Infectious diseases cause a large burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a disproportionately high burden in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs). For example, many vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, Zika, etc.) and diarrhoeal diseases (e.g., cholera, Shigella, typhoid, etc.) are primarily endemic in LMICs among populations where social, economic, and physiological vulnerabilities are common and/or severe. Furthermore, many other pathogens with a wider global distribution nevertheless cause a disproportionate disease burden in LMICs (e.g., pneumococcus, streptococcus, Neisseria, respiratory syncytial virus, etc.). In addition to improvements in public health measures and social determinants of health, new medical interventions (e.g., vaccines and treatments) are urgently needed for many such pathogens. This is because (i) in some cases, no effective interventions exist and (ii) in others, existing interventions are becoming less effective (e.g., due to antimicrobial resistance) and/or are associated with unacceptable risks (e.g., drug toxicities). Human infection challenge studies (HCS) involve the intentional infection of research participants with pathogens (or other micro-organisms) and primarily aim to (i) test (novel) vaccines and therapeutics, (ii) generate knowledge regarding the natural history of infectious diseases (and/or asymptomatic infection), or (iii) develop "models of infection"—i.e., reliable methods (to be used in studies with aims (i) and/or (ii)) of infecting human research participants with particular pathogens. Modern human infection challenge studies are sometimes referred to as "controlled human infection studies," because they involve controlling the selection and/or production of the micro-organism strain(s) and the timing, route, and/or dose of infection; infection in a controlled environment; and/or (with the aim to avoid serious harm to research participants) infection with micro-organisms causing no disease or disease that is self-limiting or can be (and is) controlled with effective cures or treatments; and/or controlling who is being infected (and/or subjected to other experimental interventions) (Selgelid and Jamrozik 2018). HCS involving reliable models of infection provide an especially powerful scientific method for the testing of vaccines and therapeutics; and they can be


ABSTRACT Freeze-thaw of concrete is significantly responsible for serious damage to RC buildings, which may result in premature failure with little warning. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effects of freeze-thaw environment when assessing seismic performance for RC structures. In this study, pseudo-static experiments of interior beam-column joints were conducted in terms of different axial compression ratios and the number of freeze-thaw cycles (FTC). Based on the experimental results, the effects of freeze-thaw were mathematically modeled using a reduced envelope and a parameter of cyclic deterioration for the joint shear–strain relationships. The constitutive parameters of joint panels were defined by transforming the shear–strain relation into the moment–rotation relation of a shear spring. Finally, a numerical model of a beam-column joint was proposed in order to predict its shear behavior after being subjected to FTC. The numerical model was well validated by the experimental results of two RC beam-column joint test series. As an application to RC structures, model calculations were applied to five-story and three-bay RC frames of 0 and 30 years, respectively.


The fundamental function of cosmetics is to give hydration and smoothness to the skin. To improve the moisturizing effect, many materials have been developed and many dermatological studies have been performed on the stratum corneum, in particalar. Nowadays, we understand that both natural moisturizing factors (NMF) and lipid barriers are very important in skin hydration. Also more important parameters are being studied for lipid biosynthesis and epidermal homeostasis. As the understanding of the skin increases, new cosmetic materials are developed. Recently, the following methods have been used to improve moisturizing of the skin in cosmetics: occlusive formulations to prevent evaporation; hygroscopic molecules; neutral, high-molecular-weight, water-binding polymers; supplement of NMF; and supplementing barrier lipids.


SUMMARY Growth modelling is an essential prerequisite for evaluating the consequences of a particular management action on the future development of forest ecosystem and is a central theme of forest management. Growth models are not available for many indigenous species in India and such information, particularly for neem, is very rare. In this paper equations have been developed to estimate potential stand density and to model the natural decline of trees in pure even-aged stands of neem. Relationships have been developed between the quadratic mean diameter and number of stems per ha and parameters of this relationship have been used to produce a limiting line. Two different models were applied on the data to model the natural decrease of stem numbers in the stands and performed equally well.


ABSTRACT:The idea of hybrid peace has gained prominence in both academic and policy literature, yet ongoing debates fail to explicitly address a key lacuna concerning the relationship between hybrid political orders and the enhancement of traditional peacemaking in the Global South. Using an integrative governance framework, this article examines the notion of hybridity from grassroots to regional peace practices in Africa. It argues that the efficacy and sustenance of traditional African peacemaking could be enhanced if a customary peace practice is systemically integrated with liberal procedures and that discussions on hybridity will gain more value and meaning if the debates (re)center on unpacking hybridity at key governance arenas/stages—and the implications for a national and international order. The article thus attempts to provoke a new conversation that disaggregates the possibilities, dilemmas, and implications of hybrid orders from grassroots through regional to a global level and what it contributes to future peacebuilding.


This paper argues that regional logistics network structure can effectively save transaction costs in time and space, and optimize the entire LAN system can promote aggregation of large-scale economic development and economic points, which led to rapid economic point of surrounding economic development.


Rosin, or colophony, and composite materials, which consist of components based on rosin and rosin products, are extensively used in various industries, in particular, as one of the main components of the composite materials for road marking. At the same time, little research has been done to study of the physicomechanical and associated physicochemical characteristics of these materials, the influence on these characteristics of the internal bounding surface of the components in wide temperature ranges and in the dynamic mode of external deforming effects.


This study proposes a critical review of the principle of the liability of the Public Power organs, from two views: at first, the analysis of the legal regime of the liability of the organs exercising administrative functions in Venezuela, and by the other side, systematization of the major jurisprudential trends on the liability system of public administration, since the birth of the Republic of Venezuela until the early decades of the century.


In magnetically suspended control moment gyroscope (MSCMG), the magnetic suspension rotor system is disturbed by the moving-gimbal effect when the gimbal rotates. Existing adaptive compensation methods only use angular rate feedforward to compensate. When the gimbal accelerates, the disturbed force on the rotor cannot be compensated accurately. In order to accurately compensate for the disturbance of the moving-gimbal effect, an adaptive feedforward method of angular rate and acceleration rate based on simplified FXLMS algorithm is proposed. Gradient estimation and steepest descent strategy are used to derive feedforward weight updating algorithm. The simulation result show that the adaptive compensation control system has fast tracking speed, good convergence and ideal accuracy.


This article discusses the application of widely used, state of the art, wake models, focusing on the Ainslie [1], Katic [2] and Larsen [3] models, breaking these down and explaining the individual, integral components. Models used to predict the turbulence intensity within the wake are also explained. Measured data are subsequently used to validate these wake and turbulence models, showing acceptable results for the prediction of velocity deficit within the wake, wake width and wake shape. Results also highlight the validity of the analysed turbulence models. The paper describes the problems encountered when using measured data to validate wake models and concludes by outlining subsequent work which could be carried out to further validate these models.


Received June 21, 1967 With the Tien-Shan (3 340 m altitude) ionization calorimeter, the spectrum of ionization bursts has been investigated at a depth of 20 m.w.e. underground. The results obtained show that the characteristics of the penetrating component do not differ from those expected of the muon component; there is no evidence for the existence of the "baryon-passive" state, which has been suggested by Smorodin.


Apart from errors, omissions, redundant words and transpositions of the textural criticism in JiYun (A Collection of Rhymes), there are some mistakes that are caused by the editor. Errors of such type are called original mistakes. They include (1) confusing one word with another; (2) nonexistent words; (3) the mistakes in punctuations; (4) confusing the original text with its annotations (5) quoting wrongly and (6) other types of mistakes. Identifying and distinguishing different types of these errors in Jiyun are vital to the collating, utilizing, researching and compiling of Chinese dictionaries.


Comparative evaluation of mahua (Bassia latifolia) oil cake (MOC) and castor bean (Ricinus communis) seed (CBS) was tested as piscicides for tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and panchax (Aplocheilus panchax), and residual toxicity test was done on Labeo bata. Delayed response of CBS compared with MOC was evident as first and total mortality of tilapia was encountered at 4th and 10th hour of application, against 26 hr and 42 hr in panchax respectively. Susceptibility of the test fish to the piscicides was highly variable as tilapia was more susceptible than panchax under both the piscicides tested especially in CBS. Residual toxicity decreased polynomialy over time (R² ≥ 0.99) and reduced to below 10% on day 13–14 in both MOC and CBS treatments. Both MOC and CBS contributed positively to the nutrient pool of water in which CBS provided more nitrogen compared with MOC. N: P ratio of water in CBS treatment increased exponentially to more than 18 indicating phosphorus limitation.


In this short paper we illustrate a novel approach that aims to marry reuse-driven and model-driven development principles with engineering considerations of great concern to high-integrity real-time systems, for which the specification of properties to be preserved at run time is paramount


Thank you very much for downloading helping your teen overcome depression a guide for parents. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have look hundreds times for their chosen books like this helping your teen overcome depression a guide for parents, but end up in malicious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they cope with some malicious bugs inside their computer.


When the Supreme Court made one person, one vote, the law of the land, the art of gerrymandering enjoyed a renaissance. The simultaneous advent of computers turned an old art into a new technology; yet the same technology, guided by an understanding of the complicated legal, historical, statistical, technical, methodological, and normative issues, may be employed to detect gerrymanders. Here we discuss the capabilities and limitations of common software and hardware in gerrymander construction and detection, and present the framework of a general strategy for using computers in the field of apportionment. Keywords: artificial intelligence, BASIC, gerrymander, malapportionment, mapping, PROLOG vote dilution, microcomputers.


There is virtual unanimity in reports from national societies and organizations (for example, American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Foundation, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and National Academy of Sciences) that our past approaches to science education need reform. Yet at least one of the key components of this reform is not new: modeling scientific processes with inquiry-based activities in the laboratory and field. Scientists and educators have long argued that the best way for majors and nonmajors alike to learn about science is for them to model (via inquiry) what scientists do—they ask questions of interest and carefully design investigations that will contribute relevant and valid data for answering their questions. For many students there is the misconception that data collection per se is the endall of the scientific process; scientists, however, know it to be far from the end. In fact, we know that experimental data take on meaning only once they have been appropriately evaluated. Only then is it possible to arrive objectively at some conclusion relative to our original questions, tentative though that conclusion may be. Of course scientists call this evaluative process ''statistical analysis,'' a phrase that strikes fear in the heart of many a student. As integral as statistics is to experimental methods, we tend to reserve teaching about statistical analysis for those students in more advanced courses. This is quite unfortunate, not only because it perpetuates a false understanding of the workings of experimental research, but especially because it deprives beginning students of getting to experience what research scientists would most likely agree is one of the intellectually exciting moments of the investigative process—discovering, when a comparison is being made, whether or not there is statistical significance in one's data. Denying students the opportunity to participate in this phase is like denying the reader of a novel the opportunity to read the denouement of a complex plot. The investigative process builds to this moment of clarification which, for scientists, is surely every bit as satisfying as the data gathering effort. Although mathematical sophistication is necessary to understand the theoretical underpinnings of statistical analysis, it is nevertheless quite possible for less sophisticated students to learn some important basic principles, such as the variability associated with measurements, and confidence in one's estimates. This becomes possible if we avoid presenting complex formulas that a calculator can solve transparently (e.g. for standard deviation and standard error), and help students use approximation for confidence intervals. (See ''Toward Scientific Literacy for Nonscience Majors,'' pp. 276–281.) I maintain not only that it is quite possible for nonmajors in science to engage in data analysis, but also that being so engaged is an essential component of science literacy. We recognize that students need to ask questions of interest to themselves and participate in experimental design and data collection. We need to finish the task and also engage them in the final number-crunching stages, though in appropriate fashion so as not to overwhelm them. Not engaging students in this part of the process denies them the fruits of their labor. To use another analogy, not helping students with data analysis would be like letting apprentice bakers gather the ingredients for a cake, but not letting them mix and bake the batter to see and enjoy the final product. In a 1996 editorial in The American Biology Teacher (Vol. 58, No. 7, p. 387), Randy Moore argued the need for meaningful laboratory experiences for nonscience majors. I argue further that we should provide laboratory opportunities for nonscience majors that develop awareness of normal variability in nature, and therefore in our sampling from nature, and awareness of how we express confidence as we make predictions based on our measurements. These concepts in particular extend beyond usefulness in the science lab. Individuals are always in need of tools to help them better evaluate evidence, claims and arguments; and these concepts relating to variability and confidence are among those intellectual tools. As we look to improve science literacy for all students, and in recognition that it is from the ranks of nonscience majors that most future elementary teachers come, I urge more opportunities for data analysis by all students. The individual will benefit, society will benefit, and young students will benefit by being under the wings of teachers who ask, ''Are the differences being observed any more than just normal variability, and how comfortable (confident) are you in that assessment?''


Marine fauna are all types of organisms that live in the marine environment. Marine fauna is also an important part of the marine ecosystem that has an important role in maintaining environmental balance. However, the survival of marine fauna is threatened due to activities carried out by humans, such as pollution, overfishing, industrial waste disposal into marine waters, plastic pollution and so on. Therefore, efforts are needed to monitor and protect marine fauna so that marine ecosystems can remain stable. One way to monitor marine fauna is by using classification technology. One of the technologies that can be used in marine fauna classification technology is Convolutional Neural Network (CNN).  CNN is one of the classification methods that can be used to classify objects in images with a high level of accuracy. The CNN architecture models used are MobileNet, Xception, and VGG19. Furthermore, the method used to improve the performance of the CNN algorithm is the Transfer Learning method. The test results show that the MobileNet architecture model produces the highest accuracy value of 91.94% compared to Xception and VGG19 which only get an accuracy value of 87.64% and 88.42%. This shows that the MobileNet model has a more optimal performance in classifying marine fauna.


Langston Hughes shows a different writing technique in his short story Early Autumn.He uses plotlessness, an irregular narrative technique, to reflect the character's emotional undercurrents beneath the calm surface and also forms a sharp contrast with the character's intense emotional change.


The invention provides UV solidified water-based strippable polish gum. The UV solidified water-based strippable polish gum is prepared from, by weight, 50-80 parts of UV solidified waterborne polyurethane acrylate, 0.05-0.1 part of flatting agent, 1-10 parts of wetting agents, 1-3 parts of thickening agents, 0.2-1 part of defoaming agent, 2-5 parts of coalescing agents, 1-10 parts of water-based color paste, 1-10 parts of water-based strippable agents and 3-5 parts of water-soluble photoinitiator. The invention further provides a preparation method of the strippable polish gum. The preparation method includes the steps of adding the wetting agents, the flatting agent, the deforming agent and the water-based color paste into a high-speed dispersion machine, conducting stirring and dispersing, lowering the stirring speed, adding the UV solidified waterborne polyurethane acrylate, the thickening agents, the coalescing agents, the water-based strippable agents and the water-soluble photoinitiator, continuing to conduct dispersion, conducting even mixing, and obtaining the UV solidified water-based strippable polish gum. High film hardness and high gloss are achieved after the UV solidified water-based strippable polish gum is painted to form a film.


The study addresses the issue of the positions of political parties in Poland on eastern policy, in particular on Polish-Ukrainian cooperation. Therefore, an attempt was made to answer questions about the historical background of these views, the impact of international and internal situation in Poland and Ukraine. The subject of the analysis was the issues of economic relations, views on the European integration of Ukraine, the relevance of historical issues in the programs and decisions of political parties from the early 1990s to 2023.


Following the Inter-Institute workshop on Optical Imaging from Bench to Bedside held at the National Institutes of Health in September 2000, Bruce Tromberg suggested that we publish a special section in JBO devoted to this topic, which would be sponsored by NIH.


Abstract An objective of this paper is to review the purity requirements for clean air and gases used in industrial and laboratory applications. Also described are the principles applied in the design of regenerative pressure swing adsorption systems to meet the most recent process requirements. Methods developed to reduce the energy consumption of the pressure swing process are described.


Java has been widely used in embedded systems such as mobile phones. Just-In-Time compilation technique (JIT) is used for PC applications, but many embedded systems have not much memory or processor power. Therefore, JIT method for Java is hardly used in small embedded systems such as mobile phones and PDAs.In this paper, a new optimization method without JIT: Java Object Look Aside Buffer (JOLAB) for Java Virtual Machine and/or Java processor is proposed. JOLAB keeps resolution information for speedup constant pool references of JVM bytecode. Hence, JOLAB will reduce effective object access latency, as well as TLB for virtual addressing.We also present some performance number with benchmarks.


Of all the places St Sava of Serbia had allegedly visited during his second
 voyage to the East, the attention of scholars was particularly drawn to those
 which the author of his first vita, Domentijan, designated as 'Great Babylon'
 and 'Great Egypt'. The article presents a new hypothesis on how this segment
 of Sava's itinerary was (re)constructed on the literary plane, i. e. how the
 perspective of his hagiographer, a hieromonk of the Hilandar monastery, was
 influenced and shaped by geographical knowledge, personal experience, and
 finally, by the general conventions of the vita genre.


:M.J. SUBBAIAH the demand for the inferior cereals viz. wheat and rice has already been rising. Therefore, while it is correct to say that these imports helped meet the rising demand it is difficult to say that they have been instrumental in raising consumption. In the next chapter the discussion is focussed on the effect of P.L. 480 imports on the domestic prices ofthese commodities. But actually the problem analysed is, the effect of the various governmental policies including the issue ofP.L. 480 grains on prices. The authors demonstrate how the relative price of wheat has been kept down by the release of P.L. 480 imports. The analysis is carried further in the next chapter and the impact of these imports on production through its effect on prices is examined. Having arrived at the conclusion that the relative prices did not have any significant influence on acreage under wheat they hasten to add "wherever suitable alternates to wheat were available .... the lower relative price of wheat prevented the area under wheat from increasing further "to a certain extent." There are two important points that should be borne in mind when one reads this book. First, as the period considered is not sufficiently long, it is very difficult to identify or indicate any long-term impact of the P.L. 480 imports on the economy. The authors recognize this when they say, "the period till 1962 might be considered too short to notice any long term impact ..." Secondly, it is not easy to establish any casual relation between the P.L. 480 imports and domestic production, prices and consumption. In a dynamic set up where constant changes are occurring and where we have to cope with a number ofvariables, it is virtually impossible to pinpoint the impact ofa parti': cular variable on the economy. The book is a valuable contribution to the study of our food problem. It deserves to be read for the valuable information its contains in regard to the various aspects of Indian agriculture.


.......................................................................................................................................... 1 POPULAR SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 2 ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 5 MATERIALS AND METHODS ............................................................................................................ 10 REAGENTS AND CHEMICALS: ......................................................................................................................... 10 WHEAT SAMPLES: ....................................................................................................................................... 10 IN VITRO DIGESTIONS: .................................................................................................................................. 10 IRON RELEASE: ............................................................................................................................................ 10 CELL CULTURE AND IRON UPTAKE ................................................................................................................... 10 QUANTIFICATION OF FE UPTAKE IN CACO-2 CELLS: ........................................................................................... 11 PROTEIN ASSAY: ......................................................................................................................................... 11 PHYTIC ACID ASSAY: .................................................................................................................................... 11 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: ................................................................................................................................ 11 RESULTS: ........................................................................................................................................... 12 1: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON PHYTIC ACID FOUND IN WHEAT FLOUR. ............ 12 2: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON IRON RELEASE FROM WHEAT FLOUR. ............... 13 3: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON IRON UPTAKE FROM WHEAT FLOUR. ................ 14 DISCUSSION: ...................................................................................................................................... 15 1: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON PHYTIC ACID IN WHEAT FLOUR. ....................... 15 2: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON IRON RELEASE FROM WHEAT FLOUR. ............... 16 3: EFFECT OF MICRO-MILLING AND HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSING ON IRON UPTAKE BY CACO-2 CELLS FROM WHEAT FLOUR. ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ................................................................................... 18 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................... 19 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 20 APPENDICES: ..................................................................................................................................... 23 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................................ 23 APPENDIX 2: ............................................................................................................................................... 24


The complexities of real industrial systems operati on processes require computational methods that can analyze the large data and evaluate the behaviours of these systems. The use of methods such as Bayesi an Network, Formal Safety Assessment and Statistical-M odel based method were discussed as possibilities. Of which, a computational tool, based on the Semi-Mark ov model, was developed. This tool was then applied to analyze the behaviour of the operation processes of the oil transportation system in D ębogórze, Poland. The analyses showed that the computational solutions ge nerated compared favorably well with the analytical calculations, enabling possible extensions of the t ool to include reliability and optimization evaluat ions to be explored. Lumanpauw Ernest, Habibullah Mohamed S., Kołowrocki Krzysztof, Soszy ńska Joanna, Xie Min A computational tool for general model of industria l systems operation processes 296 computational tool that can model such large and complex maritime industrial systems operation processes, would indeed be valuable to practitioner s and users. In developing such computational tool, various approaches have been proposed in understanding the behaviour of maritime industrial systems operation processes. The 3 most commonly researched methods are namely the Bayesian Network (BN), the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) and the Statistical Model-based method. Here, an overview of these 3 methods and its applicability in evaluating the behaviour of maritime industrial systems operation processes is discussed. Bayesian Network (BN) [13] is a probabilistic graphical model, whose nodes are used to represent variables and edges, in describing variables dependence with each another. It is a popular research approach to the maritime industry and it i s often considered when analyzing the probability relationship between the different types of ships a nd accident rates. It is also a model that can be used to clearly represent the inter-relationship between subsystems and components of a system. In modelling maritime transportation systems, some variances of the BN have emerged. The Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) [16] was primarily developed for modelling Maritime Transport System (MTS), by taking into consideration ship owners, shipyards, port authorities, regulators and their mutual influences. By considering the case for the design of High Speed Craft (HSC), the study looked into the risk analysis associated with the quantification of Human and Organizational Factors (HFO). Integrated with the Fault-Tree analysis, the BBN managed to identify the probabilistic correlations between the basic events of collision and the model under HFO conditions, for collision in the open sea s. Norrington et al [12] had also used the BBN model to conduct the reliability analysis of Search-AndRescue (SAR) operations with the UK coastal guard coordination centres. Another variant is the FuzzyBayesian Network (FBN) [2], applied in marine safety assessment, by integrating human elements into quantitative analysis. For this analysis, mass assignment theory was used as the bridge to connect the human factor and the probabilistic calculation. Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) is a structured and systematic methodology, aimed at enhancing maritime safety by using risk analysis and cost benefit assessment. It is achieved by providing justifications for the proposed regulatory measures and allowing comparisons of the different measures to be made. This is in line with the basic philosop hy of the FSA in that it is a tool that can be used to facilitate transparent decision-making process. FSA is also used to help in evaluating new regulations f r maritime safety and protection of marine environment, with the aim of achieving a balance between technical and operational issues, which includes human, maritime safety, protection of marine environment and costs [8]. In its applicatio n to maritime systems operation processes, Ruud [15] has applied the FSA in developing risk-based rules and functional requirements, for systems and components in an offshore crane system. In studying the watertight integrity of hatchways of bulk carriers, Lee et al [11] has also applied the FSA, which resulted in 18 hazards to be identified. This enabled 32 risk control measures to be devised in reducing the associated risks. Wang [18] also explored the use of the FSA in maritime design. By considering both offshore and marine safety, the current practices as well as recent developments in safety assessment were illustrated. This was then applied to several maritime case studies, resulting in the relationship between offshore safety and formal ship safety assessment to be described. Others have also tried incorporating new models within the FSA. One such effort is by Hu et al [7], who proposed a Model based on Relative Risk Assessment (MRRA) and used it to discuss the frequency and severity criteria affecting in ship navigation. The third approach is the Statistical Model-based method, defined as a set of mathematical equations which describes the object of interest in terms of random variables and its associated probability distribution. From the statistical analysis point o f view, in applying such methods, availability of rea l data is a necessity as these data are then used to extract features in relation to maritime safety, reliability, availability and risks. One such real data is from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) in UK. Using data from 1992 to 1999, Wang et al [19] conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of accidents involving fishing vessels, with the results presented in tables and graphs, showing the frequency and trends of the various accidents. Jin et al [9] also conducted similar fishing vessels accidents analyses using data from northeastern USA but investigated further by modelling the accidents using logistics probability distribution. By considering factors such as weathe r and vessel size into the probability function, the paper provided a complete analysis of all causal factors of the fishing accidents and how much do they affect the ship safety, leading to the conclus ion that the accidents probability is affected by the weather, vessel location, time of year, and vessel characteristics. Thus, it can be seen that the prim ary aim of these statistical models is to simulate, and then predict and optimize the system. One particula r SSARS 2009 Summer Safety and Reliability Seminars , July 19-25, 2009, Gdańsk-Sopot, Poland 297 branch of statistical methods that has such capabilities is the Markov and Semi-Markov [6] methods. These methods has been used to estimate the corrosion rate as well as finding the failure probability of piping system [17], to study the patient population profile of a clinical trial, for arbitrary many patient classes, trial sites and sta rttimes [3] and to model in conjunction with Weibull distribution holding times to the actual power-plan t operating data [14]. Of the 3 methods discussed, the Statistical Modelbased method is best placed to provide a mean of understanding the behaviour of maritime industrial systems operation processes. This is due to the fac t that unlike the BN and the FSA, the Statistical Model-based method is capable of handling mathematical complexities associated with maritime systems. The ability of this method to handle large datasets together with the use of data mining tools and extensive compute-power is also a plus. Also, recent breakthroughs in the use of Semi-Markov models on maritime transportation by Kołowrocki et al [5], [1], [10] have opened many possibilities. In his papers, he has analytically modelled the maritime transportation operations as a SemiMarkov process, with the stationary limiting probability that the operation will stay in each st ate, are computed based on the model. He then applied this to several real problems such as shipyard rope transportation system port oil transportation and s hip operational process. Although the Semi-Markov model can be evaluated analytically, its solution is straightforward only for simple problems, with limited number of states considered. For large and complex systems such as in real maritime transportation, the continued use of analytical computation is tedious and cumbersome. Thus, having a Semi-Markov computational tool that can model industrial systems operation processes would indeed be advantageous, as the reusability of the codes would enable users to continuously improve and optimize the operation processes. In addition, the use of such computational tool would also ease the handling of the compute-intensive lar ge data sets associated with maritime transportation a nd its use together with data mining techniques. The rest of this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the proposed general SemiMarkov model of industrial systems operation processes. This is then followed by Section 3, wher e the developed Semi-Markov computational tool, is discussed. In Section 4, the application of the computational tool for the case of port oil transportation system process is analyzed and described. Finally, in Section 5, the paper is concluded with outlines of future possible works th at could be explored. 2. General model of industrial systems operation processes The general model of industrial systems operation processes is formulated as a Semi-Markov process [4]. The systems, during its operation processes, a re taking N v v ∈ , different operation states. Furthermore, ) (t Z , > +∞ ∈< , 0 t is defined as the process with discrete operation states from the set of states, } { v z z z Z ,.... , 2 1 = , and conditional sojourn times, bl θ , at the operation states, b z , when its next operation state is l z , , ,...., 2 , 1 . v l b = l b ≠ . Based on the above assumptions, the general system operation process may be described by: • The initial operation state probability vector: )] 0 ( ),....


With the development of vehicle-to-vehicle(V2V) communications technology, cooperative driving has attracted extensive attention for solving road related issues, such as the safety issues, and congestion issues. Lane change is one of the most common and basic driving modes of vehicles, which plays an important role on road safety. However, few researchers have focused on the study of employing lane change strategies for solving road safety issues, especially in the blocked states. This paper proposes a lane change strategy called Safely Change Lane(SCL), which controls the direction of the blocked vehicles changing lanes to reduce unnecessary lane changes for improving road safety. In order to verify the performance, the proposed model is simulated on SUMO and compared with Altruistic Cooperative Driving(ACD) strategy. The results show that the proposed SCL can improve road safety and realize fuel economy while maintaining traffic efficiency.


This work was supported in part by the Energy Efficiency and Resources of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant funded by Korea government Ministry of Knowledge Economy (2012T100100477)


The article describes and analyses the behavioral science research on sport in Sweden and how "competitive sport" was treated between 1970 and 2010, as "modern sport" came to be called in Sweden. The point of departure is that sports researchers have not only analyzed but also influenced how sport in associations and schools has developed. In modern society men and women in science have a legitimacy and authority that give them good opportunities to influence opinions and concrete policies. The article describes the fundamental criticism that Swedish sports researchers for 40 years have directed at competition in sport. It is also shown that this criticism has been accompanied by a very positive description of other forms of sport, including games. The article concludes, with a critical examination of the sports researchers' analysis of "competitive sport", among other things their superficial understanding of "competition" and the lack of analyses and problematisations of informal competitions.


NEWMAN'S doctrine on our Lady is a triumph of quality where quantity is lacking. The sum of his writing on the subject is compara tively slight: some half a dozen sermons wholly or in part dealing with Mary; important passages in the Essay on Development; a basic text, the Letter to Pusey; the section relevant to the Immacu late Conception in On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine; a number of interesting letters, some of which deal with the dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception; enlightening passages in the Meditations and Devotions; a whole section of which deals with our Lady's titles in the Litany of Loreto; and suggestive jottings in the Sermon Notes. Anyone who goes through this body of writing with the texts of Vatican II fresh in his mind will be struck by many similarities, resemblances not only in general approach and guiding principles, but in the formulation of doctrine. Historians of Marian theology sometimes single out Newman and Scheeben as the best of the nineteenth-century writers on the subject. Rene Laurentin attributes the excellence in each case to close reliance on the Fathers. Since, as an Anglican, Newman was formed in the school of the Scriptures also, he is an ideal guide in the age which has seen the 'return to the sources' as the sure and normal means of renewing theology. Since his ideas were more and more fully expressed through his life, the different phases of his career will afford a suitable basis of


The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of acculturation differences on psychological distress and family functioning in non-Jewish Russian immigrant families. Potential mediating effects of social support and parenting style and moderating effect of the child's gender were investigated using regression analysis. The sample consisted of 80 Russian immigrant mother-child dyads residing in the northeast region of the U.S. The study included independent assessment of acculturation to American and Russian cultures. Results confirm the presence of associations between acculturative differences, psychological distress, and family problems. A mediational role of social support and parenting style on the impact of acculturation differences was not found; however, the child's gender moderated the impact of acculturation differences on psychological distress. In addition, the child's gender partially moderated the link between acculturation differences and greater mothers' psychological distress. The findings suggest that acculturation differences have deleterious effects on mental health and family functioning of Russian immigrants.


Tighter control of oxygen titration in "at risk" premature neonates might reduce the incidence of complications associated with retinopathy of prematurity (STOP-ROP). Pulse oximetry (SpO2) has been used as a reference in determining oxygenation. SpO2 is determined by comparing absorbance of light (red and infrared) at two wavelengths during pulsatile blood flow. Motion, perfusion, and ambient light overwhelm the ability of a conventional oximeter to continuously transduce accurate readings in "at risk" premature infants. The Masimo Signal Extraction Technology (SET) calculates a noise reference and uses adaptive filters to attenuate artifact and amplify relevant signals. This study compares the Masimo SET to a conventional pulse oximeter (Nellcor) on ten sick newborns at risk for ROP. The Masimo sensor (LNOP Neo Pt) was attached to a Masimo prototype oximeter and the Nellcor sensor (N-25) to a Nellcor N-200 oximeter. Neonates were monitored for 3-4 hours with a sensor on each foot, then sensors were switched to the opposite foot and similarly monitored. ECG was interfaced from a SpaceLabs monitor to distinguish false oximeter events. Intrinsic motion, caregiver, and parental influenced desaturation were noted. The Masimo SET waveform was examined via a frequency analysis plot of SpO2. "True" desaturation occurred when a peak corresponding to the ECG frequency domain was identified and multiples of the waveform corroborated the finding (Comp. Biol. Med. 26:143-159, 1996). The total duration of Nellcor false alarms was nearly 14 times greater than Masimo SET. On average, the Nellcor alarmed falsely every 13.9min for 36.6s; Masimo SET, every 87.8min for 16.9s. False titration of oxygen may produce significant morbidity in the premature infant. A survey of >100 NICU's reported that the majority set high SpO2 alarms which "could predispose an infant on supplemental oxygen to hyperoxemia"(J. Perinatol. 17:341-5, 1997). The caregiver is numbed to a true alarm condition. Because of the high alarm rate, studies based upon a caregivers response to conventional oximetry are suspect at best. Table


In temperate climates, a significant fraction of annual emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) from agricultural land can occur during soil thaw in late winter and early spring. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of land use change from long-term fallow grassland to managed perennial grass crops on these thaw-related N2O emissions, and to identify field-scale drivers that influence emissions. Using static chambers, we monitored mid-afternoon N2O fluxes during the 2013 spring thaw from March 27 to April 7, observing fallow grassland and second year reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae L., v. Bellevue) over a short topographical gradient. Soil temperature, soil moisture and residual above-ground biomass were also observed, as were hourly air temperature and precipitation. Fluxes of N2O were generally low (-9.8 to 21.3 μg N2O-N m-2 hr-1) except for one observation of 77.6 μg N2O-N m-2 hr-1. Hot-moment analysis, non-parametric statistical tests, and ANOVA results showed that downslope positions converted to managed and fertilized grass had significantly higher N2O emissions compared to the fallow and upslope positions. We found that these downslope managed grass sites had mean soil moisture of 75.0 % water filled pore space (WFPS) and less insulating residual above-ground biomass than the fallow grassland. Our results suggest that converting fallow grassland to managed perennial grass cropping systems for bioenergy or other uses could increase springthaw N2O emissions in wetness-prone areas.


The paper analyses the actuality of Hubei science and teaching resource and puts forward my own opinion about how to bring the science and teaching resource advantage into play.


The economy arranges human activity in the sphere of the farming, it cannot do without notions settled on the basis of human nature and nature of society, because economic activity of a man is not only his attitude towards things, but first of all to other people as individual beings, and to their teams and social groups. Because economic activities belong to a group of human occurrences therefore their understanding requires knowledge of human nature and factors financially elusive belonging to psychology and ethics and having impact on the human behaviour. The research of these occurrences is based on lots of data, by no means statistical. In research of economic phenomena metaphysical notions about human nature are the most important, about its origin, destiny, selfesteem and mutual bound among people. In this way the range of political power cannot be determined by empirical research}. However , if considerations refer to the human nature and that of social coexistence, it can be qualified, what belongs to an individual and what to the state. In practice we can state different competences in this range. Let`s analyse 3 different ones in this range: the extreme liberalism, Christian ethics, and entire socialist Bolshevik etatism.


The 1980s will be remembered by forest professionals as a decade of intense and widespread societal concern for the vitality and integrity of forest systems. Daily reports of tropical deforestation and temperate forest decline have heightened social consciousness of forest health. It is therefore appropriate, as we enter the 1990s, to assess the health of our forests and propose new initiatives in this critically important area. Making generalizations about the health of North American forests is difficult because of the extraordinary diversity of forests, management regimes, and stress factors. This overview article summarizes forest health fundamentals, significant health risks, and priorities in future forest health management for temperate forests of the United States.


Iron overload and chronic viral hepatitis underlie the increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Beta thalassemia, as recently emerged due to the prolonged survival. Conversely, there are very few studies examining the relationship between thalassemia and other malignancies. Although some Authors have indicated an increase in incidence of hematologic and solid tumours such as thyroid cancer and renal cell carcinoma, there are not enough data to make a conclusion. Moreover, there is even less data on a possible relationship between other Hemoglobinopathies and tumors risk.
 Seven Italian Specialized Centres for the treatment of Hemoglobinopathies, with the patronage of the "Società Italiana Talassemie ed Emoglobinopatie" (SITE), evaluated the incidence of malignant neoplasms in Hemoglobinopathies, their site and features. Each Center considered all consecutive patients of its own historical series; the cohort included 4104 patients (48% males), followed between 1970 and 2021 (Figure 1A), for a total of 143255 person-years of observation.
 The most common diagnosis was Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia (TDT) with 2122 subjects (51.7%), followed by Non-Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia (NTDT, 789 subjects, 19.2%), Sickle Cell Disease (SCD, 787, 19.2%), Hemoglobin H Disease (HbH, 375, 9.1%) and Other (34, 0.8%). Two-hundred-sixty-two patients had undergone bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
 A total of 157 diagnoses of cancer (153 patients, 52% males) was reported during the period of observation, corresponding to a prevalence of 3.8%, with the mean age at the diagnosis of 47±13 years.
 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the most frequent site (62 cases) in both sexes (males 50%, females 32%) contributing to 41% of total number of cases, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, and in all type of hemoglobinopathies (except HbH). No significant differences were found in the age of diagnosis of HCC stratifying for gender (males 48±14 years, females 51±9 years) and types of Hemoglobinopathies (TD 48±9 years, NTDT 51±10 years, SCD 50±14 years).
 After HCC, hematologic tumours (11), kidney (6), and lung (6) were the most frequent sites in men, accounting for 29% of all male cancers. For women, the most common incident cancers were breast (9), thyroid (8) and kidney (7), these representing 33% of all female cancer cases (Figure 1B).
 The first diagnoses of cancer dated back to the 1980s and their number sharply increased after the 2000s with a peak in the five-year period 2008-2012 and a (not significant) reduction in recent years. A similar trend may be noted considering HCC alone but in this specific case, the reduction reaches the level of significance (Figure 1C).
 The overall age-adjusted incidence rate of cancer in Hemoglobinopathies was estimated to be 391 cases/100000 person-years (95% C.I. 290-650) which was not statistically different from that of the Italian general population (632 cases/100000 person-years), both considering Hemoglobinopathies in total and each subgroup of patients.
 However, age-adjusted incidence rate of HCC was more than 7 times lower in general population (22 cases/100000 person-years) than in patients with Hemoglobinopathies (153 cases/100000 person-years, 95% C.I. 96-222, p<0.05). TDT patients had the highest HCC incidence rate and therefore the greatest difference with general population (462 cases/100000 person-years, 95% C.I. 114-899, p<0.05), followed by NTDT patients (94 cases/100000 person-years, 95% C.I. 33-188, p<0.05). The comparison between the age-adjusted incidence rate of HCC patients with SCD and general population did not reach the statistical significance. No other malignancies had a higher incidence in patients with Hemoglobinopathy than in the general population.
 Although preliminary, these findings provide novel insights into the relationship between cancer and Hemoglobinopathies, suggesting that the overall cancer risk is not increased in these patients. HCC is confirmed as the most frequent tumor, especially in patients with Beta Thalassemia (TD and NTDT), but advances in chelation, with renewed attention to hepatic iron, and the new drugs that have led to the eradication of hepatitis C even in these patients, may explain the recent reduction in the number of diagnoses that we have reported in this study.
 Acknowledgment. We would like to thank ALT (Associazione per la Lotta alla Talassemia R.Vullo - Ferrara).
 Figure 1 Figure 1.

 Origa: Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BlueBird Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria. Longo: Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; BlueBird Bio: Honoraria. Pinto: BlueBird Bio: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Quarta: Sanofi - Genzyme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: collaboration relationships for Advisory boards, Webinar events, editorial projects; Speaker at conferences; Blue Bird Bio: Other: collaboration relationships for Advisory boards, Webinar events, editorial projects; Celgene: Other: collaboration relationships for Advisory boards, Webinar events, editorial projects; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: collaboration relationships for Advisory boards, Webinar events, editorial projects; Speaker at conferences; Takeda: Other: collaboration relationships for Advisory boards, Webinar events, editorial projects; speaker at conferences; Bristol Meyer Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Speaker at conferences. Casale: Novartis Farma SpA: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Maggio: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Corp: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bluebird Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Perrotta: Novartis Farma SpA: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Blue Bird Bio: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Forni: Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bluebirdbio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.


OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the application rationality of antibiotics in patient with severe infection,and to provide reference for the clinical rational use of drugs.METHODS:One patient with severe traumatic brain injury and pulmonary infection was selected as the research object,based on the patient's symptoms and results of pathogeny,the rationality in the initial and subsequent application of antibiotics was evaluated by the clinical pharmacists,and suggestions on clinical drug use were put forward based on the patient's individual state.RESULTS:Cefathiamidine was used as the initial antibiotics after operation and the subsequent use was conventional doses of piperacillin /tazobactam,both of which were ineffective.Then the infection had been controlled by meropenem,the body temperature of the patient and all of the the biochemical indicators returned to the normal level.Thus,ceftazidime deescalation therapy were applied,the super-infection and other adverse reactions in patients did not appeared,eventually the patient discharged with a stable condition.CONCLUSIONS:The selection of empiric antibiotics of the patients was irrational.The types of pathogens,patients' special individual situation should be taken into fully consideration in rational use of antibiotics,and the dosage schedule should be adjusted according to results of bacterial culture and drug sensitivity so as to improve the medication accuracy,safety and effectiveness.


The Terminal 8 reservoir consists of 615 ft of net oil sand. Vertical closure of the oil-saturated sandstone is 1080 ft. Areal extent is 13,350 ac. The reservoir sandstones are turbidites that have been correlated with the Puente Formation. The environment of deposition is an outer fan (sandstone-to-shale ratio of 1.2) in the lower Terminal sandstones and midfan in the upper Terminal sandstone (sandstone-to-shale ratio of 3.8). The fault block is located on the northeastern flank of the Wilmington anticline and is bounded by two intersecting normal faults and by oil-water contacts. Development started in 1969. Infill drilling after 1980 extended the boundaries and provided new data that led to reevaluation of the reservoir. The nine original sand units were divided into 13 flow units. Volumetrics were calculated for each flow unit using Zycor software. Mapping of electric log-derived water saturation and net oil-sand data revealed discrepancies, the result of varying log quality, different log types, lack of thin sand definition, and changing clay content. Computer-generated maps were constructed for each flow unit, and for weighted averages the units were combined into upper and lower Terminal zones. Individual maps are: structure, net oil sand, original water saturation, current water saturation,more » original oil in place, current oil in place, original reserves, current reserves, oil produced, pressure, and water cut. Mapping of original oil in place revealed fluid barriers within the reservoir. Mapping of current oil in place indicated moved oil and defined undrained areas. Water cut, fluid entry surveys, and temperature-spinner-tracer survey mapping revealed permeability trends. Pressure data confirmed sealing faults. This detailed study defined suspected, but never analyzed, complexities of the Terminal 8 reservoir.« less


Summary: Purpose: Endovascular coil embolization for very small aneurysms ( ≤ 3 mm) is considered to be technically challenging because of technical difficulties and high complication rates. We aimed to evaluate the results of endovascular coil embolization for very small aneurysms. Materials and Methods: Between 1998 and 2012, 48 very small aneurysms in 45 patients were treated with coil embolization. Twenty-seven aneurysms were ruptured, and 21 were unruptured. Of the 21 unruptured aneurysms, 8 were associated with ruptured aneurysm and 13 were detected incidentally by routine examination. We assessed the procedural complications, type of the first coil, total number and length of the coils used, initial angiographic results immediately after the procedure, and short-term follow-up angiographic results. Results: Two aneurysms ruptured during the procedure but did not lead to any neurological deficit. One thromboembolic complication occurred and led to hemiparesis. The procedure-related morbidity and mortality were 2.2% and 0%, respectively. Extrasoft and ultrasoft coils were mainly used for the first coil. The total number of the coils used ranged from 1 to 3 in 70% of the cases. The total length of the coil used was < 10 cm in 60% of the cases. Immediately after coil embolization, complete occlusion, neck remnant, and dome filling were achieved in 23 (50%), 8 (17%), and 16 aneurysms (33%), re-spectively. None of the cases had rerupture and retreatment from initial treatment to follow-up. Some incompletely occluded aneurysms spontaneously led to complete occlusion during the follow-up peri-od. Conclusion: Coil embolization of very small aneurysms is technically feasible. Appropriate selection of patients and careful consideration of the technical issues in the treatment of these aneurysms are essential to achieve technical success. A delicate procedure is required to prevent complications during the procedure.


c) procedures for conformity assessment of products to technical requirements (hereinafter referred to as "conformity assessment"), d) rights and obligations of enterprisers and other legal entities established according to specific regulation and designated to carry out activities under this Act related to conformity assessment. e) the rights and obligations of enterprisers who manufacture, import or place the products on the market,


Background: The main concerns following general anesthesia, especially if it lasts longer than 4 hours, are postoperative pulmonary complications, including hypoxemia, lung atelectasis, and acute respiratory failure requiring reintubation. To avoid these complications, postoperative extubation with respiratory support is crucial. The high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) increases end-expiratory lung volume and reduces the work of breathing to improve oxygenation by delivering a flow-dependent positive airway pressure. The advantages of using HFNC to prevent reintubation have been demonstrated in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery. Our target population's information is still deficient, and our trial is set up to uncover this proof.
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) versus low-flow nasal cannula on the reintubation rate and clinical outcomes in the early post-extubation adult who has prolonged general anesthesia for non-cardiothoracic and non-neuro surgery that requires surgical ICU admission.
Methods: In this study, 260 patients with an intermediate to high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications following non-cardiothoracic surgery and non-neurosurgery that required general anesthesia for longer than 4 hours were randomly assigned to receive either a high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) or a low-flow nasal cannula after extubation. The primary outcome indicator is the reintubation rate within 72 hours of tracheal extubation. Postoperative pulmonary complications, the length of stay in the ICU and hospital, and mortality are considered secondary outcome measures.
Conclusions: This study is an investigator-initiated randomized controlled trial powered to test the hypothesis that early application of a high-flow nasal cannula probably reduces the reintubation rate in patients in SICUs with prolonged durations of general anesthesia.


In this study, alkali modified coal fly ash (MFA) and unmodified coal fly ash (unMFA) were applied, as pit latrine additives to eliminate faecal coliforms from synthetic faeces (SF), which were used as a proxy for real pit latrine waste. The X-ray diffractogram spectrum showed that
 mullite and quartz were converted into hydroxysilicate. Two separate studies were run over a period of seven weeks. The first study had the treatment combinations of SF: MFA, SF: unMFA, SF: MFA: synthetic greywater (SGW), SF: unMFA: SGW, SF: MFA: synthetic urine (SU), SF: unMFA: SU and SF
 (as a control) while the second study consisted of the combinations of SF: MFA, SF: unMFA, SF: MFA: lime (6g), SF: unMFA: lime (12g), SF: MFA: lime (24g), SF: unMFA: lime (50g) respectively. The pH in both studies ranged between 7.07 and 12.38. The average initial concentrations of faecal
 coliforms from each of the experimental treatments ranged from 9.96 x 106 to 1.06 x107 ± 2 x106 cfu/g of dry weight on the first day of the experiment. However, they were removed completely after 7 days with no regrowth for a period of 7 weeks indicating
 removal of faecal coliforms to level below the detection limits of the enumeration technique used. On the first study on the fourth week, faecal coliforms reappeared in the pit latrine treatment SF: MFA: SU (5.60 x 105 ± 8.66 x 105 cfu/g dry weight) followed by
 SF: MFA (1.78 x 105 ± 2.89 x 105 cfu/g dry weight) but thereafter could not be detected (detection limit was 545 cfu/ g dry weight of SF) for the remainder of the study. The concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium, phosphate ranged between 6.35
 x102 ± 1.26x102 – 22.11 x102, 0.116±0.091 – 21.38 x102 ± 1.77x102 and 1.35x102 ±0.348 – 31.18x102 ±0.348 mg/g of dry weight respectively while nitrate concentration
 was zero. In conclusion, both studies showed that MFA and unMFA can be used as pit latrine additives for the removal of pathogenic microorganisms, however, the contents of the pit latrine might have an influence on how fast and effective the additive might be as shown in the first study where
 SU or SGW were introduced.


Television studies in Poland has not yet been recognized as an academic discipline in its own right. Despite this obvious omission in the institutional division of academic fields, Polish researchers have been studying television: its texts, audiences and history. This aerial review aims to present the main intellectual traditions that influenced academic writing of Polish scholars on the topic of television, both domestic and imported. This focus on research conducted by Polish scholars, and written mainly in Polish, allows for an examination of the body of work that is otherwise inaccessible to Anglo-American researchers due to the language barrier. Local academic debates are presented in a way that reflects the main disciplinary criteria of Anglo-American television studies, allowing for a clear organization of what is a substantial amount of literature. Additionally, this review aims to give a sense of what it is like to study television in an environment where TV criticism and analysis are not granted the status of an academic discipline. The consideration of the broader context for Polish studies on television allows for a thorough understanding of this academic field, its focus, main methodologies, challenges and its way forward.


With capital harder and harder to come by, hospitals must get back to basics to impress the markets. This foldout section offers advice from financial experts.


Summary form only given.A THz field may be generated at the surface of a semiconductor by surface field photoconduction (SFP). In this process, photogenerated carriers are accelerated by the built-in surface field within the depletion region and their coherent motion results in the cooperative emission of THz radiation. A significant enhancement in the THz power generated by SFP has been previously observed when a magnetic field is applied to InAs. In the present experiment, we investigate the effects of magnetic fields up to 8 T on the THz emission from a bulk [100] n-type MBE-grown GaAs sample (carrier density n=1*10/sup 15/(cm/sup -/3)). The sample was illuminated at an angle of 45/spl deg/ by a 70-fs pulse centred at 760 nm. The magnetic field was applied in the plane of incidence parallel to the reflected THz beam. The emitted THz radiation was measured both by an incoherent bolometer detection scheme and coherent free-space electro-optic sampling.


In this work, we provide elementary numerical support in favor of the fact that the process of nonlinear supratransmission is not present in continuous, spherically symmetric, three-dimensional sineGordon and Klein-Gordon systems initially at rest and which are driven harmonically at the origin. The results are in agreement with the well-known fact that spherically symmetric Klein-Gordon systems are incapable of building localized coherent structures when driven at the origin.


Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan, Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, 4 Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, BC, Canada, Department of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China


Radiographic iodine contrast media (I-CM) has been recognized as the third leading cause of hospital-acquired renal insufficiency or the most common cause among pharmaceutical agents (Nash et al., 2002) with an overall incidence of contrast medium-induced nephropathy (CIN) of 1-2% following percutaneous coronary angiography (PCA) and interventions (PCI) (Mehran & Nikolsky, 2006). The presence of multiple CIN risk factors or high-risk clinical scenarios may create a substantial risk of CIN (≈50%), acute renal failure (≈15%) requiring dialysis and an increased morbidity and mortality (Marenzi et al., 2004; McCullough et al., 2006a, 2006b). At the same time it has been argued that the risk of CIN is lower following IV administration of CM in connection with computed tomography (CT) than after IA injections during cardiac procedures (Davidson et al., 2006; Katzberg & Barrett, 2007; Katzberg & Newhouse, 2010), though there exist no comparative studies based on matched risk factors and CM doses.


To determine the development mode of layered sandstone reservoir, a system economic model was established, which thought the layer in production and its upper (downer) layer as a system, and the overall benefits of the two modes were contrasted using the existing well (UEWM) or the method of drilling a new well (DNWM); then, the upper (downer) oil layer development mode could be determined quickly by the model. The method can avoid the chemical agent effect of the upper target layer, which also makes the calculation more accurate. In the model, the cumulative oil production limits of the producing layer are described at different oil prices of DNWM and UEWM methods. Then, an economic ultimate water cut (EUWC) model is established. According to this model, when the water cut attains to EUWC, the oilfield should be abandoned. Meantime, the arctangent prediction model for water cut is combined with the water drive curve method, to forecast the accumulative oil from the planning time of the upper target layer production to the abandonment time of the first production layer of oilfield. And then, the development mode could be decided through contrast with the cumulative oil production limit. When the oil price is 40$/bbl, the EUWC of the block is 97.55%, and time is May 2020, earlier than the planned upper layer production time January 2023, so its rest cumulative production would be

 0.0
 ×

 10

 4

 t

 , which is less than the cumulative production limit of

 32
 ×

 10

 4

 t

 . Hence, the UEWM should be chosen. When the oil price is $70/bbl, EUWC is 98.93%, and the corresponding time is August 2027. From the planned return time of January 2023 to August 2027, the block has cumulative oil production of

 25.54
 ×

 10

 4

 t

 , greater than the cumulative oil limitation of

 10.8
 ×

 10

 4

 t

 . The old exiting well still has larger economic productivity; hence, the DNWM method should be chosen. This work provides theoretical support for up (down) formation development mode of production layer. It is of great significance to guide the development of layered sandstone reservoirs. The system economic model established can decide development mode with drilling wells or using exiting well, and it was first created in the field of oil reservoirs. This method fills up the theoretical blank of development mode for upper or downer layer of the producing layer in layered sandstone reservoir.


The structure of the wireless sensor network (WSN) for operational monitoring of soil moisture and temperature on the agricultural field with high accuracy is considered in the article. The evaluation of wireless sensor networks' technical capabilities for agricultural applications is given; the advantages and disadvantages of their use in the field conditions are noted, taking into account the influence of different factors on the quality of communication. To solve the problems of radio communication in the soil and deploying a sensor device completely below the ground surface, the prototype model of a sensor node with a retractable antenna has been developed. Sensor nodes were communicated via the ZigBee protocol and the integrated spatial attribute information was transmitted into the database.


Summary We introduce a dual of the uniform boundedness principle that does not require completeness and gives an indirect means for testing the boundedness of a set. The dual principle, although known to analysts and despite its applications in establishing results such as the Hellinger-Toeplitz theorem, is often missing from elementary treatments of functional analysis. We give an example showing a connection between the dual principle and a question in the spirit of du Bois-Reymond regarding the boundary between convergence and divergence for sequences. This example is intended to illustrate why the statement of the principle is natural and clarify what the principle claims and what it does not.


Objective
To investigate the effect of auricular acupoint pressing combined with lavipeditum with Chinese medicine in the treatment of sudden deafness by improving sleep quality.

Methods
Ninety patients diagnosed with sudden deafness at our hospital from January, 2018 to February, 2019 were randomized into an observation group (G2), a positive control group (G1), and a negative control group (G0), 30 cases for each group. All the 3 groups were conventionally treated. In addition, group G2 was treated with auricular acupoint pressing and lavipeditum with Chinese medicine; group G1 with sulpiride; and group G0 with placebo. The Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the grading criteria for sudden deafness developed by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Otolaryngology Society were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects (Sleep quality and hearing outcome) of the three groups before and 7 and 14 days after the treatment.

Results
7 days after treatment, both the sleep quality and hearing performance in the three groups were not significantly improved (all P>0.05). 14 days after the treatment, both the sleep quality and mean hearing threshold (HL) were (5.14±2.61) and (30.67±10.11) dBHL in group G2, (8.23±2.32) and (40.17±12.25) dBHL in group G1, and (9.59±4.21) and (37.10±9.23) dBHL in group G0, with statistical differences (all P<0.05). The sleep improvement of the group G2 was positively correlated with the hearing recovery (R2=0.73).

Conclusion
Auricular acupoint pressing combining lavipeditum with Chinese medicine can treat sudden deafness by improving sleep quality.

Key words:
Sudden deafness; Auricular acupoint pressing; Lavipeditum with Chinese medicine; Sleep disorders


Exploring strength curve and the corrosion mechanism of polypropylene fiber reinforced cement in chloride environment by the ultrasonic-rebound method and wet-dry cycle method in the laboratory. And fitting actual strength with rebound value and ultrasonic velocity, the result indicates that compressive strength of polypropylene fiber reinforced cement has a good regression relationship with rebound value and supersonic velocity


Data mining represent the process of extraction interesting and previously unknown knowledge from data. In this thesis we address the important data mining problem of discovering association rules in single-table and multiple-table database and we also introduce a generalization of database concept of functional dependency: the purity dependencies, which can be viewed as a type of rules that are information-ally more significant than association rule. An association rule expresses the dependence of a set of attributes value pairs, also called items, upon another set of items.


ABSTRACT Purpose: to verify the functioning of the outer hair cells and the medial efferent olivocochlear system, and the integrity of the auditory pathways in the brainstem up to the auditory cortex, in aphasic individuals. Methods: the sample comprised 20 individuals - 10 without aphasia and 10 with it, aged from 21 to 58 years. The procedures used were the research of the otoacoustic emissions by a transient stimulus with and without noise, and the cognitive potential (tone-burst and speech stimuli). The findings were analyzed based on descriptive statistics. Results: the suppression effect was more present in individuals without aphasia when compared with the aphasic ones. In the cognitive potential, the mean latency values of P3 was within normality standards, with a higher latency in the individuals presented with aphasia for the tone-burst stimulus in both ears. A statistically significant difference of the P3-N2 amplitude was observed for the tone-burst stimulus, comparing the ears in both groups, and for speech stimulus only to the left ear in both groups. Conclusions: aphasic individuals did not present significant differences regarding suppression of the otoacoustic emissions. As for the cognitive potential, the aphasic individuals presented higher latency values when compared to those with no aphasia.


AbstractConventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a simple, non-invasive analgesic technique which is delivered using high frequency (10–250 Hz) currents to produce a 'strong but comfortable' paraesthesia within the site of pain. Acupuncture-like TENS (AL-TENS) is a variant of conventional TENS and is defined in this article as the induction of forceful but non-painful phasic muscle contractions using low frequency (1–10 Hz) electrical currents. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the analgesic effects and clinical effectiveness of AL-TENS. There is insufficient evidence to support or refute claims that there are differences in the analgesic profiles of conventional TENS and AL-TENS. Despite a large literature on TENS, it is not possible to perform an objective review of the clinical effectiveness of AL-TENS due to inconsistency in the method of application and insufficient detail on TENS treatment interventions in written reports. The use of banner terms, such as AL-TENS, to ...


Impedance matching at the surface of left‐handed materials (LHM) is required for certain applications including a perfect lens. In this study, we present the experimental and theoretical verification of an impedance‐matched LHM to free space. Reflection characteristics of both one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional LHM were investigated. The reflection was observed to be very low at a narrow frequency range. FDTD simulations and retrieval procedures were used to theoretically verify impedance matching. By varying the number of layers along the propagation direction, the ultralow reflection at specific frequencies was shown to be independent of the sample thickness. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2548–2552, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22003


From personal experience I support A. Naeem's opinion 'thinking about higher training during senior house officer (SHO) years can reap rewards' ( Psychiatric Bulletin , November 2004, 28 , 421-424). I appreciate the importance of valid research but during SHO training I focused on developing


The problem of link scheduling and power control of cognitive radio is discussed in this thesis. Joint algorithm of link scheduling and power control is brought forward to make sure that the demand of directed links are met in the shortest time. The simulation result shows that the algorithm improves throughout and the performance of scheduling obviously.


We consider the harvest of a certain proportion of a population that is modeled by an integro-difference equation. This model is discrete in time and continuous in the space variable. The dispersal of the population is modeled by an integral of the population density against a kernel function. The control is the harvest, and the goal is to maximize the profit. The optimal control is characterized by introducing an adjoint function. Numerical results and interpretations are given for four different kernels.


This study aimed to examine the explanatory role of health behaviors, socioeconomic position (SEP), and psychosocial stressors on racial/ethnic obesity disparities in a multiethnic and multiracial sample of adults.


Two batches of tubes of Zr1Nb and of Zry-4W were oxidized for 30 days at 425 °C in steam, and for 360 days at 500 °C in air, respectively. The analysis of the I-V characteristics at constant temperatures up to 220 °C of oxide layers of nearly equal thickness gave an activation energy of 1,3 eV for the grey homogeneous steam samples, and of 0.4 eV for the white surface layer, and of 1.3 eV at temperatures over 140 °C, for the grey bottom layer of the air samples, respectively. The I-V characteristics were sub-linear in the air samples, the current growing less at rising voltages, but staightening to super-linear space-charge limited currents at higher temperatures. The injection currents flowing when voltage was applied did not reach constant equilibrium, but at a bend, continued with a lesser slope. The resistivity was about one order of magnitude greater in air samples and greater in Zry-4W. The relative permittivity was greater in the steam samples and greater in Zr1Nb. The currents of the air samples were greater with Au electrodes than with Ag electrodes.


In this paper, methods for measuring the viscosity and surface tension of low-volume liquid samples are proposed. Viscosity is measured by recording the motion of a liquid driven by surface tension through a horizontal glass capillary tube. Surface tension is determined by connecting a container of a constant volume to the distal end of the capillary tube and measuring the penetration distance of the liquid entering via the proximal end. Sucrose solutions of various concentrations (0–50 wt%) were measured as samples, and the determined viscosities were confirmed to be consistent with the tabulated values provided in the Handbook of Chemistry. The surface tension was found to be constant within the measurement sensitivity of the device regardless of the sucrose concentration.


My narrator's legal name is Viet Thai Phan, but that is because her mother messed up her documents. The name she actually goes by is Thai Viet Phan which she will change in the future. Her family had escaped from Vietnam into Thailand where they gave birth to her in 1988, before setting off for the Philippines and finally America. Her sister was born when she was two, and her biological father was diagnosed with cancer shortly after. He passed away when she was 11, and her stepfather passed away recently in 2017. Thai did her undergraduate school at UCLA and got her law degree and public policy. Master's degree at USC. She also met her current husband at USC. They got married in 2016 shortly before Thai moved back to Santa Ana and began rebuilding her political connections via local government and Democratic organizations. Thai now works at Rutan and Tucker as a lawyer.


In unfertilized eggs of the sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, fertilization membrane formation was induced by an incubation with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) for several min at 20°c followed by another incubation in an ice bath. The number of eggs with fertilization membrane, thus obtained, increased in relation to the concentration of DMSO between 1 and 3% (v/v) and was higher than 75% at concentrations above 3%. Fertilization membrane formation by this treatment occurred in Ca2+ free‐ or Ca2+, Mg2+ free‐ artificial sea water containing EGTA (50 mM) and was inhibited by verapamil. In the presence of DMSO, the membrane formation was also induced by 2, 4‐dinitrophenol or cyanide in considerable number of eggs at 20°c. Eggs remained fertilizable, even when they were kept with DMSO for 1 hr at 20°c. DMSO slightly enhanced respiratory rate in unfertilized eggs and substantially reduced it in fertilized eggs. DMSO‐treated eggs exhibited cyanide‐insensitive respiratory burst following chilling in an ice bath or by adding DNP or cyanide, in a similar manner to the burst induced by sperm.


Young, good and poor readers and older, good and poor readers are evaluated, as well as the different test instruments used for this study. Some of our readers may want to comment to the "Journal" regarding Dr. Reed's concluding statement.—C.C.E.


We study the carrier localization in InN/In0.9Ga0.1N multiple-quantum-wells (MQWs) and bulk InN by means of temperature-dependent photoluminescence and pump-probe measurements at 1.55 μm. The S-shaped thermal evolution of the emission energy of the InN film is attributed to carrier localization at structural defects with an average localization energy of ∼12 meV. Carrier localization is enhanced in the MQWs due to well/barrier thickness and ternary alloy composition fluctuations, leading to a localization energy above 35 meV and longer carrier relaxation time. As a result, the luminescence efficiency in the MQWs is improved by a factor of five over bulk InN.


Nonequilibrium all-atom molecular dynamic simulations are used to study the traction properties of hydrocarbon fluids. The fluid layer is confined between two solid Fe walls under a constant normal force of 1.0 GPa. Traction simulations are performed by applying relative sliding motion on Fe walls. Shear behaviors of eight hydrocarbon fluids are simulated on sufficiently large film thickness of 6.7 nm and succeeded to reproduce in the order of experimental traction coefficients. The dynamic mechanism of momentum transfer on layers of fluid molecules are analyzed, focusing on intermolecular interactions (density profile, orientation factor, pair-correlation function) and intramolecular interactions (intramolecular interaction energy, conformation change of cyclohexyl ring). In contrast with n-hexane, which shows low traction due to a fragile chainlike interaction, other mechanisms are obtained in high-traction molecules of cyclohexane and dicyclohexyl. In cyclohexane, cyclohexyl rings face each other in a high-ordered molecular layer, and the motion of conformational changes cooperates. In dicyclohexyl, cyclohexyl rings, which distributes across low-ordered molecular layers, behaves as a stiff bulky mass, and momentum transfers to the end of molecular axis. The traction mechanism of eight hydrocarbon fluids are also obtained in the course of analysis.


Understanding the outcome of the plant-microbe symbiosis in altered gravity is vital to developing life support systems for long-distance space travel and colonization of other planets. Thus, the aim of this research was to understand mutualistic relationships between plants and endophytic microbes under the influence of altered gravity. This project utilized the model tripartite relationship among Medicago truncatula ¬– Sinorhizobium meliloti – Rhizophagus irregularis. Plants were inoculated with rhizobial bacteria (S. meliloti), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (R. irregularis), or both microbes, and placed on a rotating clinostat. Vertical and horizontal static controls were also performed. Clinorotation significantly reduced M. truncatula dry mass and fresh mass compared to the static controls. The addition of rhizobia treatments under clinorotation also altered total root length and root-to-shoot fresh mass ratio. Nodule size decreased under rhizobia + clinorotation treatment, and nodule density was significantly decreased compared to the vertical treatment. However, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was shown to increase biomass accumulation and nodule size. Thus, clinorotation significantly affected M. truncatula and its symbiotic relationships with S. meliloti and R. irregularis. In the long term, the results observed in this clinostat study on the changes of plant-microbe mutualism need to be investigated in spaceflight experiments. Thus, careful consideration of the symbiotic microbes of plants should be included in the design of bioregenerative life support systems needed for space travel.


Abstract : The present trend in liquid rocket engines, gas turbines, and Diesel engines, is towards increasingly higher chamber pressures. In many cases, the chamber pressure can exceed the critical pressures of the fuel or oxidant Above the critical pressure, the distinction between the gas and liquid phases is lost, and mechanisms conventionally associated with subcritical spray combustion no longer necessarily apply. Until recently, relatively little has been understood about the injection and combustion behavior of propellants at supercritical chamber pressures .The results presented here are an extension of our previous work 1,2 systematically investigating liquid rocket injector behavior at subcritical and supercritical pressures.


In this paper we are interested in analyzing the dynamics of the innovation policy in non-frontier countries, and their relationship with structural change and development.


Technologies associated with telecommunications and computing are rapidly converging. It is therefore becoming difficult for IS practitioners to ignore telecommunications technologies and important for IS researchers to begin investigating them. This paper identifies a set of representative telecommunications technologies, and reports the results of a study undertaken to assess their usage in American industry. The data identifies technologies that are prominent and innovative as perceived by the executives surveyed.


In this paper, nanofluid droplets (fluid containing metal nanoparticles) were subjected to evaporation on a nanoporous superhydrophobic surface to study the effects of nanoparticles on evaporation kinetics, wetting dynamics, and dry-out patterns. Metal nanoparticles (gold chloride) of three different sizes (10, 100, and 250 nm) at three different concentrations (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1% wt) were tested as nanofluids, uniformly dispersed in deionized water. Anodized alumina membranes (200 nm in pore diameter) were tested as nanoporous superhydrophobic surfaces, coated with a self assembled monolayer (SAM). During the course of evaporation in a room condition, the change of a contact angle, contact diameter, height, and volume was measured by a goniometer and compared with that of the base fluid (water) taken as a control. The initial equilibrium contact angle of the nanofluids was significantly affected by the nanoparticle sizes and concentrations. During evaporation, the evaporation behavior for the nanofluids exhibited a complete different mode from that of the base fluid. In terms of a contact angle, nanofluids showed slower decrease rate than base fluid. Nanofluid contact diameter remained almost a constant throughout evaporation with a slight change only at the very end of evaporation stage, whereas the base fluid showed a sequence of constant, increase, and mixed states of increase/decrease behavior. The nanofluids also showed a clear distinction in the evaporation rates, resulting in slower rate than base fluid. The variation of the nanoparticle sizes and concentrations did not make significant difference in the evaporation rate within the tested conditions. No abrupt change in a contact angle and diameter was observed during the evaporation, suggesting that no remarkable wetting transition from Cassie (de-wetting) to Wenzel (wetting) state occurred. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the deposited nanoparticles after complete evaporation of solvent showed unique dry-out patterns depending on nanoparticle sizes and concentrations, e.g., a thick ring-like pattern with larger particle sizes while a uniformly distributed pattern with smaller particles at higher concentrations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


Dental and oral health problems are still not become a priority among Indonesian societies. According to the Basic Health Research data in 2018, oral and dental health problems are still quite high up to 57.6%. Oral and Dental health problems are the issues which are prone to be found in infancy that will disrupt the process of a proper growth and development. Most of Indonesian society in general and many mothers in particular do not understand correctly how to care the toddlers' teeth and to keep it healthy with a good quality. The Mother School of 'Bunda Sholihah' is a local community empowerment organization whose main program is to increase the capacity of mothers in optimizing child development. This activity is designed to train the mothers to have the ability to care for children's dental health and play an active role in educating the wider community. The method utilized in this community service activities were training and educational practices. The training that has been carried out consists of education in lectures, two-way discussions and role analogies, followed by assignments in the field. The number of participants in this activity was up to 45 members from the foundation of the Bunda Sholihah society in the area of Kasihan, Bantul with a total full and active participation which reached 75.5%. This activity is carried out in groups, in once a week for 4 weeks activity, so that the total implementation was 4 meetings. This program involved the service-voluntary team as the educators, members and administrators of the foundation of Bunda Sholihah School by using modules that have been prepared by the service-voluntary team. The activity partner was the Mother School of Bunda Sholihah, Bantul, Yogyakarta. The results of this program showed a significant increase in the level of mother's knowledge in infant and toddler dental health (p <0.05) including mother's personal motivation and consideration regarding early dental examination in toddler.


The three articles included in this volume engage a number of key questions related to women's experiences in the history of Christianity in East Asia. In particular, they explore the following questions in one way or another: For East Asian women whose lives have been deeply shaped by Confucian gender ideology, what does it mean to become Christian; How has the imported religion interacted with existing religious traditions and local cultures?; What ramifications has the adoption of the new religion had for women in terms of advancing their status in society and the church? How have Christian women coped with the tensions between church and state? What structural and discursive forces have shaped women's experiences in Christian spirituality and church organizations? In what ways have women found agency in choosing their own life path?


Astronomers in China are planning to construct two telescopes in Antarctica that will search for planets outside our solar system and study the nature of dark matter and dark energy.


In recent years, the deep water area of the Eastern Makassar Strait has becoming a target for hydrocarbon exploration in Indonesia. 3D seismic surveying, as an exploration tool, has been carried out in some of the blocks. Due to water-bottom shape and reflectivity complexity, the seismic data resulting from one of the surveys showed strong and complex surface-related multiples that conceal the underlying primary seismic energy. Without an effective demultiple technique, the resulting image from data processing can give limited information. Recently WesternGeco introduced 3D General Surface Multiple Prediction (3D GSMP*) as a solution to attenuation of multiples in this type of environment. In this paper, WesternGeco together with StatoilHydro, illustrate and compare the successful use of this approach with a case history from the newly acquired data of the Karama block in the Eastern Makassar Strait. In a complex water-bottom area like the Eastern Makassar Strait, surface-related multiples will contain a cross line or "3D" component. The Downward Reflection Points (DRP) of the multiple travel paths are not in line with the source and receiver points. Any type of 2D demultiple algorithm that assumes the multiples are in the source–receiver plane, will fail to predict and attenuate the multiples and may harm the primaries. In theory, conventional 3D Surface Related Multiple Elimination (3D SRME) can provide a more accurate solution to these types of multiples. However, in practice where the source and receiver geometries are not regular, conventional 3D SRME as typically implemented will not produce an accurate multiple prediction model. 3D GSMP is a practical approach to 3D SRME that can handle the irregularities in real life survey geometries and provides a superior multiple model prediction.


Binary transition metal ferrite (BTMF) nanocrystals of formula MFe2O4 (M=Cu, Co, Ni) were prepared by the coprecipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD patterns gave average particle size by using Scherrer's equation for CuFe2O4 (CuF), CoFe2O4 (CoF), and NiFe2O4 (NiF) as 39.9, 27.3, and 43.8 nm, respectively. The catalytic activity measurements on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were carried out by using thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and ignition delay studies. Isothermal TG data up to a mass loss of 45% have been used to evaluate kinetic parameters by using model fitting as well as isoconversional method. The order of catalytic activity was found to be:


Single-atom catalysts, featured by their 100% metal atom utilization, strong metal-support interaction, low coordination environment, and high selectivity, have attracted great attention on the enhancement of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)....


There is a growing interest in introducing an automated, on-line, diagnostic monitoring function into the human-machine interfaces (HMIs) or control rooms of complex process plants. The design of such a system should be properly integrated with other HMI systems in the control room, such as the alarms system or the Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS). This paper provides a conceptual foundation for the development of a Plant-wide Diagnostic Monitoring System (PDMS), along with functional requirements for the system and other advanced HMI systems. Insights are presented into the design of an efficient and robust PDMS, which were gained from a critical review of various methodologies developed in the nuclear power industry, the chemical process industry, and the space technological community.