A custom instrument for performing multi-angle, Return-Path Ellipsometry (RPE) utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) retroreflective tape is proposed to overcome common cryogenic limitations to measure a variety of materials (Au and thin films of Al2O3and SiOx) for characterization as low as 20 K. Characterization of these materials at cryogenic temperatures are demonstrated for backscattering and multi-angle configurations.


Numerical simulation of semiconductor laser diodes has been performed and reported for at least a decade [1]. As the development of high bit rate communications has progressed, interest has grown in mode-locked operation of the laser diode. Recently numerical simulations of mode-locked operation have been carried out [2]-[3].


As a promising alternative to rigid robots in various applications involving human beings, soft robots aroused extensive concern in the past decades. However, their model-based control has long being neglected due to their deformable property and complex mechanical structure. Attribute to recent advances in control-oriented models of soft robots, this paper is able to present a model-based approach for the task space control of the soft robots with system uncertainty. The system dynamic equations under both the traditional parametrization and an improved parametrization are first presented. Then a robust sliding-mode resolved acceleration controller with finite-time stability are proposed for the task space trajectory tracking of soft robots. Theoretical analyses prove the closed loop stability and simulations verify effectiveness of the proposed method.


CONTENTS Introduction Chapter I. Hamiltonian systems ??1. Hamilton's equations ??2. The motion of a rigid body ??3. The oscillations of a pendulum ??4. The restricted three-body problem ??5. Some problems of mathematical physics Chapter II. Integration of Hamiltonian systems ??1. Quadratures ??2. Complete integrability ??3. Examples of completely integrable systems ??4. Perturbation theory ??5. Normal forms Chapter III. Topological obstructions to complete integrability of natural systems ??1. The topology of the state space of an integrable system ??2. Proof of the theorem on non-integrability ??3. Unsolved problems Chapter IV. Non-integrability of nearly integrable Hamiltonian systems ??1. Poincar?'s method ??2. The creation of isolated periodic solutions - an obstruction to integrability ?3. Applications of Poincar?'s method Chapter V. Bifurcation of asymptotic surfaces ??1. Conditions for bifurcation ??2. Bifurcation of asymptotic surfaces - an obstruction to integrability ??3. Some applications ??4. Isolation of the integrable cases Chapter VI. Non-integrability in a neighbourhood of an equilibrium position ??1. Siegel's method ??2. Non-integrability of systems depending on a parameter Chapter VII. Branching of solutions and the absence of single-valued integrals ??1. Branching of solutions - an obstruction to integrability ??2. The monodromy groups of Hamiltonian systems with single-valued integrals References


The author poses the problem of determining anew the outlines and parameters of the new world order in connection with the nowadays evident loss of topicality by the earlier prevalent ideas of a monocentric world. Applying the methodology of systemic approach, the author regards the world community as a self-organizing super-system consisting of a multitude of interconnected, interdependent, cooperating and at the same time competing and conflicting subsystems (national states, various international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations etc.). Analyzing different factors of maintenance of the arising polycentric world order, the author poses the question of the content and of the conditions of genesis of the principles and institutions which might become a stable basis of this new world order.


Obtaining accurate measurements of tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) in forests to evaluate the growth rate of cultivars is still a significant challenge, even when using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and three-dimensional (3-D) modeling. As an alternative, we provide a novel high-throughput strategy for predicting the biomass of forests in the field by vegetation indices. This study proposes an integrated pipeline methodology to measure the biomass of different tree cultivars in plantation forests with high crown density, which combines unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hyperspectral image sensors, and data processing algorithms using machine learning. Using a planation of Cunninghamia lanceolate, which is commonly known as Chinese fir, in Fujian, China, images were collected while using a hyperspectral camera. Vegetation indices and modeling were processed in Python using decision trees, random forests, support vector machine, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) third-party libraries. The tree height and DBH of 2880 samples were manually measured and clustered into three groups—"Fast", "median", and "normal" growth groups—and 19 vegetation indices from 12,000 pixels were abstracted as the input of features for the modeling. After modeling and cross-validation, the classifier that was generated by random forests had the best prediction accuracy when compared to other algorithms (75%). This framework can be applied to other tree species to make management and business decisions.


The concept of the exposome, formulated more than fifteen years ago, is increasingly discussed in the modern scientific literature. The term "exposome" is understood as a cumulative measure of the impact of environmental factors on an individual throughout his or her life (from the prenatal period to death) and the biological response associated with it. The sum of these factors has a significant impact on the occurrence, course, and treatment efficacy of multifactorial diseases. The skin is a border organ and is constantly exposed to environmental influences, i.e., it is a target for the exposome. The influence of the latter components has been described in skin aging, atopic dermatitis, and malignant skin neoplasms. Acne is one of the most common chronic inflammatory dermatoses. Over the past decade, the worldwide increase in the incidence of acne, its early onset and a prolonged course, affecting adult men and women, has been noted. The review presents an analysis of the data on the effects of the components of the exposome – diet, medications, stress, and pollutants - on the course of acne. Particular attention is paid to the few data on the nature of interaction between the components of the exposome and the skin microbiome, which, on the one hand, is involved in the pathogenesis of dermatoses, including acne, and, on the other hand, is changed under the influence of exposome factors, acting as an intermediary between the environment and the human body. The search for environmental factors has at least two objectives: the discovery of potential pathogenetic links, the strength of their relationship with the clinical manifestations of the disease to develop new therapies aimed at new targets; and the creation and recommendation of a protective regime for factors with a proven effect on the course of the disease, for patients suffering from acne.


Pyramidal Si nanocrystals selectively grown on Si(001) windows in ultrathin 0.3-nm-thick ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ films were studied using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. In the initial growth stage, {1, 1, 13} facets were formed on the four equivalent sidewalls of the crystal due to the repulsion force between neighboring steps. The crystals were stable with a quasiequilibrium shape when they were surrounded by the ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ film, but rapidly decayed once the boundary to the ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ film was removed. This indicates that Si adatoms were confined within the Si window area by the surrounding ultrathin ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ film and the Si adatom density became stationary. The confinement was enabled by a difference in the adsorption energy of Si adatoms on ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and these on Si(001).


In Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) for melanoma resection, the use of frozen sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) is controversial because


We report on the development of a novel self-consistent nano-scale semiconductor laser model where Wigner functions are used to model carrier dynamics and boundary conditions. The technique allows one to add a new non-equilibrium correction term to standard formulations of optical As an example, the formalism susceptibility. is applied in the calculation of gain for a single quantum well laser. The conventional component of the gain uses a 4Ł 4 Luttinger-Kohn bandstructure approximation and the non-equilibrium correction term is calculated with a parabolic bandstructure approximation. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


 Logistics industry is one of the mostly affected sectors by economic and financial developments. The downward and upward movements of this industry seem to have been dependent upon the developments in the world trade in general and foreign trade in particular. In parallel with such trade developments, logistics industry displays an upward development and expansion as the world trade develops and foreign trade increases, and it records a downward movement together with contraction during the periods of contraction and crisis encountered in economy. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of the 2009 financial crisis on the Turkish ports. To do this, the relevant data for 2000 to 2009 are evaluated. And also a questionnaire was developed to find the effects of the crises concerning both the individual regions as well as the each cargo type are separately scrutinized.


The aphelids (phylum Aphelida) are phagotrophic parasitoids of algae and represent the most basal branch in superphylum Opisthosporidia, which contains the Microsporidia, Rozellosporidia and Aphelida. Being the closest group to traditional fungi, the aphelids should have ancestral features of both phyla. As in chytrids and other zoosporic fungi, the structure of zoospores is the most informative and important morphological feature for the phylogeny and taxonomy of aphelids. Though a general zoospore description exists for some aphelid species, their flagellar apparatus (kinetid) structure, which contains pivotal taxonomic and phylogenetic characters, has not been studied. Here we represent the kinetid structure in two genera, Aphelidium and Paraphelidium, and demonstrate independent reduction in the kinetid in each genus. The kinetid‐mitochondrion connection found in Aphelidium and Paraphelidium is rare for opisthokonts in general, but present in the most basal branches of Fungi and Opisthosporidia. We suggest, therefore, that this connection represents an ancestral character for both these phyla.


MENINGITIS due to organisms of the typhoid-salmonella group is comparatively rare. 'T'he case presently recorded was caused(by bact. enteritidis (Gaertner), and several examples of similar origin have been culled from the literature. R. M., a male infant aged 21 months, the second child of healthy parents. The father was a milk vendor, and the child livedl witlh its parents on a dairy farm just outsi(le the city boundary. The child was fed on a raw milk mixture, on which he appeared to thrive. Fifteen days before the illness he was vaccinated, and from that time the mother noticedl the childl becoming "fretful and feverish." He continued to feed well, although he vomited occasionally. Nothing unusual was notice(l in the type or frequenc) of the motions. He became drowsy, and ceased vomiting three day,s before adlmission to hospital. On admission to the war(l of the late Dr. Malcolm Brice Smyth, the infant had a temperature of 102°, an(d the pulse was 160. Nutrition and development were good. 'lThere was a small dry vaccination crust on the left arm. The child was drowsy, but fed well, and(cried on handlinig. Head retraction and neck rigidity were present, an(l the anterior fontanelle was tense. Spasmodic twitching of the muscles of the face and arms was observed. The left pupil was insensitive to light, and both optic discs showed (lefinite choking. Cisterni puncture yielded 10 c.c. flui(d undler increased pressure. Next day the drowsiness had (leepened to coma, andl feedinlg became difficult. 15 c.c. cerebro-spinal flui(d was withdrawn by lumbar puncture. 'Two normal motions were passed. On thie third (lay, several convulsions occurred ;coma deepened. Cistern puncture was repeated, without abatement of the meningitic con(dition. 'I'he child died suddenly on the thir((lay after admission. Post-mortem examination was not obtained. All three specimens of cerebro-spinal fluid showed marke(d turbidity and opal-escence. On standing, thev vielded a heavy deposit, but no clot. The cell counts rangedi from 350 to 520 cmm., polymorphonuclears predominating. The third specimen contained 5(;0 mg. per cent. chlorides, and only a trace of glucose. Direct examinationi in each case showed the presence of motile gram negative bacteria in large numbers. On culture, the organism gave the biochemical reactions of the salmonella group. Dr. XVk. F. Green very kindlly didl the following agglutina-tions, which were all negative Organism with bact. typhosum, bact. paratyphosum A and B, and patient's sera. By the good offices of …


Rectal Mamometric Curves in Children: Phase I Study Aim of this study: To evaluate the role of anorectal manometry (ARM) and determine normal ARM's parameters in a group of children referred for evaluation of defecation disorders. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of pediatric ARMs performed over an 8-year period. Results: Records from 789 children (52.6% male) were reviewed. Patients were classified in four groups according to the main ARMs findings in: "Control group" (CL), "Probable megarectum group" (PMG), "Abnormalities of intrinsic innervation group" (AII) and "Abnormalities of extrinsic innervation group" (AEI). 79% of them had been referred for evaluation of chronic constipation and 10% because of suspicion of abnormalities of intrinsic innervation. In 94 and 83% of them respectively, the ARM ruled out organic causes. ARM's findings distribution was: CL (48.0%), PMG (42.6%), AII (7.5%) and AEI (1.5%). CL and PMG showed age- dependent differences in manometric parameters. Differences in manometric parameters between CL, PMG, AII and AEI were found. Conclusions: Four distinctive patterns were described in 789 patients referred for evaluation of their presumed defecation disorder. The main indication of ARM was study of chronic constipation, where organic problems were confirmed only in a few of them. (Key words: Manometry, constipation, pediatrics). Rev Chil Pediatr 2009; 80 (3): 231-237


---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract Wireless sensor network (WSN) is distributed over an area and sensors are devoted to task for controlling and monitoring the physical condition of the environment. Interesting application in wireless sensor network is Object Tracking Sensor Network (OTSN) which is used to track the objects in an environment and update its current location to the base station. OTSN accurately detects the location of objects and collecting all the data which is processed and aggregated, sent its current movements to the base station. OTSN is used in several real-life applications like wild-life monitoring, security applications for buildings and international borders monitoring for illegal crossings. There are two major issues in WSN, high energy consumption and low packet delivery rate. Previous object tracking techniques like scheduled monitoring and continues monitoring provides less energy consumption. To improve it, in this proposed system PTSP is used. PTSP has two stages; they are sequential pattern generation and object tracking and monitoring. Effective sleep-awake mechanism is used to conserve energy in proposed system. Markov decision process or learning technique is used to predict the future location of moving objects by mathematical calculations and also reduces object missing rate. Energy calculation and route finding is used to increase the network lifetime. Communication between the sensor node in the network and base station will be based on multi-hop communications. The sensor nodes are static and that the network topology, including the positions of each sensor node in the network, is well known to the base station.


An authentication marking is achieved by successive impressions of two graphics on each other. Is established after these impressions original description said the result. This is different from a print in one pass, because the ink had time to spend in the solid state between the two impressions, and we can therefore obtain a more detailed and more precise than that would have been obtained in a single pass. tracking errors between the two prints can also produce random effects, so difficult to reproduce, which could not be obtained in a single pass. With or without tracking error, the result is difficult to reproduce by photocopying. To authenticate the marking, it establishes a so-called higher description which is compared with the original description, which can be done automatically with a smartphone or a scanner.


The use of ontology for knowledge organization is a common way to solve semantic heterogeneity. But when the categories of the relative concepts of ontologies are different, the semantic interoperation will encounter new obstacles. A new theory model is needed to solve this kind of problem. Information flow (IF) theory seems to be a promising avenue to this end. In this paper, we analyze semantic heterogeneities among two data sources in distributed Xu Beihongpsilas Galleries and describe an instance based approach to accomplish semantic interoperation and IF based formulation process of the global semantics. The emphasis is how to use IF theory to discover concept and instance duality in knowledge sharing. In the end, the more interrelated problems are farther discussed.


Design thinking (DT) is a methodology that considers innovation initiatives in user centered design activities and can be applied to improve user experience (UX). This paper reports our experience when applying DT in the redesign of the Dona Know application, which allowed us to identify improvement opportunities. We applied UX evaluation methods in order to compare the new version of the application with the one before its redesign. The results from this experience show that there was as an increase in the satisfaction of the users when using the redesigned version of the application.


Seaweeds are an important ingredient of functional foods recommended for daily food due to their unique compositions and nutritional value. They are the vital source of rich nutrition in dietary fibre, low lipid content, high polysaccharide concentration, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins. The nutritional and pharmacological potential of marine macroalgae drives our continuous interest in investigating the edible seaweeds. The present study mainly focuses on the mineral profile of the edible algae Padina tetrastromaica, collected from Thikkodi coast, Kerala. P. tetrastromatica, belongs to the family Dictyotacece, which have the copious source of pharmacologically active compounds and exhibits unalike properties such as antibiotic, anticoagulant, antihyperglycemic, antiviral and anti-cancerous. Thus the present study reveals the mineral profile of the edible marine algae P.tetrastromatica, which has higher amount of Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and low amount of Iron . The results concluded that the marine brown algae selected for the present study holds a good amount of primary and secondary metabolites.


Abstract The coefficients (c vdW) for the dipole-dipole van der Waals interactions between two ions in the isoelectronic alkali halide crystals are estimated within Mayer's method from the optical spectra. The Kramers-Kronig analyses of the recent optical and reflection measurements, obtained mainly by the extensive use of synchrotron radiation, lead to the determination of the optical constants and hence to the "experimental" values of the matrix elements of the dipole moment operator between the ground and the excited electronic states. These matrix elements appear in the expression of the c vdW coefficients from second order perturbation theory in the asymptotic expansion. The adopted procedure is applied to the rare gas crystals for the first time. The reported values of the electronic polarizabilities and the c vdW of Kr indicate the expected agreement with the corresponding gas phase values. The effect of the full local field corrections, appropriate for these insulators, on the c vdW coefficients i...


Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the major cause of maternal death. To prevent PPH, the routine administration of a uterus-contracting ('uterotonic') agent is a standard practice across the world. Oxytocin is the standard uterotonic agent recommended for this purpose, and is recommended for all women giving birth. Oxytocin is problematic as it requires cold storage and transport, and in low-resource settings, the cold chain is not commonly available. Heat-stable carbetocin is a promising alternative to oxytocin. Because of its heat stability, it can overcome the persistent problems with oxytocin quality as it does not require cold chain for storage and transport. Considering the totality of the evidence, it appears to have some additional desirable effects compared with oxytocin and a very favourable side effect profile similar to oxytocin. With a standardized dosing of single injection recommendation, it can address the variations in dosing regimen as is with oxytocin. Carbetocin has been added to the World Health Organization (WHO) essential medicines list of uterotonics for the prevention of excessive bleeding after childbirth, we might see a new standard of care in coming months for prevention of uterine atony.


The probability P of overhead occurrence of aurora during a night is estimated for 22 southern hemisphere stations during the I.G.Y. The distribution of probability of occurrence is represented in terms of three measures of colatitude: 81 is defined in terms of the eccentric dipole representation of the geomagnetic field; 82 is defined in terms of projections from circles in the equatorial plane, along the geomagnetic lines of force, onto the Earth; 83 is defined in terms of the integral invariant f; (I-F IF m)!dl of charged particle motion in the geomagnetic field.


The prestressed anchor-cable and lattice beam is a kind of new composite structure widely used in slope protection in recent years.Because of its combination of the anchor-rope's pliability and lattice beam's rigidity,it achieves well supporting effect in engineering.But until now there are few studies on the mechanical analysis and reasonable format of it and are design waste in the engineering for its format design mostly by the engineering experience.The article gives the calculation formula for the node of the lattice beams,compares the quantity of reinforcement of different ones by an example and analyses the rationality of these beams.The results show that under the same condition,force in the node of single-oblique and double-oblique one is the least and that in the arched one is the most,furthermore there is torque in the arched one.So the quantity of reinforcement of single-oblique one is the least and that of arched one is much more than that of other ones.


The aim of the article: To define and research on achievements and remain difficulties of decentralization of power issues in Ukraine for the period of 2014 - 2020. Topicality: Decentralization does not imply single reform, it comprises a set of measures applied to the transformation of Public Administration, which have been launched and implemented systematically and gradually. Decentralization is rightly regarded to be one of the most successful directions of reforms in Ukraine.Research outcomes: The authors have analysed a process of decentralization and defined pros and cons of this set of reforms. The authors considered a growth of local budgets, a completion of local communities' amalgamation, new administrative division of Ukraine, stimulation of economic activity on the local level to be the advantages.At the same time, lack of Constitutional reform concerning the main outputs of the decentralization legal finalization, unresolved issues of legal regulation of land ownership, certain tensions of Center – periphery, as well as politicizing of local Self-government institutes have been outlined as the key challenges of the decentralization. Potential threats have also been represented with the procedures of villagers' headmen appointment and certain trends towards formation of "enclaves" of amalgamated communities with the same ethic and linguistic parameters. Authors have also concluded the article with some practical recommendations, addressed to Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and Cabinet of Ministers. They would help with resolving some remaining problems of the decentralization process.


Heterogeneous freezing of aqueous particles with solid inclusions of crystallized (NH4)2SO4, ice, and letovicite were studied using optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. For (NH4)2SO4−H2O particles, the heterogeneous freezing temperature was found to be dependent on the morphology of the (NH4)2SO4 solid. If the crystallized solid was in the form of microcrystals, the heterogeneous ice-freezing temperature was close to the eutectic temperature and the critical saturation with respect to ice was close to 1. However, if the solid was in the form of one or two large crystals, the heterogeneous freezing temperature was close to the homogeneous freezing temperature. For particles with one or two large (NH4)2SO4 crystals in equilibrium with (NH4)2SO4−H2O solution, we have estimated an upper limit of 1.5 × 10-5 s-1 μm-2 for Jhet (heterogeneous nucleation rate of ice, immersion freezing mode). Our results for NH4HSO4−H2O particles show that when one or two large crystals of either ice or letovi...


Using matlab for fault diagnosis simulation, analysis and comparison of different types of neural network algorithms, select a better training effect, the classification effect of a stable algorithm for fault diagnosis. And its fast convergence, accurate prediction, can have fault prediction function. Finally, the two types of functions can be combined to achieve pre-diagnosis of power system faults to reduce the failure rate as efficiently as possible.


Indonesia still bears a significant public health problem of stunting among under-5 (U-5) children. Environmental factors have been demonstrated to be associated with stunting as indirect causes. However, the extent to which the environmental factors determine the stunting burden in rural Indonesia is stil underexplored. Hence, this study investigates environmental factors that determine stunting among U-5 children in the rural areas of Indonesia. We employed data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey 2014/2015 (IFLS5) and selected a sample size of 2,571 children under five years of age residing in rural areas. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis and estimated the "population attributable fraction" (PAF) of drinking water, sanitation, and garbage collection on stunting. The results suggest that unimproved drinking water source and improper garbage collection correspond with higher odds of child stunting. Inadequate sanitation facility, however, was not found to be significantly influencing the odds of stunting. Moreover, household wealth is protective of risk of stunting. Furthermore, the PAF analysis demonstrated that 21.58% of the stunting burden among U-5 children residing in rural areas are preventable by providing access to an improved drinking water source and better household solid waste management to prevent repeated infections.


The scientific paper presents a numerical simulation comparison study regarding fuel efficiency and emissions, of a hybrid vehicle, when altering temperatures values and state of charge of the energy storage system parameters from the initial conditions occurs, and the vehicle follows a standard test cycle (UDDS). The comparison study aims, the usage of the same vehicle with hybrid – parallel configuration.


From the Publisher:
This textbook provides practical and easy-to-follow instruction in mastering the AutoLISP programming language. It covers functions included in AutoCAD Release 2.18 through 13, including ANGTOF, NENTSELP, TEXTBOX, and ALERT. The reader will learn how to create useful and productive routines and programs with this user-friendly book.


Abstract Intermolecular chirality transfer was studied by investigating the conformational distribution of rotamers in a cholesteric guest-host phase using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in the NVT ensemble. The guest-host system under investigation was given by N c = 238 rigid, chiral Gay-Berne atropisomers as host molecules and N a = 18 flexible Gay-Berne rotamers as guest molecules. The rigid, chiral Gay-Berne atropisomers of point symmetry group D2 were defined by joining two Gay-Berne particles through a bond with a suitable fixed dihedral angle. The possibility of internal rotation about the bond axis without a rotational barrier was introduced as an internal degree of freedom for the guest molecules, for convenience denoted as Gay-Berne rotamers. Starting from an isotropic configuration, cholesteric phases were obtained on equilibrating the guest-host systems, whereby left-handed and right-handed cholesterics were formed depending on the M- and P-helicity of the atropisomers, respectively. Analysing ...


To the Editor.— Alderman and coworkers 1 document a dramatically lower rate of morbid and fatal events among ambulatory hypertensives who moderately reduce their diastolic blood pressure compared with those with small or large reductions. Their conclusions from this prospective study among a relatively high-risk population are robust over a range of stratifications by sociodemographic and risk factor categories. The authors suggest no clear pattern related to specific antihypertensive regimens, but the vast majority of subjects received hydrochlorothiazide or propranolol, alone or in combination. Citing many of the same confirmatory studies, Berglund 2 has summarized eight reports from 1978 through 1987 consistent with the conclusion that moderate diastolic blood pressure reduction is superior to either extreme. None of these reports, however, acknowledges the potential confounding influence of medication compliance, presumably because of the many difficulties in measuring it accurately, unobtrusively, and prospectively. 3 Partial compliance with prescribed medication, especially


Objective To investigate the assoiation between rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and the pres- ence of the shared epitope(SE)of HLA-DRBI gene in Han nationality of Neimenggu population.Methods The method of DNA amplification with sequence-specific primers(PCR-SSP)was used to determine 17 alleles of HLA-DRB1*01,*04,*10 genotypes in 80 RA patients and 110 healthy controls from the Han nationality population in Neimenggu.Results The frequencies of SE were significantly increased in RA patiens com- pared with controls(48.8%:20%,P<0.01).Epitope analysis revealed that the most predominant allele subtype of DR4(*0405)was usceptible sequence in Neimenggu patients with RA(28.8%:12%,P<0.01).No statisticall significant difference of other subtypes of DR1,DR4 nd DR10 was noted including DRB1*0101(2.5%:0.9%), *0102(2.5%:0),*0103(1.25%:0.9%),*0104(2.5%:0),*0401(6.25:1.8%),*0402(3.75%:0.9%),*0403 (1.25%:1.8%),*0404(2.5%:1.8%),*0406(2.5%:2.7%),*0407(1.25%:0.9%),*0408(3.75 %:0.9%),*0409 (1.25%:0),*0410(2.5%:0.9%),*0411(0:0)and *1001(8.75%:4.5%)respectively.Logistic regression analy- sis showed that the disease of patients with SE homozgote was more severe than that of patients with heterozy- gote(P<0.01).Conclusion The results suggest that there is an association between SE of HLA-DRBI gene and susceptibility and severity of RA,especially,HLA-DR4 subtypes are strongly associated with RA in Han nationality in Neimenggu population.


External self -focusing of picosecond laser radiation has been used to measure the nonlinear refractive index, n2, in several liquids. Beams of Gaussian temporal and spatial profile incident on thin samples (sample thickness smaller than the confocal beam parameter) are observed to undergo considerable self -focusing by monitoring the beam profiles on a vidicon system. Near field beam distortion and transmitted on -axis irradiance are measured as a function of irradiance, pulsewidth and polarization state of the incident radiation, to determine the value of n2 and the relative contribution to n2 from the fast and slow nonlinearities. The liquids studied in detail are carbon disulphide and nitrobenzene. Introduction The third order susceptibility, X(3), of solids, liquids, and gasses has been well studied using such phenomena as third harmonic generation, optical Kerr effect, stimulated Raman effect, nonlinear efraction and nonlinear absorption. We present here a simple direct way of measuring x3) using the last two mentioned effects. Both nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption have been used in applications such as optical bistabilityl and optical power limitation.2 For such applications, a knowledge of the values of the nonlinear refractive index n2 and the nonlinear absorption coefficient ß is necessary. n2 has been measured in solids and liquids by several authors using different methods.3,4 Picosecond and femtosecond laser radiation has been used to separate the different mechanisms which contribute to the nonlinear refraction with different time dependences. These mechanisms are mainly the electronic cloud distortion, the molecular libration, the molecular reorientation, and the molecular redistribution. For the picosecond laser pulses used, it is usually the molecular reorientation mechanism that has a response time comparable to the pulse duration, other mechanisms have response times much smaller. Moreover, the value of n2 for different states of polarization of the incident light (e.g., linear or circular polarization) is different and dependent on the relative contributions from the electronic and molecular mechanisms. We present here a description of an analysis and experiments used to directly determine the nonlinear refractive index n2 and the nonlinear absorption coefficient ß in liquids using picosecond pulses of different pulsewidths and different states of polarization. Analysis The mechanism used to measure n2 is that of external selffocusing in which a collimated laser beam of Gaussian temporal and spatial profile is incident on a thin sample of liquid (the length of the liquid cell much less than the confocal parameter of the laser beam). In this case the diffraction of the laser beam inside the nonlinear medium can be ignored and the irradiance I and phase ¢ of the electric field E 21 el¢ nec 00 of frequency w follow the propagation equations:


This paper develops a carbon sequestration model to calculate forests' maximum carbon sequestration stock. The purpose is only to consider the ecological benefits and explore whether deforestation is needed based on maximizing the ecological benefits. In the model, we insert the forest growth model, consider the carbon sequestration of forest and forest products, and use the traversal algorithm to calculate the cutting cycle under the maximum ecological benefit. The result is that the best ecological benefits will be obtained if the tree is cut down in about 25 years. It proves that deforestation is also needed in forest management planning regardless of economic factors and only considering ecological benefits.


Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A strategy for early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease can help reduce the number of complications and deaths in patients. Research by the world's leading scientists is aimed at studying the pathogenetic links underlying the development of heart disease. The study of the molecular signaling pathways responsible for the induction of cardiac hypertrophy is of great clinical interest, and the potential therapeutic use of these molecules could prevent or slow down pathological myocardial remodeling and heart failure leading to cardiomyocyte death or dysfunction. The article discusses the influence of the components of the immune system on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The role of GSK-3 kinase, which plays an important role in the regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and metabolic processes in the cell, as well as participates in the regulation of various signaling pathways, including Wnt / β-catenin and TGF-β-signaling, has been evaluated. Serum levels of GSK-3α and GSK-3β, as well as pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-10 and TNF-α) were assessed in patients with coronary artery disease (myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris) and relatively healthy persons. The relationship of these indicators with clinical and laboratory data has been analyzed. The results obtained indicate the important role of immune processes in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease. The performed combinatorial analysis of glycogen synthase kinase 3, serum cytokines with laboratory data (leukocyte and LDL levels) can help assess the severity of coronary heart disease and can help in determining risk stratification in patients with angina pectoris.


A 28 year old male was presented with foreign body sensation in the left tonsillar region with chronic tonsillitis. Clinically diagnosed as Hemangioma . The tumor was removed by snare method and the histopathological report was cavernous Hemangioma. Although clinically diagnosed, histopathological confirmation reveals confirmatory diagnosis. Hemangiomas are the most common tumors of the head and


Abstract The present study was undertaken to provide additional information on the effects of hypnosis on academic and test-taking skills. Previous research indicated inconclusive results with inadequate experimental design and statistical methodology. The present study used an experimental research design with appropriate statistical analysis. Ss were 93 college students and treatment was administered by prerecorded cassette tapes over a 4-week period during regular class time. Tapes consisted of hypnotic and waking suggestions related to course content and general academic skills. Results indicated hypnotic and waking suggestions did not facilitate academic skill learning significantly more dian class curriculum alone. Pre-post comparisons did indicate significant improvement by all groups on reading, writing, study skills, and spelling variables.


In this scientific research we develop new compact design of a waveguide septum polarizer. It contains two-step conducting longitudinal septum in a square waveguide. The peculiarity of suggested structure consists in the application of a stepped-thickness septum, which provides two additional geometrical parameters. Parametric optimization of the structure was performed in order to obtain good matching and effective polarization characteristics simultaneously. Operating frequency band of the polarizer is from 7.7 to 8.1 GHz. Optimized design of the developed septum polarizer provides VSWR less than 1.16 for rectangular waveguide ports and a common square waveguide port. Differential phase shift of a polarizer is in the range of degrees 90°±5°. Corresponding cross polarization discrimination is better than 27 dB. The ellipticity coefficient of a polarizer is less than 0.75 dB. The isolation between the rectangular waveguide ports is higher than 27 dB. On the whole, developed in the paper septum polarizer unites compact design, effective electromagnetic performance and possibility of simple integration into antenna systems. Two-steps septum polarizer can be applied in modern X-band satellite information systems and radars with simultaneous operation at two orthogonal circular polarizations.


The main focus of Bernard Stiegler's critique of automatic society is the threat that automatic systems pose to human creative work in undermining possibility by eliminating the available time that it takes human beings to think and work through problems posed by the relative independence of the material world. When humans work creatively, they do not automatically translate ideas into reality. Instead, the object constantly poses unexpected challenges that must be reflected upon and worked through. Surprisingly, even Marx ignored the temporal dimension of work involving the material world. Through the example of artistic work, this essay illustrates and begins sketching a solution to the threat that automatic society poses to creative work. Against Marx, it shows that artistic work is never a case of simply imprinting an idea on a passive material substratum but is always a struggle through which the idea changes in the process of its realization.


We studied the relations between body height, body mass index (BMI), and fatal hip fractures prospectively in a large, representative population. During the years 1963–1975, a nationwide compulsory mass x-ray examination including standardized height and weight measurements took place in Norway covering all persons age 15 years and older. In the study presented here, we selected women (N = 357,807) and men (N = 316,041) age 50–89 years at screening. We matched the file to the national death register containing causes of death throughout 1991; we defined cases as persons with hip fracture mentioned on their death certificates. During an average follow-up of 16.4 years, we identified a total of 6,087 fatal hip fractures in the study population. There was a distinct inverse relation between BMI and fatal hip fracture, with an age-adjusted relative risk (RR) in the three highest vs the low quartile of 0.68 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63–0.72] in women and 0.57 (95% CI = 0.52–0.62) in men. The risk of fatal hip fractures increased slightly with increasing body height [RR = 1.10 (95% CI = 1.04–1.16) in women and RR = 1.08 (95% CI = 1.01–1.16) in men per 10-cm increase in body height]. This study indicates that low BMI is an important risk factor for fatal hip fractures and that body height has a weak, positive association.


We prove the existence, for a translation-invariant preorder on a divisible commutative group, of a complete preorder extending the preorder in question and satisfying translation invariance (theorem 1). We also prove that the extension may inherit a property of continuity (theorem 2). This property of continuity may lead to scalar invariance. By seeking to clarify the relationship between continuity and scalar invariance under translation invariance, we are led to formulate a theorem that asserts the existence of a continuous linear weak representation under a certain condition (theorem 3). The application of these results in a space of infinite real sequences shows that this condition is weaker than the axiom super weak Pareto, and that the latter is itself weaker than the axiom monotonicity for non-constant preorders. Thus, theorem 3 is a strengthening of theorem 4 of Mabrouk 2011. It also makes it possible to show the existence of a sequence of continuous linear preorders whose lexicographic combination constitutes the finest combination coarser than the preorder in question (theorem 4). This decomposition makes it possible to handle continuous functions instead of preoders when one looks for optima, which may be more practical. Finally we apply this decomposition to the preorder catching-up. Several examples are provided.


Peter Goetzsche summarized the point of origin to his register-based research as follows: "This suggests that factors other than the drugs' pharmacological properties and the natural course of untreated disease are decisive for their usage." (Goetzsche, 2020, 281). He claims that the huge increase of use of antidepressants and neuroleptics is not based on the clinical factors but commercial purposes. The increase of the use of the drugs is related to the increase of disability allowance in all countries studied. He wanted to investigate the same concerns about the use of benzodiazepines and stimulants agents. His design was to compare the curve of redeemed prescriptions of the drugs over a decade, e.g. 2007-2017, He found the curve being mostly similar, with some more decline of the use of benzodiazepines. He also noticed the more rapid decline in the number of redeemed prescriptions in first time prescriptions. This would mean that once a medicine has become part of the treatment culture, it will be more likely to remain at he same level for ten years. He makes a conclusion that: "These findings are disturbing. No matter which psychiatric drug people take or what their problem is, roughly one-third of the patients will still be in treatment with the same drug or a similar one ten years later." (Goetzsche, 2020, 282). These results, deriving from this simple register-based study, are interesting. What they indicate is that it does not matter the question about the specific drug being used to specific patients with specific diagnosis, but it does matter the automatic care culture without considering if there really is need to use these drugs. Of course, in this type of study there is no information about real-life cases. In real life, each situation is a unique one meaning that the medication prescribed should also be adopted in every ones' needs. No we do not know, which variables are related to the treatment culture staying the same without consideration of new interventions if one intervention has not been helpful. The everyday clinical observations for psychiatrists and other clinicians are that these drugs do not help in the way expected, but they are still used. Unfortunately, for me this hypothesis means that the psychiatrists prescribing the bills have no other tools to provide their care to their patients. What really surprise me is that the curve of use for ten years is the same for every drug irrespective of the problems of the patients whom they are prescribed to. In my clinical background and in my studies, I focused mainly on developing new approaches for psychosis and major depressions. In one research project in Finnish Western Lapland, we followed for 19 years what happened with the first episode psychotic patients in the Open Dialogue care and compared this to usual treatment in the rest of Finland. The outcome differences were significant (Begrström, 2018). In Open Dialogue care at the outset 20 % of the patients were prescribed neuroleptic medications. During the first five years altogether 33% had been prescribed, but half of them also stopped neuroleptics. Approximately 19 years after, among those patients who started the treatment in Open Dialogues care, 33% were still using the neuroleptics. After the first two years, the patients could have had mainstream psychiatric treatment and most probably prescribed neuroleptics, if they would have had psychotic symptoms. Howver, it seemed that the Open Dialogue interventions at the outset had helped them to avoid more new (psychotic) crises and thus even being within the main stream treatment they showed less symptoms that would have required neuroleptics'


Based on the data of all Ashare listed companies over the period 20002002 in Shenzhen and Shanghai Securities Exchange, this paper investigates the relationship between controlling shareholder′s embezzlement of listed company′s funds and listed company′s earnings management. We find the significant positive relationship, namely the more listed company′s funds are embezzled by controlling shareholder, the more severely the listed company′s earnings are managed. This result suggests that controlling shareholder′s embezzlement of listed company′s funds not only may affect the listed company′s performance, but also may lower the quality of listed company′s accounting information.


Objective To investigate the efficacy of gefitinib in lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastasis.Methods Thirty patients with brain metastases from lung adenocarcinoma were treated with gefitinib administered orally at daily dose of 250mg.In these patients,17 had been treated with whole-brain radiation therapy(WBRT) and 18 received chemotherapy one month before enrolled into the study.Results For all of enrolled patients,the overall objective response rate was 30% with a disease control rate of 90%.Median progression-free survival(PFS) was 9 months and median overall survival(OS) was 14 months,respectively.The objective response rate to brain metastases was 20% and the disease control rate was 86.7%.The disease control rate of gefitinib for brain metastases in the patients treated with WBRT previously was 94.1%,while that in the patients without WBRT was 84.6%.There was no statistical difference between two groups.Conclusion Our date suggests that gifetinib can penetrate into brain tissue and are effective in the treatment of brain metastasis from lung adencarcinoma.


Object detection for aerial images is a crucial and challenging task in the field of computer vision. Previous CNN-based methods face problems related to extreme variation of object scales and the complex background in aerial images, which vary significantly from natural scenes. On the other hand, a great many of existing detectors highly rely on computational performance and cannot handle real-time tasks. To address this problems, we propose a lightweight real-time object detection network which is named VC-YOLO. In the backbone part, we introduce a receptive field extended backbone with limited number of convolution layers to learn the features and context information of various objects. In the detection part, channel attention module and spatial attention module are used to generate discriminative feature representation. To make full use of semantic feature maps in backbone network, we improve the feature pyramid network (FPN) with more lateral connections to reuse the features in each convolution stage. We evaluate VC-YOLO on NWPU VHR-10 and VisDrone benchmark datasets. Experimental results show that VC-YOLO achieves superior detection accuracy with high efficiency compared with the existing methods.


Considering present soft sensor model research of sodium aluminate solution composition concentration,the multiple restrictive conditions solving thinking was presented to improve its soft-sensing precision and hit rate,and the soft-sensing mathematic model was established based on BP neural network.The sodium aluminate solution temperature and the component concentration were selected as the input nodes,and the corresponding electrical conductivity as the output node.Inverse mapping solution was achieved by combining organically the back-propagation principle and the weights values adjustment principle.Results show that the model can reflect the laws among electrical conductivity,composition concentration and temperature,and the average relative error of electrical conductivity at the generalization test is 1.74%;the relative error between the soft-sensing concentration and the real composition concentration is not more than 2.5%;the model is effective to soft measure the sodium aluminate solution compositon concentration waving in wider range,and thus the research lays a better foundation to achieve measure on-line in sodium aluminate solution.


To regulate the expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2, compounds, compositions and methods are provided. The composition, a nucleic acid encoding a diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 containing oligonucleotides targeting. To adjust the diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 expression, and methods of use of these compounds for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions associated with the expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 is provided.


To improve the profitability of electric energy storage, it is essential that storage participates in ancillary service. Nevertheless, area of connecting the storage will affect his participation in these services. Thus, in this paper, a systematic method is proposed to identify weak areas of power system using local or global indicators. This approach will find an area or a node for connecting electric energy storage. This method was tested on the IEEE 14-Bus test system.


Objective To evaluate sedative effect of propofol and morphine and midazolan on patients during mechanical ventilations in intensive care unit(ICU).Methods 320 ICU patients were randomized into 3 groups.160 cases were given with propofol,45 cases were given with morphine and the other 115 cases with midazolan.All subjects had diagnosed as having acute respiratory failure(ARDS) and undergoing mechanical ventilation for over 12hours.In propofol group: propofol(1.5(mg/kg)) injected intravenously as sedative induction,followed by continuous injection intravenous 1~4(mg/(kg·h)) using injecting pump.In morphine group: morphine(0.15mg/kg·d) was intravenously used by continuous injection using injecting pump.In midazolan group: midazolan(0.06mg/kg) injected intravenously as sedative induction,followed by continuous injection intravenous midazolan [0.05~0.15mg/(kg·h)].To grade the sedative effect by Ramsay's gradation and maintain ideal sedative profundity to grade 2~3.Results The total sedative time was(27.2±8.2) hours for propofol group,(23.8±6.7) hours for morphine group and(26.5±5.5) hours for midazolan group.The time to take effect of propofol group was(29.3±(7.6)) seconds,the time to take effect of morphine group was(28.5±6.3) seconds,compared with ((65.1)±11.3)seconds in midazolan group,showing significant difference(P0.01).The time to obtain ideal sedative grade after using drug was(25±11) minutes in propofol group,(8±3) minutes in morphine group and(35±17) minutes in midazolan group(P0.01).Cases that fell asleep again after awakening and stopping drug: none in propofol group and morphine group,3 in midazolan group (P0.05).Nausea after stopping drug:4 cases(2.50%)in propofol group,5 cases(11.11%) in morphine group,20 cases(17.39%) in midazolan group,P0.05.Conclusion The use of propofol,morphine and midazolan all could make good sedative effect on severe patients in ICU,which showed different choices according to different needs to obtain ideal sedative effect.


With the background of visual servoing for robotic arms and with the aim of features required by stereo vision,a method for real-time feature extraction based on the block of color is presented.The localization of feature includes coarse location and fine location.The coarse location is used to track the object.On the basis of coarse location,the fine location cuts a small image from the origin image,extracts the contour of the object from the small image and classifies the contour by K-L transform,then fits the edge points by using lease square error method.The sub-pixel coordinates of the feature points are calculated by the equations of lines,which provides foundation for the measurement of object's pose and position.The experimental results show the effectivenees of the method.


Late Mesozoic intrusive rocks distributed in whole Zhejiang Province are located in the southeastern margin of the Eurasian plate,and mostly concentrated in the Cretaceous period,as products of Late Yanshanian magmatic activity,and rarely reported for the record of the Early Yanshanian Period.LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analysis of zircons are carried out from representative rock samples of Houshandian granite porphyry pluton in central of Zhejiang Province.Weighted average ages of(148.5±1.2)Ma(MSWD=1.4)is interpreted as the formation time of the granite porphyry,indicating the existence of Late Jurassic intrusive rocks in central Zhejiang,which are formed by late stage of Early Yanshanian magmatic activity.The time of rock formation may represent a transitional phase from intraplate magmatism to continental margin arc by Paleo-Pacific tectonic domain.ZirconeHf(t)values of the granite porphyry are all negative(-10.3to-3.5),and two-stage Hf model ages(tHf2)range from 1 400 Ma to 1 829 Ma,suggesting that the granite porphyry is originated from remelting of the Mesoproterozoic lowercrust basement materials,and there are mantle-derived components participated during diagenesis.


A decentralized information particle filtering (IPF) algorithm for improving the passive tracking performance and reducing communication amount in wireless sensor networks is proposed in this paper. Dynamic clusters are organized according to the current position of the target, and the decentralized information extended Kalman filter is used to deal with passive tracking problem. The information filter framework is used to incorporate the newest observation into the proposal distribution of the IPF, and detailed implementation steps of the IPF are deduced based on dynamic clustering scheme. Computer simulation is conducted to compare tracking performance and analyze communication amount. Simulation results show that the dynamic clustering structure reduces the communication amount during the tracking, and the IPF has similar good performance in tracking accuracy but lower communication cost than the centralized particle filter.


In this research, we established a modified 45 flammability test for cotton blend material to measure the flammability of nanosilicone softener treated-cotton blend material. The wet pick-up was about 150±10%. b) The specimens were tested in the cross direction and nine specimens were measured. The average percent weight loss of the untreated cotton blend nonwoven is only 0.9%. The percent weight loss of treated sample is much higher than that of the untreated and this increased with the softener concentration. The treated samples show much higher weight loss and burning area than those that are untreated.There are few publications elucidating the antagonistic defeat of the FR process for cotton blend observed with commercial finishes. TGA shows that the treatment with nanosilicone softener increases the thermal stability of cotton blend in air before the maximum decomposition rate temperature and increases the residue of cotton blend. This study will both quantify the effect and fully characterize the mechanisms by which siloxanes affect the chemical and physical processes that occur during the degradation and burning of cotton blend and then will investigate approaches to mitigating these effects.


Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) yields an image resolution 1-2 orders of magnitude below that of conventional light microscopy, resolving fine details on intracellular structure and macromolecular organization. The massive pointillistic data sets generated by SMLM require the development of new and highly efficient quantification tools. Density based clustering algorithms, such as DBSCAN, can provide spatial statistics on protein/nucleic acid aggregation or dispersion while explicitly identifying macromolecular clusters. The performance of DBSCAN, however, is typically dependent upon an arbitrary, or at least highly subjective, parametric tuning of the algorithm. Moreover, DBSCAN can be computationally expensive, which makes it arduous to evaluate on large image stacks. This is all the more important in 3-dimensions where there exist limited alternatives for quantifying clustering in SMLM data, and where a 2-dimensional analysis of true 3-dimensional data may give rise to image artefacts. We have developed an open-source software package in Python for both identifying and quantifying spatial clustering in 3-dimensional SMLM datasets. FOCAL3D is an extension of our previously developed, 2-dimensional, grid based clustering algorithm FOCAL. FOCAL3D provides a highly efficient way to spatially cluster SMLM datasets, scaling linearly with the number of localizations, and the algorithmic parameters may be systematically optimized so that the resulting analysis is insensitive to variation over a range of parameter choices. We initially validate the performance and parametric insensitivity of FOCAL3D on simulated datasets, then apply the algorithm to 3-dimensional, astigmatic dSTORM images of the nuclear pore complex in human osteosarcoma cells. The data and software package are available at: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/milsteinlab/software/


A three-dimensional fluid–body interaction model was established to study the hydrodynamics of larval fish at a quick start with a turning angle of approximately 80°. The bending curves of the larval fish were attained by extracting the middle line of fish snapshots from a previously published paper. The fluid–body interaction was implemented to empower the self-propelling function of the larval fish. In this study, the swimmer's kinematics of the body as well as hydrodynamics at preparatory and propulsive stages of the larval fish were extensively analysed. It shows that during the preparatory stage, the larval fish produces a significant force against the escaping direction. Nevertheless, this force leads to a large turning torque, helping to accomplish a quick turning. During the propulsive stage, the force increases quickly in the escape direction, resulting in a large velocity for the escape. The characteristics of body motion and the flow field are consistent with the previous observation on adult fish: the bimodal mode on velocity and tangential acceleration and three jets of fluids. In addition, the research also reveals that the forces generated at anterior and posterior parts of the larval fish generally point to the opposite directions at both preparatory and propulsive strokes of C-start.


In a not very distant past one method of interpretation has dominated New Testament studies almost totally. The historical-critical method and its application in socalled appropriate exegesis has often uncritically been perceived as the means via which 'the original and thus right' understanding of a text could be found. More recently this domination has been challenged by a variety of differing approaches to the New Testament, particularly in Pauline studies. The increasing number of publications that propose alternative readings of the Pauline letters demonstrates the growing significance and recognition of the value of a methodological widening in NT studies. Common to these approaches is the critical reflection on the frameworks of thinking upon which a particular reading is based. The hermeneutical presuppositions in interpretation are explicitly recognized, which ensures that the reader is clearly informed about the author's starting point and particular perspective on the text. Nevertheless, the tradition of critical thinking that has been, and still is, one of the strengths of the 'traditional' historical-critical method is not abandoned by these alternative perspectives, nor is the historicity of the Pauline letters ignored. The move is not towards an uncritical literal reading of texts but towards a critical reflection on the perspective and methodology applied to texts that have scriptural authority within the Christian tradition and which, at the same time, are historical documents of a particular time and context. What is challenged is the domination of one particular perspective and its claim of objectivity. Acknowledging that all reading is a reading from a particular perspective applying a specific methodology means that no one single approach can claim to be the only true and objective one. Also, to regard one approach as driven by special pleading (and thereby implying that others are not) is thus an anachronism since either all approaches are 'particular' approaches and thus can be said to be driven by special pleading—or else none is.


Fixing member for fixing a dispensing device (2) such as a pump or a valve, on a neck (5) of a reservoir for holding product to be dispensed, said member comprising a molded part (1 ) provided with receiving means (12, 13) for receiving said dispenser device, a bearing surface for establishing, through an interposed neck gasket (17) sealingly engaging the neck of the reservoir and a central opening (14) for the passage of an actuating rod (21) of the dispenser device and sealed by a valve gasket (18), characterized in that the at least one of the neck gasket and the valve gasket is secured to the molded part.


Eleven pointed gourd selections were assessed to estimate genetic variability and correlation for yield and its attributes. High GCV estimate was observed for the characters like node at which first female flower appears, length of vine, number of nodes per plant, and number of fruits per plant. The heritability estimate was high for all the characters. The same characters (cited above) having high GCV, also exhibited high genetic advance. Yield per plant had a significant positive correlation with number of fruits per plant, fruit set (%) and fruit retention (%).


The bacterial species Aeromonas salmonicida officially has five subspecies. A large majority of the currently available sequences come from Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, which causes furunculosis in salmonids. We present the genomic sequences of four Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. achromogenes strains. This will help increase the robustness of genomic analyses for this subspecies. ABSTRACT The bacterial species Aeromonas salmonicida officially has five subspecies. A large majority of the currently available sequences come from Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, which causes furunculosis in salmonids. We present the genomic sequences of four Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. achromogenes strains. This will help increase the robustness of genomic analyses for this subspecies.


Philips Electronics is a world wide electronics company that develops many products containing embedded software. These products range from shavers with only a few hundred bytes of software to medical equipment with millions of lines of source code. Large systems are subject to successive changes during several years, which diminishes understanding. Furthermore, due to the cost reduction of a system in an industrial setting, design decisions are often made in favor of using less resources instead of writing comprehensive code. The paper addresses understanding the run time behavior, or more specifically, the resource usage of complex computer based systems. In order to obtain insight into the resource usage, the system under investigation is subjected to use cases ("Select"), during which the system is probed ("Measure") for resource usage data. The data is combined with domain knowledge which results in a resource usage model ("Analyze"). These three steps are referred to as the SMA steps. In the daily Philips practice, the SMA steps appear useful to form a basic understanding of the run time behavior of a system. The approach appears applicable in a wide range of settings: from a brief but quick analysis to a thorough but lengthy one.


This work deals with the experimental and numerical study of the effect of nano coating material type and thickness on the fatigue behavior of low carbon steel beam. The nanomaterial used are ZnO, Al2O3, and a mixture of both ZnO and Al2O3. The prepared of nanomaterials was done in the nanotechnology laboratory. The coating was done by using a deposited technique. The experimental work included mechanical test, the coating process and fatigue test. The coating by nanomaterial of steel was done for a three thickness of each type of the coating. The result of experimental fatigue test shows different behavior depends on coating material type and thickness of coating. The result shows that Al2O3 (aluminum oxide) has more effect on the fatigue strength and life compared to the specimen coated ZnO and Mixed of both them. Also, as the thickness of coating material increase, the fatigue life increased for all types of coating material. Where the increase in fatigue life at thickness 5 micro about 5.59 %, 5.15 % and 4.04 % for Al2O3 , Mixed and ZnO respectively, compared to un-coated specimen for plain low carbon steel. The finite element method was used to verify the experimental work using ANSYS workbench software program of version 16, the results showed acceptable error between the numerical and experimental solutions, with maximum overall average error of 4.28%. Keyword: fatigue behavior, nano-coating technique, ZnO, Al2O3 Cite this Article: Dr. Qasim Bader and Ali Mohammed Ali, Influence of coating with nano particles on fatigue properties of plain low carbon steel beam, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 9(9), 2018, pp. 77–89. http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=9


We propose two fabrication method of dielectric plate having trenches: One is a dicing method in which trenches are formed on a surface of Pr(Zr, Ti)O3 plate by a dicing saw, and the other is a casting method in which a composite material of nano-BaTiO3 particles and epoxy-resin is casted into a mold of patterned thick photosensitive dry film. An advantage in using the dicing method is that it can forms trenches with high aspect in a high dielectric constant plate even if it is hardly etched by a plasma etching. However, it can not fabricate curved trenches. On the other hand, the casting method for nano composite material of BaTiO3 and epoxy-resin is compatible to MEMS process, i.e., the size and pattern of trenches are flexibly designed as far as photolithographic resolution admits. But dielectric constant of the BaTiO3/epoxy composite is smaller than those of bulk BaTiO3 and Pr(Zr, Ti)O3. We applied those to electret energy harvesting devices which are based on fringe electrical field change inside the trenched high dielectric constant plate. The maximum experimental output power of 80 nW was achieved for 80 Hz/80 μm forced vibration.


We study the problem of maximizing a non-monotone submodular function subject to a cardinality constraint in the streaming model. Our main contribution is a single-pass (semi-) streaming algorithm that uses roughly O(k/ε2) memory, where k is the size constraint. At the end of the stream, our algorithm post-processes its data structure using any offline algorithm for submodular maximization, and obtains a solution whose approximation guarantee is α 1+α − ε, where α is the approximation of the offline algorithm. If we use an exact (exponential time) post-processing algorithm, this leads to 2 − ε approximation (which is nearly optimal). If we post-process with the algorithm of [7], that achieves the state-of-the-art offline approximation guarantee of α = 0.385, we obtain 0.2779-approximation in polynomial time, improving over the previously best polynomial-time approximation of 0.1715 due to [24]. It is also worth mentioning that our algorithm is combinatorial and deterministic, which is rare for an algorithm for non-monotone submodular maximization, and enjoys a fast update time of O( log k+log(1/α) ε2 ) per element. Additionally, we show that our main algorithm can be naturally modified to maximize continuous DR-submodular functions subject to a support cardinality constraint.


A detailed description of the sequence of deformation steps leading to phase inversion during compounding in a low-viscosity-ratio co-polyester/polyethylene blend is presented. Visualization using a glass window and sampling of the blend at different mixing times enabled identification of the intermediate morphologies of the major component en route to phase inversion. Based on these observations, a theoretical model is developed to predict the time to phase inversion. The model incorporates a simplified flow-field approximation and the calculation of strain imparted to the major component domains. A strain-based criterion for phase inversion is then proposed, which, in conjunction with the model, yields an explicit expression for the time to phase inversion during compounding, t P.I. . The model predictions are seen to be in good agreement with the increase of t P.I. on scaleup between two mixing bowls. The correct functional dependence of t P.I. on the nominal maximum-shear-rate is predicted. Using combination of pure drag and planar extensional flow, the model predictions are shown to be consistent with the observed dependence of t P.I. on the volume fraction of the minor component and the blend viscosity ratio.


Amid globalization and marketing opening as well as the reduction of farm household population and aging, the growth of forestry, fishery, commerce and industry has been restricted in rural communities which led to job cuts and income reduction including deterioration of community's vitality. Hence, new measures are required by region; ① voluntary unionization, such as farmers, fishermen or merchants and industrialists (small and medium enterprise), the elderly, women, people return to farming and agriculture village, ② utilize community resources, namely human, resource, and culture of regions, ③ define activities and projects implemented with the purpose of solving problems within regions and the creation of new value as a community business, and research on status and role, interaction effects of regional community, development condition, as well as fostering plans. The study identifies the actual status and role of the community business and analyzes interaction effects on local community thereby suggests a possible spread of community business in order to ① improve the quality of life by revitalizing stagnating rural economy and boosting added value as well job creation by region, and ② resolve economic and social challenges intensifying in rural community so as to ultimately realize social balance. The research is set to pan out for three years. In the first year, the study shall be implemented under the title of 'discovery and performance of community business of agri-business area'. Target regions are community businesses from rural regions to agri-business areas. In the second year, the title shall be 'the role and tasks of rural-type community business' on 'rural-type' community business focus on 'mountain, fishing, and metro re gions' and promote social welfare enhancement as well as the natural environment in the target regions. In the third year, the study aims to suggest medium and long-term community business development strategy from rural community under the title of medium and long-term community business and ultimately aims for the improvement of the quality of life as well as achievement of balanced community. The key research method of the first year is focused on literature research at home and abroad including domestic survey. We relied on literature research with regard to research trends and identification of actual situation of policy and overseas cases of projects related to community businesses. In cases of overseas cases related to research trends, we utilized the existing research based on literatures of England and Japan, agriculture industrialization management of China for on-site cases, and the sixth industry as well as convergence with agriculture, industry, and commerce of Japan. We established network and identified actual status, exchanged information interchange and opened on-site discussion and research meetings in order to intensify the study. Prerequisite conditions for successful settlement of community businesses and sustain management performance are first, stepwise preparation on the premise of inducting voluntary participation of residents in terms of establishing venture planning and maximizing residents capabilities. Second, create a signature story in connection with regional needs based on their resources. Items or services shall be able to offer region-specific resources, specialty, facility, human resource, and technology, based on regional resource analysis, that have a high marketing likelihood through social-needs analysis. Third, composition of structural design story planning through the SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis is frequently used in establishing a strategy for organizations or individuals because it is useful for product development as it combines social trends of regions.


The research was aimed to investigate the use of diary writing to overcome students' problem in writing recount texts. The problems include writing a recount text in chronological order, writing correct verb changes and developing ideas. Classroom action research was conducted by applying diary as the technique to help students overcome their problem. There were two cycles conducted in this research. The data were taken from the students' individual score, observation checklist, and field notes. The result showed that teaching writing through diary writing improved students' writing recount text. Referring to the research findings, the data showed that diary writing improved students' recount text, as seen in their score. These in terms of score, students' improved from 71.96 to 76.03 and improving the motivation to the students which makes them eager to write also makes the teaching learning process better. In conclusions, students' writing recount text of the tenth grade students of class IPS 1 of SMAN 4 Sungai Raya in academic year 2018/2019 improved by using diary.


Este  artigo  explora as  contradicoes do  novo modelo institucional no  Brasil, cuja  implementacao vem  provocando mudancas significativas na  posicao  dos municipios no  que diz  respeito ao controle dos servicos de  agua e saneamento. A partir  da  Lei 9.433197,  analisa-se as  adaptacoes  dos municipios  ao  novo  quadro  institucional. Argumenta-se que as mudancas propostas nao garantem a competitividade na industria de agua e saneamento, pressuposto dos marcos regulatorios vigentes. Abstract: This paper explores  the contradictions in  the new model  of the water regulation  in Brazil, which  result  in a reconfiguration of  the position of  the municipalities  in the water  industry. We  briefly outline the main  changes introduced by  the 9433 Law  (Water Law) and  analyze how the municipalities are adjusting  themselves  to  this new order. The changes  in  the  Rio  de  Janeiro water  industry provide  an  example  in  which  institutional shifts are no guarantees  to produce competitiveness in  the water industry.


Who gets to use radio spectrum, and when, where, and how? Scheduling (who, where, when) and system configuration (how) are fundamental problems in radio communication and wireless networking. Optim...


In 1997 Derrida wrote a preface to the new edition of a text by Silvano Petrosino entirely devoted to his thought and titled J acques Derrida and the law of the possible . We will start from this text to make a point on the question of "impossible" and to reconstruct synthetically its appearance in its work. One of the central points will be the relationship between the impossible and the event. When, under what conditions, can we talk about the event? The event is, and must be, the occurrence of the impossible.


Although gene therapy for CNS diseases shows promise in cell and animal investigations, most human trials have failed to satisfy the requisite requirements. Finding novel techniques to boost the efficacy of gene therapy in treating CNS diseases is still crucial. A growing number of clinical trials have proved the efficacy and safety of using AAV vectors, making AAV vector research a gene therapy hotspot. However, due to the presence of the BBB, many siRNA and DNA with potential therapeutic value are difficult to transport from peripheral circulation to the brain using AAV vectors, limiting the clinical impact of gene therapy drugs in the CNS and posing a major challenge to the field of CNS gene therapy. In early studies, AAV9 was considered the most effective AAV serotype for getting through the blood-brain barrier and transduction to central nervous system cells following intravenous injection. Aavrh10 isolated from rhesus monkeys was equal to, if not superior to, AAV9. AAV-PHP.B, a newly built capsid, exhibits 40-fold greater efficacy than AAV9 in astrocyte and neuron transduction. AAV-PHP.eB, a modified AAV-PHP.B variety, was identified to retain PHP.B's AAV-capacity to transduce astrocytes while enhancing neuronal transduction. While the four serotypes AAV9, AAVrh10, AAV-PHP.B, and AAV-PHP.eB have been validated to penetrate mice's BBB following intravenous injection, the number of AAV vectors that can do so is low. Moreover, the manner in which AAV vectors penetrate the BBB remains unclear. To promote efficient gene therapy for CNS diseases, it is still important to test new vectors with more efficient crossing abilities and understand their crossing processes. In addition to technical challenges, AAV vectors in treating CNS diseases may be limited by cautious attitudes to innovative treatments. Continued advances in AAV vector research, together with early clinical trial outcomes, might help researchers achieve the full potential of AAV-based CNS disease therapies.


Objective: The purpose of this clinical study is to assess the capability of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJDs). Materials and methods: Twenty-four temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients were selected based on TMD pain screening, Wong and Baker pain scale, and clinical evaluation for signs of TMJDs. Sixteen patients were randomly selected and placed in an experimental group, and a placebo group comprised of eight patients. Painful muscular areas were identified by digital pressure, and laser was applied to these areas for an average of 300 seconds for each patient. The laser device was directed to painful areas without emission in the placebo group. Patients were evaluated before and immediately after each session and after 1 month. Results: Before and after treatment, the changes in pain levels in group I were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The changes in pain levels before and after treatment in group II did not show any statistical significance (p = 1.000). The results were statistically significant (p = 0.000), on comparing the pain levels after 1 month in groups I and II. Conclusion: The results revealed a significant amount of pain reduction after LLLT on a short-term basis, the majority of patients reported a decrease in clicking frequency, and a softer mandibular movement compared with the placebo group. Clinical significance: The LLLT can be advocated as an adjunct in reducing pain levels in most TMJDs on a short-term basis. Observations from this study second this view.


Rapid changes in technology and global structure have made business and finance environment most competitive across the world. To cope with these changes, business firms have urgently required the development of their human resources as one of the most human resources strategies. A well-motivated skilled work force is crucial if an economic unit is to complete effectively both in the national as well as global markets. The present study has examined the FIRD practices of 38 business firms of different economical important industries. It has found that HRD practices with respect to the training methodology, training areas, techniques of importing training etc. across the sample enterprises differ substantially. It has suggested some important policy measures such as linking training to 'strategic coal', delivery of programs using sophisticated methodology. policy for selecting trainers. etc. in order to make the training program goal oriented and consistent.JEL Classification:Key words: Human Resource Development, Training. Employees, Trainer. Performance of Training. and Training Programs.


Time-spectrum convolution is successfully employed for implementing asynchronous optical DPSK pattern recognition. Dynamic switched recognition of different 64-bit patterns in 12Gb/s DPSK-PRBS optical burst with contrast ratio up to 3.8dB is demonstrated.


In the December 2003 issue of this journal, two letters were published discussing the validity of studies on the His475Tyr (C1561T) polymorphismof theGlutamateCarboxypeptidase II (GCPII) gene [Scala et al., 2003; Vieira, 2003]. In essence, both letters concluded (incorrectly we feel) that either an almost identical homolog of theGCPII gene exists on chromosome2, or that only one such homolog exists on chromosome 11. The H475Y polymorphism is thought to reduce the folate hydrolase activity of the enzyme by approximately 50% [Devlin et al., 2000], andas such is currently being tested for associationwith neural tube defects and hyperhomocysteinemia, among other folate metabolism related disorders [Vargas-Martinez et al., 2002; Vieira et al., 2002]. In fact, the human genome does contain another gene that is almost identical to the GCPII gene, and that can be amplified using the primers used by Devlin et al. [2000] and Vieira et al. [2002], if non-restrictive PCR conditions are used. In addition, the multiple names and substrates of the GCPII enzyme have appeared to cause confusion regarding the number of transcripts that arise from this gene. We seek to use this forum to clarify this situation. The cDNA and genomic sequences of this gene were originally characterized by our laboratory [Israeli et al., 1993; O'Keefe et al., 1998], and the gene was called Prostate-Specific MembraneAntigen (PSMA) due to its cell localization and very high expression in the prostate and prostate cancer. The single full-length transcript encodes for an enzyme that can reduce polyglutamated folates to the monoglutamyl forms, hence the gene and/or enzyme has been called folate hydrolase I (FOLH1) and folylpoly-gamma-glutamate carboxypeptidase (FGCP). However, the enzyme is also able to utilize the neurotransmitter N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) as a substrate, and is often calledNAALADase I by groups involved in neuroprotection studies. It is important to realize, however, that the enzymatic activity for both substrates is the same, leading to the encompassing term Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II [reviewed in O'Keefe et al., 2001]. While we were working on PSMA/GCPII as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for prostate cancer, we, like Scala et al. [2003], scanned the high-throughput-genome-sequence database for possible homologs of PSMA/GCPII. We also found sequences on chromosomes 2 and 13 that were highly homologous to the gene, and, therefore, tested to see if they truly existed by using PCR analysis of somatic cell hybrids containing either human chromosome 2 or 13. Neither the locus on chromosome 2 or 13 exists in the somatic cell hybrids we analyzed (provided by Coriell Cell Repositories, Camden, NJ). However as we have previously reported, a homolog to PSMA/ GCPII does reside on the long arm of chromosome 11 [O'Keefe et al., 1998]. We and others have since shown that the PSMA/ GCPII (GenBank accession NM_004476) and the recently discovered PSMA-like gene (GenBank accession AF261715) arose froma gene duplication event on chromosome 11q13 that occurred approximately 14million years ago, and that the copy called PSMA/GCPII along with other duplicated genes from 11q13,nowresides on the short armof chromosome11 [O'Keefe et al., 1998, 2004; Zhang et al., 2001]. During our genomic analysis of the homologous PSMA-like gene, we noted that the primers described by Devlin et al. [2000] and used by Vieira et al. [2002] could amplify both the PSMA/GCPII and PSMA-like genomic sequences (accession numbers AF007544 and AC024234 respectively—the latter sequence is from the high-throughput genome sequence database), although there are two non-contiguousmismatches in the reverse primer compared to the genomic sequence of the PSMA-like gene. Similarly, the Vargas-Martinez et al. [2002] forward primer is 100% homologous to the PSMA-like gene sequence, while the reverse primer has two non-contiguous mismatches but also mismatches with the third TAT of the (TAT)3 repeat that was present in the sequence we looked at. Given that a BLAST search of the PSMA and PSMA-like exon 13 and 300 bp of intron sequence either side reveals that the two genes have over 97% identity with each other, our suggestion would be to design primers based on regions where the two sequences differ. Alternatively, we used the primers described by Devlin et al. [2000], together with an annealing temperature of 608C and High-Fidelity Taq Polymerase (Roche Applied Science, Indianapolis, IN, USA). Using DNA from a somatic cell hybrid containing human chromosome 11q as a negative control, we were able to exclude amplification of the PSMA-like gene while successfully amplifying the H475Y polymorphism of the PSMA gene.


It provides a semiconductor light emitting module and a method of manufacturing the same that can be compact and lightweight at the same time to enable high luminance light emission. The semiconductor light emitting module 101, to form a convex portion 202, which is a reflecting member so as to surround the semiconductor light emitting element 104 to metal sheet 102, the semiconductor light emitting element 104 and the printed circuit board 103 is an example example is connected to the wire 201, and the like. The convex section 202, for example around the periphery of the device by bending a thin metal plate by pressing the back surface 102 is also formed to be longer than that of the semiconductor light emitting element 104. The


Analytical procedures are widely used evidence evaluation techniques which aid in the efficient and effective undertaking of audits. The use of analytical procedures is prescribed by auditing standards at both the planning and conclusion stages of the audit, and the reliance on these techniques is increasing under the newer audit methodologies. This paper reviews the descriptive and behavioura1 research which has examined the use and effectiveness of these procedures. The implications of these research findings for academics, practitioners and standard-setters are discussed.


Integration trend of European Union sports development mode set up a platform and created a dynamic for group development of European Union sports. For better grasping the development characteristics and effects of this mode,this paper did a case study on European football in the background of European integration development strategy by the methods of literature review and logical analysis. Firstly,this paper outlined background and basic constitution of European Union sports mode. Then it analyzed structural characteristics of European Union sports mode development in the aspects of events system,talent resource flow,capital injection,and cultural conflict and fusion. Thirdly,this study analyzed positive and negative effects of European Union sports mode development. The mainly positive effects are that it will be benefit for European identity construction,wholly improve its competitive level,promote its international standing and discourse power; while the negative effects are club polarisation crisis because of income allocate inequality,risk crisis of chain management,and European Union sports values challenged in business background.


We are developing a mathematical model of force production in whole skeletal muscle using independent models of muscle fascicles and connective tissue (tendon and aponeurosis). The model was based upon Zajac's (1990) basic three-element design: active and passive elements for the fascicles and a single passive element for the combined tendon and aponeurosis. The data used for this model were recently collected from cat soleus and covered the entire physiological range of motion (ROM), including both shortening and lengthening velocities. Novel features of this model include a short-range passive force resisting compression, a new normalization constant for connective tissue lengths to replace the potentially troublesome slack length, and a new length dependent term for lengthening velocities in the force-velocity relationship. Both previously published and new equations were compared to determine the "best-fit" equation for each of the functions in the model.


Retail industry is divided into unorganized and organized sectors. In India, unorganized retailing has been predominantly in the form of local Kirana shops also called Mom-n-Pop stores, owner/ manned general stores, paan/beedi shops, convenience stores, hand cart and pavement vendors, etc. Organized retailing on the other hand refers to licensed retailers, who are registered for sales tax, income tax, etc. including corporate-backed hypermarkets. The retail industry in India is emerging as a one of the largest industries estimated to account for more than 10 per cent of the country's GDP and around 8 per cent of the employment. It has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries with several players entering the market. The future looks promising, the market is growing, government policies are becoming more favorable and emerging technologies are facilitating operations. The most recent matter of concern however is that, the big players like 'Reliance Retail', 'Spenser's' and 'Hyper city' are going ahead with their plans of heavy investments in the Indian Retail Market.


The "Mobile Multimedia Medical Information System" (M3IS) project develops a system that enables the exchange of clinical documents, medical images, films and laboratory results both within a hospital and between healthcare institutions. The system accepts documents through DICOM and HL7 interfaces and provides a Web-based client interface that allows for a quick and easy access to the system through a Web browser. In order to comply with data protection requirements, the system implements a powerful access control scheme. The system ensures that most clinically relevant document is available to early rehabilitation in a timely manner, before the final written discharge report becomes available


Supervisory Committee Dr. Ned Djilali, Department of Mechanical Engineering Supervisor Dr. Ian Beausoleil-Morrison, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University Supervisor Dr. Andrew Rowe, Department of Mechanical Engineering Outside Member Dr. Harry Kwok, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering External Examiner Improvements have been made to the fuel cell power module (FCPM) within the SOFC cogeneration simulation code developed under the umbrella of the International Energy Agencies Annex 42 project. The main objective of the improved model developed here is to increase generality and applicability, and to decrease reliance on empirical data. A semi-mechanistic model has been developed to represent a nominal 5 kW tubular SOFC stack power module. This model has been implemented into the building simulation software ESP-r. Results illustrating the FCPM system performance as it relates to the output power required by the building as well as results from a number of different operating scenarios are presented in this study. Actual tests performed on a 5 kW SOFC unit were used to validate the model. The simulation results are found to correlate well with experimental observations. The improved model also allows for manipulation of operational parameters such as fuel utilization, excess air ratio and temperature as well as


Whereas phytochemicals derived from cruciferous vegetables have demonstrated health benefits, the data linking intake of these vegetables to health outcomes are inconsistent. These inconsistencies may stem from methodological limitations in accurately assessing cruciferous vegetable exposure. Goals of this study were to explore the use of endogenously deuterium-labeled collard greens combined with untargeted metabolomics to identify unique plant-derived and host-derived metabolites following vegetable consumption as potential biomarkers of cruciferous vegetable intake in humans.

 26 participants (16 women, 10 men) were fed a breakfast including 100 g of collard greens grown with or without deuterium-labeled water. Plasma was sampled prior to ingestion and 4 h post-ingestion; 24 h urine samples were also collected. High-pressure liquid chromatography Triple Q-ToF mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics was performed.

 Analysis of collard greens confirmed deuterium-labeled compounds, including glucosinolates (glucobrassicin, sinigrin), and flavonols (quercetin). The maximum abundance of stable isotopologues was 2H4 (M4) for glucobrassicin and 2H12 (M12) for 1,2,2'-trisinapoylgentiobiose. Consumption of collard greens was associated with a significant increase in 199 compounds in plasma, including a 5.26-fold increase in the antioxidant hydroferulic acid (q < 0.05). A significant decrease in 144 compounds in plasma was also found with collard green consumption. Likewise, a significant increase in 819 compounds and decrease in 1209 compounds was found in urine following collard green consumption. A deuterium labeled 18-carbon fatty acid was significantly increased in plasma, indicating it was derived from the collard greens. Work is ongoing to further identify deuterium-labeled plant derived compounds in human plasma and urine.

 Consumption of a cruciferous vegetable changed the urine and plasma metabolome. Ongoing research is required to identify these metabolites in order to develop novel signatures of food intake.

 National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.


The utility model relates to a safe valve dismounting device, mainly solving the problem of a safe valve that dismounting a nut of a valve body is time-consuming and labor-consuming during the dismounting process due to the force of a spring on a valve stem. The safe valve dismounting device comprises a valve rack, on which the valve stem is fixed via the nut. The safe valve dismounting device also comprises a bearer, a pull rod and a jack, wherein the pull rod is installed at the top end of the valve stem via a valve stem connector, the bearer traverses the pull rod and is disposed on the valve rack, and the jack traverses the pull rod and is arranged on the bearer. The top end of the pull rod is connected with a nut with a cover. The safe valve dismounting device of the utility model are that the safe valve dismounting device, which is simple and reasonable in structure and convenient in manufacture, overcomes the force of the safe valve spring on the valve stem, making the dismounting of the nut of the safe valve easier and meanwhile enabling a valve core of the safe valve to be disengaged from the direction contact with a sealing surface of a valve seat, which thereby guarantees that the sealing surface suffers no accidental damage during the process of dismounting the safe valve and greatly enhances the reliability.