Development of this special section was inspired in large part by the recent trend in test revision. Test revision is a costly effort that requires extensive planning and development, which includes managing nationwide field trials and consolidating results of cross validation studies. Aspects of test revision may involve upward age extensions, additional sampling of select minorities, item analyses, and, of course, improving test validity. How to best consider and equate results from one test revision to the next is at the heart of this process. Variability in results based on differences between original test development and subsequent revisions are expected and derive from differing procedures, measurement scales, and normative bases. This special section addresses major issues related to test revision, with attention to both research and clinical practice. Many questions arise when revisions in tests are made. Are research findings that are based on outdated versions of a test accepted in the literature? When is test revision called for? What are the research and clinical implications of continuing to use the original versions of newly revised tests'? These are questions facing test users. They are practical questions whose answers have direct implications for the field of assessment. This special section addresses these questions in two ways: (a) by identifying and critically examining methods of test revision and (b) by reporting practical considerations involved in using revised tests. The first objective of this special section is to examine when a test should be revised and the best methods for doing this. The second objective is to ensure that ethical implica tions, clinical utility, research standards, and economical aspects are considered and discussed. Thus, the approach to developing this special section was broadly considered. Hence, it was neces sary to sacrifice attention to more specific aspects of test revision, such as multicultural or test-specific aspects. Instead, select cul tural groups and major psychological measures were used. This approach was not intended to diminish the importance of other cultural groups or tests. Rather, the intent was to offer a critical analysis of the test revision process within the confines of a single journal issue. The first objective of this special section, to critically examine methods of test revision, is developed across five articles. Reise,


Design and characterization of optical filters based on photonic crystal Thue-Morse structures are theoretically examined using transfer matrix method. It is shown that by introducing defect layer in the original structure of the proposed filter, main characteristics of it are changed. The main advantage of this defect in Thue-Morse structure is its capability for DWDM communication applications. In other words, achievement of DWDM filter through the Thue-Morse photonic crystal structure is much easier. The desired wavelengths can be achieved by changing the defect parameter. High efficiency of the proposed filter is one of its benefits. The transmission efficiency of this structure is about 96% and the quality factor is more than 77000.


A small-scale refrigeration system (SSRS) for electronics cooling was designed, developed, and tested. The refrigeration system consisted of four major components: a compressor, a mini-channel condenser, an expansion valve, and a mini-channel cold plate evaporator. The effects of the mini-channel evaporator dimensions and the channel numbers on the efficiency of the small-scale refrigeration system were studied. Three different channel dimensions of the cold plate evaporator were tested. The cold plate evaporator had a refrigerant-side cooling area of 1650 mm. The hydraulic diameters of Evaporator 1, 2, and 3 were of 1.075 mm, 1.253 mm, and 2.151 mm, respectively. The channel number of Evaporator 1, 2, and 3 were 27, 27, and 18, respectively. The refrigerant mass flow rates were varied from 1.175-1.596 g/s, the refrigerant suction and discharge pressures of R-134a were 143-360 kPa and 760-1220 kPa, respectively. The compressor speed was between 4500 and 5500 rpm, the inlet air temperature of condenser was from 23 to 29C, and the heater input powers of the simulated electronics were ranged from 200-310 W. From the test results at heat dissipation of 200 W, the overall system Coefficient of Performance (COP) of Evaporator 2 were higher than those of Evaporator 1 and Evaporator 3 by 2.60-9.80% and 7.38-12.50%, respectively. While, the evaporator thermal resistances of Evaporator 2 are lower than those of Evaporator 1 and Evaporator 3 by 38.70-50.02% and 37.04-50.92%, respectively. The evaporator and overall system thermal resistances of Evaporator 2 are ranged from 0.3803 to 04107 Kcm/W and from -0.1071 to -0.2646 K-cm/W, respectively. The experimental results indicated that Evaporator 2 with a hydraulic diameter of 1.253 mm and aspect ratio of 5.06 had the best performance because of higher condenser effectiveness and overall system COP and lower evaporator and overall system thermal resistances.


We report the observation of room temperature ferromagnetism in high quality, single crystalline dilute Fe-doped $\mathrm{Ba}\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The large equilibrium solubility of Fe ions in the matrix refutes uncertainties about secondary phase magnetism, which has often eclipsed this interesting field of research. While room temperature ferromagnetism is observed at and above 5% Fe concentrations, one finds a highly concave temperature dependence of the susceptibility. Using detailed ab initio calculation, this has been related to intrinsic magnetic inhomogeneities arising from positional disorder. Apart from providing a mechanism for the observed high temperature ferromagnetism, our results point out that intrinsic disorder is a generic and essential component of dilute magnetism.


1. Apanteles vitellinipes You et Zhou, sp . nov. (Fig. 1-4)The species belongs to the sundanus-group (Nixon, 1965), and is similar to A. sundanus Wilkinson and A. ariadne Nixon. It differs the latter two species in the following aspects: Length: (?) 3.0mm.Holotype (?) , Ⅶ- Ⅸ-1982, Raise County, Guangxi, collected by Zhou Zhihong. Paratype 1 (?), Ⅳ-1981, Huanjiang County, Guangxi, collected by Zhou Zhihong.3. Apanteles claniae You et Zhou, sp. nov. (Figs. 5-7)This species belongs to the laevigatus-group (Nixon, 1965), and is similar to A. longicauda (Wesmael), but differs from the latter in that the penultimate joint of flagellum is 1.5 times as long as wide; the hind femur is yellow; and the ovipositor is abruptly tapered at the apex , the ovipositor sheath is somewhat shorter than hind tarsus. This species differs from A. laevigatus (Ratzburg) in that the basal field of abdominal tergite 2 of is four times as wide as long, with some weak longitudinal rugosities, and the ovipositor sheath is 1.16 times as long as the tibia.Length: (?) 2.4 mm.Host: Clania variegata Snellen (Psychidae).Holotype (?), Paratypes 2 (?) (?), 2-Ⅶ-1978, Nanchang, Jiangxi, by Sheng Jinkun.The type specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection of Hunan Agricultural College, Changsha.


dn August !5th, Telenet Colnmunications Corporation formally inaugurated the first public packet-switched data communications service in the united States by filing its tariff with the Federal Communications Commission. lhe tariff became effective on August !6th, and the company immediately began serving its initial customers. (~s a regulated comr~on carrier, Telenet is required to file a tariff with the FCC, describing the rates and regulations pertaining to its service offering. The tariff' may only ~e changed with FCC consent, upon 30 days' notice.)


A comparison of the results obtained on the same section with toluidine blue at pH 5, and with silver impregnation according to Bodian and to Hellman-Hellerstrom, was made on the two categories of A cells in human islet tissue. Fixatives were: Bouin's, 10% neutral formol-saline, Baker's formol-Ca, and 6 or 12.5% glutaraldehyde in phosphate buffer at pH 7.2. Both 3-5 μ paraffin sections and 1 μ epoxy-resin sections were used. Staining by toluidine blue, 0.1–0.005% in Walpole's acetate buffer at pH 5, was performed with or without prior acid hydrolysis. In a population of A cells, those of A1 type are clearly distinguished by the silver impregnation of Hellman-Hellerstrom regardless of the fixative used. It can be noted with certainty that, in the human islet of Langerhans, with a fixative of the Bouin type, the metachromatic cells at pH 5 correspond uniquely to the A1 cells. However, when the fixative is an unmodified aldehyde both A1 and A2 cells show undifferentiated metachromasia at pH 5.


Abstract A multifunctional polymeric chain extender (Joncryl) was used in the melt processing of a neat polylactide and polylactide/clay nanocomposites. The effects of Joncryl on morphology, rheology, thermal and mechanical properties, barrier properties and biodegradability were investigated. Three Joncryl loadings (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt%) were used in this study, and the 0.5 wt% loading induced a long-chain branched structure in the PLA matrix, as indicated by the melt rheology results. It is believed that the property variations are all related to the long-chain branched structure as well as on the molecular weight recovery. The use of Joncryl did not change the intercalated and partially exfoliated clay structures in the PLA/clay nanocomposites, as observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The tensile modulus and maximum strength slightly increased with Joncryl loading. The oxygen barrier properties were also improved by adding Joncryl. However, the addition of Joncryl prevented the formation of large spherulitic crystals and decreased the creep resistance at low stress level. Joncryl could not only control the thermal degradation of PLA during processing, but also affected its biodegradation in compost: higher Joncryl loading led to slower biodegradation and less molecular weight reduction with time.


Structural cohesiveness, hierarchy, structural holes, and percolating clusters share both a complementary as well as an overlapping existence in many social networks. Although the impacts of these ...


The article presents data on the relevance of meningococcal infection and the possibility of its prevention by vaccination. Spend a literary analysis of the efficacy and safety of vaccines against meningococcal disease. The results of the epidemiological effectiveness of vaccination at mass use of conjugated vaccines.


In recent days as rapid changes in markets and technologies are increasingly to shorten the lifetime of products. It is becoming essential for firms to constantly develop the new products into markets. Technology roadmaps, therefore, are considered to be efficient, effective tool of connecting both product and technology planning's collectively, thus being widely accepted by firms. However, those roadmaps and their methodologies hitherto proposed generally tend to have overstated the qualitative, expert-dependent knowledge rather than incorporating objective information. In addition, useful methodologies are often observed to lack, to facilitate a large variety of decision-makings faced in roadmapping processes. Consequently, this paper proposes a new approach: keyword-based technology roadmapping method by using the patents which contains relatively objective information, a quantitative method to support the reliable decision-making processes. Hence, text-mining technique is utilized in this study to extract the relevant information on which the portfolio analysis, co-word analysis and network analysis are carried out, resulting in three different types of product-technology maps. Also, these maps demonstrate the applicability as to where to be applied usefully in a specific step of roadmapping processes. These techniques are highly expected to reflect the objective, quantitative information to roadmapping, and to effectively help improve the overall roadmap quality at the end


Preface 1. Introduction 2. Marx and the transition to socialism 3. Engels, democracy and revolution 4. Marxism and Revisionism 5. The Russian revolutionary tradition 6. Lenin and the Party 7. Lenin and the dictatorship 8. Conclusion Notes Select Bibliography Index.


Objectives: To develop methodology to predict lobar lung function based on SPECT/CT ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scanning in candidates for lobectomy for lung cancer. Methods: This combines two development areas from our group: quantitative SPECT based on CT derived corrections for scattering and attenuation of photons, and SPECT V/Q scanning with lobar segmentation from CT. Six patients underwent baseline pulmonary function testing (PFT) including spirometry, measurement of DLCO and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. A SPECT/CT V/Q scan was acquired at baseline. Using in-house software each lobe was anatomically defined using CT to provide lobar ROIs which could be applied to the SPECT data. From these, individual lobar contribution to overall function was calculated from counts within the lobe and post-operative FEV 1, DLCO and VO2 peak were predicted. This was compared with the quantitative planar scan method using 3 rectangular ROIs over each lung. Results: Post-operative FEV 1 most closely matched that predicted by the planar quantification method, with SPECT V/Q over-estimating the loss of function by 8% (range-7 - +23%). However, post-operative DLCO and VO2(peak) were both accurately predicted by SPECT V/Q (average error of 0 and 2% respectively) compared with planar. Conclusions: More accurate anatomical definition of lobar anatomy provides better estimates of post-operative loss of function for DLCO and VO2 peak than traditional planar methods. SPECT/contraindications provides the tools for accurate anatomical definition of the surgical target as well as being useful in producing quantitative 3D functional images for ventilation and perfusion. (author abstract)


The Animalistic Style differs in different phases with its own and different characteristics. There is also a 'hybrid' Animalistic Style, in which different phases of this decorative style are juxtaposed or even merged. This variant of the Animalistic Style has been analyzed here with the aim of clarifying the key moments of the evolution between the different phases. Three artifacts from the Regnum Langobardorum were considered, in particular from Cividale San Mauro, Torino Lingotto and San Lorenzo in Vaccoli in Lucca. Comparing the three artifacts, some conclusions were reached. The presence of artifacts decorated in a 'hybrid' Animalistic Style reaffirms an apparently banal concept: the use of a decorative style does not cease with the appearance of a new one. Furthermore, the coexistence in the Italian context of the different phases of the Animalistic Style on the same artifact indicates that the evolution towards the II Animalistic Style may have occurred in Italy.


In this work, we present a system for the automated classiffication of seabed substrates in underwater video. Classiffication of seabed substrates traditionally requires manual analysis by a marine biologist, according to an established classiffication system. Accurate, consistent and robust classiffication is difficult in underwater video due to varying lighting conditions, turbidity and method of original recording. We have developed a system that uses ground truth data from marine biologists to train and test per-frame classiffiers. In this paper we present preliminary results of this using various feature representations (histograms, Gabor wavelets) and classiffiers (SVC, kNN) on both full-frame and patched-based analysis, achieving up to 93% accuracy.


Single-agent reinforcement learning (RL) is commonly used to learn how to play computer games, in which the agent makes one move before making the next in a sequential decision process. Recently single agent was also employed in the design of molecules and drugs. While a single agent is a good fit for computer games, it has limitations when used in molecule design. Its sequential learning makes it impossible to modify or improve the previous steps while working on the current step. In this paper, we proposed to apply the multi-agent RL approach to the research of molecules, which can optimize all sites of a molecule simultaneously. To elucidate the validity of our approach, we chose one chemical compound Favipiravir to explore its local chemical space. Favipiravir is a broad-spectrum inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase, and is one of the compounds that are currently being used in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) clinical trials. Our experiments revealed the collaborative learning of a team of deep RL agents as well as the learning of its individual learning agent in the exploration of Favipiravir. In particular, our multi-agents not only discovered the molecules near Favipiravir in chemical space, but also the learnability of each site in the string representation of Favipiravir, critical information for us to understand the underline mechanism that supports machine learning of molecules.


The present study aims to investigate the impact of teaching English literature on secondary schools in improving the students standards in English language. The study is carried in Kosti Municipality at the White Nile State. The data were obtained by two instruments; a questionnaire for teachers and a test for students. The test was given to two classes from the second level in Kosti AlGadida secondary school for girls and their number is (80) students for the academic year (2016/2017), while (30) English language teachers from secondary schools in Kosti Municipality responded to the questionnaire. From among them (20) were males and (10) were females. The researchers adopted the descriptive analytical and the experimental methods so as to show the impact of teaching literature in enhancing the standards of secondary school students in English language and in developing reading and writing skills. The data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The basic hypothesis was that teaching literature in secondary schools helps in developing the students' standards in English language. The results of the study confirmed that teaching English literature in secondary schools leads to the development of students' standards in English language. Also it enhances their mastering of both reading and writing skills. Thus, the study recommends that teaching English literature should be started from the basic stage. It is also recommended that students of secondary schools should be encouraged to read English literature inside and outside classrooms. Moreover, literature books should be available in all libraries of secondary schools.


The role of tourism in rural areas is pivotal for the integration and valorization of territorial resources and it is strengthened by the capacity to promote local community participation in processes of development. The paper addresses the issue by presenting and discussing a case study of a rural area of southern Italy where a territorial network for the development of local tourism has been set up. The innovative initiative aimed, firstly, to facilitate a closer connection between production and consumption by reducing transaction costs and, secondly, to connect local production with quality conscious consumers looking for traditional products. The network project also aimed to create conditions conducive to increasing the competitiveness of the local production chain and tourism sector. The case study shows how the challenge for many rural territories lies in increasing levels of trust and rebuilding social capital as a precondition of developing the tourism sector and fostering socio-economic development as a whole. Traditional institutions, as well as hybrid institutions, with the support of research organizations, can play a key role.


. Polar motion data for the period 1981-1985 are used to obtain a combined solution from Doppler, Satellite Laser Ranging, and Astrometric observations. The combined solution is a weighted average of the three series, with weights determined from reported errors which are scaled so that they agree with errors estimated from differences among the various series. The combined solution is effective in removing spurious deviations in the pole path which appear in a single series. However, we also show that estimated errors can be unreliable when derived from short time series, when one series is much less noisy than the others. Thus, a combined solution where weights depend upon estimated errors can yield poor results, and we demonstrate this effect by comparing a combined solution for 1984-85 with the independent IRIS series.


Jamming signal covering 11~15GHz generated from an intermediate frequency covering 3~4GHz based on dual coherent optical frequency combs was demonstrated. The SNR and the LO suppression of the generated signal were both greater than 50dB.


Two semiconductor photoeletrochemical systems for hydrogen production were introduced.One was SiC,in which photocurr ent generation was appreciable with illumination of the sunlight,corresponding t o water splitting to form hydroge n and oxygen at respective electrodes.The other was CdS system,in which photocur rent increased by mixing CdS with ZnS and Mo under illumination,to get m ore potential for hydrogen production.


Each of us has some idea of what rehabilitation is, at least in the context of our own practise. This is probably based on our training and experience and on the beliefs and values of our particular discipline.


Objective To detect immunization effect of the recombinant plasmid of pUPO-Δγ_134.5-CGRP.Methods CD4 and CD8 cells were detected by FCS,TCR was detected through histological chemistry straining.NK,CTL and LAK were detected by LDH array.Results The recombinant plasmid improved the immunization.Conclusion The recombinant plasmid is valuable to designing HSV gene therapy.


We report power, line width and mode purity for a cw 5.5 mum quantum cascade laser at -26 C. We detect atmospheric NO with high sensitivity (0.5 ppb Hz-1/2) using rapid sweep, direct absorption spectroscopy.


Objective To investigate the factors related to relapse of trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression surgery. Methods The clinical data of 168 trigeminal neuralgia patients undertaken microvascular decompression surgery were reviewed and analyzed.Results All patients were followed up for 1 to 15 years after surgery,17((10.11%)) cases recurred,including 8(8/45,(17.8%)) patients with gelatin sponge pad and 9(9/123,(7.3%)) patients with muscle pad in the microvascular decompression surgery.Conclusion Skillful surgical technique,appropriate operative approach,proper pad,and avoiding secondary injury and infection are important factors for preventing recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression surgery.


Su m mar y: Art and the notion of beauty related thereto are both disciplines and states which are quite unobvious and thereby requiring us to ask the question: Why is it that human beings have in their minds an inherent need to witness the beauty along with — resultant — need to create and receive art? The author of the text — by devising some neurobiological tools — attempts to elicit relative laws of beauty reception, and simultaneously she utilises the instruments of neuroaesthetics, which is a field of science that investigates the impact of art on processes taking place in the human brain. She explores, among other things, mechanisms put to use, consciously or otherwise, by artists in order to make their works a peculiar stimulus. The author describes a series of "tricks" used by visual arts creators who model the particular ways the visual perception processes function.


Plant motifs appeared at an early stage in the decorative arts of China. However, they did not reach maturity until the Northern and Southern dynasties. Plant motifs of the Tang Dynasty were dominated by the floral roundels and coiled vines, which were highly decorative in appearance. The periods after the Tang Dynasty saw the plant motifs as the main stream in decoration, with a trend towards a more realistic approach in presentation. Therefore, there are three stages in the evolution of plant motifs in Chinese decorative arts: the origination, development and wide acceptance. The popularity of the plant motifs throughout the Jin and Tang dynasties was closely associated with the ideological enlightenment of the nation, the cultural exchanges between the East and the West and the advancement of the China's cultural society.


KCM (Knowledge Crunching Machine) is a high- performance back-end processor which, coupled to a UNIX* desk-top workstation, provides a powerful and user-friendly Prolog environment catering for both development and execution of signfficant Prolog applications. This paper gives a general overview of the architecture of KCM stressing some new features like a 64-bit tagged archiledure, shallow backtracking and an original memory management unit. Some early benchmark results obtained on prototype machines are presented They show that KCM, which runs at a peak speed of 833 Klips on list concatenation, compares favorably with other dedicated Prolog machines and available commercial systems running on fast general purpose processors.


Aims: The present study aims the determination the frequency of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression in epileptic individuals and its association with the duration of the disease and frequency of episodes of seizures. Study type: A case-control study Place and Duration: This study was conducted at Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur SMBBMU Larkana from February 2021 to February 2022 Methodology: A total of 110 individuals were considered in the study. All of them were young males with a mean age of 23.2±2.5 years. A total of 55 participants were diagnosed with cases of epilepsy and 55 participants were healthy. The healthy individuals were allocated to the control group. Out of the epileptic 55 participants, 15 had temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 40 had extra-temporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE). All the participants had to complete Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The frequency of GAD in the epileptic group was 14 (25.45%) and the frequency of depression was 19 (34.55%) which was higher, compared to the control group. The frequency of depression and GAD was more in the TLE group (p<0.276) compared to the ETLE group despite no statistical significance. There was no remarkable correlation between the duration of the disease with depression inventory score and anxiety inventory score. However, a correlation between the frequency of seizures with the BDI and BAI was found in the TLE group. Conclusion: The frequency of depression and GAD seems to be higher in epileptic individuals. An interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach is helpful in the treatment of such patients. Keywords: Epilepsy, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Frequency, Depression, males


The demand for Thailand's international tourism by 10 major tourist origins was estimated. Income elasticities of demand for tourism are all found positive. It is elastic for rich countries, unitary for Japan and France, and inelastic for neighbouring countries. The continual growth of the world economies is an important factor in explaining substantial expansion of the tourism sector. External shocks were found insignificant in most cases. Relative prices of Thailand and the comparable neighbours are found significant for four tourist origins. Exchange rate is found a significant factor for the demand from Australia, Japan, and the USA.


The GGSP prototype, a project funded by the 6th framework programme of the European Union and managed by the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), will be finished end of May this year. The main task of the GGSP prototype was the definition, realization and maintenance of the Galileo Terrestrial Reference Frame (GTRF) with the requirement to align the GTRF to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) within 3 cm (2 sigma) accuracy. With regard to the non-availability of Galileo signals in space the initialization and maintenance of the GTRF were realized with GPS observations only. Moreover, the GGSP prototype carried out orbit, clock and coordinate parameter estimation on a weekly basis, using a processing strategy known from the International GNSS Service (IGS).


Possibility of application of the term "human potential" as a category of social management is studied in the article. Methodology of categorical approach to identification of the human potential allows (in practice) to consider parameters of evolutionary growth of the society in context of increase of efficiency of social management.


The possibility of Marxist Philosophic Sinicization is a problem which can be put in and solved based on the contemporary hermeneutic horizon.From the viewpoint of hermeneutics,if a text needs to be understood,it must be decided not only by its quality and feature of the text,but also by the survival environment of hermeneutist.As far as the Sinicization of Marxist Philosophy is concerned,the possibility lies in the condition of "be Sinicized" given by Marxist Philosophy itself on the one hand,on the other hand,the practical developing requirement of Chinese society has determined that Marxist Philosophy can realize its Sinicization.


strategies employed by these readers in self-styled approaches to their difficult reading tasks. Experienced readers, it was found, proceed on a trial-and-error basis but within a systematically organized repertoire of strategies. The second study (Smith, 1984) looked more specifically at text-based vs. nontext-based strategies and concluded that experienced readers, when left to their own devices, do not confine themselves to a given text but readily resort to outside information when the


In this paper we introduced countermeasures against side-channel attacks in the shared memory of TrustZone. We proposed zero-contention cache memory or policy between REE and TEE to prevent from TruSpy attacks in TrustZone. And we suggested that delay time of data path of REE is equal or similar to that of data path of TEE to prevent timing side-channel attacks. Also, we proposed security information flow control based on the Clark-Wilson model, and built the information flow control mechanism using Authentication Tokenization Program (ATP). Accordingly we can expect the improved integrity of the information content between REE and TEE on mobile devices.


Objective To define possible predictive factors for ureteral injuries after holmium∶YAG laser ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral calculi and discuss how to prevent and reduce injuries.Methods All 656 ureteroscopic holmium∶YAG laser lithotripsy procedures performed between 2002 and 2007 were analyzed. Data recorded were about sex,age,stone size,stone location,ureteral injuries rate,and surgeon experience for this procedure. For further analysis,surgeon experience was divided into four groups based on the period of procedures performed. Multivariate analysis was used to define possible predictive factors for ureteral injuries. Results Of all the cases,ureteral injuries were present in 23 patients (3.5%). Ureteral injuries rate was significantly (P0.05) related to surgeon experience. In our series,sex,age,stone location and size did not significantly influence ureteral injuries rates. Conclusions Surgeon experience is a predictive factor for ureteral injuries after ureteroscopic holmium∶YAG laser lithotripsy for ureteric calculi. Experienced surgeons have fewer ureteral injuries.The patient's sex,stone location,size,and age are not significantly related to ureteral injuries.


No detectable viremia was recovered from supralethally irradiated mice which had been infected with Friend Leukemia Virus (FLV) although large amounts of virus were recovered from non‐irradiated control mice.


The number and variety of mobile robot applications are increasing day by day, both in an industry and in our daily lives. First developed as a tool, nowadays mobile robots can be integrated as an entity in Internet-accessible resources. The present work is organized around four potential resources such as cloud computing, Internet of things, Big data analysis and Co-simulation. Further, the focus relies on integrating, analyzing and discussing the need for integrating Internet-accessible resources and the challenges deriving from such integration, and how these issues have been tackled. Hence, the research work investigates the concepts of the Internet-accessible resources from the aspect of the autonomous mobile robots with an overview of the performances of the currently available database systems. IaR is a world-wide network of interconnected objects, can be considered an evolutionary process in mobile robots. IaR constitutes an integral part of future Internet with data analysis, consisting of both physical and virtual things. Keywords—Internet-accessible resources, Cloud computing, Internet of things, Big data analysis and Co-simulation, Mobile robot.


This article draws on preliminary research into the social history of Melbourne, on the ways that suburban life in the post-World War II era provides both explanation and counterweight to persistently negative stereotypes of suburbia. Over recent decades, suburban histories have been eschewed in favour of historical reconsiderations of the inner city or the bush. The history of the Australian suburb, particularly since 1945, is yet to be written. Oral history and municipal archives will be crucial to the writing of such histories. The article suggests several research pathways, including intergenerational life stories, a wider scale of geographical analysis, and a subtler reading of cultural conformity and social differentiation. Copyright 2009 The Author. Journal compilation Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and the Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand 2009.


This study aimed at determining the association between water, sanitation and hygiene with some socioeconomic variables at the Federal Government Low-cost Housing Estate, Akure, Nigeria. Data were collected from respondents residing in 194 clustered buildings. Findings revealed that the association between the type of sanitation facility available and water sources was significant ( X 2 = 57.62, df = 9, p 0.05 ). Also, the association between gender and toilet facilities was not significant at less than 0.05 alpha level ( X 2 = 9.62, df = 3, p>0.05 ). Besides, gender and water sources were significant at less than 0.01. In addition, the association between water collectors and water sources was significant at less than 0.01. Lastly, the distance of water to the residents and the litres of water available was significant at less than 0.01 alpha level, ( X 2 = 23.54, df = 8, p<0.01 ). It is recommended that community water and sanitation facilities should be encouraged. This will facilitate equitable distribution, the proper and adequate maintenance of these facilities. Keywords: Sanitation, Housing Estate, Water, Sanitation, Akure. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-10-06 Publication date: May 31 st 2020


Critical effects of global climate change urgently call for socio-technical transitions towards more efficient, flexible and cleaner energy systems. However, adequate regulatory frameworks and policy incentives are lagging behind. This paper focuses on the governance dynamics shaping technology-enabled transitions towards distributed energy systems. In particular, the expansion of variable renewable energy sources (VRES) within community-based energy (CBE) organizations is studied as a key element strengthening the institutional resilience of energy systems. The paper reviews: (1) the governance arrangements shaping distributed energy transitions, (2) the emergence of blockchain-based solutions in the energy sector (focusing on P2P energy trading platforms) and, (3) the role of the blockchain in overcoming the governance limitations of distributed energy transitions. The study addresses emerging but interrelated niches of academic study from an integral conceptualization and synthesis of the literature. Rather than extensively covering these fields of research, the purpose is to connect these areas of academic knowledge and expand the theoretical understanding stemming from this convergence. The findings show the potential of blockchain-based governance to overcome institutional barriers related to trust-building and enhance coordination for community-based energy transitions.


INTRODUCTION Herbal medicines are those containing active ingredients as complex chemical mixtures developed as crude fractions extracted from aerial or underground parts of plant or other plant material which are widely used in health-care or as dietary supplements. [1] According to an estimate of the World Health Organization (WHO), about 85-90% of the world's population still uses herbal medicines for fulfilling their primary health care needs. [2] Herbal drug standardization is a much needed public and private initiative that will help in elevating traditional medicine to the levels it probably deserves internationally.[3] It is very important that a system of standardization is established for every plant medicine in the market because the scope for variation in different batches of medicines is enormous. [4] Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of syndromes characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, activity of insulin, or both. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to various macro and micro vascular complications leading to damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. [5] It is estimated that 366 million people worldwide (8.3% of adults) suffered from diabetes in 2011. It is predicted that the number of diabetes may to go upto 552 million people (one adult in 10) by the year 2030 as predicted by International Diabetes Federation 2011. [6] In the present study an attempt is made to develop HPTLC and HPLC methods for the simultaneous analysis of the respective active constituents present in the plant extract using standard markers and also to carry out the evaluation of their anti diabetic activity. [6]


Objective To establish a method for the determination of fructose and glucose by HPLC- ELSD in Reduning injection. Methods The aminopropyl column was used with acetonitrile: water( 83∶ 17) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0. 7 m L / min and ELSD detector,the flow rate was 1. 2ml / min. Results The calibration linear curves of fructose and glucose were within concentrations of 0. 4056 ~ 4. 056 g and 0. 8348 ~ 8. 348 g. The average recoveries of fructose and glucose were 102. 3% and 102.0%,RSD were 2. 8% and 2. 9% respectively. Conclusion This method is simple,quick and specific,and suitable for the quality control both of the components in Reduning injection.


The resilience index shows the performance of the power system to anticipate, absorb, recover, and adapt under major natural disaster. To increase the resilience index, the damage and its duration must be minimized. The distributed energy resource (DER) can improve the resilience index by forming a microgrid when the system is damaged. This paper proposes an algorithm to identify the optimal microgrid formation to improve the resilience index of the system. First, it finds the islanded buses in the power system by converting the system into its bus injection to bus current (BIBC) matrix. Then, the algorithm forms a microgrid by installing the DER in the islanded buses to improve the resilience index. To verify the algorithm, simulations are performed to obtain the resilience index under four storms that have happened in the past. The results show that the optimal microgrid formation can improve the system resilience to storms.


A cohort of 18,500 children has been observed from birth through the early childhood years. All children with febrile or non‐febrile convulsions were identified; those with older or younger siblings formed the index groups, and control groups were formed from the children who had not had convulsions. The information on convulsive disorders in older siblings was obtained from the mothers, and in younger siblings by observing them during the first four or five years of life. Both approaches showed that the incidence of convulsions among siblings of index children is three to four times higher than among siblings of the control children.


The unique sensitivities of debt securities to tender offer pricing structures and timing requirements have raised concerns for both the SEC and market participants. The SEC staff has addressed problems arising from, for example, the requirement that a tender offer be open for 20 days, by issuing no-action relief to market participants where the staff recognizes a market need for a shorter offer period that - while technically breaching securities laws - does not pose significant dangers to holders of debt securities. The reliance on no-action relief in debt tender offers began in the 1980s and continues to the present, with no legally enforceable provisions following the nonbinding no-action process to formally approve of these technically illegal transactions. This paper gives a detailed discussion of a number of tender offer structures that have been approved of by the SEC staff through the no-action process. The paper then focuses on issues faced by attorneys in rendering legal opinion letters in light of the SEC's regulatory approach to debt tender offers.


PurposeTo disentangle the impact of each type of overqualification, the author created four profiles of overqualified workers based on the metaphor of the big fish in a small pond: "the fish that fits the pond," "the unaware big fish in a small pond," "the fish fitting the pond, but feeling cramped" and "the aware big fish in a small pond."Design/methodology/approachUsing a Canadian representative survey, the author examined the distinctive effect of objective and subjective overqualification on job satisfaction among recent graduate workers. The subjective measure is based on the individual's perception of the match of his/her education level, training and experience with the requirements of his/her job;and the objective measure assesses the match between the individual's educational attainment and the skill level associated with his/her occupational group.FindingsThe results show that only the "the fish fitting the pond, but feeling cramped" and "the aware big fish in a small pond" profiles of overqualified workers lead to a lower probability of being satisfied with their job compared to "fish that fits the pond."Originality/valueThe current study is original because the findings reveal that being objectively overqualified without feeling cramped has no consequence on workers' job satisfaction, while feeling cramped without being objectively overqualified leads to lower job satisfaction. Recruiters should therefore avoid to focus on overeducation since it has no impact on their job satisfaction. They should pay more attention to the feeling of being cramped when they look for the best candidates. Even if the candidate's diploma corresponds to that required by the position, this feeling reduces their chances to be satisfied with the job.


The leakage protector in electrical training room is an effective measure to prevent physical shock.During lighting circuit training,every time we try to switch on,the leakage protection in training room automatically trips.After careful analysis,we finally find the problem and then solve it.


The objective of this work was to assess the contents of selected organic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs and organochlorine pesticides POPs) in the surface waters of Danube Delta and Plitvice Lakes. These organic pollutants are among the most prevalent pollutants, being detected in almost all environmental compartments. The analyses of PAHs were performed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detector (GC-MS) and that of POPs by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD).


Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Abbreviations: AI, artificial intelligence; EY, EY (formerly Ernst & Young), a multinational professional services firm, London, England; CAGR, compound annual growth rate; CAR-T, chimeric antigen receptor; chimeric T cell receptor; or artificial T cell receptor; CRISPR, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats; FDA, food and drug administration; GE, general electric ventures; GMP, good manufacturing practice; HIPAA, health insurance portability and accountability Act of 1996; HITECH, health information technology for economic and clinical health act; IBM, international business machines corporation; IoT, internet of things; M&A, mergers & acquisitions; NME, new molecular entity; R&D, research and development


The purpose of this paper is to characterize the similarities and differences between the Korean and the English progressive tenses. For most...


Thirty isolates of Pectobacterium carotovorum from soft rot-affected sugar beet plants in the Fars province of Iran were characterized phenotypically and by analysis of whole-cell protein electrophoresis patterns. The isolates were found to be heterogeneous based on the results of physiological and biochemical tests and protein profiles. The results of numerical analysis of phenotypic characteristics and protein patterns showed that only 27% of the collected isolates (phenon 4) could be identified as P. betavasculorum when compared with reference strains. Strains of the first, second, third and fifth phenon shared similar characters with those of P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, P. betavasculorum and P. carotovorum subsp. odoriferum, but were distinct from these subspecies. Inoculation of phenon 4 isolates into wounded sugar beet petioles led to black streaking, root rot and vascular necrosis. Other isolates were incapable of causing systemic symptoms in inoculated plants.


Several anomalies coming from neutrino experiments may be pointing towards new physics: these hints suggest the existence of one (or more) sterile neutrinos. We discuss some of the experiments proposed to verify (or disproof) this hypothesis by using an intense radioactive source in proximity of large neutrino detectors.


This paper introduces the method of strengthening soft soil foundation by tamping the soft soil ground surface, using heavy ram according to a certain drop height, filling with building rubbish in the shallow pits formed by tamping and then tamping and compacting again. Practice proves that the soft foundation strengthened by this method can satisfy the bearing requirement of buildings lower than seven stories.


Climate change and the need to feed a growing global population are the two greatest challenges facing agriculture. Ruminant animals occupy an important niche in modern agriculture because of their ability to digest plant materials that are of very low nutritional value to humans (and other animals) and convert that feed into high-quality products, such as meat, milk and fibre. Ruminants contribute significantly to the world's economy by supporting the livelihoods and food security of over a billion people, including an estimated 70 percent of the world's rural poor. However, they also represent a significant environmental issue. They release an estimated 125 million tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere annually. The ability of ruminants to digest plant material is made possible by the actions of a specialised community of microbes that live inside an organ called the reticulo-rumen (commonly referred to as the rumen). Some by-products of this digestive process are used by certain microbes (called methanogens) to produce methane, which is belched out into the atmosphere by the animal. Our lack of sufficient understanding of rumen microbes is still considered one of the major knowledge gaps hindering effective enhancement and modification of rumen function. Our quest for knowledge has been hampered by the extreme difficulty of working with rumen microbes (many of these microbes cannot survive in the presence of oxygen) and by the lack of suitable tools to study them. However, the advent of DNA sequencing and the discipline of genomics has heralded a new era of research in rumen microbiology. Advances in microbial genomics have revolutionised discovery-based research into the rumen ecosystem. This presentation will discuss the role AgResearch-led projects such as the Global Rumen Census, the Hungate1000, Rumen methanogen genomics and Deep sequencing of the rumen microbiome have had in increasing our knowledge of the microbial processes leading to the formation of methane in the rumen and how we can use that knowledge to support the development of practical and safe technologies to mitigate ruminant methane. CARCASS AND MEAT QUALITY: TENDENCIES AND PREFERENCES Alfredo Teixeira Escola Superior Agrária – Instituto Politécnico de Bragança Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária (CECAV) Apartado172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal E-mail: email@example.com


We report the measurement of 112 new high-lying odd-parity excited levels of U I in the energy region 35 678-36 696 cm(-1). These levels were obtained with a setup composed of a Nd:YAG-laser-pumped pulsed dye laser system, an atomic beam device, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and a boxcar integrator. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224(99)02309-7] OCIS code: 300.0300.


The collection of meteorological data for wind and solar energy studies has been facilitated through the development of electronic weather stations. The Weather Wizard is a microprocessor controlled weather station which can be programmed for specialized applications such as wind and solar energy resource assessment. Use of the Weather Wizard during a recent wind energy related project is discussed.


We have evaluated spontaneous polarization for TTF‐QBrCl3, whose crystal structure is similar to that of TTF‐CA, by first‐principles calculations. The obtained results are compared with those for closely related materials TTF‐CA and TTF‐BA and found to have some similarities to those for TTF‐CA. No magnetic state is found and polarization grows non‐linearly with the adiabatic switching parameter λ when the system varies from the virtual paraelectric state to the actual ferroelectric state. The evaluated spontaneous polarization values are in the same range as the experimental ones.


10 Wallace Nutting NH and VA Beautiful 2nd Eds. Lot of two 2nd Edition States Beautiful books, including New Hampshire (1937) and Virginia Beautiful (1935). Both exlibris books have normal cover wear, but what makes these unusual is that each book has an inside label that reads "Memorial Library of Washington and Jefferson College, Presented to the Library by the Author". Apparently during the 1930's, when Nutting was affiliated with Washington & Jefferson College, he personally donated these books to the college. This is the first time that we have ever seen such a label. $25 $50 $100


The CE-QUAL-W2 model, developed by Portland State University, simulates water quality and flow. Recommendations to expand on this model and have it include sediment transport are implemented in this report. Existing one-, two-, and three-dimensional models are reviewed and assessed for their sediment transport methodology. A laterally (width) averaged sediment concentration model is developed as an Upwind Center Space Scheme using CE-QUAL-W2 data. The scheme includes a method to calculate scour for sediment concentration and results of the model are shown for a simulated branch of the Spokane River.


A dual-band frequency reconfigurable monopole antenna is presented in this paper. Reconfiguration of frequency bands is achieved using RF PIN diodes. An already published antenna design is used as a starting point and is then modified to achieve frequency reconfiguration mechanism by incorporating RF PIN diodes. The antenna resonates at center frequency of 2.4 GHz and 4.25 GHz when RF PIN diodes are switched OFF. However, RF PIN diodes ON state resulted in 1.84 and 3.66 GHz frequency bands. The 1.84 and 2.45 GHz bands are controlled by altering the electrical length of inverted L-shaped resonator. Whereas, C-shaped radiator is used to resonate the proposed antenna at 3.66 GHz and 4.56 GHz frequency bands. Overall, the simulation and measurement results showed a good agreement.


A 13-year-old boy with a small ventricular septal defect was admitted with clinical manifestations of acute endocarditis. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated from the blood. Definitive diagnosis was made by detecting bacterial vegetations in the right ventricle on the echocardiogram. Repeated embolization of these vegetations to the pulmonary circulation led to the death of the patient.


Explosion proof property of hydraulic mining lift,over speed and over reel control,prevention of high and low hydraulic pressure,and coordination of braking and hoisting are the key and core points for safety design.The main safety function and safety hidden danger of the hydraulic mining lift are discussed,and safety countermeasures are explored.


The cities of St. Paul, Minnesota; Willmar, Minnesota; Piqua, Ohio; and Trenton, New Jersey have all recently built new hot water district heating systems. The systems presently serve high-density areas; plans are to expand the systems to lower density surrounding areas in the future. The prices charged for thermal energy from these systems vary from $0.025/kWh to $0.048/kWh and, in all cases, are economically competitive with the primary space heating alternative. The largest single component of the cost of thermal energy in all cases is the cost of debt retirement. In particular, the costs are dominated by the cost of the buried piping networks. Consequently, it is essential that the cost of the piping distribution system be minimized if thermal energy costs are to be competitive. In the St. Paul, Willmar, and Piqua systems, low costs have been achieved by using system designs based on European design concepts. The design incorporates thin-wall piping, inexpensive insulation, shallow pipe burial, and several other features that are conducive to easy installation. The Trenton system required modification of the European design concepts to accommodate higher distribution temperatures, but several of the benefits are captured.


Block chain has become popular due to the rise of Bit coin. However, this technology is not limited to the financial area. A Block chain originally means blocks of crypto currencies linked by chains. This new concept has received significant attention in Fin-Tech. This study mainly focuses on understanding the perception of investors towards Block chain based transactions. This study is conducted to know the current awareness of people regarding block chain transactions. It also signifies their readiness to accept payment based on block chain (Crypto).It also throws light whether they are ready to accept it as valid payment method if someday in future it get legalizes.


A Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol of the Reservation Random Access (RRA) family is integrated with a hierarchical video-coding scheme, to realize effective real-time video services over the up-link of a mobile wireless network. For every picture or for each group of contiguous pictures (GOP), the encoder generates an information set organized in a hierarchical layered structure. The base layer contains the information needed to a low quality video; the other layers contain data, which, if received and decoded, can enhance the video quality. The basic idea is to reserve bandwidth only to grant the transmission of base layer information, and modify the MAC scheme to manage the video enhancement data together with voice/dota streams. by adaptively transmitting the increimental video information only it the performances of other traffic classes will not drop below a certain threshold. The aim or this proposal is the improvement of the video stream quality in low load conditions, without a significant reduction of other traffic classes performance during high load periods. Several simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


The use of hydrogen atoms for magneto-ionic applications has only been explored recently. Benefits of hydrogen compared to other ionic species for tuning magnetism are high switching speed and large changes in magnetic moment. Here, we test the influence of hydrogen intercalation on magnetism in nanoporous Pd(1−x)Cox, with Co being located in superparamagnetic clusters, building upon a previously suggested material system. Tailoring the Co concentration and distribution allows the magnitude of the magneto-electric effect to be influenced as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the interaction of hydrogen with magnetic clusters. In situ magnetization measurements are conducted to directly observe the variation in magnetic moment upon hydrogen-charging in nanoporous Pd(1−x)Cox. Temperature-dependent magnetization curves show that interstitial hydrogen atoms lead to an increase in magnetic anisotropy energy, a coupling of individual Co-rich clusters, and the concomitant blocking of their magnetic moments. The large obtained magnetic switching effects upon hydrogen-charging at room temperature (αC,V > 400 Oe V−1; ΔM = 1.5 emu g−1) open up new possibilities to use magneto-ionic effects for real-life applications in magnetic devices.


The complexity of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) is a concern in portable video compression devices, where multiplications are typically much more costly than additions and binary shifts. Since most conventional fast DCT algorithms exploit the algebraic structure of the DCT, their multiplicative complexity has been shown to have lower bounds. In this paper, we take advantage of the distributed arithmetic (DA) structure of the 2-D DCT. We introduce a novel fast DA-DCT algorithm based on DA optimization, which reduces the number of additions by a factor of 22, through recursive pairwise matching. On average, only 1 multiplication, 40 additions as well as 16 binary shifts are required for each DCT coefficient. The overall multiplicative complexity is 28% lower than the theoretical lower bound. Our DA-DCT is numerically equivalent to the exact, double precision floating-point 2-D DCT.


This paper examines the effects of the Great Recession on employment by gender in Pennsylvania. Using the Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) in the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data set from the Census Bureau, we examine the employment dynamics for Pennsylvania by gender from Q1 of 1997 to Q4 of 2013. We investigate the impacts of the Great Recession on male and female employment in the Pennsylvania economy in the manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and retail sectors by investigating the net job gains by gender using a vector error correction model (VECM).


Synchronization control is an essential technique in networked multiaxis motion systems (NMAMSs). However, the compound disturbances caused by the delay-induced uncertainty and external disturbances such as system coupling and load mutation have great influence on performance of the motion control systems. The purpose of this article is to propose an equivalent-input-disturbance (EID)-based position synchronization control strategy for NMAMSs to solve the influence of compound disturbances on synchronization control performance in NMAMSs. First, a position synchronization error model is established for the NMAMSs, and the delay-induced uncertainty is treated as a network disturbance. Next, the EID is designed to suppress the overall effect. Then, an EID-based synchronization controller is designed to achieve both position synchronization and disturbance rejection. The effect of the compound disturbances in the synchronization performance is significantly reduced. Finally, simulations and experiments on a position synchronization control platform of a four-motor system are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.


When two atoms are in proximity, their resonance lines are broadened because of the formation of molecular potentials, between which photon transitions can occur. The level of experimental refinement in measuring excimer and collisional far-wing spectra calls for interpretive theoretical methods that accurately treat the observed structure in line shapes. Of particular interest are satellites and undulations, for they can give much information on intermolecular potentials. We derive an expression for $T$-matrix elements, based on JWKB wave functions and stationary-phase techniques, that is universally applicable to situations with one, two, or more Condon points. Each transition point is treated individually, with effects of potential shape, wave-function phases, and interference separately highlighted. The expression is tested against quantum-mechanical line shapes of the red and blue wings of the Rb $D$ lines broadened by Xe perturbers. Agreement is quite good for both the red-wing undulations and the blue-wing satellite-supernumerary structure.


This research is the effect of heat treatment of chromium-nickel steel was studied. For this purpose of chromium-nickel steal were carburized, normalized, annealed, hardened and tempered. It was shown that the hardness of the material increased. The effect of temperature and holding time and cooling media (Furnace) of annealing on hardens. It was found that; the hardness will increase while the annealing temperature is rising to 740°C then decreases after that till it reach the temperature of 760°C. Sixty minutes was the best time.


Exact vibration modes of a nonlinear oscillator, which contains both quadratic friction and a mixed-parity restoring force, are derived analytically. Two families of exact solutions are obtained in terms of rational expressions for classical Jacobi elliptic functions. The present solutions allow the investigation of the dynamical behaviour of the system in response to changes in physical parameters that concern nonlinearity. The physical significance of the signs (i.e. attractive or repulsive nature) of the linear, quadratic and cubic restoring forces is discussed. A qualitative analysis is also conducted to provide valuable physical insight into the nature of the system.


TRIM4Post-Mining is a H2020/RFCS-funded project that brings together a consortium of European experts from industry and academia to develop an integrated information modelling system. This is designed to support decision making and planning during the transition from coal exploitation to a revitalized post-mining landscape, enabling infrastructure development for agricultural and industrial utilization, and contributing to the recovery of energy and materials from coal mining dumps. The smart system will be founded upon a high-resolution spatiotemporal database, utilizing state-of-the-art multi-scale and multi-sensor monitoring technologies that characterize dynamic processes in coal waste dumps related to timely, dependent deformation and geochemical processes. It will integrate efficient methods for operational and post-mining monitoring, comprehensive spatiotemporal data analytics, feature extraction, and predictive modelling; this will allow for the identification of potential contamination areas and the forecasting of geotechnical risks and ground conditions. For the interactive exploration of alternative land-use planning scenarios—in terms of residual risks, technical feasibility, environmental and social impact, and affordability—up-to-date data and models will be embedded in an interactive planning system based on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology, forming a TRIM—a Transition Information Modelling System. This contribution presents the conceptual approach and main constituents, and describes the state-of-the-art and detailed anticipated methodological approach for each of the constituents. This is supported by the presentation of the first results and a discussion of future work. An anticipated second contribution will focus on the main findings, technology readiness and a discussion of future work.


Data from the Statistics Canada 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey is used to test the hypothesis that classification errors of the type noted by Fillmore et al. () could invalidate the statistical results on the effects of alcohol consumption on self-rated health and the incidence of heart disease and diabetes. The results obtained in this study show that the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol use that so many studies have found, still appear even when the correct classification of alcohol use is employed. However, parameter biases and inferential errors can occur when researchers fail to distinguish between former drinkers and never drinkers within the non-drinking group.


Background and purpose A frequently reported drawback of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer-based liquid embolic agents is the production of artifacts in diagnostic imaging. New embolic agents, such as Precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid (PHIL; MicroVention, Tustin, CA, USA), are supposed to induce significantly fewer artifacts. The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of artifacts induced by the liquid embolic agents Onyx (Medtronic Neurovascular, Irvine, CA, USA) and PHIL in conventional computed tomography (CT), cone-beam CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in an experimental in vivo model. Materials and methods In 10 pigs the rete mirabile was embolized with Onyx (n = 5) or PHIL (n = 5). After embolization, conventional CT, cone-beam CT and MRI were performed. The degree of artifacts was graded qualitatively (five-point scale; for CT and MRI) and quantitatively (HUs of well-defined regions of interest (ROIs); for CT only). Results Artifacts were significantly more severe for Onyx both in the qualitative (e.g. conventional CT: 2 versus 5 (medians); p = 0.008) and in the quantitative image analysis (e.g. cone-beam CT: standard deviation of a ROI near to the embolic agent cast, 94 HU versus 38 HU (medians); p = 0.008). Neither Onyx nor PHIL produced any apparent artifacts in MRI. Conclusion PHIL produces fewer artifacts than Onyx in conventional CT and cone-beam CT in an experimental in vivo model.


This study used content analysis methodology to examine difference in levels of prosocial elements within similar E/I classified children's television series, Nickelodeon's Rugrats and PBS's Arthur , and compare them against levels of prosociality in two non E/I programs, The Cosby Show and The Simpsons , established in a previous research study. The results advance the conclusion that in situations of simultaneous broadcast, viewers would be better served watching Arthur than Rugrats . Furthermore, the methodology developed establishes a protocol for future comparison of E/I programming, which ultimately can be used to develop a linear hierarchy of prosocial program content. Additionally, this study developed a new and more concrete definition for prosociality than has been used in the past by broadcasters and policymakers. This definition has three benefits over existing definitions: scope, syntactic design, and applicability for generalization outside the framework of this study by broadcasters, policymakers, and media literacy scholars.


The bird garden water nest sites and nestboxes the bird table predators and poisons species notes why only birds? organizations concerned with birds birds and the law treatment of casualties.


The 52-week open-label extension of the RECONNECT studies demonstrates bremelanotide's favorable safety profile, with sustained efficacy in treating hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.


PURPOSE: 1-Fluoroalkyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid derivatives I(X is N or CH; R 1 is lower alkyl, di-lower-alkylamino, pyrridino, piperadino, N-lower-alkylpyrazino; R 2 is fluoro-lower-alkyl), e.g. 1-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-1,4-dihydro-7-methyl-4-oxo-1,8-naphthylidine-3-carboxylic acid. COPYRIGHT: (C)1977,JPO&Japio


Based on the measurements from Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument onboard the Cassini spacecraft over 13 years, we perform a statistical analysis of electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) wave spatial distribution in Saturn's magnetosphere. The wave occurrence rates, amplitudes, and peak frequencies as functions of magnetic local time, L‐shell, and magnetic latitude are investigated in detail. Our results confirm that the fundamental band ECH waves mainly occur near the magnetic equator (|λ| < 5°) and also at high latitudes (20° < |λ| ≤ 40°), with averaged amplitudes of about 0.01–0.1 mV/m. By comparison, the amplitudes and occurrence rates of higher harmonics n decrease significantly, and the higher harmonic bands tend to occur at lower L‐shells along with the enhanced day‐night asymmetry. Overall, Saturnian ECH emissions are preferentially a nightside phenomenon and exhibit a gap in the midlatitude regions (5° < |λ| ≤ 20°) for the occurrence rates. The occurrence rates of ECH waves are higher at high latitudes than those near the magnetic equator, but the statistically averaged amplitudes of high latitude emissions are relatively weaker. Furthermore, the averaged peak frequencies of each ECH wave harmonic band are generally below (n + 1/2) fce and have the smallest deviation from (n + 1/2) fce near the equator. These results can be readily adopted as representative inputs to quantify the electron scattering effect of multi‐harmonic Saturnian ECH waves and investigate the underlying contribution of ECH emissions to the evolution of the Saturnian radiation belt.


This article presents a framework for vocabulary instruction based on research on effective approaches to teaching the meanings of individual words, including the pivotal role of student talk in word learning. The Four Es approach encourages teachers to (1) use language that is understandable to students, (2) identify misunderstandings and correct them within a meaningful context, and (3) point out relationships among words. Students are encouraged to (1) move vocabulary from the receptive to the expressive, (2) add to and draw from the collective prior knowledge that develops through the sharing of information and experiences, and (3) take risks with word learning. The article includes a summary of related research, two extended classroom examples, a discussion of how to select words for instruction, and approaches to assessing student word learning.


Planktonic organisms form the principal source for consumers on higher trophic levels in the food chain. Studying their community dispersion is vital to our understanding of the planet's ecological systems. With the recent technological advancements in imaging systems, capturing images of planktons in-situ is made possible by embedding mobile underwater robots with sophisticated camera systems and computing power that implement deep machine learning approaches. Efforts of applying deep learning methods to plankton imaging systems have been limited to classification, while detection and segmentation has been left to traditional methods in this context. There is a variety of publicly available datasets made suited for planktonic species classification. These datasets consist of images of individual species. Thus, they do not represent the actual environment, which is usually given by a scene representation more suited for object localization, detection and semantic segmentation. In this paper we propose a novel custom dataset [1] from planktonic images captured in-situ in a lab environment suited for supervised learning of object detection and instance segmentation. The data is tested in experiments using the state-of-the-art deep learning visual recognition method of Mask R-CNN. The experiment results show the potential of this method and create a baseline analysis module for real-time in-situ image processing. We provide a comparison of how the method is performing when trained on automatically processed and annotated images from existing segmentation frameworks using traditional methods. This comparison illustrates the importance of utilizing proper data and the potential for success if provided11All results, code and metrics used for the experiments are provided in: https://github.com/AILARON/Segmentation.


USA 10,434 children with End State Renal Disease or chronic renal insufficiency have been followed by NAPRTCS. 5958 renal transplants have been performed. Haemoidalysis preceeded Tx in 28%, PD in 47% and 24% were preemptive transplants. The most common diagnoses were obstructive uropathy, renal dysplasia, FSGN, reflux nephropathy and CGN. 20.4 were 12 yrs of age). 3863 patients with chronic renal insufficiency have been followed. Mean height by standard deviation score is -1.41 with one third -1.88. Growth hormone for one year increased SDS by -0.30.


Speech and music performance are two important systems for interhuman communication by means of acoustic signals. These signals must be adapted to the human perceptual and cognitive systems. Hence ...


Red rice (O. sativa L.) is a major weed problem in rice-growing areas of the southern U.S. Similar genetic make up of rice and red rice makes it difficult to control red rice with conventional herbicides. Herbicide-resistant Clearfield® (CL) rice now offers an excellent option for red rice control. This technology, however, accentuates the risk of gene flow. An experiment was conducted at the Rice Research and Extension Center, Stuttgart, Ark., between 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effect of cultivar on the extent of natural outcrossing between CL rice and Stuttgart strawhull red rice. The experiment was initiated in May 2002. Clearfield® cultivars CL 161 and CL 121 were planted in circles, 33 ft in diameter, at 100 lb/acre seeding rate, with three replications. Natural red rice population was maintained at 2 to 3 plants/ft2 in the outer concentric circle, 66 ft in diameter. Each replication was located in separate bays. There was synchronization in flowering between red rice and Clearfield® rice. At maturity, Clearfield® rice was removed from the inner circles and red rice was allowed to shatter. Plots were left undisturbed in the fall and winter of 2002. In summer 2003, volunteer red rice plants were sprayed three times with imazethapyr, 0.063 lb/acre. DNA was collected from survivors and SSR primer RM 180 was used to verify hybridization with Clearfield® rice. Outcrossing was two times higher with CL cultivar CL161 (0.008%) than with CL121 (0.004%). Resistant red rice hybrids were located within 33 ft from CL rice. AAES Research Series 517


BackgroundThree-dimensional printing (3DP) is a promising technique utilized in orthosis fabrication, including ankle foot orthosis for stroke patients. However, the effects on ankle biomechanics remains unclear. ObjectivesTo compare the plantar pressure distribution and patient's subjective experience in chronic stroke patients during 3DP hinged ankle foot orthosis (3DP-HAFO) and anterior ankle foot orthosis (A-AFO) walking MethodsTen patients with first-ever unilateral stroke were enrolled in this study. All patients performed 10-meter walk test in 3 different conditions, including 3DP-HAFO walking, A-AFO walking, and bare foot walking. The plantar pressure parameters including contact area, maximum force, and peak pressure were collected using Pedar X insole system. Gait asymmetry analysis of the plantar pressure parameters was conducted. Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) was used for patient's satisfaction.Results3DP-HAFO walking revealed significant increase in medial midfoot peak pressure compared to bare foot walking. Gait asymmetry analysis illustrated more even medial midfoot contact area during 3DP-HAFO walking compared to bare foot walking while A-AFO walking did not. In QUEST survey, 3DP-HAFO outweighs A-AFO in fitting and durableness. Conclusions3DP-HAFO may improve ankle instability and gait asymmetry in chronic stroke patients.


Thank you, BJPsych , for your timely editorial on population mental health.[1][1] It is a pity that the authors did not mention the strategy for England entitled No Health without Mental Health, launched in February (before their final submission) as this strategy did involve precisely the teamwork


ABSTRACT Detection of heart disease has become a significant topic in the medicalindustry while analyzing clinical information. Over the past years,heart disease diagnosis has been one of the emerging techniques indata mining. Besides this, developing an automated prediction systemis a challenging task, even when detecting the disease by ECG signaland data. Here, it proposes a flexible method to detect heart diseasewith the domain of both signal processing and data mining. Initially,the acquired features from the weighted feature extraction approachare fed into the hybrid clustering model; in turn, the two differentclustering results are taken to determine the finest output. Thehybrid clustering model is developed by K-Means clustering that issuperimposed with DBCAN, where the centroid and value are optimizedwith the aid of Modified Updating-based Chicken Swarm Optimization(MU-CSO). Simultaneously, the ECG signals are garnered and decomposedusing Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). Due to the curse ofdimensionality, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is deployed.Consequently, the MU-CSO-assisted hybrid clustering is employed todiagnose heart disease by ECG signal. Therefore, the efficacy of theprediction model is validated with various metrics and comparedagainst conventional methods.


Vetiveria zizanioides was used as test material,through artificially compounding soil with NaCl solution or the K2 CO3 solution in certain density,the author of this article had maken the statistical analysis of the survival rate and minute tiller rate and biomass accumulates rate of Vetiveria zizanioides,and of the salt content of in soil or in adult plant of Vetiveria zizanioides,and had further calculated the salinity quality in the cultivated Vetiveria zizanioides by absorbed from soil,and the ability of that the cultivated Vetiveria zizanioides absorbs salt and alkali from soil,and the quality of NaCl or K2 CO3reduced in the soil.The results indicated that the saline absorbancy of Veliveria zizanioides from the soil was strong,and the absorbancy of NaCl was more strong than the absorbancy of K2 CO3 for the Veliveria zizanioides from the soil,but as for the reduction of salt and alkali in soil,the reduction of K2 CO3was more easy than NaCl.And Vetiveria zizanioides be regarded that had function of restoring and ameliorating salt or alkaloid soil in certain degree.


A comparison of the model of the crystalline basement upper paleosurface (Figure 1) with the digital terrain model (DTM) (Figure 2) suggests that the formation of the present topography depended on the crystalline basement topography, as well as on glacial and postglacial depositional processes. Rivers and likes are the most respondent elements of the present landscapes, reflecting the faults of the SBDZ. The majority of the recognized topolineaments (Figure 3) atop the faults are the rectified parts of rivers and lakes. Thus, as a few examples the valley of the left tributary to the Lillån River, the depression of Ulvasjön Lake and the right tributary of the Landabäcken River, all inherit the NE-SW-trending faults. The Lyckebyån River abruptly changes its flow when crossing the WNW-ESE-trending fault system. Some rectified parts of the tributaries of the Landabäcken River and the Lillån River flow along the WNW-ESE directed faults. The map of correlation coefficients between the crystalline basement upper paleosurface and the present topography (Figure 3) suggest that the present surface is mostly inherited form the crystalline basement. The correlation coefficients field is mostly positive in the eastern part of the SBDZ area. Within the areas of the thinnest sedimentary cover the correlation coefficients reach +8.5 +9.0 (within the area where the Lyckebyån River is crossing the WNW-ESE-trending fault system and in areas of the Lillån River and its tributaries).


Sound synthesis technique based on physical model is a kind of accurate method to describe object's sounds.The method is based on partial differential object's vibration equation of to synthesize sound directly.Presently,the method is becoming an important research field on digital sound synthesis.Under our research,we discover that the PDE cited by many researchers for a long time is extreme limitation,and prove those by theory and experimentation.And then,we derive a new PDE by dynamics elements.Last,we prove that our new PDE is correct.So,a new basic and universal equation has been proposed by the paper for sound synthesis based on physical model.


In this paper, the influence of the take-up velocity (Vt–u) of fibers on the molecular ordering and ά – α form transition of polylactide (PLA) non-woven fabrics during their manufacturing by spun-bonding is described. Non-woven samples were studied by wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the physical and mechanical properties of the non-woven fabrics were determined. The results are discussed in terms of the structural changes of the PLA and the meso-phase content during the spun-bonded non-woven fabric forming process. This technological process includes preliminary molecular ordering of the PLA fibers in a downstream spinning block and crystallization on a calender system at a temperature higher than the glass transition. The molecular ordering of the investigated PLA fabric samples under different technological conditions was observed as follows: creation of the meso-phase and a disorder-to-order phase transition (ά to α form) during heating to approximately 110℃ and an increase in the degree of crystallinity for take-up velocities higher than 1400 m/min. The structural changes of the PLA explain the observed changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the non-woven fabrics obtained under different technological conditions.


The chemical preparation methods of N benzylglycine ethyl ester were introduced,i.e. the synthetic technique using ethyl acetate halide, glycine ethyl ester, ethyl triazoacetate, and glyoxylate ethyl ester ethyl hemiacetal as starting raw materials. And the applications of N benzylglycine ethyl ester as organic intermediate in agricultural, pharmaceutical and chemical industries were described.


Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) addresses issues of importance in chronic disease research and practice, issues based not only on external input we receive from experts in the field of public health, but also from our associate editors and editorial board, senior leadership in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, our dedicated and talented staff, and our readers. The targeted steps we have taken have helped us to recruit the best researchers in the field, including experts who ensure our published articles meet the highest scientific standards, thereby delivering quality content to our growing readership and finding ways to expand the scope of the journal's expertise. We are excited to see many of the plans we initiated over the past few years come to fruition.


1. Surge containing: at least one varistor block (1); ! at least one terminal coupling element (3); ! at least one reinforcing element (9) which firmly secures the varistor block (1) on the end fittings (3); ! at least one locking element (27), which firmly fixes the reinforcing element (9) on the end fittings (3)! characterized in that the locking element (27) comprises at least one edge (29), which cuts into the reinforcing element (9). ! 2. The limiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the varistor block or blocks is made (s) of a metal oxide, preferably ZnO. ! 3. The limiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the end connecting element (3) or end fittings (3) is made (s) of metal, preferably of aluminum. ! 4. The limiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the overvoltage limiter includes a housing (5) with screens (7). ! 5. The limiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing element (9) is a plastic rod or cord, reinforced with glass fiber, which holds together the end fittings (3) and the varistor block (1) due to the tension force. ! 6. The limiter according to claim 5, characterized in that the edge (29) of the locking element (27) is a cutting ring, which surrounds the plastic rod or wire, fiber reinforced, and cuts into the surface thereof. ! 7. The limiter according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking element (27) is a wedge (33) which cooperates with a corresponding inclined surface on the end fittings (3), the edge (29) has


Load balancing in a switch-fabric type of torus optical packet switching data center networks with hybrid optoelectronic routers shows the performance improvement such as packet dropping probability by decreasing the average number of hops.


Eventually, you will unquestionably discover a further experience and realization by spending more cash. yet when? complete you agree to that you require to get those every needs following having significantly cash? Why dont you attempt to acquire something basic in the beginning? Thats something that will lead you to understand even more going on for the globe, experience, some places, in the same way as history, amusement, and a lot more?


tosus (SLE) started to be described, with hydralazine providing the basis for the first accepted report. Since then various groups of drugs have been incriminated', but in childhood the most common association has been with anticonvulsant therapy3.4 particularly with administration of diphenyl hydantoin, mephenytoin, trimethadione and ethosuximide'. It has also been reported with carbimazole'. It has occasionally been recorded after treatment with hydralazine', while it has been seen after the use of sulphazalazine in ulcerative colitis' and Crohn's disease9. Other drugs that have been implicated include the oral contraceptive pill, sulphonamides, isoniazid&dquo;, sulphasalazine and penicillamine used in juvenile arthritis as well as griseofulvin used in generalized fungal infections and propylthiouracil used for hyperthyroidism 10. With anticonvulsants of different types most commonly implicated, it has been suggested that perhaps the seizures were the first symptom of spontaneous SLE and not the result of anticonvulsant therapy. However Beernik and Miller3 reviewed 48 children receiving anticonvulsant therapy in a paediatric neurology clinic at Stanford University between 1968 and 1971 and noted that, while 11 I children had antinuclear antibodies (ANA) all of these patients were asymptomatic; they also reported five patients with ANA and lupus-like symptoms. The cause of fits in these 16 children were as follows: four had had developmental retardation in infancy; five had had specific events associated with the onset of seizures; one was normal; and only six had had post-infancy onset of seizures of truly idiopathic type. The presence or absence of lupus-like symptoms did not correlate with the cause of the seizures. Four of the five symptomatic children who were switched to drugs other than hydantoin, trimethadione or ethosuximide had remission of their lupus s ptomsp one contiued to have persistent neuropenia but no renal involvment. The 1I I


JADWIGA STANISZKIS IS A FORMIDABLY LEARNED Polish political sociologist who writes in the obscure and dense manner of a Hegelian-Marxist philosopher. She bases piercing insights, of both an individual and comparative character, on an impressively broad historical, sociological and economic base of knowledge and supports them with a wide range of theoretical and empirical sources. The overall effect of such polymathic knowledge and diamond-honed argumentation is, however, curiously unconvincing. Many of her theses are presented as fact but their status can be challenged as they often remain subject to empirical veriŽ cation or further debate. Other generalisations are thought-provoking but highly contentious, if not unprovable, and are frequently tangential to the main line of argument. Similar faults in Staniszkis's earlier studies on Poland's Self-Limiting Revolution (1986) and The Dynamics of the Breakthrough in Eastern Europe (1992), both published in the West, were passed over during the East–West ideological-systemic con ict and its immediate aftermath. Staniszkis's current examination of the general causes and mechanisms of the collapse of communism and how this affects the emerging new order, like her previous works, overwhelms rather than illuminates. Staniszkis's style is very much in what many consider to be the continental rather than the Anglo-Saxon tradition; the reader faces heavy intellectual demands in following the general line of argument and in separating the wheat from the chaff in both the speciŽ c detail and the conclusions. My own view is that Staniszkis has, if not more reliable, certainly more valuable, things to say on the Soviet and Russian dimensions than about East Central European and, probably, the Chinese aspects. I also feel that she is less convincing in the Ž rst section of the book, which examines the general systemic dynamics of communism and post-communism under the headings of domestic cultural factors, globalisation and its particular impact and the spread of what, in her earlier works she deŽ ned as political capitalism. The general drift of her analysis of their differing cultural values may be over-schematic in many respects but it is a valid enough explanation of the contrasting respective exits from communism in the Soviet and East European cases and of the current balance between the communist system and society and the economy in China. Likewise Staniszkis has many useful and thought-provoking things to say in tracing out how political capitalism has developed in the three contexts during and after the fall of communism. The analysis of the communist response to globalisation is also quite compelling and connects well with the book's strongest feature in its concluding sections. Here Staniszkis presents a controversial interpretation of Soviet leadership policy choices and responses and of the political balance of power between the communist party and KGB on the one hand and the military on the other from the 1970s onwards. She builds on her cultural-historical explanation of Russia as a military-territorial state in the earlier part of her study to argue that what she sees as the redeŽ nition of Russian defence doctrine in 1995 was 'a blueprint for integration through the technical infrastructure' (p. 176); this facilitated continuing military control of the post-Soviet State. The 'military revolution' thesis would seem to be incorrect as power lies


China large professional tower crane rental companies cooperated with TAT HONG Group in succession? Is it the natural choice of tower crane rental companies becoming bigger and stronger selection? Or is it tower crane rental industry's self-redemption? Why TAT HONG Group does not introduce its own traditional advantage-crawler crane rental to China? and pay attention to several large-scale China professional tower crane rental companies, to incorporate them into TAT HONG 's side? What will TAT HONG 's entrance bring to China tower crane rental? Why Yongmao Construction Machinery actively promoted this merger and chain integration of financial capital with tower crane rental industry, and tower crane manufacturing industry? After the scale expansion, should China SME follow the way to capital docking, that they can achieve new development and breakthrough? ... ... This series of questions have recently become the industry's hot topics, while TAT HONG Group's unique expansion mode in China tower crane rental industry, is named as " TAT HONG phenomenon."


This paper presents important new findings for a new method for evolving individual programs with multiple chromosomes. Previous results have shown that evolving individuals with multiple chromosomes produced improved results over evolving individuals with a single chromosome. The multiple chromosomes are organised along two axes; there are a number of different chromosomes and a number of copies of each chromosome. This paper investigates the effects which these two axes have on the performance of the algorithm; whether the improvement in performance comes from just one of these features or whether it is a combination of them both


In this work we present preliminary results of nuclear composition measurements on board space station MIR obtained with SILEYE-2 particle telescope. SILEYE-2 was placed on MIR in 1997 and has been working since then. It consists of an array of 6 active silicon strip detectors which allow nuclear and energetic identification of cosmic rays in the energy range between ~ 30 and 200 MeV/n. The device is attached to an helmet and connected to an eye mask which shields the cosmonaut eyes from light and allow studies of the Light Flashes (LF) phenomenon. In addition to the study of the causes of LF, the device is used to perform real time long term radiation environment monitoring inside the MIR, performing measurements in solar quiet and active days. © 2002 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. I N T R O D U C T I O N : R A D I A T I O N E N V I R O N M E N T O N B O A R D M I R A N D T H E L I G H T F L A S H E S P H E N O M E N O N The study of radiation environment in space and an assessment of the related risks in manned missions represents a growing concern for long term manned missions such as those on the International Space Station (ISS) and future missions to Mars. Radiation in orbit comes from cosmic rays of different energies and origins: in addition to the galactic component which is modulated by the solar activity at low energies there are also solar energetic particles associated to transient phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Particles are also trapped by the geomagnetic field: in addition to the well-known proton and electron belts~ recent studies have shown a much more complex dynamics and nuclear composition, for instance, with trapped components of anomalous cosmic rays (Selesnick, 1995). Although Z _> 3 cosmic ray flux is low if compared to protons and heliums, its high quality factor and the interaction with the spacecraft shielding is such to make a significant contribution to the total dose absorbed. In addition to effects due to radiation there are also other processes that have to be studied in order to have a more complete study of the human response to space environment. One of these phenomena is the "Light Flashes" (LF) effect, originally predicted by Tobias (1952) and reported for the first time almost 30 years ago. LF consist of stimula caused by the passage of charged particles in the cosmonauts' visual system. Studies of the cause-effect relationship of LF were carried out with dedicated observation programs Adv. Space Res. Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 135-140, 2003 © 2002 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain 0273-1177/03 $22.00 + 0.00 136 M. Casolino et al.


Scientific policy aid, especially in environmental management facing complex choices involving divergent beliefs and interests/ values, has evolved into a number of distinct fields such as Decision Support Systems (DSS), Expert Systems (ES), Integrated Modelling and Assessment, Risk Analysis. While the approaches pursued by these systems are different, they are all focused on sustainable development and improvement of decision making involving intractable, elusive and ill-structured problems. Computer-aided policy support is expected to explore multiple perspectives of the problem at hand; enhance decision makers' insight into the problems drivers and policy outcomes; and facilitate communication and knowledge transfer between the actors involved in or affected by the decision. In this context computer systems play a crucial role as catalysts of interdisciplinary research and promoters of scientific policy advice. Applied policy research, however, seems to be losing its appeal mainly due to the persistent lack of successful implementation. There are different reasons for which policy makers do not embrace scientific policy recommendation, including the systems' failure to address the changing context of the problems; system complexity; highly demanding user interfaces not geared to users' skills; the low transparency of the systems' operation ('black box' technology); cognitive obstacles, such as an aversion among senior executives to DSS technology; ignoring the broader organisational and institutional context. In this paper we explore recent trends leading to a new generation of policy support systems [Beynon et al., 2002; Courtney, 2001; McCown, 2002a; McCown, 2002b; Rauscher, 1999; Shim et al., 2002] set to overcome these problems. Attention is paid to methodological pluralism favouring the simultaneous application of different methodologies which stimulate learning, question beliefs and surface tacit assumptions; comprehensive risk/uncertainty analysis and communication, accounting for all sources/types of uncertainty; deliberative methods pursuing pluralistic, inclusive approaches to decision making; participatory assessment [Renn, 2006; Stirling, 2003] and group model building [Vennix, 1999]


My first encounter with Eugene Fairweather occurred in the early 1940s at an intercollege Theology Society meeting. I cannot now remember the subject of the paper Eugene had read. He expected to be challenged on his 'high church, catholic views', especially by United Church students, all of whom, he suspected, were under the influence of moralistic understandings of the 'social gospel'. My most influential mentor at Emmanuel was Dr. John Line. He had felt the challenge of the neo-Reformation theology of Brunner and Barth, with what seemed to be its profounder understanding of the reality of God and its more sober, realistic understandings of the plight of man than his former liberal views had afforded. Much in his teaching seemed sound to me and from it I derived the ammunition to challenge, yet with more evident accord, Eugene's theological understanding. The direction of the attack, he confessed then, and often since, took him by surprise. But there began that night a friendly partnership in theological...