The Pisarenko algorithm is used to substantially enhance the multiplexing capability of spatial-frequency-division-multiplexed fiber-optic Fizeau strain sensor networks as it can effectively reduce the crosstalk between any two adjacent sensors, for the first time.


This is an attempt to approximate the characteristics of two major types of servo-draft systems the open-loop system and the closed-loop system-by comparatively simple mathematical models consisting of linear transfer functions. The effectiveness of servo-draft systems in terms of the frequency response of the mathematical models has been investigated with the following results: (1) Sinusoidal variations in input sliver thickness cannot be effectively attenuated by the servo-draft system if the frequency of such variations exceeds a certain limit. This limit frequency is fixed by the time constants of the system components. (2) The open-loop servo-draft system is much higher in limit frequency than the closed-loop system if their time constants are equal. In other words, the open-loop system can attenuate sliver irregularities of higher frequencies than the closed-loop system can. (3) In most servo-draft systems there are frequency ranges in which the normalized amplitude of input thickness variations is magnified, rather than attenuated. (4) The open-loop and closed-loop systems can be combined Into one servo-draft system to make use of the advantages of the two systems. The characteristics of such a combined system are easily predictable from the characteristics of the two constituent systems.


We investigated favourable perceptions of electronic cigarettes (ECs) relative to cigarettes and their associations with EC use susceptibility in adolescents. Hong Kong Chinese Secondary 1–6 (U.S. grade 7–12) students (n = 40,202) were surveyed in 2014/2015 on EC use, cigarette smoking, favourable perceptions of ECs relative to cigarettes, EC use susceptibility, family smoking, and socio-demographic characteristics. Cox regression yielded adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) of EC use susceptibility in never users, excluding those unaware of ECs. In all students, 8.9% were ever EC users, 47.2% reported favourable perceptions of ECs relative to cigarettes, such as less likely to cause accidents (25.2%) and less harmful to users (24.5%), and 28.9% did not know ECs. Among never EC users who were aware of ECs (n = 24,663), EC use susceptibility was associated with each of the favourable perceptions, especially greater attractiveness (APR 2.84, 95% CI 2.53–3.19), and better parental (2.75, 2.41–3.15) and school acceptability (2.56, 2.15–3.05). An increased number of favourable perceptions of ECs relative to cigarettes was associated more strongly with the susceptibility (p for trend < 0.001). Our findings inform strategies to reduce unwarranted favourable perceptions and prevent adolescent EC use.


Editors' abstract. Many old-style criminal hierarchies (e.g., the Italian Mafia) are reorganizing into sprawling transnational networks. Williams (University of Pittsburgh) analyzes this trend, with an emphasis on developments unfolding in Russian criminal organizations. He draws on the academic literatures about social and business networks to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon. The chapter builds upon earlier articles in which he pioneered the study of transnational criminal organizations from network perspectives, notably "The Nature of Drug-Trafficking Networks," Current History, April 1998.


The dissolution behavior of a nanoparticle in a nanoscale volume of solvent was theoretically investigated, using the Gibbs free energy calculation of the system nanoparticle−dissolved material−solvent, as a function of the size of the particle. The chemical nature of the particle is characterized by its surface tension in the solvent and the saturation concentration of the bulk material of the particle-forming species. The influence of both properties on the dissolution behavior was investigated, and the influence of the particle size and the size of the solvent volume was duly considered. The system nanoparticle−dissolved material−solvent is defined, therefore, by four properties. These include the number of molecules of the particle-forming species, the number of solvent molecules, surface tension of the interface particle−solution, and the saturation concentration of the particle-forming species bulk material. Depending on the numerical values of these quantities, a system can exhibit both a critical ...


Bansal, Kunal. M.S.M.E., Purdue University, August 2015. Modeling and Evaluation of Scroll Expanders for a Liquid Flooded Ericsson Power Cycle. Major Professors: Eckhard A. Groll, James E. Braun, School of Mechanical Engineering. Previous studies have shown potential for a Liquid Flooded Ericsson power cycle as a high efficiency and low cost alternative for concentrating solar power plants, but more research is needed to obtain high efficiency components necessary for achieving high cycle efficiencies. This study investigated a prototype scroll expander designed for liquid flooding and high temperature working conditions. Experimentation was carried out on the prototype expander using Nitrogen and Duratherm LT (flooding liquid) as the working fluids. Analysis of the test results showed poor performance over the tested working conditions. From irreversibility analysis conducted to identify different losses in the expander, it was found that the pressure drop, heat transfer and frictional losses were the major contributors to the poor performance, followed by leakage and over/under expansion losses. Certain geometrical features in the expander's scroll profile such as the extra scroll provided at the suction for delayed porting might have contributed to the losses. However, a detailed analysis using deterministic model is required to study and determine the exact causes of the losses.


ABSTRACT AVILLA, C; COLLAR, J. L.; DUQUE, M.; HERNAIZ, P.; MARTIN, B., y FERERES, A., 1996: Cultivos barrera como metodo de control de virus no persistentes en pimiento. Bol. San.Veg. Plagas, 22 (2): 301-307.Non persistent aphid-transmitted viruses are a major problem in open-field peppergrowing regions.In this work we studied the efficacy of barrier crops as a preventive control measureof potato virus Y (PVY) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infecting pepper crops.Pepper plots were sorrounded by maize and sunflower plants in 1994, and maize andsorghum in 1995 using a latin square design. In 1995, green tile traps were placed in eachtype of plot to assess aphid landingOur data show that this control method can reduce or delay the disease incidence pro-duced by both viruses, although pepper yield can be negatively affected by competitionwith the barrier crop in case that separation between crop and barrier is not wide enough.Trap catches data showed that aphid landing rate is similar in protected and non-protec-ted pepper plots, indicating that in the case that a reduction in disease incidence is detec-ted on protected plots, this should be due to a decrease in the infectivity of vectors thatland on the barrier crop before reaching pepper plants.Key words: CMV, PVY, aphids, cultural control, virus, pepperREFERENCIAS


This study reports textures and homogenization temperatures of primary fluid inclusions on dolomites hosted in Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age carbonate sequence from the Riopar area (Mesozoic Prebetic Basin, SE Spain). Five dolomite texture-types have been identified: i) planar subhedral replacive dolomite (ReD); ii) transition between planar subhedral to euhedral dolomite (ReD-SuD); iii) planar euhedral sucrosic dolomite (SuD); iv) non-planar cloudy saddle dolomite (SaD-I); and v) non-planar clear saddle dolomite (SaD-II). Fluid inclusions in ReD-SuD dolomite show a Th mode value of 205oC, while SaD-I and SaD-II show Th mode values of 235oC and 195oC respectively. Our research indicates that planar and non-planar dolomite textures are formed at high-temperatures under hydrothermal conditions in deep-burial diagenetic environments, unsupporting the accepted idea that planar dolomites are formed under temperatures around or less than 50-60oC in shallow-burial diagenetic environments.


Background: Dysphonia is common in children due to which they suffer adversely both at home and at school. The objectives of this study were to determine the sex & age-wise distribution and causes of dysphonia in children. Materials & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of ENT and Head & Neck surgery, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. Sample size consisted of 72 patients presenting with chronic dysphonia, selected using the non-probability consecutive sampling technique Inclusion criteria were children presenting with dysphonia for more than 4 weeks. Exclusion criteria were children with stammering, puberphonia, acute respiratory distress, deaf mutism, speech articulation and increased or decreased nasal twang in voice. The demographic variables were sex and age groups and research variables were causes of dysphonia. All variables except age being categorical were analyzed by frequency and percentages carried out using SPSS 16.0 for windows. Results: Mean age of the sample of patients was 8.78+3.6 with range of 12 years (3-15). Out of 72 patients, 44(61.11%) were boys and 28(38.89%) girls with boy to girl ratio of 1.57:1. Chronic nonspecific laryngitis was the commonest etiology followed by reflux laryngitis. Functional dysphonia was noted only in girls and vocal nodules, vocal hematoma and post traumatic laryngeal stenosis were noted only in boys. Conclusion: Chronic nonspecific laryngitis and reflux laryngitis were the commonest causes especially in males less than 9 years of age. Vocal nodules, vocal hematoma and post traumatic laryngeal stenosis were found only in boys and functional dysphonia was noted only in adolescent girls.


The past IMF foreign exchange crisis and subprime financial crisis had a big influence on variability of macroeconomics, even if the origin of its occurrence might be different. This not only had a significant infrequence on the overall industries, but also produced many insolvent companies by being closely linked with a management environment of an individual construction company leading the construction industry. The purpose of this research is to investigate characteristics of management condition of construction company according to the size of construction company using KMV model developed on the basis of the Black & Scholes option pricing theory. This research has set 28 construction companies listed to KOSPI/KOSDAQ for applying the KMV model and measuring the level of the default risk of construction companies. The data was retrieved from TS2000 established by Korea Listed Companies Association (KLCA), Statistics Korea. The analysis period is between first quarter of 2004 and fourth quarter of 2010. This research examine characteristics of the level and fluctuation process of the management condition of construction company according to the size of construction company.


The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been pursuing both political and economic integration since its inception in 1973. While pursuing integration within the region, the entity has also been pursuing an extra-regional relationship with the United States of America.Three case studies are used to show the evolution of CARICOM's decision and political space vis-a-vis the United States of America. These are the Grenada crisis (1983); the Shiprider Agreements (1996-97); and the Haitian crisis (2004).

CARICOM operates within a dynamic decision and political space: depending on the members and the situations, members act within a wide or narrow decision space and a hierarchical or heterarchical political space. When geo-political considerations were paramount, members acted within a hierarchical political space which maintained the core-periphery relationship of which the United States was the core. Now that the United States' resources are being diverted to other areas to address terrorism, inter alia, CARICOM countries need to, for a change, exercise consensus in their actions and make decisions that maximise geo-economic considerations.


We have developed a new kind of chemical sensor based on the surface transverse have device. The sensor resembles a surface acoustic have sensor with the addition of a metal grating between the transducers and a different crystal orientation. Unlike surface acoustic wave and flexural plate wave devices, no fluid compression is associated with the wave motion. This sensor operates at 250 MHz and is ideally suited to measurements of surface-attached mass under fluid immersion. By immobility atrazine to the surface of the sensor device, we demonstrated the detection of atrazine in the range of 0.06 ppb to 10 ppm. The sensor surface was refreshed by dissociating the antibody, and 100 repeated measurements were made. The measurement can be made rapidly (<3 min), in near real time and without the use of labeled reagents


Unquestionably, Precast Supply Chain (PSC) abounds with many risks distributed along its echelons. Despite that there is a wide consensus among the previous studies about the negative impact of these risks on the PSC performance, its effect on making operational decisions in precast plants such as scheduling of Precast Components (PCs) is still ambiguous. So, this study aims at exploring and quantifying the effect of considering PSC risks on the optimum PCs sequences. To accomplish this, different processes of the PSC with their associated risks are modelled via a discrete event simulation model. Then, the developed simulation model is linked with an optimizer to generate PCs sequences that achieve on-time delivery of PCs with minimum production costs. This optimization process is conducted twice, with and without considering supply chain risks. Interestingly, the optimum PCs sequences generated in both cases are totally different. More importantly, the optimized PCs sequences produced without considering risks may backfire and cause higher production and penalty costs if they are applied to a PSC exposed to risk. So, investing in making a reliable risk management plan of the PSC not only can cushion the risks impact but also can lead to better sequences of PCs.


The idea of the course herein described grew in part out of the recommendations of the Committee on Social Studies of the National Education Association, but in much larger measure from independent conclusions already reached in the course of much experimentation in teaching current events in connection with the regular history courses in the University High School, University of Chicago. These experiments soon led to two convictions: (1) that to avoid leaving the results of such work fragmentary the number of topics handled in a lesson must be radically reduced, and (2) that to provide the basis for their intelligent comprehension the other social sciences must often be laid under as heavy contribution as history itself. To meet these conditions consideration was ultimately restricted to a single important question each day, making a magazine or newspaper article the point of departure, and assigning readings to various texts and library reference books to furnish the historic or economic background, or to supply the fundamental principles upon which a problem's solution must be predicated. Work under this plan was marked by an interest and vitality which stamped it as pre-eminently worth while. In it the social sciences were patently actually accomplishing those purposes upon which their retention in the curriculum had been defended: enabling the pupil to interpret the present through the past, the pertinent portion being just freshly combed for its suggestions; cultivating a keen, intelligent interest in community, state, national, and


The topic of the void was of significant philosophical and scientific importance in the ancient and medieval world. Some, such as the atomists, maintained that the void was essential if one were to explain motion. Others, such as Aristotle, argued that the existence of the void would absolutely preclude the possibility of motion. Moreover, there were disputes concerning even how to characterize the void. Thus the atomists claimed that interstitial voids were dispersed throughout every body and existed alongside bodies in an infinite space. Others, such as the Stoics, held that all bodies were localized in a plenum that was itself situated in an extra-cosmic, infinite void. Still others, such as the Neoplatonist John Philoponus, thought that the void was finite, and although as a matter of fact it is never devoid of a body, it at least is capable of existing independent of any body. The above roughly provides the gamut of positions concerning the void as it reached the medieval Arabic philosopher Avicenna ( 370–428/ 980–1037). In one form or another, Avicenna was aware of the various moves and counter-moves associated with the notion of the void. Like Aristotle, he maintained that the existence of the void would absolutely preclude the possibility of motion. His arguments in some cases simply rehearse those of Aristotle; in other places they expand on the thought of Aristotle in order to respond to new threats that arose after Aristotle's own time; and in certain situations Avicenna constructs new arguments against the void used neither by Aristotle nor, from what we can gather, Aristotle's later Greek commentators. In what follows I do not pretend to present Avicenna's whole argument against the void; rather, I concentrate on one small subset within the broader complex of arguments associated with Avicenna's refutation of the void. This is his argument that circular motion would be impossible within an infinite, void space. This argument is significant in that it shows a marked departure from Aristotle and what we know of other Greek Aristotelians; for neither Aristotle nor apparently his Greek commentators ever specifically treat the impossibility of circular motion in a void. Their arguments instead focus on natural and violent motion, where it is argued that violent motion, or motion opposed to nature, presupposes natural motion.They in turn show that natural motion in a void is impossible, concentrating onnaturalmotion in the category of place. This study falls into two sections: one, Avicenna's argument and an analysis and assessment of it; and two, the historical and philosophical considerations motivating


Based on the characteristics of compact strip production (CSP), according to precipitation regularity and different functions of microalloying element Nb in steel, a series of micro-alloyed steel, pipeline steel and so on have been successfully exploited by Baogang through properly selecting micro-alloy element Nb and its adding amount and strictly controlling smelting and rolling process. And also, the strengthening and toughing mechanism of micro-alloyed steel produced by CSP were clarified in the paper.


Since the long standing paradigm of an anhydrous Moon was challenged there has been a renewed focus on investigating volatiles in a variety of lunar samples. Numerous studies have examined the abundances and isotopic compositions of volatiles in lunar apatite, Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH). In particular, apatite has been used as a tool for assessing the sources of H2O in the lunar interior. However, current models for the Moon's formation have yet to fully account for its thermal evolution in the presence of H2O and other volatiles. For ex-ample, in the context of the lunar magma ocean (LMO) model, it is anticipated that chlorine (and other volatiles) should have been concentrated in the late-stage LMO residual melts (i.e., the dregs enriched in incompatible elements such as K, REEs (Rare Earth Elements), and P, collectively called KREEP, and in its primitive form - urKREEP, given its incompatibility in mafic minerals like olivine and pyroxene, which were the dominant phases that crystallized early in the cumulate pile of the LMO. When compared to chondritic meteorites and terrestrial rocks, lunar samples have exotic chlorine isotope compositions, which are difficult to explain in light of the abundance and isotopic composition of other volatile species, especially H, and the current estimates for chlorine and H2O in the bulk silicate Moon (BSM). In order to better understand the processes involved in giving rise to the heavy chlorine isotope compositions of lunar samples, we have performed a comprehensive in situ high precision study of chlorine isotopes in lunar apatite from a suite of Apollo samples covering a range of geochemical characteristics and petrologic types.


Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are a vital support to the effective management of organisations in all sectors. The focus of this study is the role CFOs play in non-profit organisations. Non-profits have unique features impinging on CFOs' roles. The study analysed interviews with 15 non-profit CFOs, drawing on role theory. Participants' role perceptions clustered around four significant themes: protector, supporter, innovator and strategist. The protector role tended to moderate an innovator role so innovations attempted were low risk. Those who embraced innovation tended to be strategists. Challenges non-profit CFOs faced owing to the unique features of their sector were found to influence role perceptions and lead to role conflicts and extra-role activities.


In this work, the ''askam yine'' rhymed ghazal is examined as both traditional commentary method and structuralistic method. This ghazal is Murat The Third's who is the Sultan and poet of Ottoman empire. In the beginning of the work it is informed shortly about the method of structuralism. That ghazal which is firstly analyzed as traditional commentary method, then is examined as structuralistic method. The examining as structuralistic method provides the Classic Literature poets more intelligible as in their art of speech and in their art of core.


Phosphorus (P) in runoff from agricultural land is a major contributor to eutrophication of surface waters. This study investigated the relationship between dissolved P in surface runoff and soil-test P measured at different sample depths (0–2 and 0–10 cm). Soil at these depths was collected from 136 sites in southeast New South Wales, Australia, under pastoral agriculture, covering a wide range of soil types and land-use intensity, from native pasture to intensive dairying. Bicarbonate-extractable soil P concentrations at these two depths were curvilinearly related over a very wide range of P (r2 = 0.91). Small-plot rainfall simulations were conducted at 14 of these locations, for which the relationship between the sampling depths was even closer (r2 = 0.95). After dividing the soils into two groups based on parent material (basalt and nonbasalt), linear relationships were found between extractable soil P and runoff dissolved reactive P, with more of the variance being accounted for with the sedimentary soils (r2 = 0.89, 0–10 cm; 0.91, 0–2 cm) compared with basalt soils (r2 = 0.63; 0–10 cm; 0.57, 0–2 cm). The results suggest that agronomic soil P testing in pastoral soils (typically 0–10 cm depth) is sufficient for estimating the potential for losses of P in runoff and that there is no need to collect shallow soil samples especially for this purpose.


We apply Raman spectroscopy to study the phonon spectrum in periodical GeSiSn/Si nanostructures with Sn concentration varied from 0 to 20%. In the optical spectral region, an insignificant shift of the phonon mode positions with a variation of the Sn content prevents determination of Sn concentration relying only on the optical phonons behavior. In the acoustic region, we observe the doublets of the folded acoustic phonons, the spectral positions of which undergo the low-frequency shift with increasing the Sn content. The application of the elastic continuum model with the linear approximation of sound velocity via Sn content in GeSiSn layers fails to explain the experimental results. This indicates a nonlinear Sn concentration dependence of sound velocity in GeSiSn layers which describes well the positions of the folded acoustic phonons.


Objective: We introduce Utena's Brief Objective Measures of 4 Axes for Psychic Function and Energy (UBOM-4), a new brief test battery for evaluating psychic function concerning intellect, emotion, volition, and imagination. To date, insufficient general population data on the UBOM have been collected. This study aimed to establish the normative values for the general population in UBOM-4 and examine the effects of age, sex, and mental health status on the values. Methods: The General Health Questionnaire, 12-item version (GHQ-12) and UBOM-4 were administered to 149 individuals working in or attending professional schools or universities (73 males, 76 females; age: 19 - 65 years). Participants were classified as healthy based on their GHQ-12 responses and psychiatrist interviews. Results: UBOM-4 measures (mean ± SD) were: pulse rate difference (PRD or UBOM-pulse), −0.72 ± 4.31 beats/min; ruler catching time (RCT or UBOM-ruler), 18.42 ± 3.73 cm; degree of randomness (DOR or UBOM-random), 0.94 ± 0.18; mean randomizing time (MRT or UBOM-time), 0.60 ± 0.31 sec. The Baum Test drawings were classified as usual (86%) and unusual patterns (14%). Sex effects were observed for RCT (UBOM-ruler) and DOR (UBOM-random), but not for PRD (UBOM-pulse) and MRT (UBOM-time). Therefore, the normative values for RCT (UBOM-ruler) (males: 17.37 ± 3.25 cm; females: 19.42 ± 3.90 cm) and DOR (UBOM-random) (males: 0.92 ± 0.18; females: 0.95 ± 0.18) should be differentiated by sex. The patterns of the Baum Test drawings were affected by age, with individuals over 51 years showing the unusual pattern more frequently (42%). Discussion: Compared to previous results for healthy individuals, the present results were similar for RCT (UBOM-ruler), DOR (UBOM-random), MRT (UBOM-time), and the drawing pattern, but different for PRD (UBOM-pulse). This difference is probably because PRD is sensitive to test situation habituation, sex of examiner, order of subtests, etc. Thus, PRD (UBOM-pulse) should be measured after the subject-examiner relationship stabilizes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that UBOM-4 can be widely used in clinical settings, utilizing the present results as a reference.


Natural landscapes in D.N. Mamin-Sibiryak's early prose are considered in the light of the problem of formation of a geopoetic image of the Urals. The images of the forest, the river, the mountains are shown in their interaction with man, thus revealing the features of their interpretation. The landscape analysis also permits a detailed study of the perception of a locus.


Collective transverse plasma modes in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x intrinsic Josephson junctions (UJs) can be excited by the moving fluxon lattices. Progressive transformation of the standing-wave-like fluxon-lattice configuration from a triangular lattice to a rectangular lattice takes place as the dynamic fluxon-lattice modes are in resonance with the collective transverse plasma modes. In this paper, we review the progress in terahertz-frequency-range electromagnetic wave generation from the IJJs using the resonance between moving fluxon lattice and the collective transverse plasma modes.


The binding of L‐serine to phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli displays elements of both positive and negative cooperativity. At pH 7.5, ˜ 2 mol of serine are bound per mole of tetrameric enzyme. A substantial degree of positive cooperativity is seen for the binding of the second ligand, but the binding of the third and fourth ligand display substantial negative cooperativity. The data indicate a state of ˜ 50% inhibition when only one serine is bound and ˜ 80‐90% inhibition when two serines are bound. This is consistent with the tethered domain hypothesis that has been presented previously. Comparison of the data derived directly from binding stoichiometry to the binding constants determined from the best fit to the Adair equation, produce a close agreement, and reinforce the general validity of the derived binding constants. The data also support the conclusion that the positive cooperativity between the binding to the first and second site involves binding sites at opposite interfaces over 110 Å apart. Thus, an order of binding can be envisioned where the binding of the first ligand initiates a conformational transition that allows the second ligand to bind with much higher affinity at the opposite interface. This is followed by the third ligand, which binds with lesser affinity to one of the two already occupied interfaces, and in so doing, completes a global conformational transition that produces maximum inhibition of activity and an even lower affinity for the fourth ligand, excluding it completely. Thus, maximal inhibition is accomplished with less than maximal occupancy of effector sites through a mechanism that displays strong elements of both positive and negative cooperativity.


scope was reached by ion beam milling the disks until perforation. A Philips CM30 TEMISTEM, operating at 300 kV, was used for the structural investigation. A custom-built instrument was used for SIMS analysis. A monochromatic (1-10 keV) 0; ion beam collimated to 50 pm was generated in a mass-Ciltered duoplasmatron ion gun (model DPSOB, VG Fisons). The secondary ion optics were of three-lens design with a central stop interfaced with a Balzers QMA 400 quadrupole mass analyzer (mass range 2048 u). A secondary electron multiplier (90' off-axis) was used for positiveand negative-ion detection in the counting mode. Lens potentials, quadrupole electronic control units and the detection system were controlled by a Balzers QMG 421 unit. The control of the instrument and the collection of data were carried out by two personal computers connected to a local area network (Windows for Workgroups, Version 95). Sputtering of the Ag-doped silica coatings was carried out with a 2 keV Oy primary ion energy at an ion current of 400800 nA. During the experiments the vacuum chamber was kept at 5 x 10' Pa.


The quality of the research output of an individual or an institution is the currency by which the caliber of a scientist or an educational institution is judged by peers. In India, the quality of research conducted in medical colleges and scientific institutions leaves much to be desired. The educational system in schools does not foster creativity and originality. The medical undergraduate training focuses mainly on making medical students good clinicians and does not have the curricular time for research. At a postgraduate level, residents are overburdened with clinical work or stifled by the lack of ideas and enthusiasm of their guides. The Indian Council of Medical Research has introduced a short-term studentship for undergraduate students and a research grant for postgraduate students in a bid to encourage research. The National Medical Commission has made it mandatory for postgraduates and faculty to undergo online training in research methodology. The thesis has been a part of the postgraduate curriculum with the idea that as the resident does the project, they will also learn how to do research. In a bid to translate the thesis into publications, many professional bodies conduct workshops and courses during conferences on various aspects of scientific writing. However, many postgraduates do not want to spend time in an activity that is seen as nonrewarding. Unless a drastic change in the postgraduate curriculum is made and the issue of research training is adequately addressed, along with a change in the outlook of faculty, the status quo is likely to continue.


The main objective of this article is showing that in USA is a crisis of meaning and values—one that leads to a debasement of human relationships, accelerating materialism and greed, and misplaced fixation on celebrity and glamour. In this context there is a compelling need to articulate a new bottom line for education—one that offers a different vision for edu‐ cating our children that directly and cogently speaks to human purpose and meaning in the world that that they will inherit. In this article I try to describe that new vision of education— the pedagogy of peace.


OBJECTIVES
To assess the impact of an oral health education and preventive program (OHEPP) for pediatric cancer patients.

METHODS
This was a single-arm study with 27 children and adolescents undergoing antineoplastic treatments. Patients were followed up for 10 weeks, and their oral health conditions were evaluated using the Modified Gingival Index (MGI), Visible Plaque Index (VPI), and the modified Oral Assessment Guide (OAG). Audiovisual resources, storytelling, and ludic instruments were used to provide oral health education to patients and parents/caregivers.

RESULTS
The patients' mean age was 9.41 (±4.49) years, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia was the most prevalent diagnosis (22.2%). Mean MGI and VPI values were 0.82 (±0.59) and 54.11% (±19.92%) at baseline and 0.33 (±0.29) and 19.83% (± 11.47%) after 10 weeks, respectively (p < .05). The mean OAG score was 9.51 (±2.54) and 36 cases (19.8%) of severe oral mucositis (SOM) were documented. Patients with higher MGI were more likely to develop SOM.

CONCLUSION
The OHEPP had a positive impact on pediatric patients undergoing cancer therapy by improving their periodontal health, reducing biofilm accumulation, and preventing the development of OM lesions.


This paper sorts out a series of intellectual images from Su Tong's novels and carries out a detailed analysis on their characteristics.It further explores the causes for the formation of the intellectuals' character in the novels from the perspective of the lack of self-public properties in the new era.


The classification, natural history, and treatment of hemangiomas, arteriovenous fistulas, lymphangiomas, and port-wine stains are in many respects as puzzling now as they were fifty years ago. A review of the literature assesses the progress made and addresses the questions yet to be answered.


One of the major challenges in the next generation networks is maintaining the Quality of Service (QoS) for different users who use the services of such a technology. The problem increases when the flows that traverse the wireless link belong to classes with different requirements of QoS. In this case, the network services face several disadvantages caused by the unreliability of wireless channel and the channel sharing by several users. In this paper, we consider a single-cell IEEE 802.16e environment in which the base station allocates subchannels to the subscriber stations in its coverage area. Therefore, two systems are compared. In the first system, called system without Feedback Control, for each uplink subchannel, a separate single queue is used for buffering the VoIP packets from Subscriber Station (SS) to Base Station (BS). However, in the second system, called system with Feedback Control, an Active Queue Managment (AQM) is used to control the VoIP packets. Two thresholds are used in the queue in an effort to control the arrival rate of the VoIP packets. The VoIP arrivals are modeled by a two-state Markov Modulated Poisson Process (MMPP) process. A queuing analytical model is presented to evaluate the performance of both systems. Numerical results obtained show the positive impact of the AQM added to the second system on the performance parameters of VoIP packets compared to the first system.


In 1957, Eshelby proved that the strain field within a homogeneous ellipsoidal inclusion embedded in an infinite isotropic media is uniform, when the eigenstrain prescribed in the inclusion is uniform. This property is usually referred to as the Eshelby property. Although the Eshelby property does not hold for the non-ellipsoidal inclusions, in recent studies we have successfully proved that the arithmetic mean of Eshelby tensors at N rotational symmetrical points inside an N-fold rotational symmetrical inclusion is constant and equals the Eshelby tensor for a circular inclusion, when N≥ 3 and N≠4. The property is named the quasi-Eshelby property or the arithmetic mean theorem of Eshelby tensors for interior points. In this paper, we investigate the elastic field outside the inclusion. By the Green formula and the knowledge of complex variable functions, we prove that the arithmetic mean of Eshelhy tensors at N rotational symmetrical points outside an N-fold rotational symmetrical inclusion is equal to zero, when N ≥3 and N i≠ 4. The property is referred to as the arithmetic mean theorem of Eshelby tensors for exterior points. Due to the quality of the Green function for plane strain problems, the fourfold rotational symmetrical inclusions are excluded from possessing the arithmetic mean theorem. At the same time, by the method proposed in this paper, we verify the quasi-Eshelby property which has been obtained in our previous work. As corollaries, two more special properties of Eshelby tensor for N-fold rotational symmetrical inclusions are presented which may be beneficial to the evaluation of effective material properties of composites. Finally, the circular inclusion is used to test the validity of the arithmetic mean theorem for exterior points by using the known solutions.


The invention provides a torque-balance jacking pipe, which comprises a cylindrical shell. A mud water cabin is separated from a working cabin by a cabin separating plate; a supporting arm is arranged at the center of a circular jacking pipe, the middle of an arm rod is fixedly arranged on the supporting arm, the two ends of the arm rod are respectively hinged with one end of an upper telescopic oil jack and one end of a lower telescopic oil jack, the other end of the upper telescopic oil jack is hinged on an upper tool arm through a shaft, and the other end of the lower telescopic oil jack is hinged on a lower tool arm through a shaft; the middle of an arm rod of the upper and lower tool arms is also fixedly arranged on the supporting arm, the two ends of the arm rod are respectively hinged with one end of a left telescopic oil jack and one end of a right telescopic oil jack, the other end of the left telescopic oil jack is hinged on a left tool arm through a shaft, and the other end of the right telescopic oil jack is hinged on a right tool arm through a shaft; and the inner ends of the left, right, front and back tool arms are respectively hinged on the supporting arm through pins, and drilling teeth are evenly distributed on the tool arms.


The Rotary Kiln forms the heart of the cement manufacturing plant where most of the energy is being consumed by the burning of clinker, which when powdered and mixed with gypsum gives cement. In order to assure acceptable qualities for the clinker, it is important to make sure that the raw meal fed to the rotary kiln has been properly burnt for which the temperature in the burning zone needs to be maintained at a specified range. Moreover, kiln exhibits a nonlinear behavior, which is time varying and has an inherent process lag, with complex multivariable interactions. Due to these reasons, world over, the kiln control operations are handled by expert plant operators and extreme importance is given for the control of sintering(clinkering) temperature. The multi-variable and nonlinear behavior of the kiln process makes it inadmissible for automatic control. The objective of the kiln control system is to ensure the production of desired quality clinker efficiently and to supply it to the cement mill uninterruptedly as per the demand. In this paper, a Fuzzy Logic Controller system is proposed to run on MATLAB, that translates the operators knowledge into membership functions that can well handle the operation of the kiln. The controller was compared with its SIMULINK model. The controller is then made adaptive by making it self-tuned even when their is a change in set point. Index Terms — Rotory kiln, FLC, Adaptive, Controller, Fuzzy Logic, MATLAB, SIMULINK, Clinker .


Abstract Memories are increasingly shaped and shared through the media, in particular visual media such as photography. However, it is not just the images that allow for memories to enter our individual and collective identities: the latter take shape in the mediation of the past through images. In other words, the very act of selecting, storing, and sharing visual data has an impact on the way the past is recalled and identities are reconstructed in the present. What happens, though, when photo albums go digital, and private snapshots become available to all? This article analyses the collective sharing of a series of photo albums of the 1977 student movement in Bologna, on the social networking site Facebook, in 2011. It explores how the collective (hi)story of the 1977 generation is reproduced online, why this specific medium was so successful in reconnecting these people thirty-five years later, and what the impact is of digital media and social networks on the reconstruction of collective identities in the present.


Si-doped amorphous carbon film prepared by the simultaneous vacuum evaporation of carbon and silicon has been irradiated by a synchrotron radiation (SR) beam. The preferential growth of diamond crystals was found by transmission electron microscope observation conducted after SR irradiation. It was also found that the solid-solution phase of carbon and silicon with the diamond structure was produced in the as-deposited film and at the initial stage of the crystallization. The solid-solution crystal remained in the stable phase up to 6 nm in size. The catalytic effect of Si was prominent in the growth of diamond.


Both intensity and lifetime measurements have been used to study the quenching of luminescence of several ruthenium(II)-bipyridyl complexes by methyl viologen (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium chloride) in aqueous salt solutions. For the neutral complex (Ru(bpy)/sub 2/(CN)/sub 2/)/sup 0/, no salt effect is observed and the quenching rate constant is near the diffusion-controlled limit. Another neutral complex, (Ru(bpy)/sub 2/(bpy(COO/sup -/)/sub 2/))/sup 0/, exhibits a small negative salt effect, perhaps due to its highly dipolar structure. The three positively charged complexes studied, (Ru(bpy)/sub 3/)/sup 2 +/, (Ru(bpy)/sub 2/(bpy(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/))/sup 2 +/, and (Ru(bpy)/sub 2/(bpy(COOH)/sub 2/))/sup 2 +/, are all quenched with similar rate constants and show similar large positive salt effects; k/sub q/ increases approximately sixfold when (NaCl) is increased from 0.03 to 1.5 M, and at the highest salt content is within a factor of 2 of the diffusion-controlled limit. While the results are qualitatively consistent with the conventional Bronsted-Debye treatment of ionic reaction rates, large specific ion effects are indicated by limited data with NaClO/sub 4/ as a neutral salt.


The two-stage controlled rolling and cooling of a low carbon Mo-V-Ti-N steel at different cooling paths was simulated through a Gleeble 3500 system. The microstructure and tensile properties of each sample were examined by estimating their dependence on the cooling paths. It was indicated that a mixed microstructure of polygonal ferrite (PF), acicular ferrite (AF), granular bainitic ferrite (GBF), and a martensite-austenite (M-A) constituent was developed in each sample. Results showed that application of the reduced cooling rate and elevated finishing cooling temperature led to the increases in the effective ferrite grain size and the precipitate amount despite a decrease in dislocation density, which eventually resulted in the overall yield strength. It also led to an increasing amount of M-A constituent, which lowered the yield ratio and, thereby, enhanced the capacity for strain hardening. In addition, the underlying mechanism for the correlations among the cooling path, the microstructure, and the yield strength was considered.


In my graduation thesis I focused on different ways of integration of dance into elementary school education. One of the ways is integrated elementary school and the basic school of arts where children can get after passing the talent exams and they are obliged to attend dance lessons for next nine years. This kind of schooling is for hand-picked children only. The second possibility is the Dance for schools project of "Tanec Praha" organisation and Dance and Motoric education - new subject in Framework Education Programme (government education framework). Those are the two ways of education of children from the first to the fifth grades where all children are attending Dance lessons. Main aim of my graduation thesis is research into beginnings and raelization of both ways. I interviewed not only dance teachers but also elementary schools headmasters. I was interested in teacher´s work with children and their contemporary results.


A comparative analysis of the web technology application of official websites for urban rail transit in China was conducted.Based on the analysis of navigation system,search engine,site map,database retrieval,web development language,multi-language versions,web maturity,information openness,and web accessibility,the areas for further improvement were pointed out.


This paper investigates features of a PROLOG compiler for Mago's cellular machine. The compiler generates parallel FFP (Formal Functional Programming) code. Hence high efficiency in the execution of PROLOG programs can be achieved on this machine, owing to the almost unbounded parallelism it can accommodate.
 Techniques for implementing the parallel evaluation of the clauses of a relation (OR parallelism) are given. Problems in the exploitation of the parallel evaluation of a conjunction of goals (AND parallelism) are discussed. An FFP representation of the run-time environment of PROLOG is given. It is based on a previously published FFP implementation of unification. It allows matching of arguments through unification in linear time and space.


The author describes how the Change and Convergence Workshop held on the 20th March 1996 by the IEE's Information Engineering Committee identified social, economic and other barriers to effective exploitation of new forms of information systems and considered actions that might be taken to eliminate or reduce their effects.


The existence and multiplicity of positive solutions for Neumann boundary value problem are obtained by using the fixed-point index theory in cone,where f:×R+×R→R+ is continuous.


This paper presents a photovoltaic (PV) system for water pumping. The water pumping system consists of PV array, a voltage source inverter (VSI) and 3 phase induction motor that drives the centrifugal pump. For the purpose of improving the efficiency of overall system, the incremental conductance method algorithm based Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) and field oriented control scheme is applied to control the single stage of VSI fed the three phase induction motor. An incremental conductance method is used for extraction of maximum power and the vector control is used to drive motor which provides smooth startup and reducing of starting current. The proposed system could be employed in agricultural irrigation under any operating condition of varying natures of solar irradiances and temperatures. Simulation results using MATLAB/SIMULINK show that the performance of the PV pumping system in transient as well as in steady state is quite satisfactory. Keywords; Photovoltaic array, MPPT, field oriented control, Centrifugal water pump.


According to the erratic filter behavior of traditional extended Kalman filter(EKF) of bearing only algorithm in passive emitter location,in this paper,we introduced a new tracking algorithm of moving emitter,which added angle velocity measurement information on the basis of bearing measurement.And a new filtering method called Modified covariance EKF(MVEKF) is put forward in this algorithm.This method improves the location and tracking accuracy,reliability and defensive operational capability of the system and solves the problem of passive location better.With the help of computer simulation,the method is proven to be correct and effective.


The relationship between excavation and museums is often assumed to be linear, with artifacts removed from the field and transferred to a museum. This article, however, envisages a more complex connection between the two based on the premise that archaeological context is a continuous process rather than a static setting. The article's departure point is the legacy and history of collections that were excavated in Egypt and widely distributed to the world's museums in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These collections comprise not only excavated artifacts, but also the related documents of fieldwork and finds distribution. As a whole, this material allows for continual contextualization as the colonial legacy of archaeology in Egypt, and the hyper-reality of its presentation in museums, is confronted. Concepts such as the contact zone, indigenous archaeologies and radical transparency are just a few of the ways these issues might be addressed. Museum assemblages also permit a critical assessment of both the contemporary and possible future relationships between Egyptian archaeology in the field and museums.


Database management systems provide simulation analysts with a powerful tool for organizing, manag ing, analyzing, and reporting input data, outputs, and data gathered from the actual system. The Simulation Data Language (SDL) provides these capabilities in a form suited specifically to simu lation. SDL offers an organization for model out puts and other data, commands for managing data from models, and capabilities for analyzing and reporting model outputs and other data independently of the running of models. This paper describes how to use database capabilities in simulation studies, shows how data is organized in SDL, and discusses SDL commands.


The 3-star program is an educational project just started at the Politecnico di Torino. It has been thought in response to the GEOID call for proposal issued by the Education Office of the European Space Agency. The GEOID (GENSO Experimental Orbital Initial Demonstration) initiative wants to settle an orbiting constellation of Cubesats to be operated by the GENSO (Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations) ground-stations network. GEOID is expected to be the communication backbone of the initial version of the HUMSAT system. The main goal of HUMSAT is to use the constellation of satellites and the GENSO ground stations, to provide support for humanitarian initiatives, especially in developing areas or areas without infrastructure. The HUMSAT project is aiming to provide a wide range of applications such as climate change monitoring, remote disaster tracking or public health communications. The 3-star will be one of the nine cubesats in the GEOID constellation. As far as the main bus functions are concerned, 3-star is a 3U cubesat derived from the e-st@r spacecraft. In addition, it will carry two payloads: 1) the HumSat payload, consisting of a simple but extremely reliable communication module, to contribute to the service at the basis of the entire mission, and 2) the P-GRESSION (Payload for GNSS remote sensing and signal detection) payload, which has been expressly thought for this mission. The P-GRESSION payload aims at performing measurements by means of radio-occultation technique and scattering theory, using GNSS signals. It may also work as a radar interference detector. As its precursor, the satellite will be equipped with a set of systems needed to guarantee the satellite's vital functions: electrical power, communications, attitude determination and control, command and data handling. The satellite will be launched by 2013, when the GEOID mission is planned to become operative. Introduction and Background 3STAR is an educational project which will be developed by a multidisciplinary team of students from several engineering departments of Politecnico di Torino. In particular the project will be developed at the Department of Aerospace Engineering (DIASP) of Politecnico di Torino by the students of the AeroSpace Systems Engineering Team (ASSET), in collaboration with students from the Electronics Department (DELEN) represented by the Remote Sensing Group (RSG) and the Navigation Signal Analysis and Simulation Group (NavSAS), the Automotive Engineering group and the Management engineering group. From the technical point of view the 3STAR mission consists of a 3U Cubesat orbiting the Earth and acting as a data-relay platform and a space-based test bed for an Earth remote sensing experiment. A dedicated ground control station is also included in the mission. The final goal is to test a network of ground stations, and to provide communication capabilities in cases of natural disaster, for specific areas of the globe, and for scientific purposes. The 3-star mission has been thought within an ESA program proposed by Education Office, named GEOID, that is the acronym of GENSO Experimental Orbital Initial Demonstration. GEOID is an initiative for the promotion of Space activities in European University, by settling an orbiting constellation of Cubesat to be operated by the GENSO network. GEOID initiative is strongly linked to HUMSAT program which has been proposed to the European Commission by a team of Universities, supported by ESA and United Nations. At the Politecnico di Torino, several teams are involved in designing space missions and systems. Among these, the AeroSpace Systems Engineering Team (ASSET) of the Department of Aeronautics and Space Engineering, has been carrying out programs on small space platforms for many years. In the last decade, the team has focused the attention on the development of small satellites for educational and research purposes. The first program was the PiCPoT nano-satellite, which ended in 2006. The project was carried out in collaboration with other Departments, in particular the DELEN and DENER Departments. The PiCPoT satellite was developed and launched, but unfortunately it never reached its intended orbit due to a failure in the launch vehicle occurred a few seconds after liftoff. Notwithstanding the unsuccessful launch, the project represents an important stepping stone in terms of knowledge and educational relevance. The heritage of PiCPoT has been reaped by the e-st@r program, which is now approaching the finish line. The e-st@r program, mainly educational, has been selected by the ESA Education Office as one of the nine university Cubesats on the Vega maiden flight. The est@r project has been carried out by a team of about 30 students, graduate and undergraduate, and some PhD students also participated in the program. Some of those students are also amongst the members of the proposing team for the 3-star project. Professors and researchers of the ASSET team acted as supervisors, dealing also with management issues. The launch of the Cubesat is now scheduled to take place in second quarter of 2011. Students from two other groups of Politecnico di Torino Electronics Department (DELEN) will be involved on the 3STAR project, namely the Remote Sensing Group (RSG) and the Navigation Signal Analysis and Simulation group (NavSAS). The two groups collaborate in research and teaching areas. RSG is active in the field of remote sensing and is actually involved in two projects related to GNSS remote sensing: the development of the ground segment for the Italian ROSA GPS receiver for Radio Occultation, launched onboard the Indian OCEANSAT-2 mission in Sep/2009 and the implementation of a tomographic procedure for the characterization of Water Vapour high resolution fields for Interferometric SAR compensation purposes, in the framework of an European Space Agency project(namely METAWAVE). NavSAS has been involved in 13 projects funded by the GJU/GSA in FP6 and FP7, and it has strong links with industry. Together will be involved on a future founded Training Network in the framework of FP7 PEOPLE Marie Curie Action namely TRASMIT (Training Research and Applications Network to Support the Mitigation of Ionospheric Threats), which will start on February, 2011. Several expertise can be found in the two groups in the following areas: communications, navigation, signals/channels management, remote sensing, electromagnetic wave propagation, HW/SW tools for the design of prototype frontends, software-defined radio receivers, GNSS receivers, full software GNSS signal generator; configurable NAV/Com platform hosting off-the shelf GNSS chipsets and several communication channels (WiFi, GPRS, VHF, Bluetooth). Other students from the Automotive Engineering Department and the Management Engineering Department expressed their willingness to be part of the proposing group, bringing their knowledge and experience to further enriching the cultural background of the team.


My observations of the pressure found in the rectum in various postures in pregnant women-the list of which is before you and on which this paper is based-show that that pressure as a rule is increased considerably in pregnancy. All these observations, except that of Case 5 (in which the subject was a private patient and married), were made on inamates of an institution, 1 where single women who had become pregnant were not only confined, but actually lived for many months of their pregnancy. I have records of twenty-four cases. Of these, nineteenlwere primi-gravide; five were second cases. Records from two non-pregnant womnen are given as guides to the normal-making twentysix cases. Many of the patients were examined at different times of their pregnancy; and eleven of the primi-gravidee and three of the secundi-gravidee after labour as well-making fifty-eight observations in


I read of the justified concern arising from the importation of cattle from an area where bluetongue virus is endemic ( VR , October 28, 2017, vol 181, p 435). Despite this, the UK continues to allow, and possibly encourages, the importation of street dogs rescued from areas where rabies remains endemic in the wildlife population …


A kiloton of ultrapure heavy water lets a detector deep inside a Canadian mine record high-energy neutrinos from the Sun, regardless of flavor changes en route.


There have always been small food companies but the increased popularity of local food has created an opportunity for newcomers. Small companies can succeed by focusing on quality and specialization. For a small food company it is important to focus on relevant matters such as producing food. Cooperation networks help companies in their everyday business and entrepreneurs can do what they do best. Companies can externalize some operations for the co-operation network or do them together with a partner. The objective of the present thesis was to represent different types of co-operation networks and bring out different operation models. The data was collected by interviewing representatives of small food companies. The collected data was used to clarify how the co-operation network works, the extent of the network and the benefits for the participating companies. Interviews were executed by the qualitative theme interviewmethod and the results were processed by themes. The results show that companies form co-operation networks very differently. Networks are created when there appears a need for a partner. For example cooperation networks were used to acquire raw material and for sales and marketing. It was almost impossible to define the extent of co-operation networks because the relationships between companies were informal and occasional. For a small food a company co-operation network means operational advantage. From the cooperation network companies acquire raw materials and other materials important for production. For some of the companies' network is a source of intellectual capital and a chance to influence. The reason to a expand co-operation the network has to have a business perspective not a social reason. Based on the interviews there could be some potential in subcontracting for bigger food companies.


I discuss in this contribution constraints on the origin of mass-loss from young stars brought by recent observations at high angular resolution (0.1'' = 14 AU) of the inner regions of winds from T Tauri stars. Jet widths and collimation scales, the large extent of the velocity profile as well as the detection of rotation signatures agree with predictions from magneto-centrifugal disk wind ejection models. However dynamically cold disk wind solutions predict too large terminal velocities and too low jet densities and ionisation fractions, suggesting that thermal gradients (originating in an accretion heated disk corona for example) may play an important role in accelerating the flow.


This paper presents a hybrid method to reduce the detent force of single-sided modular permanent-magnet linear synchronous motors (MPMLSMs) with non-overlapping windings. Firstly, the topology structure of a 6-slot 5-pole MPMLSM with non-overlapping windings is introduced, which the primary consists of several modules. Based on the finite element method (FEM), it is found the main components of the detent force are 2nd, 4th and 12th harmonics. Secondly, the features and influenced structure parameters of detent force components, cogging force and end force, are analyzed. The 2nd harmonic can be much decreased by adjusting the width and height of end teeth, while the remaining harmonics can be reduced by skewing permanent magnets (PMs). Thirdly, the optimization structures of the former 6s5p MPMLSM are obtained based on FEM. With the hybrid method, the 2nd harmonic of the detent force has been reduced to 0.41 N, and the peak-to-peak value of the detent force is optimized to 0.94 N. Finally, a prototype is made and tested. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.


The Fly's Eye project (2002) creates an animated document of both space and time and draws inspiration from the structure, function and significance of the eye of the fly and other processes of vision. In The Fly's Eye, the history of a public space or film is built in layers of position and image.


The purpose of this paper is first to examine whether a value premium exists following a mechanical screening process (i.e., the search process) in the Canadian markets between 1999 and 2007, and second whether value investors add value in the stock selection process by being able to find truly undervalued stocks from the universe of the possibly undervalued stocks identified from the search process. We find that a strong and pervasive value premium exists in Canada over our sample period that persists in a bull and bear market and during a recession/recovery. Value stocks beat growth stocks even when using the very mechanical screening of the search process. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates that value investors do add value, in the sense that their process of selecting truly undervalued stocks, via in-depth security valuation of the possibly undervalued stocks, produces significantly positive excess returns over and above the naive approach of simply selecting low P/E P/BV ratio stocks.


Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca) is an important foliar pathogen of oat which causes crown rust disease. The virulence profile of 48 Pca isolates derived from different locations in Australia was characterised using a collection of oat lines often utilised in rust surveys in the USA and Australia. This analysis indicates that Pca populations in Eastern Australia are broadly virulent, in contrast to the population in Western Australia (WA). Several oat lines/Pc genes are effective against all rust samples collected from WA, suggesting they may provide useful resistance in this region if deployed in combination. We identified 19 lines from the US oat differential set that display disease resistance to Pca in WA, some in agreement with previous rust survey reports. We adopted the 10-letter nomenclature system to define oat crown rust races in Australia and compare the frequency of those virulence traits to published data from the USA. Based on this nomenclature, 42 unique races were detected among the 48 isolates, reflecting the high diversity of virulence phenotypes for Pca in Australia. Nevertheless, the Pca population in the USA is substantially more broadly virulent than that of Australia. Close examination of resistance profiles for the oat differential set lines after infection with Pca supports hypotheses of allelism or redundancy among Pc genes or the presence of several R genes in some oat differential lines. These findings illustrate the need to deconvolute the oat differential set using molecular tools.


Abstract : Working Group 04 was proposed by the Guidance and Control Panel as a follow-up to the Aerospace Applications Studies Committee No. 6 'Use of precision positioning systems by NATO' (AR No. 88). The objectives of the working group were to consider the integration of GPS in aircraft systems and make recommendations for implementation. Considering the large number of possible applications, the work was confined to a particular range of military aircraft. The report consists of two volumes: Volume I includes NAVSTAR/GPS description, examination of technical aspects of the system, applications to Counter Air Operations, Air Interdiction, Close Air Support Operations, Sea Patrol and Strike RPV, and recommendations. In volume II (Classified NATO- CONFIDENTIAL) which will be published later, are presented the results of four specific studies of the application of NAVSTAR to Close Air Support,


Applications of dynamical-systems analysis to nonlinear circuits and physical systems are discussed in reviews and reports. Topics addressed include general analytical methods, general simulation methods, nonlinear circuits and systems in electrical engineering, control systems, solids and vibrations, and mechanical systems. Consideration is given to the applicability of the Mel'nikov method to highly dissipative systems, damping in nonlinear solid mechanics, a three-dimensional rotation instrument for displaying strange attractors, a chaotic saddle catastrophe in forced oscillators, soliton experiments in annular Josephson junctions, local bifurcation control, periodic and chaotic motions of a buckled beam experiencing parametric and external excitation, and robust nonlinear computed torque control for robot manipulators.


Cu(II) complex obtained from Schiff base of 3-formyl-6-methylchromone and 3-aminoquinoline. ESR spectra have carried out at X-band i.e. at 9.1 GHz. Electron Spin Resonance spectral studies indicate presence of unpaired electron in the Cu(II) complex.


Genetic variation is of key importance for a species' evolutionary potential, and its estimation is a major component of conservation studies. New DNA sequencing technologies have enabled the analysis of large portions of the genome in nonmodel species, promising highly accurate estimates of such population genetic parameters. Restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) is used to analyse thousands of variants in the bumble bee species Bombus impatiens, which is common, and Bombus pensylvanicus, which is in decline. Previous microsatellite‐based analyses have shown that gene diversity is lower in the declining B. pensylvanicus than in B. impatiens. RADseq nucleotide diversities appear much more similar in the two species. Both species exhibit allele frequencies consistent with historical population expansions. Differences in diversity observed at microsatellites thus do not appear to have arisen from long‐term differences in population size and are either recent in origin or may result from mutational processes. Additional research is needed to explain these discrepancies and to investigate the best ways to integrate next‐generation sequencing data and more traditional molecular markers in studies of genetic diversity.


Municipal Administrations are the nearest service organization to the citizens that one of its important targets is to improve citizen satisfaction. The main aims of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of determining the team component, target, financial list and services outsourcing logical process performance of Gorgan municipal administration to improve the citizen's satisfaction. The population was 750 individuals of managers and staff from the municipality of Gorgan. Then, 254 individuals were selected by randomized sampling method. The questionnaire was designed by researcher with 35 questions based on five-choice Likert scale reliability of 0.82. The type of study was descriptive-monitoring and the aim was applied which was conducted in field study. Data analysis was carried out by using one variable t-test. In light of the results, it appears that municipality can adopt win-win approach in relation to the service provider's through the correct choice of activities and with the support of senior managers to provide a comprehensive and coherent program to communicate with the other organizations. The results revealed that the components comprising determination of team, targets, financial lists and outsourcing logical process performance of municipal services was effective on improving citizen satisfaction of Gorgan city, Iran.


In this paper summability of Fourier series by a regular linear method of summation determined by a triangular matrix, has been studied and various results—some known and some new—on Cesaro and Norlund summa- bility have been deduced. A convergence criterion has also been obtained.


Based on the theory of random process, the equation of gravitational abnormal is analyzed, and the algorithms of H∞filter and adaptive Kalman filter are theoretically analyzed by contrast. The algorithms are applied in the gravitation-anomaly measuring system to alleviate the effect of gravitational anomaly on the high-precision gravitation measurement. The Sage-Husa algorithm of adaptive Kalman filter is used in the filtering system so that the filtering divergence can be avoided. The results of theoretical analysis and emulation experiments indicate that the H∞filter and the adaptive Kalman filter are both effective in alleviating the effect of gravitational anomaly, but the adaptive Kalman filter is better than H∞filter in filtering behavior.


A very fast computational method of moving particles for one dimensional electrostatic plasma simulations using integer arithmetic is described. The cloud in cell method forms the basis of this technique. This paper is in the form of a compass compilable subroutine with comments and examples describing methods of using an entirely integer representation to gain up to an order of magnitude increase in speed over equivalent floating point Fortran coding. Integer arithmetic has several advantages over floating point arithmetic for one dimensional particle movers. The adds are much faster, and the binary numerical description allows the implementation of very simple boundary conditions if the simulation region extends from zero to a power of two. Furthermore, integer arithmetic makes very efficient use of each memory bit since there is no floating point exponent. Consequently, it becomes feasible and fast in long word length machines to pack the velocity and position of a particular particle into the same word, thus saving a factor of two in computer storage and/or 10. These advantages are combined with the fact that integer adds and logicals complete in only two computer cycles allowing nearly complete optimization of register and instruction interleaving. The measured timings on amore » CDC 7600 are 880 nanoseconds and 935 nanoseconds per particle for the periodic and general boundary condition sections respectively. Methods for adapting the technique to other computers are discussed.« less


The main purpose of this paper is to arrive at a set of guidelines for third party behaviour in post-conflict situations in weak states. More specifically, the focus is on successful conflict resolution processes and how mediators, donors and other external actors can help bring about stable post-conflict transitions, durable peace and systems of governance based on democratic norms and values. The paper does not unravel new academic findings. Rather, it combines selected recent findings in three separate social science fields—conflict resolution research, democracy research and state making research—in order to see if some general propositions can be inferred about what the former conflicting parties and, in particular, concerned external actors should do—and what they should not do—if they want to contribute to a peace that is as just and stable as possible, to legitimate systems of government and to respect for human rights in weak and war-torn states. The logic behind joining these three strands of research is straightforward. Weak states are more prone to end up in intra-state (civil) war than are strong states. An intra-state war dramatically weakens the


The fragile X syndrome is caused by expansion of the (CGG)n repeat in 5 end of the FMR1 gene. In order to look for linkage disequilibrium between the fragile X locus and its flanking markers, we analyzed the DXS548 and FRAXAC1 microsatellite markers in normal and unrelated fragile X males of Croatian origin. Different distribution of alleles and haplotypes was found between these two samples. A significant increase in frequency of DXS548 allele 2 was found among fragile X patients when compared to normal individuals (31, 3% vs 2.86%). We also noticed a different distribution of FRAXAC1 allele A (18.8% in fragile X group vs. 10.0% in normal population). Haplotype 7-C was the most represented in normal population (57.14%), while haplotypes 2-C, 8-C and 2-A were more frequent in fragile X group (accounted for 43.75% of all fragile X chromosomes and less than 4% of normal population). This difference may suggest the existence of linkage disequlibrium between the two loci and/or selective advantage of this haplotypes among fragile X affected individuals in Croatia.


Using NFS can achieve file sharing in Linux operating system,NFS allows setting the specified client or specified network to access server.In Virtual Machine,the paper installs the Fedora8 operating system,one is configured as NFS server,the other is configured to client,the client access files in server through NFS.


To provide a method for identification of products, in particular machines, equipment, tools or the like products or product lines and a checking device, are recognizable by the product copies, which are universally usable for different to protecting products or product series for an effective protection against counterfeit products, it is proposed that at a specified by the manufacturer and documented desired position of a product (1) individually during its manufacture at least one metallic, coded as shape memory identification element (2, 3, 4) or is integrated in combination with product characteristics or a shape memory is enclosed identification element to the product (1) to a data comparison of the present product with characteristics of the shape memory identification element in a subsequent inspection process (2, 3, 4) in a manufacturer database for identifying and distinguishing the original product vo n plagiarism perform.


Recently, there has been much discussion concerning the scaling of MOSFETs into sub-50 nm dimensions. Many fundamental device problems such as short channel effects (DIBL and V/sub th/ roll-off), off-state, leakage current, parasitic capacitance and resistance, and gate tunneling current are currently being examined. It is apparent that sub-50 nm transistors can be realized with performance limited primarily by parasitics such as series resistance and capacitance. However, for sub-50 nm devices, new innovation is necessary. The difficulties and challenges to further scaling of CMOS, from digital as well as analog viewpoint are discussed in this paper. Possible new solutions like single pocket structures, Schottky MOSFETs, and double gate MOSFETs are also discussed in this context.


Two dimensional Navier-Stokes equation, Laplace equation and Possiou Boltzmann equations are employed to set up mathematical model for electroosmotic driven flow. Various flow shapes under different load conditions are discussed. The effects of the electrical double layer (EDL) thickness, extra electrostatic field and zeta electrical potential on the start time of electroosmotic drive flow are exploited based on numerical simulation. It is demonstrated that the start time mainly depends on the tube diameter and the other factors such as the EDL thickness and Zeta potential contribute little to the start time. Numerical simulation also predicted that the start tune for reverse driven and zero load driven flow is less than 1 milli-sec-ond and it is about microseconds under extern loads. Finally, it is proved that the electroosmotic driven flow can realize positive and reverse direction flow through changing the Zeta potential and external electric fields directions. This is interesting for electroosmotic pump potential applications on biochips and microfluid dynamics.


The transmission and communication of culture are closely related to the means and methods of association,whose transformation will surely cause the change of the content and pattern of culture.To deeply probe into and specifically analyze the new tendency and features of contemporary social association,esp.the influence and impact of contemporary revolution in association upon culture,is both theoretically and practically significant for meeting the challenge of the age of IT,ensuring the safety of our culture and modernizing it.


Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes irreversible loss of function. In contrast to mammals, lampreys show an amazing capacity for spontaneous recovery after a complete SCI. In this study, we analysed the changes in the expression of both gabab subunits after a complete SCI. Our results showed that plastic changes in this system probably contribute to the recovery of function after SCI in lampreys. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations revealed that GABA acting through GABAB receptors promotes axonal regeneration of descending neurons after a complete SCI in lampreys.


A biopsy specimen of an extra-ocular muscle from a brother and sister affected by typical familial Steinert's disease was examined by electron microscopy. Considerable disorganisation of the contractile element was observed with a gross accumulation of abnormal mitochondria. This was a very different appearance to the findings observed in skeletal muscle in Steinert's disease and much closer to the findings in skeletal muscle in certain 'ocular' myopathies. One cannot fail to be impressed by the discordance between the appearance of the muscular disorganisation and the rarity of clinical oculomotor disturbances in this disease.


We have previously reported that transient ischemia induced by the bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries elicits an increase in dopamine (DA) release in the gerbil striatum. To investigate the role of energy failure in ischemia-induced DA release, we compared the effects of sodium cyanide (NaCN, 2 mM) applied through a microdialysis membrane on extracellular levels of DA in the striatum of gerbils with the effects of transient ischemia. Extracellular levels of DA increased markedly after both ischemia (141-fold) and NaCN (115-fold), and rapidly returned to baseline. Extracellular levels of 3-methoxytyramine, a metabolite of DA, was similarly increased by both ischemia (120-fold) and NaCN (85-fold). Changes in other metabolites were similar after both treatments. These findings indicate that energy failure plays a major role in the release of large amounts of DA during transient ischemia in the gerbil striatum. Furthermore, because the changes induced by high-K+ stimulation were still present 3 hours later in the ischemia group but not in the NaCN group, it is suggested that energy failure induced by short-term ischemia is transient and reversible.


A group of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) was tested by immunobead binding and indirect immunofluorescence to determine its reactivity with antigenic moieties present either on the surface of motile human spermatozoa or internally. Those Mabs reactive with the surface of motile spermatozoa impaired their ability to penetrate cervical mucus in vitro, while Mabs solely reactive with freeze-thawed, nonmotile sperm (presumptive subsurface epitopes) were without effect on sperm function.


The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected pneumonia is a new acute infectious pneumonia, which outbreak in Wuhan city, Hubei province at the end of 2019 It is highly consistent with the "epidemic disease" of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) According to the understanding of TCM epidemic disease, this paper analyzes that "cold and dampness epidemic virus" is the important cause of SARS-CoV-2 infected pneumonia Based on the general treatment principle of "eliminating cold and dampness, avoiding filth and turbidity", this paper article discusses its TCM syndrome differentiation treatment in different stages and protective measures, with the purpose to provide references and help for prevention and treatment of TCM


Collaborative systems-of-systems (CSoSs) are defined by the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge as groups of constituent systems that voluntarily work with each other toward a common goal. As the complexity and sociotechnical interactions of real systems increases, so too does our need to understand how to design and manage collaboration. The metric of collaboration efficiency (CE) is introduced as a measure of collaboration in any defined CSoS structure. To test the effect of constituent system parameters on CE, an agent-based model is developed that combines network evolution mechanisms (to model a system-of-systems) with evolutionary game theory (to model collaboration). Simulation results suggest that a reactive collaboration strategy or a reinforcement algorithm-based strategy converges to the highest CE in a CSoS, with 29.6% and 34.1%, respectively. The proposed approach and results allow conclusions about the best collaboration choices constituent systems should make when participating in CSoSs. Applicable to systems in energy, logistics, social organizations, infrastructure, and more, this research can improve the design and operation of systems in any CSoS.


Image-based localization problem consists of estimating the 6 DoFcamera pose by matching the image to a 3D point cloud (or equivalent)representing a 3D environment. The robustness and accuracyof current solutions is not objective and quantifiable. Wehave completed a comparative analysis of the main state of the artapproaches, namely Brute Force Matching, Approximate NearestNeighbour Matching, Embedded Ferns Classification, ACG Localizer(Using Visual Vocabulary) and Keyframe Matching Approach.The results of the study revealed major deficiencies in each approachmainly in search space reduction, clustering, feature matchingand sensitivity to where the query image was taken. Then, wechoose to focus on one common major problem that is reducingthe search space. We propose to create a new image-based localizationapproach based on reducing the search space by usingglobal descriptors to find candidate keyframes in the database thensearch against the 3D points that are only seen from these candidatesusing local descriptors stored in a 3D cloud map.


The interfacial reactions of zinc sulphide (ZnS) on an anodic oxide film of mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) have been studied by polar angle dependent x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the sputter deposition of ZnS reduced the oxidized tellurium of the anodic film at the interface. In addition, the XPS results show a high Zn/S ratio when the deposition is confined to a few monolayers. The ratio, however, decreases to unity for a thick film. The results indicate that zinc atoms sputtered from the ZnS target play an important role in the interfacial reactions between the deposited overlayer and the HgCdTe anodic oxide film.


Seminal theories posit that fragmented trauma memories are critical to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that elaboration of the trauma narrative is necessary for recovery. According to fragmentation theories, trauma narrative changes, particularly for those receiving trauma-focused treatment, should accompany symptom reduction. Trauma and control narratives in 77 men and women with chronic PTSD were examined pre- and posttreatment, comparing prolonged exposure (PE) and sertraline. Utilizing self-report, rater coding, and objective coding of narrative content, fragmentation was compared across narrative types (trauma, negative, positive) by treatment modality and response, controlling for potential confounds. Although sensory components increased with PE (d = 0.23–0.44), there were no consistent differences in fragmentation from pre- to posttreatment between PE and sertraline or treatment responders and nonresponders. Contrary to theories, changes in fragmentation may not be a crucial mechanism underlying PTSD therapeutic recovery.


The Yellow River has experienced significant changes in hydrological regime in recent 40 years.These changes have serious implications for water and soil losses,ecologic crisis,and economic losses.The changes of of runoff regime in the Chabagou Basin during the period from 1956 to 1999 have been studied.The results indicate that a significant change point of runoff appeared in 1978,and the change mainly due to soil-water conservation measures.The average annual runoff reduced by 30% was compared with that in the period before 1978.The reduction of the annual runoff was associated with the decreased interannual and intraannual variability in runoff.In addition,the hydrological regime of the basin changed consistently with the up and down progress of sediment-trapping dams.


The study empirically investigates the determinants of long term and short term profitability in listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria. Expo facto research design was adopted for the study. Time series secondary data on firm size, leverage, market share and return on asset within the period of 2006 to 2015 were sourced from the publications of the consumer goods firms. Data collected were analyzed using Pearson correlation and ordinary least square regression. The findings of the study indicated that there is strong relationship among the variables considered in the study. 1% increase in firm size has a positive and significant effect of 9% of profitability in Nigeria as measure by (t = 7.998154, p<0.05); an increase in leverage by 1% has positive and significant effect of 9% as measure by (t = 7.306224, p<0.05) and market share has a positive and significant relationship with return on asset (ROA) as measure by (t = 4.756224, p<0.05). Based on the findings, the study recommends that Management should concentrate on achieving a reasonable firm size, leveraging and fair market share since it leads to profitability.


Exact analytic expressions for the S-wave phase shifts and half-shell functions have been obtained in the case of exponential potentials with and without hard core. The same quantities have also been computed in the unitary pole approximation to the same potential. A comparison of the exact and unitary pole approximation values shows that the unitary pole approximation is a fairly good approximation at positive energies too, particularly when the potential has an infinitely repulsive core.


there have since been multiple case reports in the literature of pituitary abscess, but only 3 series of 20 or more patients1-3 with this disorder, all within the last decade. Even with more then 250 cases presented so far, pituitary abscess remains a clinical enigma with many unknowns. There have been even fewer cases of pituitary abscess acutely symptomatic with pituitary apoplexy: notably, only one article links these two explicitly4.


By the means of analysis on the calculation of shell thicknesses for large storage tanks,based on 50,000m~3 and 100,000m~3 sizes,by the method for calculating,allowable stress and joint efficiency factor etc.in SH3046 and API650,the best method of calculation is gaven.


Abstract This review includes an analysis of the 34 environmental education studies published since 1974 that attempted to demonstrate changes in environmentally relevant knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors. The authors divide the studies into two major categories—in-class and out-of-class programs—and critique the studies' findings and methodologies. Although many of the investigations contained methodological difficulties, some of the findings indicate that future research can refine environmental education strategies and curricula.


Populations of Megalaspis cordyla (horse mackerel) from four areas, two each from the east (Digha and Mandapam regions in the Bay of Bengal) and west (Cochin and Mumbai regions of the Arabian Sea) coasts of the Indian peninsula were studied based on conventional morphometry and meristics. Digital photographs of individual fishes were taken to extract 20 morphometric variables. Nine meristic characters were also counted. The analysis of variance of five morphometric traits showed significant difference between the fish samples of east and west coasts and those traits were eye diameter, prepelvic length, preanal length, anal fin length and caudal peduncle depth. The four traits that revealed location-wise variations were head length, preorbital length, second dorsal fin length and anal fin length. The chi-square test of meristic traits showed significant variation between the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea populations and also between the Mandapam and Digha populations. The morphometric and meristic study clearly revealed variations in morphometric traits of fishes from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, which are definitely sufficient to separate these populations.


The hydraulic automation position control (HAPC) system for rolling mills is always difficult to design with high accuracy due to the uncertainties and other external disturbances. Employing a linear, low-order and optimization parameters, the high-order uncertain dynamics and unknown disturbances in plant dynamics is estimated by extended state observer (ESO). The resulting active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is simple to use, easy to tune. Simulation results show that the proposed ADRC has better robustness and adaptability than PID.


Demulsification(emulsion breaking or emulsions destabilizing)is important in many industry applications such as the petroleum industry,painting and waste-water treatment in environmental technology.Chemical and microwave heating demulsification is the most widely used method of demulsifying the water-in-crude oil emulsions and both methods accelerate the emulsion destabilizing process.This research combined the chemical with microwave-assisted to increase the efficiency of demulsification and reduce the chemical usage to prevent any environmental issues. The effect of chemical demulsification with microwave-assisted operations on the stability and properties of water-in-crude oil emulsions was assessed experimentally by using different types of demulsifiers which are Amine and Polymeric demulsifiers with microwave heating.By using the sample of water-in-crude oil emulsions which prepared by adding artificial emulsifiers(Span 83) which had formed the most stable emulsion after the complete screening of stability part was conducted,the chemical demulsifiers were added in the emulsions to break the emulsion with the assistant of microwave heating to increase the performance.The research found that Hexylamine and Cocoamine had the high efficiency of the demulsification with the assistant of microwave heating which was different from the conventional method but the latter was better as it was more environmental friendly. Overall results show that demulsification by microwave heating was faster as compared to the gravity sedimentation and it does not require much chemical additions to boost the breaking of the emulsion.


The rotational disorder in the low-temperature phase of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ has been explored by diffuse-elastic-neutron scattering on a single crystal in the temperature range 10 K \ensuremath{\le}T260 K. The scattering was found to be azimuthally very anisotropic. Therefore the single-crystal data represent a rich source of information about the disorder that is complementary to the information contained in the Bragg scattering. The experimental results were analyzed using supercell calculations. Very good agreement between observed and calculated intensity patterns at T=10 K was obtained on the basis of a structure that is very close to the one proposed by David et al. The temperature dependence of the diffuse-scattering intensity confirms the conclusions drawn from diffraction data about occupancies of the majority and minority orientation. However, at T=250 K it is necessary to assume static random deviations of about 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} from the ideal orientations to obtain a satisfactory description of the data.


This paper has presented two constructive solutions of rational using of frontal rigid gear couplings with spherical gear in circle arc type Gleason, knowing as curved frontal gear coupling, on small dimensions, ones for simple direct dividing and second for simple differential dividing, and geometrical development possibility of new family of frontal coupling and small size. The frontal gear coupling type Gleason are formed from two rings, one with concave gear and other with convex gear, being characterized by great twist moments of capacity transmission, realizing a precision angular position, fast central connection and assuring of optimal conditions for manufacturing of mass production and low cost. One new application of small frontal gear couplings was external diameter of O100mm and O120mm, assured a higher accuracy of angular location of ±2″ and a great carrying capacity for couplings by using of compound rest of lathe with ultra precision location. A second application has presented a new landing of simple direct and differential dividing using one or more pair of Gleason's gear coupling due to construction of new indexing tables with ultra precision in metal cutting.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


The Superpave design system came into existence in the mid-1990s. Many pavements have been constructed with Superpave designed hot mix asphalt (HMA). Today, this technology is well established in many states. It has been over a decade since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania began using this system for designing HMA. There has been general satisfaction with the pavements constructed with this mix, and anecdotal evidence suggest that Superpave pavements are performing well in Pennsylvania; however, within the last several years, there has been concern raised in regard to the durability of some Superpave mixes. Some have reported these problems as a result of insufficient binder content in the mix. This issue has been the driving force for several states to take measures to increase the binder content in the mix. There has also been a move by some to increase the minimum required VMA to allow more space within the aggregate structure for asphalt and therefore provide a higher binder content mix at a specified design air void level. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is now specifying 1/2 percent higher VMA for all aggregate-size gradations that is specified in AASHTO M323. As the Superpave design criteria are evolving, it is worth looking back into the performance of the pavements constructed with Superpave mixes. The research findings presented in this report are the result of such effort, evaluating the long-term performance of Superpave-designed mixes.


Automatic target recognition (ATR) is the task of classifying sensed imagery from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatically into a canonical set of target classes. Here, a method to recognise different classes of military vehicles based on the combination of quaternionic wavelet transform (QWT) and principal component analysis (PCA) features is presented. To identify the certain region of SAR images, patches are extracted over the interest points detected from the SAR images. Then QWT features and PCA features are computed and combined for every patch. These extracted features are trained and classified using SVM. The performance of QWT is compared with two more multiresolution transforms such as ridgelet transform and log Gabor transform as well as the Scale and rotation-invariant interest point detector and descriptor, named speeded up robust features (SURF). Observations revealed that QWT outperforms the ridgelet transform, log-Gabor and SURF. The experimental evaluation is done using the MSTAR database.


Soft composites that use droplets of gallium‐based liquid metal (LM) as the dispersion phase have the potential for transformative impact in multifunctional material engineering. However, it is unclear whether percolation pathways of LM can support high electrical conductivity in a wide range of matrix materials. This issue is addressed through an approach to LM composite synthesis that focuses on the interrelated effects of matrix curing/solidification and droplet formation. The combined influence of LM concentration, particle size, and sedimentation is explored. By developing this approach, the functionalities that have been demonstrated with LM composites can be generalized to other matrix materials that impart additional functionality. Specifically, composites are synthesized using a biodegradable/reprocessable plastic (polycaprolactone), a hydrogel (poly(vinyl alcohol)), and a processable rubber (a styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene derivative) to demonstrate wide applicability. This method enables synthesis of composites: i) with high stretchability and negligible electromechanical coupling (>600% strain); ii) with Joule‐heated healing and reprocessability; iii) with electrical and mechanical self‐healing; and iv) that can be printed. This approach to controlled assembly represents a widely applicable technique for creating new classes of LM composites with unprecedented multifunctionality.