The purpose of this systematic review of the scientific medical literature was to survey the range of measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women and to characterize specific parameters potentially affecting their suitability for wider use. The review was conducted by the University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center (UO-EPC). Specific emphasis was placed on diagnosis, treatment (including supportive care), followup, and the reporting/documentation of this care. The population of interest was female adults diagnosed with or in treatment for any histological type of adenocarcinoma of the breast, including both in situ and invasive cancer. In addition to informing the research community and the public on the availability and utility of quality measures of breast cancer care, it is anticipated that the findings of this report will be used to help define an agenda for future research. Two recent publications have suggested that the quality of health care received by Americans is less than ideal. In a survey of 30 health conditions ranging from osteoarthritis to breast cancer, McGlynn et al. observed that, on average, Americans received about half (54.9 percent) of the recommended medical care processes. This observation highlights a gap between ideal and actual care—that is, between what evidence has identified as recommended care and what Americans actually receive. Quality measures can highlight health care quality through the identification of gaps in care. Quality measures can address the question of how many women qualifying to receive a standard of breast cancer care by virtue of their clinical situation actually receive that care in timely fashion. Seen from a slightly different perspective, the question could be, How many health care professionals, when attending to women qualifying to receive a standard of breast cancer care by virtue of their clinical situation, actually deliver that care in timely fashion? A quality measure (e.g., "percentage of women receiving radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery") is defined as a mechanism to quantify the quality of a selected aspect of care by comparing it to a criterion. It is a way to quantify the degree of adherence to a standard of care, or quality indicator (i.e., "radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery"). A quality indicator becomes a quality measure in the act of measuring adherence to the standard. However, adherence data, with their potential to indicate gaps in care, are de-emphasized here because the purpose of this review was to survey the range of quality measures. Ideally, quality indicators, and thus quality measures, are supported by scientific medical evidence (i.e., "evidence based"), indicating that the care (e.g., radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery) is linked to improved patient outcomes. They are not mere opinion or conjecture. Scientifical medical evidence is best synthesized via systematic review, followed by an expert panel consensus process to assure that the recommended care highlighted by the synthesis is clinically relevant, up to date, and practical to deliver. There are various types of quality indicators, and thus measures, relating to process (e.g., whether indicated care is provided, quality of delivery of this care); structure (e.g., available equipment); and outcome (e.g., quality of life [QOL], patient satisfaction with care, survival). A quality indicator should be specific, complete, and clearly worded concerning factors Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 105


A cooperative study was made by the Federal Bureau of Mines and the Ford Motor Co. to investigate the recovery of polyurethane foam and other assorted plastics from the nonmagnetic rejects from automobile shredders. The material used in the study was produced by the shredding of two 1972 Montegos provided by Ford. The proposed flowsheet, as developed by the Bureau, consisted of a combination of screening, water classification, and gravity separation. All of the foam and between 52 and 80 pct of the assorted plastics were recovered. The reclaimed foam concentrates which contained 63 pct foam were hydrolyzed in laboratory tests to produce a potentially reusable liquid mixture of polyether glycol monomers and toluene diamine.


Influence of electrochemical process parameters such as monomer and electrolyte concentrations, current density, pH of the electrolyte, and type of electrolyte have been studied during polymerization of polypyrrole (Ppy). The changes in the conductivity of synthesized Ppy film for different electrolytes were observed by chronopotentiograms recorded during the electrochemical polymerization and it was confirmed by measuring it using four probe techniques. It was found that the electrochemical process parameters have a considerable influence on the conductivity of the film. The Ppy film was synthesized on a platinum substrate by electrochemical polymerization with different electrolytes such as potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, oxalic acid, and sodium salicylate, under galvanostatic condition over a wide range of pH of the reaction medium and applied current density. The different concentration ratios of pyrrole and sodium nitrate were considered during synthesis of Ppy films. It has been observed that the polymerization potential increases with the pH and applied current density. One could synthesize Ppy film with very good surface morphology and conductivity with optimized process parameters. The characterization of synthesized Ppy film was done by electrochemical technique, electrical conductivity, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).


This paper addresses the optimal design of limitedfeedback multi-user spatial multiplexing systems. A base station with M antennas is considered serving M single-antenna users, which share a common feedback link with a total rate of B bits per fading block. The optimization problem is cast in form of minimizing the average transmission power at the base station subject to users' outage probability constraints. Our goal is to optimize the bit allocations among users and the corresponding channel magnitude and direction quantization codebooks in the asymptotic regime where B tends to infinity. In order to achieve a tractable formulation, we first fix the quantization codebooks and study the optimal power control problem. This leads to an upper bound for the average transmission sum power, which is then used to optimize the quantization codebooks and to derive the bit allocation laws. The paper shows that for channels in the real space, the number of channel direction quantization bits should be (M−1) times the number of channel magnitude quantization bits. It is further shown that users with higher requested QoS (lower target outage probabilities) and higher requested downlink rates (higher target SINR's) should receive larger shares of the feedback rate. The paper also shows that, for the target QoS parameters to be feasible, the total feedback bandwidth should scale logarithmically with γ, the geometric mean of the target SINR values, and 1/q, the geometric mean of the inverse target outage probabilities. Moreover, the minimum required feedback rate increases if the users' target parameters deviate from the average parameters γ and q. Finally, we show that, as B increases, the limited-feedback system performance approaches the performance of the perfect channel state information system as 2 B M2 .


Vanadium oxides are highly valued as electrochromic materials because of their multicolor capabilities. However, their practical applications have been limited due to challenges such as the dissolution of vanadate into aqueous electrolytes, leading to poor long‐term stability. Herein, a solution is proposed to the vanadate dissolution issue by utilizing a hybrid electrolyte consisting of tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) and water. This electrolyte has the unique ability to form a robust cathode electrolyte interface layer on vanadium oxide electrodes. As a proof of concept, zinc‐anode‐based multicolor transparent electrochromic displays are prepared using layered potassium vanadate (K2V6O16·1.5H2O, KVO) with a TEGDME–water hybrid electrolyte. By soaking the KVO electrode in the hybrid electrolyte, it is demonstrated that KVO has remarkable stability against dissolution. Furthermore, it is shown that KVO has superior electrochromic performance compared to sodium vanadate (NaV3O8·1.5H2O, SVO), due to the wide KVO interlayer spacing. Given the enhanced performance of this hybrid electrolyte and KVO cathode material, a zinc‐anode‐based electrochromic display prototype is shown to exhibit compelling performance. As such, this work is expected to be a significant catalyst for accelerating the development of vanadate‐based electrochromic displays.


Mapping research in Ireland against the UN Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century (2007 Update)This report seeks to map research on ageing and older people in Ireland against the agenda set out by the United Nations;  this is the framework that CARDI uses in its strategic plan.


The paper combines artificial neural networks(ANNs) with Kalman filter real-time adjustment technique in order to improve traditional ANNs model.The weights are trained by Kalman filter real-time adjustment technique in the process of sample training,and then the weights are used for check.One case is flow forecasting for upper reach of Minjing River at Zipingpu station by using the method proposed in the paper,and the results are compared with single ANNs model and single Kalman filter model.The results show if Kalman filter technique is used in estimating networks weights,hydrologic forecast accuracy may be improved.


Citatiton: Arıcak, O. T., Dinç, M., Yay, M., & Griffiths M. D. (2018). Adapting the Short Form of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale into Turkish: Validity and reliability. Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.15805/addicta.2019.6.1.0027 * This is an extended abstract of the paper entitled "İnternet Oyun Oynama Bozukluğu Ölçeği Kısa Formu'nun (İOOBÖ9-KF) Türkçeye uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması" published in Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions. Manuscript Received: May 7, 2018 / Accepted: May 25, 2018 / OnlineFirst: June 5, 2018 1 Correspondence to: Osman Tolga Arıcak (PhD), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27410 Turkey. Email: email@example.com 2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27410 Turkey. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com 3 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep 27410 Turkey. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com 4 Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street Nottingham UK NG1 4FQ. Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com" email@example.com Abstract The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form (IGDS9-SF) is one of the most popular instruments developed based on DSM-5 to assess gaming addiction internationally. Given the number of common instruments to assess and diagnose gaming disorder cross-culturally, validity and reliability studies of instruments such as the IGDS9-SF have become more important. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to adapt and examine psychometric properties of IGDS9-SF in Turkish. A total of 455 participants aged between 10 and 29 years were recruited to take part in the present study. Validity of the IGDS9-SF was assessed in two ways: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and criterion-related validity. CFA revealed that IGDS9-SF was unidimensional. A significant correlation between IGDS9-SF and Internet Addiction Scale indicated criterion-related validity. One supportive finding for the validity was the significant difference found between the upper and lower 27-percentile groups in terms of IGDS9-SF scores. The IGDS9-SF also showed satisfactory levels of reliability using Cronbach's alpha (.82), Guttman's split-half (.75), and testretest reliability coefficient (.78). It is concluded that the IGDS9-SF appears to be a valid and reliable scale to assess IGD among Turkish adolescents and young adults.


This paper empirically investigates the impact of telecommunications infrastructure in East Africa. The researcher uses the International Telecommunication Union, UN and World Bank data and applies the instrumental variable-generalized method of moments to a panel of 19 countries over the period 2000-2015. Whether telecommunication investment contributes or not to economic growth has been at the center of literature debate over time with varying empirical evidences for developed and developing nation. The effect of telecom market privatization has been controlled through independent panels. The results show that the telecom index composed of the Internet, mobile cellular and fixed line has contributed to economic growth. A one percentage point increase in this telecom index usage raises real per capita growth by 0.02 for the panel of whole countries. The result is more than this for countries that privatized their telecom sector and less for those that failed to privatize. Overall, the results suggest that the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure fosters economic growth in East Africa. With much room for potential growth enhancement of telecommunications infrastructure, policies to expand access to telecom services should be strongly encouraged by respective governments in general and privatization of telecommunication remained under government control in particular is desired. DOI : 10.7176/JIEA/9-7-01 Publication date: December 31 st 2019


Emissions from diesel engines in large trucks give rise to or are part of the cause of ozone, acid rain, global warming, and substances believed to be carcinogenic. As a result, governments have adopted - or are in the process of adopting - policies to deal with heavy-duty diesel engine emissions and fuel quality. This paper discusses these policies and examines the potential impact on intercity trucking. The purpose is to explore the following questions : (i) What is the magnitude of the problem associated with diesel engines used in intercity trucking and, in particular, long-distance intercity trucking? (ii) What policies can be used to control these emissions? (iii) What are the implications for intercity trucking? For the covering abstract of this conference, see IRRD number 853879. (A)


In this study, the influence of flange rotation to horizontal deformation characteristics of laminating rubber bearing is investigated through FEM analysis. Analysis variables are shape of rubber bearings and rotation angle of upper flange. Analysis results present that horizontal stiffness decreases until shear strain (γ) of 200% in case of bearings with rotation. This tendency becomes larger as rotation angle becomes bigger. The decrement of horizontal stiffness in rotation angle (R) of 1/50 is remarkable. However, the influence of rotation can not be observed after shear strain of 200%. It is concluded that the structural design in midstory isolation system is possible by estimate rotation angle of rubber bearings of R<1/150 and 10% reduction of horizontal stiffness.


Three major concerns of any pre-election poll are: (1) respondents who indicate they will vote but do not; (2) respondents who vote differently than they indicated; and (3) how to allocate the vote of undecideds and nonrespondents: (for example, is it safe to regard these groups as having the same voting pattern as decided respondents?). These problems have been studied by Perry (1973 and 1979), Traugott and Tucker (1984) and others. The attack used on problem (1) has been to determine which questions best measure or predict the likelihood to vote. Perry used a Gut tman scale to choose the best questions, and, from post-election validated studies, computed scores to rank the questions using Somer's D-statistic on 2X2 tables, with the dependent variable in each table being whether or not the respondent voted. Traugot t and Tucker used maximum likelihood estimation in a logistic regression model to obtain probabilities of voting. Both authors found that whether or not the respondent was registered was the best predictor. Perry found that the next two most important variables were whether or not the respondent planned to vote and how likely he was to vote based on a ladder scale of 1 to 10. Traugott and Tucker found that past voting behavior and level of interest in the campaign were the second and third best predictors and that the three together were better predictors than self-described probability of voting. The question naturally arises as to which respondent base to use to estimate each candidates percentage of the vote. Mitofsky, 1981, and Kohut, 1981 showed that there was no significant respondents in the 1980 presidential election, but Perry, 1979, observed a positive democratic bias in the total respondent group over the likely to vote group averaging 4% in congressional elections. Problem (2) is minimized if the poll is taken as closely as possible to the election (in which case, some may argue, what 's the point of a poll!), but the momentum of change may at times not take effect until the last few days as in the 1980 presidential election (Kohut, 1981 and Mitofsky, 1981). As regards problem (3), Fenwick et al., 1982, used a stepwise discriminant model to classify undecided voters based on atti tudinal, demographic, and candidate evaluation data obtained from a 1980 poll of registered voters in Massachusetts, but the method had little impact on the distribution of vote. Although there is evidence that respondents to the first telephone call differ in candidate preference to other respondents (Mitofsky, 1981), there appears to be little knowledge about how the distribution of vote among various non-respondent types compares to that of respondents.


The hexane (HEX) and dichloromethane (DCM) fractions from Blechnum binervatum, Blechnum brasiliense and Blechnum occidentale were studied about phytochemicals and biological properties using multitarget approach.


In a previous article [1] we examined the concept of blood relations in a family tree and we used mathematics to highlight and simplify the descriptions involved, such as child, parent, great-uncle, second cousin, third cousin once removed.


Objective:To evaluate therapeutic effect of Sishen Wan on lipid peroxidization injury in rats with experimental colitis treated by different path administration.Methods:Therapeutic effect of Sishen Wan on UC rats were evaluated by colonic injury observed in macroscopic and microcosmic including morphologic change,pathological change,colonic injury score,and cell cycle of enterocyte analyzed by flow cytometry.Mechanism of Sishen Wan was explored in myeloperoxidase(MPO),malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathion peroxidase(GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase(SOD).Results:Compared with the model groups,many facets were remarkably decreased including colonic wet weight,colon weight index,colonic injury score,production of MDA,cellar number in G0-G1 in the Sishen Wan enema groups(P0.05 or P0.01),and only the same statistical significance of MDA,MPO and cellar number in G0-G1 were found in oral Sishen Wan groups(P0.05 or P0.01).And activity of SOD was markedly increased in in oral Sishen Wan groups(P0.05 or P0.01).Meanwhile,the phenomenon of ulcer restored and the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in mucous membrane of colon from rats in Two Sishen Wan groups.Conclusion:Sishen Wan could effectively relieve colonic injury of rats with experimental colitis,which potential path was that Sishen Wan might inhibit lipid peroxidization injury,down-regulate contents of MDA and activity of MPO,up-regulate the level of SOD,improve colonic cytothesis to protect damaged colonic mucosa.And effect of Sishen Wan treated rats with experimental colitis by enema outweighed by intragastric administration.


This article is concerned with the study of effect of addition of Carbon Nano Tube (CNT) on the physiochemical properties of Biodiesel and to investigate its effect on the performance and emission of a single cylinder direct injection CI engine. The fuel selected for the present study were Diesel, Biodiesel blends (B20), and CNT blended –biodiesel. The Biodiesel used is Honge Oil Methyl Ester (HOME). Biodiesel Blends were prepared by adding 80% Diesel and 20% Biodiesel by volume with the help of mechanical homogenizer. CNT blended Biodiesel contains 50 ppm of CNT in one liter of biodiesel blends. The experimental studies were carried out in a single cylinder 4 stroke direct injection CI engine connected to an eddy current dynamometer with computerized test rig facility to measure the performance and emission. The experimentations were carried at a constant speed of 1500 rpm and varying the load on the engine. The results shows that increase in the Brake thermal efficiency with the inclusion of CNT to Biodiesel. The brake thermal efficiency of CNT added Biodiesel fuels were 2.24% better as compared to that of Biodiesel without the addition of nano particle at full load calculation. Also the reformulated fuel (Inclusion of CNT's in the Biodiesel blends) shows considerable reduction in the pollutant emission.


Abstract The authors consider the problem of the estimate of the probability distribution for financial flows coming from insurance policies and compare their analysis to another recent approach proposed from the scientific literature. Some considerations about this approach are made; then are proposed alternative methods. Finally some applications are presented.


A hierarchical hybrid of gold nanoparticles and titania nanotubes with high metal loading was prepared by a one-pot approach using a natural cellulosic substance as template. Gold nanoparticles were uniformly anchored onto titania nanotubes, and particle fusion at high temperature was suppressed by surface coating with an ultrathin titania layer.


234 managers' perceptions of how certain attributes are associated with a particular strategy are important to some research in strategic management. An inventory is validated to match attributes to strategic management processes.


In the setting of arbitrary Hilbert spaces, we give a representation of M-P inverse of the sum of linear operators \begin{document}$ A+B $\end{document} under suitable conditions. Based on the full-rank decomposition of an operator, we prove that the extension of the Fill-Fishkind formula for \begin{document}$ A $\end{document} and \begin{document}$ B $\end{document} with closed ranges, remains valid, keeping the same conditions of Fill-Fishkind formula for two matrices, also we obtain an analogous formula under the Fill-Fishkind conditions, beyond we derive some representations of M-P inverse of a 2-by-2 block operator with disjoint ranges.


To research the internal load transfer behavior and failure mechanism of a bird's nest anchor cable anchoring structure based on a pull-out test, a bond-slip failure model is established on the basis of statistical damage theory, and the distribution formula of shear stress at anchorage agent–rock interface is deduced. Combined with theoretical analysis, bird's nest anchor cable pulling out test and particle flow code (PFC) numerical simulation test, as well as axial force distribution of the cable and shear stress distribution of its interface, help reveal its load transfer behavior and failure mechanism. Results show that: (1) The established bond-slip model can reflect the internal load transfer behavior and failure process of bird's nest anchor cable anchorage structure. (2) The shear stress of the anchorage agent interface increases exponentially to the peak value and then decreases exponentially to the residual strength. The process is repeated at every location of the anchorage agent interface. The curve of the axial force and shear stress of the bird's nest anchor cable is a negative exponential distribution with anchorage depth, and the maximum value occurs at the load end. (3) The crack of the anchorage agent interface extends from the load end to the other end and finally cuts through the whole interface. Rock mass generates radial cracks by the split effects of the bird's nest. The failure mode is a combination of the debonding slip of the interface and the shear failure of the rock mass. The shear stress distribution and failure mode of the anchor structure are basically consistent according to laboratory tests and simulation tests, and PFC2D better reflects the internal load transfer behavior, failure mechanism, and failure process of the bird's nest anchor cable under tensile loads.


The Globus Project is a community effort, led by Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute. Globus is developing the basic software infrastructure for computations that integrate geographically distributed computational and information resources.


The Republic of China inherited the gambling scourge of the late Qing period.The political,economic,cultural and social fashions in the Guangdong society in the transition period provided new and special social background for gambling.The whole society was then fragmented and out of control and succeeding governments varied in their determination and efforts to ban gambling. As a result,the government was banning but the gamblers were gambling and the scourge of gambling continued to inflict the province.


Thermoplastic polyurethane fiber webs were prepared using a laser-heated electrospinning process combined with air blowing. The effect of spinning conditions such as air flow rate and air temperature on fiber diameter and molecular weight was investigated. Although the average fiber diameter decreased with increased air flow rate at each air temperature, the diameter increased when the air flow rate was >15 NL min−1. In addition, the fiber was comparatively thicker with an increase in the air temperature. The variation in the fiber diameter tends to increase with the air flow rate, and a reduction in the molecular weight of the fiber by thermal degradation was suppressed. The thinnest and most uniform fiber with a diameter of 0.9 µm and a diameter coefficient variation of 15% was obtained at an air temperature of 25°C under an air flow rate of 15 NL min−1. This fiber also had a minimum of decreased molecular weight. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2605–2609, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers


The probe Mars Express (MEX) has been in orbit around Mars since 25 December 2003 and is still operating seven years later. The onboard Mars Express Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) has performed a series of 'gravity on target' experiments, which consist in measuring radio signal Doppler shifts as the spacecraft flies at low altitude (270-330 km) above targets of geophysical interest. These Doppler shifts can be converted into variations of the spacecraft velocity along the line-of-sight between the spacecraft and the Earth, which are attributed to anomalies in the gravitational field of Mars. Since anomalies of small wavelength are mainly due to variations in the density of the crust, the experiment provides constraints on the density of the crust at the target.


Spot-welded joints are widely used in the construction of vehicle structures and frequently become critical locations for fatigue failure. Hence, it is essential to have reliable fatigue life prediction method for the spot-welded joints during vehicle structure design. In this paper, a new notch stress approach is developed for fatigue life prediction of the spot-welded joints. Currently, structural stress methods are widely used in automotive industry for fatigue life prediction of spot-welded joints. However, these methods are not well considering local geometry information. This paper introduces a notch stress based method to overcome the limitation of the structural stress methods. In the notch stress method, stress concentration factors for spot-welded joints are calculated from stress intensity factor equations. Then, the notch stress method is validated with fatigue test results of lap-shear and coach peel specimens.


A 55-year-old white female with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and a history of 4-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting 10 years previously presented with complaints consistent with crescendo unstable angina. Angiography revealed severe disease in a saphenous vein graft to an obtuse marginal that was treated with placement of a Cypher drug eluting stent (Cordis Corporation, Miami Lakes, FL). Because of uncontrolled hypertension (158/77 mm Hg) despite treatment with three antihypertensives (enalapril, atenolol, and furosemide), she underwent screening renal angiography that showed a 95% proximal left renal artery stenosis (Fig. 1). The translesional pressure gradient, measured by placing a Wavewire (0.014 inch in diameter, Volcano Therapeutics, Rancho Cordova, CA) into the distal renal artery, showed a systolic peak-topeak gradient of 74 mm Hg and a mean gradient of 24 mm Hg. The patient underwent an uncomplicated angioplasty and stent placement to the left renal artery 2 days after intervention on the saphenous vein graft. The patient's blood pressure improved and remained controlled during 27 months of follow-up. She continued to be treated with enalapril, furosemide, and atenolol at the same doses as prior to renal stenting.


The invention relates to a power saving method of an ultrasonic medical diagnosis system, and an ultrasonic medical diagnosis system. Whether a probe is used or not is detected by arranging an accelerometer at the probe side of the ultrasonic medical diagnosis system, and then a corresponding control signal is generated according to detected signals and is transmitted to a host machine side via radio frequency wireless transmitting and receiving circuits arranged at the probe side and the host machine side so as to control an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving circuit in the host machine in a frozen state or a scanning state, so the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving circuit in the host machine is started when the probe works and is shut down when the probe dose not work. On the one hand, energy is saved for the ultrasonic device (especially a portable ultrasonic device), and on the other hand, the transmitting voltage can not be reduced due to temperature rise because of probe idle scanning, so the quality of an ultrasonic image can be improved.


The presented collective monograph examines topical language issues from the standpoint of cross-cultural and intercultural communications phenomenon in the global world, primarily in the modern educational space. Interest in the problem arose in connection with active changes in socio-cultural, educational, communicative and other spheres in which the processes of integration and inclusion are actively developing. The authors believe that in the context of world globalization and the expansion of intercultural communication, a future specialist needs to have a good command of languages.


The utility model discloses a connecting device for a power line compound optical fiber. The connecting device is characterized by comprising a compound plug and a compound socket; the compound plug comprises a compound plug shell body which is formed by buckling upper and lower cover bodies, and a compound plug optical fiber connector, an optical fiber connecting plug and a power plug-in plug arranged on a compound plug body are mounted in the compound plug shell body; and the compound socket comprises a compound socket body provided with optical fiber plug insertion holes and power supply insertion holes, and a compound socket optical fiber connector and a power socket of the compound socket body are mounted in the compound socket body.


To select the suitable plant species to control E.adenophorum in hilly area,the ecological adaptability,competitiveness and efficacy of a variety of replacement plants with economic value were studied in Guizhou.The results showed that the coverage of Paspalum wetsfeteini and Dolichos lablab were 100% and 93%,which increased by 3.70 and 3.44 times compared with Lolium perenne;Their relative crowding coefficient were 7.09 and 22.78 respectively,which increased by 2.43 and 7.80 times competed with E.adenophorum.Using the excavation method their replacement control efficacy were 99.3 % and 96.9%,respectively,and using the cutting method their efficacy was lower than 66.4%.The wintering rate of P.wetsfeteini was 95% and its coverage was still 100%;its efficacy of control on E.adenophorum remained at 99%,which indicated its good sustainable control effect.The wintering of D.lablab was difficult in the north region beyond N 26.2° and the plant could only be applied for annual replacement.The coverage of Setaria anceps,Cajanus cajan and other test plants were less than 90% and had a poor efficacy of control on E.adenophorum.


This study was to investigate the effect of utilizing milk powder with addition of Cocoa powder, Banana pulp and Bambara nut extract for the production of functional yoghurt. The yoghurt samples were produced by 10% inclusion of each of the food item into reconstituted skimmed milk powder, inoculated with starter culture (streptococcus.thermophilus and Lactobacillus. Bulgaricus) and allowed to ferment for 9hr. The nutritional properties (Proximate, Brix, PH, Flavonoid, Vitamin C, antioxidant activity) and sensory characteristics (colour, taste, aroma and over all acceptability) were determined. Significant differences (p<0.05) existed among the nutritional and sensory properties of the yogurts. The results showed that the inclusion of used food items improves the Protein, Ash and Energy content of the products. The sample with Cocoa powder had the highest antioxidant activity (2.75mg/100g) which is significantly higher at (p<0.05) than Banana pulp (2.64mg/100), Bambara nut extract (2.44mg/10g) and control (2.25mg/100g) which was the least. The sample with Banana pulp inclusion has highest score (5.70) for taste and overall-acceptability (5.90) using 7-point score ranking and was the most preferred. The microbial load of all the samples were within the limits specified of acceptable counts, making the products safe for consumption as at the time the products were evaluated.


Quasielastic light scattering was used to measure the diffusion coefficient of 67-nm-diameter polystyrene latex spheres through aqueous solutions of M w =1.39×10 5 (hydroxypropyl)cellulose at temperatures of 41°C (near-θ conditions) and 10°C (good-solvent conditions). At both temperatures, D was described well by a stretched exponential form exp(-αc ν ), with ν ≃ 1 under θ conditions but ν ≃ 3/4 in a good solvent. The observed solvent-quality dependence of κ is quantitatively predicted by several modes of probe diffusion, including hydrodynamic scaling and the de Gennes-Langevin-Rondelez transient gel model


Local traditional varieties constitute an important portion of grape genetic resources. DNA profiles for microsatellite loci VVMD5, VVMD7, VVMD27, VVS2, VrZAG62, and VrZAG79 were obtained for 11 local grape cultivars grown in the Don region. These SSR-markers are recommended as basic for  Vitis vinifera genotyping. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were used as reference cultivars. The markers were combined in multiple sets for simultaneous evaluation of two loci. The total number of different alleles per locus varied from 5 (VVS2, VMD7) to 11 (VVMD5) within the Don cultivars analyzed. The cultivars possessed different sets of allele combinations for loci under study. The genotyping results were subject to cluster analysis. Sibir'kovyi and Pukhlyakovskiy belyi showed the greatest proximity to each other. Molecular studies of local southern Russia grape cultivars will be continued.


The alfalfa cultivation is limited in the acid soil areas because of it high sensitive to aluminum toxicity.The effective solution is to breed the acid tolerant cultivars in order to grow in the acid soil areas(40% of total arable land over the world).The research progress on aluminum tolerance locus,transgenic plant tolerance and proteins relative to the aluminum tolerance were reviewed in this paper.


The effects of the shielding gas and electrical voltage on the mechanical properties of resistance spot welded joint of dissimilar metal AA 5052 - AA 6061 have been investigated in this study. Electrode pressure, welding time, and gas flow rate were constantly maintained. Welding
processes were conducted with variation of shielding gas, there are Argon, Carbon dioxide and without shielding gas. welding parameter used were voltage variation of 2,30 V, 2,67 V and 3,20 V. The microstructure investigations, Vickers hardness test, and tensile load bearing capacity test were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of joints. The result shows that voltage 3,20 V with argon gas produce the highest tensile load bearing capacity of 568,96 N. The increasing of welding voltage caused the increasing nugget size. The nugget welded using argon gas had the highest level of hardness. This is caused by the effect of grain size reduction due to its cooling rate.
Keywords: Resistance Spot Welding, Aluminum 5052, Alumunum 6061, V, Argon Shielding Gas, Carbon Dioxide Shielding Gas


ment on the potential risk for false-positive results (i.e., report a treatment effect when in reality there is no effect) generated by conventional meta-analysis (relying on the conventional statistical criterion (two-sided a 5 0.05) for deciding whether a treatment effect exists). As we know, in a single trial, interim analyses increase the risk of type I error. Cumulative meta-analysis (i.e., also referred to as conventional meta-analysis) is one statistical method to combine available studies by time series, which are at risk of producing random errors because of repetitive testing on accumulating data. Trial sequential analysis (i.e., a method adapted from interim monitoring boundaries in single randomized controlled trials applied to cumulative meta-analysis) was introduced to minimize random errors by calculating the required information size (i.e., the number of participants needed in a meta-analysis to detect or reject a certain intervention effect, analogous to the required sample size in a single randomized clinical trial). Usually, information size was based on the assumption of a plausible relative risk reduction (RRR) of 10%-30% or on the RRR observed in trials with low bias risk. On the basis of the required information size and risk for type I and type II error trial, sequential monitoring boundaries (i.e., a threshold for a statistically significant treatment effect) were constructed. In short, trial sequential analysis provides the necessary sample size for our meta-analysis and boundaries that determine whether the evidence in our metaanalysis is reliable and conclusive. Based on this theory, we recalculated the data on the effect of albumin in PCD, hyponatremia, and mortality (Fig. 1). The results in PCD were in accordance with the claim of the traditional method, where albumin has an efficacy in ameliorating PCD, while the evidence that albumin could reduce the mortality rate and hyponatremia incidence rate was insufficient, as both the individual Z-curve failed crosssequential monitoring boundaries. In summary, meta-analytical inferences should not be based solely on the conventional statistical criterion of two-sided a 5 0.05. Trial sequential meta-analysis needs to be explored as a necessary supplement for the traditional meta-analysis.


The derivation and simulation of a diffusely preprogrammed but sharply trainable circuit model of the CA3 sector of the mammalian hippocampus has led to several principles of operation that may apply within real hippocampus, especially during the behaviour-formative period of life.


MapReduce-based utility computing has become widespread. Performance tuning of MapReduce frameworks, such as Hadoop, is notoriously difficult since users lack expertise or access to critical configuration options. We propose an auto-tuning approach for MapReduce applications running on Hadoop clusters, based on supervised learning. With auto-tuning, we aim to provide performance that is significantly better than using the default Hadoop parameters, and within 5% of the best performance that can be obtained by parameter-space search techniques. Research Problem: to use statistical machine learning to auto-tune MapReduce applications running on the Hadoop platform


Abstract : A recent paper by Box and Draper (1982) discussed the detection of cubic lack of fit in second order composite design experiments, and its possible removal by the use of power transformations in the predictor variables. The designs examined were five-level designs whose coded predictor variables could assume levels (-alpha, -1, 0, 1, alpha) for alpha not equal 1 (and, typically, alpha equal 1). When alpha equal 1, only three levels exist in the design and certain singularities occur. Cubic interaction contrasts exist, but it becomes impossible to estimate the power transformations, as previously when alpha not equal 1. This note describes how this happens. (Author)


The heat stability and weather resistance of the synthetic Ca-Zn composite heat stabilizer in the rigid PVC were tested by Congo red method, heat method and accelerated aging method. The effect of mass ratio of calcium soap to zinc soap in the Ca-Zn heat stabilizer on heat stability was studied and its properties were compared with some heat stabilizers from abroad. Results show that the proper mass ratio of calcium soap to zinc soap is 6∶4 and Congo red stable time of Ca-Zn composite heat stabilizer in the rigid PVC at 195℃ is 27min. The tensile strength and elongation at break keep still 85.7 and 75 percentage after 400hours accelerated aging respectively. The stability of the synthetic Ca-Zn composite heat stabilizer in the rigid PVC is better.


self-preserving motto of ''I am not my tics'' is explained as well as various other strategies to ''get on with life.'' As with many chapters, coping strategies for managing challenging circumstances are discussed including being out in public, dealing with acquaintances in various settings, and relating to people who are emotionally close to you. Strategies to accomplish tasks in the face of tic behavior coupled with advice on maintaining perspective close this chapter. To sum up, this is a well-done parent's guide. It well-satisfies its declared goals, a positive resource to provide parents and families struggling to cope with this challenging disorder. The paperback price, $18.95, is especially reasonable given its well-done and informative content.


A series of new mixed valence tetranuclear copper(ll)-copper(l) complell.es obtained from the reaction of Cu 1X (X = Cl, SCN, I) with [(Paa)Cu2CI4] in acetonitrile. The Cu'X and [(Paa)Cu2CI4] are attached via two bridging chlorine atoms and the resulting complex has distorted trigonal planer geometry. CV, UV -vis and ESR spectroscopic studies established the presence of significant perturbation of the Cu1X unit to the electronic structure of the copper(ll) ion in [(Paa)Cu2CI4].


The invention discloses an iron and steel smelting energy-saving boiler combustion method which comprises a feeding plate, a combustion chamber, a heat exchanger, a condenser, a draught fan, a dust screen and the like. The iron and steel smelting energy-saving boiler combustion method is characterized in that the draught fan is installed below the feeding plate, and the draught fan constantly pumps combusted waste gas for preheating fuel coal in the fuel coal feeding process. The environment is protected, and the effects of energy conservation and emission reduction are achieved.


3D video is a real movie recording dynamic visual events in the real world as they are: time-varying 3D object shapes with a high-fidelity surface texture. This paper presents two different types of 3D video visualization that we consider; "high fidelity visualization" that enables us to visualize free-viewpoint object images that reflect input multi-view images with high fidelity, and "versatile visualization" that enables us to visualize free-viewpoint object images with versatile effects, i.e., geometric directing by utilizing a shape and/or motion, and photometric directing by estimating reflectance parameters and lighting environment.


The increasing popularity of mobile devices has created a need for a dynamic of user interface which can adapt to its environment context. In this paper, we propose a new framework for an effective context-aware mobile web browsing. We first try to classify mobile contexts and propose architecture to estimate the current context of the mobile user. Then we propose a system to create context-aware web pages using existing standards such as cascading style sheets.


Abstract In this work, the adsorption and reactivity of Zn and ZnO on Pd(111) have been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy, temperature programmed desorption, density functional theory and reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. Using this approach, it was shown that an ordered PdZn surface alloy already forms at room temperature. The electronic structure of this surface alloy resembles that of copper. Depending on the preparation method and temperature, different surface alloys and Zn layers can be formed. The ZnO growth on Pd(111) forms different ZnO structures. Both a (4×4) and a (6×6) structure are formed depending on the oxygen pressure during ZnO growth. The (4×4) structure is most likely a hydrogen terminated Zn6O5 structure. In an attempt to verify the hydrogen termination, this structure and the (6×6) structure, which corresponds to a graphite-like Zn6O6 structure, were investigated using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. The results show a vibrational feature that could correspond to the O–H stretch vibration of the hydrogen terminated structure.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on body image and aging among older women. Using existing qualitative research, this paper explores how aging affects body image and how women respond to body image issues as they age. Design/methodology/approach – Multiple databases were used to locate original and review articles on the topics of body image and aging, with a target population of women ages 60 years and older. The findings of the literature search were compiled, summarized and sorted to create themes. Findings – Women struggle with body image issues throughout their lives. Women tend to perceive age-related changes in appearance negatively, as a threat to their identity and social value. This is due, in part, to the sociocultural environment, which pressures women to "fight" aging and maintain an ideal (young and thin) image at all costs. Some women do come to terms with their aging body and report increased self-acceptance with age. However, others turn to various forms of ...


The paper deals with the spread of Corded Ware Cultures in the Western and Eastern Eurasia. According to the last genetic data (R1a1-M17 in Neolithic Baikal area) the hypothesis on their relation is proposed.


The article is devoted to the analysis of the role of author"s foreshortening in detective stories. The article deals with the issues of the plot development and creating the image of the characters, by the use of which the author strives to make clear for the readers his world outlook and his appraisal of the events, unfolding on the pages of the book.


Feature extraction, discriminant analysis, and classification rule are three crucial issues for face recognition. This paper presents one method, named GaborfaceSVM, to handle three issues together. For feature extraction, we utilize the Gabor wavelet transform on grey face image to extract Gaborfaces. A Modified Enhanced Fisher Discriminant model is used to reinforce discriminant power of Gaborfaces. During classification process, Support Vector Machines classifier is proposed for robust decision in presence of wide facial and illumination variations. In experiments, the discriminant Gaborfaces approach incorporated with SVMs classifier demonstrates better effectiveness and performance than other methods.


The growth and development of crops depend heavily on the temperature environment surrounding them. Temperature environment in the surface air layer above a crop field is substantially affected by aerodynamical properties and heat balance characteristics of underlying surfaces as well as macro weather conditions. To investigate the influence of crop canopy with different canopy structure on the temperature regime of the surface layer, micrometeorological observations were made simultaneously at azuki bean and pasture fields (Fig. 1). The data obtained from field observations were analyzed on the basis of heat balance and surface air layer theories. The results can be summarized as follows:1. As can be seen in Fig. 4, the value of zero-plane displacement (d) of both fields decreased with increasing wind velocity, while the value of roughness length (z0) was an increasing function of wind velocity. The values of both z0 and d were found to be larger for the pasture field than those for the azuki bean field, respectively. The difference in the value of z0 and d between the two fields seems to be related with the difference in LAI between them (the values of LAI were 1.0 and 7.0 for azuki bean and pasture fields, respectively). The dependence of aerodynamical properties of the fields on wind was well expressed by Eqs. (5) and (6).2. Exchange velocity, which characterizes the exchange intensity of an entity in the air layer between Z1 and Z3, was calculated from the heat balance data obtained at two fields. It was found that the values of exchange velocity (D1-3) above the azuki bean field were somewhat smaller than those above the pasture field in a range of wind over 1.2m/sec, whereas the reverse was in the case in a range of wind below 1.2m/sec. The reverse of wind-exchange velocity relationship, as observed in a range of wind below 1.2m/sec, was assumed to be due to buoyant effect of air which becomes more intensive under low wind and high radiation conditions.3. Over the azuki bean field with sparse canopy, less heat was consumed for transpiration with proportionate increase of sensible heat loss, implying that thermal convection was more intensive over the azuki bean field than over the pasture field. The exchange velocity in the air layer over both fields was well expressed as a linear function of stability ratio, as shown in Fig. 6. The soil heat flux at the azuki bean field was somewhat larger than that at the pasture field (Fig. 7). This is presumably because more radiation can penetrate the canopy of azuki bean. The values of Bowen ratio were 0.35-0.45 and 0.2-0.3 at the azuki bean and pasture fields, respectively.4. Assuming that the value of air temperature measured at a reference height (Hp=about 20m) above the two fields is approximately the same, the following relation as to the difference in surface air temperature between them is given as:θA-θ′A=1/Cpρ(RN-lE-G/DA-Hp-R′N-lE′-G′/D′A-Hp)The assumption adopted to obtain the above relation was realized during daylight hours except extremely unstable air condition. Even though thermal stratification in the air was nearly neutral there was somewhat large difference in air temperature at the reference height between two fields at night. Under the conditions that the value of air temperature at the reference height was nearly the same between two fields, the values of temperature difference (θ1-θ′1) calculated from Eq. (3) fairly well agreed with observed ones (Fig. 7). The above relation indicates evidently that the difference in surface air temperature between two crop fields is determined in terms of {Q/D-Q′/D′}.5. In or


The style of study in essence is an attitude towards Marxism. Only by adopting a scientific approach to Marxism and adhering to the linking of theory with practice, which is the Marxist style of study, can our Party continue to progresswith the times in its ideological and theoretical construction in the 21st century, and constantly make theoretical innovations so as to enrich and develop the the ory of Marxism that has been localized in China.


The indentation hardness of Al-SiCp metal-matrix composites synthesized by stir casting process was investigated. Stir casting method was selected as the casting method due to its simplicity, flexibility and applicability. This method allows a conventional metal processing route to be used which minimizes the cost of the product. The silicon carbide particles to be used were first ball milled for size reduction. These particles were then sieved in a mechanical shaker to obtain different particle sizes. SiC particles of size 74µm corresponding to mesh 200 were selected for addition to the Al matrix. The composite was prepared by adding preheated SiC particles to the Aluminium melt via stir casting. Test specimens were prepared by varying the wt% of SiC (1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 9%). As the SiCp additions were increased, the hardness of the composite increased to a large extent. This can be attributed to the uniform distribution of the SiC particles in the Al matrix via stir casting method.


Professional interest in spirituality and religion is growing. In light of this growth, the ethical standards designed to guide social workers' conduct in the area of religion have never been more important. This article explores perceptions of compliance with the profession's ethical standards that address religion among a sample of graduate students (N=303) affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers. Findings indicated relatively high levels of compliance. These perceptions were independent of a number of demographic, spiritual, and religious variables. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.


A polymer flood was injected before the surfactant slug, in heterogeneous laboratory models, for improved oil recovery. The surfactant slug contains Mahogany AA sulfonate, isopropyl alcohol, and 0.23N sodium chloride brine. Two types of laboratory models were used. The first was a Berea sandstone core with a central core of unconsolidated sand. The five-spot model consisted of heterogeneous biporous filtros slabs. All the models were saturated with oil and water, then waterflooded with brine. Dow Pusher 700 in brine was the preinjection polymer flood for the cores. The five-spot models were injected with ICI 2060 polyacrylamide solutions in brine. The preinjected polymer flood in each case was followed by brine, the surfactant slug, a polymer drive (Kelzan MF biopolymer in brine) and a dilute brine chase water. A maximum of 100 percent OIP was recovered from the cores. A water-preflush in place of the polymer flood gave only 84.3 percent OIP. Oil recovery in the five-spot model was 82 percent OIP with the polymer preflush, but only 63 percent OIP without it. Preinjection of the polymer flood reduced the loss of surfactant to the rock by 40 percent or more. The polymer preflush does not decrease oil displacement efficiency, butmore » it does increase the amount of polymer required for the mobility buffer.« less


Fractures of the proximal femur (hip fractures) occur predominantly in older populations, with an average age around 80 years. Around 80% of people sustaining hip fractures are female and many are frail with other medical conditions. Between 12% and 27% of people sustaining a hip fracture die within a year, often as a direct consequence of their fracture. Most survivors fail to regain their former levels of mobility, many becoming more dependent including requiring institutional care. Worldwide, an estimated 1.7 million hip fractures occurred in 1990 with a predicted increase to 6.29 million by the year 2050. The already immense burden on society is increasing, including the escalating costs of the additional institutional care for many people. Preventing these injuries is a clear public health priority. Hip fractures generally result from a simple fall, from standing height or less, in bone weakened by osteoporosis. Loss of protective mechanisms, such as putting out the arms to break the fall, in old people means that the main impact with the ground is usually on the side in the region of the hip. External hip protectors, acting to reduce the direct impact of a fall, have been promoted as a means of preventing hip fractures. The two key types of hip protector are hard protectors generally in the form of plastic shields, which act to deflect the force away from the greater trochanter (a bony prominence of the femur) to the surrounding soft tissues, and soft protectors, such as foam pads, which are energy absorbing. Both types of device are usually fitted in pockets within specially designed underwear. Potentially, hip protectors could be one way of reducing the burden of hip fracture, but do they work? This is the subject of a recently published update of a review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews that examines the accumulating evidence on whether the wearing of hip protectors reduces the incidence of hip fractures in older people following a fall. 1 HIP PROTECTORS FOR PREVENTING HIP FRACTURES IN OLDER PEOPLE This review 1 by Gillespie et al includes 16 randomised controlled trials involving a total of over 16000 older people. The findings of 13 trials conducted in nursing or residential care settings were reported separately from the three trials involving older people living in the community. In seven institutional trials, the participating facilities were cluster randomised to the provision of hip protectors or not. All three community trials used hard protectors, as did nine institutional trials. The review found that data pooled from the 13 trials (11573 participants) conducted in nursing or residential care settings showed a marginally significant reduction in hip fracture risk (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99). However, a sensitivity analysis entailing the removal of data from the five studies at high risk of selection bias resulted in a reduced effect size and loss of statistical significance (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.18). From this evidence, the review's authors concluded that, while hip protectors may reduce hip fractures in these settings, their effectiveness remains uncertain. The review authors found no evidence that provision of hip protectors significantly changed the incidence of pelvic fracture, other fractures, or falls. Pooling of data from the three community trials (5135 participants) showed no evidence of reduction in hip fracture risk (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.57). For hip protectors to be effective, people need to agree to wear them (acceptance) 2 and to continue wearing them in a correct manner (adherence). In the included trials, levels of acceptance were generally modest, and adherence to the various protocols for wearing hip protectors was poor. Gillespie et al conclude that 'poor acceptance and adherence by older people offered hip protectors have been key factors contributing to the continuing


Lamentation is of utmost importance for the elegy as well as for an elegiac 'tonality' in poetry. A closer look at Louise Labé's three elegies shows, however, that it is the technology of self-lamentation through which the suffering of the lyric Self, that is thematized in the elegies, is expressed in a particular way. Thereby, self-lamentation has different functions – to find comfort, to preserve the memory of the bemoaned and to receive glory through the affect-regulating, self-consolatory expression of suffering that is conveyed by the afflicted voice of the lyric Self. The specific expressivity of the (self-)lamentation excites compassion in the female-coded Model Reader and evokes practices of a compassionate community that is constituted in the extratextual realm. The asymmetrical compassion-relation overlaps also with the Petrarchist discourse. Labé's elegies create a temporal and emotional continuum of the compassion function that extends from deplorable historical-mythological heroines over the lyric Self to the potentially lamentable group of the Dames Lionnoises and the Model Reader.


Reissued with a new foreword and introduction by the author Traditional explanations of why pornography must be defended from would-be censors have concentrated on censorship's adverse impacts on free speech and sexual autonomy. In contrast, Nadine Strossen focuses on the women's rights-centered rationale for defending pornography.


This paper examines the effect of offline service quality experience on customer satisfaction and expectation of using e-service with the moderating influences of customer value and service experience. Data from a survey of 400 telecom customers (both landline and mobile) were used to test the research model. The analytical results indicate that high perception (vs. low perception) of traditional service will result in higher expectation of using e-service. Next, customer satisfaction shows the perfect mediation role of the relationship between offline service quality and expectation of using e-service. No moderating effects of customer value and service experience were found in this study but direct effects.


"This essay discusses the striking influence of The Waste Land on Thomas Pynchon's oeuvre and evaluates the stylistic and thematic links connecting them. More specifically, the article centers on twin aspects of Pynchon's intertextual reframing of Eliot's representation of the waste land. The first refers to the use of certain motifs and symbols of the poem, such as the narrator's bouncy character, the living-dead condition of some personages, and the evocation of the violet hour. The second aspect concerns Pynchon's versions of the figure of Belladonna as a "lady of situations" and her relationship with the notion of waste associated with mythic thinking, ethics, and the complexity of life. These themes are developed intensely in Pynchon's oeuvre and are reflected in his complex experimental style."


We improve our previous QCD sum rule calculation on G(KN\Lambda) and G(KN\Sigma) coupling constants by including the contributions from higher dimensional condensates, and , in the OPE. It is found that the contribution of these condensates is non-negligible compared to that of the quark condensates. Using a best-fit analysis we find |G(KN\Lambda)| = 2.49 $\pm$ 1.25 and |G(KN\Sigma)| = 0.395 $\pm$ 0.377.


Abstract Background and objectives Patients with undiagnosed CKD are at increased risk of suboptimal dialysis initiation and therefore reduced access to home dialysis and transplantation as well as poor outcomes. Improved understanding of how patients remain undiagnosed is important to determine better intervention strategies. Design, setting, participants, and measurements A retrospective, matched, case-control analysis of 1,535,053 patients was performed to identify factors differentiating 4 patient types: unrecognized late-stage CKD, recognized late-stage CKD, early-stage CKD and a control group without CKD. The sample included patients with commercial insurance, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare fee-for service coverage. Patient demographics, comorbidities, health care utilization, and prescription use were analyzed using random forests to determine the most salient features discriminating the types. Models were built using all four types, as well as pairwise for each type versus the unrecognized late-stage type. Results Area under the curve for the three pairwise models (unrecognized late-stage vs recognized late-stage; unrecognized late-stage vs early-stage; unrecognized late-stage vs no CKD) were 82%, 68% and 82%. Conclusions The lower performance of the unrecognized late-stage vs early-stage model indicates a greater similarity of these two patient groups. The unrecognized late-stage CKD group is not simply avoiding or unable to get care in a manner distinguishable from the early-stage group. New outreach for CKD to undiagnosed or undetected, insured patients should look more closely at patient sets that are like diagnosed early-stage CKD patients.


Most farms in the Northeast include wooded areas that exist either as woodlots, plantations, or fence rows. However, the degree to which these areas support a particular farm is highly variable — some being largely ignored, others contributing significantly to the farm's economic well-being. The current economic plight and ecological problems facing the agricultural sector across North America are forcing many farmers to look for alternatives to traditional farming and forestry practices. One possibility is the greater integration of trees directly into the farming system through the adoption of various agroforestry principles and practices. Promoting the adoption of agroforestry by farmers in the Northeast, however, will require developing new research data bases and modifying current extension delivery systems. Suggestions for accomplishing both are provided in this paper based on an assessment of the potential for agroforestry in New York State. Key words: Agroforestry, tree crops, nut trees, technolog...


The femtocell (Femto cell) the home mobile communication system for the convenience and cost of installing and operating the process reduction of the service and the home base station is disclosed. Home movement of the present invention the communication system, and a modem device for connection to the external Internet network, connected to said modem device, for interfacing to the power line communication signal according to the power line communication in the home and the internet communication signals via the modem device and the power line modem apparatus, from the connection to the modem unit via the power line communications connection to the Internet network, and transmitting a first communication signal received from the mobile communication network within the Internet network to a mobile terminal in the home, and the mobile terminal a second communication signal received comprises a home base station transmitting to the mobile communication network. The small base station, a femto cell (Femto cell), Power Line Communications


Configuration design for products played a very important role in mass customization. In this paper, the author analyzes the whole course of configuration design, and the framework,structure of product configurator are set forth, then, the related prototype system is developed, finally, this system is illustrated by taking children's bicycle as an example.


Influenced factors of the stability of structural members for high speed craft are analyzed . The complex and behavior of space - time for buckling criteria are indicated . The crafts in which structural members occurred buckling are discussed . The means for increasing the stability of structural member are presented .


The body weight and body sizes of F1 crossbreds of Liping yellow cattle with Simmental or Angus or Limousin at 0,6,12,18,24 month-old were measured.The results showed that the main body sizes of crossbreds of Liping yellow cattle at all ages improved significantly(P<0. 01) ,which elimi- nated the shortcomings of small body construction of Liping yellow cattle,the birth weight and body weight at all ages were also increased significantly(P<0. 05) ;the average daily gain of male and female F1 crossbreds of Simmetal(Liping,Angus(Liping,and Limousin(Liping were 395 g,366 g;364 g, 332 g;391 g,360 g;respectively,which were increased by 105. 7%,109. 1%;89. 6%,89. 7%;and 103. 6%,105. 7% respectively compared with that of Liping yellow cattle of 195 g and 175 g.


Central theme of this proposal is to study effects of capillarity on motion of a fluid interface and to apply these results to flow in porous media. Here we report on several problems considered this year, the second year of the grant. In particular we have developed a numerical code to study the dynamics of a gas bubble in a pore in order to examine the fundamental mechanism for the generation of a foam in a porous material, we have started an investigation of the stability of a foam lamella in order to understand the stability of foam flow in a porous material and we have derived systematically a slip coefficient for flow over a rough surface, e.g., as in a pore. In addition we report on work on several other problems.


Urban horticulture represents a sustainable way of dealing with the challenges of modern cities, including urbanization processes, population growth tendencies, a lack of green areas, environmental pollution and food insecurity. This study aimed to (1) investigate the perceptions of citizens of Novi Sad municipality, Republic of Serbia, toward urban horticulture and (2) assess plant materials appropriate for cultivation in urban gardens and suggest urban spaces completely designed with the use of various forms of edible fruit species, including roses. The same questionnaire was administered with a four-year time gap, in 2019 and again in 2023, before and after the coronavirus pandemic. To investigate plant materials suitable for urban gardening, relevant articles in Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science platforms were searched. The questionnaires' results showed significant differences between the two years concerning respondents' attitudes toward urban horticulture's impact on food safety, socialization and personal health and development, which could have been influenced by the pandemic. Vegetables were grown by most respondents, commonly in household yards and gardens. The main motivations for participating in community urban gardens were to grow food for their own consumption and to make charitable contributions, followed by the motivation 'to socialize and relax'. Exemplary designs of an urban pocket, kindergarten yard and atrium courtyard are presented, providing insights into numerous possibilities for landscaping with fruits.


Ken and Marlene Banwart, the couple who founded Country Maid in 1991, began making pastries in their basement for the local farmers market. The baked goods quickly became a local hit. That's when the Banwarts realized their pastries could have wider appeal. They began freezing the raw pastries and creating new varieties, ranging from tart apple to cream cheese fi llings, to be sold to nonprofi ts and school groups for fundraising activities.


day have problems in emotional and social adjustment (1). The emotionally and socially disturbed child may show his maladjustment in various ways. He may have a short attention span and may often drift into a dream world or create a disturbance in a group. He is frequently in conflict with authority figures and peers. After several months or years of falling behind in learning basic skills, he carries and feels the stigma of failure, which adds to his maladjustment. To him school is unpleasant. He is an outcast, a misfit. In short, he is a failure at learning, a failure with school personnel and peers, and seemingly destined to become a failure in society. All children who are emotionally and socially disturbed do not suffer from the same psychological problems or manifest the same symptoms. However, close examination of the basic patterns of maladjustment and their causes suggest that disturbed children suffer from inadequate interpersonal relationships (2, 3, 4). Symptomatic behavior may not be the same, deprived backgrounds may be described differently, and the central characters in the story may vary; but all disturbed children share one disad-


The invention relates to a dedusting conveyor device, which comprises a conveyor belt, an upper cover plate, an upper gas blowing device and a lower cover plate; wherein, the conveyor belt can convey a base plate along the conveying direction; the upper cover plate is arranged above the conveyor belt and provided with an upper cover plate inner surface; the upper cover plate inner surface is arranged on the side of the upper cover plate opposite to the upper cover plate and provided with an upper adhesion layer; the upper gas blowing device is arranged on the side of the upper cover plate opposite to the conveyor belt; the lower cover plate is arranged under the conveyor belt and provided with a lower cover plate inner surface; the lower cover plate inner surface is arranged on the side of the lower cover plate opposite to the conveyor belt and provided with a lower adhesion layer. The dedusting conveyor device of the invention can reduce the dust attached on the surface of the base plate in the conveying process of the glass base plate of a liquid crystal display in the technology workshop.


In this paper, we study the multiple existence of periodic solutions of the discrete n-dimensional Hamiltonian system with V periodic both in t and the components of q. By showing that the action functional of this Hamiltonian system is invariant under the action of the non-compact group , we construct a new functional for which the Palais-Smale condition holds and prove multiple existence of periodic solutions of this system via Ljusternik–Schnirelmann category theory and Morse theory.


Data decomposing is crucial for parallelizing compilers for message-passing parallel machines to achieve high performance.The data decomposition(mapping data onto processors) analysis is automatically from compiler,loop nests in C for arrays that needed to be distributed to send and receive messages between processors are generated.Not only a proven and powerful mathematical model is put into the use of generating code of data decomposition,but also a formal specification of the algorithm as well as its implementation is given.Preliminary experimental results indicate that the algorithm significantly improves the performance.


Summary of a workshop in which participants studied and presented peak-oil, UK energy balance, oil and recession and NHS carbon reduction facts as a group exercise. Presentation delivered at the 13th South West Public Health Residential School, 20-21 October 2009.


The ability to reliably determine its own position, as well as the position of surrounding objects, is crucial for any autonomous robot. While this can be achieved with a certain degree of reliability, augmenting the environment with artificial markers that make these tasks easier is often practical. This applies especially to the evaluation of robotic experiments, which often require exact ground truth data containing the positions of the robots. This paper proposes a new method for estimating the position and orientation of circular fiducial markers in 3D space. Simulated and real experiments show that our method achieved three times lower localisation error than the method it derived from. The experiments also indicate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art systems in terms of orientation estimation precision while maintaining similar or better accuracy in position estimation. Moreover, our method is computationally efficient, allowing it to detect and localise several markers in a fraction of the time required by the state-of-the-art fiducial markers. Furthermore, the presented method requires only an off-the-shelf camera and printed tags, can be quickly set up and works in natural light conditions outdoors. These properties make it a viable alternative to expensive high-end localisation systems.


Review mining from app marketplaces has gained immense popularity from researchers in recent years. Most studies in this area, however, tend to focus on improving the performance of classification prediction. In this study, we consider review mining from a different perspective, that is, mining user actions/decisions along with their respective arguments/reasons. Our motivation is to obtain a deeper understanding of users' decisions regarding applications and their underlying justifications, e.g., why users give ratings or recommendations. These information abstractions can benefit app developers, especially in planning app updates, by providing data-driven requirements from users' points of view. We utilized a supervised learning approach and built a machine-based annotator to set the ground truth. Seven classifiers and different feature configurations were trained and evaluated on two app review datasets. We then extracted relations between user decisions and arguments based on functional and nonfunctional requirement attributes. The results show an improved performance over the results of the baselines and favorably acceptable performance compared to the results from a human assessment.


Two different plasma wave instabilities have been invoked in earlier models for the generation of top side ionogram diffuse resonances. Arguments are presented that support the model based on the Harris instability, i.e., the instability resulting from a sounder-stimulated anisotropic electron velocity distribution. Two modifications to this model are also presented. First, it is only necessary for the instability mechanism to operate for a period of the order of milliseconds (rather than tens of milliseconds) in order to explain the observations. Second, the wave associated with the second harmonic of the electron cyclotron frequency, which enters into the nonlinear wave-wave interaction process included in the model, comes from the side bands of the transmitted sounder pulse rather than from the turbulent state of the plasma caused by the pulse. The second modification provides an explanation for the variation of the time duration observed among the members of the sequence of diffuse resonances.


Overgrazing and grassland degradation are ongoing concerns for the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau under the present use of the traditional sheep production system. In order to protect the plateau and still enable the local herders to raise their sheep the effect of feeds processing on Tibetan sheep productivity during the cold season was undertaken to determine the effect of supplementing with three different feed processing of concentrate plus oat grass on 18 castrated Tibetan sheep (aged 10 months) previously grazed on local range/pasture. The effects on live weight gain, apparent digestibility and feeds conversion were measured. The three different diets were diet 1: non-processed concentrate + oat grass, diet 2: steam flaked concentrate + oat grass and diet 3: steam flaked concentrate + silage oat grass. The results showed that diet 3 had the highest Average Daily Gain (ADG) (160.33 g). This was 97 g greater than that of diet 1 (p<0.01) and 54.67 g greater than diet 2 (p<0.05). Diet 2 was 41.67 g greater (p<0.05) than that of diet 1. Similar results were obtained among the three diets in regards to apparent digestibility and feedstuff conversion. Compared to the traditional Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau's sheep production system, all three of the tested diets had higher ADG and reduced feedstuff conversion. Applying concentrate/fodder supplementation and processing could thus shorten the sheep's lifecycle reducing the number of Tibetan sheep on the plateau and therefore, decrease the grazing pressure on the open grasslands.


200 radiology.rsna.org n Radiology: Volume 284: Number 1—July 2017 1 From the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (A.T.T., R.D.F., A.P., R.H.) and Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (A.K.M.F.R., A.M.), Emory University School of Medicine, 1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Decatur, Ga (A.T.T.); and Departments of Biostatistics (A.K.M.F.R.) and Radiology (E.V.D.), University of Alabama, Birmingham, Ala. Received October 20, 2015; revision requested December 5; revision received November 16, 2016; accepted December 8; final version accepted June 20. Address correspondence to A.T.T. (e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).


This paper analyzes the probability of fail for the equivalence ratio error. The control error of equivalence ratio is affected by both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. Generally, the reliability analysis techniques are easily incorporated to handle aleatory uncertainty. On the other hand, the epistemic uncertainty requires a new approach since it does not provides uncertainty distribution. Bayesian inference incorporates the result of reliability analysis to handle both uncertainties. The result gives the distribution of failure probability that equivalence ratio does not meet requirement. This technique can be useful to analyze most of engineering systems where both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties exist simultaneously.


This paper presents the synthesis of a scannable pattern for 3D cubic antenna arrays. This design of steerable cubic antenna arrays considers the optimization of the amplitude and phase excitations across the antenna elements. The performance of cubic antenna arrays could be improved substantially if the amplitude and phase excitations are set or optimized in an adequate way. The synthesis process is carried out by the method of DEMO (Differential Evolution for Multi-objective Optimization).


A proposed process flow for a complete FinFET etch module is presented as well as experiments to ensure that the target films are etched uniformly with proper rate, selectivity and anisotropy. The proposed process flow was developed at RIT, designed to closely reproduce what the semiconductor industry uses for a Self-Aligned Double Patterning (SADP) process module while advancing RIT's current cleanroom facility capabilities. The etching experiment is proposed such that a sufficient degree of etch endpoint control can be achieved without a spectrophotometer for endpoint detection using the Magnetically Enhanced Reactive Ion Etching (MERIE) system at RIT. Without the proper etch data a number of critical steps would be incredibly difficult to control. Prior to this work across wafer etch non-uniformity was reported to be approximately 10% with a regular rate of 1400-1500 A min−1. This was improved through various means to a nonuniformity of < 1% and a rate of 2200 A min−1 on average. A way to achieve the mandrel etch and strip using gas ratios of 4:2:1::CF4 :CHF3 :C2F6 and 4:1::CHF3 :C2F6 , was derived, respectively.


This paper reported a novel e-nose type gas sensor based on film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) array in which each sensor is functionalized individually by different organic monolayers. Such hybrid sensors have been successfully demonstrated for VOCs selective detections. Two concentration-independent fingerprints (adsorption energy constant and desorption rate) were obtained from the adsorption isotherms (Ka, K1, K2) and kinetic analysis (koff) with four different amphiphilic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) coated on high frequency FBAR transducers (4.44 GHz). The multi-parameter fingerprints regardless of concentration effects compose a recognition library and improve the selectivity of VOCs.


Three novel metabolites, tuscolid (1) and tuscoron A (2) and B (3), were isolated from the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum (strains So ce1401 and So ce1383). The structures were elucidated by detailed NMR spectroscopic analysis, and their biosynthesis was studied by feeding 13C-labelled precursors. The results revealed that the macrolide 1 and the acyclic derivative 2 are closely related polyketides containing, as a characteristic structural feature, a furan-3(2H)-one ring system. The related minor component tuscoron B (3) was identified as an unstable structural analogue of tuscoron A. The relative stereochemistry of the tetrahydropyran ring and of C-13 to C-17 of tuscolid (1), and of the dihydropyran ring of tuscoron A (2), was determined on the basis of 1H-1H-coupling constants and NOE correlations. A tentative mechanism for the conversion of 1 into 2 is discussed. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)


There are contrasting opinions in literature
by researchers on the impact of online social networking
services (OSNS) on students' academic performance. To
learn more about the impact of online social networking
(OSN) on academic performance, a survey of
undergraduate students of a private university in southwest
Nigeria was conducted. Survey results were analyzed
using structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least
squares (PLS) approach. The results revealed a statistically
significant positive effect of academic competence and
predictors of behavior on student time management on
OSN and their academic performances. The result also
revealed a statistically significant positive effect of attention
deficit on time spent on OSNS and a statistically significant
negative effect on academic performance. Specifically, it
was determined that the higher the attention deficit, the
higher the time spent on OSN. Further, academic
competence was found to be highly correlated with
characteristics that predict or influence student behavior,
while attention deficit was found to be moderately
correlated with predictors of student behavior.


In this scientific research ZnS nanoparticle was synthesized via precipitation method. Two samples were synthesized by this method. The nanoparticle was characterized by XRD techniques, and the size and kind of crystallinity were identified by X-ray diffraction pattern as well. The size measurement has been done by using scherrer's equation. The average sizes of nanoparticles in two samples were 11nm and 23nm. In fact, the velocity of stirrer affects the size of particles. Moreover, the study of XRD pattern indicates the cubic structure. This nanoparticle exposed to Gama ray source of 60 Co and investigated their thermoluminescence's properties. The result shows that the thermoluminescence intensity increases by the size reduction of nanoparticles.


The genetic variability study carried out with fifty genotypes of fodder ragi had shown that there existed a wide range of genotypic coefficient of variation for the characters studied. Heritability estimate was the lowest in plant height while days to flowering had the highest. As the fodder yield, days to flowering and leaf number had combined high values for genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance, direct phenotypic selection based on these traits is suggested for improvement in fodder ragi.


A method is proposed to account for the influence of the tank walls in the topological transient model of a three-phase, three-limb core-type transformer. The influence of the transformer tank walls as a distributed-parameter hysteretic element is reproduced by solving a diffusion equation that describes the penetration of the plane electromagnetic wave into the depth of the wall. The reliability of the model is validated by comparing its zero-sequence impedances to those measured on a 25-MVA transformer, in the presence and absence of a tertiary stabilizing winding. An Electromagnetic Transients Program-Alternate Transients Program implementation of the model is outlined.


The role of zoos to conserve biodiversity is increasingly being recognized, but greater attention must be paid to good captive health, welfare, and population viability of species of interest. Several researchers have reported on the visitor effect on captive primate and felid behavior, and research has remained scarce on large captive herbivores, particularly in a mixed-species exhibit. The effect of zoo visitors on the activity budgets of twelve herbivores of four species at the Granby Zoo was investigated. The activity budget of individuals was monitored during the pre- and peak visitor seasons for a total of 20 observation days. Number of visitors had an effect on the daily activity budgets of Common elands and Thomson's gazelle but did not have an effect on giraffes and zebras. The proportion of time spent feeding by Thomson's gazelles increased whilst that of elands decreased as the number of visitors increased. This study summarizes the information on the activity of these species in the wild and provides new information on these species in captivity. The percentages of time spent walking were similar to that of wild and domesticated counterparts, whilst the percentages of time spent in other activities were dissimilar to that of wild and domesticated counterparts. Our study provides practical insight into maintaining and maximizing animal welfare in a zoo setting. The number of visitors had no effect on the aggressive behavior of the individuals within the mixed-species exhibit. The male zebra exhibited inter-species aggression directed toward the gazelle and was found to be incompatible in the mixed-species exhibit.


An important aspect of Mathematical Morphology is the description of set operators by a formal language, the Binary Morphological Language, whose vocabulary are dilations, erosions, antidilations, antierosions, union and intersection. This language is complete (i.e. it can represent any set operator) and expressive (i.e. many useful operators can be represented as phrases with relatively few words). Since the sixties special machines, the Binary Morphological Machines (BMMach's), have been built to implement the BML with increasing efficiency. However, designing useful BMMach programs is not an elementary task. Recently, much research effort has been addressed to automating the programming of BMMach's. The goal is to find suitable knowledge representation formalisms to describe operations over geometric structures and to translate them into BMMach programs.


A series of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiTf)/room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) composite electrolytes has been prepared by melt compounding, using sepiolite modified with d-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS-Sep) as filler. These electrolytes have been extensively characterized, including thermal stability, relaxations and transitions, rheology, conductivity, ion diffusivity, and salt dissociation. This work shows how the ability of TPGS-S to act as a physical cross-linking site for PEO allows these electrolytes to behave as solids at T > 70 °C, while the abundance of an ionic liquid phase makes the ion diffusion coefficients at 25 °C considerably high, closer to those of a viscous liquid than to those of a solid phase. This combination of rheological and electrical properties, together with their simple and scalable preparation by melt-compounding, makes them a very appealing new class of sustainable electrolytes. This same concept can be applied t...


An increased number of bio-inspired face recognition systems have emerged in recent decades owing to their intelligent problem-solving ability, flexibility, scalability, and adaptive nature. Hence, this survey aims to present a detailed overview of bio-inspired approaches pertaining to the advancement of face recognition. Based on a well-classified taxonomy, relevant bio-inspired techniques and their merits and demerits in countering potential problems vital to face recognition are analyzed. A synthesis of various approaches in terms of key governing principles and their associated performance analysis are systematically portrayed. Finally, some intuitive future directions are suggested on how bio-inspired approaches can contribute to the advancement of face biometrics in the years to come.


subject-matter, made up, for the most part, of a formal and commonplace tabulation of the powers and duties of governmental agencies and officials. Little use is made of the wide range of topics which enter into the experience of high-school pupils. Less than one-fifth of the book is devoted to a treatment of the economic and social phases of modern life. A three-page bibliography is made up largely of political-science books on the college level. The type of subject-matter used in this book does not emphasize the functional, purposive phase of civic education. In fact, the political-science viewpoint seems to have determined the choice of content. The social and economic phases of citizenship, which are an essential part of any social-science text, have not received space compatible with their importance. In short, the book does not represent a contribution to the field; it is merely another text added to the rapidly increasing and motley collection of social-science textbooks.


We introduce a new version of expansiveness similar to separating property for flows. Let $M$ be a compact Riemannian manifold without boundary and $X$ be a $C^1$ vector field on $M$ that generates a flow $\varphi_t$ on $M$. We call $X$ {\it rescaling separating} on a compact invariant set $\Lambda$ of $X$ if there is $\delta>0$ such that, for any $x,y\in \Lambda$, if $d(\varphi_t(x), \varphi_{t}(y))\le \delta\|X(\varphi_t(x))\|$ for all $t\in \mathbb R$, then $y\in{\rm Orb}(x)$. We prove that if $X$ is rescaling separating on $\Lambda$ and every singularity of $X$ in $\Lambda$ is hyperbolic, then for any $C^1$ vector field $Y$, if the flow generated by $Y$ is commuting with $\varphi_t$ on $\Lambda$, then $Y$ is collinear to $X$ on $\Lambda$. As applications of the result, we show that the centralizer of a rescaling separating $C^1$ vector field without nonhyperbolic singularity is quasi-trivial and there is is an open and dense set $\mathcal{U}\subset\mathcal{X}^1(M)$ such that for any star vector field $X\in\mathcal{U}$, the centralizer of $X$ is collinear to $X$ on the chain recurrent set of $X$.


As our society becomes more litigious, our business dealings require more caution and, as part of that cautious approach, it is prudent to use written contracts to define the parties' rights and obligations, and to define limitation or liabilities wherever possible. This paper presents a concise explanation of some pertinent areas of contract and tort law, and the concept of negligence as each applies to the civil engineering contract. Further, since requests for proposals and proposals often conflict, general concepts for handling some ofthose frequently occurring contrary terms are included. It also discusses liabilities specifically determined by the nature of the business enterprise in the context of the sole proprietorship, the partnership, and the corporation, as well as the professional consideration of malpractice. Finally, the writer presents selected clauses for consideration, and the applicability of each in the scheme of the engineering contract. This paper deals with general legal theories and is not intended as a substitute for legal advice as it applies to a specific person, business, or circumstance. In addition, since it deals with generalities, the particular circumstances of an individual case may significantly vary liability. The intent of this paper is to alert you to a few of the many areas of potential liability. Consult an attorney for guidelines and assistance when engaging in business transactions.


The example 9.5 from JCGM-SI "Gauge block calibration" with a nominal length of 50 mm by the comparison method using a comparator and a reference measure of the same nominal length and the same material as the original standard is analyzed. In JCGM-SI compares the procedures for uncertainty evaluation, performed on the basis of the law of propagation of uncertainty (GUM) and the Monte Carlo method. The report uses the procedure developed by the authors, which consists Taylor-series expansion of the measurement model into a second-order series taking into account the kurtosis of input quantity distributions. To facilitate engineering calculations, the finite increment method is used. The excess method is used to find the expanded uncertainty. The good agreement of the results obtained by the proposed method with the results obtained by the Monte Carlo method is shown.


The neural network method to forecast the heating value of Municipal Solid Waste( MSW) is a new way to estimate heating value of MSW by using statistics of economy and natural environment. Indicated by Grey Correlation Coefficient,there are four key factors that affect the heating value of MSW,including rate of gas utilization,annual rainfall,per capita annual living expenditures of urban households and GDP. A social-economic statistics based BP neural network estimation model of the heating value of MSW was established,by using MATLAB with the statistics of those key factors and the historical tracking results of heating value of MSW from Chendu City. The closed set and open set test show that the model has a high precision and stabilization. It can do simulation effectively with data outside of the training sample and can perform fast training.


Abstract Features having a similar appearance to those produced by irradiation damage have been observed in ZnSe after electron irradiation at sub-threshold voltages in a transmission electron microscope. It has been suggested that these features are due to recombination enhanced point defect generation. This paper shows that the appearance of these features is related to the particular microscope employed and are not caused by the aggregation of point defects but are a surface defect layer of a second phase which is probably an oxide of zinc.


A total of 153 samples of milk were collected from one to none months lactating mothers age 17 to 44 years. The protein, total nitrogen, fat, lactose and calcium content 0f these milks were determined. Marked individual variation existed in the protein lactose and fat content of the milks, which was in agreement with finding of other investigators. A gradual decrease was noticed in the protein and fat content of the milk with the increase of the age, higher in the first two months than in later months.


Abstract Lascars were Indian seamen employed on British registered ships from at least the seventeenth century. Though technically British subjects, special legislation deprived them of this status and restricted their 'Britishness' regarding employment to particular parts of the world and to a fixed proportion of the crew, except in time of war. Moreover, this legislation, much of it in force until quite recently, fixed wages and conditions at a much lower level than that for Caucasian British crew doing the same work, and made 'desertion' a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and deportation. During two hundred years of public discussion and legislation about Lascars, British fears of black settlement and of miscegenation were to the forefront. As the numbers of Lascars who managed to settle in Britain were minuscule, it is clear that British racism is not due to what the present Prime Minister has described as fears of 'swamping'.