A diallel analysis was used to estimate combining ability of several traits in onion (Allium cepa L.) and evaluate the importance of interactions of general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) with locations and years. All possible crosses among 7 inbred lines of diverse origin and known horticultural performance were tested for 2 years at the same 3 locations for yield, maturity, bulb traits, and storage quality. Highly significant differences among crosses were detected for all traits. The partitioning of among-cross variation showed that all GCA main effects were highly significant, and SCA main effects were significant for all traits but ring thickness. Cross × environment interactions were primarily due to the interactions of GCA effects with environments. The GCA × year interaction was significant for bulb firmness and centers/bulb, and the GCA × location interaction was significant for yield. While first-order interactions involved only GCA effects, all traits showed significant second-order interactions of both GCA and SCA with years and locations. Variance components of GCA were predominant for all characters, and ratios of GCA to SCA ranged from 2:1 for centers/bulb to 13:1 for % of storage loss. Variance components of GCA × environmental interactions at all levels and for all traits were always smaller than those for GCA main-effect components. For the traits maturity and % of storage loss, the SCA × year × location component was larger than the SCA component. Correlations of GCA effects between environments suggested that significant interactions of GCA were sometimes due to a 1) change in rank of effects from environment to environment and 2) a change in rank and change in variance.


Driven by the rising need for biofuels because of the constant rise in the world market price of crude oil, and by the necessity to capture carbon dioxide, autotroph organisms got into the spotlight of energetic research. Algae production is the most promising solution amongst the alternatives because of its specific area necessity and high reproduction rate. Research on the whole range of algae cultivation and processing is done at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Pannonia. The utilization of algacultures in experimental photobioreactors is examined, together with the optimization of the operational conditions both for artificial and natural light and with different fertilizers. The various parameters of alga-processing is also determined. Based on literature data and experiments conducted in Veszprem, in this paper we give an overview of the planning, operation and processing principles connected to algae reactors.


Background: Pandemic influenza poses a serious threat to populations in low and lower-middle income countries that face delays in access to health care and inadequately equipped facilities. Oxygen is first-line therapy for influenza-related hypoxia and a standard component of emergency respiratory resuscitation, yet remains a scarce resource in many countries. Methodology: A snapshot survey of oxygen supply and associated infrastructure was performed at 231 health centres and hospitals in twelve African countries using the World Health Organization (WHO) Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care. WHO Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care, WHO regional and country offices, and local Ministries of Health facilitated data collection from facilities surveyed. Data was stored in the WHO DataCol SQL database and computerized spreadsheet tools were used to generate descriptive statistics. Results: Ninety-nine (43.8%) of facilities surveyed reported uninterrupted access to an oxygen source and 55 (24.6%) possessed a fully functioning oxygen concentrator. Electricity was fully available at only 81 (35.1%) health facilities. Conclusions: In addition to efforts to secure vaccines and antivirals, future global influenza preparedness efforts should include investments in oxygen and associated equipment and infrastructure at first referral health facilities, to minimize morbidity and mortality from influenza in regions with limited medical resources. Increasing oxygen delivery capacity in these areas may also provide long-term, post-pandemic benefits in the management of other medical conditions of significance, including trauma, neonatal pulmonary hypofunction, and HIV-related and childhood pneumonia.


The structure of electrical control system for plastic injection molding machine was introduced. The method of using PLC and HMI to rebuild the electrical control system of plastic injection molding machine was illuminated, and the application of the Human-Machine Interface and PLC on the mechanical and electrical equipment was analyzed.


AbstractAn analysis was made on the propagation of errors from the response functions to the unfolded spectrum in the unfolding process from a pulse height distribution to an energy spectrum. In the derivation of formulas, the terms of high variance were ignored. Assumed errors of the response functions were limited to statistical errors in Monte Carlo calculations for the response functions. The unfolding processes used were the SIMPLE method and the FERDO method. The test calculations were done assuming typical spectra having a sharp peak and the 252Cf fission spectrum. The response errors can have a serious influence on the flux error, especially in the case of a sharply peaked spectrum.


A graph G is said to be d-distinguishable if there exists a not-necessarily proper coloring with d colors such that only the trivial automorphism preserves the color classes. For a 2-distinguishing labeling, the cost of 2-distinguishing, denoted ρ(G), is defined as the minimum size of a color class over all 2-distinguishing colorings of G. Our work also utilizes determining sets of G, sets of vertices S ⊆ G such that every automorphism of G is uniquely determined by its action on S. The determining number of a graph is the size of a smallest determining set. We investigate the cost of 2-distinguishing families of Kneser graphs Kn:k by using optimal determining sets of those families. We show the determining number of Kn:2 is equal to ⌈ 2n−2 3 ⌉ and give linear bounds on ρ(Kn:2) when n is sufficiently sized.


A method of construction for non- binary periodic sequences from the cyclic difference set is proposed. Two numerical examples are given, and their value distributions and some Hamming distances between self-cyclic shift and cross-cyclic shift of two sequences are evaluated.


The research described in this thesis focuses on synthesis and phase behavior of anisotropic colloids prepared through different synthetic strategies. Namely, eccentric core-shell particles, dimers, string-like particles and core-shell particles are the systems investigated throughout this work. The synthesis routes are described for these colloidal systems and their physical/chemical properties are extensively characterized. Furthermore, potential applications of these colloidal systems in fields such as size-selective catalysis, colloidal crystallization, optical tweezing are investigated.


A new chattering-free integral sliding-mode control method is proposed for discrete-time linear systems with unmatched uncertainties. Based on the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique, a new sliding-mode switching function is proposed. The effect of unmatched uncertainties is minimized, and the Lyapunov stability is proved. Then the sliding mode controller is proposed. The saturation function is introduced to ensure that the system states move in a small neighborhood of the sliding surface as quasi-sliding motion. The boundary layer thickness of the saturation function is chosen to make sure the controller is chattering-free with strong robustness. The theoretical analysis and simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed integral sliding-mode control scheme.


Salpa (Cyclosalpa) pinnata Forskal (1775), one individual of the aggregated form from Station D 5456, east of Southern Luzon, June 9, 1909. Salpa (Cyclosalpa) bakeri Ritter (1905), aggregated form, from Station D 5437, between Bohol and Leyte, north of Mindanao, May 7, 1908, three specimens. Salpa (Ritteria) amboinensis Apstein (1904), solitary form, from Station D 5530, Mindanao Sea, August 11, 1909. Salpa cylindrica Cuvier (1804), solitary and aggregated forms, from six stations, as follows: D 5102, north of Manila Bay, January 6, 1908; D 5128, Sulu Sea, west of Negros, February 4, 1908; D 5155, southwestern end of Sulu Archipelago, February 19, 1908; D 5456.


The dynamic behavior of the interface between a Pt electrode and a Nafion membrane has been demonstrated using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with surface potential measurement (SPoM). The Nafion membrane consists of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, both in contact with Pt electrodes. The interface region became more hydrophilic due to an increase of H 2 O when an electrolyte was dropped on the Nation membrane. Ion channels on the membrane surface were detected with AFM-SPoM. The size of the ion channels was 40-100 nm. Several tens of channels were observed in a 10 X 10 μm region. The ratio of two domains for the dry Nafion membrane was smaller than that for the wet Nafion membrane that was expected from the FTIR measurement. From these results, it can be said that an electrochemical reaction site at the interface between the Nafion membrane and the Pt electrode was extremely extended by humidity. These results exhibit a dynamic behavior of interfaces between Pt and ion-exchange polymer.


The equations of motion and boundary conditions for the fluctuations around a classical open string, in a curved space-time with torsion, are considered in compact and world-sheet covariant form. The rigidly rotating open strings in Anti de Sitter space with and without torsion are investigated in detail. By carefully analyzing the tangential fluctuations at the boundary, we show explicitly that the physical fluctuations (which at the boundary are combinations of normal and tangential fluctuations) are finite, even though the world-sheet is singular there. The divergent 2-curvature thus seems less dangerous than expected, in these cases. The general formalism can be straightforwardly used also to study the (bosonic part of the) fluctuations around the closed strings, recently considered in connection with the AdS/CFT duality, on AdS_5 \times S^5 and AdS_3 \times S^3 \times T^4.


C.H. Chen et al : Isotopically selective counting of atoms and molecules using resonance ionization spectroscopy J.E. Parks: Surface analysis using resonance ionization spectroscopy C.H. Becker: The analysis of inorganic and organic surfaces by ionization of desorbed neutrals with untuned ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet lasers N.S. Nogar & R.C. Estler: Laser desorption/laser ablation with detection by resonance ionization mass spectrometry R.W. Odom & B. Schueler: Laser microprobe mass spectrometry J.J. Morelli: Laser micro mass spectrometry for direct analysis of coal macerals D.P. Land t al: Post-ionization of laser-desorbed neutrals for the analysis of molecular adsorbates on surfaces P. Arrowsmith: Applications of laser ablation K.R. Hess & W.W. Harrison: Laser ablation and ionization studies in a glow discharge W. Emary et al: Lasers for the generation and excitation of ions in tandem mass spectrometry R.R. Weller et al: Combining lasers with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry M.P. Chiarelli & M.L. Gross: Lasers and Fourier transform mass spectrometry L.M. Nuwaysir & C.L. Wilkins: Lasers coupled with Fourier transform mass spectrometry R.B. Cody et al : Applications of laser desorption/Fourier transform mass spectrometry to polymer and surface analysis J. Shabanowitz & D.F. Hunt: Laser photodissociation on a tandem quadrupole Fourier-transform mass spectrometer D.M. Lubman & L. Li: Resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy of biological molecules in supersonic jets volatilized by pulsed laser desorption M.S. de Vries et al: Analysis of organic molecules on surfaces T.R. Rizzo & D.H. Levy: Multiphoton ionization spectroscopy of biologically related molecules in supersonic molecular beam J.W. Hager & S.C. Wallace: Two-colour threshold photoionization spectroscopy of polyatomic molecules and clusters T.A. Cool: Combustion species detection by resonance enhanced ionization J.A. Syage: New developments in molecular detection by supersonic molecular beam, laser mass spectrometry R.B. Opsal: Resolution and sensitivity in laser ionization mass spectrometry S. Weeks et al: Multidimension, resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for characterizing environmental and biological samples for polycyclic aromatic compounds.


The study was conducted at Anbessa forest in Western Ethiopia with the objectives to make an assessment of plant diversity and plant community. A systematic sampling technique was used and a total of 30 sample plots each with 20 x 20 m were laid along the altitudinal gradient. A total of 118 plant species were identified which belong to 93 genera in 46 families. Out of which 14.41 % were Fabaceae (17 species), followed by Asteraceae 11.86 % (14 species), Poaceae 8.47 % (10 species) and Lamiaceae 5.93 % (seven species). Out of the 118 identified plant species, 33.05 % were trees, 11.86 % shrubs, 11.86 % climbers and the rest 43.22 % were herbs. The present study reported nine endemic plant species are present in Anbessa forest. Moreover, 29 plant species were recorded as new records for Wellega floristic region from Anbessa forest. Four plant communities were identified. In Anbessa forest Combretum collinum - Dombeya quinqueseta -Securidaca longepedunculata community was the most diverse community, whereas Oxytenanthera abyssinica - Combretum molle - Syzygium guineense subsp. macrocarpum community was the lease diverse with H′ 0.16. The result showed that, Anbessa forest can play a significant role in biodiversity conservation.


Abstract In the general linear model with observations not necessarily uncorrelated or homoscedastic, Gauss-Markov regression coefficients are superior to ordinary unweighted least squares in the well known BLU sense if the model is correct. However, it is shown that there is a weaker, but always applicable, minimum overall mean squared error sense in which Gauss-Markov residuals and biased residuals are inferior to ordinary least squares residuals as estimators of possible lack-of-fit in the model. This optimality of ordinary least squares is further illustrated by three other types of results about residuals.


OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to establish risk factors for primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and reveal those which are significant. METHODS: The study included 62 patients with primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum who presented to our hospital between 11 March 2020, the date of the first-reported COVID-19 case in our country, and 3 January 2021. Of these, 14 patients (22.6%) had COVID-19 and 48 patients (77.4%) did not have COVID-19. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients included in the study, 41 (66.1%) were male and 21 (33.9%) were female. The mean age was 28.90 ± 16.86 (range, 16–84) years. The most common symptom at admission was chest pain (54.8%). The mean age of the patients with COVID-19 was 39.35 ± 23.04 years and that of the patients without COVID-19 was 25.85 ± 13.45 years (P < 0.001). In receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve for age was 0.785 (95% confidence interval: 0.648–0.922) and the optimal cut-off value was 24 years for COVID-19-positive patients. The highest sensitivity and specificity values were 0.857 and 0.729. Twelve (85.79%) of the COVID-19-positive primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum patients were aged 24 years or older (P < 0.001). Five patients (8.1%) had positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction test but no abnormal findings on computed tomography. TH O R A C IC VC The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery (2021) 1–7 ORIGINAL ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivab312 CONCLUSIONS: Having an age of more than 24 years was associated with a higher prevalence of pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 patients and emerged as an important risk factor. Multicentre studies with more cases are needed to determine whether pneumomediastinum is associated with additional other risk factors related to COVID-19.


Cancer cachexia is a debilitating, wasting condition that affects many cancer patients, including those with head and neck cancer. The overall incidence of cancer cachexia is quite high for some types of cancer, and cachexia will be the main cause of death for more than 20% of all cancer patients. This syndrome uniquely challenges patients with head and neck cancer. This article outlines the diagnosis of cancer cachexia, reviews its impact on patient quality of life (QOL) and survival, and updates the reader on potential therapies that may suppress it.


excellent text. It is well adapted for self education as well as for use as a course text and lends itself to self assessment. For non-medical readers it is perhaps too detailed. The clarity, attention to detail and, above all, the humanity of this book make it a model text. The same can not, unfortunately, be said for Geriatic Education. This is a book about rather than for education. It suffers from most of the deficiencies of books which are merely collections of papers presented at a conference. The chief of these is that many of the papers would not have been considered worthy of independent publication in a reputable journal. The preface talks of four concerns or issues which the book is said to address; but it is hard to discern what these are. The book is divided into five sections: an overview, clinical resources and facilities, primary care and geriatrics, research and interprofessional training. It runs to 32 mostly boring chapters and nine appendices. The kind of verbosity found in some places, can be illustrated by a quote from Chapter 2 — 'There is an intense need for new knowledge in geriatrics as a basis for ongoing, substantive and exciting learning'. There are occasional interesting concepts such as the idea of a specialized 'geriatric placement service' in Chapter 6, but this has little direct bearing on geriatric education. Chapter 12 is an interesting and specific account of education in the primary care setting and Chapter 18 gives a useful account of establishing a geriatric academic unit. Chapter 24 in the 'research' section is a reasonable educational summary of drug metabolism but does not bear comparison with the equivalent chapter in 'The Core of Geriatric Medicine'. Chapter 14 is an entertaining contribution by an elderly person giving a consumer point of view. These are a few of the highlights. They stand out from an otherwise boring book. The conference was probably an interesting and useful event, but when will publishers realize that what is said is not always worthy of appearing in print. The two books contrast remarkably. One is clear in its aims, economical in its presentation and coheres admirably. The other is diffuse in aims, often verbose in presentation and is no more than a collection of re-printed talks of very variable quality.


Rupture of visceral artery pseudoaneurysm can lead to hypovolemic shock in a patient with pancreatitis. With the advent of minimally invasive treatment techniques most of these can be managed by minimally invasive route and have excellent prognosis when timely intervention is initiated. Herewith, we reported a case of ruptured pseudoaneurysm of superior pancreaticoduodenal artery in a patient with pancreatitis who presented with haematemesis. The patient was successfully managed with coil embolization. A brief case report with review of literature is presented here.


With the transformation of the understandings from technology-oriented information management mode to competition-oriented information management mode, SIS emerges as the times require. SIS is the outcome of the integration of modern information technology and business management concept according to the demands of competition and development. This paper has discussed the creation, background, structure, function and planning of SIS.


per 100,000 population), while it was 60,634 (22.3 per 100,Ou) population) in the United States (US)and 1 ,38 I (2.35 per 100,000population) in the United Kingdom (UK) (3-5). Though the number of reported cases in Japan has been relatively smal) , heterosexually acquiredAlDS , which accounts for 61 % of the cumulative AIDS cases (excluding those with hemophilia and those falling under the category of unknown exposure), has been steadily increasing (3). The present report discusses the trend of heterosexually acquiredAlDS in Japan as compared with that of the UK and US. AIDS incidence and its trends varies among race/ethnic


The report contains case studies of the utilization of research results of ten Research Applied to National Needs (RANN) projects that were selected as representative of less utilized research efforts. The selection of these case studies was based on data obtained in a sample survey designed to determine the extent of utilization of RANN research projects that were initiated in the fiscal years 1972 and 1973. The case study is one utilization tool wherein an individual project is examined, its utilization determined, the various factors that apparently affect its utilization are identified, and conclusions are derived relative to its utilization experience. The objective of these case studies was to identify and describe the specific utilization of the projects in an accurate and comprehensive manner. In meeting this objective, it was necessary to some extent, to include a discussion of the nature of the research and the project itself. These case studies were preceded by forty-one other studies that were previously prepared and distributed in other volumes.


fields political and economic the American educational system is heavily weighted with conservatism. There is a strong conviction observable among educators that "whatever is, is right." In contrast with the universal willingness to go to radical extremes in the realms of exact and applied science this clinging to the past in matters touching human welfare is a fitting subject for analysis and comment. The situation is best understood in the light of history. Public free education is not a natural part of the capitalistic system but was grafted upon it scarcely a hundred years ago. At that time the rich argued it was grossly unfair that they should be taxed to provide education for the numerous offspring of the poor. Over their protests free education has gradually been extended to the university level, but with continued opposition which "taxpayers' alliances" are utilizing at the present time to reduce the free educational facilities of the country. The opposition to free education was based ultimately on economic grounds but numerous elements entered into the controversy. A brief review of the struggle for universal free education in this country may throw light on the situation at present and on the general problem of relationships between economic and educa ional systems. The American colonists set up only the types of schools with which they had been familiar in Europe. These were mainly either private schools, at which a relatively high tuition was charged, or religious schools. Neither seemed likely to develop into a system of education in harmony with the democratic ideals which, at least in theory, are embodied in the American state. As a result, a movement having its roots in the poorer elements of the population, which had already had some success in fighting for universal suffrage, began in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. This movement manifested itself first in the establishment of the so-called "poor schools." These were schools supported by public appropriation for the children of paupers and met with the same objection that today is met with in the administration of poor relief viz., that one must declare oneself a pauper, lose self-respect, fight discrimination, etc. It was inevitable that a strong demand should be made for changes in this system. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other idealists had planned systems of universal free education, but took few steps toward


In March of 2007, leaf symptoms were observed on two commercial fields of arugula ( Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa ) grown in Heraklion, Crete. Approximately 20% of plants were affected. Likewise, similar symptoms were observed on samples…


Orange crystalline tetrabutylammonium tribromide was prepared using a simple method. The reaction of acetyl derivatives with an equimolar amount of the tribromide in dichloromethane–methanol at room temperature gave bromoacetyl derivatives in fairly good yields.


Power supply unit is disclosed herein, the unit has at least one other responsible using two or more busbar elements the elements that pass a respective current bus systems, and different electrical phase or current direction by arranging the parallel to and adjacent to each busbar elements of the busbar elements are designed to significantly reduce the magnetic field generated from the power supply unit. Various configurations of the bus bar elements, as well as a method of improving the conventional power supply unit to provide a bus bar structure of the present invention to greatly reduce the magnetic field generated from the busbar system of units is disclosed. .FIELD 3A


This is one of six case studies exploring regional cooperation among transportation operating organizations. These studies, developed in conjunction with the National Dialogue on Transportation Operations, document alternative approaches for developing and sustaining regional transportation operations and portray institutional practices and lessons learned. They provide examples of experiences that reflect National Dialogue goals of facilitating cultural transitions within transportation operating entities that are driven by system performance and customer service measures. They are intended to serve as a resource guide for decision makers as well as transportation management and operations staff. TRANSCOM is a coalition of 16 transportation operations and public safety agencies in New York/New Jersey/Connecticut metropolitan region dedicated to providing a cooperative, coordinated approach to regional transportation management. TRANSCOM members are responsible for operating limited access highways, commuter rail, daily trains and buses, tunnels and bridges, airports, port facilities and bus terminals.


We are given an overview of costumed historical stage productions and an attempt to analysethem concisely. The general models for such cultural practices are also briefly given. By theirnames and the way they originated the cultural practices that are portrayed show evidence ofbeing partially complementary to and partially a substitution for earlier practices connected tothe presentation of folklore. Such new forms of celebration satisfy the needs of the community fordisplaying a different cultural belonging than that of the time of dominantly folklore costuming,at the same time reaching for meanings from the past as projective argumentation for currentvalues.


In clinical practice we are usually interested in showing that an innovative therapy is more effective than a standard one. However, in some cases we have to respond to different purposes, such as proving equivalence of two competing treatments. In this paper we deal with sample size determination (SSD) for equivalence trials. The first step is the definition of an equivalence interval I, that is a set of values of the parameter of interest indicating a negligible difference between treatments effects. Hence, we declare success if an interval estimate of θ is entirely included in I. By adapting the metodology presented in Brutti and De Santis (2008) to equivalence trials, we derive two alternative SSD criteria based on Bayesian credible intervals and we also introduce their robust version with respect to prior distribution specification. In this work we provide results for the normal model with conjugate priors and we illustrate an application, based on a real example by Spiegelhalter et al. (2004).


The conventional and simple Web service system for cultivation test data in protected horticulture has been developed with popular technologies such as Apache, HTML, PHP and PostgreSQL. It offered an easy input/output interface for a user group to share the cultivation test data, because it was a conventional Web system such as data collection Web services. It included a layout function for data input forms and a function for the management of user groups. The data could be input and revised through a user created form or by uploading a csv data file. Also, the data could be output on the Web page or by downloading a csv file. The entered data could be easily demonstrated the data estimation or diagnosis Web service because of the conventional and simple Web system. As an example, a simple Web page of the greenhouse air cooling performance was displayed by the entered data through the Web system.


We investigate how combinations of evolutionary algorithms (portfolios) can be constructed efficiently for solving optimization problem instances drawn from a distribution. We consider selection methods ranging in intricacy and based on different principles including a technique for efficient tuning of metaheuristics, a racing algorithm. The selectors are used here to optimize instances of the Preventive Maintenance Scheduling Problem (PMSP) in power generation. Experiments show different behaviors of selectors in term of computational time needed to choose constituent algorithms and the performance of the generated portfolios at optimizing previously unseen PMSP instances. The racing selector offers a good trade-off between the computational time and the performance.


It statistically analyzes the data and questionnaire about intellectual property protection from the papers published by the staffs of Guangxi colleges and universities published papers in their attended meetings and other scientific cooperation and exchange activities.It points out the problems and disadvantages which existed in those high institutions,and analyzes why they happened.It further comes up with some suggestions for enhancing intellectual property protection in the colleges and universities.


With the gradual improvement of the Beidou system, the Beidou navigation receiver begins to be widely used, but due to the low power of navigation signal, the navigation receiver is easily disturbed and cannot work normally. This paper take Beidou navigation receiver as experiment object, and study the sensitive voltage and effect under the condition of ESD, The experiment shows that the positioning function of the receiver is not affected by ESD, but the data output serial port is susceptible to interference, so that the upper computer cannot obtain the effective information of navigation and positioning in time. The conclusion provides a basis for the electromagnetic protection of the navigation receiver.


The present dissertation examines the subject of business intelligence, its functionality on an operational and technical level, its relationship with the strategic and business orientation of a company and the methodology for designing and putting in operation a business intelligence system.
The dissertation is also using a real example of a company (IconPlatforms SA) that put in operation a business intelligence tool that complements its product portfolio of relationship marketing, gamification, and loyalty campaigns. Within the scope of the dissertation results of work performed for a client of IconPlatforms (name is not disclosed due to commercial confidentiality) were gathered and analyzed using the business intelligence tool, results that can provide useful input to the client company about products sold and competition.


Some interesting parallels can be seen in the careers and works of Edgar Allen Poe and Alfred Hitchcock. Both are practitioners of suspense and masters of horror; both have appealed to a popular as well as critical audience; both have been somewhat deified and emulated by French critics, poets, and filmmakers. Poes influence on French poets and critics - principally Charles Baudelaire, Stephane Mallarme, and Paul Valery - has been discussed in several articles and full-length studies.1 Mallarme said that he went to London in 1862 in order to learn the English language - "the better to read Poe."2 Baudelaire's translations of Poe are well known, and his poem "Le Tombeau d'Edgar Poe" is an elegy to the American poet.3 Likewise, Hitchcock's reputation as a serious artist was spurred by French film critics. The study of Hitchcock by Erich Rohmer and Claude Chabrol in 1957 was one of the earliest extended critical works on the Anglo-American film-maker, and it was followed by a series of extensive interviews with Hitchcock by Francois Truffaut, who himself in interview has acknowledged Jean Renoir and Hitchcock as his mentors in film style. 4 However, aside from the question of influence, more important is the similarity of attitudes towards the composition of art held and practiced by Poe and Hitchcock. This parallel is most apparent when we examine Poe's essay "The Philosophy of Composition" (1846) and some of Hitchcock's comments in interview with Truffaut in the late 1960s. After comparing Poe's and Hitchcock's theories of composition, we will briefly consider Hitchcock's The Birds (1963) as an example of the well-wrought film. This particular film is used not because its thousands of birds are direct descendente of Poe's raven, but because it is probably Hitchcock's most technically complex achievement in film composition and compilation. Poe discusses writing a poem and a short story as if he were working out a "mathematical problem"; and in The Birds Hitchcock proves himself the master of montage - the mathematical though creative process of planning, shooting, cutting, and reassembling moments on celluloid which achieve an integrated and artistic whole. Hitchcock is a conscious artist whose working methods are carefully executed and whose desired ends are mathematically calculated; in this way, he is a poet of film whose creative process parallels quite closely the method prescribed by Poe in "The Philosophy of Composition." Using his poem "The Raven" as an example of the carefully composed work because it is widely known, Poe says of the work that "no one point in its composition is referable either to accident or intuition - that the work proceeded, step by step, to its completion with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem" (p. 365). The first step of this planning of the poem, Poe says, is the consideration of the effect of the poem or other short literary work. If the reader can not complete the work at one sitting, he does not experience "the immensely important effect derivable from unity of impression"; as Poe says, "the affairs of the world interfere, and everything like totality is at once destroyed" (p. 365). In other words, the short, highly unified literary work is ideal as a vehicle for producing a pronounced emotional effect. Poe argues that the "brevity" of the work "must be in direct ratio of the intensity of the intended effect" (p. 366), though he admits that a certain duration is necessary to achieve any effect at all. He recapitulates the intentions he charted out before he began writing "The Raven." After calculating the poem's length (about 100 lines), the intended effect (the impression of Beauty), tone (that of sadness), the line and stanza pattern (especially the use of the refrain "Nevermore"), and finally the subjects of love and death, Poe says he was ready to begin the actual writing of the poem. He tells us: "Here then the poem may be said to have its beginning - at the end, where all works of art should begin - for it was here, at this point of my preconsideration, that I first put pen to paper . …


In connection with the problem of technical moisture measurements carried out with the help of neutrons, an investigation was made of whether a mathematical treatment of the elementary age-diffusion theory is able to furnish a basis for the outline of a measurement arrangement. A comparison of calculation and experiment showed, with sufficient exactness, that this is the case. (tr-auth)


Metallic glass rods (2.5 mm in diameter) with composition Ti40Zr10Cu38Pd12 exhibit considerably high compressive yield stress (1.9 GPa), hardness above 7 GPa, total engineering strain around 2.7% and Young's modulus of 100 GPa. The fracture angle in this alloy is around 42◦ (i.e., lower than 45◦), which evidences that yielding is influenced by normal stresses acting on the shear plane. Finite-element simulations of


Albumins SCA and SAA are short, highly hydrohylic proteins accumulated in large quantity in the cotyledons and seed axes, respectively, of a dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) seed. SCA was earlier shown to have two allelic variants differing in mobility in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in acid medium. Using them the corresponding gene SCA was mapped on Linkage Group V. This gene was used as a useful genetic and phylogeographical marker that still required electrophoretic analysis of the protein while the DNA sequence of the corresponding SCA gene remained unknown. Based the length, the positive charge in acid conditions and the number of lysine residues of SCA and SAA albumins, estimated earlier electrophoretically, the high throughput sequencing data available in public databases were searched for the respective candidates for the corresponding genes SCA and SAA genes among coding sequences residing in the region of the pea genome corresponding to the map position of SCA. Then we sequenced them in a number of pea accessions. Concordance of the earlier electrophoretic data and sequence variation indicated the sequence Psat0s797g0160 of the reference pea genome to be the SCA gene. The sequence Psat0s797g0240 could encode a minor related albumin SA-a2, while a candidate gene for albumin SAA is still missing (as well as electrophoretic variation of both latter albumins). DNA amplification using original primers SCA1_3f and SCA1_3r from genomic DNA and restriction by endonuclease Hind II made SCA a convenient CAPS marker in peas. Thus, the gene encoding the highly hydrophilic albumin SCA accumulated in pea seeds, with its alleles useful classification of pea wild relatives, is now identified in the pea genome and a convenient CAPS marker is worked out on its base.


This paper focuses on the evaluation of theoretical and numerical aspects related to an original DC microgrid power architecture for efficient charging of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The proposed DC microgrid is based on photovoltaic array (PVA) generation, electrochemical storage, and grid connection; it is assumed that PEVs have a direct access to their DC charger input. As opposed to conventional power architecture designs, the PVA is coupled directly on the DC link without a static converter, which implies no DC voltage stabilization, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing control complexity. Based on a real-time rule-based algorithm, the proposed power management allows self-consumption according to PVA power production and storage constraints, and the public grid is seen only as back-up. The first phase of modeling aims to evaluate the main energy flows within the proposed DC microgrid architecture and to identify the control structure and the power management strategies. For this, an original model is obtained by applying the Energetic Macroscopic Representation formalism, which allows deducing the control design using Maximum Control Structure. The second phase of simulation is based on the numerical characterization of the DC microgrid components and the energy management strategies, which consider the power source requirements, charging times of different PEVs, electrochemical storage ageing, and grid power limitations for injection mode. The simulation results show the validity of the model and the feasibility of the proposed DC microgrid power architecture which presents good performance in terms of total efficiency and simplified control.


The efficiency estimates of multistage electron energy recovery systems are important for gyrotrons operated at the first and second cyclotron harmonics. The development of multistage energy recovery systems requires knowledge of the electron energy spectra F(W) after the interaction with RF field. In this paper the numerical calculation of F(W) was carried out by the method of big particles on the basis of theory of gyrotron with non-fixed RF field structure taking into account the electron oscillatory velocity spread. Gaussian function of oscillatory velocity distribution at the working space entrance was used.


To examine the peer context of adolescent substance use, social network analysis was used to measure three domains of attributes of peer networks: social embeddedness, social status, and social proximity to substance users. The sample was a panel of 5,104 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in three public school systems surveyed every 6 months for five assessments. Hierarchical generalized linear models showed that adolescents less embedded in the network, with greater status, and with closer social proximity to peer substance users were more likely to use substances. Also, adolescents in less dense networks and networks with higher smoking prevalence were more likely to smoke and use marijuana. Results establish the utility of social network analysis for measuring peer context and indicate that conventionality of relationships—having friends in the network, being liked but not too well liked, and having fewer friends who use substances—is most beneficial.


9.5 Range of Application, Dosage 9.5.1 Indications for Subcutaneous or Intramuscular Injection of Normal Immunoglobulins 9.5.2 Indications for Intravenous Injection of Normal Immunoglobulins 220.127.116.11 Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases 184.108.40.206 Secondary Immunodeficiency Diseases 220.127.116.11 High-Dose ivIg Treatment in Certain Autoimmune Diseases and Diseases of Unknown Etiology 9.5.3 Licensed Indications with Conditional Recommendation or No Recommendation due to New Scientific Data 9.5.4 Indications for Specific (Enriched) Immunoglobulins 9.5.5 Absolute and Relative Contraindications


Substantial induced eddy-current losses and the need for skin-depth-size strands leave litz wire out as an option for inductive applications at multi-megahertz frequencies. To address this, we analyze and minimize the litz-wire eddy-current losses by adding a coating layer to each strand while keeping the wire dimensions and packing factor constant. The skin and proximity effects of isolated and in-bundle coated strands are studied for various coating properties and dimensions. A new method is proposed for calculation of proximity losses inside coated-strand litz wire, which enables simple systematic approach for proximity loss and ac resistance (Rac) determination. Three types of pure copper (Cu), silver-coated copper (Ag/Cu), and nickel-coated copper (Ni/Cu) strands are studied in isolation and inside a litz wire. The litz wires associated with these strands are fabricated and their power dissipations are measured. Analytical results followed by finite-element modeling and experimental results show 26% reduction in Ni/Cu litz wire Rac, and 3% reduction in Ag/Cu litz wire Rac at 13.56 MHz compared with same-size Cu litz wire.


A monolithic PSK encoder/transmitter using bipolar I2L technology, virtually replacing all of the active circuitry associated with the transmitter section of 4-phase PSK modems will be discussed.


The device (10) comprises a hollow body (12) adapted to be passed through by a flow of fluid and having an inlet section (12a) and at least one outlet section (12b) intended to receive and, respectively, dispense the flow of fluid; a joining element (14) arranged for being connected to a fluid source, and connected at the inlet section (12a); a support bracket (16) assembled to the inlet section (12a) so as to hold the joining element (14) connected to the hollow body (12), and intended to be fastened to an external load-bearing structure; one electrically controlled valve (18) arranged in the hollow body (12) between the inlet section (12a) and the outlet section (12b), and configured for selectively controlling the exit of the flow of fluid. The device (10) further comprises a locking member (20) arranged astride the bracket (16) and the inlet section (12a), and tending to elastically tighten against the support bracket (16) and the inlet section (12a) from laterally opposite parts, so as to axially constrain the support bracket (16) and the inlet section (12a) one to the other.


The antibunching effects of the photon in the competing 3-and 1-photon transitions model are studied by means of quantum theory,and the influences of the relative competing strength between the atom and the two-mode field and the initial photon of the field on the second-order correlation function are discussed.It shows that the increase of the relative competing strength and the initial photon can lead to shortening the duration of antibunching effects of the photon.On the other hand,the hoton antibunching effect decreases with the increase of the initial photon of the field.


This article, based on the Distinguished Lecture presented on August 21, 2001, at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction in Anaheim, California, proposes a synthesis of Herbert Blumer' s macrosociological perspective on the race question with Roscoe Pound' s philosophy and science of law (i.e., his so-called sociological jurisprudence), Joseph Tussman' s and Jacobus tenBroek's juridical methodology, and Philip Selznick's sociology of responsive law. The compound so produced will help to establish a foundation for a praxiological sociology of American constitutional law. The article focuses on the problem of legislativemade " classie cations" and their relations to the legitimate public purposes entailed in the enactment of statutes, laws, and decrees. Such classie cations become problematic when they are said to be " underinclusive," " overinclusive," or both in seeking to effect their aims. Strategic research sites for this issue are racial and ethnic classie cations that single out one or a limited cluster of racial or ethnic groups for special benee ts (" afe rmative action" ) or restitution (" reparations" ). Calling for a reinvigoration of Pound' s pragmatic approach to sociological jurisprudence, I show how Blumer' s analysis of the " color line" — when seen in relation to the original intent of the makers of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth post‐ Civil War Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and, using Tussman' s and tenBroek' s showing of how such categorizations might be both methodically evaluated and applied to the challenged classie cations— provides grounds for reconsidering whether the latter are instances of " reverse discrimination" and, hence, violations of the constitutional requirement of " equal protection of the law."


PURPOSE: A radio frequency operating apparatus of the skin tissue is provided, which does not give electrical shock to a patient by applying power only when the electrode surface comes into contact with the skin. CONSTITUTION: A radio frequency operating apparatus of the skin tissue comprises: an RF receiver receiving RF energy from a generator; and a handpiece(12) supporting an electrode with an active plane supplying the received RF energy to the skin by coming into contact with patient's skin. The handpiece is equipped with a first switch which electrically connects the active plane of the electrode to the RF receiver of the handpiece.


In this work, a piezoelectrically actuated MEMS flexural phononic crystal (PC) mass sensor aimed at biosensing applications, and based on a single crystal silicon beam with periodic perforations, is presented. We introduce a transmission matrix approach based on the Timoshenko beam theory suited for the fast design of such devices. The calculated transmission spectra are in excellent agreement with FEM simulations. A preliminary estimate of the device sensitivity, assuming the prostate specific antigen (PSA) as the target analyte, is reported.


This paper aims to provide information showing the usefulness of Competitive Intelligence by analyzing concepts that describe the application of this development and entrepreneurship. We conducted a qualitative exploratory research, through consultation with various secondary sources of information related to the topic and depth interviews with representatives of centers that perform competitive intelligence in the city of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The results show the use of Competitive Intelligence in Tijuana emerging companies is not sufficient.


COVID-19 has caused a significant increase in deaths in Scotland, particularly amongst older individuals. Professor David Bell and colleagues explore key trends about the impact of coronavirus in Scotland's care homes.


The development of Japanese high efficiency energy saving distribution transformer and progress of core materials in order to meet the demands of Kyoto Protocol(COP3-1997) for greenhouse gas emission reduction amount is introduced.


This presentation discusses the importance of industry characteristics for venture performance. It was presented at the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference in 2007.


Introduction Earlier work has suggested that the p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 signal pathway existed in nucleus pulposus cells and the cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis were regulated by them. Because osmotic fluctuations are inevitable in the physicochemical environment of intervertebral disc cells, high osmolality could activate p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 signal pathway. The effects of high osmolality on the catabolic program and proliferation of nucleus pulposus cells are still not clear. Materials and Methods Rabbit nucleus pulposus cells were cultured and divided into different group at random. The cells were pretreated with inhibitor for p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 signal pathway, respectively. In next step, the cells were cultured in different osmolality environment for different time at 37°C in 5% carbon dioxide incubator. After treatments, ratio of apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry, and Western blotting was performed to quantify the expression of the activated forms of p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis with confocal microscopy was performed to confirm the hyperosmolality effects on activation of p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 signal pathways in nucleus pulposus cells. Results Our results show that in 500 and 600 mOsm/kg medium, rabbit nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis increased, and a persistent phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 proteins were observed. In the same condition, the apoptotic cells death remarkably decreased when the p38 MAPK and JNK1/2 signal pathways were blocked by their inhibitors SB203580 and SP600125, respectively. On the other side, the apoptotic cells death rate reraised greatly when the ERK1/2 signal pathways were blocked by its inhibitor PD98059. Conclusion High osmolality activated p38MAPK, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2 in rabbit nucleus pulposus cell, and the activated p38 MAPK and JNK1/2 induced cell apoptosis, on the contrary, the activated ERK1/2 made the cell survived. Disclosure of Interest None declared References Freemont AJ. The cellular pathobiology of the degenerate intervertebral disc and discogenic back pain. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2009;48(1):5–10 Urban JP, McMullin JF. Swelling pressure of the inervertebral disc: influence of proteoglycan and collagen contents. Biorheology 1985;22(2):145–157 Wilke HJ, Neef P, Caimi M, Hoogland T, Claes LE. New in vivo measurements of pressures in the intervertebral disc in daily life. Spine 1999;24(8):755–762 Takeno K, Kobayashi S, Negoro K, et al. Physical limitations to tissue engineering of intervertebral disc cells: effect of extracellular osmotic change on glycosaminoglycan production and cell metabolism. Laboratory investigation. J Neurosurg Spine 2007;7(6):637–644 Boyd LM, Richardson WJ, Chen J, Kraus VB, Tewari A, Setton LA. Osmolarity regulates gene expression in intervertebral disc cells determined by gene array and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Ann Biomed Eng 2005;33(8):1071–1077 Wuertz K, Urban JP, Klasen J, et al. Influence of extracellular osmolarity and mechanical stimulation on gene expression of intervertebral disc cells. J Orthop Res 2007;25(11):1513–1522 Johnson NL, Gardner AM, Diener KM, et al. Signal transduction pathways regulated by mitogen-activated/extracellular response kinase kinase kinase induce cell death. J Biol Chem 1996;271(6):3229–3237 Hiyama A, Gogate SS, Gajghate S, Mochida J, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. BMP-2 and TGF-beta stimulate expression of beta1,3-glucuronosyl transferase 1 (GlcAT-1) in nucleus pulposus cells through AP1, TonEBP, and Sp1: role of MAPKs. J Bone Miner Res 2010;25(5):1179–1190 Raucci A, Laplantine E, Mansukhani A, Basilico C. Activation of the ERK1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways mediates fibroblast growth factor-induced growth arrest of chondrocytes. J Biol Chem 2004;279(3):1747–1756 Borghetti P, Della Salda L, De Angelis E, et al. Adaptive cellular response to osmotic stress in pig articular chondrocytes. Tissue Cell 1995;27(2):173–183 Gasz B, Rácz B, Roth E, et al. Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide protects cardiomyocytes against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Peptides 2006;27(1):87–94 Tsai TT, Guttapalli A, Agrawal A, Albert TJ, Shapiro IM, Risbud MV. MEK/ERK signaling controls osmoregulation of nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc by transactivation of TonEBP/OREBP. J Bone Miner Res 2007;22(7):965–974 Pritchard S, Erickson GR, Guilak F. Hyperosmotically induced volume change and calcium signaling in intervertebral disk cells: the role of the actin cytoskeleton. Biophys J 2002;83(5):2502–2510 Mavrogonatou E, Kletsas D. High osmolality activates the G1 and G2 cell cycle checkpoints and affects the DNA integrity of nucleus pulposus intervertebral disc cells triggering an enhanced DNA repair response. DNA Repair (Amst) 2009;8(8):930–943 Uchiyama Y, Cheng CC, Danielson KG, et al. Expression of acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) in nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc is regulated by p75NTR and ERK signaling. J Bone Miner Res 2007;22(12):1996–2006 Mavrogonatou E, Kletsas D. Effect of varying osmotic conditions on the response of bovine nucleus pulposus cells to growth factors and the activation of the ERK and Akt pathways. J Orthop Res 2010;28(10):1276–1282 Han J. The Sun (Baltim, Md) 2007;8:364-3 Hui L, Bakiri L, Stepniak E, Wagner EF. p38alpha: a suppressor of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Cell Cycle 2007;6(20):2429–2433 Mishra S, Mishra JP, Kumar A. Activation of JNK‐dependent pathway is required for HIV viral protein R‐induced apoptosis in human monocytic cells: involvement of antiapoptotic BCL2 and c‐IAP1 genes. J Biol Chem 2007;282(7):4288–4300 Ono K, Han J. The p38 signal transduction pathway: activation and function. Cell Signal 2000;12(1):1–13 Chen XL, Xia ZF, Yu YX, Wei D, Wang CR, Ben DF. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition attenuates burn-induced liver injury in rats. Burns 2005;31(3):320–330 Davis RJ. Signal transduction by the JNK group of MAP kinases. Cell 2PO.010;103(2):239–252 Guan QH, Pei DS, Zhang QG, Hao ZB, Xu TL, Zhang GY. The neuroprotective action of SP600125, a new inhibitor of JNK, on transient brain ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal death in rat hippocampal CA1 via nuclear and non-nuclear pathways. Brain Res 2005;1035(1):51–59 Muniyappa H, Das KC. Activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) by widely used specific p38 MAPK inhibitors SB202190 and SB203580: a MLK-3-MKK7-dependent mechanism. Cell Signal 2008;20(4):675–683 Studer RK, Aboka AM, Gilbertson LG, et al. p38 MAPK inhibition in nucleus pulposus cells: a potential target for treating intervertebral disc degeneration. Spine 2007;32(25):2827–2833 Risbud MV, Fertala J, Vresilovic EJ, Albert TJ, Shapiro IM. Nucleus pulposus cells upregulate PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK signaling pathways under hypoxic conditions and resist apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal. Spine 2005;30(8):882–889 Risbud MV, Guttapalli A, Albert TJ, Shapiro IM. Hypoxia activates MAPK activity in rat nucleus pulposus cells: regulation of integrin expression and cell survival. Spine 2005;30(22):2503–2509 Alessi DR, Cuenda A, Cohen P, Dudley DT, Saltiel AR. PD 098059 is a specific inhibitor of the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase in vitro and in vivo. J Biol Chem 1995;270(46):27489–27494


We propose a method that should enhance the re-use of components / products thanks to a better management of their failure risk. Mechanical components have limited life which is strongly related to usage rate and operational conditions. Two parts could appear similar but actually not have similar performances, because they had different usage rate, applied forces, during their life. Our research aim is giving birth to a new quality index called Running Quality Index (RQI). The idea is to calculate a quantitative index to valuate a part's (or product's) health based on various relevant parameters.


Equine veterinarians have long recognized a related syndrome of obesity, insulin resistance and chronic laminitis affecting a somewhat younger group of adult horses. Although these horses were initially suspected to comprise a subset of equine Cushing's disease cases, a long hair coat is not a feature of the condition and tests of pituitary function (e.g. the dexamethasone suppression test and plasma ACTH concentrations) usually yield normal results. Furthermore, affected horses do not respond to medications such as cyproheptadine and pergolide, which are frequently of benefit in Cushing's disease.


The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between social capital and talent management system in National Iranian Drilling Company located in Ahwaz. This research is applied research and correlation. The employees of Iranian National Iranian Drilling Company form the population which among them 100 people selected as a sample using Corcoran formula. The main tool of this study ate the standard questionnaires of social capital and talent management system. Using the opinion of university professors and company experts, the Reliability confirmed again. The validity of questionnaires obtained above 0.70. In order to analyze the data resulted from collected questionnaires deductive and descriptive statistical methods are used. The results Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test shows the test distribution is Normal. So we can use Pearson Correlation coefficients to test the hypothesis of the research. In order to determine the relationship between the variables of the study, the SPSS tool has been used. Findings indicate that between social capital and talent management systems and all the


Spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas are rare and potentially disabling neurological emergencies. Its lead to devastating neurologic outcomes and most patient does not recover completely. The clinical presentation is diverse and includes a severe acute attack, radiating pain at the back, interscapular, or neurological deficits. We report a case of a young woman, 24-year-old, that was admitted to our department for sudden non-traumatic cervical spinal cord compression syndrome (Type A of the American Spinal Cord Injury Association "ASIA A") including intense cervical back pain, sensory loss, and tetraplegia. Her past medical history was unremarkable. The MRI confirmed a cervical mass responsible for the spinal cord compression and the emergent surgical intervention allow us to evacuate acute C3-C7 hematoma. The patient never recovers from the neurologic deficit despite the emergent management of her case followed by functional musculoskeletal rehabilitation for two years.


The article is based on the biographical interview with B.I. Gurevich, who is a leading researcher of ICTREMRM KSC RAS. She began her work at the KBAS USSR in 1954. The article contains biographical information, memories about childhood and wartime difficulties, years of study at the institute, scientific work in various locations at the Kola Peninsula, the vicissitudes of the scientific path of a woman researcher. All the photographsprovided are from the personal archive of B.I. Gurevich.


Medicinal plants are commonly used in treating and preventing specific ailments and diseases and are considered to play a beneficial role in health care. One such ethnomedicinal plant is Abutilon indicum. It is an erect, woody, shrubby plant, widely distributed in the tropical countries. The whole plant is used to cure many diseases. The present study involves to determine the qualitative and quantitative analysis of roots of Abutilon indicum in different solvents like methanol, ethanol, chloroform, petroleum ether and aqueous. The qualitative analysis of the root showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, phenols, tannins, aminoacids, cardiac glycosides, reducing sugars and proteins. The quantification of the compounds like alkaloids, flavonoids and phenols were estimated. The result confirms that the roots of Abutilon indicum possess significant phytocomponents and acts as the source of many pharmacological studies and a curative for various ailments. KeywordsAbutilon indicum, Medicinal plant, Phytochemical screening, Root.


A new hypercube-like topology, called the hyper Petersen (HP) network, is proposed and analyzed, which is constructed from the well-known cartesian product of the binary hypercube and the Petersen graph of ten nodes.


A constraint is like a prism through which we can view the inchoate and bring order to it. Constraints split the clear light of information into the rainbow shards of objects and meanings we have discussed earlier and those we will discuss ahead. We have seen how constraints add information and metamorphose into objects of different kinds—objects and relationships we have discussed throughout this book. Now we will unify them into an integral whole by subsuming them into the ultimate constraint—a generic concept that will sunder information space to make the inchoate choate. the ShAPing of objeCtS


Theonsetofanaerobiosis indarkened, N-limited cells ofthe greenalgaSelenastrum minutum (Naeg.) Collins elicited thefollowing metabolic responses. Therewasa rapiddecrease in energy charge from0.85toastable lowervalue of0.6accompanied byrapid increases inpyruvate/phosphoenolpyruvate and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate/fructose-6-phosphate ratios indicatingactivation ofpyruvate kinase and6-phosphofructokinase, respectively. Therewasalsoalarge increase infructose-2,6bisphosphate, which, sincethisalgalackspyrophosphate dependent 6-phosphofructokinase, canbeinferred toinhibit gluconeogenic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity. Thesechanges resulted inanapproximately twofold increase intherate ofstarch breakdown indicating aPasteur effect. ThePasteur effect was accompanied byaccumulation ofD-lactate, ethanol andsuccinate asfermentation end-products, butnotmalate. Accumulation of succinate wasfacilitated byreductive carbon metabolism bya partial TCAcycle (GCVanlerberghe, AKHorsey, HGWeger, DH Turpin [1989] Plant Physiol 91:1551-1557). Aninitial stoichiometric decline inaspartate andincreases insuccinate andalanine suggests thataspartate catabolism provides aninitial source of carbon forreduction tosuccinate underanoxic conditions. These observations allow ustodevelop amodelfortheregulation of anaerobic carbonmetabolism anda modelforshort-term and long-term strategies forsuccinate accumulation inagreenalga. Changes inlevels ofglycolytic intermediates inresponse to anoxia havebeenreported inhigher plants (4,11, 14,19). Suchstudies haveclearly pointed toPFK2andPK askey regulatory enzymesinglycolysis because these reactions are farremoved fromequilibrium invivo andincreased glycolytic


While there are countless texts published on quantitative methods and many texts that cover quantitative terrestrial ecology, this text fills the need for the special quantitative problems confronting marine biologists and biological oceanographers. The author combines common quantitative techniques with recent advances in quantitative methodology and then demonstrates how these techniques can be used to study marine organisms, their behaviors, and their interactions with the environment. Readers learn how to better design experiments and sampling, employ sophisticated mathematical techniques, and accurately interpret and communicate the results.


A nonperturbative approach to unconventional superconductivity is developed based on the idea of two-particle self-consistent (TPSC) theory by Vilk and Tremblay. A sum rule, which the momentum-dependent pairing susceptibility satisfies, is derived. An effective pairing interaction between quasiparticles is determined so that the susceptibility should fulfill this exact sum rule, in which fluctuations belonging to different symmetries couple at finite momentum. It is demonstrated that the mode coupling between $d$-wave and $s$-wave pairing fluctuations leads to suppression of the $d$-wave fluctuation near the Mott insulator.


Periodically time-varying models are found across nature and engineered systems, from fluid dynamics, structures and MEMS devices to quantum mechanics and astrophysics. Such systems are known to exhibit parametric resonance, a kind of instability caused by fluctuating model parameters. Under conditions of instability, they can also be vibrationally stabilized with the right forcing. The question of interest here is variation in behavior within these two stable regimes, and whether certain parameter configurations are preferred from a design perspective. This motivation leads us to consider Mathieu's equation with harmonic forcing as a canonical model. To address these questions, we use a lifting based approach to obtain a representation of the frequency response operator that is amenable to methods from LTI systems. We study the poles of the system as a function of its parameters, and obtain a description of the free response of Mathieu's equation as the product of two simple functions. We also investigate the dependence of the ${\mathcal{H}_2}$ norm of Mathieu's equation on its parameters. A considerable difference in ${\mathcal{H}_2}$ norm between the two regimes is found, as well as interesting behavior within each domain.


The article refers to research carried out with highschool students to study the impact of television news reports about the incidents in Ceuta and Melilla, which were a focus of interest particularly in October 2005. The fieldwork was carried out two to three months after the story broke, with the objective of establishing the sediment left, both in terms of representations and values about the events themselves and particularly with regard the media treatment afforded them. It should be said that the methodology used began from the supposition that when we bring young people face to face with images like the ones they could see in these stories and we do so in a group setting and reflexive manner, we are providing a number of skills of critical understanding about reality which might, in other spaces such as the school or family, not have been produced. In this way, 'spontaneous' racist prejudices and stereotypes are put to the test with the crudeness of the images and contrasted with the joint reflection. One of the conclusions put to discussion is that the young people that took part in this research showed signs of critical capacity but also appeared to be confused and to have a divided perspective about the facts; the level to which the media contributes to building this confusion and reinforcing a partial and fragmented vision of the phenomenon dealt with is also be discussed in the final pages of this article.


The texts were selected in light of the general question: what kind of records did Ottoman Jewish communities maintain as part of their regular communal activities. They were further chosen to reflect procedures, considerations and conflicts that accompanied record keeping and were not usually recorded in the actual records produced. In most cases the records kept by the communities before the 19 century are no longer available. While references to the existence of various records can be found in a variety of contemporary and later sources (some of which I will mention), the texts translated offer a short selection of stories from "behind the scenes". Reading the texts in terms of record keeping attest also to awareness, expectations, realities, usage, availability and relative importance attached to certain kinds of records. The texts will be mined for explicit and implicit conceptions and understandings of the records created in communal and personal levels, how were they preserved, used and accessed after being created, and what were their practical and legal implications. The evidence offered by these "stories" about records would be considered in three general categories – reflecting certain stages in the life of the records – initial construction, and later reconstructions and deconstructions.


Objective : In this study, the immunomodulatory activity of a mixture of wild Panax ginseng and red-mold rice extracts (MPR) on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells in the presence and absence of methotrexate (MTX), an anti-cancer drug, was investigated. Methods and Results : In the cell viability, MPR showed a significant cell proliferation and inhibited cell regression by red-mold rice (RMR) alone or MTX alone. MPR induced moderate increase in nitric oxide (NO) production. NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression by LPS decreased after MPR treatment. In addition, MPR slightly induced COX-2 mRNA expression, but it did not affect the expression of COX-2 mRNA by LPS treatment. In RT-PCR analyses, MPR induced IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA expression, but had no effect on IL-10 and TGF-β, regardless of MTX treatment. Furthermore, MPR did not interfere with the cytotoxicity of MTX against MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells. Conclusions : MPR is efficacious in protecting against MTX-induced cell regression as a result of macrophage activation, resulting in induction of cytokine expression, implying that MPR could be considered an adjuvant in MTX-chemotherapy.


For the purpose of cancer theranostics, the performance and potential biosafety of drug/imaging agents remain major challenges. Although passive and active targeting strategies have been reported for effectively enhanced bioimaging or drug delivery performance, researchers are still looking for emerging methods for better targeting, accumulation, and penetration of solid tumors. The strategy for constructing supramolecular self‐assemblies in biologically relevant conditions may partially overcome these challenges. Regarding the biomedical applications, supramolecular entities with naturally dynamic and modular properties, are capable of constructing structurally and functionally diversified materials and meeting the requirements of biological complexity. Modules and integrated systems enable response to bio‐environment by the modification of their constitution through component exchange or reorganization. In this review, the authors summarize the self‐assembled nanosystems (nanoparticles, nanoaggregates, micelles, vesicles, nanofibers, hydrogels, etc.) in physiological/pathological environments and their applications in cancer theranostics. The authors focus on chemical structures, stimuli‐responsive bonds, and self‐assembly property of nanomaterials, which may offer a guide for the optimal design of self‐assembled nanomaterials in clinical cancer treatment and imaging.


Further dating of the Manis site shows that people were hunting mastodons in North America by 14,000 years ago. The tip of a projectile point made of mastodon bone is embedded in a rib of a single disarticulated mastodon at the Manis site in the state of Washington. Radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis show that the rib is associated with the other remains and dates to 13,800 years ago. Thus, osseous projectile points, common to the Beringian Upper Paleolithic and Clovis, were made and used during pre-Clovis times in North America. The Manis site, combined with evidence of mammoth hunting at sites in Wisconsin, provides evidence that people were hunting proboscideans at least two millennia before Clovis.


As this is the first of a series of annual lectures which must deal, at least every other year, with the subject of cancer of the breast, it seems to me to be desirable to avoid, so far as possible, the discussion of controversial aspects of the subject. Thus, I shall not refer to the question of pre-operative irradiation, except in so far as it has a bearing upon that of after-care; nor shall I deal with survival statistics, except to say that, in my Clinic, they do not seem to differ greatly from those to be found elsewhere. I intend to concern myself rather with the palliative virtues of radiation and other forms of treatment, and the best means of keeping the victims of the disease in as good a state of mental and physical health as possible. That a large proportion of all the cases passing through one's hands will be dead within five years seems at present indisputable; and, personally, I see no reason to believe that alterations in radio-therapeutic technique will have an appreciable effect upon the...


It was proved that the set of discountity points of the first derivative of generalized solution of boundary value problem for differential-difference equations with several incommensurable shifts is dense in the finite interval.


The results of a preliminary organic analysis conducted on sediment samples from Sites 677 and 678, ODP Leg 111, indicate that the lipids are derived mainly from marine organisms, with bacterially-derived lipids. Terrestrial higher plant wax residues exist only in trace amounts. Diagenesis of organic matter by thermal stress is not extensive at either site. Sites 677 and 678 of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 111 are about 200 km south of the spreading axis of the Costa Rica Rift, in the eastern equatorial Pacific. The remote sites are about 400 km from the terrigenous influence of the Ecuador coast. Because Site 677 is on a local minimum heatflow area and Site 678 is on a local maximum, sediments at the two sites were subject to different degrees of thermal stress resulting from vary ing geothermal heat flow. Therefore, it is of interest to examine whether the different regimes of geothermal heat flow at the two sites caused differences in the sedimentary organic matter. Whelan and Hunt (1983) characterized the sedimentary organic matter at nearby Deep Sea Drilling Project Sites 504 and 505 by a thermal analysis-gas chromatography technique, from which they recognized different degrees of thermal hydrocarbon gener ation resulting from the thermal differences between the two sites. No lipid analysis has been conducted on sediments in this area. As a preliminary study, we conducted lipid analysis on sedi ment samples from Sites 677 and 678 to determine the nature and source of the sedimentary organic matter and to examine maturation effects on the composition of the sedimentary or ganic matter.


The actions of secoverine and atropine on bethanechol‐induced intestinal secretion, hypermotility and transintestinal potential difference were investigated in the rat jejunum in‐vivo. Both secoverine (10−7 mol kg−1) and atropine (1·2 times 10−9 mol kg−1) inhibited motility at doses that did not affect secretion or transintestinal potential difference. However, secoverine was a less potent antagonist of all the bethanechol‐induced changes than atropine. Increases in transintestinal potential difference were more closely related to production of fluid secretion than to increases in motility.


The paper presents a literature review on the topic projectile motion in high schools. The review focused on empirical studies aiming on the development of the concept as well as those that identified and explored misconceptions associated with the topic. Furthermore, studies that presented the strategies to deal with misconception in projectile motion and the necessary prior knowledge that can be a pre-requisite are discussed. The context of the topic in the NCS is also discussed as well as the challenges associated with its learning from the DBE perspective. The paper concludes with what could be the gaps and prospects of the literature reviewed on the topic projectile motion. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n8p441


Pediatric friction hand injuries are prevalent, likely due to the increasing presence of home exercise equipment. While friction injuries often appear deeper on initial assessment, not all are treated surgically during the acute phase. We sought to characterize our experience with outcomes based on acute (< 30 days) surgical intervention compared to delayed intervention.

 Patients were queried from a single institution, verified pediatric burn center database. A retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (< 18 years) over a 5 year period was performed. Data collected included demographics, treatment methods (acute vs. delayed), dressing type, scar management, and follow-up. Outcomes included additional surgical and non-surgical adjuncts to treat the sequela of injury.

 Our institution treated 23 treadmill hand injuries over the 5-year period. There was a slight predominance of female (n=13, 57%) vs. male (n=10, 43%) patients. Median age at injury was 2 years (IQR 1–3). Thirteen patients (57%) sustained an injury equivalent to a second degree burn and ten (43%) to third degree. Injuries were initially treated with silvadene (n=14) and/or xeroform (n=21). Involvement of left and right hands were equally divided and all injuries involved the digits. The median number of digits involved was 2 (range 1–4). The most commonly injured digits were the middle and ring fingers (19 each). Average length of stay was 14 hours. All but one patient followed-up with a median number of 4 clinic visits. All of these patients were reported as healed at time of last follow-up. Median time to healing was 31.5 days (IQR 29 – 58).
 Overall, 4 patients (17%) underwent acute surgical intervention with a median of 7 days from injury (IQR 1.75–13.5). Of these 4 patients, 2 (50%) required additional operations for scar management and 2 (50%) required non-surgical management. Of the 19 (83%) who did not undergo early surgical management, only 1 patient (6%) required a Z-plasty, 12 (63%) were managed with non-surgical intervention and 6 (31%) needed no further treatment after healing.

 Pediatric friction hand injuries often affect multiple digits and lead to a median of 4 clinic visits. Our data suggest that early surgical intervention in this cohort did not minimize future surgical procedures or non-surgical management. Rather, delayed intervention appears to allow for fewer surgical procedures and similar non-surgical management. Larger studies are required to validate this finding; however, this data suggests that continued initial management with a combination of silvadene and xeroform may be a safe option.

 Our study provides guidance in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric treadmill friction injury. This data supports delaying surgical interventions on these seemingly deep hand injuries.


The research development has a purpose to produce interactive learning media using Adobe Flash CS6 to Pre-reading for children aged 5-6 years in TK Negeri Pembina Muara Enim which contains about introduce vowels and consonants, compossing letters into word, connect the sound with its meaning. The development of interactive media it uses a combination of the development model design by Alessi & Trollip and the evaluation formative by Tessmer. Model of Alessi & Trollip consists of three stages. That is planning, design and development stage. At the evaluation stage, the formative evaluation by Tessmer consists of four stages: self evaluation, expert review, one-to-one evaluation, and small group evaluation. Data collection techniques using walkthrough and observation. The Interactive Learning Media stated very valid based on expert review with an average score of 3,69 which means the media display is easy to understand, the productivity of media work can increase the motivation of children's learning and remembered in a long time. Interactive learning media is practice seen from the one-to-one evaluation and small group evaluation with an average score of 93% and 94% (very good category) which means the child can be cognitively stimulated because it has audio, visual and interactivity and media are easy to obtain because of the form of interactive CD. Recommendation for next researcher is to researching about the potential impact of interactive learning media to pre-reading for children.


This study investigates the synthesis of high surface area W2N and Co–W–N nitrides by nitridation of various precursors obtained by chemical routes. For the synthesis of W2N nitride, WO3 precursors were obtained by acidifying Na2WO4·2H2O (acid route) and by thermal decomposition of the tungstate–citrate precursor. The solid-state reactivity, BET surface areas and pore structures of the nitride materials have been investigated in detail. Co–W–N nitride was obtained from CoWO4 synthesized by co-precipitation. W2N and Co–W–N nitrides crystallize in β-W2N structure. The single-point BET surface areas were estimated to be 58, 55 and 60 m2/g for the β-W2N nitride materials synthesized using commercial WO3 and WO3 obtained from acid and citrate precursor, respectively. The maximum surface areas (40 m2/g) are obtained for Co–W–N nitrides synthesized at 700 °C. We have investigated the change in pore volume and pore diameter when the synthesis conditions are changed. The thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis studies corroborate the fine particle nature of the materials.


Introduction: Chronic headache is a common health problem in general medical practice and there is increasing demand of CT scan from specialist as well as non-specialist doctors to refer patients for CT head scan. Patients and methods : The present study was done on 2800 CT head scans of patients with problem of chronic headache. While patients in Group 1 (n=1900) had only chronic headache without any neurological findings, Group B comprised of cases (n=900) referred by specialist doctors after neurological examination. CT scan was done by trained technicians and contrast was injected where necessary . Results : Present study showed majority of patients in both group 1 and group 2 (90% and 87.7% respectively) had normal CT findings or insignificant findings. However, difference was not significant in both groups when significant findings (10.0% Gr. A and 12.2% Group B) were compared. Discussion : Our findings are consistent with other studies concluding that routine CT scan may not provide clinically useful information in chronic headache.


Recent theories propose that domain‐general deficits in prediction (i.e., the ability to anticipate upcoming information) underlie the behavioral characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). If these theories are correct, autistic children might be expected to demonstrate difficulties on linguistic tasks that rely on predictive processing. Previous research has largely focused on older autistic children and adolescents with average language and cognition. The present study used an eye‐gaze task to evaluate predictive language processing among 3‐ to 4‐year‐old autistic children (n = 34) and 1.5‐ to 3‐year‐old, language‐matched neurotypical (NT) children (n = 34). Children viewed images (e.g., a cake and a ball) and heard sentences with informative verbs (e.g., Eat the cake) or neutral verbs (e.g., Find the cake). Analyses of children's looking behaviors indicated that young autistic children, like their language‐matched NT peers, engaged in predictive language processing. Regression results revealed a significant effect of diagnostic group, when statistically controlling for age differences. The NT group displayed larger difference scores between the informative and neutral verb conditions (in looks to target nouns) compared to the ASD group. Receptive language measures were predictive of looking behavior across time for both groups, such that children with stronger language skills were more efficient in making use of informative verbs to process upcoming information. Taken together, these results suggest that young autistic children can engage in predictive processing though further research is warranted to explore the developmental trajectory relative to NT development.


Summary : Governments, as well as other funding agencies, expect research providers to become more accountable for research spending. An integrated approach to evaluate research opportunities in the Queensland sugar industry is described. The main components of this approach which include problem definition workshops, grower surveys, and cost-benefit analysis of individual projects are described. Computer software to assist industry personnel to carry out cost-benefit analysis of potential projects has been developed.


The electro-regeneration of ion-exchange resin is a worldwide new high technology.It has vast market prospects,good economical and environmental protect benefit,and is urgently required by the society.The principle and some characteristics of the new technology, invented by the author, and seven terms of experimental study are introduced in this paper.The results of studies indicate that the exhausted resin in mixed bed can be regenerated by the electro-regeneration technology.In different equipments and under different conditions,the regeneration degrees of obtained resins are different too,however,they all meet the engineering requirement.The electro-regeneration of exhausted anion and cation resins in combined bed can be successfully realized simultaneously by inserting a bipolar membrane in the regeneration compartments of outer column electro-regeneration equipment.


The article deals with the possibility of the electronic questions in improving the goal to support the useful feedback for the teachers and subject guarantors. The proposal of enriching of the 'multiple choice-multiple correct' electronic questions is described and the practical example is given. The described approach can be widely used especially in the current distance learning but also in continuing engineering education and life-long learning. The author assumes that there is also a chance for not only gifted students' motivation support. The author offers the described approach for discussion. The text is a result of the author's current vision in this field.


Network invulnerability is an important property of networks that operate under very likely physical attacks and failures due to operating environmental conditions. A notable example of such networks is wireless fire alarming networks (WFANs) that are strongly related to the safety of the public and to the efficiency of rescuing. WFANs based on wireless sensor networks (WSN) are gaining momentum as they considered a viable and effective solution. However, the current research on invulnerability in the WSN domain mainly focuses on the optimization of the sensor node layout in the initialized network and on routing protocols, whereas the importance of optimization of the deployed network is less explored. In this paper, we show that the invulnerability of WSNs can be improved by introducing two new elements: super wires and super nodes. Moreover, on the basis of the definition of a novel centrality measurement, we propose two layout schemes based on super wires and super nodes for enhancing network invulnerability. The simulation analysis indicates that the proposed schemes are able to enhance the invulnerability of the network with low network construction costs.


The E-field integral equation is applied to rotationally symmetric reflector antennas with struts. Current is allowed to flow on all the reflector surfaces and continuity is enforced at the conductor junctions. Radiation patterns are presented for a small paraboloid antenna, and the effects of the struts are clearly defined. These include the strut cone radiation, pattern asymmetries introduced by the struts, and gain loss and sidelobe level changes. >


Methods to assess the economic and environmental considerations of transport planning are reasonably well established, and these issues are usuallywell covered in assessments for investment decisions. There is, however,an increasing interest by governments in considering social impacts; in particular, accessibility - the measure of people's access to economic and social opportunities. In urban areas, there are proven methods for assessing accessibility. However, little substantive work has been done to provide measures for rural accessibility in Australia. This paper has three elements: the first is a discussion of modelling techniques appropriate forthe development of performance indicators for rural accessibility. A network model developed for the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, Rmodel, was used in the work. The second is a presentation of the calculation of a variety of accessibility indicators that are appropriate for different purposes. Finally, the utilisation of geographic information systems (GIS) such as the NETWORK and TIN modules of ARC/INFO, in the presentation and analysis of such indicators, is discussed, using examples from the state of NSW as a whole, and from the Hunter region of NSW. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, see IRRD abstract no 861490.


Slovenian territory is characterized by diverse geological and geomorphological structure and tectonic activity. In designing and construction of objects it is therefore necessary to pay special attention to geologically caused risk factors, namely landslides, karst collapses, flooding of groundwater and surface water, tectonic zones, and soft and very compressible ground. In designing of large infrastructure objects, geological and geotechnical researches are an important integral part of planning of work in early stages of design and during construction. In designing and construction of individual houses and local traffic roads, geological and geotechnical researches are often overlooked either due to ignorance and short-sightedness of investors or savings in short term. Therefore, it is not coincidence that from year to year we face enormous damage on residential objects caused by landslides, floods, and uneven subsiding. An important role is also played by the fact that with constructions we increasingly interfere with the areas that our ancestries avoided, and also by more frequent weather extremes. In the graduation thesis, I presented the most common geologically caused risk factors in Slovenia, and their consequences on individual residential objects. From the geotechnical perspective I analysed and compared two locations for construction of residential object in the vicinity of Brezovica. Advantages and disadvantages of both locations for construction are presented.


This bulletin presents two reports on the cost of road accidents, and records the discussion and subsequent comments arising from a one day workshop based on the reports. "Road Accident Costs" is a study which considered the task of improving decision-making skills with respect to road safety in order to assist authorities in their efforts to minimize the road accident losses within the constraints of a limited budget. "Aspects of Accident Cost Measurement for Road Safety Policy" is the second part of a study concerned with how we might proceed to obtain estimates of accident costs which would be of direct value in improving the decisions of road authorities. The paper, "Accident Data-The Current Situation" briefly reviews the current accident situation in New Zealand, the accident reporting system and the use which is made of accident data. The paper, "Accidents and the Roading Engineer" discusses problems facing the engineer with regard to the design and programming of roading improvements.


A trapezoid is generated in screen when the projector is not perpendicular to the screen body in most situations. It is called the keystone distortion. In order to solve the keystone distortion of images, a new algorithm transforming pixel spatial position using edge preserving interpolation is proposed to implement projector keystone correction. First, the scaling factors, the start point positions and the end point positions are calculated according to different rows, then the edge preserving interpolation algorithm are used according to the space positions. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm can not only implement keystone correction, but also preserves the edge effectively. This algorithm can be used in the chip of projector video processing to solve the keystone distortion.


The δ subunit of the rod photoreceptor PDE has previously been shown to copurify with the soluble form of the enzyme and to solubilize the membrane-bound form (1). To determine the physiological effect of the δ subunit on the light response of bovine rod outer segments, we measured the real time accumulation of the products of cGMP hydrolysis in a preparation of permeablized rod outer segments. The addition of δ subunit GST fusion protein (δ-GST) to this preparation caused a reduction in the maximal rate of cGMP hydrolysis in response to light. The maximal reduction of the light response was about 80%, and the half-maximal effect occurred at 385 nm δ subunit. Several experiments suggest that this effect was not due to the effects of δ-GST on transducin or rhodopsin kinase. Immunoblots demonstrated that exogenous δ-GST solubilized the majority of the PDE in ROS but did not affect the solubility of transducin. Therefore, changes in the solubility of transducin cannot account for the effects of δ-GST in the pH assay. The reduction in cGMP hydrolysis was independent of ATP, which indicates that it was not due to effects of δ-GST on rhodopsin kinase. In addition to the effect on cGMP hydrolysis, the δ-GST fusion protein slowed the turn-off of the system. This is probably due, at least in part, to an observed reduction in the GTPase rate of transducin in the presence of δ-GST. These results demonstrate that δ-GST can modify the activity of the phototransduction cascade in preparations of broken rod outer segments, probably due to a functional uncoupling of the transducin to PDE step of the signal transduction cascade and suggest that the δ subunit may play a similar role in the intact outer segment.


Cu/Sn alloy matrix composites reinforced with β-Si_3N_4 whiskers (β-Si_3N_4w/Cu/Sn) were prepared by powder metallurgy method with the aim of improving the mechanical property. Although the β-Si_3N_4 whisker additions played a side effect on the densification of the composites, the mechanical property was significantly improved. The highest bending strength of β-Si_3N_4w/Cu/Sn reached up to 353 MPa, and the highest hardness of composites was also improved to 97.13 HRF. β-Si_3N_4 whiskers could induce the improved work of fracture and grain refinement of composites and thus brought about the enhancement of mechanical performance. However, excessively high β-Si_3N_4 whisker content was not beneficial to the high mechanical property because of the low densification and the severe aggregation of whiskers. The β-Si_3N_4w/Cu/Sn still had a quite high thermal conductivity. As a result, the β-Si_3N_4w/Cu/Sn could be a promising material applied in a severe environment.


22 MC3T3-E1 is a clonal pre-osteoblastic cell line derived from newborn mouse calvaria, which 23 is commonly used in osteoblast studies. To investigate the effects of estrogen on osteoblasts, 24 we treated MC3T3-E1 cells with various concentrations of estrogen and assessed their 25 proliferation. Next, we performed RNA deep sequencing to investigate the effects on 26 estrogen target genes. Bmpr1a and Tgfbr1, important participants in the TGF-beta signaling 27 pathway, were down-regulated in our deep sequencing results. Bioinformatics analysis 28 revealed that estrogen receptor response elements (EREs) were present in the Bmpr1a and 29 Tgfbr1 promoters. Culturing the cells with the estrogen receptor (ER) alpha or beta 30 antagonists 1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) -4-methyl-531 [4-(2-piperidinylethoxy)phenol]-1H-pyrazole dihydrochloride (MPP) or 32 4-[2-phenyl-5,7-bis(trifluoromethyl) pyrazolo[1,5alpha]pyrimidin-3-yl] phenol (PTHPP), 33 respectively, demonstrated that ER beta is involved in the estrogen-mediated repression of 34 Tgfbr1 and Bmpr1a.The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP ) results were consistent with 35 the conclusion that E2 increased the binding of ER beta at the EREs located in the Tgfbr1 and 36 Bmpr1a promoters. Our research provides new insight into the role of estrogen in bone 37 metabolisms. 38