management challenges. This article offers an in-depth study of the governance of the Peneda-Gerês National Park in Portugal. We model the incentive structure of some of its stakeholders through game theoretical techniques and find that early phases were not conducive to cooperation among relevant stakeholders, potentially leading to outcomes that were less than optimal, both to them and to the park. The most recent, co-management, model seems much more promising.


A protein with long polypeptide chain always folds into more than one distinct, compact globular regions that have been designated as domains. Being one of the structural hierarchy, domain is a structural level situating in between secondary and tertiary structure. It is a basic unit to compose three dimensional structure of protein, to execute the biological function as well as to fold a functional protein. As structural modules, domains may have advantage to compose complex proteins during the process of protein evolution by insertion, deletion and excising. Studies on the structure and interaction of domains can throw light on the study of the relationship between protein structure and function and the design of novel proteins.


PURPOSE: To optimumly infer a sleeping sense so that agreeable awakening is brought on in the case an alarm is operated by detecting living body information such as a body motion, a heart beat and breathing, etc., of a sleeper, and deriving the sleeping sense of the sleeper from its detecting signal. CONSTITUTION: A piezoelectric element 2 formed like a tape by forming a high polymer piezoelectric material such as polyvinylidene fluoride, etc., in a shape of a thin film and sticking a flexible electrode film to both faces is fixed to the surface of a mattress, and the piezoelectric element 2 is deformed by a minute body motion by propagation of a heart beat action of the human body on bedding, and a rough body motion such as turning-over in sleep, etc. An output signal which follows the deformation of this piezoelectric element 2 is inputted to a comparing means 6 through a filter 3, an amplifying means 4 and a smoothing means 5, and from generation frequency of the rough body motion decided thereby, a sleeping sense such as sleep is light or heavy is inferred by a sleeping sense output means 7. Also, by operating an alarm, etc., at an optimal time when a sleeper does not feel sleepy, he is awakened, and also, by using a neural network, learning for inferring a sleeping sense is executed. COPYRIGHT: (C)1993,JPO&Japio


BACKGROUND: Growth plate regeneration offers the potential to restore longitudinal bone growth in pediatric patients, but the success of this approach depends upon recapitulating the columnar architecture of the native growth plate. Although the identity of some of the critical factors regulating growth plate column formation have been suggested through studies of transgenic mice, previous investigators have no succeeded in regenerating columnar growth plate tissue in vivo. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that activation of the Wnt Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling pathway in growth plate chondrocytes cultured as three-dimensional cell pellets would promote morphogenesis of columnar growth plate architecture in vitro.


We give two weaknesses of a recently proposed streamcipher MICKEY. We show time-memory-data tradeoff is applicable. We also show that the state update function reduces entropy of the internal state as it is iterated, resulting in keystreams that start out differently but become merged together towards the end.


The paper deals with design thinking concept in education. Design orientation has been identified as a factor integrating decisions at different levels of an organization, involving customers (Bloch et al., 2003; Moll et al., 2007). It represents an organizational vision and includes the set of conscious, reflective and creative ways of conceiving, planning and artful making of products and services that generate value for customers and enable them to engage in their individual or social endeavors, whether these are utilitarian, functional, material, communicative, symbolic, or experiential (Venkatesh et al., 2012). It can also be described as a managerial strategic approach based on choosing design as a source of competitive advantage (Borja de Mozota, 2003). Previous studies also point out that design oriented companies are more open to creative managerial design thinking. The methodology of solving problems through design thinking methods has been accepted from business, where numerous organizations used it to increase their innovativeness and business success, to educational system where some of the leading design, as well as business schools adopted it as a teaching method. Design thinking methodology is human-centered, open-minded and integrative. The benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach and design thinking in business have been specially recognized among influential educational institutions in the world (USA, Europe, South Korea, China). However, design thinking as a new managerial approach is still not implemented enough as a course in educational programs of Croatian schools and universities.


Abstract This paper presents the in-plane shear moduli of three-dimensionally (3D) woven angle interlock composites with different proportions of through the thickness binder content. The in-plane shear modulus Gxy was determined via three techniques: the plate twist test, the V notched beam Iosipescu (ASTM D 5379) and the V notched rail shear (ASTM D 7078) test. The results indicate that the plate twist method is suitable for the measurement of in-plane shear modulus for different 3D weave architectures with large repeat unit cells, and that the measurement is more representative of the global material response.


This study was intended to investigate the effects of regular swimming exercise and vitamin C supplementation on the antioxidant system following exercise stress. For the swimming exercise experiment, a swimming adaptation exercise of 1 week was given to a group of 6-week-old mice. Following this, a swimming exercise for 8 weeks was conducted. The experimental group was divided into 3: a control group (C), a swimming exercise trained group (T), and a group of swimming+vitamin C supplementation (TC: vitamin supplementation: 1.3 mg/100 g diet). After the swimming exercise, these group were further divided into those that had received the exercise stress for 2 hours and those that had not experienced exercise stress group. Then, the activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were measured. There was a lower weight increase in the T and TC groups than in the C group, and there was no significant difference between T and TC group. When exercise stress was not experienced, the activity of SOD was significantly increased in the TC group than in the T group, but there was no significant difference between C and T groups. The groups that had experienced a 2-hour exercise stress showed the SOD activity levels according to the following order, C<T< TC, with a significant difference between the three groups (p<0.05). There was no difference in MDA concentration amongst the experimental groups in non-exercise stress group. As well, there was no differences in MDA concentration between the C group and T group in the 2 hour exercise stress group. However, the TC group showed a MDA concentration level significantly lower than that of the T group. A significant increase in MDA concentration was observed in C group, when exercise stress was provided with no significant difference in the T and TC groups. As a result, regular exercise and vitamin C supplementation can be considered important in controlling the formation of lipid peroxides in exercise stress.


In discussing the issues on boundary, this study defined the boundary as contact point of physical and psychological sphere crossed with the two different world and divide them into visible boundary and invisible boundary distributed in the traditional residence of three countries. This study progress the study in revealing their peculiarity and identity in the sense of utilization of architecture equipment and in the way of mixture between visible and invisible ones. The issues on comparing residential cultures in three countries of Korea, China and Japan as representing countries in east Asia is required to extract identity of Korean residential culture. So, this study tried to compare the sense of boundary of traditional residence in three countries since modern ages and put the purpose of our dissertation on analyzing their own value system toward residence attitude, which was not only accumulated in their own residential culture and was but also shared with oriental reasonability under the wide umbrella of east Asia residential culture.


Adding new stories and strengthening old buildings is a new industry.The light gauge steel structure can efficiently minimize the influence of story adding loads and has many obvious advantages.The application and research are introduced and some key problems are discussed in this paper.Some predictions of further development and application prospect of light gauge steel in story adding structure are presnted in the last section.


We generalize the notion of choice number from graphs to hypergraphs and estimate the sharp order of magnitude of the choice number of random hypergraphs. It turns out that the choice number and the chromatic number of a random hypergraph have the same order of magnitude, almost surely. Our result implies an earlier bound on the chromatic number of random hypergraphs, proved by Schmidt [23] using a different method.


The present study aimed at studying the food security situation with respect to macro, socio-economic and consumption factors prescribed by FAO and to develop a policy prescription for attaining food security in Andhra Pradesh. The results revealed the problem of calorie deficiency, the declining per capita consumption, increase in the non-farming population in Andhra Pradesh, stagnant value addition by agriculture in total GDP, reduced purchasing power, declined access to food in rural areas, increased flexibility available with the government to spend on welfare programmes to increase availability, access and absorption and consequently on food security. Inequality in consumption expenditure, the alarming increase in general price level, the diversion of agricultural land to other nonagricultural uses reduced public investment in irrigation when compared to private investment were identified.


'There are no facts,' as Nietzsche is famously quoted as saying, 'only interpretations.' In scholarly publishing, though, the question of who is able to perform that interpretation has historically been straightforward. Facts are formed through experimentation, research, and data collection. Only then does the interpretation of which Nietzsche speaks begin in earnest. In the traditional system, fact-formers (i.e. those who interpreted collected information) and fact-finders (i.e. those who performed the actual collection of information) have been one and the same. The open data movement seeks to tweak this convention by exposing the raw building blocks to a much wider audience. The result, advocates hope, will be new and unexpected interpretation, debate, and follow-up research that will advance human knowledge. Experimental data – defined here as the raw bits of information from which scientific conclusions are drawn – have been around since cavemen explored the relative combustive properties of wood versus bone. While the open data movement has its detractors,1 there is an emerging consensus within academia that some sharing of data is desirable. A number of important technical and philosophical developments have combined in the past 10–15 years to bring the open data argument into the mainstream:


Information retrieval is an important activity especially for cross-language environment. When the knowledge is represented by some means/method, it will be easy to retrieve the information. So, to represent knowledge ontology is a rich source, which may give better approach for information retrieval especially for cross language searching. There are various approaches to build ontology like using protégé toolkit, form decision tree data, or defining some mapping rules for the database with ontology terms. These approaches are either time consuming or complex. In this paper, proposed an approach to build ontology from relational database with some additional rules, which can be used for cross language information retrieval. The ontology can be build dynamically as per user's need, which will give overall knowledge domain to the user. The domain to build ontology is Grocery shop. The proposed system shows good results.


Constraints on models of the late time acceleration of the universe assume the cosmological principle of homogeneity and isotropy on large scales. However, small scale inhomogeneities can alter observational and dynamical relations, affecting the inferred cosmological parameters. For precision constraints on the properties of dark energy, it is important to assess the potential systematic effects arising from these inhomogeneities. In this study, we use the Type Ia supernova magnitude-redshift relation to constrain the inhomogeneities as described by the Dyer-Roeder distance relation and the effect they have on the dark energy equation of state (w), together with priors derived from the most recent results of the measurements of the power spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations. We find that the parameter describing the inhomogeneities (η) is weakly correlated with w. The best fit values w = −0.933 ± 0.065 and η = 0.61 ± 0.37 are consistent with homogeneity at < 2 σ level. Assuming homogeneity (η =1), we find w = −0.961 ± 0.055, indicating only a small change in w. For a time-dependent dark energy equation of state, w0 = −0.951 ± 0.112 and wa = 0.059 ± 0.418, to be compared with w0 = −0.983 ± 0.127 and wa = 0.07 ± 0.432 in the homogeneous case, which is also a very small change. We do not obtain constraints on the fraction of dark matter in compact objects, fp, at the 95% C.L. with conservative corrections to the distance formalism. Future supernova surveys will improve the constraints on η, and hence, fp, by a factor of ∼10.


The response of the thymus to steroids has been of use for diagnosis and therapy. However, the results have been somewhat variable. The subject of this report is a patient with a thymoma who was observed for 20 months and exhibited complete disappearance of the mass on low dosage of prednisone. The tumor recurred when steroid therapy was withdrawn. Response to the administration of steroids is of no help in separating, with certainty, normal thymus from thymoma, or benign thymoma from the malignant variety.


The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of Fartlek training and Sand running on the performance of long distance runner. Forty five male athletes of the Inter College Level of Kalyani University, Nadia, West Bengal were randomly selected as subjects for the study. The age of the subjects was 18 to 25 years. Fartlek training and sand running were employed for this study. The score obtained from the cooper's 12 minutes run/walk test considered the criterion measure for the study. To find out the difference between initial and final performance and to compare the achievement of the three groups (two experimental group and one control group) the analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) was adopted and the level of significance chosen as 0.05 level of confidence. The result showed that the two experiment methods (Fartlek training and sand running) proved to be effective in improving performance of cardio-vascular endurance. It also observed that the Fartlek training method was significantly better than the Sand running method.


This study was carried out to examine causes of slow completion among postgraduate students of the Information Studies Programme at the University of Dar es Salaam. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. It involved 61 respondents, including 56 postgraduate students involved in a questionnaire survey and 5 lecturers interviewed. Findings revealed that the majority of students took more than the university-stipulated time to complete their studies. Factors responsible include students' failure to comprehend comments from supervisors, poor relationships between students and supervisors, multiple roles and a poor research environment. Incompetence in research skills and financial constraints were also noted to contribute to slow completion. The study concludes that slow completion among students is not a function of a single factor. Addressing these factors is critical in enhancing the timely completion of studies. Accordingly, this study recommends that the programme should create supportive learning environment for its students such that learning outcomes are improved.


A processing system is provided. The processing system includes a first processing unit coupled to a first memory and a second processing unit coupled to a second memory. The second memory comprises a coherent memory and a private memory that is private to the second processing unit.


In this article, we demonstrate that both optical diffraction patterns and numerically-computed Fourier Transforms from High Resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM) images can present spurious reflections which do not correspond to real periodic fringes, but are rather artifacts produced under specific condictions. Based on Fourier analysis, we have studied those conditions


ABSTRACT Many different types of ripple-drift cross-lamination occur in juxtaposition on the gently sloping foresets of a late Wisconsin kame delta near Concord, Massachusetts. A morphological classification is proposed, based on the two end members of a complete sequence of forms. Type A ripple-drift cross-lamination is characterized by non-preservation of stoss-side laminae, and hence consists only of climbing sets of lee side laminae. Sinusoidal ripple lamination (new term) consists of a series of ripples with symmetrical, sine-wave profiles and continuous laminae across the ripple system. One intermediate type (B) is defined between these two end members; the type is characterized by climbing sets of lee side laminae and by preservation of sandy stoss side laminae. The morphological classi ication is extended into a genetic classification, based upon the ratio of sediment fallout from suspension to sediment moved as bed load. Type A represents dominant bed-load movement, and sinusoidal ripple lamination represents dominant fallout from suspension. The cross-lamination described in the paper originated from density underflows of sediment-laden meltwater flowing into a glacial lake. The different types of ripple-drift cross-lamination are attributed here to small fluctuations in the current velocity, and to variations in the composition and concentration of suspended sediment. It is believed that at times of high fallout from suspension, the presence of fines stabilized the lake floor, and sinusoidal ripple lamination was formed. Flume experiments on the formation of sinusoidal ripple lamination tend to confirm this conclusion.


The Politics of Liberty in England and Revolutionary America, Lee Ward, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, pp. x, 459. This book is a valuable contribution to scholarship on seventeenth and eighteenth century political thought. It will be of particular interest to those who study theories of natural rights, the relationship between religion and politics, constitutionalism and the American founding. The most commendable quality of Ward's book is its even-handedness. Methodologically, Ward combines a detailed reading of important texts with continuous attention to context, engaging the literature distinctive to both approaches. Interpretively, he treats every author he discusses with generosity, revealing what is most significant and compelling about each of them. Politically, the story he tells corrects narratives that overemphasize the role of either liberalism or republicanism in Anglo-American thought. He follows both traditions as they oppose divine right theory together as rival elements of "radical Whig" thinking, collaborate in the defence of natural liberty, and combine to form the basis of the American regime.


ABSTRACT This paper presents the findings from a study of the learning experiences of a group of undergraduates enrolled in a writing intensive college algebra course. The curriculum of the course included the usual algebra content; however, the daily teaching and learning practices in this course involved extensive writing to learn activities and journal writing. Many of the writing activities were successful in terms of facilitating student comprehension of mathematical content and could easily be incorporated into any math course. Overall the study revealed that the use of words allowed the student writers to gain ownership of the algebraic content.


PANN members are becoming concerned for their futures because of a statutory requirement found on page 50 of the EYFS document. Does this spell the end of nursery nurses and managers?


Ageing represents the greatest risk factor contributing to increased morbidity and mortality in most chronic diseases; it encompasses numerous biological changes resulting in declining physiological function and increasing burden of disease. Whether new biomarkers of ageing and risk scores for predicting physiological outcomes, including mortality, are applicable and more accurate than chronological age in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not clear. So far, the DNA methylation (DNAm) PhenoAge biomarker of ageing (Levine et al. Aging 2018) has not been tested in CKD. While we had no access to DNAm data, we applied the phenotypic age estimate proposed by Levine et al., which was included in their calculations of DNAm PhenoAge, and tested the relationship between estimated phenotypic age (ePhenoAge) and chronological age, respectively, with all-cause mortality in patients with CKD.

 In a cohort of 333 CKD patients (stage 1, n=78; stage 3-4, n=64; and stage 5, n=191) with median age 56 years, 43% females, 24% diabetes (DM), 25% cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 22% malnourished, we estimated age by ePhenoAge, using a formula with calculations based on nine biomarkers and chronological age, and compared this age index with chronological age. Framingham risk score, body composition, nutritional status, handgrip strength, and various biochemical markers (white blood cells, mean cell volume, hemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, glucose, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, intact-parathyroid hormone, triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and interleukin (IL)-6) were recorded. During a median follow-up period of 52 months, 65 patients died, and 111 patients underwent renal transplantation. We used spline curve to illustrate sub-distribution hazard risk (sHR) for all-cause mortality versus increasing ePhenoAge and chronological age respectively as obtained by the Fine and Gray competing risk analysis.

 In univariate analyses, IL-6 (rho=0.49, p<0.001; n=268) and hsCRP (rho=0.37, p<0.001; n=333) were significantly correlated with ePhenoAge. The ePhenoAge remained significantly associated with hsCRP (p=0.02) when adjusted for sex, DM, CVD, nutritional status and CKD stages. The spline curves showing sHR for all-cause mortality derived from multivariate competing risk analysis and adjusted for sex, presence of DM and CVD, hsCRP, nutritional status and CKD stages, showed increased mortality risk with higher chronological age (sHR: 1.08, p<0.001). In contrast, the association of mortality with higher ePhenoAge (sHR: 1.04, p=0.06) was of borderline statistical significance.

 All-cause mortality risk was associated with increasing chronological age in competing risk analysis with adjustments of confounders. A similar trend was observed for ePhenoAge, a finding which to a large extent may be explained by the inflammatory status of the study subjects. However, contrary to expectations, ePhenoAge was not as powerful as chronological age in predicting mortality, underlining that our knowledge about factors influencing phenotypic age in CKD patients is still limited. This should motivate further study of the potential role of other estimates of biological age in CKD.


Experiments on dogs revealed that cardiac vagotomy attenuates, and total cardiac denervation abolishes the effects of digitalis on the functional refractory period of the AV node (FRPAVN). These studies indicate that an anti-adrenergic influence of digitalis contributes importantly to its action on the FRPAVN.


The present work deals with the nonlinear behavior of
plates with unilateral supports within the classic elastic
theory. The analysis is carried out by using a direct formulation through the minimization of the total potential energy functional with restrictions. The introduction of the finite element technique leads to a quadratic programming problem to be solved by Lemke's algoritms.


Glassy materials are metastable systems. They exhibit a tendcncy to
crystalline forming thermodynamically stable phases. The degree of
corrosion is hindered by passivation. Corrosion and passivation of
aluminium, magnesium, zirconium, nickel, iron and chromium bascd alloys
are reviewed. Common alloying elements to these alloys and their mode of
action are discussed.


A case-control study on thrombocytopenia with the Rezept files of Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital has been carried out. The study explored whether the case-control studies are feasible using files of Rezept system maintained in many Japanese hospitals for health insurance billing. Each of the 100 patients with thrombocytopenia was contrasted with one control case, matched for age, sex, in or out-patient, consultation clinic and year of registration. Of 1, 021 products of drugs registered in the files, 40 products (36 drugs) were associated with the disease. Through medical record review, low platelet count was confirmed in 94.6% of inpatients, while only in 26.9% of outpatients. Thirty-one cases of drug-induced thrombocytopenia were identified, and 29 suspected drugs were listed up. On the basis of the analysis of these data, we conclude that the Rezept files be useful in the case-control studies on adverse drug reactions similar to thrombocytopenia in inpatients. The medical records, however, must be reviewed to confirm the date of disease onset and to obtain information not included in the computerized data. J Epidemiol, 1994; 4 : 147-155.


The flat oyster Ostrea edulis is the species endemic from European coasts, Atlantic and Mediterranean. It has been exploited since Roman times in Europe. But its production decreased from around 20000 tons in the 1950ies to 1500 tons nowadays because of two successive diseases due to the intracellular parasites Marteilia refringens and Bonamia ostreae. Since 1985, Ifremer initiated a program of selection to produce families of oysters tolerant to Bonamia. In this context, a further step is to identify QTLs of resistance to this parasite. Therefore, a genetic map is first now being built. The establishment of a genetic linkage map will represent the basement for the mapping of QTLs, with the ultimate objective to implement marker-assisted selection in O. edulis


In this paper, we propose a blind digital multi- watermarking algorithm for the copyright protection and authentication of medical images. When medical images are transmitted and stored in hospitals, strict security, confidentiality and integrity are required to protect from the illegal distortion and reproduction of the medical information. Medical image watermarking requires extreme care when embedding watermark information in the medical images because the additional information must not affect the image quality as this may cause the wrong diagnosis. The proposed algorithm contains one robust watermark for the ownership of the image and two fragile watermarks for checking the authenticity. The first two watermarks are embedded in the wavelet domain, while the third watermark is embedded in the spatial domain. In the proposed algorithm, the medical image is divided into two regions, called the Region of Interest and Region of Non Interest and all the three watermarks are embedded in the Region of Non-Interest. The new medical watermarking technique offers high peak signal to noise ratio and similarity structure index measure values. The technique was successfully tested on a variety of medical images and the experimental results show that the robust watermark survived many intentional and non intentional attacks, while the fragile watermark is sensitive to any slight tampering on the medical images.


Reports on a prototype of a clinical radiograph image database to be indexed by image content. The underlying content-based search engine is based on the modal shape description method for characterizing the shape of a 2-D image region (S.E. Sclaroff, 1995). Using a similarity metric defined in a modal vector space, the authors' system successfully classified radiographic images according to the dental pathologies they depicted. This successful classification demonstrates that the proposed similarity metric effectively captures clinical similarity between images in the database. The prototype is implemented in a Web-based environment, allowing remote users in the field to search a central repository of images. Examples of classification performance and typical queries are provided.


The effect of pretreatment and freezing rate on the quality of lyophilized and subsequently powdered Wakame-Mekabu, sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida, was examined. After washing with sea, fresh and hot water, the kelps were frozen by vacuum freezing, semi-air blast (1m/sec) freezing at an air temperature of -25°C, and freezing on a cold metal plate at -30°C followed by vacuum freeze-drying at a plate temperature of 60°C. These lyophilized kelp powders were compared with the sun-dried powders in regard to viscosity, thread forming property, chlorophyll content and visual assessment of colour. Results are summarized as follows: 1) Viscosity was higher and colour was richer in the wing than in the rib and sporophyll. 2) Blanching by immersion in 75°C hot water for about 5 sec maintained a bright green colour for a long period. 3) The thread forming property tended to increase along with increase in storage time. 4) The product of vacuum freeze-drying was superior to that of the sun-dried product in regard to viscosity, thread forming property and chlorophyll content as well as in visual assessment of colour. 5) The slower the rate of freezing, the higher was the viscosity of the sporophyll.


Twenty-one F1 hybrids that had been used in previous studies, together with their 7 inbred parents, were grown at 5 sites in the southeastern USA where the likelihood of natural contamination by A. flavus was high. Natural contamination was enhanced by spraying conidia of A. flavus on the silks. Aflatoxin contamination showed highly significant differences among genotypes and environments, mean aflatoxin B1 content ranging from 54 to 1788 µg/kg at different sites. The general combining ability mean square for aflatoxin B1 content was significant. Evidence was found for genetic resistance based on factors associated with the outer integuments of developing grains, and with other ear parts. Comparison of relative aflatoxin contents (measured by inbred line means, F1 values per se and estimates of general combining ability effects) with those obtained in earlier studies using the pinboard method of inoculation revealed a negative relationship. The modified natural inoculation method used in this study is considered more reliable than methods involving grain wounding for assessment of field resistance to aflatoxin production


Objective:To develop the Internet Usage Self-Control Scale for College Students (IUSCS-CS) and test its reliability and validity. Methods: Totally 1165 college students were randomly divided into two groups. One group containing 583 subjects was used for exploratory factor analysis, and the other group with 582 subjects was used for confirmatory factor analysis. The Self-Control Scale (SCS) and Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) were used as criterion scales. The coefficients of internal consistency of this scale and the subscales were tested by using data of the 1165 subjects. Results: This scale contained three subscales, namely cognitive, emo? tional and behavioral self-control subscales, each of which had 3 factors. In the confirmatory factor analysis,the scale had sound fit indexes. The total scores and subscroes of IUSCS-CS were positively correlated with the SCS scores (, = 0. 53 -0. 70,Ps 0. 01), and negatively correlated with the CIAS scores (r = - 0. 57 - - 0. 78, Ps 0.01). The coefficients of internal consistency in three subscales and total scale were0.77,0.76,0. 82 and 0.90 re? spectively. Conclusion:It suggests that the Internet Usage Self-Control Scale for College Students (IUSCS-CS) has satisfactory reliability and validity, and it is suitable to measure college students'internet usage self-control.


Graphs are a popular data type found in many domains. Numerous techniques have been proposed to find interesting patterns in graphs to help understand the data and support decision-making. However, there are generally two limitations that hinder their practical use: (1) they have multiple parameters that are hard to set but greatly influence results, (2) and they generally focus on identifying complex subgraphs while ignoring relationships between attributes of nodes. Graphs are a popular data type found in many domains. Numerous techniques have been proposed to find interesting patterns in graphs to help understand the data and support decision-making. However, there are generally two limitations that hinder their practical use: (1) they have multiple parameters that are hard to set but greatly influence results, (2) and they generally focus on identifying complex subgraphs while ignoring relationships between attributes of nodes. To address these problems, we propose a parameter-free algorithm named CSPM (Compressing Star Pattern Miner) which identifies star-shaped patterns that indicate strong correlations among attributes via the concept of conditional entropy and the minimum description length principle. Experiments performed on several benchmark datasets show that CSPM reveals insightful and interpretable patterns and is efficient in runtime. Moreover, quantitative evaluations on two real-world applications show that CSPM has broad applications as it successfully boosts the accuracy of graph attribute completion models by up to 30.68% and uncovers important patterns in telecommunication alarm data.


Since the massive integration of inverter-based resources in the distribution grid especially for residential applications, power quality, and grid stability became two of the most important issues of the electrical system. This paper deals with the grid line impedance impact on these emerging challenges, and their determination complexity and cost. The presented work analyses the impact of the grid impedance parameters uncertainty through a sensitivity study. As a result of this theoretical development, different sensitivity coefficients are obtained to evaluate grid impedance parameters variation effect on the voltage RMS value, the short-circuit ratio, and the network hosting capacity, for different power exchange scenarios in a 15 kVA low voltage distribution line. Simulation results carried out with Matlab software are given to illustrate this sensitivity analysis.


Preliminary investigation is not any more a professional jargon among Korean citizens. Both investigation entity and ordinary citizens differentiate this word from formal investigation and understand it as "investigatory activities to verify the crime information prior to initiating formal investigation made by enforcement entity. However, the word "preliminary investigation" has still been strange to academic circle, and does not find its place even in the Criminal Procedure textbook. In addition, its nature and concept have not been fully established, either. It makes a great difference in its application whether to regard the preliminary investigation as part of investigation or as having different concept or nature. Consideration of it as part of formal investigation would be subject to the strict application of the investigation procedures in Criminal Procedure Law. Currently, preliminary investigation appears to deviate completely from the scope of Criminal Procedure Law. The current practice appears that the investigation entity does not recognize the investigatee`s fundamental defense rights on the grounds that he/she is not booked despite stringent questioning toward him/her. Another problem arises out of conflicts involving directional hierarchy between prosecutors and policemen. While the Criminal Procedure Law requires the policemen to respect investigatory direction of prosecutors, the policemen vigorously refuse to follow the investigatory direction of prosecutors and forward a case to the prosecutors for the reason that it is not an investigation step preceded by booking procedure. While the prosecutors have disrespected the various miranda rights of an investigatee by employing the different concept and nature from formal investigation, the policemen also have imitated the prosecutor`s practices and made every effort to escape from the control and direction of prosecutors. This Paper is intended to analyse the concept and nature of the preliminary investigation and suggest the solutions to this issue. All the disputes involving preliminary and formal investigation find its roots in differentiating the legal nature of them. The simple solutions to this dispute can be easily identified. The author`s solution is the application of common jurisprudence to both investigation by adopting the common legal nature in them. In this way, the investigatee also can entertain the same procedural defense rights which a suspect can be entitled to. Furthermore, if an accusor is qualified to apply for ``petition for adjudication`` or judicial review after internal closing decision, both an accusor and an investigatee can be better protected under Criminal Procedure Law than in different legal standards. For the sake of preventing the disadvantages resulting from the application of same status, the current preliminary investigation practices should be maintained, such as prohibition of investigatory questioning toward an investigatee prior to booking, restriction on fingerprinting and formulation of investigation records, etc.


Trihexanoin is a short-chain triglyceride (SCT). Many studies have reported that SCTs play important roles in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial structure and function. The present work was to investigate the effects of trihexanoin on growth performance, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as intestinal morphology and function in weaned piglets. Twenty weaned piglets (21 ± 2 d) were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: the control group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% soya oil); the TH group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% trihexanoin). Dietary trihexanoin supplementation significantly reduced diarrhea rate (P < 0.05); increased the concentrations of LDL, HDL and total protein, decreased cholesterol concentrations (CHOL) and glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity in plasma (P < 0.05); increased villus height, surface area, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05); altered the mRNA levels and abundances of proteins related to glycogen and fat metabolism (gene LIPE, LPL, PPARG, ACACA, FASN, SLC27A2, INSR, PCK1 and ASS1), mucosal barrier function (protein claudin-1, and occludin), antioxidant capacity (protein HSP70 and gene Nrf2, NOX2 and GSTO2) and water transport capacity (protein AQP3 and gene AQP8 and AQP10) (P < 0.05); altered the gene abundance of intestinal bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Clostridium, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of trihexanoin improved the intestinal function and health of weaned piglets by regulating nutrient metabolism, improving intestinal function of mucosal barrier, transport, absorption and antioxidant, and altering the community of microbiota.


The 'fight or flight' response, involving sympathetic nervous system activation and catecholamine release, is central to survival. Resulting activation of adrenergic receptors (ARs) drives physiological responses, such as positive inotropy, which to date has been attributed solely to β
 1
 -AR/Gs/adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A pathway-activation. We previously demonstrated that overexpression of the α
 1A
 -AR is cardioprotective in rodents in the setting of pathological cardiac stress; a finding in agreement with studies of α
 1A
 -AR inactivation. However, it remains unknown if α
 1A
 -ARs also protect the heart from physiological stress. Using a tamoxifen-inducible, cardiomyocyte-specific α
 1A
 -AR knockdown mouse model, we evaluated cardiac responses to swim exercise. Treatment of adult (8-12 week) mice with 4-OH tamoxifen (Tam) resulted in a 7.4 fold decrease (p<0.001) in cardiac α
 1A
 -AR mRNA levels, with no compensatory changes in expression of β
 1
 -, β
 2
 - or α
 2
 -AR subtypes. A 90 minute, twice daily, four-week swim challenge induced eccentric cardiac hypertrophy, with Tam- and vehicle-treated mice displaying similar increases in heart weight/tibia length (mean increase: 1.4 and 1.6mg/mm, respectively; p<0.001 vs sedentary mice) and left ventricular chamber radius (mean increase: 0.16 and 0.17mm, respectively; p<0.001 vs sedentary mice) with no change in wall thickness. Consistent with physiological hypertrophy,
 Igf-1
 mRNA increased 1.7 and 0.7 fold (p=0.004 vs sedentary mice), respectively, with no increase in
 Nppb
 ,
 Myh7
 or
 Acta1
 mRNA. Cardiac function, assessed by micromanometry and echocardiography, showed increases in dP/dt min/EDV (mean: -117 vs -150 mmHg/s/μL; p=0.011), end-diastolic volume (mean: 76.9 vs 68.0μL; p=0.038) and end-systolic volume (mean: 29.4 vs 21.9μL; p=0.018), as well as a decrease in ejection fraction (mean: 63 vs 68%; p=0.046) in Tam- compared with vehicle-treated mice, respectively. Thus, despite a similar hypertrophic response, mice with cardiomyocyte-specific α
 1A
 -AR inactivation showed an impaired contractile response to a sustained swim challenge. These findings are consistent with cardiomyocyte α
 1A
 -ARs playing an important role in maintaining cardiac contractility in response to physiological stress.


The classification of all living organisms into three major divisions, Archaea (archaebacteria), Bacteria (eubacteria) and Eukarya (eukaryotes), over two decades ago (1) has changed our view of the relationship between nucleated cells (eukaryotes) and those lacking nuclei (archaebacteria and eubacteria). The foundation for this reclassification of living organisms was originally based on molecular phylogenies constructed by using small subunit ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) (see Fig. 1) and has since been confirmed by analyses of numerous biochemical properties, as well as the entire genome sequence of organisms within each division. Converging molecular comparisons of diverse properties of organisms within and between domains have led to the proposal that the eukaryotic cell is a hybrid arising from a host archaeal cell and eubacterial endosymbionts (2–4).


ABSTRACT The prominent method to teach clinical reasoning in preclinical years is case-based discussions. It necessitates hours of sessions. A randomised-controlled study has been conducted to determine whether preclinical students can develop illness scripts only by taking online formative testlets. A pre-test-post-test randomised-controlled design has been utilised. The intervention group (N = 20) answered general surgery questions for 18 days, while the control group (N = 19) received questions regarding urinary tract infections. These testlets were comprised of ContExtended Questions, which is a web-based tool to teach clinical reasoning. The performance was assessed by using Key-Feature Questions. While post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores in the intervention group (p < 0.001), there was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores in the control group (p = 0.30). Taking formative case-based multiple-choice testlets without any additional teaching could assist preclinical students to learn clinical reasoning.


The objective of this research, funded by the Physical Sciences Department of the Gas Research Institute, was to develop criteria for the design of precious-metal catalysts for the complete oxidation of methane. It was found that palladium on high-surface-area gamma alumina is stable in oxidizing environments up to 700 C. Platinum, on the other hand, will agglomerate and volatilize at temperatures in excess of 500 C. The activity of the catalyst for methane oxidation depends both on the composition and structure of the metal crystallites. Palladium is 15 to 60 times more active than platinum. For a given metal, the turnover rates can vary by more than one hundred. Crystallites exposing smooth planes appear to be much more active than those exposing low coordination sites, such as step, edge, corner and defect atoms. The very highest turnover rates for methane oxidation are obtained on large, smooth crystallites of palladium on alumina.


To investigate the mechanism of tissue Fe accumulation in graded Mg deficiency rats were fed on diets of different Mg contents (70, 110, 208, 330, and 850 mg Mg/kg) for 10, 20, and 30 d during rapid growth. There was no significant impact of Mg deficiency or high luminal Mg concentrations on intestinal 59Fe transfer in vitro or in vivo. Plasma Mg concentrations and body weight started to decrease after 10 d. Significant haemolytic anaemia was observed after 20 d with siderosis in liver and spleen developing in parallel. Anaemia showed no features of Fe deficiency or infiammation. Comparison between the 70 mg Mg/kg group and animals that received the same quantity of a Mg-adequate diet (850 mg Mg/kg) permitted estimation of quantities of Fe liberated by haemolysis and the increased Fe content in liver and spleen. Both variables showed a high degree of correlation, indicating that the excess of liberated haemoglobin Fe was stored in the tissue. The erythropoietic activity was high during rapid growth, i.e. at days 10 and 20 and decreased significantly after 30 d in all except the most Mg-deficient groups. However, haemolytic anaemia developed because even the high erythropoietic activity in the 70 and 110 mg Mg/kg groups was not sutlicient to recycle all haemoglobin Fe liberated by haemolysis. After 30 d of Mg-deficient feeding the erythrocyte Mg content had decreased to 40% of control values. According to the literature Mg-deficient erythrocytes have a decreased survival time which is likely to be the cause of the observed haemolysis.


Aiming at the large welding deformation in sheet to cylindrical tube single-sided spot welding,the axisymmetric finite element model is established in this paper.Through the electrical-thermal-mechanical coupled analysis,the weld nugget forming process and characteristics,and the welding deformation process are investigated.Compared with the experiment results,the validity of the model is verified.The research results provide a theoretical basis for the control of the welding quality.


The measurement of mammalian smooth muscle potentials using intracellular microelectrodes of the type first described by Ling & Gerard (1949) for striated muscle presents several difficulties. First, the smooth muscle cell is smaller than the striated muscle fibre and thus the danger of damage during the puncture is so much greater. Secondly, in most organs containing smooth muscle this is surrounded by connective tissue too hard to penetrate with a fine glass electrode. In softer organs such as the intestinal tract, where there is less connective tissue interposed between muscle fibres, a third difficulty is presented by their spontaneous activity. During the muscle movements the electrode may slip and any observed change in potential may be an artifact due to a changed position of the electrode in relation to the cell, indistinguishable from true potential changes related to the cell's activity. Besides, it might be difficult to determine a 'resting potential' in muscles with rhythmic activity which are never truly at rest. For these reasons a tissue has been chosen which does not exhibit spontaneous activity, which can be obtained in a sufficiently thin layer to be adequately oxygenated in an isolated organ bath and well illuminated for the electrode to be inserted under microscopic observation. The iris of albino rabbits proved to be suitable because the absence of pigmented epithelium allows distinction of the component parts, especially of the sphincter pupillae. This preparation has therefore been used to collect information on the resting potential in at least one type of mammalian smooth muscle.


A technique is presented for determining the field in a series of cascaded, axisymmetric cylindrical cavities excited by a /spl phi/-independent source. The constituent cavities are either coaxial or circular-cylindrical. The field in each cavity is expressed in terms of the electric field in the apertures at the interfaces where adjacent cavities join. Coupled integral equations are formulated in the frequency domain from which these aperture fields are computed. From knowledge of the aperture fields, the complete field in the cavity structure can be determined. The frequency-domain data are used to compute the time-domain field in the system of cavities. Cavities were constructed and experiments performed to corroborate the computed data.


Thermal pre-treatment of non-lignocellulosic biomass, sewage sludge, using a lab-scale fluidized bed reactor was carried out in order to enhance its solid fuel properties. The influence of the torrefaction temperature range from 200–350 °C and 0–50 min residence time on the physical and chemical properties of the torrefied product was investigated. Properties of the torrefied product were analyzed on the basis of the degree of torrefaction, ultimate and proximate analysis, and gas analysis. An attempt was made to obtain the chemical exergy of sewage sludge. An elevated torrefaction temperature presented a beneficial impact on the degree of torrefaction and chemical exergy. Moreover, the effect of the torrefaction temperature and residence time on the elemental variation of sewage sludge exhibited an increase in the weight percentage of carbon while the H/C and O/C molar ratios deteriorated. Additionally, the product gas emitted during torrefaction was analyzed to study the pathway of hydrocarbons and oxygen containing compounds. The compounds with oxygen were emitted at higher temperatures in contrast to hydrocarbon gases. In addition, the study of various correlations for predicting the calorific value of torrefied sewage sludge was made.


Abstract—Multipliers plays a vital role in the field of digital processing of information especially signal and image. The key benefit of 64 bit multiplier is high precision computation but it has to be faster as well. In this paper, we have designed a modified 64 bit Wallace multiplier. The designed multiplier reduces the number of half adders which are mainly used in the reduction phase of multiplier and also they do not contribute in the reduction of partial products. For the entire multiplication process we have used only 38 half adders. The multiplier is designed using Verilog-HDL and implemented using TSMC 45nm technology. It is found that the designed multiplier has reduced number of half adder in each stage and it consumes 15.22 mW at 166 MHz.


We derive expressions for the charge and spin response function for the Tomonaga model with quadratic dispersion and arbitrary (but finite for zero momentum) interaction. For constant interaction these expressions are analytic and for other types of interaction only a simple matrix has to be diagonalised. We use a truncated expansion in particle-hole states with and without inclusion of correlations in the ground state yielding an exact result for pure intra-band interaction. We also discuss the possibility of power-laws in the dynamic structure factor for the spinful and spinless model.


Nafion polyelectrolyte is widely used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) due to its high proton conductivity. The properties of hydrated Nafion are attributed to its nanophase-segre...


Resistance induction is an alternative method to reduce pesticide use in plant disease control. We conducted experiments with four corn hybrids over two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) in order to test resistance in second-season corn treated with acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) or phosphorylated mannanoligosaccharide (MOS). In addition, the plants were subjected to a fungicide (azoxystrobin + cyproconazole) or a control treatment using water only. Distinct pathogens were found in the harvests from both years, but the MOS treatment resulted in hypersensitive response during both years. None of the products applied affected plant height, ear insertion height, or damaged kernel percentage. MOS resulted in higher hypersensitive response intensity, without reducing productivity, compared to the water treatment. The application of ASM did not induce a hypersensitive response.


In this paper we show how one can deduce the Titchmarsh expansion formula in eigenfunctions of Hill's operator from the Gel'fand expansion formula.


Describes an evolved artificial neural network that is evolved by the particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm. Compared with previous evolved ANNs, both the architecture and weights of this ANN are evolved by PSO, it means that the network architecture is adaptively adjusted, then the PSO algorithm is employed to evolve the nodes of ANNs with a given architecture. This process is repeated until the best network is accepted or the maximum number of generations has been reached. Some techniques, such as partial training algorithm (PT) and evolving added nodes (EAN), are used to maintain a closer behavioural link between the parents and their offspring, which will improve the efficiency of evolving ANNs. An ANN evolved is used in modelling a product quality estimator for a fractionator of the hydrocracking unit in the oil refining industry. The results show that the evolved ANN has good accuracy and generalisation ability.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consolidate the critical success factors (CSFs) as published in enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation case studies. The authors perform the analysis and propose the final CSFs based on the reported ERP implementation process stages. Design/methodology/approach – The paper follows the eight category coding steps proposed by Carley (1993) and utilizes only ERP implementation case studies to identify a distinct set of critical success factors. The 37 case studies used in this paper provide a reasonable sample from different countries and contexts. Two methodologies were followed, one for the literature review process and the other for the analysis and synthesis. Findings – Out of 64 reported CSFs that were extracted from the literature and subsequent detailed analysis and synthesis the authors found a total of 22 factors that are distinct. These factors which encompass change management, are proposed with five ERP implementation stages. Research limitatio...


By quoting ASP and 4PL into logistics, it shows the detail on optimization of multi-objective vehicle routing for physical distribution, presents a two-phase approach, this hybrid algorithm adopts cubadge-weight balance alogrithm to decide vehicle loading of goods. It describes an improved genetic algorithm(IGA) to optimize vehicle routing. The alogrithm adopts fix string length binary matrix-coding for deferent number of every vehicles points.


This article discusses how to develop a formalized model of optimal redistribution of material and technical resources between companies that provide optimization of the processes of redistribution and minimizing transport costs subject to possible situations of deficit and excess of material and technical resources at the enterprises of the complex. The authors examined various situations policy of redistribution of material and technical resources, in which solutions are selected, the corresponding extreme values (maximum or minimum) of some optimality criterion. Also considered the impact of implementation of information systems in the process of redistribution of goods on the improvement of quality undertaken by the management of the service logistics enterprise solutions. A mathematical model of the redistribution of goods, as a criterion of optimality which is the minimization of transportation costs, expressed as a linear function of the amount of cargo transported.


An optical fiber amplifier provided with an amplifier absorbeur.Cet comprises a first amplifying unit (210) for amplifying an input signal light, using a first pump light, an absorption unit (220 ) for separating the signal light and the pumping light of the light output of the first amplification unit and absorb a light signal having a predetermined range of wavelengths, and a second amplification unit (230) for amplifying the output signal light of the absorption unit using a second pump light. Application to long distance signal transmission.


This paper compares the secrecy rate of two general PHY security approaches of keyless secure transmission (ST) and key-based encrypted data transmission (EDT) in a multiple-input single-output, single eavesdropper (MISOSE) system. Specifically, closed-form approximations of the secrecy rate for both schemes are derived for the same coherence interval and under uncertain eavesdropper location. Our results highlight that the secrecy rate of ST is highly dependent on the propagation distance between the transmitter and the eavesdropper, whilst EDT is more impacted by the coherence interval and transmit power. Numerical simulations based on the IMT-2020 channel model are presented to support our analytical results. Our results clearly highlight different regions where ST or EDT can achieve a higher secrecy rate based on the eavesdropper location relative to the transmitter and receiver in an 11 m × 5 m area.


Our ability to perceive the external environment and respond appropriately to it is dependent, in part, on functional cutaneous sensory nerves. Sensory nerves and receptors in the skin respond to a host of stimuli, including, but not limited to, temperature. Highlighting the importance of sensory nerve responses to heat, one of the corecipients of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was Dr David Julius, whose pioneering work was largely responsible for unravelling the function of the heat-sensitive transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channel. The skin blood flow response to non-painful local heating is a biphasic response, in which the first (initial peak) phase is mediated largely by sensory nerves and TRPV1 channels, with a modest contribution from nitric oxide (NO), and the second (plateau) phase is mediated predominantly by endothelial NO (Bruning et al., 2012; Kellogg et al., 2008; Minson et al., 2001; Wong & Fieger, 2010). Using the non-painful local heating techniques, one can simultaneously investigate sensory nerve-mediated vasodilatation and endotheliumdependent vasodilatation. Importantly, the sensory nerve-mediated vasodilatation represents an objective, physiological outcome with minimal subjective bias inherent in techniques such as heat-pain thresholds or ratings of heat perception. Clinically, the effect of type 2 diabetes on sensory nerve function and the resultant sensory neuropathy is well known; however, additional data suggest a link between sensory nerve dysfunction and vascular dysfunction in conditions such as hypertension (Cameron et al., 2001). Many studies that assess the skin blood flow response to local heating either do not report the data for the sensory nerve component or mention it in passing, with little focus on the underlying physiological mechanisms. This has led,