As smaller banks market themselves to increase their market share against the big banks, they understandably focus on gaining new customers. However, they must also retain (and further engage) their existing customers. Otherwise, the new customers they gain can easily be offset by existing customers who leave. Happily, by using predictive analytics as described in this paper, it can actually be much easier and less expensive to keep (and further cultivate) existing customers than to enlist new ones. This paper provides a step-by-step overview of a relatively simple but comprehensive approach to reduce customer attrition. We first prepare the data for a statistical analysis. With some basic predictive analytics techniques, we can then identify those customers who have the highest chance of leaving and the highest value. For each of these customers, we can also identify why they would leave, thus suggesting the best way to intervene to retain them. We then make suggestions to improve the model for better accuracy. Finally, we provide suggestions to extend this approach to cultivating existing customers and thus increasing their lifetime value. Code snippets will be shown for any version of SAS® but will require the SAS/STAT package. This approach can also be applied to many other organizations and industries. The %makeCharts and %makeROC macros in this paper are available at nderby.org/docs/charts.zip. INTRODUCTION: THE PROBLEM WITH CUSTOMER ATTRITION Suppose we're the fictitious Fisher Bank of Ames, Iowa, which has 70,359 customers and $928MM in assets as of June 30, 2015, with none of those customers having only a car loan.1 Three months before, we had 69,534 customers and $920MM in assets, so we grew their customer base by 1.19% and their assets by 0.91%. That might sound good on the surface, but it's really not. Our gain of 825 customers is a net gain. We actually gained 3541 new customers but lost 2716 existing customers. Our customer attrition is dramatically affecting our net customer growth. • If we had retained just 20% of those departing customers, we would have gained a net 1368 customers, for a 1.97% net customer growth. • If we had retained 25% of those departing customers, we would have had gained a net 1504 customers, for a 2.16% net customer growth. • If we had retained 50% of those departing customers, we would have had gained a net 2183 customers, for an amazing 3.14% net customer growth. In fact, retaining existing customers is usually easier and less expensive than gaining new customers, since these customers already know and trust the bank, and the bank already knows so much about them. Keeping them might be as simple as making a friendly phone call. The key is making full use of the data we have on our customers. Since customer attrition can have such a huge effect on customer growth, why not focus some attention to it? Specifically, we can focus on those customers with the highest value and the highest risk of closing their accounts. 1Customers with just a car loan typically behave differently from the normal customers, so we're ignoring them to keep this analysis simple.


Along-track velocity is critical for synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) imaging, as well as for the navigation of carrier. SAS systems typically measure velocity through a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), but it is not always available. Based on these, this paper describes a method for estimating the along-track velocity using displaced phase center (DPC) approximation. The main idea of the proposed method is to obtain the displacement of SAS between two adjacent pings using the spatiotemporal cross-correlation coefficient matrix, and then find the along-track velocity by a calculating formula. Simulations and results of real data from lake experiments show that the estimated velocity is quite accurate, and the estimated velocity can be used for carrier navigation and image reconstruction.


80-90% of tumours of the parotid gland are benign, the most common being pleomorphic adenoma. It is characterized principally by epithelial and myoepithelial components distributed in varied patterns through an abundant matrix of mucoid, and chondroid supporting tissue. Classically it presents as swelling in front, below and behind ear, Raises ear lobule and Retro mandibular groove is obliterated. Here we present a case of a swelling over left side of neck over submandibular triangle near the angle of the mandible. The case is presented as clinical presentation of pleomorphic Adenoma was not classical.


Benefiting from deep learning, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) ship detection based on convolutional neural network (CNN) has developed rapidly and corresponding performance is getting better. Nevertheless, most of the existing methods still cannot achieve a good balance between precision and recall in scenes with complex background interferences, or in a scene where two or more ships dock side by side. To address these problems, this article proposes a novel oriented SAR ship detector, which uses oriented bounding boxes (OBBs) to describe ships. For the purpose of reducing missed ships (aiming to improve recall) while suppressing false alarms (aiming to maintain precision), the proposed detector embeds a mixed convolution channel attention (MCCA) module into the backbone network, which highlights the important feature channels to enhance ship representation features by reweighting all channels of the feature map. In addition, we consider the geometric position relationship of neighbor ships and propose geometric nonmaximum suppression (G-NMS) to remove the redundant ship candidates or possible false alarms. Extensive experiments conducted on the SSDD and HRSID$_{s}$ datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of MCCA and G-NMS, the proposed detector also achieves better performance compared to state-of-the-art OBB-based detectors.


Given a distribution of pebbles on the vertices of a connected graph G, a pebbling move consists of taking two pebbles off one vertex and placing one on an adjacent vertex. The pebbling number f (G) of a connected graph G is the smallest positive integer such that every distribution of f (G) pebbles on the vertices of G, we can move a pebble to any target vertex. The t-pebbling number ft (G) of a connected graph G is the smallest positive integer such that every distribution of ft (G) pebbles on the vertices of G, we can move t pebbles to any target vertex by a sequence of pebbling moves. Graham conjectured that for any connected graph G and H, f (G × H) ≤ f (G) f (H). Lourdusamy further conjectured that ft (G × H) ≤ f (G) ft (H) for any positive integer t. In this paper, we show that Lourdusamy's Conjecture is true when G is a zig-zag chain graph of n copies of even cycles and H is a graph having 2t- pebbling property.


In this paper, we study the thermodynamic stability of quintessence in the background of homogeneous and isotropic universe model. For the evolutionary picture, we consider two different forms of p...


Fine roots of trees can be sensitive indicators of environmental change. This thesis analyses the response of tree fine-root (<1 and <2 mm in diameter) systems in deciduous and conifer stands to different sustainable management regimes. Separate studies were conducted in plantations and in natural stands of the Baltic Sea region. Clones of Salix viminalis and S. dasyclados in an unfertilised short-rotation forestry (SRF) plantation in Estonia (58°42¢N, 26°55¢E) were studied to compare the decomposition dynamics of fine roots, and the amount, structure and species diversity of associated ectomycorrhizal (EM) communities. The level of EM colonisation was estimated in stands of Alnus incana (Sweden, Estonia). The effect of granulated wood ash (GWA) on the distribution, morphology and chemistry of fine roots was analysed in a Picea abies stand in SW Sweden (56o33¢N, 13o13¢E), a site exposed to high acid deposition. The fine roots of S. dasyclados were a more recalcitrant substrate for decomposition (k=0.162) than those of S. viminalis (k=0.325), because of the higher initial concentration of acid detergent lignin of the former. The N in decomposing fine roots was retained in the system, as indicated by its decrease and immobilisation in the substrates. The level of EM was high in studied Salix spp. and Alnus incana roots. Salix dasyclados was characterised by a higher proportion of colonised root tips (94%) than S. viminalis (75%). Nine EM fungal taxa were identified in Salix spp. roots in SRF - a relatively low diversity compared with established forest ecosystems. The long-term effect of GWA on fine roots of Picea abies was mainly revealed in decreased necromass (1-2 mm root fraction), in decreased specific root length, and in increased P/N and Ca/N proportions by mass (1-2 mm). Fine-root biomass (<1 mm) was significantly greater in the lower humus in the GWA treatment, but this did not affect the total biomass in the whole soil profile. Wood ash in granulated form and in the long term caused only modest changes in the fine-root system, and can be used as a compensatory fertiliser in Picea abies stands. The results are applicable for maintaining sustainable forest ecosystems.


We resume recent developments in the theory of unbiased quantizations of probability distributions. Starting with variance-minimizing partitions, we review concept such as f-information, maximum support plane partition and quantizations, and motivate the definition of unbiased quantizations. The obtained results have applications in statistical inference and in the theory of comparison of experiments.


Abstract: With the modern and fast pace of life, the number of people who eat out has increased; consequently there has been an increase in the demand for work in establishments in the collective meals sector, making work environments susceptible to the emergence of occupational risks which may compromise the physical, mental and social health of workers. In order to mitigate these risks, one must have the knowledge of how they can interfere in the quality of life and work of the employees. Considering these aspects, occupational risks were evaluated in two restaurants in the metropolitan area of Recife-PE. For the evaluation of these were studied the levels of noise, heat and illumination. The chemical risks and physical-ergonomic relationship were also evaluated. It was observed in all the analyzes made, some type of discomfort to the collaborators. The noise analysis showed discomfort, where the waiter was exposed to levels of 83 dB, in the heat exposure the cooking area contributed to the thermal discomfort, where the exposure of 30.7 IBTUG was found and insufficient lighting in the area of washing pots with 86 lux. Risks arising from the incorrect use of PPE's and lack of these were found in the handling of chemicals and in the ergonomic risks was observed inadequacy of the height of worktops. From these results, it is fundamental to promote corrective measures to provide a comfortable work environment with reduced wear for the employee, so that there are no negative consequences for the company, as well as the customer.


Allergy and other hypersensitivity disorders express themselves with symptonis from the mucosal membranes of the airways and gastrointestinal tract and from the skin. The common underlying mechanism is probably inflammatory reactions and in the case of allergy these reactions are triggered by immunological reactions. By far the most common allergy is the atopic allergy with prevalencies in the order of 20 30 %. Allergic alveolitis, occurring after heavy antigen exposure, usually in occupational settings, is a rare disorder that will not be discussed. However, I will discuss the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, a lymphocyte mediated allergen specific disorder, although in many countries these patients are not handled by allergists to any greater extent.


The number of photons returning form a target in a given time interval is well described by a negative-binomial distributed random variable. A photomultipler tube (PMT) photon-counting detector is optimal for direct detection, and the number of detected-photon 'electron pulses' produced is also negative-binomially distributed per time bin, with a reduced mean due to the device quantum efficiency. These time distributed electron pulses are amplified and filtered by the preamplifier electronics prior to digitization and signal processing. The voltage output pulse per individual photo-electron event is known as the 'impulse-response- function' of the detector and preamplifier. In this study we employ a typical analog preamplifier filter response, modeled as a Butterworth lowpass filter of order two, which filters a 200 ps wideband PMT input voltage pulse. The random summation of these lowpass voltage impulse-responses, as created by the negative-binomial photon arrival times and random photo-electron creation, is the classical electronic 'shot-noise' random process. We derive numerically the voltage probability density function of this negative- binomial/impulse-response driven shot-noise random process following the stochastic process literature. We also show a technique to include PMT variations in gain, known as the 'pulse height distribution,' and to incorporate Gaussian baseline-noise voltage. Agreement with AMOR experiments is shown to be excellent. In addition, a Monte Carlo realization is presented, using the same impulse-response temporal shape, which also gives excellent agreement with AMOR data and with the analytical/numerical calculations.


"MAYBE IT'S NOT SO BLACK AND WHITE": EXPERIENCES OF VIRGINITY AMONG A SAMPLE OF CANADIAN YOUNG ADULTS Maria Tetro Advisory Committee: University of Guelph, 2016 Dr. Robin R. Milhausen Dr. Clare MacMartin The present study investigated the experiences of virginity among 21 selfidentified virgins (18 females/women and 3 males) between 20 and 26 years old. Participants took part in either a face-to-face or video-chat interview and were asked about their experiences of virginity and their conceptualizations of virginity. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data. Participants varied in the amount of importance that they placed on their virginity, but the majority considered it "not a huge deal" or as "just a fact" about them. Participants accounted for their virginity by indicating that they were actively resisting a change until certain conditions were met, or attributed their virginity to situational factors. Participants also spoke about the influence of socio-cultural context, specifically religion, the media, their families, and culture. Lastly, participants differed in the ways in which they conceptualized the sexual behaviours that would constitute a change from virginity to non-virginity.


Seizure is a common clinical concomitant of acute stroke in children. Unlike adults, seizure accompanies acute stroke in as many as 30% of affected children over the age of 1 month and in up to 90% of neonates with acute stroke. Consequently, first-time seizure occurrence in an otherwise healthy child argues strongly for consideration of acute stroke at the top of the differential diagnosis. Given the frequency of seizure in children who present with acute stroke, the implication of its occurrence upon outcome and subsequent risk for epilepsy remain of considerable interest. Some information has been provided by retrospective studies. A population-based sample of children with stroke at 29 days to 18 years of age indicated a cumulative risk of active epilepsy of 13% at 5 years and 30% at 10 years. Moreover, seizure occurrence at acute stroke presentation correlated with the development of active epilepsy. A second population-based study of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy due to perinatal stroke as well as a retrospective single-center series of children who experienced perinatal stroke both reported rates of subsequent epilepsy that exceeded 50%. Nonetheless, a prospective study of children with acute stroke that focused upon seizure occurrence and subsequent development of epilepsy had not been conducted. Fox et al. provide initial findings from the first prospective, multicenter study of seizure occurrence in children who have had stroke. Among 114 children who presented with acute stroke, young age at stroke occurrence predicted seizure occurrence at the time of acute presentation. Overall, among the large proportion of patients in the sample who had 1-year follow-up, fully 10% had active epilepsy. Notably, increasing number of seizures, younger age, and increasing duration of seizure at presentation with acute stroke each increased the likelihood of subsequent epilepsy. These data are important and suggest generally that those who are younger and who have repeated seizure at presentation with acute stroke are at greatest risk of subsequent epilepsy long term. More specifically, the findings of the current study sharpen focus upon neonates with stroke – the youngest of children with stroke who commonly have repeated seizures at the time of acute presentation – and suggest that these children may be at highest risk for subsequent epilepsy. The results are both novel and compelling. The study by Fox et al. has several strengths and some weaknesses. The study was prospective and included children ranging in age from full-term neonates to those 18 years of age who presented with acute stroke. In addition, the study was organized as a multicenter effort involving 21 centers, thus affording access to a demographically broad group of patients. While the sample of over 110 patients is commendable, the number remains low to cover virtually the entire age range of childhood development. Stronger signal regarding epilepsy following stroke in younger children, especially neonates, must await collection and analysis of data from a larger sample. If future research confirms the findings of Fox et al., it will lead to additional questions regarding therapy. Does sustained and effective treatment for seizure following the acute stroke diminish seizure recurrence in the short term? What is the appropriate duration of antiepileptic treatment once the seizure(s) associated with acute stroke subside? Does continued prophylaxis for seizure after the acute presentation affect the evolution of epilepsy in these children in the longer term? What interventions can be identified at the time of acute stroke in children that might reduce the frequency of epilepsy? While the last decade has brought significant advancement in understanding of stroke in children, the road ahead remains strewn by many challenging and basic questions such as those that relate to stroke and seizure occurrence. Despite that, the work of Fox et al. begins to provide important answers regarding seizure occurrence in children who have stroke. Further, it raises expectation that more answers will be forthcoming in the not so distant future.


BLOOD RED SHOES are coming to America this fall in support of their 3rd full length release entitled In Time To Voices, out July 24th on V2/Cooperative ...


This paper will outline several new concepts dealing with molecular flow calculations. One is a simple equation for calculating the ''Clausing'' transmission probability through circular tubes. A technique will also be demonstrated for developing similar expressions for the short‐tube probability of other tube cross sections. Tube conductance will then be compared to transmission probabilities in terms of exit losses, entrance losses, and changes from random gas flow to fully developed tube flow. A format will be presented which assists in converting between short‐tube conductance and probabilities. Finally, a correction term is added to Oatley's probability combining equation to compensate for ''beaming'' effects. This term reduces the normal maximum error for circular tube calculations from 3.7% to 0.28%.


Dataset creation is typically one of the first steps when applying Artificial Intelligence methods to a new task; and the real world performance of models hinges on the quality and quantity of data available. Producing an image dataset for semantic segmentation is resource intensive, particularly for specialist subjects where class segmentation is not able to be effectively farmed out. The benefit of producing a large, but poorly labelled, dataset versus a small, expertly segmented dataset for semantic segmentation is an open question. Here we show that a large, noisy dataset outperforms a small, expertly segmented dataset for training a Fully Convolutional Network model for semantic segmentation of corrosion in images. A large dataset of 250 images with segmentations labelled by undergraduates and a second dataset of just 10 images, with segmentations labelled by subject matter experts were produced. The mean Intersection over Union and micro F-score metrics were compared after training for 50,000 epochs. This work is illustrative for researchers setting out to develop deep learning models for detection and location of specialist features.


The reaction between O(3P) atoms and Cl2 has been studied in a fast flow reactor coupled to a time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. The reaction is first order in O and Cl2 and can be described by the mechanism, O+Cl2=OCl+Cl, O+ClO=Cl+O2. The rate constant for Reaction (1) is (7.5±0.6) × 10−14 cc molecule−1·sec−1 at 300°K. In the Cl2‐rich system, the over‐all rate constant is twice this value indicating that Reaction (2) is much faster than Reaction (1). A lower limit has been obtained for the rate constant of Reaction (2) of 10−11 cc molecule−1·sec−1. The apparent gas‐phase catalytic effect of Cl2 for the recombination of O atoms previously reported has been shown to be incorrect and to arise from a rapid regeneration of Cl2 molecules on HF ``poisoned'' walls.


11509 Background: Older patients have increased risk of toxicity from chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to analyse predictive factors for developing grade 3-5 toxicity in older patients treated with chemotherapy. Methods: This prospective multicenter study included 500 cancer patients ≥ 70 years between Feb 2014 and Jun 2018. A prechemotherapy assessment including sociodemographics, tumor/treatment variables, laboratory test results, and geriatric assessment variables (function, comorbidity, cognition, psychological state, social activity/support, and nutritional status) was performed. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between these factors and the development of grade 3-5 toxicity. Results: Mean age of the patients was 77 years (70-92), ECOG PS 0/1/2: 25%/63%/12%. 223 (45%) had a primary dose reduction.167 (33%) patients developed grade 3-5 toxicity (28% grade 3, 5% grade 4, 1% grade 5). Univariate analysis found a higher risk of grade 3-5 toxicity in patients with creatinine clearance ≤ 60 mL/min, IADL ≤7, VES13 ≥ 6, and the administration of standard chemotherapy doses. In multivariable analysis, only the chemotherapy dose (odds ratio [OR] 1.179; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.215–2.655) and creatinine clearance (odds ratio [OR] 0.989; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.981–0.997) were independently associated with toxicity. Conclusions: Renal function and chemotherapy dose were significant predictors of grade 3-5 toxicity among older patients treated with chemotherapy.


We examined the neuroprotective efficacy of a post‐treatment with idazoxan (Idaz): an α2‐adrenoceptor antagonist with activity at the I1‐ and I2‐subtypes of the imidazoline receptor (I‐receptor), in an experimental model of perinatal hypoxic‐ischemic (HI) brain damage. Seventy‐two, 7‐day‐old Wistar rats were subjected to permanent unilateral ligation of the common carotid artery and transient (2 hr) hypoxia (8% O2). The surviving animals were sub‐divided into 3 groups: one "control" group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of saline (Σ; n = 21) and two "treated" groups received, 10 min post‐HI, i.p. treatments with Idaz (I3: 3 mg/kg; n = 19) or (I8: 8 mg/kg; n = 20). Idaz effects were assessed by TTC‐staining 72 hr post‐HI for Σ (n = 13), I3 (n = 11), and I8 (n = 12) groups and by MRI‐examination 5 weeks post‐HI for Σ (n = 8), I3 (n = 8), and I8 (n = 6) groups. Total ratio of brain infarct areas were significantly (P < 0.01) different between Σ and Idaz‐treated rats: 20.9 ± 4.0%, 35.6 ± 5.9 % and 36.8 ± 5.8% for Σ, I3 and I8, respectively, when determined with TTC‐staining and; 23.3 ± 3.7%, 39.8 ± 4.2%, and 43.2 ± 10.1%, for Σ, I3, and I8, respectively, when assessed by MRI. Our results suggest that Idaz, given as a post‐HI treatment, does not exert neuroprotective effects but enhances the brain injury induced by focal neonatal cerebral HI. The deleterious mechanism may result from an overactivity of sympathetic tone and/or the immaturity of central I‐receptors in newborn rats. J. Neurosci. Res. 58:690–696, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Political conversation and public deliberation are some of the fundamental underpinnings of democratic governance. Yet our national political discourse often appears increasingly polarized, leading many Americans to question the extent to which our current political culture may facilitate democratic deliberation. What role does speech – in all of its varied forms – play in creating and sustaining a healthy democracy? In this course, students will learn the method of discourse analysis as a means of exploring key connections between citizens, institutions, and the American political process; to do so, we will examine political talk in diverse and varied settings including presidential speeches, local community gatherings, and social movement organizations. Some of the questions we will consider in this course include: What makes speech "political"? How do institutions, activists, setting and audience influence the political discourse of both individuals and organizations? And how is such discourse received among its various publics, and how might the production and reception of political discourse potentially unite or divide the American people?


Factors that inhibit the growth of plants in strongly acidic soils include low pH and aluminum excess. We evaluated two Myrtaceae species (Melaleuca cajuputi and Melaleuca bracteata), which are useful trees in tropical regions due to their resistance to low pH and excessive aluminum, to determine their response characteristics to environmental stresses. The results revealed that M.cajuputi, the growth by the aluminum concentration was not inhibited. However, the root growth of M.bracteata, by the aluminum treatment was inhibited remarkable, and 83.2% inhibited the maximum more than aluminum free. The pH of rhizosphere of both plants has decreased by the BCP plate. However, the pH decrease has decreased as for M. bracteata with high concentration of aluminum, but M.cajuputi is not changed. Next, it was able to be confirmed of aluminum accumulated in the root M.bracteata more than M.cajuputi by hematoxylin and aniline blue dyeing. At the result, it was able to be confirmed of aluminum accumulated in the root M.bracteata more than M.cajuputi. As for M.bracteata, aluminum was absorbed in the inner-cell of the root tissue. On the other hand, M.cajuputi had aluminum only in the surface of the root. We concluded that M.cajuputi was an aluminum tolerance because the mechanism that aluminum doesn't invade the internal tissue of the root was possessed.


Stative adjectives' of Shaoyang dialect have three structures,i.e.the prefix,infix and suffix attached.Compared with the mandarin,the richness of semantic,flexibility of structures,grammaticalization of lexical meaning and other aspects have shown significant local dialect color.


A measure of team task complexity for emergency procedures in fully automatic metro is proposed using a Euclidean norm based on two factors: internal complexity of network nodes Nodecom − inside and external complexity of network nodes Nodecom − outside. The development of the operation complexity measure followed four steps. First, team task complexity network for emergency procedures was constructed. Second, the task complexity (TC) method used as complexity measure of individual was adopted to measure the internal complexity of network nodes. Then, the external complexity of network nodes was measured by structure entropy. Finally, the team task complexity values for emergency procedures were determined by the Euclidean norm of the two factors. To verify the validity of this team task complexity measure, a one‐factor experiment was designed to test the proposed model. Thirteen team subjects participated in the experiment and performed 5 typical emergency scenes. Both objective indexes (TeamTIME) and subjective indexes (TeamWORKLOAD and TeamSUBCOMPLEXITY) were used in the experiment. The data analysis showed that the TeamTIME, TeamWORKLOAD, and TeamSUBCOMPLEXITY could be predicted well from the team task complexity value. The proposed team task complexity measure can be used for evaluation of emergency procedures design in fully automatic metro.


Sodium intake is important to maintain proper osmolarity and volume of extracellular fluid in vertebrates. The ability to find sources of sodium ions for managing electrolyte homeostasis relies on the activity of the taste system to sense salt. Several studies have been performed to understand the mechanisms underlying Na+ reception in taste cells, the peripheral detectors for food chemicals. It is now generally accepted that Na+ interacts with specific ion channels in taste cell membrane, called sodium receptors. As ion channels, these proteins mediate transmembrane ion fluxes (that is, electrical currents) during their operation. Thus, a lot of information on the functional properties of sodium receptors has been obtained by using electrophysiological techniques. Here, I review our current knowledge on the biophysical and physiological features of these receptors obtained by applying the patch-clamp recording techniques to single taste cells.


This paper updates and extends my earlier work (published in the June 2007 issue of the Journal of Economic Issues on how the middle class fares throughout the world. Wave #6 data from the Luxembourg Income Study, recently released and centered around 2004, provides an opportunity to assess what has happened to the size of the middle class around the world in the early 2000s. In contrast to the 1980s and 1990s, there was no noticeable decline in the middle class during the early 2000s. The paper provides further evidence that the size of the middle class in each nation depends mainly on government tax and spending policies. In particular, it shows the key role played by family allowances and paid family leave in supporting a national middle class.


This report gives an overview of different optimisations made by the Java HotSpot VM to decrease the overhead of synchronisation. It lists the major strategies, explains why they work and provides and cites some rudimentary benchmarking to prove that they work.


Kidney tumor is an abnormal mass in the abdominal cavity that develop in the kidneys. Kidney tumor or nephroblastoma is a type of tumor that often occurs in children - children under 10 years old and is rarely found in adults. Interest CT scan of the abdomen on suspicion of renal tumors is to determine the location, size, tumor in the kidney radiologically by using CT scans. These checks are carried out on the children's names: S, age: 10 years, in February 2017 using a CT scan tool brands General Elektonic (GE) Light Speed PRO 16 Type Multisync. LDC 1880 SX. The results of radiological examination showed a tumor in the kidney.


The fungus Neonectria ditissima causes European canker of apple. To determine the pathogenicity of different isolates, conidial inoculum of each isolate needs to be prepared. Freezing inoculum ensures that conidia do not germinate before inoculation, and facilitates screening of large numbers of isolates. In this study, conidial suspensions of three different isolates and 'field conidia' collected from apple cankers were used to inoculate dormant potted 1-year-old 'Royal Gala' trees in a glasshouse. Each conidial suspension (2×10 5 conidia/ml) was used either fresh or defrosted after 3 days at -20°C. Five buds per shoot were removed and inoculated, with four replicates of two shoots per treatment. Significant differences in disease incidence and lesion size were observed between the different isolates at each assessment date, 5 to 15 weeks after inoculation (P<0.003), but freezing the inoculum had no effect on disease incidence or lesion size. Frozen conidial suspensions can be used for pathogenicity studies and may also be a long-term storage option for cultures.


Oxymolybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate(MoDDP) additive was synthesized by using the new type catalyst HY-6 acidic ion-exchange resin.The effects of mass fraction and the yield of the metal molybdenum,the reactant selectivity,the preparation conditions of dialkydithiophosphate(HDDP) were investigated.The optimum process conditions were determined.The optimum reaction conditions for preparing HDDP are as follows: molar ratio of the compound alcohol(C_4,C_8) to P_2S_5 is 3.95∶1,reaction temperature is 70~90 ℃,reaction time is 2 h.The optimum reaction conditions for preparing MoDDP are as follows: reaction temperature is 80~100 ℃,reaction time is 4~6 h with HY-6 as catalyst.The results show that the mass fraction of molybdenum content of product is above 10%,the yield of MoDDP reach 85%.The friction test machine antiwear performances of MoDDP were evaluated.The product by this catalytic method has the similar effectiveness to that of reduction method.


Music has a unique power to elicit moments of intense emotional and psychophysiological response. These moments – termed "chills," "thrills", "frissons," etc. – are subjects of introspection and philosophical debate, as well as scientific study in music perception and cognition. The present article integrates the existing multidisciplinary literature in an attempt to define a comprehensive, testable, and ecologically valid model of transcendent psychophysiological moments in music.


(1) x′(t) = f(t, xt) where f : [0,∞) × C1 → R n is continuous and takes bounded sets into bounded sets. Here, (C, ‖ · ‖) is the Banach space of continuous functions φ : [−h, 0] → R with the supremum norm, h is a positive constant, C1 is the subset of C with ‖φ‖ < 1, f(t, 0) = 0, and xt(s) = x(t + s) for −h ≤ s ≤ 0. The results are based on continuous functionals V : [0,∞)×C1 → [0,∞) which are locally Lipschitz in φ and whose derivative along any solution of (1) satisfies V ′ (1)(t, xt) ≤ 0. Such a functional is called a Liapunov functional for (1). We also use continuous strictly increasing functions W : [0,∞) → [0,∞) with W (0) = 0, called wedges. Stability definitions will be stated in the next section. The following is the classical theorem on uniform stability (US) for the zero solution of (1). It goes back to Krasovskii [7; pp. 143–157]. THEOREM K1. If there is a Liapunov functional for (1) and wedges satisfying


Person who focuses on the concepts such as self-discovery, self-reveal, self-acceptance and especially self-actualization is not only in the process of creating painting, sculpture and poetry, but also and mainly in the process of producing the self. Accordingly, the person is not only the one who creates, but also the product and the process at the same time. This work is also about being a story.


Sequencing technology is dominant in the study of complex human genetic diseases. Identified risk genes and other biomarkers will make genetic counselling, risk assessment and avoidance, and disease diagnosis and treatment possible. Benefit from the discovered biomarkers, many diseases could be accurate diagnosed and prevented, as well as accurate treated. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of many neuropsychiatric disorders are still unclear and there are no effective treatments for these neuropsychiatric disorders. The rapid development of whole genome sequencing technology, large amounts of genetic data are generated concerning larger cohorts with diverse neuropsychiatric disorders [1], making it possible to detect various genetic variants, i.e. SNVs, InDels, and SVs. Genetic research of these disorders are focused on genome-wide association analysis (GWAS), pedigree analysis, twin family studies, trio family studies, etc., Over the last decades, GWAS have identified several hundred loci for neuropsychiatric disorders successfully [2,3]. Whole exome/ genome sequencing have greatly facilitated the identification of risk de novo variants [4]. Besides, with the increasing amount of patient cohorts, more and more risk mutations have been discovered [5].


Cellulose emerges as a promising sustainable alternative to traditional polyolefin-based lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators because of its good mechanical properties and inherent hydrophilic character. Therefore, in this work we fabricate high specific surface area mesoporous cellulose nanocrystal (MCNC) membranes with different pore morphology as novel three-dimensional porous separators. N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses reveal that membranes are composed of loosely packed cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with specific surface areas up to 172 m2·g–1 and porosities up to 75.3%. The prepared mesoporous separators show low contact angle values when evaluated against conventional electrolyte and ionic liquid, suggesting a pivotal role of the porous 3D structure on the resulting wettability, where mesopores provide efficient paths for Li+ ion migration through the membrane. Furthermore, the membranes show ionic conductivities of 2.7 mS·cm–1, wide electrochemica...


Klingensmith G, Hamman RF: Accuracy of a filter paper method for measuring glycosylated hemoglobin. Diabetes Care 15:108-10, 1992 Fleiss JL: Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions. New York, NY, Wiley, 1973 Klingensmith GJ, Gay EC: Factors influencing glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbAl) levels in 1DDM subjects: The Colorado IDDM Registry. Diabetes 39 (Suppl. 1): 203A, 1990 Standing SJ, Taylor RP: Glycated haemoglobin: an assessment of high capacity liquid chromatographic and immunoassay methods. Ann Clin Biochem 29:494-505, 1992


College public elective courses have a great effect on improving college students' comprehensive quality,especially perfecting knowledge structure,forming personality character,developing vocational ability,and so on.However,college public elective courses did not exert its curriculum function at present.We think that the essential cause of the problem lies in the low teaching quality.In view of this,we proposed innovating teaching evaluation model and theoretical construction of teaching quality assessment model of college public elective courses which are in "large committee system",the teachers' teaching and the students' learning on evaluation objects and stochastic evaluation mechanism.


Peach tortuous branch mutant,whose branches grown toutuously,but other characteristics(leaves,flower buds,fruits)did not changed,was obtained from Co~(60)-γ ray.It showed that the tortuous mutant was independent of other characteristics.


Malignant transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells in vitro wasinduced by N-diethy Initrosamine (DENA) at the concentration of 2.5-0.1μg/ml lasting 5 days,some cellular transformation parameters have been observed and confirmed, such as morphologically transformed foci, mutation assay by resistance to ouabain-and e-thioguanine inhibiting growh, chromosome aberrations, colony formation in soft agar medium, ult-rastructural alterations, and fibrosarcoma formation in situ following inoculation of transformed cells into subcutaneous tissue of cheek pouch and axilla .Cell cycle time and doubling time of transformed cells were 9.8 and 10.8 hours, resp ectively.The results mentioned aboue suggested that the hamster embryo cells can metabolize and activate procarcinogen DENA into intimate carcinogen, and are very sensitive to itscarcinogenesis.


Global Offset Table (GOT) is an important feature to support library sharing in Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) applications. The addresses of external modules' global variables and functions are runtime resolved and stored in the GOT and then are used by the program. If attackers tamper with the function pointers in the GOT, they can hijack the program's control flow and execute arbitrary malicious code. Current research pays few attentions on this threat (i.e. GOT hijacking attack). In this paper, we proposed and implemented a protection mechanism SecGOT to randomize the GOT at load time, and thus prevent attackers from guessing the GOT's position and tampering with the function pointers. SecGOT is evaluated against 101 binaries in the /bin directory for Linux. The results show that it introduced quite low load-time overhead and provides an effective protection against GOT hijacking attacks.


The complex and diverse background conditions, the variability of human face and the artificial deliberate transformation have all become the problems that traditional face recognition technology can't solve, and they can't really reflect the imperceptible advantages of face recognition. After wearing masks, the most important mouth and nose areas of human face are covered by these masks with different shapes and colors, and some facial features are hidden, and the key feature points that can be extracted are greatly reduced. In this paper, the existing mask region repair algorithms at home and abroad are classified and summarized, mainly including mask occlusion face recognition based on robust occlusion, mask occlusion face recognition based on sparse representation classification and mask occlusion face recognition based on neural network. It is pointed out that partial occlusion is one of the main difficulties. The main methods and shortcomings of face recognition based on mask region repair algorithm are systematically analyzed and summarized, and the main problems and possible research ways in the future are analyzed.


2009 The new no-smoking law, which became effective in January, 2009, applies to nearly all enclosed public and work places. It also applies most educational and health facilities, regardless of their indoor or outdoor spaces. No designated smoking rooms are allowed in work places, however in work places with less than 3 workers, smoking is not banned. In Taiwan newspapers are regarded as one of the most important sources of smoking message for the audiences, what issues have been reported and how such news were constructed remain under-explored. In this paper, we performed content analysis on 498 articles related to Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in the three main Newspapers from 1 June 2007 through 31 May 2009. The results show as follows: (1) The number of tobacco articles varied considerably in different years, from a peak in 1997, the year the Law of Smoking prevention was carried out. (2) "News-directed" articles were dominant type of smoking related news, and (3) The most frequent theme was "tobacco legislation" and "anti-smoking campaign". (4) Government officials were quoted significantly more often in the news(67.3 %). And 47.0 % of the news articles were located in the national or local news section. (5) 34.3 % of the news articles were neutral, (6) When news articles report The Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act article 15, (61.0%) primarily report banning smoking place, but misrepresent the Act 10.9% of the time. And the article 26, and 28, discussing fines, is reported incorrectly 31.3%. This research is high regarding the law misrepresents, suggest the government organization must establish a mechanism to monitor and correct mispresented Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act news articles. Especially, incorrect newspaper reports, should be corrected immediately, in order to help readers understand this law correctly and avoid disputes.


books (Biblical texts, reprints of earlier editions) which were excluded by definition from the system, which applied only to original works; nonetheless there is a large number of books which could have obtained a privilege and which did not—why is not known. Is it therefore safe to conclude (p. 206) that "over the next twenty years [from 1509], privileges came to cover probably the majority of books being printed for the first time"? A glance at Brigitte Moreau's Inventaire chronologique des editionsparisiennes listing for 1529 gives 329 titles, of which over 200 are not qualified for a privilege; but of the rest, only nine are mentioned as having obtained a privilege, and three a permission to print. I should have been happy to have more solid evidence for the stages by which the obtaining of a privilege became a majority phenomenon. This however smacks of ingratitude: Armstrong has given us a wealth of information, and for that the scholarly community will be most thankful. UNIVERSITY OF GENEVA Francis Higman


We have used immunocytochemical methods to investigate the cytoskeletal constituents of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Specific, affinity-purified antibodies to three cytoskeletal proteins, vinculin, a-actinin, and filamin, bound to neuromuscular junctions in sections of normal rat, mouse, chick, and Xenopus muscles. All three antibodies bound to the synaptic regions of denervated rat muscle fibers, indicating that the proteins recognized by these antibodies are associated with postsynaptic structures. The three proteins are present at the neuromuscular junction in muscle fibers of embryonic and neonatal animals, and therefore, may play an important role in its differentiation. The postsynaptic membrane of the adult vertebrate neuromuscular junction has a highly specialized structure that is distinct from the extrasynaptic membrane that surrounds it. Within its borders, the postsynaptic membrane is organized into distinct domains that are either rich or poor in acetylcholine receptors (AChR). The AChR-rich domains, which contain paracrystalline arrays of AChR (16, 27, 30), are closely apposed to the nerve terminals (10), whereas the AChR-poor domains are invaginated to form more or less elaborate folds according to the species and the muscle type (41). Although the factors responsible for the differentiation of the postsynaptic membrane and its organization into AChRrich and AChR-poor domains are not yet understood, the structures in close association with the membrane on each of its surfaces may play important roles. The postsynaptic membrane is bounded extraceilularly by a basal lamina that has unique structural and functional properties (17, 3 I) and that, in adult muscle, can direct the differentiation of both presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes (1, 7, 25, 31, 32). The postsynaptic membrane is associated intracellularly with a layer of electron-dense material that is coextensive with the AChR-rich domain and with an extensive network of cytoskeletal filaments (16-18, 29, 30). The involvement in other cells of cytoskeletal elements in generating and maintaining membrane protein aggregates and specialized configurations of the membrane suggest that these may also be important in determining the structure of the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction. Two proteins, one that resembles actin (15) and another that is immunologically related to the 43,000-dalton protein in Torpedo (12, 33, 34), have been THE JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY • VOLUME 97 JULY 1983 217-223 © The Rockefeller University Press . 0021-9525/83/07/0217/07 $1.00 associated with postsynaptic structures at the neuromuscular junction. Here we report that proteins related to vinculin, aactinin, and filamin are also concentrated postsynaptically. MATERIALS AND METHODS Staining of Frozen Sections:: Frozen muscle sections were cut as described previously (15, 31). Briefly, muscles were dissected and frozen in liquid nitrogen or in hexane precooled in a dry ice-acetone hath. Muscles from embryonic and newborn rats were wrapped in a strip of adult rat diaphragm before freezingand sectioning. Pieces ( ~ 3 m m x 5 m m x 8 ram)were trimmed, mounted on a brass hlock, and sectioned with a cryostat, Sections of adult and neonatal muscles were 4 um thick; sections of embryonic diaphragm were 6 ~m thick. Sections were picked up onto glass slides, dried at room temperature, and stored with dessicant at 7 0 °. Antigens in the frozen sections were detected by indirect immunofluorescence. In most cases, the sections were first incubated with the antibody of interest, diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA), followed by fluorescein-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG (fGAR; Cappel Laboratories Inc., Cochranville, PA) diluted 1:100 in PBS-BSA. Tetramethylrhodamine-labeled a-bungarutoxin (R-a-BuTx), prepared according to the method of Ravdin and Axelrud (28), was routinely added (0.5 ~g/ml) to the fGAR solution to label AChR at the motor endplates. In some cases, we used a more sensitive immunofluorescence procedure in which the fGAR was replaced by biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG (20 ~g/ml), prepared with biotin suecinimide ester (Biosearch, San Rafael, CA). Sections were subsequently incubated in a mixture of fluorescein-conjugated avidin (40 ug/ml; Vector Laboratories Inc., Burlingame, CA) and R-a-BuTx. The fluorescein-avidin was adsorbed before use with a membrane fraction from rat muscle to reduce background staining. When the sensitivity of the fGAR and biotin-avidin procedures were compared on sections of rat muscle, using serial dilutions of a rabbit antiserum to rat muscle AChR as a test system, the biotin-avidin method was found to be approximately eightfold more sensitive. After staining, the sections were rinsed with PBS, mounted in Elvanol or glycerol, and viewed in either a Leitz Diavert or a Zciss IM 35 microscope.


Bioaffinity nanoprobes This review focuses on imaging, visualization and detection of diseases using nanoprobes. Several currently available nanoprobes such as fluorescent nanoprobes, upconversion nanoparticle probes, supermagnetic iron oxide nanoprobes, and polymerand liposome based nanoprobes are discussed. This paper also briefly summarizes the methodologies used to image and track single cells, tumors, cancer cells, brain diseases and angiogenic vasculature. Current challenges and future scopes of research are also discussed.


Tight upper and lower bounds on the ratio of relative entropies of two probability distributions with respect to a common third one were established in the authors' recent work (in Proc. 2018 IEEE Information Theory Workshop, Guangzhou, China, Nov. 2018), where the three distributions are collinear in the standard (n – 1)-simplex. In this paper, we establish some extremal results regarding these two bounds.


This study aimed to conduct a literature review of national literature, to verify the available tests to researchers and clinicians in the country for assessment of persona lity disorders and discuss the current state of res earch in the area of personality disorders assessment in Brazil. The rel evant databases in the area were consulted, and the search was restricted to 10 years of publication. About the 31 selected w orks, six were kept. Thus, we selected 3 articles, 1 theory and 2 dissertations. Of the 6 selected works, three were focused on the anti-social personality disorder, an d the other three studies addressed the personality disorders of a more exten sive and all are of empirical nature. The test abse nce means many diagnoses made without a more objective benchmark that allows state with a degree of security the exis tence of these


The article is devoted to the actual problem of substantiating the criminal liability of medical workers. In this paper, the author substantiates the need to define clear and distinct criteria for distinguishing criminal and positive behavior in the provision of professional medical care. The author provides data from a survey of employees of the Investigative Committee of Russia, thereby empirically confirming the validity and significance of the conclusions contained in the article.


A switched-capacitor circuit is proposed for the generation of noise resembling the typical noise spectral density of MOS devices. The circuit is based on the combination of two chaotic maps, one generating 1/f noise (hopping map) and the other generating white noise (Bernoulli map). Through a programmable weighted adder stage, the contribution of each map can be controlled and, thereby, the position of the corner frequency. Behavioral models simulations were carried out to prove the correct functionality of the proposed approach.


Based on the theorem of synchronization of digital-flow chaos in secure communications, a scheme of secure speech communication was presented and realized, a method using model references was given to solve the problem that noise will be increased with time going because of programming variance both communication sides. Reducing synchronic noise and promoting the ratio of signal power and noise power are made with the method. The experimental results show it will reduce noise efficiently.


Glenn Twiddle has found the Google 'Secret Master' Give us 90 minutes and we'll have you dominating google and other online engines. It's that simple. Be quick - http://www.qreas.com.au/seo


Through the present communicative product, begging will be evident in the Historic Center of Quito (CHQ), the research was based on relevant information from the institutions of the State working with the vulnerable sectors of society. For in this way verify the work that is being done in terms of strategies, planning and public policies that promote the eradication and prevention of this social problem, on the other hand feel if these institutional plans are carried out in daily actions.
For this, the information obtained will be contrasting with relevant postulates from professionals who are experts in the subject. Evidencing in this way the reality of life of people in a situation of begging in the CHQ.
This was thought to an audiovisual communication product that connote the social context of the CHQ, entitled "Invisible actors", taking this name by the invisibility by instances that you work with the vulnerable sectors of society, in this case people in begging. Understand the functioning of the institutions of the State and labour through the sub Secretaries, which contains each institution, is organized, understanding the objectives of work on each area, it is essential to understand the present project.
Institutions which addressed topic of research: Economic and Social Inclusion Ministry (MIES), Ministry of National Planning and Development (SENPLADES), Technical Secretariat for Prevention Integral of Drugs (SETED), Nunicipality of the District Metropolitan of Quito, Coordinations Zonal 9 (Center), and as a cooperating organization is house of reception San Juan de Dios.


Our method of selecting a president is not entirely what the Framers of the Constitution envisioned in 1787. It has changed and developed in several ways, but it still is compatible with and supportive of the American idea of de mocracy. The American idea of democracy is complex, not simple; federal, not all-national; consensual, not strictly majoritarian. The political slogan "all power to the people" is not one our Founders would have endorsed. Their slo gan was "all power to no one," not even the numerical majority. As James Mad ison pointed out in The Federalist, No. 47, all power in the hands of the many is a form of tyranny. The goal of the Founders was liberty, and because they had decided on a democratic republic, they had to find a way to balance liberty and equality. Their solution to the problem of majority tyranny was a system of concurrent majorities that not only divides the powers of the national gov ernment by function, but also divides, shapes, and structures all governing ma jorities under a federal principle. This form of government seeks more than majority rule; it seeks majority rule with minority consent. To gain that consent, it must give minorities of all kinds the opportunity to be a part of the majority. These opportunities are created in two ways: first,


Field observations of CH 4 and CO 2 concentration down soil profiles in the major grassland communities of Xilin River Basin of Inner Mongolia in 1999 indicate that the distribution of methane through the soil profile was different from that of carbon dioxide. Methane concentration decreased gradually with soil depth while the concentration of carbon dioxide showed a strongly increasing trend. On the other hand, methane concentration in the soil of meadow steppe, Leymus chinensis steppe and Stipa grandis steppe, a series driven by moisture gradients in Xilin River Basin, differed significantly with seasonal variation. Variation in the time scale of impacts may partially account for the result that there was no significant effect of grazing on CH 4 and CO 2 concentration in the grassland soil.


A method for controlling the shape of the plate shape control of the rolling mill. According to the shape signal detected. Approximation formula derived from substantially antisymmetric component (primary component). The basic components of the control allocation to functional reduction leveling element, and the control of the higher order antisymmetric component by means other than the pressure reduction for the functional element level. In rolling, the antisymmetric component caused substantially curved plate. By controlling the basic component with other component away, we can improve the shape of the rolled product and to avoid products appear bent in the rolling process.


The limited range of Milky Stork in its natural habitat, as well as in under captivity, makes it difficult to learn more about it. This paper aimed to examine the breeding biology of Milky Stork raised in captivity in the Zlín-Lešná Zoo in the Czech Republic. By analyzing partial reproduction characteristic, we wanted to supplement the knowledge that is needed to ensure the necessary degree of reproduction of the Milky Stork in human care. The monitoring was carried out in the Zlín-Lešná Zoo and the following reproductive indicators were analysed: annual laying rate, size and weight of eggs laid, monitoring of egg weight loss during incubation, hatchability, and hatching weight. During the four years, a total of 23 eggs of the Milky Stork by one parent pair were evaluated. The average proportion of fertilised eggs over the whole period reached 56.5%. The average eggs length was 65.7 mm, the average eggs width was 47.0 mm and the average eggs weight was 79.7 g. Average weight loss of eggs during their incubation was 8.4 g. Average hatchability of all the laid eggs was 56.5%. A total of 13 young Milky Storks were hatched during the observation period. Their average hatching weight was 55.7 g. A total of five individuals were raised during the four years of observation. Knowledge in the field of reproduction is one of the basic prerequisites to give this species a chance to survive in the future, whether in the natural environment or human care.


" Provided always, and be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the said council, on the application, within twelve calendar months after the passing of this act, of any person legally practising as a physician, surgeon, or apothecary, at the time of the passing of this act, in any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, orw the application within two years of any person so legally practising in any of her Majesty's colonies and foreign possessions, to cause the name of such person to be registered as a physician, surgeon, or licentiate in medicine and surgery, as the case may be, on production to the said council of hi' dipwba license, or certificate, or such other proof as shall1We satisfactory to the said council, that at the time of the passing of this act, he was legally entitled to practise as a physician, surgeon, or apothecary, as the case may be, in some part of the said United Kingdom, and on payment of a fee of two pounds in the case of fellows or associates of the said Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons respectively, and of five shillings in every other case, which fees shall be applied toward the expenses of this act; and during the said period of twelve calendar months every person legally practising as a physician, surgeon, or apothecary at the time of the passing of this act in the said United Kingdom, and during the said period of two years, every per.a so legally practising in any of her Majesty's colonies and foreign possessions, although not registered, shall continue to enjoy the same privileges and exemptions, and be qualified to be appointed to the same offices, and to practise in the same manner as if this act had not been passed, and no further or otherwise, unless registered under this act."


As one of the horticultural plants that has important economic value, the cultivation of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) is often constrained by the attack of Fusarium sp., which can cause losses due to decreased production. Induction of the magnetic field on the plant is known to be able to increase growth, development, and production in various plants.  In this research, we studied the production of chili grown from seeds exposed to a 0.2 mT magnetic field and then infected with Fusarium sp. The study was conducted factorial using a completely randomized design with 2 factors. The first factor is the exposure of a 0.2 mT magnetic field to the seeds consisting of controls, without exposure to a magnetic field (M0), magnetic field exposure for 7 minutes 48 seconds (M7), and 15 minutes 30 seconds (M15). The second factor is Fusarium sp. infection on seeds that have been exposed to a magnetic field for 60 minutes by immersion of the seeds with spore suspension of Fusarium sp. with the density of 1 x 107 conidia/ml (F60), and without Fusarium sp. infection (F0). Each treatment unit was repeated 5 times. The data obtained were analyzed for variance at α = 5% followed by the least significant difference test using the Fishers Test at α = 5%. The results of data analysis showed that the interaction of 0,2 mT magnetic field exposure and infection of Fusarium sp. in chili seeds significantly affect the stomata index, the fruiting rate, and the number of fruit but do not affect the content of total chlorophyll, carbohydrate, as well as the number of flowers. The highest fruiting rate and number of fruits obtained from the treatment result of 0.2 mT magnetic field exposure for 15 minutes 36 seconds without Fusarium sp. infection (M15F0). Infection of Fusarium sp. in these seeds (M15F60) reduce the fruiting rate and the number of fruit but it is not significant and even almost similar with the fruiting rate and the fruit number of the plant growth from control treatment (M0F60).   Key words: magnetic field, Fusariumsp., seed, and production.


The analysis of sport consumption is enormously complex if we confronted it with any other expression of scenic art. This complexity is rooted in the anthropological bases of sport and it is especially evident in the psychological implications that individuals experiment in connection with this kind of consumption in general. The derivations of this fact display manifold effects, from a clear influence in the functions of individual well-being, to the existence of a greater or smaller endowment of social capital in its different expressions. Thus, for example, the supporting of a club is not assimilable to loyalty in consumption, nor the utility of watching sports is a simple function of the results. In sum, the characteristics of this bond imply that the approach must necessarily be multidisciplinary since it displays economic, sociological and psychological effects, all of them integrated under the general epigraph of behavior of the consumer. The present work is focused on the study of the causality and characterization of the relations of identity and sympathy (understood this one as interdependence of the utility functions) between a club and a supporter, and the effects that these can have on the demand of sport activities. As starting point we make a survey of the diverse theoretical models on the personal implication of a subject in this type of activities. These conducts have already been object of an important set of works that have pointed out the importance of the sociocultural context, as well as the cognitive and affective factors of attraction as other conditioning this behavior. In this sense, our work adopts the theoretical perspective of the general model proposed by Funk and James (2001), which, opposite to partial models (hierarchy of effects in the purchasing, escalating commitment...) develops a general explanation of the psychological processes that sublie to the appearance of the different degrees of bonding, integrating in a continuum the diverse attitudes of consumers. On the other hand, this model allows to establish a set of borders, tied to the individual evaluative processes by means of which a person internalize a social situation and that mark the qualitative different stages of bonding with a sport object of attraction. These borders consequently mark stages in a continuum that follows a behavioural logic that we will contrasted on our sample of study. Simultaneously, between the distinguishing characteristics that are associated to identification or last stage on this process, the interdependence of the utility functions (sympathy), constitutes the clearest featurel. This disposition causes clear repercussions in the attitude towards the club like uncondicionality, willingness to pay... Our empirical model is centered in the study of the results of a survey made on the metropolitan population of A Corunna (Spain) on supporting, demand and willingness to pay with regard to the local soccer club (Real Sport Club of A Corunna). The results allow us to contrast applying logit( binomial and multinomial) methodologies, the diverse explanatory theoretical proposals on the four stages of implication and very specially the behavioral characteristics of the last phase or identification stage. Also we will approach, from a theoretical and empirical point of view, the effects that the existence of sympathy relations has in sports consumer behavior and, in particular, the effects that these bonds have in the willingness to pay. Also it is developed an explanatory model on the determinants of this kind of conducts and its incidence in the demand of sport activities. Between the initial results it is worth to mention the high repercussion of the television broadcastings, as well as the social context and the remarkable weight of the sociocultural variables. On the other hand, the existence of a clear entailment between sympathy and willingness to pay is verified.


The 7-hydroxy-6-methoxytetrahydroisoquinolines (2 and 8) were transformed to the corresponding 6-hydroxy-7-methoxytetrahydroisoquinolines (4 and 14) via the p-quinol acetates (1 and 9), the p-quinol ethers (3a or 3b, and 10a), and the 6-alkoxy-7-ols (5 or 7, and 13), respectively.


for their administration are working conscientiously. If they fail in this task, the international community again for different reasons than in the 1950s, will have turned its back on the idea. The failure of state systems to punish those responsible for violations of civilized standards has been a constant of world history, and, if anything, has become worse since 1989. The struggle to maintain those standards cannot be abandoned; and if a credible threat of criminal punishment is to continue as part of that struggle, then credible institutions are required. In the area of the criminal law, the international community must itself comply with the standards it has set for national criminal systems. This means in terms of Article XIV of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a fair and public hearing by a competent, impartial tribunal established by law. In the short term, what we have is a competent, de facto independent, impartial tribunal established by the Security Council. In the longer term I do not see that this can be enough.


Network traffic monitoring and analysis-related research has struggled to scale for massive amounts of data in real time. Some of the vertical scaling solutions provide good implementation of signature based detection. Unfortunately these approaches treat network flows across different subnets and cannot apply anomaly-based classification if attacks originate from multiple machines at a lower speed, like the scenario of Peer-to-Peer Botnets. In this paper the authors build up on the progress of open source tools like Hadoop, Hive and Mahout to provide a scalable implementation of quasi-real-time intrusion detection system. The implementation is used to detect Peer-to-Peer Botnet attacks using machine learning approach. The contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) Building a distributed framework using Hive for sniffing and processing network traces enabling extraction of dynamic network features; (2) Using the parallel processing power of Mahout to build Random Forest based Decision Tree model which is applied to the problem of Peer-to-Peer Botnet detection in quasi-real-time. The implementation setup and performance metrics are presented as initial observations and future extensions are proposed. 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), born in Trelleck, Wales, was the grandson of the first Earl Russell, who introduced the Reform Bill of 1832 and served as prime minister under Queen Victoria. He studied mathematics and philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1890–1894, was a Fellow of Trinity College, 1895–1901, a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1908, and was a lecturer in philosophy, 1910–1916. Among his publications in philosophy in this period were An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry (1897), A Critical Exposition of the Philosophy of Leibniz (1900), The Principles of Mathematics (1903), Principia Mathematica (with A. N. Whitehead, 1910–1913), The Problems of Philosophy (1912) and Our Knowledge of the External World (1914).


The Langley Research Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration i s currently engaged i n basic researcn to improve aerial applir 3- tiom technology. As part of this program. Langl~y's Vortex Research f a c i l i t y and Full-Scale Yind Tunne' play lead roles i n aircraft systems research t o improve aircraft aerodynamics and dis .ersal systems efficiency, a d i n studies of aircraft wake-dispersal interactions to improve d r i f t control and dispersal transport. models of agricultural airplanes are tested and numerical nethods are utilized to study interactions between the airplane wake and the dispersed spray and granular materials. Methods are being developed to measure and predict dispersal transport and ground deposition w i t h the objective of modifying wake characteristics and dispersal teciiniques t o obtain interactions more favorable t o wide. uniform deposition patterns and reduced d r i f t . In the Full- Scale Mind Tunnel. full-scale agricultural airplanes and dispersal systems for both liquid and solid applications are evaluated t o improve aircraft aerodynamics and dispersal s;'stenrs efficiency. ?his paper presents the program status i n these two facilities with emphasis on wake interactions and dispersal svstems research.


ObjectiveTo study the injury characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of multiple-segment spinal fractures(MSF).Methods Fifty-four cases with MSF from April 1996 to January 2005 were retrospectively analysed to explore the cause of injury,the distribution of injured segments and effect of treatment.ResultsThe patients' mean age was 43.2 years and 59.3% of them were under 50 years old.Of the 54 cases,there were 33 cases of typeⅠfracture and 21 cases of type Ⅱ.Multiple-segment thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures occurred in 33 cases(61.1%),and compound neurological injuries occurred in 37 cases(68.5%).The patients associated with high fall,traffic accident and heavy pound injury in the group were 83.3%.Twenty-seven cases were surgically treated and 27 cases were conservatively treated.Thirty cases were followed up for an average period of 14.6 months.Among them there were 22 cases with neurological injuries and the function of spinal cord in 90.9% of the cases was improved 1 or 2 grades.ConclusionMSF are very common in young and middle-aged male mostly associated with neurological injuries.The most common causes of MSF are high fall,traffic accident and heavy pound.Through overall and carefully examination,early correct diagnosis and treatment can acquire a good effect.


The Spanish Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CICYT) for the financial support under the project no. AGL-2000-0493, and to the Junta de Andalucia through the projects PAI RMN-166, and exp. 92162/1.


.......................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ viii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. ix List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................... x List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... xi 1. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Physiological Effects of Caffeine........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Caffeine and Exercise Performance ....................................................................................... 3 1.3 Sex Differences in Performance ............................................................................................ 5 1.4 Caffeine Dose and Sensitivity ................................................................................................ 7 1.5 Effects of Caffeine on Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) ................................................ 9 1.6 Effects of Caffeine on Blood Glucose ................................................................................. 10 1.7 Effects of Caffeine on the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) ........................................... 12 1.8 Effects of Caffeine on Heart Rate ........................................................................................ 14 1.9 Central Nervous System Fatigue .......................................................................................... 15 1.10 The Effects of CHO on Exercise Performance .................................................................. 18 1.11 The Effects of Caffeine and CHO on Exercise Performance ............................................. 22 1.12 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 24 1.13 Reference List .................................................................................................................... 26 2. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 35 3. METHODS ................................................................................................................................ 37 3.1 Participants ........................................................................................................................... 37 3.2 Prior Caffeine Consumption ................................................................................................ 39 3.3 VO2peak Test .......................................................................................................................... 39 3.4 Cycling Time Trials ............................................................................................................. 42 3.5 Expired Gas .......................................................................................................................... 48 3.6 Blood Glucose ...................................................................................................................... 48 3.7 Tympanic Temperature ........................................................................................................ 49 3.8 Ratings of perceived Exertion (RPE) ................................................................................... 49


The paper presents a comparison of technical and economic parameters of alternative electric traction systems of Metro on the basis of the analysis of the known results of their creation and operation, and the results of calculations of energy-traction using a universal program environment «Mathcad».


We prove that the category of dg-modules and dg-algebras in a Grothendieck quasi-abelian category are endowed with a Quillen model structure. This allows some flexibility in setting up a theory of derived algebraic geometry in the infinite dimensional setting. For example, the category of complete bornological vector spaces, or equivalently, convenient vector spaces, is a Grothendieck quasi-abelian category. Closely related is the Grothendieck quasi-abelian category of ind-Banach spaces whose associated model category is shown to be Quillen equivalent. Applications include the Chevalley-Eilenberg resolution and the Koszul resolution of a commutative monoid object in a Grothendieck quasi-abelian category. These can be used for the calculation of derived quotients by an infinite dimensional Lie algebra and derived intersections respectively.


The purpose of this study is to describe and to analyze the optimalization of management information system application of integrated sub-district administrative service (SIMPATEN) in Sragen  toward the licensing service to the public and business world. This study used qualitative research methods with descriptive approach. The sample consists of 3 sub-districts, they are Ngerampal, Gemolong and Plupuh. The results shows that the application of SIMPATEN is applied via a parallel approach where new system is operated by the old system simultaneously. This method has an effect on the increase of budget for facilities and personnel to maintain both duplicated systems. The main constraints of  the implementation of SIMPATEN is incompetency of human resources who manage SIMPATEN. Recruitment of professional staff is the main solution, but budgetary fund owned by the local government is limited. Currently, the best way to solve this problem is giving them trainings related to SIMPATEN. However, this condition causes management staff formation runs slower. Another way is the local government also sought partnership with higher education/private companies


One mutation and two different haplotypes were found when the fifth exon of GH gene sequences of 16 Leiqiong cattle were analyzed.Together with two homologous sequences of Bayingole yak and sequences of zebu(Bos indicus),Bos taurus and Bos grunniens and with the sequence of Bubalus bubalis as the outgroup,the fifth exon of GH gene sequences of 16 Leiqiong cattle were aligned and the base composition and nucleotide variation of GH gene were analyzed.The phylogenetic trees were constructed by the NJ method and the MP method respectively,both supporting almost the same topology.The results indicated that GH gene differentiation happened before Bubalus bubalis differentiated from Bos indicus,Bos taurus and Bos grunniens.Mutiple haplotypes existed in breeds among zebu,conforming that the fifth exon of GH gene variation rate was high.


Abstract Pharmacologically active organic ligands (N-[-(4-chlorophenyl) methylene] nicotinohydrazide) synthesized through the condensation of equimolar mixture of anti-mycobacterial agent (nicotinohydrazide) with aromatic aldehyde. The reaction progress and purity of organic ligands were verified by thin layer chromatography. Formation of organic ligands was confirmed with the help of MP, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and elemental analysis. Further formation of complexes of transition elements such as Mn(II), CO(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with organic ligand (Schiff base) N-[-(4-chlorophenyl)methylene] nicotinohydrazide were studied by the pH-metric technique at 25 °C, 35 °C and 45 °C in 70% (v/v)ethanol – water medium at 1 M (NaClO4) ionic strength. The stability constants of these binary complexes were evaluated and order of stability constant found as Co (II) < Mn (II) < Ni (II) < Cu (II) < Zn (II). The thermodynamic parameters associated with the complexation reactions also were calculated. It is found that the change in enthalpy (ΔH) and change in Gibb's free energy (ΔG) were negative for all of the systems which suggested that all of the reactions were exothermic. The change in entropy (ΔS) found positive for most of the complexes which indicate in metal-ligand binding process is entropy favorable.


This study simulates an unusual extreme rainfall event that occurred in Salvador City, Bahia, Brazil, on December 9, 2017, which was the subtropical storm Guará and had precipitation of approximately 24 mm within less than 1 h. Numerical simulations were conducted using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model over three domains with horizontal resolutions of 9, 3, and 1 km. Different combinations of seven microphysics, three cumulus, and three planetary boundary layer schemes were evaluated based on their ability to simulate the hourly precipitation during this rainfall event. The results were compared with the data measured at the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) meteorological stations. The best configuration for the planetary boundary layer, cumulus, and microphysics schemes were Mellor-Yamada-Janjić, Grell-Devenyi, and Lin, respectively. The WRF model could depict the daily variations on the hourly parameters well, along with the spatial and temporal evolution of the extreme event.


The use of best practices for management of Information Technology (IT) services, have become a key practice to achieve success in the management and improvement in the delivery of IT services in the institutions in general. The University Hospital of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (HU-UFJF), an institution active in the public sector as a university hospital, had great difficulty in properly manage IT services for historically use a management of purely operational IT, and lack of knowledge of appropriate tools to support service-oriented. This difficulty in IT management primarily generated dissatisfaction of users and merely reactive actions not necessarily solving the incidents or problems. Therefore, based on the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), focused specifically on the Service Operation book Incident Management has prepared this article aims to describe the process of implementing the new IT Service Desk online within HU-UFJF. The methodology used was a case study in Sector Management Processes and Information Technology (SGPTI) sector responsible for the delivery and support of IT services to users and also the management of HU-UFJF processes. It's concluded that the application of ITIL practices contributed to the improvement of productivity and quality of service to users, increasing their satisfaction, as well as improving the management of IT services. Keywords— Services Center, Service Desk, ITIL, Incident Management.


Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Some New York Philosophers Chapter 3 Nelson Goodman at Penn Chapter 4 Francis Keppel and the Harvard School of Education Chapter 5 Some Education Colleagues Chapter 6 Some London Philosophers Chapter 7 Some Harvard Philosophers Chapter 8 Turbulence in the 60's Chapter 9 Chicago and Jerusalem Colleagues Chapter 10 The Scholar and the Analyst Chapter 11 Center for Advanced Study Chapter 12 Some Invited Lectures Chapter 13 Education Projects Chapter 14 Philosophy of Education Research Center Photograph Gallery References Index


For the bidirectional isolated AC-DC matrix converter(BIMC), a cooperative modulation strategy of the front-stage matrix circuit and the back-stage full-bridge circuit is proposed. The modulation of the front-stage matrix circuit is based on the idea of two-wire voltage modulation. The back-stage's full-bridge circuit cooperates with the front-stage's two-line voltage, and it is coordinated and controlled by alternately adjusting the phase shift angle and pulse width. The simulation results show that the modulation method can meet the requirements of grid-side current THD in both rectifier and inverter modes, the power factor is close to 1, the dynamic response of load shedding is fast, and the high-frequency flux linkage transformer has no DC bias. And compared with the traditional phase-shift modulation, the high-frequency flux linkage inductor current ripple is reduced by 39.2%. This proves that the proposed modulation strategy can well realize bidirectional power transmission and can reduce the high frequency flux linkage inductor current ripple.


A tactile display is programmable device to be detected by human touch. It has great potential applications in the field of virtual environment. The current research is the first step to develop a programmable tactile array based on ER/MR fluid technology. Prototypes of display incorporating controllable fluids such as electrrheological (ER) fluid and magnetorheological (MR) fluid have been developed and investigated. Surface force responses of these tactile displays under various electric/magnetic fields have been measured while a probe moving across the upper surface. As the applied external electric or magnetic field varied, the sensed surface profiles changed in synchronisation with the field strength. With the controllable fluid actuator, the displayed surface information is stable and repeatable.


The novel, object-oriented SMX optimization system implements the powerful Surrogate Model-based Space Mapping (SMSM) algorithm, which is automated for the first time. SMX is capable of driving commercial EM, circuit and user-supplied simulators. The SMX architecture permits easy integration of new simulators and optimization tools. The power of SMX is illustrated through an optimization example exploiting Momentum.


Radio Environment Map (REM) is used to enhance the communication efficiency in spatial spectrum sharing. Using the information from terminals' reports is one of the methods to generate the REM. The open environment always leads the security problems. High accuracy of terminals' reports is an essential problem in REM construction. Reinforcement Learning (RL) can estimate and predict the channel condition in a short time, and Multi-armed Bandit (MAB) is a good way to maximize the expected gain by allocating the choices. In this paper, we proposed an algorithm named Terminal Selection Based on MAB (TS-MAB), aim to select a group of reliable terminals to predict the channel condition. For our knowledge, this is the first time using MAB to deal with threatening environment. Simulation results show our method has a good convergence speed with a high accuracy. As long as the percentage of malicious data is less than half of the total data, the algorithm can give a good solution to do the terminal selection and have a high precision prediction of channel conditions.


psychological benefits to be gained by becoming increasingly engaged with beauty. In this paper we briefly describe some of those benefits that have been documented in the psychological research literature in the last decade. This paper primarily outlines a curricular recipe for infusing beauty into an Introduction to Psychology course at the undergraduate collegiate level. The course experientially affirms Winston's argument "that beauty should be one of our core educational values" and aligns itself with Winston's summary of Plato, Schiller, and Danto that as "beauty is a deep human need and not an option for life, then it is surely time for educationalists to rethink its place in the life of the school." 2 We did such rethinking, and the results of that curricular contemplation are described here.


To assess the prevalence of genital Mycoplasma spp. among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to identify factors associated with such infection.


In this survey 1 aim to put forward a notion of the element «space» in the novel from a linguistic perspective. I will begin with the descriptive-morphologic aspect, then draw an oudine of the morphosyntactic system of space and tackle the analysis of the manifold possible oppositions at this level; finally I will try to search for plausible semantic interpretations. My purpose is to investigate and go deeply inte the complex and inexhaustible semiology of space in literary texts. The aim in this approach to mythology,


The sc'iarid gnats are generally looked upon as the "problem children" of the order Diptera for their tiny size and apparently superficial homogenity. These flies often called dark winged fungus gnats usually prevail around the fungus and other decaying plants and animals. The knowledge of economic importance of the sciarid gnats is incomplete and superficial. According to Steffan (1966) sciarids cause considerable damage to green house plants and mushroonls. Adults are involved in carrying spores of various mushroom diseases (Ware, 1933) and hypopial stages of tyroglyphid mites (Thomas, 1942).


The relationships between complement-fixing capacity, combining activity with homologous type-specific carbohydrate, and precipitative antibody-nitrogen content have been studied for antipneumococcus rabbit sera of high, medium, and low titer. Methods of estimating antibody-nitrogen values from complement-fixation titers have been developed in which these numerical relationships are applied.
 As a means of defining the complement-fixing capacity of a standard quantity of antipneumococcus rabbit serum, with antigen, the expression , which represents the total fixation corrected for change in the hemolytic activity of complement during incubation, was judged on the basis of its closer relationship to W0.05, the maximally reactive dose of antigen, to be more accurate than either [(S + A)′ - 1], the total fixation stated in "arbitrary" units, or , the total fixation corrected for differences in the anticomplementary activity of 0.05 ml of serum.


A method for regeneration of the commercially important common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) using N 6 -benzylaminopurine(BAP) and adenine sulphate (AS) was established. Embryogenic axes of the Costa Rican common bean cultivars Bribri, Brunca, Guaymi, Huetar and Telire were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 100 mgl -1 myo-inositol, 1 mgl -1 thiamine, 30 gl -1 sucrose, BAP (0, 5 and 10 mgl -1 ), AS (0, 20 and 40 mgl -1 ) and 8 gl -1 agar. Regardless of the concentration of BAP and AS in the induction medium, the number of shoots and leaves differed significantly among the common bean cultivars evaluated. The higher average of shoots was obtained for Brunca > Telire > Bribri > Guaymi > Huetar. Moreover, independently of the cultivar, the induction medium supplemented with 5 mgl -1 BAP and 20 or 40 mgl -1 AS resulted in the higher average of shoots formation. Culture of Bribri, Brunca, Guaymi, Huetar and Telire embryogenic axes on induction medium supplemented with different BAP and AS resulted in a differential response. Successful acclimatization of common bean in vitro plants were achieved in the greenhouse, and plants appeared morphologically normal. The regeneration system developed in this investigation for this important crop could be a useful tool for the genetic modification through mutagenesis or genetic transformation.


The design calculation and construction steps in strengthing reinforced concrete fram beam's normal section and oblique section with CFRP are introduced.to verify the strengthening effect,the static-load test is adopted,and the test results showed that these methods are effective.4figs.,2tabs.,6refs.


I begin this summary of my impressions of music in Britain with the hope that anything. I say will not be construed as impertinence, or ingratitude to my hosts of the last six months for the stimulating experience and generous reception I have had here both as a practising musician and as an observer.


This thesis presents highly parallelized control programming methodologies developed for multi-degrees of freedom (DoF) robots capable of highly dynamic movements. In robotic applications that require rapid physical interactions with the environment, it is critical for the robot to achieve a high-frequency synchronization of data processing from a large number of high-bandwidth actuators and sensors. To solve this important problem in robotics, I developed parallelized control programming methodologies that effectively utilize the advantages of modern parallel real-time computing technologies: multicore CPU, the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and distributed local processors. This approach was implemented in the fast running experiments of the MIT Cheetah. In such a highly dynamic robot, the required control bandwidth is particularly high since the MIT Cheetah's leg actuation system is designed to generate high force (output torque up to 10ONm) with high bandwidth (closed loop bandwidth up to 120Hz) with minimal mechanical impedance for fast locomotive capability. On the integrated control system, a multi-layered architecture is programmed. Inspired by data parallelism, task parallelism, and the pipelining method, more than 50 processes are operated in parallel, and major processes among them are optimized to achieve the maximum throughput.The proposed methodologies enable the high-level control sampling frequency 4 kHz. With this control system platform, I achieved a high-force proprioceptive impedance control [1], and a trot-running up to 6 m/s with a locomotion efficiency rivaling animals [2]. Thesis Supervisor: Sangbae Kim Title: Esther & Harold E. Edgerton Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering


Dynamic line rating current is widely used in the smart grid for improving the efficiency and economy of the power transmission and distribution. The rating current is determined by the ambient parameters such as convection heat loss rate, solar radiation, wind power, wind direction, etc. This paper proposes a method for calculating dynamic rating current only by means of the measurement of voltage and current of the two ends of the line free from any ambient parameter inputs. The instantaneous temperature can be estimated by calculating the variation of the line parameters, and subsequently the steady state conductor temperature can be obtained. The rating current is calculated by curve fitting of the dissipating power curve based on the steady state conductor temperature obtained and the conductor current. The scientific model of this technique, which is implementable into products, is constructed using Matlab/Simulink. Simulation tests show that the calculated dynamic line rating current is reliable and accurate.


We demonstrate here the first Technical Demonstrator for Council of Coaches a project that is aiming to deploy a platform for virtual health coaching, and will incorporate computational models of argument and dialogue


Section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Division C of P.L. 104-208) requires the Attorney General to establish an automated entry/exit control system to record non-citizen arrivals and departures at all ports of entry by September 30, 1998. The FY1999 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 105-277) amends Section 110 to extend the September 30, 1998 deadline to March 31, 2001 for land border and sea ports of entry, but leaves the FY1998 deadline (now October 15, 1998) in place for air ports of entry. This report provides background and analysis on Section 110 and issues related to increasing arrival/departure management at air, land border, and sea ports of entry. This report reflects final action of the 105 Congress and will not be updated. Immigration: Visa Entry/Exit Control System


The climate interannual variability is examined using the general circulation model (GCM) developed at the Laboratoire de Me´te´orologie Dynamique. The model is forced by the observed sea surface temperature for the period 1979–94. An ensemble of eight simulations is realized with different initial conditions. The variability of the Southern Oscillation is studied. The simulated sea level pressure anomalies at both Tahiti and Darwin are realistic compared to observations. It is revealed, however, that the simulated convection activity response to the warm episode of El Nin˜o is too weak over the eastern part of the tropical Pacific. This explains why the simulated Pacific–North American pattern is shifted westward. A global El Nin˜o pattern index is defined and calculated for both the simulation and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data. This serves as a quantitative measure of El Nin˜o's global impact. A singular value decomposition analysis performed with the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature and the Northern Hemisphere 500-hPa geopotential height shows that the model's teleconnection between the Tropics and high latitudes is similar to that of the NCEP reanalysis data. In an exploratory manner, the model's internal variability versus the external forced variability is studied. It is shown that, except for the equatorial strip, the internal model variability is larger than the external variability. An ensemble mean is thus necessary in order to focus on the model's response to external sea surface temperature anomalies. An attempt is also made to evaluate statistically the influence of the ensemble's size on the model's reproducibility. It is shown that, with this particular GCM, at least five realizations are necessary to correctly assess the teleconnection between the Tropics and the Northern Hemisphere extratropics. This dependency on the number of realizations is less for the tropical circulation.