The process of image retrieval presents an interesting tool for different domains related to computer vision such as multimedia retrieval, pattern recognition, medical imaging, video surveillance and movements analysis. Visual characteristics of images such as color, texture and shape are used to identify the content of images. However, the retrieving process becomes very challenging due to the hard management of large databases in terms of storage, computation complexity, temporal performance and similarity representation. In this paper, we propose a cloud-based platform in which we integrate several features extraction algorithms used for content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems. Moreover, we propose an efficient combination of SIFT and SURF descriptors that allowed to extract and match image features and hence improve the process of image retrieval. The proposed algorithms have been implemented on the CPU and also adapted to fully exploit the power of GPUs. Our platform is presented with a responsive web solution that offers for users the possibility to exploit, test and evaluate image retrieval methods. The platform offers to users a simple-to-use access for different algorithms such as SIFT, SURF descriptors without the need to setup the environment or install anything while spending minimal efforts on preprocessing and configuring. On the other hand, our cloud-based CPU and GPU implementations are scalable, which means that they can be used even with large database of multimedia documents. The obtained results showed: 1. Precision improvement in terms of recall and precision; 2. Performance improvement in terms of computation time as a result of exploiting GPUs in parallel; 3. Reduction of energy consumption.


In this project, we explored two different methods to predict runners' times by using their race histories. Baseline prediction used Peter Riegel's method of distance ratios, and the oracle was the Stanford Running Club coach, each which achieved ≈ 10% error on randomly chosen races from a preliminary dataset of 16 runners. On the real data set of 103 runners, the Riegel predictor had 4.1% overall error. We implemented locally weighted linear regression, which achieved down to 4% average error with leave-one-out-cross-validation on 100 different runners. However, the weighted regression failed to predict any value at all for approximately 10% of the data. We also built a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) modeling fitness states, which achieves 3.8% overall error, and also offers more insight into a runner's actual state of fitness. Keywords—Hidden Markov Model, Riegel, Athletics, Running, Times, Fitness, LOOCV, Locally Weighted Linear Regression, Stochastic Gradient Descent, EM algorithm, Baum-Welch, Expectation Maximization.


The Philippines is one of the countries that are susceptible to natural calamities every year it is experiencing countless numbers of typhoons which resulted in the loss of lives and massive destruction of properties. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increasing destruction and deterioration of the environment caused by excessive and misguided principles. Accordingly, these principles are motivated by the uncontrolled numbers of the human population, economic sustainability, and even political agenda. Although these factors are significant in understanding the cause of the ecological crisis, nevertheless it does not capture the roots of the problem. This paper aims to provide a deeper analysis on the issue using Martin Heidegger's framework particularly his analysis on the nature of revealing that dominated modern technology. The "enframing" attitude of modern technology, as well as the parasitic response of humanity to the revealing of the natural world, is the root cause of the ecological crisis. Although humanity is destined by the enframing attitude brought about by modern technology, nevertheless, it does not make him a slave. A true relationship with the natural world that is free from the im – posing character of enframing is possible through "sober thinking". A kind of thinking or realization that took place after the intoxicating effects of the technocratic paradigm that enables us to return to the natural revealing of nature and thrives for a possible revealing that enhances both the human person and the physis.


This chapter is dedicated to single-event effects on fullydepleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). Circuits using two technological nodes are simulated against heavy-ion impact effects: 32 nm bulk and 28 nm FDSOI. The simulations were done using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) tools. CONTENTS 3.


There is no doubt in the "divine revelation", which was not understood only by the chosen Prophet, the controversy or argument is in explaining the formation of the "divine revelation" in a human language, because the understanding and explanation of texts may vary from a person to another person, as Ṭāhā Muṣṭafā Abu Karīshah says: "literary taste has not only one picture does not differ from a person to other person, it varies amongst the people because of different factors. Some of these factors are due to the origin of the willingness and talent and others due to surrounding environment and culture. This difference makes us to do not narrow our arms due to the multiple views shown in the literary interpretation and to accept the arguments, which are inferred from the texts have different opinions, being broad minded, since each connoisseur becomes near to the text in his approaching, as much as his shier in the clarity of spirit and soul, and the alertness of mind. We consider many opinions unmistakable conclusion, but it seems to us clearly, later something different to that which was seemed to us in an earlier time and was believed by our mind before."


1275887 Creep test cell COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE 3 May 1971 [29 May 1970] 12782/71 Heading G1S [Also in Divisions G4-6] In a nuclear reactor Creep test cell, the test specimen is subjected to tension and nuclear radiation and is compared with a reference test piece of the same material subjected to nuclear radiation only. The test specimen, 16, is mounted in the leak-tight vessel, 2, within the nuclear reactor tank, 44, and subjected to tension by the members, 24, urged upwards by the piston, 8, moved by the gas pressure, Pe. The reference test piece, 26, is urged into contact with the disc, 20, of specimen, 16, and elongations of the latter result in identical displacements of 30. The latter are measured by determining the variations in the resonant frequency of the micro-wave resonant cavity, 46.


The main subject of this bachelor thesis is to analyze the competitiveness of one selected product from the Air Bank?s portfolio. For this purpose the saving account for retail clients was selected. The theoretical part deals with definitions and types of banks, their functions in the market, and also historical changes within the bank systems. Next part is focused on the legislation they have to follow. The main focus is aimed at commercial banks and their business. Fin-dings from this section are applied into the practical part which is engaged in research of benefits of one selected product. It is created as a comparison with three companies. The results of the analysis of the awareness about a given bank institution and its market position obtained in the theoretical part are then applied in the practical part. The aim is to determine what other options Air Bank has for its further development.


[Objective]To find out the reasons of delay diagnosis of TB and upgrade the current preventive measures. [Methods] Both quantitative and qualitative surveys were employed. [Results] Rural Township Hospital and Community Health Service Centre were the first options for 78.5% of suburban patients and 51.5% of suburban patients, respectively. The rates of delay diagnosis were 64.9% and 40.7% for suburban patients and urban patients, respectively. Distance from the hospital was the most important factor which prevented them from seeking treatment for 53.1% of suburban patients, and 63.6% of urban patients mostly concerned the quality of medical treatment. [Conclusion] High rate of delay diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in North Guizhou needs urgent actions to upgrade the current prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.


Agile methods have become the most adopted within the software industry as they offer a faster return on investment, better software quality, and higher customer satisfaction in comparison with the traditional approaches. However, the agile method is regarded as a cultural shift where values need to be institutionalized within the development team prior methodology implementation. Many organization adopting agile method without considering its values which lead to undesired outcomes. Despite this, the current literature lacks attempts in assessing agile team culture readiness. Therefore, this research develops the Value, Goal, Question, and metric (VGQM) assessment method to assess agile team culture readiness within the development team. The VGQM includes metrics that selected purposely to evaluate agile team values. The VGQM is based on the Goal, Question, and Metric (GQM) paradigm concept. The VGQM was applied in a software company as a case study for evaluation purposes. The outcome of the case study shows the VGQM capability to assess agile values and identify gaps as areas for improvement.


It is crucial to accurately characterize methane absolute adsorption in kerogen nanoporous media for gas-in-place evaluation and well productivity prediction. Assuming that methane forms a single-layer adsorption in kerogen nanopores, a large number of approaches have been reported to convert the experimentally measured excess adsorption to the absolute adsorption. Recently, we have shown that methane adsorption behavior depends on the pore size and may be very different from the single-layer adsorption model, such as the Langmuir model. Thus, it is necessary to explicitly consider the pore size distribution (PSD). While these conversion methods have been extensively used, their validity in the characterization of methane absolute adsorption in nanoporous materials, such as kerogen, has not been systematically assessed. As in our previous work, we used model kerogen with varying PSDs and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations to model methane adsorption up to 500 bar to assess various commonly used metho...


This qualitative study presents a retrospective analysis of how a cohort of young men, who as boys were assigned to residential care in Malta, perceive the citizenship education that they received while 'in care' as having empowered them – as boys, adolescents, and eventually as young adults. Rather than focusing on citizenship education that is derived from formal schooling, this study is focused on analysing the meaning that the participants attributed to experiences of daily living at the care home alongside the cooperative activities that were organized for them by the staff so as to enable them to learn about one another, share responsibilities, and develop feelings of group-solidarity among themselves. The study thereby explores whether the participants see themselves as having an increased repertoire of social competencies, including cooperative decision-making and the ability to forge effective interpersonal relationships, as a result of their being in care. Using an ecosystemic approach, it looks into how other related agents of socialization including their schooling also had a bearing on their lives. The study uses interviews and focus groups to give the particpants a 'voice' in describing reality as they perceive and understand it. It shows that, to provide meaningful citizenship education to vulnerable, at-risk children and young people, it is important that they are provided with skills and opportunities to share personal stories and events with one another, and to support each other's growth. Since boys in care can be extremely conscious that they are in care, this implies that effort needs to be made to help them foster greater links with the outside community, particularly with their family, friends and other adults. It is therefore recommended that young people in care are given opportunities to develop greater self-confidence as this would allow them to promote greater cohesion among themselves and empower them to be more agentic and proactive in wider society.


Fire prevention is main problem of one ventilation three prevention in coal mine of comprehensive mechanized coal face.Effectively preventing spontaneous combustion of the coal face becomes the key safety technology with the increase of mining intensity of the coal face.A combination of nitrogen and blowing agent technology was studied,which can overcome the traditional fire protection methods are circumscribed problems.According to the actual situation of XingFu coal mine,we proposed the fire prevention technology that uses a combination of nitrogen and blowing agent,the experiment results show that it has good effect,at the same time it could be a valuable reference for other mines.


Aim. In order to study the influence of different regimens of antiplatelet therapy on the state of coagulation and aggregation hemostasis, intracardiac hemodynamics, incidence of post-infarction aneurysm and thrombus formation in the left ventricular cavity in patients with Q-wave myocardial infarction after thrombolysis, 123 people were examined. Methods and results. All participants underwent echocardiography, the study of coagulation and aggregation hemostasis, levels of protein C, von Willebrand factor and adhesion molecules sVCAM-1 were determined. Conclusion. Under the influence of the treatment reduction in aggregation and procoagulant activity of blood serum and activation of fibrinolytic processes were revealed, accompanied by improvement of left ventricular pumping and systolic function, diastolic dysfunction transformation from impaired relaxation into pseudonormal type.


The detailed spectroscopy and transition dipole moments of the 2ν3←ν3 transition in SF6 have been investigated by high‐resolution infrared double‐resonance spectroscopy. The calculated transition frequencies are found to be reliable to within ±0.003 cm−1; in addition, we find that both the l=0←1 and ν3=l=2←1 components of the 2ν3←ν3 transition carry comparable oscillator strength, and that mixing of R states becomes appreciable in 2ν3. The net relaxation rates into depleted levels of the ground vibrational state, and out of laser‐populated levels of ν3, are approximately equal to each other (pτ≃35 ns Torr for both). There appear to be no restrictions on relaxation among fine‐structure levels in the ground vibrational state; however, initial relaxation out of specified J levels in ν3 appears to involve a limited set of final states which may possibly belong to a vibrational level other than ν3.


【Objective】 The study was to find out the difference between healthy and diseased plants' root-zone in Xinjiang cotton soil with different salinity,and screen antagonistic actinomycetes against cotton Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt from the soil,in order to offer a foundation for biocontrol against cotton Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt.【Method】 The quantity of actinomycetes was determined via dilution and plating.Agar piece method was used to screen the antimicrobial actinomycetes and measure the inhibition.【Result】 ①The study shows that,the organic matter content and soluble total salinity of diseased plants' root-zone are higher than those of healthy plants in all 3 kinds of tested soils,Compared to its healthy plants' root-zone,the content of organic matter and soluble total salinity in diseased plants' root-zone is 5.7%,7.8%,20.1% and 20.2%,15.0%,195.0% higher than those of healthy plants in high,middling and low salinity soil respectively.The lower the salinity is,the larger difference of organic matter between the diseased and healthy plants.②The total actinomycetes number of diseased cotton plants' root-zone is 15.5%,59.4%,90.3% higher than that of healthy plants' in high,mediate and low salinity soil respectively.The quantities' characteristic of Streptomyce,Micromonospra and companion bacteria is all in line with the above in mediate and low salinity soil.while in high salinity soil,it's the contrary.The Streptomyce,Micromonospra and companion bacteria's amount of diseased plants' root-zone is 38.5%,106%;23.8%,35.7%;295.7%,16.0% higher than that of the healthy plants in mediate and low salinity soil respectively.③Among 81 strains selected from tested soil of Xinjiang,51 strains have antagonistic action to those target pathogenic Fungi,being 62.9% of isolated actinomycetes.And 41.9%,51.9% and 18.5% of strains exhibit antagonistic action to cotton Verticillium wilt,Fusarium wilt and Rhizoctonia solani respectively.④In high and mediate salinity soil,the antagonistic actinomycetes screened from the healthy plants' root-zone,have higher rate of antagonistic action than the diseased ones,while in low salinity soil,it shows the contrary.⑤Among the actinomycetes isolated from cotton rhizosphere,7.4%,9.8%,3.7% have strong antagonistic action against cotton Verticillium wilt,Fusarium wilt and Rhizoctonia solani respectively,while 55.5%,41.9%,82.7% have no any antagonistic action against cotton Verticillium wilt,Fusarium wilt and Rhizoctonia solani.【Conclusion】 The pathogenesis of Verticillium wilt,the quantities,ratio and compose of actinomycetes of cotton plants' root-zone are correlated with the contents of soil organic matter and salinity.


The technical advances of the recent decades that have brought a 'Knowledge Economy' to the fore front and exposed a monetary impact which was previously grossly undervalued. This economy differs in scope from that produced by the Intellectual Property regime because its content is far more basic and hence encompasses a wider, less tangible, jurisdiction. It does not limit itself to the significant innovations and discoveries that are protected by patents, and is characterized by a relatively high cost, considering the value of its content, and, due to modern technology and global mobility, a highly dynamic flow across territorial boundaries. This has given rise an impulsive need to regulate, protect, and facilitate the same knowledge through the use of various instruments of public policy and private craftsmanship in an effort to shield the profit-sustaining machine that is the international economic order.


We test the hypothesis that flexural isostatic compensation of the mass removed by enhanced Quaternary erosion is responsible for uplift of the Western European Alps and their forelands. We use two well‐preserved and well‐dated (1.8 Ma) abandonment surfaces of foreland basin remnants in SE France (the Chambaran and Valensole plateaux) as passive benchmarks for tilting of the foreland. Estimating their initial slope from morphometric scaling relationships, we determine bulk post‐depositional tilting of 0.5–0.8% for these surfaces. The calculated isostatic response of the Alpine lithosphere to erosional unloading, using the method recently proposed by Champagnac et al. [Geology 35 (2007) 195–198] , yields a predicted tilting of 0.3–0.4% in the considered areas, explaining approximately half of the determined post‐depositional tilting. Such long‐term deformation being insensitive to cyclic loading/unloading because of glaciations, we suspect the other half to be related to as yet undetermined long‐wavelength and long‐lived tectonic process(es).


This study was aimed at testing the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes for in vitro culture in porcine embryos produced by in vitro maturation/in vitro fertilization (IVM/IVF). Pocine preimplantation embryos obtainted from IVM/IVF can be successfully culture in vitro, but they are delayed or stop to develop at specific developmental stage. Many factors such as reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in an IVM/IVF system followed by in vitro culture influence the rate of production of viable blastocysts. Porcine embryos derived from IVM/IVF were cultured in the atmosphere of 5% and 20% at in NCSU23 medium. The patterns of gene expression for antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes during in vitro culture in pocine IVM/IVF embryos were examined by the modified semi-quantitative single cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Porcine embryos produced by in vitro procedures were expressed mRNAs for CuZn-SOD, GAPDH and GPX, whereas transcripts for Mn-SOD and catalase were not detected at any developmental stages. Expression of caspase-3 mRNA was detected at 2 cell, 8 cell 16 cell and blastocyst, but p53 mRNA was not detected at any stages. The fas transcripts was only detected in blastocyst stage. These results suggest that various antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes play crucial roles in vitro culture of porcine IVM/IVF embryos.


A network can be understoodas a system of connected utilities or it can refer to a certain way of cooperation or communication of people. Today the word the network is most frequently used for the Internet. This paper deals with the modern library cooperation and collaboration, the economic basis and financing of library networks and their general impact on the library community. It stresses the changes, which occur in the information infrastructure due to the changes in the information environment. Modern networking enables new partnerships and brings great changes to the traditional cooperation concepts like the German Bibliotheksplan. In this context the author discusses the problems which occur due to the application of the new information technology and which demand rethinking of the library policies. The last part of the paper is devoted to the use of Internet. The role of library networks in the new information society, which communicates directly through the Internet, neglecting hierarchy of information providers, suppliers and receivers, has to be redefined globally. Here the public libraries can be at the forefront but it is stressed that all other libraries have to join the new initiatives. To illustrate the possible solutions of the modern library cooperation the author gives insight into some of the library projects in the USA and Western Europe, including information on plans for the near future.


Of 127 lower division college students who expressed concern about their future indirectly using incomplete sentences 18% mentioned nuclear war directly. Statistically significant differences were noted between this study and a similar study completed in the early 1960s. Concern about nuclear war among American college students has increased over the past 20 years.


Abstract : Chemical alleviation for improvement of reentry communication by solid ablation and liquid injection has been a practical technique. The mechanism of chemical alleviation and the method of experimental studies of simulation in an arc tunnel are discussed in this paper. Experiments are performed in the H11DF arc tunnel by two diagnostic methods which are the microwave method and the probe method. From the experiments, the effects of ablative products from the heat-protection material upon the electron concentration in the flow field and upon the transmission of the electromagnetic wave and the effect of the injection of different electrophilic reagents upon the electron concentration in the flow field are determined. This has provided the basis for selecting the heat-protection materials and determining their properties.


This presents spatial multiplexing in optical fiber communication systems, using a novel high resolution 3D printed multiplexer, which is designed with the help of Solid Works and Zemax. Simulated and experimental results for a two channel SDM system and their output intensity profile is presented.


Tables are given of convolutional codes of rates 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 and with generator polynomials of degrees from 6 to 15 (constraint lengths from 7 to 16). This is partly with a view to the use of these codes in direct-sequence spread-spectrum systems, since the asymptotic coding gains of very low-rate convolutional codes are not significantly better than the gains of codes of rate 1/3 and 1/4. Although the free distances of previously published codes are optimal some of the codes given here have fewer adversary paths at the free distance. The improvement in performance is very slight.<<ETX>>


Abstract: Based on the results of initial observations in class I SDN 2 Wonokoyo, learning outcomes on natural events are still low. This is caused by factors, one of which is the lack of using a learning model. To find a solution to solve the problem is to use the Make A Match by utilizing Autoplay. The research objectives are 1) To know the activities of teachers and students in using the Make A Match students responses to the application of the Make A Match for Natural Events 3) To find out how the learning outcomes are after using the Make a Match. Research is a classroom action that includes 4 stages of planning, implementation, observation and reflection. Research Subjects at SDN 2 Wonokoyo Class I, totaling 20 students. The results of the study obtained the value of student activities to operate the learning media Autoplay Cycle I 63, 33% Cycle II 78, 82. Cooperation 68. 79% Cycle I and Cycle II 86. 78%, Asking 65. 55% Cycle I while Cycle II 81. 17%. By using the Make A Match model with Autoplay, many people were interested and the learning outcomes in the first cycle were 12 with 60%, while the second cycle increased by 95% with 19 students completing. learning model Make A Match it can improve teacher abilities, improve learning abilities and outcomes


Abstract— The administration of reserpine with α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine (2.5 and 200 mg kg−1 i.p., 24 and 3 h before the test, respectively) induced a marked akinesia in mice. This effect was significantly and dose‐dependently reversed by the methylxanthine, caffeine. The anti‐akinetic effect of caffeine within a pattern of catecholamine depletion has been interpreted as a dopamine mimetic activity of this drug. The possible involvement of the adenosine system in this effect of caffeine is discussed.


The text focuses on NATO Summit in Bucharest and tries to
answer the question if NATO is being transformed into an
organization of collective security, cooperative security or
whether it continues to be a traditional organization of
collective defence. The author believes that the conclusions of
some prominent researchers that NATO is currently being
transformed into an organization of collective security are not
well-founded. NATO remains to be an organization of collective
defence. On the other hand, todays NATO prefers a wider
definition of collective defence than the definition used
during the years of the Cold War. Nowadays NATO focuses on the
collective defence against such new security threats as
international terrorism, drug trafficking, spreading of WMD and
means of delivery, etc. When dealing with Russia, the Middle
East, Mediterranean countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Montenegro, Serbia and some countries close to the Pacific
Ocean, NATO still applies approaches typical of the concept of
cooperative security.


In his book, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution (Doubleday, 1984), Steven Levy documents the linguistic evolution of the word "hacker." He argues that among computer aficionados the term has been long used to express respect and admiration for another's superior computer programming expertise. In the last ten years (particularly among members of the law enforcement community), however, the concept has taken on an extremely negative connotation and is regularly used to refer to electronic vandals and computer criminals. Yet, recent surveys of computer crime victims indicate that the typical computer criminal is an employee, not an outsider trying to "hack" into the system. In trying to explain this paradox, comparisons are made with earlier historical periods when highwaymen and train robbers were also viewed by law enforcement as criminals but considered by their peers as folk heroes. These modern day "electronic highwaymen" are innovative deviants who prey on the inherent vulnerabilities of our pioneering (and sometimes unpopular) communication and information corporations. The social construction of "hackers" as the principal focus of computer criminalization is explained by examining the specific characteristics of the victims, offenses, offenders, and law enforcement agencies within the scope of the larger computer and information technology revolution.


There has been a tremendous progress in cancer research. However, it appears the current dominant cancer research framework of regarding cancer as diseases of genome leads impasse. Naturally questions have been asked that whether it is possible to develop alternative frameworks such that they can connect both to mutations and other genetic/genomic effects and to environmental factors. Furthermore, such framework can be made quantitative and with predictions experimentally testable. In this talk, I will present a positive answer to this calling. I will explain on our construction of endogenous network theory based on molecular-cellular agencies as dynamical variable. Such cancer theory explicitly demonstrates a profound connection to many fundamental concepts in physics, as such stochastic non-equilibrium processes, "energy" landscape, metastability, etc. It suggests that neneath cancer's daunting complexity may lie a simplicity that gives grounds for hope. The rationales behind such theory, its predictions, and its initial experimental verifications will be presented.


(1) Background: Strawberry cultivation is highly dependent on soil disinfestation for proper development. Since the definitive methyl bromide phase-out, other chemicals have been used as alternatives. This research provides an overview on the efficacies of soil disinfestation methods on controlling soil fungal diseases of strawberry. (2) Methods: The efficacy of several soil disinfestation methods on soil fungal pathogens (SFP: Fusarium spp. and Macrophominaphaseolina) was analyzed in experimental field trials during eleven growing seasons. (3) Results: Average efficiencies in reducing soil pathogen inocula for soil disinfestation techniques are given. Soil disinfestations with chloropicrin, allyl isothiocyanate, dazomet, 1,3-dichloropropene:chloropicrin, methyl iodide:chloropicrin, and dimethyl disulfide reduced Fusarium spp. and M. phaseolina soil inocula by more than 90%. Combination of solarization with organic manures (biosolarization) reduced Fusarium spp. soil populations by 80% and M. phaseolina by 79%. Reductions in plant mortality and increases in fruit yields over the untreated controls did not differ between chemically fumigated and biosolarized plots. (4) Conclusions: Soil fungal pathogens are effectively controlled by chemical fumigation of soils in intensive strawberry crops in Spain. In the case of mixed infestations of SFP with nematodes, the most efficient treatment in suppressing soil-borne diseases was soil fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene:chloropicrin, but other alternative chemicals, such as allyl isothiocyanate, dazomet, and dimethyl disulfide, provided high efficacies in reducing the SFP inocula. Soil biosolarization is proposed as an effective alternative to chemical soil fumigation for strawberry cultivation in Southern Spain when SFP inocula is not remarkably high.


The paper describesapplicationof integralapproachto the numerical computationof fields in a multi-dielectric,three-dimensionalsystem. The accuracy of the method has been studiedby takinga simple example of parallel-plateelectrodescontainingtwo-layerdielectrics. The use of fictitiouspoint chargeshas been found to be quite successfulin the analysisof fields in and around a disc insulator. The effect of varyingdielectricconstant of the insulatingmaterialon the field distributionhas also been determined.


Aim: The present study aims at the implementation of pharmacist services in providing advanced patient counselling in medication usage in the general medicine department of an ESI hospital. Objectives: The key objectives of the study include Improving Patient safety initiatives, improving Patient health related outcomes, reducing work burden of Physicians and nurses, providing knowledge on medication usage. Methodology: (1) Study Design : It is a Prospective and observational study. (2) Study Period : The Present study was conducted for a period of 3 months from September 2018 to December 2018. (3) Study Site : The Present study was conducted in general medicine ward of an ESI hospital. (4) Sample Size: The Patients taken for the present study period of 3 months it was 225 patients. (5) Source of Data: All the required data was collected from patients through Patient representative interview and case sheets and treatment charts, patient data collection form, patient counseling forms. (6) Inclusion criteria : Patients with aging above 18 years and below 60 years, with medical and medication related problems and who are willing to participate in the study. (7) Exclusion criteria: Patients who are not willing to participate in the study. Method of Collection of Data: The necessary information was collected by interviewing the patients and parents using the personal interview and Counseling Forms. Statistics: Microsoft excel was used to record and calculate the data of recruited subjects. Descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation was used . P-Value was calculated by using Graph pad prism software. Discussion: In the present study a total number of 225 patients were enrolled in this study. Age-wise male Patients population ranges from the 23 Patients were in the age group of 10–20 years (21.296%) 42 Patients were in the age group of 20–30 years(38.888%),18 patients were in the age group of 30–40 years (16.66 %),12 patients were in the age group of 40–50 years (11.11%), 10 Patients were in the age group of 50–60 years(9.529%),3 patients were in the age group of 60–70 years (2.777%),0 patients were in the age group of 70–80 years and 80–90. Age-wise female Patients population ranges from the 16 patients were in the age group of 10–20 years (13.675%) 28,20–30 years(23.931%),34 patients were in the age group of 30–40 years (29.059%),21 patients were in the age group of 40–50 years (17.948 %), 9 patients were in the age group of 50–60 years(7.0692%), 7patients were in the age group of 60–70 years (5.9829%),2 patients were in the age group of (70–80). Gender-wise distribution of study patients in General Medicine department of which number of male patients 108 with percentage 48, number of male patients 117 with percentage 52, total number of patients were225with a total of 100 percentage. Personnel behavior distribution of study patients of which number of alcoholic 25 number of smoking42, number and percentage of patients to whom patient counselling done on medication use in general medicine department states that males were 108with percentage of 48, females were 117 with percentage of 52 and total males and females were 225 with a total of 100 percentage. number and percentage of patients to whom patient counselling done on medication use with positive feedbacks on medication usage in general medicine department states that males were 96with percentage of 51.063, females were 92 with percentage of 48.936 and total males and females were 188 with a total of 100 percentage. Conclusion: The present study that pharmacist plays an important role in patients counseling particularly in guiding of medication usage among patients as the P-Value is 0.001 which states that the present study is highly significant. Keywords: Pharmacist, patient counselling, patient, Prism Graph Pad Software Cite this Article Balram Yadav, B.P. Parameshwar, Mekkanti Manasa Rekha, Rinku Mathappan. A Study on Role of Pharmacist in Providing Advanced Patient Counseling in Medication Usage in General Medicine Department of an ESI Hospital. Research & Reviews: Journal of Medicine . 2019; 9(1): 1–8p.


The indoor climate of historic buildings is governed by the desire to preserve them, their interiors and to ensure human comfort. For preservation of cultural heritage and libraries, relative humidity and temperature are very important parameters, including their amplitudes and changes rate in time. In the present study an experimental campaign of thermo-hygrometric parameters inside of "Sala del Dottorato", located in Palazzo Murena (Perugia), is carried out. In this room a great number of rare and ancient books are preserved. The paper deals with the study and the evaluation of the correlation between outdoor and indoor microclimate conditions in the room, to ensure the proper conservation of the books; it is aimed at understanding how the two parameters follow outdoor variations and how the hygrothermal inertia of the building can mitigate these variations. This is done, specifically for temperature, which is the most critical aspect. Thanks to a continuous monitoring system for indoor and outdoor thermo-hygrometric parameters, a Multiple Linear Regression model is developed in order to predict and analyse the indoor temperature trend. This model allows to estimate a future forecast of this parameter and to predict in advance critical conditions for correct conservation.


There is a fundamental connection between mitochondrial function, bioenergetics and insulin signaling. The dysfunction of mitochondria plays a causative role in metabolic and chronic diseases due to bioenergetic capacity impairment. In turn, insulin resistance is a major pathophysiological basis for type 2 diabetes, other metabolic syndromes and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia is increasingly recognized as being correlated with accelerated cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, as well as cancers of reproductive and gastrointestinal tissues. The connection between insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction indicates their fundamental involvement in chronic diseases of aging. In this paper we provide an up-to-date review of insulin resistance and its connections to a number of pathologies as well as phases of insulin resistance progression.


This paper attempts to show that human brain performance based on the color hits to retina. Reversing the time will make better performance than time in clockwise. Algorithm for reverse time been created in python tkinter. Digital clock runs continuously every day in reverse order. Indication is based on colors that glows on the digital numbers make some changes in human activity to concentrate more on a particular work.


The results of a survey of almost I300 parent members of autistic societies in the UK are described. The ages of their children ranged from 2 to 49 years. The survey focused on parents' views of the diagnostic process and data were collected on the age at which diagnosis was made, the time taken to obtain a diagnosis and the professionals involved. Differences in geographical area were also assessed. Overall, the results indicate that children are now being diagnosed earlier than in previous decades, but the average age of diagnosis is still around 6 years. There are also wide regional variations in diagnosis. The survey indicates that many parents continue to experience lengthy and often frustrating delays before they finally receive a diagnosis. Moreover, even when this process is completed, the amount of practical help subsequently provided is generally very limited. Factors related to parental satisfaction with the diagnostic process are discussed in detail.


T hese new satellite communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems include the European geostationary navigation overlay system (EGNOS), Japanese MTSAT satellite-based augmentation system (MSAS) and the US wide area augmentation system (WAAS). In order to meet the requirements for better IAA of GPS or GLONASS, it is necessary to design the ASAS system. This will cover the entire African continent including the Arabian Peninsula. The ASAS service will improve the basic GPS signals, and allows GPS to be used as a primary means of navigation for en-route travel, for air traffic control (ATC) and air traffic management in air corridors over the African continent, for control of airports and for managing The global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) applications are represented by old fundamental solutions for position, velocity and time (PVT) of military determination systems such as GPS for the US and GLONASS for the former-USSR requirements. The GPS or GLONASS are old GNSS infrastructures giving positions of accuracy to about 30–150 m and they therefore suffer from certain weaknesses, which make them impossible to use as the sole means of navigation for ships, for land (road and railway vehicles) and for aviation applications. Augmented GNSS solutions of global satellite augmentation systems (GSAS) were recently developed to improve the mentioned deficiencies of current military systems and to meet the present civilian transportation requirements for high-operating integrity, accuracy and availability (IAA). all aircraft and vehicle movements in airports. In the same manner, it will also serve for maritime traffic control and management for ocean crossings, navigation at sea, coastal navigation, travel through channels and passages, anchorages, harbours, and inside of seaports. Finally, it will improve land traffic control and management for land (road and railways) solutions. It will be necessary to find sponsors and operators to form an augmentation standards service and to establish a transport augmentation board (TAB), to actualise the final project. The TAB team will be responsible for coordinating the operational implementation of existing and emerging satellite CNS technologies into the African continent. The TAB team will be instrumental in the project as a whole and in development of the criteria, standards and procedures, for the use of unaugmented GPS as well as GPS augmented by the ASAS and VHF African local augmentation system (ALAS). To improve CNS services and to increase the IAA of the GPS signals, the TAB has to develop the regional satellite-based ASAS and the …


Breathing other people's tobacco smoke is associated with several thousand premature deaths each year among nonsmoking adults, including lung cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease and stroke in adults, and several respiratory disorders in children. There is biological plausibility and direct estimates of the increased risk have been obtained from epidemiological studies of never-smokers. Reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by banning smoking in workplaces and enclosed public places is now part of public health policy in several countries. As a consequence, this should avoid many cases of early death and disability.

Keywords:

environmental tobacco smoke;
passive smoking;
health effects;
adults;
children


Teen pregnancy poses significant costs to society. The St. Louis Contraceptive CHOICE project was a prospective cohort study designed to evaluate the effects of providing counseling encouraging intrauterine and subdermal contraception as well as same-day, cost-free access to participants' contraceptive of choice. Among 1404 teens (age range, …


As the main channel and front of the systematic ideological and moral cultivation of college students,the subject of "Ideological and Moral Cultivation" is crucial to the growth and improvement of college students.Yet,affected by the conventional teaching concept,the effect of teaching is undesirable.To promote the effect of its teaching,the conventional concept and method of teaching should be changed and updated,and teaching content,assessment system should be innovated to benefit the healthy growth of college students.


Laser-driven rf electron guns are potential sources of high-current, low-emittance, short bunch-length electron beams, which are required for many advanced accelerator applications, such as free-electron lasers and injectors for high-energy machines. In such guns the design of which was pioneered at Los Alamos National Laboratory and which is currently being developed at several other laboratories, a high-power laser beam illuminates a photo-cathode surface placed on an end wall of an rf cavity. The main advantages of this type of gun are that the time structure of the electron beam is controlled by the laser, eliminating the need for bunchers, and that the electric field in rf cavities can be made very strong, so that the effects due to space-charge repulsion can be minimized. In this paper, we present an approximate but simple analysis for the transverse and longitudinal emittances in rf guns that takes into account both the time variation of the rf field and the space-charge effect. The results are compared and found to agree well with those from simulation. 7 refs., 6 figs.


Coastal mudflats reclamation activities show a strong influence on soil properties and microbial community activity, which drive soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Studies have found there is a shift of bacterial community with reclamation time. However, effects of reclamation time on the soil archaeal community are still largely unknown. Here, we determined soil properties and archaeal community in the soil profiles (0–15, 15–30, 30–45 cm) of different reclaimed sites with different reclamation ages (R12: 12‐year; R38: 38‐year; R68: 68‐year; R100: 100‐year) in Rudong County, Jiangsu, China. Soil archaeal communities were identified via Illumina high‐throughput sequencing. Soil archaeal communities were dominated by two phyla, the Crenarchaeota (82.1–93.3%) and Thermoplasmatota (4.2–17.9%), which are associated with nitrogen cycle (Nitrosopumilaceae, Nitrososphaeraceae, and Nitrosotaleaceae) and organic carbon metabolism (Marine_Group_II), respectively. Ammonia oxidizing archaea showed a divergent response to the reclamation, i.e. Nitrosotaleaceae increased with reclamation time whereas Nitrosopumilaceae showed a decreasing trend. Soil total carbon, total nitrogen, pH, EC, C:N ratio, NO3−‐N content, soil moisture, depth, and reclamation age determined archaeal community distribution in our reclaimed sites. Our findings suggest that both reclamation time and soil depth significantly shaped the archaeal community composition, and then in turn modulated soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in the reclaimed mudflats.


In article data on specific of sort Tithymalus in the North Caucasus are resulted. Geographical diffusion of its kinds on flora areas is analyzed.


Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is extensively applied to process potential faults in systems, designs, and products. Nevertheless, traditional FMEA, classical risk priority number (RPN), acquired by multiplying the ratings of occurrence, detection, and severity, risk assessment, is not effective to process the uncertainty in FMEA. Many methods have been proposed to solve the issue but deficiencies exist, such as huge computing quality and the mutual exclusivity of propositions. In fact, because of the subjectivity of experts, the boundary of two adjacent evaluation ratings is fuzzy so that the propositions are not mutually exclusive. To address the issues, in this paper, a new method to evaluate risk in FMEA based on D numbers and evidential downscaling method, named as D numbers downscaling method, is proposed. In the proposed method, D numbers based on the data are constructed to process uncertain information and aggregate the assessments of risk factors, for they permit propositions to be not exclusive mutually. Evidential downscaling method decreases the number of ratings from 10 to 3, and the frame of discernment from 2^{10} to 2^3 , which greatly reduce the computational complexity. Besides, a numerical example is illustrated to validate the high efficiency and feasibility of the proposed method.


This issue of EMR is focused on the theme of feral horses in Australia's Alpine Parks. Its papers are largely but not exclusively drawn from presentations at the 'Feral Horse Impacts: The Kosciuszko Science Conferee' held on Thursday 8th November 2018 at the Australian Academy of Science, Canberra. All papers have been peer reviewed through EMR's rigorous review process. Five research reports have been prepared, and provide peerreviewed evidence to inform the debate surrounding the environmental impacts and management of feral horses in Australia's alpine parks. These studies, involving many authors from a range of universities and government agencies, identify that damage (attributable to feral horses, as well as deer to a lesser extent) has been widespread and is likely to increase with the increasing populations predicted by modelling. Alpine meadow structure is already showing evidence of impacts from grazing in locations frequented by horses, alpine stream banks are being compromised, and wetlands (that provide critical habitat for populations of Threatened animals) are showing evidence of trampling and draining. These papers are supported by a synthesis paper that provides an in-depth analysis of a range of options for efficient and effective action. Two editorials provide perspectives on the current controversy surrounding prohibition of culling of feral horses in alpine parks in New South Wales and Victoria. One of these provides an ecosystem management viewpoint, emphasizing the wisdom of humane culling informed by ecological evidence, while the other provides a social history perspective. The issue is also enriched by a comment piece by a social scientist that highlights the complexity of social factors that need to be addressed if solutions are to be found. Providing an important context to the recent research on impacts of feral horses is a paper by Stuart Johnston and the late Roger Good, documenting the long, difficult and expensive ($10M) work already undertaken to restore Kosciuszko National Park after damage by livestock in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many additional millions have also been invested in restoring the Park's alpine wetlands after the 2003 wildfire. Clearly this work is highly relevant to the feral herbivores debate given that, should feral herbivore damage be allowed to continue, a massive restoration effort would be needed; and this time it is likely to be more expensive and outcomes more uncertain given climate change. The unconscionability of this is reflected in the Kosciuszko Science Accord, signed by 90 scientists including those present at the Australian Academy of Science conference. This Accord is published in this issue, as is the NSW Scientific Committee's Final Determination of Feral Horses as a Key Threatening Process. This provides yet another independent assessment of the seriousness of feral horses as a threat to the important task of biodiversity conservation. Providing peer-reviewed data can assist with informing agencies, governments and communities at a range of levels about impacts. It can draw inferences and make recommendations. But it cannot provide the ultimate solutions. The solutions must come from society through informed and civil discourse and the development and implementation of more thoughtful policy, well informed by the biological, ecological and social sciences. We hope that assembling these papers and contextual material will provide clearer information for the future development of policy with regard to this challenging management issue, an issue that extends well beyond the Australian alpine parks to many parts of Australia and other parts of the world.


A carbapenem-resistant isolate of Escherichia coli was identified that possessed a 23-kb plasmid encoding Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase type 2 (KPC-2). A subsequent surveillance study involving hospitals in Brooklyn, New York, revealed that, among 1417 E. coli isolates, 7 isolates (from 3 hospitals) possessed bla(KPC-2). E. coli possessing KPC-2 is emerging in our region, and improved methods for detection are urgently needed.


In this brief, we propose an efficient asynchronous parallel expected improvement matrix-based (EIM) constrained multi-objective optimization approach with mixed models for analog circuit sizing. In contrast to other asynchronous methods for single-objective optimization, our method aims to solve multi-objective problems with multiple constraints. The proposed new asynchronous strategy can parallelize not only circuit simulations but also the process of building models. We introduce an EIM criterion for objectives as the acquisition function and build radial basis function models for constraints. The proposed method is based on prescreening instead of internal optimization to further reduce the computational cost of models. Experimental results on two real-world circuits illustrate that when the batch size is 15, our proposed method provides with better trade-off information and reduces the total runtime of the optimization by up to 92X compared with NSGA-II. There is a speedup of up to 8X and 4X compared with the state-of-the-art synchronous approach and asynchronous approach in terms of the runtime.


SUMMARY Road conditions may have a significant impact on the ability of elders to continue to drive safely. To explore the relationship of these conditions to driving patterns, forty participants from Western New York (WNY) and North Florida (NFl) answered questions about driving and conditions they avoid. Although they drove more, 60 percent of WNY participants altered their driving during the winter while 20 percent of NFl altered their driving due to the different seasons. WNY participants drove more both in terms of distance driven per week, and frequency of driving trips.


Coherent synchrotron oscillation was observed in the SPring-8 storage ring as sidebands at the harmonics of the accelerating frequency, which is independent of beam current. This is explained using a forced oscillation model of the synchrotron oscillation by the disturbance of accelerating voltage. The RF disturbance is induced by the ripple noise in the klystron power supply at the harmonics of the frequency of the AC power supply.


Pp2. The has occurred in the offspring of parents heterozygous for Line 1 and B whites; but never in the offspring of Line 1, of A whites, nor of parents heterozygous for Line 1 and A whites. Crosses between Line 1 and three different B whites have given F1 plants with- normal pollen and ovules.


Synopsis The petrographical setting of pyroxene and mica-group minerals in the Tertiary alkali granite of Ailsa Craig is described. Electron microprobe analyses of pyroxenes ranging from He87Ac13 to He0Ac100 are given and their variable contents of minor elements (Al, Ti and Zr) shown to compare closely with a similar occurrence recently described from a South Greenland nepheline-syenite. Glauconitic minerals occur in patches of interstitial crystallisation in the granite.


In an earlier study on chemical osmosis in clay membranes, a slow dissipation of the osmotically induced hydraulic pressure difference was observed. This nonideal behavior of the clay as a semipermeable membrane was explained by diffusion of salt throughout the clay as a result of the imposed salt concentration gradient. In addition, it was postulated that diffusion of salt causes shrinkage of the electrical double layers of the clay platelets, enhancing flocculation and making the clay more permeable. In the present study, experiments were performed to investigate the flocculation and hydraulic permeability behavior of a bentonite when permeated by gradually increasing salt solutions. The flocculation value was determined by flocculation series tests with NaCl solutions at different clay suspension densities. The tests show that the Na montmorillonite used has a flocculation value below 0.02 M NaCl. Hydraulic conductivity experiments were conducted using a flexible wall permeameter with NaCl solutions of different ionic strengths on a clay sample with a thickness of approximately 2 mm. During the experiments, an overburden pressure of 4 bar was applied to prevent swelling. For all NaCl solutions used, both above and below the flocculation value, the hydraulic conductivity stayed constant with values of approximately 2.3· 10−12 m·s−1. This implies that flocculation does not take place in the osmotic experiments, and shrinkage of the diffuse part of the electrical double layers of the clay platelets seems to be compensated for by the overburden pressure. Therefore, the dissipation of an osmotically induced hydraulic pressure difference is more likely to be explained by diffusion of salt throughout the clay.


INTRODUCTION Cardiac tumors are rare; incidence at autopsy ranges from 0.0017 to 0.03%. In the past, such tumors are often left untreated and frequently diagnosed postmortem. Approximately 75% of primary cardiac tumors are benign and the remaining 25% are malignant. Among them, primary cardiac lymphoma is extremely rare. Only 35 cases have been documented since 1960. This accounts for only 5.6% of primary malignant cardiac tumours.1 Although the incidence of cardiac lymphoma has increased in recent years, mainly because of HIV infection2, intracardiac involvement is still less frequent than pericardial involvement.3 We present a rare case of primary intracardiac lymphoma in an HIV-infected patient.


A project was discussed in this article, in which a kind of embedded gateway based on Keil C system is applied to fire alarm system for remote monitor and control. By using this gateway, fire alarm systems (FAS) can be connected conveniently with each other by Internet.Therefore, the idea of remote monitoring and controlling FAS comes true.


Healthcare associated infections of wound sites are a complex problem with substantial effects on patient morbidity and financial ramifications to healthcare bodies. The increasing interest in novel diagnostic strategies and preventing infections have led to an incursion of research into the topic. Whilst most emphasis has been placed on preventing wound infections, the bacterial flora is an ever present risk to the compromised host. In contrast with the majority of research developing antibacterial smart-dressings, the research detailed within describes the development of in-situ electrochemical sensor assemblies suitable for incorporation within traditional or 'smart' wound dressings. Sensor developments have led to prototype construction of a multitude of sensing substrates capable of quantitative analyses for the identification of infection. The key developments contained within highlight both generic and organism-specific sensors which can reliably monitor key chemical components of a wound exudate to allow sampling-free infection diagnostics.


The Western Depression of the Liaohe Basin is the major exploration area of the Liaohe Oilfield, and the production formation of Guantao in Du84 block of the Shu-1 area contains extra heavy oil with a depth of 530-640m.Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage(SAGD) method had been applied to the development of heavy oil.The distribution of intercalations has great influence on the expansion of steam chamber during SAGD development, based on the cores, two types of intercalations(muddy intercalation and physical property intercalation) were identified, and in combination of well log suits, intercalation's log response templates were built.In order to ensure optimal hydrocarbon recovery and sustain production, cores, log curves and other relevant data were collected for building fine reservoir model,with the constraints of sedimentary microfacies, dense well log interpretation results, the model are suitable for characterizing the heterogeneity of the reservoir.


Abstrcat The river retaining dam in Heihe Hydro Project, being 130 m in height, is a sandy gravel dam with the clay core wall. The spillway, being situated in the end of the dam body in right shore, is a typical chute spillway. The hydraulic design of its intake approach channel reach, steep contracting reach and outlet energy dissipater has a certain typicality and can provide experiences for the same type of the project.


Sign language is the most significant methodology that is used for communication between hearing and speech impaired people to the normal people present in the rest of the world. Generally the people who cannot talk, they uses sign language as a communication medium. They always find difficulty in communicating with others who don't known sign language. The aim of this project is to remove this barrier and to help these impaired people for their better communication. This project is based on the necessity of developing a software tool that can convert sign language into speech. This will help in communication taking place between the mute societies with the other over-all public. In this project, web camera is used for capturing the hand gesture performed by the impaired people which converts the hand gesture to an image. Mute people can perform different hand gesture and that will be transformed into speech so that normal people can understand their manifestation. Sign language is the language used by dumb people and it is a communication ability that uses signs instead of sound to deliver meaning instantaneously. In our project different Hand shapes, orientations and movement of the fingers forms a different signs and that is expressed fluidly in a speech. Signs are used to converse words and sentences to viewers. A various hand gestures made in a sign language, are particular movements of the hands with a specific shapes made by fingers. A sign language typically delivers sign for complete words. It also provides signs for different letters to make words that don't have equivalent sign in the sign language library. And also different numbers can be indicated by different signs of hand and fingers. In this project matlab software plays the major role, a camera is used to capture the hand gesture and it is processed into the matlab software and after processing equivalent audible sound is given at output. Different resolution camera can be used for better results. It is better to use a 3 to 5 megapixel camera because if we use lower resolution camera then it will create a distorted image that cannot be recognised easily, and if we use very high resolution camera then it produced a large size image that will take more time to process. So we are in process of evolving a prototype using this method to ease the communication between dumb people and normal


Background Reduced post‐natal microbial stimulation resulting from improvements in public health measures, smaller family size, and through increased antibiotic use has been postulated to account for the increasing prevalence of atopic diseases seen predominantly in developed countries.


Damage from burn wounds compromises the protective function of the skin, increasing susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections and sepsis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is commonly infects burn injuries and is associated with high morbidity, especially in large total burn surface area injuries. Silver sulfadiazine (SSD), the standard topical antimicrobial used for burn wounds, has been associated with irritation, scarring and other adverse effects creating a need for alternative treatment options. Ceragenins are small-molecule mimics of endogenous antimicrobial peptides. In this pilot study, two ceragenins, CSA-44 and CSA-144 were assessed for their ability to reduce P. aeruginosa in a porcine burn wound model.

 One pathogen-free female pig was appropriately prepared and 48 burn wounds were generated, under general anesthesia, on the back and flank area by direct contact with a heated brass rod. Wounds were inoculated with P. aeruginosa and biofilm was allowed to form for 24 hours. Four of the wounds were analyzed 24 hours post inoculation to establish baseline bacterial counts. R emaining wounds were treated with a vehicle control, SSD (positive control) or formulations of CSA-44 and CSA-144 in gel, cream and aqueous forms. After 7 days of treatment, tissue samples from the wounds were excised and bacterial counts were determined (colony forming units per milliliter of tissue). Percent decreases in bacterial counts were evaluated for each wound. The wounds were also observed for erythema and irritation over the course of the study.

 The greatest reductions in bacterial counts after treatment were seen in wounds treated with aqueous CSA-44 at 0.05 % (99.6% reduction) and aqueous CSA-144 at 0.05% (98.4% reduction), which were both greater than the bacterial reductions seen in wounds treated with SSD. Additionally, after the second day of treatment, wounds treated with aqueous CSA-44 and CSA-144 showed reduced erythema, while wounds treated with SSD continued to show swelling and redness.

 This study demonstrates the effective antimicrobial action of aqueous formulations of ceragenins CSA-44 and CSA-144. The bacterial reduction seen with aqueous CSA-44 and CSA-144 were greater than the positive control (SSD). Furthermore, treatment with CSA-44 showed reduced signs of irritation, which were not observed with SSD. Even within this small sample size, the superior antimicrobial ability of ceragenins, without the negative effects of SSD becomes apparent.

 Ceragenins provide a means of replacing endogenous defenses against infection in burn wounds.


For the purpose of this work an epiphytic lichen species, Hypogymnia physodes (L.)NyL, was used. Thalli of the lichen were treated with solutions of nitrate salts of heavy metals, including Zn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2, Pb(NO3)2, and Cd(NO3)2. To simulate the acid rain impact, pH of the metal mixture was lowered to pH 4, using Na2S2O5. Content of heavy metals was determined after a standard UV mineralization method (water solution) and burning method (in temperature 450°C- thalli), using a Microcomputer Voltage-ammeter Analyser (MAW). After two months exposure of the lichen to the mixture of heavy metal nitrates it was ascertained that there was an increase of accumulation of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd in the thalli; a decrease of thalli pH caused increased uptake of toxic elements by the lichen; Pb and Cd remained mainly on the surface of the thalli and in the cell walls, whilst Zn and Cu penetrated to the protoplast.


This paper proposes a resilient distributed control approach for the voltage regulation problem in distribution networks with high penetration of photovoltaic systems. Aiming to reduce the network power loss and curtailment of photovoltaic active power generation, an objective function is formulated while subjecting to physical operation constraints. With feedbackbased information, the proposed solution to optimal voltage regulation can be implemented in an online and distributed manner that ensures a real-time regulation response to fast voltage fluctuations. The proposed approach provides a cybersecure solution that mitigates attack impacts on voltage control based on a weighted mean subsequence reduced technique. The proposed approach further addresses potential cyber-threats to the information and communication-based control of distributed PV inverters. Numerical studies on the IEEE 37-bus distribution system verify that the proposed approach achieves the optimal voltage regulation performance while ensuring the resilience.


Caring for PDOC patients present the clinical team with challenges from a clinical, ethical and legal perspective. In March, The Royal College of Physicians launched updated guidelines for PDOC management that represent a paradigm shift in the philosophy and medicolegal framework for clinical practice, Dr Gaber analyses the key messages for practitioners.


In this paper,16S rDNA PCR-RFLP were used in the study of 23 Oenococcus oeni Strains kept in laboratory.Two primers,based on unique,highly conserved regions with the 16S rRNA gene of Oenococcus oeni,were used to amplify a 995 bp fragment which is specific for Oenococcus oeni.The system of amplifying was established;for RFLP analysis,the 995 bp fragment was digested with various restriction endonucleases.Results revealed that the patterns of Hind Ⅲ and MseⅠprofiled identical to each of the strains.While,the patterns of AluⅠanalyzed by NTSYSPC2.1 software indicated that all 23 strains were clustered into two subgroups at the similarity level of 63%.


Objective To investigate the clinical effect of using warm paste during cesarean section.Methods 300 cases underwent cesarean section in obstetric department of our hospital from January to June 2013 were collected,who were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group with 150 cases in each group.The temperature,clinical curative effect and eliminating time of shiver reaction after cesarean section of two groups were observed.Results In the observation group,there were 92 cases (61.33%) whose temperature were higher than 36℃,23 cases (15.33%) whose temperature were less than 36℃,and compared with the control group,the difference in different temperature was statistically significant.The observation of shivering patients in two groups after treatment showed that the total effective rate of the experimental group was 94.29%,while that of the control group was 76.92%.The difference was statistically significant between two groups.The difference was statistically significant in the eliminating time of shiver reaction after treatment between two groups.Conclusions Using warm paste during cesarean section is safe and effective,and can significantly reduce complications.

Key words:
Cesarean section;  Warm paste;  Shiver;  Curative effect


A waveguide-type acoustooptic modulator (AOM) driven by a surface acoustic wave (SAW) in a tapered crossed-channel waveguide on a 128°-rotated Y-cut LiNbO3 substrate has been proposed for an optical wavelength of 1.55 µm. In this study, to clarify the conditions for a higher diffraction efficiency and a lower driving power, the diffraction properties of the waveguide-type AOM were measured and simulated. First, an AOM with an AO interaction region length of 3 mm was fabricated and the diffraction efficiency of 65% was obtained. Next, the measured values of the SAW power required for 100% diffraction (P100) for the driving frequencies of 125 MHz and 200 MHz were found to be in agreement with the calculated P100, which shows that there is an optimum driving frequency. Furthermore, optical frequency domain ranging using a frequency-shifted-feedback fiber laser with the waveguide-type AOM was demonstrated. Finally, the diffraction properties of the waveguide-type AOM are simulated using a beam-propagation method (BPM) and compared with the experimental results.


Gaskets have been used for sealing pipelines for over 100-years, but the vast majority of these projects have been with O-ring gaskets for cast iron and concrete pipe. The advent of new pipe materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and composite products have resulted in new and more complex gasket profiles. Since most of these new pipe materials have unique cross-sections, gaskets are customized to each pipe section. There is very little information on the performance of these gaskets and their relative design in comparison to the standard O-ring gaskets. With the use of new deformation and compression testing equipment, the performance of even the most complicated gasket profile can be modeled and tested relative to its installed condition. This paper provides guidelines for designing and testing the new gasket profiles used in corrugated polyethylene pipe. Individual performance curves are developed and analyzed for each joint configuration to determine key performance limits at not only nominal but also minimum and maximum joint openings. Their performance relative to the standard O-ring gaskets is also illustrated as a reference point for developing national standards for use by organizations such as AASHTO, ASCE and ASTM.


To fabricate a full-scale pilot model of the cost-effective Na–(Ni,Fe)Cl2 cell, a Na–beta–alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) was developed by applying a one-step synthesis cum sintering process as an alternative to the conventional solid-state reaction process. Also, Fe metal powder, which is cheaper than Ni, was mixed with Ni metal powder, and was used for cathode material to reduce the cost of raw material. As a result, we then developed a prototype Na– (Ni,Fe)Cl2 cell. Consequently, the Ni content in the Na–(Ni,Fe)Cl2 cell is decreased to approximately (20 to 50) wt.%. The #1 prototype cell (dimensions: 34 mm × 34 mm × 235 mm) showed a cell capacity of 15.9 Ah, and 160.3 mAh g (per the Ni–Fe composite), while the #2 prototype cell (dimensions: 50 mm × 50 mm × 335 mm) showed a cell capacity of 49.4 Ah, and 153.2 mAh g at the 2 cycle.


This report describes the synthesis, characterization, and reactivities of the pincer-type complexes κP,κC,κP-(R-POCOP)NiX (R-POCOP = 2,6-(i-Pr2PO)2,4-R-C6H3; R = H, X = F (2a), CF3 (3a); R = OMe, X = F (2b), X = CF3 (3b)). These complexes were prepared by treating their Ni–Br analogues with excess AgF at rt (2a and 2b) or excess AgF and Me3SiCF3 (3a and 3b) at 45 °C. The Ni–F derivative 2a was shown to be an intermediate for the formation of the Ni–CF3 derivative 3a. Complexes 2a, 3a, and 3b were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Variable temperature, multinuclear NMR analysis of 2a helped elucidate interaction of the fluoride ligand with hydrofluoric acid present in the reaction medium. The bromo complexes 1a or 1b catalyzed fluorination of benzyl halides at 90 °C in the presence of excess AgF, whereas the Ni–CF3 complexes 3 failed to promote trifluoromethylation of benzyl bromide, leading instead to a direct benzylation of the arom...


Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a ligand‐activated transcription factor that plays a prominent role in adipocyte differentiation and insulin sensitivity with aberrant activity linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have highlighted covalent modification of PPARγ, including phosphorylation, sumoylation and ubiquitylation, as an important mechanisms modulating biological outcome. Phosphorylation of PPARγ by mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs; ERK, JNK) inhibits transcriptional activity while mice with targeted mutation against the single MAPK‐consensus recognition site are protected against diet‐induced insulin resistance. Others have also shown MAPK‐dependent phosphorylation of PPARγ as an obligatory step in sumoylation‐dependent inhibition of activity. As MAPK activity is modulated by kinases and phosphatases, the objective of this study was to investigate a role for MAPK‐specific phosphatases in modulating PPARγ activity through covalent modification. We examined the expression profile of the 10 known MAPK‐specific phosphatases, collectively referred to as dual‐specificity phosphatases (DUSPs), in insulin‐responsive tissues of genetic‐ and diet‐induced obese mice. We observed that dusp4 was significantly more abundant in white adipose tissue relative to liver, skeletal muscle, and heart in lean mice and that this phosphatase was induced during early stages of obesity and repressed during later stages correlating with the onset of obesity‐induced inflammation. The expression profile of dusp4 was further shown to correlate precisely with PPARγ during differentiation of 3T3‐L1 and F442A adipocytes. Loss‐of‐function studies are underway to support our working model that dusp4 plays a role in modulating biological outcome of PPARγ activity through covalent modification involving phosphorylation by MAPK.


Heat-resistant Ti-Al-Nb-Zr alloys, which don't contain Sn, have been designed to obtain good oxidation resistance above 600 °C. In addition, to design Ti alloys with best balance of creep and fatigue properties, prior β grain size which affects fatigue properties and lamellar microstructure which affects creep properties were controlled by heat treatment. In the present study, the effect of microstructure on creep properties of one of the alloys, i.e., Ti-7.5Al-4Nb-4Zr alloy, with the bimodal (B), the lamellar structures in small prior β grains (LS), and the lamellar in large prior β grains (LL) were investigated at 600 °C. The creep deformation mechanism for each microstructure was a power-law creep. However, the creep life varied depending on the microstructures. The longest creep life was obtained in LS with prior β grain size of 90 μm and interlamellar spacing of approximately 10 μm, while the shortest creep life was obtained in LL with prior β grain size of 550 μm and fine interlamellar spacing of less than 2~3 μm. This suggests that creep life is more affected by interlamellar spacing than by prior β grain size.


Selected extracts from hitherto unpublished letters held by the Bodleian Library (Oxford) are presented in order to illustrate Marmaduke Tunstall's character, interests and concern with contemporary issues. Correspondents include Tunstall's half-brother William Constable, Thomas Pennant and Sir Joseph Banks.


The purpose of the study was to verify the relationship between the internal-external Mathematics achievement ratings of Basic education students in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was hypothesized that there is no significant positive correlation between the students' scores in Continuous Assessment (CA) and the Basic Certificate Mathematics examination. Four hundred (400) students, 240 from the 2008/2009 and 160 from the 2009/2010 sessions were respectively selected from records in the State Ministry of Education by the proportional simple random sampling, based on their population. Correlational analysis of the data revealed a significant, strong positive relationship between internal and external assessments.


Mormann, Kimberly, "Factors influencing parasite-related suppression of mating behavior in the isopod Caecidotea intermedius" Abstract Parasites with indirect life cycles often facilitate changes in their intermediate hosts in ways that increase the likelihood of transmission to their definitive hosts. Acanthocephalan infections typically correlate with altered pigmentation, antipredatory behavior, and changes in mating behavior in arthropod intermediate hosts that increase risks of predation by definitive vertebrate hosts. Additionally, these changes have been shown to associate with the developmental stage of the parasite which facilitates the likelihood of survival in the final host. These changes have been proposed to due to direct manipulation by the parasite, host counteradaptation to minimize the costs of infection, or are an indirect byproduct of pathology. The acanthocephalan parasite, Acanthocephalus dirus, infects the stream-dwelling isopod Caecidotea intermedius as an intermediate host and one of several freshwater fishes as a definitive host. Inside the isopod, A. dirus develops from the early non-infective acanthor and acanthella (immature) stages to the late infective cystacanth stage (mature, capable of transmission to the final host). Developmental stage of A. dirus also correlates with changes in isopod color, antipredatory behavior, and mating dynamics. C. intermedius infected with late-stage parasites have been shown to have reduced pairing success in nature. Additionally, it has been shown that male mating responsiveness (e.g. willingness to mate) is reversible (from no mating attempts to positive mating attempts). However, little is known about the potential ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying these relationships. Additionally, the potential role of host counteradaptation (compensation) during early stages of infection has not been examined. 3 To examine isopod mating behavior in early-stage infections, I used field-based experiments to assess if host compensation was occurring in male C. intermedius. I found that infected isopods did not increase their mating effort compared to uninfected males. Thus, I concluded that male isopods do not compensate for a future reproductive loss. To assess factors that influence male mating responsiveness in late stages of parasite development, I used a combination of field and lab-based experiments. Since chemical cues have been shown to be important in aquatic environments and because predation is necessary for completion of the parasite life cycle, I examined if predator cues could influence male mating responsiveness using a lab-based experiment. I found that predator cues alone do not appear to be influencing mating response. However, I did find that reversibility of mating response can be maintained …


Following its licensure, tuberculosis (TB) was reported as a potential adverse effect of infliximab. Subsequently, the product circular was changed to recommend tuberculin skin testing before patients received infliximab, which was reinforced by several risk communication efforts. The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns and predictors of documented tuberculin skin testing in patients before and after manufacturer, federal, and academic risk communications.


Cryoglobulins are cold‐precipitating immunoglobulins. Through progress in techniques, we undertook this study to update information on the biologic characteristics of cryoglobulins in a very large population.


A new method for manufacturing the organic/inorganic hybrid film electret PVDF/SiO/sub 2/ by the sol-gel process is presented. The process of preparing the hybrid films is described in detail. The influence of different process conditions on charge storage capability and charge stability for the hybrid film electret PVDF/SiO/sub 2/ were studied by means of constant voltage corona charging at room and elevated temperature, surface potential decay measurements and TSD spectra. The experimental results show that the hybrid film electret PVDF/SiO/sub 2/ has good storage capability.


The given review of the literature is devoted to a role brachytherapy in treatment of patients with malignant tumor. More than 70 % patients with malignant tumor are treated with radiotherapy in as monotherapy or in combination with other methods of treatment. There are external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Conformal high-dose rate brachytherapy is an alternative means of precise dose escalation that offers similar tumoricidal effects as 3-dimensional (3D) conformal external beam radiotherapy with potential additional advantages. Brachytherapy is used in as monotherapy or in combination in a combination with external beam radiotherapy. Brachytherapy is the gold standard of treatment women with gynecological tumors. Brachytherapy is an alternative treatment option radical prostatectomy. Brachytherapy is the best therapeutic option in the treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer are localized on anatomical curves and near critical organs (nasal bridge, periorbital region) due to the excellent results and very good cosmetic effects. It is applied also in treatment of patients with head and a neck, esophagus, Klatskin tumor providing high local control.


This paper investigates a control design methodology to achieve a stable controller for a multivariable system inside the fault tolerance framework. The main goal consists of designing a time invariant controller that guarantees stability even with a certain performance in terms of decay rate subject to random transient failures both in sensors and actuators. LMI, BMI, and other possible solutions are pursued for this objective. The most general case of fault tolerant including internal failures is also discussed. Finally a numerical example is shown to illustrate the proposed control design method.


Autocrine signaling pathways regulated by RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTORs (RALFs) control cell wall integrity during pollen tube germination and growth in Arabidopsis. To investigate the role of pollen-specific RALFs in another plant species, we combined gene expression data with phylogenetic and biochemical studies to identify candidate orthologs in maize. We show that Clade IB ZmRALF2/3 mutants, but not that of Clade III ZmRALF1/5 caused cell wall instability in the sub-apical region of the growing pollen tube. ZmRALF2/3 are mainly located to the cell wall and are partially able to complement the pollen germination defect of their Arabidopsis orthologs AtRALF4/19. Mutations in ZmRALF2/3 compromise pectin distribution pattern leading to altered cell wall thickness, hyperphosphorylation of ZmPEX cell wall proteins and pollen tube burst. Clade IB, but not Clade III ZmRALFs are capable to interact with pollen-specific CrRLK1L receptor kinases ZmFERL4/7/9 and GPI-anchored co-receptors ZmLLG1/2 at similar binding affinities. In contrast, binding affinity to ZmPEX2/4 cell wall proteins is about five times higher. Based on these data, we now propose a dosage-dependent model showing how Clade IB RALFs act as extracellular sensors to regulate cell wall integrity and thickness during pollen tube growth in plants. One sentence summary Pollen-specific RALFs interact at different binding affinities with receptor kinases, GPI-anchored proteins and cell wall proteins to regulate cell wall integrity during pollen tube growth in maize.


MggCa(Co3)a, CaMn(COa)2, CdMs(CO3)2, and the hypothetical end member, caFe(coa)2. Samples of some of these materials prepared at or near room temperature have unit cells distinctly larger than those of equivalent samples prepared at higher temperature. Amplitude contributions to the structure factors of calcite and dolomite powder reflections are given, based upon recently refined parameters cited in the literature. Front reflection intensities, based upon a simplified model essentially involving spherical neutral atoms at rest, are computed for a number of carbonates.


Submitted for the DFD13 Meeting of The American Physical Society Magnetic Field Induced by a Submerged Inhomogenous Current DANIEL SOBIEN1, ERIC PATERSON2, Virginia Tech, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering — A one-way coupled approach has been developed for studying the electromagnetic field induced by a submerged inhomogenous current. The method is based upon solving the Navier-Stokes equations, transport equations for salinity and temperature, the UNESCO equation of state for seawater density and conductivity, and a steady-state Poisson equation for the magnetic-field perturbation. The computational domain includes both the ocean and the atmosphere. Simulations are conducted for a net-zero-momentum wake in a linearly stratified ocean, and the influence of depth and Brunt-Väisälä frequency is studied. Simulation data will quantify the magnitude and distribution of magnetic-field perturbation. 1Graduate Research Associate 2Professor and Department Head Eric Paterson Virginia Tech, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Date submitted: 02 Aug 2013 Electronic form version 1.4


This paper proposes an Fuzzy-based Risk Reasoning Driving Strategy on VANET. Its first reasoning phase consists of a WC_risk reasoning that reasons the risk by using limited road factors such as current weather, density, accident, and construction, a DR_risk reasoning that reasons the risk by combining the driving resistance with the weight value suitable for the environment of highways and national roads, a DS_risk reasoning that judges the collision risk by using the travel direction, speed. and distance of vehicles and pedestrians, and a Total_risk reasoning that computes a final risk by using the three above-mentioned reasoning. Its second speed reduction proposal phase decides the reduction ratio according to the result of Total_risk and the reduction ratio by comparing the regulation speed of road to current vehicle's speed. Its third risk notification phase works in case current driving speed exceeds regulation speed or in case the Total_risk is higher than AV(Average Value). The Risk Notification Phase informs rear vehicles or pedestrians around of a risk according to drivers"s response. If drivers use a brake according to the proposed speed reduction, the precedent vehicles transfers Risk Notification Messages to rear vehicles. If they don"t use a brake, a current driving vehicle transfers a Risk Message to pedestrians. Therefore, this paper not only prevents collision accident beforehand by reasoning the risk happening to pedestrians and vehicles but also decreases the loss of various resources by reducing traffic jam.


In addition to generation of a methyl radical, formation of a formaldehyde molecule was observed in the thermal reaction of methane with AuNbO3(+) heteronuclear oxide cluster cations. The clusters were prepared by laser ablation and mass-selected to react with CH4 in an ion-trap reactor under thermal collision conditions. The reaction was studied by mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. The latter indicated that the gold atom promotes formaldehyde formation through transformation of an Au-O bond into an Au-Nb bond during the reaction.


The use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during emergency response of a disaster has been widespread in recent years and the terrain images captured by the cameras on board these vehicles are significant sources of information for such disaster monitoring operations. Thus, analyzing such images are important for assessing the terrain of interest during such emergency response operations. Further, these UAVs are mainly used in disaster monitoring systems for the automated deployment of sensor nodes in real time. Therefore, deploying and localizing the wireless sensor nodes optimally, only in the regions of interest that are identified by segmenting the images captured by UAVs, hold paramount significance thereby effecting their performance. In this paper, the highly effective nature-inspired Plant Growth Simulation Algorithm (PGSA) has been applied for the segmentation of such terrestrial images and also for the localization of the deployed sensor nodes. The problem is formulated as a multi-dimensional optimization problem and PGSA has been used to solve it. Furthermore, the proposed method has been compared to other existing evolutionary methods and simulation results show that PGSA gives better performance with respect to both speed and accuracy unlike other techniques in literature.


It is possible to analyze health from 4 separate perspectives: 1) mortality; 2) problems such as morbidity anomalies traumas or aging; 3) consequences such as functional incapacity activity restrictions and handicaps; and 4) the quality of life. Perceptions have changed with the decline of premature mortality. The quality of life has become an important concept in debates about health with greater attention paid to the impact of nonfatal maladies or the evolution of life expectancy without incapacity. The change in the definition of the subject matter and objectives of health has been especially great in the passage between health problems and consequences. The traditional conception of health explained the health status of individuals in terms of an external environmental cause acting upon individual biological factors. The new conception of overall health is centered on the adaptation of individuals to changes and whether the bio-psycho-social functioning is normal for an individual of that age sex and environment. The effect of the environment needs to be taken into account explicitly in observing the health status of an individual. The WHO international classification of deficiencies incapacities and handicaps and the distinction between functional incapacities in activities o daily living or instrumental activities of daily living represent attempts to conceptualize the functional health status. The importance of the environment in the different indicators of functional health is highly variable. It is of minor significance in functional limitations centered on the physiological capacities of individuals but it is strong in the are of handicaps in social roles such as occupation. Results of the Canadian Survey on Limitation of Activities (ESLA) demonstrate that the environmental context has an influence on perceptions of health status that is independent of the actual physiological capacities. The ESLA data consisted of verbal responses to survey questions rather than of standardized measures so that the information given was a function of the respondents judgments and perceptions. The ESLA data considered her pertained to 21453 persons aged 65 an over who had at least 1 incapacity and who lived in a household alone or with others. Whether the individual lived with a spouse and the traditional sexual division of labor were found to influence the perceived need for assistance in certain activities such as meal preparation much more than did actual physical incapacity.


In this paper, I use the notion of Post-Africanism to rationalise the Bathu sneaker brand as an exemplar of post-African fashion in South Africa. Founded  in 2015 by Theo Baloyi, Bathu has become an iconic and highly lucrative sneaker business that is synonymous with the apparel and street culture trends  of youthful Black urbanites in South Africa. A discussion of the significance of sneakers within the global urban ecosystem is presented as a backdrop to  the semiotic analysis of Bathu. The main argument proposed in this article is that the Bathu story is symbolic of how post-African innovation is a viable  alternative to cultivating and growing the country's fashion industry, informed by the African experience but not limited to the logic of Afrocentrism.


We present results from a search for gravitational microlensing of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud by low mass objects in the Galactic Halo. The search uses the CCD light curves of about 82,000 stars with up to 46 measurements per night over a period of 10 months. No light curve exhibits a form that is consistent with a microlensing event of maximum ampliication greater than 1.2. This null result makes it unlikely that the Halo is dominated by objects in the mass range


A novel technique for measuring the tensile strength of liquids was recently reported [R. E. Apfel, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 49, 145 (1971); Nature (Phys. Sci.) 233, 119 (11 Oct. 1971)]. In this technique a droplet of the sample rises slowly in a column of another liquid, the "host," in which it is nearly insoluble. When the droplet reaches a certain position in the host, an acoustic standing‐wave field at about 50 kHz is established in the column, serving two purposes: (1) to balance the buoyancy force on the droplet and thus levitate it and (2) to rend the sample apart by raising the acoustic pressure to a great enough amplitude. If the droplet is simultaneously superheated, the cavitation event takes the form of an irreversible explosion of the sample into its vapor. Taking advantage of the levitation scheme, this explosion has been filmed with both diffuse and shadow lighting at about 3500 frames/sec and shows resonant oscillations and what appears to be jet formation during the collapse of the vapor bubble. New results for the tensile strength of superheated n‐pentane as a function of temperature have been measured and appear, like previous results for ether and n‐hexane, to be in reasonable agreement with the theory of homogeneous nucleation. [Work supported by the U. S. Office of Naval Research, Acoustics Program.]


Several problems related to violence, grievances and states' lack of legitimacy and capacity to manage economic, social and political issues are clustered together as a lump of misery in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) [...]


Deformations in a cage-induction machine are investigated with simulations. The contribution of the Maxwell stress in the air gap and coil regions of the machine on the deformation is studied by comparing results obtained with and without inclusion of the stress into the calculation. The work attests the acceptability of an energy-based magneto-mechanical model for a 2D mesh of two different rotating electrical machines.


Separated isotopic targets of Ne21, which were produced at the Nobel Institute of Physics, have been used to measure the Q-values of the reactions (1) Ne21(d,α)F19, and (2) Ne21(d,p)Ne22. A double focusing magnetic spectrograph was used to compare the energy of the protons and alpha-particles from these reactions with the alpha-particles from ThC and ThC′. The angle of observation and the deuteron bombarding energy were chosen so that the particles being studied and the alpha-line used for energy calibration lay nearly side by side on the photographic plate used as a detector. The Q-values measured are 6.432±0.010 MeV for reaction (1) and 8.137±0.011 Mev for reaction (2). From these Q-values and the mass of F19 the atomic masses of Ne21 and Ne22 are obtained. Other alpha-groups from reaction (1) correspond to transitions to states in F19 at 0.113±0.008 Mev and 0.192±0.012 Mev above the ground state. Additional particle groups from N and Na contamination on the targets have been observed: The Q-values measured are 8.613±0.011 Mev for N14(d,p)N15 and 4.723±0.008 for Na23(d,p)Na24.


On it's way to become a member of the European Union, Republic of Serbia need to achieve EU environmental standards. Increased interest in correct management of the environment and natural resources caused strong demand for great amount of information needed in decision-making process. Spatial databases with associated alfanumeric data have especially important role in that process. This study contains methodology for building and maintaining digital cartographic database as an necessary part of the system for managing the environment and natural resources in the Republic of Serbia. The core of the methodology is developed data extraction from satellite imagery which is, as a fast and low-cost spatial data source, recognised as the basic data source. Its another advantage is multi temporal character which enables mapping environmental changes during time. The database consists of both raster and vector data with accuracy appropriate to the scale 1:100 000, with associated attribute data.


The maximum entropy (ME) and minimum cross-entropy (MCE) formalisms provide a coherent tool for incorporating new information (in terms of constraints) into initial models and also an alternative tool for solving inverse problems. Our paper discusses some particularities of the application of ME and MCE formalisms to image processing problems; given the ME-MCE framework, one has to identify the proper constraint system which applies for the concrete problem. The relation between Bayesian maximum aposteriori probability (MAP) methods and ME-MCE methods are also discussed. Examples are given in the field of the restoration of synthetic aperture radar images, whose resolution is affected by the well- known speckle noise, a side effect of the coherency of the image formation system.