Abstract. 1 The patterns of herbivory by leaf miners on the shrub Ochna ciliata growing on Aldabra Atoll were studied in relation to browsing by feral goats and exposure to the tropical sun versus shading. 2 Damage due to both tunnelling (Diptera) and 'blotch‐making' (Lepidoptera) leaf miners was statistically greater on trees that had been browsed and on those that received more extensive exposure to the sun. 3 Effects of exposure and browsing were additive, as evidenced by the lack of statistical interaction between these factors. 4 There was a significant negative correlation between the numbers of tunnelling and blotch‐making miners in trees that had been browsed, but not in unbrowsed trees. 5 Three geographical areas were sampled to test whether the effects of browsing on leaf mining were invariant or influenced by as yet unknown environmental factors. A statistically significant interaction between browsing and geographical region indicated that, while browsed trees had significantly more mines whatever the habitat, the extent of this effect differed across the habitats.


BUILT HERITAGE in use must accommodate change from time to time if it is to remain in use, and the term conservation has come to define the process of managing change sympathetically. Urban areas are no different. Successful management of development and regeneration requires thorough analysis and understanding of the heritage values at stake, particularly in a world heritage site (WHS) such as Edinburgh, Bath or Liverpool. Here development must be both inclusive and sustainable, so we need to understand the area's 'outstanding universal value' for which the WHS was designated.


The Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) was officially unveiled on January 20, 2015 by President Obama during his State of the Union address. This initiative will transform healthcare by providing health professionals with new and improved strategies to identify individuals at risk for diseases like breast cancer and to determine which treatments and therapies are best suited for the patient. The term "precision medicine" which most researchers often refer to as "personalized or individualized medicine" considers the approach that one-size-does-not-fit-all [1]. The phrase "onesize-does-not-fit-all" refers to a treatment or drug that may work well for some individuals but not for others. A nice example is the anti-estrogen breast cancer drug tamoxifen (TAM) which is used to prevent breast cancer in high-risk populations and to treat postmenopausal estrogen receptor (ER) – positive breast cancers [2,3]. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer death among women [4]. Close to one-third of postmenopausal breast cancer patients experience a relapse after adjuvant treatment with TAM [5,6]. It is unclear as to why some patients experience a more favorable response to certain drugs, such as TAM, while other patients with the same diagnosis experience multiple adverse side effects from taking TAM. Recent advances in the field of breast cancer pharmacogenomics provide strong evidence that acquired or inherited genetic differences in drug metabolic pathways can affect an individual's response to TAM and other chemotherapeutic drugs [7-10]. In support of these observations, our pharmacogenetic study showed that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the TAM metabolizing gene UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4 (UGT1A4) significantly decreases how TAM and its derivatives are metabolized in the human liver [11]. These studies, along with countless other pharmacogenomic studies, demonstrate the influence of pharmacogenomics on policy implementation and efforts that guide the development of more effective medical treatments tailored to an individual's genetic makeup. Currently, more than 100 pharmacogenomic biomarkers have been added to drug labels that may help clinicians take appropriate actions to manage their patient's health based on their biomarker information [12]. Because the PMI has directed most of its efforts toward research that seeks to provide new knowledge about how an individual's genetic makeup, environment, and behavior can impact disease risk and response to treatment, I expect that this initiative will require continuous and effective collaborations between clinicians, scientists, health professionals and policy makers.


Extracts that were obtained with solvents of increasing polarity (hexane, dichloromethane, methanol, 80% methanol, and water) from the red macroalga Gracilaria domingensis were evaluated by reducing power with ferric reduction antioxidant power (FRAP) and Folin–Ciocalteu (FC) assays, lipid peroxidation inhibition by β-carotene-linoleic acid assay, and metal chelating ability based on the iron-ferrozine system. The highest antioxidant capacity was reported for the hexane (Hx) extract by the FRAP, metal chelating, and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. An activity-guided fractionation of the Hx extract was carried out for the identification of its active constituents. The primary components were the most active antioxidant compounds. Despite the high antioxidant activities, the Hx extract was not active in the FC assay. In this assay, the activities were found in the methanol (M) and 80% methanol (80M) extracts. The FC assay is commonly used to measure the total phenolic compounds. However, no phenolic compounds were detected by GC-MS and HPLC analyses in the M and 80M extracts. Thus, non-phenolic components influenced the FC assay. The M and 80M extracts showed high content of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). A fraction contained two MAAs (porphyra-334 and shinorine) (156 mg GAE·g−1) showed a similar performance to the values that were found for well-known antioxidants (BHT = 156 mg GAE·g−1 and Trolox = 166 mg GAE·g−1) and 30 times higher than those of the original extracts (~5 mg GAE·g−1) in the FC assay. Thus, MAAs contribute to the antioxidant activities that were observed in the FC assay within the studied samples. Together, these results advance our understanding of the antioxidant properties of algal extracts.


Genotype × environment interaction (G×E) in dairy cattle is a contentious issue that is usually ignored in genetic evaluations. It can, however, play a significant role in the accuracy of breeding values in different environments, if it exists, with a negative impact on genetic response when it is ignored. The purpose of the study was to investigate a possible genotype by environment interaction in first calf South African Holstein cows for both production and reproduction traits. Data from 100,975 cows on a total mix ration (TMR) and 22,083 pasture based cows were used. They were the progeny of 4,391 sires and 84,935 dams produced over a period of 11 generations. Traits analysed were milk production (corrected to a 305-day equivalent) and age at first calving (AFC). Both were recorded over a period of 30 years from 1980-2010. Production or AFC in each environment (TMR vs. pasture) was treated as a separate trait. Bivariate analyses, using an animal model in ASREML, were used to obtain genetic correlations between the traits measured in each environment. The genetic correlation for milk production measured in the two different environments was 0.90 (0.027) and that of age at first calving 0.28 (0.12). The heritability estimates for milk production were 0.23 (0.008) under the TMR system and 0.32 (0.


This thesis studies the connection between High-Involvement Management (HIM) practices and employees' innovative behavior. Opportunity-enhancing, ability-enhancing, and motivationenhancing HIM practices' connection to the probability for expressing innovative behavior is studied quantitatively using a probit regression and propensity score matching with an extensive set of control variables. Data is obtained from the Finnish MEADOW survey, which contains more than 1000 combined employer-employee observations. The main finding in the thesis is that opportunity-enhancing and ability-enhancing practices are associated with innovative behavior: In the scale of 0-10, a one-point increase in the aggregate score of the practices is associated with a statistically significant 3.4%-point and 1.3%-point average increase in the probability for innovative behavior for opportunity-enhancing and abilityenhancing practices, respectively. For motivation-enhancing practices, such association is not found. In addition, propensity score matching reveals that bundling the different practice types is associated with an increase in the probability for innovative behavior, but the association is smaller than the single practice types' combined association. Motivation-enhancing practices show slightly positive, yet insignificant association when not combined with other practices, while ability-enhancing practices show larger associations in magnitude when combined with other practices. The results are aligned with the vast majority of prior theoretical and empirical studies, and provide interesting future research topics, especially considering the effect of non-monetary incentives, which could not be investigated with the data used in the study, and the potential trade-off between productivity and innovativeness. Prior studies have suggested HIM practices to have a positive association with productivity, and it would be interesting to find out if productivity and innovativeness are complementary, substitutes, or independent of each other.


Note: GR-53 958 ; EPFL - SB - ISIC - LMRP2.Consultable sur demande a la Bibliotheque de l'EPFL / Offered in consultation at the EPFL library. Reference EPFL-STUDENT-199409 Record created on 2014-06-04, modified on 2017-05-12


I HAVE been asked to discuss "Some Problems of Human Racial D development and Migration " in the space of a half hou0ir. 1 once had a professor who urged "take tine to be brief' but there are: so many angles to this subject and it covers so much tinie and space that the best I can hope to do is to indicate a few of the problems. My difficulties begin when I use the term human. Where is the dividing line between prehunian and human? Just about the time of the Dayton trial came the discovery of Australopithecus. A London journal came out with an illustrated article calling this the oldest find of fossil man in Africa or perhaps in the world. American papers copied and one of our British colleagues was so fearful I might use the material in my testimony that he sent me a long message saying the find, was not man but an ape far advanced toward man. How human does a "man-ape" have to be before we class him as human? Does the distinction lie in cranial capacity? If so, the six-year-old Australopithecus had already passed out of and beyond the range of Anthropoid apes of like age. Is it in proportions of the brain? If so, this youngster showed very human traits in the high degree of development of parietal bosses and in expansion in the temporal


The best simultaneous approximations from subsets of a Banach space was studied.The charaterization of the S-sun set and S-strong regular set was discussed,and theorem for Papini charaterization of best simultaneous approximations was obtained.


Magnetorelaxometry (MRX) is a measurement technique able to sense the magnetic field originating from magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The concentration distribution of MNPs can be recovered by interpreting the MRX measurement data with a numerical model, i.e., by solving an inverse problem. We investigate the actual impact of noise on the MNP reconstruction quality when using distributed excitation coil configurations and how the excitation setup needs to be adapted when prior information on the MRX noise is known. Results show that an approximately 4 times larger sensitivity can be attained when adapting the excitation setup to the known realistic noise. The proposed methodology is able to assess the sensitivity limits of the MRX measurement setup more accurately compared to convenient noise models.


The importance for welfare arises from a very nature of industrial system which is characterized by two basic facts (1) the conditions under which work is carried on are not congenial for health and (2) when labour join industry, he has to work in an entire strange atmosphere creating problems of adjustment, having a satisfied workforce is very essential for smoothing working of every organization. So this study is conducted to know whether the workforce are satisfied with the welfare facilities provided by PSU's with special reference to BHEL and provide suggestion to them for improving the employees satisfaction. This present research paper reports on an exploratory study recently conducted on labour welfare practices in PSU sector. Through this study the author bringout certain significant differences in the labour welfare facilities provided in Public and Private sector. The finding shows that there is significant differences regarding labour welfare practices. It shows that PSU sector have attained greater cooperation and support of workers as compared to private sector.


Abstract Patulin is a toxic metabolite of some fungal species. Several factors such as process properties or food composition have effect on patulin degradation level. In this paper, we carried out a systematic review to evaluate the effect of physical processing methods on patulin reduction level in vegetables or fruit products. Twenty-one studies were included based on inclusion and exclusion criteria mentioned in the methodology. Different processing methods reduce the patulin content in fruit and vegetable products up to 100%. Radiation, especially UV radiation can completely eliminate patulin without any adverse effect on quality of food products.


After reviewing muscular biology and general relationships between muscular physico-chemistry and meat quality, this review analyses the variations in muscular pH and related traits in rabbits. Among biological factors (muscle, age, genotype, family), muscle factor is the most important. lt determines the differences in ultimate pH (pHu) between muscles, which can reach 0.7 units and which are due to differences in the fibre typology. lncrease in glycolytic metabolism during muscle growth is accompanied by pHu lowering; its variation depends on the precocity of muscle development. Comparative studies of breeds do not show any evidence of differences in pH above 0.2 units; no breed presents abnormal acidification or pHu kinetics, which might entail anomalies in Water Holding Capacity or other qualitative traits in meat. Wlthln breed, the existence of correlations between pHu and growth characteristics may lead to a reduction in meat quality when strains are selected for weight productivity. The effect of dietary faetors is relatively small. When they can be detected, pH variations mostly correspond to modifications in growth rate. Thus the pHu of meat is lowered when growth is stimulated by a high level of nutrition or a high protein content. Slaughter faetors have a marked influence on muscular pH. Transport leads to a noticeable rise in pHu, a result of ante mortem depletion of glycogenic reserves; when subjected to prolonged stress, meat is darker and has a higher water holding capacity. Electroanaesthesia accelerates muscular acidification without modifying pHu. careass ehllling slows down the physico-chemical processes of rigor mortis: it slows down the fall in pH and reduces the intensity of sarcomere retraction. Even when chilling is intense, in spite of sorne contradictions in published literature, the phenomenon of "cold shortening" does not seem to be of major significance in rabbits. During meat storage in refrigerated form, after a certain latency period, the maturation processes are witnessed by de-amination of the proteins and thus by a raised pH. Freezing slows down this process, but does not avoid a rise in pH after several months in storage.


This chapter contains sections titled: The Trouble with GDP, Additional Measurement Challenges in the Digital Economy, Four Key Economic Effects, A Deep Dive into Peer-to-Peer Rental Markets


Wastewater treatment is indispensable as wastewater can lead to adverse health effects and deteriorate the quality of life on earth. Photocatalysis is a facile methodology to address this issue. In this study, nanocomposites (NCs) of manganese oxide (Mn3O4) and nickel oxide (NiO) were synthesized in different weight ratios via the solid-state reaction route. Structural properties, optical properties, surface morphology, and functional group analysis of the synthesized nanomaterials were conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV– Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The bandgap of the nanocomposite decreases significantly from 2.35 eV for the Mn3O4 NPs to 1.65 eV for the Mn3O4/NiO nanocomposite (NC). Moreover, adsorption studies followed by the photocatalytic performance of the Mn3O4/NiO NCs were evaluated to determine the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from wastewater. The photocatalytic performance of the nanocomposite enhances as the ratio of Mn3O4 in the composite increases from one weight percentage to three weight percentage. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency was calculated to be 95%. The results show that the synthesized NCs could play an important role in photocatalytic wastewater purification and environmental remediation.


In order to prevent side surface cracking in the process of upsetting head,it applies the theory of critical hole expansion ratio in damage mechanics,presents the instantaneous drum coefficient and constructs the finite element model.By means of plastic mechanics equation,it sets up the condition of large forgings upsetting without side surface cracking of steel ingot.


The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between permeability of chipseals, waterfilm thickness, basecourse moisture sensitivity, heavy traffic volumes, and premature pavement failure following construction through the use of accelerated pavement testing at CAPTIF. The research has produced some surprising results in that the traditional M/4 basecourse was the worst performer in all cases. However, it must be borne in mind that this research can only be considered applicable to first coat seals, with high water film thicknesses at very high traffic volume. The recommendations resulting from the research are to: 1. prime all new pavements before first-coat sealing to reduce the risk of early failure; 2. condition new seals before they are loaded in wet conditions, ie avoid the practice of sealing just before it rains as this is likely to increase the probability of failure; 3. avoid geometric designs that generate large water film thicknesses; 4. not delay in placing second-coat seals on high-volume roads; 5. use unsaturated hydraulic models for modelling moisture movement in pavements; 6. review first-coat seal failures for the factors observed in this report; 7. undertake field trials of lower permeability M/4 alternatives.


For the problem of high delay rate and high failure rate of order online negotiation, based on Zeuthen Strategy, a novel multistage multilateral co-evolution algorithm was proposed. The algorithm applied a new role of agent called coordinator (CO) to effectively control the multilateral negotiation process, and caught the optimal extent of concession with Bayesian Learning by gradually amending the probability distribution of opponent's reserve-price valuation-vector and dynamically adjusting ones own business bid-curve. Combining the synchronous kicking-out mechanism, invalid consultation was avoided. The experimental results show the proposed method sufficiently captures the opponent's information to help agents duly update their belief, and the utility of negotiation behavior is obviously improved.


Finite element analysis [34-37] can be utilized for evaluating the mechanical properties of various structures used for fabricating bodies and frames of the robots. Nature driven Fire Fly algorithm is one of the promising AI technique to address many optimization problems. Engineers have used Fire Fly algorithm [38-40] for path planning of robotic agents in uncertain environments. Abstract In this paper application of average fuzzy inference technique has been analysed for navigation control of robotic agent. Also, the reviews of other AI techniques for control of robots are carried out. The robotic agent uses sensors to map the surroundings and take the decision with the help of Fuzzy AI technique to avoid obstacles. In this paper a novel averaging method has been deployed to optimize the results obtained from various fuzzy membership functions. Using the Average Fuzzy Inference technique robot navigates from start position to goal position avoiding obstacles while reaching the target. The simulation results agree with experimental results. The methodology can be used for various applications by the scientific communities to address various engineering problems.


Abstract The hydrophobic packing for preparative low pressure hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) on the new granulated cellulose matrix Granocel were prepared by alkylation with phenyl glycidyl ether in the presence of sodium hydroxide. The ligand concentration up to 600 μmol/g was achieved with high reproducibility. The relative amount of eluted model protein at the fixed set of conditions was used as a criterion for the evaluation of the relative hydrophobicity of adsorbents. The relative hydrophobicity was found to depend on accessible, rather than total, amount of coupled ligand as well as on the nature of matrix. The chromatographic behaviour of adsorbents both in laboratory and in large scale was evaluated by the enrichment of recombinant α2-interferon from Pseudomonas putida VG-84.


A new adaptive algorithm for Independent Component Analysis (ICA) has been developed. It directly applies stochastic gradient descent on the independence criterion. The cost surface is seen to be fairly smooth. The developed algorithm is always stable. It converges faster than earlier algorithm. The algorithm is developed for general MxM system case. Experiments are given to verify the above.


Abstract A human life is not made up of measurable equal increments. There are crises, setbacks and advances, obstacles and pathways, highs and lows. The prevailing methods for the study of significant lives, insofar as there is any interest at all in the subject, are hampered by scientism and materialism. The means for understanding how we progress as individuals in relation to society and to the future of humankind cannot be found in the standard disciplines of psychology or sociology, which are looking for measurable results and are dominated by the quest for objectivity. Guided primarily by the thought of Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy, we observe here the patterns in the life of two pioneering physicians, centuries apart, Theophrastus von Hohenheim, known as Paracelsus, and Sigmund Freud. Inspiration, revelation, conversion, orientation, grace are at the center, but none of these terms is reducible to material measurement. A new approach is suggested that better informs us about what makes the world go 'round, the grammatical imperative, which subsumes even love.


The basic principle, training methods and model selection of support vector machine (SVM) are expounded in this paper, and then we introduce SVM in transformer fault diagnosis which can overcome the problems of the structure selection of neural network.


We study the effect of Chandrasekhar and Holstmark's distribution of field fluctuations on the dynamics of N-body systems interacting via Coulomb or Newton gravitational force. We develop an approach based on statistical dynamics first principles whose mathematical framework is similar to the one used by Chandrasekhar and Holstmark for their field fluctuation theory. We use the Picard iteration method to approximate the Hamiltonian dynamics in the short time limit. Neglecting correlations between particles, carrying the thermodynamic limit and assuming that the system is spatially homogeneous, we find a fractional kinetic equation for the velocity distribution. Both, the fractional derivative order and the asymptotic behavior of the solution appear to be directly connected to the $1/r^2$ behavior of the Coulombian or gravitational interaction force over short distances.


This paper presents data from a crisis evaluation questionnaire administered to 50 adolescents admitted to the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. Analysis of the questionnaire delineated four crisis behaviors—suicidal, aggressive, psychotic, and psychotic-drug—as the reasons for hospitalization. Each behavioral group was evaluated in terms of life situation areas covered by the questionnaire. Analysis of results identified characteristic life situations for each group, which could be used to differentiate the four groups.


The proceedings of a conference that brought together a group of deer scientists and deer management professionals from more than 20 countries. Topics covered include wild deer management, nutrition, and physiology, and ethical and political aspects of the commercialization of deer.


The term granuloma was first introduced by Virchow as a tumor like mass or nodule of granulation tissue. Granulomas have been defined in different ways. One of the common definitions could be 'A granuloma is a localized collection of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system with or without the admixture of other inflammatory cell types. ! The 'Koch phenomenon' was probably the first experimentally induced granuloma. It is an accelerated enhanced dermal reaction evoked by live or dead tubercule bacilli in guinea-pigs presensitized with tubercle bacilli . 2 This is probably due to the release of Iymphokines following, the interaction between the tubercle bacilli and specifically sensitized T cells in the blood or tissues. The infiltrates of this reaction contain lymphocytes and epithelioid cells . The relationship between epithelioid cells and macro phages was recognized by Metchnikoff as early as 1 888 . 3 In this context, leprosy is an interesting disease for investigation for two main reasons: a, it affects a large population in the world; and b, the histopathological features of lesions and cells in the granulomas bear a positive correlation with the delayed hypersensitivity reaction seen in these patients. Thus it could serve as a useful model for studying the immunopathological aspects. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae where granulomatous inflammation affecting the skin and nerves is a prominent manifestation. This disease exhibits a spectrum with tuberculoid leprosy, a high immune, paucibacillary form at one end and lepromatous leprosy, a low immune, multibacillary form at the other end . The lesions in tuberculoid leprosy are characterized by an epithelioid cell granuloma with abundant lymphocytes forming dense collections around the epithelioid cells . On the other hand, lepromatous leprosy is characterized by a granuloma composed of sheets of macrophages loaded with M. leprae along with plasma cells and a few lymphocytes diffusely distributed into the granuloma. Most of the studies to understand the immunological mechanisms in leprosy have been mainly carried out using in vitro tests on peripheral blood derived lymphocytes and monocytes .4 However, the major site of immunological reaction in leprosy, i .e . the skin has been largely uninvestigated due to methodological limitations. This has been overcome to a considerable extent with the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against cell surface antigens. They have proved to be an important tool to analyse the nature of lymphocytes and other cell types in humans .5 The present review is limited to the progress made in the last five years in understanding the immunopathology of leprosy granulomas. Most of the


The aim and objectives of this study work is to evolve and develop a low cost method for chemical analysis. This method will be highly useful for the chemist, biochemist and botanist for proximal chemical analysis. Microscope is one of the most common techniques used for the investigation of histological and biological material and plant sectioning and staining it is an old method of research in diagnostic field. Anatomical sections provide us more information about the tissues or cells but differentiations and quantification of different compounds are very difficult or one can say that it is impossible but now a day with the help of Microscope, Camera and Computer software one can see 100 times larger image and also observe or quantify them easily. But Computational biology is utterly incomplete without microscopic section staining because computer software differentiates or quantifies to the specific compound on the basis of their colour, so for this purpose different dyes/stains were used for specific area or molecule. In the present research work, first of all proteins were determined from three plants by different reported methods, after the confirmation of protein concentration, same plant's section were stained with two protein dyes and then were analyzed by own developed computer software that is ABAS. Stains or dyes are Coomassie Brilliant blue (CBB dye) and Lawsone dye (Ls dye). Coomassie stain is well known protein dye and Lawsone dye is also protein dye because it is commonly used for dying hairs, nails and skin proteins internationally. In this research concentration of Lawsone dye was observed in whole and powdered leaves of Henna (Lawsonia inermis) extractions at different time intervals i.e 1hr, 2hrs, 3hrs, 4hrs, 5hrs, 24hrs, 48hrs and temperatures i.e 10�C, 20�C, 30�C and 40�C at different concentration (at 452nm) for staining purpose and pH. In this work one hour of powdered leaves extraction was used for the staining of anatomical sections of three plants. Siris (Albizia lebbbeck) is widely available on the campus of Sindh University, so first of all experimental work was started with the above plants followed by two other plants i.e Pea (Pisum sativum ) and Gram (Cicer arietinum) which were grown at the research plot, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Sindh. Protein was analyzed from rachis of Siris by Lowry's and Bradford's quantitative method, molecular weight of protein was determined by Electrophoresis and staining pH of Lawsone dye assisted by paper chromatography. Sections of rachis of Siris were stained in CBB dye for different time intervals at room temperatures and then same plant sections were stained with 2% pure Lawsone dye (Ls dye) and 2% Henna powdered leaves extraction for one hour (Hple1) at different time of intervals i.e 30min, 1hr, 2hrs, 3hrs & 24hrs and temperatures i.e 40�C, 50�C, 60�C, 70�C, and 80�C. All of these sections were observed under microscope which was connected to computer through USB cable and saved all section's photos (2D images) in computer memory for the assessment of stained image colour intensity by ABAS computer software, after confirmation of protein by computer software, protein concentration were observed at three stages of growth i.e 1st, 2nd and 3rd of the stem portion of both plants i.e Pea & Gram. Protein concentration in both plants were also analyzed by Lowry and Bradford quantitative methods and Electrophoresis and paper chromatography were also done, after that both plants stem sections were stained with CBB dye, Ls dye and Hple1 at different time intervals followed by analysis by ABAS computer software. With the help of these staining methods we can easily quantify even a small quantity of protein and in future we may identify the type of protein at different growth stages of plants, this method can also be applied on plants for quantifying other compounds e.g Alkaloids but for that purpose we need specific dye and desired software.
For full and semi automation of microscope, we need different hardwares (Motors) and computer software. Semi automated microscope performed more than one task by computer and others were performed by human. In this research work, Vertical and Horizontal movement of stage of microscope (were observed by putting slide of section/image) controlled with the help of Stepper motor and computer programming in Visual Basic6 (VB6).
For the 2D image analysis, ABAS image processing software was developed in Visual Basic. Net frame work (C#.net; pronounced C sharp dot net and Visual Basic.net; pronounced VB.net) computer language. Stained and unstained 2D images of three plants section determined by histograms (8-bit) and on the basis of their changes in staining colour, intensities of colour of unstained & stained plant section (2 images) was determine then protein content was analyzed with the help of formula and compared with each other.


We will situate the concept of an avatar (a working simulacrum of part of a system separated from it in space or time) with respect to traditional concepts of programming language and systems design. Whilst much theory and practice argues in favour of insulation (the creation of architectural boundaries prohibiting the leakage of information) we will find that many successful systems take a diametrically opposed approach. We name this family of systems as those based on externalised state transfer. Rather than hiding implementation details behind APIs, object interfaces or similar, these systems actively advertise their internal structure and its coordinates via data and metadata. Examples of these systems include RESTful web applications, MIDI devices, and the DWARF debugging file format. We discuss such systems and how we can purposefully design new systems embodying such virtues in a more distilled form.


A survey of job expectations 1 among computer science students was conducted. The purpose of the study was to examine relationships between computer science education, gender, and job expectations. A factor analysis revealed that students have four types of expectations, including: intrinsic expectations (nonmaterialistic expectations involving job satisfaction and personal achievement), extrinsic expectations (materialistic expectations involving monetary compensation, status, and prestige), me‐oriented expectations, and other‐oriented expectations. Subsequent analysis of these factors suggested that students at higher computer science education levels tend to emphasize intrinsic job expectations, while students with less education focus on extrinsic expectations. Gender was found to have no significant effect on any of the types of expectations. Comparison of expectations among students with low‐experience in computer science courses and computer science alumni suggest that increased computer science ex...


on his website, robert cummings neville makes an interesting remark: my serious intellectual life began in 1944 at the age of five when a kindergarten classmate told me that god is a person. i checked with my father about this, and he said, "no, Jesus was a person but god is more like electricity or light." This seemed reasonable and triggered in me a decisive love of god. electricity makes things go, like my electric train, and my father explained that god makes everything go, which remains my theology to the present day (albeit in ways even my father could not imagine).1


Charles Heath (1761–1830) is described on a gothic memorial outside St. Mary's Church, Monmouth, as a 'Bookseller, Antiquarian, Historian, who first brought into the notice of tourists the antiquities, scenery and numerous objects of attraction in the neighborhood of Monmouth'. Heath's contemporaries clearly regarded their fellow entrepreneur and former mayor as one of the inventors of late eighteenth-century Wye Valley tourism. Not only was his marketplace shop an epicentre of visitor activity – in the manner of multi-tasking provincial bookshops up and down the realm – but Heath is also credited with creating the itineraries these noticing tourists would follow. It was in part Heath's ability to promote the attractions of an 'undiscovered' province that led Coleridge to solicit his help in circulating information on Pantistocracy. This 'philosophical librarian', a title bestowed on Heath by one client he guided in person about town, the 'noted Cicerone of Monmouth. . . its literary guide' in the words of another, wrote and printed a series of modestly-priced, well-regarded topographical accounts of the county of Monmouthshire. His publications include a guide to Tintern Abbey that ran to eleven editions between 1793 and 1828, the high summer of picturesque travel in Britain. The career of the Historical and Descriptive Accounts of the Ancient and Present State of Tintern Abbey spans thirty-five years of tourism at the site, making it a remarkable document within the history of visual culture in Britain. Designed, as Heath explained in 1803, to 'impart innumerable circumstances, which the contemplation of such a scene naturally excited in the mind of every curious and observant traveller', the volume is of necessity a sustained profile of the Romantic spectator. Heath's assessment of the needs, priorities and behaviour of these 'curious and observant' visitors to the ruin is documented across the multiple editions of the work. Many visual depictions of the interior of Tintern Abbey in the period are punctuated by the figures of gazing, conversing spectators, often shepherded in small groups by figures who are – then as now – unmistakably tour-guides. Loiter long enough in the vast archive of Romantic prints and paintings of the ruin and one begins to have a nodding acquaintance with particular figures going about their business there – the long-serving landlord of Tintern's principal inn for instance. Contemporary artists characterize Tintern Abbey as a site where 'information' (a word


The invention relates to a stop device of an engine rotor and stator tightened part and a use method of the stop device of the engine rotor and stator tightened part. According to the technical scheme, the device comprises a technological stator case, a rotor stop sleeve and stop pins. The rotor stop sleeve is installed in the middle of the technological stator case, and the rotor stop sleeve and the technological stator case can rotate relatively. The technological stator case is used for being connected with an engine stator case. The rotor stop sleeve is provided with an upper installation side and a lower installation side, the upper installation side is provided with first holes, the lower installation side is provided with second holes, the upper installation side is further provided with first pin holes, and the second holes and bolts on an engine rotor are installed in a matched mode to achieve connection between the rotor stop sleeve and the engine rotor; the technological stator case is provided with second pin holes, and the stop pins can be inserted into the first pin holes and the second pin holes for connecting the engine rotor with a stator together to implement stop; the first holes are used for being provided with torque multipliers and tightening a tool. By means of the technical scheme, the stop device is easy to manufacture and easy and convenient to assemble, the assembling period is shortened, and the working efficiency is improved.


This paper proposes an extension version of our previous work MS-CC to achieve optical and SAR images change detection. The proposed method introduces a cooperative multitemporal segmentation, whose merging process considers the heterogeneity of SAR and optical images as parallel information, making sure that the multitemporal information can be fully utilized without interfering with each other. Then, the change detection strategy based on compound classification is carried out on the segmentation results, obtaining the multi-scale change detection maps. Experimental validation is conducted with GoaFen3 and Google Earth data.


Biodiesel is a kind of environment-friendly, green, renewable energy source, which is expected as an excellent substitute for diesel fue1. The methods of biodiesel production mainly include chemical catalysis, enzymatic catalysis and supercritical fluid method. Based on the comparisons of these different methods, it was found that enzymatic catalysis had many advantages. However, synthesis of biodiesel by enzymatic catalysis had two major problems of low reactive efficiency and excessive production cost. Then, the methods how to improve reactive efficiency and reduce production cost in enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel was reviewed. Finally, a suggestion aimed at development of enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel was put forward.


There are presented mechanisms of transport and chemical engineering corrosion. Basic problems of a trunk gas and oil pipeline complex are presented. A general theoretical dependence for the definition of surface corrosion-resistance is shown. Methods for corrosion and corrosion wear decrease are considered.


Objective To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of self-expandable nitinol stents with 125I seeds and sents without 125I seeds in patients with malignant central airway stenosis.Methods Forty-four patients with malignant central airway stenosis were randomly divided into two groups:group A(26 cases) received implantation of nitinol stents without 125I seeds and group B(18 cases) received implantation of nitinol stents with 125I seeds.Clinical symptom improvement,complications such as haemorrhage,chest pain and restenosis as well as survival intervals were evaluated.Results Dyspnea significantly decreased immediately after stent implantation in both two groups,in group A the dyspnea index was 3.5±0.7 vs 1.5±0.3 and SpO2(86.0±11.2) % vs(95.0±7.7) %,in group B the dyspnea index was 3.6±0.5 vs 1.4±0.3 and SpO2(84.0±12.4) % vs(94.6±10.2) %(all P0.05).Complications such as stent migration,seeds migration or shedding,perforation,trachea stenosis due to radioaction and major haemorrhage were not observed in both groups.No death occurred due to stent implantation.Some patients complained chest pain in one or two weeks after operation in both groups but there was no statistical difference(P0.05).In group B the rate of restenosis was lower than group A,16.7% vs 53.8%(P0.05).Survival period in group B was significantly longer than group A,(14.6±3.2) months vs(10.4±2.6) months(P0.01).Conclusion Self-expandable nitinol stents combined with 125I is effective in the treatment of malignant tracheobronchial strictures.Dyspnea can be remarkably alleviated,better quality of life and a longer survival span can be expected by this technique.


This article reviews recent ethnographic works on the former Soviet Union, Eastern and Central Europe, and Mongolia that explore the experiences of people enduring drastic transformations following the collapse of socialism in 1990 and the consequent implementation of a neoliberal "shock therapy." The anthropologists working on postsocialist societies have shown that transition theories are inherently faulty and their implementation often had damaging results. The current condition is not a period of transition or "bridge" between socialism and capitalism. Instead individuals' activities, memory, social networks, and culturally specific values lead to uncertainty as a state of dynamic being. This article argues that uncertainty is a complex conceptual space that offers further opportunities to step away from the evolutionary mode of thinking and to develop theories of multiple ways of being.


Objective:To evaluate the effect and safty of nimodipine(capsules) to treat cerebral hemorrahge. Methods:30 patients were divided into two groups: control and treated. Patients of the treating group were treated with nimodipine 30 mg, 3 times a day, per os. It lasted 21 days for a course of treatment. Patients of the control group were treated with drugs other than nimodipine. Results: The effect of the treating group was better than that of the control group. Conclusion:It is suggested that nimodipine is a drug of choice for treating acute cerebral hemorrhage.


"Many letters ask "what do you wish from this locality?" There arc fields which have been so well worked that published lists can be obtained of the species found in these localities. This is the exception, however, rather than the rule. Several hundred collectors have visited Truckee because it is on the Central Pacific and in the center of a great tourist resort. Many rare species arc known to exist here and most entomologists could name species which they would gladly purchase. But if I asked these learned men what species they wanted from Mcadow Lake, Webber Independence, or any of the mountain lakes twenty miles northward, few could answer. In other words, the science of entomology is in its infancy, and perfect lists of moths and butterflies have been published of few localities."


Satellite cells or muscle stem cells are responsible for postnatal muscle growth and repair. Satellite cells in mature muscle reside in a quiescent state outside of the cell cycle. Upon proper stimulus, satellite cells become activated, proliferate, and fuse into muscle. Myoblast cell lines are often utilized to simulate satellite cell biology. The 23A2RafERDD² embryonic mouse myoblasts enter an induced quiescent state upon high levels of Raf stimulation. Approximately 30% of 23A2RafERDD² myoblasts express Pax7, a satellite cell unique transcription factor. This cell line heterogeneously exhibits varying myogenic regulatory factor combinations, representing all stages in the development of a myoblast. The 23A2RafERDD² myoblasts, like satellite cells, possess a potential for adoption of divergent fates through asymmetric cell division. The 23A2RafERDD² myoblasts are an acceptable model for some aspects of satellite cell biology. Previous work
identified two proteins that display a nuclear translocation upon high levels of Raf induction, E2F5 and LEK1. These proteins also were present in the nuclei of quiescent satellite cells in vitro. In vivo work identified these proteins in satellite cells and myonuclei from murine and bovine tissue samples. Differential protein expression patterns were also demonstrated with age. E2F5 and LEK1 expression levels fluctuate from low in a young animal to higher in an adult animal once muscle growth ceases. Aged muscle displayed the lowest levels of expression. E2F5 and LEK1 play unique roles in entrance and maintenance of states of quiescence and cell cycle exit. The two proteins also exhibit different localizations upon the assignment of divergent fates within satellite cells.


Relationship Abstract Ethnic identity, as a component of one's individual identity, refers to the commitment to a cultural group and engagement in its practices. A healthy ethnic identity development should contribute to wellbeing. The aim of the present study is to investigate the strength of association between ethnic identity and depression, anxiety, and stress in Iranian university students. A total of 184 students from three Iranian universities filled in the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42). Ethnic identity correlates significantly and negatively with depression, anxiety, and stress. The sense of belonging to the ethnic groups shows the strongest and most significant corre lations with depression, anxiety, and stress. This result is compared to the findings of studies with other ethnic groups. It seems that the strength of correlation between ethnic identity and mental problems is higher in Iranians than in European Americans or Europeans, which might be due to the differing role of ethnic identity for mental health in different ethnic groups.


Rehabilitating and retrofitting concrete structural members using externally bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) strips has been gaining steadily use in recent years because of its many advantages. An important design issue with significant performance and safety implications is the debonding of externally bonded FRP strips in flexural members, where the delamination is primarily due to Mode-II facture. Although extensive research has been conducted on Mode II fracture of CFRP-concrete interface, only limited studies are available on durability. This paper explores the long-term behavior of FRP-concrete interface under Mode II loading condition through a combined accelerated ageing test and a prediction model based on Arrhenius relation. Mode-II single shear test was adopted in the accelerated ageing test, where specimens were subjected simultaneously to two environmental conditioning effects: (1) immersed in deionized water varying from 0 to 13 weeks; and (2) controlled temperatures varying from 25°C to 60°C (77°F to 140°F) of samples while immersed in water. The Energy Release Rate (ERR) determined before and after conditioning was considered a measure of the durability performance of the specimens. Based on the short-term data from the accelerated aging test, a detailed procedure is developed using Arrhenius relation to predict the long-term performance of the CFRP-concrete interface. It can be concluded that the accelerated ageing test and the prediction procedure used in this study can be a useful tool to evaluate the durability of the CFRP-concrete interface.


Exemplary methods for manufacturing a wire and resultant wires are disclosed herein. The method includes extruding a receptor cross-linkable polymer that is substantially free of curing agent about a conductive core and extruding a donor polymer in association with a curing agent. The method includes disposing the donor polymer about the receptor polymer and conductive core to create a multi-layer wire pre-product. The method also includes heat curing a multi-layer wire pre-product to form a wire.


Tlze New York Times is believed to be one of the most influential newspapers in the United States, widely read by the leaders of opinion and decision makers in government, business, academia and other social and cultural circles. This belief is shared by many social scientists and confirmed in some research studies.' 1 In this study, a content analysis is made of the treatment and coverage of Iran by The New York Times, as reflected through news reports, stories. commentaries, and letters to the editor, in the 1971-76 period. This period was chosen to answer certain specific questions as well as the general research question. The interval not only presents a good part of the decade of the 1970s for the study of the image of Iran in a most important American mass medium but is also a period immediately preceding the 1977-79 Iranian uprisings that eventually led to the overthrow of the Imperial government in Iran in February of 1979, thus enabling the study to attempt to shed


The study aims to identify the appropriateness of EFL Secondary School textbooks for distance learning from English Teachers' Perceptions at public schools in Al-Mafraq governorate. The study sample consisted of (124) English teachers selected using random sampling method. To achieve the study objectives, an online survey was used. The study showed that the appropriateness degree of EFL Secondary school textbooks for distance learning from English teachers' perceptions was moderate. It also revealed a statistically significant differences at (α = 0.05) in the appropriateness degree of EFL Secondary school textbooks for distance learning from English teachers' perceptions in light of gender, in favor of males, while there were no statistically significant differences in light of experience and education


Certain chemotherapeutics are now known to augment host immunity by acting on DCs. In this issue of Blood , Nakahara and colleagues demonstrate a unique pharmacologic activity of CTX to selectively eliminate the lymphoid tissue-resident CD8+ DC subset in mice.[1][1]

Although chemotherapeutic agents


Since the first report by SALING in 1962 of the amnioscopic method, over 200 articles have been published dealing with this technique. Results obtained with the amnioscopic method have been compared with those from urinary estrogen determinations [3], fetal ECG monitoring [2] and amniocentesis [10]. Topics such äs associated morbidity in parturient and fetus [12], infection of fetal membranes [5], appearance of misleading findings [11], evaluation of doubtful findings [9] and the limitations of the amnioscopic method [6] have been discussed. Further related publications have included an explanation for the possible appearance and elimination of meconium from the amniotic fluid [10], a report of experiences with attempted modifications of the method, äs well äs utilizing hysteroscopy in pregnancy [1], descriptions of applying the colposcope and cold light [4, 7] and the modified hysteroscope in amnioscopic research [14]. Drawing upon the studies mentioned above and our own favorable experience with over 3,500 amnioscopic examinations, our interest has been directed towards a further evaluation of the amnioscopy. This has resulted in an examination of the frequency with which meconium staining of the amniotic fluid is found at the onset of labor in cases of normal pregnancy [13]. Of 536 parturients studied at the onset of labor after completely normal pregnancies. 7 cases or 1.3% were found to have meconium-stained amniotic fluid. This is in contrast to 7—8% found in cases of high risk pregnancy where fetal hypoxia was to be expected. Analysis of these data concerning meconium staining of the amniotic fluid at the onset of labor has shown that there Curriculum vitae


The accumulation of space charge in solid dielectrics is examined from the macroscopic point of view using electromagnetic field theory. For practical dielectrics, it is shown that the occurrence of such charges is an inherent consequence of a non-uniform conductivity. The influence of both temperature and electric field strength upon this space charge formation is elucidated. Thereafter the theory is applied to DC cables.<<ETX>>


Hg is commonly found in the natural gas which has a potential hazard to on-situ operators and specific metal (such aluminum). In this paper, Hg content was detected aiming at key points during production and Hg content distribution map was drawn for Bohai some oilfield. Based on the comparison between ABS and Hg rapid detector, the Hg rapid detector was recommended to operator as on-situ detecting tool. It will be a guidance to Hg detection and Hg hazard protection in future.


A method of measuring the thickness of test articles by pulse reflection ultrasonics, the length of time period as determined by the signal triggering the ultrasonic trans mission and by an ultrasonic signal reflected at the end of the measurement path length being used to determine the distance travelled by the ultrasonics. In the method, the triggering signal for the ultrasonic transmitter is generated in phase with a measuring oscillation of a high and known frequency, whereafter the integral number of measuring oscillation pulses or waves which fit into a time period corresponding to measurement path length are counted, whereafter the measuring os cillation is so detuned that the residual measuring oscil lation or wave found over and above that in the time period is reduced to zero and a correction value is de rived from the amount of frequency detuning for the measurement path length resulting from the integral number of measuring oscillation pulses or waves. This method and apparatus make possible high accuracy of measuring while avoiding the disadvantages of analog circuit arrangements and while using a counting fre quency usable by very low current CMOS components which can be used in portable battery-operated devices.


This study was conducted to examine relationships between dogma tism and Machiavellianism that seemed implicit from previous research, but which had not been systematically examined. It was expected in this study that a factor analytic investigation of the Dogmatism and Machiavellianism Scales would reveal a partial but significant similar ity between the two scales. Both scales were expected to contribute items towards factors reflecting a disaffected view of the motivations and capabilities of others, along with feelings of hostility and suspicion. It was also expected, within the context of voluntary, democratically-oriented organizations requiring sustained interpersonal contact elected and perceived leaders would be less dogmatic and less Machiavellian than non-leaders. This study also proposed to examine differences between females and males in the expression and integration of personality variables such as dogmatism, Machiavellianism, hostility and aggression. This study also proposed to examine differences in dogmatism between individuals of different birth order. A factor analysis of the research questionnaire, using the principal axis method and orthogonal rotations, confirmed the hypothesis that items from the Dogmatism and Machiavellianism Scale would cluster together on specific factors for males. The factorial differences between dogmatism and Machiavellianism were also demonstrated for males. The factor analysis for women was too unclear to allow adequate inter pretation.


The identification of moving loads based on influence line method had defects of uncounted lateral distribution of load, unapparent peak values and a low speed of recognition. To improve these disadvantages, this paper proposes a method to identify moving loads, which identified transverse positions of vehicle load according to the dynamic stress of multiple strain key points on the same cross section, peak values by Wavelet Transform method, and axle weight according to a time history cure of the dynamic strain and stress in a specific time period. Results of a simulated research on Ansys showed the accuracy of recognizing multiple vehicles on single line by the proposed approach was high. Introduction Moving load identification was a typical second-order inverse problem [4], which was to obtain moving loads according to a known system and responses. Using a dynamic response from an online monitoring system to identify moving loads is a way to establish a load model reflecting a normal operational state of a bridge, to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring system. Moreover, load identification was a basis for bridge design, traffic control management, and infrastructure health and safety assessment and management. Considering the reasons above, moving load identification was valuable to research. The Present Situation of Moving Load Identification The identification of bridge moving loads was a special and complex identification problem. Among previous research, there were two main types of methods for bridge moving loads identification: one is based on the vehicle-bridge coupling vibration model to identify interaction between vehicle and bridge [1,2,3], the other one is to distinguish the vehicle speed, axle amount, and axle weight based on dynamic responses [5,6]. Studies of moving load identification were still in the initial stage. The problem of insufficient applicability of current methods, multi-vehicle identification and sensor testing accuracy should be considered in further study. Although the bridge moving load identification theory had some progresses, there were still some problems: (1) The previous research was only for the one lane bridge with a span that is no more than 30 meters. Hence, the scope of the application is narrow. (2) Previous research did not solve the problem of accurately recognizing multiple vehicles in single lane or multiple lanes. The proposed methods in previous research are to identify moving loads of a single vehicle or sparse vehicles, which is insufficient to recognize multiple vehicles. (3) Some moving loads identification methods did not take the lateral distribution of the load into consideration, which had a negative impact on the accuracy of the methods. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Material Engineering and Application (ICMEA 2016) Copyright © 2016, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 320 Advances in Engineering Research, volume 103


Ice hockey is a very popular sport in the Czech Republic. Nowadays, hockey player efficiency analysis is a useful tool that helps sports managers with player selection, team composition and team performance evaluation. The literature offers only a limited number of scientific studies that deal with the evaluation of the efficiency of hockey players or clubs. The aim of this research is to use data envelopment analysis to help Czech hockey clubs, managers and coaches to evaluate the efficiency of their players. This research evaluates the technical efficiency of Czech hockey players using three data envelopment analysis models, ranks the best players based on their super-efficiency scores, and then tries to uncover the main sources of player inefficiency. The models are empirically applied to players playing in the Tipsport extraliga in the 2021/22 season. The evaluation used in this paper attempts to incorporate greater objectivity into decision making and thus may be an important step in developing a systematic methodology for evaluating hockey players.


This thesis aimed to investigate digital methods for identification, classification, and correction of particle images using digital holographic microscopy. The work begins with a micro-scale flow experiment employing a digital off-axis holographic microscope. To overcome noise from out-of-focus particle images due to the increase in the particle concentration, a new particle image identification algorithm with threedimensional
reconstruction was introduced. It shows that individual particle images could be identified at about 62% of the expected number of particles. However, a cylindrical micro-channel used in the experiment was found as the main source of astigmatism. Following this, an automatic image classification using neural network was proposed to classify reliable and astigmatic particle images. A feed-forward backpropagation neural network with two class classifier was trained, achieving overall accuracy of 99.8%. Next, an original method of aberration correction using a priori information and digital wavefront aberration processing was applied. Astigmatism introduced by the micro-channel was modelled according to quadratic
phase function and optimized using peak detection algorithm. The results show that astigmatism in the detected particle images was effectively compensated. A variant digital off-axis holographic microscope was later developed for large-scale flow measurement, allowing for the first time both amplitude and phase of the
holographically reconstructed images to be registered simultaneously. The aberration introduced by a tilt in the optical hologram during the reconstruction was effectively corrected using adaptive optics. In overall, the work discussed in the thesis has proven effective to overcome noise and aberration. The main implication is that the holographic techniques can be successfully employed in complex three-dimensional fluid flow measurements.


SYNOPSIS

The resemblance of the pupae of three species of Lycaenidae of the tribe Spalgini to the heads of anthropoids in Africa, India, and North America is discussed. It is suggested that one of these, Spalgis lemolea Druce, resembles the head of a monkey when seen from nearby but a bird-dropping when seen from further away.


Stenting is the usual treatment for recoarctation following resection with direct end‐to‐end anastomosis. We describe for the first time stenting to relieve anastomotic stenoses in tubular interposition grafts, which are used to repair approximately 10% of coarctations. Success in these two adults expands further the spectrum of large conduits that may be relieved of stenosis by stenting. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2003;59:544–546. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


To describe the frequencies of physiologic monitor clinical alarms and to investigate nurses' perceptions and practices regarding clinical alarms in ICUs.


Although existing surveillance cameras can identify people, their utility is limited by the unavailability of any direct camera-to-human communication. This paper proposes a real-time end-to-end system to solve the problem of digitally associating people in a camera view with their smartphones, without knowing the phones' IP/MAC addresses. The key idea is using a person's unique "context features", extracted from videos, as its sole address. The context address consists of: motion features, e.g. walking velocity; and ambience features, e.g. magnetic trend and Wi-Fi signal strengths. Once receiving a broadcast packet from the camera, a user's phone accepts it only if its context address matches the phone's sensor data.We highlight three novel components in our system: (1) definition of discriminative and noise-robust ambience features; (2) effortless ambient sensing map generation; (3) a context feature selection algorithm to dynamically choose lightweight yet effective features which are encoded into a fixed-length header. Real-world and simulated experiments are conducted for different applications. Our system achieves a sending ratio of 98.5%, an acceptance precision of 93.4%, and a recall of 98.3% with ten people. We believe this is a step towards direct camera-to-human communication and will become a generic underlay to various practical applications.


Introduction: Craterstats is a software tool for analyzing crater count data in the context of a planetary surface chronology model. It was first developed in 2007 to replace an older piece of software used at the Freie Universitaet for crater dating [1], known as Kranch, which was written in HP BASIC and took its data input in the form of hand digitized measurements from photographic plates. The new program was coded in IDL with the aim of exactly reproducing the analysis of the old measurements while also being able to process new data produced by GIS software. Subsequent changes to enable better comparison between different chronology models and data presentations, as well as to introduce new calculations to account for resurfacing effects eventually led to a restructuring as Craterstats2 in 2010. Since then, notable updates have included adaptations to allow: Fitting of the differential form of polynomial-style cumulative production functions, removing the necessity to make so-called resurfacing corrections, making the analysis both simpler and mathematically cleaner [2]. Compensation of exponential binning bias. When working with binned data representing a decreasing exponential function, a bias arises when plotting against the bin centre since, statistically, more craters occur close to the left edge of the bin than its right. The consequence is that points are plotted higher than would be the case for a continuous function. The effect becomes larger as the bin width increases, and makes a difference of a few percent in model ages for root-2 binning. Where the slope of the production function is known (even approximately), the effect can be compensated out [2]. Poisson timing analysis. Following a workshop on Issues in Crater Studies and the Dating of Planetary Surfaces (Laurel, Maryland) where the problem of calculating errors for chronology models fitted to binned data was discussed at length, a new approach was introduced which evaluates the model exactly – without binning or fitting. The method describes the surface age probabilistically, and remains valid for those cases where the number of craters is low or even zero, when the binning/fitting method becomes inadequate [3]. μ-notation. At the same workshop, we discussed the importance of distinguishing the error arising from the Poisson process of crater formation, which may in some cases be rather small, from the uncertainty of correctness and calibration of any particular chronology model, which may remain considerably larger and is not easily quantifiable. We denote this latter uncertainty by the function μ in a quoted age estimate, e.g. μ10.9−2.4 +2.8 Ma, with the plus/minus values representing only the stochastic error [3]. Provided that the model is broadly valid – that we are counting primary craters that accumulate with time – the stochastic errors maintain meaning in distinguishing the relative age of surfaces even when the model calibration is less well known. New implementation: Craterstats3 is designed to replicate the output of the previous version as closely as possible. As before, it produces plots in cumulative, differential, Hartmann, and R-plot styles [4] with possible overlays of crater counts, isochrons, equilibrium functions and epoch boundaries, as well as chronology and impact rate functions (Fig. 1). Data can be shown with various binnings or unbinned, and age estimates made by either cumulative fitting, differential fitting, or Poisson timing evaluation. Numerical results can be output as text for further processing elsewhere. A number of published chronology systems are already set up for use, but new ones may be added by the user. The software is written as a Python package with a command line interface, the intent being to create an archived reference implementation of the calculation components of the software. Some example command lines are shown in Figure 1 with the plots they generate. The package is designed to be easily integrated into other software, which could allow the addition of a graphical interface or the inclusion of some Craterstats functions into a GIS. Installation instructions and the source code can be found at: https://github.com/ggmichael/craterstats. Note that the installation procedure is likely to be revised in the near future. The methods of the companion program for spatial randomness analysis of crater populations provided with Craterstats2 were recently generalised for analysis of regions covering a significant fraction of a curved surface body [5]. It is intended to provide a future Python parallel of this program based on this generalisation.


The relevance of the research topic is because the administrative reform initiated in the Russian Federation, aimed at improving the management of all aspects of public life, is impossible without studying public opinion. Today, the problem of developing effective technologies for the interaction of public opinion with the public administration system is becoming especially urgent. So in this paper we studied the political management of public opinion with the help of the global Internet. The subject of the research is management technologies, with the help of which the influence of control on the formation of public opinion is exercised. The essential social functions of public opinion are revealed. Researched directly to the community that disseminates information on the Internet. Analyzed the results of the implementation of the political and psychological settings of the public consciousness.


Sustainable stormwater management approaches in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) allow a source control to handle the quality and quantity of the runoff at local level or near the source. The most popular technologies applied in Europe are green roofs, porous pavements, retention basins and bioswales/raingardens. In this article, two of these solutions (retention tank with reuse, and rain garden, respectively), applied to single dwelling case studies in a suburban area in the Silesia Region (Poland), are illustrated and analyzed. The selected cases consider technical and economic aspects as the most important factors for decision on the selection of onsite stormwater management approach. Both systems have been operational for approximately two years. The retention tank proved a good solution, reducing stormwater overflows and allowing local water reuse for lawn irrigation; however, investment and maintenance costs in this case are relatively higher. The raingarden proved to work efficiently in this small scale implementation and implied much lower initial investment and costs. The economic sustainability of these interventions at single dwelling scale was analyzed, showing interesting returns, with outcome depending on the degree of possible water reuse (lower water bills) and availability of fiscal or fee incentives. Introduction of financial incentive schemes will encourage homeowners and developers to implement stormwater control solutions, allowing rapid amortization of investment costs with additional benefits to the community, such as reduced environmental impact of stormwater overflows and possible economies in the construction and management of stormwater systems.


self-government on the policy agenda and the editors present an abridged version of their article "Tribal Traditions and European-Western Political Ideologies," which appeared in this JOURNAL in 1984 (537-54). These articles point to political and cultural obstacles to agreement on aboriginal self-government, and therefore advance the implicit thesis in this book that there is unlikely to be a final constitutional conclusion to the "quest for justice." As is the case with all edited collections, the quality of articles in Quest for Justice is uneven, and the arguments presented are varied and not necessarily consistent with one another. In addition, the purposes of the various articles range from description to analysis to persuasion. However, this collection is better than many in that most of the articles are well suited to the purposes of the editors, and are of high quality. Furthermore, the editors use the ordering of the articles, their section introductions, and the general introduction and epilogue to draw out themes that connect articles within each section and to show relationships between sections. Arguments in specific articles can be challenged, and the implicit argument for pragmatism may be controversial and underdeveloped, but the book is a useful and timely addition to the existing literature on aboriginal rights, native policy, and constitutional politics.


This paper analyze the demand for educational services in a context in which households and schools are heterogeneous. Distance from student's place of residence to schools is a key component of our model. School quality and household characteristics are also important in- gredients. Our empirical analysis uses rich and novel information from a large sample of students in Chile. We combine geo-referenced data with longitudinal information on student's performance. Our longitudinal data contains information for 95% of the Chilean students initially enrolled in 8th grade in 2004. For each student in our data, we observe her scores in two national tests (taken during eight and tenth grades, respectively), all her grades during high school, and her performance on the Chilean standardized test of college admission. We also observe her place of residence and the locations of the schools in which her enrolled. Our results shed lights on the determinants of schooling choices. Our ultimate objective is to understand the impact of these choices on academic performance and and long-term outcomes.


Zijincheng, also known as the Forbidden City, is the largest and best-preserved ancient palace-type wooden building in China, built without using a single nail. Since it was built in 1420, it has served as a palace where the emperor lives and works. Almost 600 years old, it has gone through two dynasties (i.e., the Ming and Qing dynasties (AD 1368–AD 1912)) and 24 emperors. It has survived more than 200 devastating earthquakes throughout its history, and it is still standing strong. In this paper, the authors introduce the construction technology of the ancient Chinese wooden structure as well as the greatest secret of the well seismic performance of the Forbidden City. The study found that the secret to the Forbidden City's ability to withstand many powerful earthquakes lies in the flexibility of its timber structure, which is mainly reflected in the application of the tenon-mortise joints, energy-dissipation capacity of Dougong brackets and shallow-buried columns. The seismic responses of a 1:5 reduced-scale model of Shoukang Palace of the Forbidden City under different earthquake magnitudes are studied through a series of shaking table tests.


The propagation harmonic wave in an infinite bianisotropic medium with nonzero off-diagonal elements of the permittivity and chirality tensors is considered. The wave propagation constants and electromagnetic field components are expressed in the analytical form. The incidence of a plane harmonic wave on the interface between an isotropic and a bianisotropic media is analyzed for an arbitrary incidence angle. Expressions for the refraction angles and propagation constants of the refracted waves are obtained in the explicit form. Numerical results for a bianisotropic medium with standard parameters are presented.


Developing practical and mild strategies for the direct functionalization of white phosphorus (P 4 ) without chlorination is an appealing but formidable challenge. Toward this end, we report a breakthrough in the preparation of structurally diverse dialkylphosphines and trialkylphosphines that rely on the successive generation of carbon-centered radicals from N -hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) esters and the controllable alkylation of the P 4 molecule under transition-metal- and photocatalyst-free conditions. To facilitate separation and prevent product losses during purification, the corresponding oxidation products dialkylphosphine oxides (DAPOs) and trialkylphosphine oxides (TAPOs) were isolated. This photoinduced phosphorylation reaction features one-pot operation, high product selectivity, and tolerates a broad range of alkyl NHPI esters, including derivatives of complex natural products and pharmaceuticals. Further diversified transformation of DAPOs to construct P-F, P-C, P-N and, P-O bonds was also demonstrated.


Due to the stochastic uncertainties in ramp area aircraft trajectories, the optimization of push back time windows has to account for randomness associated with the trajectories. This paper formulates a mixed integer linear program for computing the optimal chanceconstrained aircraft push back time windows. The solutions are chance-constrained because they allow for a non-zero but bounded probability of conflicts among the sampled aircraft trajectories. Solutions of the mixed integer linear program are shown to be significantly impacted by the presence of even a few rare conflict points within an otherwise empty domain. By allowing for some conflict points inside the time windows, the solutions become much more attractive. The runtime of the mixed integer linear program is shown to be most influenced by a parameter within the objective function, the distribution of conflict points, and the number of conflict points that are allowed inside the time window. In order to reduce the runtime we introduce various cutting methods applied to the mixed integer linear program domain. Overall, the analysis shows that the cutting methods reduce both the runtime and standard deviation of the runtime for the mixed integer linear program.


This study shows a procedure to optimize polymer exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell gas channels in the systems bipolar plates with the aim of globally optimizing the overall system net power performance. Two geometrical gas flow channel configuration are considered, parallel channel and serpentine. Geometric optimization is carried out to determine the configuration which offers minimum pressure drop within the system and the maximum heat and mass transfer for optimal system performance. The systems are subjected to the constraints of total fixed volume and materials. The systems total and net power, efficiency and polarization curves are presented as a function of system temperature, pressure, geometry and operating parameters. Predicted results are compared successfully against past data involving channel flow profiles in gas channels. The configurations obtained from the geometric optimization reduce the overall pumping power requirement and subsequently cost for the supply of required fuel and oxidants to the fuel cell through the channels.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


In design of experiments, analysis and identifying those variables that affect the outputs are of interest. Response surface methodology is a mathematical-statistical method to optimize the experiment outputs. This method tries to find the best response levels by optimizing the design variables called factors. In many engineering applications, robust design has become the most important issues. Robust design is that can be more and more reliable against possible stresses
Considering some outputs related to reliability aspects, response surface methodology can lead towards the mentioned purposes. Since there are few researches related to this topic in the literature, optimization of multiple response surfaces related to reliability characteristics are considered in this study.


A recently introduced predictive scheme is used to calculate the permeability of various types of heterogeneous polymer blends, which are characterized by the ratio of the permeability of constituents in the range 10-10,000. The scheme combines a two-parameter equivalent box model and the data on the continuity of constituting phases acquired by modifying equations proposed by the percolation theory; it takes into account the permeability of components and the interval of phase duality (co-continuity) delimited by the critical volume fractions of components ν 1cr and ν 2cr The scheme can be used in two ways: (i) permeability of blends predicted by using the theoretical value of parameters ν 1cr = ν 2cr = 0.16 should be regarded as a first approximation which may not well approximate experimental data due to the fact that real ν 1cr and ν 2cr are affected by relative viscosities of the components, interfacial energy, conditions of blend mixing, phase structure coarsening, etc.; (ii) conversely, by fitting experimental data, it is possible to determine ν 1cr and ν 2cr for the studied system; thus the scheme can be alternatively viewed as an efficient tool for phase structure analysis of polymer blends.


AbstractThe appropriate estimation of seismic earth pressures acting on retaining walls supporting submerged backfill is an important area of research in earthquake geotechnical engineering. There is a scarcity of research work on retaining walls with submerged soil under seismic conditions in the literature. In this paper, closed-form generalized solutions for computing seismic active earth thrust and its distribution on nonvertical rigid retaining walls with fully submerged backfill are proposed using the modified pseudodynamic approach. The seismic analysis of retaining walls was carried out with a planar rupture surface in viscoelastic submerged backfill. The proposed modified pseudodynamic analysis satisfied the zero-stress-boundary condition on a free surface and considered the standing shear and primary waves, soil damping, amplification in the backfill, and an excess pore-pressure ratio in the backfill. A detailed parametric study was performed to gain an understanding of the effects of different ...


Objective
To evaluate the effect of gastroscopic hemostasis combined with limited fluid resuscitation in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods
From December 2016 to June 2018, 100 liver cirrhosis patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding in Yuncheng Central Hospital were divided into control group(n=50) and observation group(n=50) according to non-randomized non-inferiority.The control group was treated with limited fluid resuscitation, and the observation group was treated with gastroscopic hemostasis combined with limited fluid resuscitation.The therapeutic effects of the two groups were compared.

Results
The recovery rate, 24-hour hemostasis rate of the observation group were 98.00%(49/50), 68.00%(34/50), respectively, which were higher than those of the control group [82.00%(41/50), 16.00%(8/50)], and the clinical mortality rate of the observation group was 2.00%(1/50), which was lower than 16.00%(8/50) of the control group, the differences were statistically significant(χ2=5.444, 25.657, 4.396, all P<0.05). The time of hemostasis, ventilator detachment and ICU detachment in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group[(1.34±0.28)d vs.(2.05±0.43)d, (1.68±0.42)d vs.(2.59±0.51)d, (2.85±0.72)d vs.(5.19±1.03)d], the differences were statistically significant(t=9.784, 9.739, 13.166, all P<0.001). The incidence of complications, rehaemorrhage rate within 6 months in the observation group were 4.00%(2/50), 2.00%(1/50), respectively, which were lower than those in the control group [22.00%(11/50), 16.00%(8/50)], the differences were statistically significant(χ2=5.659, 4.396, all P<0.05).

Conclusion
Gastroscopic hemostasis combined with limited fluid resuscitation in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis has significant therapeutic effect, high hemostasis rate and few complications.

Key words:
Liver cirrhosis; Esophageal and gastric varices; Hemorrhage; Gastroscopy; Hemostasis, endoscopic; Resuscitation; Comparative effectiveness research


It is demonstrated that when the system to be identified is blockwise decomposable, additional advantages can be obtained by blockwise identification with recursive least-squares (RLS) identification algorithms. The following aspects are considered: (a) reduced computational burden; (b) lessened memory storage; (c) relaxed severity of the richness requirement on the exogenous input signals. The price paid for all these is the additional number of sensors used to tap the intermediate system states.


Homomorphic and multiplicative lateral inhibition models of adaptive image enhancement filters are examined theoretically and empirically. A Volterra-Wiener series expansion of both model identifies some of the mechanisms responsible for their inherently adaptive behaviour and resulting from their nonlinear nature. The empirical study compares their image enhancement in terms of both local DC gain (local luminance mapping) and local contrast enhancement (local perceived contrast gain). While both operators exhibit a degree of locally adaptive behaviour we conclude the richer nonlinear structure of the multiplicative inhibition model allows for more dramatic adaptive enhancement capability.<<ETX>>


Vibration is one of the common sources of machinery failure. Shaft misalignment is one of the sources of vibration. Correct shaft alignment gives surety of smooth, efficient transmission of power from the prime mover to the driven machine. Misalignment produces excessive vibration, noise, coupling, and bearing or shaft failure. Shaft misalignment can be divided into two components: offset misalignment, and angular misalignment. Offset (parallel) misalignment occurs when the centerlines of two shafts are parallel but do not meet at the power transfer point. Angular misalignment occurs when centerline of two shafts intersect at the power transfer point but are not parallel. Often misalignment in actual machinery exhibits a combination of both types of misalignment. In this work, vibration analysis of misaligned shafts is done by experimentation and finite element analysis. Vibration accelerations were measured using single channel vibration analyzer for baseline and the misalignment condition. The experimental results are in good agreement with the finite elements analysis results. The peak values are observed on the multiple of rotational frequency. This work will be helpful to condition monitoring of rotary machines which fails due to the misalignment between shafts. It will help for predictive maintenance and to optimize breakdown period.


Objectives: There is a paucity of evidence on how to facilitate shared decision-making under real-world conditions and, in particular, whether interventions should target patients, health care providers, or both groups. Our objectives were to assess the comparative effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of patient- and provider-targeted interventions for improving shared decision-making about contraceptive methods in a pragmatic trial that prioritised applicability to real-world care. Design: The study design was a 2X2 factorial cluster randomized controlled trial with four arms: (1) video + prompt card ("video"), (2) decision aids + training ("decision aids"), (3) dual interventions ("dual"), and (4) usual care. Clusters were 16 primary and/or reproductive health care clinics that deliver contraceptive care in the Northeast United States. Participants: Participants were people who had completed a health care visit at a participating clinic, were assigned female sex at birth, were aged 15-49 years, were able to read and write English or Spanish, and had not previously participated in the study. Participants were enrolled for 13 weeks before interventions were implemented in clinics (pre-implementation cohort) and for 26 weeks after interventions were implemented in clinics (post-implementation cohort). 5,018 participants provided data on at least one study outcome. Interventions: Interventions were a video and prompt card that encourage patients to ask three specific questions in the health care visit and a suite of decision aids on contraceptive methods and training for providers in how to use them to facilitate shared decision-making with patients in the health care visit. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was shared decision-making about contraceptive methods. Secondary outcomes spanned psychological, behavioural, and health outcomes. All outcomes were patient-reported via surveys administered immediately, four weeks, and six months after the health care visit. Results: We did not observe any between-arm difference in the differences in shared decision-making between the pre- and post-implementation cohorts for the sample as a whole (video vs. usual care: adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.23 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82 to 1.85), p=0.80; decision aids vs. usual care: AOR=1.47 (95% CI: 0.98 to 2.18), p=0.32; dual vs. video: AOR=0.95 (95% CI: 0.64 to 1.41), p=1.00; dual vs. decision aids: AOR=0.80 (95% CI: 0.54 to 1.17), p=0.72) or for participants with adequate health literacy. Among participants with limited health literacy, the difference in shared decision-making between the pre- and post-implementation cohorts was different in the video arm from the usual care arm (AOR=2.40 (95% CI: 1.01 to 5.71), p=.047) and was also different in the decision aids arm from the usual care arm (AOR=2.65 (95% CI: 1.16 to 6.07), p=.021), however these differences were not robust to adjustment for multiple comparisons. There were no intervention effects on the secondary outcomes among all participants nor among prespecified subgroups. With respect to intervention feasibility, rates of participant-reported exposure to the relevant intervention components were 9.4% for the video arm, 31.5% for the decision aids arm, and 5.0% for the dual arm. All interventions were acceptable to most patients. Conclusions: The interventions studied are unlikely to have a meaningful population-wide impact on shared decision-making or other outcomes in real-world contraceptive care without additional strategies to promote and support implementation. Selective use of the interventions among patients with limited health literacy may be more promising and, if effective, could reduce disparities in shared decision-making. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02759939.


Breast cancer is the second most exposed cancer in the world. When the growth of breast tissues are out of control is called breast cancer. Breast cancer prediction and prognosis are major challenge to medical community. Breast cancer are prominent cause of death for women. Recurrence of cancer is the biggest fears for cancer patient and this can affect their quality of life. The aim of this research is to predict breast cancer from cancer features with high accuracy. The breast cancer Coimbra dataset taken from UCI (University of California Irvine) [1], [5] to build a most efficient ensemble machine learning models. The major steps we follow, here are feature scaling, cross validation and various ensemble machine learning models with bagging technique. Decision tree and KNN gives highest 100% accuracy. Decision tree model gives 100% accuracy if we split train-test dataset in ratio of 90:10 and also used 300 bags of trees. KNN gives maximum accuracy 100%, for k= 1 to 7 in seven loops with 90% is train data and 10% is test data. Here k is the nearest neighbors. And we also evaluate its prediction by accuracy, confusion matrix and classification report. Our aim is to build a most accurate and efficient machine learning model. So as prediction result, patient can take treatment on the early stage.