The pervasiveness of computational and communication devices, coupled with innovative Internet of Things (IoT) application scenarios, led to a massive increase in the number of available data sources and the volume of data produced per unit of time. This contributed to the emergence of many open-source streaming data processing systems of different characteristics and diverging performances in specific usage scenarios. The heterogeneity of platforms, programming languages, and models used in such systems resulted in the prohibitively complex effort required to quickly and efficiently test their suitability for specific use cases. Apache Beam framework aims to introduce the unifying programming model for data processing systems, tackling the heterogeneity problem and allowing for fast testing of performance in specific usage scenarios and migration between different platforms. In order to test the maturity of the Apache Beam framework and its performance in processing data from the IoT domain, we constructed a benchmarking environment employing data sets with significant spatio-temporal properties along with a representative set of streaming operations for such data. We used Apache Kafka as data source and result collection within different computational resource configurations hosting execution engines. For each combination of the computational resource configuration, execution engine, and streaming operation, we measured and compared performance in terms of average throughput and its variance. The results show that the evaluated Flink and Spark runners, deployed on the single machine, manifest the law of diminishing returns rather quickly with regards to the number of available cores. While Spark runner core throughput significantly outperforms Flink runner's core throughput, Spark runner's system throughput is consistently lower than Flink ones.


Sick and preterm infants are at high risk of sub-optimal physical and psychological development. Current research highlights the pivotal role that parents could play in minimizing early risk factors and secure better life chances for these infants, yet research also describes how parents feel disengaged from their infants and also experience significant anxiety. There is an urgent need for a change management program within NICUs to increase parental involvement in ways that will improve infant health outcomes, for example by increased breastfeeding and kangaroo-care, and also improve parental confidence. Best Beginnings have previously developed a change management methodology using their DVD 'From Bump to Breastfeeding' which involved extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation with end-users and health-care professionals. Results of an independent evaluation demonstrated improved perceptions and increased breastfeeding rates. The DVD is now embedded in the NHS care pathway. We are now applying this evidence-based methodology to enhance non-clinical care in NICUs. Independent research commissioned by Best Beginnings has identified a need for a DVD to address this issue among both parents and healthcare professionals to help drive change. The 'Small Wonders' DVD will be the first resource of its kind to improve health outcomes for vulnerable infants by empowering parents to be the cornerstone of their infant's care. This presentation will describe the innovative change management methodology, the development of the 'Small Wonders' DVD, and will discuss how this resource can be embedded in NICUs to enable paediatricians and neonatal nurses to better support parents to deliver optimal non-clinical care.


Hans Christian ?ersted (Figure 1) was a professor of physics at the University of Copenhagen (1777-1851). When he learned of the invention of the electric battery in 1799 from Alessandro Volta, he began to experiment with electric currents.


Louis Sheridan, farmer, free black merchant, and Liberian official, was probably the Louis Sheridan mentioned in the 1800 will of Joseph R. Gautier (d. 15 May 1807), Elizabethtown [3] merchant, as the son of Nancy Sheridan, "my emancipated black woman" to whom he left "my plantation at the Marsh." Louis obtained a good education and engaged in extensive mercantile operations. Although he was a mulatto with a fair complexion, he was recorded as white in the Bladen County [3] censuses for 1810, 1820, and 1830. He was aided in business by John Owen [4], former governor, and other white men of the Lower Cape Fear who gave him letters of introduction. Sheridan made business trips to nearby Wilmington [5]as well as to Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere, sometimes making purchases of goods valued in excess of $12,000. As a young man he preached for a brief time and also subscribed to and served as an agent for two black newspapers.


PURPOSE
This study deals with the conversion of the image quality figure (IQFinv) values with CDMAM Analyser ver. 1 (old analysis software) used to analyse the images of CDMAM 3.4 phantom into the IQFinv values with a new analysis software, that is, CDMAM Analyser (ver. 2 and ver. 2.3), which is a software improved to be closer to human visual evaluation.

METHODS
The IQFinv values were calculated using four mammography units and three analysis software. The IQFinv values using the old and new software were compared.

RESULTS
The IQFinv values had no difference according to mammography units and beam quality. The conversion formula of IQFinv from CDMAM Analyser ver. 1 to CDMAM Analyser ver. 2 was derived. Furthermore, the conversion formula of IQFinv from CDMAM Analyser ver. 1 to CDMAM Analysis ver. 2.3 was also derived.

CONCLUSION
Using each conversion formula, the IQFinv values using the old software can be converted to those using the new software. There was a slight difference between the IQFinv values using the new software.


Using data from the Family and Children Survey of Beijing 2011, the authors constructed a child poverty measure – Child Deprivation Indicators (CDIs) – and explored the relationship between poverty and children's quality of life. The CDIs were found to be a more valid child poverty measure than the conventional measure which is based mainly on individuals' social assistance status. The findings show that deprived children are worse off in terms of living conditions. Furthermore, deprived boys and girls are disadvantaged differently; boys in self-efficacy and girls in physical development. The findings have four important implications: (i) policy makers should look beyond those on social assistance; (ii) more public funding should be invested in deprived children's informal education and social interaction; (iii) dealing with structural problems relating to parents' socioeconomic status (SES) would be helpful to alleviate child deprivation; (iv) different types of support should be provided to deprived boys and girls for their disadvantages are not identical.


The preliminary results of a comprehensive study of clay minerals (<2 μm) are presented for the upper 2 m.y. of sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 184 Site 1146 from the northern margin of the South China Sea, close to the Pearl River mouth. More than 500 samples were analyzed, and four main mineral species are present: smectite, illite, chlorite, and kaolinite. On a general basis, illite + chlorite and smectite display anti-correlated behavior in relation to changes in the proportion of primary to secondary minerals in the sediment. Low-frequency and high-frequency changes are observed in the smectite/ (illite+chlorite) ratio.


COVID-19 infections still dominate world news. Arne Kabar and Derek Gilroy from the University College London offer an interesting insight as to why this infection is often more severe among the elderly. They suggest that the presence of excessive inflammation can inhibit immunity in both animals and humans. They note that older, healthy individuals often have chronic low-grade sterile inflammation that likely results from the clearance of senescent cells. High levels of chronic inflammation are often associated with frailty. They believe that the presence of this excessive inflammation inhibits antigen-specific immunity in vivo and therefore explains the greater susceptibility of older patients and immune-compromised patients to COVID-19 infections.


We construct and investigate smooth orientable surfaces in su(N) algebras. The structural equations of surfaces associated with Grassmannian sigma models on Minkowski space are studied using moving frames adapted to the surfaces. The first and second fundamental forms of these surfaces as well as the relations between them as expressed in the Gauss–Weingarten and Gauss–Codazzi–Ricci equations are found. The scalar curvature and the mean curvature vector expressed in terms of a solution of Grassmanian sigma model are obtained.


This chapter investigates how the Muslim community's qurʾānic orientation impacted its relationship with the Christian Byzantine Empire during the reign of the ʿAbbāsid Caliph al-Ma ʾmūn, through a study of the rhetorical use of the Qurʾān in al-Ma ʾmūn's letter to the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus. The qurʾānicity of al-Ma ʾmūn's language in this letter attests to the centrality of the Qurʾān in the conception and articulation of early ninth-century Muslim imperial ideology. The chapter considers some background information on depictions of Muslim-Christian relations in the Qurʾān and Sunna and the events surrounding the exchange of letters between al-Ma ʾmūn and Theophilus in 833. While the Qurʾān asserts the dominance of Islam, so too does al-Ma ʾmūn. In his letter, his own agenda and that of the Qurʾān are made to function cooperatively. Keywords:ʿAbbāsid Caliph al-Ma ʾmūn; Christian Byzantine Empire; Muslim community; Muslim-Byzantine diplomacy; qurʾānic rhetoric


Thirty nine isolates of filamentous fungi of the genera Alternaria , Cladosporium, Fusarium and Penicillium were isolated from 78 water samples of 15 stations during FORV Sagar Sampada cruise No. 24 (16-11-1986 to 04-12-1986). Cladosporium was dominant including the marine species C. herbarum . Most of the filamentous fungi isolated restricted themselves to the coastal areas and theislands indicating their terrigenous origin and adaptation to high salinity. Aeromycological studies of four laboratories and hydrographic winch area of the ship revealed the presence of Aspergillus, Cephalosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, Fusarium and Penicillium . Fusarium was dominant followed by Aspergillus including A. flavus


Ticks are important ectoparasites of livestock in tropical and sub-tropical countries. They are responsible for the enormous economic losses both through the direct effects of blood sucking and indirectly as vectors of disease pathogens and toxins. Morphologically, ticks are classified into two families known as Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks). In this chapter, the authors provide a description of the soft and hard ticks. Emphasis is laid on the genera morphology, species, mammalian hosts, and distribution and the diseases transmitted by the ticks species. Various methods for controlling ticks and tick-borne diseases using chemicals are described. A broad range of chemical acaricides used for the control of ticks on livestock are described. Conventional methods and unconventional methods for applying acaricides to protect livestock against ticks are described. Alternative methods for tick control are described. Only the most important hard and soft ticks and associated diseases are discussed within the limits of this review.


Data quantities are rapidly increasing in many industry sectors due to the development of new sensors, mobile and cloud technologies, advancements in IoT and AI, and growth of social and entertainment media. Many applications (e.g. in finance, healthcare, government data) have strict information security requirements for simultaneous access, record updating, and validation in an immutable manner, which can be achieved with distributed ledger technology (DLT). In this paper we review and analyze fifty-eight currently available blockchain (BC) systems and their components in context of the DLT for big data storage, provenance tracking, replication, and sharing. We also elaborate the key BC system components and architecture for major information security concerns.


Abstract Spider webs can be invaded by other species of spiders. While the majority involve spiders that build webs of their own, there are reports of wandering spiders invading webs. Most wolf spiders (Lycosidae) do not build webs and web invasion behaviour has never been reported in this family. Here, we report wandering wolf spiders invading webs of Aglaoctenus lagotis, one of the few wolf spiders that build webs. We collected observations of ten web invasions by the wandering species Lycosa erythrognatha, L. poliostoma, and Schizocosa malitiosa. We discuss the possible implications of these invasions for moulting and speculate that the webs are safe refuges.


A case of small bowel carcinoid tumours causing gastro-intestinal haemorrhage is presented. The difficulties associated with pre-operative diagnosis and operative localization are discussed.


Calculators may not be used on the exam. You will be given a sheet containing a copy of table 5.1 of the the text and the following formulas: Binomial: P {X = k} = n k p k (1 − p) n−k , k = 0, 1, ..., n. E[X] = np, V ar(X) = np(1 − p), M X (t) = (pe t + 1 − p) n Geometric: P {X = k} = p(1 − p) (1−p) p 2 , M X (t) = pe t 1−(1−p)e t. λ(e t −1). 1 b−a , a ≤ x ≤ b. E[X] = a+b 2 , V ar(X) = (b−a) 2 2 , M X (t) = e bt −e at b−a. 1 λ , V ar(X) = 1 λ 2 , M X (t) = λ λ−t Normal: f X (x) = 1 σ √ 2π e −(x−µ) 2 2σ 2. E[x] = µ, V ar(X) = σ 2 , M X (t) = e µt+σ 2 t 2 /2. Moment generating function formulas: M X (t) = E[e tX ], M a+bX (t) = e at M X (bt), E[X n ] = M (n) X (0). #1 A urn contains r = r 1 + r 2 packages of candy; of these, r 1 contain one piece and r 2 contain three pieces. (a) If a package were to be drawn from the urn at random, what is the probability it would contain one piece of candy? Three pieces? If two packages were drawn (without repalcement), what are the probabilities of obtaining altogether two, four, or six pieces of candy?


A dipole-octupole wiggler is proposed to change the energy distribution of the electrons in a storage ring so that the peak current and the related collective effects are reduced. With a dipole-quadrupole wiggler the radiation damping partition can be changed and with a dipole-octupole wiggler this partition becomes dependent on the phase oscillation amplitude. These wigglers can be operated so that the longitudinal damping is negative for small amplitudes but increases for larger amplitudes. The particle distribution will peak around the amplitude which gives neither damping nor antidamping. This leads to a longitudinal blow-up of the bunch core without affecting very much the tails or the quantum lifetime. The distribution has been calculated analytically with an appropriate Fokker-Planck equation and by computer simulation. The results allow the optimization of the wiggler parameters. Due to the sum rule for the damping partitions this wiggler also affects the distribution in horizontal betatron amplitudes.


Business incubators have been widely developed to advise, support, promote, and provide a nurturing environment for new business start-ups and entrepreneurs. The development of a framework for capability assessment allows the management of each incubator to understand its strengths and room for further improvement. Moreover, assessment results across a community, such as a nation or state, can provide insights into resource allocation and various management policies so that policymakers can support the development of business incubators under their supervision. This article describes the development of a capability assessment framework for business incubators (BIs) in Thailand. A case study demonstrating how the capability assessment is analyzed is also presented in the article.


In the article, we considered one of the approaches of the dataware of the syntheses to virtual reality in condition of the ill-defined presentation controlled parameters. Particularity of the approach is a possibility of processing of object of virtual reality on the base of the rules of the inference with use of the algorithm of Mamdani


This paper develops a theoretical framework to study the policy implications of learning-byexporting. We introduce credit constraint into the learning-by-exporting model and discuss possible government intervention. The analysis shows that supporting a learning industry via an export subsidy improves social welfare when the economy maintains a balanced trade condition. However, infant industry protection is not necessarily justified if consumers can access to the international financial market. A learning sector's goods could be overproduced (relative to another non-tradable sector goods) when consumers can borrow freely for their consumption. Social welfare will be improved once the government levies a tax on the production. JEL classification: F1; F4; O2


The infra-red absorption spectra of a number of phosphorus acid esters have been measured. The assignment of a number of frequencies is discussed. A shift in the phosphoryl stretching vibration to higher frequency is observed in "energy-rich" phosphorus acid esters.


This paper takes the MA transaction of Chinese enterprises from 2003 to 2013 as an example and evaluates the extra returns of the two parties of MA by using event study method. We get the following results: the state-owned enterprises can get extra positive returns by conducting the MA of the same or different industries paid by cash and the private enterprises can get significant returns by conducting MA of the same or different industries paid by equity. Seen from the industrial distribution,the MA of same industries conducted by the state-owned enterprises in chemical,oil processing and plastic manufacturing industry can damage the performance of enterprises and the MA of different industries conducted by the state-owned enterprises in the medicine manufacturing,traffic,transportation and warehousing industry can get significant extra returns. In addition,we also find that the industrial similarity of the two parties of MA is in direct proportion with MA's success rate and has no relationship with the short-term performance of the two parties of MA.


In this paper, a compact planar antenna is proposed, for RFID application at microwave band. The antenna is fabricated by using RO-3006 dielectric substrate with permittivity 6.15. Momentum ADS software is used for simulation design process. The antenna has been tested with the Vector Network Analyzer and with its three branch sinusoid shape a resonance frequency was measured at 6.8 GHz. The best return loss for the antenna is −25 dB (measured) with a gain of 3.16 dBi. The total size of the sinusoid-shaped antenna is 32 × 8 mm.


Objective:To construct the prokaryotic expression vector of the human alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH),get the prokaryotic product in vivo,and detect its enzymic property.Methods:The sequence of open reading frame(ORF)of human ADH was cloned by RT-PCR from human liver RNA.Then it was linked to the expression vector pET-5a,and the vector was transformed into host bacterium of BL21.Then,culturing,screening,cutting by restriction enzyme and sequencing were performed for identification.IPTG was used to induce expression in BL21,and some enzymic indexes of expressed proteins were detected.Results:The prokaryotic expression vector was constructed successfully,and the molecular weight of expressed protein was around 40 kD.The prokaryotic product had a great tolerance in acid and high temperature environment.K~+ and Fe~(3+) had a stimulative effect on enzymic activity,but divalent metal ion had a restrain effect.Conclusion:The human ADH prokaryotic expression vector is successfully constructed,and the ADH protein from prokaryotic expression has activity.The present study provides experimental data to understand ADH enzymic property,and to explore the relationship between polymorphism of ADH activity and disease.


anaemia prevents healing from takina place. The pain caused bv the unhealed mucous membrane sets up a reflex spasm of the sphincter, and a -vicious circleis thus produced. -Chronic Cases. The late results of all these conditions are niot ulncommonly seen. Fissures and ulcers have lhealed over by.: sear tissue, resulting in fibrousbands and contrac.tions. The lumen of the canal is partially occluded, renidering' defaecation painful and difficult. Constipation is induced, and the attempt to pass a normal stool produces a freshl tear. In suclh cases one frequently finds on rectal examinatioii areas of old scarring and contracture in one segmenit and a lecent tear in another, attended with persistent spasm of the sphincter. If the fibrosis exceeds the uilceration the stools are malformed. The attention of the patieilt is often conicentrated upon these disabilities, and a definite state of hypochonidriasis may be set up. If the ulceration exceeds the fibrosis, pain anid spasmn predominate.


An electroless plating and hot-pressing process was developed to fabricate silver matrix composites reinforced with uniformly distributed graphite and Saffil short fibers (Graphite_sf and Saffil_sf). The hardness of the composites increases as the content of short fibers increase. Static-gap, single-spark erosion and repeated-collision, multiple-arc erosion tests were used to investigate the arc erosion behavior of the composites. The composites exhibited better arc erosion resistance when the contents of short fibers were increased in a static-gap, single-spark erosion test. However, the weight loss of the composites after 10,000 times repeated-collision, multiple-arc erosion operation shows that the composites with low volume percents of short fibers have a good arc erosion resistance. The Saffil_sf/Ag composites show a better arc erosion resistance than Graphite_sf/Ag because of the greater strengthening effect of the finer Saffil short fibers. The erosion behavior of the composites is dominated by the viscosity of composites in single-spark tests, while it depends on the competition of viscosity and thermal properties in multiple-arc tests.


E-justice is broadly defined, covering the use of electronic technologies in the field of justice, but that definition is not limited to the concept of e-Justice as defined by the European Commission in its Communication of 2 July 2008 to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee entitled "Towards a European e-Justice Strategy" and in comments made by the Working Party of the Council on e-Justice. The questions concerning the e-Justice are not confined to certain legal fields. Those are relevant in many fields of civil, criminal and administrative law. Consequently, e-Justice is deemed as a horizontal issue in the framework of European proceedings with a transnational nature.


The Two Musts thought has its vivid times background and profound philosophical meaning as well. Reviewing the Two Musts is the requirement of the times for our party to shoulder the great historical mission, answering for the vehement international competition, following radical rules of development of the society, keeping political original character forever. Two Musts that endows our party vigorous vitality force in the view of philosophy is the keystone of holding power and the foundation of achievment for the Party.


CALPAS3 is a mini-and microcomputer design tool for houses and small commercial buildings with passive or hybrid solar heating systems. It calculates air, surface, and mass temperatures in the building, heat transfer among components, the contribution of natural energy to comfort levels, and the mechanical heating or cooling needed to maintain temperatures specified by the designer.


The main regional structures in the Dinarides where accumulated lithospheric stress has been relaxed are NW-SE trending Dinaric faults. The research involves kinematic and dynamic analysis of fault-slip data on the territory of the NW External Dinarides, including Middle Triassic to Middle Miocene strata.
Four major Tertiary-Quaternary tectonic phases have been documented. Paleostress analysis of fault-slip data shows general stress orientations, which have been correlated by relevant mesoscopic scale deformations. Relative chronology of tectonic phases is based on field observations of structural relationships. Tectonic phases have been placed in wider geodynamic context.
The oldest phase is characterized by NE-SW directed compression in compressional stress regime, which has been attributted to Paleogene thrusting of the External Dinarides. The second phase is characterized by NE-SW oriented tension in extensional stress regime, which can be attributed to an influence of Middle Miocene extension in the Pannonian basin. The third phase is marked by E-W compression with N-S oriented tension in strike-slip stress regime, which could reflect cessation of subduction processes in Carpathians. The fourth phase shows N-S oriented compression with E-W oriented tension in strike-slip stress regime, which coincides with recent stress state of the region. The Triassic and Jurassic stress regimes have been evaluated according to the orientation of observed extensional structures.
The structural model of NW External Dinarides teritory has been suggested according to the obtained results, which could be an usefull basis for the assessment of earthquake hazard, geomechanic rock stability and hydrogeological aquifer characteristics of the area.


Objective
To evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound drug infiltration to alleviate the skin hyperalgesia which induced by herpes zoster.

Methods
Sixty patients with skin hyperalgesia, induced by herpes zoster, were randomly divided into three groups(n=20), respectively received ultrasound drug infiltration and oral drug(G group), intradermal and oral drug(I group), and oral drug treatment only(C group). Scores in visual analogue scale(VAS) and emotional scales(ES) were evaluated before and after treatment, and the adverse reactions were recorded.

Results
Both VAS and ES scores in three groups decreased after treatment. VAS in G group and I group decreased significantly more than C group (P<0.05). Decrease in ES scores in I group was significantly more than that in C group(P<0.05).

Conclusions
Both ultrasound infiltration and intradermal injection of drug can rapidly alleviate the skin hyperalgesia induced by herpes zoster. The ultrasound drug infiltration had higher satisfactory rating than intradermal drug injection.

Key words:
Herpes zoster; Hyperalgesia; Phonophoresis; Intradermal injection


The BUDAPEST‐CRT Upgrade study is the first prospective, randomized, multicentre clinical trial investigating the outcomes after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) upgrade in heart failure (HF) patients with intermittent or permanent right ventricular (RV) pacing with wide paced QRS. This report describes the baseline clinical characteristics of the enrolled patients and compares them to cohorts from previous milestone CRT studies.


Integrated finite difference method (IFDM) is used to solve one dimensional free oscillation problem in the coastal area. To evaluate the solution accuracy of IFDM in free oscillation analysis, two finite difference equations based on area discretization method and point discretization method are derived from the governing equations of free oscillation, respectively. The difference equations are transformed into a generalized eigenvalue problem, respectively. A numerical example is presented, for which the analytical solution is available, for comparing IFDM to conventional finite difference equation (CFDM), qualitatively. The eigenvalue matrices are solved by sub-space iteration method. The numerical results of the two methods are in good agreement with analytical ones, however, IFDM yields better solution than CFDM in lower modes because IFDM only includes first order differential operator in finite difference equation by Green's theorem. From these results, it is concluded that IFDM is useful for the free oscillation analysis in the coastal area.


Through a series of experiments, the obvious advantage about the sensitivity of thethermistors, comparing with platinum resistance, has been shown. In order to prevent theHydrogen clock from frequency drift, the temperature gradient along its vacuum covermust be monit0red and removed.A number of thermistors placed at different parts of a Hydrogen clock are used in thethermal control system and the consistency of these thermistors has been ensured by careful1y selecting them. The long period stability of the thermistors were tested to be betterthan 2‰ per year and the variation of their resistance with the environment can be alsonegligible. In addition, some points for attention to using thermistors for the thermal control system are mentioned.


In this work a screening study in Jordan was conducted on identification of herbal smoking mixtures containing recently new marketed synthetic cannabinoids (aminoalkylindols) (XLR-11, AB-CHMINACA, AB-FUBINACA isomers) which were responsible for a few cases for suicide accidents, individual violent action and few homicides. The smoking items were seized by customs and by the Anti-Narcotics Department in the year 2016/17. Forensic evidences including herbal smoking mixtures, cigarettes, and cigarettes waste were screened for containing these banned drugs employing GC-EI/MS in scan mode with JWH-018 and 5F-ADB as surrogates and individual aminoalkylindols reference standards. The liquid-liquid extraction optimization results indicated that dichloromethane gave the highest recovery for aminoalkylindols in herbal smoking mixtures and methanol for cigarette waste filters. The Results indicated that the marketed herbs were in all sprayed with either XLR-11 (around 45%) or combination of either both XLR-11 and AB-CHMINACA or a combination of XLR-11 and AB-FUBINACA isomers (25%) and the rest was AB-CHMINACA or AB-FUBINACA isomers pure or mixtures. These results were further confirmed by cigarette waste analysis which gave approximate results to herbs or spices. To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind in the MENA region and to be conducted in Jordan with an optimization procedure that is not reported in literature.


A method of estimating impact pressure on a ship's bow is described which has sufficient accuracy to be used in ship-design of car ferries, pure car-carriers and containerships.


Efficacy of acephate, trlazophos, cypermethrln, alphamethrln, and blfenthrln was evaluated against Okra pests viz., aphids, Aphidsgossypii G., jasslds, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida), and fruit borer Earias viJtella F. Acephate (0.1 and 0.15%) and trlazophos (0.1%) were effective against aphids and leafhoppers while the synthetic pyrethrolds; alphamethrln (0.006%), blfenthrln (0.005%), and cypermetbrln (0.006%) were effective against the fruit borer. The residues of acepbate, trlazopbos, and cypermetbrln In/on Okra fruits were reduced below detectable levels by 20,15, and 10 days after spraying, respectively.


In this paper, a time-delayed controller for position control of humanoid robot arms is designed and implemented on a field programmable gate array(FPGA) chip. The time-delayed control algorithm is simple to implement, and robust to reject disturbances. The time-delayed control method uses the one sample time-delayed previous information to cancel out uncertainties in the system. Since the sampling time is so fast with the current hardware technology, the time-delayed controller can be implemented. However, inertia values should be correctly estimated to have the better performance. The position tracking tasks of humanoid robot arms are tested to compare performances of several control algorithms including the time-delayed controller.


The Visually Guided Vehicle uses the newly available microvideo systems combined with a miniature radio control system to allow precision delivery of non-lethal pyrotechnic combined with a miniature radio control system to allow precision delivery of non-lethal pyrotechnic effects at ranges of 1000 to 2500 meters. The man portable device contains a rocket powered, tube launched vehicle which powers to apogee and glides downward into the desired location. This semi-powered design saves significant weight. This paper will highlight the test data, photographs, and videotape of both the electronic components used in the design and the final non-lethal effects made possible by the complete system.


This paper provides an example of how combining archaeological analysis of ancient materials with current technological needs can lead to new and innovative products designed to promote sustainability within the heritage craft sector. The project behind this paper, RecRAAFT, promoted activities where potters collaborated with archaeologists to create prototypes of sustainable ceramic objects. Potters applied ancient manufacturing techniques and work practices, following interpreted steps of past production methods. Artisans aimed to produce pieces that appeal to the public while reducing their reliance on the global supply chain, promoting a more sustainable consumer culture. Once these processes were understood, experimentation that incorporated public engagement activities allowed artisans to utilise their experimental craft practice to educate people about sustainable production and consumption. RecRAAFT worked to create synergistic relationships between artisans, researchers, and local communities to inspire sustainable design and to connect the public with their local heritage and each other. The aim is to inspire craft practitioners and the public to make responsible choices about their personal consumption, subsequently supporting a fairer economy and healthy craft working environment while also addressing issues related to the climate crisis and long-term purchasing sustainability.


We detected with the IRAM interferometer the lines of CO(4–3) and CO(9–8) from the recently-discovered broad absorption line quasar APM 08279+5255. The molecular lines are at a redshift of 3.9110, which we take to be the true cosmological redshift of the quasar's host galaxy. This means the quasar emission lines at z = 3.87 are blueshifted by a kinematic component of 2500 km s −1 , and, along with the broad absorption lines, are probably emitted in the quasar's wind or jet, moving toward us. The CO line ratios suggest the molecular gas is at a temperature of ∼ 200 K, at a density of 2500 to 5000 cm −3. We also detected the dust emission at both 94 and 214 GHz (emitted wavelengths 650 and 285 µm). The spectral index of the mm/submm continuum is +3.5, indicating the dust emission is optically thin in this part of the spectrum. The extremely high CO and dust luminosities suggest magnification by gravitational lensing. Using the the optical extent and our limit on the size of the CO region, we derive a magnification factor ∼ 14 for the CO lines and the far-IR continuum, and ∼ 40 for the optical/UV. In this interpretation, the molecular gas and dust is in a nuclear disk of radius 120 to 190 pc around the quasar. The quasar is 20 times stronger than, but otherwise resembles, the nucleus of Mrk 231.


A reciprocal twodimensional comparison matrix of objective sets is established with nine scales, and a combined method of bothe the squareroot and power is used on this matrix to obtain the objective weight. Finally, the reciprocal twodimensional comparison matrix is tested for its consistency.


The 2022 ImageCLEFfusion task is the first edition of this task, targeting the creation of late fusion or ensembling methods in two different scenarios: (i) the prediction of media visual interestingness, and (ii) social media image search results diversification. The objective proposed to participants is to train and test their proposed fusion schemes on a set of pre-computed inducers, without creating or bringing inducers from the outside. The two scenarios correspond to a regression scenario in the case of media interestingness, where performance is measured via the mean average precision at 10 (MAP@10) metric, and to a retrieval scenario in the case of result diversification, where performance is measured via the F1-score and Cluster Recall at 20 (F1@20, CR@20). Overall 6 teams registered for ImageCLEFfusion, 5 of them submitting runs, while only one team submitted runs to both the interestingness and diversification tasks. A total of 39 runs were received, and an analysis of the proposed methods shows a great diversity among them, ranging from statistical weighted approaches, weighted approaches that use learning stages for creating the weights, machine learning approaches that join the inducer predictions like SVM or KNN, deep learning approaches, and even fusion schemes that join the results of other fusion schemes.


Submonolayer homoepitaxy on Ir(111) is studied by a refined kinetic lattice Monte Carlo (KLMC) model and compared to results obtained from scanning tunneling microscopy experiments. The KLMC model not only considers individual atomic jumps on regular and stacking-fault sites, but also describes the cooperative motion of small adatom clusters, which determines the temperature-dependent probability of stacking-fault island formation. A complete catalog of diffusion processes at island edges is included that allows one to model the variations of island shapes with temperature. By taking input parameters for cluster and edge diffusion from experiments, calculated island densities as well as the probability of stacking-fault formation agree very well with experimental results for different temperatures. The comparison of simulated and experimental island shapes, however, reveals obvious differences. After systematic modifications of the event database for edge diffusion processes, all features of island shape evolution are well reproduced.


Three dimensional (3D) bioprinting is the process of building a 3D construct containing biological cells. There are varies set of printing parameter involved in 3D bioprinting system that will affect the structure and the mechanical properties of the bioprinted construct. This study was done to investigated the effect of extrusion pressure and infill density on the polycaprolactone (PCL) 3D printed construct's morphology, printing accuracy and compressive strength. Based on morphological evaluations using scanning electron microscope, the printed scaffold was suggested to be at the best condition at pressure 60psi using 80% infill setting. Besides, the mechanical testing revealed the printed scaffold was successfully fabricated without losing its mechanical integrity. This is a good indication for PCL as structural host material to obtain functionalized 3D scaffold using bioprinting method.


US dependence on imported oil could jeopardize the national economy if supplies are interrupted and world peace if military action became necessary to preserve oil supplies. Various scenarios are outlined in which these events could develop to demonstrate US vulnerability to terrorism, military invasion, Soviet intervention, or political changes in the Middle East. A review of energy options indicates that near-term solutions are lacking except for conservation in the form of co-generation, mass transit, and a willingness to accept some immediate hardship in order to avoid more drastic social upheavals later.


We explore in this paper ways to qualify and quantify the quantum entanglement $E(M)$ between two macroscopic objects by way of model studies. Knowing that a macroscopic object is a composite, how does one determine $E(M)$ in terms of the entanglements between its micro-constituents $E(\mu)$? We assert that the notion of `levels of structure', the coupling strength between constituents in different levels, and the use of collective variables in each level are all pertinent factors. We consider two types of coupling, each constituent particle is coupled to only one other particle (1-to-1) versus it coupled to all particles (1-to-all). In the 1-1 case with pairwise interactions of equal strength, the entanglement is independent of the number of constituent particles $N$ in the macroscopic object. In the 1-to-all case the relative coordinates are decoupled and the center of mass (CoM) coupling scales with $N$. We provide a proof of the conditions whereby the CoM variable decouples, a cause for the special role the CoM variable plays in the entanglement between the two such macroscopic objects. This qualitative behavior is largely not affected by fluctuations in the interaction strength. We also analyzed the entanglement pattern of 4 coupled oscillators in two pairs, representing the two objects A and B (or two adjacent levels of structure), each with two constituents. By assigning different coupling strengths we can investigate the interplay of inter-level entanglement with intra- level interactions. From the entanglement dynamics of the 4-oscillator system with varying coupling strength we see the entanglement between constituents meeting sudden death while the CoM variables may sustain over longer times. This offers another way to determine under what conditions quantum entanglement between macroscopic objects can persist.


In this paper, we present a local search framework for lattice fit problem of proteins. Our algorithm significantly improves state-of-the-art results and justifies the significance of the lattice models. In addition to these, our analysis reveals the weakness of several energy functions used.


1. The film facestock with high opacity, suitable for printing with a laser printer, comprising: a printable by a laser printer film facestock comprising a printable first layer, the second layer and the third layer, the printable via laser printer film facestock has an opacity greater than or equal to about 99.0%, the rate of CIELAB L *, greater than or equal to about 93.5, the index CIELAB b *, constituting changed than or equal to about -5.0, and one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of (i) whiteness index greater than or equal to about 110, and (ii) brightness of greater than or equal to about 94.5%, and this caliber (thickness) suitable for printing by a laser printer film facestock is less than or equal to about 2.5 mils (63.5 microns) .2. The film facestock with high opacity, suitable for printing with a laser printer, according to claim 1, further comprising: a. A fourth layer disposed between the second layer and the third layer, the fourth layer adapted to reflect light and comprises a primer material and at least one additive for the fourth layer, and wherein the fourth layer comprises a non-metallic pigmentov.3. The film facestock with high opacity, suitable for printing with a laser printer, according to Claim. 1, wherein the third layer is capable of absorbing light and comprises a primer material and at least one additive for the third sloya.4. membranous


The measurement of grape sugar content is an important index for classifying grapes based on their quality. Owing to the correlation between grape sugar content and appearance, non-destructive measurements are possible using computer vision and deep learning. This study investigates the quality classification of the Red Globe grape. The number of collected grapes in the range of the 15~16% measure is three times more than in the range of <14% or in the range of the >18% measure. This study presents a framework named feature normalization reweighting regression (FNRR) to address this imbalanced distribution of sugar content of the grape datasets. The experimental results show that the FNRR framework can measure the sugar content of a whole bunch of grapes with high accuracy using typical convolution neural networks and a visual transformer model. Specifically, the visual transformer model achieved the best accuracy with a balanced loss function, with the coefficient of determination R = 0.9599 and the root mean squared error RMSE = 0.3841%. The results show that the effect of the visual transformer model is better than that of the convolutional neural network. The research findings also indicate that the visual transformer model based on the proposed framework can accurately predict the sugar content of grapes, non-destructive evaluation of grape quality, and could provide reference values for grape harvesting.


To extend the application fields of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and single-wall carbon nanohorns (SWNHs), their chemical modification is essential. Since their graphene-sheet-based structures are chemically robust, only the edges of the graphene sheets, more specifically the oxygen-containing functional groups at hole edges, are useful sites for chemical modification. However, not much is known about the hole-edges, so the phenomenon reported here, that the hole edges easily react with conventional reagents, was previously unknown. We observed a lowering of the combustion temperature of SWNTs and SWNHs immersed in water; this lowering was induced as a result of the hydrolysis of oxygen-containing functional groups (anhydrides and/or lactones) at the hole edges. We also found that the reactivity of hole edges can be easily controlled through an appropriate choice of solvents. We believe that this study is helpful to our understanding of hole-edge chemistry and will help to enable the production of...


A time‐domain data continuation problem for a second order hyperbolic equation in a three‐dimensional inhomogeneous half‐space, which is a common problem in time‐domain layer‐stripping, is considered. Two different approaches, namely the local continuation approach and the wave‐splitting approach, are used to propagate the surface data (the Dirichlet and Neumann data) to the data at deeper planes. The local continuation approach requires a regularization in order to obtain a stable numerical result. The wave‐splitting approach uses larger transverse spatial domain of dependence, and gives reasonably stable results even without any additional smoothing process.


Historians and peculiarities of French history revolution, restoration and beyond politics abd political cultures from restoration to Third Republic society and people - "Bourgeois Centuries"? backwar or different - the strange case of the French 19th century economy Paris versus the provinces the Jewish question from Dreyfus to Vichy France's cultural clashes political thought, intellectuals and the meanings of "France" 1890-1945 defending France - military policy and the quest for security abroad 1890-1945 the collapse of the Third Republic Vichy, the resistance and de Gaulle the economy and the "Great Leap Forward" women society, and politics in modern France French trade unionism, society and the state religion and belief in 20th century France France and its "other".


Reduced order modeling plays an indispensible role for most real‐world complex models. The objective of this manuscript is to hybridize local and global sensitivity analysis methods to enable the application of reduced order modeling to complex nonlinear models, often encountered in real system design and analysis calculations, for example, nuclear reactors. This is achieved by first employing local variational methods to identify important nonlinear features of the original model that are required to reach a user‐defined accuracy for the reduced model. This information is obtained by sampling local first‐order derivatives of a pseudoresponse utilizing a modified representation of an infinite series expansion around some reference point. The resulting derivative information is aggregated in a subspace of dimension much less than the dimension of the input parameter space. The accuracy of the reduced model can be mathematically quantified using a bounding norm. Next, global sensitivity methods are employed to exhaustively search the reduced subspace for sensitivity information. The theory and implementation details of the proposed method are exposed in this manuscript. Numerical tests based on prototype nonlinear functions and radiation transport models with many input parameters and many responses are conducted as proof of principle. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Melanoma, a fatal form of skin cancer accounts for less than 2% of skin cancer, but is responsible for 75% death due to skin cancer [1]. UV rays in the Sun is believed to be responsible for 90% of melanoma incidence [2], with only 10% inherited in the family. Epidemiological studies showed that mortality rate was higher in males than in females [3]. Current targeted therapy and immuno-therapy are accompanied by serious side-effects such as endocrinopathies and other allergic and autoimmune disorders [4,5]. This situation warrants an understanding of the fundamental nature of the disease before developing any treatment. At this juncture, a survey of in-vitro and in-vivo effects of steroids on melanoma growth [6] provided a basis for the nature of this disease.


Coating for application to a substrate, In which the coating contains at least one thermoplastic fluoroplastic and at least one thermoplastic polycondensate which has a greater hardness than the fluoroplastic and comprises polyaryletherketone, and has an upper continuous service temperature of at least 200 ° C., In which the thermoplastic polycondensate is resistant to hydrolysis and is resistant to hot steam up to at least 130 ° C., In which the hardness of the coating decreases continuously from the first surface intended for application to the substrate in the direction of the second surface remote from the substrate, In which the concentration of the thermoplastic polycondensate continuously increases in the direction of the first surface of the coating, - In which the first surface facing bottom layer of the coating has the lowest proportion and the top layer has the highest content of fluoroplastic.


In Northern Ireland, groups of school children, parents, teachers, and principals are supporting religiously integrated schools. This paper gives an account of this movement and the history behind Catholic/Protestant tensions in Northern Ireland. The "Controlled" school system in the country is largely Protestant, whereas the "Maintained" system is mostly Roman Catholic. Although it is possible for a child to cross over from one type of school to another, it is extremely unusual. These separate school systems reflect separate geographical communities and can be traced back to the 17th century. By 1921, Northern Ireland was cleaved from what became the Republic of Ireland, with the former remaining under British control, giving a decided advantage to Protestant schools. Efforts to establish integrated schools were begun by parents in the early 1970s, with the first integrated school being founded in Belfast in 1981. By 1989 the Education Reform Order for Northern Ireland officially guaranteed the right of Integrated Schools to exist through financial maintenance. Funding for the schools has been a challenge, and Protestant and Catholic church officials have either reacted passively to these changes or have actively discouraged integration. The schools themselves feature a philosophy of education and integration in a relaxed atmosphere. (RJM) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDU,CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) %%his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. o Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) .1 ISLANDS OF HEALING: A ST. PATRICK'S DAY LOOK AT INTEGRATED SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN IRELAND Dr. Abigail Stahl McNamee H. H. Lehman College City University of New York About the Author: Dr. McNamee has been conducting research in Northern for ten years. She has studied American holiday programs which bring children from Northern Ireland to the United States for summer holiday and has also studied the movement toward an alternative system of integrated religious education in an almost totally segregated educational system. In keeping with the tortured history of Ireland, the movement of integrated religious education in Northern Ireland has been a mixture of beautiful and discordant rhythms. On the whole a difficult dance of willing partners (Catholic and struggling to maintain their steps in the face of silently cold sideliners. We must extend the hand of friendship our Reverend Bishop said Learn to love your Protestant neighbor This is the way ahead. Help your fellow citizen And live the Christian rule But do not send your children To an integrated school. (Anonymous...a parent in Northern Ireland). Protestant) jeering or Integrated education, by race and certainly by religion, is a "given" in the United States in the 1990's. Having come through decades of racial segregation issues and a painful transition


ABSTRACT PHC pile head cutting is an essential operation in foundation works, as it is needed to level the pile foundations. However, as it involves workers manually cutting the PHC pile with a grinder, the PHC pile head cutting process has several challenges with regard to safety, convenience, productivity, and quality. To address such problems, in this study, we define the core element technologies and automated work processes of an all-in-one attachment-based PHC pile head cutting robot that allow a series of operations to be performed in sequence – recognizing a cut-off line on PHC piles; cutting them; and separating, lifting, transporting, and unloading the severed top parts of the piles – without the need to involve workers onsite. Additionally, a prototype of the robot is developed and subjected to performance evaluation and productivity analysis. The results of the performance evaluation and productivity analysis of the conventional and automated methods performed using Web-CYCLONE simulations indicate that the automated method can improve the productivity by 3.13% compared with the conventional method. It is anticipated that when deployed onsite, the proposed robot can not only increase the productivity but also improve the convenience and quality of work at the PHC pile head cutting job site.


The rapid development now under way of the free-piston gas generator-turbine power plant is outlined. The original Pescara unit in France, and the Cooper-Bessemer and Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton generators being perfected in the United States, are described, and possible applications are mentioned.


Technical measures taken for the Zaohe 3rd lock chamber are discussed in view of the construction characteristics and thorny problems and according to the construction procedure.


earlier period, before 1500, Iona was the most important centre; after that date the principal school was centred on Oronsay. The classification, on art-historical grounds, is based on an analysis of the detail and of the motifs used. The historical sequence is provided by the inscriptions carved on many of the stones. The arguments set out in this part of the book are entirely convincing and provide a definitive account of the whole series and its historical and geographical setting. A valuable appendix discusses the source of the material. No complete catalogue is attempted. This will eventually emerge as the Commission's survey of Argyll proceeds. In the meantime we may be confident that no important example has been overlooked. Older sources are used for stones now lost and for those which have deteriorated since they were first recorded. For one not versed in the intricacies of Scottish antiquarian literature, the bibliography has every appearance of being exhaustive. The second part of the work provides a complete corpus of the extant and recorded texts, with a full historical and genealogical commentary. This is tied in with a separate appendix on the Lordship of the Isles, with which the whole series is demonstrably connected. In a wider field one of the most important inscriptions is that cut on the south-east pier of the crossing of the abbey church of Iona; it states that Donald O'Brolchan made this work (no. 18). Donald belonged to a family well known in northern Ireland as early as the twelfth century; they first appear on the record in the west Highlands in 1382. By collation with the known history of the abbey the authors conclude that the inscription dates from the time of Abbot Dominic (1421—c. 1465) and that the work was in progress in c. 1450. The argument establishes a close dating for fifteenth-century remodelling of the church. On a minor point Skeabost Island in Skye, where one of the effigies is recorded, must represent Snizort (p. 208), the late medieval cathedral of the Isles. There is evidence of earlier work on the island, which may have been the missionary centre of the suffragan of York, who signs his profession of canonical obedience to Archbishop Thomas (1109-14) ' I , Wimund, (bishop) of the holy church of Skye (Schith) . . .' {Historians of the Church of York in Rolls Series, lxxi, ii, 372).


This study aimed to explain the cultural shock reaction experienced by foreigner in the context of Indonesian culture, especially in Aditiya Wahyu Budiawan's Webtoon Next Door Country. This research employed Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis to analyze three episodes from mentioned Webtoon series. The findings showed that in Next Door Country Webtoon, foreigners often to use facial expression when dealing with customs and cultural traditions in Indonesia. In this Webtoon, facial expression is used as a form of emotional expression to show the emotions they feel as a result of culture shock phenomenon experienced in the process when experiencing and understanding a new culture. During the process of cultural shock, foreigners as in Webtoon will go through four phases; those are optimistic phase, crisis phase, recovery phase, and adjustment phase. Another finding from this research is that the diverse cultural tradition in Indonesia is the main trigger for these foreigners to experience cultural shock.


In the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), healthcare professionals (HCPs) have a primary role in combating the epidemic threat. HCPs are at high risk of not only contracting the infection but also spreading it unknowingly. It is of utmost importance to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and the ability to assess the risks associated with the outbreak. A cross-sectional online survey involving physicians, pharmacists, and nurses was conducted. A 39-itemed questionnaire based on the World Health Organization (WHO)COVID-19 risk assessment tool was shared with healthcare professionals in three purposively selected key divisions of Punjab province. Out of 500 healthcare professionals, 385 responded to the survey. The majority (70%) were aged 22–29 years; 144 (37.4%) physicians, 113 (29.4%) nurses, and 128 (33.2%) pharmacists completed the survey. Overall, 94.8% of healthcare professionals scored adequately (>14) for COVID-19-related knowledge; 97.9% displayed an optimistic attitude (>42) and 94.5% had an adequate practice score (>28). Kruskal–Wallis and Jonckheere–Terpstra tests showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in KAP and risk assessment scores among groups; physicians and nurses scored higher as compared to pharmacists. Further research and follow-up investigations on disaster management and risk assessment can help policy-makers better tackle future epidemics.


Abstract By using short path molecular distillation (SPD) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) techniques, petroleum waxes have been fractionated into different fractions. These wax fractions were analyzed for their composition and phase transitions by gas chromatography (GC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). GC data and the DSC thermograms indicated that the waxes vary significantly in their properties and composition.


The history of composite insulators techniques have been described in this paper. For example, the development of interface connection techniques; the material of composite insulators; end envelop; shed figure; uniformity voltage fitting and so on had been compared between each age and the conclusion which had been found from these comparison is that the composite insulator technique has been mature gradually and more advanced than other countries. The paper also pointed out that the operation experience and standard of the composite insulators is not enough; the reliability of composite insulators which will be the one of most important question of transmission line in China will be studied in the future; technical specification about 1000 kV AC and 800 kV DC composite insulators would be improved which should considers the difference between the 1000 kV AC and 800 kV DC transmission system and normal power transmission system; monitoring for composite insulators on the transmission line are need to be focused on. The improvement of the housing tracking and erosion; the shed figure; the dimension of uniformity voltage fitting; the aging test and the test of long string mechanical vibration should be discuss in this article.


This book has been written and revised several times over a period of nine years, in order to further improve its contents and account for the many suggestions and comments from my students, university colleagues, and reviewers. It is hoped that this effort will provide those who use this \ with a clear and thorough presentation of both the theory and application of fluid mechanics. To achieve this objective, I have incorporated mar the pedagogic features that I have used in my other books.These induce the following:
Organization and Approach. Each chapter is organized into well-defined sections that contain an explanation of specific topic-, illustrative example problems, and at the end of the chapter, a s^ relevant homework problems. The topics within each section are placed into subgroups defined by boldface titles. The purpose of this organization is to present a structured method for introducing each new definition or concept, and to make the book a convenient resource for later reference and review.
Procedures for Analysis. This unique feature provides the stu with a logical and orderly method to follow when applying the theory that has been discussed in a particular section. The example problems are then solved using this outlined method in order to clarify its numc application. Realize, however, that once the relevant principles have ! mastered, and enough confidence and judgment has been obtained, the student can then develop his or her own procedures for solving problems.
Important Points. This feature provides a review or summan of the most important concepts in a section, and highlights the most significant points that should be remembered when applying the theory to solve problems. A further review of the material is given at the end oi the chapter.
Photos. The relevance of knowing the subject matter is reflected b> the realistic applications depicted in the many photos placed throughoul the book. These photos are often used to show how the principles of fluid mechanics apply to real-world situations.
Fundamental Problems. These problem sets are selectively located just after the example problems. They offer students simple application-of the concepts and therefore provide them with the chance to develop their problem-solving skills before attempting to solve any of the standard problems that follow. Students may consider these problems as extended examples, since they all have complete solutions and answers given in the back of the book. Additionally, the fundamental problems offer stu.. an excellent means of preparing for exams, and they can be used at a latei time to prepare for the Fundamentals in Engineering Exam.


In the context of texture classification, this article explores the capacity and the performance of some combinations of feature extraction, linear and nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques and several kinds of classification methods. The performances are evaluated and compared in term of classification error. In order to test our texture classification protocol, the experiment carried out images from two different sources, the well known Brodatz database and our leaf texture images database for an agronomic application.


This paper examines the migration of women to work as domestic helpers in a foreign country as part of the global and regional systems of labor movements associated with global economic restructuring. A growing component of labor flows from less developed countries has been that of female migrants seeking work as paid domestic helpers in the households of their richer neighboring countries whose women have gone out to work in the formal economy. We argue that while the availability of foreign domestic helpers helps to alleviate the shortage of local maids in well-off economies like Singapore, it is a solution that is predicated on certain nationalistic and gendered stereotypes: while each nationality of women is 'valued' for a specific quality seen as enhancing their worth as domestic helpers, their valorization rests on attributes perceived as feminine, viz., a willingness to do a repetitive, boring and menial job for relatively low wages. Thus, while Third World women may see working as domestic helpers in a higher-growth economy as a means of improving their economic future, it is an option that reinforces existing social ideologies of the low worth of Third World women's labor.


A federal judge has denied a request for an injunction against the startup of the long-stalled Waste Technologies Industries (WTI) commercial hazardous waste incinerator in East Liverpool, OH. The $140-million plant, owned by a US subsidiary of Swiss engineering group Von Roll Ltd. (Zuerich), will go through a startup stage and a seven-day trial burn during the next two months, according to WTI. In testimony in federal court in Huntington, WV, WTI had said it was losing $115,000/day in fixed costs because of the plant's startup delay. The company also said that long-term contracts with Chemical Waste Management (CWM; Oak Brook, IL), Du Pont (Wilmington, DE), and BASF Corp. (Parsippany, NJ) to use plant services could be jeopardized by the delay. WTI is believed to have 10-year service contracts with the three companies and also will use CWM to dispose of the ash from the incinerator.


In this study, a field trial was carried out on organic matter, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics of different litter components (i.e. leaf, branch, roots less than 2 mm and 2-5 mm) in forest fallows (3 years: FL-3, 5 years: FL-5 and 10 years: FL-10) at Muallungthu, Mizoram using litter bag techniques. The rate of organic matter loss and release of C and N was faster in leaf and fine root (less than 2 mm) compared to branch and coarse roots (2-5 mm). Further, litter mass loss rate was higher in longer fallow (FL-10) compared to shorter fallow (FL-3 and FL-5). Results showed that mass loss and release of C and N was largely depending on the initial litter quality, abiotic variables and litter microorganisms. Release of C followed the patter similar to that of mass loss, whereas, N release showed an initial release followed by a slow release or marginal increase that indicate the tendency of N immobilization. Results indicate that the addition of litter from the adjoining forest adds organic matter, C and N in shifting cultivation that may help in sustaining soil fertility and crop productivity of shifting agriculture sites in northeastern hill regions of Mizoram


Increasing number of xerographic printers are now utilizing chemically prepared toners as marking particles. There are various methods of making chemically prepared toners and each method had its own advantages and disadvantages. In general, the chemically prepared toners can be produced to a much smaller particle size than the conventional melt-pulverized toners. Further, it is possible to impart some unique and specific properties to chemical toners to aid with the simplification of electrophotographic process. In the meantime, progress is being continuously made with the manufacturing processes used in the production of conventional toner by melt compounding and pulverizing methods. Both approaches of manufacturing face tough challenges as they attempt to deliver marking particles that must meet the new printer requirements in future products. A comparison between the two technologies is made along with the hurdles that each must overcome in order to be successful.


Homogeneous xerogel powders in the BaO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 and BaO-ZnO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 systems were prepared by chemical polymerisation in a sol-gel process. Their sintering behaviour and crystallisation characteristics have been investigated as a function of temperature, time, and composition. The BAS system requires a sintering temperature or 900-960°C and the BZAS system 840-900°C to achieve reasonable densities - up to 97%. The BAS system produced hexagonal BAS 2 and BS 2 phases on devitrification. The BZAS system gave celsian and hexagonal BAS 2 and the presence of ZnO facilitated the formation of celsian


Earthquake mainly produces Pand Swave at the point of occurrence. Mining site that mines the geological material from earth often makes the quarry blasts on the surface of earth to accelerate the mining process instead of drilling. This mining blast also causes the same wave as the earthquake. It is very difficult to differentiate between two of them as the characteristics of waves produced by these two events are similar. Sometimes mining sites are located near to residential area and discrimination of earthquake and quarry blast data is important to analyze the geological activities to create awareness. Data clustering is one of the effective techniques that differentiate the data into a number of clusters where a cluster contains similar data. ISR is a Government organization, captures the real time seismic data, which also measure the mining blast data and vehicle vibration and produce the waveform. Segregation of earthquake, mining blast and vehicle vibration data is the key problem here. In this paper, we studied and analyzed the complexity and limitations of several clustering and other data discrimination methods that can be applied on seismographic database to discriminate earthquake and quarry blast data.


Driven cavity ows by eecient numerical techniques, J. An error estimate for the modiied newton method with applications to the solution of nonlinear two-point boundary value problems, Accurate and economical solution of the pressure head form of Richards' equation by the method of lines, Tech. Application of Newton-Krylov methodology to a three-dimensional unstructured Euler code. and the conceptual framework of the theory, which was originally motivated by similar observations in the literature. There is a fairly long induction phase, in which the initial iterate is guided towards the Newton convergence domain by remaining close to the physical transient, with relatively small timesteps. There is a terminal phase which can be made as rapid as the capability of the linear solver permits (which varies from application to application), in which an iterate in the Newton convergence domain is polished. Connecting the two is a phase of moderate length during which the time step is built up towards the Newton limit of max , starting from a reasonably accurate iterate. The division between these phases is not always clear cut, though exogenous experience suggests that it becomes more so when the corrector of x 1 is iterated towards convergence on each time step. We plan to examine this region of parameter space in conjunction with an extension of the theory to mixed steady//tc systems (analogs of diierential-algebraic systems in the ODE context) in the future. update. Asymptotic convergence cannot be expected to be quadratic or superlinear, since we do not enforce n ! 0 in (3.5). However, linear convergence is steep, and our experience shows that overall execution time is increased if too many linear iterations are employed in order to enforce n ! 0 asymptotically. In the results shown in this section, the inner linear convergence tolerance was set at 10 ?2 for the defect correction part of the trajectory, and at 10 ?3 for the Newton part. The work was also limited to a maximum of 12 restart cycles of 20 Krylov vectors each. Examination of the pseudo-timestep history shows monotonic growth that is gradual through the defect correction phase (ending at n = 14), then more rapidly growing , and asymptotically at max (beginning at n = 20). Steps 21, 24, and 32 show momentary retreats from max in response to a reenement on the tc strategy that automatically cuts back the pseudo-timestep by a xed factor if a …


Thermal spray is a continuous, directed, melt-spray process in which particles (e.g., 1–50 μm in diameter) of virtually any material are melted and accelerated to high velocities, through either a combustion flame or a dc or rf nontransferred thermal-plasma arc. The molten or semimolten droplets impinge on a substrate and rapidly solidify to form a thin "splat." The deposit is built up by successive impingement and interbonding among the splats. The splats accumulate into a wellbonded deposit, generally > 10 μm thick.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possible association between the recently described interleukin 6 (IL-6) promoter polymorphisms at position -174, and susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODS
Ninety-two patients with AS, 157 healthy controls, and an additional group of 52 HLA-B27 positive unrelated individuals were included in this study. The -174 polymorphic site in the promoter region of IL-6 gene was typed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

RESULTS
No statistically significant differences were observed when IL-6 promoter genotype and allele distribution between patients with AS and healthy controls were compared.

CONCLUSION
Our results suggest the -174 IL-6 polymorphism does not play an important role in susceptibility to AS. Larger studies are needed to provide more conclusive evidence on the role of -174 IL-6 polymorphism in AS.


Bearing arrangement, in particular for sensor arrays comprising a first and a second bearing part which are movable relative to one another formed and arranged and are in contact in the course of this relative movement, at least partially, wherein the first bearing part is guided on at least one first bearing surface of the second bearing part, wherein the first running surface of the second bearing part has a recess in which at least a ridge is formed which is not affected by its arrangement in the recess, the relative movement between the first and the second bearing part.


From the polar forms of the principal components corresponding with each of a set of covariance (or correlation) matrices, a linear combination based on their inner products is defined as the polar form of the consensus. The corresponding eigenvectors form an orthogonal matrix which rotates each of the covariance matrices to approximate diagonal form. From the norms of the polar forms, these eigenvectors can be used to estimate a common covariance matrix. These procedures are illustrated by a numerical example.


ie student of expressed in Chapter II, which deals with not clear in the new school song books published in ich materials Switzerland, is worthy of note. "In all inAppendix E stances care is taken that these songs repre)r bids. Apsent 'music for use' in the best sense of [rawings and the term, that they employ sensible texts, housing and and that these are from all viewpoints so xctable bibliselected that the youngster who learns them in school will also be inclined to sing them irectors who later as an adult. For what the upper departments elementary grades sing will be most deeld will find cisive in determining what the people in ems. Experithe future regard as beautiful and worthmuch pracwhile and retain as a real folk tradition has already and treasure." eful text in The book is primarily written as a guide courses in or handbook for the elementary classroom ervision, and teacher, but there is a great deal in it that vailable texts is usable much beyond the elementary grades. Many passages will remind the BRUCE BRAY American reader that problems with which he has been dealing are not unique with ie Schule. him. Here we have an opportunity to see familiar problems cast in an unfamiliar setuflage. By ting, or unfamiliar problems in a familiar witzerland: setting. New light is often thrown on topics 3; 295 pp.; which for us are regarded as highly controversial by the very reason that little ublication in or no controversy exists concerning them in ;ms of music Switzerland. Such is the case with the s is of such question of classroom versus special music on an interteacher, or "Relative Tonal Conception," revised edithe title of Chapter III, which deals priusikerziehung marily with the use of "Sol-Fa" syllables ducation by and the use of the handsigns, the latter a widely spread practice among the music tudy is the teachers in the German-speaking countries arly the eleof Europe. is in which It is revealing as well as significant that ble hours in there are no chapters, not even paragraphs, )upils. These devoted to such problems as training the f a theorist, select group, preparing of the school musit rather the icale, drilling of the marching band, etc. contact over The question of child exploitation for musnditions and ical entertainment of the public is so comig with chilpletely foreign to the music program of the European public school that not even devices and an oblique reference can be found to it. directly to This does not mean that European schools other scene do not have select groups, or that public ng lists are performances are never given. These all one to twelve, are included. would be of special help to th music education. Further, it is all cases to the student wh come from what budget items. also has a sample request fc pendix F contains excellent d photographs of facilities for storing, and there is a respe ography. In this new book, music d "administer" one-man music their first few years in the fi answers to many vexing probl enced directors, too, will find tical information. The book proved itself as a very us graduate and undergraduate music administration and sup it fills a troublesome gap in a' for such courses.


【Objective】A molecular epidemiological investigation on piglets diarrhea induced by Enterotoxigenic E.coli was performed in Shaanxi Province.【Method】Isolation and identification of E.coli were performed from stool samples of 1-50-day-old piglet diarrhea collected from 7 pig farms in Northern Shaanxi Province Area(Zizhou,Ganquan),Southern Area(Hanzhong,Chenggu)and Guanzhong Area(Yangling,Xi'an,Huxian).The standard strains E.coli containing a known toxin were detected by using the ordinary and multi-PCR to verify the feasibility of testing;The enterotoxin(STa,STb,LT)and adhesion(K88,K99,987P,F41) were detected respectively by multiplex PCR fromEscherichia coli of formerlly isolates.【Result】The separation and identification of 104 E.coli showed that harbored enterotoxin had a total of 45,STa,STb,LT,and STa+LT number of gene-positive strains were 28,5,8 and 4respectively.Adhesion that harbored in Escherichia coli had a total of 31,including K88,K99,987P and K88+987P,whose positive strains were 4,22,2 and 3strains respectively.A total of 14 samples having expressions of toxin and adhesin were detected in all samples at the same time.Only STa enterotoxin and K99 adhesin in the southern region of Shaanxi Province were detected.In northern Shaanxi Province,the toxin types ap-peared.The harbored toxins in 1-7-day-old piglets were mainly K99and STa;Various toxin genes of the 20-30-day-old in detection were detected.【Conclusion】The main enterotoxin and adhesion of ETEC inducing piglets diarrhea in Shaanxi Province were STa and K99.The distribution of virulence factors was closely related to the region and the day age of piglets.


A visible‐light‐promoted radical fluoroalkylation has been achieved through a three‐component reaction of fluoroalkyl reagents, isocyanides, and water, affording fluoroalkyl‐substituted amides in good yields. This reaction involves the generation of the nitrilium cation by single‐electron reduction of the imidoyl radical and a subsequent nucleophilic attack by water. Mechanistic studies support the generation of the imidoyl radical through the capture of the fluoroalkyl‐substituted imidoyl radical species.


Like in other relatively flat coastal areas, flooding by aquifer overflow is a recurring problem on the western coast of Normandy (France). Threats are expected to be enhanced by the rise of the sea level and to have critical consequences on the future development and management of the territory. The delineation of the increased saturation areas is a required step to assess the impact of climate change locally. Preliminary models showed that vulnerability does not result only from the sea side but also from the continental side through the modifications of the hydrological regime.

We investigate the processes controlling these coastal flooding phenomena by using hydrogeological models calibrated at large scale with an innovative method reproducing the hydrographic network. Reference study sites selected for their proven sensitivity to flooding have been used to validate the methodology and determine the influence of the different geomorphological configurations frequently encountered along the coastal line.

Hydrogeological models show that the rise of the sea level induces an irregular increase in coastal aquifer saturations extending up to several kilometers inland. Back-littoral channels traditionally used as a large-scale drainage system against high tides limits the propagation of aquifer saturation upstream, provided that channels are not dominantly under maritime influence. High seepage fed by increased recharge occurring in climatic extremes may extend the vulnerable areas and further limit the effectiveness of the drainage system. Local configurations are investigated to categorize the influence of the local geological and geomorphological structures and upscale it at the regional scale.


Abstract : Our long-term goal is to use tools from molecular biology to engineer multi-enzyme metabolic complexes, mimicking the physical forms ubiquitous in nature. The direct coupling between sequential enzymatic reactions, through either static or dynamic interactions, offers the promise of eliminating these production barriers as it reduces the distance between enzyme active sites and favors sequential reactions over diffusion into the bulk. Therefore, the objective of these studies is to engineer synthetic metabolic complexes by exploiting the assembly mechanisms of natural systems to spatially organize enzymes that participate in sequential reaction steps. We expect that by developing a generic set of tools to co-localize metabolic pathways, we will overcome traditional bottlenecks that limit the commercial viability of microbial factories.


This paper is the introduction to a workshop on the subject of alternate strip clearcutting in upland black spruce. The workshop, held on 24 and 25 June 1986, represents a 10-year review of a project that includes studies of economics, regeneration, environmental impacts, and planning and implementation. A historical background to the project and a list of papers presented are given. A set of general recommendations, arising from deliberations and discussions by workshop participants, is presented. In the current issue of The Forestry. Chronicle, this introduction and three of the workshop papers are published. A final set of papers from the workshop will be published in a subsequent issue


Build-Then-Sell (BTS) housing delivery system has been implemented in developed countries such as United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Australia and Singapore successfully. The concept (BTS) was introduced by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi intends to replace the current conventional sell-then-build (STB) system which synonymly linked to many abandoned projects. In response to the problem, the Malaysian Government has conducted several seminars and conferences to promote BTS system to solve the aforementioned issue. Despite of many promotions done, the implementation has not been to its fullest potential due to the risk adverse nature among the developers. Only few adopt the system and thus reflect low level of readiness among the developers to adopt the proposed system. This paper investigates how BTS is implemented among the practicing housing developer by identifying the associated risks involved in BTS implementation and identify how the developer overcome the associated risks. The research was conducted through case study approach by identifying the source of risks that gives impact on project's objectives and identifies how the company mitigates the risks in delivering BTS housing project. Data was analysed using matrix calculation and content analysis techniques. This study discovers nine sources of risks that impede the project's objectives. The study also managed to map several risk mitigation exercised by the developer. Some of the risk mitigation approaches practised are close monitoring during the project stages, having an internal team to ensure quality assurance as well as quality control of housing units. It can be concluded that this study has managed to make some valuable findings towards promoting the implementation of BTS among the housing developers.


The successful analysis of drugs in complex pharmaceutical formulations by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) relies upon the optimization of the chromatographic conditions, the sample preparation and post-column detection. HPLC separation of mixtures depends on a large number of factors. The optimization of RP-HPLC method defines the simultaneous influence of some important conditions, such as column type, mobile phase composition, pH of the mobile phase, column temperature and flow rate, to the separation and determination. In this paper the RP-HPLC method was applied for the optimal separation of lidocaine, cetrimonium bromide and color in the pharmaceutical pellets (Septalen® pellets). The selectivity factor values defined the optimal conditions, which were continued by analyzing the appropriate mathematical models. With the aid of the response surface methodology (RSM) it was possible to anticipate to a certain degree and precisely select optimal experimental conditions. Separations were performed on a Beckman Ultrasphere ODS 4.6 x 150 mm, 5 μm particle size column. Samples were introduced through a Rheodyne injector valve with a 20 μL sample loop. UV detection was performed at 208 nm. The optimization was performed within the pH range from 2.0 to 5.5; temperature range from 20 °C to 55 °C and composition of the mobile phase acetonitrile-water from (15:85 V/V) to (35:65 V/V). The three-D graphs, constructed with sixty-four experimental points, confirmed the optimal conditions for the separation of lidocaine, cetrimonium bromide and color in analyzed pharmaceutical preparations.


AstrAZenecA AB, AstrAZenecA UK Ltd: Whittock R, Withnall J. Salts of a selective b-2 andrenoceptor agonist. Novel salt forms of 7-[(1R)-2-({2-[(3-{[2-(2-chlorophenyl)ethyl]amino} propyl)thio]ethyl}amino)-1-hydroxyethyl]-4-hydroxy-1,3-benzothiazol2(3H)-one are claimed for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The concentration of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) in cell lysates was determined using AlphaScreenTM detection beads pre-incubated with biotinylated cAMP incubated with sample at room temperature for 10 h in the dark. The AlphaScreen signal was measured using an EnVision spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer, Inc.) and concentration response curves for agonists constructed. Intrinsic activity and pEC50 values were calculated. WO2008104790 (2008) 60 pages.


There are numerous approaches to the measurement of insurer profitability and ratemaking. On the surface, these approaches appear to be quite different since the results produced by them can, and often do, yield conflicting results. Certainly contüsion is created when figures and results differ, and it is unclear as to the cause of the difference. This is especially true in the area of ratemaking, given the perspectives and agendas of the various parties involved. In order to assist in furthering the dialogue among interested parties, it is important that the sources of differences be understood. These differences can result from the data used, from the models used to process and present the data, from the assumptions used in the model, and from fundamentally different philosophical approaches.


In this paper, a new approach for optical isolator based on the Plasmonic effect is proposed. Metallic nanoparticles of different sizes are used to realize the proposed idea. Metallic nanoparticles spin-coated on alumina thin layer that is coated on Silicon waveguide. We demonstrated that the proposed idea operates in a broadband spectral range (more than 800nm) as well as back-propagating wave attenuated more than 120dB. The proposed idea can enhance the isolation ratio and also can provide wider bandwidth for isolation. The proposed idea is based on solution process nanotechnology that is simple, low cost, and available.


A meeting took place from October 30 to November 1, 1991, at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a new facility of Louisiana State University located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The meeting focused on the mechanisms of action and the epidemiology of vitamins with cancer prevention potential. The meeting was opened by George Bray, Director of the Center, who outlined the goals of the new center, which include nutritional research in diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, behavior, public health, and clinical food sciences. A number of programs have recently been initiated, while others are in different phases of planning. Donna Ryan, Associate Executive Director of the Center, welcomed the participants in the name of Mervin Trail, Director of the newly established Louisiana State University Cancer Center. The keynote speaker, Peter Greenwald (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD), called attention to the increased awareness in the scientific community of the role of nutrition in cancer causation, reflected by the marked increase in funding of nutrition research by the National Cancer Institute, covering studies of dietary patterns and food groups (approximately $30 million in 1 991), single-nutrient chemoprevention (approximately $37 million), and nonnutrient chemoprevention (approximately $21 million). He illustrated a number of research activities funded by the institute, emphasizing their prevention aspects, and referred to the fact that recent research continues in several fields, from epidemiology to molecular biology. An example of this interaction is the model of colon carcinogenesis developed by Vogelstein and co-workers, the multistep, multifactorial nature ofwhich illustrates the many opportunities for prevention research. He noted the need to fund nutrition research adequately; budget allocations are not commensurate with research needs and opportunities for progress, given that 35% of cancers are attributed to diet. Session I, on the mechanisms of action of vitamins in cancer prevention, was chaired by William Pryor (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA). He described the cascade of chemical reactions related to oxidative stress and its likely role in carcinogenesis. He also emphasized the role played by antioxidants in maintaining the delicate balance that tends to prevent free radical injury to cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. He described some of the biomarkers that can be used to assess oxidative stress in clinical trials and related studies. He pointed to a growing feeling by the scientific community that recommended daily allowances of antioxidant vitamins are suboptimal in light of their role in preventing cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and other chronic diseases. Adrianne Bendich (Roche Vitamins and Fine Chemicals, Nutley, NJ) discussed the many immune functions that require antioxidant vitamins and pointed to the fact that a common denominator of many carcinogenic influences (i.e., smoking, UV light, age) is some degree of down-regulation of the immune system. The role of vitamin B6, ascorbic acid, folic acid, and f -carotene in enhancing the immune response was discussed. John Bertram (University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI) presented evidence that the ability of retinoids and carotenoids to inhibit carcinogen-induced neoplastic transformation in 1OT1/2 cell cultures is strongly correlated with their ability to up-regulate intercellular gap junctional communication. In other studies enhanced junctional communication was shown to be associated with enhanced growth control. Together these results lead to the proposal that retinoids and carotenoids function as cancer-preventive agents by increasing the ability of adjacent nontransformed cells to suppress the growth and transformation of carcinogen-initiated cells. Both types of compounds increased expression of the gap junction gene connexin 43 in 1OT1/2 mouse cells and in human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, suggesting a unifying mechanism of action for these chemopreventive agents in epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Session II on epidemiology was chaired by Pelayo Correa (Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA), who emphasized the consistency of international epidemiological investigations in reporting that the frequent ingestion of fresh fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer. Some of the mechanisms of action are not well understood, and nutrients as well as nonnutrients may play a role, but sufficient data have accumulated to justify intervention research. Epidemiological studies showing a prominent role for antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamin C in Louisiana, were reported in the presentation and covered in more detail in a poster prepared by Elizabeth Fontham (Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA). JoAnn Manson (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA) reviewed available cohort studies that show consistently protective effects for 3-carotene-containing foods but less clear results for other vitamins. Larry Kolonel (University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI) summarized epidemiological studes of cancer of the lung, prostate, bladder, thyroid, and endometrium and malignant melanoma in the multiethnic population of Hawaii. This population laboratory allows evaluation of the cross-cultural consistency of the findings. Although specific protective effects of any given vitamin were detected in subsets of the data, the most significant and constant finding was seen when all fresh


To the Editor: A recent cogent summary of a call to action for a national trauma care system delineates the necessity of military and civilian trauma collaboration to achieve "zero preventable deaths." Although 11 critical issues are articulated well, a conspicuous omission is the lack of a dedicated trauma institution within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). There are currently 27 formal institutions within the NIH with a focus on the major killers—cancer, heart, and lung disease— but not trauma. Trauma is not only the fourth leading cause of death overall in the United States but also the only cause of death in this cohort with a currently increasing death rate. A desperately needed boost in trauma research would benefit from following the example of the moonshot initiative on cancer, with high standards and focus for funding future research. The ultimate clinical benefit of translational trauma studies is predicated on mechanistic-driven hypotheses. Optimal federal funding for trauma care at a national level ideally should be housedwithin the NIH.


We investigate the performance of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted mixed transmission systems of radio frequency (RF) and free space optics (FSO) over extended generalized-K (EGK) fading for the RF links and double generalized gamma (DGG) turbulence with misalignment errors for the FSO link. We have derived closed-form expressions for the most important performance metrics of outage probability and bit error rate for both fixed-gain and channel state information (CSI)-assisted amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying. Moreover, an asymptotic analysis at high signal-to-noise-ratios (SNRs) is done and the diversity order of both relaying methods is derived which provide physical insights. Monte-Carlo simulations confirm the accuracy and validity of the derived expressions.