Reaction of the bis(2-pyridylimino)isoindole derivatives (10-Me)-BPI (1a), (11-Me)-BPI (1b), (11-Br)-BPI (1c), (4-Me)-BPI (1d) and 4-Me-10-tBuBPI (1e) with [PdCl2(PhCN)2] and triethylamine in benzene gave the square-planar palladium(II) complexes [PdCl{(10-Me)-BPI}] (2a), [PdCl{(11-Me)-BPI}] (2b), [PdCl{(11-Br)-BPI}] (2c), [PdCl(4-MeBPI)] (2d) and [PdCl(4-Me-10-tBuBPI)] (2e), respectively. Extraction of the crude product 2b with aqueous sodium carbonate solution led to the formation of the dinuclear carbonato-bridged complex [{(11-Me-BPI)Pd}2(μ-CO3)] (3) which was characterized by an X-ray structure analysis. Reaction of 11-Br-BPI (1c) with a large excess (6 equiv.) of the acetylenes Me3SiCCH, Ph3SiCCH and PhCCH under Sonogashira conditions gave the alkynylated derivatives 11-(Me3SiCC)-BPI (4a), 11-(Ph3SiCC)-BPI (4b) and 11-(PhCC)-BPI (4c), which were metallated with bis(benzonitrile)dichloropalladium(II) to yield the PdII complexes [PdCl{11-(Me3SiCC)-BPI}] (5a), [PdCl{11-(Ph3SiCC)-BPI}] (5b) and [PdCl{11-(PhCC)-BPI}] (5c), respectively. The activity of 2b in the catalytic hydrogenation of C=C double bonds was tested for the reaction with styrene, 1-octene and cyclohexene. The stability of the palladium complex, the reproducibility of the reaction kinetics, the different behaviour towards the three olefins chosen as substrates, as well as the possibility of isolating the non-decomposed catalyst after several catalytic runs, provides circumstantial evidence for molecular catalysis with the BPI-palladium complexes. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)


The usage of Smartphone has been a 21st century phenomenon that attracts young generation for their usefulness in different purposes and functions. This study looks into the usage, perceived effect and implications of Smartphone on the academic performance of the post-graduate business management students in India. Perceived and relative significance of Smartphone usages to variables such as gender and academic performance have been evaluated in this study. Key Word: Academic performance, Smartphone usages,


Chromatic monitoring was first explored for tracing changes in the optical spectra returned from polychromatic modulators used as optical fibre sensors. Several such sensing systems have been developed and a number are undergoing system evaluation in the commercial area at present. The generic nature of the methodology has enabled it to be extended into new realms of information extraction-the acoustical domain, 2D feature identification etc. The authors explain the basis of the generic methodology via the specific example of tristimulus chromatic processing, then give examples of its use for fault condition identification in both optical and acoustical domains. The contribution concludes with an explanation of how the methodology is being extended into the multistimulus domain for extracting higher moments of information from complex signals of various kinds.


Thanks to computers and the internet, since the rise of COVID-19, different methods of online teaching have replaced the face-to-face teaching; however there has not been a viable method of assessment that is fully capable of replacing in class assessments. It is hard, if not impossible, to maintain the integrity of the exams, when conducted remotely. Even prior to the COVID attack, arranging and conducting exams for students, who depend on Students Accessibility Services (SAS), were becoming cumbersome and a burden for universities and instructors. If there were no exams required, as an assessment tool, both the abovementioned issues, would not be a problem. In this paper a few theoretical common solutions to both the issues mentioned above is theorized, proposing elimination or reduction of the exams, as major assessment tool for undergraduate students. The model in which all the exams are eliminated is referred to as Stress-free, and the one with reduced exams is called Stress-less model. Implementing the models discussed in this paper, demand an overhaul of the entire higher education system.


The inception of a new journal is always a momentous occasion. This journal's birth, in particular, is a milestone that reflects the growth of the occupational therapy profession itself. Coming on the heels of last year's centennial celebration of the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Annals of International Occupational Therapy fulfills a need to record the scholarship of one of the fastest growing health professions in the world. According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (n.d.), there are approximately 480,000 practicing occupational therapists in 88 countries, with about 150,000 of those in the United States. Growth in the number of practitioners, academicians, and researchers translates to an increase in authorship of information that advances the practice. There are many established and respected regional occupational therapy journals in the field. The Annals, a truly international peer-reviewed journal, brings together authors from every corner of the world. I am pleased that SLACK Incorporated, a recognized and well-regarded publisher of occupational therapy textbooks, was enthusiastic about this venture, and I am pleased to be the Editor. New journals are, and should be, judged on the quality of their editorial boards and their rigor in reviewing manuscripts. We are delighted that every appointed member of our editorial board is a noted scholar, an experienced clinician, and a published researcher in occupational therapy. We have also strived to ensure our international reach by guaranteeing geographical diversity in our board, with members from China, Switzerland, Brazil, and New Zealand, among others. The mission of the Annals of International Occupational Therapy is to apply scientific evidence to advance the practice of occupational therapy throughout the world and, by so doing, improve the health and well-being of people within our scope of practice. To achieve this mission, every manuscript is evaluated based on how the findings will improve the practice of occupational therapy. As I screen manuscripts for review, I put to the test whether the results of the study will improve clinical practice and subsequently patient health care. The journal is seeking to publish a variety of article types including original research, outcome studies, review articles, and case reports. Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard of clinical research, and we welcome submissions of studies that evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions in a very rigorous way. We are also interested in other kinds of outcome studies assessing specific occupational therapy interventions, including, but not limited to, topics such as mirror therapy, kinesiotaping, ergonomics, and pain management. These kinds of studies are directly related to advancing evidencebased practice in occupational therapy. Review articles, including meta-analyses, scoping studies, and systematic literature reviews, that summarize the results of clinical studies using statistical and descriptive analyses are highly encouraged. Potential areas for such reviews are occupational therapy interventions in


This article's overarching purpose is to serve as an initial theoretical and empirical step in applying rights consciousness inquiry to the criminal procedure context. First, building on previous work within the legal consciousness and rights consciousness traditions, I discuss the ways in which attention to criminal procedure can inform our understanding of rights consciousness and enumerate differences between the way rights consciousness approaches civil law and the ways it might approach criminal law. Additionally, I suggest that understanding the relationship between people's subjective impressions of procedures and procedures' legal and moral validity offers a novel means of studying procedure that I term "procedural rights consciousness." In the second part of the article, I report results of two studies designed as first empirical steps in applying rights consciousness as the first part suggests. My findings indicate that not only do people lack knowledge about their rights in criminal investigations but they also think about these rights in patterned ways that reflect a method of understanding law characterized by "lay jurisprudence" reasoning, in which culturally prevalent "tenets" are applied to specific situations. This mechanism often leads people to erroneous conclusions about the rights they possess. The final part of the article sets out an agenda for further rights consciousness research.


A model of polarization spectral hoel-burning was established through the density-matrix method. More than 300% anisotropic persistent spectral holes written in and readout in THP/PMMA and TMP/PMMA materials with high signal-to-ratio by CW linearly polarized light. The effect of probe angle and modulation field on the hole depth and shape wereinterpreted by using the model above.


: Ag-based electrical contact plays a key role in low-voltage switches, and the "universal" contact of Ag/CdO has been phasing out because of its environmental toxicity. As a new kind of two-dimensional carbide material with good electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, Ti 3 C 2 T x , a representative of MXenes has showed exceptional potential in various fields, including being the reinforcement phase in electrical contact materials to substitute for the toxic CdO. In this work, we successfully prepared the Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite by powder metallurgy. Phase and microstructure of the Ti 3 C 2 T x and Ti 3 AlC 2 were characterized by XRD and SEM. The relevant properties of Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite, such as electrical resistivity, microhardness, machinability, tensile strength, and anti-arc erosion performance are investigated and compared with those of Ag/Ti 3 AlC 2 . The Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x has a resistivity of 30×10 -3 μΩ·m, 29% lower than Ag/Ti 3 AlC 2 (42×10 -3 μΩ·m) and excellent machinability with intermediate microhardness (64 HV), showing broad application prospect as non-toxic electrical contact materials. The improved conductivity of Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite is mainly attributed to the metallicity of Ti 3 C 2 T x itself, the microstructural features rendered by the deformability of Ti 3 C 2 T x . However, the tensile strength (32.77 MPa) of Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x is inferior to that of Ag/Ti 3 AlC 2 (145.52 MPa) due to the lack of Al-Ag interdiffusion. The anti-arc erosion performance of Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x is also unmatchable with Ag/Ti 3 AlC 2 due to the absence of Al layer. Although the arc erosion resistance of Ag/Ti 3 C 2 T x needs to be further improved, the significantly improved electrical conductivity makes it a potential substitute of current toxic Ag/CdO material. The results of this work provide an exploration direction for developing new environmentally friendly electrical contact material in the further.


Business adopts heavily investments in information technology to maintain their customer's loyalty in the electronic business environment. This study contributes to investigate the impact of ITbased knowledge processes as independent constructs (knowledge discovery, knowledge capture, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application) on electronic service innovation and electronic loyalty in the telecommunications sector in Jordan. It also examines the mediating role of electronic service innovation between independent constructs and the dependent one. Data were obtained from a purposive sample of (175) respondents using a questionnaire developed for this purpose. It was found that there is a significantly direct positive impact of knowledge management processes (IT-KD, IT-KC, ITKS, and ITKA) on service innovation, ITknowledge sharing (IT-KS) has a significantly direct positive impact on electronic loyalty and positively indirect impact on eloyalty through eservice innovation as a mediator factor, in addition, there is significantly positive impact of e-service innovation on e-loyalty. In contrast, there is not significantly positive impact of (IT-KD, IT-KC, and ITKA) on e-loyalty through the e-service innovation as a mediator. Therefore, the researched companies should be careful about how to increase e loyalty by providing better services comparing with competitors in the same industry.


Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical educationIn 2014 World Kidney Day (WKD) will focus on chronic kidney disease and aging. The mission of WKD is to raise awareness so that everyone cares for their kidneys and, if appropriate, check to assess if they are at risk for kidney disease. Prevention of kidney disease, early detection, and subsequent kidney protection are critical aims for WKD.


In the 38th section of his Itqān the polygraph Suyūṭī furnishes a summary of a monograph called al-Muhadhdhab fī mā waqa'a fi'l-Qur'ān min al-mu'arrab, in which he dealt with the question whether the Qur'an contained any foreign words, and if so, to what language they belonged. The orthodox felt some difficulty about admitting the existence of such an element in the language of the Sacred Book, which claims to be in perspicuous Arabic; it was, however, difficult to maintain that the proper names which occur in the volume were all of Arabic origin, and certain other words have an obviously foreign appearance. Suyūtī himself compromises by admitting in such cases the foreign etymology, but maintaining that the words had received Arabic naturalization.


Poster: "ECR 2012 / C-2457 / Use of CT angiography as "triple rule out" in low and moderate risk patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infract admitted to emergency room in multimodal hospital" by: "P. Klimeczek, J. Jagas, B. Pasicka, M. Ilnicka, U. Dorobisz, W. Witkiewicz; Wroclaw/PL"


The difference in bank lending behavior between large and small banks is related with the differential factors and cost.Large banks have more advanced technology and a higher capital/labor ratio,the economies of scale in lending also contributes to their greater reliance on capital input and transactional lending.Small banks have an obvious advantage in the production of labor-intensive product-relationship lending.Though they are at the disadvantage in technology,they will provide relationship lending that relies on soft information.Owing to the fact that small firms rely more on relationship lending,there is a need for healthy small banks that develop along with small firms in order to overcome the financial difficulty of small firms.


Abstract Recent investigations at mountaintop sites around the Ayacucho Basin in the central Andes have identified a distinctive category of isolated Inca stone-faced platforms. Test excavations of the three-tiered platform at one site, Incapirqa/Waminan, revealed a narrow vertical shaft penetrating from the original surface through the fills to a small basin cut into the underlying andesite bedrock. A carefully arranged deposit of three unusual stones was found in this basin. Early Spanish chroniclers give firsthand accounts of a variety of Inca solar rituals observed in Cuzco in which revered objects were deployed, including some sculpted in stone. The detailed descriptions of these stone objects are corroborated by the excavated finds at Incapirqa/Waminan and offer suggestive analogies for interpreting their context and significance.


Purpose
This paper aims to develop an analytical approach to validate the finite element analysis (FEA) results. FEA itself is a powerful tool to evaluate the performance of electrical machines but takes more time and requires more drive storage. To overcome this issue, subdomain modeling (SDM) is used for the proposed machine.

Design/methodology/approach
SDM is developed to validate the electromagnetic performance of a new linear hybrid excited flux switching machine (LHEFSM) with ferrite magnets. In SDM, the problem is divided into different physical regions called subdomains. Maxwell's governing equation is solved analytically for each region, where the magnetic flux density (MFD) is generated. From the generated MFD, x and y components are calculated, which are then used to find the useful force along the x-axis.

Findings
FEA validates the developed SDM via JMAG v. 20.1. The results obtained show excellent agreement with an accuracy of 95.13%.

Practical implications
The proposed LHEFSM is developed for long stroke applications like electric trains.

Originality/value
The proposed LHEFSM uses low-cost ferrite magnets with DC excitation, which offers better flux regulation capability with improved electromagnetic performance. Moreover, the developed SDM reduces drive storage and computational time by modeling different parts of the machine.


This paper presents a detailed analysis of the electromagnetic force and vibration behavior of an axial flux permanent magnet synchronous machine (AFPMSM). First, the AFPMSM configuration and two types of dual three-phase winding are introduced. Subsequently, the electromagnetic force of the double-stator inner-rotor AFPMSM is investigated. Its spatial and temporal characteristics are derived analytically and validated through two-dimensional Fourier decomposition. A multiphysics model is established to calculate the vibration of the AFPMSM, which includes control, electromagnetic, structural, and vibration model. The accuracy of this multiphysics model is verified by the modal and vibration test. Furthermore, the vibration of the AFPMSM with three winding types considering current harmonics are calculated based on the multiphysics model. The vibration performance of the AFPMSM with three different winding types are compared and the mechanism of vibration is discussed. It was concluded that the novel detached winding could mitigate the vibration of dual three-phase AFPMSMs. Finally, the vibration test is carried out to validate the theoretical analysis and the experimental results agree well-with the simulation results. This paper provides an effective method for double-stator permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSMs) to reduce vibration.


In this contribution, a number of new QCD results on jet production from the CDF and D0 / experiments in Run II are discussed in detail.


The photosystem II (PSII) complex catalyzing the H2O-oxidation reaction of photosynthesis is highly prone to photodamage. Nature has evolved synthesis and repair mechanisms that include the photooxidative self-assembly, termed photoactivation, of the Mn4CaO5 metal cluster responsible for H2O-oxidation. Assembly is a multi-step light-driven process that proceeds with low quantum yield, involves a critical molecular rearrangement between light-activated steps, and is prone to photoinactivation and mis-assembly. A sensitive polarographic technique was used to track the assembly process under flash illumination as a function of the constituent Mn2+ and Ca2+ ions in genetically engineered samples to elucidate the action of Ca2+ and peripheral proteins. We show that the protein scaffolding that organizes this process is modulated allosterically by the assembly protein Psb27, which together with Ca2+, stabilizes the intermediates of photoactivation, a feature especially evident at long intervals between photoactivating flashes. Besides stabilizing intermediates, the Ca2+ ion is also critical to prevent photoinactivation due to inappropriate binding of Mn2+. Overexpression of Psb27, deletion of extrinsic protein PsbO, and excess Ca2+ characteristically modify these processes and retard the dark rearrangement. The results suggest the involvement of three metal binding sites, two Mn and one Ca with occupation of the Ca site by Ca2+ critical for the suppression of inactivation and the long-observed competition between Mn2+ and Ca2+ occurring at the second Mn site necessary for trapping the first stable assembly intermediates. Significance Statement The oxidation of water by the photosystem II is the foundation of bioproductivity on Earth and represents a blueprint for sustainable, carbon neutral technologies. Water oxidation is catalyzed by a metal cluster containing of 4 Mn and 1 Ca atoms linked via oxo bridges. The initial assembly is a complex sequential reaction harnessing the photochemical reaction center to photooxidatively incorporate Mn2+ and Ca2+ ions into the catalytic unit embedded in the protein matrix. This photoassembly is crucial for both de novo biosynthesis and as part of the 'self-healing' mechanism to cope with incessant photodamage that photosynthetic organisms experience. The results have implications for the natural mechanism as well as the highly desirable biomimetic devices currently envisioned for solar energy production.


Summary form only given. Calabazas Creek Research, Inc. is continuing the development of an advanced scattering matrix program for rapid design of waveguide systems and RF circuits. Initial funding was obtained from the Naval Research Laboratory with current funding from the Department of Energy. The initial program allowed modeling of waveguide components and circuits consisting of rectangular, cylindrical, or coaxial segments and included support for dielectrics for window design. Under the current DOE funding, the program is being extended to allow design of ripple wall and serpentine mode converters, reentrant cavities, and integration with Ansoft Corporation's High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). Additional enhancements in progress include support for multiple port devices, hybrid modes, and automated optimization. Automated optimization maximizes or minimizes a user specified performance function, such as VSWR, over a frequency band, by using established optimization algorithms. Using this technique, complex ripple wall mode converters with output purities exceeding 99% are routinely obtained in a few hours. This allows rapid optimization of complete waveguide systems.


BACKGROUND: Congenital heart defects (CHD) appear in almost one percent of live births. Asian countries have the highest birth prevalence of CHD in the world. Recessive genotypes may represent a significant CHD risk factor in Asian populations, because Asian populations have a high degree of consanguineous marriages, which increases the risk of CHD. Genetic analysis of consanguineous families may represent a relatively unexplored source for investigating CHD etiology. METHODS: To obtain insight into the contribution of recessive genotypes in CHD we analysed a cohort of forty-nine Pakistani CHD probands, originating from consanguineous unions. The majority (82%) of patients malformations were septal defects. We identified protein altering, rare homozygous variants (RHVs) in the patients coding genome by whole exome sequencing. RESULTS: The patients had a median of seven damaging RHVs each, and our analysis revealed a total of 758 RHVs in 693 different genes. By prioritizing these genes based on variant severity, loss-of-function intolerance and specific expression in the developing heart, we identified a set of 23 candidate disease genes. These candidate genes were significantly enriched for genes known to cause heart defects in recessive mouse models (P<2.4e-06). In addition, we found a significant enrichment of cilia genes in both the initial set of 693 genes (P<5.4e-04) and the 23 candidate disease genes (P<5.2e-04). Functional investigation of ADCY6 in cell- and zebrafish-models verified its role in heart development. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm a significant role for cilia genes in recessive forms of CHD and suggest important functions of cilia genes in cardiac septation.


The authors report the most recent advances in type II InAs/GaSb superlattice materials and photovoltaic detectors. Lattice mismatch between the substrate and the superlattice has been routinely achieved below 0.1%, and less than 0.0043% as the record. The FWHM of the zeroth order peak from x-ray diffraction has been decreased below 50 arcsec and a record of less than 44arcsec has been achieved. High performance detectors with 50% cutoff beyond 18 micrometers up to 26 micrometers have been successfully demonstrated. The detectors with a 50% cut-off wavelength of 18.8 micrometers showed a peak current responsivity of 4 A/W at 80K, and a peak detectivity of 4.510 cm x Hz1/2/W was achieved at 80K at a reverse bias of 110mV under 300K 2(pi) FOV background. Some detectors showed a projected 0% cutoff wavelength up to 28~30 micrometers . The peak responsivity of 3Amp/Watt and detectivity of 4.2510 cm x Hz1/2/W was achieved under -40mV reverse bias at 34K for these detectors.


Journal of Lipid Research Volume 55, 2014 2423 Copyright © 2014 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc. HDL formation is a primary way to eliminate the excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues and plays a critical role in the prevention of coronary artery disease ( 1–3 ). ABCA1 mediates HDL formation by secreting cellular cholesterol and phospholipids into an extracellular acceptor, apoA-I ( 4–7 ). Defects in ABCA1 cause Tangier disease, which is characterized by having a minimal to negligible level of circulating HDL, prominent cholesterol-ester accumulation in tissue macrophages, and premature atherosclerotic vascular disease ( 8–10 ). Recently, it has been reported that the capacity of serum to mediate cholesterol effl ux from macrophages by ABCA1 is strongly and inversely associated with both carotid intima-media thickness and the likelihood of angiographic coronary artery disease, independent of HDL cholesterol levels ( 11 ). Therefore, enhancing HDL formation is one of the promising mechanistic approaches of drug therapies for treating and preventing atherosclerosis. Several methods have been employed in measuring the rate of HDL formation in ABCA1-expressing cells. Because of its high sensitivity, the most widely used method is measurement of [ 3 H]cholesterol release into medium from cells ( 12–14 ). However, this method requires the labeling of cellular cholesterol with a radioisotope and is not suitable for high-throughput screening assays. To avoid the use of radioisotopes, Sankaranarayanan et al. ( 15 ) substituted a fl uorescent sterol, BODIPY-cholesterol, for the radiolabeled Abstract ABCA1 mediates the effl ux of cholesterol and phospholipids into apoA-I to form HDL, which is important in the prevention of atherosclerosis. To develop a novel method for the evaluation of HDL formation, we prepared an apoA-I-POLARIC by labeling the specifi c residue of an apoA-I variant with a hydrophobicity-sensitive fl uorescence probe that detects the environmental change around apoA-I during HDL formation. apoA-I-POLARIC possesses the intact ABCA1-dependent HDL formation activity and shows 4.0-fold higher fl uorescence intensity in HDL particles than in the lipid-free state. Incubation of apoA-I-POLARIC with ABCA1-expressing cells, but not ABCA1-non-expressing cells, caused a 1.7-fold increase in fl uorescence intensity. Gel fi ltration analysis demonstrated that the increase in fl uorescence intensity of apoA-I-POLARIC represents the amount of apoA-I incorporated into the discoidal HDL particles rather than the amount of secreted cholesterol. THP-1 macrophage-mediated HDL formation and inhibition of HDL formation by cyclosporine A could also be measured using apoA-I-POLARIC. Furthermore, HDL formationindependent lipid release induced by microparticle formation or cell death was not detected by apoA-I-POLARIC. These results demonstrate that HDL formation by ABCA1expressing cells can be specifi cally detected by sensing hydrophobicity change in apoA-I, thus providing a novel method for assessing HDL formation and screening of the HDL formation modulator. —Omura, R., K. Nagao, N. Kobayashi, K. Ueda, and H. Saito. Direct detection of ABCA1-dependent HDL formation based on lipidation-induced hydrophobicity change in apoA-I. J. Lipid Res. 2014. 55: 2423–2431.


Back in early 2005, I was loitering in the NSW Art Gallery and I remember coming across a charcoal white chalk sketch of a Standing male nude, back view (c.1867) by Hugh Ramsay, along with the following comment: "On the verso of this drawing is another life study of the same male figure from the front." Whether art lovers were supposed to take this piece of information at face value and muse over such prudishness or read it as a witty, if jocular, note pointing to ludicrous forms of censorshi...


Wind energy is clean and renewable, with the progress of the wind power technology, the accumulation of operation and maintenance experience, reduced generation cost, large capacity of wind farms connected to grid have been built. It is urgent to study the reactive power optimization control of the wind farm, so as to realize the wind farm and power system stability, reliable, good and economic operation. This paper established a wind farm containing 33 sets of 1.5MW double-fed wind turbines in power system analysis software package (PSASP). Through the 18 kinds of different operating types of the power flow calculation by PSASP simulation, the optimal reactive power control scheme is presented by comprehensive analysis on power flow calculation results to finish the wind farm reactive power optimization control aim. Accordingly, this paper makes a detailed analysis of the reactive power optimization control scheme, such as the choice of the compensation device, the position of the compensation and the compensation capacity, by comparing the power flow calculation results before and after the installation of reactive power compensation equipment in the wind farm, the effectiveness of the reactive power optimized control scheme is verified.


The Pseudomyrmex viduus group is a Neotropical clade of arboreal ants containing 13 species, of which three are newly described here: P. insuavis, P. ultrix, and P. vitabilis. Most species inhabit the domatia of specialized ant-plants. The ants keep brood and scale insects (Coccoidea) in the plant cavities, and defend their nest sites much more aggressively than do generalist species of Pseudomyrmex nesting in dead twigs. Five species are obligate associates of trees in the genus Triplaris (Polygonaceae) and five taxa are restricted to Tachigali (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae). One species, P. viduus (F. Smith), is much less host-specific, inhabiting Cordia, Coussapoa, Ocotea, Pseudobombax, Pterocarpus, Sapium, Triplaris and other myrmecophytes. Nothing is known about the biology of P. vitabilis, a close relative of P. viduus. The last member of the species group, P. kuenckeli (Emery), is a non-specialist but aggressive species that nests in dead branches of various plants. A cladistic analysis indicates that this aggressive behaviour evolved before obligate associations with specialized ant-plants, and that the Triplaris and Tachigali inhabitants each form their own clade. P. viduus, which is nested within the Triplarisassociated clade, suggests a possible model for host plant evolution in these ants wherein shifts from one ant-plant to another involve an intermediate phase of expanded host plant use. At least nine other Pseudomyrmex species, from two diVerent species groups (not closely related to the P. viduus group), have evolved specialized associations with Triplaris or Tachigali including five new species: P. crudelis, P. deminutus, P. eculeus, P. ferox and P. hospitalis. Although the P. viduus group is centred in the Amazon basin, the geographic ranges of most species do not coincide with the Pleistocene forest refugia proposed by HaVer and others. A consideration of the phylogenetic relationships, distribution patterns, and host plant specificity of the ants indicates that much of the diversification of the P. viduus group occurred before the Pleistocene, and that the interactions with Triplaris and Tachigali plants are also of Tertiary origin.


The study deals with the changes in the concept of peace, limited to Europe and the period between the 14th and 19th centuries. It concludes that the changes in the context and character of eras basically modify the various peace concepts. In late medieval times the concept of peace was identical to the slogan of collaboration within the Christian world, to achieve `Christian peace' against attacks by the `infidels'. According to Dubois, only the Pope could head a Christian state/federation, while Dante believed that only a secular authority could make Christian peace acceptable. In the eras of the Renaissance and the Reformation peace acquired more universal features. Later concepts of peace became increasingly secular. The English bourgeois revolution regarded peace as the basis for utility, and the protector of property, while the French concept regards peace as the victory of Reason, to the benefit of humanity, in the name of justice. Kant synthetized the peace conceptions of his age. The formation of national states has gradually developed the idea of federation between nations and of international arbitrage systems. As wars started to mobilize the masses the idea of peace successively became of mass concern. In the early 19th century the first peace societies organized their first major international meetings and organizations. A new approach developed within the framework of the workers' movement, on the basis that peace can be achieved only through a basic transformation of society. Thus at the end of the period under study the `bourgeois' and `workers' peace aspirations develop along different tracks.


It is revealed that the vital state and functioning of Pueraria lobata populations in natural and artificial phytocoenoses of South Primorye is provided due to vegetative renewal. Seed renewal under natural conditions and in introduction can be considered unsatisfactory. Positive experience of cultivation the puyeraria by way of vegetative reproduction allows to resolve in due time issues of rational use, reproduction and preservation of gene pool of this specie valuable in every respect.


Systems based on wireless sensor networks convey a prevailing tool to monitor data in complex environments. In this work, we present an intelligent integrated system that monitors various crucial environmental parameters, and applies machine learning to classify multiple gases. The system is a complete, sophisticated, interactive multiple parameters-observing, with two-way communication via wireless mobile network. It consists of a number of buoys distributed throughout the sea and integrated with a suite of sensors capable of measuring a range of essential air and underwater parameters. Four well-known machine learning algorithms are implemented and compared, namely multilayer perceptron, Naïve Bayes, logistic regression, and support vector machines. We present a thorough investigation and deep analysis to evaluate the system performance. The experimental results show that the system achieves a correct classification rate of 92.66%, with a weighted average precision, recall, F-score, and MMC of 0.93, 0.93, 0.926, and 0.91, respectively.


Abstract The paper distinguishes between five questions often discussed under the heading "personal identity." One of these questions is "What am I fundamentally?" The animalist answer to this question is "I am fundamentally a human being." According to this answer, each of us is fundamentally an entity, of which only one can exist in a single human body. In contrast, this paper argues for the following thesis (the coexistence thesis): each of us is fundamentally an entity, of which there could exist two or more in one body. In addition, this paper offers a criterion of individuation for such entities. The coexistence thesis is a radical thesis: It does not merely say that I—each one of us—could have more than one personality. Rather, stated bluntly, the thesis is that there could be more than one "I" in a single human body.


Korean Union Labor Law had denied plural union system until 1997. In other word, if a labor union was established in a company already, new labor union that the member of labor union are duplicated can not to be established in same company. In this point, Korean Labor Union Law contained unconstitutionality that violate the right to organize which Constitution Law guarantee. Therefore, many scholars and labor unions have argued to eliminate the clause that prohibited new labor union in same company. In result, when Labor Union law was amended in 1997, the clause that had been prohibited new labor union was removed. So, there is no problem to establish new labor union in same company. In the spite of that, the additional rule of Labor Union Law has a grace period of the application of the law and plural labor union system is prohibited until the end of this year. However, the grace period will be expired to end of this year. Beginning next year, any employees can organize new unions in same company. In this way, if many kinds of labor unions are organized suddenly, many employers and Korean Government worry about occurring a lot of labor disputes between labor unions and employers or other labor unions. So, Korean Government tried to unify plural labor union of collective bargaining. In Japan, plural labor unionism has been stabilized since Japanese Labor Union Law was enacted in 1946. All of labor unions have the right of collective bargaining in Japan. In this point, japanese collective bargaining system is very different from American collective bargaining system which only the labor union that won in the election has the right of collective bargaining with employer(exclusive collective bargaining system). In Japan, employer has to bargain in good faith all labor unions. If the employer not to keep neutral attitude, the action of the employer will be unfair labor practice. As you know, Korean labor law system and labor unionism are very similar to Japanese Labor Law and Unionism. So, it is very useful to research about Japanese Labor Law and Unionism.


In this paper we address the question of how to provide feedback information to guide users of a handheld robotic device when performing a spatial exploration task. We consider various feedback methods for communicating a five degree of freedom target pose to a user including a stereoscopic VR display, a monocular see-through AR display and a 2D screen as well as robot arm gesturing. The spatial exploration task with the handheld robot arm was compared against a baseline of a passive handheld wand. We compared the performance of each of the methods with 21 volunteers using a repeated measures ANOVA experimental design, and recorded users' opinions via a NASA Task Load Index Survey. The robot assisted reaching feedback methods significantly outperform manual reaching with the wand for all three visual feedback methods. However, there is little difference between each of the three visual feedback methods when using the robot. The completion time of the task varies with changing difficulty when using the wand but remains stable when assisted by the robot. These results convey useful information for the design of cooperative handheld robots.


The invention discloses a glucometer and a blood glucose monitoring system. The gluecometer comprises a control module, a power supply module, a blood glucose test strip, a keystroke module, a display module, an alarming module and a data transmission module. The gluecometer adopts PIC24GC series products proposed by Microchip company, the blood glucose is measured by utilizing an on-chip powerful high-precision simulation circuit, an external high-precision ADC and an external power amplifier are not needed, the product circuit is greatly simplified, the performance is more stable, and the size is smaller. In addition, the ultralow power consumption characteristic of the MCU (microcontroller unit) also can be adequately utilized, and the product power consumption can be reduced. In general, the precision blood glucose is completed by utilizing few peripheral devices, so that the customer cost is reduced, and the product service life is prolonged. The glucometer is small in size, low in power consumption, flexible to use, high in reliability and an ideal choice for the portable high-precision glucometer.


Presented, in part, at the 9th Annual Meeting of the American College of Angiology and the 5th Annual Meeting of the International College of Angiology, Atlantic City, New Jersey, June 13-16, 1963. * Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, Mississippi. † Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Instructor of Medicine, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, Mississippi. ‡ Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, Mississippi. Two years ago at the Seventh Annual Meeting of this organization, I gave a report of the data available in a double-blind study in hypertension begun at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in January, 1956.1-' Today's presentation is a partial report of data obtained since that date, other reports having been made elsewhere.8


This article achieves to assess the impact of Poland's accession to the European Union (EU) on factor and product markets, household consumption, economic growth and also on welfare. To explore the effects of regional integration in this specific transition economy, we implement an applied general equilibrium model with endogenous technological change. A mechanism through which trade liberalization might change the long run growthis specifically highlighted : the reallocation of resources. We find that adhesion may cause the growth rate to fall by inducing to allocate less resources to research and development (R&D) activity, even under the technological diffusion assumption. However, the results suggest that a R&D promotion policy creates a more favorable environment for the regional integration. In this case, trade liberalization stimulates growth and leads to an increase of welfare.


This paper investigates the evolution of Venezuela's political and economic scenario over the last 15 years. I explore in depth both the achievements and the unsolved problems of the Venezuelan demand-led growth model. Recalling Kalecki's analysis of underdevelopment, I highlight Venezuela's problems that depend on the constraining role played by the existing institutions. I conclude that the real challenge consists of a deep institutional change, possibly along the lines portrayed in the 2007 constitutional referendum.


City is the media of culture, while the capital reflects the cultural style of a nation and people of the very time. The Changan in Han dynasty was built with the idea of the universe. Its planning illustrates the changes from astronomy to humanism.


This paper addresses issues concerning exponential stability and robustness of hybrid systems. Stability conditions using Lyapunov techniques are given. The search for the Lyapunov functions is formulated as a linear matrix inequality (LMI) problem for hybrid systems with affine as well as non-linear vector fields. It is shown how the Lyapunov approach most advantageously also can be used to guarantee stability despite the presence of model uncertainties. Several examples are given to illustrate the theory.


Schottky barrier diodes based on a composite of polyaniline with titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) were fabricated using aluminum as a Schottky contact and gold as an ohmic contact. The observed current-voltage characteristics can be satisfactorily fitted using the modified Schottky equation. The current-voltage characteristics were studied to explain the rectification generation of the diode. The diode shows non-ideal I-V behavior with an ideality factor greater than unity. The conduction mechanism was determined and a Schottky-type conduction process was defined. The diode parameters such as saturation current density and ideality factor were found to be 9.28 x 10 −4 A/cm 2 and 6.33, respectively.


Speakers naturally modify the way they produce speech depending on the listening environment. A hyper-articulatory speaking style is typically employed when listening circumstances are difficult. In contrast, hypo-articulation is adopted when the elements for listening are favourable. Previous research suggests that the intentions of the speaker are realized in listener's recognition of spoken utterances [1]. Given recent findings that the sight of articulating faces increase the detectability of speech in noise [2, 3, 4, 5]; the present study investigates whether speech in noise is more detectable when the listener views hyper-articulated compared to hypo-articulated speech. Normal, Hyperand Hypo-articulated styles of "ba, bi, bu, da, ga, tha" spoken by three speakers were paired with corresponding static images (auditory information only) or dynamic (audio-visual condition) visual articulations in a two interval (noise only/speech plus noise) forced choice detection task at three signal-to-noise ratios (0dB, 2dB, and -4dB). Seeing the articulating face provides a significant advantage for detecting speech in noise compared to auditory only presentation regardless of speaking style. Additionally, hyper-articulated speech offered a significant advantage over hypo-articulated speech suggesting that the amount of facial movement may modulate the AV facilitation effect in the detection of speech in noise.


:
Developments in advanced composite technology offer cost-effective application of polymer matrix composites for large load-bearing structures. However, polymer matrix composites can be severely damaged under thermal conditions caused by fire. This chapter addresses failures of polymer matrix composite panels under combined thermal-mechanical conditions. Specifically, the thermal load is fire exposure which can occur in accidental events, and the mechanical load is in-plane compression which is the common loading condition for panels in naval structures and civil infrastructure. The failure modes under such thermal-mechanical conditions for single-skin and sandwich panels are the focus in this chapter. The thermal field under fire heating and the degradation of mechanical properties with respect to temperature rise are discussed. Modeling methodology for these failure modes is presented. The development of a quantitative approach to assess structural fire integrity is discussed in the context of analysis and experimental observation.


In The mill reek in 1754 Anthony Seaton briefly explores the dust, smoke, and lead poisoning caused by lead refining in industrial Scotland during the Enlightenment.


Abstract : With computer experiments the authors have investigated the behavior of large-amplitude, high-phase-velocity plasma oscillations in an electron-ion plasma. The experiments show that such a wave, when above a given threshold amplitude, produces an instability that results in its anomalous damping. The results are in agreement with theory. This is one mechanism by which large-amplitude electrostatic oscillations generated by an instability (for example, by the two-stream instability), can be dissipated. (Author)


Objective:To investigate the lateral distal tibial plate in the treatment of fractures of the distal tibia.Methods:60 cases of distal tibial fracture patients,using lateral distal tibial plate treatment,after treatment at the same time strengthening.Results:The distal tibial fracture healing time of the lateral plate 3 to 17 months,the treatment of gifted up to 38 cases,good in 15 cases,excellent rate was 91.4%.Conclusion:The lateral distal tibial plate in the treatment of distal tibial fractures,surgical effect satisfied with the restoration of limb function ideal,it is widely used.


The supplies of energy and the prices of energy will in the long term influence the use of the automobile and the automobile as technical conception. A review is given of some possible improvements regarding the automobile in the scope of problems concerning energy, material and the environment. /TRRL/


The coupled excitonic and localized surface plasmon resonant (LSPR) properties of two-dimensional (2D) quantum materials can reduce dielectric screening effects to create wide range of applications in next-generation nanoelectronics and...


Upon seed germination, lipids contained in oil bodies are mobilized via β-oxidation, the glyoxylate cycle, and gluconeogenesis to provide energy for seedling growth in the form of sucrose (reviewed in [Graham, 2008][1]). The β-oxidation of fatty acids and some steps of the gyloxylate cycle occur


A quantitative measurement of the global surface convective heating rates was achieved for a double swept-wedge model using a Mid Wave Infra Red (MWIR) camera. The configuration was tested in a free piston driven Ludwieg Tube facility producing test flows at a Mach number of 5.85 for about 200 milliseconds. The IR camera was calibrated based on a thermocouple instrumented copper plate heated up to the relevant surface temperatures. The calibrated IR images recorded at 100 frames per second were used to deduce the global surface temperature history of the model during the flow time. The temperature distribution is then converted to a heat flux distribution using an impulse response method. A flat plate model was also tested at nominally the same flow conditions and the data generated by the measurement technique was compared to an analytical model for a compressible laminar boundary layer heat transfer. A discrepancy of about 15% exists between the experimental and analytical data for the flat plate heat transfer calculations. Uncertainties in the substrate material properties are likely to contribute to this discrepancy. Introduction In the hypersonic flow regime (nominally Mach number 5 and above), the aerodynamic heating is a dominant factor because the convective surface heating rate varies directly with the cube of the velocity [1]. The high heat transfer rates presents challenges to the vehicle airframe. In particular, scramjet inlets are exposed to high localized heating. The principal mode of heat transfer during suborbital hypersonic flight is through forced convective heat flux. The heat transferred through the aerodynamic convective heating from the hot gas to the wall is given by: q̇convective = h(Tr−Tw) (1) where Tr is the recovery temperature and the Tw is the surface temperature and difference between them drives the convective heat flux and h is the convective heat transfer coefficient which is a function of the flow properties and can be expressed as:


In a recent study, Saha et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD030082) examine the correlation between boreal summer seasonal mean rainfall over India and rainfall variance as a function of subseasonal time scale and find that the correlation has a local maximum (exceeding a value of 0.6) for synoptic time scales (2–5 day periods). They claim these results to be a major advancement in understanding monsoon predictability but do not provide a clear physical explanation. Here we examine the sensitivity of this relationship to the details of the analysis and only consider the observed correlation identified by Saha et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD030082). There is large sensitivity in the correlation maximum between spatially averaged seasonal mean rainfall and synoptic scale rainfall variance averaged over the same domain. The correlation maximum is weaker over the longer period of 1901–2015, and more notably it is highly sensitive to the domain of prior averaging. A correlation peak is not found outside central India and is neither found within central India when averaging over a smaller domain. Averaging over a larger domain results in a disproportionate reduction in synoptic variance (that is of most interest). The peak in correlation between seasonal mean and 2–5 day variance only emerges after first averaging over a sufficiently large region; thus, the maximum appears to be an artifact of spatial averaging. It is further pointed out that a positive mean‐variance relationship is an intrinsic property of rainfall, and thus, its existence alone does not necessarily imply any physical, causal, and/or predictive connection between time scales.


The combination frequencies of carbonyl vibrations in solution in the 4000 cm.–1 region have been determined for a number of phosphorus-bridged dinuclear metal carbonyls and for a related compound in which two metals are held together by a simple, direct metal–metal bond. The results show that these spectra can be used to assess symmetry and furnish evidence for metal–metal bonding, as predicted by the theory presented here.


What role do the micro-powers play in the facts of the international system? If the micropowers are took exclusively as a game in the internal politics, it has lost a theoretical frame of great conceptual importance. Without place to doubts, the macro-powers that are in the international system, will be determined by smaller relationships of powers that in an undetermined articulation, they will be able to create structures and institutions that will respond to some specifi c speeches, those which will be product of an ideology whose minimum component is the ideas and the communication among them. This net of the human relationships will give as consequence mega structures in the international system: countries, organizations and empires. To study and to understand the linguistic force that is given in the international relations as practice, will allow opening new theoretical fi elds for the international relations as science


Advancement in the field of communication facilitates the world for electronic sharing of huge amount of data. Relational databases most widely used and shared through Internet by the communities and organizations. They work in collaborative environment for sharing of knowledge and for applying data mining techniques for finding different market trends and interests for research groups. Proof of ownership and database security are major issues related to online sharing of database. Watermarking facilitates solution for ownership protection and reversible watermarking ensures data recovery in case of any kind of malicious cyberattacks. The major challenge of watermarking are (1) imperceptibility of watermark, (2) robustness of watermark against any kind of data alteration attacks, and (3) data recovery. In this research, a reversible watermarking technique for numerical relational databases by using evolutionary techniques has been proposed that ensures the integrity of underlying data and robustness of watermark. Moreover, maximum Relevance and Minimum Redundancy (mRMR) technique has been used for feature subset selection. Binary Bat Algorithm (BBA) as constraints optimization technique used for watermark creation. Result shows effectiveness of the proposed scheme against data tempering attacks. The proposed BBA provides better results as compare to Genetic Algorithm.


I was looking forward to the consultative document on supplementary prescribing (MCA, 2002) and I wholeheartedly support the inclusion of pharmacists as supplementary prescribers. For too long they have been regarded as shopkeepers, when their expertise can complement community health services. However, the proposals are fraught with practical difficulties for practice nurses. There is no question that patient safety is paramount, but would you want a practice nurse to prescribe for asthma or diabetes if they had no specific training within that disease area? I think not.


Though the private economy of Hezhe Ntionnaility is at the initial stage,it is critical to find ways to solve its counteractive problems.Its private economy will have a bright future only after people's mindset is changed,the development modes is innovated and the product quality is improved.


During the commissioning of the Swiss Light Source (SLS) first operational experience has been gathered with the newly developed digital beam position monitor (DBPM) system. The DBPM performance could be characterized in all available operation modes, which are: single turn, turn-by-turn, closed orbit and tune. All modes can be selected independently for each sector of the booster and storage ring through the EPICS-based SLS control system by simple re-programming of the digital processing chain. Laboratory measurements as well as measurements on the SLS accelerators will be presented, offering insights in the operational experience and the performance of the DBPM system. In addition, a monitoring system (POMS) for the transverse mechanical positions of each BPM block in reference to the adjacent quadrupole magnets has been installed and commissioned. First results will be presented, showing a horizontal and vertical movement of the BPM blocks as a function of beam current (heat load on the vacuum chamber) in the SLS storage ring.


This case series report describes the management of 26 patients and describes the protocol for the treatment of bite wounds.
The patients underwent complex treatment, including primary surgical debridement, wound closure, tetanus prophylaxis with human tetanus immunoglobulin at a dose of 400 IU, level laser therapy (LLLT) with a short-pulse Nd:Yag laser "Aerolase Neo" (doses from 3-8 J/cm2, wavelength 1064 nm, pulse duration 650 mcs) 4 procedures, 1 week interval.
The results of laser therapy are noticeable after 3-5 treatments, but treatment protocols are unique for each patient and condition. Primary correction of facial injuries from dog bites, with complex treatment, has positive results.
When treating a wound from animal bites on the face, it is necessary to apply an integrated approach, surgical intervention should be applied in accordance with the criteria for aesthetic reconstructive surgery of the face. The inclusion of Nd:Yag laser in the complex of treatment procedures for animal bites leads to rapid wound healing, prevents the formation of scar tissue, and reduces inflammation and pain associated with injury. Case data have shown that Nd:Yag laser therapy is effective in open wounds from animal bites, indicating better regeneration and rapid restoration of structural and functional integrity


To the Editor: At the recent meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology and Syphilology, while presiding over the course on occupational dermatology, I was repeatedly told by physicians from Southern and Midwestern states that occupational dermatitis was considered a disease in their states and that a worker suffering from a disease was not compensated. Industrial commissions throughout the country are apt to reject diseases as being compensable. They must be convinced that the disease arises from an injury occurring out of and in the course of the worker's employment. They readily accept abrasions of the skin with secondary infection, bruises, burns, cuts and lacerated wounds, because these conditions are not classified as diseases, but as injuries. As the large majority of occupational skin disturbances are the result of the same factors, mechanical, physical and chemical, it behooves the physician and dermatologist to label them as injuries of the skin,


W rr HEN a family friend suggested publication of her letters in i8i8, Abigail Adams recoiled: "No. No.... Heedless and inaccurate as I am, I have too much vanity to risk my reputation before the public."1 Abigail's response contrasts mightily with the more characteristic Adams eagerness to appear in print, and it contrasts as well with the lack of reticence on the part of subsequent chroniclers who have found her a biographer's delight. Her grandson Charles Francis Adams first introduced her letters in i840 by publishing a highly edited edition that proved so popular that it was followed by three more editions by i848.2 In the near century and a half since then, enthusiasm for Abigail


High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance has been used to study a short peptide which corresponds to the antigenic region of a larger peptide immunogen. This work shows that there is a strong conformational preference for a Type II beta-turn in solution. This observation has implications for the nature of the immunogenicity and antigenicity of peptide antigens as well as for the more general question of protein-folding mechanisms.


Street has always been a basic element of city structure and is recognized as a pedestrian-oriented urban space. In the modern and industrialized world, they are turning more to a carriageway-orientation. In developed countries, the streets are gaining their main function and role in people's lives. But developing countries are in transition from the transportation role to social role. In a good street, it is attempted to consider all social, economic and environmental needs of the society and prepare the ground for all walks of life to use the services and spaces with whatever physical condition (healthy or handicapped) they are in to form urban streets with walking-orientation as a primary goal of these urban spaces. The present study is an applied research and the findings were obtained after adjusting effective qualities of desired streets in terms of walking and principles derived from relevant experiences, good metrics to analyze, evaluate and develop streets. After Integrated analysis and assessment of streets based on design standards including: Safety, security, permeability, variety, pedestrians' peace of mind, aesthetics, etc., and using Delphi technique, lack of attention to the desirable view qualities of Hamza street became clear. After that, design goals in order to improve the Hamza street view consistent with the main objective and in line with the study outlook are presented. Street view design regarding walkability and human approach is a goal that is presented in the form of design Alternatives. Consequently, after evaluating the Alternatives practical measures are presented are namely; changing the width of the street, a change in the pattern of mass construction on the street, considering Chahar Bagh pattern in the design of streets, creating open spaces (Plazas) along the street and redesigning sidewalks and streets to achieve the objectives.


Polymer solar cells with a thick active layer can generate large photocurrent because they absorb many more photons. In most cases, however, the active layer is as thin as ~100 nm under the optimized condition. In this work, we have studied bimolecular charge recombination in highly efficient polymer solar cells with a thick active layer by transient photovoltage and photocurrent measurements. As a result, we found that the bimolecular recombination rate is smaller by three orders of magnitude than that predicted from the diffusion-limited Langevin recombination. We therefore conclude that such reduced bimolecular recombination enables efficient charge collection even in the solar cell with a thick active layer.


: Rural ecological transformation aims at realizing the economic values of ecological resources while protecting resources and the environment, so as to achieve the win-win situation of ecological environment protection and economic development. This article reviewed different paths of rural restructuring and their negative and positive impacts on the ecological environment and economic development since the reform and opening-up, namely rural industrialization, urban-ization, and rural non-agricultural transformation. On this basis, we point out that rural ecological transformation is an inevitable choice to realize rural revitalization and sustainable development for agricultural villages that are located in major ecological function areas. This is a joint result of ex-ternal factors such as the turn of recognition of rural functions and ecological civilization construc-tion, and internal factors such as rich ecological resources in the rural areas and rural population ' s needs for development. On the one hand, the functions of agricultural production and ecological protection are getting increasingly more important in rural regions, and on the other hand, natural capital is increasingly scarce. Therefore, the natural resources and ecological environment in rural areas can become the unique advantages for rural transformation and development. Based on the theory of Ecological Modernization and the characteristics of ecological economic development, this article discussed the possible paths of rural ecological transformation from the perspectives of factor inputs and key participants. We put forward that the essential factors for rural ecological transformation is knowledge instead of capital. Taking into consideration the characteristics of be-haviors of the government, community, and other stakeholders in receiving and applying knowledge, this article suggested that it is more suitable for the rural community to participate in knowledge input. Finally, this study took the practice of ecological transformation in Chenzhuang Village of Jiangsu Province as an example to analyze the strategies of knowledge input and community participation in rural ecological transformation and their effects. The result of this study may help deepen the theoretical understanding of the necessity and paths of rural ecological transformation and provide some practical experiences for the ecological development of rural areas.


Two cases are described with the clinical, histological and electron microscope features of disseminated plane warts. Cell mediated antibody to wart virus was demonstrable. One had features of epidermodysplasia verruciformis and the other of acrokeratosis verruciformis. Disseminated piane warts, epidermodysplasia verruciformis and acrokeratosis verruciformis are so closely interrelated that they could be considered as minor variants of the same disease process.


In this paper, I presented the analysis and numerical results for free transverse vibration of thin rectangular plates having arbitrarily varying non-homogeneity with the in-plane coordinates along the two concurrent edges. For finding the general governing differential equation first used the Kirchhoff's plate theory by considering their assumptions.

 After finding the governing equation for the plate. For the non- homogeneity a linear variation for Young's modulus and density of the plate has been assumed. Finite difference method (FDM) has been used to obtain the eigen value problem for such model plate for two different boundary condition at the edge namely (i) CCCC fully clamped (ii) CSCS two opposites are clamped and other two are simply supported.

By solving these eigen value problem using MATLAB, the lowest three eigen value have been reported as the first three natural frequencies for the three mode of vibration. The effect of various plate parameters such on the vibration characteristics has been analysed. Three dimensional mode shape has been plotted.


Cancer analysis is one of the broadly advised acreage in the healthcare domain. The objective of the breast cancer problem is to predict the property of a new tumor (malignant or benign). The existing method hybridizes K-means algorithm and SVM (K-SVM) for breast cancer diagnosis. To reduce the high dimensionality of feature space, it extracts abstract malignant and benign tumor patterns separately before the original data is trained to obtain the classifier. In order to improve the quality of prediction, Fuzzy c-means clustering is hybridizes with SVM (F-SVM). An improved fuzzy c-means algorithm is proposed to deal with the cancer data. The proposed algorithm improves the traditional Fuzzy c-means algorithm in terms of selecting the initial cluster centre. Thereby, it avoids the basic drawback of Fuzzy C-means and improves the quality of prediction over k-means algorithm. It helps to predict the benign and malignant tumors. Based on the derived membership, each tumor pattern is considered as a model. Further support vector machine (SVM) technique is used to obtain the new classifier to discriminate the data.


Objective To compare with the DNA fragments of the processed pieces and fresh roots of Saussurea lappa and provide reference for identification.Methods Processed pieces and fresh roots of S.lappa were selected to extract the total DNA using CTAB method and PCR amplification was used to screen the random primers which could simultaneouly amplify total DNA of both the two materials.To clone the consensus bands acquired by amplifing the genomic total DNA of processed pieces and fresh roots of S.lappa and select the positive colony for sequencing after transformation and homological analysis by the biological information sciences.Results Sequences similar degree of processed pieces and fresh roots of S.lappa were 99.75% and 100%,respectively.Conclusion The molecular biology is an effective method to identify the processed pieces and fresh roots of S.lappa.


Experiments were made in an attempt to determine the effect of ozone fumigation on the rate of CO2 exchange both in the light (24 klux) and in the dark of detached poplar leaves. The rate of CO2 exchange was determined before and after the exposure to 0.9 ppm ozone at 25°C with the air flow rate of 1.5 liter min-1.Both net photosynthesis and CO2 evolution in the light were considerably decreased. However, dark respiration was increased after the ozone fumigation. The light and CO2 compensation points were significantly higher in the ozonated leaves. The results of these experiments are discussed.


This paper describes the experimental analysis of the heat transfer rate within an internal passage of a typical gas turbine blade using varied internal geometries. This method of alteration, using rib turbulator's within the serpentine cooling passages of a hollow turbine blade, has proven to drastically cool turbine blades more significantly than a smooth channel alone. Our emphasis is to determine which rib geometry will yield the highest heat transfer rate, which was examined in the form of a comparison between theoretical to experimental Nusselt numbers. For testing purposes, an enclosed 2 in. × 2 in. square Plexiglas channel was constructed to model an internal cooling passage within a turbine blade. Silicon heat strips, wrapped in copper foil, were placed on the bottom surface of the channel to ensure even heat distribution throughout. To measure internal surface temperatures, thermocouples were placed on the surface of heat plate as well as in the opening of the channel throughout. The four different rib geometries which were individually wrapped in copper foil were then placed on top of the heating element. To compare the rib geometry results with a control, a test was run with no ribs. To simulate turbulent air flow through the channel, a blower supplied velocities of 23.88 m/s and 27.86 m/s. These velocities yielded a Reynolds number ranging between 70,000 and 90,000. Final results were found in the form of the experimental Nusselt number divided by the theoretical Nusselt number, a standard when comparing surface heat transfer rates. The 60 degree staggered arrow geometry pointing away from the inlet and outlet (geometry 4) proved to create the highest heat transfer rate through the way it produced turbulent air flow. The average Nusselt number of this design was found to be 718.2 and 868.3 for 23.88 and 27.86 m/s respectively. From the calculated data it was found that higher Nusselt numbers were more prone to occur in higher air velocities.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Cardiac catheterization was performed by conventional techniques. In all instances the left ventricle was catheterized via a brachial arteriotomy. Left ventricular pressure gradients were measured by repeated withdrawals of the catheter transaortically between the inflow tract of the left ventricle and the ascending aorta: this was done under direct fluoroscopic and pressure monitoring. Care was taken to exclude spurious elevation in the intraventricular pressure produced by obliteration of a portion of the left ventricular apex.17 The diagnosis of IHSS was further confirmed by detection of diminished brachial artery pressure pulse following a premature ventricular contraction when there was a simultaneous increase in intraventricular pressure,'8 and an increase in the ventriculoaortic pressure gradient following the administration of 0.4 mg of sublingual nitroglycerine.'9


A study is for the approach that we could reduce the logistics costs through uprising the efficiency, complying to the demand in time, stock management based on the general production plan in the point of SCM. We will take following steps to get the goal. First, we will overview the physical distribution expenses annually. Second, will find the main cause of optimal load loss by improper container and lack of delivery flexibility to the demand. Third, the goal will be inferred through the fast information share based on organic relationship, the establishment of general production plan, the improvement of stock management plan. By way of this process, it can be accomplished expense reduction as well as flexible establishment of the reduction of worker's load.


Interleukin (IL-)-10 and IL-13 are Th2-cell-associated cytokines with a variety of biologic activities in immune and inflammatory responses. It is known that glucocorticoids (GCs) modulate inflammatory and immune functions. In fact, GCs are involved to regulate the transcription of cytokines which are relevant in chronic inflammation and cell-mediated immune response. In the present study we analyzed, in vitro, the effects of DEX on the expression of the IL-10 and IL-13 lymphokines in murine spleen and thymus cells. DEX-stimulation induced down-regulation of the expression of IL-10 and IL-13 mRNA. This effect was already evident 0.5 hr after treatment and persisted in time, in both resting and activated lymphocytes. These results suggest that GCs could have inhibitory effect on Th2 cytokine production.


Seasonal water level fluctuations (WLFs) impose dramatic influences on lake ecosystems. The influences of WLFs have been well studied for many lake biotas but the microeukaryotic community remains one of the least-explored features. This study employed high-throughput 18S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of microeukaryotic communities in the dry and wet seasons with concomitant change of nutrients in Poyang Lake, which experiences huge seasonal WLFs. The results showed that the dry season and wet season had distinct microeukaryotic community compositions and structures. In the dry season, Ciliophora (13.86–40.98%) and Cryptomonas (3.69–18.64%) were the dominant taxa, and the relative abundance of these taxa were significant higher in the dry season than wet season. Ochrophyta (6.88–45.67%) and Chlorophyta (6.31–22.10%) was the dominant taxa of microeukaryotic communities in the wet season. The seasonal variation of microeukaryotic communities was strongly correlated to seasonal nutrient variations. Microeukaryotic communities responded significantly to dissolved organic carbon, total nitrogen, nitrate, and soluble reactive phosphorus in the dry season, and correlated to nitrate and total phosphorus in the wet season. The microeukaryotic community showed different modular structures in two seasons, and nutrient variations were the key factors influencing seasonal variations of the modular structures. Moreover, microeukaryotic community networks based on different seasons indicated that the microeukaryotic community co-occurrence patterns were not constant but varied largely associating with the nitrogen and phosphorus variations under the effects of WLFs. Our results are important for understanding how microeukaryotic communities respond to nutrient variation under seasonal water level fluctuation.


A new entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom.) Samaon, which is separated firstly from litchi stinkbug, was used for controlling litchi stinkbug. The results indicated that the mortality rate of litchi stinkbug increased gradually after spraying the entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces lilacinus, and the mortality rate of the litchi stinkbug was over 90% after 11 weeks.


The two moths, Sesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), are common pests of maize in West Africa. Their variations in population numbers, and effects of S. calamistis on maize, were investigated from September 1991 to January 1994 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Cotonou, Bh in . These insects were the predominant stem borers found on maize, but also on wild sorghum and pennisetum grasses, when fresh maize plants were not available. In choice tests in the greenhouse, S. calamistis laid more eggs on 40 day-old maize than on older plants, and more on maize than grasses of the same age. These results indicate that grasses are reservoirs for borers and sources of infestation of maize fields. S. calamistis attacked maize from four weeks after planting; E. saccharina attacked from silking. Numbers of moths caught in light traps were positively correlated with wind speeds and relative humidity, but they were negatively correlated with temperatures. Moth catches were higher around new moon than full moon. Timing and level of plant infestations by S. calamistis reduced growth and yield of maize, with the timing of attack being the most important. Pre-tasseling was the most attractive and susceptible stage of maize plant to S. calamistis attack. The within-plant distribution of immature borers depended on the stages of development of the borers and the plants. On maize, eggs were preferentially laid below the first ear, followed by the part above the ear. About 40 days after planting, most larvae and pupae were found in the ears. Thus dissection of the whole plant is not necessary for sampling; scrutiny of leaf sheaths below the ear can i i i provide reliable estimates of the numbers of eggs, whereas the ear is the best sampling unit for larvae and pupae. On wild sorghum, the borers were equally distributed between the main stems and the lateral shoots. The interaction between S. calamistis host plants and the egg parasite, Telenomus busseolae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), and the effects of age, density and exposure time, of the moth egg on parasitization and development of the parasite, were studied. Under glass, when maize plants of four different stages bearing moth eggs were exposed together, wasps parasitized equally the eggs. The results were similar when maize and wild grasses were exposed together. In an arena, T. busseolae showed density-dependent parasitism, the percentage of parasitism increasing with higher numbers of moth eggs. T. busseolae successfully parasitized, and developed in eggs that were up to 4-day-old, but it preferred those younger than two days. Relatively more wasps emerged from young than old eggs. Developmental time was not affected by the age of host eggs, but varied with rearing temperatures; wasps emerged in 13 14 d at 32"C, 14 16 d at 28OC, and 18 20 d at 26•‹C. RESUME Les variations des populations de Sesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) et de Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), deux importants ravageurs du mays en Afrique de I'Ouest, et les effets de S. calamistis sur le mai's, ont et6 etudies I'lnstitut International dfAgricu1ture Tropicale A Cotonou, au Benin, de Septembre 1991 Janvier 1994. Ces insectes dtaient les plus nombreux foreurs de tige trouves dans le mays, mais aussi dans deux graminees non cultivt5es, Ie sorgho sauvage et le pennisetum, surtout lorsque des plants frais de mai's n'etaient pas disponibles. Dans des essais en serre, S. calamistis deposait plus d'oeufs sur les plants de mays de 40 jours que sur les plants plus Ages, et plus d'oeufs sur le mays que sur le sorgho et le pennisetum de m6me Age. Ces resultats indiquent que les graminees sauvages sont des abris et des sources d'infestation des champs de mai's. S. calamistis infestait les plants de quatre semaines, alors que E. saccharina les infestait a partir de I'epiaison. Le nombre de foreurs adults recoltes dans des pieges lumineux etait correle positivement a la vitesse du vent et B I'humidite relative, mais negativement a la temperature. Un plus grand nombre de ces insectes etait piege pendant la nouvelle lune que pendant la pleine lune. Le stade du mays au moment de I'infestation et le nombre d'oeufs de S. calamistis avaient une influence negative sur le developpement de la plante et reduisait sa productivite, mais I'effet lie au stade de developpement etait le plus important. Les stades avant la floraison etaient les plus critiques pour les attacks de S. calamistis. La repartition des boreurs dans les plants dkpendait du type de foreurs et de plantes h6tes. Sur le mays, S. calamistis deposait ses v oeufs de preference sur la partie de tige en dessous de I'epi, puis sur celle au dessus. A partir de 40 jours aprhs semis, la plupart des larves et des chrysalides se trouvaient dans I'epi. Ceci demontre que la dissection de I'entidre plante n'est pas necessaire pour 1'6chantillonnage; I'inspection de la partie de plante en dessous de I'epi peut permettre une estimation fiable du nombre d'oeufs, alors que I'epi est la partie B inspecter pour estimer le nombre de larves et de chrysalides. Sur le sorgho sauvage, la distribution etait la mQme entre la tige principale et les branches laterales. L'interaction entre le parasite des oeufs, Telenomus busseolae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), et les plantes h6tes de S. calamistis, ainsi que les effets de I'ige des oeufs h6tes, de leur densite et leur temps d'exposition, sur le parasitisme et le temps de developpement du parasite ont 6t6 ijtudies. En serre, lorsque des plants de mays de 4 stades, portant des oeufs de S. calamistis, etaient exposes ensemble, la guQpe parasitait le m6me nombre d'oeufs sur chaque stade. Le resultat ijtait pareil lorsque le mays, le sorgho et le pennisetum de m6me 5ge 6taient exposes ensemble. Au laboratoire, le nombre d'oeufs parasites croissait avec le nombre initial d'oeufs h6tes disponibles. T. busseolae parasitait et developpait dans des oeufs de 0 B 4 jours, mais preferait les oeufs de moins de deux jours, et plus d'adults emergeaient de ces oeufs que des oeufs plus iges. Le temps de dijveloppement des gu6pes n'etait pas affecte par I'age des oeufs au moment de la parasitisation, mais variait avec la temperature d'ijlevage; les gugpes emergeaient entre 13 et 14 jours B 32OC, entre 14 et 16 jours B 28OC, et entre 18 et 20 a 26OC. A ma femme, %eatrice mes etrfants, Dider, Nel4, Benhen Pour kur compr&nrwn e t ikur patience.


The paper presents a mathematical model algorithm for optimal allocation of switching devices in power distribution network,develops switching devices optimization program based on immune algorithm,and in which the reliability cost-benefit analysis method is used to analyze the investment,maintenance and outage costs.10 kV 14 feeders in Changanxi Substation and Jinhua Substation are selected to conduct optimal switching device scheme calculation by the developed program and the best scheme is obtained.The best scheme is carried out in Changxi feeder and Shoubu feeder and the engineering's applicability and correctness are verified.


In the March 2002 issue of HEPATOLOGY, a meta-analysis of endoscopic treatment versus endoscopic plus pharmacologic treatment for acute variceal bleeding was reported by Banares et al.1 The metaanalysis included 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 939 patients) and showed that the combined therapy is associated with a significantly higher rate of 5-day hemostasis than endoscopic therapy alone. However, 5-day absolute mortality rate (assessable in 6 RCTs including 759 patients) with the combination therapy was only 2% lower than with endoscopy alone, and the difference was not statistically significant. The treatment effect on 42-day mortality was not assessed because it was reported only in 2 of the 8 retrieved studies. Aiming at assessing whether overall mortality was different between the 2 treatments, we pooled data from 12 RCTs2-13 retrieved by using the search terms "(sclerotherapy OR ligation) AND variceal bleeding" in Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library databases up until March 2002. Forty-two day mortality or the figure at the longest available time interval (up to 42 days) was used. The results, reported in Table 1, confirm, on a larger base (1,485 patients, 12 RCTs) and on a longer observation period, the lack of difference in mortality found by Banares et al.1 for the 5-day mortality rate. For overall mortality, the pooled relative risk was .86 (confidence interval [CI], .68-1.07) and the absolute risk difference was .02 (CI, .06 to .01). The adverse events reported by Banares et al.1 deal with drugs only, although the aim of their report was to compare the combination of endoscopic and pharmacologic therapy with endoscopic therapy alone. In fact, a thorough assessment of adverse events associated with the combined therapy should also account for adverse events associated with the endoscopic therapy. It is of interest, in this context, that in a recent Cochrane meta-analysis of 11 RCTs of sclerotherapy versus pharmacologic therapy for variceal bleeding,14 we found that sclerotherapy was associated with adverse events in 123 of 546 patients (22%) and pharmacologic therapy in 65 of 536 (12%) (relative risk 1.67; CI 1.29-2.17); severe adverse events were 7% and 1%, respectively (relative risk 3.74; CI 1.56-8.93). Clearly, these adverse events of endoscopic therapy are expected to add to those of drugs in the combined therapy. Given this considerable risk for adverse and serious adverse events with sclerotherapy, it might be clinically important to compare the combination of endoscopic and pharmacologic therapy with pharmacologic therapy alone. By using the same search terms and databases reported earlier, we found only 2 RCTs comparing these treatments.15,16 The pooled results of these RCTs, reported in Table 2, show similar results to the comparison of the combined therapy with endoscopic therapy alone: the combined therapy significantly improved control of bleeding without affecting overall mortality, though it was associated with more adverse events. If the results of these 2 studies were confirmed in further RCTs, then the most efficient approach to the emergency therapy of variceal bleeding could be vasoactive drugs first and associating endoscopic therapy in drug failures. Because vasoactive drugs are effective in controlling variceal bleeding in 82% of patients,14 this approach could save approximately 82% of emergency endoscopies, allowing time for better stabilization of the patient and to choose the best definitive treatment for the prevention of rebleeding. In this context it is important to note that patients who are candidates for -blockers do not need any sessions of endoscopic therapy and that those candidates for endoscopic therapy should be treated by banding ligation of varices and not by sclerotherapy.17 However, sclerotherapy is most frequently performed in the emergency situation and it hampers subsequent variceal ligation. We therefore agree with the conclusion of Banares et al.1 that "more trials are needed to unequivocally determine further potential advantages of combined therapy," and suggest that the comparison of immediate combined therapy versus combined therapy only in medical treatment failures, should be the next step.


Abstract Disclosure: R. McGlotten: None. L.K. Nieman: None. Background: Stimulation (stim) testing and petrosal sinus sampling (PSS) help determine the etiology of ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome (CS). As CRH is not available in the US, desmopressin (Desmo) is an alternative agent for both purposes. For the peripheral Desmo stim test, the reported sensitivity (ACTH:74 - 91%; cortisol (F): 81%) for Cushing's disease (CD) and specificity (ACTH:57-71%; F: 82%) for ectopic ACTH secretion (EAS) vary depending on the timepoints and criteria used for a response. The sensitivity of PSS was ∼ 95-99%. We evaluated our Desmo experience. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients (pts) with pathologically-confirmed CS (and one with occult EAS) who underwent PSS (n=6) or Desmo stim testing (all) using a 10 ug IV dose at time 0 minutes (min). Stim test F and ACTH were measured -15, -1, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. Percent response was calculated according to previous reports using the mean of -15 and 0 min and the mean of 15 and 30 min, or peak, ACTH values and the mean of 30 and 45 min, or peak, F levels. For PSS, ACTH was measured at -5, -1, 3, 5, and 10 min from left and right petrosal veins and a peripheral site. A pre- or post-stimulation gradient between peripheral and PS samples >2 and >3, respectively, was considered to indicate CD. Results: On stim test, positive cortisol responses >20% were found in 9/11 CD pts at 30/45min (range 29-175% vs -35 to 18%) and 10/11 with peak values (range 29 - 184% vs 17%). One of 4 EAS patients had a 30/45 min response (24% vs 6 - 18%) and 3 had a peak response (range 23-51% vs 7%). 9/11 CD patients had >35% ACTH response at 15/30 min (range 73 - 1175%, vs -13%, 7%), while 10/11 had a peak response (range 62 - 1736% vs 18%). However, 2/4 EAS patients had positive 15/30 min response (81%, 324% vs 1, 14%) and 3/4 had positive peak responses (range 44-324% vs 12%), decreasing specificity dramatically. An adrenal adenoma and occult EAS pt did not respond at all. Most CD peak responses were at 15 or 30 min (n=8), with others at 60 and 90 min. EAS peaks were at 0 - 90 min. 6 CD pts underwent PSS; all had a post stimulation PS:peripheral gradient >3 (range 9 - 831). In 4 EAS pts all gradients were <2 (range 1.2-1.4), although one had inadequate cannulation judged by prolactin. There was a good correlation between the 15 min PSS and the 10 min stim test values and type of response except for one CD pt who did not respond on the stim test but increased 362% at PSS. Discussion: Our small sample size showed a robust ACTH and F response to Desmo in nearly all CD but pts with EAS also respond, especially when peak values are used. Diagnostic accuracy was within the range of previous reports. EAS pts with stim test responses did not have a central:peripheral gradient during PSS, confirming an EAS tumor response to Desmo. Thus, negative stim test responses suggest EAS, while positive responses need confirmation by IPSS or other tests. The 120 min stim test values did not contribute to the diagnosis. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023


Nipple aspirate fluid is secreted from breast ductal and acinous epithelial cells.Re- searches find that nipple aspirate fluid contains a variety of cellular and distinctive biochemical com- pounds,even including several important tumor markers which are correlated with early diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.


ABSTRACT This essay considers the relation between Samuel Beckett and the French writer and thinker Georges Bataille. At the core of Bataille's writing is a blurring between violent oppositions – atheism and faith, terror and apathy, the sacred and the profane – which he describes through language whose most consistent metaphor is that of a laughter indistinguishable from silence. This essay reads such 'silence' in Bataille's reading of Beckett and in Beckett's reading of Bataille. It contends that to take this laughter seriously we must transgress the categories on which the dominant modes of literary valuation in the postwar period rely: the ethical, the political, and the human. In doing so we might begin to approach what Bataille discovered in himself and in his reading of Beckett: what he termed a laughter 'beyond our measure'.


In this paper, a test pattern generation system for combinational circuits including test pattern generator, fault simulator, and test set compactor is introduced. The techniques that improve test pattern generation process are used in an implemented test pattern generation system called COM_TEST. The results of COM_TEST on ten circuits are given.


This bulletin presents key findings from the first drug prevalence survey of households in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. The survey sampled a representative number of people aged between 15 and 64 during late 2002 and early 2003. The survey was undertaken by MORI MRC according to standards set by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Revised data (June 2005) relating to drug prevalence on a lifetime, last year (recent), and last month (current) basis for Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Island of Ireland are presented in this bulletin.


The design of the flanged joint of metal flexible graphite gaskets is based on the criterion of coefficient m,y. But this kind of connection can not analyze the sealing performance or control the quantity of leakage. To determine the sealing performance of the flanged joint of a oil field engine, the new coefficient Gb, a and Gs have been adopted to compute the leakage rate of pipe flanges of GB series under the condition of the diameter of 15-40 mm and the pressure of 0.6~2.0 MPa and with the load of standard bolts. Its results indicated that the mass leakage rate is 2.75×10 -4~2.88×10 -2mg/(s·mm),and its quality of seal is between economy and standard . It also indicated that the quantity of leakage of gas of pipe flange was 8 litre per day under the condition of the diameter of 40 mm and the pressure of 1MPa in standard air pressure. In order to enhance the sealing performance,the PVRC method can be adopted to design the flanges by computing the bolts'loads through the mass leakage rate requirement.


This paper introduces the concepts,characteristics and components of ASP,and discusses on the basic methods for the access of the database by using ADO technique.


Dear Editor, The review of modifiable risk factors for Atrial Fibrillation by Shamloo et al. [1] was certainly a good read. Spreading awareness concerning various risk factors from obesity to sleep apnoea consists of an early intervention as it is an important first step towards the prevention of the arrhythmia and its ghastly consequences. In this notion we feel that Thyroid Disease (TD), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) should have been listed as modifiable risk factors as well. The purpose of our communication is to summarize the evidence supporting their connection to AF and briefly elaborate on preventive measures in this context. Hyperthyroidism is nowadays considered a well-established causative factor of AF according to a recent review of Reddy et al [2]. Evidence suggests that the prevalence of AF among patients with a history of hyperthyroidism ranges from 16% to 60%. [3] Alerting as it may seem, more than 8% of patients with newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism presented with AF or Atrial Flutter within 30 days after the initial diagnosis as stated by Hollowel et al. [4] Given that the aetiology of hyperthyroidism is vague, it is important for physicians involved in the treatment of TD and AF to be aware of their correlation and of potential relieving interventions. A growing body of evidence suggests that COPD is an independent risk factor for AF. [5] There is a notable trend in major population studies such as ARIC and Malmo Preventive Project to correlate pulmonary function indices such as FEV1 with AF development risk. [4] Moreover, it seems that mainstay COPD treatment may also increase AF risk. Existing studies have emphasized on β Agonists [6] and anticholinergics [7]. Hence it appears that not only treating COPD but being cautious on its very treatment is a key step in modifying the risk for the development of AF. Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) has been identified as one of the major risk factors associated with the risk for atrial fibrillation by different studies [8]. While one could argue that valve disease might not entirely be modifiable, we believe that timely treatment could have a positive impact in the prevention of AF. Treatment options include: 1) medical management with vasodilators, antiarrhythmics, diuretics and nitrates being the mainstay of treatment, 2) valve repair, 3) balloon valve dilatation, and 4) valve replacement. [9] Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can lead to catastrophic complications and high mortality and morbidity and it is essential for medical professionals to be able to identify and manage the predisposing conditions appropriately in order to prevent it. Being aware of the multiple modifiable risk factors is key and preventive strategies should be developed in the future which would offer risk assessment and preventive guidelines.


(Abstract) The paper deals with continuation of study of the problem of solar thermal propulsion efficiency increase. Spectral-selective coatings for absorber-thruster system permitting significant are considered Use of the considered types of CAS strongly simplifies Sun tracking conditions and ensures more effective heating compared to conventional STP concepts. In the last papers the authors have shown theoretically that increasing temperature raises parameter of selectivity highly depending on maximum possible concentration ratio of sunlight. Therefore it is possible to obtain better spectral-selective properties at high temperatures. Such high-temperature spectral-selective coatings will be able to raise CAS optical-energetic efficiency and significantly simplify the Sun tracking conditions for different orientation modes. For the advanced small upper stages with micro/nano-satellites, being developed by the leading space companies, it is extremely important to economy a propellant mass for prolonged oriented space flight due to limitation of on-board propellant tank volume. Therefore there is rather urgent question to increase specific impulse for on-board orbital maneuvering system (OMS) or reaction control systems (RCS). It is very important for micro-propulsion systems (PS) especially based on the MEMS technologies due to the scale factor and, hence, due to high level of specific impulse losses. However, for conventional liquid or stored-gas PS the possibilities for further increase of specific impulse are strongly restricted. Therefore it is expedient to use propellants with increased enthalpy, particularly, propellants heated by concentrated solar energy. Specific impulse of solar thermal propulsion (STP) can be sharply (1.5-2 times) increased. STP is expected also to offer improved operability by avoiding toxic of environmentally hazardous propellants. There are some critical problems for conventional PS: 1. Low Specific Impulse for Stored-Gas System and Mono-Propellant RCS (70-220 sec) 2. Low Total Impulse (5'000 lb*sec for Stored-Gas and up to 50'000 lb*sec for Liquid-Propellant RCS)