Montefiore Medical Center (MMC), Bronx, NY, established an ambulatory program to offer COVID-19 treatments (monoclonal antibodies [mAB] and oral antivirals) to patients with mild-moderate illness according to emergency use authorization criteria. Given multiple pandemic waves in the area, several patients have been reinfected and were treated twice. The objective of this analysis is to identify clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with repeated COVID-19 infections and treatments.

 Electronic health records were reviewed to identify patients between December 1, 2020 and April 28, 2022 who received COVID-19 treatment on more than one occasion at MMC. Data collected included demographics, risk factors for progression to severe illness, name and date of COVID-19 treatments received, vaccination status, and clinical outcomes of 30-day emergency department (ED) presentation or hospital admission following each treatment.

 Out of 3,042 total treated patients, 13 (0.4%) received multiple treatments with either mAB or oral antivirals for COVID-19 reinfection during the study period. Median age of reinfected patients requiring treatment was 50 years. Median days between first and second treatments was 298 days (range 91-468 days). The most common risk factor for progression to severe disease were cardiovascular disease (54%) and immunocompromised status (62%) (Table 1). Ten patients had received at least two doses of vaccine (77%) with Pfizer (54%) or Moderna (23%) vaccines prior to reinfection. No patients reported any adverse reactions to either treatment. Four patients presented to the ED or were hospitalized following treatment of reinfection, three of which were for COVID-related symptoms. Of these, two had two risk factors for progression and the third had been hospitalized previously for initial COVID-19 infection.

 Though COVID-19 reinfection has been described, especially during Omicron surges, there were relatively few reinfected patients requiring treatment in our cohort. Patients with risk factors for disease progression may also be at increased risk for reinfection, especially the immunocompromised.

 Kelsie Cowman, MPH, Merck: Grant/Research Support Yi Guo, PharmD, BCIDP, Merck: Grant/Research Support.


A sociological interest in the characteristics of 'late modernity'has encouraged debate about the nature of risk and uncertainty. Sociologists and some social work academics argue that risk as a calculative capacity to predict probable outcomes, does not accurately reflect current social conditions. These are better described in terms of uncertainty, and a reliance upon risk is grounded in an illusory confidence in expert knowledge. This paper argues that official' regulation and guidance depends essentially upon risk analysis and that The Children (Protection from Offenders)(Amendments) Regulations of 1997 and 1999 were introduced in this context. Through examining recent case law, it becomes evident that social work professionals and the courts have forged a new alliance in resisting the Regulations. Courts have rejected an emphasis on risk and have centralized uncertainty in judgements about the best interests of individual children. In so doing they have breached the Regulations and rejected regulatory conformity


&NA; This study was performed to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of a combined physical exercise and psychosocial intervention for children with cancer compared with usual care. Sixty‐eight children, aged 8‐18 years old, during or within the first year post‐cancer treatment were randomised to the intervention (n = 30) and control group (n = 38). Health outcomes included fitness, muscle strength and quality adjusted life years; all administered at baseline, 4‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. Costs were gathered by 1 monthly cost questionnaires over 12 months, supplemented by medication data obtained from pharmacies. Results showed no significant differences in costs and effects between the intervention and control group at 12‐month follow‐up. On average, societal costs were &U20AC;299 higher in the intervention group than in the control group, but this difference was not significant. Cost‐effectiveness acceptability curves indicated that the intervention needs large societal investments to reach reasonable probabilities of cost‐effectiveness for quality of life and lower body muscle strength. Based on the results of this study, the intervention is not cost‐effective in comparison with usual care.


A 2‐year‐old girl presented with a 2‐month history of an erythematous, indurated plaque with well‐defined borders on the third toe of the right foot. Bedside high‐resolution ultrasonography demonstrated a thickened epidermis overlying a hyperechoic focus within the dermis. Her clinical and sonographic presentation was in keeping with a foreign body causing hair‐thread tourniquet syndrome. The foreign body was surgically extirpated without neurovascular sequelae. Ultrasonography expedited accurate diagnosis and is a promising adjunct to clinical evaluation for radiolucent foreign bodies.


Two cobalt(Ⅲ) complexes of isonitrosoacetylacetone and its Schiff base isonitroso acetylacetone N arylimine, CoCl( p ClC 6H 4 IAI)(IAI=isonitrosoacetylacetoneimino)(IAA)( p ClC 6H 4NH 2)(1) and CoCl( o BrC 6H 4 IAI)(IAA)( o BrC 6H 4NH 2)(2), were prepared. Their spectral properties and structures were characterized by IR, Raman spectroscopy and XRD. The complex 1 crystallizes in monoclinic, with space group P2 1/n , a =1 611 1(3) nm, b =1 345 6(3) nm, c = 2 395 3(5) nm , β =91 42(3)°, Z =8, F (000)= 2 400 , μ = 10 10 cm -1 . The final R =0 073 1 for 5 120 observed reflections with I ≥ 2σ(I ). The complex 2 crystallizes in triclinic, with space group P 1 , a =0 951 1(2) nm, b =0 953 8(2) nm, c =1 568 7(3) nm, α =77 45(3)°, β =86 08(3)°, γ =64 71(3)°, Z =2, F (000)=672, μ =40 14 cm -1 . The final R 1 is 0 060 1 for 4 207 observed reflections with I ≥ 2σ(I ). The geometry around the Co(Ⅲ) ions in both complexes has a distorted octahedral ClN 4O coordination composed of imino nitrogen and oximo nitrogen from the Schiff base ligand aryl IAI -, keto oxygen and oximo nitrogen from the ligand IAI -, amino nitrogen from substituted aniline and chlorine anion.


Objective:To study sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women with coronary heart disease(CHD)and the rela- tionship between sex hormone level and insulin resistance(IR).Methods:The level of estradiol(E2),testosterone(T),preg- nendione(P),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),fasting blood glucose(FBG),Orai glucose toler- ance test 2 h glucose(2 hPG),fasting insulin(FIN),insulin sensitivity index(ISI)and E2/T ratio were measured in 30 postm- enopausal women with CHD and 30 controls.Linear correlation was analyzed between E2,E2/T and FIN,ISI.Results:The re- suits showed that the coneemtraion of E2,ISI were decreased(P0.05)and FBG,2 hPG,FIN were elevated(P0.05)in postmenopausal CHD women.But the concentraion of T,P,FSH and LH didn't charge significantly(P0.05).There were significant negative correlation between E2 and FIN,also between E2/T ratio and FIN There were significant positive correla- tion between E2 and ISI,also between E2/T ratio and ISI(P0.05).Conclusion:There is a close relationship between insulin resistance and sex hormone disorder in postmenopausal women.Both play an important role in the development of CHD.


Electroencephalography is no longer the test of choice for localization of lesions, due to the development of more and more sophisticated neuroimaging techniques. However, EEG has maintained its dominant role as a functional method in epileptology. Major new EEG developments include the introduction of long-term monitoring and both semi-invasive and invasive recording methods. In recent years, additional techniques, such as new quantitative analysis methods and combination of EEG data and neuroimaging, have been developed and have made invasive recordings unnecessary in certain patients. The articles in this supplement are based on a symposium at the Swiss Epilepsy Center in Zurich in September, 1998. This symposium marked the 50-year anniversary of EEG at this institution, where the first EEG machine in Switzerland was installed in early 1948. The articles by Ried and co-workers and by Mothersill and co-workers provide more detailed information on the development and implementation of different EEG methods, including long-term monitoring and ictal polygraphic recordings. They demonstrate the value of these methods not only in relation to epilepsy surgery but also in "conservative" epileptology. Other contributions consider the use and misuse of EEG for diagnosis and therapy control in epileptology, noninvasive localization of epileptogenic foci by EEG source modeling, nonlinear EEG analysis and its potential role in epileptology, magnetoencephalography in focal epilepsy, and the integration of EEG, MRI, and SPECT in localizing the seizure focus for epilepsy surgery. The final two articles focus on the necessity of invasive EEG recordings in the presurgical evaluation. This supplement should not be considered a complete review of all aspects of EEG in epilepsy. However, it does cover the most important issues, demonstrating the role of modern EEG methods in diagnosis and the current place of both noninvasive and invasive techniques in presurgical evaluation.


Autonomous recording units (ARUs) provide a non‐invasive and efficient method for acoustic detection of elusive species across large temporal and spatial scales. However, species with indistinct vocalization structures can be a considerable challenge for automated signal recognizers. We investigated the performance of ARUs and signal recognizers in identifying the broadband, short‐syllable, pulsed calls of a secretive, threatened marsh bird, the King Rail Rallus elegans. Other sympatric species in the same habitat also have repetitive calls within the same frequency range that can be difficult to distinguish. Following serial ARU deployments at specified sites in known breeding habitat, we conducted standardized callback surveys and nest searches to provide an independent measure of breeder density. To analyse recordings, we developed a signal recognizer based on user‐input training files to detect two common call types, kek and grunt. Detections that remained following manual review of recognizer output revealed a previously undescribed seasonal decline and crepuscular diel pattern in calling rate. The rate of the grunt call also predicted density. These patterns emerged despite the recognizer's low precision and high false‐positive rate, which were largely due to misclassification of other species' calls, although ambient noise and effective detection radius also limited the detectability of King Rail calls. We demonstrate that with informed ARU scheduling, improved ability to manipulate user‐specified parameters within signal detection software, and attention to quality control, even the simplest call structures can be located consistently in a diverse acoustic landscape. Our behavioural findings will inform improvements to auditory surveys and to management of King Rails across their range.


Gerbera jamesonii has a great demand in China and abroad, but its breeding techniques do not follow the development of its market. As a fundamental research of breeding task, the research on germplasm resources should be arose enough attention of researchers. This paper summarized the current situations of utilization and research of germplasm resources and the status quo of variety introducing of Gerbera jamesonii; moreover, it pointed out the importance of research on germplasm resources of Gerbera jamesonii.


The application of the Chao-Raimondi emittance adapter to the SOLEIL storage ring is studied theoretically in terms of linear and nonlinear beam dynamics. This unique scheme recently proposed elsewhere using a pair of emittance adapters and a solenoid in between them allows a local conversion of an electron beam in a third generation light source to an ultralow emittance beam of the fourth generation. The study of potential benefits of the resultant synchrotron radiation is of crucial importance. Electron beam properties and magnetic fields inside the undulator solenoid are treated as inputs of the investigations. Characteristics of photon beams emitted by a round and small electron beam in an undulator are studied in detail on the basis of the near-field wave propagation method. The photon flux density gain, which is a figure of merit along with transverse coherence, is evaluated at the sample of two hard and soft x-ray beam lines existing at SOLEIL.


A question of a conservation of prinsiples of Russian traditional theater and traditional theatre school is one of the most sharp and the most significant question of the modern scenic methodology. The main moment of the methodology of realistic theatre art, beginning from Stanislavsky's times, always was the problem of real, alive stream of scenic process. The most successive and interesting variant of settling this problem today is the creative method by Lev Dodin. The totality of wayes and means, forming this method, is examined at this article. On the whole, Dodin's methodological discoveryes are consonant with Stanislavsky's discoveryes, but at the same time this discoveryes train the Stanislavsky's methode to another, quite new level of development. The article is based on the notes of L. Dodin's rehearsals, which the author was attending, begining from 1997, regularly being at the rehearsals in the Maly Dramatic Theater The Theater of Europe.


Objective:The aim of this study was to examine the concentration of plasma vitamin A in the acute and recovery phases of pneumonia.Methods:(1) To compare the concentration of vitamin A between 173 patients under 2-year-old who were in the acute stage of pneumonia and 182 healthy children at the same age.(2) During follow-up visits blood of 30 VAD children were drawn in their recovery phases and compare with those in acute stage in the level of VA.Results:(1) The plasma VA concentration of the pneumonia children was obviously lower than that in healthy children [(0.99±0.60) vs(1.17±0.33) μmol/L,P0.05].(2) In the recovery stage,the level of VA concentration was obviously higher than that in the acute stage [(0.77±0.33) vs(0.48±0.12) μmol/L,P0.01] but still lower than the healthy children.Conclusions:(1) The plasma VA concentration of children with pneumonia is lower than that of healthy children.(2) The level of VA of the children with pneumonia in the recovery stage is higher than that in the acute stage,but still lower than the normal.


Although our study investigated a range of perspectives e.g. acceptability, ease and potential hurts, a weakness of our study is that we did not include a question asking about participant's willingness to repeat the test. Clearly, further research is needed to gain an understanding of the barriers to self-collection for clinical and non-clinical settings. However, self-collected anal specimens offer the potential for greater privacy, and the opportunity for collection at home. They could potentially play an important role in future screening programs.


As a first generation expert of Marxist laws in new China,Dong Biwu scientifically explained the relationship between the party and law and that between the party and the government in the context of China constitutionalism.In addition,he scientifically defined the inner character of China constitutionalism and carried out by person a series of investigations and practices.The ideas of "handling affairs according to law" and "the separation of the functions of the party from those of the government" advocated by him showed clearly a direction for our party either in the past or at present in correctly handling and standardizing the relationship between the party and law and that between the party and the government,which is of innovative significance.


he events of September 11, 2001 revealed deep and widespread feelings of revulsion, even in unlikely quarters, against the indiscriminate use of violence to achieve political ends. National leaders throughout the world condemned the terrorist attacks in the United States and expressed their solidarity with the American government and people. The world's press and other media were equally condemnatory. The reaction of the United Nations was swift: resolutions of broad reach and specific content were passed directing measures to be taken by all states to suppress terrorism and to cooperate in bringing terrorists to justice.2 The military operations carried out by the United States and a number of its allies in Afghanistan were not specifically authorized by the United Nations Security Council. Although justifiable as an exercise of the right of selfdefense, recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, the failure of the United States to seek such authorization retrospectively, as


Micronutrient malnutrition, commonly known as 'hidden hunger' mainly due to iron, zinc and pro-vitamin A deficiencies, has emerged as one of the major health problems worldwide. According to recent finding by WHO and FAO, around 3 billion people are at risk for zinc deficiency, 2 billion people are anaemic due to iron deficiency and about 150 million are deficient in vitamin A. These micronutrient deficiencies impose a considerable disease burden to the society through creating adverse functional outcomes include stunting growth, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, physical impairments, cognitive losses, blindness, and premature mortality. Rice is the major staple food and source of energy for more than half of the world's population. In comparison to other cereal crop rice contain meagre amount of micro nutrient like protein (6-7%), Zn (10-33 ppm), Fe (2-34 ppm) and deficit in pro-vitamin A. Unfortunately, due to gradual genetic erosion the genetic store house of land races and traditional varieties are gradually depleted by high yielding varieties which are poor source of essential micronutrients such as Zn, Fe and pro-vitamin A in their polished (white) form. Nowadays, utilization of molecular markers associated with target allele (MAS) helps in identifying desirable segregants thereby considerably shortening the breeding cycle. Once promising high-yielding, high-nutrient lines emerge then these lines are tested in multi-location trials for confirming their stable performance for growing in mega environment.


Excellent in releasing property, shape reproducibility, adhesion, discloses a cured product of the lens shape and having a refractive index. The cured product of the lens shape is hardly deformed when exposed to force or temperature changes. Further, it discloses such a cured resin composition, having good stability can be obtained. More specifically, polyfunctional (meth) acrylate (A), of 48-1000 molecular weight diol compound (b-1) and an aromatic polyisocyanate (b-2) with a hydroxyl group having a group of three or more (meth) acrylate in the molecule containing (meth) acrylate (b-3) reaction of the urethane (meth) acrylate (b), ethoxyethyl acrylate (C), and a photopolymerization initiator in the o- phenylphenol poly average number of repeats of a 1 to 3 ethoxy groups It discloses a resin composition containing (D). A lens shape, a cured resin composition, releasing property, shape reproducibility


Abstract A case of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma of the maxillary sinus in a 45-year-old man is reported and discussed. This is the first report of this tumour in thissite.


world regions. Among Muslim-majority countries, the tolerant cases are almost entirely inWest Africa. A regional distinction is also visible between Western and nonWestern Christians. This distinction is important to test the next variable: the political regime. Democracies have less government-based religious discrimination than authoritarian regimes among non-Christian and Orthodox Christian cases (p. 267). Yet, half of all countries in the analysis are non-Orthodox Christian-majority, and among these cases, democracy is not associated with more toleration. Christian-majority countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, regardless of whether they are democratic or authoritarian, have, on average, less government-based religious discrimination than Western democracies. This is the most surprising and noteworthy finding of the book. Documenting examples in various Western countries, including Germany, Norway, and Switzerland, Fox indicates how these countries have imposed restrictions on Muslims' and Jews' religious practices, such as ritual animal slaughtering, burials, children's circumcision, and teachers' and students' headscarves in public schools (pp. 1–4, 35). Why do Western democracies appear to be, on average, more intolerant thanmany nations in other regions? To answer that question, while analyzingWestern countries, as well as the rest of the world, Fox explores additional variables concerning characteristics of the state and of the religious minority. Regarding characteristics of the states, religious and secular ideologies are the pivotal variable. If the state embraces a religious ideology, in terms of having an established religion, then it is more likely to have government-based religious discrimination against religious minorities. This does not mean that all secular states are tolerant toward minorities. Fox stresses that certain types of secular states are very intolerant. He cites my (2009) Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: The United States, France, and Turkey, which documents how "assertive secularist" French and Turkish states were intolerant toward religious minorities. Fox also points to communist states, which have embraced extreme versions of assertive secularism and yet pursued various discriminations against religious minorities. With regard to the characteristics of the religious minority, the crucial variables are whether that minority is perceived as a cult/security concern or an alien element/ existential threat. If the state's security apparatus perceives a religious minority as a cult or a security concern, then that minority becomes likely to face governmental discrimination. Perceptions are also important for societal religious discrimination and its governmental consequences. According to Fox, societal religious discrimination is not directly associated with government-based religious discrimination unless there exist some triggers. The effective triggers are whether a religious minority is perceived as foreign or an existential threat. Such perceptions not only fuel societal discrimination against that minority but also make the societal discrimination a cause of governmental discrimination against it. My main criticism of this important book is its writing style and general structure, which are highly specialized. For those who study religious freedom, the book provides important data and insightful analysis. Nonetheless, for nonexperts, it includes too much jargon, and the way it presents the data in overly detailed tables makes it difficult to engage with. Nonspecialists can use this book as an encyclopedic source, but using it for teaching purposes, especially to undergraduate students, would be challenging. If the book's writing style and structure were more accessible for a broader readership, then its theoretical implications would have a wider audience. This is important, because the book's conclusions are relevant to political science in general, beyond the particular field of religion and politics. Political science, at least in the United States, has for decades been dominated by the rational-choice perspective, which overemphasizes the role of strategic behaviors while undermining the significance of ideologies. This book challenges that domination by documenting how religious and secular ideologies have shaped government policies. Another theoretical contribution of the book is its challenge to the emphasis on legal codes in the literature analyzing state policies toward religion. Fox reveals that, despite the existence of laws guaranteeing religious freedom in most countries' legal systems, their governments' discrimination against religious minorities is due to the impacts of authoritarian regimes, discriminatory ideologies, and negative perceptions. In sum, Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods before Me: Why Governments Discriminate against Religious Minorities is a must read for those who are interested in religious freedom worldwide. This important analysis is relevant to both theoretical debates in political science and the recent authoritarian tide in world politics.


An on-site system for measuring low-frequency noise and complainant's responses to the low-frequency noise was developed to confirm whether the complainant suffer from the environmental noise with low-frequency components. The system suggests several methods to find the dominant frequency and major sound pressure level spectrum of the noise causing annoyance. This method can also yield a quantified relationship (correlation coefficient and percentage of response to the noise) between physical noise properties and the complainant's responses. The advantage of this system is that it can easily find the relationship between the complainant's response to the acoustic event of the houses and the physical characteristics of the low-frequency noise, such as the time trends and frequency characteristics. This paper describes the developed system and provides an example of the measurement results.


Anchor channels are cast in concrete and allow the connection of components using channel bolts. In recent years, the design to value resulted in ever thinner concrete elements, which often cannot accommodate the required embedment depth of standard anchor channels. For this reason, channels may be fitted with short anchors. While existing design provisions allow for the calculation of the tension capacity also for shallow embedded anchor channels, tests are required to determine product-specific parameters for the economic shear loads design. The presented study investigated the performance of shallow embedded anchor channels tested in shear. The detailed evaluation of the test data demonstrates that testing of the minimum embedment is conservative and that the load-displacement behavior of channels with welded I-sections is comparable to that of channels with forged headed studs. In addition, a new evaluation approach is proposed.


Combined with the development of investigation and develop trend of rehabilitation techniques of concrete structure,it points out an introduction to the direct and indirect of rehabilitation techniques.Recommendations are given for future development of the fire engineering research,so as to extend develop and applied of the techniques method.


Because the conversations' analysis develops rapidly, we begin to know their structures and objects. The exchanges are certainly the most important. So the author compares them in conversations and in interviews. He concludes that nothing distinguishes them in these two situations; such forms will be more or less important according to the purposes of the interviews


We have investigated the basic characteristics and applicability of the LC high pass filter configuration for signal conditioning of the magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor. The MI sensor elements were fabricated through photolithography and lift-off process of CoZrNb/Au/CoZrNb multilayer, and the LC high pass filters were configured using the fabricated sensor elements and surface mount capacitors. To confirm the high frequency performance of the sensor elements, frequency dependence of the impedance was measured as function of external magnetic field using a network analyzer. The output increased to reach the peak value with increase of magnetic field to around 20 Oe, which was almost the same with the anisotropic field of the multilayer film pattern, and the measured maximum change ratio is 49%. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Designing military screen (display) is not complicated in the past, the design should contains easiness of using, visibility and functionality. And it is important that contains all of the information what the system could be gotten. Today military display design can be valued by consideration of human's cognition model. A few information, which operators of military display could easily miss, could bring critical loss. So the military display needs the ability to help operator decide the military decision with sufficient consideration of battlefield information in a short time. The information is considerably complicated because it has many military entities and many attributes for each entities. For this reason this research contains the methodology of information organization especially for visual information. When the operator use military display, the required information should be recognized at a glance and located where the operator can place his eye easily. Therefore, the display screen should efficiently organize and effectively transfer the information. This paper specifically proposes design methodology to effectively organize and visualize the information in the display screen. The theory of information visualization in a variety of fields already exist, but it has no established theory for the origin of the display screen design. Since the theory was selected to organize the military display interface design for the display screen of the battlefield situation existing information visualization theory.


Rechargeable lithium ion batteries comprised of nanocrystalline or amorphous silicon as an anode has gained tremendous interest due to its high theoretical gravimetric and volumetric specific capacity than commercially used carbon. However, the severe crystallographic volume changes that occur during the lithium alloying and dealloying processes lead to mechanical failure of the nanocrystalline and amorphous Si based anode, and eventually the entire battery. A nanocomposite based on Si, homogeneously dispersed and distributed within a suitable matrix, is expected to improve the structural stability and cyclability of the electrode [1,2]. In the present study, the electrochemical behavior of composites based on carbon and amorphous Si (a-Si/C) in the powder form as well as thin film has been reported as promising anode materials for lithium ion batteries. The alloying and dealloying behavior of a-Si with lithium ion has also been studied in detail.


In 1977, Bree' reported the sonographic identification of fetal vernix in the amniotic fluid. Using static B scanning, he presented two cases of floating echogenic objects within the amniotic fluid during the late third trimester. With the use of modern real-time equipment it is common to find large amounts of floating echogenic flakes within the amniotic fluid at, or beyond term. In these cases each fetal movement produces a snow storm appearance by stirring the floating vernix. To my knowledge, there has been no previous report of a similar finding during the second trimester. The present article discusses the possible causes of second trimester echogenic amniotic fluid and reports on a case which demonstrated the snow storm appearance.


Background: Hemorrhoids are one of such diseases which give a challenge to find satisfactory cure for the disease despite of a long medical history of identification and treatment. To treat the cases of hemorrhoids, there are many treatment modalities in medical science, but the question is of recurrence and complications. Hence this trial aims to evolve the risk factors, common manifestations and adaptations in the treatment of hemorrhoids with Kshara Sutra  Ligation (KL) and Barron's Rubber Band Ligation (RL). Aims:                                                                                To evaluate the efficacy of Madhu( Honey) - based  Apamarga Kshara Sutra in the treatment of hemorrhoids while comparing with Barron's Rubber Band Ligation. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in 20 adult patients of either sex with grade II and grade III hemorrhoids. Patients were randomly allotted to two groups of 10 patients each. Group I patients underwent RL, whereas patients of group II underwent KL.  Findings in each case were recorded over a follow-up of four weeks (postoperative days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30). Statistical analysis was done using Student's  t  test for parametric data and Chi square test & Mann-Whitney test for non-parametric data.  Results: RL had the advantages of being an OPD procedure requiring no anesthesia and was attended by significantly lesser postoperative recumbence ( P 0.05). Both the groups were comparable statistically on all other grounds. Conclusion: On the basis of the results of this study it may be concluded that, Kshara Sutra  Ligation (KL) is a useful form of treatment for Grades II and III internal hemorrhoids. Recurrence rate is negligible and it had been found overall low-cost effective procedure.


A solar assisted ground source heat pump system(SAGSHP) is an effective system to utilize renewable energy and the related research is increasing.In this paper,the two types of analysis model for the systems including energetic and exergetic models in the literature are summed up.The advance of experimental measurements,systematic analysis and optimization on the systems and the main results are reviewed briefly,which show the characteristics of energy saving for the systems.Lastly,the scarcity of the present research is pointed out as the reference for the further research.


The most common way of detecting pregnancy in rabbits is by manual palpation. Real-time ultrasonography may be an alternative to be used in rabbit production units in the future if it turns out to be practicable. There is a paucity of scientific knowledge on the suitability of real-time ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis in rabbits. In the present study pregnancy diagnosis by transabdominal ultrasonography was compared to manual abdominal palpation in 28 mated New Zealand rabbit does. Ultrasonography with the aid of a real-time scanner, equipped with five MHz linear-array transducer and manual palpation were executed by one individual daily, beginning at day five after mating. For ultrasound scanning, does were restrained in a dorsal recumbent position and, to establish firm skin contact, gel was applied to the clipped caudal abdomen. Manual abdominal palpation provided a reliable diagnosis by day 10.9 ± 0.3. By ultrasonography, uterine fluid was detected 6.2 ± 0.2 days after mating; fetal heartbeat by day 7.8 ± 0.1. In the 20 does that went to term (71%), the reliability of both ultrasonic pregnancy detection (based on the observation of heart beat) and manual palpation was 100%. No abortions or stillborn kits were recorded and the kits born were normal and viable. In conclusion, real-time ultrasonography, being accurate, rapid and safe, may be considered as a viable alternative for other means of early pregnancy diagnosis in rabbits.


The Restoration of Charles II Stuart in 1660 was reckoned in post-revolutionary England both in terms of a long-awaited relief and an inevitable menace. The return of the exiled prince, whose father's disgraceful decapitation in the name of law eleven years earlier marked the end of the British monarchy, must have been looked forward to by those who expected rewards for their loyalty, inflexibility and royal affiliation in the turbulent times of the Interregnum. It must have been, however, feared by those who directly contributed to issuing the death warrant on the legally ruling king and to violating the irrefutable divine right of kings. Even though Charles II's mercy was widely known, hardly anyone expected that the restored monarch's inborn mildness would win over his well-grounded will to revenge his father's death and the collapse of the British monarchy. It seems that Charles II was not exceptionally vindictive and was eager to show mercy and oblivion understood as an act of amnesty to those who sided with Cromwell and Parliament but did not contribute directly to the executioner raising his axe over the royal neck. On the other hand, the country's unstable situation and the King's newly-built reputation required some firm-handed actions taken by the sovereign in order to prevent further rebellions or plots in the future, and to strengthen the position of the monarchy so shattered by the Civil War and the Interregnum.


Thin Cu film was deposited on the (0001) surface of α-Al2O3 by a pulsed-laser deposition technique at substrate temperature of 800°C. The atomic structure of Cu/Al2O3 (0001) interface was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). It was found that the interface was atomically sharp and the following orientation relationship (OR) was existed; (111)Cu//(0001)Al2O3, [110]Cu//[1100]Al2O3. In contrast, the OR with geometrically high coherency across the interface was evaluated by the coincidence of reciprocal lattice points method, and the result showed that the preferred OR was (111)Cu//(0001)Al2O3, [112]Cu//[1100]Al2O3. This OR is not consistent with the experimental results, and suggests that interfacial chemical bonding plays an important role to form the actual OR. In order to understand the nature of the chemical bonding at the interface, HRTEM image simulations were performed and their results were compared with the experimental images. It was found that the Cu(111)/Al2O3 (0001) interface terminated at oxygen-layer, which indicates that Cu-O bonds determine the stability of the interface.


Ecological tourism is a direction in the tourism industry, which is primarily interested in preserving nature and its surroundings: monuments, plants, animals. An integral part of ecotourism development is the promotion of the utilization, conservation of water and energy and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities. Tourism is in close connection with a new branch of geography - recreational geography, which studies natural-geographical, cultural-historical and other conditions conducive to the development of tourism.


Purpose – This paper seeks to offer a commentary on Psychologically Informed Services: A Good Practice Guide, a recently published operational guidance document on developing psychologically informed environments (PiEs) in services for homeless people.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is an invited opinion piece and comment based on the specialist experience and viewpoint of the author, as Chief Executive of SITRA, a membership‐based organisation representing approximately 1000 organisations in the housing care and support sector in the UK.Findings – The new operational guidance is welcomed, with some provisos. The author notes the extent to which the guidance is compatible with current philosophies of service development, especially those commended and endorsed by government; but is concerned over how far it will be practicable to extend best practice, as recommended in the guidance, at a time when many services are being forced to cut their costs, and some are for example employing less experience...


WHO Europe/ECDC Joint Statement: Low Uptake of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Europe May Jeopardise Capacity to Protect People in Next Pandemic. http://www.euro.who.int/


Using Fourier model method,the near-field distribution of a total interual reflection(TIR) grating with high efficiency was analyzed under the irradiation of different polarized lights.The dependence of electric field enhancement in the TIR grating on constructive parameters and incident angle was also discussed.It is shown that electric field in the grating is sensitive to the polarization state,and peak electric field can be reduced greatly with short period and also decreases linearly with the increasing of incident angle.For the application of TIR grating to the high-energy laser system,reduction of the internal field enhancement can avoid the danger of damage effectively.


The medicalization thesis, the re-labeling or redefining of a personal or social problem as a medical condition thus requiring therapeutic intervention, has become the focus of a number of recent works. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, researchers, mostly social scientists, were studying issues surrounding social control and a range of human problems that had come under medical jurisdiction. Three researchers were at the forefront of this new area of inquiry, building a career on it: Peter Conrad, Ivan Illich, and Thomas Szasz. Each tended to focus on certain aspects of medical care and control: patients' experiences with certain diseases, the politics of medicine, and the true nature of psychiatry.

The psychiatrist, Thomas Szasz, has written about medicalization in psychiatry since the 1970s, arguably even earlier. This collection of previously published essays, which appear in adapted form, recounts his lifelong interest in medicalization. These essays are presented in 2 sections: 7 of them are part of the first section, entitled "Demarcating Disease from Nondisease," and 9 are part of the second section, entitled "Disturbing Behavior and Medicine's Responses to It." The original publication dates of these essays range from 1973 to 2006. In both a preface and introduction, Szasz comments on the term medicalization and what it means today.

Szasz's key argument is that social groups seeking to exercise power and control subvert the diagnostic process, resulting in the treatment of non-disease as disease. He believes, at least in psychiatry, "that we are not dealing with real, literal diagnoses, diseases, or treatments. We are dealing with the metaphorical uses of these terms" (emphasis his).

The essays herein detail various aspects of his central thesis: mental illness is not a disease. To the extent that psychiatry, medicine, and patient advocacy groups have defined certain behaviors as psychiatric diseases, the medical establishment then forms an alliance with the political state to gain power over individuals with the purpose of controlling those behaviors. The ultimate result is a therapeutic state that rules over all human behavior in the context of biomedical disease to the exclusion of any individual right or personal freedom. He also differentiates between medicalization from above (coercion) and medicalization from below (choice), reflecting again his concern for ever diminishing personal freedoms. According to Szasz, "medicalization is not medicine or science; it is a semantic social-strategy that benefits some persons and harms others." The ultimate expression of his thought is found in the final essay, "Pharmacracy: The New Despotism," originally published in 2001.

There is little support in psychiatry for Szasz's views. For that matter, many people become very argumentative, often hostile, when his viewpoints are brought up for discussion. While certainly extreme, even in comparison to other scholars on this topic, his work warrants attention. It should be read and discussed in context with similar works: Ivan Illich, Medical Nemesis (1976); Lynn Payer, Disease Mongers (1992); Ray Moynihan and Alan Cassels, Selling Sickness (2006); and Peter Conrad's recent collection of essays, The Medicalization of Society (2007). Szasz's book is best used in graduate courses, specialized seminars, and by researchers and faculty members wishing to gain a more thorough understanding of the medicalization thesis.

Use of the medicalization thesis to argue about the nature of disease and medical treatment in contemporary society seems to entail a number of interrelated issues. How do we distinguish or demarcate a disease from a non-disease? Attendant to that, when is a specific disease's diagnostic criteria clear enough and bounded such that most everyone would agree it is unambiguously a disease? How then do we explain or help individuals who present with negative changes in their bodies and minds, feelings of being not healthy, essentially "symptoms" that suggest what if not a disease? There are many interesting ideas and testable hypotheses floating around in these works on medicalization. It is time for more serious attention and focused research on this topic.


We present a methodology that combines fluorescence microscopy, phase contrast microscopy and laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy to monitor the kinetics of uptake of the nucleic acid dye SYTO 16 during germination of individual bacterial spores.


Attention to presentation technology in the public speaking classroom has grown along with its contemporary use, but instruction generally positions the topic as a subset of visual aids. As contemporary public discourse enters an age of electronic eloquence, instructional focus on verbal communication might limit students' capacity to effectively participate in an evolving public sphere. Instruction that more fully integrates visual, verbal, and haptic forms of communication might provide a better foundation for effective civic participation in the media age.


This study investigated the effects of the WebQuest Writing Instruction (WQWI) program on Taiwanese EFL learners' writing performance, writing apprehension, and perception of web-resource integrated language learning. Participants were students from two junior college classes. One class received traditional classroom writing instruction and the other class, the WQWI program. The results indicated that students in the WQWI class improved their writing performance significantly more than those in the traditional classroom writing class. The WQWI class also experienced significant reduction in writing apprehension; however, no significant difference in reduced apprehension could be found between the two classes. In addition, students had a favorable perception of the WQWI program, recognizing more advantages than disadvantages of language learning through web resources. Nonetheless, no significant correlation could be detected between students' perception and their improved writing performance. Neither was there a significant relationship between students' perception and their reduced writing apprehension. The findings suggested that integrating web resources into EFL writing instruction, using the WebQuest model, was effective for enhancing students' writing performance and provided a positive learning experience.


as compared with the United States. Among war-workers the canteen system in industry has probably been largely instrumental in offsetting the inconveniences occasioned by the system of rationing. The latter has introduced the queue habit, and has, as a consequence, imposed increased physical hardship upon the female section of the community. While the great majority has been able to cope with this addition to domestic trials, a small proportion has found queueing to be over-exacting on their physical reserve. In hospital practice examples of this state of affairs have been not uncommon. The chronic cardiac, arthritic or paresed individual, particularly if living alone, may have been forced to relinquish the effort to obtain the total food rations, and to exist on a deficiency diet. Such cases exemplify the simple type of nutritive defect dependent on inadequate dietary intake, and their recognition is important for the institution of adequate therapy. The case report presented below is that of a frank vitamin deficiency state which developed partly on the basis of insufficiency of food consumption and partly as a complication o{ the primary disease,


Real-time assessment of quarterly GDP growth rates is crucial for evaluation of economy's current perspectives given the fact that respective data is normally subject to substantial publication delays by national statistical agencies. Large information sets of real-time indicators which could be used to approximate GDP growth rates in the quarter of interest are in practice characterized by unbalanced data, mixed frequencies, systematic data revisions, as well as a more general curse of dimensionality problem. The latter issues could, however, be practically resolved by means of dynamic factor modeling that has recently been recognized as a helpful tool to evaluate current economic conditions by means of higher frequency indicators. Our major results show that the performance of dynamic factor models in predicting Russian GDP dynamics appears to be superior as compared to other common alternative specifications. At the same time, we empirically show that the arrival of new data seems to consistently improve DFM's predictive accuracy throughout sequential nowcast vintages. We also introduce the analysis of nowcast evolution resulting from the gradual expansion of the dataset of explanatory variables, as well as the framework for estimating contributions of different blocks of predictors into now-casts of Russian GDP.


We report a fully integrated, passive, all-optical regenerator capable of terabit per second operation, based on a highly nonlinear chalcogenide (As2S3) glass rib waveguide followed by an integrated Bragg grating bandpass filter. We demonstrate a clear nonlinear power transfer curve with 1.4 ps optical pulses, capable of improving the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing the bit error rate for digital signals.


We carried out a hormonal examination of 69 teenage girls with obesity aged 17-19. The girls with obesity were divided into the following groups: 1 with hypothalamic syndrome of pubertal period, 2 with syndrome of polycystic ovaries, 3 with alimentary-constitutional obesity. The analysis of our findings revealed that obesity decreased reproductive health of teenagers. We determined that in girls with hypothalamic syndrome of the pubertal period and in those with syndrome of polycystic ovaries, hypothalamohypophyseo-adrenal and hypothalamo-hypophyseo-ovarian dysfunction is more pronounced than in girls with alimentaryconstitutional obesity.


This study  was conducted to determine the response of superovulation by giving 16 ml dosage  of FSH hormone to female Pesisir cattle.  The estrus schedule of 15 Pesisir cows was set by inserting CIDR (Controlled Internal Drug Release) into the vagina for 12 days. At day 10, all cattles were injected with FSH for three consequent days but with decreasing dosage. On the 3rd day, FSH injection was accompanied by PGF2α injection and CIDR was removed. The detection of estrus was performed at  day 13. Natural mating was proceeded after the estrus signs visible. Collection of donor embryos was done on the 6th and 8th day after mating. The variables  measured were the response of superovulation, total number of corpus luteum, number of embryos and sex ratio. The results obtained were all  Pesisir cows responded to superovulation. The  average number of of corpus luteum and embryoes per cow were  5.93±3.17 and -----, respectively,  while the total of transferable embryoes were 90, with an average of 6.00 or 61.64%. The sexing of embryoes obtained in this study from 146 embryoes awere 76.03% males (111 embryoes) and 23.97% females (35 embryoes). Based on total of transferable embryoes, there were 51.37% male embryos and 11.28% of females embryos. The result of this study showed that the sex ratio of male embryos was higher than female embryos.


The purpose of this study was to predict whether mathematics students at Padang State University have the opportunity to become campus activists using the K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm (KNN). This research will be used as a benchmark to calculate how many mathematics students can become activists at Padang State University. The K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm (KNN) is a machine learning algorithm that has resistance to training data where there is a lot of noise and is more effective for large data. The K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm itself is a distance-based data classification process for determining the closeness between different data. become the closest neighbor data and choose a class or category based on the K category of nearest neighbors. In this research, for the first step, data was collected on mathematics students based on several factors that influenced them to become activists, and an analysis of finding distance using the Euclidean distance was carried out. 46% are not activists


The PfP Consortium is already a full ten years old. The time has come to look back on the road it has traveled, and to anticipate what lies on the road ahead. This essay will dwell upon the most significant achievements of the Consortium (in my eyes), as well as upon some shortcomings. In doing so, it is useful to reflect on the notion of "PfP." This shorthand method of referring to both partnership and peace obscures the meaning of these two very powerful words. As a "Partnership," the Consortium requires the input of a variety of actors, and in this regard the support staff at the Marshall Center deserves most of the credit, as do the countries that have been generous with both their funding and logistical support over the years. Clearly, the United States, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria deserve most of the credit here. But the notion of "Peace" brings into focus the actions of those countries, institutions, and individuals for whom the Consortium was intended. The PfP nations of ten years ago—many of whom are now members of NATO and/or the EU—have been indirectly led into the larger process of integration through the willingness of their institutions to interact with partner institutions in other countries. For the directors and project managers in these academies, institutes, and ministries, this has required an inordinate amount of faith and moral courage. Discovering and displaying the moral courage necessary to shed the established views and the momentum of habits of fifty (if not (seventy) years of Cold War has been difficult indeed, even on the "Western" side of the equation. In this respect, the successes that have been achieved are partial, but still significant. In the case of the South East Europe, the catastrophe brought on in the Balkans by the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia had to be stopped by UN and allied intervention on two occasions since the end of the Cold War, in Bosnia and Kosovo. But this did not keep representatives from various factions from meeting in the halls of Reichenau Castle every spring (at the workshops held by the PfP Study Group on "Regional Stability in South East Europe") to discuss, mostly constructively, the challenges of peace. Although the actors present at these meetings rarely had the power or authority to enforce any decisions that might have arisen from the spring discussions in Austria, an indirect influence was achieved by demonstrating what decades of peace could achieve, with the right mix of civic responsibility, tolerance, and accountability. Looking at the success of the Regional Stability in South East Europe Study Group, I do believe that we can identify certain elements of success. The first element is the commitment of a nation to host such an event in a recurring, predictable manner, championed by an expert team of organizers, and also supported by actors from the re-


A fixed-structure controller based on robust H∞ loop shaping for load frequency control LFC of two area system having communication delay is designed in this paper. The delay complicates the design and implementation of the controller. Unified Smith Predictor USP has been analysed to convert delayed plant to a delay free augmented plant. A robust controller is designed for the augmented plant by formulating an optimisation problem using H∞ loop shaping performance condition and is solved by using genetic algorithm GA. It is shown that designed controller has simpler structure than conventional H∞ loop shaping controller and ensures stable dynamic performance.


The first principles study plays a very important role in developing new generation of materials, such as organic semiconductors and long polymer chains, as well as understanding of physical properties of nanoparticles , inorganic semiconductors and semiconductor alloys. In this work, we start from the KohnSham one-particle equation Schrödinger equation and solve it by expanding its eigenfunctions in terms of the linear augmented-slater-type orbits(LASTO) under full potential with the exchange-correlation potential functional given by meta-generalized gradient approximation(mGGA). Our theoretical results were compared to WIEN2K's, and good agreement was obtained. As the application, we apply TDDFT plus mGGA to calculate optical spectra for bulk solids. The result shows good agreement with experimental data. III-V ternary alloys AxB1−xC are promising materials for optoelectronic, high-speed electronic and microwave applications, such as infrared emitting diodes and detectors, high electron mobility transistors, heterojunction bipolar transistors, quantum-dot lasers, modulators and ultrafast switches. We adopted the TDDFT theory and the cluster averaging method to compute the spectra of III-V ternary alloys with arbitrary concentration x. We find great agreement between theoretical and experimental data. The success of this method is mainly because that we approximate the transition matrix elements by the LDA p-matrix elements via (mGGA) which contains the singularity of the type fXC,00(q) ∼ 1/q as q → 0. Thus, Our studies provide some insight into the theoretical calculation of optical spectra of semiconductor alloys.


There are known errors in oxidation energies of transition metal oxides caused by an improper treatment of their d-electrons. The Hubbard U is the computationally cheapest addition one can use to capture correct reaction energies, but the specific Hubbard U oftentimes must be empirically determined only when suitable experimental data exist. We evaluated the effect of adding a calculated, linear response U on the predicted adsorption energies, scaling relationships, and activity trends with respect to the oxygen evolution reaction for a set of transition metal dioxides. We find that applying a U greater than zero always causes adsorption energies to be more endothermic. Furthermore, the addition of the Hubbard U greater than zero does not break scaling relationships established without the Hubbard U. The addition of the calculated linear response U value produces shifts of different systems along the activity volcano that results in improved activity trends when compared with experimental results.


3517 Background: RTA 402 (CDDO-Me) is a first-in-class antioxidant inflammation modulator with potent anticancer and anti- inflammatory activity. The drug suppresses ROS-mediated signaling through suppression of pro-inflammatory transcription factors NF-κB and STAT3 and induction of antioxidant/detoxification transcription factor Nrf2. Methods: The primary objectives of the study were to determine the DLT, MTD and phase II dose of RTA 402 in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies; and to characterize the pharmacokinetics of RTA 402 given orally once daily for 21 days every 28 days. Dose escalation proceeded via an accelerated titration design. Results: RTA 402 was administered to 34 patients at 10 dose levels (5 to 1,300 mg/day). The MTD is 900 mg/day; DLT at 1,300 mg/day was asymptomatic Grade 3 LFT elevation, which resolved to ≤ Grade 1 upon dose reduction. 50% of all patients and 40% at MTD had no toxicities greater than Grade 1. The median biological half-life of RTA 402 was 33.1...


This paper presents the procedures of developing a load modelling software called LM_ID (Load Model Identification), and also describes the procedures of applying the LM_ID to Taiwan power system. LM_ID can identify five static load models and seven dynamic load models. Numerical approaches to estimating load model parameters are analytical and iterative ones. LM_ID uses the least linear square error for the former and the Levenberg-Marquadt optimisation for the latter. We have applied the developed software LM_ID to 11 key substations in Taiwan power system and estimated load models' parameters. Experience on applying LM_ID to identify practical power systems load models is drawn and discussed in this paper.


Osteoarticular diseases are causes of a serious clinical and public health problem with an evident social and economic impacts, to such an extent that the World Health Organization declares the last years as the "Bone and Joint Decade". Reconstruction and restoration of locomotor injuries and function restoration assume an unequaled magnitude in a society in the midst of globalization and, therefore, more demanding, desirous of making the most of the social labor potential of a population with an increasing life expectancy [1]. In the 1990s, in Brazil, the area of biomaterials development became relevant in scientific and technological research activities. In recent years it has been a priority in development policies in all spheres of government, as well as protagonist in national and international industrial technological innovation [2]. Biomaterials are generally differentiated from medicinal products because they do not achieve their main therapeutic objective through a chemical effect within the organism, wich means, without the need for metabolism in the organism1. The term biomaterial is used for materials used in medical implants, extracorporeal and disposable devices, and must have biological, physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics compatible with the use in humans [3,4]. As for the type, they are classified in metals, ceramics, polymers and natural materials. Its application is in the areas of orthopedics, dentistry, cardiovascular, neurology, rheumatology, among others [5]. Within orthopedic rehabilitation, prostheses and orthotics are great examples of the application of these materials. A prosthesis is defined as a device that substitutes the limb partially or totally [6]. Orthoses have as function the biomechanical support of the segment, correction of deformities, seeking as well, the comfort for the individual who is wearing the device [7]. In the field of rheumatology orthotics are widely used to aid in the treatment of diseases, especially those involving lower limbs. Commonly indicated dysfunctions for the use of orthoses are: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Plantar Fasciitis, Hallux Valgus, Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction, among others [8]. Therefore, the objective of this work is to identify and characterize the biomaterials used for the preparation of orthopedic orthoses through a systematic review. Introduction Abstract


The focus of the present study is concentrated in the analysis of department stores, a project based on the examination of Attica department store, in Athens Greece. Great attendance and behavioural patterns in the store triggered the present project. This study examines how space participates in the successful operation of the depart ment store. It investigates in what ways and to which extent the spatial layout combines the following two opposing elements of department store operation: Sustaining visitors within the layout to perform search and distributing them effectively across the space. Moreover the study attempts to examine how the store layout dictates and is dictated by social structure. Finally it examines the effect of this interaction onto behavioural pat terns. This report performs syntactic analysis using space syntax in order to identify the structure of a popular shopping interface in respect to shopping activity and cultural / social experience. The study shows that the layout deals with the spatial paradox of department stores through the construction of a shopping interface which involves the relation between search interface (shopping activity) and exhibition layout (cultural activity). For his insightful aid the author would like to address her special acknowledgments to the su pervisor, Prof. Alan Penn. In addition, for their valuable support throughout the academic year, the author would like to express her gratitude to Dr. Rosamund Diamond, Dr Laura Vaughan, and Prof Bill Hillier Many thanks goes to all my colleagues of the MSc AAS. Special acknowledgments to the management of Attica department store for their assistance on the preparation of this study.


In this paper, we deal with the problem of pose estimation based on point cloud. We modify the Iterative closest face (ICF) algorithm by mathematical techniques, in which a new method to calculate point-face distance with less computational cost is proposed. Then, we combine this algorithm with particle swarm optimization to get a better searched result. PSO is employed because there are few parameters to adjust and it is more efficient than the original searched method in ICF. A set of experiments is conducted, following the statistical analysis of the results. These experiments demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of our algorithm.


In this short paper we present a performance analysis of the Leap Motion depth sensor solely used as a single finger pointing device. Based on the evaluation of Fitts' Law, we have examined the sensor capabilities with two groups of participants – 10 moderately aged computer affine technicians and 10 elderly people with no explicit experience in handling technical devices. Results have been compared to the currently most efficient pointing device, the mouse, and show clearly, that the gap between young and old, professional and unskilled users has to be considered by HCI designers in order to create a similar and consistent good user experience.


In this master's thesis, methods for evaluating a natural language call routing application are presented and reviewed with respect to usability and relevance. It is common to evaluate the classifiers employed in such applications with respect to accuracy, but the accuracy metric is regarded as insufficient for this kind of application as it only makes the binary distinction between correct/incorrect and thus fails to distinguish potentially incorrect classifications from partially correct classifications, which are valuable as they provide more information than a misclassification. The methods presented herein describe a suite of metrics that are used for this very purpose, such as measuring modified accuracy, evaluating the classifier assuming perfect speech recognition, and weighing the number of speaker turns against an optimal value per category. By applying these and other metrics on a live call routing application from TeliaSonera, we expect to find one or several evaluation methods that are suitable for recurring evaluations of this type of industrial application. Further, we expect to get a thorough assessment of the aforementioned application.


Based on H11 Steel and through the study on the effect of carbide type on properties of hot work die steels,a new hot work die steel 4Cr5Mo3SiVNb has been developed by means of the thermo-Calc software.The mewly developed steel has obtained fine microstructure and good combination of strength with toughness,with the resistance to tempering and isotropy being excellent.


Mixed-solar dryer with heat storage unit improve the process of solar drying Roma tomatoes. This paper presents a performance comparison between two mixed-mode solar dryers. The dryers were identically designed and constructed,, however one of dryers utilized mobile and easily adjustable flat solar storage unit attached to the drying chamber during night hours to improve the drying rates after sundown(enhanced). The dryers were tested under both day and night hours. Solar insolation, Air temperature changes of ambient and drying chamber, as well as relative humidity were measured during the drying process. Rehydratation ratio, color and sensory properties were used as a parameter for the dried sample quality. Temperatures inside the dryer that utilized the heat storage unit were approximately 5 higher than those in the normal dryer during night hours. The enhanced dryer overall showed a considerable increase in drying rate with a 33.3 and 36 % decrease in total drying time for tomatoes quarters and discs respectively as compared to the normal dryer to reach the final moisture content. Newtonian equation fitted very well the experimental data and it is possible to accurately simulate the thin layer drying behavior of tomatoes drying by enhanced dryer. Two well-defined falling rate periods and a very short constant rate period were observed. Drying constant ( k ) was greatly affected by drying air temperature and shape of tomatoes . Drying of tomatoes discs and quarters by enhanced dryer revealed good color, taste and appearance, meanwhile tomatoes halves gave unacceptable color. So, drying of halves is generally not recommended Heat storage unit permits drying to continue even after sunset or when the environmental conditions such as rainfall and high relative humidity make it difficult for normal solar drying to take place. *Professor of Agricultural Engineering, Higher institute of Agricultural cooperative , Egypt **Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Minoufiya University, Egypt Misr J. Ag. Eng., 31 (3): 1025 1046


An simple operation and high sensitivity method without internal standard was developed for the quantitative analysis of oxidized triacylglycerol polymers(TGP).Polar compounds(PC) were obtained from 1 g oil sample by preparative flash chromatography(PFC)(flash silica column,20 g,particle size:40-60 μm,pore size:6 nm) and subsequently separated by a high-performance size-exclusion chromatography(GPC column,Φ7.8 mm×300 mm,particle size:5 μm,pore size:10 nm) into oxidized triacylglycerol polymers(TGP),oxidized triacylglycerol dimers(TGD),oxidized triacylglycerol monomers(ox-TGM),diacylglycerols(DG) and free fatty acids(FFA).By quantitation of PC in oil through gravimetric determination and TGP in PC through area normalization method,TGP content in oil was calculated.The results showed that the calibration curves for TGO and TGD were linear in the concentration ranges of 28-1 800 mg/L and 11-2800 mg/L,respectively,with correlation coefficients(r2) more than 0.99.Their LODs were 28 mg/L and 11 mg/L,respectively,and LOQs were 113 mg/L and 44 mg/L,respectively,which was equivalent to 0.01% for LOQ of TGP in oil.The RSDs of TGP in oil detected by PFC-HPSEC were less than 10%.The recoveries at spiked levels of 2.27%,8.47% and 30.94% ranged from 95% to 98% with RSDs less than 4%.In detecting TGP in oil,PFC-HPSEC matched traditional silica column well with RE of 0-8.9%.The method could be used in the determination of TGP in all kinds of oil samples,including used cooking oil and unused edible oil,especially for virgin oil and refined oils and fats with low levels of TGP.


Multi-temporal Remote Sensing (RS) data acquired by multisensor mobile mapping systems such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) provide significant utility for collecting plant phenotypic traits. Biomass is a plant trait that is highly correlated with biofuel production, yet also highly affected by genetics and the environment. Previous studies demonstrated the effectiveness of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) for predicting end-of-season biomass in a single year. However, biomass prediction across multiple years remains a challenge due to the variation of environments and breeding trials. This paper focuses on exploring the transferability of an RNN model incorporating features extracted from LiDAR, hyperspectral and weather data. A k-means assisted transfer learning strategy is proposed to identify optimal samples for fine-tuning the pre-trained RNN model. Results from multiple experiments conducted on sorghum breeding trials at the Purdue University are summarized.


The quantum deformation of the Hopf algebra describes the skeleton of quantum field theory, namely its characterizing feature consisting in the existence of infinitely many unitarily inequivalent representations of the canonical commutation relations. From this we derive the thermal properties of quantum field theory, with the entropy playing the role of the generator of the non‐unitary time evolution. The entanglement of the quantum vacuum appears to be robust against interaction with the environment: on cannot "unknot the knots" in the infinite volume limit.


This paper highlights the problem of tuning the gains of a non-adaptive backstepping controller in an electrohydraulic servo system. While the other non-adaptive controllers in the literature have precise gains tuning methods, the non-self-tuning backstepping controller has no rigorous gain tuning method. The proposed study aims to analyze the contribution of each backstepping controller gain in the closed-loop performance. Our final goal is to establish a rigorous gains-tuning method for the non-adaptive backstepping controller. The study starts with the development of three-stage gains backstepping controller using a non-conventional time derivative Lyapunov function. This particular Lyapunov function makes it possible to analyze the response of the system when all the controller gains are cancelled. Then, we analyze the effect of each gain by cancelling out the values of the others. The first simulation results show that the convergence of the tracking error to zero is not maintained when all gains are set to 0 despite the presence of a negative definite of the Lyapunov function time derivative. In this case, the equilibrium point is not the expected one as time goes to infinity. The second set of results indicates that adjusting the gain related to the feedback of the actual output only ensures the asymptotic convergence of the tracking error to zero as time goes to infinity. However, developing a heuristic tuning of the three controller gains like Ziegler Nichols tuning remains a challenge.


INTRODUCTION
Emerging heated tobacco products (HTPs) were designed to reduce exposure to toxicants from combustible cigarettes (CS) by avoiding burning tobacco and instead heating tobacco. We studied the effects of short-term inhalation of aerosols emitted from HTP product called IQOS, on lung damage and immune-cell recruitment to the lungs in mice.

METHODS
Numerous markers of lung damage and inflammation including albumin and lung immune-cell infiltrates, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were quantified in lungs and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid from IQOS, CS or air-exposed (negative control) mice.

RESULTS
Importantly, as a surrogate marker of lung epithelial-cell damage, we detected significantly increased levels of albumin in the BAL fluid of both HTP and CS exposed mice compared to negative controls. Additionally, total numbers of leukocytes infiltrating the lungs were equivalent following both IQOS-aerosols and CS inhalation and significantly increased compared to air-exposed controls. We also observed significantly increased numbers of CD4 +IL-17A + T cells, a marker of a T cell immune response, in both groups compared to air controls; however, numbers were the highest following CS exposure. Finally, the numbers of CD4 +RORγt + T cells, an inflammatory T cell subtype expressing the transcription factor that is essential for promoting differentiation into pro-inflammatory Th17 cells, were significantly augmented in both groups compared to air-exposed controls. Levels of several cytokines in BAL were significantly elevated, reflecting a proinflammatory milieu.

CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates that short-term inhalation of aerosols from IQOS generates damage and proinflammatory changes in the lung that are substantially similar to that elicited by CS-exposure.

IMPLICATIONS
Exposure of mice to heated tobacco product IQOS, one of the candidate modified-risk tobacco products (MRTPs), induces inflammatory immune-cell accumulation in the lungs and augments the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Such an exacerbated pulmonary proinflammatory microenvironment accompanies with lung epithelial-cell damage in IQOS-exposed mice, suggesting a potential association with the impairment of lung function.


wi hin, is the belief tha the mission of middle school is to ensure the success of every student. This month's journal defines, details, and discusses an educational philosophy that meets the needs of diverse learners. This Journal portrays the complete breadth of young adolescents, as individuals discov ering their own identities. This month's articles pro vide a series of practical applications for the class room practitioner to meet the needs of this diverse and sometimes divergent population. This fall at East Lyme Middle School, we have revisited, publicly our dedication to the individual success of each child as we have initiated a transi


Residual oil saturation calculation was the key point and difficulty of logging evaluation at the middle and late stages of oilfield development.Because the oil reservoir salinity changed greatly in formation water,the resistivities in different times and different blocks became the key parameters of residual oil saturation calculation.For the water flooded reservoirs,the relation of salinity of produced water and water content(water flooding degree) was used to determine the formation water resistivity,for the unflooded reservoirs,water reservoirs were used to calculate it.The practical core data were used for water displacing oil and oil displacing water of litho-electric experiment for determining the litho-electrical parameters in flooded and unflooded reservoirs.Through the above method,residual oil saturation can be calculated accurately,and a quantitative grading to flooding degree can be defined more effectively.


Beginning with the reference room's characteristics of the journal of the colleges and universities,this paper advances ones own views on journal's functions in the teaching and scientific research of the colleges and universities.


This paper introduced the situation in the current which the lining of seepage control for irrigation ditches in Ningxia,and pointed out some problems which existed in the constructing of anti-seepage lining project.In the lining of seepage control of irrigation area,u-shaped section were much more widely used in channels,therefore,the gravity,the freezing expansion force and slope angle about the channel of U-shaped section were analyzed.It put forward the types of lining structure in U-shaped and arc shape for branch,lateral and sub-lateral irrigation canals.It provided the lined channel's parameter of design section and optimal waterpower section during its gradient between 1/300 and 1/5500 and made sure the vertical angle diameter of different circular arc diameter for upright part,namely diameter for 20 to 40,50 to 180,200 to 500 cm.The corresponding angle of inclination was 15°,22° and 30° respectively.When the design of water depth was 0.2 m and 1.7 m,arc radius and water depth ratio took 0.5 to 0.7.When the circular arc diameter was 20 cm to 50 cm,60 cm to 120 cm,no less than 140 cm,the top's widths of channel took 60 cm,80 cm and 100 cm.According to the circular arc diameter,it also determined the lining plate's thickness and board seam's width.


A heavy-ion beam propagating through a vacuum reactor vessel suffers phase-space distortion caused by anharmonic self-forces. If the distortion remains uncorrected, an enlarged focal spot results. Analytic predictions of an increase in root-mean-square emittance and focal-spot size are presented and shown to agree with computer simulation. The resulting constraints on heavy-ion fusion-system design are discussed, together with possible means of relaxing these constraints.


In order to provide theoretical foundation for researches on adaptability of cultivars or clones,taking 17 cultivars or clones in walnut cultured in greenhouse as materials,infection index of leaf was investigated,disease resistance was compared among the cultivars or clones by artificial inoculating the pathogens of walnut black patch and leaf spot.The results showed that disease resistance among the cultivars or clones had significant differences.The order based on disease resistance from high to low was Luguo No.1,Luguo No.3,Chongqing,Taile,Daixiang,Yunxin 7926,Yunxin 7914,Yuanfeng,Jing 746,Xiangling,Zhonglin No.5,Luguang,Liaoning No.1,Qingxiang,Self-selection No.45,Yunxin 8064,Paohetao.The results of multiple comparison showed that the disease resistance of Luguo No.1 had significant differences with the indexes of Zhonglin No.5,Luguang,Liaoning No.1,Qingxiang,Self-selection No.45,Yunxin 8064 and Paohetao,the disease resistance of Luguo No.3 had significant differences with the indexes of Yunxin 8064 and Paohetao,and the disease resistance of Paohetao had significant differences with the indexes of Luguo No.1,Luguo No.3,Chongqing,Taile,Daixiang,Yunxin 7926,Yunxin 7914 and Yuanfeng.


Age-related visual loss and ageing demographics account for a large impact on societal health costs on a global scale. E cient ophthalmic surgeries must be precise, safe, and fast and thus, require the surgeon to be highly dexterous and experienced as the small forces applied to the delicate structures in the eye lie below the human force perception limit. To overcome these limitations current research focuses on robotic systems to assist in minimally invasive surgery due to their high precision, stability, and dexterity. Moreover, drug delivery to the posterior segment of the eye presents further challenges and limitations due to the quick systemic absorption of drugs. Thus, drug delivery to the posterior eye requires high dosages of medication, which is commonly delivered intravenously or by intravitreal administration. This thesis explores several robot-assisted systems for minimally invasive ophthalmic surgery. It focuses on the development of several untethered and tethered systems that can provide treatment for ocular diseases, such as cataract, age-related macular degeneration, or vitreous floaters. The treatment methods can be divided into two categories, which consist of drug delivery applications and mechanical surgical interventions inside the eye. Furthermore, the presented robotic devices are either designed for treatment in the anterior or the posterior eye segment, and thus, require di↵erent design and actuation specifications. The first robotic platform consists of magnetically guided intravitreal microrobots of di↵erent shapes for targeted drug delivery or manipulation of vitreous floaters. The second system combines magnetic and mechanical actuation to control a flexible catheter with a customised diathermy tool for capsulorhexis, an essential step in cataract surgery. A robotic system is demonstrated that pivots around a single point for manipulation of tools inside the eye with minimum shear forces applied to the sclera during surgery. The fourth robotic system automatically injects medication into the vitreous of the eye for the


PT. Tunggal Djaja Indah (PT. TDI) is a leading paint manufacturer in Indonesia. ISO 9001 which has obtained by PT. TDI  is a proof of the seriousness of the company. Current training process in PT. TDI is using a form that called a skill map. The assessment of training needs using skill map is force the head of department to fill the competency by themselves. It makes the result of the training needs is not align to meet company's standard. To solve this problem, we need a solution that can identify training needs that are categorized by knowledge, skill, and attitude based on companys' standard. The way to solve it is make a training needs analysis (TNA) application based on competency. Based on the results of the training needs analysis application, the application can help stakeholders to identify training needs based on the competencies that are categorized by the level of knowledge, skill, and attitude. so it can help to reduce the gap between the competence of employees with competencies expected by the company.


The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of extrusion temperature (ET 120 – 180 °C), feed moisture content (FMC 16 - 25 g/100 g), pineapple by-products proportion (PBP) (0 - 30 g/100 g) in the unripe plantain flour, and the stevia content (STC 0 - 5 g/100 g) on the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance of ready-to-eat extruded snacks, through a central compound design, using a single-screw extruder with a compression screw ratio of 3:1. The results were analyzed by response surface. The increase in FMC, PBP and STC decreased (p < 0.05) the expansion index (EI). The increase in ET decreased (p < 0.05) the apparent density (AD), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and total color difference (ΔE). The increase in FMC decreases EI, WAI, and increase AD and WSI (p < 0.05). The Increase in PBP decreased EI, WSI, and increase AD, hardness (H) and ΔE (p < 0.05). The increase in STC decreased (p < 0.05) EI, and increase AD and H. The treatments with greater general acceptability were those that contained 15 and 30 g/100 g of PBP and STC 2.5 g/100 g, and they were obtained at ET 150ºC and 20.5 g/100 g of FMC, without affecting the physicochemical properties.


This article starts with the premise that understadings of choice, that view choice as decontextualised. Public policy discourse are rhetorical devices which hide a range of policy intentions which serve in the maintenance of inequalities in access to and benefit from schooling. Educational choices take place in specific socially and economically structured contexts. All choices are to varying extents constrained. He explores these constraints and the complex intricacies of educational choice they frame through an examination of the experience of two groups of mothers. He argues that parental choice cannot be adequately conceptualised in isolation from localised issues of history and geography, understandings of the psychological impact of social class , and the influences of differential access to social power and material resources


Organophilized montmorillonite-epoxy and polyurethane nanocomposites, useful for packaging applications, were prepared and their oxygen permeability was measured. The composite morphology was mixed, exfoliated and intercalated, as shown by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The gas-barrier performance of the polyurethane composites was better than that of the epoxy composites due to more exfoliation. The average aspect ratio of the montmorillonite platelets in the nanocomposites could be estimated from the reduction in permeability by a numerical finite element approach.


Abstract : The past 15 years and anticipated future operations under an expeditionary mind set suggest that the Army will continue to be involved in Nation Building operations. The Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace (IPB) process is an effective tool for analyzing a threat and the operating environment. However, the question of its effectiveness in capturing the essence of support necessary for Nation Building operations requires further research. To effectively answer the question of Army IPB in support of Nation Building planning and operations, it is necessary to undertake analytical reviews of doctrine. These reviews focus on the definition of the term "Nation Building," the inevitability of Nation Building Operations, an analysis of Stability and Support Operations from a Joint and Army perspective, as well as a similar analysis of the IPB process. The emphasis of this doctrinal review is to determine how the current IPB Process addresses those tasks necessary to provide an informative portrayal of the contemporary operating environment in support of Nation Building. Subsequent to the doctrinal review it is necessary to analyze multiple operations the U.S. Army has been involved in so that lessons learned can be inferred that will potentially improve the current Army IPB Process. The end-state of this step is the development of a product that addresses the lessons learned in the framework of the four steps of the Army IPB Process. The final analytical step is to then combine the two reviews into one composite product that will advance the current state of Army IPB Process Doctrine so that it is more relevant to ongoing and future operations. The finding of the study is that the current Draft FM 2-01.3 Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace is still inadequate in supporting the contemporary environment. Case studies of Nation Building are provided for Germany, Somalia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Afghanistan.


High energy, sub‐nanosecond, single longitudinal mode (SLM) pulse is especially preferred for LiDAR application. In this paper, a kHz‐level sub‐nanosecond electro‐optical Q‐switched Nd:YVO4 laser of SLM operation for remote sensing was demonstrated. By utilizing a compact resonator with a Volume Bragg Grating as output coupler, maximum SLM output power of 1.08 W and pulse width of 919 ps was obtained at 10 kHz. Moreover, we proposed a theoretical model to calculate the multimode threshold of the VBG‐coupled cavity. The longitudinal mode characteristics at four different cavity lengths were investigated experimentally and the results match well with the numerical simulations, which validates the theory. We expected the method could help to guide VBG‐coupled cavity design and construction.


This paper presents a SCADA intrusion detection system test framework that simulates SCADA traffic and detects malicious network activity. The framework combines several existing components such as Kali Linux, Conpot, QTester104 and OpenMUC in a virtual machine based framework to provide realistic SCADA traffic. It is agnostic to Intrusion Detection System (IDS) type, and is demonstrated in a case study comparing two popular signature-based IDS engines: Suricata and Snort. The IDS engines include rule-sets for the IEC 60870-5-104 and other SCADA protocols. Detected events from IDS sensors are sent to a distributed Elastic cluster which visualises them using Kibana dashboards. The experiments show that there is some difference in behaviour between Suricata and Snort's ability to detect malicious traffic using the same SCADA ruleset, but these issues are relatively easy to mitigate. The IDS test framework also measures the latency from detection and until the IDS alerts are presented in the incident management system, which shows that Suricata has slightly better performance than Snort.


Introduction: The use of many anti-retroviral drugs has been associated with a myriad of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) which could limit successful treatment outcome with respect to patient compliance and quality of life. An additional consideration is the high incidence of HIV infection with tuberculosis (TB) in Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, and the use of co-treatment regimens.
Methods: The study is a cross sectional, case-control study of 433 out-patients conducted at two hospitals in Zimbabwe. The patients were profiled for adverse reactions namely central nervous system side-effects (CNS), lipodystrophy (LD), skin hypersensitivity (SH), and peripheral neuropathy (PN). Assignment of the case and the control status of a patient was done based on occurrence of these adverse drug reactions in each of the HIV/AIDS only, TB only and HIV/TB co-infection patient groups.
Results: Among the HIV/AIDS only treatment group (n= 240), the incidences of major ADRs were PN (63%), LD (38%), CNS (29%) and SH (21%). In the TB only treatment group (n=92), the major ADRs were PN (49%), CNS (29%), and SH (14%). In the HIV-TB co-treatment group (n=98), the major ADRs were PN (64%), CNS (39%), LD (6%) and SH (18%). A significant number of females were on alternate first line treatment that has no stavudine as compared to males (OR=1.98, CI (1.1, 3.59); p=0.03). Occurrence of CNS adverse drug reactions were more associated with patients on efavirenz than other HIV-drug combinations (43% vs. 17%, p<0.00001).
Conclusion: The use of anti-retroviral drugs and anti-TB drugs is associated with very high incidences of adverse drug reactions. There is therefore need to understand the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms of these ADRs so as to identify patients at risk and to provide guidelines for the choice of drug and dosage to ensure safe and efficacious treatment outcomes


ABSTRACT This article follows on from a previous exploration (published in Vol. 6, # 1, May 2018) into the links between current psychological concepts of emotional and spiritual intelligence and Stanislavskian-based principles; here considering how aspects of both might be integrated into current training programmes. The author starts by outlining some key findings from a recent research project and goes on to answer some of the more challenging questions that might be raised against such an approach, before making recommendations for future exploration of the concepts. Current trainers have a responsibility to prepare students not just to "act well" but also to "work well" and – most importantly – to "live well" and this article continues to explore the question of "how?" introduced in Part One.


The paper argues that universities would enhance their participation through an effective and well-integrated incubation system for the development of sustainable entrepreneurial society. This study reviews the shifting trend of universities in society from teaching to research and development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and recently to facilitate an entrepreneurial society by promoting entrepreneurial culture and institutional development. It is categorically accepted by researchers that the 21 st century will rely on knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business incubators. However, universities are lacking to contribute with full strength in research commercialization, entrepreneurship and economic growth. In this study, the strengths and weaknesses of university incubators are highlighted to enhance their efficacy for a better economic output. University incubators provide a facilitative environment for revenue generation by ensuring a cloud with financial, legal and technical support for a win-win interaction between universities, business tycoons, government and community. The ideas of human capital, knowledge and, research and development have evolved the economies towards knowledge based economies by having creativity, innovation, knowledge transfer, information access and supportive infrastructure. In an entrepreneurial society, universities move one step ahead by structuring the mechanisms to facilitate entrepreneurial culture and, creating institutes and leaders. Finally, the study presents some future directions for university incubators with policy recommendations. Keywords: University incubator; Entrepreneurial society; Knowledge transfer; University industry linkages; Commercialization; Entrepreneurship; Spinoffs; Institutional Development.


WALTER CLARK has retired as Professor of Psychology of Religion at Andover Newton Theological School after a career of teaching literature, education, and psychology that also has included 10 years as Dean of the Hartford School of Religious Education. His 12 years of investigation of the LSD-type drugs have made him impatient with the superficiality of much psychological and theological study. He recently participated in the amazingly effective psychodisleptic therapy of Roquet in Mexico City. His most recent books are Chemical Ecstasy and Religious Experience. His co-authors share many of his interests. JONATHAN LIEFF recently secured his MD from Harvard Medical School and, with the support of his wife CAROLYN LIEFF, carries on innovative music therapy as a psychiatric resident at Boston State Hospital. ROY SUSSMAN secured his MA at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His interests include psychotherapy, religion, and creative art.


Vegetation plays a significant role in determining ground and surface water of an area. The present study was aimed to investigate the impacts of exotic Eucalyptus plantation on the ground and surface water in district Malakand (34.50° N, 71.75° E) Pakistan. Two villages (Kot and Totai) were selected randomly for data collection with a sample size of 25% of the population representing each village. The methods used were questionnaire survey, interviews, water table and discharge rate measurement. The results of the study indicated that 64% springs have been dried out so far in village Kot and 75% in village Totai due to high uptake of water. Eucalyptus plantation has adverse effects on ground and surface water. It was found that Eucalyptus has deepened the water table by 0.762m (0.833 yards) per year in both villages as a result the average depth of water table has reached 20.116 m (22 yards) in village Totai and 15.544 m (17 yards) in village Kot. As a result, some springs have become seasonal depending on rainfall. Results of the current study suggest that ground water and surface water resources should be monitored regularly to determine the protection and regeneration of natural forests and better utilization and improvement of marginal and degraded lands. Moreover introduction of new plant species to an area should be made after careful observation of climatic conditions of the area and keeping in mind the possible effects of these species on the environment.


Improper flushing of debris in micro-EDM processes has created more frequent short-circuiting between a tool electrode and a workpiece resulting in longer machining process. Longer machining time (34 min) is required only to fabricate a blind hole with 500 μm of depth. In order to solve this problem, powder suspended dielectric fluid and workpiece vibration have been introduced into micro-EDM system in order to reduce the machining time. The introduction of graphite powder suspended dielectric fluid at concentration of 10 g/L has reduced the machining time up to 5 times faster than machining time in pure dielectric fluid. Whilst, the application of vibration on the workpiece has sped up the machining time up to 3 time faster than the machining process without workpiece vibration. The results conclude that the introduction of graphite powder and the application of workpiece vibration have improved the machining stability, results in a significant reduction of machining time.


Abstract The slow manifold of an inviscid five-mode model introduced by Lorenz is investigated. When the influence of the gravity modes on the Rossby modes is neglected, the analytical solution given by Lorenz and Krishnamurthy is generalized. When gravity-Rossby coupling is included, direct numerical solutions are computed by solving a nonlinear boundary value problem. In all cases, the slow manifold has gravity mode oscillations that mimic free gravity waves and whose amplitude is proportional to the exponential of the reciprocal of the Rossby number ϵ.