On 15 December 2009, a photograph was taken of Janis Sharp, the mother of Gary McKinnon, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, outside the Home ...


ABSTRACTTwo independent surveys of U.S. pharmacy schools were performed in the spring of 2002 to assess the extent to which the topics of natural products and complementary/alternative medicine had been incorporated into curricula. Each survey was administered independently and by different modes. Similar items from the surveys were used to validate the individual results, while dissimilar items provided a comprehensive view of the state of complementary/alternative and natural product instruction in U.S. schools. The 2 surveys obtained responses from 72 schools and 64 schools, respectively. A comparison of the two surveys' results indicated that most schools (80% vs. 73%) offered some form of instruction on the topics of natural products and complementary/alternative medicine, with the vast majority (70% vs. 69%) of instruction occurring in an elective setting. Results indicated that institutions do not currently separate natural products instruction from other topics in complementary/alternative medicin...


We calculate the amplitude for exclusive electroweak production of a pseudoscalar Ds or a vector D∗ s charmed strange meson on an unpolarized nucleon, through a charged current, in leading order in αs. We work in the framework of the collinear QCD approach where generalized gluon distributions factorize from perturbatively calculable coefficient functions. We include both O(mc) terms in the coefficient functions and O(MD) mass term contributions in the heavy meson distribution amplitudes. We show that this process may be accessed at future electron-ion colliders.


vast bulk of the volume is devoted to commentary on the biblical books themselves, organised not verse-by-verse but rather passage-by-passage. As is noted in the Preface, the nrsv is the translation of choice; many of the contributors offer their own translations. The treatment of each biblical book begins with an Introduction, then the Commentary itself, and at the end a select Bibliography. The volume itself is completed with a full Index of some forty-four pages. The end-papers present maps of the empires of the sixth century be at the front and of the Roman empire in the first century ad at the back. It is a handsome and thoroughly presentable volume. Generally speaking, this commentary is not at the cutting edge, pointing for those interested to where biblical scholarship might be going; rather, it is more a reflection of where some scholarship has been or is. Theological libraries will want to have this volume; individuals will want to reflect on their particular needs.


Using advanced Finite Element Method, a building designed at the beginning of the XX century has been evaluated and consolidated applying a strengthening solution based on metallic sheathing. On this, purpose a Performance Based Seismic Assessment (PBSA) procedure was applied using an equivalent FE model. This model, experimentally and numerical calibrated, to simulate the nonlinear behavior of masonry shear walls strengthened with metal sheathing is applied by ABAQUS code, in order to establish the acceptance criteria, performance levels and building performance.


The dependence of the specific output energy on the gas-discharge conditions was studied, using the dual-pulse method, in a barium vapor laser operating on a neutral atom transition from a resonance level to a metastable level (lambda=1.5..mu..). It was found that the laser can operate at an excitation-pulse repetition rate in excess of 100 kHz. The output energy in the second oscillation pulse reaches its maximum value, which may considerably exceed that in the first pulse, for an interpulse time delay of 30--300 ..mu..sec. A specific output energy of 19 ..mu..J/cm/sup 3/ was obtained.


Bhutan has a unique policy of "high value, low impact", towards tourism. The tourists visiting the country are divided into two forms, first are the ones who have been covered under the above-mentioned policy, whereas the second are the regional tourists, who are the tourists mainly from the three SAARC nations viz, India, Maldives and Bangladesh. As per the diplomatic agreement the visitors from these countries are exempted from the tourism policy and are considered to be of low value to the Bhutanese economy from the revenue and employment point of view. However, the regional tourists have been sharing a significant share of more than 50% in the overall tourism in the kingdom before covid 19. With the global pandemic, the rationale of having regional tourists and creating appropriate policies to deal with them has been a point of deliberations now. The point of consideration has been about the way regional tourists can affect the hotel industry in Bhutan as it contributes to the increase in the revenue for the country. As a result, our country can be able to generate more revenue from regional tourists by encouraging a greater number of hotels as tourism is the second highest revenue-generating factor in Bhutan. This study attempts to analyse the impact of regional tourist on the hotel industry in Bhutan and explores the mediating role of the government policies. For the purpose of the study, a quantitative analysis has been carried out on the hotels of three most visited cities in Bhutan i.e., Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing using the snowball method. From these analyses we were able to come up with the conclusion of how the increasing number of regional tourists are having the impact on the hotel industry based on the factors like government policies, e-technology and capacity of the hotels.


This research is a case study performing the air-handler fan pressurization test in two office building. The test has been following the existing test standard(i.e. ASTM E779-10, CAN/CGSB-149.15-96 Standard). The test building is a 5-story office with a square(32.4m x 32.4m) footprint built in 2001 at Daejeon. Another test building is a 12-story offce building with a square(34.9m x 34.9m) at Seoul. Before the test, the standards about air leakage test is analyzed. Then, the pressure difference measurement is apply to ASTM standard. This paper provides some practical information acquired in the field measurement of air tightness test using the established air-handler fan pressurization test method.


During human-cobot interaction, transitions often occur between free mode operation and constraint surface following. This paper considers the following typical scenario: an operator of a three-dimensional (e.g. x-y-z or x-y-θ) cobot commands a "join" from free mode to a one-dimensional constraint path. To ensure that this transition is smooth and responsive, a "blend path" is computed that joins the cobot's initial location to a location on the constraint path. The blend path must match tangency and curvature at each end, and must also exhibit continuous curvature. A novel "triple-clothoid" algorithm is developed that meets these requirements. In addition, we demonstrate that the triple-clothoid is particularly amenable to x-y-θ systems via implementation on a planar cobot.Copyright © 2002 by ASME


The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has an interest in high spatial and temporal resolution weather output with an emphasis on products that assist warfighter decision aids and applications in battlefield environments. This model study was done in support of the short-range Army tactical analysis/nowcasting system called the Weather Running Estimate-Nowcast (WRE-N) as well as for longer-range forecasting support. Thus, there was an emphasis on fine-resolution, short-range forecasts in complex terrain in an effort to support real-world combat weather and enhance battlefield planning. The model utilized to investigate finescale weather processes, the advanced research Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRFARW), was run with a triple nest of 18, 6, and 2 km grids over a 24-h period. One of the long-term intriguing model areas of study is clear-air turbulence due to the effects of turbulence on Army Aviation aircraft and on-board sensors. This study investigates the WRF-ARW output over northeastern New Jersey during the winter season of 20062007. Using a combination of the Panofsky Index in the boundary layer and Turbulence Index (TI) above the boundary layer, a small sample of 75 pilot reports was compared to "YES/NO" turbulence forecasts over the 24-h forecast period. Results were very encouraging using both the 18-km and 2-km output, with a probability of detection over 0.70, although the testing was biased to days with a high probability of turbulence.


To assess whether a long‐term follow‐up shows any reduction in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, which could result in declining testosterone levels in men with localized prostate cancer, as most (96%) men have testosterone levels within the normal range by 1 year after treatment with a short course of LH‐releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) and radiotherapy, and LH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) remain high at 1 year after treatment, maintaining the testosterone levels.


data mining is a technology for acquiring useful information and patterns from large quantities of sequential data. Research into industrial and commercial applications of sequential data mining is flourishing. The aim of this study is to propose a new method for detecting groups of patterns that appear in a linked manner across multiple sequential data and repeat along a time axis. Such a set of pattern groups is called a "linkage pattern." Linkage pattern is detected by using interval graphs that are generated from frequent patterns in multiple sequential data. The difference between this method and previous methods is that it does not assume similarity or correlation between patterns in different sequential data. If a pattern that frequently occurs in individual sequential data does not show similarity with patterns in different sequential data, these patterns will be detected as a linkage pattern as long as they are linked along a time axis. In this paper, this method is applied to artificial data with embedded linkage patterns and the detection accuracy is evaluated using three indexes (precision, recall, and F-measure). As a result, it is shown that embedded linkage patterns can be suitably detected and that detection accuracy increases as the window width for frequent pattern detection decreases.


Abstract: This chapter reviews the efforts that have been made to develop dynamic models of phycotoxin accumulation in bivalves. The different processes involved in the accumulation are described and their corresponding models are explained. The chapter includes a discussion about the advantages of using models both for research and to increase the safety of marine bivalves, and some information about modelling and modelling tools.


U carcinosarcomas (UCS) result in ~15% of uterine cancer-associated deaths. C-kit, ERBB2, EGFR and AKT expressions were studied by immunohistochemistry, in order to evaluate their roles in the pathogenesis of UCS. In addition, exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA gene, a critical gene in the AKT pathway, have been sequenced with ABI 3130xl Genetic Analyzer. The cohort (n=37) was composed of twenty-three early-stage (I and II) and fourteen late-stage (III and IV) tumors. The majority of carcinomatous components were pure serous adenocarcinoma (n=13). Fourteen cases showed heterologous elements in the sarcomatous components. An immunostaining score (IS) ranging from 0 to (6+) was calculated for C-kit, EGFR and AKT by adding the score of intensity and the percentage of positively stained cells. ASCO/CAP guidelines were used to evaluate ERBB2. AKT was positive in 35/37 cases with an IS ranging from (2+) to (5+). ERBB2 immunostain was (3+) in one case. EGFR was positive in 21/37 cases. Only six cases showed low IS with C-kit. AKT was expressed significantly more in the early-stage disease than late-stage disease (p=0.016). The sarcomatous component had a significantly higher IS than that of epithelial component (p=0.006). The expression of AKT in the epithelial component was associated with the survival (p=0.026). In one case, H1047R mutation on PIK3CA gene has been detected in both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. These results indicate that AKT pathway is important in pathogenesis of UCS. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted to confirm the observed associations in this study.


This paper describes a method based on novelty detection and Discrete Wavelet Transform for damage detection. A statistical discordancy test is used to determine the presence of outliers in a set of features extracted from the Discrete Wavelet Transform of ultrasonic guided-wave signals; the outliers indicate a faulty condition of the structure under investigation. The proposed approach, which is general, is applied to the quantitative detection of notch-like defects in steel strands used as cable-stays or prestressing tendons. The effect of the number of features and the effect of the ultrasonic noise level on the sensitivity of the method to the presence and the size of the defects are discussed.


ABSTRACT From the mid-seventeenth century, the problem of human sociability, long a staple of natural jurisprudence, became even more central to political thought. Faced with Hobbes's insistence on man's natural unsociability, Protestant thinkers continued to treat the question from within natural law. For reasons we do not yet understand, however, Catholic thinkers did not. Instead, it is argued here, they turned to sacred history, and in particular to the Old Testament, as the earliest record of the formation of human societies, Hebrew and gentile. The materials for this enquiry were provided by new critical scholarship on the Bible and the peoples of the ancient Near East. Despite the hostility of the authorities in Rome to its findings, this scholarship was widely available in the Catholic world, notably so in contemporary Naples. Two of the most remarkable applications of sacred history to the problem of sociability were by the Neapolitans Pietro Giannone, in his 'Triregno' (1731–3), and Giambattista Vico, in the Scienza nuova (1725–44). These works explored the ways in which family relations, religious practices, and war enabled the ancient Hebrews and their gentile neighbours to form and maintain societies, notwithstanding the unsocial tendency of human passions.


Three Sources of Chinese biographic literature—— text, aesthetic and culture are analyzed and four types of autobiographies are discussed. The Book of History and The Book Han are the two sources of the artistic styles. Immortality is also greatly stressed in the minds and also in literature, which has become a striking feature of the Chinese culture.


Because sustained hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance with or without anti-HB appearance represents a functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBsAg loss has been recommended as an optimal endpoint of antiviral treatment.(1) However, composite reversion including HBsAg reversion and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA reappearance may still occur after drug withdrawal, even after achieving HBsAg loss.(2) Therefore, a novel marker predicting the risk of composite reversion is needed. Because serum HBV RNA has been suggested as a potential predictor of nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) off-therapy viral rebound in our previous study,(3) we wondered whether it could be used to predict the risk of composite reversion. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:1168-1171).


The author has studied experimentally the scuffing resistant of sliding friction pairs by using T302 as additives in lubricating oils, and the experiment results show that this kind of additives can improve the oil lubricating and scuffing resistant. By the analysis of friction Surface with X-ray photoelectron microscopy(XPS), we find that the friction pairs surface are covered by adsorption film, tribo-polymer films, as the increasing of the loads, and we also find there are single C,S element, some element C,S can act with surface element Fe and form a new kind material FeSO4, FeS adsorption film, this is the main reason why this kind additives can improve the scuffing resistant.


Abstract. Animal space use has implications for gene flow, disease dynamics, mating systems and the evolution of sociality. Given recent attention to sociality in reptiles, lizards are an important group for expanding our understanding of animal space use. Lizard space use is commonly investigated within one population over a short period and limited attention has been given to potential predictors of site fidelity. This study evaluated site fidelity in three populations of group-living Egernia stokesii (gidgee skink) between two field surveys separated by almost a decade. Of 43 recaptured lizards, 28 (65%) occupied their original space, and 15 (36%) of those shared their space with the same other lizard or lizards in both surveys. This confirmed long-term site and social bond fidelity in E. stokesii. We found that larger lizards were more likely to be recaptured. Neither body size, individual genetic heterozygosity, nor the availability of refuges strongly predicted whether lizards were recaptured in the same or a different place. The reasons why some lizards stayed in the same space while others moved are yet to be resolved.


The most characteristic features of the construction of communication systems of groups of troops (forces) during the conduct of hostilities (operations) are a high level of a priori uncertainty regarding the operational situation and a small amount of initial data for communication planning. In such conditions, it is important to correctly choose the apparatus for evaluating the made management decisions, which will allow the officials of the points of the control system of the communication system of the groups of troops (forces) to be confident in the made decisions. That is why the issue of increasing the effectiveness of the management of forces and devices of communication of groups of troops (forces) during operations is an important and urgent issue. The object of the research is the communication system of the group of troops (forces). The subject of the research is the effectiveness of the communication system of the grouping of troops (forces) in accordance with the purpose of the operation. The research developed a method for managing forces and devices of communication using methods of resource optimization in the operations of troops (forces). The novelty of the proposed method consists in taking into account the type of uncertainty regarding the operational situation in the operational space. Also, taking into account the number of members of the grouping (consumers of communication services) of groups of troops (forces) in operations. The novelty of the developed method consists in taking into account the duration of the operation (fighting) and the calculation of the labor costs necessary to meet the needs of the communication services of groups of troops (forces) while planning measures for the distribution and use of forces and devices of communication. The specified method is proposed to be implemented:


This position detection device is provided with: a movable frame, which holds an optical element, and can move in the predetermined direction; a holding frame that holds the movable frame such that the movable frame can move in the predetermined direction; one or more magnets that are provided to the movable frame or the holding frame; one magnetic field detection element that detects the intensity of a magnetic field formed by the one or more magnets; a switching unit that switches, on the basis of the magnetic field intensity detected by the magnetic field detection element, position detection information for detecting the position of the movable frame with respect to the holding frame; and a position detection unit that detects, on the basis of the position detection information switched by the switching unit, the position of the movable frame with respect to the holding frame.


Residential functions are the basic functions of the city. Associated with urban renewal and development, the structure of residential space and the regional value continue changing. Overall, the micro-level is reflected in the adjustment of building structure, style and community functional structure, the macro-level shows fluctuations in the investment value and regional value with the processing of reconstruction of the urban space. The heterogeneous nature of residential space not only shows that the regional conditions influence the regional value, but also promotes the agglomeration and diffusion effects over the entire space, and then impacts the changes in the structure of urban space. Therefore, exploration on the distribution of urban residential space and tapping its regional value have an important role in the grasp of urban spatial structure and urban development. This paper analyzed the spatial variation of commodity housing prices of Xi'an City,Shaanxi Province,China in 2011 by means of geostatistics and its causes were discussed from the perspective of urban regional value. The impact of subway construction on commodity housing prices was further explored. The results show following four aspects. First, the housing prices of Xi'an decrease from inside to outside of the circles with the Qujiang New District and the Weiyang District as a dual polar. Second, the spatial variation of changes in housing prices is significant. The decreasing trend from inside to outside is more obvious on the east-west direction than that on the south-north direction. Third, the regional values of the leading housing prices are found different in various regions of Xi'an in the regional value analysis. Cultural value is dominant in the south area of Xi'an. Comprehensive value is higher in the center and lower in the western area. Eastern area has more comparative advantages in the ecological value. Northern area is more competitive in the economic value because of policies. And great potential for the comprehensive value is in the Chang'an District. Fourth, the buffer analysis shows the Xi'an Metro Line No.2 has a more significant impact of economic value on the north and center of the city than that on the south and Chang'an District. At last, the suggestion was proposed on the development of Xi'an commodity housing to enhance the regional value. The development of commodity housing in the south of Xi'an should be combined with cultural landscape; the east should be combined with ecological environment; the north should pay more attention to macroeconomic policies and development zones; the west can be developed with the advantage of the integration of Xi'an and Xianyang.


The invention discloses a spring automatic clamping device to solve the problem that an existing clamping device easily causes damage to the surface of a workpiece. The spring automatic clamping device comprises a clamping platform. Pressing plates are hinged to the two opposite sides, located on the platform surface, of the clamping platform respectively, a clamping ring is arranged on the side, located on the platform surface of the clamping platform, of each pressing plate, tensioning springs are arranged on the two sides of the platform surface of the clamping platform respectively, a hook which can be clamped with the corresponding clamping ring is arranged at the end of each tensioning spring, a threaded hole is formed in the portion, between the two pressing plates, of the clamping platform, a stand column is connected to the threaded hole in a threaded mode, and the upper portion of the stand column is provided with a flange which can be used in cooperation with the pressing plates for clamping the workpiece. By means of the spring automatic clamping device, impact on the surface of the workpiece in the clamping process can be reduced, and damage to the workpiece can be avoided.


.......................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6 Accounting for Fixed Assets: An Illustration ................................................................................... 7 Background ................................................................................................................................... 15 Capital Condition Ratios ................................................................................................................ 22 Analytical Approach ...................................................................................................................... 27 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 33


The main purpose of this paper is to give several theorems and exanples which we hope will be of use in the solution of the following problem. For an infinite cardinal number m, is initial rn-compactness prtserved by products? We also give some results concerning properties of Stone-Cech compactifications of discrete spaces.


The paper describes a practical and precise analysis which concerns the matching between diesel engine and turbo-supercharger. The exhaust piping system of an actual turbocharged 4-cycle 6-cylinder diesel engine including engine cylinders and a turbine is calculated by applying the method of characteristics under the boundary conditions as exactly as possible. Since the computation at the pipe junction is extremely complex and tedious, a practical and reasonable simplification has been proposed, which accomplishes a considerable shortening of the computer time. The results of the calculation have generally agreed with the experimental measurements. The factors which influence the magnitude of the available exhaust gas energy are examined and the optimum dimensions of exhaust piping systems for the maximum energy utilization are suggested.


New experimental results have been obtained for the oxidation of benzene in a jet-stirred reactor at high temperature (950–1350 K) at atmospheric pressure and variable equivalence ratio (0·3≤ 0 ≤1·5). Molecular species concentration profiles of reactants, stable intermediates and final products were obtained by probe sampling followed by on-line and off-line GC analyses. The oxidation of benzene in these conditions was modeled using a detailed kinetic reaction mechanism (120 species and 921 reactions, most of them reversible). The proposed mechanism was also used to simulate the oxidation of benzene at low pressure (0·46 atm) and high pressure in stirred reactor conditions. The burning velocities of benzene-air mixtures were well-predicted by the proposed kinetic scheme that was also used to simulate the MBMS results of Bittner and Howard obtained for a fuel-rich benzene-oxygen-argon premixed flame. The ignition delays of benzene-oxygen-argon mixtures measured by Burcat over the range of equivalence ratios 0·25–2 were modeled. Sensitivity analyses and reaction path analyses, based on species rates of reaction, were used to interpret the results. The routes involved in benzene oxidation have been delineated and are presented in the paper.


The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing location information during a call service. The apparatus comprises: a data path managing unit which transmits a connection request signal to a data path server if a call service event is detected, wherein the data path server receives a path connection request signal from a data path managing unit of a second terminal which is a counterpart terminal for a call service and forms a data path between a first terminal and the second terminal; a location information measuring unit which measures a location of the first terminal; a map information querying unit which transmits the location of the first terminal measured by the location information measuring unit to a map information server and receives map data corresponding to the location of the first terminal from the map information server; a location sharing processing unit which compiles a map screen on which the location of the first terminal is displayed based on the map data received by the map information querying unit to provide to a display unit; and a location information sharing unit which transmits the location of the first terminal to the second terminal which is the counterpart terminal for the call service via the data path formed by the data managing unit; the second terminal, which have received the location of the first terminal from the location information sharing unit, compiles the map screen on which the location of the first terminal is displayed to provide to the display unit.


This article finds that scientists use uncertainty about health risk to bar gain on behalf of citizens. Scientists are critical of the data and theories of regulatory agencies, and citizens are dissatisfied with the resulting de cisions. These actors unite to create a powerful technical and political part nership to challenge decision mak ers. This study cites a typical exam ple of opposition to the intended siting of a municipal waste incinera tor in Brooklyn, New York. To rem edy such predicaments for decision makers, scientific disagreements should be assessed as worst-case ranges of risk in the limited neigh borhood locations where they occur. Decision makers can then incorpo rate uncertainty intentionally into new bargains with citizens and sci entists.


THE gastro-oesophageal junction receives a supply from both sympathetic and parasympathetic elements of the autonomic nervous system, and, as the arrangement is somewhat complex, it will simplify matters if the nerve-supplies to the lower end of the esophagus and upper end of the stomach are considered separately. The following observations are based on a series of 14 dissections of infants which were performed with the aid of a dissecting microscope


Objective—This report presents selected prevalence estimates for leisure-time physical activity among U.S. adults, using data from the 1997–98 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Methods—Data for the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population were collected using computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI). A total of 68,556 interviews were completed by a sample of adults aged 18 years and over, with an overall response rate of 77.2%. NHIS questions on leisure-time physical activity, first asked in 1997, consisted of frequency and duration of light-moderate activity, frequency and duration of vigorous activity, and frequency of strengthening activity. Statistics shown in this report were age adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. population. Results—About 6 in 10 adults (61.7%) engaged in at least some leisure-time physical activity, about 3 in 10 adults (30.6%) engaged in regular leisure-time physical activity, and about 2 in 10 adults (22.9%) engaged in any strengthening activities. Prevalence of leisure-time physical activity was higher for men than for women, declined with age, increased with education and income, and was lower for widowed adults than for adults in other marital status groups. White non-Hispanic adults (65.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander non-Hispanic adults (61.8%) were more likely than black non-Hispanic adults (49.8%) and Hispanic adults (46.8%) to engage in at least some leisure-time physical activity. Adults living in the West and adults living in a metropolitan statistical area (MSA), but not in a central city, were more likely than their counterparts in other geographic locations to engage in at least some leisure-time physical activity.


This study investigates the dialectical relationship between authenticity and alienation in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) tourism studies, based on an evaluation of the role cultural values play in the provision of tourism in China. Data were obtained via a multi-phase, mixed-method project derived from specific respondents. An examination of chorus tourism performances in the Zhaoxing Dong Villages allows for insight into the subjective authenticity of the practitioners of ICH performances. The study has implications for tourism marketing that seeks to understand the authenticity issues on the supply side of ICH tourism.


Investigates the concept of corporate image in intangible services with data collected from 342 customers of a financial institution. Identifies four factors that explain customers' perceptions of image. Highlights the implications for tracking and building corporate image in service firms.


Maximum Likelihood (ML) is a widely used phylogenetic inference model. ML implementations heavily rely on numerical optimization routines that use internal numerical thresholds to determine convergence. We systematically analyze the impact of these threshold settings on the log-likelihood and runtimes for ML tree inferences with RAxML-NG, IQ-TREE, and FastTree on empirical datasets. We provide empirical evidence that we can substantially accelerate tree inferences with RAxML-NG and IQ-TREE by changing the default values of two such numerical thresholds. At the same time, altering these settings does not significantly impact the quality of the inferred trees. We further show that increasing both thresholds accelerates the RAxML-NG bootstrap without influencing the resulting support values. For RAxML-NG, increasing the likelihood thresholds ϵLnL and ϵbrlen to 10 and 103 respectively results in an average tree inference speedup of 1.9 ± 0.6 on Data collection 1, 1.8 ± 1.1 on Data collection 2, and 1.9 ± 0.8 on Data collection 2 for the RAxML-NG bootstrap. Increasing the likelihood threshold ϵLnL to 10 in IQ-TREE results in an average tree inference speedup of 1.3 ± 0.4 on Data collection 1 and 1.3 ± 0.9 on Data collection 2.


ABSTRACT Using the data of China's service trade and diplomatic events with 45 countries, this paper examines the effects of diplomatic relations on service trade based on the gravity model. Through an empirical analysis, the results proved that good diplomatic relations can significantly promote the export of China's service trade and that the effects of diplomatic relations on trade have a clear distinction regarding different political positions. Our results support the view that diplomatic relation does an important role in international trade.


The study examined the profitability of sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) production in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area. (LGA) Multistage stage sampling procedure was used to select100 sesame producers from which the data was obtained with the use of questionnaire and analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Farm Budgeting Technique and Multiple Regression Model. The average age of the farmers was 48 years and majority (51%) of them had formal education. They cultivated an average of 1.57 hectares.The average variable, fixed and total costs of production they incurred were ₦40,507.52, ₦19,528.54 and ₦60,036.06per hectare respectively. The average revenue, gross margin and net farm income they obtained were ₦184,701.98/ha, ₦144,194.46/ha and ₦124,665.92/ha respectively.The sesame producers realized ₦2.08as an average rate of return on investment. Some of the factors that significantly influenced the farmers' profitability include age, household size and farm size. Inadequate capital, difficulty in obtaining loan, shortage supply of improved inputs and price fluctuation were among the critical constraints militating against sesame production in the area. It is recommended that the farmers should organize themselves into cooperative societies, have access to loan that is free from interest rate, provided with affordable improved inputs and guaranteed minimum price (price control).


The invention discloses a method for preparing biofuel through graded catalytic liquefaction of straw. The method uses straw as a raw material, and liquefies the straw into biofuel through graded alcoholysis under the catalysis of magnetic catalysts, CaO-Al2O3-Fe3O4. Under the catalysis of simple lower alcohols and the mentioned catalysts, the straw reacts at a set temperature for a period of time to obtain the biofuel and residue. The residue is dried, weighed, put in an autoclave with lower alcohols, and heated to a next temperature point for reactions for the same period of time. The above operations are repeated successively. The method achieves recycling of the catalysts on one hand, and improves the utilization rate and the biofuel yield rate of biomass on the other hand.


We investigate the outlook of the global terrorist groups by introducing global terrorist evaluation indicator. In Global Terrorist Evaluation Index (GTEI), we assign ranks global terrorist groups based on the five factors, i.e., its (i) sphere of influence in terms of location of its attack(s), (ii) manpower, (iii) financial stature, (iv) lethality in term of intensity of terror created, and (v) experience, in terms of time span since inception of terrorist group. We find that, based on GTEI, the ISIS is the most lethal and most specialized terrorist group among the four global terrorist groups (ISIS, Al-Qaida, Taliban, and Boko Haram). This study introduces a new approach to examine the terrorist groups by considering the various dimensions of the terrorist groups. Moreover, this index offers an alternative approach for counter terrorism policies.


The book proposes straightforward, efficient and attractive solutions for kitchens in small spaces. One of the chapters could feature the manufacturers and even include kitchens not only from homes but also from caravans, sailboats, restaurants, mobile homes, home studios...a truly practical book offering solutions.


Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody, is the first angio-genesis inhibitor approved for the treatment of cancer. Bevacizumab has FDA-approved labeling for use with a fluorouracil-based chemotherapy regimen as first-line therapy for advanced colon cancer. A review of bevacizumab appears in this issue


We consider the problem of selecting deterministic or stochastic models for a biological, ecological, or environmental dynamical process. In most cases, one prefers either deterministic or stochastic models as candidate models based on experience or subjective judgment. Because of the complex or intractable likelihood in most dynamical models, likelihood‐based approaches for model selection are not suitable. We use approximate Bayesian computation for parameter estimation and model selection to gain further understanding of the dynamics of two epidemics of chronic wasting disease in mule deer. The main novel contribution of this work is that, under a hierarchical model framework, we compare three types of dynamical models: ordinary differential equation, continuous‐time Markov chain, and stochastic differential equation models. To our knowledge, model selection between these types of models has not appeared previously. Because the practice of incorporating dynamical models into data models is becoming more common, the proposed approach may be very useful in a variety of applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A solution of plastein in strong urea was injected into guinea-pigs and was found to give a slight anaphylactic reaction. The urea solution was also analysed in the velocity ultracentrifuge, and was shown to contain particles of protein dimensions, but sedimented in a completely inhomogeneous manner. The proteose substrate showed no sedimentation.It is concluded that, although the plasteins are formed as a result of a true enzymatic synthesis, and have protein properties, they are not definite entities comparable to typical proteins.


Amplification and reflection attacks represent flavors of DDoS attacks which use servers such as DNS, NTP, SNMP, SSDP and CoAP as amplifier to launch the attacks. In this letter, we describe a method to minimize the effects of reflection and amplification DDoS attacks by separating the victim service under the attack. We propose three approaches involving container level separation, packet limiting, and network hardware level separation. Our detailed experimental results on DNS based amplification attacks show a 'near-no-attack' performance with an improvement of up to 88% in the test completion time while using the proposed approaches.


The invention relates to a method for starting an an output shaft (5) having the internal combustion engine (2) of a motor vehicle, wherein for starting the internal combustion engine (2) the output shaft (5) is driven, the output shaft (5) via a coupling device (13) is coupled with a flywheel mass (10) by the first disengaged clutch means (13) is closed by means of an actuator (14) thereby to start the internal combustion engine (2) the output shaft (5) stored exclusively by means of the rotating flywheel mass (10) to drive rotational energy.


1. As a test the intraperitoneal inoculation is practicable and requires no special laboratory facilities. The test has been of great value to us in doubtful cases, and in instances in which it is possible to obtain the material for inoculation, has become a routine procedure.

2. A positive bacteriologic test in obscure lesions makes the diagnosis certain.

3. The value of negative tests increases with their number.

4. Antiformin digestion of tissue acts on the tubercle bacilli either to kill them or reduce their virulence so that the low resistance of the guinea pig will be sufficient to overcome them. It greatly reduces the value of the test and should not be used.


A power-on surge current suppression circuit applied to a switching power supply is disclosed. The power-on surge current suppression circuit comprises an optional small-capacity filter capacitor C, an N-channel MOS tube Q, a current suppression resistor R, an outage leakage circuit, a rectifying filtering amplitude-limiting circuit and a power supply winding; the two ends of the current suppression resistor R are connected with the drain electrode and the source electrode of the N-channel MOS tube Q; the outage leakage circuit is connected between the grid electrode and the source electrode of the N-channel MOS tube Q; the rectifying filtering amplitude-limiting circuit and the power supply winding are serially connected and then connected between the grid electrode and the source electrode of the N-channel MOS tube Q; the drain electrode and the source electrode of the N-channel MOS tube Q are serially connected between a power frequency rectifier and a DC-DC converter; and the optional small-capacity filter capacitor C is connected between the positive end and the negative end of the power frequency rectifier. The surge current in the power-on moment is limited by the power-on surge current suppression circuit; the MOS tube is low in power consumption and high in starting speed; and the power-on surge current suppression circuit is short in time for allowing re-power-on.


This paper present a new structure for piezoelectric transformer, operating in thickness extensional vibration mode. Modified PbTiO/sub 3/ family ceramics were used for the piezoelectric transformer, because it is a material with large anisotropy between electromechanical coupling factors k/sub t/ and k/sub p/. Piezoelectric transformer was fabricated that is 20 mm long, 20 mm wide and 3.1 mm thick. Resonant frequencies of second thickness extensional vibration mode is 1.56 and 1.58 MHz at loading resistance 100 and 200 [/spl Omega/], respectively. And maximum voltage gain of piezoelectric ceramics is showed 0.72 and 0.86 at resonant frequency of second thickness extensional vibration mode at loading resistance 100 and 200 [/spl Omega/], respectively.


Although metallic glasses (MGs) exhibit a unique combination of mechanical and chemical properties, their application as structural or functional materials is hindered by the lack of ductility which leads to catastrophic brittle-like fracture. When the size of a MG sample is reduced below some critical value, typically of the order of a few hundred nanometers, then considerable ductility can be observed. However, this size effect was demonstrated so far mostly by nanomechanical testing inside a transmission electron microscope using samples prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) milling. Whether the ductile-like behavior of submicrometer-sized metallic glasses is a real "intrinsic" size effect or it is rather caused by extrinsic factors like sample shape, ion beam effect or parameters of the testing setup is currently a subject of extensive discussions in the community. In this contribution the tensile properties of thin film Pd82Si18 MGs grown by sputter deposition on a polymer substrate are considered. The integrity of the MG films during stretching was monitored by in-situ measurements of the electrical resistance. An overview of electro-mechanical behavior of considered films is demonstrated in Fig. 1.The 250, 100, and 60 nm thick films fail in a brittle manner at 2% strain through propagation of long cracks perpendicularly to the straining direction. The rapid crack propagation in these films results in rapid increase of in-situ resistance signal. The size effect on the deformation behavior appears when the film thickness drops below 15 nm. The 7 nm thick films with the same composition show a crack-free deformation up to a strain of 7%. Even at higher strains no brittle-like failure but rather short and isolated cracks are observed. Cyclic tensile loading revealed extreme fracture resistance of ultrathin amorphous films showing no cracks after 30000 stretching cycles with a strain amplitude of 3%. Since all tests are performed at ambient conditions on films deposited using an industrially scalable process, the demonstrated size effect can be directly utilized for applications, such as protective coatings, nanoelectromechanical devices or half-transparent conductive layers for flexible electronics.


Abstract Production planning and scheduling require standard operation times (SOTs) which have been obtained from time studies or based on past experiences. Wide variations exist and frequently cause serious discrepancies in executing plans and schedules. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has recently been applied to create a real-time ubiquitous manufacturing environment, where real-time shopfloor operational data about men, machines, materials, and orders could be captured and collected. Such data carry invaluable information and knowledge which might be used for supporting advanced production planning and scheduling (APS). APS usually needs precise SOTs for perfect decision-making within the RFID-enabled real-time ubiquitous manufacturing environment. This paper proposes a data mining model to estimate realistic SOTs and their standard deviations from RFID-enabled shopfloor data. Key impact factors on SOTs are examined, including working shifts, different machines, gender, and technology complexity. It is observed that working shifts and the learning curves of three types of operators (junior, intermediate, and senior) greatly influence the SOTs. The other factors have minor affection in this case. Considering the two significant impact factors, precise and reasonable SOTs could be worked out, aiming at improving the quality and stability of production plans and schedules.


Some runtime checks can be safely removed from code if appropriate program properties are proved. We describe how we have applied this idea to the ACL2 theorem prover to speed up the application of user-defined proof procedures. In particular, we discuss how and why we have added a new feature to ACL2 that allows the user to verify certain well-formedness properties of the expressions produced by user-defined proof procedures. Of special interest are the issues of extensibility (how we know that guarantees proved in one theory are adequate in another), formalization of the problem, and design


Background: Upper gastrointestinal motor abnormalities could account for some of the dyspeptic symptoms of celiac patients. However, the data on gastric emptying time are conflicting, and the pathophysiology of motor disturbances is still unclear. Neurotensin modulates upper gastrointestinal motor activity, and its postprandial increase is a reliable index of nutrient delivery to the ileum. We therefore assessed both plasma neurotensin levels and gastric emptying in untreated celiacs. M thods: The gastric antral area of nine untreated celiac patients and nine controls was measured with ultrasound at base line and every 30 min after a fatty meal (227 kcal, 45% fat); the base-line and postprandial neurotensin plasma levels were determined by means of radioimmunoassay. The data are mean values standard deviation and were analyzed by using non-parametric tests. Re ults:The overall and half gastric emptying time were significantly longer in the patients (203 32 versus 133 15 min, P = 0.0117, and 137 32 versus 78 11 min,P = 0.0001). The pattern of the changes in antral area was similar in both groups during the observation period as a whole but differed significantly in the first 120 min ( P = 0.0343). Base-line neurotensin levels were significantly higher in the patients (41.6 23.9 versus 18.2 5.5 pg/ml, P = 0.0214) and their net postprandial increase was lower than in controls (15.0 15.9 versus 29.8 13.0 pg/ml,P = 0.046). In both groups the base-line neurotensin levels were related to the half gastric emptying time ( P = 0.023).Conclusions: In untreated celiac patients gastric emptying time is longer than in controls and is concomitant with an increase in base-line plasma neurotensin levels.


The Kitchen Chemistry Science Show uses readily available materials and unsophisticated equipment. The development of the show is outlined and each of the demonstrations is described in detail. For each demonstration there is an explanation of the demonstration and, where appropriate, a suggestion for an extension to a whole class activity. Indications of safety precautions are also discussed. Further development of the Kitchen Chemistry Outreach Project is then outlined with a description of future plans.


Just prior to the Spanish conquest, Tarapac? Viejo (Tr-49), was the most important indian town in the valley Tarapac?. During the early Spanish colonial period (16c second half) a new indian town was built on the ruins of the old. Archaeological excavations exposed the pre-hispanic village (phase-1) of Tarapac? Viejo. Five phases have tentatively been defined that were analized for their main characteristics, with contribution in ethnohistory and architecture as well. Conclusions are presented that lead to new questions to be answered in the second phase of this village which was linked with the "encomendero" Lucas Martinez Vegazo and abandoned during the first half of 18 century.


The modeling of track circuit (TC) signaling systems is considered to be a valuable tool for their validation (check of operation for exceptional and extreme network conditions and configurations), compatibility assessment (with respect to sources of conducted interference), and pretuning (before on-site tuning). The model can replace a series of preliminary measurements and speed up the on-site tuning procedure. The results of model verification and validation on the Torino-Novara trunk of the Italian High Speed Railway Line are presented. The accuracy and reliability are quite good from an absolute viewpoint and are compared with the traditional on-site TC tuning; the time saving is of an order of magnitude.


An axial-planar cleavage associated with folded sedimentary rocks of the Paleogene Shimanto Belt of eastern Kyushu was sampled and a < 2μ clay fraction separated and dated by K-Ar isotopic analysis. Experimental results yield a K-Ar age of 48.4±1 Ma. The cleavage minerals sampled, being axial-planar to the folds, are assumed to be syn-tectonic, their crystallization age thus corresponding to the age of the folds themselves.


Lindberg and Numbers argued for an historical picture that recognized a complex and diverse interaction that defies reduction to simple conflict Purchase binary option Ostrów Mazowiecka harmony to replace the largely polemical one drawn by Draper and White. Anxiety Disord.


Objective of this study was to determine the contribution of backyard chicken (BYC) egg consumption to fulfill the household nutrient requirement of the BYC keeping families in Sri Lanka. Egg production parameters of 80 BYC flocks and the consumption of eggs derived from respective flocks, by the households which managed those flocks were determined for a period of month. The significant quadratic relationship between percentage of eggs used for household consumption and the no of hens reared showed that 15 hens/household maximized household egg consumption (20/week). The eggs derived from the BYC fulfilled 1.4% of energy, 5.4% of protein, 1.0% of calcium, 5.1% of phosphorus, 12.4%% of selenium, 4.3% of vitamin A, 8.2% of riboflavin and 11.3 % of choline requirement of a household. The paper demonstrates that BYC egg production makes a higher contribution than lentil and fish to fulfill household nutrient requirement and suggests strategies for further improvement.


This letter presents a novel circularly polarized water spiral antenna with polarization reconfigurability and low profile. It is basically an Archimedean spiral antenna with two water arms and fed by a parallel stripline. A conducting plate is used as the reflecting plane for unidirectional radiation. A glass container with two water channels, the upper one for left-hand circular polarization and the lower one for right-hand circular polarization, is mounted above the reflecting plane. By controlling the water flow among the water channels, the polarization of the antenna can be switched. A prototype is fabricated and tested. Measured results show that the proposed antenna has an overall bandwidth (|<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S$</tex-math></inline-formula>11 | < −10 dB, AR < 3 dB) of 40% for the two polarization states.


Currently, open circuit Bayer refineries pump seawater directly into their operations to neutralize the caustic fraction of the Bayer residue. The resulting supernatant has a reduced pH and is pumped back to the marine environment. This investigation has assessed modified seawater sources generated from nanofiltration processes to compare their relative capacities to neutralize bauxite residues. An assessment of the chemical stability of the neutralization products, neutralization efficiency, discharge water quality, bauxite residue composition, and associated economic benefits has been considered to determine the most preferable seawater filtration process based on implementation costs, savings to operations and environmental benefits. The mechanism of neutralization for each technology was determined to be predominately due to the formation of Bayer hydrotalcite and calcium carbonate; however, variations in neutralization capacity and efficiencies have been observed. The neutralization efficiency of each feed source has been found to be dependent on the concentration of magnesium, aluminum, calcium, and carbonate. Nanofiltered seawater, with approximately double the amount of magnesium and calcium required half the volume of seawater to achieve the same degree of neutralization. These studies have revealed that multiple neutralization steps occur throughout the process using characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).


Unique collection of wheat seeds from 39 regional varieties has been collected and each sample was tested on presence of endophytic bacteria. Altogether 50 morphotypes of endophytic bacteria were isolated and tested on fungicide, bactericide and plant growth promotion activity. It was shown that from 50 isolated strains of endophytic bacteria isolated from wheat seeds only 12 demonstrated fungicide activity against all three tested types of genus Fusarium. Inhibition zones of phytopathogenic fungi averaged 7,3-14,5 mm. From 50 tested strains 7 demonstrated bactericide activity against all tested strains of phytopathogenic bacteria and 13 strains only against Clavibacter michiganensis, 11strains demonstrated high plant growth promotion activity increasing lettuce root length by 2,3-4,6 times. On the basis of obtained data most promising strain of endophytic bacteria isolated from endosphere of wheat seeds Bacillus subtilis 8А has been selected. Laboratory experiments showed that strain seeds Bacillus subtilis 8А demonstrated potential of beneficial properties not only in experiments in vitro but in biocontrol experiment in planta as well and can be recommended as promising strain for production of experimental batches of highly efficient microbial preparation for protection of cereals.


Remote sensing images are often very large in size, which is difficult to put into GPU for training. Previous work proposed models of global and local branches. On the basis of this model, we add attention mechanism to make feature integration more complete. The results show that our method works well.


Great achievements in the research of embryonic stem cells and bone marrow stem cells were acquired in recent years.As adipose tissue-derived stem cells are abundant and easy to acquire,and have the ability of self-repairing and the potential of multiplex differentiation,they can be induced to differentiate into a variety of cells(nerve cells,endothelial cells,smooth muscle cells,cartilage cells,myocytes,etc.) in specific condition.Current research showed adipose tissue-derived stem cell induced differentiation into nerve cell had the potential of treating erectile dysfunction and certain curative effect on other nerve damage.So adipose tissue-derived stem cell induced differentiation into nerve cell is worth further exploration and study.


Many difficulties exist when defining and deciding which requirements should be implemented first in an ultra-large-scale multi-stakeholder involved system. This often leads to system failure and product dissatisfaction. This paper established a suitable method supporting more precise and accurate decision-making in prioritizing requirements. We collected and analyzed a large number of software requirements in a case study, which was based on real-life practices and processes. Structured interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from 600 stakeholders. We formulated a model based on the analyzed requirements using the CBRanking, and the MACBETH approaches. We ranked the requirements and considered the requirements' relative importance according to the stakeholders' opinions. Thus, a hybridized mathematical model was proposed for prioritizing these functional requirements and evaluated its performance for consistency and completeness. The results showed the software's best functional requirements concerning the customers' expectations.


The invention discloses an automatic machining device for a curved needle crank of a sewing machine. The automatic machining device comprises a rotating disc workbench, wherein the rotating disc workbench is provided with an automatic feeding and discharging module, a small head end point hole module, a small head end drilling module, a small head end hole expanding module, a large head end reaming module, a first large head end drilling module, a second large head end drilling module, a taping module and a large head end sawing module in the circumferential direction. The automatic machining device integrates feeding and discharging, one station is formed, the structure is compact, the dimension of whole equipment can be reduced, and the working efficiency is higher. The invention further discloses an automatic machining method for the curved needle crank of the sewing machine.


Thermal insulation composite foams were prepared from the natural rubber as a matrix phase and an eggshell powder as a calcium carbonate dispersed phase, using chlorinated polyethylene acting as a flame retardant and curing agent at the vulcanization temperature 150°C in a two-roll mill. The main composition of eggshell is calcium carbonate which is more than 96.35 wt%. The obtained composite rubber foams with 50 phr eggshell added possessed the thermal conductivity, compression set, crosslink density, bulk density, and relative foam density values equal to 0.070 W/m.K, 45.0%, 6.95 × 10−5mol/cm3, 0.58, and 0.63, respectively. The obtained composite rubber foams were of good thermal resistance, good compression set, short curing time, good crosslink density, and light weight, suitable for various applications such as automobiles, storage tank, and transport packaging. Furthermore, the scanning electron micrographs, X-ray diffraction patterns, specific heat, and physical properties (bulk density, crosslink density, and relative foam density) were taken or measured to investigate the microstructures, phase compositions, thermal properties, and characteristics of the insulating composite foams and were reported here.


Drilling in deep water presents unique challenges. This is especially true in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) where loop currents can exceed three knots. When operating from a floating drilling rig in 3,000-ft water depths or deeper, these currents place a great deal of stress on the riser, wellhead and subsea BOP/wellhead systems, and also challenge the vessel's ability to maintain position over the well. On these rigs, the riser is held at two points: at the vessel and at the sea floor. The riser is attached at the surface by means of a ball joint assembly. The ball joint assembly is connected to motion compensators to maintain tension in the riser assembly. The riser column is secured to the sea floor assembly by means of a flex joint. Both the flex joint and ball joint provide a means for the riser to flex and absorb the movement and loads placed upon it in the course of drilling the well.


In this paper, an analytical framework which employs a delay-dependent queue discipline with two classes of priority for handoff calls is considered. Results obtained with the analytical framework are compared with the simulation results of Ebersman and Tonguz (1999) and it is shown that the accuracy of the analytical approximation is better than 95% for traffic loads of practical interest. The benefit of delay-dependent queueing compared to FIFO queueing increases as the handoff traffic increases.


We compute ..pi../sup -/ ground state energy levels in the Coulomb field of nuclei as a function of the external charge Z, taking into account the pion electromagnetic form factor in the Klein-Gordon equation. We compare our results to those obtained by solving the Klein-Gordon equation without the form factor or by solving an approximate Klein-Gordon equation from which virtual pair terms have been removed. We find the approximate Klein-Gordon equation to be a priori a better approximation to the form factor Klein-Gordon equation for an external point Coulomb field. In contrast, the Klein-Gordon equation turns out to be an excellent approximation to the form factor Klein-Gordon equation for physical (finite size) nuclei, unlike the approximate Klein-Gordon equation.


This two-part study describes the development of a novel stall-detection methodology for low-speed axial-flow fans. Because aerodynamic stall is a major potential cause of mechanical failure in axial fans, effective stall-detection techniques have had wide application for many years. However, aerodynamic stall does not always result in mechanical failure. A sub-sonic fan can sometimes operate at low speeds in an aerodynamically stalled condition without incurring mechanical failure. To differentiate between aerodynamic stall conditions that constitute a mechanical risk and those that do not, the stall-detection methodology in the present study utilises a symmetrised dot pattern (SDP) technique that is capable of differentiating between critical and non-critical conditions. The SDP for a stall condition is different from that for a non-stall condition providing, a basis for differentiation of the two. Part I of this study presented the azimuthal experimental data which established the stall characteristics of a variable-speed fan. Part II describes a stall-warning criterion based on an SDP visual waveform analysis and developed stall-detection methodology based on that analysis. The study presents an analysis of the acoustic and structural data across the nine aerodynamic operating conditions represented in a 3 × 3 matrix combination of: (i) three speeds (full-, half-, and quarter-speed) and (ii) three operational states (stable operation, incipient stall and rotating stall). This differentiates critical stall conditions (those that will lead to mechanical failure of the fan) from non-critical ones (those that will not result in mechanical failure), thus providing a basis for an intelligent stall-detection methodology.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


The chemical process industry is involved with the transformation of raw materials into finished products of commercial value. This transformation, which involves the addition or removal of energy, is achieved through chemical-processing units that carry out unit operations such as reactions, separations , heat transfer, purification, and crystallization. The task of chemical process control is to ensure safe, reliable, and energy-efficient operation of chemical processes to facilitate the production of high purity commercial products at desired production rates, while satisfying environmental constraints on emissions and effluents. In recent years, strict limits on safety standards, environmental emissions, and energy usage have made the task of controlling complex integrated chemical processes challenging. At the same time, revolutionary advances in sensors, actuators, computer architectures, networking, electronic hardware, high-speed data acquisition, and wireless transmission provide unprecedented opportunities to implement sophisticated control algorithms in the chemical process industries. Training process control engineers to tackle the tasks involved in modern chemical processes requires that a wide range of topics be incorporated in an undergraduate process control course. These topics include basic mathematical concepts, dynamic model development principles, control theory, simulation and computational tools, and a working understanding of hardware and instrumentation for controller implementation and deployment. Over the years, numerous textbooks have been written on process control, dating back to the early classics [1]–[4]. In subsequent years, many of these books were either revised or became outdated due to advances in hardware and instrumentation as well as growth in the complexity of chemical processes. Later titles that incorporated the emerging needs of chemical process control include [5]–[9]. Process Control: Modeling, Design and Simulation by B. Wayne Bequette is an attempt to provide a balanced coverage of topics that are deeply rooted in control theory but at the same time are relevant to contemporary chemical process control systems. Bequette's book breaks away from the conventional approach followed by many previous books. For example, the book does not devote a specific chapter to the Laplace transform but rather incorporates it within a chapter on dynamic behavior. This arrangement is justified given that chemical engineering majors are exposed to Laplace transforms in earlier courses. A truly innovative and unique aspect of this book are the 16 self-contained modules that offer an interactive and experiential approach to learning. These modules supplement the core topics and chapter exercises by providing self-contained, tutorial discussions on topics related to Matlab, Simulink, biomedical control, …


Myanmar's admission to ASEAN in 1997, despite pressure from the West to defer the decision due to Myanmar's allegedly poor human rights record, represents a key event in its economic development, political evolution and regional relations. Myanmar's conduct within, and membership of, the regional organization continues to be a topic of strong interest and debate to those who wish to understand the workings of ASEAN as a whole. Myanmar in ASEAN discusses the formation and evolution of ASEAN alongside an overview of the political and economic development of Myanmar. This volume analyses the political, security and economic impact and implications for Myanmar; key ASEAN agreements are included as a reference for students of regional integration.


This paper is the introduction to a special section of the Journal of Ottoman Studies on the subject of early modern Ottoman-European diplomacy and diplomatic practice, arising from a workshop held at the University of St Andrews in 2014. It sets out the conference organisers' thoughts on the state of the field, and the potential contributions made by the papers included in the special section.


It focus the severity problem,which is slippage of ladle,power lose while gyrus,abrasion of gyration part on gyration platform of ladle.The improving method was proposed and employed using gyration platform of ladle.This method is affected for gyration platform of ladle.


Object recognition with visual computer techniques is a process necessary to detect different objects in a three-dimensional image to get precise results. Color extraction process Red Green Blue (RGB), Red, Green, Blue (HSV) and other color spaces can produce high accuracy and minimize the number of parameters to speed the computing process. In this study the diagnosis of pneumonia was based on a CT scan of the lungs in the color image segmentation process. The removal of color features is done by using the HSV color segmentation method to classify the pneumonia in CT scans, which makes it possible to detect an image segmenting object as a blob. The color sample generates a value that is the reference point for the filter range during the segmentation process, based on the test results. In this process, it is clear how many objects are found as a color-based pneumonia diagnosis by changing the HSV and RGB thresholds.


The objective of this study was to formulate and evaluate the Nisoldipine nanoparticles to enhance the bioavailability and to avoid or reduce the adverse effects of the drug. The clinical application of Nisoldipine was hindered because of its very low oral bioavailability (3.9 - 8.4%), due to its significant first pass metabolism in the liver and gut. Drug containing Eudragit S100 nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation method and evaluated for its in vitro characteristics like particle size and size distribution, surface morphology and structural characterization, surface charges, drug content, entrapment efficiency, loading capacity and pH dependent drug release. The interactions between the drug and polymer were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential scanning colorimetry (DSC). The formulated nanoparticles were in uniform shape, narrow size distribution with an average size of about 400 nm. In vitro release of Nisoldipine nanoparticles was found to be pH responsive and is evident for the controlled release of its payload only at colon to increase the bioavailability of Nisoldipine by evading the cytochrome P450 (CYP) induced metabolism in liver and gut wall. The experimental results indicate that Nisoldipine loaded Eudragit S100 nanoparticles have better physicochemical characteristics and can be used as a drug carrier for targeted delivery of Nisoldipine in colon, in order to enhance its oral bioavailability.


A simple photographic averaging technique using multiple exposures is applied to ESSA III and V computer produced mosaics. Several examples, showing the distribution of clouds, snow, ice and vegetation cover for typical half month periods are presented and discussed. Large scale cloud bands about equatorial dry regions as well as preferred storm tracks are revealed.


How to detect and locate the faulty states is the key to determine the effectiveness of fault diagnosis system. This paper defines three types of dependency relationship between one fault and another in the Discrete Event System (DES). And it defines a graphic representation method based on dependency relationship called the fault direct dependency relationship graph (FDDRG) and the fault dependency relationship graph (FDRG).Then it gives the definition of dependency relationship matrix of the fault Fm (FmDM) and detailed dependency relationship matrix of the fault Fm (FmDDM) to describe these dependency relationships among faults in a system. And detailed description is given. Based on these, we apply above methods to LM2500 marine gas turbine in the process of fault diagnosis. Then fault tree is described and relative results are presented to illustrate the validity of our approach.


Assignment of the electronic absorption spectrum of 1,4 : 5,8-anthracenediquinone (1,4 : 5,8-ADQ) has been carried out with the aid of magnetic circular dichroism and LCAO MO SCF CI calculations including all valence electrons. The lowest energy absorption region of 1,4 : 5,8-ADQ has been revealed to be composed of the n-π* transition or transitions. The higher energy absorption region has been concluded to consist of four π-π* transitions, which are regarded as Lb, La, Ba, and Bb in the Platt's notation for anthracene. The above assignment of 1,4 : 5,8-ADQ has been experimentally confirmed with its linear dichroism spectra in stretched polyethylene sheets and its circular dichroism spectra in the β-cyclodextrin solution. The relationship between the absorption spectra of 1,4 : 5,8-ADQ and 1,4-naphthoquinone has been discussed from the experimental and theoretical points of view.


Balanced development of the regions is currently a vital task, the purpose of which is to improve and equalize the quality of life in all regions, regardless of their natural and technological conditions. The purpose of the article is to study possible risks for the regional economy or, conversely, new opportunities for its development in connection with existing methods of sustainable and balanced regional development. Materials and methods. The materials used in the study are publications of scientists on the problems of balanced regional development, a set of indicators that characterize it. The study used the following methods: systemic and situational approaches, dialectical, logical ones, simulation modeling. Results. The Russian approach to balanced development reflects equality of economic opportunities to meet the social needs of the population in the regions in order to equalize the quality of life and to ensure its equal level throughout the country. It is in this sense that the problem of balancing regional economies should be approached. To identify the risks of imbalance it is proposed to form a region's economic system consisting of five components, all of them are internal ones: 1) the industrial complex; 2) the agro-industrial complex; 3) the socio-demographic complex; 4) the financial and monetary complex; 5) regional management. The system is open and connected with federal components and other regions. The main risk-forming factors are present in the financial component operating both within the system and in external financial interaction. The practical significance of the research results lies in the fact that, based on the proposed formation of a regional economic system, it is possible to identify the risks of its imbalance, taking which into account the system of monitoring financial risks of an unbalanced regional economy is configured. Conclusions. External factors of opportunities in the form of federal transfers make it possible to level the inequality of regions and ensure their sustainable development. It is necessary to assess the impact of this external factor through the effectiveness of regional development and financial security threats.


In this work, we performed laser annealing of thin Sb2Te3 films to optimize crystallization time and their nonlinear optical properties. The annealed layers were studied by electron microscopy and UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Their nonlinear optical response was investigated by nonlinear transmission and Z-scan measurements. These studies were performed by a femtosecond laser system providing 400 fs laser pulses at 1030 nm. The results were compared with previous findings based on studies of oven-annealed thin films.


Electromagnetic inverse scattering problems are nonlinear and ill-posed. They are often transformed into optimization problems and solved by deterministic or stochastic algorithms. In this article, an inversion method combining a customized particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is proposed. Stochastic algorithms tackle optimization problems in a global manner, which is an important feature in reducing the risk of optimization falling into local extrema. Another feature utilized here is that constraints can be easily applied in the optimization process, yielding better results. Based on this consideration, a customized PSO algorithm incorporating the mutation operator is proposed to further enrich the swarm diversity. However, the large-scale search in the solution space also increases the computational burden, which is the major limitation of stochastic algorithms being applied in microwave imaging problems. In this article, a novel cost function of inversion optimization problems is derived based on the Born approximation so that the evaluation of individual fitness can be performed by the FFT. Reconstructions are performed using both synthetic and experimental data to illustrate the key features of the proposed approach, and good results have been obtained in terms of imaging accuracy and robustness.


A novel and simple method to measure dimensional change of glass substrates for liquid crystal display (LCD) application, which ideally has a measurement capability of ±1.5 ppm. has been developed. Measurement accuracy was demonstrated for the reproducibility test. By using this method, thermal shrinkage of Corning Code 7059, 1733 and 1737 glasses in the order of ppm was evaluated for various thermal cycles. Glass, having a higher strain point, has a higher thermal dimensional stability at a-Si TFT fabrication processes. Thermal shrinkage is smaller for lower process temperatures and shorter process times. Annealing increases the thermal dimensional stability of the glass at a-Si TFT fabrication processes.


The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test is a self survey method used to study a patient's anxiety status. In this study, we investigated the role of dizzy patients' anxiety psychology by analyzing the STAI. Subjects were 377 patients (141 male and 236 female) who complained of dizziness and visited the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Kansai Medical University from August 2002 to July 2003.1, In the dizzy patients, State Anxiety (A-State) and Trait Anxiety (A-Trait) score showed significantly higher than in the controls. STAI score in female patients was significantly higher than that in male patients.2, In the same patients, A-State scores were decreased after patients showed improvement in their symptoms, however A-Trait score were not changed.3, The patients whose A-State and A-Trait scores in the first medical examination were very high(V) showed high A-State score even after absence of vertigo and dizziness.Based on these results, we concluded that STAI test was simple to use and might provide some helpful information for therapy of anxiety in dizzy patients.


In erosion and sedimentation problems, estimating the range of significant stream flows to include when computing sediment transport can prove challenging in ungauged or under-gauged basins. This paper describes an event-based model incorporating a geomorphologic instantaneous unit hydrograph and stochastic descriptions of peak flows and frequency of storm events from nearby reference watersheds to determine discharge at locations throughout the Yalobusha River Basin, Mississippi. Timing the hydrograph according to distance from the basin outlet approximates flood peak travel times. The results of the model were calibrated using a characteristic velocity of flow and compared against flow-duration curves and the annual maximums of an existing gauge.


In order to solve the problem of difficult to control the welding current, the welding current control system was designed based on virtual instrument Labview. The different current control signal with amplitude and frequency adjustable was produced based on virtual instrument LabView. The control current was sent to the welding circuit by the digital port of the data acquisition card, in order to control the welding current. The automatic control of welding current was realized.


A research project at the University of York has been reviewing the area of CAE tools to help design electronic equipment for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC). There is little benchmarking information available for these tools, and it was felt that further benchmarking must be done. A plan for the benchmarking of realistically complex printed circuit boards (PCBs) using existing commercially available tools is discussed In addition to this, a more fundamental review of electromagnetic effects occurring on PCBs, and the methods used to account for these, has been carried out. Each method makes some degree of approximation, and this in turn imposes a restriction on the accuracy, application flexibility, and frequency range of the tool. Identifying and understanding these methods allows simplified PCB structures to be used, which aim to isolate a limited number of frequency and geometry dependent electromagnetic effects. These PCBs can then be used to validate various approximations. (8 pages)


This article is based on an ethnographic study in the Turkish hospitality sector and examines the employment of simple forms of labor control in hospitality service work from the perspective of labor process analysis. It introduces ethnographic data from two holiday villages on the southern coast of Turkey serving international customers. The two holiday villages were workplaces that employed mostly young workers for low-skill, routine tasks that demanded intense physical and emotional labor, but without due remuneration, career chances, and employment security. Data based on participant observation and in-depth interviews point to an increasing managerial reliance on simple forms of labor control. This happens as a result of intensifying competition among hospitality firms in a market with volatile demand and managerial perceptions regarding employees' lack of customer service skills due to routinization and simplification of tasks after the introduction of the all-inclusive boarding system. Such market-related developments encourage employers to use simple control mechanisms that help in adjusting staffing levels, imposing loyalty, cutting costs, and ensuring efficiency.


This performance on Black love is framed by Xavier University of Louisiana faculty, Dr. Ayshia Mackie-Stephenson, and undergraduate students who took Introduction to Performance Studies. Young Black people are choosing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) because they want a learning environment with Black people and they want to be away from the dangers of white supremacy. An HBCU is a place where Black people can be themselves and push each other to thrive and succeed. However, to resist centuries of White supremacy tactics of divide and conquer, Black love needs to be an intentional practice. I asked my students what Black love is and they share their thoughts in this performance.


The study examines change and variation in the system of English predicate complementation in recent times on the basis of three major corpora, the Corpus of English Novels (the CEN), comprising some 18 million words, the full Bank of English Corpus, comprising some 524 million words, and the Corpus of Contemporary American English, comprising some 360 million words in the version used, with the focus on the matrix predicate submit and its sentential complements. The sentential complements in question are of the to infinitive and to -ing types. It is shown that there are sharp grammatical differences between these two types of complement in English. However, submit is a matrix verb that has selected both types in recent English. In the CEN, representing usage from about a century ago, to infinitive complements predominated over to -ing complements by a ratio of over five to one, but in current English, to -ing complements predominate over to infinitives by a ratio of almost two to one. The study examines the nature of the variation and change, and it is pointed out that, in spite of the sharp grammatical differences between the two patterns, in the CEN both types of complement were found in one and the same text by one author, without any apparent distinction relating to genre, register, or style between the two variants. A difference in meaning is also hard to establish on the basis of contrasts generally posited in the literature for to infinitives and -ing forms. However, the study shows that passive and passive-like lower predicates with lower subjects of the type Patient or Undergoer are often associated with submit, and it is suggested that this association may have promoted the grammatical change from to infinitives to to -ing complements in the present case, in the overall context of what has come to be called the Great Complement Shift in the recent literature. The -ing pattern is virtually unique to English as a pattern of nonfinite complementation, and the grammatical change in question, it is suggested, is an example of system-internal change. The present study suggests that it is desirable to conduct follow-up work on the nature of the semantic roles of lower subjects as a factor bearing on grammatical change in the case of predicates selecting nonfinite sentential complements in recent centuries.


The dioecious campion Silene latifolia has sex chromosomes,and male and female plants form different unisexual flowers.The very youngest flower buds have both sex organs,but the development of either a gynoecium in the male bud or stamens in the female bud is arrested as the flower bud matures.To the molecular mechanism of male specific differentiation,a cDNA library from male flower buds was differentially screened for male specific genes.Three m ale reproductive organ-specific genes (MROS were isolated.Transcripts of MROS genes were detected only in male reproductive organs.The transcript of accumulated in the early flower buds,while transcripts of MROS1 and MROS2 accumulated in the late flower buds and in the anthers of open flowers.MROS1 was predicted to encode a small peptide.The putative MROS2 protein has glycine-rich regions,while the putative MROS3 protein exhibits no similarity to known proteins.Non-radioactive in situ hybridization revealed the localization of the transcripts of MROS1,MROS2 and MROS3 in male flower buds.MROS3 mRNA was distributed throughout the tapetum.MROS1 mRNA was localized in mature pollen grains.MROS2 mRNA initially accumulated in the epidermis and the endothecium near the stomium,then its accumulation of the increased significantly in the mature pollen.Although the of the three MRO S was male specific,they were not specifically localized on the Y chromosome.This suggests that Y chromosome-linked genes regulate the male specific expression of MROS genes.


This study was to investigate sepiolite clay nanofibers (SCNs) on some physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of wood-plastic nanocomposites. To meet this objective, pinewood flour with maleic anhydride polypropylene (PP), sepiolite nanofibers (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt%), and PP were compounded in a twin-screw corotating extruder. The mass ratio of the wood flour to PP was 50/50 (wt%/wt%) in all compounds. The test specimens were produced using an injection molding machine from the pellets. Flexural and tensile properties, thickness swelling, water absorption, thermogravimetric analysis, and morphology of the manufactured nanocomposites were evaluated. Based on the findings in this study, flexural and tensile properties of the wood-plastic nanocomposites increased with increasing the content of the sepiolite nanofibers. By increasing the amount of SCNs, thickness swelling and water absorption properties of wood-plastic nanocomposites were improved. Increasing the loading of SCNs increased the amount of residual ash and thermal stability.


Abstract Raman spectra of (MY) x (Ga2S3)0.2−0.2x (GeS2)0.8−0.8x pseudo-ternary glassy systems (M = Na, K, Rb; Y = Cl, Br, I) were investigated systematically as a function of MY nature and alkali content. Raman spectroscopy of the Ga3S3-GeS2 glassy matrix shows a complicated local structure: corner-sharing CS- and edge-sharing ES-GeS4/2 tetrahedra, Ga-S triclusters and ETH-Ga2S6/2 ethane-like units. The Ga2S6/2 population decreases with increasing x related to a substitution of some bridging sulfur atoms around central Ga by terminal Y species with a respective decrease of the network rigidity. The formation of mixed Ga-(S,Y) environment is affected by the M+ ion size and the MY concentration.


Abstract Hydrating high-alumina cement will react with calcium carbonate to form the complex mineral calcium carboaluminate hydrate, 3CaO.Al2O3.CaCO3.12H2O. This mineral is reported to be capable of providing strength in concrete and so may provide an alternative to the minerals normally found in the hydration of high-alumina cement, which may under certain conditions convert to other minerals with a loss in strength. Some doubt has been cast on the stability of calcium carboaluminate hydrate and it has been found that in hydrated high-alumina cement, calcium carboaluminate hydrate decomposes at temperatures in excess of 60°C. Cube compressive strength tests on high-alumina cement and high-alumina cement-calcium carbonate pastes have shown that the latter have a lower strength than pastes made with high-alumina cement alone. When cured at 50°C the high-alumina cement-calcium carbonate pastes show a loss in strength with curing time. Cements made with the high-alumina cement-calcium carbonate mixture always have a lower strength than those made with high-alumina cement alone and so no advantage is gained from their use.


This paper is a study of how Amitav Ghosh weaves together personal accounts of individuals caught in the conflict of history in his travelogue 'Dancing in Cambodia, At Large in Burma'. Identifying the author's need to uncover stories new and old, break down artificial political boundaries and dissolve distances in time and space to bring new worlds within our reach, my paper will consider how these configurations are presented in these essays through metaphors of fine arts.


The paper describes the full range of publishing and its purposes in the social sciences – from scholarly publishing via professional communication to societal interaction in public media – and how it is represented in five different contexts for research evaluation and funding. The five contexts are: applications for external project funding, applications for positions or promotions, indicator-based institutional funding systems, summative organizational evaluation systems, and formative organizational evaluation systems. The chapter provides a critical discussion of how publications from the social sciences may be filtered out or placed in predetermined hierarchies in these evaluation and funding contexts, and also of how the evaluation and funding procedures can be improved to appropriately represent social science research and publishing.


Recent studies have suggested that arachidonic acid (AA) may act as a vasoconstrictor in the brain and retina, but the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. To address this issue, we examined the effects of AA on ionic currents in retinal vascular myocytes using the whole‐cell perforated patch‐clamp technique. AA (10μM) inhibited membrane currents between ‐20 and +40 mV (reduced from 19.72±4.34 to 1.64±1.88pA/pF at 0mV, n=7; P<0.005; Student's t‐test), although currents were enhanced at potentials positive to +60mV (increased from 87.14±22.02 to 203.53±29.68pA/pF at +100mV; n=7; P<0.005). As a first step in deciphering how AA modulates the membrane current, we isolated the A–type Kv current, which in these cells is carried mainly by Kv1.5+Kvβ1 containing channels (McGahon et al. 2007 Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 292: H1001–8). AA modulated this current in two ways. It accelerated inactivation (control τ1=0.037±0.0033ms, τ2=0.37±0.064ms and AA τ1=0.016±0.0075ms, τ2=0.077±0.019ms; P<0.05 and P<0.001; n=8, step to +40mV), and shifted the voltage–dependence of inactivation to more negative potentials (V0.5control=−38.7±2.06mV and V0.5AA=−47.99±1.61mV; P<0.001, step to +60mV). This reduced the steady‐state "window" current at physiological membrane potentials. Effects of AA were observed within 30s of exposure and reached maximal effect at 7mins. We conclude that AA may act as a vasoconstrictor in the retinal vasculature by reducing steady–state Kv current leading to membrane potential depolarisation and an increased activation of voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels.


The aim of this chapter is to outline the analytical value of a friendship perspective through two of IR's core concepts: security and power. It first discusses the relevance of friendship as a process providing ontological security to actors, including states, and differentiates this from the function of both strategic alliances and security communities. Building on this reading the chapter then explores the ways power operates in and out of friendship relations. Specifically, it looks at the power operating 'internally' that is, among friends, and 'externally', that is, how practices of friendship affect third parties and international order. It suggests that friends (can) exercise power in two basic ways, namely through mutual empowerment and through agenda setting in building international order, and that this power is both creative/transformative and exclusionary/subversive and may also be violent in character. Overall, this discussion also serves to make the point that friendship is not necessarily a lovefest and must be understood as a political relationship. Introduction Claims of 'friendship' and 'special relationships' are found regularly in the political discourse, and 'the friend' is a commonly used term in the International Relations (IR) literature. And yet, this literature still contains very little substantial thinking about the meaning of friendship. Indeed, with the understanding of friendship in IR still in its infancy, we have difficulties seeing it even when looking at it. The reason is that most thinking in IR continues to build on the liberal ontology of actors as autonomyseeking entities and is reluctant to conceive of them as social-psychological phenomena. Even among scholars emphasizing a social ontology, the Other tends to take on the form of an enemy. Where friendship is discussed it is done thinly, portraying it as either a mere opposite of enmity or as a label for states forming a 'security community' (Adler and Barnett 1998; Wendt 1999). Yet friendship is much 1 Indeed, modernity's concern with individualism poses the greatest challenge for conceiving of friendship across disciplines (King and Devere 2000).


The soft gamma repeater SGR 1900+14 became active on 2001 April 18 after about 2 years of quiescence; it had remained at a very low state of activity since the fall of 1998, when it exhibited extraordinary flaring. We have observed the source in the gamma-rays and X-rays with Ulysses and Chandra and in the radio with MERLIN. We report here the confirmation of a two-component X-ray spectrum (power law + blackbody), indicating emission from the neutron star surface. We have determined that there is a dust halo, due to scattering in the interstellar medium, surrounding the source that extends up to ≳100'' from the center of SGR 1900+14.