Abstract Pyroelectric current measurements are applied to obtain the temperature dependence of the field-cooled polariza1, ion P FC and zero field-cooled polarization P ZFC of (KDP)1−x(ADP)x pellet samples over the whole range of x between x = 0(pure KDP) and x = 1(pure ADP). Remanent polarization P R was observed in both ferroelectric and proton glass regimes of x but not observable with s in the antiferroelectric regime. Nonergodicity, phase coexistence and diffuse phase transition characteristics seem to be well identified by the pyroelectric measurements of P FC , P ZFC and P R .


A new species of Annulatascus, A. hong- kongensis, is described from freshwater habitats. This species differs from other Annulatascus species as as- cospores are ellipsoidal, 3-septate, verruculose and are surrounded by a thick mucilaginous sheath. An- nulatascus hongkongensis is described and illustrated with light and transmission electron micrographs, and compared with other Annulatascus species.


Purpose. To build a simple, low cost, variable-power prism with a linear scale. Methods. A sliding lens system, using the prismatic effect of ophthalmic lenses, was constructed. Results. The system functions well at low powers using conventional curved form ophthalmic lenses. Conclusions. The sliding lens variable prism is a useful alternative to the conventional rotating variable-power prism.


This is an experimental investigation into the effect of inclination and compound angles on the variation of mean/turbulent velocity profiles for a single cylindrical jet issuing into a turbulent boundary layer. Power spectral densities and extensive velocity measurements are made in the near field region of a discrete film hole exit, to determine how the hole orientation affects turbulent length scales and aerodynamic performance. Inclination angles of 30° and 90° are tested, with compound angles of 0° and 180°, while the hole L/D for each angle is fixed at 10. The measurement domain extends from x/D=0 to 2, y/D=-2 to 2 and z/D=0 to 2 at a nominal blowing ratio of M=1.42. This data represents an extension of the flow measurements previously available in literature. Also, the effect of hole orientation on turbulent length scales provide relations for easy determination of boundary conditions for computational work.


In this chapter we formulate the definitions of an ideal, prime ideal, and maximal ideal of Pre A*-algebra A and discuss certain examples. We prove important fundamental properties of ideals. In particular we extend to prove that every ideal I of a Pre A*-algebra A is the intersection of all prime ideals of A containing I. Also we prove that for any ideals I and J of Pre A*algebra A, (I: J) is precisely equal to the intersection of all prime ideals containing J and not containing I. We also show that every maximal ideal is necessarily prime, while the converse is true for special cases only .We also discuss minimal prime ideals of Pre A*-algebra.


Introduction: Due to functional and cognitive impairments of older patients effective inhalation therapy is often limited. The frequency of inhaler technique errors, the association between device type, the patient's health condition and preferences of 9 inhaler devices were investigated in a geriatric patient population. Methods: Within this industry-independent study of 106 geriatric patients (40 male, 66 female, mean age 80,75 y.) a complete geriatric assessment was performed, including cognitive functioning, visual acuity and motoric skills, since these functions are essential for the correct use of a device. The following devices were tested in randomized order:BreezhalerTM, DiskusTM, MDI, ElpenhalerTM, GenuairTM, NexthalerTM, RespimatTM, SpiromaxTM and TurbohalerTM. We assessed the number of attempts necessary for correct use, its duration, the type of errors, the influence of motoric and cognitive impairment as well as patient preferences. Results: Nexthaler was found to be superior to most of the devices in terms of the frequency of inhaler technique errors (p Conclusion: Nexthaler, Spiromax and Genuair displayed better usability and favoritism in geriatric patients. The preferred devices were associated with less inhaler technique errors. The preference seem to depend on the condition and the properties of the devices.


This retrospective observational study hypothesized that disparities in pre-operative morbidity influence spine surgical outcomes. Black/African-American and low-SES patients presented with greater pain/impairment compared to White and high-SES patients; these same cohorts reported greater impairment by 90 days and 12 months post-operatively. Significant racial/socioeconomic disparities characterize pre- and post-operative PROs. Study Design. Retrospective observational study. Objective. To elucidate racial and socioeconomic factors driving preoperative disparities in spine surgery patients. Summary of Background Data. There are racial and socioeconomic disparities in preoperative health among spine surgery patients, which may influence outcomes for minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) populations. Methods. Presenting, postoperative day 90 (POD90), and 12-month (12M) outcome scores (PROMIS global physical and mental [GPH, GMH] and visual analog scale pain [VAS]) were collected for patients undergoing deformity arthrodesis or cervical, thoracic, or lumbar laminotomy or decompression/fusion; these procedures were the most common in our cohort. Social determinants of health for a patient's neighborhood (county, zip code, or census tract) were extracted from public databases. Multivariable linear regression with stepwise selection was used to quantify the association between a patient's preoperative GPH score and sociodemographic variables. Results. Black patients presented with 1 to 3 point higher VAS pain scores (7–8 vs. 5–6) and lower (worse) GPH scores (6.5–10 vs. 11–12) than White patients (P < 0.05 for all comparisons); similarly, lower SES patients presented with 1.5 points greater pain (P < 0.0001) and 3.5 points lower GPH (P < 0.0001) than high SES patients. Patients with lowest-quartile presenting GPH scores reported 36.8% and 37.5% lower (worse) POD-90 GMH and GPH scores than the highest quartile, respectively (GMH: 12 vs. 19, P < 0.0001; GPH: 15 vs. 24, P < 0.0001); this trend extended to 12 months (GMH: 19.5 vs. 29.5, P < 0.0001; GPH: 22 vs. 30, P < 0.0001). Reduced access to primary care (B = −1.616, P < 0.0001) and low SES (B = –1.504, P = 0.001), proxied by median household value, were independent predictors of worse presenting GPH scores. Conclusion. Racial and socioeconomic disparities in patients' preoperative physical and mental health at presentation for spine surgery are associated adversely with postoperative outcomes. Renewed focus on structural factors influencing preoperative presentation, including timeliness of care, is essential. Level of Evidence: 3.


The implementation of project-oriented training of students with the use of 3D modeling at Tomsk Polytechnic University is described. This approach is used in the sphere of cross-subject training in terms of high-tech and complex tasks, to which the three-dimensional modeling of gas and oil deposits refers. The integration of project, science and educational activity as examplified by real application task in the mentioned subject is given. The effectiveness of the suggested approach is presented.


This paper analyzes the role of chance, expressed in terms of the likelihood of survival and mate encounters, in mate-choice strategies and variances in lifetime mating success (LMS) for males and females. Using Markovian mating models, we derive analytical expressions for the mean and variance for LMS as a function of the probabilities of survival and mate encounters per unit of time and of the duration of postmating latency, when individuals do not search for mates. If males have a similar survival rate but shorter postmating latencies than females, then males always exhibit higher variances in LMS than do females, given equal LMS means for both sexes. Therefore, simply observing a higher LMS variance for males than for females is not sufficient proof of the existence or operation of sexual selection or male-male competition, in accord with Sutherland's (1985a) result. Absolute LMS variances generally increase with increased survival, decreased duration of postmating latency, and increased mate availability. However, the ratio of male to female LMS variances first increases and then decreases with increasing survival, and this ratio can become quite large if the length of postmating latency differs greatly between the sexes. Mate choice is favored by a sexual asymmetry in postmating latencies. This finding is not inconsistent with the LMS variance results because none of the LMS variance in the model results from mate choice. It was possible to derive a criterion for when choosiness should evolve in a mating environment consisting of two qualities in potential mates. Choosiness is expressed in terms of the difference in mate quality at which a choosy mating strategy outperforms an indiscriminate mating strategy. As a general rule, males have shorter postmating latencies than females; this implies that females should be choosier in their selection of mates at all levels of survival and of availability of potential mates. In the model, this is expressed by the smaller difference in potential mate quality required for females to be choosy. These results are relevant to the question of how to measure the opportunity for sexual selection on males. In this analysis, all variance in lifetime mating success results from chance and not from genotypic differences in viability or the ability to find and win mates. Because the variation in male LMS due to chance can be large and because this is not heritable variation, we suggest that the opportunity for sexual selection on males be redefined as the residual variance in male LMS that cannot be ascribed to known and quantifiable nongenetic life history variation.


Objectives: To assess the improvement of climacteric symptoms, especially hot flushes, evaluated analyzing the total score of Menopause Rating Scale, after supplementation with a new sublingual spray formulation of resveratrol (Talitha® PHT sleep problems; depression mood; irritability; physical and mental discomfort; joint and muscular discomfort. Moreover no patient experienced any side effects and compliance was optimal. Discussion: resveratrol is a powerful phytoestrogen that can be used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy. The novel product is formulated as a sublingual spray emulsion, by which resveratrol is rapidly absorbed through the sublingual mucosa reaching the systemic circulation, without being metabolized and thus inactivated by the liver. Conclusions: The results of this study show that the novel sublingual product produces a statistically significant reduction of the main symptoms associated with menopause when measured with a validated method.


In February 2020, a number of institutions within the Big Ten began discussing the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on sports. On March 7, the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases was formed to provide council and sound medical advice to ensure the health, safety, and wellness of the Big Ten's students, staff and fans. On March 11, 2020, the National Basketball Association postponed its season after the first player tested positive for COVID-19 infection. The next day, college basketball tournament games were canceled. The issues at hand were clear: the multi-organ adverse effects (including cardiac), high rate of transmission, and overall uncertainty about short and long term effects of the coronavirus raised serious concerns about player safety as well as sports' role in propagation of the virus across the broader community. In this Perspective, the Big Ten Cardiac Registry Steering Committee reflects on the last several months through a series of questions. Our committee is made up of conference administrators and physicians in sports medicine, infectious disease, and cardiology. We look ahead to opportunities to return to play and contribute to public health. These reflections may be valuable to other organizations also struggling with how to best balance decisions for their members in the setting of imperfect information.


The identification of DNA polymorphisms in human populations is an important step towards understanding the contribution of functional genetic variants to predisposition of diseases or clinical phenotypes. Approach to the determination of the predisposition uses polymorphisms as marker for a disease in an affected DNA population compared to a control DNA population. Subsequently, the polymorphisms statistically associated with the disease group may be directly informative or linked to the probable causative variant. There are currently over 10 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including insertion/deletion variants in public databases that potentially provide a marker set for disease-gene association studies. This large variant set might not represent the variants causative of disease because it was performed in genomes of only a limited number of individuals. For this reason, the discovery genetic variation in regions of functional DNA sequence in the genomes of individuals with disease is important for disease-gene association studies. However, this situation is not practicable for complex polygenic disease. Therefore, recently, genome-wide association (GWA) or candidate gene approaches are used in the understanding of the molecular genetic background of complex polygenic disease.


The talent-training scale of polymeric materials and engineering is being rapidly developed in our country on the basis of the cross-link of polymeric science and other subjects.The polymer specialty was established in the most textile university for only several years and the accumulation of the polymeric education is not enough to provide the students more competitive ability.Facing this situation,how to improve the quality of talent-training is a key issue for the most textile universities.According to the characteristics of the textile university,we proposed that the talent-training of polymeric materials and engineering should be orientated in the direction of the enhancement of the practical engineering capability of the students,especially the ability for the research of polymeric material,manufacture and management of polymeric materials in the textile industry.Accordingly,the special courses should exhibit the characters of textile.Meanwhile,the combination of polymer material and textile should be strengthened in the specialty practice.


Wen Tianxiang was a famous politician and strategist in the end of South Song of China and a national hero of China. When he was young, he had great ideal and was determined to save the country. After he became Number One Scholar, he began his political career. Facing Yuan Army invading in great number he strongly favoured fighting against enemy. He had noble national integrity and was not afraid of death. He was a very wise man and was well versed in both polite letters and martial arts. Although he was killed by the rulers, his thoughts, deeds, integrity, moral character, contributions, patriotic spirtit of fighting against invasion have always encouraged Chinese people.


3D simulation of gas turbulence flows passing over spheres is made by RANS modeling using Reynolds stress turbulence model.The turbulence enhancement by the particle wake effect is studied under various particle sizes,inlet gas velocities,gas viscosity,gas density and the distance of spheres.A semi-empirical turbulence enhancement model by the particle-wake effect is incorporated into the two-phase turbulence model combining second-order moment model and is used to simulate dilute gas-particle flows in a horizontal channel and a swirling sudden-expansion chamber.The results show that this model,in comparison with the turbulence model not accounting for the wake effect,gives simulation results in better agreement with the experimental results,the particle wake effect enhances gas turbulence.


Objective To compare blood mercury concentrations of infertile couples with those of fertile couples in Hong Kong, and to examine the relationship between blood mercury concentrations and seafood consumption.


In this study, Entropy method and PROMETHEE(Preference Ranking organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations) which is one of the multi criteria decision making methods are applied to estimate the relative inundation risk ranking of the urban sewer systems. Then, the evaluation factors were selected considering two main items to estimate the inundation risk using Entropy and PROMETHEE. In the first item considering topographical and environmental factor, average elevation, average slope, width of area, population, density of conduit were selected as the detailed factors of first item which have influence of the overflow occurrence and damage scale in urban sewer system. And, the relative reliability of sewer network was considered as the second item which can quantify the inundation appearance. Then, the reliability is estimated considering the number of overflow nodes and overflow volume simultaneously. Therefore, the suggested inundation risk evaluation method can be used as the evaluation index for sewer networks and contribute to decision making for the sewer rehabilitation policy.


In NSRRC the helium cryogenic plant began its normal operation in year 2002. Several events of moisture contamination forced the cryogenic plant to cease operation because the cooling performance degraded evidently. After long-term observation we found, through internal inspection of the helium gas buffer tank, maintenance of the compressor station, and warming the superconductive magnet, that moisture contamination occurred. This paper presents the effect of those conditions on the moisture contamination. The solution to decrease the moisture contamination is demonstrated here.


To protect the reticle during shipping, storage and tool handling, various reticle pod concepts have been proposed and evaluated in the last 10 years. MIRAI-Selete has been developing EUV reticle handling technology and evaluating EUV reticle pods designed using "Dual Pod Concept" for four years. The concept was jointly proposed by Canon and Nikon at the EUV mask technology and standards workshop at Miyazaki in November 2004; a mask is doubly protected by an inner pod and an outer pod and the mask is carried into an exposure tool with the inner pod. Canon, Nikon and Entegris have started collaboration in 2005 and developed three types of EUV pod prototypes, alpha, beta and gamma. The gamma pods were evaluated by MIRAI-Selete and the superiority of the dual pod concept has been verified with many experimental data on shipping, storage and tool handling. The dual pod concept was standardized as SEMI E152-0709 "Mechanical Specification of EUV Pods for 150mm EUVL Reticles" in 2009. Canon, Nikon and Entegris have developed a new pod design compatible with SEMI E152; it has a Type A inner baseplate for uses with EUV exposure tools. The baseplate has two alignment windows, a window for a data matrix symbol and five pockets as the front edge grip exclusion volumes. In addition to the new features, there are some differences between the new SEMI compliant pod design and the former design "CNE-gamma", e.g. the material of the inner cover was changed to metal to reduce outgassing rate and the gap between the reticle and the side supports were widened to satisfy a requirement of the standard. MIRAI-Selete has evaluated the particle protective capability of the new SEMI compliant pods "cnPod" during shipping, storage and tool handling in vacuum and found the "cnPod" has the excellent particle protective capability and the dual pod concept can be used not only for EUVL pilot line but also for EUVL high volume manufacturing.


Mistaken judgments of fact by sporting officials – blown calls – are ubiquitous in sport and have altered the outcomes of games, championships, and even the record books. I argue that the effect these blown calls have on sports is deplorable, even unjust, and that given both the nature of sport in general and the social and economic importance of sports as they are played today, we ought to use technology to aid officials in making their judgments whenever doing so would prove more effective than relying on unaided human perception. I then briefly address a number of objections to the increased use of technology in officiating.


Salt-affected soils are a common problem for the hydrocarbon industry. A remedial tile drain system was installed at a former oil and gas production facility to collect saline leachate and route it for disposal. Our objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of irrigation during a salt flushing experiment within a 20 by 20 m test plot.


The purpose of this paper is to refer to the management of kindergarten educational programs on the basis of nationality the results of research on the educational values of folk games and its application methods to kindergarten in korea. Main results are as follows. 1. The educational values of folk games. ① Promoting the development of sociality. ② Enriching emotional values. ③ Helping intellectual developments. ④ Helping physical developments. ⑤ Helping lingaistic developments. 2. Utilizing methods of folk games in kindergarten. ① Traditional plays, which can be utilized for children, should be selected under considering physical safety, educational values, and appropriateness to children`s physical development levels. ② According to the distinguished characteristics of selected traditional plays, they are divided into 5 developmental areas ③ Classifying the selected traditional plays by stage from easy to difficult each of which is done the concrete contente of teaching. ④ Developing and manufacturing materials about selected traditional plays, which can be easily utilized for children.


AbstractThe low-aspect-ratio tokamak or spherical torus (ST) approach offers the two key elements needed to enable magnetic confinement fusion to make the transition from a government-funded research program to the commercial marketplace: a low-cost, low-power, small-size market entry vehicle and a strong economy of scale in larger devices. Within the ST concept, a very small device (A = 1.4, major radius ~1 m, similar size to the DIII-D tokamak) could be built that would produce ~800 MW(thermal), 200 MW(net electric) and would have a gain, defined as QPLANT = (gross electric power/recirculating power), of ~2. Such a device would have all the operating systems and features of a power plant and would therefore be acceptable as a pilot plant, even though the cost of electricity would not be competitive. The ratio of fusion power to copper toroidal field (TF) coil dissipation rises quickly with device size (like R3 to R4, depending on what is held constant) and can lead to 4-GW(thermal) power plants with QPL...


Foetal welfare during labour may be monitored by continuous recording of the foetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine activity. The nomenclature relating to the FHR curve is outlined and the apparatus described. The FHR monitoring was based upon the foetal phonocardiogram (abdominal) or electrocardiogram (vaginal). 86 patients were monitored during labour, 34 of them because of an abnormal pregnancy or meconium‐stained amniotic fluid. In normal delivery (33 patients) early decelerations were observed during the second stage of labour in one‐half of the cases and bradycardia during the last minutes before delivery in one‐quarter. When the cord was around the neck (15 patients) variable decelerations occurred in one‐quarter and frequently deep early decelerations during the second stage of labour. In two of these cases the foetus developed hypoxia. Meconium‐stained amniotic fluid (10 patients), especially when combined with placental dysfunction, was a poor prognostic sign. One infant showing this sign died during delivery. The FHR curve showed tachycardia, minimal irregularity, and deep late decelerations. Another infant had severe brain damage and died later. Its FHR curve had shown increasing basal FHR and irregularity on the verge of the minimal. Lastly, in a case of deep late decelerations the infant was unaffected at birth. Within the total series FHR abnormalities were seen in 14 cases; 9 of the infants were unaffected, while 5 were depressed or dead. The FHR curve was normal in 72 cases; 71 of the infants were unaffected and only one depressed at birth. It is concluded that late decelerations may be a sign of hypoxia, especially when deep and combined with tachycardia. The most serious sign that the life of the foetus is in danger is cessation of the irregularity on the FHR curve.


Objective A descriptive study was conducted to explore the health promotion characteristics of Chiang Mai University (CMU) in five action means: building healthy public policy, creating supportive environment, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services. Methods All participants were powerful administrators at CMU. A semi-structured in-depth interview using an interview guide developed for this research obtained data from 8 informants. Data were collected during April-June, 2004 and were analyzed using deductive content analysis. Results Health promotion actions were discovered under the five action means of the Ottawa Charter. (1) The majority of the data were assigned to the theme of 'building a healthy public policy', which related to the physical environment, sport and recreation, and management. This manuscript is a report of the findings related to the first action means. Most of the data were under 'the physical environment, which related to physical environment management and its improvement. 'Sport and recreation policy' encompassed policies promoting sport and recreation projects or activities for personnel and students, and policies to establish, provide, or improve the facilities needed for sport and recreation. Three categories in support of 'management' included change management, financial management, and regulations that support health. Conclusion. CMU has developed a number of innovative policies that are promoting health implicitly for its population, even though its policy is not explicit about health promotion. The evidence at this university demonstrates its policies aligned with the first action means of the Ottawa Charter. Nonetheless, these policies require further development. Results of the study provide baseline data for future studies and evaluation. Chiang Mai Med Bull 2006;45(2):65-77.


Psychiatria Danubina, 2022; Vol. 34, Suppl. 4, pp 29-877 S387 business administration is a major with strong practicality. The traditional teaching mode cannot improve students' practical ability. At the same time, the vast majority of colleges and universities do not understand the correlation between practical teaching and theoretical teaching, which causes many colleges and universities to ignore practical teaching. Second, there is not enough equipment and facilities. The practice teaching of business administration major is divided into two aspects: off campus and on campus. The improvement of on campus practice teaching requires a good environmental atmosphere and corresponding infrastructure. Third, there is no enterprise practice base. The practice teaching base of enterprises outside the university has no effect and value. In view of the problems existing in the practical teaching of the major of business administration, this paper puts forward innovative measures for the practical teaching of the major of business administration, which are as follows: standardize the system on the basis of optimizing the concept; Integrate resources from all aspects and establish a practical teaching base. Strengthen the construction of teaching staff and strive to cultivate high-quality teachers. Objective: This paper analyzes the effect of practical teaching innovation of business administration on college students' anxiety, aiming to improve college students' anxiety and other bad emotions. Subjects and methods: 100 college students with different degrees of psychological anxiety were selected as the research objects. The psychological health status of the patients was analyzed by Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), and the anxiety of the patients was analyzed and evaluated by particle swarm optimization algorithm. The experimental period lasted for 3 months. The HAMA scale is divided into two factors, mental and physical, with a total of 14 items. Each item is measured with a 5-level score, and the total score is 60 points. Somatic anxiety factors include autonomic nervous system symptoms, reproductive and urinary system symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory system symptoms, cardiovascular system symptoms, sensory system and muscle system symptoms. Mental anxiety factors include behavior performance, depression, cognitive function, insomnia, fear, tension and anxiety. The higher the score of the scale, the more serious the anxiety of patients. The anxiety level is divided into four levels: no anxiety, possible anxiety, obvious anxiety and serious anxiety. Results: Table 1 shows the effect of practical teaching innovation of business administration on college students' anxiety. It can be seen from the figure that after the implementation of the innovative practical teaching mode of business administration, the anxiety of college students can be greatly improved, and the improvement rate has reached more than 85%. Follow up college teaching can pay more attention to students' mental health problems. Table 1. The effect of innovation in practical teaching of business administration on college students' anxiety/% Index Before After 1 month After 2 months Behavior during the meeting 78.0 84.0 86.0 Depressed mood 77.0 82.0 87.0 Cognitive function 75.0 81.0 88.0 Insomnia 76.0 84.0 89.0


The Defence of Poesie - perhaps surprisingly contains not horse play exactly but something like playfully deliberate and apparent ?horse thought', share a commonality of knowledge and allusion, are both literary and horse-suffused. This chapter examines the Exordium of Sidney's Defence, exploring the ways that elitist concerns with courtly values, the rhetorical strategies involved in diplomacy and in service to and dependence on the monarch and a valorisation of horses and equestrian arts come together in the text, as they did in these significant moments in Sidney's life. Another form of relationship that influenced Sidney to open a discourse on poetry with a mini-essay on managing horses. defence of poetry in a stable with a mini-essay on horsemanship was to bring to mind the Georgics and thence issues of weakening stock and good breeding of beautiful horses, good poetry and good sires and dams, and gentle leadership and sway. Keywords:horse; horsemanship; poetry; rhetorical strategies; Sidney; The Defence of Poesie


In this paper, the correlation between the accelerations measured at the track components and the parameters affecting the acceleration is analyzed. To do it, the accelerations of each track component such as rails, sleepers and ballast are measured in Kyong-Bu high-speed Line. The RMS values of the measured accelerations are calculated and the pad stiffness, the longitudinal irregularity, running velocity and the corrugation, are considered as the parameters affecting the acceleration. By using the linear regression, the correlation coefficients are calculated to analyze the relationship between the acceleration characteristics and the parameters. Also, the 1/3 Octave analysis is calculated to analyze the dominant frequency band of the accelerations of the track components.


Although over the years critics have maintained a consensus on the central theme of paralysis in Dubliners, this essay contends that it fails to provide a coherent reading of the stories, a fact that has already been widely admitted when it comes to the expansive view of Irish society in "The Dead." Unsurprisingly enough, the social theory Joyce announced conflicts with the diversity of his fictional practice. Following Joyce's contradictory assertion that his collection intends to forward "the spiritual liberation of my country," this essay examines each protagonist's double liberation, first from his or her daily routine, and second from the new "adventure" when it proves disappointing. Joyce doesn't judge his characters, leaving them free to make their own mistakes. Similarly, he leaves his readers free to draw their own conclusions from the delicately balanced evidence he presents in his tone of


In a large array of globally coupled random bistable units, an ordered phase can appear at an intermediate noise strength. In company with the appearance of the ordered phase, super transients and spatiotemporal intermittencies can be found. The analysis based on a mean-field theory shows that the appearance of a fascinating ordered phase is caused by a phenomenon named the array enhanced tunnel crisis resulting from the nontrivial cooperative effect of the noise, the nonlinearity, and the coupling among units.


Based on a Monte Carlo method, we investigate the influence of transport conditions on the electron spin relaxation in GaAs. The decay of initial electron spin polarization is calculated as a function of distance under the presence of moderate drift fields and/or nonzero injection energies. For relatively low fields (a couple of kV/cm), a substantial amount of spin polarization is preserved for several microns at 300 K. However, it is also found that the spin relaxation rate increases rapidly with the drift field, scaling as the square of the electron wave vector in the direction of the field. When the electrons are injected with a high energy, a pronounced decrease is observed in the spin relaxation length due to an initial increase in the spin precession frequency. Hence, high-field or high-energy transport conditions may not be desirable for spin-based devices.


Objective. To investigate the flexure strengths and elastic modulus of four types of dental fiber posts. Methods. The flexure strengths of ParaPost Taper Lux, Tenax Fiber White, Luxa Post and Rebilda Post fiber post were measured. The rupture modes were analyzed with SEM. Results. There was no significant difference between ParaPost Taper Lux (591.47±35.15MPa) and Rebilda Post (614.67±58.36MPa) in flexure strength (P>0.05), and Tenax Fiber White (846.62±71.15MPa) had significantly higher flexure strength than the other groups. There was no significant difference between Tenax Fiber White (23.93±2.14GPa) and Luxa Post (22.67±1.39GPa) in elastic modulus (P>0.05), and Tenax Fiber White and Luxa Post had significantly lower elastic modulus than other groups. It could be observed by transverse SEM that the combine of fiber and resin was even and compact and plenty of resin fragment adhered to the surface of fiber in Tenax Fiber White group, multitudinous cracks were observed by lengthwise SEM. Conclusion. The flexural properties and rupture modes of four kinds of dental fiber posts were significantly different.


The distribution of residual stress in cells with the practical size of 120 mm diameter was measured by X-ray diffraction utilizing synchrotron radiation at Super Photon ring 8 GeV (SPring-8). The residual stress was determined by the constant penetration depth method. When NiO-samaria-doped ceria (SDC) was sintered on (La,Sr)(Ga,Mg,Co)O 3-δ (LSGMC), the tensile stresses resided in NiO and SDC, and the compressive stress resided in LSGMC. The reduction of the anode by hydrogen decreased tensile stresses in the anode. The residual stresses in the electrodes did not change at any X-ray penetration depth. The sintering of the cathode slightly affected the residual stresses of the cells.


The production of recombinant proteins for health applications accounts for a large share of the biopharmaceutical market. While many drugs are produced in microbial and mammalian systems, plants gain more attention as expression hosts to produce eukaryotic proteins. In particular the GMP-compliant moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens) has outstanding features such as excellent genetic amenability, reproducible bioreactor cultivation, and humanized protein glycosylation patterns. In this study, we selected and characterized novel terminators for their effects on heterologous gene expression. The Physcomitrella genome contains 53,346 unique 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) of which 7,964 transcripts contain at least one intron. Over 91% of 3'UTRs exhibit more than one polyadenylation site, indicating the prevalence of alternative polyadenylation in Physcomitrella. Out of all 3'UTRs, 14 terminator candidates were selected and characterized via transient Dual Luciferase assays, yielding a collection of endogenous terminators performing equally high as established heterologous terminators CaMV35S, AtHSP90, and NOS. High performing candidates were selected for testing as double terminators which impact reporter levels, dependent on terminator identity and positioning. Testing of 3'UTRs among the different promoters NOS, CaMV35S, and PpActin5 showed an increase of more than 1,000-fold between promoters PpActin5 and NOS, whereas terminators increased reporter levels by less than 10-fold, demonstrating the stronger effect promoters play as compared to terminators. The number of polyadenylation sites as well as polyadenylation signals were found to be major determinants of terminator performance. Our results improve the biotechnology platform Physcomitrella and further our understanding of how terminators influence gene expression in plants in general. Key message Characterization of Physcomitrella 3'UTRs across different promoters yields endogenous single and double terminators for usage in molecular pharming and indicates promoters and terminators to synergistically control gene expression.


Objective
To evaluate the value of diagnosis for less than 2 cm liver lesions using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, enhanced perfusion imaging and diffusion imaging.

Methods
Fifty-three patients with nodules less than 2 cm underwent standardized contrast-enhanced ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans, respectively. Final diagnosis was determined by pathology or follow-up. Comparative analysis of its diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy was performed retrospectively.

Results
Based on the pathology or follow-up for patients, we confirmed that there were 27 patients of primary liver cancer, 10 focal nodular hyperplasia, 9 hemangioma, 4 metastatic tumor, 2 liver angioleiomyolipoma, and 1 liver cyst coincidence with infection. Combined with the three diagnosis tests, we found that enhanced perfusion imaging and diffusion imaging had a higher sensitivity, specifity and accuracy (91%, 97%, 93%, respectively) than contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and was significantly prior to computed tomography (P<0.05).

Conclusion
MR enhanced perfusion imaging and diffusion imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound has an excellent diagnostic value for liver tumors <2 cm.

Key words:
Ultrasonography; Tomography, spiral computed; Perfusion imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Liver neoplasms


1. Integrated composite cable (K) of high power, intended for use as direct electrical heating cable comprising at least one cable (4) high capacity to transfer large amounts of electrical energy / power, the filler material (2, 3) in the form rigid elongated plastic elements laid at least partly around and between said cable (4) high power, which are assembled together by twisting the twisted styling and fixing operations, and a protective cover (1) to oraya covers said cables (4) high-power and said filler material (2, 3), wherein chtookruzhayuschie elements, i.e. the filler material (2, 3) and the shell (1) made of semiconductor material, said semiconductor material able to divert, or dissipate, capacitive currents arising in said composite cable (K), high power, when said cable (4) high power transmit large amounts of electrical energy / power, wherein said elongated rigid plastic lementy (2, 3) comprise a longitudinally directed channels (C) for receiving seawater, and said protective outer jacket (1) comprises a substantially radially directed channel (C), communicating with said longitudinally directed channels (C), wherein said marine water forms a means for removing or dissipating the capacitive currents generated in the composite high power cable, wherein a cross section of said composite cable has a high power of at least one additional metal electron HRFZ


Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa explores what drives outcomes for early-stage startups and investors in Africa. The first section tackles the assump-tions that drive venture capital (VC) investing norms and how well they apply in Africa, while the second section addresses how founder, team, and investor behavior; communication; execution; and alignment influence startup success or failure. This report makes a case for why African market realities (which are distinct from other mar-kets' realities), and startup characteristics (in which key variables may be similar but context affects how they're experienced on the ground) create a set of operational norms that influence how startups and funds behave. The existence of this unique "operational code" should inform how early-stage investing is practiced in Africa.


This research paper considers how bespoke online social networks have been used to support students' transition into higher education during the weeks immediately prior to formal 'on-site' induction. An analysis of online activities showed some differences in the pattern of engagement between two contrasting departments (Geography and English), but information drawn from student questionnaires and focus groups, combined with tutor interviews, highlighted similar perceived benefits across both networks, including greater familiarity with new people and new places, which seemed to help ease anxieties as students prepared for life at university. By drawing on a wider cross-university questionnaire survey, eight factors which have been shown to be important in creating effective online social networking environments are discussed, including the need to maximise tutor involvement, deliver regular content updates and provide quick responses to student queries. Each factor has important implications for those interested in designing and executing innovations of this nature.


This paper reports the typical problems encountered in the construction and interpretation of control charts for use in the motor industery. The main findings include the fact that the data used to construct the initial control limits sometimes fail to give a true picture of process performance, the statistical theory underlying the design of control charts is often not considered and understood by users, and the taking of samples involving attribute data appears, on occasions, to be more prone to difficulties than is the case with measured data. A list of dos and don'ts is given which may help companies avoid some of the trap encountered in the construction of control charts.


We report on the crystalline structure, morphology and thermomagnetic properties of glass-coated magnetic microwires with Cu 56 Ga 28 Mn 16 composition, as well as the thermal annealing influence on its magneto-structural properties. As-cast CuMnGa microwires exhibit a majority cubic B2 phase, and upon annealing at temperatures up to 573 K a new hexagonal phase appears coexisting with the cubic B2 major phase. Thermal annealing treatments also shift the Curie temperature about 150 K with respect to the one for the as-cast microwire. Furthermore, the signature of a structural phase transition is observed for the microwire annealed at 523 K


A review of cases concerning the relationship between the Bill of Rights and the Indian Act shows judicial confusion. The author analyzes the three major Supreme Court of Canada decisions and shows how "equality before the law" has been defined. He then applies the American "reasonable classification" test to the relationship by identifying the purpose of the above Acts to see if they apply to all persons who are similarly situated with respect to the said purpose. Mr. M'Gonigle concludes that the test is applicable to distinguish between a discriminatory exercise of statutory power and one which reflects concern for the Indians, and further suggests the manner in which the three cases and all future cases should be judicially approached.


Fe-based nano-crystalline thick ribbons (up to 150 mum) with excellent soft magnetic properties were developed in Fe71B22TaxY6-xAg1 alloys (x=1 ~ 5) alloys. The design of these Fe-based alloys was based on a ternary bulk metallic glass (BMG) Fe-B-Y system; Ta and Ag were added to achieve optimal nano-crystallization and to improve soft magnetic properties. An optimal composition Fe71B22Ta5Y1Ag1 was worked out showing good glass forming ability, and sound soft magnetic properties after nano-crystallization at 615degC for 5 min: saturation magnetization 1.44 T (152 emu/g), coercivity 35 A/m, and effective permeability at 1 kHz higher than 28000. The nanocrystalline Fe23B6 phase was found to be magnetically soft in these thick ribbons.


In order to improve the conformity of the glove wearers, the microporous breathable polyethylene gloves are developed using Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Ziegler-Natta Linear-Low Density Polyethylene (ZNLLDPE), Metallocene Linear-Low Density Polyethylene (MLLDPE) and calcium carbonate filler (CC). In this study, LDPE/ZNLLDPE/CC and LDPE/MLLDPE/CC microporous films were prepared to investigate the influence of ZNLLDPE and MLLDPE on the film breathability and elongation. The microporous films were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Particulate Filtration Efficiency (PFE) analysis, Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) testing and mechanical properties testing. Based on the result, LDPE-MLLDPE film yielded film breathability of 335.73 g/m2 ∙ day which is 95.3% higher than LDPE-ZNLLDPE film due to the higher LDPE-MLLDPE film crystallinity and prominent dewetting behaviour between CC and LDPE/MLLDPE matrix. Moreover, the high degree of tie molecules in MLLDPE enabled the film to stretch further upon film elongation. Therefore, LDPE-MLLDPE film showed up to 207.2% comparatively better film elongation than LDPE-ZNLLDPE film. The improved film breathability and film elongation render the mixture of LDPE/MLLDPE/CC as a better material for breathable polyethylene glove production.


In an analysis of national newspaper editorials covering the Leveson Inquiry, Noelle De Guzman finds an increasingly critical press at the tail end of the Inquiry.


The dose distribution of the 42 MV X-ray bremsstrahlung of the betatron is represented by reference dose, depth dose and transverse dose. The method used to determine the parameters of a system of functions to approximate reference dose and depth dose is described and the coefficient schemes of the functions are indicated. The standardized equivalent field surface and the opening ratio of the useful radiation stop of the betatron serve as variables for the approximation.


Direct numerical simulation results are presented of magnetohydrodynamic liquid metal flow between two vertical coaxial cylinders under the effect of internal heating and a horizontal magnetic field. The end walls are thermally insulated, while the cylindrical walls are at the same temperature. The flow is driven by the heat sources under the stabilizing effect of the external magnetic field. The problem is characterized by the internal Rayleigh number, expressing the internal heating, and the Hartmann number corresponding to the magnetic field. Depending on their value laminar, transitional or turbulent flow may occur. The heat sources create bi-cellular flow patterns as the maximum temperature in inside the fluid bulk. Te flow is azimuthally asymmetric due to the Hartmann and Robert layers formed on the walls normal and parallel to the magnetic field, respectively.


Inhalation product development is an important area of activity for the pharmaceutical sector. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are becoming increasingly common and there is growing recognition of the benefits of the pulmonary route for systemic drug delivery. The industry is responding by investing heavily in both formulation and device research. Inhalation delivery platforms include nebulizers and both dry powder and metered dose inhalers (DPIs and MDIs).


A new type of transmission line dielectric cell is described for measurement of the microwave dielectric properties of liquids. It can be used as a flowthrough cell for continuous monitoring. Results are given for various alcohols and compared with the literature.


The current article presents research on the likelihood that the individual approach in pedagogical practice leads to discrimination practices toward students. Teachers have long been considered as leading figures in Bulgarian society throughout the history and have been actively participating in shaping the nation. With the contemporary changes in teachers' role, educational tasks and newly formed skills and requirements in the personal development for each student and the ever changing expectations from society toward teachers' abilities and social and emotional competences, it becomes clear that teachers often relay on their personal attitudes toward a student or a group of students to guide them when evaluating or even giving tasks with a different level of difficulties in order to help them improve which could easily be mistaken as an individual approach. The presented research aims at collecting data from in-service teachers in order to provide further information on the status of use/misuse of individual approach within Bulgarian educational system. The authors do not in any way imply that the teachers are intentionally agreeing to discrimination against one student or a group of students. On the contrary, the article presents the attitudes toward individual approach as a common practice which is used often but also being misused with good intentions. The target group consists of 86 in-service teachers selected randomly from different regions of Bulgaria, teaching in different types of schools and kindergartens. The article presents the outcomes and some applicable recommendations for preventions of discriminatory practices as a result from application of individual approach in education. 2357-1330 © 2020 Published by European Publisher.


The purpose of the paper is to provide a systematic insight into the state of the art in the regional (subnational) input-output analyses. Large and growing body of scientific literature in the field is very diverse, fragmented and challenging to comprehend mostly because it is usually published as articles, not only in the field specific journals, but also sporadically in other journals. On the other hand subnational (regional) level of the analysis is not very frequent. However, articles concerning this level are not easy to identify in a bunch of literature because the term 'regional' can refer to various spatial levels (country, continent, group of countries, sub-national entities). Therefore, there is a need for upto-date and comprehensive meta-analysis of the work done so far in the area of regional (sub-national) input-output analyses. The present systematic review is based on a broad search of two databases of scientific publications: Web of Science and SCOPUS. In this research we apply a Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) approach and conduct a content-coding of selected papers. Acknowledgements: The study was carried out within a project financed by the Polish National Science Centre, decision number DEC-2012/07/B/HS4/03251.


WOOD'S LAMP [ultraviolet (UV) light] examination has been used for many years by a variety of specialties to evaluate and diagnose of skin lesions. 1–4 For the cosmetic surgeon, UV examination serves multiple purposes. The primary use is to identify the extent and depth of pigmentation seen in photodamage, melasma, keratoses, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, and other dyschromias. An important consideration for resurfacing procedures is to access the depth required to ablate various dyschromic lesions. It is impossible to determine the depth of hyperpigmentation using the naked eye alone. Black light emits a wavelength of 354 nm. Melanin absorbs UV light and areas of epidermal hyperpigmentation become more pronounced under UV examination. Conversely, areas of deeper (dermal) hyperpigmentation become less obvious. 5 The more pigment visible under UV light, the more superficial the lesions and the better the response to superficial resurfacing procedures. Simply stated, the worse a patient looks under UV light, the easier it is to correct the hyperpigmentation. Lesions that are obvious to the naked eye and do not show up under UV light are deeper in the dermis and may not be amenable to superficial resurfacing techniques. Epidermal melanin may extend into the dermis and obscure the dermal pigmentation. A patient with significant epidermal melanin may be hiding deeper dermal pigmentation, therefore the surgeon can never be sure that removal of the epidermis will completely remove the hyperpigmentation viewed with UV examination. Wood's lamp examination has been used for decades for clinical evaluation and patient education. An additional advantage is that the patient can actually witness the amount of damage inflicted on the skin. One significant problem that exists is the inability to easily show the patient the amount of damage present. Many practitioners have the patient hold a mirror during the examination, but it is often difficult for the patient to see the intensified melanin. This occurs because the room is dark and the light can obscure their vision and they cannot view all areas. Specialized clinical photographic systems are available to make instant images of the UV examination, but they are quite expensive and require film. The author is unaware of any current system designed to be used readily with digital photography. Digital photographic reproduction of a UV examination is difficult to perform without specialized equipment because of the low light conditions and the difficulty photographing under UV light conditions. Modern digital imaging software has made it possible to "postprocess" UV images to accurately reproduce the examination.


In Java the compiler guarantees that each local variable is initialised when we attempt to access it at runtime. This prohibits access to uninitialised memory during execution and is a key ingredient for type safety. We have formalised the definite assignment analysis of the Java compiler in the theorem prover Isabelle/HOL and proved it correct.


Stabilization projects have been implemented in various parts of the world to improve the strength and bearing capacity of foundations and to control the permeability, shrink–swell potential, and related characteristics of soil materials. A primary stabilization method is using amendments that have textural, mineralogical, and chemical characteristics that are capable of generating the required changes in physicochemical characteristics of soils when they are mixed. Stabilization agents that are currently available for soil improvement include portland cement, bituminous cement, fly ash, slags, lime, lignins, calcium salts, and polymers. The composite materials formed through soil stabilization vary in degree of cementation from free particles to monoliths in which soil and other introduced particles are bound. Whatever the degree of cementation attained, pores within particles intragranular pores and pores among particles intergranular pores cannot be completely eliminated from stabilized materials. Invariably, solid–solid, solid–liquid, solid–air, liquid–air, and triple interfaces exist in stabilized materials. These interfaces are the primary locations of physicochemical and biological processes that have significant implications on the initial strength and durability of stabilized materials. Across solid–solid interfaces, particles may be of the same or different materials, the statistics of which depend on the mix proportions of the host material often, a multicomponent soil and the stabilization agent, if it is initially in solid form. Usually, the agent is applied in the liquid form, but regardless, subsequent precipitation of new solid phases derived from substances in the agent as well as in the host material, can still create new solid– solid interfaces. Obviously, the prominence of interfaces involving liquids and air depends on the porosity and permeability of the stabilized material and pore fluid chemistry. Interfaces are weak links in materials, because they provide greater opportunities than intact portions of materials for stress concentrations through a variety of mechanochemical processes. These mechanisms and processes are briefly discussed herein, with respect to the durability of chemically stabilized geomaterials. The surficial environment typically, 0–10 m deep in which field stabilization projects are usually performed is subjected to cyclical stresses and reversals of environmental conditions over hours, days, and months. Within the bounds of the microclimate of the region of concern, daily and seasonal reversals in ground temperature, as well as moisture conditions, occur. As a result of contaminant emissions from industrial and civil facilities and con-


Abstract The formation of white bio‐membrane (shenghua) on the surface of pickle leads to uneatable and spoiled products, which has been the key problem restricting the development of Sichuan pickle industry. In this study, the 17 microorganisms in the white membrane of pickled radish were screened and identified, of which Candida parapsilosis was the main strain causing "shenghua". The membrane‐forming ability of Candida parapsilosis was determined by crystal violet staining to explore its adaptability to the fermentation environment concerning temperature and oxygen. It was found that Candida parapsilosis had the strongest membrane‐forming capacity under the aerobic condition at 37°C, with the highest OD595 nm value reached to 3.473 ± 0.07 at 72 h post inoculation. This research identified Lactobacillus fermentum SHY10 to be the inhibitor of the membrane production of Candida parapsilosis via the Oxford cup method on a Petri dish, and via co‐inoculation with Candida parapsilosis in pickles. Furthermore, this study specified that the cell‐free supernatant (CFS) of L. fermentum SHY10 had the most significant inhibitory effects and likely to result from protein substances in the CFS. Proteases treated CFS had significantly reduced inhibitory effects against membrane formation, which confirmed that the active component was protein substances. Overall, this study identified a functional LAB strain with significant inhibitory effects against the white membrane formation in pickles, which provide a safe and consumer‐friendly solution for the membrane problem in the fermented vegetable industry.


The principle of matching is a general concept of control system design that gives due regard for the environment in which the system is to operate. That is, given a set of permissible environments and a set of permissible systems, the task of the designer is to choose one environment and one system such that the two are well-matched. For the practical design of most engineering control systems, it is important to explicitly consider uncertainty within the system plant. Therefore, to design the control system within the framework of matching, practical robust matching conditions are required. This report provides sufficient conditions for a robust match for systems with plants modelled as having additive, multiplicative or factored uncertainty. Both upper and lower bounds on the sufficient conditions for a match are presented.


Duality is the operation that interchanges hypervertices and hyperfaces on oriented hypermaps. The duality index measures how far a hypermap is from being self-dual. We say that an oriented regular hypermap has duality-type { l , n } if l is the valency of its vertices and n is the valency of its faces. Here, we study some properties of the duality index of oriented regular hypermaps and we prove that for each pair n , l ∈ N , with n , l ≥ 2 (but not both equal to 2), it is possible to find an oriented regular hypermap with extreme duality index and of duality-type { l , n }, even if we are restricted to hypermaps with alternating or symmetric monodromy group.


Abstract A predictive model for sound propagation in tubes with permeable walls is presented. In this, acoustic coupling between the internal and external sound fields is taken into account by the use of an iterative procedure that involves finite-length "cells" of uniform properties in the tube and an appropriate external radiation model. The propagation model is verified by comparison to experimental data on a perforated metal tube and is applied to a practical type of permeable fabric tube. Good agreement between prediction and experiment is noted in the former case with predicted wall impedance values, and in the second case with "best fit" empirically derived wall impedance figures.


A meshing algorithm for continuous differentiable functions that represent surfaces is presented. This algorithm exploits the gaussian and mean curvatures defined on the surface to distribute triangles over it, keeping quality criteria defined in Delaunay triangulations. A right generalized cylinder (RGC) model is used as a test case.


This study aims to reveal the feasibility of an augmented reality-assisted physics e-module based on the local wisdom of pedicabs in teaching. This study uses the 4-D development model (define, design, develop, and disseminate). The research data were obtained from the results of the product feasibility evaluation by material experts and media experts (two expert lecturers, three physics teachers, and two peer reviewers), as well as from the student response questionnaire. The result of the assessment by material and media experts shows the developed module is in the very good category. Assessment of student responses to the developed e-module on the circular motion material shows that in terms of the attractiveness aspect it is in a good category, and in terms of usability and operation aspects, it is in a good category. The developed augmented reality-assisted physics e-module based on the local wisdom of the pedicab is suitable for use in teaching circular motion materials


ABSTRACT The social life of methods – the idea that research methods are an important topic of inquiry in and of themselves – has been receiving increasing interest in scholarship on the organisation of the economy and social life, including Science and Technology Studies (STS). In STS, especially ethnographic methods have been important for decades. This article develops an ethnographic methodology for the study of a very new case that challenges the assumptions underpinning many STS ethnographies. This case is the networked energy infrastructure, and we specifically focus on its risk management and markets. Drawing upon recent STS interest in multi-sited ethnography, the article's research design is termed the multi-sited analysis of infrastructures (MSAI), and it develops the concepts of framing and taming to focus on meaning formation as mundane sense-making and as technicalised reasoning on different sites. We demonstrate these concepts in a multi-sited ethnography of energy infrastructure and its risk management and market activities in public regulation, special control rooms (including energy trading), and households. The article rounds up by explaining how the application of our methodology contributes to the advancement of interests in multi-sited ethnography, relating our research to the previous work in the fields of STS, infrastructure studies, and their methods.


The article proposes an analysis of the role of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) during the late Ottoman and the early nationalist (Republican) Turkey and focusses especially on the ABCFM organization and the role of Protestant missionaries, which they succeeded in establishing autonomous schools, hospitals, clinics, orphanages, lodgings and ateliers not only in the capitals, but also in provinces. The American Board began evangelism among Armenians, and the education and the social services became part of the Protestant movement in the Near East. Following efforts to Christianize the nations through evangelism, in the mid of 19th century, Merzifon (Marsovan) province was chosen due to its location in the middle of Anatolia and Merzifon Anatolia College was designed as an important 'station' in order to support the American missionary movements. Then, between the years 1886 and 1938, ABCFM built strong connections with Anatolia College in Merzifon to gain a very important strategic position. In the context of the First World War, the function of the Anatolia College buildings has changed for different aims; the military used these buildings as the Artillery Regiment. After the war the ABCFM's network broke down but its strong contribution to present education in Turkey is inevitable. The site as a heritage is still an active part of the city's cultural life with some existing buildings of ABCFM supporting culture and education. For instance Merzifon Anatolia College Hospital is used by Merzifon High School for Science, Merzifon Anatolia College Library and Museum Building are used by Amasya University as Vocational School Administration Building. The other College buildings have been used by the Ministry of National Defense for many years. The North College, for instance, served as Non-commissioned Officer School during the First World War. In this study, cultural sustainability of the Merzifon Anatolia College buildings each constructed with different aims and various stories has been investigated. As a method, the historical background of the site and the buildings has been revealed through archive documents and interviews have been held with historians. A detailed field search has been carried out to document the current status and usages of the buildings. Protecting aura with the function of the building thus its authenticity is an opinion that is supported by many theorists but when the function is no longer valid, sustainability of aura is in danger. In this sense, the present usage of the Anatolia College buildings for educational purposes might be the indication that the aura of the past is still culturally sustained.


The economic cost of financial crises is enormous. The recent crisis highlighted the extent of systemic risk and thus the overriding importance of a stable financial system. It also demonstrated the inadequacy of the instruments and measures used until now to ensure financial stability. More effective measures are needed to check and prevent systemic risk. The key question is how should – or can – this be achieved in the future?


A burgeoning number of studies provide evidence that history matters for development today. A specific channel by which history can matter is through exports and diversification. The Caribbean has adopted export promotion and diversification as key growth policies since the 1950s with little success. Moreover, there are few empirical studies on the region from which meaningful policies have been derived. The objective of this thesis is to conduct empirical research on exports and diversification for the Caribbean by constructing a large panel data set which includes colonial and post colonial exports from which policy recommendations can be made. The thesis comprises of three main papers. The first paper investigates whether Caribbean countries undergo increasing diversification followed by re-concentration. This is a robust empirical finding in the literature the implication of which leaves little room for policy intervention. The aim of the second paper is to quantify the economic impact of hurricanes on exports as they are the most frequent external shock experienced by the region. And lastly, given the extreme volatility and uncertainty faced by the region the third paper uses portfolio optimization to empirically determine the best export basket for the region.


Neuromyopathy is a rare side effect of chronic colchicine therapy, especially without renal impairment. Drugs interacting with colchicine metabolism through CYP3A4 can accelerate accumulation and toxicity. We describe a case of an interaction between atorvastatin, clarithromycin and colchicine resulting in acute neuromyopathy. LEARNING POINTS Colchicine has a narrow therapeutic window, and therefore, often produces side effects. Special caution should be adopted if patients with renal disease and concomitant medications are given colchicine. Before prescribing colchicine, the clinical history, including previous medications and conditions, should be carefully considered.


Insomnia is a public health problem and one of the most common complaints in medical practice. Sleep disturbances may manifest as difficulty falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia), maintaining sleep continuity (waking in the middle of the night and difficulty going back to sleep) or waking too early in the morning long before the desired time (early morning insomnia). Insomnia can significantly affect daytime functioning, leading to waking up in the morning tired, reduced productivity, a tendency to make mistakes and have accidents, inability to concentrate, frequent daytime sleep and a poor quality of life. The etiology and pathophysiology of insomnia include genetic, environmental, behavioural and physiological factors. Although insomnia can affect any gender and age group, women and the elderly are more vulnerable and are more likely to develop insomnia. A detailed sleep history is key to assessing insomnia. Clinicians must be able to recognise sleep disturbances and rule out other sleep-related disorders. The aim of treating insomnia is to improve sleep and alleviate the distress or dysfunction caused by this disorder. Psychological therapy methods, drug therapy, or combinations of these methods can be used to treat insomnia. Some behavioural interventions are feasible in primary care, but lack of training in these methods limits theiruse. Various natural and over-the-counter drugs, such as melatonin-based drugs, are used as sleeping pills. Melatonin has been evaluated as a sleeping pill in different doses, demonstrating a small but significant effect on sleep latency.


The climate change is the main issue in recent decades. Marine and coastal areas are deeply affected by climate change. To investigate the effect of climate change in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, the variations of main meteorological parameters such as anomaly of minimum and maximum temperature, precipitation, sea surface temperature and, also the frequency of foggy, hazy and dusty days are examined in a 40-year period from 1979 to 2018 (anomalies with respect to the 1981–2010 baseline). The results of the study showed that the significant increasing trend in temperature in all stations that located in industrial and urban area. There is no significant change in precipitation due to complex structure of this parameter in the South Caspian Sea areas. The lake effect and topography play as a key role in generation of precipitation than large scale systems. Also there is highly significant increasing trend of sea surface temperature in South Caspian Sea which is a result of the effects of global warming in that region. There is also an increase in the occurrence of the rare dust phenomenon in that area. The increasing trend of hazy days was observed in all areas, particularly in industrial zones that can affect some meteorological parameters.


Convinced of the necessity of analyzing the Christian sacraments with the theoretical and methodological instruments that modern social and cultural anthropology offers, the author presents an interdisciplinary analysis of the baptismal rite of the bath of water. He describes the basic notes of any rite or symbol: repetition, complexity, sociability, religiosity and communicational intersubjectivity. He goes on to study the «bath of water» from the perspective of anthropology, the biblical exegesis and the liturgy. PALABRAS CLAVE | KEYWORDS eficacia simbolica | bautismo | simbolismo del agua | rito | religion | liturgia | symbolic effectiveness | Baptism | water symbolism | rite | liturgy


In a method for producing oxygen by air distillation fed with air at atmospheric pressure to produce a first and a second pressurized air flows, a first purification unit (5), a second unit purification (7), the first and second outgoing pressurized air flows from the compression means to a first and second pressure, the first and second pressures being at different pressures of at least 0.5 bar, the first is sent pressurized air flow from a first output of the compression means to the first purification unit at the first pressure to produce a first flow of purified air, the first purified air flow is sent from the first unit purification in a column of the column system (15), it sends the second purified air flow rate of the second cleaning unit to a column of the column system at least partially condensed form, is withdrawn from a liquid rich in ox Ygene the column system, is vaporized by heat exchange with at least the second purified flow, and provides as a product.


The thermal lens effect is analyzed as a time-resolved Z-scan measurement using cw-single Gaussian beam configuration. The main characteristics of the measurement method are determined. We focus on the evaluation of the measurement error from statistical calculations to also check the linearity of the response and the way to extract the thermo-optical characteristics of absorbing liquids. The results are also applied to demonstrate the feasibility of absorption and scattering efficiencies determination on gold nanoparticles of 5 and 50 nm diameters.


We study stable stable transparent monolithic nanocomposites based on the silica matrix doped with CdS nanoparticles (NPs) of different nature. The first kind of nanocomposite was obtained by nucleation and growth of nanoparticles in glass matrix during heat treatment. The second nanocomposite was obtained by immobilization of pre-made nanoparticles into silica gel matrix. This work is focused on characterization of the nanocomposites in the submicron scale by using electron microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering techniques. Experimental results show that both types of nanocomposites have homogeneous distribution of quantum dots. Form-factor and average size of CdS NPs depend on the synthesis technique


nucleus ruber and so by the rubrospinal paths to striate muscles (myofibrillary substance); tegmento-spinal influence regulates the tonicity of the muscle sarcoplasm. The pathogenesis of tremor and other sorts of involuntary movement is investigated with less precision; the dyskineses are ascribed in a somewhat vague and general fashion to disturbance of the ' myostatic system,' in particular the neostriatum. The vasomotor, secretory, and trophic signs of paralysis agitans are also discussed. In. spite of not a little that is purely hypothetical this monograph will repay carefuil perusal. S. A. K. W.


This study investigated the effects of online schooling and screen-based activities on Canadian children's COVID-19-related trauma and generalized anxiety symptoms and how parents' coping strategies influenced these associations. The participants were 121 Canadian children aged from 7 to 12. Parents were asked to report on their children's school attendance, screen-based activities, and trauma and generalized anxiety symptoms, as well as their own coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online schooling was associated with less trauma and generalized anxiety symptoms in children than school non-attendance. Screen-based activities were not directly associated with children's trauma and anxiety symptoms, but the way parents coped with pandemic stressors moderated these associations. Parents' active and adaptive coping strategies mitigated the effects of school non-attendance and increased screen-based activity use on children's COVID-19-related symptoms. The findings not only highlight the detrimental effects of complete school closures, but they also underscore the importance of better equipping parents to cope with pandemic stressors. The findings also suggest that virtual school attendance might have similar benefits to in-person attendance, as it appears to protect against adverse mental health outcomes.


The study was designed to demonstrate the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of Oregano against C. freundii. The study consist of two parts, the first part (invitro) including study the sensitivity of C. freundii against safflower extract and antibiotics. where, the results showed very high inhibition efficacy of extract, which reached to 30 mm, while Neomycin inhibition zone reach to 14mm, Novobiocin inhibition zone reach to 9mm and Tetracycline inhibition zone reach to 9mm In the second part (in vivo) used 24 albino rats and divide to six groups (each group consist 4 rats). control group, group injected with (1x105 CFU/ml/25mg) bacteria, group injected with (1x105 CFU/ml/25mg) bacteria and treated with neomycin, group injected with (1x105 CFU/ml/25mg) bacteria and treated with novobiocin, group injected with (1x105 CFU/ml/25mg) bacteria and treated with tetramycine, group injected with (1x105 CFU/ml/25mg) bacteria with extract. The MDA levels in infected group and treated groups with antibiotics increased and GSH levels in infected group and treated groups with antibiotics show decreased (P < 0.05) compared control rats. In treated group with extract, MDA and GSH levels show on-significant change compare with control rats. It was concluded from present study that the Oregano has an antimicrobial and antioxidant activity against C. freundii.


Attention mechanism is a simple method derived from the research of human vision. With the development of artificial intelligence, it is gradually applied to the field of deep learning, especially computer vision. The weight of the pixels is redistributed in the form of a mask to compose attention mechanism. Various tasks in the field of computer vision, including image classification, object detection, image semantic segmentation, and fine-grained classification, have used attention mechanism widely and significantly improved. This paper presents an introductory summary of the mechanisms in computer vision problems through recent research. Provide readers with the basics of this widely used method, explore its manifestations under different tasks, evaluate the performance of attention mechanisms, and look forward to its development trends.


Time jitter in a rotary spark gap is greatly reduced by use of a simple triggering scheme. Triggering permits accurately timed single‐pulse and pulse‐burst operation, as well as repetitive pulsing.


Based on over 6 year operation experiences in No.5 blast furnace of TISCO,the author points out that the activity of furnace hearth can be found out clearly from following factors;relationship of furnace inner pressure,stability of gas flow and burden descending,stability of slag and iron heat,working status of tapping,furnace central temperature and hearth wall temperature.


We show that in the presence of U(1) non-commutative YM interaction the non-commutative tachyonic system exhibits solitonic solutions (even) for finite value of noncommutativity parameter ?.


H + -implantation in Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 (BGO) crystals causes some interesting effects, such as radiation damage, optical absorption and optical waveguide formation in the near-surface region of the crystals. There are similarities between the refractive index profiles of the H + and He + implanted waveguides in that the index is enhanced throughout the guiding layer. The maximum increase in index was ∼ 0.7% after an implant of 8 × 10 16 H + ions/cm 2 at 0.4 MeV. The colour of the BGO samples after H + -implantation changed to brown. Whilst it can be assumed that ion beam-induced decomposition may happen during ion implantation, this is probably only a small factor in the colouration and index change since it is only apparent for the H + implants


This study was conducted to establish mass propagation system from the tissue culture using immature embroys in Eleutherococus senticosus. Immature embroys from seeds were removed under the microscope and placed on modified SH and WPM medium containing several plant growth regulators. The calli were well formed on media containing 1㎎/l of 2,4-D on modified SH medium and 1㎎/l of 2,4-D and 3㎎/l of TDZ on WPM medium. Shoot regeneration was better on modified SH or WPM medium with combination of high concentration of TDZ and low concentration of 2,4-D. Treatment of 2,4-D alone was better than treatment of TDZ alone in callus induction on modified SH medium but plant regeneration reversed. Treatment of 2,4-D and TDZ combination was better than treatment of 2,4-D alone in callus induction on WPM medium. The results of callus formation and shoot regeneration on WPM media differed to those of SH media. The rate of callus formation was nearly 83% when 2,4-D was added to SH medium on concentration of 1㎎/l. The rate of callus formation was nearly 38% when combination treatment of 2,4-D 1㎎/l and TDZ 3㎎/l was added to WPM medium. Also, plant regeneration differed depending on the mature degree of immature embryo.


This paper introduces a novel uniaxial fringe projection profilometry (FPP) called active shape from projection defocus profilometry (ASPDP), which utilizes the sharpness analysis of binary fringe patterns to quantify the defocus level. Compared with previous uniaxial FPP methods, our work first utilizes a pinhole defocus model to account for three-dimensional reconstruction. Since defocused fringe pattern can be modeled as the original pattern convoluted with a point spread function (PSF), pixel-wise defocus level can be quantified with this PSFs kernel using temporal Fourier analysis. In this research, calibration is achieved by using a mechanical translation device, and determined by rational polynomial fitting to establish defocus-depth relationship. The experiment demonstrates that this method can provide an accurate reconstructed 3D geometry without shadows.


Under certain conditions, the K1-group of a semiperfect ring R is explicitly described via the direct summand resolution of R/J(R).


In this paper, we examine the beam width performance of the recently addressed robust Capon beam formers. This adaptive array employs the estimated steering vector, injected noise, and pseudo-interference to provide robustness against direction mismatch. With the generalized side lobe canceller (GSC) as the underlying structure, we first derive the effect of angular mismatch on the estimated interference correlation matrix. Then, a simple approximate expression is presented for output signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) of this new beam former. Based on this expression, the angular beam width of this robust beam former is investigated. Simulation results verify the analytically predicted performance.


The concepts,technical characteristics and the core design philosophy of the Building Information Modeling(BIM) are expounded.The BIM cases are introduced briefly.BIM brings new inspiration for the entire construction curtain wall industry,it is a revolution in information technology.And chinese building curtain wall industry should implement BIM.


Abstract : EQUIPMENT, C band, Hybrid circuits, Microminiaturization, Power amplifiers, Phase shift circuits, Transistor amplifiers, DuplexersA study and investigation was conducted to develop a low-cost receive/transmit module for use in communications phased-array antennas. Design approaches covering the 1 to 8 GHz range were investigated. A module design was recommended for C-band, and key circuits were implemented using hybrid integrated circuit technology. The recommended approach is an all-RF (no conversions to IF) module incorporating a transistor low-noise amplifier in the receive channel and a phase-lock loop stabilized injection-locked oscillator as the power amplifier in the transmit channel. High-Q microstrip design techniques are used to achieve low-loss duplexer filters. Three-bit digital phase shifters are used in each channel to achieve independent transmit and receive beam steering. (Author)


In this paper the determination of the permittivity of liquid or homogeneous dielectrics from their time-domain response is adressed. The analysis is based on a simplified model of the TDR measurement setup, where the probe is described by an ideal transmission line with a Debye permittivity. A simple formula to evaluate the permittivity is introduced, and compared with other well-known methods for the permittivity determination based on the calculation of the travel time of the TDR signal along the probe.


Designing a friendly interface of applications easily with using VB,and making acquisition and processing of the speech signal easy with using Matlab.Applications developed by VB calls the COM which was generated by COM generator of Matlab to realize the integra-tion of VB and Matlab. Consequently,the development of applications related to acquisition of speech signal with using VB become easy.


Label extraction and matching is the basis of many form-based web applications. A vision-based element-label matching approach was proposed in this paper. First, the factors which affect label matching were deeply analyzed, and then a method of reconstructing query interface by analyzing its HTML code was proposed. Finally the element-label matching was realized through consideration of tag, text semanteme and position feature. Experiments on 278 query interfaces in 8 typical domains demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed approach


Summary 1. Absorption rates of glucose and sorbose, alone and with phlorhizin, were determined in chicks between 0 and 1 days of age. 2. Sorbose fulfilled the expectations of a passively absorbed sugar in that its absorption velocity was uniformly slow and uninfluenced by phlorhizin at all ages. 3. Glucose absorption velocity increased to a level 4 times as rapid as sorbose within 2 days of hatching and was inhibited by phlorhizin in all age groups. 4. These data, in support of earlier findings 1, suggest that the mechanism(s) responsible for the selective absorption of glucose is not fully developed at hatching, but rapidly achieves an adult level of function within 2 days thereafter.


Fish are perhaps one of the most highly parasitized of animal groups, and the unnatural crowding which occurs in hatcheries and aquaria favours the greatly increased possibility of heavy infestation by some parasites. Such hazards have been recognised in freshwater fishes for some time (see, for example, Dogiel, Petrushevski & Polyanski, 1961), and diseases of marine fishes are now beginning to receive increasing attention (Sindermann, 1966).


Positive fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS) was applied for peptide sequencing, particularly for determining the gamma glutamyl linkage involved in metal-binding peptides such as Cadystin (γEC)3G = Cadystin A and Cadystin (γEC)2G = Cadystin B (MW 771 and 539, respectively). The fragmentation patterns between the natural gamma glutamyl peptide and the synthetic alpha glutamyl one were clearly distinguishable. FAB-MS/MS was proved to be a good method for determining these peptides, since it needed no chemical degradation and only a small amount of the peptide was needed for determination.


Randomised controlled trials are medical science's answer to the controlled experiments of physics in which the researcher keeps all factors constant apart from the one whose effect is being examined (1, 2). What constitutes a healthy diet varies in line with the most recent opinions, and to some extent nutritional research has acquired a dubious reputation (3). However, many of us believe in the Mediterranean diet, a set of nutritional guidelines from over 50 years ago that was intended to explain why the population around the Mediterranean (and Portugal) were less vulnerable to cardiovascular disease than those of us who lived further north in Europe (4). Moreover, in 2013, we found further backing for our belief: the New England Journal of Medicine published an article about a randomised controlled trial in which 7447 women and men aged 55–80 years at high risk of cardiovascular disease were randomly divided into three groups, one of which received a low-fat diet, while the other two followed a Mediterranean diet with extra supplements of nuts or olive oil (5).


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of employability in Portugal.Design/methodology/approach – Calculations were made using official data for 1991, 1994 and 1997 on education, skills and tenure, and on 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1997 regarding training.Findings – High skills, high levels of education and high levels of tenure seem to generate employability in Portugal. However, it was also found in Portugal that low skills, low education and low levels of tenure also generate employability, indicating that Portugal has a very dual labour market. Furthermore, in what concerns training, the public sector and the private sector seem to be complementary: when the investments are publicly financed they generate more employability, while privately funded investments tend to be a way of substituting untrained workers with trained ones.Research limitations/implications – The concept of employability used is linked to the growth of employment by sub‐sector of activity. This is a considerab...


The host-parasite interactions of inland water malacostracans have been poorly studied. The aim of the present study is to provide an overview of parasites recorded for these hosts and to study the ecological implications of host-parasite relations. According to the literature, these parasites have exotic or native fishes, and aquatic birds as definitive hosts. As most definitive and all intermediate hosts are endemics, the parasite species are endemics as well.


Student learning outcomes are not optimal due to the model of learning and teaching materials used are less varied and no load values of character. Therefore, researchers are trying to use teaching materials with a character-based learning model POE (Prediction, Observation, Explanation) to improve student learning outcomes. This research is a Quasi Experiment Research with Randomized Control Group Only Design. The study population was a class XI student of SMAN 5 Padang listed in the Academic Year 2014/2015. Sampling was done by purposive sampling technique. Research data collection in the form of a written test for competency knowledge and competency observation sheet for scoring rubric for the attitude and skill competencies. Research data analysis techniques using t-test at the 0.05 significance level for all three competencies. Based on the analysis of data it can be concluded the application of teaching materials through a character-based learning model POE (Prediction, Observation, Explanation) the learning outcomes of students of class XI SMAN 5 Padang effect to aspects of knowledge competence and attitude but not to competence skills


This paper mainly focuses on diagnosing the osteoporosis using X-Ray images. Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease which is characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing a person in to an increased risk of fracture. It is most common in women after menopause where it is called post menopausal osteoporosis. The condition of Osteoporosis are decrease in the bone density, decrease in the bone strength resulting in fragile bones and susceptibility to fracture. In clinical practice, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning is the most common way of measuring BMD levels and it is the current gold standard for diagnosing and monitoring the osteoporosis. In DEXA scanning, the method of comparing individual BMD measurements to the normal is called the 'T-score' system. This project work presents an efficient method to diagnose the osteoporosis by measuring the bone mineral density (BMD) of segmented femur bone parts with the help of X-Rays images and also compare the bone mineral density obtained from the DEXA scan with the density obtained from the conventional X- rays.


Under the "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" development strategy, in order to suppress load fluctuations and promote renewable energy consumptions in the regional integrated energy system involving concentrating solar power stations, a double-layer optimization model based on the improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) and mixed integer linear programming (MILP) is proposed. The upper layer completes the capacity configuration process based on multiple objectives to minimize the annual planning cost and the net emission of pollutants. The lower layer is designed to minimize the annual operating cost and optimize the output of the devices and the load curves through the participation of the integrated demand response process for flexible loads and the whole process of carbon emission including carbon capture, carbon utilization, and carbon trading mechanisms to obtain the best operating plan. The final results indicate that the participation of concentrating solar power stations can improve the level of coordinated optimization, and the improved NSGA-II is stronger than the conventional one in convergence ability. Besides, considering the whole process of carbon emission and integrated demand response is capable of decreasing the annual operating cost and net carbon emission to improve the economy and environmental protection of the system significantly.


New technologies in primary equipment like nonconventional instrument transformers require new interfaces to the substation automation system. The future standard IEC 61850 perfectly supports this requirement. With the introduction of the new technologies and the use of IEC 61850, a more decentralized architecture of the substation automation system will be possible. This provides several benefits but a careful system design is required to maintain the overall reliability of the system.


A comparative study of two edge detectors attending to their robustness with respect to speckle noise is presented. The Canny edge detector and the CFAR detector proposed by Touzi et al. are compared. A coastal SAR image acquired by TerraSAR-X is used. The Canny detector is a reference method in image processing. In this work, it is combined with the Lee and the Mean-Shift filter, which has been proved to outperform the Lee filter. The CFAR detector is applied to the original SAR image. Attending to coastal line detection and the preservation of small islands present in the image, the CFAR detector performs better than the Canny one with the Mean-Shift filter. Results show that the use of higher values of probability of false alarm gives rise to very good results with smaller windows, avoiding the application of further techniques for thinning the detected edges.


The transient response of a circular platform that is excited by an acoustic point source is computed by means of a numerical inversion of Laplace transforms. The platform lies on the free surface of a plane‐parallel fluid region that overlies an elastic half‐space. The point source lies within the fluid region. Because all fluid‐elastic boundaries are plane‐parallel, we are able to solve the problem by the use of Fourier—Bessel transforms in the spatial domain. The response of the platform is determined by first computing the normal modes of the platform, using two‐dimensional finite elements, and this result is then coupled to the layered half‐space by means of N‐port theory. The effects of varying the fluid‐bottom depth and the depth of the point source are presented.


A robust design of an unstable valve with diagonally structured uncertainty is addressed in the paper. An approximate solution can be obtained by minimizing the upper bound of the performance criteria via z k iteration. In addition, the quality of this solution can be evaluated by comparing it to a lower bound


The specific features of specialist training for emergency actions have been analyzed. The concept of emergency is understood as situations resulted form an accident or dangerous natural phenomenon, catastrophe or other disaster. The necessity of learning path selection optimization has been justified. Learning path is a set and sequence of learning actions to acquire necessary competences. Learning process model and algorithm that allows to generate automatically an optimal path for training a group of specialists, taking into account their initial level of learning and the purpose of learning have been developed. An example of the model and its software implementation, which allows solving this problem, is given.


Alarm systems in buildings and other environments are designed to point people to special events, in particular hazards. For example, have fire alarm systems the usual way via optical signal transmitter, which draw attention at alerting people in a building on a dangerous situation by optical signals. The goal is to get the people through the optical signals to leave the building via the escape routes. There will be a signaling device 1 for a detection system 2, a signal generator 3 for outputting a strobe signal 6 in the vicinity of the signal apparatus 1, with a control device 4 for controlling the signal generator 3, and with an activation interface 5 for receiving an activation signal for triggering and / or synchronization of the control apparatus 1, proposed wherein the activation interface 5 is designed for receiving a strobe signal 6 from another signal transmitter as the activation signal.