Managing the behavior of a huge number of nonplayer characters (NPCs) is a major challenge in massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) for a few reasons. First, the moving characters are highly dynamic and their positioning is highly skewed in swarm regions. Second, players are more intelligent and they often collaborate as teams. Third, the characters are complex by design as they can be armed with different weapons and armors, possess different capabilities, and switch from one role to another. Decision making on the behavior of NPCs in swarm regions is therefore complex because of the rich game semantics in these regions. NPCs in MMOGs are also required to act in teams so that they can fight against teamed player characters (PCs) effectively. This leads to the problems of dynamically managing team members and effectively analyzing information of the local game environment, which are real challenges in MMOGs with a large population due to the high computational cost of handling the dynamics of characters. To address these two problems, we propose a data centric character binding model which manages NPCs in teams. Effective NPC teams are dynamically maintained through self-tuning of binding memberships. Information of local game environment is summarized by bindings. The updates of binding information are efficiently handled by applying lazy updates and model-driven updates. We conduct experiments and the results show that our proposed character binding model achieves the much needed effectiveness and scalability desired by game AI in MMOGs.


The microstructure of mozzarella cheese and model mozzarella cheese were compared during the ripening, the results showed that the microstructure changes of mozzarella cheese and model mozzarella cheese1 were similar,while the microstructure of model mozzarella cheese2 were densed and uniformed, changed little during the ripening. The effect of rennet on the microstructure of mozzarella cheese was great during the all ripening periods,while the fermentation bacteria had no influence on the microstructure of 30 d ripening Mozzarella cheese, indirectly influenced the microstructure unitle 50 d ripening.


Your Newtonian reflector will give great images of stars and planets — but only as long as you keep it well tuned. The "tuning" of a telescope is known as collimation. You may have heard that it is incomprehensible, tedious, time-consuming, a pain in the neck, and best avoided. I hope to convince you that it is none of these things. You can master it and in only a minute or two get your instrument ready for a star performance.


DUV immersion lithography (ArFi) continues to be the primary lithographic method for semiconductor manufacturers. Use of ArFi lithography requires patterning budget improvements in the range of 1/10 nm especially for interconnect layers[1] ; for advanced process technology nodes, every Angstrom counts. Previous investigations into the effects of light source bandwidth on imaging performance have provided the foundation for this work[2-10]. This study will focus on the increase in image contrast that 200 fm light source E95 bandwidth enables on Self-Aligned Double Patterning (SADP) and Self-Aligned Quadruple Patterning (SAQP) features. The impact of 200 fm E95 bandwidth on the CD and Edge Placement Error (EPE) performance of core (grating) and block features will be assessed using an imec 7 nm process node test vehicle. The on wafer experimental results will be compared with the simulation predicted responses of the target features to lower light source bandwidth.


Abstract. 1. A survey of Culicoides breeding places was made around Salisbury. Out of forty species caught in light traps, only nineteen were reared from breeding places.


We investigate the challenges and potential for high-efficiency n-type Cz Si solar cells having a hybrid structure - a diffused B emitter on the front side, and an amorphous Si heterojunction (SHJ) passivated full-area contact on the rear. This cell design has benefits over comparable high-efficiency geometries such as PERL (passivated emitter rear locally diffused) and SHJ cells with heterojunctions both front and rear. We show that an advantage of the HJ rear contact is excellent passivation of the backside, with measured contact recombination current density J0,b,c <; 10 fA/cm2; moreover, compared to PERL, its cell fabrication process is much simpler. Weighed against standard SHJ cells, the diffused front results in less optical loss and no need for a transparent conducting oxide (TCO). We study the contact resistivity of a state-of-the-art SHJ rear contact to the wafer, finding a value of ~0.3 ohm-cm2; a series of experiments are performed to reduce this value while maintaining potential for high Voc > 700 mV. As an initial demonstration of the concept, we fabricate a hybrid-structure cell having Voc = 671 mV, Jsc = 36.7 mA/cm2, FF = 0.75 and efficiency of 18.5%.


Traditional-based brainstorming using sticky notes has been an integral part in many collaborative group discussion environment.Yet, despite the advancement in technology and the increased research e ff ort to use technology to support group brainstorming, many groups still continues to relies on conventional paper-based discussion methods to generate, structure and communicate their ideas with each other. Discusys is a discussion support system that aims to augment the participants capabilities in group brainstorming by implementing 1. separation of private and public area during initial idea generation to allow ideas to mature without judgment of others 2. quick input and navigational design to help users to create, edit, view and manipulate the group generated ideas. 3. multi-platform synchronization technology to create a real-time visual information of the current status of the discussions which can be accessed by multiple users. Discusys utilized a dual-monitors PC client that separates the private and public dashboard, real-time network socket infrastructure to allow multiple users from di ff erent clients to interact with each other under one discussion ecosystem and multi-touch capabilities to create a natural, deep and structured collaborative discussion for multiple-users.


Since spintronics devices are capable of retaining digital information as their magnetization direction, development of nonvolatile memories, so-called magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAMs), to realize low-power integrated circuits with the von Neumann architecture has been one of the mainstream outlets of spintronics research pursued in the last several decades. Meanwhile, neuromorphic-computing hardware with non-von Neumann architecture has started to attract a great deal of attention in the field of microelectronics. Neuromorphic computing allows for completion of complex tasks at high speeds and at low power consumption levels that conventional von Neumann computers struggle with [1,2]. Recent researches point out that the spintronics devices also have the capable characteristics to model the human brain [3-5]. In this presentation, we describe a proof-of-concept demonstration of an associative memory operation like the human brain using a spintronics device [6]. For this purpose, we employ a recently-found spin-orbit torque (SOT) induced switching [7-9] device consisting of an antiferromagnet (AFM)/ ferromagnet (FM) stack structure [10-12], which shows an analogue-like resistance switching and thus serves as an artificial synapse in artificial neural networks.


Neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay of 76Ge to the ground state and first excited 0+ state in 76Se is discussed in terms of the associated nuclear matrix elements. The effects arizing from the size of the single-particle model space and the occupancies of the individual orbits are discussed in the framework of the (higher) quasiparticle random-phase approximation with effective, G-matrix-derived nuclear forces. It is found that the orbital occupancies play a role for the size of the nuclear matrix element. Contrary to the ground-state transition the transition to the first excited 0+ state does not depend sensitively on the size of the model space.


Purpose:Study the effect of nursing intervention performed before patients'mammary fiberoptic ductoscopy on patients'anxiety.Methods:For 80 patients who came to Mammary Fiberoptic Ductoscopy Department to make appointments,asked them to flll out the State-Anxiety questionnaire form and survey form to evaluate their anxiety states.After nursing intervention,the survey form is used to evaluate the intervention's effects a half-hour before patients'mammary fiberoptic ductoscopy examination.Results:All 80 patients have shown anxieties before nursing intervention.The study shows that after nursing intervention,the number of patients who checked following items in the survey form:worry about exam pain,worry about medical safety,feel nervous and afraid,and feel shy,are significantly smaller.Conclusions:Nursing intervention before patients'mammary fiberoptic ductoscopy exam has significant effect on reducing patients'anxieties.


The articles elaborates learning objectives unit for bilingual rhetoric and intellectual culture development of future research engineers, which has been developed with consideration for the contemporary state of the language. The author also characterizes the mechanism of bilingualism.


Objective: To determine an association of pain intensity with quality of life and functional disability in university students with lumbago.
Methodology: In this cross sectional study 213 students participated. Standard questionnaire Numeric pain rating scale, Utian quality of life scale Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire were used for the data collection.
Results: Mean age of students was 21.05±1.970 years (range 18-24). Out of 213 students, 143 had lower quality of life. There was an association between pain intensity and quality of life (p=0.006). Out of 213 students, 120 had minimal disability with lower quality of life. There was strong association (p=0.015) between quality of life and functional disability.
Conclusion: There was a strong association between pain intensity and quality of life, pain intensity and functional disability, quality of life and functional disability in university students with low back ache.


Abstract : This thesis examines the computation of inventory levels based on demand history aboard Submarine Tenders that use the Shipboard Automated Data Processing System (SUADPS) for inventory control. The focus of the thesis was the workload and supply effectiveness issues associated with the processing of the SUADPS levels setting program. The objective of the thesis was to determine the effect on supply effectiveness and stock churn if the levels program was processed less frequently. The thesis concludes that the likely effect of less frequent processing of the levels setting program would be an insignificant decrease in supply effectiveness and a significant decrease in stock churn. Further research involving a review of the assumptions and procedures of the SUADPS inventory model was recommended.


We theoretically investigate the quantum uncertainty in the width of optical beams. Many optical applications such as imaging and beam focusing are limited by the quantum noise in spatial characteristics of light beams.


Recent studies of Population III (Pop III) star formation suggest that the primordial star-forming clouds can fragment to form binary or multiple stellar systems inside dark matter minihalos. We here investigate the stellar feedback from Pop III stars, specifically contrasting single-star with binary scenarios. In so doing, we employ improved, more realistic Pop III evolutionary stellar models. To facilitate a meaningful comparison, we consider a fixed mass of 60 M incorporated in Pop III stars, either contained in a single star, or split up in binary stars of 30 M each or an asymmetric case of one 45 M and one 15 M star. We consider the impact from binary radiative, supernova, and x-ray feedback. Whereas the sizes of the resulting H II regions are comparable across all cases, the He III regions around binary stars are significantly smaller than that of the single star. Consequently, the He 1640 Å recombination line is expected to become much weaker. Supernova feedback exhibits great variety due to the uncertainty in possible explosion pathways. If at least one of the component stars dies as a hypernova, with an explosion energy of ∼ 10 erg, about ten times greater than for conventional core-collapse supernovae, the gas inside the host minihalo is effectively blown out, chemically enriching the intergalactic medium (IGM) to an average metallicity of 10−4 − 10−3 Z , out to ∼ 2 kpc. The single star, however, is more likely to collapse into a black hole, accompanied by at most very weak explosions. The effectiveness of early chemical enrichment would thus be significantly reduced, in difference from the lower mass binary stars, where at least one component is likely to contribute to heavy element production and dispersal. Even for conventional core-collapse supernovae, the surrounding medium can be enriched to 10−5− 10−4 Z out to ∼ 1.5 kpc. Important new feedback physics is introduced if close binaries can form high-mass x-ray binaries, leading to the pre-heating and -ionization of the IGM beyond the extent of the stellar H II regions. Subject headings: stars: formation – stars: Population III – supernova remnants – galaxies: formation – early universe – supernovae: general – stars: supernovae – radiative transfer.


ArchiPhen is simultaneously architecture and phenomenology, architecture's phenomenology, phenomenology in architecture. The name was coined in a moment of conviction that an invitation to ArchiPhen is timely for practitioners, scholars and students unaware of the importance of phenomenology for architectural discourse and making within a contemporary context. Phenomenology is rooted in the first person perspective and seeks inter-subjectivity, the shared cognition that shapes our ideas and r...


The utility model aims to provide a blanking concave mould for a chamfering inclined cutting edge, and the mould is used for reducing impact noise. In order to achieve the purpose, the blanking concave mould for the chamfering inclined cutting edge is characterized in that cutting edges are formed on two side parts of an opening, wherein a first end border, a second end border and a middle border are arranged on the surface of any side part of the two side parts of the opening; the middle border is arranged between the first end border and the second end border; a first inclined surface which is inclined from the first end border to the middle border is arranged between the first end border and the middle border; a second inclined surface which is inclined from the second end border to the middle border is arranged between the second end border and the middle border; a first inclined cutting edge which is inclined from the first end border to the middle border is arranged on the opening side of the first inclined surface; and a second inclined cutting edge which is inclined from the second end border to the middle border is arranged on the opening side of the second inclined surface.


Abstract A procedure to model high degrees of disorder is proposed on the basis of a combination of energy minimization and the Monte Carlo technique. The validity of the procedure is demonstrated in the limit where the interaction between defects is weak; thus the behaviour predicted by a mass action analysis is reproduced. This is accomplished by investigating Al-Fe disorder in Ca2FeAlO5; energy minimization, using a consistent set of empirical potentials, is used to calculate the lattice enthalpies for multiple arrangements of Al and Fe in Ca2FeAlO5 supercells, and the arrangements are chosen randomly using the Metropolis algorithm.


The paper presents monitoring results of the spread of opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms in patients of surgical departments of the Dniprodzerzhynsk city hospital No 7. 1464 strains of bacteria isolated from biological material of the patients from January to December 2012 were studied. Relevant standard methods of research and data interpretation in accordance with the regulatory guidelines were used. The microorganisms' sensitivity to antibiotics was determined by the disk diffusion method. Assessment of the resistance of isolated microorganisms to antibiotics was made with the software Whonet 5.1. At the first stage of investigation sampling biological material and inoculation in the culture medium were made. The discharges of wounds, throat, nose, ears, vagina and urethra, and also urine from patients of surgical departments were sampled for bacteriological analysis. The main substratum was 5% blood agar. There may additionally be used the selective growth media (yolk-salt agar, Endo, and Saburo). At the second stage we identify microorganisms with bacterioscopic, bacteriological and biochemical methods. Identifying microorganisms of the genus Staphylococcus was made by the reaction of lecithinase presence, plasma-coagulation reaction and the mannitol oxidation reaction. For the identification of bacteria of the family Streptococcaceae the growth pattern in 0.5% sugar medium was used. It was differentiated from bacteria of the genus Enterococcus by plating onto egg yolk agar base and milk with 0.1% methylene blue. Identification of bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family was made by studying their colonies on dense differential diagnostic media. Suspicious colonies were transferred on a combined medium for primary identification (Olkenitsky's medium). Then the biochemical signs of enterobacteria were studied in the minimum number of tests. The third phase of the study included the determination of the sensitivity of microorganisms to antibiotics. To do that, we use the disc diffusion method. The antibiogram tests of isolated bacterial strains used Mueller-Hinton agar. According to the data obtained we assign of microorganisms to certain category of sensitivity: sensitive, moderately resistant or resistant. Monitoring of prevalent microorganisms showed that 61% (893 of 1464) isolates were gram-positive bacteria, 696 strains of them are staphylococci. 477 of these are identified as S. aureus, representing 68.5% of all Staphylococcus. We found coagulase negative staphylococci in 192 patients, and the strains of S. haemolyticus are dominated. Strains of the family Streptococcaceae isolated from 197 patients. Among them the E. faecalis accounted for 66% of the total number of Streptococcus. Gram negative bacteria were presented by the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonaceae. Enterobacteriaceae accounted for 90.7% (518 of 571). E. coli plays the leading role and accounted for 42% of all Enterobacteriaceae. The strains of P. aeruginosa were identified in 53 patients. S. haemolyticus has played an important role as a pathogen as well as S. aureus. Its resistance to antibiotics is much higher than that of S. aureus. Although S. haemolyticus is opportunistic coagulase negative, it can be isolated from patients not only with chronic, but with acute infection. Thus nowadays the strains of S. haemolyticus gained high pathogenic and virulent properties.


Capricorn Cleantech Fund focuses on early to mid-stage investments in enabling technologybased growth companies active in the rapidly emerging European cleantech industry. The fund is managed by Capricorn Venture Partners. It is looking for an Investment Associate to join its Leuven based team. This is an exciting opportunity to join a leading early stage investment team and gain experience in all aspects of venture capital investing.


Developing business strategies that allow family businesses (independenly from the sector they belong) to remain in the market, conclude their objectives and integrate to a business world in constant evolution is a priority, but its operation�s complexity and problematic don�t allow to establish standardized formulas to evaluate the factors that are involved in their daily life and ensure their long � term projections. This study�s main objective is to identify the development and implementation of strategies to remain, how are projected and get financing in the face of the current financial problems. The study is descriptive with non � experimental transversal design since data was collected at one single moment in its natural context, through interviews with the family businesses� leaders. The results show a small number of strategies to remain in the market and problems to reach financing for short � term activities, adding also the founder partners� little interest in developing a strategic management as a reflection of their personal leadership style.


Background and objectives: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is increasingly used for patients presenting with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF), however although studies have demonstrated clear benefit in patients with COPD there is little evidence to guide treatment for AHRF unrelated to COPD, particularly outside of the critical care unit. The current survey reports the use of NIV, predominantly delivered in a dedicated NIV unit, in patients with AHRF unrelated to COPD. Methods: Patients were included in this retrospective cohort survey if they had AHRF (pre-NIV pH<7.35 and PaCO2>6.0 kPa) unrelated to COPD and were managed with NIV. The primary outcome measure was survival to discharge with secondary outcomes of survival to 30, 90 and 365 days. Results: From 132 patient episodes requiring NIV, 79.55% survived to discharge, which is greater than previously reported outcomes for the use of NIV in COPD. Survival was independently associated with age but not pre-NIV pH, O2 or diagnosis. Conclusions: NIV is a safe and effective treatment and can be considered for use in patients with AHRF unrelated to COPD in specialist NIV units. Further prospective studies are required to identify further important prognostic features in this group of patients. *Correspondence to: Rahul Mukherjee, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Physiology, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham, B9 5SS, UK, Tel: +44 121 4243744; E-mail: email@example.com


Abstract : The synthesis of two isomeric poly(benzothiazoles) via the self-polycondensation of two isomeric (o-aminomercapto)benzoic acids was investigated. Poly(2,6-benzothiazole) was prepared from 4-amino-3-mercaptobenzoic acid in polyphosphoric acid at concentrations of 3 to 10%. Intrinsic viscosities between 3 and 4.6 dL/g in methanesulfonic acid were obtained. The purity of the requisite monomer for poly(2,5-benzothiazole), namely, 3-amino-4-mercaptobenzoic acid, was not sufficient to obtain high molecular weight polymer. The polymers are candidate matrix resins for molecular composites with the rigid rod polymer, poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) (PBT). (Author)


Most of the conventional rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs used have severe adverse reactions. Therefore, natural plant products are continuously being sought for the management of RA. In the present study, in vitro antioxidant, joint protective and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous green tea extract (AGTE) was evaluated in 50 patients with early RA, 30 patients with established RA and 50 healthy control subjects. All patients received 4 to 6 cups/day; 60 to 125 mg catechins of green tea for 24 weeks. The results obtained indicated that green tea possesses potent joint protective and anti-inflammatory action against RA by lowering disease activity parameters and improving COMP, HA, IL-6, and TNF-œ. The biochemical observations were supplemented with radiographic analysis of RA patients. In vitro 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryldrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging and NBT assay tests of the green tea exhibited a moderate antioxidant activity (90.3 and 87.9%) in both tests used. The possible mechanism(s) of green tea extract (AGTE) activity may be due to free radical scavenging potential caused by the presence of antioxidant component(s) in AGTE. Consequently, green tea can be used as a therapeutic regime in treatment of some RA disorders.

 Key words: Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), interluken-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-œ), rheumatoid arthritis, green tea, disease activity score (DAS)-28, pain numerical rating score (PNRS), European League Against Rheumatism Response (EULAR) criteria.


This paper presents the learning and action manual that is intended for health and social care professionals at both operational and strategic levels across statutory and community voluntary sectors (CVS). The manual is written from the experiences of the Enhancing Pathways Into Care (EPIC) project and should permit others to replicate the methodology and the learning process. The manual is valuable for those who aim to improve or enhance pathways into care for black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. This in part fulfils the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 requirements of public services; the work also enables equitable, accessible, effective and least restrictive and recovery orientated services for all service users, but especially those from black and minority ethnic groups where concerns about inequalities of experience and outcome have been voiced. For ease of communication we assume that an organizational intervention is generally initiated by 'change sponsors' who provide some initial impetus to alter existing provision, and they choose to do so by changing the operational strategy and policy of care provision. In turn, operational staff who provide the energy to implement change are conceived of as 'change agents'. Finally, those people who are affected by this change (rather than producing it) have been called 'change targets'. Aimed at an effective liaison between these three groups, the manual provides guidance on how to improve mental health care pathways for BME communities using the learning from the EPIC project. The manual contains specific and practical suggestions that may be adapted to local requirements. The manual reflects a prototypical journey towards evidence-based practice, from 'profiling stakeholders' to 'reporting outcomes'. The emphasis is on interpersonal transactions including information about likely reactions and the changing needs of teams and individuals. Skills beneficial to master the change process are described with reflections on what approaches are most suited to specific circumstances. The role of and importance of external facilitation and leadership are also discussed.


Noxiustoxin (NxTX) displays an extraordinary ability to discriminate between large conductance, calcium-activated potassium (maxi-K) channels and voltage-gated potassium (Kv1.3) channels. To identify features that contribute to this specificity, we constructed several NxTX mutants and examined their effects on whole cell current through Kv1.3 channels and on current through single maxi-K channels. Recombinant NxTX and the site-specific mutants (P10S, S14W, A25R, A25Δ) all inhibited Kv1.3 channels with Kd values of 6, 30, 0.6, 112, and 166 nM, respectively. In contrast, these same NxTX mutants had no effect on maxi-K channel activity with estimated Kd values exceeding 1 mM. To examine the role of the α-carbon backbone in binding specificity, we constructed four NxTX chimeras, which altered the backbone length and the α/β turn. For each of these chimeras, six amino acids comprising the α/β turn in iberiotoxin (IbTX) replaced the corresponding seven amino acids in NxTX (NxTX-YGSSAGA21-27-FGVDRG21-26). The ch...


The purpose of this study is to research the problems of interaction between universities and the labor market in current Russian conditions, as well as to propose measures to improve its efficiency. The paper highlights the problems of interaction between the labor market and universities, which actualise the need to eliminate the professional and qualification imbalance in the modern labor market. The necessity is substantiated and the results of applying a systematic approach to solving complex socio-economic problems of the labor market, based on the principles of applying the "black box" model, are presented. The article also proposes the author's interpretation of the term "strategic partnership" of labor market entities and outlines the essence of strategic partnership, which allows solving some problems of the labor market arising from the lack of interaction of its subjects.


Wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of sensor nodes. Sensor nodes are used to monitor physical or environment condition such as temperature, pressure, etc., the purpose of sensor node is to cooperatively pass their data through the network to the base station. Energy is the main issue in the design of a WSN. The maximum energy from a sensor node is consumed during the transmission and the computation phases. The main problem in the wireless sensor network is maximized energy consumption. Since sensor nodes have non rechargeable battery they have limited computation capability. Therefore, it is a challenge to minimize the energy consumption of sensor node and to prolong the lifetime of network. In WSN all the sensor nodes are communicating with the base station so the energy consumption is high. The solution to minimize energy consumption is selecting the leader among all the nodes and it is made to communicate with the base station. Increase in Energy Efficient and Energy Balance (IEEEB) is an algorithm which is used to select leader to achieve energy efficiency. To reduce energy consumption, many systems also perform in-network aggregation of sensor data at intermediate nodes en-route to the base station.


Objective To establish a rapid and non-destructive determination method for water extract and ethanol extract in Rhizoma et Radix Baphicacanthis Cusiae with near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy(NIRS).Methods The quantitative model was built up by near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectrum combined with partial least square( PLS) in OPUS/Quant 2. We predicted the content of the unknown samples by the model and investigated the reliability of the model. Results The corrected model presented the coefficient of determination(R2) and root-mean-squares error of cross-validation( RMSECV) were 0.959, 0.602 for water extract, and0.965, 0.481 for ethanol extract respectively. The R2and RMSEP of predicted value and reference value of validation set were 0.970, 0.498 for water extract and 0.964, 0.485 for ethanol extract respectively. The absolute error of predicted value and reference value of validation set was in the range of ± 2%. The predicted value was consistent with the reference value, which meant that the model had been established successfully. Conclusion The NIRS method is accurate, fast and practical, and it can be used as the quality testing method for Rhizoma et Radix Baphicacanthis Cusiae.


This study deals with the perturbations that occur in a monolithic device. The device used is a power-logic association, where the logic is separated from the power by a PN junction that provides the electric isolation. A low voltage buffer constitutes the logic part of the chip which is connected to the gate of a MBS (MOS bidirectional switch). This new voltage controlled switch is an IGBT that is able to sustain reverse voltage higher than 600 V. A modeling of the parasitic coupling between the MBS and a low voltage logic on the same chip is presented for the first time for negative and positive anode voltages in the off-state. This leads to a capacitive model which takes into account in its parameters the physical and geometrical specifications of the device (gate capacitance, output impedance of the logic, etc.). To conclude, the study of these phenomena allows one to understand and to control the parasitic effects of the device that may happen in the off-state.


Objective To observe the clinical effect of oxygen impulsing aerosol inhalation Bricanyl combined with Atrovent in treating severe asthma.Methods 86 cases of severe asthma were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,43 cases in each group.The control group only received basic treatment,the treatment group was given oxygen impulsing aerosol inhalation of bricanyl combined with atrovent at the base of control group.The efficacy and glucocorticoid dosage were compared.Results The clinical cure rate of treatment group was 100%,the excellent rate was 88.4%,significantly higher than aminophylline group(62.8%)(P0.05).The average time for relief of short of breath was 2.84±1.18 day in treatment group and 4.06±1.46 day in the control group(P0.05).The time for disappearance of wheeziness was 3.53±1.62 day in the treatment group and 5.22±1.71 day in the control group(P0.05).The dosage and period of solumedrol was 141.5±76.6mg and 3.36±1.78 day in the treatment group and 264.2±81.3mg and 6.15±2.19 day in the control group(P0.05).Conclusion The clinical effect of oxygen impulsing aerosol inhalation Bricanyl combined with Atrovent in treating severe asthma is satisfactory,recovery faster and reduce the glucocorticoid dosage,is worthy of clinical use.


(54) METHOD FOR DETECTING (56) References Cited MYCOBACTERIAUSING DELETED SEQUENCES IN M. BOVIS BCG/M. BOVIS OR U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS TUBERCULOSS 5,656,493 A * 8/1997 Mullis et al. ............... 435/286.1 6,291,190 B1* 9/2001 Behret al. ... 435.7.1 (75) Inventors: Stewart Cole, Clamart (FR); Stéphen 6,294,328 B1* 9/2001 Fleischmann et al. ............ 435/6 Gordon, Guildford (GB); Roland, FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Buchrieser-Brosch, Paris (FR); Alain EP O 461 045 A1 12, 1991 Billault, Roissy-en-Brie (FR): Thierry WO WO99,54487 10, 1999 Garnier, Ermont (FR) OTHER PUBLICATIONS (73) Assignee: Institut Pasteur, Paris (FR) Ruano, G. et al. Nucleic Acids Research 19(24):6877-6882 (1999).* (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Brosch, R. et al., "Use of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV patent is extended or adjusted under 35 Bacterial Artificial Chromosome Library for Genome Mapping, Sequencing, and Comparative Genomics." Infection and Immunity, U.S.C. 154(b) by 1066 days. vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 2221-2229 (1998). Cole et al., "Deciphering the Biology of Mycobaterium tuberculosis (21) Appl. No.: 10/980,194 from the Complete Genome Sequence." Nature, vol. 393, pp. 537 544 (1998). (22) Filed: Nov. 4, 2004 ( ) (Continued) (65) Prior Publication Data


This article is an attempt to read Ion Barbu's "Din ceas dedus"[From Time Deducted..],", the celebrated poem the opens the poet's only volume of poetry, Joc secund [Second Game] through Bergsonian lenses. The hypothesis we start from is that the generating matrix and the main themes of Barbu's poetics and hermetic poems have their pendants in Bergsonian thinking—the same outright hostility towards contemporary positivism, determinism and causality, some fundamental ideas about time, literary / artistic language, intuition, the nature and function of art, the artist's relation to his work, the nature of the creative process, impersonality in art, shared by both of them. Henri Bergson provided the Ion Barbu with the fertile theoretical foundations, and helped him develop his own teurgical impulse of participating in the dynamic processes of life emerged, which he strongly believed that poetry could stimulate.


(51) Int. Cl. F04B 49/22 (2006.01) A control arrangement for controlling a piston pump unit for liquid chromatography, in particular high-performance liquid chromatography, is described. The piston pump unit has at least two piston-cylinder units which operate cyclically in a phase-offset manner and generate, at an outlet port, a prede termined flow of a liquid medium to be delivered. A system pressure is established at the outlet port, irrespective of an associated fluid load resistance. The control arrangement is configured to record the pressure in the cylinder volume of at least a first of the at least two piston-cylinder units. During a measurement phase of the compression phase of the first piston-cylinder unit or during a measurement phase of the decompression phase of the first piston-cylinder unit, the control arrangement stops the drive device for the first piston cylinder unit for a predetermined time period and in the process records measurement data which characterize the time profile of the pressure.


This paper considers the stabilization problem of inertial-wheel pendulum, a widely studied nonlinear mechanical system. Inertial wheel pendulum is classical example of a flat underactuated mechanical system. The design of control laws for underactuated mechanical systems are challenging because of their underactuated nature, posing problems in exact feedback linearization. A novel nonlinear controller design for inertial wheel pendulum is presented. The design procedure is simpler and more intuitive than already presented designs. Stability of the controller and advantages over existing energy shaping, backstepping and conventional dynamic surface technique based controllers are analyzed theoretically and verified using numerical simulations.


The prototype demonstrates the feasibility of using Ada for expert systems and the implementation of an expert-friendly interface which supports knowledge entry. In the Ford LISP-Ada Connection (FLAC) system LISP and Ada are used in ways which complement their respective capabilities. Future investigation will concentrate on the enhancement of the expert knowledge entry/debugging interface and on the issues associated with multitasking and real-time expert systems implementation in Ada.


An analytical review of literary materials on improvement of organoleptic, structural-mechanical and qualitative indices of quality of meat products is presented. The ways of improvement of quality indicators and modern directions of introduction of plant material to technologies of meat products and ways of using different kinds of hydrocolloids in the technologies of meat products are revealed


This study examined the subjective identities of Jewish women psychotherapists, as well as the ways in which they give meaning to their psychotherapeutic practice. Twelve narratives by Jewish women psychotherapists were utilized as secondary data, originally published in an edited book by Greene and Brodbar (2010). The study used a Jewish feminist epistemological stance, an intersubjective understanding of the therapeutic relationship, and an interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological approach, which led the researcher to self-reflect over the course of the analytical process (Ginsberg, 2002; Lopez and Willis, 2004). Narratives were analyzed for recurrent themes and sub-themes (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). Implications of results are twofold: they add to the dearth of literature centering the experiences of Jewish women, and they contribute to our understandings of how sociocultural identity shapes the clinician and the clinical encounter.


We give a thorough study of Hurwitz stacks both in Galois and non galois case. The construction is applied to revisit somme classical examples, the stack of stable curves equipped with a level structure, and the stacks of tamely ramified cyclic covers. We exhibit some tautological cohomology classes, and give some universal relations between them. Applications are given to Cornalba-Harris type relations, and to some Hurwitz-Hodge integrals.


Pantoprazole (PTZ) and Levosulpiride (LS) were proven as effective agents for
the treatment of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). It is a complex motor disorder that results
in regurgitation of the gastric contents into the lower esophagus with consequent symptoms such as
heart burn, retrosternal pain, dysphagia and belching.

 A rapid, sensitive, selective and specific liquid chromatography- electro spray ionization
tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of
Pantoprazole (PTZ) and Levosulpiride (LS) in spiked Human Plasma. The method utilized SPE as sample
preparation technique and the analysis was carried out on a HPLC system utilizing electro spray
ionization as interface and triple quadrupole mass analyzer for quantification in MRM possitive mode.
Iloperidone was used as internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed on a Phenomenex
C-18 Column (4.6 mm x 50 mm, 5µ) with an isocratic elution mode utilizing a mobile phase
composition of Solution containing a mixture of 70 volumes of acetonitrile: 30 volumes of methanol
and 10mM ammonium formate (pH 4.0) at the ratio of 80:20 % v/v. The flow rate was maintained at
0.3 mL/min.

 PTZ, LS and IS were detected and quantified with proton adducts at m/z 383.37→200.00, m/z
341.42→112.15 and 426.48→261.00 respectively. The linearity and range was established by fortifying
blank plasma samples in the concentration range of 3.5-2000 ng/mL for PTZ and 3.0-2400 ng/mL for
LS. The correlation coefficient (r2) was found to be ≥ 0.993 for PTZ and (r2) ≥ 0.990 for LS. The lower
limit of quantification for PTZ was 3.5 ng/mL and LS was 3.0 ng/mL. The intra and inter day precision
and accuracy for PTZ and LS were within the limits fulfilling the international acceptance criteria. PTZ
and LS were found to be stable throughout three freeze-thaw cycles, bench top and short term stability
studies.

 The proposed validated LC-MS/MS method offers a sensitive quantification of PTZ and
LS in spiked human plasma and can be utilized for the quantification of PTZ and LS in real-time
samples.


Large changes in visible light and X-ray emission are observed when an injected pellet of solid D2 crosses the q = 1 surface of the JET tokamak. An explanation of this observation is offered and it is shown that this resonance effect can be used to follow the position of the q = 1 surface during a sawtooth cycle. A new method of determining the magnetic shear on the q = 1 surface is presented. Very low values of shear are found and the implications for theories of the sawtooth instability are discussed.


We reassess the systematics of Hemidactylus scabriceps, a recently rediscovered and poorly known gecko, and elucidate its phylogenetic position using molecular data for the first time.  Contrary to previous speculations prompted by its morphological resemblance to other terrestrial Hemidactylus, our phylogenetic analyses recovered H. scabriceps to be a part of a clade consisting of the large-bodied, rock-dwelling Hemidactylus – the H. prashadi group.  Hemidactylus scabriceps also shows high levels of intraspecific genetic divergence, indicative of cryptic diversity.  We also confirm the synonymy of the monotypic genus Lophopholis (erected for H. scabriceps) with Hemidactylus.  We elaborate on the morphology of the type specimen and other recent voucher specimens, and compare it with sister species and other ground-dwelling Hemidactylus in peninsular India.  Species distribution of this 'outlier' clade member has been modeled using MaxEnt.  These exercises confirm that it is primarily a smooth-scaled, plain-dwelling, terrestrial species unlike other members in its clade.  This unexpected pattern of genetic alliance and contrasting body form plus habitat associations further underscores the unstudied complexity of peninsular India's geological history.  Historical denudation of rock formations could have driven evolution of some of these otherwise rupicolous, scansorial gekkonids into smaller terrestrial lizards.


Silicon-air batteries are candidates for next generation batteries from non-critical raw materials. However, current silicon-air batteries with alkaline electrolytes suffer from premature termination of the discharge process. To understand this process, we investigated the correlation of dissolved silicon in the electrolyte and the discharge duration until passivation. The air- and Si-electrode could be excluded as the source of the voltage drop, while the concentration of silicates in the electrolyte was identified as the decisive factor. We found that a low silicate concentration in the electrolyte is crucial for a sustained discharge of silicon-air batteries with alkaline electrolytes and we show full consumption of the silicon electrode used in these conditions.


The dry slip wear test of the chromium plated steel pieces were made by the anther using the Amsler wear testing machine. under various electrolytic condition. As the result of this test, it was found, that the hard chromium plating (50° 50 A/dm2) and gray chromium plating (40° 100 A/dm2) had high wear resistance, and the former which ai nealed in the neighbourhood of 600° had the lowest resistance to wear. This annealed hard chromium plating steel was much superior to the hardened carbon steel and the hardened high carbon chromimu steel in reference to wear resistance. From the above tests it is clear that the resistance to wear is greatly due to the proper hardness of chromium.


The agricultural soil is a highly variable and complex active medium for the plant's life. Due to prolonged formation processes, it must be considered as a non-renewable resource, easily subject to many degradative processes, in most cases due to human activities. These activities lead to the definition of "anthropic" soils, often labelled also as "disturbed", "manipulated", "artificial", or "deviations" of the natural soil continuum. In the agronomic sense, however, when these deviations result from the optimization of structural characteristics of fine earth fractions, they may represent the main quality parameters of soil in terms of physical, chemical, and biological fertility. Nevertheless, over the fine earth fractions, many agricultural soils have a variable percentage of varying coarse fractions in their arable layer, interfering with cultivation needs, damaging the machinery, and requiring extra energy and time for soil tillage. They may even make the use of machinery impracticable. When these conditions occur, it becomes necessary to proceed with soil destoning to recover arable land and optimize the cultural management according to modern farming techniques and machines for soil cultivation. The research aimed at evaluating the different possibilities of reclamation of stony soils and the machines that can be used in different environmental conditions, according to the various cultivation needs, and for the recovery and optimization of the non-renewable resource "soil". This review briefly summarizes the soil destoning techniques currently available for agricultural lands: 1) the collection and removal of stones from the field; 2) the on-site stones crushing; 3) the stone burial.


Simple Summary Patients with localized recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) are typically treated with hormonal therapy, surgery (radical prostatectomy), or radiation therapy. These treatments are associated with serious side-effects such as incontinence and impotence. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focal cryoablation is an emerging treatment for this patient group. This therapy aims to treat the cancer selectively while preserving the rest of the prostatic gland and thereby minimizing the risk of treatment toxicity. Cryoablation promises to delay and potentially avoid the initiation of other salvage treatments. In this article, we investigate the ability to achieve disease control and to avoid the need for other salvage treatments afterwards. Our research provides long-term evidence on oncological and safety outcomes in a large group of patients treated with MRI-guided focal cryoablation. We also investigated the influence of prior treatment on patient outcomes. Abstract Patients with localized recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) are eligible for androgen-deprivation therapy, salvage radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation therapy. These treatments are associated with serious side-effects, illustrating the need for alternative local treatment options with lower morbidity rates. All patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided salvage focal cryoablation (SFC) with localized recurrent PCa between 2011–2021 (n = 114) were included. Two subgroups were formed: patients without (n = 99) and with prior RP (n = 15). We assessed the recurrence- (RFS) and treatment-free survival (TFS), measured from date of treatment to date of recurrence or initiation of additional salvage treatment, using Kaplan–Meier plots. Complications were reported using the Clavien–Dindo (CD) scale. Overall 1-year and 5-year RFS were 76.0% and 25.1%, and overall 1-year and 5-year TFS were 91.5% and 58.2%, respectively. Patients without prior RP showed a significantly higher 1-year (78.5% vs. 52.5%) and 5-year RFS (28.1% vs. 0.0%; p = 0.03), and a trend towards a higher 1-year (92.6% vs. 79.0%) and 5-year TFS (60.2% vs. 23.0%; p = 0.10) compared to those with prior RP. A total of 46 complications occurred in 37 patients, and the overall complication rate was 32.4% (37/114 patients). The majority (41/46; 89.1%) of complications were minor (CD 1–2). Overall (31.3 vs. 40.0%) and major (3.0 vs. 13.3%) complication rates were lower in patients without compared to those with prior RP, respectively. MRI-guided SFC is an effective and safe therapy for patients with recurrent PCa, and has proved to delay and potentially prevent the initiation of salvage treatments. Patients with locally recurrent PCa after prior RP had an increased risk of recurrence, a shortened time to additional treatment, and more complications compared to those without prior RP, which should be considered when selecting patients for SFC.


This research examines on the reflection of Jeihan's thought traced via his paintings produced during 1953 until 2012. It uses historical method with hermeneutical approach. Jeihan's childhood experience d abnormalities, that made him marginalized in his family and social environment. As the result, his personality became rough and rebellious. It affect ed his painting style that tend to be harsh and ha d no character. This bad temper attached him until 1953, when Jeihan studied painting in Himpunan Budaya Surakarta (HBS), and continued his higher education to Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). In order to understand painting style, it can be seen from line and color paintings that always progressed. It can be analyzed into four periods which colored by a different artistic style , that are seeking (1952-1965), d iscovery (1965-1975), maturation (1975-1985), and reaping period (1986-2012).


This article presents an overview of the approaches and the state of linguistic education in higher education in Colombia, but at the same time, its situation is articulated to how it has been arranged in primary and secondary education, based on the idea that most of the scarcities in linguistic education at universities do not have a reasonable explanation without an approach to what is occurring in those other levels of the educational system. Thus, recurring to the register of some statistics from PISA tests indicate the evident scarcities in language learning. Moreover, a brief outlook of what is some way the map of the micro-curriculum offered in this field at universities is presented, and a contextualization of the competences that in the area of language are evaluated in Saber Pro tests. Finally, there is a proposal for a path of what should be reviewed to improve the linguistic education in higher education in Colombia.


This text,taking men's volleyball teams of P.E.Department at Normal C ol legesin Hebei Province for example,provides effective trainning methods and meas ures,and provides theoretical tasis and concrete methods to improve the overall level of volleyball teams.


The present invention relates to a method of routing flexible media resource server, comprising the steps of: obtaining the application gateway server media resource identifier, and the query identifies the address mapping table set in advance to obtain the media resource server identified property address; the gateway according to the media resource server address configuration message and routed to the media resource server address. The present invention, in advance, for different applications reacquisition MRS routing rule table is set by the MRS address information according to the application gateway, the gateway enabling a flexible routing the media resource server; sharing mode according to the present invention flexibly select different media resource server address, you can make media resources business operators according to different situations flexibly deploy applications, and multiple media resource server and network operations management.


Rivalry within the Nigerian business environment has made the competitive atmosphere fierce, even amongst small and medium enterprise (SMEs). This has created a dilemma for firms desiring to remain relevant and has informed the urgent need to achieve sustained competitive advantage through innovation adoption. This paper investigated the effect of innovation adoption determinants on competitive advantage of SMEs in Ado-Ota local government area, Ogun State, Nigeria. Empirical and theoretical reviews were used to establish theeffect of innovation adoption on competitive advantage. Primary data collected with a pre-tested questionnaire administeredto four hundred and forty-six managerial cadre of selected SMEs was used. The regressed data results revealed that innovation adoption determinants exhibited positive significant effects on the competitive advantage of the surveyed selected SMEs. The paper recommends that owners-managers of SMEs should seek to selectively adopt innovation in order to gain competitive advantage and achieve sustainable superior performance over their rivals on the long-run. Keywords— Innovation adoption, Competitive advantage, SMEs, Technological capability, Financial capability.


In this letter, a dual element MIMO antenna with orthogonally polarized feed is presented. Isolation between antennas in MIMO systems are considered to be predominant for its mutual coupling effect. The proposed antenna size of 32mm × 64mm × 1.6mm is constructed and its operating frequency is from 2.3 GHz to 6 GHz. The isolation characteristics of MIMO antenna are compared with orthogonally feed elements with the adjacent feed elements. The antenna element consists of a circle slot and continuous meander line slot to delay the current path in order to attain a wideband. The modified ground structure of semi circle ground plane helps to achieve wideband with high isolation. Envelope Correlation Coefficient (ECC) of orthogonally polarized feed achieves less than 0.006 due to its Polarization Diversity characteristics.


Pinyin-to-character conversion is an important task for Chinese natural language processing tasks. Previous work mainly focused on n-gram language models and machine learning approaches, or with additional hand-crafted or automatic rule-based post-processing. There are two problems unable to solve for word n-gram language model: out-of-vocabulary word recognition and long-distance grammatical constraints. In this study, we proposed a linear reranking model trying to solve these problems. Our model uses minimum error learning method to combine different sub models, which includes word and character n-gram LMs, part-of-speech tagging model and dependency model. Impact of different sub models on the conversion are fully experimented and analyzed. Results on the Lancaster Corpus of Mandarin Chinese show that our new model outperforms word n-gram language model.


This bachelor work deals with tyres and thein influence over transport safety. It is characteristic setting, which tyres impact on safety of ride. It is experimental work of pressure in tyres influence over vehikle stopping distance.


We discuss the effects of a t-channel excited electron neutrino on the reaction ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{W}^{+}{W}^{\ensuremath{-}}.$ Data collected by the OPAL Collaboration at CERN LEP energies up to $189\mathrm{GeV}$ are used to establish $95%$ confidence level bounds on the mass and couplings of this excited neutrino. Rejection limits are also obtained for a future $500\mathrm{GeV}$ Next Linear Collider machine, assuming no excited neutrino will be detected at such an energy regime.


A series of (8-(benzoimidazol-2-yl)quinoline)dichlorocobalt(II) complexes was prepared and characterized, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed the distorted-tetrahedral geometry around the cobalt atom. Activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), these cobaltous complexes showed special properties of ethylene reactivity: ethylene oligomerization with an observed activity up to 3 × 104 g (mol of Co)−1 h–1 atm–1 with reaction temperature lower than 60 °C at ambient or 10 atm ethylene pressure and ethylene polymerization with an observed activity up to 1 × 105 g (mol of Co)−1 h–1 atm–1 with reaction temperature higher than 60 °C at 30 atm ethylene pressure, indicating two potentially active species formed at different reaction parameters. The obtained polyethylenes with high molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions, to the best of our knowledge, give the first proof of dichlorocobalt complex precatalysts bearing bidentate ligands acting as single-site catalysts in ethylene polymerization.


The run of morocco-bound manuscript scores of Handel's oratorios and church music from the Royal Music Library, named the 'Smith Collection' by William Barclay Squire in 1927, was assembled as a set for King George III in the early years of his reign. Some of the volumes have year-dates for copying from the period 1766–70, but the sequence also incorporates earlier volumes that originated from the library of the king's father (Frederick, Prince of Wales, d.1751), partially documented in a sale advertisement by a bookseller soon after Handel's death. Squire believed that the series had been the property of John Christopher Smith and had been given to the king with the collection of Handel's autograph scores in the 1770s. Newly identified documents from the Royal Library, now at Windsor, record payments for the copying of many of the scores and enable an alternative reconstruction of the history of the collection under the king's influence, beginning in 1765–6. They also raise new questions about the identity of the music copyist 'Mr Teede'. The completion of the series took place in the early 1770s, probably before the king received the autographs. For the shelves in George III's library the oratorios were arranged in chronological order, but the diverse origins of the volumes had the result that, although the bindings were in similar styles, their sizes were not uniform.


In this paper, we investigate a restricted version of Bergman kernels for high powers of a big line bundle over a smooth projective variety. The geometric meaning of the leading term is specified. As a byproduct, we derive some integral representations for the restricted volume.


The paper deals with the fuzzy logic control(ler) (FLC) application to the field-oriented AC motor drive. Some fundamentals of the FLC are illustrated. The aspects of major importance in the application to field-oriented AC motor drives are pointed out and discussed. A FLC field-oriented drive is designed, simulated and experimented in a speed control loop. The results are compared with those obtained on the same drive with conventional digital PI type speed controller.


The Hongqiling magmatic Ni–Cu sulfide deposit, situated on the southern margin of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is composed of over 30 mafic–ultramafic intrusions. These ore-bearing intrusions are composed mainly of harzburgite, lherzolite, websterite, orthopyroxenite, and norite (gabbro). The constituent minerals are olivine, diopside, bronzite, calcic-hornblende, plagioclase, and spinel with orthopyroxene as a dominant mineral in these intrusions. These ore-bearing intrusions are not Alaskan-type complexes. Spinel and clinopyroxene both exhibit different chemical compositions from those in the Alaskan-type complexes. The rocks that make up the intrusions have high contents of MgO (average value = 25.20 wt.%) and low TiO2 (average value = 0.58 wt.%). The high MgO contents of the minerals and the high Mg# (71) of the calculated melt in equilibrium with olivine demonstrate that the parental magma of the Hongqiling mafic–ultramafic intrusions was a high-Mg tholeiitic magma. The Hongqiling ore-bearing mafic–ultramafic intrusions and the calculated "trapped liquids" for the olivine-orthopyroxene cumulate rocks are all enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and depleted in high field strength elements. The Ce/Pb, Ta/La, Th/Yb, and (La/Sm)PM values and the depletion of Nb and Ta suggest that the magma experienced crustal contamination. The Hongqiling ore-bearing intrusions display many similarities with mafic–ultramafic intrusions that formed in a post-collisional extensional environment in the western CAOB (e.g., Huangshanxi). Common features include their whole-rock compositions and mineral chemistry. Combined with the evolutionary history of the eastern segment of the CAOB, we believe that the Late Triassic Hongqiling mafic–ultramafic intrusions formed in a post-collisional extensional environment.


Environmental issues are an important in both domestic and international contexts, and may be subject to an International Court of Justice Decision, or any other international judicial institution.  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the main judicial body of the United Nations, which has both a contentious and an advisory jurisdiction in its decisions. We study the Court's performance in environmental issues in this article. By examining four issues: first, the contentious and advisory tasks; second, the role of environmental organizations; third, the Trail Smelter case (between the United States and Canada), which is the legal basis of international law in the environmental issues, and; fourth, evaluating the Court's performance in eight judgments in the following cases: 1) The status of the environment in the court; 2) the Corfu case (between Albania and the United Kingdom); 3) the Lennox Lake case (between France and Spain); 4) the Mills case (between Uruguay and Argentina); 5) the Oder River case (between Poland and some European countries); 6) Aerial Herbicide Spraying (between Colombia and Ecuador). Because of the current contemporary status of international law and international environmental law, the International Court of Justice, has departed from their traditional approach because of the evolution of legal intellectual and thought on environmental issues. They focus on the general order of the international community as well as on pollution issues.


This article traces the footprints of the remarkable Murray family (including the Louw and Hofmeyr branches) in the founding years of the Dutch Reformed Church Free State (DRC FS) and the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ). Andrew Murray Jr played a significant role in the early formation of the DRC FS, contributing to its original evangelical character and its inclination towards the DRC of the Cape Colony. Other members of the Murray family also played a vital role in establishing the DRC FS's mission approach. The Hofmeyr branch of this clan was instrumental in laying the foundation for the DRC FS's mission to Northern Rhodesia (today's Zambia) and its historical development in becoming the RCZ. This article endeavours to answer the questions: What was this Murray influence? Why was it so significant?


The invention provides a photo-cured printing ink composition with good aridity, low mobility and good adhesive force. The composition can not only be applied to packaging materials of toys and various foods paying attention to safety and wholesomeness, but also be widely applied to package purposes of sanitary equipment, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The composition comprises a low-mobility thioxathone photoinitiator, bifunctional and polyfunctional acrylic ester composition monomer, resin oligomer with polymerized groups and polymerizable phosphonate compound.


In their intriguing comments, Paul Horwich and Stephen Schiffer accept one main thesis of Vagueness, that vague sentences express true or false propositions in borderline cases. Neither of them denies the further thesis that we cannot know which truth-values those propositions have. Of course I will concentrate on their objections to more specific features of my view, hoping that this will not obscure the many points of agreement.


Stevia is a zero calorie sugar that is natural origin that takes out from leaves of plant types Stevia rebaudiana. It is easily grown in the local area of Central America and South America. Based on previous information, author has hypothesized rational behind using stevia as low calorie sweetener and harmful effects (side effects), using a non-target model organism, Drosophila melanogaster (wildtype strain, Oregon R+). Drosophila flies were reared on standard corn meal medium with yeast supplement and fed stevia dried leave and also powdered stevia (extract of stevia). Stevia dried leave and powder was also given along sulphur free sugar (which is standard component of Drosophila medium).


The article deals with English idioms covering the semantic area of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is seen as a specific form of social behavior and communication. Idioms are examined as a linguistic representation of hypocrisy as well as an effective means of creating pragmatic impact and thus revealing the social attitude of English native speakers to hypocrisy as a form of behaviour. The research is carried out within the boundary of cognitive-pragmatic approach. The authors apply contextual analysis in order to define the key factors affecting social attitude to hypocrisy in various communicative situations.


In this thesis, a nonlinear compression fitting method was studied for each frequency channel of a 64 channel digital hearing aid. Unlike conventional fitting formula method done from the result of the hearing loss test, the present fitting method uses the auditory threshold of sound pressure measured near the tympanic membrane while ITE (In-The-Ear) hearing aid is fitted into the user`s ear canal. Also, the spectral distribution of the voice sound pressure was used for realizing of output sound pressure compression curves against input sound pressure level. Theoretical research results of FFT-iFFT compression algorithm has been evaluated by experimental gain measurements at each different input sound pressure level 50 dB, 70 dB, 90 dB respectively.


The city of Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, depends upon the River Ruvu for its main supply of water for a growing population of 4 million people. Current climate variability undermines the reliability of this water supply derived from river discharge. During a period of prolonged drought (1996/1997), a large number of water users turned to groundwater sources to augment insufficient supplies derived from surface water. Groundwater is available locally from relatively shallow Quaternary deposits composed of sand, clay bound sand and weathered limestone. Since 1997, unplanned and non-regulated exploration and exploitation of groundwater has taken place in order to address water shortages. This ad hoc utilisation threatens the sustainability of groundwater abstraction in terms of both quantity and quality but goes unchecked as no groundwater monitoring network is in place. Recent work supported by the World Bank suggests that a deep aquifer (up to 1000 m) may occur in coastal areas to the north and south of the city. Sustainable development of this aquifer requires an understanding of the regional groundwater flow and replenishment; both of which depend upon groundwater observations.


Summary form only given. Q-switching of Er:Cr:YSGG laser with transparent PLZT ceramics electro-optic modulators was reported previously. The extremely large quadratic EO effect in PLZT allows to build small size moderate control voltages. The high induced birefringence in PLZT results from an essential contribution to polarization (and consequently to the birefringence) of processes with longer relaxation times up to seconds, corresponding to the Er:Cr:YSGG laser operating rate. PLZT ceramics have also a high value of the refractive index (n /spl ap/ 2.2-2.3 for /spl lambda/ = 3 /spl mu/m, slightly depending on PLZT composition and temperature) and thus considerable Fresnel reflections R/sub F/ = (n - 1)/sup 2//(n + 1)/sup 2/ /spl ap/ 15%. Highly reflective materials: silicium, LiNbO/sub 3/, and sapphire crystals have been used for Fabry-Perot output couplers of erbium lasers. PLZT ceramics differ from these materials. As compared with silicium, PLZT are transparent in the visible (thus allowing to use visible pilot beams for laser system adjusting procedures). As compared with LiNbO/sub 3/ and sapphire, PLZT have a higher refractive index n at 3 /spl mu/m (PLZT n /spl ap/ 2.2-2.3, LiNbO/sub 3/ - 2.16, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ - 1.7), and therefore PLZT Fabry-Perot interferometers have a higher maximum reflectance.


Part 1: The political and professional context of the nurse practitioner movement in the UK: The nurse practitioner and hospital-base care: setting the scene The nurse practitioner role in hospital: professional and organizational issues Clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and levels of practice: what does it all mean? Medicine, nursing and jurisdiction over patient care Part 2: Implementing the nurse practitioner role: Introducing the nurse practitioner role in a surgical unit: one nurse's journey Setting up nurse practitioner-led pre-operative assessment clinic in an orthopaedic unit The developing role of paediatric nurse practitioners in the hospital setting: plans and emerging issues The primary/secondary care interface: minor injuries, accident and emergency and other services Part 3: Marketing, education and evaluation: Educating the nurse practitioner Marketing the role of the nurse practitioner Evaluating the nurse practitioner role in hospital Conclusions


ObjectiveTo investigate the chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to interferonα(IFN-α) treatment and to explore the possible mechanism.MethodsNude mice with LCI- D20 were randomized into 4 treatment groups A-D and control groups E-G (n=6 each group).IFN-αwas administrated subcutaneously at dosages of 1.5×10~7 U/(kg.d) for 20 days,then the nude mice in groups A and B were sacrificed at day 28 and 48 respectively;The nude mice in groups C and D received IFN-α(1 5 x 10~7 U/kg.d) and Glivec (100 mg/kg,d,p.o.) combined with IFN-α(1.5×10~7 U/kg.d) treatment again at day 48 respectively for 20 days;The nude mice in groups E,F and G were sacrificed at day 28,48,68 respectively.Tumor size and diameter,microvessel density and serum VEGF concentration were recorded.SuperArray eDNA chips about angiogenesis of groups A,D,E and G were used.Results The tumor weight of groups A-G was 0.27,1.54,3.22,2.23,0.68,1.93 and 3.98 g respectively,and there was statistically significant difference between groups A and E,groups D and G (P<0.05).The serum VEGF concentration of group A and groups C,D was lower than that of group E and group G re- spectively.The results of eDNA array revealed that during IFN-αtreatment process EVGF gene expres- sion maintained low level,whereas PDGF-A gene expression held high level.The microvessel density of group A was lower than that of group E statistically.HE staining showed tumor from IFN-αtreatment had a more invasive and malignant phenotype.ConclusionChemoresistance of HCC emerges to IFN-αtherapy and this resistance involves vascular regrowth in a PDGF-A independent second wave of anglo- genesis.


The multi-dimensional self-adaptive grid code, SAGE, is an important tool in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It provides an efficient method to improve the accuracy of flow solutions while simultaneously reducing computer processing time. Briefly, SAGE enhances an initial computational grid by redistributing the mesh points into more appropriate locations. The movement of these points is driven by an equal-error-distribution algorithm that utilizes the relationship between high flow gradients and excessive solution errors. The method also provides a balance between clustering points in the high gradient regions and maintaining the smoothness and continuity of the adapted grid, The latest version, Version 3, includes the ability to change the boundaries of a given grid to more efficiently enclose flow structures and provides alternative redistribution algorithms.


: The experiment was conducted during the summer season 2017-2018 at the research farm of the soil science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, laid out in the randomized block design, consist of four treatments and three replications, it was observed that growth and yield parameters of green gram in treatment T4: 50% RDF+ 50% Bio-fertilizer.


With the rapid development of smartphones and tablet computers, increasing number of applications appear in the market, forming a unique innovative trend of this emerging industry. One of the major features shared by many applications, especially social applications, is the social function. However, not all application service providers offer social applications that can obtain the user's preference. Therefore, the question of how to attract potential users becomes the first-and-foremost issue for application providers to consider. Based on simulation principle, the current study applied NetLogo modeling tools to simulating the potential user and social applications as "agents" on a set of simple rules and made the "agency" simulate the potential user, social features of applications in the market, and the user's decision-making process. Focused on the influence of download on the potential user's decision-making process, the current study aimed to help application providers better promote their social applications.


The nature of the bonds between catalyst surfaces and the adsorbed intermediates formed during catalytic reactions i s still a matter for discussion. A recent symposium organised by the American Chemical Society was devoted to this subject, as well as a General Discussion of the Ehraday Society held in Liverpool in April . Although many new techniques have become available and have been exploited during the past decade, they have only served to reveal a multiplicity of adsorbed states whose relevance to catalysis i s uncertain, and there has been no corresponding advance in basic theory. The purpose of this article i s to present a sketch of a possible new approach to the bonding of adsorbed species on metal surfaces.


The process of European integration has evolved through crises of governance towards ever greater integration of the societies of the participating member states, giving rise to new questions about the political organization of the European continent. At the same time, European societies have become ever more diverse, giving rise to new and complex problematiques of coexistence. Europe must now also deal with the consequences of an economic model based on the consumption of finite resources. Beyond specific crises and events, Europe is therefore faced with a multifaceted challenge of ecological, democratic and societal sustainability. To approach the challenges from the point of view of sustainability means to see the ecological, democratic and societal long-term viability of Europe as made possible by the continuous reconstruction of European societies through innovative cultural, social, economic and political practices under the ecological constraints posed by the limits of our planet.


FIELD: chemistry. SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to solid oxide fuel cells made using a method comprising the following steps: depositing a fuel electrode layer; an electrolyte layer containing stabilised zirconium on the fuel electrode layer to obtain a system consisting of a fuel electrode base and an electrolyte; sintering the system of the fuel electrode base and the electrolyte with each other to obtain a half cell; depositing, on the electrolyte layer of a pre-sintered half-cell, one or more oxygen electrode layers, wherein at least one of the layers contains a composite of lanthanum-strontium-manganite and stabilised zirconium to obtain a full solid oxide cell; sintering the one or more oxygen electrode layers with the pre-sintered half-cell; and saturating the one or more oxygen electrode layers of the full solid oxide cell with manganese to obtain a manganese-saturated fuel cell. Also disclosed is a battery containing one or more solid oxide cells made using the disclosed method. EFFECT: longer life of said fuel cell. 13 cl, 7 dwg, 20 ex


Patterning of the facial skeleton relies on regionalization of cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) into distinct domains along the dorsoventral (DV) axis. Previous studies have shown roles for Jagged1bNotch2, Endothelin1 (Edn1), and Bmp signaling in DV facial patterning, yet how these signaling pathways are integrated during facial development has remained unknown. Here we show distinct roles for Bmp and Edn1 signaling in facial patterning, with Bmps promoting ventral skeletal fates through regulation of hand2 and msxe and Edn1 promoting DV-intermediate skeletal fates through Dlx family genes and nkx3.2. Consistent with these findings, we show that misexpression of Bmp4 rescues the ventral gene expression and skeletal defects, but not the intermediate defects, of edn1 mutants. Next, we find that Jagged1b and Edn1 signaling help pattern the dorsal and intermediate domains, respectively, by inducing expression of the Bmp antagonist Gremlin2 (Grem2), and hence keeping Bmp activity low, in dorsal-intermediate CNCCs. Consistent with Grem2 inhibiting Bmp signaling in the arches, we find that reduction of Grem2 results in similar DV skeletal transformations to those seen upon misexpression of Bmp4. In summary, we present a model in which crosstalk between Jagged-Notch, Edn1, and Bmp signaling specifies distinct skeletal fates along the DV axis of the face.


ABSTRACT Various methods for determining characteristic times of shock-tube ignition and oxidation are compared. Onset and peak times were obtained from time histories for four different species (CH, CH*, OH, OH*) as predicted by a modern detailed kinetics mechanism. Appropriate submechanisms for CH* and OH* formation and quenching were added to the existing mechanism to differentiate the excited-state species from the ground-state molecules. The modeling focused on mixtures of acetylene or ethane with oxygen highly diluted in argon at high temperatures (1200–2050 K) and nearly atmospheric pressures. Using a detailed mechanism known to accurately simulate the shock-tube chemistry, emphasis was placed on cohesion of characteristic times among the species and the extent to which one may be used to predict another. Generally, ignition onset times were found to be more consistent than peak times, with OH peaking at times least typical of the group. Onset time versus inverse temperature curves based on any one species agree with those of the other three species to within 25% for the hydrocarbon mixtures and given mechanism utilized herein. Results suggest that ignition onset time should be used for greater consistency, and kinetics modeling of excited-state species such as OH* and CH* should be included if comparing to data obtained using chemiluminescence diagnostics.


Purpose of the study is to іnvestigate the simultaneous effect of cavitation and helium on the viability of yeast of the genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae in water. To study the change in the number of cells during cavitation treatment of the water system in the gas atmosphere.

Methods. Yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae type were used as test microorganisms. Freshly prepared distilled desaerated water was used for the research, to which yeast cells were introduced with a microbiological loop. The volume of the model medium was cooled in a glass reactor with tap water, the temperature of which corresponded to 298 ± 1 K. The total duration of the process was 2 hours. The cavitation source was an ultrasonic generator UZDN-2T with frequency of 22 kHz and power of 35 W. The test water was bubbled with gas throughout the process. The test gas was helium. The number of microorganisms per unit volume of test water was determined by the total number of colonies on the nutrient medium on Petri dishes and expressed in colony-forming units (CFU).

Results. In the experimental part of the work the process of water treatment with the content of yeast cells under cavitation conditions with simultaneous supply of helium is proposed. The efficiency of water purification from yeast as a result of the combined action of helium/cavitation has been established. The value of the effective rate constant of microorganisms destruction according to the kinetic reaction equation of the first order is calculated. The viability of yeast under cavitation conditions and bubbling of helium through the water system has been studied. The proportion of destroyed cells during the two-hour action of yeast-contaminated water at different treatment regimes was calculated and compared. An active decrease in the number of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the aqueous medium at the beginning of the process with the achievement of the proportion of destroyed cells (Dd) 40.48% after 30 min of combined He/cavitation action at the initial microbiological water contamination of 4.2 · 103 CFU/cm3. NMend = 100 CFU/cm3 after 90 minutes of water treatment, that corresponds to the water purification degree > 97%. The end result is almost pure water, which allows to discharge treated water into natural water.

Conclusions. The obtained results indicate intensive cavitation purification of water from the studied microorganisms in the experimental conditions. The influence of the studied gas nature on the process of destruction of microbiological contaminants in water is described.


This paper proposes a bi-directional isolated DC/DC converter for the battery charger and discharger of Electric Vehicle to reduce the power loss under light loads. The proposed DC/DC converter consists of two full-bridge inverters, an isolated transformer, and a boost reactor, and provides bi-directional transmission, buck-boost conversion, zero-voltage-switching and reactive power suppression. Two power semiconductors of the inverter in the rectification side are turned off to block a reactive current, which increases the power loss under light loads. The phase shift amount in the two full bridge inverters are controlled continuously and simultaneously seamless power transmission. The 400 V–3.5 kW experimental system exhibits stable bi-directional buck-boost conversion and seamless transition between the charging and discharging modes, while suppressing the reactive power. Moreover, the proposed DC/DC converter reduces power loss by 67.5 W under light loads (240 W), compared with the conventional control.


A general framework for vehicle assessment is proposed based on both mass survey information and the evidential reasoning (ER) approach. Several methods for uncertainty and preference modeling are developed within the framework, including the measurement of uncertainty caused by missing information, the estimation of missing information in original surveys, the use of nonlinear functions for data mapping, and the use of nonlinear functions as utility function to combine distributed assessments into a single index. The results of the investigation show that various measures can be used to represent the different preferences of decision makers towards the same feedback from respondents. Based on the ER approach, credible and informative analysis can be conducted through the complete understanding of the assessment problem in question and the full exploration of available information.


A multidimensional security index system was established by integrating information security measurements and allocation of information security levels.A quantitative level protection model based on security index was proposed.The security index of a system was evaluated by using a hierarchical method based on grading.The problem of security level allocation was Abstracted as a kind of linear programming problem.Compared to models using conventional methods,the proposed model is more quantifiable and operable.The application of the model was illustrated with an example of a real information system.


In the swamps of North Myanmar lies some of the oldest stone in the world. Burmese amber (burmite) is more than 100 million years old ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). Unlike more recent ambers from the Baltic Sea ([ 3 ][3]), Dominica ([ 4 ][4]), and India ([ 5 ][5]), burmite formed in the early Cretaceous


If the applicant's current name is different than the way their birth name appears on the record, provide info below (required): PART 4: ELIGIBILITY-Select the category that qualifies YOU to request and receive the requested Michigan birth record per MCL 333.2882 □ Child or Parent named on the record □ Legal guardian of the person named on the record Note: Only adoptive parents are eligible (if applicable) Note: Copy of court documented guardianship papers required. □ Legally licensed attorney of subject of the record □ Record at least 100 years old (no photo ID required) □ Heir of the deceased person named on the record • Relationship to decedent: ___________________________ Decedent's name at time of death: _______________________________ • State where death occurred: _______ (If not MI, you must provide a death certificate) • Date of death (Year): ____________________________ PART 2: CERTIFICATION OF INFORMATION PROVIDED By signing this application, I understand that I am agreeing to pay for a search of the State of Michigan Vital Records. This does not guarantee that a record will be found. Statement of Entitlement: Misstating an identity or assuming the identity of another person is subject to criminal penalties, e.g., Michigan Compiled Laws 333.2894(b) and 333.2898 and federal laws relating to falsification in obtaining a birth record. By signing this application, I state that I am eligible to receive this birth record as indicated in the Eligibility Section of this application. IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT 445.65(1) and 445.69(1) prohibits anyone from obtaining a vital record by misrepresenting a person's identity or attempting to use another person's identifying information. A person who violates this law is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to $25,000 or both. I would like to purchase ______ (Quantity) gift certificate(s). Please indicate below the recipient's name(s) If more than two, please attach an additional page with the additional recipients' names. (Please skip to Part 6) Option 6


An enriched, Water-Alternating-Gas (WAG), miscible flood was brought on stream in December 1982 in the Prudhoe Bay Field on Alaska's North Slope. This paper outlines details of the Project and traces its evolution from conceptual engineering through start-up to initial performance. The Project involves an area containing 442 million barrels original oil in place. The 3,650 acre Project Area includes sixty 80-acre spaced wells in eleven inverted nine-spot patterns. Facilities process the 40 to 45 MMscf/D of miscible injectant which is then injected alternately with water on a 3 month/6 month gas/water cycle in eleven injection wells. An extensive surveillance program includes one fiberglass cased observation well, a comprehensive cased hole logging program, and radioactive gas tracers. The project will consist of WAG injecting a slug of more than 10% total pore volume (TPV) miscible gas. The miscible gas will be injected at a rate of approximately 1% TPV per year, followed by water injection to displace miscible gas through the reservoir and tertiary oil to producing wells. The estimated incremental-to-waterflood recovery is 5.5% of the original oil in place or 24 million barrels of oil.


Current modeling of enterprise and information systems is based on diverse methods such as function-orientation, data-orientation, process-orientation object-orientation, and object/process-orientation. Other emerging modeling methods include the ontology capture method and Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). These approaches have been criticized for lack of execution environment into which events that cause change could be incorporated. Such a topic is important in the study of dynamic behavior of systems for both analysis and control. This paper further develops a new approach oriented toward things that flow. Specifically, the paper concentrates on the study of process specification in analysis and design of enterprise/system architectures in order to most effectively facilitate their control. Here we produce a single, integrated diagrammatic representation that uniformly incorporates structural and behavioral aspects into an underlying conceptual description. The viability of the model is demonstrated by applying it to a case study of services provided by an existing organizational unit.


An electric load used in discharge test of super-capacitor was designed,which worked at the mode of the constant current(CC).It was mainly made up of two parts: constant current part and logic control part.The constant current source adopted CMOS integrated circuit to drive the MOSFET.When the power MOSFET worked in the constant current area,the current of drain-source did not change with voltage.The design of the logic control part was a digital circuit,which controlled the open or shutoff of the constant current unit by counter permanent.The design of the electric load is simple and affected rarely by temperature.The device can be used to test the super-capacitor,and the performance of the super-capacitor can be known better.


Bleachorexia, addiction to tooth bleaching, is a behavioral disorder similar to anorexia. The patient feels that their teeth are always not white enough and continues to use whiteners to obtain a "perfect" smile. Such behavior falls under the category of a body dysmorphic disorder and may need medical counseling.


The author, an assistant at the Vienna University Children's Clinic and chief of its Roentgen Station undertook to publish this book 3 years after Swoboda, his predecessor, had brought out his book entitled "The Skeleton of the Child." The author stresses the great value of short simple radiographic procedures on newborns and infants which lead often to immediate clarification of the problem and result in useful surgery despite the fact that it is impossible to communicate with the patient at such an early age of life.


Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive cancer with less than 10% of patients surviving 5-years from diagnosis. Arginine deprivation using pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20) is a novel treatment for mesothelioma deficient in the arginine biosynthetic enzyme ASS1. However, resistance to ADI-PEG20 in MPM is a significant problem and is characterized in part by reprogramming of the urea and polyamine metabolism pathway (Locke et al., 2016). We sought to identify a targeted metabolism-based therapy to overcome the emerging resistance and increase the efficiency of ADI-PEG20 treatment for patients with MPM.
 New models of ADI-PEG20 resistance were generated by constant exposure of MPM cell lines to arginine deprivation for 6 months. ADI-PEG20 resistant and sensitive MPM cell lines were treated with a panel of polyamine targeting molecules. Metabolome alterations were studied by targeted metabolomics and glucose flux analyses.
 Our results confirmed the up-regulation of ASS1 expression from (50 to 3000-fold) alongside upregulation of polyamine catabolism and upon generation of ADI-PEG20 resistance. Treatment of ADI-PEG20 resistant cell lines with a range of different polyamine inhibitors demonstrated that ADI-PEG20 resistant cell lines were significantly more sensitive to the spermidine-analogue GC7 than their respective ASS1-ve parental cell lines. Moreover, the combination of GC7 and ADI-PEG20 prevented the emergence of resistant cells in vitro. We observed a significant synergistic effect of GC7 and ADI-PEG20 in both ASS1-ve and ASS1+ve cell lines in 2D and 3D cell culture models as well as in our mice in vivo model. Metabolomics analysis revealed that GC7 treatment significantly impaired the TCA cycle. We hypothesize that GC7 is repurposing the fate of Acetyl-CoA to polyamine catabolism therefore shutting down the TCA cycle. Our findings provide novel insights into a polyamine targeted therapy that may prevent resistance to ADI-PEG20 treatment in MPM and related arginine-auxotrophic cancers.
 Citation Format: Joséphine Carpentier, Peter W. Szlosarek, Sarah Anne Martin. ADI-PEG20 and GC7 as a novel anti-metabolite strategy for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1760.


Having a small car running with low power can be achieved by reducing the aerodynamics drag, rolling resistance and mechanical frictions between the moving parts. The Shell Eco-Marathon competition held around the world with events in Europe, USA and Asia shows every year new techniques and ideas to reduce the power needed to drive the car. The record of over 3400 km on the equivalent of a single litre of fuel is an indication of how car can run efficiently. The problem with these low drag cars is the driver perception about the shape of the car. Although the tear drop shape is known as having the minimum drag, practically this shape cannot be used due to size and packaging limitations in addition to the safety issue. In this work, a low drag concept car is proposed using initial CAD design. The concept car is examined using a commercial CFD software by simulating the airflow around car. The spatial distribution of the pressure and velocity vectors are utilized to improve the car shape and to achieve a low drag force coefficient while keeping the down force at its minimum value. By changing the car front, underneath and rear shapes, it was possible to reduce the drag coefficient from 0.430 for the baseline to 0.127 for the final design, while meeting the competition regulations


Solution spaces are proposed, instead of single solutions only, to support collaborative tasks during design and construction. Currently, partners involved in construction projects typically assign single values for subsets of variables and then proceed, often after tedious negotiations with other partners, to integrate these partial solutions into more complete project descriptions. The writers suggest the use of constraint solving to express possibly large families of acceptable solutions in order to facilitate and abbreviate the negotiation process. New algorithms have been developed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, for solving multidimensional nonlinear inequality constraints on continuous variables. Constraint-based support leads to better change management and easier implementation of least commitment decision strategies. It is expected that the results of this research will improve the performance of negotiation systems currently in use.


In this study, nanocrystalline zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) phosphors were prepared by a precipitation method using aqueous ammonia as the precipitant. This method enabled the low temperature formation of phosphors with spherical shape. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cathodoluminescence (CL). The highest diffraction intensity was observed for the sample with a metal ion concentration of 0.1 mol/dm3. The sample with this metal ion concentration had nanocrystalline ZnGa2O4 phosphor with an average size of about 80 nm. The emission spectra of ZnGa2O4 showed a broad self-activated blue emission band spanning over in the wide range of 300–600 nm with a peak wavelength of about 420 nm; this band showed a maximum intensity at a metal ion concentration of 0.1 mol/dm3.


The objective of this project is to develop the techniques and capability to regenerate plants fran specific walnut cell and organ sources. This is an essential step toward the utilization of novel breeding and selection procedures for walnut 'improvenent, especially disease resistance. Thlbryonic axes fran Juglans regia cultivars, J. hindsii, and Paradox have been dissected out and raised to young plants. In addition, the procedures needed to grow imnature embryos fran genetic crosses have been developed. This rescue of embryos is part of the effort to improve walnut rootstock for Phytophthora resistance.


SUBDOSA calculates external gamma and beta doses to individuals from the accidental release of radionuclides to the atmosphere. Doses are calculated as a function of: quantity released, duration of release, atmospheric conditions during the release, and horizontal distance from the release point. Doses from both gamma and beta radiation are calculated as a function of depth in tissue, summed and reported as skin, eye, gonadal, and total body dose. Doses are calculated within each of several release time intervals with separate nuclide inventories and atmospheric dispersion conditions used for each interval. Radioactive decay using a chain decay scheme with branching to account for transitions to and from isomeric states is considered during the release. The program computes normalized air concentrations at ground level as a function of distance from the point of release.


Some features of the intranuclear cascade evaporation model used in investigating nuclear reactions at intermediate and low energies are discussed. The possibility of applying the model to the calculation of excitation functions and total and differential nuclear reaction cross-sections, over the entire energy range of the precompound exciton model application, is demonstrated by means of the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in intranuclear processes.


Nitrogen plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) into CoCr alloys in the temperature range from 300 to 600 °C leads to the formation of thick diffusion layers of up to 5 µm, consisting of an expanded austenitic phase at lower temperatures and CrN precipitates, dissolved in a matrix, at higher temperatures. In addition, a large increase of the wear resistance by up to a factor of 10 is observed, with the wear rate nearly independent of the alloy's composition and process temperature. No significant difference in the wear behaviour was observed for a 10 µm diameter diamond ball and a 4.8 mm diameter alumina employed as counterbody in the oscillating wear tests.