The writers would like to thank the Discussers for their comments and solutions, which contribute to the state of the art on the topic. The writers believe that the closed-form solution for active pile length derived by the Discussers in Eq. (3) is helpful in computations, especially when non-typical values of problem parameters are examined (e.g., very high pile–soil stiffness ratios). In the latter conditions, if no iterations are performed to assess the active pile length via the approximate procedure suggested in the original paper, the errors in the computed bendingmoment could reach 5–10%. The writers also agree with the Discussers that the absolute value of pile-head bending moment fluctuates with frequency, yet this is true if soil amplification is taken into account (e.g., when acceleration is specified at rock level). In this case, the absolute value of bending moment fluctuates with frequency due to the fluctuation in ground surface acceleration. In the original paper, the dynamic modification factor employs a pre-specified soil surface acceleration to allow (1) a straightforward physical interpretation, and (2) a direct implementation in design codes, which often prescribe a value for surface acceleration that encompasses (frequency-dependent) site effects. With reference to the decrease of the dynamic reduction factor with frequency, while the writers agree as to the validity of the formula derived by the Discussers [Eq. (13)], they believe that it should not be correlated with an "increased dynamic resistance of the pile, mainly due to inertia," as mentioned by the Discussers. This is evident in Eq. (13) in the discussion, which does not involve pile mass in the right-hand side. The decreasing trend is rather explainable by Fig. 11 in the original paper: the excitation frequency modifies the distribution of soil shear strain with depth, indicating that soil deformations loading the pile are the only source of frequency effects. Pile inertia is proved to be negligible in the kinematic interaction problem, as also recognized by Anoyatis et al. (2013). In other words, although the development of pile bending moments is a frequency-related phenomenon, the dynamic effect is limited to the dynamic response of soil, while pile–soil interaction is essentially a static phenomenon. In a Winkler framework, applying statically, at any time step, the free-field soil displacements (derived in the dynamic regime) to the pile-supporting springs will produce accurate predictions of kinematic pile bending. Finally, the writers correctly highlight that, due to a clerical error in Eq. (22), the value of surface acceleration is missing. The correct solution for shear strain reads


The utility model relates to a drilling rod for well-drilling. The prior drilling rods for well-drilling are processed, checked and utilized according to the APISPEC5D (well drilling standard). One of the disadvantages of the prior drilling rods for well-drilling is that the diameter of the drill pipe tool joint is big. Therefore, the drill pipe tool joint is not able to go through the hole top of the slim hole during well-drilling. Another disadvantage of the prior drilling rods for well-drilling is that after the tear and wear of the tool joint, the tool joint has to be cut off and welded again which wastes time and material. The drilling rod of the utility model is characterized in that an upper and a lower tool joints are internal screw thread connected with the drilling rod body. The screw threads are stuck mutually through thread lock solid glue; wherein, the upper tool joint is a female button on the inner circular conical surface. The lower tool joint is a male button on the outer circular conical surface. The upper and the lower tool joints are thread matched mutually. The drilling rods for well-drilling of the utility model has strong bonding strength. When changing the tool joint, only the heat melting of the thread lock solid glue is needed. Different drilling rods for well-drilling is able to be matched and utilized according to different sizes of the hole top. Meanwhile, the drilling rod body is able to be utilized as an oil tube. The utility model is in particular suitable for the fishing and unfreezing, thread making and back off treatments, and milling and making footage operating sequences during slim hole well-drilling.


A study was conducted to assess and compare the growth performance and carcass yield traits or Black Australorp (BA). Malawian local chicken (LC) und their F1 crasses at 8 weeks of age. Far each genotype BA x BA, LC x LC, BA x LC and LC x BA, 45 birds were used, Commercial growers' mash was fed to experimental roasters ad lib. BA x BA roasters were significantly (P 0.05) due to gellotypes for proportion (%) of carcass parts yields except wing yields. Wings constituted a significantly higher proportion of LC x LC warm carcass, crossbreds were intermediate and BA x BA was significantly inferior.


Energy deficiency in exercising women can lead to menstrual disturbances (MD). There is no gold standard to accurately estimate energy deficiency. Ratios of measured to predicted resting metabolic rate (RMR) have been used as a proxy to categorize women as energy deficient. PURPOSE: To evaluate whether measured to predicted RMR ratios are predictive of amenorrhea or other MD. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional comparison of 223 exercising women (≥2 hrs/wk, age 18-35 years, BMI 16-30 kg/m) who were ovulatory (OV), amenorrheic (AMEN), or subclinical MD (sMD) (including oligomenorrhea, anovulation, and luteal phase defects). Menstrual status was determined using urinary measures of reproductive hormones and menstrual calendars. Body composition was measured with DXA and RMR with the SensorMedics Vmax. Harris-Benedict, Cunningham, and DXA equations were used to calculate predicted HBRMR, CRMR, and DXARMR and to calculate the measured to predicted RMR ratio. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests determined group differences and logistic regression determined predictors of AMEN or any MD. Calculations of sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) assessed accuracy of predictions. RESULTS: Groups did not differ in lean or fat free mass. AMEN had lower body mass (p<0.01) than sMD, and lower BMI, percent body fat, fat mass (p<0.001) and measured RMR (1172 ± 21 kcal/d) (p<0.05) than OV (1227 ± 20 kcal/d) and sMD (1233.68 ± 17 kcal/d). HBRMR was lower in AMEN (1402± 8 kcal/d) vs sMD (1434 ± 9 kcal/d) (p<0.05). CRMR ratio (0.84 ± 0.01) was lower in AMEN vs OV (0.88 ± 0.01) (p<0.05), but DXARMR ratio (0.90 ± 0.01) was lower in AMEN vs both OV (0.96 ± 0.01) and sMD (0.95 ± 0.01) (p<0.01). Each ratio predicted AMEN (HBRMR: χ =4.822, p<0.05; CRMR: χ =8.708, p<0.01; DXARMR: χ =14.068, p<0.001), but only DXARMR ratio predicted any MD (χ =6.795, p<0.01). DXARMR ratio correctly identified the most women with AMEN (ppv=0.5; sensitivity= 0.49, specificity= 0.74) and with any MD (AMEN+sMD: ppv=0.75; sensitivity= 0.39, specificity= 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Each ratio may be used to predict AMEN, but only DXARMR significantly predicts MD, regardless of severity. Similarly, DXARMR ratio correctly identified the most subjects. DXARMR ratio can be utilized to correctly identify women with AMEN or MD secondary to energy deficiency.


, Kunming 650118, China Abstract: Many studies have show that the structurally polymorphic Alu insertion within HLA class I region are useful tools for investigating the origin, evolution and recombination of HLA class I progenitor haplotypes and gene diversity in different ethnic populations. In the present study, we determined the frequencies of HLA-Alus (i.e., AluMICB , AluTF , AluHJ , AluHG , and AluHF ) in Zhuang and Yugu ethnic populations at first. Then, combined with HLA genotyping data, we studied associations between HLA-Alus and HLA-A alleles in Zhuang, Yugu, Bulang, Dai, and Hani ethnic populations. Our results showed that (1) the frequencies of five HLA-Alus were 1.5%~35.8% and 9.2%~34.8% in Zhuang and Yugu, respec-tively; and (2) the results of association between HLA-A alleles and HLA-Alu showed strong association between AluHG insertion and HLA-A*02 subtypes in all populations, association between AluHJ insertion and HLA-A*2402 in all populations, and association between AluHJ insertion and HLA-A*1101 , -A*2407 in Bulang. The present distribution of HLA-Alus as well as the associations between HLA-Alus and HLA class I alleles are variable in different ethnic populations. HLA Alus alone or together with the HLA class I alleles are informative genetic markers for the identi-fication of HLA class I allele and variation of haplotype lineages in different populations.


Food safety accidents occur frequently, which has caused great harm to people's health. With the consideration that food quality requires the joint efforts of all members of the food supply chain and that quality-improving efforts for food have a positive external effect, we focus on the quality-improving effort level, which is very important for food quality and safety. This paper builds an evolutionary game model and employs the replicated dynamic equation to study evolutionarily stable strategies of suppliers and producers. Furthermore, simulation experiments are conducted to verify the modeling analyses and demonstrate the influences of game parameters. The research results show that the behavioral strategies are closely related to the factors such as the ratios of the input to the output, the cost of quality-improving efforts, the hitchhiking benefits, and the initial strategy. Only when the punishing dynamics of the government exceeds a certain value, both participants can choose the quality-improving effort strategy. Based on the results, this paper has provided some inspiration for policy-making of government institutions.


If X is a compact, locally connected metric space, f : X → X is a homeomorphism, and Q is a closed neighborhood of X, then Z = {p ∈ Q : f(p) ∈ Q for all integers n} is the permanent set for f on Q, and E = {p ∈ Q : there is some positive integer Np such that if n ≥ Np, then f−n(p) ∈ Q} is the entrainment set. In a previous paper, we began a study of the entrainment sets of topological horseshoes, and showed that, under mild conditions, the closure of the entrainment set for a topological horseshoe is "indecomposable–like" in that it admits a continuous map onto an indecomposable continuum. Furthermore, if f denotes the map associated with the topological horseshoe and K denotes the closure of the entrainment set for the horseshoe, then there is a map f̃ on the indecomposable continuum, denoted K̃, and a map h : K → K̃ such that h ◦ f̃ = f ◦ h, i.e., the dynamics of f on K factors over the dynamics of f̃ on K̃. Here we continue this study of the structure of entrainment sets of topological horseshoes and investigate the presence of invariant indecomposable continua contained in the closure of entrainment sets.


We study the low-lying eigenenergy clustering patterns of quantum antiferromagnets with p sublattices ~in particular p54). We treat each sublattice as a large spin, and using second-order degenerate perturbation theory, we derive the effective ~biquadratic! Hamiltonian coupling the p large spins. In order to compare with exact diagonalizations, the Hamiltonian is explicitly written for a finite-size lattice, and it contains information on energies of excited states as well as the ground state. The result is applied to the face-centered-cubic Type-I antiferromagnet of spin 1/2, including second-neighbor interactions. A 32-site system is exactly diagonalized, and the energy spectrum of the low-lying singlets follows the analytically predicted clustering pattern.


. The aim of this article is to introduce hesitant fuzzy paraopen and hesitant fuzzy mean open sets in hesitant fuzzy topological spaces. Moreover we investigate and extend some properties of hesitant fuzzy mean open with hesitant fuzzy paraopen, hesitant fuzzy minmimal open and maximal open sets in hesitant fuzzy topological spaces.


Personalized learning solutions typically involve learner profiles with sensitive information and activities that might breach learner's privacy, such as user profiling. In this paper we discuss privacy aspects of a smart space for learning that is being developed in the EU 1ST ELENA project. The paper presents threats and requirements, and describes several privacy-enhancing technology (PET) based solutions.


Although the literature is full of reports on nerve degeneration in avian polyneuritis and B deficiency in the rat and other mammals, the most recent contributions in this field reveal conflicting evidence. 1 In order to circumvent uncertainties in the interpretation of Marchi preparations and any possible artefacts that may be introduced during fixation and staining, Sutton, Setterfield and Krauss 2 have recently applied the polarized light technique for the study of degeneration of myelinated nerves in vitamin A deficiency. This technique was found by Setterfield and Baird 3 to have advantages over the Marchi method of staining with osmic acid, since it does not depend upon fixation and staining but on the chemical structure of the myelin sheath; moreover, it is more rapid, more sensitive and constant. The polarized light technique, however, as employed by Sutton and associates requires previous fixation of tissues in formalin, which procedure may introduce artefacts. We have applied the technique of Sutton and co-workers in studies of vitamin B deficiency and have checked the formalin procedure by elimination of all fixatives as well as all staining operations. Small pieces of spinal cord, trigeminal, sciatic and optic nerves from avitaminotic and litter mate controls on the same plane of nutrition, were fixed in 95% alcohol in liquid air, and dehydrated in vacuo, at −32°C., by the Altmann-Gersh-freezing-drying technique, as modified by Scott and Williams. 4 Frozen sections were made and compared under polarized light with those fixed in 10% formalin. Twelve groups of rats were used for this comparative study. The pathological animals of 9 groups were on diets deficient only in vitamin B1 and had varying degrees of polyneuritis, ranging from slight to marked paralysis.


Abstract 29

The development of inhibitory antibodies to exogenous factor VIII (FVIII) is considered a severe and important complication of FVIII infusion in hemophilia A patients. Gene therapy of hemophilia A with inhibitors is especially challenging because functional FVIII activity may be inactivated by circulating inhibitory antibodies if transgene protein is constitutively secreted into the blood circulation. Our previous studies have demonstrated that syngeneic transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from 2bF8 transgenic mice that express platelet-specific FVIII can efficiently restore hemostasis to hemophilic mice with pre-existing inhibitory antibodies. In the current study, we assessed whether lentivirus-mediated 2bF8 gene transfer could efficiently introduce 2bF8 transgene expression and ameliorate the hemorrhagic phenotype in hemophilic mice with pre-existing immunity. To mimic the clinical situation of an autologous transplant in an inhibitor patient, both donor and recipient FVIIInull mice were immunized with recombinant human B-domain deleted FVIII to induce inhibitory antibody development. Platelet-derived FVIII expression in FVIIInull mice was introduced by 2bF8 lentiviral-mediated bone marrow (BM) transduction and syngeneic transplantation. Following BM reconstitution, mice were analyzed by PCR, quantitative real-time PCR, platelet lysate FVIII activity assay, and inhibitor assay. Phenotypic correction was assessed by tail clip survival test and electrolytic-induced thrombus formation. Expression of the 2bF8 product was detected in all recipients that received 2bF8 lentivirus transduced BM cells, indicating viable engraftment of BM genetically modified with the 2bF8 lentivirus transfer vector. Functional platelet-FVIII activity levels in the transduced mice with pre-existing immunity ranged from 0.36 to 6.18 mU/108 platelets (mean 1.56 ± 1.76 mU/108 platelets, n = 10), which was not significantly different from the levels obtained from a parallel non-inhibitor model (1.46 ± 0.87 mU/108 platelets, n = 4). Real-time PCR demonstrated that there was an average of 0.17 ± 0.05 LV DNA copies per cell in peripheral white blood cells from transduced mice. FVIII inhibiter titer gradually declined with the time, indicating that transduced platelet FVIII is well protected from exposure to the immune system, avoiding activation of a memory response. The tail clip survival test showed that 90% of mice survived tail clip challenge. The electrolytic injury model demonstrated that hemostasis was improved in recipients that received 2bF8 lentivirus-transduced BM cells. Furthermore, BM transferred from the primary transplant recipients into immunized FVIIInull secondary recipients demonstrated sustained platelet-FVIII expression, resulting in the correction of the hemophilia A phenotype with pre-existing immunity. This shows that gene transfer has occurred within long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells even in the presence of inhibitory antibodies. These results demonstrate that lentivirus-mediated bone marrow transduction/transplantation can provide sustained improvement of hemostasis in hemophilic mice with pre-existing immunity, indicating that this approach may be a promising strategy for gene therapy of hemophilia A with inhibitory antibodies in humans.

Disclosures: Montgomery: GTI Diagnostics: Consultancy; Baxter: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Bayer: Research Funding; CSL Behring: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.


Abstract : Two types of shift rotation in the same air traffic facility were investigated in order to determine the relative advantages and disadvantages of nonrotating shift work (steady shift) and rotating shift work. The rotating shift work chosen for comparison was a 2-2-1 pattern often preferred by air traffic controllers, and which consists of a schedule of progressively earlier work periods throughout the workweek, with 9 to 14 hours off duty between 8-hour work periods, and an extended off-duty period of 80 hours between workweeks. Objective differences, as judged by urine biochemistry, between workers on the two shift patterns are minimal and insignificant statistically. Generally, however, greater fatigue was reported in connection with the 2-2-1 rotation than with the steady shift, both preshift and postshift. When prework to postwork changes in subjective fatigue were compared for the two shift patterns, no statistically significant differences were noted. Within the 2-2-1 schedule, there was (i) significantly greater excretion of catecholamines on the day watch as compared to the evening watch; and (ii) significantly greater preshift fatigue reported on day shift than evening shift. Despite the observed differences between and within the steady and rotating shift patterns, employee participation in shift pattern choice may have contributed greatly to worker contentment and willingness to accept the observed stressors. Keywords: Shift Work, Air Traffic Controllers, Biochemistry, Fatigue, Employee Participation.


Michael Tichelar's The History of Opposition to Blood Sports in Twentieth Century England adds to a growing academic literature on the controversial history of hunting with dogs. His purpose is suc...


Background
Age-related cataract is a common cause of blindness.However, its cause and pathogenic mechanism have not been fully understood.Recent studies revealed that aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and AQP0 are closely related to the pathogenesis of cataract.

Objective
This study was to investigate the differential distribution and expression of AQP0 and AQP1 in lenses with age-related cataract and explore its effect on pathogenesis of age-related cataract.

Methods
Seventeen anterior capsular membrane samples and nucleus samples of lenses were collected from age-related cataract patients during the small incision nonphacoemulsification cataract extraction, and 6 normal lens samples were obtained from health donors in the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University.The expression and distribution of AQP1 and AQP0 in the lenses were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relative expression levels of AQP1 and AQP0 proteins in the lenses were assayed by using Western blot assay.This study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of this hospital, and written informed consent was obtained from each patient.

Results
Immunohistochemistry showed that in the normal lenses, AQP1 expressed mainly in LECs; while AQP0 primarily expressed in fiber cells of the lens cortex and nucleus.The relative expression levels of AQP1 and AQP0 in the lenses with age-related cataract (absorbance) were 0.223±0.008 and 0.118±0.015, which were significantly lower than 0.246±0.007 and 0.149±0.007 in the normal lenses (t=-4.508, -3.291, both at P<0.01). Western blot revealed that the relative expression levels of AQP1 and AQP0 in the lenses with age-related cataract (absorbance) were 0.663±0.012 and 0.599±0.015, which were significantly reduced in comparison with 0.844±0.041 and 0.955±0.064 in the normal lenses (t=-7.492, P<0.05; t=-9.570, P<0.01).

Conclusions
AQP1 and AQP0 distribute in different sites of lenses.The expressions of AQP1 and AQP0 are obviously down-regulated in lenses with age-related cataract, suggesting that AQP1 and AQP0 probably play different roles in the pathogenesis of age-related cataract.

Key words:
Aquaporin/metabolism; Lens, crystalline/metabolism; Eye proteins/metabolism; Water/metabolism; Cataract, age-related/pathogenesis; Humans; Cell membrane permeability/physiology


According to the features of the change in the work, that are the co mplexity of the causes, the multiplicity of the representative forms, and the se verity of the consequences, etc., this paper puts forward the treatment principl es and procedures of the monitoring engineers for the change in the work.


Adrenal metastatic localisation from renal cell carcinoma is uncommon, with reported incidence being between 1.2 and 10% of operated cases and a clear tendency of involvement of the homolateral rather than the contralateral adrenal gland. The authors present 38 cases of adrenal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma, synchronous in 27 and metachronous in 11, with a minimum follow-up of 36 months after adrenalectomy. It is considered that in the absence of lymph node involvement or metastasis in other organs, adrenalectomy could cure the disease, especially in the case of metachronous adrenal metastasis.


A method for computing the three-dimensional transonic flow around the blades of a compressor or of a propeller is given. The method is based on the use of the velocity potential, on the hypothesis that the flow is inviscid, irrotational and isentropic. The equation of the potential is solved in a transformed space such that the surface of the blade is mapped into a plane where the periodicity is implicit. This equation is in a nonconservative form and is solved with the help of a finite difference method using artificial time. A computer code is provided and some sample results are given in order to demonstrate the influence of three-dimensional effects and the blade's rotation.


: A modified explicit hybrid method with four stages is presented, with the first stage exactly integrating exp( wx ), while the remaining stages exactly integrate sin( wx ) and cos( wx ). Special attention is paid to the phase properties of the method during the process of parameter selection. Numerical comparisons of the proposed and existing hybrid methods for several second-order problems show that the proposed method gives high accuracy in solving the Duffing equation and Kramarz's system.


One hundred women were included in this study which referred by the physicians clinics for the detection of antitoxoplasma antibodies. Venous blood was collected from them, and serum obtained for the performed of rapid latex agglutination test and quelitative detective of Toxoplasma IgM by using Mercaptoethanol test.A questionnaire form was filled for each women by direct interview. The data requested inciuded age, occupation, residency, level of education, owing animals, marital status, history of abortion and numbers of abortion.Forty six (46%) women were dispiayed the presence of antitoxoplasma antibodies. Fifteen (32%) of the positive cases were positive for IgM antibodies.Significant association between the rate of total Toxoplasma antibodies and some epidemiological factors were included.


Deficiency of micronutrients is increasing in the recent years in cropping systems in many parts of the world and cover crops are important components of cropping systems. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) use efficiency in 14 tropical leg- ume cover crops grown on an Oxisol. The P levels used were low (0 mg kg -1 ), medium (100 mg kg -1 ) and high (200 mg kg -1 ). The P X cover crops interactions were significant for Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn use efficiency (tops dry weight/unit nutrient uptake). Hence, cover crop species varied in nutrient use efficiency with change in P levels. The micronutrient use efficiency was in the order of Cu > Zn > Mn > Fe. Higher Cu use efficiency was associated with lower uptake of this element, in the cover crop tops compared to other micronutrients. Similar- ly, lower efficiency of Fe and Mn was associated with their higher uptake in the tops of cover crops. Overall, Cu and Mn use efficiency was decreased when P level was raised from low to medium level and then it was constant. Iron use efficiency was increased with increasing P level but Zn use efficiency was constant with the addition of P fertilizer.


The unsteady vortex-induced forces on a multi-column platform in current from subcritical up to supercritical Reynolds numbers have been investigated using three-dimensional numerical simulations. Two different current incidences, 0[Formula: see text] and 45[Formula: see text], are considered. The results show that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the mean streamwise force coefficients [Formula: see text] increase with the rise of [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text], while they grow slightly when [Formula: see text]. For 45[Formula: see text] current incidence, a decrease of streamwise force with increasing [Formula: see text] is observed. Similar to a single cylinder, the fluctuating transverse force coefficients [Formula: see text] of the multi-column platform drop at [Formula: see text] for 0[Formula: see text] and 45[Formula: see text] current incidences. In addition, it is found that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the [Formula: see text] values of the downstream columns are much larger than those of the upstream columns, while for 45[Formula: see text] current incidence, the [Formula: see text] values of each column are similar. Furthermore, the results of correlations between the forces on each column and total forces indicates that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the fluctuating transverse forces on the downstream columns are mainly responsible for the total fluctuating transverse force on the multi-column platform.


This component mounting machine comprises: a component supply device which supplies a plurality of types of components; a component transfer device which has a mounting head with pickup nozzles which pick up components from the component supply device and mount the same on an aligned substrate, and a head drive mechanism for moving the mounting head in a horizontal plane; and an image capture device which has an image capture element and a main lens and captures from below an image of the pickup nozzles having picked up the components. The image capture device further has a plurality of sub-lenses which are positioned between the mounting head and the image capture element and captures, with the image capture element, via any of the sub-lenses and the main lens, an image of location reference marks which are respectively positioned at the plurality of types of mounting heads. Thus, images of location reference marks with different disposal locations and/or disposal heights at the plurality of types of mounting heads and components which are picked up by the pickup nozzles are simultaneously captured, so it is possible to obtain a clear image and contribute to improved component mounting precision. "On-the-fly" image capture is also possible, so it is possible to shorten the mounting takt time.


The state and development prospects are discussed for the oceanographic monitoring system based on the information conception as an alternative to the observation conception. Requirements are stated to the information supply in the different branches of marine activity (fishery, sea transportation, oil and gas extraction). The list of sustainable development indices is formed for Arctic large marine ecosystems. The possibilities to use contact and remote sensing data are compared for different oceanographic parameters, namely water temperature and salinity, sea level, wind waves, ice cover. The sequence of stages is recommended for the organization of a monitoring information system.


Abstract: An important stage that will determine the quality of ready-to-consume coffee is roasting. This method has been developed and used to obtain the best and specific quality of coffee brewing. In addition to the method used, the type of coffee greatly influences the quality characteristics of the brewed coffee produced. Coffee beans will not have a high commercial value before being subjected to a roasting process for the formation of the best aroma and taste. Roasting is a combination of time and temperature that changes the structure and chemical properties in coffee beans through the pyrolysis process. Even high-quality coffee beans cannot have maximum aroma and flavor if the roasting process is not done properly. This research uses a roasting machine type Hot Air Roasting or with other names Air Roasting is a different roasted coffee method. Coffee roasting process is not on the surface of the roaster but in the air, this coffee roasting method was introduced by Michael Sivetz, a chemical engineer and consultant of the world coffee industry. Based on the results of this study that the decrease in density discussed in the previous paragraph shows that the longer the roasting, the weight of coffee will decrease because the water content in coffee beans has begun to decrease. This shows that the longer the coffee beans are roasted, the better the results of heating. This research process uses a hot air type roasting machine. Hot water is one type of roasting machine that is good and efficient, because the heating carried out by the machine uses electrical energy. The final results obtained in this study the temperature continues to rise but the density decreases. This shows the inverse relationship between temperature and density of coffee and the best roasting results and can be used for brewing robusta coffee at 200 ° C in 15-20 minutes.

 Keywords: Hot Air Roasting, Robusta Coffee


BEFORE discussing some of the administrative techniques which might be used in caring for mental deviates it is necessary to give some attention to the fundamental needs of the children involved. Only then can we be sure that the techniques meet the needs. The needs will vary with circumstances but, by and large, such children need to have the opportunity to live, work and play within the range of their potential strength. They also need the satisfaction of receiving real recognition from their normal associates for what they do, which means that they must have things to do which are of value to the group. Because the potentialities of such children will deviate so far from the average, those who are responsible for their growth and care will not only be faced with the problem of providing suitable and appropriate activity but will also be faced with the responsibility of helping teachers, parents and others appreciate and understand the importance of what the child accomplishes. Adults have to learn to evaluate the accomplishments of stich children in terms of their capabilities rather than in terms of average expectations. A willingness to undertake the administration of a program which will provide for these fundamental needs of the mental deviate will necessitate the solution of some very difficult problems. It will be necessary, first of all, to devise ways and means of knowing who the deviated children are. Then it will be necessary to extend the range of activities so that the child has appropriate ana useful things to do. Then provision must be made for helping parents, teachers and others understand the value 01 the child's achievements. It is assumed that these basic problems exist for every type of mental deviation: that is, for the superior as well as for the inferior, for the special talents as well as for the special defects. At least three methods are commonly used in discovering the deviated children. Their relative values


Madeleine Pape's critical essay puts the issue of gender eligibility regulations in Olympic sports in historical perspective and examines the scientific debates around gender verification pointing to its formation and continued grounding in the racialized colonial gaze. A historical review of the field of athletics illuminates the deeply subjective nature of the production of scientific knowledge and its application in the verification of gender. Further, discriminatory role of sport governing bodies in perpetuating masculinist and racialized ideologies in insisting on scrutiny in the participation of women, inspection of their 'unfeminine' bodies, to invasive gender tests of 'suspicious' cases, continues unabated, especially of the global South.


Between 2005 and 2014 the first 10 years of ASER there were 3 main trends that emerged from the data: First, learning levels were low and slow to change till 2010. There was very little change in learning levels at the all India level till 2010 and a slight decline after that. The decline, post 2010, was coming entirely from government schools, with learning levels in private schools holding up or improving slightly. Second, while children did learn as they progressed through school, these learning trajectories were fairly flat. Even in Std VIII close to a fourth of the children were not fluent readers. And, third, there was a year on year increase in private school enrollment. By 2014, almost a third of all rural children were enrolled in private schools.


The objective was to understand the basic knowledge attitude about HIV/AIDs and condom use among the general population in a high HIV prevalence area in Sichuan province and to provide the scientific basis for conducting interventions in the next step. A qualitative survey was conducted among the several types of community people in the high HIV prevalence area. The majority of community leaders knew about some knowledge of HIV/AIDs but most common community people had little knowledge of HIV/AIDs and had misunderstanding and fear of HIV/AIDs. The most common of the people knew the contraceptive function of the condom however few of them were aware that the condom could prevent HIV/AIDs. It is necessary to propagandize the basic knowledge of HIV/AIDs especially function of the condom in preventing HIV/AIDs. (authors)


RECENT LEGISLATION INCORPORATED COMPARATIVEeffectiveness research (CER) as a scientific mechanism to help improve health care. The law expresses particular interest in discovering which treatments work "in a real world setting" and encourages conduct of observational studies using data mining techniques of standardized electronic records. Ideally, CER will identify effective interventions in the subgroup of patients, since traditional randomized trials typically provide efficacy data for an "average" patient only. It is likely that the amount of observational research will increase significantly, especially studies involving data mining of large administrative databases and electronic medical records. However, epistemological arguments suggest that data mining efforts cannot provide definitive answers to the questions asked by the CER program. Rather, CER should be considered hypothesisgenerating research aiming to inform future prospective studies that will invariably require new (and better) data collection. Science is an open-ended system. For every explanation science generates, a new ensuing explanation is required, because "there can be no explanation which is not in need of a further explanation." This characteristic of scientific activity as open-ended instead of a finite, closed-end system was described by Rescher to be the consequence of Kant's Principle of Question Propagation as " answering our factual (scientific) questions paves the way to further yet unanswered questions." The essence of scientific inquiry is characterized by the cycle of answers generating new questions. The driving force behind this cycle of questionsanswers-questions (Q-A-Q) is the attempt to improve scientific explanatory power, descriptive precision, and predictive accuracy. Consequently, science is characterized by escalating theoretical complexity accompanied by increasingly sophisticated scientific explanations. Scientific knowledge is purported knowledge—what counts as scientific knowledge is tentative and remains revisable as science progresses.


A systematic real·space dynamic renormalization group method is proposed and it is applied to the kinetic Ising model on a triangular lattice. The coarse grained master equation is constructed by using the memory function formalism and the Markov approximation. The high temperature series renormalization group method proposed by Betts, Cuthiell and Plischke is extended for the present purpose to make a perturbation expansion in a self·consistent way with respect to all orders of interactions. Terms nonlocal in space appear in the coarse grained time-evolution operator in our approach, because of the memory effect accompanied with the coarse graining procedure. It is shown within the second order calculation that these nonlocal terms are irrelevant around the nontrivial fixed point. The values of the static exponent v and dynamic exponent z are given by 1/v=0.99 and z=2.23 from the present second order calculation. These results are quite reasonable.


Objective. This paper aims to describe trends in diagnostic data in discharged patients from a regional child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit in Romania, over a 25-year period (1990-2014). Method. Data on discharge diagnosis of the 30854 patients from the study timeframe were analyzed. Diagnostic formulations in the years prior to ICD implementation were converted into ICD-10 specific disorders/ class of disorders. Results. Results showed a significant increase in proportion of autism spectrum disorders and hyperkinetic disorders over time and a significant decrease of stress related, dissociative and somatoform disorders. The number of psychotic disorders was constant over time, mood disorders had peak frequencies in 2003 and 2014 and anxiety disorders has a twofold increase from 2007 to 2014. Conclusions. This study demonstrates a major shift in the patterns of mental health disorders diagnosed among children and adolescents at our clinic over the last 25 years. Defining the current mental health needs of young people and adjusting service delivery in child and adolescent psychiatric settings have become of great importance in recent years.


Synopsis : Trace of hydride-forming elements, As, Bi and Sb in iron and steel have been simultaneously determinend by continuous hydride generation and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The effects of masking reagents of matrix elements and acid concentration on the hydride generating conditions are investigated. A standard addition method is necessary for the determination of Bi, to compensate for the interference from alloy element, Ni. Detection limits of As, Bi and Sb are 0.5, 0.8, 0.5 ng/ml by ICP-AES and 0.03, 0.02, 0.03 ng/ml by ICP-MS, respectively, improved a sensitivity of a factor of 1 to 2 orders of magnitude from the conventional solution nebulization method.


The accentuation of words consists in writing the diacritical mark on the stressed syllable when the grammatical rule indicates it. Many university students have difficulties accentuating words on questions with limited answers and semi-limited answers trial tests because they do not apply the cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies in a proper way. This investigation is framed into a qualitative approach in which three engineering students of the second semester were interviewed after they presented ten trial tests. Also, Spanish language and Literature middle school text books were analyzed to know which proposals are made regarding the teaching of accentuating words. Most participants use the lexical and phonological way to accentuate words; those who use more defined cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies present less difficulties to accentuate words, they stop using self-registration and self-reinforcement from the meta-cognitive strategies; However, Spanish language and Literature middle school text books have few topics related to accentuating words. Finally, it is necessary to propose cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies which may contribute to overcome the difficulties on the accentuation of words on trial tests.


Built-in self-test (BIST) technique is now widely applied. How to estimate its testing capabilities is an important problem. BIST detectability is defined as the probability of that a fault set of the circuit-under-test is detected. It depends on the properties of the test at, circuit-under-test, as well as the signature analyser as a data compressor. The detectability of a signature analyzer is evaluated. The random and pseudorandom testing techniques are examined for their BIST detectability and several results are derived.<<ETX>>


The death of professor Rolf Huisgen (1920-2020) was announced on March 26th 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Huisgen was professor emeritus at the University of Munich in Germany, and studied in detail the mechanism of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, significantly expanding its scope. Even though he did not discover this reaction, it was through his studies that it became important in organic synthesis. Indeed, in honor of his work, the reaction became known as Huisgen's cycloaddition and it has been consolidated as a useful method for the preparation of five-membered heterocyclic compounds. Considering these facts, in this review we provide an overview on the applications of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions, starting with the seminal examples in the field and further discussing the most recent applications.


Wild rocket [ Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.] belongs to the Brassicaceae family and has its origin in the Mediterranean region. The effect of conventional and integrated cultivation practices on the nutritional properties and benefits of wild rocket [ Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.] were studied. Bioactive molecules content (vitamin C, quercetin, lutein), antioxidant properties and bioactivity of polyphenolic extracts from the edible part of rocket in Caco-2 cells were determined. Regarding antioxidant properties, FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) values ranged from 4.44 ± 0.11 mmol/kg fw to 9.92 ± 0.46 mmol/kg fw for conventional rocket and from 4.13 ± 0.17 fw mmol/kg to 11.02 ± 0.45 mmol/kg fw for integrated rocket. The characteristics of wild rocket as a dietary source of antioxidants have been pointed out. Significant differences in the quality of conventional and integrated rocket have been shown, while no influence of agronomic practice on biological activity was reported. A significant accumulation of cells in G1 phase and a consequent reduction in the S and G2 + M phases were observed in Caco-2 cells treated with rocket polyphenol extract.


We report on a high average power, few-cycle laser system operating in the mid-IR. The system delivers 20 microJoule energy pulses with ~67 fs duration at 160 kHz repetition rate with sub-250 mrad carrier-envelope-phase stability.


This article analyses the symbiotic relationship between Lucy Snowe's madness and isolation in Charlotte Brontë's Villette (1853). I argue that madness enhances isolation, and isolation enhances madness, through an exploration of Lucy's solitude. In the novel, Lucy endures enforced isolation as a treatment for madness, while she chooses other voluntary forms of isolation, such as the natural world, as a respite from social pressures. Through her relationships with Dr John and M. Paul, Lucy is observed by the male gaze, which is used to police her madness and impose gender conformity. By re-examining madness in line with approaches from Mad Studies as a unique identity rather than a classifiable mental illness, this article explores how thematic overlaps between Lucy's isolation and the current crisis can be realised through the text.


The optimization opportunities of a code base are not completely exploited by compilers. In fact, there are optimizations that must be done within the source code. Hence, if the code developers skip some details, some performance is lost. Thus, the use of a general-purpose language to develop a performance-demanding software -e.g. climate models- needs more care from the developers. They should take into account hardware details of the target machine.

Besides, writing a high-performance code for one machine will have a lower performance on another one. The developers usually write multiple optimized sections or even code versions for the different target machines. Such codes are complex and hard to maintain.

In this article we introduce a higher-level code development approach, where we develop a set of extensions to the language that is used to write a model's code. Our extensions form a domain-specific language (DSL) that abstracts domain concepts and leaves the lower level details to a configurable source-to-source translation process.

The purpose of the developed extensions is to support the icosahedral climate/atmospheric model development. We have started with the three icosahedral models: DYNAMICO, ICON, and NICAM. The collaboration with the scientists from the weather/climate sciences enabled agreed-upon extensions. When we have suggested an extension we kept in mind that it represents a higher-level domain-based concept, and that it carries no lower-level details.

The introduced DSL (GGDML- General Grid Definition and Manipulation Language) hides optimization details like memory layout. It reduces code size of a model to less than one third its original size in terms of lines of code. The development costs of a model with GGDML are therefore reduced significantly.


Introduction Contemporary theories have defined metaphors as a structuring of our cognitive system (Lakoff, 1987; Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). Metaphors affect the way we perceive the world, categorize experiences, and organize our thoughts. These devices have a fundamental role, as they not only guide reasoning but also enhance innovative thinking. They allow the designer to think unconventionally and encourage the application of novel ideas to design problems. The employment of metaphors by architects is well documented in literature through a vast number of examples. Nevertheless, not many empirical investigations have verified the contribution of metaphors to design. In a recent study, Casakin (2004) found that metaphors help to identify and capture design concepts, as well as define goals and requirements. In another research, the aid provided by metaphors to develop unconventional solutions was seen to be more fruitful in the initial stages of the design process, known as conceptual design. Metaphor use in the final stages of the design process is more complex and therefore demands more expertise (Casakin, 2006). Apart from knowledge and expertise, design problems require creativity. Creative thinking enables one to perceive a problem from unorthodox and innovative perspectives (Casakin & Kreitler, 2005a). To enhance their creativity, designers use different kinds of principles, tools, and heuristics, such as metaphors. Despite its significance, no empirical studies have been conducted in order to study the contribution of metaphors to design creativity. In the first part of this research, the importance of creativity in assessing design is presented. Thereafter, a short theoretical introduction about metaphors and their application to design is included. In the second part, an empirical study conducted on a first-year design studio is described. Next, results from a survey completed by students about the assessment of their designs are presented. Finally, discussion and conclusions regarding factors of creativity and factors of the use of metaphors as predictors of design creativity are offered. Creativity is a captivating and stimulating aspect of human thinking. It has been defined as the ability to restructure old ideas to produce singular inventions (Heap, 1989) and to apply original thinking (Coyne, 1997). Creative thinking is also associated with the capacity to look critically at reality, explore unconventional alternatives, and perceive situations from innovative perspectives (Csikszentmihalyi 1997). Innovation is defined by Milgram and Davidovich (2006) as something unusual or statistically infrequent, notable, valuable, and of high quality. Creative thinking embraces cognitive processes related to …


The aim of this study was to determine the effect of art therapy on post-traumatic growth in patients with haematological malignancies in a non-randomised trial (n = 36, intervention group; n = 129, control group). Art therapy was administered over a period of 22 weeks in small groups. Post-traumatic growth was measured with the Stress-Related Growth Scale. After controlling for the effect of potential confounders, no difference in post-traumatic growth was observed between the intervention and control groups after 22 weeks. There was no evidence for an effect of weekly group sessions with art therapy on post-traumatic growth in patients with haematological malignancies.


This book will be the first port of call for anyone who is interested in the history of Malawi, formerly known as Nyasaland, pre-independence in 1964. It provides a fresh and topical view of the historical events that have shaped and defined Malawi and this account is both solid and gripping. The book is voluminous, certainly; comprising 16 detailed chapters spread over 485 pages, this bears testimony to the depth of research, time and commitment that has gone into the realisation of this book. The research is firmly grounded in an array of primary and secondary sources which include newspapers, oral histories and first-hand accounts, as well as archival data from a wide range of global archival institutions. The book also emerges against a backdrop of the dearth of contemporary works on Malawian history that considers the pre-colonial period to situate and contextualise the events that constitute Malawian colonial past and its decolonisation phase. McCracken efficiently fuses both thematic and chronological approaches to cover the most relevant aspects of Malawian history between 1859 and 1966. Just like Shepperson, Price, Pachai and Phiri's eminent works, this is one of the few notable works that avoids the trap of using the top-down approach that has long bedeviled the historiography of this period. Instead of just projecting the perspective of the colonisers, McCracken cleverly balances and dilutes British imperial and colonial influence by also giving impetus to African initiatives. He thus historicises the cunning mentality of Europeans in converting African minds and subsequently colonising them as well as African agency in adapting and thwarting European imperialism and colonialism over time. Hence, he states that, while


In terms of gait recognition, face recognition is currently the most commonly used technology with high accuracy. However, in an image, there is not necessarily a face. Therefore, face recognition cannot be used if there is no face at all. However, when we cannot obtain facial information, we still want to know the person's identity. Thus, we must use information other than facial features to identify the person. Since each person's behavior will be somewhat different, we hope to learn the difference between one specific human body and others and use this behavior to identify the human body because deep learning technology advances this idea. Therefore, we used OpenPose along with LSTM for personal identification. We found that using people's walking posture is feasible for identifying their identities. Presently, the environment for making judgments is limited, in terms of height, and there will be restrictions on distance. In the future, using various angles and distances will be explored. This method can also solve the problem of half-body identification and is also helpful for finding people.


B. Gross has formulated a conjectural generalization of the class number formula. Suppose L/K is an abelian extension of global fields with Galois group G. Ageneralized Stickelberger element θ ∈ Z(G) is constructed from special values of L-functions at s =0 . Gross' conjecture then predicts some I-adic information about θ, where I ⊆ Z(G) is the augmentation ideal. In this paper, we prove (under a mild hypothesis) the conjecture for the maximal abelian extension of the rational function field Fq(X) that is unramified outside a set of three degree 1 places.


TheAedes albopictus was detected for the first time in Brazil in 1986, in Rio de Janeiro and, nowadays can be found in most of the national territory. This mosquito is a competent vector, under experimental conditions, fo r at least 22 arboviruses including Dengue and yellow fever viruses. Despite its import ance, very few studies revealed the genetic structure of this vector in Brazil. The obj ective of this study was to characterize the genetic structure of natural populations of Ae. albopictus collected in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Rio de janeiro and M inas Gerais, and evaluate its role as a possible vector in Dengue virus transmission. For the genetic diversity analysis, two genes from the mitochondrial DNA were analyzed usin g Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP): cytochrome c oxidase II (COII) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4). Eight haplotypes were identified f or COII gene in a total of 252 samples analyzed, and for the ND4 gene eleven haplo types were identified in a total of 273 samples. The results of the analysis of molecul ar variance (AMOVA), for both genes, suggested that these populations are under s trong influence of the genetic drift effect due to its high genetic differentiation amon g the populations within the groups. Our findings indicated that the populations from th e municipality of Moreno were the most polymorphic for both genes, where the majority of haplotypes were found. Moreno municipality is surrounded by a forest area where may exist populations with high genetic diversity which could play a role as a ource to colonize treated areas. The populations from Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais we re considered identical, sharing the same haplotypes for ND4 gene. The mitochondrial DNA analysis associated to the SSCP technique constitutes an efficient tool in the genetic structure characterization of natural populations. This marker can also be useful in molecular epidemiology to trace dispersal roots of this species and monitoring the i mpact of the interventions of control programs in a quick and precise way. To investigate the role of this species in Dengue virus transmission, samples of Ae. albopictus were collected randomly and in residences where Dengue cases were reported. These samples wer tested by RT-PCR technique and were inoculated onto C6/36 cells. In entomologi cal surveillance from a total of 217 pools of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus tested by RT-PCR, we found 10 positive pools for Dengue virus. Out of these, nine pools were Ae. aegypti and only one pool was Ae. albopictus from Moreno, containing two adult females. This is the first report of the detection of Dengue virus in field-caught Ae. albopictus naturally infected in Brazil. However, no sample was positive for the isolation i n culture of cells C6/36. Our findings in entomological surveillance suggest that DENV-1 is circulating in Ae. albopictus population, but the implication of this result in D engue virus transmission is still unclear. Our data also indicate that vector p rogram control could be directed not only to Aedes aegypti but also to Aedes albopictus populations, especially in areas where this species is abundant. Establishments of n ew Ae. albopictus populations in the Americas, especially in dengue-sensitive areas, are still in progress, modifying population genetic composition and, consequently, d engue transmission pattern in endemic areas. The potential vector of this species , which continues to spread to new areas, is still in a formative stage. The presence of this species in the urban areas represents a risk for the interaction of this mosqu ito with the urban human population.


A new species of the genus Bolitoglossa, of the alpha group (sensu Wake & Lynch, 1976) named Bolitoglossa lozanoi from the relictual humid forest from the Magdalena Valley on the eastern slope ofthe central Andes Mountain range in Colombia (type locality: La Miel River, Mpio. La Victoria, Dept. of Caldas, 500 m.s.n.m.). The new species is mainly recognized by the presence of a robust body, extensively webbed hands and toes, a brownish ventral chromatic pattern with small darker brown and cream dots, non-protuberant eyes and a relatively large size.


Ruku-ruku leaves are one of the natural resources in West Sumatra. However, the use of ruku-ruku leaves nowadays has only been used to enrich the taste of cuisine such as fish curry dishes. The distinctive odor of the ruku-ruku leaves can eliminate the fishy odor in the fish. This distinctive odor comes from secondary metabolite compounds on the leaves of the ruku-ruku. Based on previous research, the content of secondary metabolites can be differentiated from one region to another. In fact, to maximise its function, secondary metabolites are first identified and tested for biological activity. Therefore, this study identified secondary metabolites in the ruku-ruku leaves. The results showed that there were about 17 secondary metabolite compounds present in the ruku-ruku leaves. Limonnen, geranyl acetate, and citronellal are the three compounds that have the highest percentage in ruku-ruku leaves, respectively, 59.04%, 14.80%, and 7.81%. In addition, secondary metabolites present in the ruku-ruku leaves have biological activities such as antibacterial properties.


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a tobacco−related lung disease with an excessive and persistent inflammatory response. There is much evidence that the alterations within the extracellular matrix (ECM) evoked by connective tissue cell dysfunctions play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are believed to play a crucial role in the degradation of almost all extracellular matrix protein components. This effect may be responsible for the complete destruction of the alveolar walls and the formation of abnormal spaces evolving into larger bullae. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) regulate the synthesis, secre− tion, and activity of MMPs. The decreased secretion of TIMPs in COPD patients can favor increased elastolysis in the lung. The causes of the imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs in COPD are yet not clear. The development of new COPD therapies directed against specific MMPs and TIMPs should be the target of future research (Adv Clin Exp Med 2009, 18, 3, 303–309).


The approach of creating the right brand image is known as niche marketing. Stringent selection of the distribution network is another critical area in the luxury goods industry. The retail outlets that carry the product reflect the image of the brands. Therefore, they must be carefully selected and be as exclusive as the brands themselves. Not many players in this industry understand the true nature of luxury items, and LVMH is one of the few who does.


Recently there has been a greater inclination towards natural fiber reinforced plastic composites because these are environmental friendly and cost effective to synthetic fiber reinforced composites. The availability of natural fiber and ease of manufacturing have tempted researchers worldwide to try locally available inexpensive fiber and to study their feasibility of reinforcement purposes and to what extent they satisfy the required specifications of good reinforced polymer composite for structural application. Natural fibers were initially used in composite materials to predominately improve bulk and reduce cost rather than improving mechanical properties. But the environmental problems associated with the production and use of synthetic fibres has changed the scenario. In the previous decade, natural fibers have been extensively used as reinforcement materials for both synthetic and bio-degradable matrices. Natural fiber reinforcements have mostly improved flexural and impact properties, but tensile strength improvement has been marginal and has been an area of investigation. Many attempts have been made towards improving mechanical properties, with efforts directed at improving the interface, newer methods of production of composites, new modeling techniques etc. In the present investigation a new hybrid composite with epoxy as a resin and reinforcing both bio waste (jute) and traditional filler (glass) as a continuous layered mat composites were used by keeping the position of glass and jute fabric as (0


In exploring the nature of space in contemporary society, the writers Aldous Huxley and Michel Houellebecq adopt an anthropological approach which focuses on space as a product of human activities instead of an inorganic and stable entity. Their novels conceptualise their theoretical positionings on mobility in urban spaces, issues of identity, and influence of modern urban architecture on individuals and society. This paper demonstrates how in Huxley's and Houellebecq's writings urban environments reflect the individual and collective pathologies of the modern world. By referring to Lefebvre's theory of the social production of space and Augé's analysis of urban mobilities, this study explores the phenomena of consumption and commodification of urban spaces under capitalism. Following the postulates of the phenomenology of space, the paper also emphasises the negative experience of urban architecture, which shapes the individual's emotional response to both their physical and social environment.


AUDIO DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS TO AUDIOVISUAL CULTURE TO THE EMPOWERMENT OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE Contemporary culture is especially multimodal, in the sense that, to express itself makes use of various media, such as television, radio, cell phones, computers etc. through different languages and formats. In order to make a selection of languages associated with the sense of sight, this paper highlights specific part of population, just the ones (the visually impaired people), who has no means to enjoy and access visual information as cinema, theaters, travel tours etc. A way to compensate the lack of vision, and make images accessible is through audio description, that is treated here as intersemiotic and audiovisual translation ones, once it translates visual information into verbal information (written or oral).


Global warming, resulted from rising atmospheric greenhouse gases, has increased the Earth's surface temperature by 0.6 ℃ in the 20th century and will continue to increase it by approximately 1.4-5.8 ℃ in this century. The delivery of reactive forms of nitrogen to the environment through the sum of agricultural and industrial activities also exceeds that from natural processes. The ecological consequences arising from global warming and atmospheric N deposition have also become the very important issues of global change research. These changes not only impact the growth of aboveground vegetation and plant community structure, but also change belowground soil environment, and thus indirectly influence the microbial processes. Recent researches suggest that soil microbial responses to climate warming and atmospheric N deposition play an important role in the feedbacks of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. Better understanding on the microbial responses to increasing temperature and N deposition is critical to predict the changes in terrestrial ecosystem C, N dynamics in the future.From the viewpoints of microbial biomass, microbial activities and structure, litter decomposition, nutrient use and cycling, sequestration, retention and loss of nutrients, this article reviews recent advances research on microbial responses to climate warming and atmospheric N deposition. Consequence, taken from most of researches, shows that soil microbial community structure is more sensitive than soil microbial biomass and microbial activities to reflect global climatic change. Although much progress in research on impacts of climate warming and atmospheric N deposition on microbe has achieved, yet there are some questions unresolved: 1) amounts of short-term research cannot be used to predict the long-term influence of these global change drivers on microbe; 2) few researches on microbial turnover and interaction in nutrient cycling; 3) interactive effects among different global change drivers to soil microbe. Therefore, more efforts should be taken to study the long-term influence of these global change drivers on microbe and analyze the change in microbial process with soil environmental changes, and more attention should be paid to the microbial responses to global change drivers in natural ecosystems in future researches. In the near future, consequence of soil microbial response on global change will still be the key question that we should answer urgently.


AbstractQuite a few studies have documented the evolution of monsoon synoptic systems and midlatitude atmospheric blocking associated with the recent heavy precipitation and floods over northwest Pakistan during 2010. This period also witnessed a very unusual Indo-Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) evolution with a strong La Nina event in the Pacific, substantial Indian Ocean warming, and a negative Indian Ocean dipole event, together with significant enhancement of precipitation over both the equatorial western Pacific Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean.Here, the authors perform a suite of high-resolution atmospheric general circulation model experiments to investigate the influence of Indo-Pacific SST anomalies on the South Asian monsoon circulation and heavy precipitation over Pakistan and adjoining northwest India during 2010. The realistic simulation of these rainfall anomalies using observed SSTs motivated the authors to explore the specific influence of Indian Ocean and Pacific SST anomalies thr...


This PhD project contributes to the corporate finance literature by analyzing several issues related to the impact of taxation on the financial decision-making of companies. The main research question of this doctoral project is twofold. First, I analyze how the heterogeneity among national tax systems distorts the financial decisions of a multinational enterprise. I investigate the consequences of a series of alternative international tax designs on the strategy of a multinational enterprise regarding the cross border distribution of its investment and the choice of its financing behavior. I analyze inter alia a combination of an Allowance for Corporate Equity and a Comprehensive Business Income Tax and the introduction of a system of Consolidation and Formulary Apportionment. Moreover, I investigate how international tax consolidation can tackle the distortion related to heterogeneous national tax systems.Secondly, I empirically measure how the tax discrimination between debt and equity affects the capital structure of a company by comparing the debt ratio of treatment and control companies before and after the introduction of an equity tax shield (difference-in-differences regression). Consistent with the theoretical prediction, the estimated results show that the introduction of an equity tax shield has a significant negative effect on the debt ratio of a company. This effect amounts to approximately 2-7%, meaning that a classical tax system encourages companies to use on average 2-7% more debt than when there is an equal tax treatment of debt and equity.JEL Codes: F23, G32, H25, H32, K34


Male writers always shape the images of women in their works according to their own literary imagination and values,so the images of women are almost with a certain amount of male color.There are many images of women with the male color in the "JIN SHI JI" written by Ma Yuchen,which not only makes the images of women special,but also makes the writer explore ideal images of women in a certain confusion.


JHKL observations have been made of a sample of 51 long-period variables (LPVs) in three relatively unobscured fields toward the galactic center. The ( J-K)/sub 0/ colors of galactic center, Magellanic Cloud, and local LPVs are similar for P< or approx. =250 days, but for longer periods the galactic center LPVs are significantly redder than the local or Cloud Mira variables. Spectra of a small sample of the galactic center LPVs show that they are all M, no C, stars. We interpret the excessive redness of the longer period galactic center LPVs as resulting from their lying on an unusually cool giant branch; the coolness of this giant branch we in turn interpret as being due to a metal abundance approx.2.5 times the solar value. Pulsation masses M/sub p/ of up to 3.5 M/sub sun/ (age of a few times 10/sup 8/ years) are derived for the red, longer period LPVs, whereas M/sub p/ < or approx. =M/sub sun/ for the shorter period LPVs. Although we suggest caution in immediate acceptance of these masses due to present uncertainties in the interpretation of the theory and observation of pulsating red giants, the above results suggest that the galactic bulge contains starsmore » with a range in mass and age, with the young stars having significantly enhanced metal abundances and the older stars having metal abundances similar to those of LPVs in the solar vicinity. A possible origin for the young, metal-rich stars is suggested, and the significance of the existence of cool, luminous M stars in the bulge is discussed in relation to stellar synthesis models of galaxies.« less


1,2 B.Tech(SE), 3 Assistant Professor (S.G) Department of Software Engineering, SRM University, Chennai, India firstname.lastname@example.com,email@example.com,email@example.com ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract The paper presents Car license plate detection (CLPD) system using Vertical Edge Detection Algorithm(VEDA) and Structured component algorithm are used for accurate identification. First the recognition system starts with character identification based on number plate extraction, Splitting characters and Text matching. The system model uses already captured images for this recognition process. The system uses different images of plates for identifying the characters from input image. After character recognition, an identified group of characters will be compared with database number plates for authentication and grant of access.


This article presents the results of complex theoretical and experimental studies on creating universal continuous earthmoving machinery operating under non-standard loading conditions, namely, cyclic lateral loading on the actuator during digging. The lateral loading is due to the complex nature of the actuator motion when digging the soil, namely, the longitudinal motion of the machinery, the actuator digging the soil, and the lateral reciprocating motion of the actuator. This allows for variable width excavations in the soil, whose width exceeds the width of the actuator. The key issue of this machinery operation is to provide its course stability. The article considers the choice of soil-developing actuator and shows the developed calculation schemes of external loading on the operating equipment and a base tractor when digging long excavations in the soil. The dependencies to define external forces acting on the actuator when digging the soil and determining the machinery course stability, considering their spatial nature, have been developed and suggested for practical use. The conditions to ensure the stability of the course of universal earthmoving machinery have been formulated and substantiated. The developed method for determining course stability can be used when creating industrial samples of trenching earthmoving machinery.


PDE needs high operating frequency over 100 Hz to produce useful thrust. CRV has been developed for the high frequency operation of PDE. CRV is a valve device of a combined stator and rotor with holes at specific tangential location to deliver fuel, oxidizer and purge gas periodically. Ignition time should be synchronized with the rotation of CRV, which need a fast switching circuit and a high voltage supplier. This paper presents the fabrication and test results for characteristics of the ignition system needed for the high frequency operation multi-tube PDE with CRV.


Desulphurization of jet fuel, diesel oil, heavy residue and commercial furnace oil is carried out through extraction with aqueous solutions of sodium chloride, barium chloride, sodium hydroxide, mercury chloride, arsenic trioxide, potassium iodide, lead acetate, calcium hydroxide, zinc chloride, aluminum chloride, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid. Among the solutions used, HgCl2 and Ca(OH)2 were found to be the most efficient for the removal of sulphur compounds from the fractions understudy at 40 °C temperature and 30 min of shaking time. The total sulphur depletion of 60 % and 58 % has been achieved in case of jet fuel oil, 71 % and 62 % in case of diesel oil, 68 % and 67 % in case of heavy residue and 67 % and 69 %in case of commercial furnace oil with 10% HgCl2 and 5% Ca(OH)2 aqueous solutions, respectively.


A bicycle rack with a bench function and a snow removing ingredient box in an apartment house is provided to have bicycle storage and bench functions and improve the draining function by forming a trench part under the ground of in front of the bicycle storage part. A bicycle rack with a bench function and a snow removing ingredient box in an apartment house is composed of plural bicycle storage parts(100); a bench part(200) formed to be seated by a pedestrian; a snow-cleaning ingredient box(300) formed under the ground of the bicycle storage part; and a trench part(500) formed under the ground of the front of the bicycle storage part to flow the rainwater. The bicycle storage part contains a curved part(120) contacted with a bicycle wheel(610) and formed to bind the bicycle, a linear part(130) connected with the curved part, a rotary shaft(110), a bench supporting part(220) combined with the member supporting the bench part, and a bench supporting rod supporting the bench part.


The modeling of the ocean global circulation induced magnetic field is affected by various uncertainties that originate from errors in the input data and from the model itself. The amount of aggregated uncertainties and their effect on the modeling of electromagnetic induction in the ocean is unknown. For many applications, however, the knowledge of uncertainties in the modeling is essential. To investigate the uncertainty in the modeling of motional induction at the sea surface, simulation experiments are performed on the basis of different error scenarios and error covariance matrices. For these error scenarios, ensembles of an ocean general circulation model and an electromagnetic induction model are generated. This ensemble-based approach allows to estimate both the spatial distribution and temporal variation of the uncertainty in the ocean-induced magnetic field. The largest uncertainty in the oceaninduced magnetic field occurs in the area of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Local maxima reach values of up to 0.7 nT. The estimated global annual mean uncertainty in the ocean-induced magnetic field ranges from 0.1 to 0.4 nT. The relative amount of uncertainty reaches up to 30% of the signal strength with largest values in regions in the northern hemisphere. The major source of uncertainty is found to be introduced by wind stress from the atmospheric forcing of the ocean model. In addition, the temporal evolution of the uncertainty in the induced magnetic field shows distinct seasonal variations. Specific regions are identified which are robust with respect to the introduced uncertainties.


Background and Objectives: Cardiac autopsy is the main diagnostic tool to study various histomorphological changes in normal and diseased heart. Therefore, an autopsy study of heart was planned to observe various histomorphological cardiac changes, and to determine the incidence of heart disease in general population, in and around Nagpur city, to assess the role of histopathology as diagnostic tool to diagnose cardiac death and also to correlate the gross and microscopic findings in cardiac pathology. Method: Total 200 hearts were systematically examined during two years of study period. Gross and microscopic findings on H and E stained sections were studied. The observations were divided into the following categories1) normal versus abnormal heart, 2) Congenital versus acquired anomalies, 3) Major versus minor cardiac findings. Results: The incidence of heart disease in and around Nagpur city was found to be 28%. Cardiac pathology was 4 times more common in males than females. A major finding in this study was high frequency of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (21.50%). The highest incidence of myocardial infarction was found in 31-60 years to the tune of 73%. In other cause of death such as drawing, hanging, poisoning, accident etc., there was no obvious cardiac pathology but in some cases incidental findings such as tunneled coronary artery, conal coronary artery, patent foramen ovale, high-tech off coronary ostium etc. were observed. Conclusion: Myocardial infarction due to atherosclerosis is the commonest finding in death cases subjected to autopsy.


Using a pnp Si Darlington Tr-chip as a specimen, images of electron-acoustic microscopy (EAM) and several modes of SEM images were observed in situ within the same area. The EAM was operated at a blanking frequency of 1 MHz and a duty ratio of 50%. In the EAM mode, the p-n junction, which was short-circuited to an Al electrode (∼3 µm) on the surface, was identified at HV ≧25 kV. In the SEM mode, however, it was observed only as surface irregularity. The results were as follows: (1) the contrast of the EAM image varied with the bias condition, (2) the observable depth in EAM was related to the electron range, and (3) the depth corresponded to approximately 60% of the electron range. The results agreed with those previously reported using npn-type Tr-chips. A mechanism of acoustic signal generation is also discussed in this paper.


[~ MOS technology, with its dense circuitry and low power ~ dissipation, has dominated integrated-circuit designs for digital wristwatches. CMOS is well suited to liquid crl~stal displays, but is more troublesome when an LED display is desired. In the original CMOS watch designs, several chips were needed, one for the logic and one or more as LED drivers. At present, single-chip CMOS circuits which drive LED's are available; however large output MOS transistors are necessary. This results in a larger and more expensive chip. The very dense, low power bipolar circuits which characterize 12L offer an attractive alternative to CMOS [I] - [3] . The ability to design output stages which easily sink or source large currents makes I*L especially desirable for use with LED displays. An 12L three function watch chip has been fabricated. The chip draws 7-10 UA in the run mode (no display) and an average of 15 mA while the display is on. The entire watch system consists of the IC chip described here plus one external resistor, a trimmer capacitor, a quartz crystal, LED display elements, and a battery. The advantages of designing the watch chip with 12L technology and the operation of several of the key circuits which contribute to the small chip size (86 roils X 96 roils) and low current drain will be discussed.


The financial crisis is often the cases in many countries led experts are interested to know the cause and the general pattern. Based on the cause and the pattern, it is expected to develop a model to detect the crisis. The financial crisis in Indonesia can be seen from the macro-economic indicators. This study used indicators of real exchange rate to detect the crisis in Indonesia. The financial crisis occurs when the indicator has high filtered probability and followed by a change in structure. The aim of this study is to develop a model that can explain the crises that have occurred in Indonesia. The results showed that SWARCH (2,1) and SWARCH (3,1) models with an average of conditional ARMA(1,0) could catch a signal crisis in Indonesia on 1998. SWARCH (2,1) model explained that on periods of July 2015 until June 2016 there would be no financial crisis. Meanwhile SWARCH (3,1) model could explain that on periods of July 2015 until June 2016 there would be prone to financial crisis.


OBJECTIVE
To study the changes of serum interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) in patients with esophageal cancer, and to probe the relationship between the levels of IL-2, IL-8, IgG, IgA and IgM and the progress of cancer.

METHODS
The serum levels of IL-2 and IL-8 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for 72 case of primary esophageal cancer, 68 advanced esophageal cancer and 120 healthy controls, and the level of immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) in patients with esophageal cancer was dynamically observed.

RESULTS
The IL-2 level in patients with early esophageal cancer [(1.69 +/- 0.53) ng/ml] or late esophageal cancer [(1.11 +/- 0.60) ng/ml] was lower than the control group [(2.78 +/- 0.51) ng/ml] (P < 0.01), the late esophageal cancer group was lower than early esophageal cancer group (P < 0.05). The level of IL-8 in patients with early esophageal cancer [(85.48 +/- 6.14) ng/L] or late esophageal cancer [(121.41 +/- 6.22) ng/L] was much higher than the control group [(54.48 +/- 12.20) ng/L] (P < 0.01), the late esophageal cancer group was much higher than early esophageal cancer group (P < 0.01); There was correlation between the levels of IL-2 and IL-8 and the worsen-extent of the tumour in patients with early esophageal cancer or late esophageal cancer. But the level of IgG [(12.23 +/- 2.50) g/L], IgM [(1.60 +/- 0.80) g/L] in the patients with esophageal cancer compared with the level of IgG [(11.65 +/- 3.70) g/L], IgM [(1.46 +/- 0.71) g/L] in the health control group have no significant difference (P > 0.05), the level of IgA [(3.50 +/- 1.10) g/L] in patients with esophageal cancer Compared with the control group [(1.88 +/- 1.08) g/L] has significant difference (P < 0.01), and along with the worsen-extent of the tumor in patients the level of IgA has the increased tendency.

CONCLUSION
The IL-8 might accelerate the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer, and the IL-2 might restrain. The positive correlation between the level of IgA and the patients with esophageal cancer is observed in this study; the immune maladjustment of IL-2, IL-8 and IgA might be correlative to esophageal cancer, and the IL-2, IL-8 and IgA levels might be an available index for the severity of esophageal cancer, Which may be of some help for clinic practitioners to judge the progress, curative effect and prognosis of the cancer.


Auditor performance have an important role in every audit assignment, one of them is to detect if there are irregularities that occurred in government financial statements which is capable of harming the State and society. BPK's auditor performance becomes important to note considering the role of BPK as an institution that helped bring the State free from Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism. Core Self Evaluations as a personality model can be used to determine an individual performance. Various studies have previously shown that locus of control, emotional stability, self-esteem, and self-efficacy had an effect on individual performance (Judge and Bono, 2001, Erez and Judge, 2001, Bono and Judge, 2003). The sample selected by purposive sampling method and there are 43 auditors that accordance with the criteria. The result showed that locus of control, emotional stability, self-esteem, and self-efficacy had positive effect on auditor performance.


After the Reformation, England's Catholics were marginalised and officially excluded from using printed media for propagandist ends. Hence, they turned to oral media, such as ballads and stories, to plead their case and maintain contact with their community. Building on the growing interest in Catholic literature which has developed in early modern studies, this book examines the relationship between Catholicism and oral culture from the mid-sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. In order to recover the textual traces of this minority culture, she expands canonical boundaries, looking at anecdotes, spells and popular verse alongside more conventionally literary material. In her archival research she uncovers many key manuscript sources. This book is an important contribution to the rediscovery of the writings and culture of the Catholic community and will be of great interest to scholars of early modern literature, history and theology.


Even though realism has been viewed as the mainstream theory of International Relations (IR), liberalism has been also an important theory for understanding international system after World War I. During the nineteenth century, the main idea of classical liberalism was that free trade would establish a more pacific global order. Nevertheless, the core assumptions of liberalism underwent a profound shift from classical liberalism to international institutionalism after the World War I. In this context, President Wilson argued that collective security could be promoted with institutions such as the League of Nations. Thus, the first Gulf War has been viewed as an evidence of the longevity and continued presence of Wilsonianism. However, although many IR scholars argue that the Gulf War I was an appropriate example to examine institutional liberalism, it in-fact resulted in establishing an American hegemony in the Middle East.


The social concern about environment has led companies to adopt environmental management practices at an increasing rate. Companies voluntarily implement environmental management system (EMS) for this purpose. But only deploying EMS will not be effective in enhancing environmental performance until and unless employees are motivated for their environmental endeavors. Very few studies exist to guide managers in motivating employees to maximize their efforts in successful implementation of EMS. So the purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship between green human resource factors i.e. factors pertaining to environmental issues and organizational environmental performance as perceived by the organization's employees. Through literature review seven human resource factors –Top management commitment, employee environmental communication, employee environmental trainings, environmental teams, employee involvement, employee environmental rewards, green programs has been established. The impact of these f actors on environmental performance is measured in ISO 14001 certified manufacturing organizations as perceived by the employees. A questionnaire was distributed to 150 employees working at managerial and non-managerial positions in various departments within 9 manufacturing companies with ISO 14001 certification in Delhi-NCR region. A total of 133 complete questionnaires were received. The results of regression analysis suggest that top management commitment, employee trainings and green programs have a significant positive relationship to perceived environmental performance. However, the relationship between environmental communication, environmental teams and employee involvement was statistically insignificant. No significant difference was found in the perceptions of managers and non-managers with respect to different human resource factors affecting environmental performance.


The article deals with the enforceability of the individual's guarantee of an effective remedy
in administrative court proceedings, in accordance with Article 47 of the Charter. The text seeks
to demonstrate the legitimacy of the position of the Court of Justice of the EU, which has taken
the view that the considerations of protection of the individual's fundamental rights require,
in a case such as the one at issue, that an administrative court of a Member State, irrespective
of the existence of legal grounds in its national legislation, should deliver a decision amending
a decision of a public administrative authority. Unlike most European legal systems, Polish law
does not provide for the possibility of a reform ruling in such a case, while taking into account
all the factual and legal circumstances of the case ex nunc.


In this paper I describe and analyse specific examples of how to use errors found in physics textbooks to achieve various educational goals. The activities can be carried out by first-year university students.


The present work describes an accelerated leaching method that with a rapid process allows to develop and evaluate cements for use in a nuclear disposal, and the understanding of the long term effects. The method has been developed to study the stability of cementitious materials in contact with bentonite, to be used in high level radioactivity waste repositories. Nitric acid has been selected to simulate in an accelerated way the pH decreasing produced when concrete is in contact with groundwaters.


The idea of the general will is the logic bridge of Rousseau's social contract theory.Rousseau uses the general will concept to construct the ideal kingdom in people's mind.Rousseau' idea of the general will has important influence on the later ages.The modern deliberative democracy theory has found its ideological resources from Rousseau.Rousseau's idea of the general will also has its defects and shortcomings.Understanding and analyzing Rousseau' idea of the general will is an important entrance to understand Rousseau's political thought.


The ultrashort laser processing of the cutting tools and cutting inserts from tungsten carbide, ceramic and metal composites (CERMET), and polycrystalline diamond materials was demonstrated, and the ablation rates of mentioned ultra-hard materials were evaluated for a laser wavelength of 1064 and 532 nm. The optimal processing throughput was estimated. Laser manufacturing was performed with the five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine and scanner for beam translation with the high speed and the ultrashort ∼12 ps pulse duration high repetition rate laser source. The systematic approach was implemented in an experimental variation of process parameters that play a significant role in processing quality. By varying the laser fluence, pulse overlap, and layers' count, different material removing rates can be achieved from 300 nm/layer to ∼18 μm/layer. The submicrometer removing rate involves a high precision control of the structure depth. It was demonstrated that only by a minor change of the processing parameters, the surface roughness of the material could be minimized down to Ra < 300 nm. Rough and smooth processing can be combined to optimize the structure processing throughput.The ultrashort laser processing of the cutting tools and cutting inserts from tungsten carbide, ceramic and metal composites (CERMET), and polycrystalline diamond materials was demonstrated, and the ablation rates of mentioned ultra-hard materials were evaluated for a laser wavelength of 1064 and 532 nm. The optimal processing throughput was estimated. Laser manufacturing was performed with the five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine and scanner for beam translation with the high speed and the ultrashort ∼12 ps pulse duration high repetition rate laser source. The systematic approach was implemented in an experimental variation of process parameters that play a significant role in processing quality. By varying the laser fluence, pulse overlap, and layers' count, different material removing rates can be achieved from 300 nm/layer to ∼18 μm/layer. The submicrometer removing rate involves a high precision control of the structure depth. It was demonstrated that only by a minor change of the proce...


The mass media, by popular assent, play very vital roles in the proper functioning and well-being of society. This they do by investigating and writing on contemporaneous issues of societal importance. To play these roles well, the language of communication must be clear and accurate and devoid of errors. But the mass media contents today are full errors, even avoidable ones thus obscuring meaning and sending the wrong message. These language errors pervade the two components of the media - broadcast and print. There has consequently been a public outcry against this language abuse. This paper examines the vital place of media in society, the language problems, mass media and sloppy use of language, the main causes of the problems and the way forward.


A simple reverse phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for simultaneous determination of nebivolol hydrochloride and hydrochlorothiazide in combination. The separation was carried out using a mobile phase consisting of 0.4 % (v/v) triethylamine buffer of pH 3.0 and acetonitrile in the ratio of 70:30 (v/v). The column used was phenomenex C-18 with flow rate of 1.4 mL/min using PDA detection at 282 nm. The described method was linear over a concentration range of 5-25 and 12.5-62.5 μg/mL for the assay of nebivolol hydrochloride and hydrochlorothiazide. Atorvastatin (10 μg/mL) was used as internal standard. Results of analysis were validated statistically and by recovery studies.


Introduction: The need for sustainable cities and societies is well established and it is recognized as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable buildings are the key elements in the fabric of sustainable cities. The efforts made in the building sector to accomplish the SDGs is widely accepted in the form of building rating systems and assessment systems, primarily focussing the environmental dimension, but the social and economic dimensions have gained less attention. In this context, developing countries are accustomed to many studies incorporating the three dimensions of sustainability. However, region-specific assessment systems and studies hardly exist especially in a country like India with diverse climatic conditions. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the key criteria influencing the environmental, social and economic sustainability with specific focus to residential buildings in the tropical climatic region of India. Methods: A comprehensive review of the existing Green Building Rating Systems (GBRS) and published literature was performed to establish the initial pool of criteria. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted among experts from various domains to record the importance of each criterion towards sustainability of residential buildings in the tropical climate. The data collected through the questionnaire survey was analyzed and the degree of importance of each criterion was derived using Fuzzy TOPSIS. Further, Pareto analysis was used to arrive at the key criteria. Results: This study has evaluated the importance of each criterion towards sustainability and has proposed a comprehensive framework for assessing the sustainability of residential buildings in tropical climate incorporating the three dimensions of sustainability. The proposed framework would help the state and national governments to streamline the activities in the building sector towards achieving sustainability. Conclusions: The study concludes that a combination of Fuzzy TOPSIS and Pareto analysis is an effective method to define key criteria influencing sustainability. The findings of this study can be helpful to practitioners, researchers and academicians to achieve building sustainability in the tropical climate.


Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), causes the most human deaths than any other diseases from a single infectious agent. Treatments are long and costly and have many associated side effects. Intracellular bacilli are slow growing and difficult to target, which is augmenting the emergence of multi‐drug resistance. A hallmark trait of TB is the formation of granulomas, chronic cellular aggregates, which limit bacterial growth but provides a survival reservoir where bacilli may disseminate from. Targeting intracellular Mtb is challenging, but nanomedicine may offer a solution. Nanomedicine is a significantly growing research area and offers the potential for specific disease targeting, dosage reduction, and intracellular drug delivery. This review discusses the application of the various forms of nanomedicine towards targeting of Mtb.


An International Symposium on the Function and Biosynthesis of Lipids organized by the Argentinean Biochemical Society will take place in Sierre de la Ventana from 8-10 November, 1976, shortly after the Annual Meeting of the Society ( 4 6 November). It is sponsored by the Panamerican Association of Biochemical Societies under the auspices of the International Union of Biochemistry. Subjects include: