Cigarette smoking and exposure to smoke result in more than 480000 premature deaths in the United States every year, along with substantial illness (1, 2). Despite considerable progress in tobacco control over the past 50 years, in 2013, an estimated 17.8% of U.S. adults (3) and 15.9% of pregnant women aged 15 to 44 years were current cigarette smokers (4). Many tools are available to help smokers quit, including counseling by health care providers, telephone- and print-based interventions, computer and text-messaging interventions, and pharmacologic agents (that is, nicotine replacement therapy [NRT], bupropion hydrochloride sustained release [bupropion], and varenicline). In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirmed its 2003 recommendation that clinicians ask all adults about tobacco use and provide interventions for cessation for those who use tobacco products (grade A recommendation) (5). The original USPSTF recommendation (2003) and reaffirmation (2009) were based on the Public Health Service's clinical practice guidelines on treating tobacco use and dependence (6, 7). Because there were no plans to update the Public Health Service report, we undertook the current review to assess the benefits and harms of behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for tobacco cessation in adults, including pregnant women, to assist the USPSTF in updating its 2009 recommendation. Because of the rapid increase in the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and the vigorous debate about the public health effect of these devices and their role in smoking cessation (813), our review also synthesized the primary trial evidence on the efficacy and safety related to this technology as a means for quitting conventional smoking. Methods We relied primarily on a review of reviews method for this update. We did not replicate quality rating or data abstraction for original studies or replicate review-specific analyses. However, we decided a priori to conduct a de novo search for primary evidence related to the effectiveness and safety of ENDS. In addition, we did a bridge search for evidence related to pharmacotherapy interventions among pregnant women because of the limited number of studies included in the available systematic reviews and the length of time that had elapsed since their last search dates. We developed an analytic framework and 3 key questions with input from the USPSTF (Appendix Figure 1). The final version of the framework and key questions reflects both USPSTF and public input. The full report provides detailed methods (14). Appendix Figure 1. Analytic framework. KQ = key question. Data Sources and Searches We searched the following databases for relevant reviews from January 2009 to 1 August 2014: PubMed, PsycInfo, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Health Technology Assessment database, and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. We also searched the following organizational Web sites: the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the British Medical Journal Clinical Evidence (through 7 August 2013), the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Guide to Community Preventive Services, the Institute of Medicine, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the National Health Service Health Technology Assessment Programme, and the Surgeon General. We supplemented our searches with suggestions from experts. We searched PubMed for primary evidence related to ENDS through 1 March 2015 and for pharmacotherapy interventions among pregnant women through 15 August 2014 (the full report outlines the search strategies for these 2 searches [14]). Study Selection Two investigators independently reviewed all identified abstracts and dually reviewed full-text articles against prespecified eligibility criteria (14). We resolved disagreements through discussion. We included systematic reviewswith or without meta-analysisthat examined the effectiveness of interventions for tobacco cessation for adults, including pregnant women, and were linked to primary care or took place in a general adult population. We excluded nonsystematic meta-analyses and narrative reviews. We also excluded reviews that focused on reduction of tobacco harms, interventions for relapse prevention, or cessation medications that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as first-line medications for cessation (such as nortriptyline). We included only the most recent version of updated reviews. We outlined separate selection criteria when considering primary evidence related to ENDS and pharmacotherapy among pregnant women, as described in the full report (14). Data Extraction and Quality Assessment At least 2 independent reviewers rated the quality of all included systematic reviews using a slightly modified version of the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews tool (15, 16) (see the full report for modifications and methods for determining the overall quality rating of individual reviews [14]). We excluded all poor-quality studies (17). One reviewer completed primary data abstraction, and a secondary reviewer checked all data for accuracy and completeness. Data Synthesis and Analysis When we found several fair- and good-quality reviews that met the inclusion criteria in a given population and intervention subgroup, we applied criteria (Appendix Table 1) to identify 1 or more reviews that represented the most current and applicable evidence to serve as the basis for the main findings (called primary reviews). We reviewed the remaining reviews for complementary or discordant findings. When we encountered discordant bodies of evidence, we sought explanations for these differences by examining the eligibility criteria and included studies within each review. Appendix Table 1. Criteria for Choosing the Primary Existing Systematic Reviews We used the pooled point estimates presented in the included reviews when appropriate. We did not reanalyze any of the individual study evidence. We evaluated the appropriateness of meta-analytic procedures and used our technical judgment to interpret pooled analyses accounting for limitations or concerns around heterogeneity, statistical approaches (18, 19), and other factors. Role of the Funding Source This review was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Agency staff provided technical oversight for the project. Liaisons from the USPSTF helped resolve issues around the review's scope but were not involved in its conduct. Results We reviewed 638 abstracts and 114 full-text reviews for possible inclusion (Appendix Figure 2). We identified 54 systematic reviews that met our eligibility criteria (2073), and 22 of these served as the basis for the primary findings (Table 1). In general, results across all included reviews were consistent within each population and intervention grouping. Our results are organized by outcomes and subcategories by population and interventions. Eleven of the 54 included reviews synthesized evidence on interventions among specific subpopulations of adults (such as persons with depression and young adults) that are not included here but appear in detail in the full report (14). Appendix Figure 2. Summary of evidence search and selection. * 2 studies included both adults and pregnant women. Reviews can be counted in multiple intervention areas. Table 1. Characteristics of Included Systematic Reviews (n =54), by Population, Intervention, and Last Search Date Behavioral Interventions Among Adults Eleven reviews served as primary reviews examining the effects of behavioral interventions for smoking cessation among the general adult population (Table 1) (21, 22, 31, 37, 55, 58, 60, 61, 67, 71, 78). Health and Cessation Outcomes Data on health outcomes after behavioral interventions were limited to 1 study (79) that was reported in 1 review (58) (Table 2). This study reported no statistically significant differences in rates of total mortality, coronary disease mortality, and lung cancer incidence and mortality at 20-year follow-up among men at high risk for cardiorespiratory disease (n=1445) (80). However, at 33-year follow-up, there were significantly fewer deaths from respiratory illnesses among participants who received an intervention than control participants (58). Table 2. Summary of Evidence for the General Adult Population Several behavioral interventions increased smoking cessation at 6 months or more, including physician- (58) and nurse-delivered (55) counseling interventions, tailored self-help print materials (37), and telephone counseling (60), when compared with minimal intervention or usual care (Table 2 and Appendix Table 2). Smokers who were offered cessation advice by a physician, for example, were 76% more likely to have quit at 6 months or more than those who received no advice or usual care (risk ratio [RR], 1.76 [95% CI, 1.58 to 1.96]; I 2=40%; 28 trials; n=22239) (58). Both minimal and intensive advice (>20 minutes, additional materials beyond a brochure, or >1 follow-up visit) showed statistically significant increases in cessation rates when compared with control participants who did not receive advice. Direct comparisons between intensive and minimal advice in 15 trials suggested that more intensive advice offered a significant advantage (RR, 1.37 [CI, 1.20 to 1.56]; I 2=32%; 15 trials; n=9775) (58). Appendix Table 2. Summary of Smoking Abstinence Results From Reviews of Behavioral Counseling and Pharmacotherapy Interventions for Smoking Cessation Among Adults, by Type of Intervention A separate meta-analysis of 38 randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) done among more than 15000 smokers found a small relative benefit of adjunctive behavioral support to pharmacotherapy when compared with pharmacotherapy alone (RR, 1.16 [CI, 1.09 to 1.24]) (61). Cessation rates were relatively high in both the intervention (21.4%) and control (18


The utility model discloses an intelligent power grid integrated data acquisition system comprising acquisition nodes, an acquisition control module, a data center server, a local monitoring device, and a remote monitoring device. The acquisition control module is connected with a plurality of acquisition nodes by the wireless network, and is connected with the local monitoring device. The acquisition control module is connected with the data center server by the mobile communication network. The remote monitoring device is respectively connected with the data center server and the local monitoring device by the Internet. The acquisition control module can be used to acquire the electrical data of various electric devices respectively by the acquisition nodes, and can be transmitted to the data center server and the local monitoring device. The remote monitoring device can be used to receive the power data of various power devices respectively from the data center server and the local monitoring device through the Internet. The intelligent power grid integrated data acquisition system has advantages of convenient acquisition of power grid data, smart networking, simple wiring, convenient on-site inspection and maintenance, strong self-adaptability, reliable data transmission, and flexible use.


Customer satisfaction is an increasingly powerful dimension of business performance. Firstly, the article describes empirical evidence that customer satisfaction measures, based on a modelling approach, have an impact on business results and shareholder value; that is, customer satisfaction is a forward-looking performance measure. Secondly, the article presents the methodology behind the recently introduced European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) and its successful application to measuring and managing customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and their drivers at Post Denmark. Finally, practitioner and academic implications are discussed.


Characterization methods and measurement results of the surface resistance of high-T{sub c} materials are reviewed in this paper. After a brief introduction of the newly discovered HgBaCaCuO systems, material parameters like T{sub c}, J{sub c}, and R{sub s} are discussed. Available surface resistance measurement methods are examined and categorized, followed by new results and progress achieved in the last two years.


Performance characteristics of an infrared (IR) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) quadrupole ion trap (QIT) mass spectrometer are presented. Both an IR laser and an ultraviolet (UV) laser have been coupled to the MALDI ion source, allowing for a comparative study of the spectra obtained for the same analyte molecules taken at these two wavelengths. The mass range of the QIT instrument was extended by operating it at a frequency as low as 200 kHz. The results presented for small and medium-size peptides demonstrated a lesser degree of analyte ion fragmentation in the case of the IR-MALDI source compared with that obtained using the UV-MALDI source. Due to the fragmentation phenomenon, the mass resolution for cytochrome C ions(MW12384 Da) was an order of a magnitude higher in the case of IR-MALDI compared with the use of UV-MALDI. This phenomenon has been shown to effect the calibration of the trap instrument for higher masses.


A new hybrid multi-objective optimization (MO) solution with the combination of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Extremal Optimization (EO), called "PSO-EO-MO", was presented in authors' early studies. The proposed algorithm is based on the superior functionalities of PSO for searching a Pareto dominance and extremal dynamics oriented EO for fine tuning and adjustment. The concept of crowding and lattice for the external archive is also employed for diversity preservation and getting a well-distributed sets of non-dominated solutions. Based on our previous studies, in this study the proposed algorithm is applied to four MOPs in engineering design by comparison with other multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs). The results indicate the algorithm is able to find better and much wider spread of solutions. Consequently, the proposed solution may be applied to more complex real-world MOPs.


There is a sufficient degree of using ozone in agricultural production. First of all, it is used for equipment and poultry farms' rooms disinfection, water sanitation for animals' watering and for air and food treatment as well. There are some other known uses of ozone in agriculture. Needed amount of ozone can be generated with different electrical and physical methods. Ozone synthesis in the barrier discharge is the most common. There are given recommendations for ozone generators constructive settings in the researches. They are magnitude and frequency of the connection voltage; surface area and constructive features of the electrodes and a gap between them. Furthermore, they are composition and characteristics of the air for ozone synthesis, temperature and humidity level. A construction of ozone generator was developed and patented according to the results of the research. A scheme of a power source for ozone generator is given. It increases the efficiency of ozone production and decreases its cost.


In her 1986 novel Moi, Tituba sorciere ... Noire de Salem, Guadeloupean writer and theorist Maryse Conde rewrites and recontextualizes the events of the 1692 Salem witch trials by focusing her attention on one of the incident's most central, yet most marginalized, players--the West Indian slave-woman Tituba. Inspired and "permitted" by Tituba's disappearance from the official historical record to freely imagine her post-Salem story, (1) Conde traces a detailed journey for her heroine-from the Caribbean islands to New England and back. In so doing, she not only paints a provocative portrait of 17th-century Puritan culture, but also interrogates multiple contemporary New World communities. By her behavior and by her very being, Conde's Tituba introduces a powerful force of disorder into the literal and the discursive communities through which she circulates. In her unremitting quest for love and tendency to erotic self-objectification she steps back and forth over the line of a disordering narcissism, (2) challenging at every pass those communal expectations regarding feminine identity that conflict with or seek to repress her conception of herself as an individual. The textual resistance enacted by Tituba is paralleled by Conde's own resistance (expressed through Tituba, the novel) to those extra-textual communities with which she, as a post/colonial woman author from the French-speaking Caribbean, is "meant" to be aligned. Thus while the novel indisputably "fulfills the desire [of U.S. feminists, multiculturalists, and francophone studies scholars] for a first-person narrative by a strong Third World woman," (3) Tituba in fact expresses a narcissistic defiance of the very concept of community on which such perspectives are premised. Not only, then, does Conde push against facile and ultimately constraining recuperations of her heroine by progressive post/colonial (and) "First World" discourses, but she further, and perhaps even more significantly, issues a challenge to those scholars who presume to "get" the joke the novel plays on its sympathetic but naively politicized admirer-critics. As several theorists of Caribbean literature have noted, community is a significant concern for writer-intellectuals of the region in their struggle to determine viable socio-political identities in the face of centuries-old practices of dispossession, ahistoricization, and disenfranchisement--both by racist foreign imperial structures and by rapacious neo-colonial orders. Caribbean artists have long been compelled to articulate parameters for defensive solidarity, positing community as an objective to be achieved--to be actively constructed both in language and in law. This communal imperative is particularly evident in the French-speaking Caribbean, where multiple liberationist discourses have emerged over the past several decades. From the Indigenist movement of the late 1920s and 1930s in Haiti, to Aime Cesaire's negritude, prominent in the 1940s and beyond, to Edouard Glissant's antillanite and poetics of relation, articulated in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively, to the creolite movement outlined by Jean Bernabe, Patrick Chamoiseau, and Raphael Confiant in the late 1980s, the francophone Caribbean has produced a surfeit of models for collective identity. Jean Price Mars's call to combat Haiti's exploitation and alienation via the assertion of an Afro-nationalist collective ethics, aesthetics, and politics; Cesaire's faith in the possibility of a strong Afro-Caribbean identity tied to that of a global black community; Glissant's insistence that obstacles to political and cultural independence in the Antilles be countered by asserting "le vecu commun," that is, "I'affirmation collective appuyee sur l'acte des peoples;" (4) and the Creolists' aggressive declaration of a heterogeneous but fundamentally cohesive Caribbean essence--these are the foundational, community-based ideologies that have framed regional literary production over the last several decades. …


formal power-series and to prove that the space in question is complete. Several operations on formal power-series are discussed. The notions of a rational and algebraic language are also mentioned. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of some applications of the theory of formal languages to geometry. Appendix. Transformational grammars (8 pp.). Fundamental ideas concerning transformational grammars are given. ANDRZEJ BLIKLE


The domain geographical ecology of the caatinga occupies an area of about 750.000 Km² and it includes parts of the territories the states of Maranhao, Piaui, Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia and part of Minas Gerais. Its area corresponds at 54% of the Northeast and 11% of the brazilian territory and it constitutes it calling Polygon of the Droughts. The use of the caatinga as extensive pasture comes causing strong degradations and for irreversible times in that ecosystem. They are already found extensive areas whose vegetation already meets very impoverished; having lost the diversification vegetation that is it typical. Even so, the regeneration cannot almost always happen because of the intense and constant human pressure. This, once ceased, it would allow, the medium or long


1. A method of performing an inverse transformation (260) with an overlap that is used to decode the digital media data using a device (800) decoding the digital media data, comprising: using a digital media decoding device performing inverse frequency transforming (250) the digital media data; and! via device decode digital media use of a plurality of overlap operators to results of the inverse frequency transforming the plurality of overlap operators include at least a first overlap operator and a second overlap operator, wherein the first overlap operator is an operator inner overlap, and wherein the second overlap operator is the operator of the edge or corner overlap, each of the plurality of overlap operators is characterized by substantially equivalent oeffitsientom gain (750) of the constant component. ! 2. The method of claim 1, wherein, as part of the application: first overlap operator is applied to the inner region of 4 × 4 samples (310) of the image and / or tile; ! the second overlap operator is an edge overlap operator applied to an edge area 4 × 1 samples (330) of the image and / or tile; and! a third overlap operator of the plurality of overlap operators is applied to the angular field of 2 × 2 samples (320) of the image and / or tile. ! 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first overlap operator includes a scaling step and wherein the second overlap operator uses the first scaling stage overlap operator. ! 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the back


This paper introduces a database of over 3,600 color images we collected from 616 different human faces in ages between 2 and 85. We named this database the Iranian Face Database (IFDB). To evaluate the database the experimental result of a new facial feature detection algorithm is reported.


Background: Language Impairment is defined as a disorder in comprehension and/or use of spoken, written and or the symbol system (ASHA,1993). The MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MCDI) is a parent-reported measure designed to evaluate the communicative skills in children. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the verbal comprehension, production, and use of gesture in children with language impairment using the adapted Kannada version of MCDI (K-MCDI). Method: The data were obtained from 15 children aged between 1-3 years and were diagnosed as having a Receptive and Expressive language delay. The Verbal comprehension, production, and use of gesture were assessed using Kannada version of the MCDI which was given to the parents in order to report the current level of verbal comprehension, expression, and gestural skills of their child. Results: The data collected was analysed and the verbal comprehension, production, and use of gestures was scored by determining the children's performance on each section. Conclusion: This study contributes to the accumulating evidence on using K-MCDI for valid inferences for diagnostic and intervention purposes in the Indian scenario.


Associations between habitat-forming, branching scleractinian corals and damselfish have critical implications for the function and trophic dynamics of coral reef ecosystems. This study quantifies how different characteristics of reef habitat, and of coral morphology, determine whether fish occupy a coral colony. In situ surveys of aggregative damselfish–coral associations were conducted at 51 different sites distributed among 22 reefs spread along >1700 km of the Great Barrier Reef, to quantify interaction frequency over a large spatial scale. The prevalence of fish–coral associations between five damselfish (Chromis viridis, Dascyllus aruanus, Dascyllus reticulatus, Pomacentrus amboinensis and Pomacentrus moluccensis) and five coral species (Acropora spathulata, Acropora intermedia, Pocillopora damicornis, Seriatopora hystrix, and Stylophora pistillata) averaged ~30% across all corals, but ranged from <1% to 93% of small branching corals occupied at each site, depending on reef exposure levels and habitat. Surprisingly, coral cover was not correlated with coral occupancy, or total biomass of damselfish. Instead, the biomass of damselfish was two-fold greater on sheltered sites compared with exposed sites. Reef habitat type strongly governed these interactions with reef slope/base (25%) and shallow sand-patch habitats (38%) hosting a majority of aggregative damselfish-branching coral associations compared to reef flat (10%), crest (16%), and wall habitats (11%). Among the focal coral species, Seriatopora hystrix hosted the highest damselfish biomass (12.45 g per occupied colony) and Acropora intermedia the least (6.87 g per occupied colony). Analyses of local coral colony traits indicated that multiple factors governed colony usage, including spacing between colonies on the benthos, colony position, and colony branching patterns. Nevertheless, the morphological and habitat characteristics that determine whether or not a colony is occupied by fish varied among coral species. These findings illuminate the realized niche of one of the most important and abundant reef fish families and provide a context for understanding how fish–coral interactions influence coral population and community level processes.


Reliable modeling of laser-plasma accelerators, where a short and intense laser pulse propagates in an underdense plasma over long distances, is a computationally challenging task. This is due to the great disparity among the scales involved in the modeling, ranging from the micrometer scale of the laser wavelength to, for instance, the meter scale of the laser-plasma interaction length for a multi- GeV-class laser-plasma accelerator. To reduce such imbalance, the time-averaged ponderomotive approximation may be used, where the plasma particle dynamics is analytically averaged over the laser frequency, and only spatiotemporal scales associated with the laser envelope are retained in the calculations, resulting in significant computational savings. In this paper, we characterize the accuracy and robustness of the time-averaged ponderomotive approximation for a range of laser parameters of interest for present and future laser-plasma accelerators, and we show that the error introduced by the averaging process is small in all relevant cases.


The fractionation of fission products and minor actinides (simulated by rare-earth elements) is studied in a Morich borosilicate glass-ceramic containing powellite (CaMoO4) crystallites, using elemental analysis techniques (LIBS, LA-ICPMS, and EMPA). For Mo-rich borosilicate glass-ceramic containing powellite crystallites, it was suggested that rare earth elements and Sr (beta-decay source) are prone to incorporate into the powellite phase, while Al, Fe, Zr et Cs (beta-decay source) and Zn remain in the glass matrix. The behavior of rare-earth (surrogates of radioactive minor actinides) doped powellite single crystal under irradiations figure out its longterm behavior in storage conditions, using optical interferometry, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, and luminescent spectroscopy. It is observed that the irradiation-induced swelling in powellite first increased with irradiation dose (0.012 to 1.2 dpa), then reached saturation after 1.2 dpa Anisotropic stress and lattice volume change induced by irradiation in powellite single crystal were found and analyzed by determining the peak position of V1 (Ag) et V3 (Eg) Raman modes. Structure disorder of irradiated powellite in medium-range order was represented by the Raman linewidth broadening. According to the TEM characterization, the structural damages of irradiated powellite followed an evolution of crystalline structure, point defects, dislocations, mosaicity. It was confirmed by both Raman and TEM that powellite resisted strongly and never reached amorphization within the studied dpa range (0.012 to 5.0)


The steam reforming hydrogen generation plant has to be unschedulely shutdown many times because of corrosion failure of heat exchanger tubes in regeneration column bottom reboiler.The causes of failure are analyzed in detail.Effective protection and prevention measure are proposed such as selection of right materials for the tubes in accordance with applicable standards,heat treatment to release stress based upon the procedures in the standard in the process of fabrication,replacement of horizontal heat exchanger to increase tubes'auto - vibration frequency and reduce spacing of rod baffles so as to prevent vibration as well as installation of sound - insulation plate to minimize sound vibration and noise.


A preliminary contribution to the knowledge of the photophore structure of the mesopelagic fish Gonostomadenudatum from the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of  Messina) is given by means of a structural and immunohistochemical study, to describe the component structures of these luminescent organs.Photophores of G. denudatum are made by different functional parts: the tank with photogenic cells, lens-filter and reflector surrounded the entire organ.


A boundary value problem in a rectangular domain for a system of partial differential equations with the Dzhrbashyan–Nersesyan fractional differentiation operators with constant coefficients is studied in the case when the matrix coefficients of the system have complex eigenvalues. Existence and uniqueness theorems for the solution to the boundary value problem under study are proved. The solution is constructed explicitly in terms of the Wright function of the matrix argument.


The article presents the results of the study on toxicity of 3-chloropropyl and 6-chlorohexyl acrylates in acute (at the level of lethal and sublethal doses and concentrations) and subchronic experiments (dose-monotone intake at the level of 0.1 DL 50 per os for 45 days), which allowed to justify the value of approximately safe levels of exposure for chemicals in the air of the working area. Scientifically substantiated values of approximately safe exposure levels for 3-chloropropyl acrylate at 5 mg/m 3 and for 6-chlorohexyl acrylate at 2 mg/m 3 have been established.


An evaluation is made of newly developed specific-ion electrodes for determining sodium and chloride on the skin surface following the stimulation of the sweat glands by pilocarpine iontophoresis.
 This procedure offers a rapid (5 to 6 minutes), convenient, and safe means for large-scale cystic fibrosis screening programs for screening infants and children.
 Caution is urged in the evaluation of the reading since a failure to sweat may result in a misleading value.


Stereo vision is an important 3D sensing technique for producing dense point clouds required for robotic navigation and manipulation. It can provide excellent depth resolution at high frame rates and is potentially smaller, cheaper and consumes less power than systems using active sensor devices, due to its use of standard imaging components like cameras. However, stereo vision system can generate high quality point clouds only when its parameters are appropriately tuned. To tune these parameters manually is not only tedious but also challenging, due to the large number of parameters and their non-linear effect on the depth map quality. In this paper, we present an optimization-based method to automatically tune the stereo parameters. In particular, we first adjust the disparity range to ensure the entire scene can be covered in the resultant depth map, and then use non-linear optimization to refine other parameters for the optimal depth map quality. Our tuning process is efficient and can update adaptively according to changing environment. Experiments on the teleoperation tasks using the Atlas robot validate our approach, and demonstrate the improvement it brings for the teleoperation effectiveness.


Few poems in French literature are better known than L'Art by Gautier and the Art poétique of Verlaine. But the fame of these poems obscures a fact to be discovered by wider reading; namely, that nine or ten living French poets have each published an Art poétique since the opening of the twentieth century. The following pages are a presentation of these modern French poems on poetry which have been brought together in the belief that they may reveal the literary fortunes of Gautier, Verlaine, and their peers, or indicate their significance to living poets.


Abstract Various doses of epinephrine or norepinephrine were added to ACTH infusions and administered intravenously from 8 A.M. till 4 P.M. to 94 normal men and 51 normal women. Corticosteroids in plasma, red blood cells, and urine were measured. Plasma and red blood cell corticosteroid curves were analyzed by means of an analog computer. The results were compared with those obtained with standard ACTH infusions in 42 normal men and 42 normal women. In men 2 effects were observed: a significant decrease of plasma corticosteroid concentration during and at the end of the infusion when small amounts of catecholamines were added to the ACTS solutions and a significant increase of the plasma corticosteroid concentration with doses at least 5 times larger of catecholamines. Using the analog computer analysis it could be shown that these effects were due to a constant increase in removal rate r when more than 25 ng. per minute per kilogram of catecholamines was added to the ACTH infusion and an increase in production rate p probably due to a contraction of the readily miscible pool when large doses (120 ng. per minute per kilogram) were administered. In women no effect on removal rate, but only the increase in the p factor was found. The increase in free corticosteroid removal rate observed in men is not due to an accelerated A ring hydrogenation and conjugation of the corticosteroids or to an additional storage of corticosteroids in the red blood cells. Neither is an increased conversion of cortisol to cortisone the cause of the observed phenomenon. The sex difference noted during the combined administration of ACTH and catecholamines might explain certain of the sex differences in stress-induced pathology.


This study was performed to determine risk ranking of the combination of pathogen-livestock or livestock products to identify the most significant public health risks and to prioritize risk management strategies. First, we reviewed foodborne outbreak data related to livestock products and determined main vehicles and pathogens according to the number of outbreak and case. Second, expert's opinion about management priority of pathogen-live- stock product pairing was surveyed with 19 livestock experts in the university, research center, and government agency. Lastly, we used the outcome of Risk Ranger (semi-quantitative risk ranking tool) of 14 combinations of patho- gen and livestock or livestock products. We have classified the combination of pathogen-livestock products into group I (high risk), II (medium risk), and III (low risk) according to their risk levels and management priority. Group I, which is the highest risk for foodborne outbreak, includes Salmonella spp./egg and egg products, Campylobacter spp./poul- try, pathogenic E. coli/meat and processed ground meat. In conclusion, the results of this study will provide the spe- cific guideline of mid- and long-term planning for risk assessment and risk management prioritization of the combination of pathogen and livestock, or livestock product.


cause most polls since 1957 show Russia the most disliked nation, followed by China and then North and South Korea, but Emmerson's other references to Japanese public opinion are usually correct. He includes sixteen extremely useful tables of statistics, especially on defense and related issues, but none deals with Japanese national opinion. It is wrong to state (p. 381) that &dquo;Japanese feel more comfortable with an impressive American military presence in East Asia ...&dquo; and Emmerson makes similar errors


The Ga-stabilised Sm₂Fe_(17)-type alloy can hardly be disproportionated under ordinary HDDR condition. The HDDR characteristics of Ga-substituted Sm₂Fe_(17)-type alloy were examined, and, in particular, the effect of particle size on the disproportionation of the Ga-substituted alloy was investigated in detail. The reaction characteristics of the Sm₂Fe_(17)-type alloys with or without Ga-substitution with methane (CH₄) gas are also examined. The Ga-stabilised Sm₂Fe_(17)-type alloy was able to be disproportionated significantly on heating up to 800℃ under hydrogen with normal pressure. The particle size influenced significantly on the disproportionation of the Ga-substituted alloy, and the material with finer particle size (< 40 ㎛) was fully disproportionated on heating up to around 800℃ under hydrogen gas with normal pressure. The Ga-substituted alloy has a very sluggish recombination kinetics with respect to the alloy without Ga-substitution. The Sm₂Fe_(17)C_X-type carbide was stabilised significantly by the Ga-substitution for Fe in the parent alloy. While the Sm₂Fe_(17)C_X was disproportionated below 800℃ the Ga-stabilised Sm₂Fe_(15)Ga₂C_X carbide remained intact even on heating up to 800℃.


Depending on how one counts it, the Governing Body of the Church in Wales met either two or three times in 2021. The April session was conducted entirely online, but the September sessions were split between a physical meeting on Monday 6 September and an online meeting on Wednesday 8 September.


A.V. Druzhinin is a Russian writer, literary critic and translator whose name became a synonym for dandy as early as in the XIXth century. Nevertheless, Druzhinin's dandyism is a phenomenon connected with and even opposing profound processes in Russian literature of Druzhinin's time.


Simple Summary Before the union of an egg and spermatozoon, several vital processes occur for fertilization in the female reproductive system. One of these processes is the maturation of spermatozoa which occurs in the female reproductive tract. Spermatozoa not undergoing maturation in the female reproductive tract are unable to penetrate the egg. Many reports have suggested the involvement of different factors in mediating the functional maturation of spermatozoa. Follicular fluid (FF) is named as one of those factors. FF is an ovarian fluid that plays an essential role in egg maturation and sources extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are nano-containers that are released from different cells and are present in all body fluids. Several studies have reported that FF supports the functional maturation of spermatozoa. Therefore, we hypothesized that FF EVs might have a role in inducing functional maturation in spermatozoa. Surprisingly, the FF-derived EVs were able to aid vital functional parameters of spermatozoa and the effects from EVs were species- and source-specific. Therefore, deciphering the cargo of FF EVs responsible for modulating spermatozoa's functions can potentially prove beneficial in diagnosing and treating male infertility and improving the current assisted reproductive technology protocols. Abstract While follicular fluid (FF) is known to enhance the functional properties of spermatozoa, the role of FF-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in this respect is unknown. We hypothesized that bovine FF EVs convey signals to spermatozoa supporting sperm viability, inducing sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction. In this study, the effects of bovine FF EVs on sperm functions are evaluated. Irrespective of the size of the follicles which FF EVs had originated from, they were capable of supporting sperm viability, inducing capacitation and acrosome reaction. These effects were specific to the source of bovine FF EVs, as human-cell-line-derived or porcine FF EVs did not affect spermatozoa viability or induced capacitation and acrosome reaction. A minimum of 5 × 105 EVs/mL was adequate to maintain sperm viability and induce capacitation and acrosome reaction in spermatozoa. Interestingly, with FF EV trypsin treatment, FF EVs lost their ability to support sperm functions. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that bovine FF EVs can support spermatozoa function and may contribute to a favorable periconceptional microenvironment. This is an important aspect of the interactions between different sexes at the earliest stages of reproduction and helps to understand molecular mechanisms modulating processes such as sperm competition and female cryptic choice.


The article deals with the problem of visualization as a classical principle of teaching from the point of view of the modern theory of spiritually oriented education. The article also describes a content analysis of the term "visualization" starting from the XVI century. The visualization functions and their role in the process of development of students'' imagination are characterized. Special attention is paid to the urgency of the modern interpretation of the visualization principle in terms of large-scale development of information and communication technologies in all spheres of human activity. The article describes reasons for the humanitarian crisis in modern human civilization and conditions of its overcoming by means of spirituality within the synergetic methodology. The article contains modern existential concept of education as a process of mastering the sense of life by person''s participation in educational interaction. Innovative principles of education from the spiritually oriented education point of view are formulated and characterized (intentional, introsphere, biosenergetic, axiosphere, cultural creative, communion principle, transcendental (going beyond). They became the basis for inclusion in the process of the visualization principle. The article describes the contents of the visualization principle in teaching from the point of view of spiritually oriented education based on a set of innovative teaching methods (based on the study of a foreign language). There is a conclusion: visualization has two sides that are in unity: teaching and educational. The first promotes mastering knowledge, and the second fills it with spiritual and existential meaning by means of more complete systematization of Images.


. We find Green's function representation of the solutions of a boundary value problem for an impulsive linear differential equation of n th order. Then we derive a maximum principle valid to develop monotone iterative techniques for some nonlinear differential equations with impulses.


AIM: To explore the effect of ulinastatin on patients'immune function in the perioperative phase of cervical operation. METHODS: Thirty patients intend to have cervical operation were equally divided into two groups randomly.The patients in the therapeutic group were treated with ulinastatin 100 kU in sodium chloride injection 100 mL,before the beginning of anesthesia up to 2 h after operation.Again ulinastatin 100 kU in sodium chloride injection 100 mL were used twice a day in the following 3 d,simultameously sodium chloride injection 100 mL were administrated in patients of the control group. RESULTS: The number of natural killer(NK) cells increased((12±)s 6)×10~6·L~(-1),the concentration of IL-2 increased(244±68) ng·L~(-1) and IL-2R increased(256±78) ng·L~(-1) in the therapeutic group 1 d after operation.All were higher than those in the operation day(P0.01),and were significantly higher than those of control group(P0.01).But the concentration of IL-6 in the therapeutic group was significantly decreased(7±3) ng·L~(-1),lower than that in the control group((3.0±1.7) ng·L~(-1),P0.01).No obvious adverse reactions occurred in both groups. CONCLUSION: Using ulinastatin in the perioperative phase of cervical operation maybe effective and safe to maintain or elevate the patient's immune function after operation.


This paper describes a technique to obtain a stable lower order Interval model from its stable higher order interval plant. The reduced order interval numerator and denominator polynomials are determined by using Kharitonov's theorem and Routh Approximation Method. The algorithm is simple, rugged and generates stable reduced order interval model for stable original high order interval plants. A numerical example illustrates the effectiveness of proposed algorithm.


A range of solid solutions in the system Mg2 –yTi1 +yO4 with average Ti valence x, x=(4 + 2y)/(1 +y), have been prepared for 3.2 3.3. For compositions with x < 3.25, the temperature dependence of resistivity was much less, with a rise of only one order of magnitude between 300 and 20 K. For compositions between x= 3.25 and 3.3, transitions from semiconducting to zero-resistance behaviour were observed at ca. 50 K. This zero-resistance behaviour was lost on standing, except when the sample was stored in vacuum.


An atomic-layer-deposition process for forming a patterned thin film comprising providing a substrate, applying a deposition inhibitor material to the substrate, wherein the deposition inhibitor material is an organic compound or polymer; and patterning the deposition inhibitor material either after step (b) or simultaneously with applying the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas of the substrate effectively not having the deposition inhibitor material. An inorganic thin film material is substantially deposited only in the selected areas of the substrate not having the deposition inhibitor material.


Objective: To establish an experimental model of human vascular endothelial cell (EC) in vitro with human umbilical vein ECs. Methods: ECs were obtained by perfusing type I collagenase (0.1%) and to digest umbilical vein. The ECs collected by centrifuge were cultured in low-Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 10%FBS plus penicillin, streptomycin, vascular endothelial growth factor and kept at 37 ℃ in a 5% CO_2 air atmosphere. The cultured ECs were observed under inverted microscope for their morphologic characteristics and were identified by immunochemical method with factor Ⅷ antigen. Results: The cultured cells were identified as umbilical vein ECs. Conclusion: The digestion using collagenase is a good method for collection of human umbilical vein ECs.


This project focuses on the impact of the downsizing on the knowledge sharing environment in Malaysia Airlines System Berhad (MAS). The method of this project was based on Grounded Theory and using closed setting interview for the further data collection at Malaysia Airlines Academy.


The use of piston theory was recently advocated for supersonic aeroelastic analyses, including the problem of panel flutter, and this has stimulated the investigation reported here. Linear piston theory is mainly considered, but some effects of introducing higher order terms are discussed. Flutter of rectangular simply supported panels and of elliptically shaped clamped-edge panels is considered, and some justification is provided for the use of "static" aerodynamic forces and the neglect of aerodynamic damping. Hence, it is concluded tha t Ackeret loading gives more exact results than piston theory. Solution of the flutter equations is made by applying Galerkin's method to a Rayleigh-type analysis using assumed modes of deformation. a. = initial incidence of rigid panel 0 = VM 1 0, 8 = functions of M, k defined after Eq. (13) li = panel-air mass ratio v — Poisson's ratio P = density of undisturbed supersonic stream a = density of panel material co = frequency of oscillation ton = frequency associated with mode shape Zn ti = frequency ratio squared (coi/co); in flutter calculations (coi/to) (1 + ig) y = specific-heat ratio of air 7T = ratio of length of circumference of circle to its diameter


We analyze the error performance of a wireless communication system employing transmit-receive diversity in Rayleigh fading. By focussing on the complex Gaussian statistics of the independent and identically distributed entries of the channel matrix, we derive a formula for the characteristic function (cf) of the maximum output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We use this cf to obtain a closed-form expression of the symbol error probability (SEP) for coherent binary keying. An approximate expression for the SEP when the average SNR per branch is large is also obtained. The method can be easily extended to obtain the SEP of M-ary modulation schemes.


A series of phenetic and cladistic analyses (using ISS-flexible, NJTREE and HENNIG86) has been conducted on 166 generic descriptions of Chloridoideae, using 120 selected morphological and leaf anatomical characters. The results are emphatically not supportive of the traditional main division into the tribes Eragrosteae and Chlorideae, but instead indicate five quite different high level groups. By contrast, they afford strong support for the small tribes Pappophoreae, Orcuttieae, and Triodieae. They also highlight the special problems posed by polymorphic taxa (represented here by Eragrostis) in planning and interpreting taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. Based on these findings a new classification model for the subfamily is proposed.


Processes involving the production of LAMBDA /sup o/ ( SIGMA /sup o/)- hyperons and K/sup o/-mesons in pi /sup -/ p-collisons were studied for pi /sup -/-mesons of 6.8 Bev/c momentum. The cross section for production of LAMBDA / sup o/ ( SIGMA /sup o/)- and K/sup o/-particles, the ratio between the Y/sup o/K- and KK-pair production cross sections, the angular and momentum distributions of LAMBDA /sup o/- and K/sup o/-particles in the c.m.s. and the transverse momentum distributions for LAMBDA /sup o/- and K/sup o/particles have been obtained. (auth)


The concerns for the determination of architecture characteristics and attributes in each period and their study in one hand and monuments history which has long been one of the major problems in dealing with historic monuments on the other hand, are important issue regarding architecture history. One of the solutions discussed in this context is the attention to architectural features of each period by which a relative age of a monument can be estimated. Case which can help researchers in this regard is common features of a particular historical period, which is generally called "style". There are surely several factors within this term which should be considered that some of them are discussed in this article to extract the desired data. This study is looking for a new approach to design a chart to estimate "the historical period" and even monument's "performance" given the design of "mass and space" and extracting quantitative graphs from this system. For this purpose, parameters were considered for both the mass and space based on a proposed scheme and charts with letters characteristics were designed in two X and Y axes direction. (It should be noted that for the examination of monument and section, these charts can also be developed along Z axis). Then we reach a comprehensive system plan through the analysis of each direction individually and also by combination of the two axes which even the type of spaces such as hallways, courtyards, and rooms can be detected. By investigating general principles extracted and their analysis in different periods, constant and specified framework of space design in different periods can be studied. It should be noted that with this method, "relative age" can be achieved (by relative age, it means different phenomena compare with each other and determine which one is the younger and which one is the older). Keywords: relative dating of the monument; performance determination;  architecture style;  mass and space network table


Considering the actuator failures of the dual-motor synchronous anti-backlash servo system, this paper proposes a robust fault-tolerant control strategy to ensure the system stable operation when the above faults occur. Firstly, the position controller is designed by the backstepping integral nonsingular terminal sliding mode control method with a double power reaching law. To avoid the excessive control value caused by the derivation process, the reference position signal is smoothed by a command-filter. Meanwhile, the linear extended state observer is introduced to compensate the whole disturbance of the system which improves the robustness ability of the system. Secondly, an adaptive torque distribution controller is designed to solve the motor actuator failures. When one side motor failure is detected, the controller can adaptively change the proportional gain of the motor torque/current command to guarantee the system can still work normally in the single motor driving condition. The co-simulation experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


For a non-empty set W of vertices in a connected graph G, the Steiner distance d(W) of W is the minimum size of a connected subgraph of G containing W. Necessarily, each such subgraph is a tree and is called a Steiner tree with respect to W or a Steiner W-tree. S(W) denotes the set of vertices that lies in Steiner W-trees. Let G be a connected graph with at least 2 vertices. A set W ⊆ V(G) is called a Steiner set of G if S(W) = V(G). The Steiner number s(G) is the minimum cardinality of a Steiner set. Let G be a connected graph with at least 3 vertices. For an edge e = xy in G, a set W ⊆ V(G) − {x, y} is called an edge fixed Steiner set of G if W' = W ∪ {x, y} is a Steiner set of G. The minimum cardinality of an edge fixed Steiner set is called the edge fixed Steiner number of G and is denoted by se(G). Also the Steiner W-tree necessarily contains the edge e and is called edge fixed Steiner W-tree. In this paper, we begin with an investigation of this parameter. 772 M. Perumalsamy, P. Arul Paul Sudhahar, J. John and R. Vasanthi


Objective
To explore the association between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met gene (rs4680) polymorphisms and major depressive disorder (MDD) in Han Chinese.

Methods
Genotypes and allele frequencies of Val158Met polymorphisms of COMT gene were examined in 250 patients and 300 healthy controls by the method of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). t-test, Hardy Weinberg equilibrium and chi-square test were used to conduct statistical analysis.

Results
There were significant differences between patients and control group in COMT Val158Met genotypes and allele frequency distribution (χ2=20.268, 12.611, P<0.01). Subjects with Met allele had a higher risk than those with Val allele to develop MDD (OR=1.725, 95%CI 1.274-2.335).

Conclusion
This research suggests that COMT Val158Met polymorphisms are associated with the onset of MDD. Met allele is a risk factor of MDD.

Key words:
Major depressive disorder; Catechol-O-methyltransferase; Gene polymorphism


The core of enterprises' corporate governance is the financial governance,and the key of the financial governance is the disposition of enterprise's financial control power.This paper tries to construct the theory framework from the following aspects of the stakeholders: definition,subject,object,goal,and corresponding evaluation index.


Synthetic data generation has emerged as a crucial topic for financial institutions, driven by multiple factors, such as privacy protection and data augmentation. Many algorithms have been proposed for synthetic data generation but reaching the consensus on which method we should use for the specific data sets and use cases remains challenging. Moreover, the majority of existing approaches are ``unsupervised'' in the sense that they do not take into account the downstream task. To address these issues, this work presents a novel synthetic data generation framework. The framework integrates a supervised component tailored to the specific downstream task and employs a meta-learning approach to learn the optimal mixture distribution of existing synthetic distributions.


Simple Summary Epidemiologic studies showed that ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds causes skin cancer. Many countries now have laws regulating commercial indoor tanning, including rules on advertising and information for customers. We compiled a comprehensive overview of these regulations in 131 legislative units across North America, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. The type and content of legal restrictions varies widely. In 49 legislative units, we identified different types of advertising bans for indoor tanning, while 64 legislative units had regulations mandating the dissemination of specific health information to tanning bed customers. In nearly 40% of the legislative units, there was no legislation at all on these topics. The heterogenous results call for an international dialogue between health authorities and governments to harmonize the regulatory framework for tanning bed advertising and information requirements to a level better protecting the public from skin cancer. Abstract Artificial ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds has been classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2009. Several countries have subsequently introduced comprehensive legislation regulating commercial indoor tanning. Specific aspects of these regulations address tanning bed advertising and information requirements for tanning bed customers, which have been previously neglected in international comparisons of indoor tanning regulations. We performed a systematic search regarding legislation on these aspects in 131 legislative units across three continents (North America, Australia/New Zealand, Europe). The legal restrictions found varied widely in type and content. In 49 legislative units we identified total (n = 8) or partial legal bans (n = 41) on advertising for indoor tanning, while 64 legislative units enacted 5regulations that necessitate the dissemination of different types of specific health information to tanning bed customers. Nearly 40% of the legislative units of the study region lacked any legislation on these issues altogether. The heterogenous results emphasize the need for an international dialogue between health authorities and governments to harmonize the regulatory framework for tanning bed advertising and information requirements to a level better protecting the public from skin cancer. Our comprehensive international comparison can serve as a starting point for such a harmonization process that may ultimately protect the public worldwide from misleading tanning bed advertising.


An analytical treatment for the problem of one-dimensional infiltration into a homogeneous porous medium is presented. Movement of both the air phase and the water phase and compressibility of the air are considered. The procedure assumes that some capillary terms can be neglected in the saturation equation, whereas all capillary terms are retained in an integral equation for the unknown total flow. Infiltration rate curves are obtained for a number of situations involving different boundary or initial conditions or both. Comparisons are made with results of an earlier and simpler procedure, confirming the validity of the simpler procedure. It is recommended that the traditional unsaturated flow equation be abandoned in favor of the two-phase flow approach.


This work presents a general and complete method to protect a system against possible malicious programs. We provide concepts for building a system that can automatically recover from an arbitrary state including even one in which a Byzantine execution of one or more programs repeatedly attempts to corrupt the system state. Preservation of a guest execution is guaranteed as long as the guest respects a predefined contract, while efficiency is improved by using stabilizing reputation. We augment a provable self-stabilizing host operating system implementation with a contract-enforcement framework example.


When the wavelet packet is used to extract signal, the result is greatly affected by the coefficient quantization threshold. It is difficult for the threshold to reflect the current state of the signal accurately, which leads to the failure of signal extraction. A novel method of extracting signal based on fuzzy threshold for wavelet packet is proposed in this paper. The wavelet packet decomposition coefficient is quantified by fuzzy threshold method. The concept of the maximum value of noise to signal ratio is given to characterize the signal's strength compared to the noise in the simulation experiment. The frequency distribution probability is computed. The maximum value of noise to signal ratio and the frequency distribution probability are used as fuzzy input. To make the computing of fuzzy threshold conveniently, the fuzzy output is set by fixed value. The simulation results show that the method can meet the needs of different frequency signals, compared to conventional filtering and matched filtering, the novel method can inhibit the influence of the noise on the signal effectively, enhance the signal extraction ability and improve the detection distance.


Helicopter identification has been an attractive topic. In this paper, we applied radar micro-Doppler signatures to identify helicopter. For identifying the type of a helicopter, besides its shape and size, the number of blades, the length of the blade, and the rotation rate of the rotor are important features, which can be estimated from radar micro-Doppler signatures of the helicopter's rotating rotor blades. In our study, K-band CW/FMCW radars are used for collecting returned signals from helicopters. By analyzing radar micro-Doppler signatures, we can estimate the number of blades, the length of the blade, the angular rotation rate of the rotating blade, and other necessary parameters for identifying the type of a helicopter.


The days when HR professionals would organize meetings and execute policies no longer exist. Instead, they are now focused on creating and implementing new strategies and procedures. With the rise of social media, just a few clicks or a post on Facebook or another online platform is enough to publicize a change in the organization. This article aims to analyze the impact of social media on various HR practices like (talent acquisition, talent management, performance management, talent retention and employer branding) and also explores the various risks associated with these practices. This article aims to help corporate pioneers and managers implement social media as an instrument to manage their organizations' policies and practices.


The aim of this paper is to outline Sordello's position within Dante's Comedy. Why did Dante choose the love poet Sordello for describing corruption and malpractice in Italy? In the lamentatio for the pitiful state of Italy the author contrasts the surge of affection (the enthusiastic embrace between Sordello and Virgil is a paradigm of patriotism) to a strife-torn country. In this context, the troubadour looks like an anomaly: he was born near Mantua but he soon moved to France, writing in a language different from his mothertongue.


To determine whether corticomedullary differentiation (CMD) is increased in patients with cirrhosis compared to controls on axial T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


In this paper we consider semilinear Neumann problems with a nonsmooth potential. Using variational methods based on the nonsmooth critical point theory, we prove existence and multiplicity theorems. Our framework of analysis incorporates strongly resonant problems and in contrast to earlier works on the subject, the Euler functional of our problem need not be coercive.


Abstract As part of a genome sequencing project for Artemisia lavandulaefolia YC (A. lavandulaefolia YC), a complete chloroplast (chl)genome was assembled as a single circular dsDNA of 151,199 bp. It is composed of a large single-copy (LSC), a small single-copy (SSC) and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 82,909 bp, 18,390 bp and 24,950 bp, respectively. Overall GC contents of the genome were 37.5%. The A. lavandulaefolia YC chloroplast genome has a total of 117 genes including 82 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the chloroplast genome demonstrated that A. lavandulaefolia YC most closely related to Artemisia motana. The complete chloroplast genomes of A. lavandulaefolia YC would be useful for future investigation of genetics, evolution and clinical identification of artemisia species.


In this study, a new austenitic Fe-28%Mn-9%Al-6%Cr-1.8%C (in mass%) alloy is developed. Because the alloy contains a high density of fine (Fe,Mn)3AlC carbides within the austenite matrix, the alloy in the as-quenched condition exhibits an excellent combination of strength and ductility comparable to that of the aged FeMnAlC alloys. In addition, owing to the formation of a layer of Cr and Al oxides in the passive film formed on the alloys, the corrosion potential Ecorr (� 538 mV) and the pitting potential Epp (� 25 mV) of the present alloy in 3.5% NaCl solution are considerably higher than the Ecorr (� 920�� 789 mV) and Epp (� 500�� 240 mV) values of the as-quenched and aged FeMnAlC alloys. Whereas the tensile strength of the present alloy is almost the same as that of conventional AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel, the present alloy possesses superior ductility than AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel. Furthermore, in 3.5% NaCl solution, the Epp (� 25 mV) of the present alloy is noticeably higher than that (� 250�� 100 mV) of the conventional AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel. These results indicate that the present alloy in the as-quenched condition can possess high-strength and high-ductility as well as moderate corrosion resistance. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2010199]


The use of hydrocolloids to reduce the syneresis, to increase the yield, or to modify the textural properties of dairy products is being studied widely, nowadays. This paper studies the development of the syneresis of Burgos cheese during refrigerated storage. In addition, the use of several hydrocolloids to reduce this fact is investigated. The value of syneresis in Burgos cheese during the first week alter its manufacturing is 11.5%. The addition of alginate, locust bean gum, pectin, mictocrystaIline cellulose or guar gum decreases this percentage: so, the use of these hydrocolloids may be interesting to manufacture a product, which would have better acceptation by the consumer.


Background: The impact of on blood pressure (BP) and incidence of diabetes mellitus has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, the present study aimed to systematically discuss the prevalence of DM and hypertension in the published studies during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2019 and 2022 and compare these results with results reported in previous studies. Methodology: This was a comprehensive electronic systematic review that was time and language restricted. The search was conducted depending on different databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane library, for all studies published in the period between 2019 and 2022. Keywords used included COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2 OR Coronavirus OR "Corona virus" OR COVID, AND hypertension OR diabetes mellitus OR prevalence OR metabolic disorders AND cardiovascular conditions. The period of the study was chosen based on the fact that COVID-19 started in the beginning of 2019. Results: The primary search results of the current analysis ended in 875 hits which were reduced to 360 studies after removal of the duplicated studies. From those 360 studies, further evaluation for inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted ending in 346 excluded studies. The reasons for exclusion included because of title and abstract (216 studies), being not relevant to the subject of the study (86 studies), being replies to authors (17 studies), books (2 topics), and being other reviews (26 studies). Finally , we included 13 studies in the qualitative synthesis of the current review. Conclusion: There was no significant increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension among the general public in different regions of the world during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous studies. Keywords: COVID-19, hypertension, diabetes mellitus


An independent control strategy is proposed to realize the high-precision tracking control of the feed-supporting system for the square kilometre array (SKA).The dynamic couplings between the two comprised subsystems along with any (other) disturbances are considered as the unknown disturbances to the fine tuning subsystem.A high robust auto-disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) is designed to realize the disturbances compensation,which consists of a tracking differentiator (TD) in the feedforward path,an extended state observer (ESO) and a nonlinear proportional-derivative (NPD) control in the feedback path.The TD solves the difficulties posed by low-order reference trajectories which are quantized at the sensor resolution,and the ESO provides the estimate of the unmeasured system's state and the real action of the unknown disturbances only based on a measurement output of the system.The effectiveness and engineering feasibility of this independent control strategy and ADRC are verified by the experimefntal results of a scaled model of SKA with the diameters of 50?m.The superior tracking precision has laid a solid base for the engineering accomplishment of SKA.


In this paper a novel multiport measuring system is presented. It allows for the measurement of both reflection and transmission coefficients. The system features an advantageous power distribution, which can be appropriately tuned in order to enhance the measurement accuracy. The system performance has been experimentally verified by S-parameters measurements of a bandpass filter. The obtained results are in a very good agreement with the values measured using a commercial VNA. Moreover, the measurement results clearly show that the tunable power distribution increases the measurement accuracy.


Cryptosporidium still remains a public health problem, and cryptosporidiosis exists as an emerging and reemerging infectious conundrum of morbidity and mortality with increased transmission, dissemination and gross under ascertainment of its global encumbrance. This paper relates the public health, environmental attributes and clinical features of Cryptosporidium spp in contemporaneous and spatiotemporal settings.


In the present study, the temporal patterns of monsoon floods on five large rivers of the Deccan Peninsula have been investigated. Analyses of the long-term annual maximum discharge/stage data, available for the last 100 years or so, show non-random behaviour in terms of distinct periods of high and low floods. The normalized accumulated departure from mean (NADM) plotting method has been used to identify great periods of below-average (low) and above-average (high) floods. Examination of the data reveals lower frequency and magnitude of large floods during the late-1800 and early-1900 period, and a period of increased frequency of large floods between 1940s and 1960s. The results of the investigation also indicate that the high (low) flood response is consistent with increased (decreased) precipitation in the basins. There is a clear evidence of an enhancement in the magnitude and frequency of large floods in the post-1940 period.


How have changes to the organisation of work affected the quality of working life (QWL)? Contemporary debates have been concerned with whether these changes have led to a deterioration or improvement of life at work and how this varies across Europe (Gallie, 2007). Research has shown that the QWL affects not only organisational performance, but the health and well-being of employees' and the degree to which they are satisfied with their jobs (Pichler & Wallace, 2009).


Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pyridostigmine bromide (PYR) on autonomic, hemodynamic and metabolic parameters in female ovariectomized mice C57BL/6. Methods: Experiments were performed on female ovariectomized C57BL/6J mice (45–48 days old). Females received by gavage 3 mg/kg of PYR (PYR group) or water (CT group) for 20 days. Blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations were measured after 4 hours fasting. Cardiac morphometry and function were evaluated by echocardiography. Blood arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR) were evaluated by direct recording of biological signals (committee approval 085/17). Results: No differences were observed regarding blood glucose (127.3 ± 12.7 vs. 117.1 ± 6.0 mg/dL), total cholesterol (166.8 ± 1.7 vs. 170.9 ± 1.5 mg/dL) and triglycerides (114.1 ± 8.1 vs. 127.9 ± 15.0 mg/dL) between the PYR and control groups, respectively; p≥0.05. There were no differences in the direct hemodynamic measurements of systolic (123.1 ± 2.3 vs. 120.1 ± 3.4 mmHg), diastolic (84.1 ± 1.9 vs. 81.1 ± 2.2 mmHg) and mean AP (104.1 ± 2.1 vs. 101.1 ± 2.7 mmHg) as well as HR (571.1 ± 21.3 vs. 615.1 ± 32.3 bpm) between the PYR and control groups, respectively; p≥0.05. Regarding HR variability, there was a decrease in LF component in PYR group (57 ± 2.3 ms2) when compared to the CT group (66.5 ± 2.0 ms2); p⩽0.05. PYR group exhibited an increase of HF band of HRvariability (39.0 ± 1.9 ms2) when compared to the CT group (30.7 ± 2.6 ms2); p = 0.05. There were no differences on morphometric and functional cardiac parameters; p≥0.05. Conclusion: Although pyridostigmine treatment did not change metabolic and hemodynamic parameters in C57BL/6 animals, low doses of PYR were able to modulate the LF and HF band of HR variability indicating that cholinergic stimulation may be used to modulate autonomic ne


The oil palm grown around the world to meet the demand for food and bio-fuels, is threatened by a fatal disease known as basal stem rot (BSR). Application of machine learning (ML) in agriculture keeps increasing with the advancement of technology, especially in disease detection. This manuscript presents a mini-review of the different methods relevant to BSR disease classification and detection using ML. The steps were discussed, including pre-processing and approaches used. Various algorithms, feature extractions and classification methods were discussed in the review. The review results revealed that the adoption of disease detection and classification methods for BSR disease in oil palm using ML approaches is still in its early stages of research. Hence, new tools are needed to fully automate the detection and classification processes for practical, operational, fast and accurate systems to be used in vast oil palm plantations.


This study aims to identify the training needs of computer teachers for using and teaching computational thinking skills. Descriptive analysis methodology was followed using survey method to answer the research questions. The population comprised all the intermediate and high schools' computer teachers in Riyadh city, while the random sample of the population was of 27.31%. Some of the significant results of the study are: the need to support computer teachers' knowledge of computational thinking based on TPACK; as their needs are high for knowledge and medium for skills and teaching. While there was no difference in their needs related to their degrees or experiences. The results also show that the teachers are not able to teach new computational thinking skills without training and they have low selfconfidence in their abilities to teach computational thinking skills. Several recommendations were presented such as: training computer teachers on practicing computational thinking with knowledge-based, tools and technologies.


Carbonate skeletons of hermatypic corals harbor diverse populations of microboring organisms. The assemblages of euendohthic (boring) algae and cyanobactena inhabiting the corallum of hve corals are different from those that colonize dead and denuded coral skeletons. The species composition of endoliths in live corals is a result of a selection in favor of ohgophotic, positively phototropic, fast-growing taxa which can cope with the accretion rates of coral skeleton. Following the death and denudation of corals, the bioerosion of their skeletons changed profoundly with respect to (1) species composition of dominant endolithic microorganisms, (2) their boring patterns and (3) the direction of microbormg activity. Skeletons of live colonies of Pontes lobata were bored from the inside outward by the siphonalean chlorophyte Ostreobim quekettii. Dead and denuded parts of coral skeleton were colonized at the surface and bored inward by a succession of euendoliths, starting with colonization of the short-lived opportunistic pioneer endolith Phaeophila dendroides (Chlorophyta), followed by Mastigocoleus t es ta rm and Plectonema terebrans (cyanobacteria), to establish within 2 yr a stable 0. queketto-dominated endolith community. The sequence of colonization and successional changes was determined usmg experimentally exposed carbonate substrates. During the life of the coral, the endoliths are protected from grazers. Their bioerosive activity keeps pace with the rate of coral accretion but avoids the skeletal surface adjacent to the coral tissue. The green bands formed by endohths within the skeleton of live corals bear relevance to sclerochronological interpretations. Their formation reflects either variation m coral growth rates or algal seasonality, but most likely a combination of both. Endoliths in dead coral skeletons are exposed to grazing by mollusks, echinoderms and scarid fish, which significantly increases overall bioerosion rates. In the absence of intensive grazing, dead parts of coral skeleton are overgrown by epilithic algal turf. The series of successional biological changes tnggered by the death and denudation of corals shifts the ecological balance between constructive and destructive forces on a coral reef in favor of the latter.


The article is devoted to study of ideas a famous Siberian scientist G.N. Potanin about position Siberian gold industry workers as the most Siberian industry in the 19th century. Author of this article uses statistic materials of Siberian gold industry and historic researches about this industry and tries critic comprehend main Potain's cultivations. In spite of some Potain's mistakes in the time of research of position Siberian gold industry workers author of article considers Potain's researches are important source by reconstruction of workers live, economic and juristic position of Siberian gold industry workers.


Papers of A. Grant Angus relating to funding cuts and amalgamation proposals for the Melbourne State College: his letters to politicians on this subject, 1981, notices of meetings of the Friends of the Melbourne State College with background information, copies of memoranda from various members of the College to staff and students and others enlisting support; leaflets.


Various probabilistic description logics (DLs) have been proposed for dealing with the uncertainty endemic to many domain knowledge representation scenarios. A particular class of such formalisms focuses on representing knowledge that is certain, but holds only in some uncertain contexts. In this paper, we consider an extension of those formalisms that allows an agent to influence the choice of the context and minimise its subjective cost. This is achieved through a combination of the light-weight DL EL and influence diagrams, a graphical model for representing decision situations, and their potential costs, under uncertainty.


Objective To investigate the relationship between operative methods and results in patients with traumatic cataracts. Methods 151 cases (151 eyes) of traumatic cataract were divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D) by types of eye injury. The different operation were underwent according to different eye injury with primary or second intraocular lens implantation. The visual acuity was recorded. Results The best correct visual acuity =0.3 after surgery in group A was 61.9%,group B 19.6%,group C 42.8%, group D 46.4%. Conclusion A proper operative method is a key role to acquired best results in traumatic cataract.


The denoising of video data should take into account both temporal and spatial dimensions, however, true 3D transforms are rarely used for video denoising. Separable 3-D transforms have artifacts that degrade their performance in applications. This paper describes the design and application of the non-separable oriented 3-D dual-tree wavelet transform for video denoising. This transform gives a motion-based multi-scale decomposition for video - it isolates in its subbands motion along different directions. In addition, we investigate the denoising of video using the 2-D and 3-D dual-tree oriented wavelet transforms, where the 2-D transform is applied to each frame individually.


Mercedes Benz was voted as the builder of the best trouble-free car by American car builders. If the 'company men' bias is removed from the survey, M-B is followed by Toyota, and Honda. Problems related to quality of product of American cars were identified as employee absenteeism and training. Upper management was also blasted as a source of quality problems.


We elaborate the use of entanglements in implementations of quantum algorithms with single and two-photon states. The dual nature of entanglement is widely exploited in many quantum problems. In Deutsch algorithm, we analyze why Hadamard gate in the single-photon implementation is not necessary for the case using EPR bi-photon states.


Sponges have been considered as a gold mine for the chemist. More novel bioactive metabolites areobtained from sponges each year than from any other marine taxon, and a range of pharmacological propertieshas been demonstrated. The origin of bioactive compounds in marine sponges may be a cooperative interactionor a symbiosis between sponges and associated microorganism.


To investigate whether there is a change in i) basal RAR activity and ii) their responses to SP, in rabbits with HAPE.


In this work, a probabilistic fault prediction approach is presented for prediction of incipient fault in an uncertain way. The approach has two stages. In the first stage, normal data is analyzed by principle component analysis (PCA) to get control limits of the statistics of T2 and SPE. In the second stage, fault data starts by PCA so as to derive the statistics of T2 and SPE. Then, the samplings of these two statistics obeying some certain prediction distribution are obtained using Bayesian AR model on the basis of the Winbugs software. At last, one-step prediction fault probabilities are estimated by kernel density estimation method according to the statistics' corresponding control limits. The prediction performance of this approach is illustrated using the data from the simulator of the Tennessee Eastman process.


: We discuss the possibility of performing precise tests of ฀/e universality in B→฀฀+฀− decays. We show that in wide regions of the dilepton invariant mass spectrum the ratio between muonic and electronic decay widths can be predicted with high accuracy, both within and beyond the Standard Model. We present numerical expressions which can be used to extract precise information on short-distance dynamics if a deviation from universality is observed in the data. Abstract We discuss the possibility of performing precise tests of μ/ e universality in B → πℓ + ℓ − decays. We show that in wide regions of the dilepton invariant mass spectrum the ratio between muonic and electronic decay widths can be predicted with high accuracy, both within and beyond the Standard Model. We present numerical expressions which can be used to extract precise information on short-distance dynamics if a deviation from universality is observed in the data.


By popular conception, sinus headache" appears to be a very common problem. In fact, compared with other recurrent headache problems, such as migraine and tension headache, sinus headache is relatively uncommon. Sinus headache, however, does remain a significant consideration when the problem of facial pain is considered. The incidence of sinus headache is difficult to establish. Faleck et al' found sinus-related headache in 15 of 150 children seen in a headache clinic for chronic headache. Hockadaf mentioned sinusitis briefly in her review of headache in children but gave no incidence figure. Lew et al\ollected 30 cases of sphenoid sinusitis from the records of the Massachusetts General Hospital over a 12-year period. Headache was the most common presenting symptom for patients with this condition. Edmeads4 discussed incidence of sinus headache and pointed out that this entity has reached such a nadir of scientific attention that it receives scant mention now. In the newly revised volume 48 of the Handbook of Clinical Neurology that deals with headache," there is no chapter devoted to sinus headache. Likewise, in his recent monograph on headache, ask in" gives the subject only the briefest mention. In my experience and in that of others, "sinus headache," as reported by patients, is a popular conception that is often erroneous. Patients reason that, since the sinuses are close to the eyes (as depicted in advertisements in popular magazines), headaches located in the frontal, supraorbital, or infraorbital


From the $Roon Research Center for Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis, Division of Experimental Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Committee on Vascular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037 and the 1Hematology-Oncology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 191 04


The implementation of the K to 12 curricula brought changes in the Philippine Educational system. Among these is the inclusion of Statistics in the curriculum from preschool to Grade 11 of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) track. The purpose of this action research is to develop an understanding of students' statistical thinking in order to help teachers improve their practice of teaching Statistics. Students' level of statistical understanding and performance were mapped based on the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) framework. Each of the 11 groups of Grade 10 students performed a statistical investigation using different worksheets as their guide. The instruments used were observation field notes, students' written reports, achievement test results, and interviews. Findings show a majority of students had low level of statistical understanding and performance. Students had difficulty in formulating research questions, used survey as the only means of collecting data, and had limited presentation of results and interpretation. The teacher's role was crucial in the development of students' understanding. The challenges and the merits gained from the experience served as motivation to the teacher-researcher to continue and improve the use of statistical investigation in the teaching practice.


In trying to design or adjust a dynamic system for optimum performance, the engineer is helped by a knowledge of theoretical limits on the capabilities of the system. Examples of such limits are the gain-bandwidth product of amplifier design and the coding theorem of information theory.


This manuscript is a new, important and a convincing piece made by the Ono's group regarding the source and origin of the S-MIF in modern sulfate aerosols. After working on the topic for years, the authors reached an impressive mastering of the SO2 photolysis experiments and their related MIF effects. The paper is really well written exhaustive covering experimental data, molecular dynamic, kinetic chemistry and atmospheric applications. Thus I highly recommend the publication in ACP. This is probably the most accomplished work on the subject, applicable to the present atmosphere. While not yet in direct link with the Archean atmosphere, it is definitely a significant step


The general purpose of foreign Chinese teaching is to cultivate the speech ability and the language capability of the foreign learners.And it is accomplished by large amounts of effective language practice.Therefore,the study explores some language practice formula inside and outside the foreign learners' classes,and creates a new system of language practice on the basis of the college's training programs.


Changes in chemical composition in Saanen goat colostrum were studied 3, 12, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 h after parturition. The concentrations of dry matter fat, ash, lactose, protein and IgG at 3 h of lactation were 21.23%, 7.73%, 1.57%, 1.93%, 10.24% and 72.01 mg/mL respectively. Saanen goat colostrum contained very high concentrations of Ca, P and Mg, and very low concentrations of Zn, Fe, Cd, As, Pb and Hg. In Saanen goat colostrum, the total concentrations of 17 amino acids and 8 essential amino acids were 5796.6 mg/100 mL and 2567.7 mg/100 mL respectively. The concentrations of saturatedfatty acids were 75.21%, and medium chain saturatedfatty acids (C 8 0 , C 10 0 ) were 19.84%.


In this paper several methods for titanium dioxide (TiO2) synthesis are presented, the methods used were microwave assisted sol-gel, anodizing and plasma deposition, and these structures were also doped with Au. The obtained morphologies were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and elemental analysis EDS, also its catalytic effectiveness was measured by the degradation of the methyl red dye in water by photocatalysis and photo-electrocatalysis test. As well as the mineralization ratio was recorded by the total organic carbon removal. The kinetic study was carried out in order to determine the behavior of the reaction in each color degradation.


ponder D.'s suggestion that some of her scholarly activity survives in the texts of Ptolemy. We also have one possible surviving apophthegma: the notorious instant when Hypatia confronts a besotted pupil with her sanitary towel, saying that 'This is what you really love, young man, but you do not love beauty for its own sake' (see pp. 50-51). D. uses this as an illustration of Hypatia's philosophical distinction between appearance and reality. But it may also help to reinforce her femininity in the tradition. It is striking that this one alleged saying concerns feminine beauty/biology. We may recall that the transmitted sayings of other ancient women philosophers (e.g. the Pythagorean Theano) also often dealt with feminine matters. Here Hypatia's philosophy is not allowed to remain divorced from her sexuality. The maledominated tradition can comfortably pigeonhole her with other such women whose philosophy is 'feminine' and thus no threat to the great male philosophers and scholars.


Compressed sensing is a new eld which shows that reliable, nonadaptive data acqui- sition, with far fewer measurements than traditionally assumed, is possible. In this talk we will introduce the fundamental ideas behind compressed sensing, focusing on imaging techniques, as well as new results for imaging via total variation. Discrete images, composed of patches of slowly- varying pixel values, have sparse or compressible wavelet representations which allow the techniques from compressed sensing such as L1-minimization to be utilized. In addition, such images also have sparse or compressible discrete derivatives which motivate the use of total variation minimization for image reconstruction. Although image compression is a primary motivation for compressed sensing, stability results for total-variation minimization do not follow directly from the standard theory. In this talk, we present provable near-optimal reconstruction guarantees for total-variation minimiza- tion using properties of the bivariate Haar transform along with numerical studies demonstrating its advantages.


Background To date, no sufficient reports have studied the effects of sofosbuvir-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment regimens on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) exacerbation. Aim The aim was to evaluate the effects of sofosbuvir-based regimens on COPD in relation to exacerbation and lung functions. Patients and methods A total of 240 patients with stable COPD were included and classified into three groups. Group A included 60 patients receiving HCV treatment, group B included 60 patients not candidate for treatment, and group C included 120 negative HCV. They were followed up for the period of treatment and subsequently for 1 year to assess the effect of treatment on exacerbation frequency, pulmonary functions, and quality of life assessed by St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, and change of exacerbation pattern. Results After 1 year, there was a significant higher exacerbation correlated with untreated group, whereas groups A and C experienced the same exacerbation frequency. Moreover, the annual decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s was highly significantly lower in group B, whereas unchanged in other groups. Regression analysis revealed that current smoking and untreated HCV group were predictors of exacerbation, whereas treatment itself did not predispose to exacerbation . During the period of treatment, less than 20% in groups A and C experienced only one exacerbation reported between weeks 6 and 12, whereas all patients in group B experienced at least one or two exacerbations: the first one was reported between weeks 2 and 10, and the other one was between weeks 10 and 12. Conclusion Sofosbuvir-based regimens are considered safe to be used in Patients with COPD and are not associated with exacerbation. Moreover, untreated HCV had deleterious effects on pulmonary functions and quality of life.


Key message Drought stress in sweetpotato could be overcome by introducing XvSap1 gene from Xerophyta viscosa. Drought stress often leads to reduced yields and is perilous delimiter for expanded cultivation and increased productivity of sweetpotato. Cell wall stabilization proteins have been identified to play a pivotal role in mechanical stabilization during desiccation stress mitigation. They are involved in myriad cellular processes that modify the cell wall properties to tolerate the mechanical stress during dehydration in plants. This provides a possible approach to engineer crops for enhanced stable yields under adverse climatic conditions. In this study, we introduced the XvSap1 gene isolated from Xerophyta viscosa, a resurrection plant into sweetpotato by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Detection of the transgene by PCR coupled with Southern blot revealed the integration of XvSap1 in the three independent events. Sweetpotato plants expressing the XvSap1 gene exhibited superior growth performance such as shoot length, number of leaves and yield than the wild type plants under drought stress. Quantitative real time-PCR results confirmed higher expression of the XvSap1 gene in XSP1 transgenic plants imposed with drought stress. In addition, the transgenic plants had increased levels of chlorophyll, free proline and relative water content but malonaldehyde content was decreased under drought stress compared to wild type plants. Conjointly, our findings show that XvSap1 can enhance drought resilience without causing deleterious phenotypic and yield changes, thus providing a promising candidate target for improving the drought tolerance of sweetpotato cultivars through genetic engineering. The transgenic drought tolerant sweetpotato line provides a valuable resource as drought tolerant crop on arid lands of the world.


26 Understanding animal thermal tolerance is crucial to predict how animals will respond to 27 increasingly warmer temperatures, and to mitigate the impact of the climate change on species 28 survival. Yet, the physiological mechanisms underlying animal thermal tolerance are largely 29 unknown. In this study, we developed a method for measuring upper thermal limit (CT max ) in 30 larval zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) and found that it occurs at similar temperatures as in adult 31 zebrafish. We discovered that CT max precedes a transient, heat-induced brain-wide 32 depolarization during heat ramping. By monitoring heart rate, we established that cardiac 33 function is sub-optimal during the period where CT max and brain depolarization occur. In


Learning to be a teacher through teaching practicum is viewed as a highly complex process in which multiple dilemmas and tensions emerge. These tensions may influence student teachers' motivation for teaching. However, previous studies on teacher motivation have mainly focused on social status and welfare, seldom taking their emotion regulation into account. Sampling 752 student teachers from 15 teacher education institutes in China, this study examined the relationships between student teachers' emotional labor strategies, professional identity tensions, and motivation for teaching during their practicum. The results indicated that emotional labor strategies were found to be important resources for student teachers to cope with the challenges brought by the tensions of professional identities in teaching practicum. In particular, deep acting and expression of naturally felt emotions enhanced student teachers' intrinsic motivation to become a teacher. The results indicated that student teachers should perform emotional labor strategically, which may motivate them to be a teacher intrinsically.


This article provides an overview of the manufacture of briquettes by mixing spent coffee grounds (SCG) and recycled newsprint (RNP), with some established compositions. Hollow cylindrical briquettes were used as samples for mechanical characterization for the research project "Characterization of type 2 biomass briquettes as solid fuel alternative to firewood and coal in kitchens, restaurants and small businesses, based on the Colombian Technical Standard 2060" carried out at the University of America in Bogotá, Colombia. Initially, the process of design and construction of a Peterson type press for the manufacture of briquettes was carried out. A universal testing machine was used for the mechanical compression tests. The shatter resistance was evaluated by launching the samples in free-fall from a height of 1 m several times until they got broken. Finally, and the abrasion resistance was measured using a ball-mill adapted to the proposed briquette size. All these tests were carried out to identify which of the proposed briquettes compositions has suitable mechanical properties to keep the shape, size and density in the actual processes of transport, handling and storage.