Medicinal plants are plants used for medicinal purposes and are commonly used in treating and preventing specific ailments and diseases that are generally considered to be harmful to humans. Gongronema latifolium is a well-known plant that is beneficial in preventing and treating certain diseases and ailment due to their phytochemical constituents. This study evaluates the effect of ethanol leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium on the reproductive system of male Albino rats using standard methods. Twenty-five male rats equally divided into five groups and five female rats were used. Group I and 2…. .II served as the Normal and Positive controls and were orally administered with distilled water and subcutaneously standard drug; testosterone respectively. The other three groups were orally treated with Gongronema latifolium extract at low, middle and high dosage (200,300 and 400ml/kg body weight) respectively. After 7 days of treatment, the female rats were introduced into the male cages in the ratio 1:1 (male: female) to ascertain for the different aphrodisiac parameters. Treatment continued for another 7 days after which the male animals were sacrificed and blood samples collected for hormonal assay. Results showed that all the aphrodisiac frequencies had a significant increase (p≤0.001) in mounting frequency, intromission frequency and penile erectile frequency when compared with the controls while the mounting latency, intromission latency, ejaculatory latency and penile erectile latency were significantly reduced (p≤0.001) in comparison with the controls in this study. Most of the reproductive hormones were significantly increased (p≤0.001) in the extract treatment group when compared to the controls. Thus, this study suggests that the crude leaf extract of Gongronema latifolium may possess aphrodisiac properties and consequently on the reproductive system.


Harmonious care is a developing welfare system started in Toyama Prefecture in 2003. Similar centers recently spread throughout Japan and this study aims to clarify the comprehensive situation of these centers. Finding are as follows; 1) Harmonious care centers offer appropriate services for everyone, however social welfare and insurance systems lead the uneven users' attributes. 2) Services include day care, nurture and short-stay. Some centers introduce job opportunity for handicapped. 3) 58 centers were purpose-built and 102 centers were renovated architecture which might be related with subsidies. 4) In purposebuilt centers, the unity-type of space composition which is suitable for observing users is more. However, some centers have difficulty because of furniture layout.


The current financial climate and spending cuts across the NHS paints a picture of doom and gloom, and does little to motivate staff and increase productivity. Reward management in healthcare organisations is challenging at the best of times. Reward systems traditionally used in profit-based organisations cannot be used without significant modification in healthcare organisations. A combination of intrinsic and extrinsic reward systems implemented in an equitable and perpetually evolving manner is required. NHS mangers need to appreciate the importance of having a motivated human resource and should deploy the appropriate reward systems if productivity is to be achieved.


The development of the different stages of 2 field strains and a laboratory strain of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), was determined at different temperatures. Results were compared with those from previous studies of a laboratory strain. The rate of development of the larval and pupal stages of males and females was similar for the 2 field strains and 2 laboratory strains. All 4 strains had similar larval and pupal developmental rates. Adult longevity of the 2 laboratory strains was similar.

The duration of the developmental stages of H. subflexa (Guenee) was also determined at different constant temperatures. The egg stage ranged in length from 10.6 to 3.1 days at 16.7° and 30.3°C, respectively. Larval development ranged from 58.61 to 12.82 days at 15°—3O.3°C. Pupal development ranged from 24.16 to 9.36 days at 20.6°-32.2°C. Adults lived 42.33 days at 16.7°, and 6.72 days at 35°C.

Development of the combined egg and larval stage of H. subflexa was ca. 4.4 days longer than that for H. virescens at 20° and 2.3 days longer at 30°C, or 14 and 6% longer, respectively. Pupal development and adult longevity were similar. H. virescens mated more often than H. subflexa at the slower temperatures.


In this paper, we present an RHCP planar spiral antenna that operates in the frequency range of 0.8 to 18 GHz. The radiation element of the proposed spiral antenna is a combination of a traditional Archimedean spiral antenna and a sine function-loaded Archimedean spiral, which helps to miniaturize the antenna. In comparison to a traditional Archimedean spiral antenna with the same frequency range, the proposed spiral antenna reduces the antenna size by 90.1%. To address the terminal effect of the planar spiral antenna, we introduced a terminal resistor and a metallic line of a gradient form in the spiral. By optimizing the height of the antenna cavity and the thickness of the absorbing material, we successfully overcame the issues of high VSWR and deterioration of high-frequency radiation patterns. Our simulation results demonstrate that the proposed spiral antenna exhibits good impedance matching over the whole operating band. We also fabricated and tested a prototype of the proposed antenna, and the measured results agreed well with the simulation ones.


To determine commonly used methods of contraception at Monkey Bay Community hospital, to compare different methods of contraception used by people of various age groups, parity, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Marital status, a clinical audit of family planning methods used by clients at Monkey Community hospital from January 2018 to June 2019 was done. Data was collected from the registers. A total number of 1734 clients reported at family planning clinic of Monkey-Bay Community Hospital between January 2018 and June 2019. All the clients were females. Most of these clients were in the age range of 15 - 34 years (83.33%). There were 1,486 (87%) HIV negative clients, 208 (12%) HIV positive clients and 24 (1%) had unknown HIV status. Most clients had a parity of 1 - 2 (905, 52.71%) followed by 3 - 4 (540, 31.45%) and 5 or plus (272, 15.84%). There were more married people (1641, 97.23%) than unmarried ones (46, 2.73%). There was only one person who was divorced (1, 0.05%). Education status was not recorded. The five commonly used contraceptive methods were: Intramuscular (IM) injectable Depo-IM (1366, 79.51%), Jadelle (122, 7.10%), Subcutaneous (SC) injectable Depo-SC (65, 3.78%), Combined Oral Contraceptives (COC) (60, 3.49%) and Implanon (40, 2.33%). None of the clients was used female condoms as a method of contraception. The contraceptive use was common between the age group of 15 - 24 (707, 44.92%) and 25 - 34 (709, 45%). Depo-IM was most used in age group 25 - 34 (44.5%) while Jadelle was mostly used by 15 - 24 years old (48%). 1181 clients (79.5%) of HIV negative clients used Depo-IM as the contraceptive method while 164 clients (78.8%) of HIV positive clients used Depo IM as a method of contraception. More HIV negative clients used Jadelle and COC as compared to HIV positive clients. The choice of a particular method of contraception was influenced by many factors. Parity, marital status, age as well as HIV status did have some association with the preferred method of contraception. Our study shows that there could be varied reason for women chose types of contraception in this part of Malawi. Interventions that aim to increase access to family planning methods, should consider exploring the reasons why clients use some methods more than the other for better planning of these services. Absence of male clients accessing vasectomy at the hospital raises concern and more studies will be needed to determine the reason why men do not come forward for family planning services at Monkey Community Hospital.


continuous stochastic processes. The homogeneous Poisson point process (HPP) is characterized by a single quantity, its rate, which is constant. One of its distinguishing features is that it evolves in time without aftereffects. This means that the occurrence times and number of events before an arbitrary time have no bearing on the subsequent occurrence times and number of events. It is said to have zero memory. Because of its simple properties, the HPP turns out to be a suitable building block for more complex point processes that appear to resemble the Poisson process little, if at all. We all recall, no doubt, a very important property of this process: pass an HPP through a lined filter and out comes shot noise. This result is probably just a shade younger than electrical engineering itself. There are many generalizations of the H€T. One case that has been studied extensively is the doubly stochastic Poisson point process (DSPP), which diffels from the HPP in that the rate is no longer constant. Rather, it takes on a stochastic nature of its own. This process was fit examined by Cox (and by Bartlett in the discussion to Cox's paper) [41. Cox provided an example of its use in textile technology. The designation DSPP wa~ introduced to emphasize that two kinds of randomness occur: randomness associated with the Poisson point process itself and an independent randomness associated with its rate. The earliest connection of the DSPP with electrical engineering appears to be in the work of Darling and Siegert [SI and Siegert [61. The DSPP subsequently became the basis for understanding the photodetection of light, and many of the early papers in this area [7] -[ 151 drew heavily on results derived in connection with classical radio receiver communications and noise [ 161 -[ 181. At the same time, the DSPP arose in the context of the detection of acoustic noise in the auditory system [ 19 I . , A number of excellent secondary sources, detailing the history and properties of the DSPP, are available [3], [201-[271. In certain areas of study, multiplication effects in point processes play an important role; in most such cases, a given (primary) point process is multiplied in some fashion to give rise to a second (subsidiary) point process. Cathodoluminescence 128 I , [ 29 I , which is responsible for the television, oscilloscope, and radar images, provides a simple but impopt


In order to study the relative growth of the pearl oyster Pinctada radiata in Tunisia, a total of 330 individuals of this species were collected from six sites along the Tunisian coastline. Quantitative measurements of collected oysters were conducted for shell height, shell length, shell width, hinge length, height and width of the nacreous part and wet weight. The size structure of the sampled populations was described and the relative growth between different morphometric characteristics was estimated as allometric growth lines for the six P. radiata samples. It appeared that the majority of examined samples were dominated by large individuals that exceed a shell height of 42 mm. The maximum size (100.5 mm), recorded in Bizerta lagoon, is bigger than that recorded elsewhere in particular in the Red Sea. Size distribution analysis also showed that the majority of P. radiata samples were dominated by two or more size groups. Differences of allometric regression were found between the examined samples for the tested relationships. Moreover, the Factorial Discriminant Analysis, coupled with Ascending Hierarchic Classification, classified the sub-populations according to geographic locations.


Objectives: Aim of this study is identification of what game means from children's point of view. The research is a mixed design research where qualitative and quantitative data are used altogether and the opinions of parents are also received. Material and methods: Population of the quantitative part of the research is composed of parent of entire third grade students of Ankara University Foundation Private Primary School (n=72), and the sample consists of 35 parents of those students returned within the scope of the surveys. For qualitative data of the research, sampling is composed of 14 people in total, of which 8 people, 2 girls and 2 boys, who can freely play games outside home, and their parents, as well as 6 people, 2 girls and 2 boys playing games at home on the computer without action, and their parents. In collection of quantitative data in the research, providing information to parents and a mini-survey study including 4 questions has been used in the research. With this survey study, it has been asked whether children played games or not, what they played with and where they played. Questionnaires, of which all questions answered, have been considered in the survey. Qualitative data of the research is composed of half-structured interview questions prepared separately for student (11 questions) and parents (6 questions) voluntarily attending to the research and identified according to the views of this questionnaire. Interview questions, we have used in the research, have been formed by considering the studies conducted in this field and taking experts' opinions. Quantitative data have been obtained by half-structured interview method and interviews have been made in a closed room after informing parents and students and making appointments beforehand. Voice recorder is used during interviews. Required permits have been received from the school administration and papers for conducting the study before the survey got started. Results: According to the quantitative results of this survey; all parents emphasized that their children both played at home or in the garden. They played with toys, tablets, and etc. at home while they played with balls, skip ropes, and etc. in the garden. Their play mates are friends, siblings or their cousins. According to the views of parents; they stated they permitted their children freely and in an active way in their gardens outside their houses, they also brought them to big children's parks, and they encouraged their children to play, they did not have an obstacle for letting them play because they lived in a closed residential area; however, they were not keen to send their children out of their gardens due to traffic and security. Conclusions: Children stated that games meant "entertainment" for them, they preferred "game groups" as types of games, mostly they played "at school and in the garden of their house", and they played with their friends. Parents stated that playing games made their children happy and helped their children to spend efforts, improve their creativity, and encouraged them to share and ensured socialization.


LIMB, established in 1977, is a machine‐readable data base covering all aspects of the education of library and information users. It is based on the collection of educational materials gathered at Loughborough University of Technology Library as part of the work of the British Library‐appointed Information Officer for User Education. The National Lending Library for Science and Technology had started collecting these items comprehensively in 1971 and they were all available on loan or as photocopies. When LIMB was introduced it was decided that this collection should be transferred from the British Library Lending Division to Loughborough and incorporated into the newly established collection of user education materials. This collection totalled some 450 handouts produced by librarians from 45 libraries in higher and further education establishments. Total LIMB holdings currently exceed 3,000 items.


Considering nonlinear magnetization characteristics of a switched reluctance motor (SRM), this paper presents a nonlinear model of SRM based on the integration of least square support vector machine (LSSVM) and adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA), known as LSSVM-AGA. The real-valued AGA is applied to optimize the parameters of LSSVM, and then the LSSVM using the optimal parameters forms a very efficient mapping structure for the nonlinear SRM. The hybrid method for modeling SRM is tested through sufficient sample data to verify its validation and feasibility. The sample data comprise flux linkage, current and rotor position, which obtained from the experimental SRM by the dc-excitation method. The forecasted data of the SRM model with LSSVM-AGA are compared with measured data, and error analyses are given to determine performances of the model. The experimental results demonstrate that LSSVM optimized by AGA performs better forecast accuracy and successful modeling of SRM.


The potential recovery of methane from coalbeds has led to the US Department of Energy's Methane Recovery from Coalbeds Project (MRCP). During the progress of this program, the Morgantown Energy Technology Center developed MRCP Resources Data Base System. In order to fully utilize the data base system, it became apparent that a set of Well Description and Field Activities Logs would be necessary in order to record all of the necessary and pertinent well information that would ultimately be entered into the Data Base System. This report describes the set of Well Description and Field Activity Logs that has been developed and discusses the procedures that will be followed in using the logs. It should be mentioned that as information becomes readily available, modification of these logs may be necessary.


The aim of this paper is to provide a brief reading of Tractatus 6.421 and its consequences in 6.432 and following, adding to it an sketch of so-lution, which takes hold on the idea, present in his lessons and conver-sations, of "super-mechanism".


The present invention is to provide a method for transmitting information between multiple electronic pages. The method is applicable to an information transmission system, which includes at least one terminal device, a web server, a toolbar server and an application server. The terminal device obtains a background page from the web server and a toolbar page from the toolbar server and embeds the toolbar page into the background page. When a user clicks on any of at least one application linking object on the toolbar page through the terminal device, the terminal device is able to obtain a status page from the toolbar server and then store page information on the background or toolbar page into the status page and connect to the application server for obtaining an application page corresponding to the application linking object clicked on, so as to enable the application page to access the page information.


The invention relates to the device used allows to perform multiple functions of disinfection from a single control system. It manages the electrolysis of salt water of 2 to 6 g / I or a brine whose salt concentration is unknown because it has means for measuring and diluting, it uses a standard cell or specific for electrolysis of pool water, this to make an inexpensive system. The device is intended as well to disinfecting a pond or swimming pool water to be tempered or cold, a water intended for human consumption, a water from a shellfish or fish basin , a rain water or river recovered and stored.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of an identifiable tumor plane (ITP) during myelotomy to excise an intramedullary hemangioma in a dog and report the outcome.

STUDY DESIGN
Case report.

ANIMALS
One 5.5-year-old 42.9-kg spayed female Leonberger dog.

METHODS
Clinical signs included progressive proprioceptive deficits of both pelvic limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging was consistent with a dorsal intramedullary mass at L3-L4. A laminectomy of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae provided access for dorsal myelotomy. A clear surgical ITP was identified between the intramedullary mass and the spinal cord facilitating complete surgical resection.

RESULTS
Histopathological examination was consistent with a hemangioma. Postoperative MRI was consistent with complete excision of the mass. No evidence of recurrence was found by MRI at 3 months and at 22 months after surgery. Mild proprioceptive deficits persisted in the right pelvic limb.

CONCLUSION
A clear ITP was present, and gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved without significant morbidity. Persistent clinical remission resulted from surgery as the sole therapy.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
For an intramedullary tumor, GTR is the absence of visible tumor on intraoperative inspection combined with the absence of intramedullary contrast enhancement on postoperative MRI. When an ITP is present, GTR and resultant long-term remission may be more likely.


In this paper, we present the mathematical models and algorithms that describe the problem of attitude determination for a small satellite using measurements from three angular rate sensors (ARS) and aiding measurements from multiple GPS receivers/antennas rigidly attached to the platform of the satellite.


Through to explore heat insulation qualities of roof,wall,door windows and ground etc.perimeter structures old building in east of Qinghai agricultural area,discovered forms and effects which heat insulation and energy saving of these perimeter structures,that have value to used for reference in the modern building.


The goal of this study is to investigate customer satisfaction with the retail service quality at ZARA Vietnam outlets by using the Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) on five dimensions such as reliability, physical aspects, problem-solving, personal interaction, and policy. By using Smart PLS 3.2.0 software for a sample of 186 ZARA clients, the results showed that consumer satisfaction with the retail service quality at ZARA stores is fulfilled in physical aspects, reliability, problem-solving, and policy. On the other hand, personal interactions were not appreciated by customers. The findings provide some guidance for foreign fashion brands on how to improve retail service quality in Vietnam.


We report here a tight binding model for colossal magneto-resistive (CMR) manganites which includes band Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion in conduction band and antiferromagnetic (AFM) Heisenberg interaction in core band in presence of usual Kubo-Ohata type double exchange (DE) model. The Hamiltonian is solved using Zubarev's Green's function technique and the interplay between lattice strain and AFM parameter is studied. Two jumps appear in the temperature dependent specific heat as observed in experiments.


The paper analyzes the ability of a fractal dimension estimator to evaluate the performance of two types of predictors employed in the lossless image compression. framework of the LOCO-I algorithm. The fractal dimension is computed for grayscale images using a box-counting procedure and allows to choose the best predictor.


Scuffing, a major cause of failure in automobile engines, is considered as a dynamic process in this study. Local adhesions may occur randomly in lubricated contacts due to the exis- tence of asperity contact and breakdown of lubricating films. Scuffing would take place if the local events develop rapidly into a large-scale plastic deformation and catastrophic failure. A system dynamic established in the present paper allows one to predict dynamic behavior of a tribological system through numerical solutions of a group of differential equations. A simplified analysis based on this model confirms that the system will develop into a state of instability if the friction force at the interface increases with temperature.


We deal with backward stochastic differential equations driven by a pure jump Markov process and an independent Brownian motion (BSDEJs for short). We start by proving the existence and uniqueness of the solutions for this type of equation and present a comparison of the solutions in the case of Lipschitz conditions in the generator. With these tools in hand, we study the existence of a (minimal) solution for BSDE where the coefficient is continuous and satisfies the linear growth condition. An existence result for BSDE with a left-continuous, increasing and bounded generator is also discussed. Finally, the general result is applied to solve one kind of quadratic BSDEJ.


Lecturers play an important role in carrying out tasks that are neatly packaged in the Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi which consists of conducting research, writing, and publishing the results of their research in reputable journals and providing service to the surrounding community according to the subject specialization of individuals. The purpose of this study is to determine. Structural Equation Model to Measure the Leveraging Factors of Research Productivity in Private Universities: Lecturers' Perceptions This study was conducted to test the proposed hypothesis using quantitative research methods and was designed according to the variables to be studied. as well as data analysis techniques using SEM with IBM AMOS 2 software. Based on the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that a new model was found on the positive direct effect of the reward system, transformational leadership style, communication, and motivation on productivity.


An evaluation is made about whether T-jump/FT-IR spectroscopy can be used to determine the decomposition kinetics (Arrhenius Ea and ln A parameters) of energetic organic peroxides at high temperature following very rapid heating. Polystyrene peroxide (PSP) and benzoyl peroxide were investigated, but PSP was chosen for detailed study because of its known, simple, decomposition process. The shape of the control voltage trace of the Pt filament yields kinetic constants which are reasonable for O–O bond homolysis as the rate-determining step: Ea = 39 kcal/mol, ln (A, s−1) = 45.9. These Arrhenius parameters differ from values measured by other methods, but it is found that an isokinetic temperature of 400 ± 20 K exists for all measurements. Thus, all the kinetic measurements appear to reflect the same dominant process (O–O homolysis), but their differences make extrapolation of the rates from the temperature range of measurement to another range inaccurate.


High-performing leaders promote a positive learning culture, provide an effective instructional program, and apply best practices to student learning. Articles in this edition of Bulletin offer unique ideas for principals to consider as they think about their work. It is my hope that readers will find new perspectives on how schooling can be improved and how the exercise of leadership influences this improvement. Every principal is challenged with ensuring that students learn math at high levels. In the lead article, researchers Bottage, Grant, Stephens, and Rueda examine two different approaches to improving the math skills of middle school students. The findings suggest that technology education teachers can make important contributions to helping students develop their computation and problem-solving skills. Principals will find this article especially insightful for its recommendations on how multimediabased instructional tools can be used for organizing instruction to improve learning. Principals and school counselors working together can form an effective partnership that advances achievement for all their students. This working relationship is critical for the development of a more effective and collaborative educational environment. Authors Williams and Wehrman center attention on the ethical boundaries of confidentiality that the school counselor must operate in and the communication challenges this presents for principals. Their emphasis on key discussions and professional understanding has great potential to address the difficult and sensitive issues that surround the individual role and responsibilities of counselor and principal. Employing the use of the early warning system (EWS), authors Johnson and Semmelroth present their findings on the validity of this tool for identifying students who are at risk for dropping out of school. The EWS is a tool developed by the National High School Center to collect data on indicators, including attendance, GPA, course failures, and credits earned. These indicators have been found to be highly predictive of a student's likelihood of dropping out of high school in large, urban areas. Principals will find instructive and beneficial how this tool can provide an essentially no cost system for early screening and identification of at-risk students. Leadership and diversity invariably are connected as schools move from a homogeneous culture to an environment characterized by a multiethnic, multilingual, and economically diverse student body. Authors Young, Madsen, and Young explore the intersection between leadership and strategic diversity plans and the importance of


AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to investigate which factors are associated with the quality of dementia care in acute care hospitals.

BACKGROUND
The number of people with dementia who are admitted to acute care hospitals is increasing. Improving the quality of dementia care in acute care hospitals is an important issue. Prior studies have demonstrated that not only knowledge and nursing experience, but also psychological factors and the nursing practice environment are related to high-quality care on general wards.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional hypothesis-testing design.

METHODS
Participants were nurses providing care to people with dementia at acute care hospitals. Questionnaires were distributed to 300 acute care hospitals in Japan, 10 copies each and 773 valid responses were received. Based on the hypothesis model, variables were tested using multiple regression analysis. The model described the relationship between quality of care, personal attributes and the nursing practice environment. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist was used.

RESULTS
Almost 90% of the study sample was female, the mean age was 37.4 ± 9.3 years, and the mean nursing experience was 14.0 ± 8.7 years. The results showed that nursing foundations for quality of care, staffing and resource adequacy, specialist consultation, promoting systematic recreation and exchange, knowledge, and feelings towards people with dementia were associated with the quality of dementia care in acute care hospitals. The adjusted coefficient of determination was 0.367.

CONCLUSION
This study identified factors associated with the quality of dementia care in acute care hospitals. Knowledge and feelings towards people with dementia are important, and the nursing practice environment plays an important role in improving the quality of dementia care.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Not only improving nurse's practical ability but also a supportive nursing practice environment enhances the quality of dementia care in acute care hospitals.


We discuss the field equations of Brans-Dicke theory for a spatially homogeneous and anisotropic Bianchi type-V space-time in the presence of a perfect fluid and obtain their exact solutions by applying the law of variation of Hubble's parameter which yields a constant value of deceleration parameter. The corresponding cosmological models are divided into two categories, (i) singular models with power-law expansion, (ii) non-singular models with exponential expansion. The physical and kinematical behaviors of the cosmological models are discussed. These models are compatible with the results of recent observations.


Objective To explore the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) on improving intern doctors' clinical thinking and problem-solving capacities in clinical practice teaching.Methods PBL teaching courses were designed and used among 72 intern doctors come from 2010 grade clinical medical major (experiment group)and traditional teaching model was applied in 55 intern doctors come from 2009 grade clinical medical major ( control group).The PBL teaching effectiveness was evaluated through expert comment,exam and questionnaire survey.Test was conducted concerning the score of objective theoretical test on clinical thinking and the quality of case report writing.Results There were differences between experiment group and control group in theoretical test score and case report writing quality ( P < 0.01 ).According to the results of questionnaire survey,teachers and students thought that the PBL teaching mode was better than traditional teaching mode in cultivating students' clinical thinking ability and problem solving ability.Conclusion The teaching effect of PBL in clinical practice is satisfactory.PBL teaching can effectively develop the students' clinical thinking and problem-solving capacities and play an active role in improving education quality and promoting education reform.

Key words:
Problem-based learning;  Clinical practice;  Teaching method;  Intern doctors;  Education quality


This research study is trying to come to grips with creative activity in an intense group effort, such as when musicians improvise or when a group of industrial designers brainstorm to solve a clie ...


A six-week trial was conducted to determine the effect of lowering dietary crude protein levels with supplementation of limiting amino acid on growth performance, and carcass characteristics in one of the Indian improved crossbred Swarnadhara chicks in a completely randomized design having five treatments and four replications of 20 birds in each. Five isocaloric (2800 ME Kcal//kg) experimental diets based on corn-soy bean meal were formulated in a gradual crude protein decline from 21 % (control T1) to 19% by 0.5% interval. The levels of limiting amino acids namely methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan were met as that of control (T1) by adding synthetic preparations. Highest body weight was recorded in 2% crude protein reduced group (T5) which was comparable with control (T1). However, cumulative feed intake and feed conversion ratio of different treatments were not significantly different. Moreover, carcass parameters like dressing percentage, breast meat yield, liver and heart weights remained unaffected by the dietary treatments. Relative gizzard weight and abdominal fat weights showed variations and lower dietary protein diets were comparable with control diet (T1). In summary, crude protein content of Swarnadhara chick diet can be reduced to 19% with essential AA fortification without any adverse effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics during 0-6 weeks of age.


This article investigates the accounting standards changes related to business acquisitions and the impact of those changes on the reported goodwill in the past 50 years. We observe that the amount of goodwill on companies' balance sheets steadily increased before 2001 but has risen to new levels with the adoption of SFAS 141. Goodwill is now equal to about 30 percent of companies' net assets compared to only about 7 percent in the 1980s. We examine whether the increased levels of goodwill could have resulted from changes in accounting standards. Specifically, we investigate the impacts of accounting regulations on goodwill reporting under three different regimes: APB 16 and 17, SFAS 141 and 142, and SFAS 141(R). We find that the increase in the reported value of goodwill is not a result of an increase in public companies' acquisitions, as those have actually decreased over time. Further, the increase overlaps with the changes to the accounting for goodwill and the switch from goodwill amortization to impairment. Our findings are timely and important because the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has a concurrent project revisiting Identifiable Intangible Assets and Subsequent Accounting for Goodwill (FASB 2020). Our evidence urges caution in the reintroduction of goodwill amortization proposed by FASB, as the level of goodwill has increased dramatically despite FASB's intentions to improve the quality of goodwill accounting and curtail management's goodwill manipulation.


The word "pityriasis" is from the Greek for bran, and the fine bran like scales on the surface are a characteristic feature. The numerous pale pink oval or round patches can be confused with psoriasis or discoid eczema. The history helps since this condition develops as an acute eruption and the patient can often point to a simple initial lesion-the herald patch. There is commonly slight itching. Pityriasis rosea


This paper examines Elliott, et al.'s article on dimensions of stigmata and their effects on social interaction. It is contended that the authors have overlooked an important type of stigma in their classification and definition of stigma — "the stigma of excellence". The characteristics of this form of stigma are presented, and a call is made for the authors to rework their model so that it may apply to the stigma of excellence as it applies to negative stigmata.


Traffic lights play a significant role in regulating traffic flow. Due to the use of stationary phase and fixed cycle in traditional systems, it is not feasible to adjust the phase time to meet realtime traffic demand, resulting in delays, inefficiencies and other losses for traffic participants. This paper presents a feasible mathematical model of traffic signal control based on real-time vehicle detection. Two sensors are used to obtain important parameters of the vehicle queue, such as queue length, the number of vehicles queued, the number of vehicles passing the intersection and reaching the intersection during the green light time, the average speed of the vehicle and so on. These parameters are used to calculate actual demand time and feasible traffic light cycle. The feasible traffic light cycle can reduce the delay time for the car to pass the intersection and shorten the queue length. This model depends on the real-time characteristics of the queue, which is much closer to actual situation. Other traffic participants are considered as the boundary constrains of the model.


Asynchr onous logic is enjoying a r esurgence of inter est among academic and industrial resear chers after two decades of near total neglect. Why is this? This tutorial presents the r easons for the r enewed inter est and discusses the curr ent state of development of asynchr onous design. Ther are many ways to design chips without clocks, so some backgr ound is offer ed to the various differnt asynchr onous design methodologies used by various gr oups ar ound the world today . One such style, called 'micr opipelines' was developed by Ivan Sutherland and formed the basis of his 1988 T uring Award Lecture. This appr oach has been adopted by a group at Manchester University in England and used to develop fully asynchr onous implementations of the ARM 32-bit RISC micr oprocessor . The or ganization and key implementation details of these AMULET pr ocessors will be described. Finally, speculation will be offerd on the futur e of asynchr onous design techniques in a world curr ently dominated by clocked cir uits.


expression of collagen 1 at the protein level compared to GFP-pDEST vector transfection alone. The MeCP2-induced collagen expression could be abrogated by Wnt inhibitor incubation, suggesting Wnt is a mediator. Using the bleomycin model of fibrosis in which the skin is fibrotic we found elevated MeCP2 and collagen mRNA expression. Also using the Wnt target gene Axin2 as a target gene of Wnt activation we demonstrated a highly significant increase in Axin2 levels by qPCR compared to vehicle treated mice. Treatment of fibroblasts with Wnt3a leads to increased collagen levels. Conclusion: Epigenetic modification by enhanced MeCP2 levels appears critical in myofibroblast transformation. The enforced over- expression of MecP2 leading to increased levels of collagen appears dependant on the Wnt pathway. The Wnt target gene Axin2 is elevated in the bleomycin mouse model of fibrosis coincident with the expression of the epigenetic modifier MeCP2 and collagen gene, suggesting the two proteins are linked. Wnt3a treatment of fibroblasts induces collagen expression. There is an epigenetic loop involving MeCP2, DNA methylation and aberrant Wnt signalling in systemic sclerosis. Disclosure statement: The author has declared no conflicts of interest. vascular calcification and trauma have been reported previously. This research aimed to establish the protein composition of SSc-related calcinotic deposits and assess whether this might offer useful insights into pathogenesis. Methods: Four solid and one liquid calcinotic deposits were collected from five patients with SSc. 5mg of the deposits were boiled in SDS buffer for 7 mins and electrophoresed for 5 mins in polyacrylamide gel. Next, protein bands were excised from gel, dehydrated with acetonitrile and vacuum centrifugation, reduced with 10mM dithiothreitol, alkylated with 55mM iodoacetamide, washed twice with 25mM ammonium bicarbonate and acetonitrile, dried by vacuum centrifugation and digested with trypsin overnight. Digested samples were analysed using UltiMate 3000 Rapid Separation LC (Dionex) coupled to an Orbitrap Elite (Thermo Fisher) mass spectrometer. Data produced were searched using Mascot (Matrix Science UK) against the Swissprot and Uniprot databases with human taxonomy selected. Data were validated using Scaffold (Proteome Software). Results: 424 and 489 proteins in total were identified in calcinotic deposits when screened against Uniprot and Swissprot databases, respectively. all samples had 77 proteins common and these were the subject of quantitative analysis. Human serum albumin all samples, accounting 14% total protein calcinotic deposits. The high levels of immune proteins present suggest that these sites promote significant inflammatory response. Disclosure Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis affecting the joints and connective tissue. Clinical features include: enthesitis, dactylitis, spondylitis and inflam- mation. According to the common-sense model (CSM), patients develop illness beliefs when faced with new symptoms, which determine their emotional and behavioural response to the condition. The CSM includes five beliefs: identify, causes, consequences, time line and control/cure. These are important determinants of outcome and have been shown to influence adherence to medication. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from eight focus groups carried out at five hospital sites was conducted. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and anonymized as part of the PROMPT study. Data were analysed by the lead researcher (G.E.) and two team members (S.H. and E.D.) using deductive thematic analysis, based on the illness perceptions framework. Results: Forty-one patients sampled for a range of phenotypes and domains of disease activity participated: men ¼ 20 and women ¼ 21; mean age ¼ 58 years (SD 11.4); mean disease duration ¼ 9 years (SD 8.3); mean HAQ ¼ 1 (SD 0.7). There was evidence to support the existence of the five illness beliefs among patients with PsA and evidence that these beliefs may affect the way patients engage with their condition. However, there were also data that did not fit the model, suggesting that external factors also influence patients' beliefs. Six themes were thus developed with an overarching theme of uncertainty. Identity: there was uncertainty surrounding 2%, but after 20 years it increases to almost 20%. The recently revised American Academy of Ophthalmology recommenda-tions on screening suggest a maximum daily dose of (cid:3) 5.0mg/kg actual body weight. We report 2 cases of HCQ-induced retinal toxicity HCQ classical retinal bullseye on retinal fluoroscopy parafoveal scotomas on 10-2 automated visual field testing. Methods: As a result of these cases we undertook an audit to evaluate the numbers of patients in our centre on HCQ and their respective cumulative doses. All rheumatology consultant-based clinic encoun- ters over a 3 month period were reviewed retrospectively. Patients currently taking HCQ were identified and their records reviewed. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, HCQ dose in mg/kg actual body weight and cumulative dose. Results: There were 226 consultant-led rheumatology clinics in the preceding 3 month period. 1808 clinical encounters were reviewed and 177 patients currently taking HCQ were identified. Average age was 59.3 years and the female:male ratio 4.5:1. 22 patients were excluded as they were no longer taking HCQ or there were insufficient data available. Of the remaining 155, 22 patients had received > 1000g (2 had received > 2000g); 7 had received 900–1000g; 31 are currently receiving > 5mg/kg/day actual body weight. 52 patients were commenced on HCQ > 5 years ago. Current guidelines for eye monitoring of HCQ in the UK local arrangements for those taking the medication for > 5 years. Our findings support recent evidence that the risk of retinal toxicity is higher than was previously thought. We suggest patients 1000g considered formal assessment by an ophthalmologist for appropriate retinal imaging. might include a combination of retinal Further weight. Disclosure Background: A 43 year old Caucasian male presented to the Dermatology clinic with a one year history of a pruritic eruption over his arms, neck and chest. Topical steroids and anti-histamines offered limited relief. He also described joint pain and stiffness affecting his hands and knees over the same period. A rheumatology consult uncovered symptoms of polyarticular symmetrical small joint and knee arthralgia in the absence of typical features of inflammation such as swelling, stiffness or diurnal variation. He also described drenching night sweats. A course of Naproxen and Prednisolone substantially improved his joint symptoms. He was an ex-smoker with no other significant co-morbidity, occupational exposure or family history. Methods: Examination revealed multiple, discreet, shiny, firm papules and small nodules over the cheeks, neck, above the eyebrows and at periungual sites. Erythema around the neck, multiple xanthelasma and a warm moderate left knee effusion were present. Systemic examina- tion was otherwise normal. The initial differential diagnosis included amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, dermatomyositis and cutaneous mucinosis. Further confirmatory tests were sought: ACE was mildly elevated (80 m l) otherwise blood testing was unremarkable including: FBC, creatinine, LFTs, CRP, ESR, CK, hepatitis screen, HIV, ANCA, ANA, dsDNA, ENA, complements, CCP, RF and urate. Total cholesterol was 5.4 and triglycerides 1.9. Plain X-rays of the hands and knees were normal.CTofthe thorax, abdomen and pelvis showed no evidence of malignancy.A6mmpunch biopsy from the posterior neck showed an epidermal collarette enclosing a circumscribed cluster of mononuclear and multinucleate histiocytes with eosinophilic ground glass cytoplasm. This (MRH). Background: (BD) idiopathic, multi-system of a vasculitic genital ulcers, rash, arthritis and uveitis. Ocular manifestations occur in up to 80% of patients with BD with 30% risk of blindness. We present a challenging paediatric case of BD-associated bilateral pan-uveitis and aggressive refractory uveitis affecting the left eye. Methods: An 11 year-old girl presented acutely with a three-day history of a painful red left eye and blurred vision. Examination revealed bilateral uveitis with optic disc swelling, cystic macular oedema (worse in left eye), 2 þ and 3 þ cells in her and left eyes respectively (Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature classification) with snowballs and reduced visual acuity. A two-year history of mouth and genital ulcers was given and at presentation mild peripheral-joint was retina. throughout the treatment course in response to repeated flare-ups of inflammation associated with reduced visual acuity due to macular oedema. Despite cyclophosphamide treatment further severe flare-ups of eye disease complicated by pseudo-hypopyon, optic-disc swelling, multi-focal choroiditis and pseudo-necrotizing retinitis occurred. Following cyclo- phosphamide, interferon-alfa-2A (3 million units subcutaneously daily) was commenced resulting in sustained and complete remission of eye inflammatory features including previously refractory cystic macular oedema; vision improved significantly to 6/9 þ . To date interferon-alfa has been well tolerated and demonstrated clinical effectiveness from the first week. Throughout the treatment pathway we collaborated with colleagues in national centres of expertise for paediatric BD and uveitis. Results: Interferon-alfa has controlled intraocular inflammation, led to reduced macular oedema and improved vision; to date the patient remains in remission from uveitis. In this case interferon-alfa has been well tolerated but other BD manifestations (mouth and genital ulcers and arthralgia) have worsened.


Background: Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune endotheliopathy causing headaches, visual changes, encephalopathy and hearing loss. Women outnumber men. The diagnosis is confirmed with MRI, audiologic evaluation and dilated fundoscopic exam.
Case Report: 25 year old right handed Caucasian woman presented with confusion, short term memory loss, headache and uncoordinated gait. Her symptoms first started at 11 weeks of pregnancy. MRI brain showed multiple periventricular and deep white matter T2 hyperintense lesions in a perpendicular distribution to the ventricles. She was treated with a pulse of methylprednisolone. Response to therapy was immediate recovery without reaching baseline. At 24 weeks of pregnancy she had a recurrence of similar symptoms. Serology of Toxoplasma was positive. She was treated with sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and pulse of prednisone. Three months post-partum with uneventful delivery and immediate postpartum period with no complications, she again presented with confusion, headache, and lethargy. The confusion progressively worsened. Her holocephalic headache intensity worsened as confusion worsened. CSF studies showed elevated protein. Myelin basic protein was elevated (62.1). MRI brain showed small, multifocal white matter changes involving the corpus callosum. Audiogram testing showed bilateral low frequency hearing loss, rising to normal at higher frequencies. Dilated fundoscopic exam showed bilateral branch retinal artery occlusions with retinal infarcts. She was treated with a pulse of methylprednisolone and started on mycophenylate.
Discussion: Susac syndrome is microvasculopathy due to endothelial damage, which links encephalopathy, hearing loss and visual changes. Brain MRI reveals multiple small white matter lesions in the cerebral hemispheres and the corpus callosum is always involved. Fluorescein angiography shows retinal artery branch occlusions. Audiogram shows the hearing loss is greatest for low to moderate frequency tones. Treatment recommendations include low dose aspirin, high dose IV corticosteroids followed by a prolonged oral taper, monthly IV immunoglobulin or cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate based on disease severity. Disclosure: Dr. Tashman has nothing to disclose.


The aim of this study was to elucidate the roles of the b 1 - and the b 2 -adrenoceptors in thermogenesis and lipid utilization in obesity. The b 1 -adrenoceptor study was performed in 9 obese and 10 lean men and consisted of 4 30-min periods during which subjects received consecutive infusions of 0, 3, 6, and 9 m g/kg fat-free mass (FFM) z min dobutamine. Energy expenditure, lipid oxidation, and plasma non- esterified fatty acids and glycerol concentrations increased similarly inbothgroupsduring b 1 -adrenergicstimulation.The b 2 -adrenoceptor study was performed in 10 obese and 11 lean men and involved 3 45-min periods during which 0, 50, and 100 ng/kg FFM z min salbutamol were given in combination 1.2 m g/kg FFM z min atenolol (bolus, 50 m g/kg FFM). During b 2 -adrenergic stimulation, the increases in energy expenditure and plasma nonesterified fatty acids and glycerol concentrations were reduced in the obese group. Furthermore, lipid oxidation significantly increased in the normal weight group, but remained similar in the overweight group. In conclusion, these data suggest that b 1 -adrenoceptor-mediated metabolic processes are sim- ilar in both groups, but b 2 -adrenoceptor-mediated increases in thermogenesis and lipid utilization are impaired in the obese.


Clustering based approaches in Wireless Sensor Networks helps in identifying the summarized data by exploiting the feature of data redundancy in sensor networks. Due to the inexpensive hardware used and unattended operation nature, nodes in the sensor networks are often prone to many failures malicious attacks and resource constraints and data collected in sensor networks are found to be unreliable. Moreover, the wide usages of sensor network in diverse application have put a constraint on sensor protocol to handle data of mixed types. To address the issues of energy minimization and data reliability, we propose a distributed agglomerative cluster based anomaly detection algorithm termed DACAD to detect the faulty readings based on kNN approach. Additionally, to support applications with mixed data attributes, we design a heterogeneous distance function, HOEM to handle both continuous and nominal attributes. In this paper we have evaluated the performance of proposed algorithm in terms of false alarm rate, false positive rate and detection rate. Our results demonstrate that the proposed distance achieves a comparable detection rate with low false alarm rate with a significant reduction in computation and communication over head and operates with both continuous and nominal data. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of ICCTSD 2011


[Objective]The preparation method of chitin and chitosan was studied.[Method]Chitin and chitosan had been prepared by the methods of EDTA and HCl with three kinds of ants as raw materials.The structure and the properties of chitin and chitosan were studied by IR spectrometer and chemical analysis.[Result]The ants were excellent raw materials for the production of chitin and chitosan,especially black ants wich could be used to produce chitin and chitosan with high relative molecular mass.[Conclusion]The preparation method of chitin and chitosan with the ants was reasonable.


This paper studies several issues that emerge naturally in the hydrodynamic approach to suspensions of self-driven organisms or filaments (Simha and Ramaswamy 2002 Phys. Rev. Lett. 89 058101; Kruse et al 2004 Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 078101; Hatwalne et al 2004 Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 118101). These include: a simple pictorial understanding of the instability of orientationally ordered active suspensions; the effect of translational order as well as finite geometries on these instabilities; the role of depolymerization on the possible types of alignment of active polar particles in restricted geometries; and, lastly, speculations on the relation between contractile active matter and jammed granular matter.


The credit has a special importance in the modern economic system, playing a vital role in business financing and thus the increase in welfare by mobilizing capital availability and redistribute them according to the requirements of the economy. Economic growth stimulates the development of the credit market in times of low inflation rates, encouraging risky investments in innovative products from domestic and foreign investors, which will lead to greater economic growth in the long term. Starting from these considerations, through this paper, the authors propose to analyze the evolution of credit in Romania during the last seven years, from 2010-2017, this analysis being carried out by types of credits and types of entities. Also, an important point of the paper focuses on the positive/negative aspects of the impact of monetary policy measures and the NBR regulations on the banking credit .


I. ORIENTATIONS 1. Poetry and its Times 2. Poets and Nations 3. Three Types of Unity II. THE INSPIRATION OF ITALY 4. From Elegy to Prophecy 5. The Scope of Narrative: Aurora Leigh 6. Repulsive Clough 7. Browning's Alien Pages III. TENNYSON'S BRITAIN 8. Ever-Broadening Britain 9. The Empire of the Imagiantion The Married State: Idylls of the King +Coda: After the Realms of Verse


Mature seeds of three perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) varieties were cultured for callus induction and differentiation on MS basic medium containing different concentrations of 2,4-D, 6-BA , NAA and so on. The results showed that there were significant influences of different concentrations of the supplements on callus induction and differentiation. For Delaware, 7mg/L 2,4-D,0.1mg/L 6-BA, 0.3mg/L NAA and 0.1g/L CH is propitious to callus induction. For Juventus and Taya callus induction, 7mg/L 2,4-D and 0 mg/L 6-BA is more favorable. As for callus differentiation,the best ingredients and concentrations for Delaware are 0.1mg/L 6-BA, 0.8mg/L NAA, 0.1mg/L ZT and 8.96mg/L Cu~(2+). (0.2mg/L) 6-BA is propitious to Taya callus differentiation.In general, Delaware proved to be the best of the three, Taya comes second and Juventus the worst.


This text employs a cultural approach to take issue with the conventional wisdom that military organizations inherently prefer offensive doctrines. It argues instead that a military's culture affects its choices between offensive and defensive military doctrines. Drawing on organizational theory, it demonstrates that military organizations differ in their worldview and the proper conduct of their mission. It is this organizational culture that shapes how the military responds to such constraints as terms of conscription set by civilian policy-makers. In detailed case studies, the author examines doctrinal developments in France and Britain during the interwar period. She tests her argument against two of the most powerful alternative explanations and illustrates that neither the functional needs of military organizations nor the structural demands of the international system can explain doctrinal choice. She also reveals as a myth the argument that the lessons of World War One explain the defensive doctrines on World War Two.


The level scheme of /sup 156/Er has been determined, by use of an array of nine Compton-suppressed Ge detectors. Two new types of behavior have been observed. The first is a terminating band ending on a 42/sup +/ fully aligned state. The second is a strong cross feeding among four negative-parity bands, due most likely to a severe reduction or collapse of the neutron pairing.


Higgins' Regulatory Focus Theory hypothesizes that chronic regulatory focus develops from caretaker-child interactions. Consistent with this theory, previous studies have found that parenting style during childhood predicts whether one later develops promotion focus (eager strategies to achieve success) or prevention focus (vigilant strategies to avoid failure). The present study revises this hypothesis to assess the impact of broader environmental factors by examining the influence of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on the development of chronic regulatory focus. In a correlational study, low SES was associated with authoritarian (punitive) parenting style, which was in turn correlated with prevention focus. High SES during childhood was associated with authoritative (nurturing) parenting style, which was correlated with promotion focus. Although the study failed to find a direct effect of SES on regulatory focus in our mediation model, we suggest that the present study is limited by its design. The question of whether environmental factors beyond parenting are significant predictors of regulatory focus merits further research.


Several relationships between winter maintenance cost elements (direct cost such as labor, material, equipment and indirect cost such as travel delay) and snowstorm severity (in terms of snow amount) were developed for two equipment fleet configurations. These configurations included Tow Plows present in the equipment fleet and Tow Plows absent in the equipment fleet. Analysis of these two equipment configurations identified the benefits of using Tow Plows in the equipment fleet for sixlane and four-lane rural freeways in Michigan at different winter storm severity levels. The developed relationships (based several different fourand six-lane lane rural freeway routes) were used to develop the most effective equipment fleet configurations for different Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) snow routes. Finally, the cost effectiveness of including Tow Plows in the equipment fleet was analyzed using direct cost and the total cost including delay costs. Results show substantial cost savings on the direct cost as well as total cost (including delay cost) if the recommended equipment


introduction Public-sector organizations are one of the top spenders in information technology (IBM, 2006). According to an IDC report, global public-sector IT spending will exceed $138 billion in 2006, representing 12.2% of overall IT spending (IBM). In the United States, public-sector IT spending is likely to grow to $92 billion in 2010 from $71 billion in 2005 (Pulliam, 2005). Despite the huge and growing IT spending by public-sector organizations, the resulting benefits from these IT spending are still not clearly understood (Gu-nasekaran, 2005). This is often due to the poor IT investment evaluation process implemented by these public-sector organizations (Hall, 1998). In other words, there is a lack of understanding of the impact of the proper IT investment evaluation processes of IT projects in the public-sector organizations. The IT investment evaluation is an ongoing process that seeks to identify best practice and use it as a basis for evaluating public-sector IT project performance in order to set up clear goals and identify areas for improvement (Gunasekaran, 2005). For example, without undertaking proper IT investment evaluation processes, organizations are at the risk of failing to establish clear IT project goals and design. Therefore, research in the public-sector organizations is becoming critical, especially in how these organizations evaluate their IT projects and ensure that benefits expected from these projects are eventually delivered. The main objective of this chapter is to identify evaluation issues that are critical in the implementation of IT projects by public-sector organizations. A key contribution of the chapter is to identify and examine evaluation issues and other key factors faced by public-sector organizations undertaking IT projects. The key issues presented are of interest to senior public-sector IT Evaluation Issues in Australian Public-Sector Organizations executives concerned with making decisions about IT investments and realizing IT benefits.


In 1964,B.A.Bolt PKHKP expounded the PKHKP wave as the spread core phase at the transition layer between the inner core and the outer core.In this paper,the PKHKP wave characteristics are studied,and the distinguishing bases are summed up and discussed.According to our analysis of the 125°△146°teleseismic,a typical PKHKP core phase which has distinctive characteristics is proposed.


once to call in the family doctor to see a sick infant, particularly late at night, at the week-end, or on his day off. No fewer than 80% of the families concerned had serious problems, such as marital disharmony, Inadequate or erratic income, poor housing, niot solely overcrowding, or chronic physical or mental illness. This prevalence was significantly greater than in a control group. Another finding, the importance of which is as yet obscure, was that in 55% of the families the mother was unable to communicate with the father during the night when the child died. You do not suggest what incipient symptoms (and signs ?) should be looked for, presumably in the first place by parents. In cmy series the mothers of about a quarter of the infants had noted the signs mentioned in the Liverpool study-lack of response, stupor, pallor, and cyanosis-together with failure to feed, for a day or two before death without obtaining medical attention. This was not the result of indifference or lack of intelligence. It is to be hoped that future studies of large groups of infants of this kind will include an examination of the social circumstances in which the death took place, covering not so much such items as the bedding, feeding, and housing dealt with in a recent study,2 as the attitudes and general patterns of behaviour of the family as a group. It may be that preventive action based on such knowledge would do more to reduce the number of deaths from this condition than the present possibilities of specific therapy.-I am, etc., D. H. VAUGHAN. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester. REFERENCES 7. roy. Coll. gen. Practit., 1968, 16, in press. a Ministry of Health Enquiry Into Sudden Death in Infancy. Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects, 1965, No. 113. H.M.S.O., London.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the diagnostic value of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

STUDY DESIGN
Case control study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY
First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, from June 2016 to March 2018.

METHODOLOGY
Patients with ICC (n = 51) diagnosed by histological examination after surgery were matched 1:4 to control subjects (n = 204) based on age (±2 years), gender, and ethnicity. Serum CA 19-9 and CEA levels were determined and compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated. The cutoff values, sensitivities, specificities, and Youden index values were calculated and compared.

RESULTS
The levels of CA 19-9 and CEA were elevated in the ICC patients relative to control subjects (p <0.001). CA 19-9 and CEA showed diagnostic efficacy for ICC, with AUC values of 0.6916 and 0.6376, respectively. The cutoff value, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index for CA 19-9 were 26 U/ml, 58.82%, 83.82%, and 0.4262, respectively. The cutoff value, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index for CEA were 1.95 ng/ml, 90.2%, 35.29%, and 0.2549, respectively. The combination of CA 19-9 and CEA exhibited the best diagnostic efficacy, with the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index being 90.2%, 88.24%, and 0.7844, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Combined CA 19-9 and CEA levels have diagnostic value for ICC. The combination of CA 19-9 and CEA can assist surveillance and diagnosis of ICC prior to surgery.


We completely share the 1938 Einstein's approach "What impresses our senses as matter is really a great concentration of energy into a comparatively small space..."and "We could regard matter as being made up of regions of space in which the field is extremely intense. . . There would be no place in this new physics for both field and matter, for the field would be the only reality." In our developments, the scalar Ricci curvature in pseudo-Riemannian space-time represents local densities elementary continuous masses within everywhere nonempty space. Infinitely extended particles with their r−4 radial mass densities form observable bodies and obey Newtonian attractions in weak fields but repulsions in strong ones. Material space of r−4 overlapping radial monopoles is also filled by unobservable r−2×r−2 bi-pole distributions of dark mass-energy. The weak field radial fall in such a space with dark energy would ultimately lead to strong field regions with gravitational repulsion and deceleration of probe bodies. This strong field repulsion quantitatively relates the Hubble expansion speed rHo to the Metagalaxy mass and predicts r(Ho) acceleration rate of the expanding Universe. Global oscillations of the world material space around its equilibrium state at equal bi-pole and monopole energies are predicted in a line of Penrose cyclic cosmology.


In this research project we sought to analyze the influence of LED light or white light on the generation of ametropia, precisely in the case of myopia, for which students from the Tomas Gonzalez Rubio School of the parish were taken as a group or population. Pimocha, Babahoyo canton, knowing that there are no preventive measures in schools for visual care and parents are unaware of the importance of performing a timely visual examination, the respective ones were carried out in the present project resulting in the presence of 17 cases of myopia which has a variation of degree of deficiency between (-0.50) to (-3.00), in addition to that workshops were implemented that will allow the awareness of the students and parents of the institution.


SUMMARYIn an attempt to correlate the rate of chromosome evolution with the rate of speciation, several authors have developed equations based on diploid numbers and the number of chromosome arms. In the present paper we have extended these formulae by including components for homologous elements (H), namely: chromosomal homologies (Hc); arm homologies (HeFN) and length measurements (LH) of the genomes involved in each comparison. Inversions, deletions and amplifications are considered separately as rearrangements (R). The present equation determines the index of karyological conservatism (KC) among any given pair of related species, taking values from 0 to 1. The new index of karyological distance (nKD) is then obtained from the expression nKD = 1—KC. Seven species from two genera of akodont rodents were analyzed by means of this equation and a phenogram illustrating their relationships constructed using the UPGMA program. The results show a closer association among species related at the suprageneric le...


The writer, surveying the effect of Kant's philosophy on Wang Guowei's thought, attempts to reveal the tension and strife inside scientism and humanism shown in Wang Guowei's thought in a bid to understand and grasp the spiritual orientation and value pursuit in academic study of Wang Guowei.


Introduction: Truncal sensory level (TSL) is a localizing sign for spinal cord pathology. However, in rare instances, lesions higher up in the spinothalamic tract can cause TSL. Case Report: A 26-year-old woman presented with numbness from waist down with a T7 TSL on examination with negative spine magnetic resonance imaging. Later, the patient developed the full picture of Guillain–Barré syndrome confirmed with electrophysiological testing. Conclusion: TSL can localize to the nerve roots and can be an early manifestation of Guillain–Barré syndrome.


Objective:To observe the curative effects of arsenic trioxide (As_2O_3) combined diamminedichloroplatinum (DDP) treating subcutaneous transplantation human breast carcinoma induced by MCF-7 in nude mouse.Methods:The nude mice model of subcutaneous transplantation human breast carci- noma were established,and treated with As_2O_3 combined DDP.The tumor inhibitory rate of each group were calculated,and the apoptosis of tumor cells were observed with transmission electron microscope.Results:The tumor inhibitory rate of As_2O_3 combined DDP group were 76.47%,which was obviously higher than single using As_2O_3 or DDP (P0.01).The tumor cells in As_2O_3 combined DDP group appeared obvious apoptotic mophological changes.Conclusions:As_2O_3 combined DDP has fairly better inhibiting effects on tumor growth, As_2O_3 and DDP have cooperative antitumous effects.


The essay explores why and when metropolitan governments collaborate beyond the assumptions of the Institutional Collective Action (ICA) framework. It claims that metropolitan governments not only create collaborative arrangements after comparing their costs and benefits, or when spontaneously their agendas get aligned. This article argues that the success of metropolitan interlocal collaboration also rests on the proclivity to collaboration of independent local governments' institutional structures, which, in turn, depends on how local governments and their management capabilities have been shaped and evolved, both individually and comparatively with neighboring governments. Additionally, the article classifies and explains four basic models of metropolitan collaborative arrangements.


In this paper, a novel topology of DC-DC converter with a high voltage gain is presented which is suitable for photovoltaic applications. In the proposed converter a coupled inductor with diode-capacitor cell for increasing the voltage gain is used. Moreover, the leakage energy is efficiently recycled to the output by the diode and capacitor. The proposed converter can achieve higher voltage gain with small duty cycle. The operational principles, steady state analysis and simulation and experimental verifications in continuous condition modes are presented in this paper.


A new fast 3D profilometry is presented in this paper. Although the phase measuring method can reach more high precision , its real measurement speed is very low and can't be applied on production lines because of its phase-shift operations. Three lines CCD arrays, 1024 pixels each, are mounted together with the same distance intervals. Needless to perform phase shift operations, the CCD can consecutively scan and grab 3 phase distributed pictures which will be separately calculated by 3 DSP processors. Thus the whole measurement process is finished. The experimental results show that the phase measurement system by using three-line CCD has high application values for its high precision and speed.


Based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology, Au@Ag@4MBA@5′-NH2-ssDNA probes and a Ag/TiO2@3′-NH2-ssDNA substrate were prepared and constructed into a sandwich structure to develop a high sensitivity bioassay of miRNA-21.


Human resource management plays an active role in improving employee performance through a number of variables that influence it, including the leadership, work discipline and employee performance. Perum Perumnas Regional V Semarang is one public company engaged in the construction and housing sales nationwide. However there are still some issues regarding employee performance Perum Perumnas Regional V Semarang who have not reached the standard of performance. So this study can provide a view of the constraints experienced by employees Perum Perumnas Regional V Semarang. This research uses explanatory research type of approach by the number of respondents were 63 employees with sampling probability sampling technique. Data collection techniques in this study using a questionnaire and literature study techniques. The data obtained were analyzed quantitatively by using analytical tools such as cross table, validity, reliability, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression and hypothesis testing by t test and F test. The results showed that the presence of a significant and positive impact between employment and kepemimnan discipline on employee performance. Labor discipline became one of the dominant factors that impact on employee performance. Suggestions can be submitted is the leadership in general has shown a high condition. For the sake defend, managers need to provide a more open opportunity for every employee to argue as well as in making employment decisions. Labor discipline in general have shown a high condition. Efforts to maintain these conditions should continue to be done. In order to improve better work discipline and its application accordingly, should the company give closer scrutiny in any violations committed by employees


"There has been more litigation on alleged damage to agriculture by fluoride than all other pollutants combined...of the major airborne pollutants, inorganic fluoride [is] clearly the most toxic" Weinstein LH. 1982 Effects of fluorides on Plants and Plant Communities: An Overview, in JL Shupe, HB Peterson, NC Leone eds., Fluorides: Effects on Vegetation, Animals and Humans (Salt Lake City, UT: Paragon Press, 1983) p 54.


Abstract— The Purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of rental price of retail properties. To be specific, the study will look into more general rent determinants of stores by expanding its spatial extent to 7 metropolitan cities in Korea, which is relatively wide research range compared to precedent studies in the country. Also, the study analyzes the differences in the determinants of rental prices between the wholesale and retail services and other businesses through estimating hedonic price model. For this, the data holding the distance from nearest subway station and bus stop, the types of business and others for each retail property is used. The result of the analysis suggests interesting features of retail property's determining factors of rental price as follows. In general, an improvement in horizontal accessibility raises store's rental price, and the vertical accessibility such as location floor develops different level of rent. The growth of building age and the number of elevators provokes the increase effect on the rent, while the gross area of parking lot allocated to 1m of rent area has a negative effect on it with increasing marginal effect. However, not all of these determinants explain the difference between the rental price of stores occupied by wholesale and retail services and that engaged in the other businesses. Except for the factors related to the area of parking lot per rental unit, all the other factors have been analyzed to account for the difference.


The fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, was subjected to various concentrations of hydrogen cyanide to determine its effects on long-term survival, growth, egg production, and egg hatchability. Experiments in continuous-flow apparatus were started with newly-hatched larvae and continued through spawning into the juvenile period of the second generation. Egg production rate was most sensitive to hydrogen cyanide, and the highest level of toxicant with no adverse effect was between 12.9 and 19.6 ..mu..g/l HCN.


H2,H∞ and mixed H2/H∞ state feedback control strategies for the rotor system under seismic excitation were developed by linear matrix inequality(LMI) to attenuate the transient vibration of the rotor system under random excitation and make it robust.Active vibration control of the rotor system under seismic excitation was investigated by using Matlab LMI tools.Characteristics of the rotor system under nonstationary El Centro earthquake excitation in both frequency and time domains were analyzed.The feasibility and effectiveness of the control strategies presented in active vibration control for the rotor system under seismic excitation were verified.The mixed H2/H∞ control strategy can effectively suppress the transient vibration of the rotor system and make it maintain good robust performance.Characteristics of the rotor system in both frequency and time domain were improved.


This document describes some aspects of the "prep tool" that is
expected to be created when the new xml2rfc version 3 specification is
deployed.


The reaction of (E)-2-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylideneamino)phenol (H2L1) with Co(NO3)2 6H2O and LnCl3 x(H2O) afforded a family of hexanuclear heterometallic coordination clusters (CCs) formulated as [CoII4LnIII2(µ3-OH)2(L1)4Cl2(NO3)2(MeOH)4] 3(Et2O) where Ln is Y (1), Gd (2), Dy (3), and Tb (4). All the compounds are stable in solution as confirmed by ESI-MS studies. The compounds can be described as twisted boat-like and possess a 2,3,4M6–1 topology. The reaction of (E)-2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylideneamino)phenol (H2L2) with Co(NO3)2 6H2O and DyCl3 x(H2O) afforded [CoII4DyIII2(µ3-OH)2(L2)4Cl2(NO3)2(MeOH)4] (5), which is isoskeletal to compounds 1–4. Magnetic studies performed over the temperature range 1.8–300 K show that compound 3 undergoes slow magnetic relaxation.


Background: This study explores factors associated with depression in Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and other dementia disorders. Method: In a prospective study we included 195 patients: 31 with MCI, 112 with AD and 52 with other dementias. Results: According to the ICD-10 and the DSM-IV criteria, 88 (44.1%) and 59 (30.3%), respectively, had a depressive disorder. An adjusted multiple regression analysis showed that previous depression (p < 0.05) was significantly associated with depression in AD patients. Severity of dementia (p < 0.05) was significantly associated with a depressive disorder in a group of patients with frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, or dementia due to Lewy Body disease or Parkinson's disease. Conclusion: We found different factors associated with a depressive disorder in AD compared to those found for other dementia disorders.


In this paper a procedure for integration between production planning and maintenance planning, at the tactical level, is proposed. In its structure are inte...


Background Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) of the scrotum is a rare disease that requires surgical excision. A positive margin is related to recurrence and poorer prognosis. We aimed to investigate the expression of Ki67 and periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS) in a biopsy sample and to evaluate their predictive value in true margin status. Methods Sixty‐four patients with noninvasive scrotal EMPD were included. Immunohistochemical staining of Ki67 and PAS was reviewed and compared statistically with the margin status of intraoperative frozen section examination (FSE). Results Seventeen of 64 patients had a positive margin discovered at the first FSE. Expression of Ki67 was not significantly different between positive and negative margin status (p = .16). Expression of PAS was higher in samples with positive margins (p = .05). The incidence of positive margins was significantly higher in the double‐positive group than in the double‐negative group (p = .03). Conclusion Positive expression of both factors in a biopsy sample requires wider excision to ensure negative margins.


The trans-2,3-disubstituted pyrrolidine moiety, found in the pyrrolizidine alkaloids as well as other natural product, has been accessed from the α,β-unsaturated bicyclic lactams 1d and 10. Conjugate addition of lower order cyanocuprates to lactams 1d and 10 resulted in endo entry of the cuprate with high diasterelectivity. Other cuprates were investigated and resulted in diminished or opposite stereoselectivities. Further transformation of the β-subtituted lactams provided the title compounds in good overall yield and high enantiomeric excess


The field of bioelectronics has the potential to revolutionize both fundamental biology and personalized medicine. As such, much research effort has been devoted to the development of devices and materials that are intrinsically compatible with biological systems. Within this context, several recent studies have focused on protonic transistors from naturally occurring materials, such as squid-derived polysaccharides and proteins. Herein, we report the rational design, fabrication, and characterization of two- and three-terminal protonic devices, for which the active material consists of a protein-based proton conductor doped with a small molecular photoacid. We electrically interrogate these devices both in the absence and presence of illumination, demonstrating that an exogenous photophysical stimulus selectively enhances their electrical properties. Our findings hold significance for understanding and controlling proton transport not only in bioelectronic platforms but also across a wide range of voltag...


Optical properties of Si films sputter-deposited on HF-treated (100)Si substrates have been investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry in the 2.5-5.5-eV photon-energy range. Homoepitaxial Si films are grown at a high substrate temperature (∼410°C), while films deposited at lower temperatures show that they have polycrystalline (∼380°C) or amorphous structures (∼310°C). A linear regression analysis and a Bruggeman effective-medium approximation reveal that the homoepitaxial film has a few void networks in the film and a rough-surface overlayer of a few tens of Å. Polycrystalline and amorphous films are also found to contain a large number of void networks deep in the film mediums.


In 1991, the United States government began efforts to address the "glass ceiling" and its effects on thefederal workforce. This article explores the nature of the glass ceiling, particularly progress made since1991 on the pay status and hierarchical placement of the almost 200,000 engineers in United States federalcivilian employment. When a glass ceiling exists, men occupy a disproportionately high percentage of thehigher ranks in a career field, while women tend to be overrepresented in its lower ranks. Similarly, onaverage men earn higher pay than women in the same organizational rank. These were exactly theconditions of the federal engineering field in 1991, the year of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991that addressed the glass ceiling, among other topics. In 1991, as a result of the existence of the glass ceiling,women engineers earned only about 81% of the salaries and wages of their male counterparts. Through anexploration of federal employment databases, this article suggests that the condition of women engineers ingovernment service has improved in the years since 1991""more female engineers are on the governmentrolls, they make up a much larger proportion of senior engineering management, and their compensation ismuch closer to parity with men""but they are not yet equal with males on any of these dimensions.


Aspect-ratio is an important parameter controlling the shock-structure development and the related acoustic field of elliptic jets. Further, these characteristics show strong dependence on the value of fully expanded Mach number, My. In the present study the aspect-ratio is varied from small (2:1) to moderate values (3:1 and 4:1) and the equivalent jet Mach number (My) is varied from 1.3 to 2.0. It is found that the shape of the first cell has a strong dependence on the radiated noise levels. At highly underexpanded condition, My =2.0, a 'barrel' shock is formed along the minor-axis side while along major-axis side a 'bulb' shock is observed. For 4:1 case, a 'double-bulb' shock is formed due to stronger azimuthal deformations existing along major-axis side in higher aspect-ratio jets. This bulging of the jet boundary at highly underexpanded conditions, causes the shape of the first cell to attain approximate symmetry along the two planes resulting in omni-directional noise pattern about the azimuth. Further, the noise emission characteristics suggest that instability characteristics vary significantly along the two planes with aspect-ratio and Mach number. Nomenclature Introduction


Abstract : A method by which the number of transformation matrices in the product form of the inverse for the revised simplex method of solution of linear programs need never exceed m, the number of rows.


The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the Supreme Court, Special Term, that a child may not sue for injuries resulting from malpractice committed against the mother before the child's conception. Here, it was a perforation of the mother's uterus during an abortion which took place approximately four years before the conception that allegedly caused the child's brain damage. Although it was foreseeable at the time the abortion was performed that the mother might conceive another child, the court refused to impose liability because the impaired child was outside the immediate zone of danger. With the exception of one dissenting member, the judges were also concerned that, if this suit were allowed, an unknown number of similar and related claims would result.


Objective: Despite the fact that adenomyosis is a fairly common gynecological disorder, its pathogenesis remains elusive. Several theories on the pathogenesis of adenomyosis have been proposed, but none of them has been proven experimentally. So far, the most used one is the neonatal feeding of tamoxifen (TAM) in Institute of Cancer Research/cryopreserved (ICR/CD-1) mouse. However, its underlying mechanism of action is unknown. To further delineate the mechanism of TAM-induced adenomyosis in ICR/CD-1 mouse with regard to specific estrogen receptor (ER), we conducted an experiment that neonatal mice were fed with either TAM, or 4,4′,4″-(4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol (PPT; an ERα agonist), or 2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile (DPN; an ERβ agonist), or G-1 (a G-protein coupled receptor 30 agonist), or just vehicle, in an attempt to tease out which specific receptor plays a dominant role in the genesis of adenomyosis induced by neonatal feeding of TAM. Methods: Forty female neonatal mice were randomly divided into 5 equal-sized groups: CTL (control), TAM, PPT, DPN, and G-1. Three months later, all mice were sacrificed and their uterine horns were harvested, weighed, and processed for histological evaluation. Results: All mice in the TAM group developed adenomyosis, so did 4 mice (50%) in the DPN group, a result that should be considered significant given that mice in the CTL group would not develop adenomyosis. No mouse in the PPT or G-1 group developed adenomyosis. Remarkably, all lesions in the DPN group were seen exclusively near the uterine serosa, which are dramatically different from that of TAM mice and reminiscent of extrinsic or external adenomyosis in humans. Conclusions: Neonatal feeding of DPN induces adenomyosis, but the adenomyotic lesions appear to be different from those induced by TAM. Thus, the cause of TAM-induced adenomyosis in ICR/CD-1 mouse cannot be attributable to one specific ER alone. This suggests that the extrinsic/external adenomyosis may have a pathogenesis that is different from other sub-types of adenomyosis.


Two widely used concepts in physics and the life sciences are combined: mean field theory and time-discrete time series modeling. They are merged within the framework of strongly nonlinear stochastic processes, which are processes whose stochastic evolution equations depend self-consistently on process expectation values. Explicitly, a generalized autoregressive (AR) model is presented for an AR process that depends on its process mean value. Criteria for stationarity are derived. The transient dynamics in terms of the relaxation of the first moment and the stationary response to fluctuations in terms of the autocorrelation function are discussed. It is shown that due to the stochastic feedback via the process mean, transient and stationary responses may exhibit qualitatively different temporal patterns. That is, the model offers a time-discrete description of many-body systems that in certain parameter domains feature qualitatively different transient and stationary response dynamics.


Instruments carried along on missions to, e.g., Mars, the Moon, Venus, and various Outer-Solar System objects, produce a rich variety of image data recorded in different wavelengths and some of them allow to derive additional datasets (e.g., digital terrain models). These data form the basis for geologically exploring the evolution of planetary bodies by analyzing and geoscientifically interpreting surface structures. By using modern GIS techniques the results are represented in thematic, mostly geological and geomorphological maps and allow to extract additional information, e.g. by means of morphometric measurements. To allow for an efficient collaboration among various scientists and groups, all mapping results have to be uniformly prepared, described, managed and archived. In order to achieve this, GIS-based mapping approaches are currently underway. One of the important aspects in this context is a detailed map description and an efficient management of mapping results by using metadata information. Such data describe, e.g. the geometry, extent, quality, contents and conditions of source data and additionally allow detailed queries for context information. We are currently working on the evaluation and creation of metadata templates that deal with individually descriptive elements of planetary mapping results. Such templates then form an obligatory component to be filled in by the user/mapper after mapping conduct. The first step on the way to such a generic data-description template is the formulation of metadata requirements which help to establish a common information basis that can be used by the planetary science community to search and understand spatial data products on the level of input data as well as on the level of digital map products. Such a metadata basis therefore forms a way to store information of traditional analog map legends within a digital map product. Such metadata information needs to be implemented as template on two different levels: the individual (vector-based) map level data as well as the (raster-based) dataset level that was used to create the map. Such a metadata template can then be used either in stand-alone GIS projects or it can be integrated into a more sophisticated database model using an XML-structured and standardized vocabulary. The usage of an obligatory map description template facilitates the efficient and traceable storage of spatial data and mapping results on a network level.


DMCSs produce a significant amount of severe wind damage across the U.S. annually and are capable of generating widespread severe winds, at times traveling over 1500 km and lasting upwards of 24 hours. It is therefore important to understand what mechanisms generate severe winds within these systems. Although, DMCSs occasionally produce tornadoes, a preponderance of severe winds can be attributed to "straight-line" winds. Contributors to strong, straight-line winds include mesohighs (Johnson and Hamilton 1988) and downbursts (Fujita and Wakimoto 1981). Straight-line winds also occur near the apex of the bow echo (Fujita and Wakimoto 1981) and are thought to be produced when the rear inflow jet contacts the surface just behind the leading edge of the gust front (Weismann 1993) or by the gust front itself (Wakimoto 1982). However, it has been noticed that in numerous instances, severe wind damage also occurs north of the bowing apex, frequently causing wind related damage over a broad area. The position of these winds in relation to the bow apex nearly eliminates a rear inflow jet as the cause of the severe winds, and the large coverage of damage would also exclude downdrafts. Therefore, it is likely another dynamic is responsible for the creation of some severe straight-line winds within a DMCS squall line or bow echo. A recent numerical modeling study by Weisman and Trapp (2003) suggests mesovortices may be responsible for at least some severe straight-line winds within quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs), which include squall lines and bow echos. They found surfacedbased


This study was designed to determine the effect of different osmotic pressures on spermatozoa characteristics for cryopreservation of buffalo bull semen using tris egg yolk extender (TEYE). Semen of Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls (n = 04) housed at Semen Production Unit, Qadirabad, Sahiwal, Pakistan, was collected at weekly interval for 10 weeks. Three solutions of tris-citric acid-fructose with osmotic pressures of 255, 275, and 295 mOsm/kg were used in extender preparation. Semen straws containing 20x106 spermatozoa were processed and stored at −196°C using liquid nitrogen. Post thaw analyses of spermatozoa included motility, viability, acrosomal integrity, plasma membrane integrity, DNA integrity and lipid per-oxidation. One-way ANOVA was implied and in case of significant differences among groups, the Duncan's Multiple Range Test was applied and results were considered significant at P < 0.05. Spermatozoa motility, acrosomal and DNA integrity were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by varying osmotic pressures of the solutions. Higher rate of spermatozoa motility, acrosomal and DNA integrity were recorded at osmotic pressure 275 and 295 mOsm/kg compared with 255 mOsm/ kg. However, rate of spermatozoa viability, plasma membrane integrity and lipid per-oxidation was not affected at any of the osmotic pressure treatments. It is concluded that consideration of osmotic pressure of the solution used in extender preparation may be useful in improving the quality of cryopreserved buffalo bull semen.


Individual theory of Marxism, based on criticizing the unreasonable propositions about individual by the philosophers in the past, indicates the relations between men, and the relations between men and society, emphasizing the consistency of the individual as the social being and the aims of social development. Therefore, it provides the theoretical guidance for the people to understand the relations between allround development of the men and the development of the society at the primary stage of socialism. And it also has a practical significance in the allround construction of the welltodo society.


In medical imaging, a 3D object must often be reconstructed from serial cross-sections. Usually, the cross-sections are not closely spaced so that interpolation is needed to solve the problem of anisotropy. Different interpolation techniques exist, applied either on slices or on objects. Recently, a very interesting method based on mathematical morphology has been developed and gives good results. However, the results depend on the choice of the starting and the ending contours and falls down in some cases. This paper proposes an improvement correcting this limitation.


This chapter has four sections: 1. General and Prose; 2. The Novel; 3. Poetry; 4. Drama. Section 1 is by Michelle Lyons-McFarland; section 2 is by Fiona Milne; section 3 is by Dylan Carver; section 4 is by Kristin M. Distel.


The first pentaorganylcyclopentaphosphane monosulfide (PEt) 5 S has been obtained by the reaction of (PEt) 5 with sulfur under proper conditions, and has been isolated in pure form. According to spectroscopic investigations sulfur is bound exocyclically to the five-membered phosphorus ring


The Influence of combustion behavior is determined at various loads under the indicator diagrams on a two-stroke engine with spark ignition, crank-chamber blowdown in the basic operating conditions zone. The basic laws of the parameters change of the engine with external (carburetors) and internal mixing (direct injection of fuel) under loading characteristics are discovered and compared.