Almost without exception, the otologic surgeon active in mastoid surgery is plagued with the postoperative incompletely healed, delayed healed, or periodically discharging mastoid cavity. This problem after mastoid surgery is inevitable, since a cavity is created within the body and left with no natural physiology. Secretions accumulate, surface bacteria grow in the static secretions, and a breakdown in tissue occurs. For years, a multiplicity of techniques have been devised to control or eliminate this problem. Mastoid obliteratory techniques following mastoid exenterations have been used for years, since the problem has long been recognized by otologic surgeons. In the past few years, techniques of muscle pedicle and fascia implants to obliterate and close the cavity have been a significant step forward in the management of this problem. 1,2 However, loss of blood in the muscle pedicles has resulted in atrophic changes in the "transplant," resulting in a reopening of the cavity


Tofu is one the most common foodstuff consumed mainly in developing countries. Yet, tofu waste produced is also quite large in each process. Tofu liquid waste is the most obtained waste in making tofu and can still be utilized as a base material in making edible films. This study aims to determine the characteristics of edible films including thickness, tensile strength, elongation and water vapor transmission rate with the addition of glycerol and find out the best formulations made for edible film using whey as material bases. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments (addition of glycerol with variations of 0.5%, 1.5% and 2.5% respectively) and three replicates. The parameters tested were thickness, tensile strength, elongation and water vapor transition rate. Data from this study indicate that the value of thickness edible film obtained is about 0.078-0.095 mm, the tensile strength value is around 56.9832 kgF/cm2-59.3125 kgF/cm2, elongation between 170.58-208.5533% and the rate water vapor transmission around 6.21-12.02 g / m2/hour. The addition of glycerol variations did not have a significant effect (p> 0.05) on the value of thickness, tensile strength, elongation and water vapor transmission rate. A good glycerol formulation to produce edible film based on whey is a concentration of 0.5%.


The Internet plays an important role in private and professional life. The so- called "streaming" has appeared in the entertainment sector in recent years, which brings numerous advantages, especially for users. Namely, films and series no longer have to be watched only on television. The Internet offers numerous portals that allow users to watch movies and series wherever and whenever they want. However, streaming creates a number of problems for authors, as there are many streaming portals that offer film and music works online without their consent. There is no doubt that the operators of such sites are infringing copyright. But what about users who just watch these illegal movies and series? The answer to this question was given by the Court of Justice of the EU in case C-527/15. In its ruling, the court pointed out that the streaming of films offered on the Internet without the consent of the copyright holder is not covered by the restriction on temporary reproductions, provided that the users knew that the work was made available on the Internet without authorization or this was clearly recognizable to them. This interpretation of copyright restrictions on temporary reproductions favors copyright holders. On the other hand, the requirement of "obviousness" partially protects the interests of users so that they do not have to fear potential copyright infringements every time they watch a movie on the Internet.


This paper discusses from an experimental standpoint the challenges to system security design caused by the current dynamic threat environment. Particular emphasis is placed on the security design for advanced systems and how the systems own digital features can meet the changing threat. The approach of this paper is driven by the threat rather than by Government regulations.


Wake‐up effect is still an obstacle in the commercialization of hafnia‐based ferroelectric thin films. Herein, the effect of defects, controlled by ozone dosage, on the field cycling behavior of the atomic layer deposited Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) films is investigated. A nearly wake‐up free device is achieved after reduction of carbon contamination and oxygen defects by increasing the ozone dosage. The sample which is grown at 30 s ozone pulse duration shows about 97% of the woken‐up Pr at the pristine state whereas that grown below 5 s ozone pulse time shows a pinched hysteresis loop, that underwent a large wake‐up effect. This behavior is attributed to the increase in oxygen vacancy and carbon concentration in the films deposited at insufficient O3 dosage, which is confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) scan shows that the increase in ozone pulse time yields the reduction of tetragonal phase; therefore, the dielectric constant reduces. The I–V measurements reveal the increase in current density as the ozone dosage decreases, which might be due to the generation of oxygen vacancies in the deposited film. Finally, the dynamics of wake‐up effect is investigated, and it appears to be explained well by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogoroff model, which is based on structural phase transformation.


Now it is the interest of Spirit that external conditions should become internal ones; that the natural and the spiritual world should be recognized in the subjective aspect belonging to intelligence; by which process the unity of subjectivity and (positive) Being generally—or the Idealism of Existence—is established. This Idealism, then, is found in India, but only as an Idealism of imagination, without distinct conceptions;—one which does indeed free existence from Beginning and Matter (liberates it from temporal limitations and gross materiality), but changes everything into the merely Imaginative; for although the latter appears interwoven with definite conceptions and Thought presents itself as an occasional concomitant, this happens only through accidental combination. Since, however, it is the abstract and absolute Thought itself that enters into these dreams as their material, we may say that Absolute Being is presented here as in the ecstatic state of a dreaming condition (Hegel, Philosophy of History, p. 139).


This article aims to look at three kinds of networks in three different time periods, which spanned the US and the Middle East in order to follow the evolution of particular meanings of terms such as 'cosmopolitan' and 'transnational'. Based on historical analysis and fieldwork in Beirut, Cairo, and Istanbul, it traces the simultaneous formation of the variants of a particular domestic social class and their cosmopolitan cultural capital. These social classes and their knowledge production emerge from the three American institutions of higher education in the aforementioned cities. Sketching in their activities and discourses the uncertain consolidation of particular knowledge systems as signifiers of a cosmopolitan cultural capital, the article makes the following arguments. First, global networks of elites constitute their distinctions in the local context in terms of their cosmopolitan cultural capital. Second, the ability to make this distinction work depends on whether this cultural capital can be defined in terms that exclude negative connotations. In the case of networks emanating from or with ties to the United States, this means recoding of their identities in terms of a web of relations that covers the entire globe. Third, among the consequences of building such appearances is the creation of a separation between benign cultures and dispassionate intellectual pursuits on the one hand and imperial politics on the other. This separation, although fragile and in constant need of rearticulating, results in the multiple definitions of 'American' in the contemporary context. The first network is made up of the early nineteenth century businessmen and missionaries who travelled to different parts of the world in pursuit of profit or God. In particular, I focus on their activities in the Middle East, which gave birth to historically prestigious institutions of higher education among other things. Three such institutions, still in operation – Bo gaziçi University (formerly Robert College), the American University of Beirut (AUB – formerly the Syrian Protestant College) and the American University in Cairo (AUC) – have come to be associated with the good that the American presence in the region could engender. The second network is the Cultural Congress for Freedom, an organization initiated by CIA agents and funded by covert CIA money in the 1950s and 1960s with the objective of organizing antiCommunist progressive intellectuals of Europe as a front against Soviet cultural influence. For that period, the liberal intellectual networks associated with the Congress Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 44, No. 1, 29 – 52, January 2008


The period in Parthian history between Mithradates II and Phraates 111 is one about which very little is known. Events in West Asia were in turmoil with Rome's involvement becoming ever larger, but Parthia took little or no part in the wars between Rome and the allies, Pontus and Armenia. The reason for Parthia's inactivity can only be guessed. After a summary of recent developments in the understanding of early Parthian history we will give a reconstruction of events in Parthia and her non-involvement in West Asian affairs between 90 and 70 B.C. This is only one combination of possible explanations for the several problems.


Traditional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) bandwidth estimation scheme can not acquire accurate estimation results in low signal to noise ratio (SNR) over multi-path channels. Besides, it acquires a great mount of computation. To deal with these problems, a novel bandwidth estimation scheme for OFDM is proposed. Firstly, the power spectrum of OFDM is estimated by the Welch method. And then, the spectrum is decomposed into many intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and the suitable IMFs are chosen according to the thresholds to reconstruct the spectrum. After that, the positions of the maximum and the minimum of the impulse are extracted in the reconstructed spectrum, which are used as the beginning and the end of the spectrum. Finally, the statistical average of the computed bandwidth is used as the final bandwidth. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme has higher precision and lower computation in low SNR over multi-path channels.


Background:Appropriately implemented, hand hygiene can prevent nosocomial infections, but there is a lack of research on the effect of specific nurse-patient ratios on hand hygiene compliance rates. Furthermore, there have been few studies of infection control practices in Jordanian hospitals. Methods:One hundred registered nurses from a private health care setting in Jordan who worked in intensive care units and medical-surgical wards participated. Two methods, videotaping and self-report, were used to collect data on hand hygiene. Subjects also completed a questionnaire to assess hand hygiene behavior, attitudes, and beliefs. Results:The overall hand hygiene compliance rate was 32%. Nurse-patient ratios affected hand hygiene before beginning patient care only. The lowest hand hygiene compliance rates were in intensive care units when the nurse-patient ratio was less than 1:2. Females had higher compliance rates than males. ConclusionsThe observed low level of overall hand hygiene compliance, lower compliance rates in higher acuity settings, and gender-related differences in compliance are consistent with findings from previous studies of hand hygiene over the past 2 decades.


In this paper, we consider fuzzy bimatrix games with fuzzy payoffs. Based on fuzzy max order, for such games, we define three kinds of concepts of minim ax equilibrium strategies. Some basic results obtained.


ABSTRACT A heart rate (HR) feedback control system for end-effector gait rehabilitation robots was previously developed and successfully tested, but oxygen uptake () is thought to better characterize physiological exercise intensity. The aim of the present study was to identify and compare and HR dynamics, and to develop and test a controller for an end-effector robot operated in stair climbing mode. Six able-bodied subjects were recruited for controller testing. Command response, disturbance rejection and robustness were assessed by means of three quantitative outcome measures: root-mean-square (RMS) error of (), average control signal power () and RMS error of volitionally controlled power (). The nominal first-order linear model for had time constant  s and steady-state gain k=0.0174 (l/min)/W. The mean time constant  s for HR was significantly higher than for , where (p=0.048). Command responses for a target profile gave consistent and accurate tracking with  l/min,  W2 and  W (). Disturbance rejection performance was also found to be satisfactory. The results of the controller tests confirm the feasibility of the proposed feedback control strategy. Robustness was verified as the single LTI controller was specific to only one of the subjects and no difference in outcome values was apparent across all subjects. Subject-specific variability in breath-by-breath respiratory noise is the main challenge in feedback control of .


Under the influence of western academia, Chinese academic had a distinctive feature of the West in the early 20th century. So Liang Qi-chao named his new theory of historiography as Liang Qi-chao's input mode modestly, which contained the Chinese perspective and plot. On the basis of the sum and substance about Chinese and foreign history, he focused his thoughts on China, and started from the Chinese question consistently, then established and improved a theory system of his own. It still plays a significant role in cultural or academic dependence and the development of china.


Purpose. Preoperative concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) is an important part of the therapeutic regimen to treat locally advanced rectal cancer. Patients who achieved a pathological complete response (pCR) after preoperative CCRT were shown to have a better clinical outcome compared to patients who did not. In this study, we investigated clinical outcome and survival in Taiwanese rectal cancer patients who achieved pCR after preoperative CCRT (ypT0N0M0 group) with patients who did not (nonypT0N0M0 group).Methods. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the records of 227 patients who presented with rectal adenocarcinoma. Preoperative concurrent chemo-radiation therapy (CCRT) consisted of a total dose of 50.4 Gy delivered in 25 fractions, five times per week. The chemotherapy regimen for preoperative CCRT consisted of an intravenous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (1,500 mg/m2) and leucovorin (120 mg/m2) weekly for 6 weeks. All patients underwent radical resection 6-8 weeks after preoperative CCRT treatment. Differences between patients with or without pCR were compared using two-sample t-tests in continuous data and Chi-square test/or Fisher's exact test with Yate's correction in categorical data. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared using log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier curves, respectively.Results. Atotal of 121 patients are eligible for analysis. 19 patients pertained to ypT0N0M0 and 102 patients belonged to non-ypT0N0M0 group. There was no significant association between demographics and clinical characteristics of the patients and pCR. There was no significant association between clinical outcome and pCR in the two groups. The log-rank test showed no significant difference in OS and DFS between the ypT0N0M0 and non-ypT0N0M0 groups.(OS: p-value = 0.643; DFS: p-value = 0.196).Conclusions. There was no significant difference in clinical outcome or survival between Taiwanese patients who achieved pCR after preoperative CCRT and those who did not.


Pre and postprocessors have been written for an established hydraulic program (COMMIX-IHX) which enables prediction of the internal crossflow field for each tube of Argonne's Test Heat Exchanger and identification of those tubes most likely to experience fluid-elastic instability, together with the instability vibration mode. While the direct use of the HXVA method is limited to single pass, single-segmentally baffled tube bundle configurations, its algorithms and methods can be applied to any type of heat exchanger which can be analyzed by COMMIX-IHX. The processors are explained and an example problem is given along with comparisons of experimental results.


A model of circumstances that can lead to changes in the way a fiscal authority conducts policy after joining a monetary union is presented and empirically tested for the euro area. According to the model consolidation fatigue, shock asymmetry, or differences in the relative weight placed on output/price stabilization between the new and old monetary authority can lead to greater reliance on fiscal policy. Empirical evidence suggests that there has been a change in the conduct of fiscal policy in the euro area which is most likely due to consolidation fatigue and a stronger emphasis on price stabilization by the European Central Bank.


(firstname.lastname@example.com), C. L. Johnson 2 , and G. Schubert 1,3 , 1 UCLA, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, 2 Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada; IGPP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States, 3 Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567.


ABSTRACT The antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of Mentha piperita leaves extracts in Poloxamer 407-induced hyperlipidemic rats were investigated. Antihyperlipidemic activities of hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts (100, 200, or 300 mg kg−1 b.w.) were evaluated by lipid profile analysis. Twelve (12) fractions (F1 to F12) were collected from the most antihyperlipidemic extract (ethyl acetate at 100 mg kg−1) and, assayed in vivo for antihyperlipidemic activity. The effects of the most antihyperlipidemic fraction (F2) on redox sensitive biomarkers (SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity at cellular and molecular levels were evaluated. Fraction-2 (F2) was further subjected to GC-MS and LC-MS analysis for identification of nonpolar and polar components. The F2 treatment decreased the level of MDA with concomitant enhancement of GSH, LPL activity in the liver and serum and up regulated the expression of SOD, CAT, and LPL genes in liver and blood relative to the untreated rats. GC-MS and LC-MS revealed oleic acid, vaccenic acid, 3, 4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, coumarin, and triacontane as the probable bioactive components with reported antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects.


ABSTRACT Katrin Primadyaningsih. K7112123. THE USE OF BRAINSTORMING METHOD TO IMPROVE PANTUN WRITING SKILLS ON THE FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF NUR HIDAYAH SURAKARTA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016. Skripsi, Surakarta Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Sebelas Maret University, August 2016. The purpose of the research was to improve pantun writing skills by using Brainstorming method on the fourth grade students of the Elementary School of Nur Hidayah Surakarta in the academic year 2015/2016. The type of the research was Classroom Action Reasearh (CAR) which was carried out in three cycles. Every cycle consists planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The subjects of this research were the teacher and the students of the fourth grade of the Elementary School of Nur Hidayah Surakarta in the academic year 2015/2016. The sources of the data research were teacher, students, learning process, and documents. The data collecting techniques were observation, interview, documentation, and test. The data validity technique were the triangulation of resource and the triangulation of technique. The data analysis technique was interactive analysis data. It consists of three components namely data reduction, data serving, and taking conclusion. The result of the research showed that in precycle the average score of the pantun writing skills was 66,5 with the class completeness was 22 % students could reach the minimal achievement criteria score (≥ 75). In the first cycle, the class average score of the pantun writing skills was 71,78 with the class completeness was 35,13%. In the second cycle, the class average score of the pantun writing skills skill was 77,65 with the class completeness was 67,56 %. In the third cycle, the class average score of the pantun writing skills was 82,65 with the class completeness was 94,59 %. The conclusion of the research was the pantun writing skills could be improved by using Brainstorming method on the fourth grade students of the Elementary School of Nur Hidayah Surakarta in the academic year 2015/2016. Keywords : Brainstorming Method, Pantun Writing Skills.


Aim: To investigate increased thermal influence on morphology of Aspergillus carbonarius during RSDA production. Place and Duration of Study: Microbial fermentation Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological sciences, University of Nigeria, between July 2009 and August 2010. Methodology: In shake flask cultures thermal influence on A. carbonarius morphology and productivity investigated. Mycelial morphology was characterised by means of image analysis using as parameters, mean diameter, roughness, circularity and compactness of pellet. Thermal effect on amylase activity, total protein, biomass concentration and pH were also investigated. Results: Shifting the temperature from 27oC to 37oC significantly affected the morphological parameters of the pellets, but RSDA activity was not altered. The interesting thing about the morphology is the shearing off of the hairy part of the pellet at an increased temperature and subsequent agglomeration. At 27oC the RSDA activity increased steadily with an optimum activity of 293U/ml at 96h and subsequently decreased to 75U/ml by the end of the fermentation. At 37oC a maximum activity of 291U/ml was achieved at 72h of fermentation but this decreased to 87U/ml at the end of fermentation. Higher biomass concentration and total protein were obtained at 37oC. The pH dropped from an initial of Research Article British Microbiology Research Journal, 3(3): 355-367, 2013 356 5.0 to 3.0 and 2.5 for 27oC and 37oC temperature conditions respectively. Conclusion: Induced thermal increase resulted to changes in pellet morphology but raw starch digesting amylase activity was not altered.


Ouyi Zhixu,the last outstanding Buddhist scholar in the academic history of Tiantai Sect and the final important figure of the Tiantai Sect theory,tries his best to return to and eulogize the original spirit of Tiantai psychic aesthetics initiated by the Great Master Zhiyi,expands and enriches comprehensively and adequately the content and meaning of "yi nian san qian"(one idea encompassing the universe),and interprets Buddhism with art on the theoretical basis of "yi nian xin"(an incidental idea),reflecting its value orientation and aesthetic view on literature and art and contributing to Tiantai psychic aesthetics.


Herein is described a very high speed processing method. It is based on the data driven principle, and depends on constructing algorithms from hardware operators that are generally interconnectable. A set of modules and their application to Fermilab E 605 is discussed.


As now in a radar of modern carriers the phased antenna lattice is a principal view of aerials working out of methods of the analysis and research of characteristics of dispersion of antenna lattices - as the most perspective is an actual problem. Antenna lattices find wide application in quality and highly effective radar-tracking reflectors. They are applied in various areas of technics: in a radar-location, navigation, meteorology, etc. Therefore the interrelation of characteristics of radiation and dispersion is important.


INTRODUCTION. Highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE), recently introduced in total hip arthroplasty (THA), have exhibited substantial wear reductions relative to conventional UHMWPEs in hip wear tests. They may therefore lead to a reduction of wear debris-induced osteolysis in THA. Early revisions, not related to the wear performance of the liner, have provided an opportunity to examine the behavior of the new highly crosslinked liners in vivo. A dull appearance of the articular surface, stemming from multidirectional linear deformations that appear as scratches, has been noted on explants. By taking advantage of the shape memory property of UHMWPE, a remelting technique was used to determine whether the roughening of the liner articular surface was due to wear or plastic deformation. The possibility that bone particles caused the observed scratches on the liner surface was investigated in a hip wear simulator.


6 LLE Review, Volume 73 A streak camera is an electro-optic instrument capable of resolving high-speed, low-repetition-rate, pulsed laser phenomena. The basis of the instrument is a streak tube. The image of the light to be analyzed is focused onto a photocathode at the input end of the streak tube. The photocathode emits electrons in response to the intensity of the light. The electrons, focused into a beam, are accelerated and deflected to a luminescent screen at the other end of the tube. This electron beam, impinging upon the screen, produces an intensified image of the light being analyzed. This image is then optically coupled to a CCD (charge-coupled device) imager, which digitizes the information for storage. To study the temporal variation of pulsed light a streak mode of operation is utilized whereby the electron beam is swept across the phosphor at a predetermined rate to provide the dimension of time along the axis of the swept image. To sweep the electron beam a pair of electrostatic deflection plates are provided in the streak tube (see Fig. 73.8). The position of the beam is linearly related to the voltage potential on the deflection plates. A linear voltage ramp is applied to the deflection plates to produce a linear sweep with respect to time. The sweep deflection circuit described produces the voltage ramp needed for the temporal study of the beams within the OMEGA system.


This guide is designed to provide information about state and federal financial assistance programs currently available for wind energy development in California. A general description of each program is included, as well as eligibility requirements and restrictions placed on distribution of funds. In addition, contacts are listed for those wishing more information on wind energy programs.


Much of the story of the Commonwealth since 1991 has centred on the implementation of the principles set out in the Harare Declaration of fundamental political values. The response to countries that have lost their democratic credentials has changed and the swift reaction to the coup in Pakistan on the eve of the Durban Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting demonstrates that military regimes are no longer tolerated. Through the use of observer teams, special emphasis has been placed on seeking to ensure that elections within Commonwealth member states are conducted freely and fairly. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has organized and conducted seminars on Parliamentary practice and procedure and the role of Members of Parliament, as part of its remit under the Declaration to promote the objectives set out in 1991.


Risk Engineering is concerned primarily with the environmental pre-event planning to reduce the risk or minimise the impact of possible loss events. Consequently, it needs to assess both the frequency and severity of possible future losses, thus providing the cornerstone for the Risk Management process, and necessarily becoming an increasingly significant force in Australian management structures.


The Earth is an integrated, dynamic system whose tectonic processes (e.g., mantle convection, mountain building, ocean forming, deep continental subduction and exhumation, crustal channel flow, earthquakes) are largely controlled by the rheological behavior of polymineralic rocks. Breakthroughs in the understanding of deformation mechanisms, composite mechanics and seismic properties and in the development of innovative technologies for multi-scale observations, quantitative measurements, analogue and numeric models have taken rheology as one of the most active new frontiers of solid Earth sciences during the last decade. The Chinese community of structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics has reached a critical time to face exciting opportunities and challenges for research. The aim of this article is to emphasize rheology as a research topic of top priority and to critically overview some important aspects: high-temperature and high-pressure deformation experiments, in-situ investigations of deformation processes, analogue modeling, and numeric simulation. We hope that the scientific workforce of the nation can be built to advance our understanding of continental tectonics and geodynamics through detailed and comprehensive studies of the rheology of continental crust and mantle rocks.


On 8 November 1941, Felix Eboue, Governor-General of French Equatorial Africa (AEF), sets out the broad lines of a new indigenous policy for the AEF. He particularly advocates respect for traditions, support for traditional leaders, the development of existing social structures and the improvement of working conditions. This circular letter by Felix Eboue serves as a basis for the Brazzaville Conference, held from 30 January to 8 February 1944 for the governors of the colonies in order to reorient the policy of the French colonial empire.


The use of zone-doubled Fresnel zone plates for sub-20 nm spatial resolution in full-field transmission X-ray microscopy and tomography at the hard X-ray regime (8–10 keV) is demonstrated.


FEDERALLY MANDATED HIGH-STAKES tests such as Massachusetts's MCAS and Florida's FCAT have drawn everyone's attention to the academic progress of our students. Right or wrong, "no child left untested" is the current state of affairs. Therefore, school boards across the country have been asking how to improve scores in literacy and mathematics. Unfortunately, in the quest to raise test scores some school boards focused so much on literacy and math that they have decided that music programs are expendable. In doing so, these school boards have pitted one subject area against another for the use of building space as well as for the very existence of their programs. They do this in the hope of increasing the time that students can spend on literacy and mathematics, and in turn, in hope of increasing students' scores in these areas. And the prospect of saving money is always popular with school board members and their constituents. But what does this have to do with NATS members, especially private studio teachers? Plenty! Each of us belongs to a community that has schools, and these schools need their community members to advocate for their music programs. Many of us teach in private studios in our own homes in those affected communities, the very communities that provide us our livelihood: students for private voice study. Who has a vested interest in keeping these students interested in the study of voice? We do! Who is best qualified to talk to school boards about the importance of vocal music? We are! The problem seems to have begun at some point in the past fifty years or so when politicians and journalists decided to examine the way schools work. The phrase "education reform" has since become a common battle cry during political campaigns. Educators have to find some way to show that the teaching of music is important to the development of the whole student. Our current state of faith in and reliance on tests has roots in the launch of Sputnik in 1957. Our (then) economic and political rival, the Soviet Union, beat the United States to space, causing our journalists and politicians to question American education with extra vigor. At that time, state and federal politicians became more actively engaged in the conduct of education, including advocacy for the increased use of tests to assess school learning.1 Suddenly, new math and science programs were created and all students were being held to higher standards in these areas. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower established the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Soon, school children across the country were being challenged to reach a higher level of physical fitness. Teachers began spending more time counting students' sit ups and timing the fifty-yard dash as they spent less time teaching students how to enjoy sports and games. Those who attended grade school during the 1960s probably heard a recording called "Chicken Fat" played at least once a week in physical education class. This song, written by Meredith Willson and sung by Robert Preston, was commissioned by President Kennedy for his newly created Youth Fitness Program. A copy of this record was sent to every school in the United States so that it could be played while students did calisthenics.2 From this, the politicians had determined that many students were lacking in physical prowess and they made physical education a mandated subject in most states. Frank McCourt, a teacher and author of Teacher Man, says: The politicians have stuck their noses where they shouldn't be. Can you imagine a politician interfering with doctors? Going into the operating room and saying: "Stand aside! Let me see what you're doing!" Everybody feels free to interfere with teachers-telling them how to run the classroom.3 Perhaps we found ourselves in this position because politicians and journalists found it easier to attack an institution such as the public schools than to point the finger at parents. …


Gamma nail closed osteosynthesis has surpassed several methods previously used in the treatment of fractures in the trochanteric region.
         The objective of the research was to carry out an epidemiological study and to assess the evolutionary profile of patients with per-trochanteric fracture treated with gamma nail.
         Materials and methods. In this retrospective study, we report the experience of the Traumatology-Orthopedics Service II of the Military Teaching Hospital Mohamed V-Rabat, in the treatment of per-trochanteric fractures by gamma nail in 100 cases, collected between January 2011 and March 2016.
         Results. The average age of our patients was 68 years, with a male predominance of 67%. The most reported etiology (92% of cases) was simple drop. Stable fractures were the most common (81%), with a predominance of simple per-trochanteric fractures. The average response time was 24 hours, the average duration of the surgical procedure was 45 minutes. The rate of infectious complications was 1%; the rate of mechanical complications was 1%. The functional results were excellent and good in 95% of cases. The average consolidation time was 8 weeks.
         Conclusions. Trochanteric fracture is a delayed emergency which is seen primarily in the elderly. The gamma nail represents one of the latest improvements in implants for the treatment of these fractures. We report a series of 100 cases of trochanteric fractures treated surgically by gamma nail. The functional results were very encouraging compared to those reported in the literature.


are almost all of them workers on such of these agents as are known to cause tumors, and they are also familiar with the more obvious effects of these latter on cells. Several recent conferences have covered their knowledge adequately, and more will soon be held; but what most of the committee members and their fellows in science had not known and greatly needed to know were the various roles of nucleic acids in viral and neoplastic phenomena as recently disclosed. Hence, the main place on the program devised by the Committee was given to the presentation of the brilliant, far-ranging discoveries of the genetical virologists. Through no accident did Dr. Luria lead off in the conference and Dr. Lwoff end it. Other speakers besides Dr. Andrewes de scribed findings which did not accord with their views, nor with those of Dr. Jacob, Dr. Dulbecco, and of Dr. Latarjet later presented. However, while sometimes these findings were reported for this reason, they were in the main brought for ward for their intrinsic worth and for the new ideas to which they gave rise. No time was spent in controversy during the conference, but much was given to new facts necessitating readjust ments of thought. We were all there to learn. The informal discussions after Dr. Andrewes'


Introduction New York Power Authority has installed a f2.00 MVA voltage-sourced converter based FACTS controller [1,2] at its Marcy 345 kV substation in central NY. This versatile controller is referred to as the Convertible Static Compensator (CSC) and has been installed to provide voltage support and increased power transfer capability as well as improved dynamic performance [3-6]. Numerous studies have been conducted at the feasibility, design, construction, and implementation stages of deployment of this controller. This paper reports on the results of the stability studies performed to ensure satisfactory dynamic performance of the New York system with the UPFC and the IPFC confgurations of the CSC. The simulations are conducted using the P S S E program.


Conjugate addition of lower order cuprates to protected α,β-unsaturated pyroglutaminol 1 is of limited value, mainly due to the requirement for a large excess of the transferable ligand (10 equiv). Here we report advancesusing mixed cyano-Gilman cuprates which allow the use of only 1.2 equiv of the transferable ligand, to give the desired product in acceptable to good yield (68-84%). Diethyl ether as the solvent was found advantageous versus THF, since the use of TMSC1 could be avoided.


Considering the inter-carrier interference(ICI) when the variety of channel is comparatively large,a novel paraller interference cancellation(PIC) equalization method is proposed that can be applied to the time variant WLAN and WMAN systems.The time impulse response of the channel is estimated using the preamble sequence.By assuming the channel to be linearly variant,the pre-filter and ICI cancellation filter is used at the same time to cancel the ICI,the initial decision of the pre-filter can reduce the enhancement of the noise attaining better performance.


Objective To record visual acuity outcomes after 12 months of treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NvAMD), investigate variation between sites and explore associations with baseline characteristics and care processes. Methods and analysis Anonymised demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records at treating National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. Associations with acuity outcomes were investigated using multivariate linear and logistic regression. Results Analysis included 9401 eyes (7686 patients) treated at 13 NHS Trusts. From baseline to month 12, median acuity improved from LogMAR 0.50 (IQR 0.30–0.80) to 0.40 (0.22–0.74) and the proportion of eyes with LogMAR ≥0.3 increased from 34.5% to 39.8%. Baseline visual acuity was the strongest predictor of visual acuity outcomes. For each LogMAR 0.1 worsening of baseline acuity, the acuity at 12 months was improved by LogMAR 0.074 (95% CI 0.073 to 0.074) and the odds of a 'poor' acuity outcome was multiplied by 1.66 (95% CI 1.61 to 1.70). Younger age, independent living status, lower socioeconomic deprivation, timely loading phase completion and higher number of injections were associated with better acuity outcomes. Despite case-mix adjustments, there was evidence of significant variation in acuity outcomes between sites. Conclusions Even after adjustment for other variables, variation in acuity outcomes after NvAMD treatment within the NHS remains. Meaningful comparison of outcomes between different providers requires adjustment for a range of baseline characteristics, not visual acuity alone. Identifying best practice at sites with better outcomes and adapting local care processes are required to tackle this health inequality.


Objective To investigate the complications cause of by laparoscopic cholecystectomy and provide the corresponding control measures. Methods 200 cases of gallstone admitted to our hospital from January 2007 to June 2012 were seleced. All cases were used laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results All patients were successfully treated, and 16 cases had bile duct injury complications, the rate was 8.0%, and complications were timely symptomatic treatment. Univariate analysis showed that the incidence of complications were related to the patient's concomitant diseases, serum albumin and total bilirubin levels (P 0.05). Conclusion Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can occur the bile duct injury complications. We should actively strengthen the prevention and treatment according to the risk factors.


With the wide application of pulsed power technology in tumor ablation, sewage treatment, and other related fields, researchers have found that bipolar electrical pulses are more effective than unipolar electrical pulses. In this article, a new bipolar pulse generator is proposed, which combines the features of boost circuit and Marx circuit to significantly improve the boost ratio of output pulse and the tunability of pulse peak. In order to improve the load regulation rate and peak stability of bipolar pulse power supply, a bipolar pulse power supply based on peak closed-loop control method is designed in this article. The high-voltage pulse is attenuated, and its peak is sampled by the pulse peak sampling circuit, and the pulse peak voltage is fed back to the DSP controller for comparison with the set peak value, and the proportional integral differential (PID) adjustment is performed according to the voltage deviation, and the boost ratio of the pulse generator is changed to realize the constant peak output of the bipolar pulse. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed bipolar pulse generator with peak closed-loop control scheme, simulation and experimental studies of the bipolar pulse power supply with five-stage peak closed-loop control were conducted. The results show that the output repetition frequency of 5 kHz, pulsewidth of 5– $10~\mu \text{s}$ , and peak pulse value within ±2.0 kV can be stabilized when the input voltage is 100 V.


In this letter, a dual-band tunable bandstop frequency selective surface (FSS), which is capable of exhibiting independent tuning for the top and bottom layers, has been presented. The proposed design comprises periodic patterns of cross diagonals printed on the opposite sides of a thin substrate, where the varactor diodes are mounted symmetrically. Both the layers use novel biasing circuitries to independently regulate their corresponding responses, thereby resulting in two tunable stopbands. Each of these two stopbands has wide bandwidths (having fractional bandwidths of 110.71%) as well as offers large tuning ranges of 128.21% (with respect to their center frequencies). Furthermore, the geometry is low profile, polarization insensitive, and angularly stable. A prototype has been fabricated, and the varactors have been modulated through parallel biasing. The experimental results show a reasonable agreement with the theoretical responses, thus confirming the proposed concept.


Poultry farming has undergone a paradigm shift in structure and operation, transforming itself from a mere backyard activity into a major commercial venture. India has emerged as the world's 2 nd largest poultry market with an annual growth of more than 14%, producing 78.48 billion eggs and 3.04 million tonnes of broiler meat per year (Anonymous, 19 th Livestock census all India report, 2012). Poultry farming is, however highly susceptible to infectious diseases and antibiotics are used to treat diseases and used as antimicrobial growth promoters in poultry feed worldwide for many years. However, in order to avoid the possible risk of developing resistant pathogens, as well as to meet the public pressure of antibiotic-free animal products, the use of antibiotic in poultry diet was totally International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 07 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

https://www.ijcmas.com/7-7-2018/Devvrat Kosti2, et al.pdf


The research reported here documents the existence of self-directed aggression in non-isolate-reared rhesus monkeys. Ss for this series of studies were reared with their mothers for most of the first year of life, and each animal experienced constant social access to a like-sexed peer throughout its second year of life. Significant amounts of social contact were also provided during the third and fourth years. Ss were observed in social situations at approximately 1, 2, 2½, 3, and 4½ yr. of age, and some self-biting was observed at each age. Self-aggression occurred primarily in semi-stressful contexts which apparently did not allow appropriate outward-directed expression of emotion. The use of socially reared animals as models for the study of self-directed aggression is suggested as an alternative to the use of isolate-reared Ss.


Kirsten Anderson, research and policy manager at Coram Children's Legal Centre, examines how a Council of Europe resolution relates to the rights of transgender young people to change their legal gender


Possible models for the nighttime Venus ionosphere are developed and compared with observations obtained from Mariner 5. The preferred model assumes the presence of a light reactive ion, such as He+ or H2+, in the topside ionosphere, and it is shown that all features of the observed ionization profile can be accounted for with this single hypothesis. It is suggested that He+ and, or, H2+ can be readily supplied by lateral transport from the dayside. Implications of the model with regard to the abundance of He and H2 are briefly explored, and some consequences for Venus nightglow are discussed.


A visual design calculating method based on the traditional design method of blending aggregate is presented in this paper. This new method is named as the improved mathematical method combined with semiautomatic adjustment. A computer program is developed and an example is given.


Schroedinger (Nature, v.169, p.538 (1952)) demonstrated that, contrary to the widespread belief, charged particles may be described by real fields. Therefore the sets of solutions with real-valued charged fields are considered in the present work for some versions of (non-second-quantized) quantum electrodynamics (for Dirac spinors "real-valued" is understood as "satisfying the Majorana condition"). In some of the versions any solution may be obtained from a solution from those sets by a gauge transform. The solutions from those sets have common features suggesting a natural interpretation along the lines of the Bohm interpretation, but no quantum potentials arise, and it is the electromagnetic field, not the wave function, that plays the role of the guiding field.


Objective: To identify some general principles for use in deciding what is psychiatry and what is not. Method: An overview of matters referred to the Clinical Practice Advisory Committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Results: Three domains of psychiatric practice are identified: competence, ethics and performance. A number of quasi-paradoxical dichotomies in the nature of psychiatry have emerged: doctor-specialist, scientist-clinician, humane-commercial. These are not exhaustive. Conclusion: Some useful generalisations can be made about the limits of acceptable psychiatric practice but, within these, there is a need for further investigation of the realities of practice. A pilot study of clinicians' opinions is proposed.


It analyse the principle and structure of the stuff of the U type return circulating fluid-bed bliler.Raise the cause of operating fault,and give the measures to solve the problem.


The theories of tourism planning are always partial and lagging, although tourism planning began in 1959. This paper discusses the foundation, the nature, the system and its function of tourism planning theories, with hoping that the theory of tourism planning develop into a new stage of holistic research.


In 2012, the German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) O'Higgins contributed to the IVS observing program with four observation sessions. Maintenance and upgrades were made, and a new replacement dewar is under construction in the observatory at Yebes, Spain. 1. General Information The German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) is jointly operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG, under the duties of the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell (GOW)). The Institute for Antarctic Research Chile (INACH) coordinates the activities and logistics. The 9-m radio telescope at O'Higgins is mainly used for the downloading of remote sensing data from satellites ERS-2 (mission ended in September 2012) and TanDEM-X, for the control and monitoring of spacecraft telemetry, and for geodetic VLBI. In 2012, the station was manned by DLR staff the entire year and by BKG staff only in January and the beginning of March for the VLBI observations. The VLBI campaign in November-December 2012 had to be canceled due to the reduced staffing situation. Besides engineers and operators from DLR and BKG, a team for maintaining the infrastructure (e.g. power and generation of fresh water) was present all year. Over the last years, special flights using "Hercules C-130"-aircrafts and small "Twin Otter DHC-6"-aircrafts as well as transportation by ship were organized by INACH in close collaboration with the Chilean Army, Navy, and Airforce and with the Brazilian and Uruguayan Airforce in order to transport staff, technical material, and food for the entire campaign from Punta Arenas via Base Frei on King George Island to O'Higgins on the Antarctic Peninsula. Due to the fact that the conditions for landing on the glacier are strongly weather dependent and involve an increasing risk, transport of personnel and cargo is always a challenging task. Arrival and departure times strongly depend on the climate conditions and on the logistic circumstances. After the long Antarctic winter the VLBI equipment at the station has to be initialized. Damages resulting from the winter conditions or strong storms have to be identified and repaired. Shipments of each kind of material, such as spare parts or upgrade kits, have to be carefully prepared in advance. On location at the site the following instruments are operated: • An H-Maser, an atomic Cs-clock, a GPS time receiver, and a Total Accurate Clock (TAC) to offer time and frequency. • Two GNSS receivers, both operating in the frame of the IGS network, while one receiver is additionally part of the Galileo CONGO network. The receivers worked without failure in 2012. • A meteorological station providing pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind information, as long as the extreme conditions did not disturb the sensors. 126 IVS 2012 Annual Report Bundesamt fur Kartographie und Geodasie (BKG) German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) O'Higgins • A radar tide gauge which was installed in 2012. The radar sensor itself is referenced to space by a GPS antenna mounted on top and referenced to the Earth via the local survey network. The radar gauge is operated only during the Antarctic summer. • An underwater sea level gauge for permanent monitoring of water pressure, temperature, and salinity, which was replaced in 2012. The 9-m radio telescope is designed for a dual purpose: • Performing geodetic VLBI, and • Receiving data from and sending commands to remote sensing satellites, mainly ERS-2 and TanDEM-X. Figure 1. The 9-m radio telescope of GARS O'Higgins.


Polymer blends have properties similar to conventional plastics and tend to biodegradable by "natural" enzyme hydrolysis or chemical attack. Biodegradation is the breakdown of materials by the action of living organism. The objective of this project is to synthesis polymer blend from algae and polyethylene blend. The polymer blend is prepared by using extruder and hot press. There are five samples of polymer blends and contained algae from 0% to 20%. In order to determine the mechanical properties polymer blend, Universal Testing Machine (UTM) is used. The results showed that there are relation between tensile strength and composition of algae in polymer blend. When the composition of algae is increased, the tensile strength is decreased. The situation same with the percentage of elongation at break. The percentage of elongation at break is decreased when the percentage of algae is increased. For the biodegradability test which is water absorption testing, the percentages of water absorption of polymer blend is directly proportional to the composition of algae in polymer blend.


Abstract English for Legal Purposes (ELP) appears to be gaining popularity and acquiring a new dimension in many countries. An increasing number of legal professionals (i.e. law students and legal practitioners) consider their General English satisfactory but desire to learn the language of their professional domain, as they believe it will bring them improved job prospects in the future. There are some aspects of ELP teaching that can be both a hindrance and a challenge for ELP teachers. These include the lack of curricula for teaching Legal English at tertiary level institutions and the restricted number of teaching resources and guidelines with reference to teaching Legal English available on the market. This article draws on the outcomes of a three-year research project, which was undertaken to design, implement, and evaluate an ELP programme for adult professionals. The research project was conducted among 293 legal professionals in Poland and took the form of an action research model - a research tool that is not often exploited by scholars despite its unquestionable value


Acknowledgements Kristin Davidse, Caroline Gentens, Ditte Kimps and Lieven Vandelanotte: Introduction Part 1. Corpus development and corpus interrogation Anita Auer, Mikko Laitinen, Moragh Gordon and Tony Fairman: An electronic corpus of Letters of Artisans and the Labouring Poor (England, c. 1750-1835): compilation principles and coding conventions Joan C. Beal and Ranjan Sen: Towards a corpus of eighteenth-century English phonology Gregory Garretson and Henrik Kaatari: The computer as research assistant: a new approach to variable patterns in corpus data Marco Schilk: Using currency annotated part of speech tag profiles for the study of linguistic variation - a data exploration of the International Corpus of English Franck Zumstein: Are word-stress variants in lexicophonetic corpora exceptional cases or regular forms? Part 2. Specialist corpora Peter Collins, Xinyue Yao and Ariane Borlongan: Relative clauses in Philippine English: a diachronic perspective Marco Schilk and Marc Hammel: The progressive in South Asian and Southeast Asian varieties of English - mapping areal homogeneity and heterogeneity Antoinette Renouf: Neology: from word to register Thomas Egan and Gudrun Rawoens: English amid(st) and among(st): a contrastive approach based on Norwegian and Swedish translation Kerstin Kunz and Ekaterina Lapshinova-Koltunski: Cohesive conjunctions in English and German: systemic contrasts and textual differences Part 3. Second language acquisition Katrien L. B. Deroey: "Anyway, the point I'm making is": lexicogrammatical relevance marking in lectures M. Luisa Roca-Valera: Faux amis in speech and writing: a corpus-based study of English false friends in the production of Spanish students Thomas Gaillat, Pascale Sebillot and Nicolas Ballier: Automated classification of unexpected uses of this and that in a learner corpus of English +Monique van der Haagen, Pieter de Haan and Rina de Vries: Crude contours: a pilot study into the feasibility of charting student speakers' proficiency Pieter de Haan and +Monique van der Haagen: A longitudinal study of the syntactic development of very advanced Dutch EFL writing


Starting in the 1960s public transit lost its private-sector orientation as most such companies were taken over by public agencies. Takeovers had come as a result of massive losses of ridership and of support for transit services. Now local office holders do not understand transit's role and this is further complicated by transit users' inability to communicate their need for transit. The result is termed "isolation" which is also exacerbated by other factors. Transit managers have placed high priority on the mechanics fo transit and low priority on developing a real constituency in failing to make their systems valuable to a wider range of potential users in their communities. The success of Valley Metro in Roanoke, Va., in involving itself in a major downtown urban renewal project with the private sector is a type of activity which can aid in constituency development. Other Valley Metro activities have included ridesharing and parking, community service projects, and joint promotion with private businesses. Valley Metro's efforts are ongoing and changing, reflecting the needs of the community and of the transit system. Transit managements' responsibility is to seek private-public partnership opportunities that build ridership and develop backing for transit.


In this paper, using the generalized coupled pseudoforce model with driving elements, we develop a method to study the plasmon excitations and energy band structure in a plasmonic crystal. It is shown that the presence of the periodic ion core potential leads to pseudo-resonance condition in the plasmon wavefunction and electrostatic potential profiles, quite analogous to the frequency resonance, leading to the gap formation in the energy dispersion profiles. It is found that the dual length scale character of plasmon excitations lead to occurrence of a critical value of $a_c=2\pi\lambda_p$ for the lattice constant ($\lambda_p$ being the plasmon wavelength) above and below which the energy band structure of plasmonic crystals becomes substantially different. It is also found that energy band gap positions of parabolic free electron energy dispersion relation are slightly higher compared to that of the plasmon excitations. Here based on the plasmon definition and due to the dual length scale character of plasmons compared to that of single electrons, we provide a simplified interpretation of the wave-particle duality in quantum physics and provide the length scale regime in which both wave and particle properties can be simultaneously examined in a single experiment, where, the complementarity principle breaks down. However, the dual characteristics of electron-plasmon coupled excitations, quite analogous to starling murmuration phenomenon, strongly suggests that the long south de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave of electron is nothing but the plasmon itself. The wavefunction and electrostatic potential solution for a one dimensional plasmonic lattice with a generalized periodic potential is also derived in this research.


There will be a great influence on Chinese town enterprise after China enters the WTO.The influence is reflected by the positive aspect and negative aspect.In order to face the changes of circumstance of town enterprises,avoid risks and seek benefits,gain the initiative in international competitions and develop the town enterprises fastly,we should restructure the industry ,changeover the system of managements and so on.


Introduction: We previously reported that atherosclerotic plaque formation was severely retarded in the Ldlr -/-/Apobec1 -/- /Plasminogen -/- (L -/- /A -/- /Plg -/- ) triple knockout mice compared with L -/- /A -/- mice, which a murine model of type IIa human familial hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, it is inferred that tPA or uPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator or urokinase-type plasminogen activator) involved in the activation of Plg is deeply involved in the development of atherosclerotic plaque formation. In this study, we investigated the effect of tPA on type IIa human familial hypercholesterolemia. Results and discussion: We produced L -/- /A -/- /Plat -/- mice by crossing L -/- /A -/- mouse with Plat -/- knockout mouse. L -/-/A -/- /Plat -/- and L -/- /A -/- Mice were fed a normal diet for 24, 36, 48 weeks, and then the aortic sinus was collected from the mice. Then, the aorta was stained with HE or Masson's trichrome, and the size of the atherosclerotic lesion was measured using ImageJ. As a result, the size of atherosclerotic lesions in 36-week-old and 48-week-old L -/- /A -/- /Plat -/-mice was significantly smaller than that in L -/- /A -/- mice. The results of this study suggest that tPA is involved


Six dogs were submitted to an operation to test the viability of sylicon slab in partial replecement of tracheal wall. These animais were anesthetized and had removed a third part with compatible dimension of the circunference of three tracheal rings at mid cervical region. At this place a sylicon slab was implanted and fixed to the surrounding tracheal cartilage. The dogs were observed during thirty days. At post morten, they were evalueted by gross and microscopic examination. It was detected the tissue replacement and the growing of the epithelium.


Starting from the phenomenon of increasing patchwork waste generated from garment factories or the so-called convection industry in DKI Jakarta, according to the Ministry of Industry (2020) in Indonesia there are 1,535 factories which are still actively producing and also have a variety of patchwork waste . During the production period, it will produce a large amount of solid waste due to high sales. According to the survey data one of the research sites is the convection industry / garment factory PT. Farah Textile, located in East Jakarta, where there is a waste waste in the factory which amounts to approximately ± 750 kilo grams per month, waste wastes produce various kinds of pieces. Not all types of waste can be sold. While factory workers are less than optimal in utilizing the remaining patchwork waste, so there is a lot of patchwork waste left over and cannot be treated. The data collection methodology in this study uses a qualitative approach and an experimental method. There will be several stages of research to be carried out, in order to complete the data for research. Qualitative approaches and experimental methods will be applied to this waste research study. From the design process to be achieved in order to be able to reprocess the waste patchwork variant, so that it becomes a material sheet that is made optimally, into a fashion product concept and also produces good economic value. In making a fashion product that is used as a business opportunity, to increase the economic value of a product made (up-cycled). Aim to maintain the environment and create a zero waste product.
The results of this exploration study aim to be able to treat the waste waste that is quite a lot in the factory environment, with different sizes and has been classified according to needs. With the aim of creating a new sheet of fabric and can be applied to a fashion product.


This paper attempts to summarise the databases commercially availabile in lndia to the general public. These may be availabie either on floppies or as on-line or in CD-ROM format. Some important vendors with details of the database, coverage, scope, etc. are discussed. http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dbit.15.4.3190


1. Thirty two species of leguminous plants were inoculated with the sap from the young shoots of Satsuma orange showing symptoms of Satsuma dwarf. Nine species including cowpea (Vigna sinensis Endl.), asparagus bean (Vigna sesquipedalis Wight), kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), Crotalaria spectabilis Roth, peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), garden pea (Pisum sativum L.), Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.), sword bean (Canavalia gladiota DC.), and Japanese clover (Microlespedeza striata Makino) were proved to be susceptible to a virus present in the affetced trees. Two species of Chenopodiaceae and three species of Cucurbitaceae were not subject to it. The authors temporarily propose the name "Satsuma dwarf virus" to this legume infecting virus.2. Among the susceptible plants listed above, Blackeye cowpea and kidney bean (Satisfaction) showed the most characteristic symptoms. The former showed mottling and vein clearing on the leaves, and necrotic streaks on the petioles as well as on the stems. The latter also developed clear mottling and vein clearing on the foliage of most plants that were infected by sap-inoculation. These two species appear to be good indicator plants. However, retransmission from infected legume plants to Satsuma orange has not been successful in the tests so far conducted.3. Higher percentages of infection resulted when the expressed sap was buffered with about an equal volume of 0.05-0.1mol solution of K2HPO4.4. One-month old shoots of affected Satsuma orange were demonstrated to carry highly active virus in the leaves, bark and wood portions. One-year old shoots and relatively old current shoots carried active virus in the wood, but not in the bark of twigs or the leaves.


Based on a literature survey, we present a preliminary model of the relationship between personality, performance, performance feedback, emotional support, affective state, and learner motivation. We also discuss what is needed to develop a Bayesian model of these relationships.


A method for the measurement of low-density microporous polymeric foams with digital microscopic image plane holography is studied. An image plane hologram of microporous foam is recorded in an optical system of a Mach-Zender interferometer by CCD sensor, and the magnified image, which contains the quantitative information of the intensity and the phase of the microporous foam, is reconstructed numerically from the captured single interference pattern by twice fast Fourier transform and digital filter processing of frequency spectrum. And the morphometry and the pore diameter of the microporous foam under test can be obtained. A theoretical analysis has been performed and experimental results of the polymeric foam are also given. The experimental results show that the method presented in this paper is feasible, easy in data processing.


The modulation sensitivity enhancement features of Fabry-Perot electrooptic modulators have been recognized for a decade and their unique performance characteristics, including bandwidth and modulation frequency limita tions, extensively analyzed. Several operational de vices have been designed and built in recent years for wide band video modulation, laser mode isolation, and high repetition rate laser pulse generation. Theoretical and supporting experimental work on the transmission charac teristics of Fabry-Perot interferometers with known, con trolled imperfections have elicited an appreciation of the need for great care in the design, fabrication, and align ment of these sensitive optical devices. This Letter points out some interesting and heretofore unnoticed operational characteristics of Fabry-Perot modulators in tended for enhanced phase (or intensity) modulation in the presence of bulk internal loss. The modulator is assumed to be composed of a singlecrystal rectangular parallelepiped of electrooptic material of length L and refractive index n, operating with transverse electric signal field, having polished parallel end faces coated for high reflectivity R, and having a fi nite optical power absorption coefficient α. Other losses due to surface imperfections and crystal inhomogeneities are considered negligible. The complex amplitude At of a transmitted beam, of incident amplitude Aι and free-space wavelength λ0, is which increases with increasing σ and decreases with in creasing R for all σ < 1. The phase enhancement factor φ/y on the other hand increases with increasing R and σ. These properties are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which plot the relationships (4) and (3), respectively, as func tions of R for several values of σ. The SNR at the receiving end of a quantum noise limit ed laser communication link is proportional to the prod uct of the optical carrier power and the modulation index squared. Thus, from the transmitter end, we wish to maximize the product


Michel Tournier's Vendredi ou les Limbes du Pacifique, the fiction prize winner of l'Acad mie de France, has been regarded as the contemporary Robinson Crusoe. In rewriting the original work, Tournier follows Defoe in terms of plot and characters, but adds a new philosophy into the old story, and more importantly, reshapes the relationship among the three main characters with a subversive effect.


The aminobiphosphonate Zoledronic acid (ZOL) inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and it is used to prevent skeletal complications from bone metastases. Accumulating evidences in both preclinical and clinical studies indicated that ZOL might also have anticancer activity. We have recently selected for the first time the ZOL-resistant DU145R80 prostate cancer (PCa) cell line that demonstrated an antiapoptotic and proangiogenic phenotype with increased invasive capability and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), compared to parental DU145 cells. Interestingly, we also demonstrated that both the acquired resistance to ZOL and the aggressive phenotype are mediated by p38-MAPK (Milone et al. Cell Death Dis. 2013, 4:e641). To further investigate the mechanism of ZOL-resistance and of the parallel acquisition of an aggressive phenotype in this novel syngeneic model of PCa, we took advantage of a two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE)/mass spectrometry (MS) proteomic approach, to investigate differential expressed proteins between DU145R80 and DU145 cell lines. We found 21 statistically differentially expressed protein spots between the two cell lines (average volume ratio threshold of ±1.4-fold and 95% level of significance, p Citation Format: Maria Rita Milone, Biagio Pucci, Federica Iannelli, Rita Lombardi, Katia Bifulco, Francesca Bruzzese, Elena Di Gennaro, Antonio Avallone, Maria Vincenza Carriero, Alfredo Budillon. Proteomic characterization of zoledronic acid-resistant prostate cancer cells identified key proteins in cytoskeleton organization and cancer stem cell markers associated with a very aggressive phenotype. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5311. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5311


This monograph deals with the generation of correction curves for a thermal power plant using different parameters as input conditions with manual calculations and illustrates the importance of these curves in carrying out performance guarantee (PG) test. The monograph contains expert knowledge on performance guarantee test. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and practicing engineers.


Starting in 1650, Calderon de la Barca assigned a new role to the 'loa', elevating it artistically to the level of the 'auto'. In America, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz followed the Spaniard's example by aggrandizing the panegyric loa and including the essential elements: allegorical characters, hermetic fragments, emblematic reminiscences and a sensorial setting. These loas are pieces that adhere to certain templates to glorify power and exalt authority. These templates are constituted of compositional paradigms that structure the design, in part or as a whole, of the stylistic and argumentative architecture, as Arellano correctly asserts about the Auto Sacramental but also applicable to Sor Juana's last half of the 17th century panegyric loas. I propose an analysis of the five loas that the nun composed for Carlos the Second's birthday that consists in identifying and comparing the compositional paradigms, to be able to formulate a three act structure based on the functional identification of the paradigms.


This study aims to identify the dominant sector in Komering Ogan Ilir. By using the analytical approach of MRP, Shift Share, LQ, Overlay and Klassen typology can be concluded that the economic potential held Komering Ogan Ilir is the agricultural sector and the manufacturing industry which is the dominant sector growth. In addition, the sector also showed an increase of the structure of economic growth. It is given that most residents in thearea of OKI regency is still engaged in agriculture, so agriculture has an outstanding growth of other sectors. In addition, the manufacturing industry has also an outstanding growth among manufacturing Kemplang and Pempek industries that thriving in South Sumatra Province and District OKI.


: To compare the genotypes of isolated from infants in Xi'an and Shanghai. : Samples were collected by nasopharyngeal swab from infants aged hospitalized with suspected pertussis in Xi'an and Shanghai during 2018 and 2019. was isolated, and multilocus antigen sequence typing (MAST) and multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) were used to analyse the genotypes. : A total of 1200 samples were collected from infants suspected of pertussis and 60 strains of were isolated, including 34 strains in Xi'an and 26 strains in Shanghai. There were significant differences in the MAST types between Xi'an and Shanghai (=18.642, <0.01); the //// strains dominated in Xi'an (32/34, 94.12%), while the dominated MAST types in Shanghai were //// (13/26, 50.00%) and //// (11/26, 42.31%). The composition of MLVA type of pertussis strains was also significantly different between Xi'an and Shanghai (=15.866, <0.01); the MT195 (13/34, 38.24%), MT55 (10/34, 29.41%) and MT104 (9/34, 26.47%) strains dominated in Xi'an, while the MT27 (12/26, 46.15%) strain was most common in Shanghai. : There are differences in molecular types of isolated from infants with suspected persussis in Xi'an and Shanghai, indicating that further monitoring of is necessary for better understanding the pathogen evolution in China.


1,6-Anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-(p-methylbenzyl)-β-D-glucopyranose (TXGL, M1) has been copolymerized with 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-β-D-glucopyranose (TBGL, M2). Reactivity ratios, calculated by the Mayo and Lewis procedure, are r1 = r2 = 1.25 ± 0.25. Within experimental error these values represent azeotropic copolymerization. Therefore preceding interpretations of the relative reactivity of TXGL and other benzylated anhydrosugars are not incorrect because the possible effect of p-methyl substitution was ignored. Analysis of this copolymerization system and the reported copolymerizations of TXGL with 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-β-D-manno-(TBMN) and galactopyranoses (TBGA) by the linear method recently proposed by Kelen and Tudos has confirmed that true copolymerization takes place in all the systems mentioned above and that the classical copolymerization theory adequately describes the copolymerization mechanism. Physical properties of the copolymers of TXGL and TBGL indicate the usual high stereoregularity of structure.


Anthracnose occurs in most sorghum producing regions worldwide and the pathogen is highly variable; thus, additional sources of resistance are needed for sorghum improvement. To identify resistant sources, 41 sorghum accessions from the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe were evaluated for foliar anthracnose disease response in Isabela, Puerto Rico during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons. Eleven accessions showed a resistant response characterized by reddening of inoculated leaves and no acervuli development. Fourteen of the 30 accessions rated as susceptible showed a susceptible response within and between growing seasons. Four accessions rated as susceptible showed variation in disease response between growing seasons. In 2006, more accessions showed a susceptible response across replications, and infection of the flag leaf was more frequent; however, infection severity was greater for the susceptible accessions observed in 2007. Overall, in 2006 and 2007, infection severity was low and the majority of the accessions showed less than 10% infected leaf area. In addition to the accessions showing resistance, the accessions with low infection severity may benefit sorghum improvement programs


This article points out that the principles of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometer operating in the cross-track mode and the proposed multi-frequency SAR interferometer are equivalent respectively to those of multi-source and multi- wavelength optical holographic interferometry. Expressions are derived to describe the loss of coherence by various factors. Including the temporally and spatially random as well as deterministic changes in complex reflectivity; and their relative importance is discussed for both the SAR interferometers. The similarities of the decorrelation effect between the SAR interferometers and laser speckle are mentioned. The authors also show that the extracted phase from the cross-track SAR interferometer data does not faithfully represent the range-varying surface height variation. The effect is due to the fact that the holographic principle is applied only to azimuth direction.<<ETX>>


The article attempts to expound the legislation breakthrough brought forward by the carrying out of the individual investment enterprise law in China .By applying the comparative research method, the author discusses the following four respects: the naming of the individual investment enterprise law, its establishing requirement, the protection it brings to the right of individual investment enterprise and the standardization of its general affairs management, which all account for the legislation breakthrough of the law.


It is demonstrated that the elongation cutoff technique (ECT) substantially speeds up the quantum-chemical calculation at Hartree-Fock (HF) level of theory and is especially well suited for parallel performance. A comparison of ECT timings for water chains with the reference HF calculations is given. The analysis includes the overall CPU (central processing unit) time and its most time consuming steps.


New Materials and Systems for Drug Delivery and Targeting The Use of Bioadhesive Polymers as a Means of Improving Drug Delivery Some Novel Aspects of Transdermal Drug Delivery Controlled Drug Release Using Hydrogels Based on Poly(ethylene glycols): Macrogels and Microgels Structural Investigations of the Monolayers and Vesicular Bilayers Formed by a Novel Class of Nonionic Surfactant Non-ionic Surfactant Vesicles and Colloidal Targeting Delivery Systems: The Role of Surfactant Conformation Monofunctional Poly(ethylene glycol): Characterisation and Purity for Protein-Modification Applications Lactose - The Influence of Particle Size and Structure on Drug Delivery Functional Differences and Regulatory Aspects of Lactose Products Labelled as Lactose Modified Flexibility in Tablet Formulation by Use of Lactose Based Direct Compression Compounds Compressional and Tableting Performance of High Density Grades of Microcrystalline Cellulose Starch Based Drug Delivery Systems Trehalose and Novel Hydrophobic Sugar Glasses in Drug Stabilization and Delivery Aqueous Shellac Solutions for Controlled Release Coatings Information Requirements for Drug Delivery Systems Subject Index.


Very low birthweight liveborn infants (<1,500 g, VLBW) born in Sweden 1973–88 were identified from the Medical Birth Registry and efforts were made to remove wrongly recorded birthweights −9% of infants with a registered birth weight below 1,500 g were removed. Some VLBW infants were not recorded in the register and the estimate of the prevalence at birth of VLBW infants is therefore slightly underestimated. It increased from about 5.5 per 1,000 during the period 1973–84 to 6.7 per 1,000 during 1987–88. 18% of VLBW infants were involved in multiple births. Median Apgar score at 5 min increased for each 100 g birthweight class. Even at a birthweight between 1,400 and 1,499 g. a low Apgar score at 5 min was seen in 20%. The rate of cesarean section increased between 1973 and 1983 from about 10% to 60%. One‐year survival for infants with a birthweight <1,000g increased from less than 20% in 1973–75 to 50% in the 1986–88 cohorts. Corresponding figures for infants with a birthweight between 1,000 and 1,499 g were 60% and 90%. A markedly better one‐year survival is already evident in the 600–699 g class. On stratifying for 100 g birthweight class, perinatal death risk was higher in hoys than in girls and higher in multiple births than in singletons. An increased rate of congenital malformations was seen in the 1,000–1,499 g class but not in the <1,000 g class.


With the increasing demand of safety performance,lightweight and energy saving in the automotive industry,low cost hot-rolled high-strength steel parts have been widely used in the automotive wheel manufacturing. In order to tackle the cracking problem occurring in the center hole during the coupled reversedrawing and flanging process,finite element simulation was carried out. The distribution and variation of the stress and strain when forming the B550 CL high-strength steel was calculated and validated by experimental results. The results showed that the stress and strain concentrates severely in the flange area during the coupled forming process,and the deformation of this area is larger than the rest of the part.The damage and thickness reduction in the flanging region is relatively more serious,which may cause defects such as cracking in actual production.


The subspace inclusion graph on a vector space [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is a graph whose vertex set consists of nontrivial proper subspaces of [Formula: see text] and two vertices are adjacent if one is properly contained in another. In a recent paper, Das posed the following four conjectures on the subspace inclusion graph [Formula: see text]: If [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text]-dimensional vector space over a finite field [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] elements, then: (1) The domination number of [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]. (2) [Formula: see text] is distance regular. (3) [Formula: see text] is Hamiltonian. (4) [Formula: see text] is a Cayley graph. In the present paper, we prove the first two conjectures: If [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text]-dimensional vector space over a finite field [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] elements, then: (1) The domination number of [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]. (2) [Formula: see text] is distance regular.


The formula frequently used to describe the c-axis infrared
response of the coupled electron-phonon system of bilayer
cuprate superconductors and providing important insights into
the physics of these materials has been originally obtained at
the level of the phenomenological multilayer model. Here we
derive it using diagrammatic perturbation theory.


In India, despite significant advances in the prevention and treatment of sexual dysfunctions, the majority of these have focused on male sexual dysfunction disorders. There is still a paucity of literature that adequately explains the relationship between sexual knowledge and attitudes of women and female sexual dysfunctions. Furthermore, physiological events such as pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, menopause, and ageing have a significant impact on sexual well-being, particularly when co-morbid psychiatric illnesses are present. The prevalence of these interactions and their relationship with female sexual dysfunctions are being explored which have consequences in the prevention and treatment of female sexual dysfunctions

 1. To assess sexual health knowledge and attitudes regarding sexual practices in women attending Obstetrics and Gynecology Out Patient Department. 2. To assess presence and extent of sexual dysfunctions in these women 3. To evaluate for presence of co-morbid psychiatric conditions

 Hospital based cross-sectional study with a sample size of 220 women in the category of pregnant, nulliparous and perimenopause/ menopause/ post menopause with age range from 18 to 65 years. Pregnancy carrying high risk and women nearing term were excluded from the study. After a detailed history regarding their socio-economic data, each of them were handed out questionnaires. The SKAQ-II (Sexual knowledge and attitude questionnaire), which was standardized using Indian population assessed their sexual knowledge and attitude, the Female Sexual Functioning Index scale (FSFI) evaluated sexual dysfunction and the presence of psychiatric comorbidities was assessed with the M.I.N.I PLUS scale.

 93% of the women had an adequate amount of knowledge regarding sexual practice and 83.2% had liberal attitude. Level of sexual knowledge and attitude was positively correlated with presence of sexual dysfunction, with the prevalence of latter being 65.5% with 63% of pregnant women having sexual dysfunction and 77.8% of menopausal women having sexual dysfunction. Rural women had lower levels of sexual knowledge and conservative attitude towards sexual practice, leading to more sexual problems. Around one-fourth of women reported psychiatric morbidities with majority suffering from depression.

 Women with greater sexual knowledge and a liberal mindset towards sexual practices tend to have lower levels of sexual dysfunction. Rural women tended to have lower levels of sexual knowledge and poor attitude towards sexual practice. There was no association found between religious attitudes. Most dysfunctions were reported by the menopausal age group. Sexual issues were more common in the domains of desire, lubrication, orgasm and pain. A positive correlation was noted between sexual dysfunction and kind of housing, leading to lack of intimacy being an important contributing factor.

 No


This research investigated the relationship between post occupancy behaviour and energy efficiency in residential buildings.

Occupants remain unique in their behaviour, understanding and beliefs relating to energy conservation in residential buildings.

The assessment of the occupants' behaviour and energy usage was achieved by investigating innovative energy efficient technologies that had been installed in a pilot case study.

These technologies included Balco glazing system, air source heat pumps, voltage optimisation units, phase change material, thermodynamics, passivents, energy efficient boilers, solar panels and external structural insulation.

The study consisted of 51 dwellings, based on 5 property types, including a mixture of semi-detached houses British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF), semi-detached and mid terraced bungalows and flats, all constructed in the south east of the UK between 1950 -1970.

Behaviour traits of occupants along with energy usage were collected over a period of 2 years. Data was collected through questionnaires, before and after the energy efficient retrofitting works had been carried out, supported by interviews and random observations.

The analysis concluded that the properties with the most significant reduction in gas usage (20.62%) were the British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) properties. These properties were characterised by structural insulation, boilers and solar panels. Furthermore, all the occupants living in this type of retrofitted property were employed. They were conversant with maintenance manuals and the use of the internet, familiar with the types of energy efficient technologies that had been fitted and they paid their energy bills by pre-payment card.

The outcomes of this investigation could further advance the research in the area of the energy retrofitted residential housing in order to maximise their energy efficiency based on occupants' behaviour, matched against user-friendly technologies, thus supporting designers, management agents, manufactures as well as responding to the occupants' needs.


This paper proposes a quadratic programming (QP) approach to robust MPC for constrained linear systems having both model uncertainties and bounded disturbances. To this end, we construct an additional comparison model for worst-case analysis based on a robust control Lyapunov function (RCLF) for the unconstrained system (not necessarily an RCLF in the presence of constraints). By using this comparison model, we transform the given robust MPC problem to a nominal one without uncertain terms. This comparison model also enables us to derive a terminal condition for ensuring the robust stability of the closed-loop. Since this terminal condition is described by linear constraints, the control optimization can be reduced to a QP problem.


The paper investigates the degree of accuracy achievable when some non‐linear static procedures based on a pushover analysis are used to evaluate the seismic performance. In order to assess the significance of different sources of errors, three types of structural systems are analysed: (i) single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) systems with different hysteretic behaviour; (ii) shear‐type multi‐degree‐of‐freedom (MDOF) systems with elastic–perfect plastic (EPP) shear force–interstorey drift relationships; (iii) a steel moment‐resisting frame with rigid joints and EPP moment–curvature relationship. In SDOF systems, the source of approximation comes only from the calibration of the demand spectrum, while in MDOF systems some further errors are introduced by the schematization with an equivalent SDOF system. The non‐linear static procedures are compared with rigorous time‐history analyses carried out by considering ten generated earthquake ground motions compatible with the Eurocode 8 elastic spectra. It was found that SDOF systems with longer periods satisfy the equal displacement approximation regardless of the hysteretic model, while hysteresis loops with smaller energy dissipated indicate lower response for shorter periods. This is the opposite of what predicted by the ATC‐40 capacity spectrum method, which underestimates and overestimates, respectively, the actual response of low‐ and high‐ductility systems. Conversely, the inelastic spectrum method proposed by Vidic, Fajfar and Fischinger leads to the most accurate results for all types of structural systems. The analyses carried out on EPP shear‐type frames point out a large concentration of the ductility demand on some storeys. However, such a concentration markedly reduces when some hardening is accounted for. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


8 subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were encountered between June-December 1986 and were diagnosed as having AIDS (3), PGL (1), MLA (1), and asymptomatic HIV carrier state (3). The clinical presentation, immunologic features, and course of those with AIDS or PGL, were similar to those reported from American, European, and tropical African countries, with low T-helper cells, reversed CD4/CD8 ratio, and the presence of antibody to HIV. Asymptomatic carriers also had reversed CD4/CD8 ratio. 6 of these individuals were foreign visitors, 5 from tropical African countries and 1 from the US, while 2 were Indians who had frequent sexual exposure abroad in countries where AIDS is quite prevalent (1 homosexual in West Germany and other possibly had sexual exposure in Uganda). None of the 2046 Indian nationals in the high risk group screened until January 1987 without history of sexual, blood, or blood product exposure abroad were found to seropositive at this center in North India. These findings suggest that HIV infection is not endemic in North India. However, there is a risk of spread of this infection in North India through sexual or blood contact with foreign visitors.


Few reports of implementation in OR/MS adopt an evolutionary perspective or extend over a sufficiently long span of time. Using a representative sample of accounts, including those in this special issue, we discuss the challenges of taking the longer view. Greater diversity in reporting practice in our field would capture the reality of implementing OR/MS with greater fidelity.


The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of healthcare workers during the first wave of the coronavirus crisis. In a mixed-methods study, data were collected through an online survey completed by 263 hospital staff members, as well as 10 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with physicians, nurses, and medical technologists working on coronavirus wards. Respondents expressed extremely high levels of concern for family members, but they were less apprehensive about their own health and safety. Nurses displayed more apprehension and burnout compared to healthcare workers in other professional roles. The in-depth interviews reinforced and supplemented the survey findings and deepened our understanding of the experience of healthcare workers directly involved in the first wave of coronavirus patient care. The findings of this study illuminate the main concerns of hospital staff during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and deepen our understanding of issues that require systemic attention in order to strengthen mental resilience among hospital staff. The steps required to continue fighting the virus include the development of a mental and emotional support network for healthcare workers to safeguard them and their health, as they care for patients, and to provide ongoing psychosocial support. As later waves of COVID-19 continued, these recommendations are even more pertinent.


Soil microbial biomass constitutes a transformation matrix for all the natural organic material in the soil and acts as labile reservoir of plant available nutrients. In general plants serve as carbon source for the microbial community and in turn microbes provide nutrients for growth through mineralization of plant and animal residues, and organic matter, thus soil microbial biomass is a significant parameter to draw an inference about the soil health. Biodiversity of visible plants and animals has received a greater attention than the meso or micro level organisms. Information about soil microbial biomass can help to quantify the extant of degradation and may help to provide the effective methodology for the restoration in the degraded terrestrial ecosystems. As the changing global climate has been one of the major environmental challenges facing the world today, there is an increasing need to restore the degraded ecosystem, increase their productivity, to increase the carbon sequestration potential of such areas and to make them suitable for the sustainable forestry purposes. This review provides the importance of soil microbial biomass in the derelict mined ecosystems and suggests that an increase in microbial biomass in the soil may enhance the soil fertility, and provide an effective substrate for the nutrient mineralization.


Engaging young people in the planning of mental health promotion programmes and initiatives to meet their expressed needs continues to be a challenge for commissioners and providers. This paper reports a study to explore levels of self‐esteem and the main concerns of young people living with the legacy of conflict in the southern area of Northern Ireland, findings from which were used to inform good practice guidelines for service providers. The study highlighted that young people with low self‐esteem worry more, are more likely to engage in risk‐taking behaviour, feel more disillusioned and are less likely to access formal sources of help. Lack of trust, credibility and fears about confidentiality emerged as key barriers to help‐seeking.


Abstract : This report summarizes the results of a research effort aimed at identifying hot corrosion-resistant stabilizers for zirconia (ZrO2) which could be used in zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for engines operating on marine fuel under sea-going conditions. Among the oxides investigated were TiO2, CeO2, Y2O3, MgO, Sc2O3, In2O3, and SnO2. A brief overview of the hot corrosion of zirconia TBCs is given to illustrate the rationale used in evaluating the hot corrosion performance of the candidate oxides. The most promising stabilizer found for hot corrosion resistance was Sc2O3, or perhaps mixtures of Sc2O3 and small amounts of Y2O3. It was also discovered that Sc2Os, Y2O3- stabilized ZrO2 (SYSZ), of approx. 7 mol% of total stabilizer of which 5-20% is Y2O3, shows improved 1400 deg C stability of the tetragonal (t') phase as compared to present-day Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 TBC compositions. This new material may have potential for TBC use in future high temperature, high efficiency gas turbine engines.


In India, the phrase 'fake encounter' refers to the extrajudicial killing of a civilian followed by the official claim that the victim was a Pakistani infiltrator killed in a legitimate military encounter with police or army forces. This article explores the widespread pattern of fake encounters in Kashmir Valley in order to shed light on the processes through which violence and terror become fictionalized and fantastic, with Kashmiri bodies gaining a heightened visibility in a falsified form within a cultural imaginary of national security interests and public safety concerns. Identifying Kashmir Valley as a state of exception, I examine how the suspension of the rule of law gives rise to new agents and hierarchies of power and authority and new patterns of criminalization and paramilitarization throughout Kashmiri society. I also consider how the informalized practices of forced disappearance, fictionalized terror, and impunity for violence are produced and reproduced through the strategic manufacturing of public consent for violence against Kashmiris throughout Indian society at large.


Institutions of higher education have been slower than commercial enterprises to realise the links between leadership and quality. However, changes in the internal and external environment of universities and colleges are bringing these connections to the fore. This paper presents an overview of current thinking on quality and leadership in the context of institutional effectiveness. The authors explore different interpretations of leadership and quality, and examine their potential contribution to managing change and to the achievement of a culture of quality enhancement in higher education.