Over the past two decades, research into the economic reasons why borrowers prepay their mortgage loans has matured into a coherent body of work that has a sound theoretical framework and consistent empirical validation. This paper summarizes progress to date in five general areas: the impact of refinancing on the cash flows and yields of mortgage-backed securities, analytical research into the value of the borrower's prepayment option, determinants of prepayment rates on mortgage pools, analyses of individual borrower behavior, and prepayment forces in the market for adjustable rate loans. Unresolved issues and suggestions for future research are also considered.


The invention discloses an image synthesis method and system using alpha channels. The image synthesis method comprises the following steps: according to an alpha channel of a foreground image and an alpha channel of a background image, sequentially calculating the alpha value of each pixel of a synthesized image through a preset matrix A; according to the alpha channel of the foreground image, the alpha channel of the background image, a color channel of the foreground image and a color channel of the background image, sequentially calculating the color value of each pixel of the synthesizedimage through a preset matrix S; and according to the calculated alpha value and color value of each pixel of the synthesized image, obtaining the synthesized image. The invention also discloses an image synthesis system by using alpha channels. Through implementing the technical scheme of the invention, the information of the synthesized image can simultaneously contain the information of the alpha channels of two images before being synthesized.


ABSTRACT In this article, a new-type three-phase inductive-coupled structure is proposed for the contactless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) charging system regarding with SAE J-1773. Four possible three-phase core structures are presented and subsequently investigated by the finite element analysis. To study the correlation between the core geometric parameter and the coupling coefficient, the magnetic equivalent circuit model of each structure is also established. In accordance with the simulation results, the low reluctance and the sharing of flux path in the core material are achieved by the proposed inductive-coupled structure with an arc-shape and three-phase symmetrical core material. It results in a compensation of the magnetic flux between each phase and a continuous flow of the output power in the inductive-coupled structure. Higher coupling coefficient between inductive-coupled structures is achieved. A comparison of coupling coefficient, mutual inductance, and self-inductance between theoretical and measured results is also performed to verify the proposed model. A 1 kW laboratory scale prototype of the contactless PHEV charging system with the proposed arc-shape three-phase inductive-coupled structure is implemented and tested. An overall system efficiency of 88% is measured when two series lithium iron phosphate battery packs of 25.6 V/8.4 Ah are charged.


A new synthetic protocol for the preparation of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes from the corresponding bromocyclopropanes via a base-assisted 1,2-elimination has been developed. Employment of catalytic amounts of 18-crown-6 in ethereal solvents allowed for improved yields, as compared to the classical procedure employing dimethyl sulfoxide, making this protocol applicable to the synthesis of hydrophilic cyclopropenes. The application of this new method for the efficient synthesis of cyclopropene-3-carboxamides, an important class of functionalized 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes, is demonstrated. Scope and limitation studies are discussed.


A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 1968 and 1969 to study the nitrogen nutrition of soybean plant as affected by nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization and inoculation. Nitrogen concentration in leaf lamina, petiole, stem and husk decreased while that in grain increased with advance in age. Accumulation of total nitrogen in leaf lamina, petiole and stem increased upto 65 days after sowing. Accumulation in grain increased and in husk decreased with increase in age of plant. Nitrogen and inoculation both increased the nitrogen accumulation in various plant parts. Inoculation effects were more conspicuous in absence of nitrogen fertilization.


Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of a traditional granule formulation named Ailing for the treatment of HIV/AIDS cases.Methods Ninteen HIV/AIDS cases were treated for a period of 8 months with AiLing,whose main function was to nourish qi and activate blood according to the theory of the traditional Chinese medicine During the treatment symptoms and weights of the patients were recorded,and their immune function,viral loads,cytokine,ALT,and Cr were tested.Results The symptoms of the treated patients,especially fatigue and baldness were reduced(P0.05).The total improvement rate of CD_4 count was 57.89%.The total effective rate of viral load was 84.21%,although IL-2 was not enhanced significantly.ALT,Cr and weight saw no change.Conclusion The granule AiLing could improve symptoms of the treated patients and enhance their quality of survival and could to certain extent maintain their immune functions and stabilize viral loads.


Future planetary exploration missions will require mobile robots to excess challenging terrain such as rocky areas, steep slopes or loose soil types which make robots susceptible to losing stab ...


Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of maternal attachment (MA) and paternal attachment (PA) levels and abilities of reading the mind in the eyes on internet addiction (IA) from a group of Turkish adolescents. Method: This study was conducted among 900 adolescents between the ages of 14-16. Short Form of Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT-SF); Child Form of Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (Eyes Test), Short Form of Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (s-IPPA); and The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) self-report form were used. The independent sample t test, chi square test, Pearson moment product correlation test and The Binary logistic regression analysis were all used for statistical analysis. Results: 12.7% (n = 111) of the adolescents were in the IA group. YIAT-SF scores were negatively correlated with the Eyes Test and s-IPPA scores. There was a positive correlation between YIAT-SF scores and SDQ problem scores. The Binary regression analysis indicated that the Eyes Test, MA and PA scores predict being in the IA group. SDQ inattention/hyperactivity, conduct, peer relation, and emotional problem scores and total problem scores were higher in the group with an IA compared to the group without an IA. Conclusion: Low abilities in reading mind in the eyes, insecure MA and a PA style are associated with the increased risk of IA in adolescents. Adolescents with IA have higher levels of inattention/hyperactivity, conduct, peer relation and emotional problems compared to their peers.


further information in illustrated newspaper file. also in adelaide edition 18/10/64/8 from a photograph by fox and co. wood engraving published in the illustrated melbourne post.


This paper proposes a CDMA system using soft power control, adaptive controls for coding rate and processing gain, and channel activation to achieve high capacity cellular systems. The proposed system controls the processing gain and coding rate according to the variation of the channel and employs a channel activation technique in which data is transmitted in a shorter burst when the bit rate is high and it is transmitted in a longer burst when the bit rate is low. The results show that the proposed scheme can achieve more than 2 times larger capacity compared to the conventional scheme.


The orthophotos of Pinus tabulaeformis and seabuckthorn were collected by UAV, these images were used as test images, and the performance of six image segmentation algorithms were qualitatively analyzed and quantitatively compared such as fuzzy pixel clustering and watershed algorithms. The error rate, relative final measurement accuracy, and running time are used as evaluation criteria. The experimental results show that the segmentation algorithms' performance of the affected forest image is closely related to the image-capturing height and noise. Finally, the guiding suggestions for the application of the orthophoto segmentation algorithm are given from unmanned aerial vehicles in the affected forest area.


Objective To understand the cleaning staff about hospital infection knowledge.Methods Self-designed questionnaire on the city's 19 township hospitals,4 municipal hospitals,3 community health service centers,2 private hospital with 284 cleaning staff conducted a questionnaire survey.Results Most of the cleaning staff hospital infection knowledge,hospital infection related laws and regulations are not known,the partition is not clear,the concentration of the disinfectant formulations are not familiar with,do not attach importance to personal protection,hand hygiene knowledge not available.Conclusion We should strengthen the cleaning staff of hospital infection knowledge training,the establishment of an effective evaluation mechanism,control of hospital infection.


Electric Vehicles (EVs) can be considered as a flexible source of energy which can receive some benefit in terms of incentives for selling their energy. For efficient and economic trading amongst the EV owners, various researchers have proposed a variety of preference based matching algorithms like College Admission Framework (CAF), Max-weight, Merge and Split, Gale-Shapley Algorithm and Brute-Force Algorithm etc, where buyer and seller EVs can exchange energy and receive better payoffs. Unlike the above mentioned algorithms, in this paper the participating entities do not submit the preferences menu (which contains preferred choices of sellers (of a buyer) and of buyers (for a seller)) to a central authority.) However, this paper proposes an assignment energy trading game where no central authority is needed, the matching algorithm is hosted on cloud which matches charging and discharging of EVs based on their aspiration level and bids. The contribution of the work is to deduce the bids and aspiration level of charging and discharging EVs which is not considered in any of the existing work. Another contribution of the work is the behavioral assignment game that eludes the need of integer linear programming problem and deduces the convergence of game by adjustments of aspiration levels. Futhermore, the entire algorithm is cloud hosted with no middleman hence trading EVs identities are concealed from each other making the system unbiased. The proposed game helps both the buyer and the seller side of EVs to achieve their best bids as well as by reducing grid dependency it boosts the profit margin of the charging stations (CS).


FRENCH, J. R., and J. H. HART. 1978. Variation in resistance of trembling aspen to Hypoxylon mammatum identified by inoculating naturally occurring clones. Phytopathology 68: 485-489. Inoculation during 1974 of natural clones of Populus areas of Michigan. Clones of P. tremuloides in northern areas tremuloides in the field with single-ascospore isolates of had significantly shorter cankers than those in southern Iyvpoxylon mammatum produced significant interclonal areas. Significant interclonal variability in canker differences in length of cankers after 70 days. More and larger development occurred in 10 of 12 areas. The amount of cankers were produced from June inoculations than from natural infection in each clone was not correlated with the those in July or August. The two most pathogenic isolates length of artifically-induced cankers. Populus grandidentata were selected and used during 1975 to test for differences in became infected with H. mammatum after inoculation, but susceptibility among 100 clones of P. tremuloides and among some clones showed resistance by profuse callus production. 13 clones of P. grandidentata, occurring in 12 geographic Additional key words: hypoxylon canker, tree improvement, selection. Aspen and other poplars are increasingly important MATERIALS AND METHODS raw materials in wood fiber industries. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) provides 45% by volume of Inoculum.-Single-ascospore isolates of Hypoxylon paper and boxboard fiber in the Lake States (5), and is mammatum were obtained from perithecial stromata on used to a large extent in Canada (10). Hypoxylon canker, a naturally infected tree in Ingham County, Michigan. caused by Hvpoxylon mammatum (Wahlenb.) Miller Eight spores were removed from a single ascus in serial (syn. H. pruinatum), is a limiting factor in growth of order, and cultured on 2% malt extract agar. Nine aspen (1, 12). Genetic improvement of the species may be additional single-spore isolates having known levels of possible, especially for use in stands with rotation periods pathogenicity (9) were obtained from New York State. of 10-20 yr (4, 7), and such improvement could include The individual isolates demonstrated wide differences in resistance to Hypoxylon canker (13). Bigtooth aspen (P. morphology and pathogenicity. All cultures were grandidentata Michx.) is resistant to natural infection by maintained on 2% malt extract agar. the fungus. Intraspecific crosses of quaking aspen wete Moist sterile wheat grain was infested with mycelium of infected more readily than were crosses with bigtooth H. mammatum and used as inoculum after 3 wk of aspen, or intraspecific crosses among bigtooth aspen incubation. Preliminary tests had indicated that infested alone (13). wheat grains were more effective as inoculum than were The clonal growth of aspen in nature was described by plugs from agar cultures. Barnes (3). Copony and Barnes (6) indicated that clones Inoculations in 1974.-Four gynoecious clones of P. differ in amounts of natural infection, but the meaning of tremuloides near East Lansing, Michigan, were selected this variability in terms of genetic resistance is not clear, on the basis of root continuity between ramets, We tested inoculation with living fungus mycelium as a homogeneity of leaf morphology, and fall coloration (3). possible technique for screening clones in situ for Two of the clones were growing on well-drained sites, and resistance to H. mammatum, and attempts were made to two on poorly drained sites. correlate the size of the resulting cankers with amounts of During June, July, and August, a total of 39 trees on natural infection in the clones, the periphery of each clone, 4-10 cm DBH, were inoculated with 12 H. mammatum isolates. Thirteen trees 00032-949X/78/000081$03.00/0 were inoculated each month with 12 H. mammatum Copyright © 1978 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 isolates. Each tree was inoculated with four isolates (or Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved, three isolates plus a control on four small branches 6-10


The Mahanagdong sector of the Greater Tongonan Geothermal Field is committed to supply 180 MWe of steam by mid-1997. An updated hydrological model was constructed based on available geoscientific and reservoir engineering data from a total of 34 wells drilled in the area. The Mahanagdong; resource is derived from a fracture-controlled and volcano hosted geothermal system characterized by neutral to slightly alkali-chloride fluids with reservoir temperatures exceeding 295{degrees}C. A major upflow region was identified in the vicinity of MG-3D, MG-14D and MG-5D. Isochemical contours indicate outflowing fluids with temperatures of 270-275{degrees}C to the south and west. Its southwesterly flow is restricted by the intersection of the impermeable Mahanagdong Claystone near MG-10D, which delimits the southern part of the resource. Low temperature (<200{degrees}C), shallow inflows are evident at the west near MG-4D and MG-17D wells which act as a cold recharge in this sector.


Verifying the correctness of systems-of-systems (SoS) is a key challenge, largely because SoSs are evolutionarily developed by combining autonomous systems to fulfill a mission that could not be performed by one of the constituent systems alone. In the trade-off of correctness vs. scalability, model checking does not scale up to address the trustworthiness of SoSs, owing to the state explosion problem. A recent technique, however, has overcome this shortcoming: 'Statistical Model Checking' is based on sampling traces of the system-of-interest until adequate statistical evidence has been established.


In this paper, a detailed theoretical treatment of the three dimensional photothermal deflection, under modulated cw excitation, is presented for a three layer system (backing-solid sample- fluid).By using a technique based on Green's function and integral transformations we find the explicit expressions for laser induced temperature distribution function and the photothermal deflection of the probe beam. Numerical analysis of those expressions for certain solid samples leads to some interesting results.


Introduction Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult motor neuron disease with a lifetime risk of approximately 1 in 2000 [1]. One of the most notable features of ALS is its rapid development of motor impairments. ALS progresses from initial muscle weakness to complete loss of muscle function resulting in death from respiratory failure. People with severe movement impairments from ALS or other conditions could benefit from interfaces that can operate without physical movement, called a brain-computer interface (BCI). To assess viability of using motor-imagery for brain-computer interfaces we collected real and imagined motor task time-series data using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). These data sets were then used to train a support-vector machine. Multivariate pattern classification and prediction offers an alternative to standard univariate analysis techniques, and has recently been applied in MR imaging using support-vector machines (SVM) [2], and used to attain real-time feedback [3]. Though not feasible as a longterm solution as a brain-computer interface [4], we can assess intentional brain-state stability using fMRI and SVM methodologies.


Three different white cast irons alloyed with Cr and Si were prepared in order to study their distribution be-havior in matrices and carbides. The specimens were produced using a 15kg-capacity high frequency induction fur-nace. Melts were super-heated to , and poured at into a pepset mold. Three combinations of the alloys were selected so as to observe the distribution behavior of Cr and Si : 0.5%C-25.0%Cr-1.0%Si(alloy No. 1), 0.5%C-5.0%Cr-1.0%Si(alloy No. 2) and 2.0%C-5.0%Cr-1.0%Si(alloy No. 3). Cellular carbides-ferrite eutectic were developed at ferrite liquid interfaces in the alloy No. 1 while only traces of carbides-ferrite eutectic were precipitated in the alloy No. 2. With the addition of 2.0% C and 5.0% Cr, ledeburitic carbides instead of cellular carbides were precipitated in the alloy No. 3. Cr was distributed preferentially to the carbides rather than to the matrix structure while more Si was partitioned in the matrix structure rather than the carbides. for Cr was ranged from 0.56 to 0.68 while that for Si was from 1.12 to 1.28. for Cr had a lower value with increased carbon contents. The mass percent of Cr was higher in the carbides with increased Cr contents.


The effect of laser on anti-early pregnancy in rabbits showed that laser in combination with HPD could induce necrosis of blastocysts and complete absorption. The anti-fertility efficiency of the combined treatment was more effective than that of the He-Ne laser or the HPD treatment alone. The fluorescence spectrum of HPD determined by PNQ3 showed that its affinity to embryonic tissue was about 4 times greater than that to uterine tissue. This may underlie the mechanisms of anti-early pregnancy of the laser. The operation of artificial abortion is a routine method to terminate early pregnancy. Though it is simple and easy, its syndrome and complications can not be absolutely avoided. Many antifertility drugs have been reported, however, they often bring in general reaction. Our present work is to explore a new way of anti-early pregnancy in rabbits by means of the light inhibitory and light sensitive effects of laser. It is a quite safe and painless treatment without expanding and scraping of the uterus.


Most cases of paediatric cutaneous mastocytosis (CM) occur before the age of 2 years, and regression occurs in only 67% of children. Given the absence of any specific therapy, CM is usually treated symptomatically. A few publications have reported the beneficial effect of calcineurin inhibitors for CM.


Heterojunction diode and heterojunction photovoltaic cell structures are fabricated with (n+)a-Si/(i)a-Si and rf-sputtered indium-tin-oxide/Al films deposited on p-type crystalline Si using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition cluster tool system. Dark current–voltage characteristics of the heterojunction diodes are used to determine the carrier transport mechanisms. Experimental results showed the current is recombination-dominated at low forward bias (VA<0.25 V at 27 °C), multitunneling capture emission (MTCE)-dominated at medium bias (0.25<VA<0.45 at 27 °C), a combination of diffusion or thermionic emission and MTCE at high bias, and series resistance limited at very high bias ranges. Measurement results show that the boundary between each region is not fixed and is strongly dependent on temperature. High-frequency capacitance–voltage measurement has been used to extract band diagram parameters of the heterojunction diodes. Measured parameters, built-in potential, and conduction and valence band...


This paper reviews recent advances that have been made in enhancing film condensation of fluorocarbon refrigerants in ·a bundle of horizontal tubes. The emphasis in the discussion is on the effects of fin geometry, vapor shear and condensate inundation. It is shown that the fin geometry is an important factor that controls the heat transfer performance. The effect of vapor shear is much smaller for a finned tube than for a smooth tube. The effect of condensate inundation is more marked for a three dimensional fin tube than for a two-dimensional fin tube. Also, the effect is more marked for an in-line tube bundle than for a staggered tube bundle. For a two-dimensional fin tube with and without the effect of vapor shear and for a bundle of two-dimensional fin tubes with negligible vapor shear, several theoretical models exist that can predict the heat transfer coeffi cient with sufficient accuracy. The theoretical model can be used to optimize the fin geometry.


Corridor work has begun in earnest on the 20-mi (32-km) intermodal road and rail route aimed at speeding cargo from the megaports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, after nearly 2 decades of lawsuits and funding delays. The corridor is being built to accommodate the 90-mi (145-km) "veins" of railroad track between the ports and the downtown Los Angeles rail hub and to eliminate 200 railroad at-grade corssings that currently hold up local traffic on Alameda Street. Consolidation of three freight routes into the corridor is projected to save about 15,000 hours per day now spent in local traffic. Trains traveling between the railyards and the ports to the south will be able to move at 40 mph (64 kph) rather than slog along in congestion. The work will comprise three segments, nearly 50 new bridges, and 200 grade separations. Construction might not have been able to reach full swing in 1998 if financial hurdles had not been cleared. In 1997, the city councils and harbor commissions of Los Angeles and Long Beach approved spending $2 billion for the Alameda Corridor. The U.S. Department of Transportation also approved a $400-million loan that is contingent on Congressional appropriations and will come in three installments.


Summary Plasma accelerator globulin, antihemophilic factor as well as serum eluate were found to produce increased thrombin elaboration in a reaction mixture consisting of bovine plasma eluate, platelets and calcium ions. In the presence of both plasma accelerator globulin and antihemophilic factor, conversion of prothrombin to thrombin became accelerated. Addition of serum eluate to the plasma eluate enhanced the accelerating influence of either plasma accelerator globulin, of antihemophilic factor or of both in the utilization of prothrombin. Upon preincubation of those factors which are supposed to participate in the conversion of prothrombin, before addition of a plasma eluate to the incubation mixture, it was found that more prothrombin was converted in a shorter period of time than in the one-stage thrombin formation procedure. The greater velocitv of thrombin formation in the two-stage procedure indicated that precursory interactions of certain factors had taken place during the initial incubation. Evidence has been obtained that antihemophilic factor as well as plasma accelerator globulin will interact with platelets and calcium ions only in the presence of factor(s) in serum or plasma eluate yielding prothrombin converting activity.


Objective To evaluated the value of high-resolution ultrasonography in diagnosis of radial nerve injury combined with humeral fracture. Methods Thirty-six patients with complete radial nerve palsy following humeral fracture and surgery were included in the study. One to three months after the nerve injury electrophysiologic evaluation and high resolution ultrasonograghy of the radial nerve was conducted. Twenty-eight patients went on to have radial nerve neurolysis or repair, while 8 had conservative treatment. Results According to the ultrasonic image characteristics of the radial nerve, its nestle structure, existence of neuroma and extent of external compression from other structures, the radial nerve injuries were divided into 4 types: type Ⅰ in 4 cases, type Ⅱ in 9 cases, type Ⅲ a in 12 cases, type Ⅲ b in 7 cases, and type Ⅳ in 4 cases. Thirty-one patients achieved completely functional recovery after surgical or conservative treatment. Five cases ( Ⅲ b 3 cases, Ⅳ 2 cases) underwent secondary surgeries for functional reconstruction and achieved good results.Conclusion For radial nerve injuries caused by humeral fracture and surgery, high-resolution ultrasonography can provide early, direct and accurate diagnosis. At the same time, according to the characteristics of ultrasonic image radial nerve injury could be divided into 4 types which dictate the treatment options and prognosis.

Key words:
Ultrasonography;  Radial nerve;  Humeral fractures


On account of the poor crack resistance of the existing ilmenite type welding electrode(E4301),proper content lanthanum(La) and cerium dioxide(CeO2) were transferred into a new formula of E4301 electrodes. Based on experiments of impact toughness,tensile and microstructure,the influence of La/CeO2 on microstructure and mechanical properties of deposited metal in ilmenite type welding electrode was analyzed. The results show that proper amount of La/CeO2 can refine the microscopic structure and enhance the impact toughness of deposited metal. The optimal comprehensive mechanical properties of deposited metal achieved when 0. 5% La and 0. 1% CeO2 were transferred into coating. Compared with the existing E4301 welding electrode,the new type welding electrode keeps the excellent welding technological properties of the primary type. Besides,the impact energy,elongation tensile strength and yield strength is improved by 50 ~ 54. 4%,20 ~ 25. 1%,3. 3 ~6. 3% and 6. 4 ~ 9. 2%,respectively,making high performance-price ratio.


The formation of secondary phases at the interface between zirconia electrolytes and Sr-doped Lanthanum Manganite in planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) was investigated. 8 mol% Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte was fabricated by tape casting and coated with the cathode material La 0.65 Sr 0.30 MnO 3 (LSM) by screen-printing. The structures were co-fired under different conditions. The sintered specimens were annealed at 1000°C for various periods. The formation of secondary phases and interdiffusion effects at the interface of these samples were studied by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM- and TEM-EDS). The results of the formation of secondary phases and diffusion effects are discussed with regard to the processing conditions.


It's difficult for students to comprehend the knowledge of physical chemical because it is very abstract and theoretical. Based on analyzing the characteristics of physical chemical,the teaching methods of physical chemical were mainly discussed such as achieving a good effect in introduction class,fully preparing the lessons,grasping the main line of course, standing out teaching emphasis, applying the modern education technique and using the heuristic and interactive teaching methods. Teaching practices showed that the variety of teaching methods significantly improved the quality of classroom teaching.


The current practice in most of the safety-critical areas, including automotive, avionics systems and factory automation, encouraging the use of real-time time-trigger schedulers that does not allow interference to take place between safety-critical components and non-critical. Furthermore, in these systems the lack of interference between safety-critical components and non-critical components is achieved by a strict isolation between components with different degrees of severity. This approach can assure, easily, the certification of the safety-critical functionality, but leads to very low resource utilization. For this purpose it will be presented a solution that when the system enters into a state that is different from the normal running state (test service), allowing relaxation and a change in the activation time of tasks (release) violating the fixed priorities scheduling, but avoiding starvation of the system tasks. The proposed solution modifies a static scheduler in a dynamic scheduler depending on the system status using Dual Priority scheduling. The algorithm has been proposed to be implemented on a nMPRA processor, by multiplying hardware resources (PC, pipeline registers and file registers) and other facilities (events, mutexes, interrupts, IPC communication, timer's, the static scheduler and support for dynamic scheduler) provides a switching and response time for events within 1 to 3 machine cycles.


In this article, we collect the data on Iron Age settlement in the municipality of Flix, where three sites are known: Sebes, Els Castellons and El Barranc del Mosselló. Both the settlements and their respective necropolises are known for the first two. Sebes has two phases of occupation corresponding to the early Iron Age and the Iberian period respectively, and Els Castellons probably also lasted a long time, with various phases. Meanwhile, El Barranc del Mosselló is a small watchtower. The Sebes settlement, which has been fully excavated, is the best known of the three. The information provided overall for the three settlements allows us to analyse a little-known phase of Catalan protohistory – the time when the Iberian culture was formed – allowing us to analyse the inhabited sites and the necropolises jointly.


We investigate bilayer graphene systems with layer switching domain walls separating the two energetically equivalent Bernal stackings in the presence of an external magnetic field. To this end we calculate quantum transport and local densities of three microscopic models for a single domain wall: a hard wall, a defect due to shear, and a defect due to tension. The quantum transport calculations are performed with a recursive Green's function method. Technically, we discuss an explicit algorithm for the separation of a system into subsystems for the recursion and we present an optimization of the well known iteration scheme for lead self-energies for sparse chain couplings. We find strong physical differences for the three different types of domain walls in the integer quantum Hall regime. For a domain wall due to shearing of the upper graphene layer there is a plateau formation in the magnetoconductance for sufficiently wide defect regions. For wide domain walls due to tension in the upper graphene layer there is only an approximate plateau formation with fluctuations of the order of the elementary conuctance quantum $\sigma_0$. A direct transition between stacking regions like for the hard wall domain wall shows no plateau formation and is therefore not a good model for either of the previously mentioned extended domain walls.


Development of knowledge acquisition techniques known as automated discovery systems has occurred in deep and narrow domains of knowledge. Automated discovery is the generation of new knowledge by a computer system on its own, without the help of another knowledge source. This paper describes research and validation of an automated discovery system for a wide and shallow domain—business management. The system continues recent advances in expert systems research which have enhanced cognitive mapping, a problem formulation tool. The system perceives the behavior of distal variables in the environment through probabilistic cues-to-causality, and generates previously unknown hypotheses by aggregating the probabilities into a single criterion of causal relatedness. The system is validated against the source code of a simulated managerial environment, and causal relationships posited by decision makers experienced in the play of the gaming simulator.


The use of cooking oil is very close to the group of mothers who are members of the PKK in Pondok Surya Mandala, South Bekasi, both at home and from snacks, although the results of the 2017 study showed that the use of catfish pecel traders in Bekasi City is not safe. The solutions offered from this activity are: (1) Theholding of active participation in the PKK group; (2) holding socialization activities in the form of counseling on the use of healthy cooking oil; (3) Poster postings regarding the use of healthy cooking oil are held. The method to achieve the objectives is carried out stages: (1) Active participation approach; (2) Counseling with lecture and discussion methods; and (3) Installation of posters in strategic places. The results of the activities show that: (1) An active increase in community participation has been held, with a 75% attendance rate; (2) The socialization has been carried out by counseling about the use of healthy cooking oil, with an average increase in participant detention of 48.57%; and (3) Posters have been installed regarding the use of healthy cooking oil around RW halls and around mosques.


In his essay, "Trademark as a Property Right," Adam Mossoff argues that trademark "is" a property right, because it can be, has been, and should be conceptualized as analogous to "use-rights" in physical property. This response to Mossoff's essay agrees with his historical claim that courts have analogized trademarks to use-rights, and also agrees with his descriptive claim that trademark doctrine can be analogized to use-rights. But it questions his normative claim that trademarks should be understood in relation to that analogy. While those who accept deontological and specifically Lockean theories of trademark will find Mossoff's normative claim compelling, those who accept consequentialist theories of trademark will not.


Despite the rare incidence of childhood glaucoma in the routine practice of an ophthalmologist, the status of a disabling disease dictates the need to treat this group of patients as carefully and warily as possible. Difficulties with the diagnosis, the choice of the optimal treatment algorithm and the subsequent tactics of monitoring patients with pediatric glaucoma necessitated detailed coverage of this pathology with the accumulation and systematization of data from various sources. The review combines the concepts of etiology, pathogenesis, classification, and also focuses on diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches in the management of patients with pediatric glaucoma. The current data on the genetics of the disease are detailed, the underlying mechanisms for the development of glaucoma in children are highlighted, and various classification systems are also reviewed. International criteria for diagnosis are also included. Attention is drawn to the importance of choosing a pathogenetically substantiated surgical technique. The importance of timely verification of the diagnosis and promptly initiated treatment is emphasized. Despite the aggressiveness and refractory nature of the disease, it is possible, with promptly and adequately taken measures, to maintain sufficiently high visual functions for the patient to continue an independent lifestyle.


The article is dedicated to the scientific work and to the teaching activities of well-known Soviet mathematician, one of the founders of the Soviet school of the history of mathematics M. Ya. Vygodskii (1898–1965) who worked during many years in the institutes of Tula.


Inductively coupled plasma(ICP) is one of the most promising plasmas in low temperature high density plasma sources,and is extensively used in the deep sub-micrometer etching process of VLSI and large area uniform film deposition.The silicon films under different substrate conditions and silane concentrations by the self-designed ICP-CVD equipment were deposited.The microstructure analysis of samples by several methods indicat that the silicon films are mixtures of crystalline,amorphous phase and voids,but the sizeable crystalline contents in the films appear under such lower discharge power.The further measurements of the samples including conductivity and optical energy band gap also prove the above results.


The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of individual innovation and emotional intelligence levels on organizational behavior of the participants working in the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports. The study group of the research consists of 77 female (38.7%) and 122 male (61.3%) participants working in the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports. As a data collection tool in the research; Individual Innovation, Emotional Intelligence and Positive Organizational Behavior Scales were used. The participants drew a high level of innovative profile; It can be stated that he has an above-average level of emotional intelligence and organizational behavior. According to the results of the research; A significant, positive and moderate relationship was found between individual innovation, emotional intelligence and organizational behavior. In addition; It can be said that 53% of organizational behavior is explained by individual innovation and emotional intelligence characteristics.


For traditional robotic chassis driven by wheeled contact with the environment, the accessible region of space can be determined by examining the obstacles that obstruct locomotion. For robots capable of leaving contact with intermittent ballistic flights, the accessible space is not readily apparent. In order to plan robotic exploration in unknown environments, the robot must first have an estimate for the region of space accessible through the use of a ballistic trajectory.This work defines the region of accessible space for a robot capable of intermittent flight phases. This includes hopping robots, swinging robots, and wheeled robots with the capability of jumping away from contact. The accessible space will also be identified for the case where there are limitations on the direction of actuation.Since hopping can be used for climbing vertical walls in some instances, a climbing subspace is defined within the accessible space. This subspace is derived and several examples are shown.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


The Australian Child Support Scheme aims to ensure that children continue to be supported financially should their parents separate or never live together. Sweeping changes to the Australian Child Support Scheme were introduced between 2006 and 2008, featuring a dramatically different system for the calculation of child support and a more rigorous enforcement regime. The reforms were intended to respond to ongoing concerns about equity, and to changes in social expectations and practices in gender, work, and parenting. In this article we summarise key findings from a large cross‑sequential study of the child support reforms. Although the new formula initially led to lower child support payments, and an increase in the proportion of separated mothers experiencing income disadvantage, payments two years later had increased slightly. More broadly, the new scheme appears to have resulted in little change in separated parents' policy knowledge, parenting arrangements, perceptions of fairness, and child support compliance. Taken together, these findings suggest that Australia may not have made as much progress as it would have liked in this thorny area of social policy - especially in relation to compliance and perceptions of fairness.


Marrow histomorphometry was performed in 73 untreated chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) sufferers. Follow-up results are available for 36 of them: 25 treated and 11 untreated with chemotherapy. The method of marrow histomorphometry allows recognition of three CLL forms: diffuse, diffuse-focal and focal; helps to determine indications to chemotherapy, assess its efficacy, prognosticate the disease course; is more reliable than clinical and laboratory findings.


This paper describes a new subgridding approach with a view to improving the efficiency of full-wave simulation of electronic circuits. The proposed subgridding method has been incorporated into a full-wave variable-mesh finite-difference transmission line matrix (FD-TLM) simulator. By incorporating the proposed subgridding method, a speed-up of about 2 has been attained. The computational acceleration is measured by comparing the run time of the subgridding method with the run time of the FD-TLM method without any subgridding.


A binder-free electrode is prepared by directly depositing electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) on the metal current collector. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectrum have been used to demonstrate the effective reduction of graphene oxide on the electrode, and the porous structure of the ERGO film was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of ERGO were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Electrochemical measurements showed that the binder-free ERGO electrode had high specific capacity, good cycle stability, as well as excellent high-rate capability. The specific capacitance of the constructed electrode was 131.6 F g−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1 and maintained 66.9% of the initial value when the scan rate was increased up to 1000 mV s−1. Owing to its favorable electrochemical performance, this binder-free ERGO electrode with porous structure has great potential in future commercial electrochemical supercapacitors.


The first instance of predation on alfalfa weevil eggs, Hypera postica (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), by the eastern flower thrips, Frankliniella tritici (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is reported. The age of the weevil eggs was found to have no effect on their predation by F. tritici , but predation was influenced by minimum temperatures.


This paper aims to investigate the relationship between linguistic theory and translation practice, particularly with regard to the Korean multiple case marking, an intriguing yet puzzling linguistic phenomenon characterized by the atypical morpho-syntactic structuring (e.g. NP-NOM NP-NOM; NP-ACC NP-ACC). Considering various factors involved in the Korean-particular phenomenon and studying both the theories and the diverse practical data (e.g. translation), the study places the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration at the heart of the linguistic investigation. And, in order to implement an experimental yet empirical research concerning this seemingly atypical linguistic phenomenon-usually called Double Subject Construction (Ryu 1909; Kim, M. 1971/1974), Multiple Nominative Construction (Lee, S. 1969, etc.), or Non-Nominative Subject Construction (Yoon 2004), this paper tests the practical applicability of the related theories into practice. As the initial examination does not provide sufficient information for a consented understanding of the phenomenon, another expanded account gets devised by revising or modifying previous theories in an interdisciplinary way, particularly, with translation to be considered to be a driving force in language activities. The research, then, goes on to implement the description and the analysis of a set of translation data (e.g. contemporary professional translators' publication rendering into Korean Metaphors We Live By by Lakoff and Johnson (1980/2003)) in order to search for further applicability. For an interdisciplinary specification and integration of the relevant accounts, certain theoretical frameworks and notions to help gain perspective are selected: cognitive mechanism of language processing, (three-dimensional models of) argument structure, and language typology. This study eventually proposes that translation-centered perspectives and interdisciplinary collaboration can help not only Translation Studies but also general linguistics. In addition, the relationship between linguistic theory and translation practice can be said to be mutually interactive and reciprocal when with broadened viewpoints and disciplinary flexibility and collaboration.


M R. President and Fellows of the Academy: The sixth epidemic of Asiatic cholera began its westward march from India some time during June last. Following the usual routes of human intercourse, it advanced rapidly, reaching Europe early in July. Russia, as in previous epidemics, was the first European country to suffer from the ravages of the scourge. In the meantime a vast current of human emigration was coming toward America, touching in its march some of the infected districts of Russia. The port of embarkation was Hamburg, and soon this city was infected. Although the German authorities did not officially recognize the existence of Asiatic cholera in Hamburg before August 22d, when the disease was beyond control, it is stated that cases of the disease were located there on or before the Ixith of that month. Several days after the epidemic had appeared in Hamburg a number of steamers, carrying thousands of emigrants in the worst sanitary conditions, sailed from that port, bound to New York. As was expected, the infection was carried across the Atlantic for the seventh time since i832, when it first invaded Europe. Every steamer that sailed from Hamburg during the prevalence of the last cholera epidemic in that city brought the disease on board. The first of the infected fleet to arrive in this port was the Moravia, of the Hamburg-American Packet Company, on August 3oth. She brought in her steerage over six hundred emigrants, and the deaths during the voyage were twenty-two out of twenty-four in the sick list. These cases were diagnosed by the ship's surgeon as simple cholerine. I do not intend to criticize anybody in this paper, but I am compelled to state that both the officers and surgeons of some of the infected ships either did not recognize the disease or wilfully tried to mislead the Quarantine authorities. A few days before the arrival of the Moravia I was engaged by the Health Officer as a bacteriologist to the Quarantine Station of the Port of New York. Soon after the first, other steamers arrived from Hamburg; the Rugia and the Normannia reached port September 3d, each with four and five deaths respectively during the voyage. Next came the Scandia with thirty-two deaths on board; then the Bohemia' with


1 Department of Computer Science, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India Department of Computer Science, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India 1 email@example.com 2 email@example.com DOI: 10.47760/IJCSMC.2020.v09i09.009 _____________________________________________________________________________ Abstract— Traditional approaches to extract useful Keyphrase from a sentence rely heavily on human effort. In this paper, to overcome this challenge, Automatic Keyphrase Extraction algorithm has been used to extract a Keyphrase efficiently that reduces the scope for human errors and saves time. The Machine Learning algorithms detect the Keyphrase from a sentence that the user feeds as an input and sets a reminder using the Keyphrase. RAKE and Textrank algorithms help to extract Keyphrase or important terms of a given text document. RAKE and TextRank techniques applied to find and analyze the best possible way of extracting the Keyphrase efficiently. With slight modifications to the code, the algorithms can be implemented to serve different application domain such as message or threat decoding in military purposes and can be extended to use in speech-to-text translation and sentimental analysis of the data.


Site-specific interactions are routinely applied by nature to direct the high-level assembly of nano-objects to form hierarchical structures from monomeric nanoobjects. For most of the time, these ...


In the crystal structure of the title compound, C22H18NO2 +·CF3SO3 −, adjacent cations are linked through C—H⋯π and π–π interactions, and the cations and anions are connected by C—H⋯O and C—F⋯π interactions. The acridine and benzene ring systems are oriented at a dihedral angle of 3.0 (1)°. The carboxyl group is twisted at an angle of 83.1 (1)° relative to the acridine skeleton. The mean planes of adjacent acridine units are parallel or inclined at an angle of 75.2 (1)° in the crystal structure.


The acid-catalysed dehydration–rearrangement reaction of α-thienyl cyclobutanols 3 and 4 resulted in the formation of tetrahydronaphtho[2,3-b]thiophenes 5a and 6a. The rearrangement to the linearly fused PAH system instead of the expected angularly fused system reflects α-scission of the cyclobutyl ring. A mechanism based on deuterium labelling studies is proposed to account for the product formation.


The concept of diversion in the context of juvenile justice system emphasizes on children's accountability from a developmental perspective. The idea of diversion in this context, in a very simple note, is a departure from the traditional concept of the criminal judicial administration that renders children criminally accountable for their acts, which have allegedly harmed others. The concept of juvenile justice system, which necessarily attaches the juvenile acts with criminal justice procedures, denies treating children differently than adult offenders.


Inadequate curriculum materials frequently impede the teaching of public sector financial management to graduate and mid-career students. The Curriculum Development Project at the School of Public Affairs of the University of Maryland has produced a draft curriculum that emphasizes the use of microcomputers and associated analytical skills in integrating topics in finance, accounting and budgeting.


Entrepreneurship is a vector that helps economic growth, social scaling, and job generation. However, the soft skills required for engineering entrepreneurship are unclear. This research aims to determine which of these skills are highly demanded as a reference to improve competitiveness among engineers and undergraduate programs. A survey was designed and applied to graduated mechanical engineers from the University of Pamplona. The instrument with excellent validity and reliability, according to Cronbach's Alpha, included 4 different dimensions evaluating 10 soft skills with 18 indicators. The statistical tools used were the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, median, mode, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, and the Games-Howell post hoc test. All soft skills investigated are required to start an engineering venture at a high development level. Likewise, the surveyed engineers demonstrated a high level of development of these skills in such a way that the gap between those required to start an engineering entrepreneurial venture and those developed is minor. In addition, the most effective way to increase its development is training in administrative areas or personal development. Likewise, there is a small gap between the skills developed by the respondents and those required in a venture, and the way to overcome this gap is training in administrative areas or personal development. Engineers dedicated to teaching, or working in public institutions, have less developed three of the six entrepreneurship indicators. Finally, the gap between soft skills developed in undergraduate programs and those required in entrepreneurship is significant. Engineering programs must include experiential training in soft skills and entrepreneurship in their curriculum.


Presence of cytologically abnormal cells and regeneration of variant plants from tissue cultures of many plant species, including members of the Gramineae, is now well documented. However, in none of these reports has any attempt been made to correlate the presence or absence of such genetic variability to the nature of cell cultures used or the method of plant regeneration. It is proposed that in gramineous species such variability exists largely in those instances where the cell cultures contain large, relatively vacuolated and non-starch containing cells and where plants are formed by the organization of shoot meristems. Owing to the multicellular origin of such plants, the occurence of chimeras is not uncommon. Conversely, it is shown that embryogenic cell cultures of the Gramineae, which contain small, richly cytoplasmic and starch-containing meristematic cells described as embryogenic cells show relative cytological stability in culture and give rise to plants that show neither any evidence of morphological anomalies nor changes in the number or structure of chromosomes. Furthermore, there is a strong selection in favor of normal cells during the process of somatic embryogenesis. Since somatic embryos are derived from single cells no chimeras are formed.


Retractable part to the extension or retraction of a set of telescopic supports that connect a mirror head with a mirror carrier console, having the following features: a first, projecting from the mirror support bracket tube Protrudes a carrier which projects from the mirror head in the first tube and back in it and is hergleitbar, an engine to which the mirror head off relative to the mirror support console or can be moved, characterized in that the support is a roller mounted such that a cable is fastened at one end to a point between the roller and the mirror head on the first tube, that the cable extends in the direction of the roll, the roll is wound and extends into said mirror head, that the other end of the cable extends into the first tube and secured to it, and that an in-engagement with the cable capstan is disposed within the mirror head, by the motor in both ...


In a multiverse setting, we expect to be situated in a universe that is exceptionally good at producing life. Though the conditions for what life needs to arise and thrive are currently unknown, many will be tested in the coming decades. Here we investigate several different habitability criteria, and their influence on multiverse expectations: Does complex life need photosynthesis? Is there a minimum timescale necessary for development? Can life arise on tidally locked planets? Are convective stars habitable? Variously adopting different stances on each of these criteria can alter whether our observed values of the fine structure constant, the electron to proton mass ratio, and the strength of gravity are typical to high significance. This serves as a way of generating predictions for the requirements of life that can be tested with future observations, any of which could falsify the multiverse scenario.


// Chuanhua Zhao 1 , Li Lin 1 , Jianzhi Liu 1 , Rongrui Liu 1 , Yuling Chen 1 , Feijiao Ge 1 , Ru Jia 1 , Yang Jin 1 , Yan Wang 1 , Jianming Xu 1 1 Department of GI Oncology, 307 Hospital of PLA, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China Correspondence to: Jianming Xu, email: email@example.com Keywords: esophageal cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor, chemoradiotherapy, erlotinib, paclitaxel Received: March 27, 2016      Accepted: May 23, 2016      Published: June 03, 2016 ABSTRACT Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with unresectable, locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is associated with significant toxicities that are often intolerable. Prognosis for this subgroup of patients remains poor, and new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. We investigated the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel combined with erlotinib and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with inoperable ESCC. Erlotinib (150 mg) was administered daily for 60 days beginning at the start of radiotherapy, and paclitaxel (45 mg/m ² ) was administered weekly along with intensity modulated conformal radiotherapy (60 Gy in 30 fractions). The median follow-up time was 21 months. The associations between EGFR and VEGF expression and treatment outcome were evaluated. Among the 21 patients treated, the overall response rate (CR + PR) was 85.6%. The median LPFS, PFS and OS were: 17.5, 14.3, and 22.9 months, respectively. Treatment-related grade 3 toxicities included esophagitis (two patients) and hypoleukemia (one patient). Grade 4 pulmonary toxicity was observed in one patient. Patients expressing EGFR had longer PFS, while those expressing VEGF or with a history of smoking had worse outcomes. Weekly paclitaxel combined with erlotinib and concurrent radiotherapy shows promise as an effective, tolerated regimen for patients with inoperable ESCC.


Introduction: Little is known about the frequency of cardiopulmonary failure in limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (calpainopathy) patients, although some studies have reported severe cardiomyopathy or respiratory failure. Methods: To clarify the frequency of cardiopulmonary dysfunction in this patient population, we retrospectively reviewed the respiratory and cardiac function of 43 patients with calpainopathy. Results: Nine of the 43 patients had forced vital capacity (FVC) < 80%, and 3 used noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. Mean FVC was significantly lower in patients who were nonambulant and had normal creatine kinase levels. Only 1 patient had a prolonged QRS complex duration. Echocardiography revealed that 1 patient had very mild left ventricular dysfunction. Conclusions: These findings suggest that patients with calpainopathy may develop severe respiratory failure, but cardiac dysfunction is infrequent. Muscle Nerve 55: 465–469, 2017


We examine a higher order approximation to the significance function with increasing numbers of nuisance parameters, based on the normal approximation to an adjusted log‐likelihood root. We show that the rate of the correction for nuisance parameters is larger than the correction for non‐normality, when the parameter dimension p is O(nα) for α<12 . We specialize the results to linear exponential families and location–scale families and illustrate these with simulations.


The microsurgical reattachment of a penis following self-amputation by a psychiatric patient is discussed. This is the 15th case reported in the literature. We have reviewed the previous reports and outline the management of penis amputation. The importance of using microsurgical techniques in order to achieve better functional and cosmetic results is discussed.


This article focuses on the construction of the "Self" and "the [European] Other" in chapters dealing with the First World War in eleven recent French and German history textbooks. In the framework of "contrastive discourse analysis" and basing the study on a record of (explicit or implicit) discursive processes, it is shown that the French textbooks strive to build a European Self by erasing the enemies from the discourse. but it is shown that they do not succeed entirely and that the Other—always German—regularly surfaces and is then constructed as the sole agent of the war. The Self in German textbooks is Germany, but this is never made explicit; the construction of a national community is carried out entirely in unspoken fashion and thus in the realm of the obvious. It is counterbalanced by constant efforts to change perspective, the pupil having to learn to put himself or herself in the place of the Other, who is, in this case, the non-German.


PURPOSE: A motion detection system based on an object trajectory and a method thereof are provided to detect a gesture from a set of ordered points. CONSTITUTION: Video of an object is received(210). A trajectory of the object is defined based on the received video(230). It is determined whether a gesture in which the trajectory of the object is recognized is defined(240). If the recognized gesture of the trajectory of the object is defined, a parameter of a device is changed(260).


The author analyzes the problems in the education of the course "residential building design theory" in Architecture.Then it proposes the new thinking with the rapid development of modern building.The course should be reformed at some aspects,such as the knowledge-updating,the outline-formulating,the combination of the theory and practice,and the methods of teaching and examination.


This study examined teachers' perceptions of transactional distance in different teaching environments. The independent variable was the teaching environment, which was divided into three: entirely distance environment (Distance-E), blended distance environment (Distance-B), and the traditional environment (Traditional). The dependent variable was teachers' perceptions of the transactional distance, which pertains to their feelings as a result of the teaching process and indicates their evaluation of their ability to communicate with the students and explain the content and to determine their satisfaction from teaching in the different environments. One hundred sixty educators who teach in distance environments (Distance-E, n = 66; Distance-B, n = 94) and 160 who teach in a traditional environment completed a study questionnaire (Teachers' Transactional Distance Scale). The teachers' perceptions of the transactional distance were found to be sensitive to the seniority of the teachers, the number of students per class, and Distance-E. These findings show that the teacher's role should be redefined and that teachers should be trained for this new role in order to reduce the perceived transactional distance. Teaching a large number of students in a course transmitted entirely at a distance must also be reconsidered, despite clear economic advantages of large classes.


The aim of this workshop is to explore the role of making and embodied thinking in processes of engaging with research data, findings and ideas. As researchers, we are inseperable from the world (Harraway, 2016), in which humans and things "slip-slide into each other" (Bennet, 2010, p.4). Thus, the more-than-human material world, and the materiality of our human bodies, is always part of the research processes. Ingold (2013) describes processes of 'making to think' or 'designerly making' (69), in which human cognition is never fully or entirely in control. Instead, the maker's imagination must hurry to keep up with the materials, in a process forever poised between "catching dreams and coaxing materials" (73). This workshop will explore processes of making and thinking, by employing intra action with simple materials, including paper, scissors, lego and playdoh, in order to explore research data.

The workshop will begin with the presentation of two research projects.
In the first a closed Facebook Group and a new build residential apartment block are the sites of the research. I present explorations of home learning activities which were enacted across the sites with a focus on more-than-human flows between the digital and physical spaces and places. I will share images from the Facebook Group and some models I have made with the digital data.

In the second, young children played and explored during a series of 'forest schools' session as a nursery. In particular, I focus on the children's rolling down a small hill in the nursery grounds, thinking about how these actions came to feel so significant and place-shaping within the research. I will share in particular video data from a series of different episodes of hill rolling, and offer as a provocation ideas about the role of bodily experience, place, materiality of the hill and intra action in making sense of these episodes.

In the second part of the workshop, participants will be invited to explore the emergent ideas we have presented, by making to think. Choosing from paper, lego or playdoh, participants will work the materials with their bodies, at the same time as discussing the ideas presented, whilst still images and video data are played on loop throughout the making session.

To conclude the session we ask the participants to give us feedback on the experience of exploring data but not having been there for the original fieldwork. Drawing on Haraway's (2016) concept of speculative fabulation (Haraway, 2016) we end the session by reflecting with our material creations through storytelling. To explore how these different theoretical and disciplinary perspectives might come into dialogue and enable us to think in new ways about research, making and design processes as never a soley human endeavour.


Our concern in the present paper is with an empirical evaluation of the relevance of published depreciation numbers. We report results of an attempt to assess the correspondence between the depreciation rates implied by published financial statements and the market-based rates implied by time series variations in corporate equity returns. Our modelling procedures are based on the 'Crusonia plant' construct, developed, in the first instance, by Frank Knight. This leads to a simple capital theory model under which firms are regarded as a reservoir of unused (homogeneous) capital services. Empirical results based on this construct indicate that estimated market rates of depreciation have a significant influence on corporate depreciation policies. Simple non-parametric correlation tests conducted at an industry level show that there is a significant association between book rates of depreciation and the market rates implied by an accumulation model based on Knight's 'Crusonia plant' construct.


The main purpose of breeding Orenburg goats is to obtain the greatest amount of high-grade down. The organization of full-value feeding is one of the most important factors of the impact of external environmental conditions on the animals' manifestation of genetic potentials of their productivity. The new formulae of protein-vitamin-mineral supplements for the balancing of goat-wethers' diets have been developed. The following available high-protein feeds – sunflower cake, wheat bran, peas, feed grade yeast were included into the new PVM supplements. To eliminate the deficit in macroelements table salt, sulfur and monobasiccalciumphosphates were added. The deficient microelements were introduced as sulfates in adequate proportions. The wether goats' down yield was determined by the quantity and quality of down, obtained as result of combing twice repeated, the down grading was performed in accordance with GOST 2260 –78. The natural length of down hair was measured with the help of a ruler to the nearest 0.1 cm, the true hair length was determined in the laboratory on samples selected with a special fork from the same place. The mass portion of down was determined by its weighing and using calculation methods. The results of studies conducted showed that the PVM supplements inclusion into the diets of wether-goats had a positive impact on the quantity and quality of downy products.


Results Endoscopy of the airway was performed to the level of the trachea in all except two of the 275 subjects. Intubation was completed in 248. Gagging during the procedure was rated as slightly uncomfortable by 173(63%) participants, 36(13%) found this uncomfortable and 8(3%) rated this aspect as very uncomfortable. Fifty-six (20%) reported no discomfort associated with gagging. Eight (3%) found the procedure painful. One-hundred-andforty-six (53%) subjects found the procedure slightly painful; 116(42%) reported no pain. Four (2%) delegates rated the sensation of endoscopy or intubation as distressing. Overall, the procedure was rated as acceptable by 219(80%) subjects and enjoyable by 40(15%) of those who completed questionnaires. Ninety nine percent of the delegates rated the training as good or excellent.


The invention discloses an IoT-based traffic and transportation system including a plurality of vehicle monitoring server connected through communication cables. Each vehicle monitoring server is connected with a vehicle positioning module, a vehicle driving recording module, a road condition collecting module, a road condition real time data collecting module, a traffic jam condition calculating module, a parking space information collecting module, an initial node coordinate detecting module, a vehicle navigation module and a traffic light control module in a wireless manner. By designing the vehicle monitoring servers, and the vehicle terminals, the traffic light control modules and the parking space information collecting modules connected with the vehicle monitoring servers, the stability of the monitoring system is improved, so that comprehensive monitoring and regulation of traffic information are realized.


This article proceeds from the considerations of the present situation of national medical education, combines with the reality of medical education in Zhejiang province, and puts forward a new medical educational mode named "broad specialty, large basis and later distribution". Combining with the preliminary experience in establishing the subject of hygienic management, it analyses in principle the characteristics and advantages of this new kind of mode,and points out that this kind of mode can provide a new way for training qualified personnel with high quality to meet the needs of society.


This research aims to analyze the competence of international arbitration and national courts that was related to the dispute of foreign investment disputes. This research is a normative law research conducted by collecting legal material. The results of this study indicate that the settlement of investment disputes by way of litigation or trial has final legal force, while arbitration guarantees and protects the credibility of a business which is run and produces a win-win solution. Furthermore, regarding the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC) is an independent non-profit organization that prioritizes justice and transparency . SIAC may arrange arbitration under other rules agreed by the parties, has an accredited arbitrator panel comprising of regional panels and international panels and has arbitrators for ad hoc arbitration.


One of the long-term problems in education in Slovakia is the low level of scientific literacy of pupils, which is below the average of OECD countries participating in the international PISA measurement. Pupils achieve worse results, especially in the tasks that require procedural and epistemic knowledge, as well as the skills associated with the design and evaluation of scientific research and the interpretation of the evidence and data obtained in a scientific way. In recent years, therefore, there has been an effort to apply Inquiry-Based Science Education to develop science ideas and inquiry skills of primary school pupils. For this reason, we focused our research on identifying problematic aspects of selected inquiry skills of 13-15 years old primary school pupils, such as: formulating research questions, identifying a dependent and independent variable, designing an experiment, and predicting the results, observing, recording, and collecting data, processing, analysing and interpreting data, describing relationships between variables, formulating generalizations, and drawing conclusions. The open item test was administered to the sample of 13-15 years old pupils. The results indicate a relatively low level of inquiry skills among pupils. In addition, through open items, we were able to identify original and unexpected alternative solutions and pupils' responses that provide feedback on pupils' thinking in solving tasks based on the implementation of scientific inquiry in biology.


Due to the limitations of language-processing tools for the Thai language, pattern-based information extraction from Thai documents requires supplementary techniques. Based on sliding-window rule application and extraction filtering, we present a framework for extracting multi-slot frames describing chemical reactions and those describing chemical syntheses from Thai unstructured text with unknown target-phrase boundaries. A supervised rule learning algorithm is employed for automatic construction of pattern-based extraction rules from hand-tagged training phrases. A filtering method is devised for removal of incorrect extraction results based on features observed from text portions appearing between adjacent slot fillers in source documents. The experimental results show that the filtering components improve precision while preserving recall satisfactorily.


Findings from 18-fluciclovine (Axumin) positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging had a major impact on management decisions for men with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer.


The problem of optimal reactive power is a non-linear optimization problem with several constraints. The objective of the optimization problem is to minimize the active power losses maintaining acceptable voltage profiles. In this paper the optimization of reactive power is solved using a genetic algorithm with a new mutation strategy. The mutation process consists in choosing random genes from random chromosomes to apply specific changes. This technique has proven better results when compared with previous work using different techniques of optimization for the reactive power problem. The proposed algorithm can easily work with both continuous and discrete control variables because it uses the original parameters of the control variables (generator bus voltages, transformer tap ratio and capacitor reactive powers) without coding it. The proposed algorithm has been applied and tested on IEEE 6 bus and IEEE 14 bus systems.


The ability to understand the corrosion to Metal Cultural Relic and to analyze and evaluate the loss can provide techniques and strategies for long-term protection of Metal Cultural Relic.The lack of standardized classification of the corrosion for Metal Cultural Relic makes it difficult to investigating the corrosion.In order to establish a criterion against which the degrees of corrosion can be measured,a scientific classification method and mode on fuzzy clustering analysis is presented according to the disease types of Metal Cultural Relic.


We propose a novel design of a SAR system which exploits the monopulse principle to determine the elevation angle and thus the height at the different parts of a SAR image. From the ratios of images radiometrically modulated by the difference and sum antenna pattern in cross-track direction, we can calculate the appropriate elevation angle at any point in the image. In this paper, we present design considerations for a corresponding airborne SAR system in X-Band and give estimates of the error due to system noise and azimuth ambiguities as well as the expected performance and precision in topographic mapping.


Improving the signal-to-noise ratio and suppressing random noise in seismic data is critical for high-precision processing. Although deep learning-based algorithms have gained popularity as denoising methods, they suffer from poor generalization ability, resulting in high training set construction cost and computation cost. To address this problem, we propose an unsupervised learning-based denoising method that includes an improved denoising strategy based on local similarity and replacement, a corresponding training method, and an improved network based on UNet. Our training method takes advantage of network convergence and allows direct training on the test region, effectively solving the problems associated with denoising methods using generalization ability while improving training performance. In addition, our network is specifically designed for the training method and incorporates various improvements that could further enhance the training effectiveness. Our method outperforms traditional denoising methods, as demonstrated by tests on synthetic and field data, with superior performance in random noise attenuation and reflection event reconstruction.


In today's automated world, it is always a great challenge to secure individuals personal information. Palmprint has come out to be one of the most secure and effective biometric methods to automatically identify a person's identity. It contains so many features like geometry features, principal line features, wrinkles, ridges, delta point features, texture features and points. Here, Phase Congruency Corner Detector (PCCD) method is proposed as a corner detection technique to extract palmprint features in the form of corners. Match by Correlation is used for similarity measurement. Experiments were developed on a database of 600 images from 100 individuals, with 5 image samples per individual for training and one image sample per individual for testing. The proposed approach of Phase Congruency Corner Detector when combined together with Match by Correlation has the ability to discriminate similar palmprints.


This study analyzes the influencing factors of prehospital 119 Emergency Medical Service for Stroke Patients in prehospital. From July, 2010 to June, 2011, 123 patients were diagnosed with Stroke in Emergency Medical Center. Among 123 patients, the prehospital assessment rates were as follows : blood pressure checked 73.2 %, pulse checked 73.2 %, respiratory checked 64.2 %, SpO2 checked 79.7 %, pupil reflex test 88.6 %, Electrocardiogram checked 14.6 %, blood sugar checked 19.5 %. Prehospital emergency medical care, Oropharyngeal airway insertion 2.4 %, Manual airway maneuvers 17.1 %, endotracheal intubation 2.7 %, oxygen supply 35.4 %, and suction and intravenous fluid therapy 0 %. The property of mental status evaluation by 119 Emergency Medical Service was nearly perfect, but the patients assessment and emergency medical care were not.


This article explicates Ayn Rand's economic thought as expressed in her nonfiction and fiction writings. It concludes that Rand's formal knowledge of economics was relatively limited and that her case for the free market economy is almost entirely ethical and political. Nevertheless, her insight into the complexity of such an economy was acute and her view that true human flourishing is only possible in a laissez-faire context rested on the recognition that it is the only context that can completely liberate the creative potential of the human mind.


Non-Locality in Particle Physics On the Physical Interpretation and the Mathematical Structure of the Combinatorial Hierarchy (with T Bastin, J Amson & C W Kilmister) On the Construction of Relativistic Quantum Theory: A Progress Report Foundations of a Discrete Physics (with D McGoveran) Comment on "Statistical Mechanical Origin of the Entropy of a Rotating Charged Black Hole" Anti-Gravity: The Key to 21st Century Physics Crossing Symmetry is Incompatible with General Relativity Operationalism Revisited: Measurement Accuracy, Scale Invariance and the Combinatorial Hierarchy Discrete Physics and the Derivation of Electromagnetism from the Formalism of Quantum Mechanics (with L H Kauffman) Are Partons Confined Tachyons? A Short Introduction to Bit-String Physics Process, System, Causality and Quantum Mechanics: A Psychoanalysis of Animal Faith (with T Etter) and other papers.


Objective To evaluate the effect of using e-PTFE tube and e-PTFE tube containing nervous homogenates to repair rabbit facial nerve defect.Methods Eightmm defect of left superior buccal divisions of the facial nerves was made and the defects were bridged with e-PTFE tube and(e-PTFE) tube with nervous homogenates in rabbits.The nerve electrophysiological test and histological examination were carried out to get the results of these two repair methods after 8 and 12 weeks.(Results)Twelve weeks after operation,the nerve conduction velocity in the nervous homogenates planting group was(28.55±3.21)m/s,which was(21.3±3.64)m/s in e-PTFE tube group.Histologically,the facial nerve fibers were arranged regularly and in continuity in nervous homogenates planting group,but arranged irregularly with marked hyperplasia of connective tissue in e-PTFE tube group.(Conclusion)The effect of e-PTFE tube containing nervous homogenates planting is better than that of(e-PTFE) tube alone in repairing the facial nerve,which could be a method for clinically nerve(repairing.)


The point of departure of this special issue is the University of Amsterdam's student occupation in the spring of 2015, and the banner hanging from the front of its main administrative building – 'het Maagdenhuis' – stating: 'No Democratisation without Decolonisation'. In Belgium, the issue of decolonisation is gaining more attention among students and activists, although organised student protests are as yet lacking. These calls for decolonising education, the curriculum, and the university system connect contemporary voices and struggles in the Netherlands and Belgium to other voices in the margins of academic institutions, both in the Global South and in the Global North, asking: 'Why is my curriculum white? Why isn't my professor black?' These powerful questions bring renewed attention to the long-term socio-political struggles and intellectual traditions within and outside the Dutch university, including those by black feminists, which have been critically engaging with racism, discrimination, and exclusion (Loewenthal, 1984; Essed, 1991; Essed & Hoving, 2014; Wekker, 2015). They further encourage reflection on the invisible norms shaping universities as institutional spaces that assume certain bodies (white/male) as the norm, making the 'others' into 'space invaders', bodies out of place (Ahmed, 2012; Puwar, 2004). The contributions to this special issue take inspiration from these movements and ask what knowledge is, how it is produced and taught at universities, and for whose benefit. On the one hand, they offer a diagnosis of the gendered colonial legacies that remain constitutive of the modern university, and, on the other hand, they provide practical examples, novel methodologies, and often courageous interventions in curricula and the academy to creatively engage with this task. Decades and even centuries of struggle by social movements, in parti-


Biologically inspired algorithms for simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) such as RatSLAM have been shown to yield effective and robust robot navigation in both indoor and outdoor environments. One drawback however is the sensitivity to perceptual aliasing due to the template matching of low-dimensional sensory templates. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised representation learning method that yields low-dimensional latent state descriptors that can be used for RatSLAM. Our method is sensor agnostic and can be applied to any sensor modality, as we illustrate for camera images, radar range-doppler maps and lidar scans. We also show how combining multiple sensors can increase the robustness, by reducing the number of false matches. We evaluate on a dataset captured with a mobile robot navigating in a warehouse-like environment, moving through different aisles with similar appearance, making it hard for the SLAM algorithms to disambiguate locations.


The modern agriculture applications have the potential to increase crop yields, improve food security, and provide farmers with more efficient and cost-effective ways of managing their farms. However, the high cost of new technologies and the need for specialized knowledge and training can lead to financial strain for smaller-scale farmers, while the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides can have negative environmental and health impacts. This research work examines the impacts of modern agriculture applications on farmers and implements a modern method for farmers to sell and buy their weeds/ crops/ manicures, etc, online without the help of any middleman. Further, iOS and android based app implementation and its structure has been discussed. This research has been carried out in React Native. This analysis gives an overview of the various modern technologies and techniques used in agriculture and evaluates their effects on farmers in terms of their financial, social, and environmental well-being.


An optimum simple ramp test-accelerated life test with two different linearly increasing stresses-is presented for the Weibull distribution under type I censoring. It is assumed that the inverse power law holds between the Weibull scale parameter and the constant stress and that the cumulative exposure model for the effect of changing stress applies. The optimum plan-low stress rate and proportion of test units allocated to low stress mode-is found. It minimizes the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimator of a stated quantile at design stress. For selected values of the design parameters, these optimum plans are tabulated, and the effect of the preestimates of these parameters are studied. >


The domus of Piazza Marconi was built in the Augustan age in the southern end of the Roman city. In the I century, the domus was the home of a family of great economic possibilities, certainly important within the social and politic structure of the old Cremona; it is revealed by the high quality of the frescoes, the floors, the mosaics, and the stone furnishings that adorned the courtyards and reception rooms. Although it is likely that the majority of bronze objects have been stolen by soldiers during the sack of Vespasian in 69 AD, the remaining findings, including containers and furniture, offer an interesting picture of the metal furnishings in a rich home of the Cisalpine, with a terminus ante quem that immediately recalls the more famous model of the Vesuvian cities.


Fetal surgery was created to allow treatment of diseases for which postnatal therapy is inadequate. Initially, fetal surgery was performed via open techniques. However, in order to minimize maternal and fetal morbidity, minimally invasive techniques have been devised. Disease amenable to minimal access fetal surgery include: congenital urethral obstruction, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, sacrococcygeal teratoma, twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence, twins discordant for an anomaly, twin–twin transfusion syndrome, amniotic band syndrome, fetal hydrothorax, and fetal chronic vascular access. A review of the literature and various techniques are presented here.


Objective: To monitor incidence rates of first‐time hospital admission with an illicit drug problem in the Indigenous and non‐Indigenous populations of Western Australia in 1980–95.


The thesis analyses the flange machining time at the company Koncar – MK, with the purpose of making a base for the automation of standardisation of manufacturing time that could be implemented in the company's business process management software. A representative standard product was selected from a group of similar parts frequently recurring in production, and a CAD/CAM program was developed for 15 variations of this product, applying the machining regimes used in the company's production. Product variants differ in dimensions and features such as groove, holes, etc. The flange manufacturing on CNC machining centres and classical lathe machines was monitored and a comparison was made with the calculated times obtained from the simulation of the manufacturing in the CATIA program. Corrective factors were defined that would be used in automated standardisation of these products.


The contribution of depression to mortality in adults with and without HIV infection is unclear. We hypothesized that depression increases mortality risk and that this association is stronger among those with HIV infection.


An object of the present invention is to provide a motor having a short axial length and a large torque. In order to achieve the above objects, a motor according to the present invention, and at least one of the flat inner peripheral surface of the inner circumferential surface or the rotor and a substantially circular plate of divided to have a plurality of polarity in the rotation direction of magnetization shaped rotor, facing the rotor outer surface and with the outer surface facing the coil and, extending in the radial direction of the rotor and has a structure consisting of two-part magnetic pole and that is opposite to the magnetization of the rotor surface by the first magnetic-pole portions and a rotor magnetized by the coil.


Basic definitions and geometric properties.- Smoothness classification of Banach spaces.- Smooth partitions of unity on Banach spaces.- Smoothness and approximation in Banach spaces.


The rapid growth and production of bungo fish without management efforts will threaten the sustainability of endemic fish in the three lakes (Tempe Lake, Sidenreng Lake and Lapompakka Lake) which are located in the central part of the South Sulawesi region. In order to manage Bungo fish resources, information on population dynamics is needed. This research aims to save the Bungo fish species which are endemic to Tempe, Sidenreng, and Lapompakka Lakes, and other lakes in South Sulawesi from the threat of extinction. Bungo fish samples (Glossogobius giuris) were collected from fishermen's catch during July - September 2020 in three lakes, namely the waters of Tempe Lake, Sidenreng Lake, and Lapompakka Lake. Sample measurements were carried out at the Laboratory of Fish Biology, Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Hasanuddin University. The results showed that Lake Sidenreng had more age groups of bungo fish compared to Lake Tempe and Lake Lapompakka. The lengths found in Lake Tempe were longer than those found in Lake Sidenreng and Lake Lapompakka, and the smallest length of bungo fish was found in Lake Lapompakka. Bungo fish found in Sidenreng Lake and Lapompakka Lake are classified as fast growth because the K value is greater than 0.5, while in Lake Tempe it is classified as slow because it is smaller than 0.5. The natural mortality rate of bungo fish was more prevalent in bungo fish aged around 1 and 2 years and this was found in all three waters. Mortality that occurred at the three locations was due to natural mortality because the M value was greater than the F value.


A recent study by our group demonstrates pharmacologically that the transient receptor potential vanilloid‐1 (TRPV1) is activated by intradermal injection of capsaicin to initiate neurogenic inflammation by the release of neuropeptides in the periphery. In this study, expression of TRPV1, phosphorylated protein kinase C (p‐PKC), and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons was visualized by using immunofluorescence, real‐time PCR, and Western blots to examine whether increases in TRPV1 mRNA and protein levels evoked by capsaicin injection are subject to modulation by the activation of PKC and to analyze the role of this process in the pathogenesis of neurogenic inflammation. Capsaicin injection into the hindpaw skin of anesthetized rats evoked increases in the expression of TRPV1, CGRP and p‐PKC in mRNA and/or protein levels and in the number of single labeled TRPV1, p‐PKC, and CGRP neurons in ipsilateral L4‐5 DRGs. Coexpressions of TRPV1 with p‐PKC and/or CGRP in DRG neurons were also significantly increased after CAP injection. These evoked expressions at both molecular and cellular levels were significantly inhibited after TRPV1 receptors were blocked by 5′‐iodoresiniferatoxin (5 μg) or PKC was inhibited by chelerythrine chloride (5 μg). Taken together, these results provide evidence that up‐regulation of TRPV1 mRNA and protein levels under inflammatory conditions evoked by capsaicin injection is subject to modulation by the PKC cascade in which increased CGRP level in DRG neurons may be related to the initiation of neurogenic inflammation. Thus, up‐regulation of TRPV1 receptors in DRG neurons seems critical for initiating acute neurogenic inflammation. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


In this paper, environmental factors and their effects on the growth of plantlets in vitro were summarized, and the developments of environmental control technology and culture facilitjes were reported.Introduced the current situation of tissue culture and rapid propagation techniques in flower industry, raised some questions related to flower industrialization.


The aim of this paper was to study effect of an opening to GPR signal, measured with 800 MHz and 1600 MHz transmitter/antenna. Tests were carried out in laboratory scale using two sawn rock blocks. The opening between them varied from 0 to 10 cm. First GPR signal's velocity was defined in the blocks by calculating two way travel time, as the thickness of the blocks was known. Next the top and bottom of the opening were interpreted from the GPR profile by utilising theoretical change of the reflected signal's phase in the opening. Openings apertures were calculated from the interpretations and compared to the real ones. Good results were achieved for the greatest apertures, but apertures smaller than 1/6 of the signals wavelength could not be interpreted due to signal summing. Summing could be less of a problem when using other filling materials than air in the opening. These are the next research subjects for the authors.


Trade credit is a crucial source of capital particularly for small businesses with limited financing opportunities. Inventory models considering trade credit financing have been widely studied. However, while there is extensive research on the single-vendor single-buyer inventory model allowing delays in payments, the systems where the vendor supplies to more than one buyer have received less attention. In this paper, we analyze a two-echelon inventory system where a single vendor supplies an item to two buyers who face a constant deterministic demand. The vendor produces the items at a finite rate and offers the buyers a delay payment period. That is, the buyers can delay the payment for the purchased items until the end of the credit period. Therefore, during such a period, the buyers sell the items and use the sales revenue to earn interest. At the end of the credit period, the buyers should pay the purchasing cost to the vendor for which external funding may be necessary. It is widely accepted that, in general, centralized policies reduce the total cost of the supply chain. Therefore, we first deal with an integrated model assuming that the vendor and the buyers make decisions jointly. However, in some cases, the buyers are not willing to collaborate, and the management of the supply chain has to be carried out in a decentralized manner. Hence, we also address the problem under a non-cooperative setting. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate both models. Additionally, we perform a computational experiment to compare both strategies, and a sensitivity analysis of the parameters is also carried out. From the results, we derived that, in general, it was more profitable to follow the integrated policy excepting when the replenishment costs for the buyers were high. Finally, in order to validate the computational results, a statistical analysis is performed.


Dehydration of 6,7-dihydro-7-hydroxy-6-(α-methylbenzyl)-7-phenylpyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-one 4b on treatment with acid is accompanied by rearrangement, first to 6,7-dihydro-7-phenyl-7-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-one 10 and then to 2,3-dihydro-3-phenylspiro[indene-1,7′(6′H)-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridin]-5′-ones 9a, b. Crystal structures of two rearranged products 9a and 10 are reported.


Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska. We use these data to demonstrate that small-scale variation in nest success can significantly alter a researcher's interpretation of the factors affecting that reproductive parameter. In the absence of a statistically valid sampling design, researchers must be very careful about making inferences for areas beyond their actual study site. Properly designed studies allow for broader inferential power, but the logistical and financial hurdles involved in designing and implementing such a study are daunting. Metareplication can enhance one's confidence in the interpretation of local results, but should not be seen as a substitute for well-designed sampling schemes implemented across broad geographic scales.


When storage tanks are built on soft soil,stresses on the tank wall and tank bottom are not only related to the slope of the tank bottom,but also to the height of the liquid and to ground parameters.The interactions between the foundation and the tank were analyzed using the nonlinear consolidation FE method.The effects of time on deformations of the ground and stresses and deformations of the tank were analyzed.The results indicate pore water pressure changes in the foundation are similar to the characteristics of one-dimensional consolidation.The radial stress on the bottom and the hoop stresses of the wall determine design parameters.A 2%~5% slope of the tank bottom is suggested.The elephant foot of wall should be about 1m away from the bottom of the tank.This position is easily destructed by flection.