The statistic model, deterministic model and mixing model are usually proposed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the influence on environmental factors of observed value in the monitoring of dam safety. Moreover, the stepwise regression is considered to be able to achieve the optimum solution of these models. But in fact, the stepwise regression analysis may not be able to gain the solution value in some specific cases. This article presents shortcomings of stepwise regression analysis by overall comparison.


Infrared spectroscopy and nearinfrared spectroscopy has been widely used in the internal quality inspection of food products. The principle is to use elements in the sample contained nearinfrared spectral regions of the strongest absorption of different wavelengths, and the absorption of organic ingredients and the strength of a linear relationship between the quantitative and qualitative analysis. The advantage is fast,convenient and less sample consumption,non-destructive.


Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) has emerged as a relatively safe means of restoring vision in corneal opacities and irregularities. Astigmatism is the most common cause of suboptimal vision after corneal transplantation despite a clear corneal graft.1,2 Based on several studies,3615%–31% of patients undergoing PK may develop postoperative astigmatism greater than 5 diopters (D). The astigmatism can be irregular with associated higher-order aberrations that can ultimately limit the vision obtained and add to patient's inability to wear standard optical correction.7 This explains why visual acuity in 10%–20% of PK cases cannot be corrected satisfactorily by spectacles or contact lenses.8-10 Factors influencing the amount of astigmatism after PK include the severity of the underlying disorder (e.g. keratoconus), oval or eccentric trephination,11 graft size and donor–recipient disparity,12 corneal thickness mismatch between the donor and recipient,13 a poor suturing technique,13, 14-17 and time of suture removal or adjustment14-17. Commonly practiced techniques to reduce post-PK astigmatism consist of postoperative suture manipulation including running suture tension adjustment and selective interrupted suture removal,14,18-21 optical correction consisting of spectacles and contact lenses,22 relaxing incisions,2,10 compression sutures,2,23 a combination of relaxing incisions and compression sutures (augmented relaxing incisions),24-26 laser refractive surgery,27-33 insertion of intrastromal corneal ring segments,34 wedge resection,9,35-39 toric phakic intraocular lenses,4042 and finally regrafting.43


Classifications of periodic words and their application in group theory.- On the word problem for groups defined by periodic relations.- An application of the nilpotent quotient program.- Groups of exponent eight.- Finiteness proofs for groups of exponent 8.- Application of computers to questions like those of Burnside.- On certain groups of exponent eight generated by three involutions.- Generalized power laws.- Problems.


This study investigated, validated, and applied the optimum conditions for a modified microwave-assisted digestion method for subsequent ICP-MS determination of mercury, cadmium, and lead in two matrices relevant to water quality, that is, sediment and fish. Three different combinations of power, pressure, and time conditions for microwave-assisted digestion were tested, using two certified reference materials representing the two matrices, to determine the optimum set of conditions. Validation of the optimized method indicated better recovery of the studied metals compared to standard methods. The validated method was applied to sediment and fish samples collected from Agusan River and one of its tributaries, located in Eastern Mindanao, Philippines. The metal concentrations in sediment ranged from 2.85 to 341.06 mg/kg for Hg, 0.05 to 44.46 mg/kg for Cd and 2.20 to 1256.16 mg/kg for Pb. The results indicate that the concentrations of these metals in the sediments rapidly decrease with distance downstream from sites of contamination. In the selected fish species, the metals were detected but at levels that are considered safe for human consumption, with concentrations of 2.14 to 6.82 µg/kg for Hg, 0.035 to 0.068 µg/kg for Cd, and 0.019 to 0.529 µg/kg for Pb.

 Key words: Mercury, cadmium, lead, CRM, pollution, dissolution, analysis.


Palaeoflood hydrological studies were carried out in the middle reach gorges of the Yellow River.Palaeoflood slackwater deposit was found at the MFT site in the Hukou gorges of the mainstream of the river.Analysis of the grain-size distribution indicates that these SWD consist of sandy silt,sourced from the suspended sediment load of the floodwater.The low magnetic susceptibility indicates they are fresh deposit without weathering and pedogenic alteration.Stratigraphic correlation with the chronological framework established in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and OSL dating shows that these extreme floods occurred in two periods,that is,at the turn from early to middle Holocene,and at the end of the mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum.The reconstructed peak discharges of the palaeoflood range from 27,490 m 3/s to 40,920 m 3/s which is much larger than those of gauged floods.These results were further tested and proved to be reliable in reconstruction of the modern floods at the same reach.This research is of great importance to hydrological engineering and flood mitigation.And it is also very important in the establishment of the relationships between extreme flood events and global climate change.


Si3N4 ceramics have been densified in air atmosphere furnace at low temperatures of 1600∼1650°C with Li2O-Al2O3sintering additives. Molar ratio of 0.4∼1.6:1 of Li2O and Al2O3 were used to study the effects of additives on sintering behavior of Si3N4 materials. It is found that the densities of sintered samples increased and then decreased with the increase of molar ratio accordingly. Highest densities in excess of 95%oftheoretical are obtained with the ratio of 0.7:1. Densification process is accompanied by phase transformation. Therefore, the primarily phases in sintered specimens areβ-Si3N4and α-Si3N4, with a small amount of Si2N2O existed because of minor oxidation of the specimens during sintering. However, relatively low α- to βSi3N4 transformation (∼63%β-Si3N4) took place in the present densification conditions. The microstructures of the sintered samples exhibited typical β-Si3N4 elongated grain morphologies with small amount of homogeneously distributed residual pores. The sintered Si3N4 materials have the hardness of 14GPa and fracture toughness of 5.08MPa·m1/2, indicating a potential method for low-cost processing of Si3N4-basedceramics.


This paper introduces a new high efficient 2-phase and 3-phase interleaved PFC (Power Factor Correction) boost converter typed IPM (Intelligent Power Module) specialized in low power home appliances such as an air-conditioner. This new CIPOS(Control Integrated Power System) PFC IPM integrates 650V rated TRENCHSTOP 5 IGBTs with 650V rated Rapid switching diodes and a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) gate driver in DIL (Dual-in-line) package of transfer molded type with DCB (Direct Copper Bond). It is optimized to provide unmatched performance in terms of efficiency for hard switching application. This paper describes key features and performance of the new CIPOS mini PFC.


268Nationality — Immunity from expulsion of a national — Legality of deportation dependent upon determination of nationality — Withdrawal of Nigerian nationality and deportation to Chad — Right to freedom of movement — Whether entitling citizen to a passport — The law of Nigeria


This work aims to produce, identify, and characterize the bioactive surfactant from Enterococcus faecium NM113, previously isolated as probiotic from the feces of breast-fed infants according to its immunomodulatory properties. The yield of the biosurfactant (BS) production was as 0.2 g L -1 . Functional and structural characterizations of the produced biosurfactant were achieved by TLC followed by post chromatographic detection. Silica plate or replica plate was sprayed with anthrone produced gives a yellow spot indicated the presence of sugar moieties. Lipopeptide residues were detected while stained with Ninhydrin reagent. According to FTIR spectrum obtained, the extracted BS is composed of carbohydrates and lipid. The hydrophobic chain of the BS is composed of lipid and hydrophilic part is mainly composed of sugar. Furthermore, Identification of BS features was done by 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR and confirmed as glycolipid. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of BS produced from E. faecium NM113 was done against five pathogens. The biosurfactants have a great opportunity to be novel agents to compete the antimicrobial-resistance microorganisms


A Digital library, also called an online library, an internet library, a digital repository, a library without walls, or a digital collection is an online database of digital objects that can include text, still images, audio, video, digital documents, or other digital media formats or a library accessible through the internet. Objects can consist of digitized content like print or photographs, as well as originally produced digital content like word processor files or social media posts. Research and practice in digital Libraries (DL) has exploded worldwide in the 1990s. Substantial research findings have become available, libraries are actively involved in Digital Libraries projects and conference, journals and online news lists proliferate. In general, researchers view digital libraries as content collected on behalf of user communities, while practicing librarians view digital libraries as institutions or services. Future trends point toward the need for extensive research in digital libraries and for the transformation of libraries as institutions. This study is to analyze the awareness on Digital Libraries among the users in Sivagangai Town, Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu


There is both laboratory and epidemiologic evidence that PCBs are toxic to several phases of reproduction. Workplace exposure is an important but small part of the exposure to these compounds, since most of the population has detectable levels in blood or fat. Studies in the general population on PCBs and reproduction have not been done. Some studies in workers are under way, and in epidemic PCB poisonings, small babies with a distinct clinical syndrome are seen. We review some of the laboratory and epidemiologic data and the methods available for study of reproduction in humans; study of any highly exposed group should be done and studies of spontaneous abortion, birth weight and certain congenital anomalies should look for an effect of PCBs.


Objective To explore the effect of low-intensity semiconductor Laser Irradiation treatment on myocardial blood flow perfusion and cardiac function. Methods Five patients with acute myocardial infarction in the stable phase were treated by intranasal cavity semiconductor laser irradiation. The output wavelength was 650nm and output power was 5mW with the total exposure time of 40min. Before and after treatment, the myocardial blood flow perfusion was routinely observed by SPECT. The changes of the cardiac function parameters before and after treatment were also automatically analyzed in quality by the computer system. Results Before treatment, the ventricular thickness, the ventricular wall motion and myocardial perfusion in patients were (4.79±2.85)mm, (23.31±11.68)% and (57.92±18.43)% respectively. The above parameters were significantly increased after laser treatment, which were (5.32±2.95)mm, (26.54±13.03)% (59.92±18.30)% respectively. The main target parameter of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was increased from (41.00±5.77)% before treatment to (45.00±6.73) after treatment. The end-systolic volume (ESV) was decreased from (146.50±18.19)ml before treatment to (141.75±14.66)ml after treatment. The end-diastolic volume (EDV) was decreased from (86.75±16.19)ml before treatment to (77.75±13.18)ml after treatment. It had clearly showed that in all of 5 patients the region of poor myocardial blood flow perfusion was markedly improved after laser treatment in the myocardial perfusion map in the target area, the cardiac short axis, horizontal long axis and vertical long axis. Conclusions Ischemic heart disease can be treated by low-intensity semiconductor laser irradiation in the intranasal cavity. It can also be used to accurately observe the changes of cardiac functions, especially on myocardial blood flow perfusion before and after laser treatment. SPECT can provide useful reference data for prognosis evaluation.


This paper compares the accuracy of selected techniques for estimating streamflow during ice‐affected periods. The techniques are classified into two categories—subjective and analytical—depending on the degree of judgment required. Discharge measurements have been made at three streamflow‐gauging sites in Iowa during the 1987–88 winter and used to establish a baseline streamflow record for each site. Using data based on a simulated six‐week field‐trip schedule, selected techniques are used to estimate discharge during the ice‐affected periods. For the subjective techniques, three hydrographers have independently compiled each record. Three measures of performance are used to compare the estimated streamflow records with the baseline streamflow records: the average discharge for the ice‐affected period, and the mean and standard deviation of the daily errors. Based on average ranks for three performance measures and the three sites, the analytical and subjective techniques are essentially comparable. For ...


The criteria and clues for identifying meteorite contamination are outlined to aid in the quest for more knowledge regarding the evolution of the Moon and the early Earth. The Warren and Wasson seven criteria for establishing the pristine nature of highland rocks are presented. Other topics covered include iron/nickel metals, monomict nature, and lunar glasses. The major conclusion is that pristinity should not be the primary consideration in the study of lunar rocks. The most important criterion to establish is whether or not the lunar sample contains more than one lunar rock type. Even if a sample is non-pristine, as long as only one lunar rock type is present, petrogenetic interpretation can still be carried out.


The works of Robert and Sonia Delaunay celebrate the power of colour. They express a "joie de vivre" and a creativity that extend far beyond the bounds of painting. Sonia's extensive body of work in particular linked art and design. This book presents the work of both.


The Nordic countries have a history of close cooperation in criminal law matters. One of the latest examples of this cooperation is the Nordic Arrest Warrant, signed in 2005. This article discusses the development of extradition law in the Nordic countries. The aim is to find the various reasons for effective and efficient Nordic cooperation in extradition law.


Under a recent great demand for thermoformed products with complicated and highly draped designs, more precise computer simulation of this process has been required. For establishing the appropriate numerical model, understanding of the effects of material behavior and the processing parameters is important. This paper comprehensively studied the behavior of extruded Acrylic-modified PVC (AM-PVC) sheet during both the drape forming and the air slip forming using an axis symmetric columnar male mold. The rate of extension ratio of 0.05-0.13 s^(-1) and the variation of sheet temperature profile of 170 ± 5℃ were measured as the forming conditions. Both thickness distributions of the sheet and material slip sizes over the mold surface were measured after each forming stage, which consists of pre-blowing with different blowing heights, mold stretching, and vacuuming. The mechanisms of characteristic patterns in the extruded sheet thickness distributions with the effect of anisotropic residual strain were explained. An equi-biaxial extension examination of the high-temperature and large-strain behavior of AM-PVC sheet as a function of the forming conditions was performed by lubricated compression testing. The stress-strain curves showed the tendency of strain hardening and the dependences on the strain rate and especially on the temperature of the specimen. This finding shows that the temperature-dependent viscoelastic material model must be employed to simulate accurately this forming process.


Aboveground biomass (AGB) is an important indicator to evaluate crop growth, which is closely related to yield and plays an important role in guiding fine agricultural management. Compared with traditional AGB measurements, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral remote sensing technology has the advantages of being non-destructive, highly mobile, and highly efficient in precision agriculture. Therefore, this study uses a hyperspectral sensor carried by a UAV to obtain hyperspectral images of potatoes in stages of tuber formation, tuber growth, starch storage, and maturity. Linear regression, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and random forest (RF) based on vegetation indices (Vis), green-edge parameters (GEPs), and combinations thereof are used to evaluate the accuracy of potato AGB estimates in the four growth stages. The results show that (i) the selected VIs and optimal GEPs correlate significantly with AGB. Overall, VIs correlate more strongly with AGB than do GEPs. (ii) AGB estimates made by linear regression based on the optimal VIs, optimal GEPs, and combinations thereof gradually improve in going from the tuber-formation to the tuber-growth stage and then gradually worsen in going from the starch-storage to the maturity stage. Combining the optimal GEPs with the optimal VIs produces the best estimates, followed by using the optimal VIs alone, and using the optimal GEPs produces the worst estimates. (iii) Compared with the single-parameter model, which uses the PLSR and RF methods based on VIs, the combination of VIs with the optimal GEPs significantly improves the estimation accuracy, which gradually improves in going from the tuber-formation to the tuber-growth stage, and then gradually deteriorates in going from the starch-storage to the maturity stage. The combination of VIs with the optimal GEPs produces the most accurate estimates. (iv) The PLSR method is better than the RF method for estimating AGB in each growth period. Therefore, combining the optimal GEPs and VIs and using the PLSR method improves the accuracy of AGB estimates, thereby allowing for non-destructive dynamic monitoring of potato growth.


Summary (1) Meticorten and Meticortelone, 2 new steroids, were studied in animals to assess their adrenocortical activities. (2) Glucocorticoid properties were assayed by the eosinophil response in adrenalectomized mice, by the liver glycogen deposition in adrenalectomized rats, and by the involution of the thymus in immature rats. (3) By all 3 methods, the glucocorticoid activity of Meticorten and Meticortelone was found to be 3 to 4 times greater than that of cortisone and hydrocortisone. (4) Meticorten and Meticortelone were more active than cortisone and hydrocortisone in maintaining the life of immature, male, adrenalectomized rats. (5) Prolonged administration of Meticorten, Meticortelone, cortisone and hydrocortisone to young, male rats produced the following biological changes: a) suppression of somatic growth, b) decrease in thymus, spleen and adrenal weights on an absolute basis as well as per 100 g body weight, c) increase in the relative weights of liver, kidney, testes, thyroid and pituitary and inconsistent changes in the weight of the seminal vesicles, d) inversion of the lymphocyte/polymorphonuclear leukocyte ratio in the circulating blood without consistent changes in total white cell count or hematocrit. (6) Meticorten and Meticortelone were more potent than cortisone and hydrocortisone in affecting organ weights and peripheral blood elements. (7) The changes induced by prolonged administration of the 4 steroids were readily reversible after cessation of treatment.


George Hansen has alluded on several previous occasions (e.g., 1988, 1990) to supposed weaknesses in our work with B.D. More recently (1991, 1992), however, this has become for the first time a full-scale attack, one which Hansen apparently believes to be highly successful and which he therefore uses as a stepping-stone toward a larger thesis concerning the proper role of magic and magicians in psi research. I will confine my response largely to Hansen's discussion of the formal publications describing our research with B.D. In brief, although I have qualified sympathy for the larger thesis, I have virtually none for his treatment of our experimental work or for his abuse of others for their confidence in it. Let me begin by giving a correct account of the overall flow of the work. There were two periods of intense activity. The first occurred in February and March of 1972 during B.D.'s first visit to Durham and was chiefly directed toward (a) determining B.D.'s capacity for psi performance under controlled conditions, and (b) identifying potentially productive directions for systematic research. The main experiments--the single-card clairvoyance and shuffles experiments--took place between October 1972 and May 1973 during B.D.'s leave of absence from Yale Law School. This later research was supported by the Hodgson Fund, following B.D.'s appearance at Harvard at the session described in Persi Diaconis's 1978 Science paper, a subject to which I will return. The work carried out during the first period (Kelly & Kanthamani, 1972) consisted not of experiments in the normal sense but of tests conducted with a wide variety of standard devices and procedures then in use at the FRNM. Foremost among these early efforts was the work with Helmut Schmidt's four-button machine. Hansen dismisses all these results in a single short paragraph, primarily by reference to the Radin and Nelson (1987) meta-analysis of REG work, which he says "assigned these studies some of the lowest possible quality ratings." This seems to me an entirely inappropriate use of Radin and Nelson's rating scheme, which is concerned primarily with assurances of REG quality needed to support reliable measurement of small deviations from mean chance expectation in large numbers of trials (the normal situation even in experiments with subjects preselected for ability in the pertinent task). By contrast, consider B.D.'s first session in the FRNM library, with J. B. Rhine and Helmut Schmidt observing along with Kanthamani, myself, and other members of the FRNM staff. During the course of this get-acquainted meeting, in which he mainly chatted with us about himself and his views of psi, B.D. intermittently made responses on the four-button machine. Over the course of the approximately hour-long session he accumulated a total of 180 hits in 508 trials, for a scoring rate of 35.4%. (These figures, incidentally, were corroborated by the independent duplicate counters sealed inside the device.) The probability for this one outcome is under |10.sup.-6~. Had its occurrence depended on chance alone, the meeting might well have gone on for something on the order of a million hours (since the expected waiting time for an event of probability p is 1/p). Even stronger performances were observed less formally, and the visit ended with a formal series of eight sessions, recorded both manually and on paper tape, in which B.D. progressively raised his scoring rate from 27% to almost 31% (CR |is greater than~ 6, p |is less than~ |10.sup.-9~). These very unusual scores, moreover, cannot plausibly be attributed to hypothetical failures of the test device. The physical device in question is the quantum-mechanical REG originally developed and tested at Boeing by Helmut Schmidt and brought by Schmidt to the FRNM for use in his continuing research. In addition to the various mechanical and electronic safeguards built into it, the device had been subjected to an unusually thorough regime of randomness testing specifically directed to the forms of potential failure that could be anticipated in light of its electronic design. …


The article deals with the question of making the models of 11 communicative situations during English classes at the I't'ilagogical University as the means of forming students' preparedness to communicate using a foreign language.


To investigate the effect of metal back-reflective layers (MBLs) on the performance of GaAs solar cells, we fabricated GaAs solar cells on Al and Ag metal layers using the transfer printing technique. We also investigated the effect of MBL texturing on the performance of transfer printed GaAs solar cells. Transfer printed solar cells with MBLs exhibited improved photovoltaic performance compared to solar cells without MBLs due to light trapping. We demonstrated GaAs solar cells with MBLs on a flexible substrate and performed systematic bending tests. All the measured characteristics of solar cells showed little change in performance.


Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, a tropical moist deciduous forest along the Indo-Nepal boarder comprises of 778 species of angiosperms, out of which 613 species are dicots under 386 genera and 91 families and 165 species are monocots under 103 genera and 23 families.  It contains 82 species that are in cultivation and/or growing as alien invasives.  The species include 149 trees, 81 shrubs, 445 herbs and 103 climbers.  Fabaceae with 100 species and Poaceae with 65 species occupy the first position in dicots and monocots, respectively.  Cyperus with 14 species has been found to be the largest genus represented while 355 genera are represented by solitary species. The present study enumerates all species of flowering plants occurring in the sanctuary area with their correct name along with first citation and some important references pertaining to the flora of the study area.  Important synonyms have also been provided.  For majority of species the representative voucher specimens have also been supplied.  The paper also briefly deals with the vegetation types of the area. The outcome of the work is based on extensive field survey of the area conducted during 2008–2011, study of literature and examination of specimens of earlier collections housed at BSA, BSIP, CDRI and LWG .


This article focuses discussion on the political practices of the three great dynastic eras in Islamic history. The purpose of this paper is to describe how political practice during the Islamic dynasties in Islamic history. The problems that want to be answered in this paper is: how political practices in that era were carried out for Umaiyah, Abbasid, and the Turkish Ottoman dynasty. This journal using qualitative-descriptive methods as a literature research. Based on the results of the study it is found that the political practices in these three dynastic eras were not entirely the same. Even though, they were led by a caliph but in case they have different political practices. For example: the Umaiyyah dynasty in the political practice of its government was assisted by diwan. The Abbasid dynasty was guarded by a hajib. There are also wazir and katib as assistants to the caliph in running the wheels of government. And then, the Turkish Ottoman dynasty formed the assembly of syura (mesrevet), mufti and qadhi as his servants.


Bilinear forms. Matrix representation, change of basis. Symmetric forms and their link with quadratic forms. Diagonalisation of quadratic forms. Law of inertia, classification by rank and signature. Complex Hermitian forms. [4] Inner product spaces, orthonormal sets, orthogonal projection, V = W ⊕W⊥. GramSchmidt orthogonalisation. Adjoints. Diagonalisation of Hermitian matrices. Orthogonality of eigenvectors and properties of eigenvalues. [4]


97 patients in 49 hospitals with erosive esophagitis unhealed after at least 8 weeks treatment with H2-RA were given primary treatment with 30 mg lansoprazol once daily. After 8 weeks of treatment with lansoprazol, 75(77%) patients were endoscopically healed. Healed patients were then given maintenance treatment with either 30 mg lansoprazol once daily, 15 mg lansoprazol once daily or 20 mg famotidine twice daily for 24 weeks. 86% of patients randomized to 30 mg lansoprazol, 70% of patients randomized to 15 mg lansoprazol were maintained in endoscopic healing throughout 24 weeks as compared with only 12% of patients randomized to famotidine in endoscopic healing. After 24 weeks of lansoprazol treatment basal gastrin levels were moderately increased. However no significant histopathologic lesion was found in the oxyntic gland mucosa. PPI(lansoprazol) was far superior to H2-RA(famotidine) in preventing recurrence of healed erosive esophagitis. A goal achieved without adverse events and significant abnormalities in the oxyntic mucosal exocrine or endocrine cell but a moderate increase in basal gastrine levels.


This note provides the equivalence between Brouwer's (or Kakutani's) fixed point theorem and four economic theorems (the existence theorems for competitive equilibrium, Nash equilibrium, core, and hybrid equilibrium). Such equivalence leaves with us three classes of open problems to challenge our mathematical curiosity, one of which is to derive Kakutani's fixed point theorem directly from Nash's theorem (1951).


An experiment featuring waterhammer in viscoelastic pipes is presented in which the effects of pipe-wall viscoelasticity on waterhammer pressures are investigated. A large-scale pipeline apparatus made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) at Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands, has been used to carry out waterhammer experiments. Tests have been conducted in a reservoir-pipeline-valve system consisting of a main viscoelastic pipeline and two short steel pipes placed upstream and downstream of the main pipe. Rapid closure of a manually operated valve at the downstream end generates waterhammer. Repeated measurements at several positions along the pipeline have been recorded; these are plotted in figures and appropriately interpreted.


The detection and demonstration of nonopaque foreign bodies in the esophagus is a frequent and treacherous problem in roentgenology. By far the most common offender is a small piece of bone from a fowl or fish. These bones, which are usually from young animals and are consequently incompletely ossified and calcified and in which the calcium content has been further reduced by cooking, are relatively nonopaque to x-rays. The bone most frequently encountered, according to the Jacksons1and in our experience, is a fragment of the sternum of a chicken. A piece of rib is next in order. Another type of radiolucent foreign body is buttons, many of which are transparent to roentgen rays and require the aid of a barium mixture for their visualization. A firm bolus of food, especially meat, is a third type of radioparent foreign body when halted in its passage by inherent or adjacent


BACKGROUND
DNA prenatal diagnosis for cystic fibrosis (CF) has been available for parents of affected children since late 1985.

METHODS
Using anonymous questionnaires, we surveyed 395 parents of children with CF at 12 New England CF centers with regard to 12 maternal or family situations and 11 fetal characteristics; 271 (68%) responded.

RESULTS
The majority supported legal abortion in the first trimester for all 23 situations; 58% would abort for severe mental retardation (MR), 40% would abort for a genetic disorder leading to death before age five years, 41% for a child bedridden for life, 35% for moderate MR, 20% for CF and 17% for a severe incurable disorder starting at age 40 years. Few would abort for a disorder starting at age 60 years, for genetic susceptibility to alcoholism or for sex selection. Variables most strongly related to abortion for CF were attitudes of spouse, respondent's siblings, and CF doctor toward abortion for CF as well as infrequent attendance at religious services.

CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal diagnosis may not reduce substantially the number of CF births to parents of CF children because most do not accept abortion for CF.


Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the effects of gender, age and education on new technology implementation in Saudi Arabia, a technologically developing country, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).Design/methodology/approach – The research was an empirical investigation based on surveys completed by 1,088 Saudi knowledge workers.Findings – The TPB model performs well in Saudi Arabia. This validation accounts for 37 percent of the variance in behavioral intention among Saudi knowledge workers. For the moderator variables, there were no statistically significant interactions, with the exception of the moderation of perceived behavioral control on behavioral intention by level of education.Research limitations/implications – Saudi Arabia is an exemplar for many developing nations characterized by distinct intellectual and cultural traditions that differ from Western cultures. Demographic variables (e.g. gender and age) that have been reported to be significant moderators of the influences of ...


A method with hybrid scheme is used to simulate turbulent gas-solid flow through sudden expansion pipe. The present developed code introduces good results in view of comparisons with available experimental data. This encourages the authors to extend the theoretical work considering different parameters. The effects of solid-particles on downward turbulent-air flow through the sudden expansion are simulated using Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equations associated with standard k-ε turbulence model are used with four-way coupling between the two phases. The separation size is discussed under different effects including: particle sizes, mass loading ratios, area ratios and Reynolds numbers. The computational results indicate that the finest particles can increase the separation bubble size.


Megamile communications call for the fullest use of advanced modern technology. This paper surveys the design of a deep-space communication system. The basic constraints and capabilities of a low-noise ground receiving system are covered in detail, including antenna temperature contributions from galactic noise, tropospheric and ionospheric attenuation, and earth radiation through antenna side lobes. Low-noise preamplifiers, large high-gain antennas, and narrow-band phase-lock receivers are also considered. Digital biphase modulation, used in Pioneer V, is compared with more sophisticated bi-orthogonal coding systems. Both types of coding systems are compared with error rate as a parameter, with the ideal error-free Shannon limit. The design of Pioneer V and its record of achievement are described. Included are explanations of the coherent transponder within the spacecraft, and of the command transmitter and telemetry reception equipment at the ground stations.


The comparative analysis of species composition, structure of population, distribution in the city and seasonal birds' dynamics in Tomsk in the nineties of the XX-th century and in 2002-2003 had been conducted. The changes of qualitative and quantitative composition of birds' population in different inhabitations of the city had been marked, which were caused by intensive building, reducing of plunting trees and shrubs in the city territories and peculiarities of weather.


Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease that affects various organs and it causes mucocutaneous lesions. BD is only rarely associated with leukemia or other hematologic disorders. Many cases of BD associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) have recently been reported and these cases are mainly in East Asia and the Mediterranean. We herein report on a case of a 34-year-old man who developed Behcet's disease 8 years after the onset of MDS. He had two, firm, subcutaneous nodules on both shin and recurrent oral ulcer for 2 months. He also had a retinal vasculitis. Skin biopsy from the left shin showed the septal panniculitis, which was consistent with erythema nodosum. He had multiple ileal ulcers observed on the colonoscopy exam, so he was diagnosed with intestinal Behcet's disease. Yet the chromosomal analysis revealed nonspecific abnormality and not trisomy 8. This is the first reported case of intestinal Behcet's disease associated with MDS in the Korean dermatologic literature.


Although the Czech Republic and Slovakia share many similarities, there is a substantial gap in the respective levels of affective support between the two countries. This paper investigates the basis of this gap, through analyses of the factors that influence affective support, such as history, culture, socioeconomic and socio-demographic conditions. The results indicate that this gap is due largely to the countries' historical divergences, particularly during World War II, as well as, to a lesser extent, religious and cultural differences. These findings reflect the difficulty of the formation of a pan-European identity.


The recent availability of a linear resistance thermometer makes possible a simple direct-reading cryogenic thermometer, which does not require calibration charts or linearization networks. Another instrument for cryogenic thermometry is also described. This is a semiautomatic mutual inductance bridge developed specifically for paramagnetic thermometry. This bridge enables greater accuracy and speed of operation than earlier techniques.


The Alausi is located in the Andean highlands of Ecuador, the temperature ranges from 15-19 degrees Celsius. Is a fertile land to sow potatoes, harvest, beans, peas, barley, lupine. Most of the people living in the area are Indigenous. The unrolling of Sustainable and Sustainable Tourism Way, in Alausi province of Chimborazo will be directed to national and international tourists who visiting the tourist attractions that are in place and not just go to the railway to the Devil's Nose, that is the more know and best attractive of the place. The idea to create the way is to encourage tourists to stay with a good lodging and food to provide a better knowledge of the other attractions like Ozogoche's lagoons, The Inca Trail, the Negro Chicho petrified shells and the Panama and Angas waterfalls. In the first chapter we see concepts related to tourism for the tourist way. The second chapter we find more detailed information sector which is being established tourist way like macro world, Meso Country and Micro Chimborazo Province and Alausi Canton. In the third chapter we find the information sheets of the tourist attractions, Population, Hotels, Restaurants and Organization of American States. O.E.A.´s business. And in the last chapter is the proposed creation of a tourist way that includes 5 attractions for one day and also 5 other attractions for another day, so that tourists will enjoy the canton Alausi can enjoy this beautiful place of Ecuador. The idea to create the way is to encourage tourists to stay with a good lodging and food to provide a better knowledge of the other attractions like Ozogoche's lagoons, The Inca Trail, the Negro Chicho petrified shells and the Panama and Angas waterfalls. This proposal is to make a tourists way that get 5 attractive in one day and another 5 to next day, of this mode the tourists could enjoy all attractions like Historic, Culture, Architectural, Archaeological and Railway.


We study the system of the Dp'-brane with Dp-brane (p<p') inside, in the case where B_{ij} field is a nonvanishing constant. In order to understand how the Dp-brane is viewed from the Dp'-brane worldvolume theory, we investigate the process in which the Dp-brane is probed with p'-p' open string. We calculate the scattering amplitudes among p-p' open strings and p'-p' open strings and show that not only the Weyl transform of the projection operator onto the ground state but also those onto higher excited states emerge as multiplicative factors of the amplitudes.


Soil erosion is a global challenge, seriously threatening soil and water resources andenvironmental qualities. One of the important factors to consider in the process of runoffgeneration and soil erosion is the physical and chemical properties of soils under differentland-uses. The aim of this study is to estimate soil erosion and runoff in rangeland, rain-fedand abandoned rain-fed agriculture in Karafs Watershed (Sarduyeh) in Jiroft County usingrainfall simulation. The experiment was conducted in 2012 and three land-uses withuniform soil and lithology were considered. Simulated rainfalls were 46 and 88 mm.hr-1 ofintensity with 3 iterations, which totaled 36 samples. Soil samples were taken close to thelocations of rainfall simulation from the top 0-20 cm and transferred to the laboratory forfurther analysis. The results showed a significant effect of land-use on runoff and erosion indifferent rainfall intensities, so that the highest runoff was generated in the abandoned rainfedagriculture at the intensity of 88 mm.hr-1, with the least being generated in the rain-fedagriculture at the intensity of 46 mm.hr-1. Likewise, we found that land-use changes had alarge impact on soil erosion, with the highest levels at the abandoned rain-fed agriculturewhich resulted in the increased runoff generation. This factor could be explained by theincreased clay, silt, and lime content at the expense of the removal of sand from these areas.Increasing rainfall intensity to 88 mm.hr-1 led to respectively 14% and 47% higher runoffvolumes and sediment loads compared to the initial intensity.


Background: The Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) is a self-administered questionnaire. Its designed to assess the level of control in children with asthma aged 4-11 years. The validity of this valuable tool has not been assessed in Emirati children with asthma. Aim and objectives: We aim to validate the Arabic version of the C-ACT among Emirati children; by correlating it with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) level of control assessment test. Methods: Ninety-eight Emirati children with asthma were recruited between 2015 and 2016 from the respiratory clinic (Tawam Hospital, AlAin, United Arab Emirates). The parents and their children were instructed to complete the Arabic version of the C-ACT. At the same visit a pediatrician assigned a level of asthma control; using the GINA assessment test. Result: Using C-ACT score, children were classified as controlled (n= 54) and uncontrolled (n= 44). This classification correlated well with the physician assessment using GINA assessment test (R2 = 0.46). The controlled and uncontrolled subjects using the C-ACT had a mean score of less than 1 (well-controlled) and more than 3 (uncontrolled) respectively; when using the GINA assesment test . Conclusion: The Arabic version of the C-ACT correlated well with physician assessment using GINA level of control assessment test, making it a valid tool, which can be used interchangeably with GINA assessment test in Emirati children with asthma.


Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading cause of end‐stage renal disease. BASP1 (brain acid‐soluble protein) is up‐regulated in podocyte‐specific protein phosphatase 2A knockout mice (Pod‐PP2A‐KO) that develop kidney dysfunction. Here, we explore the role of BASP1 for podocytes in DN.


The infra‐red spectrum of gaseous F2O has been obtained from 2.5 to 25μ at pressures of 10 mm to 600 mm Hg in a 10‐cm cell and at 600 mm Hg in a meter cell.All three fundamentals have been observed and identified.The fine structure of a ⊥ band was resolved and gave an estimate of the bond distance and apex angle as 1.38±0.03A and 101.5±1.5°, respectively.The upper and lower limits of the constants of a quadratic potential function with all possible interaction constants have been obtained.


Background: The time trade-off (TTO) technique is commonly used to elicit health state utilities. When the health states being valued are temporary, however, the TTO approach may be unsuitable. A variant of TTO the chained TTO, has been suggested to use when the health states are temporary, but little research has been done on how chained TTO should be conducted. This paper aims to systematically review the use of chained TTO in valuing temporary health states. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in databases: Ovid MEDLINE(R), Embase, EBM Reviews and PsycINFO. Abstracts (full article if necessary) were screened by two independent reviewers with a third reviewer resolving any disagreements. Results: The resulting number of papers for review was low (9). All of the reviewed studies used face-to-face interviews, had small sample sizes (<100), and valued up to six temporary health states with time horizons typically ranging from four weeks to one year. All studies discussed methodological issues of using chained TTO, and some compared that with other preference elicitation methods. Conclusions: Chained TTO appears to be feasible, consistent and responsive, and allows the valuation of temporary health states that would improve the efficiency and accuracy of decision making in health and healthcare. However, the evidence is limited due to the low number of relevant studies in the literature. Further research is needed to examine the performances and validity of chained TTO compared to conventional TTO in the valuation of temporary health states.


In this study,physical- chemical properties of the soils in different forest types in Nanjiang Canyon were compared and analyzed. The results were as follows: 1) the change trend of soil density in different positions in Nanjiang Canyon was in the order of bottom middle top; the change trend of total porosity,capillary porosity, non- capillary porosity,maximum water- holding capacity,and capillary water- holding capacity were contrary to the trend of density; the trend of organic matter,cation exchange capacity,total N,total K,available N,available K,and available P were in order of bottom middle top,while the total P in the middle part was the lowest; the soil quality index was increasing from the bottom to the top; 2) the soil density of karst forest was lower than that of non- karst; the total porosity,capillary porosity,non- capillary porosity,maximum water- holding capacity,capillary water- holding capacity,the total N,total P,total K,available N,and available K in karst forest were higher than that of non- karst,while the content of organic matter,cation exchange capacity,available P of karst forest were lower than that of non- karst. The comprehensive soil quality index of the karst forest was higher than that of non- karst.


We present a new method for optical flow computation based on the minimization of a non-quadratic functional. The solution of the obtained nonlinear differential equations is done with a time dependent approach leading to the successive solutions of linear systems. This new method allows to compute optical flow fields while insuring a unique solution and preserving the flow discontinuities. This method seems to be more appropriate since it does not enforce the optical flow to be smooth in the boundaries of moving objects and reconstruct the optical flow discontinuities without any specific processing of these points. We have applied the model on synthetical and real image sequences which illustrate the properties of this approach. Finally we give an interesting application which merges optical flow field and snake models for boundaries tracking.


The death, in tragic circumstances, of Professor Josef Markwart, of Berlin, on 4th February, ought not to pass unnoticed in this country. For although his name is here unfamiliar to all but a small group of scholars, he occupies, and must always occupy, a place in the forefront of European Orientalists, and it would be difficult to name any past or present scholar with a wider range of learning or a more brilliant critical faculty, whether as philologist, historian, or ethnologist. He was a fine classical scholar; he could read nearly every literary language of Asia, and he had a profound knowledge of African ethnology. Though his total output of published work was comparatively small—amounting only to four or five books and a number of articles in learned journals—it may be said that every sentence he wrote bore the hall-mark of his immense learning and his rare analytical power.


Intentioned learning in the workplace is best influenced within a culture that explores both individual and organisational metacognitive awareness and practice. The purpose of this manuscript is to propose an emerging framework based on the Assessing The Learning Strategies of AdultS (ATLAS) Learning Strategy Spectrum that can be applied throughout an organisation to achieve specific workplace learning objectives at optimum performance, productivity and engagement levels. The ATLAS 4-Step Workplace Learning Strategy Framework can be used to guide organisational leaders and trainers through a culture-creating process designed to explore, identify and leverage individual and organisational metacognitive processes.


In this paper, the effect of various surface treatment processes and nanoclay addition on the mechanical properties of fiber metal laminates is investigated. For this purpose, the aluminum alloy 3105 was surface treated under different processes includes degreasing, mechanical abrasion, chemical etching, chromate conversion treatment and combinations of these processes. Then, the fiber metal laminates were manufactured by aluminum sheets, pure epoxy resin and modified resin with nanoclay and glass fiber using hand lay-up process. The effect of different processes of surface treatments and using nanoparticles on the flexural and impact properties of the specimens was investigated using response surface method. The results obtained indicted that the chromate conversion treatment of metal surface has a most effective role in increasing the mechanical properties of the specimens. While, among different processes of surface treatments, degreasing has a less effective role in enhancement of mechanical properties of fiber metal laminates. The result of main effects analysis also showed that despite the useful role of nanoclay in improvement of the mechanical properties of fiber metal laminates, the role of surface treatment processes is more effective than nanoparticles addition.


Due to the shrinking of dimension and decreasing of the supply voltage, processors based on deep submicron technologies are more susceptible to defects and errors. This paper presents a model to simulate the behavior of the Reed-Solomon decoder prone to transient faults. The simulation environment developed allows to analyze the influence of the different blocks on the reliability of the decoder. Identifying the most critical blocks of the processor allows the designer to implement a selective hardening strategy and then to minimize the additional costs associated to improve fault tolerance.


Schwannoma is a benign tumor originating from the peripheral nerve sheath. A 16-year-old man have experienced progressive swelling of the nasal tip over 4 years. Computed tomography scan showed a 2.5 cm sized soft tissue density at the nasal tip. It distorted and dislocated the lower lateral cartilage. The mass was resected using an external rhinoplasty approach. The nasal tip was reconstructed by tip surgery and the soft tissue defect under the skin due to mass was filled with autologous dermal graft. The pathologic diagnosis was a schwannoma. A nasal tip schwannoma is extremely rare. Here, we present and discuss the clinical and surgical aspects of schwannoma arising on the nasal tip. � Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2011;54:356-9 Key WordsZZSchwannomaㆍNoseㆍRhinoplasty.


Although magnetic susceptibility logging is used to a certain extent in mineral exploration it does not appear to have been employed extensively for other applications. As a natural outcome of the development of a shallow borehole conductivity logging system (Geonics EM39), a magnetic susceptibility logger, the EM39S, was constructed, specifically for use for shallow lithological studies. This paper offers a brief review of the factors affecting the magnetic susceptibility of soils and rocks, and the desirable features of a shallow susceptibility logger. These include high sensitivity and low‐temperature drift, so as to accurately map low susceptibility materials, and an intercoil spacing small enough to give good vertical resolution but large enough to achieve reasonable radial range of investigation and to be unaffected by the presence of the borehole itself. In highly conductive environments, the response from conductive material can also influence the susceptibility reading; hence, it is necessary to ...


Atomiztion effects of spray nozzle play an important role in chemical droplet protective performance test for personal protective appliances.Spraying field of air-assistant atomizing nozzle was simulated and solved by use of commercial software FLUENT.Influences of nozzle structure and flow veloeyty to discrete number distribution of draplet average diameter are discussed.Through analysis of numerical simulation results and structure optimization for nozzle,effective improvement method can be provided to design of air-assistant atomizing nozzle.


Objective(s): Young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are a key population identified in the Illinois Getting to Zero (GTZ) initiative who have experienced disproportionate HIV incidence. Rising stimulant use has been determined to impede the effectiveness of ART and pre-exposure prophylaxis for suppressing HIV transmission in populations. This modeling study explores the impact of stimulant use on HIV incidence among YBMSM, given the limited development of dedicated or culturally appropriate interventions for this population, and assesses the impact of these interventions on downstream HIV transmission in the context of achieving GTZ goals. Methods: A previously developed agent-based network model (ABNM), calibrated using data for YBMSM in Illinois, was extended to incorporate the impact of stimulant use (methamphetamines, crack/cocaine, and ecstasy) on sexual networks and engagement in HIV treatment and prevention continua. The model simulated the impact of a residential behavioral intervention (BI) for reducing stimulant dependency and an outpatient biomedical intervention (mirtazapine) for treating methamphetamine dependence on improved engagement in the HIV treatment and prevention continua. The downstream impact of these interventions on population-level HIV incidence was the primary intervention outcome. Results: Baseline simulated annual HIV incidence in the ABNM was 6.9(95% CI: 6.83,7.04) per 100 person years (py) and 453 (95% CI: 445.9,461.2) new infections annually. A residential targeted to 25% of stimulant users yielded a 27.1% decline in the annual number of new infections. Initiating about 50% of methamphetamine users on mirtazapine reduced the overall HIV incidence by about 11%. A 25% increase in antiretroviral treatment (ART) and preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in the non-stimulant using YBMSM population combined with a 25% uptake of BI for stimulant users produces an HIV incidence consistent with HIV elimination targets (about 200 infections/year) identified in the GTZ initiative. Conclusions: Targeted behavioral and biomedical interventions to treat stimulant dependency are likely to provide additive benefits to expanding ART and PrEP uptake for everyone in accomplishing GTZ initiatives for HIV elimination.


The present invention relates to a shut-off article, blocking article of the present invention, blocking resin nanocomposite in the polyolefin resin molded article inside wall that is dispersed in a specific embodiment is fluorine coated, excellent mechanical strength, and oxygen blocking property, is superior organic solvent barrier properties and moisture barrier properties.


Distance education and web-based courses are mainstream in the United States higher education and growing (NCES, 2003) involving over 80% of four year public universities in 2002. The National Academy of Science review of ―how people learn‖ suggests that technology-mediated learning can be used to respond to students' preferences and related characteristics. This investigation of the relationships between learners' characteristics and their perception of web-based learning and satisfaction with their course used Kolb's (1984) Learning Styles Inventory and Walker's (2003) distance education learning environment instrument plus demographic questions to survey 279 students in five web-based undergraduate courses in a Midwestern university. The study founds that the three dimensions of Moore's Transactional Distance Theory may be linked with Kolb's two dimensional views of individual learning styles. For example, introductory biology courses with high structure are perceived as more satisfactory by students who prefer a more ―abstract conceptual‖ learning style for ―knowledge grasping.‖


To obtain and determine the magnitude of the deformation and stress that is occurred in the propeller blades on a quadcopter, therefore it is necessary to carry out an analysis in the form fenite element analysis using computer simulation. The aim of this study is to determine the amount of deformation that is occurred in a propeller blade applied to a quadcopter if it is given a force and vibration due to rotation and contact with the air while the propeller rotates. The method used the academic version of the ANSIS R1 2021 software which the propeller is designed and given input according to its real conditions, then look at the output deformation and voltage that is occurred in the blades of the propeller. The simulation results showed that the total deformation value in the structural statistic is 6.6681 mm for the maximum value, while the stress value is 169.89 Mpa. For vibration analysis used modal analysis, the total deformation is 549.91 mm max in shape mode 1and the largest is in shape mode 7 at 792.45 mm at a frequency of 616.78Hz.


Although Singapore is an immigrant country,but its booming economy,good social order,high moral standards,and beautiful urban environment,catch the world's attention,which has to do with the effective civic education.Singapore Government through continuous exploration,in line with Singapore's national conditions and contents of civic education,reflecting the characteristics of the country's civic education,has important implications for civic education in China.


The trade-union movement in American agriculture has not equaled the extent that it has reached in industry. Since the New Deal, however, unionism in agriculture has taken a sudden spurt forward. This new unionization is strongest among the casual workers engaged in occupations which require group activity. Racial homogeneity, as well as social stability, seem necessary conditions for agricultural labor organization. Most of the unions are associated with the American Federation of Labor, although that body has not as yet granted a charter to an Agricultural International. The sudden articulate interest in working conditions and wages probably can be ascribed to the depressed condition of the incomes of these farm workers and the propaganda for unionization and organization resulting from New Deal policies.


The Indian College of Physicians (ICP) of the Association of Physicians of India has recently released guidelines on the management of addictive disorders in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).[1] These guidelines underscore the multifaceted relationship between addictive disorders and DM. These highlights need to screen, prevent, and manage addictive disorders while minimizing the potential adverse impact of both these disorders, and their treatment, on glycemic control.


Objective
To investigate the application of a metamorphic mechanism-based special dressing system (MMDS) in improving the prognosis and comfort of the patient after scrotal surgery.

METHODS
We included 48 cases of scrotal surgery using the traditional method for postoperative dressing from June 2017 to June 2018 (the control group) and another 48 cases employing MMDS postoperatively from July 2018 to June 2019 (the MMDS group). We observed the differences between the two groups of patients in the incidence of scrotal edema, pain score, hospitalization days, patients' satisfaction, and dressing time.

RESULTS
The scrotal edema score showed no statistically significant difference between the MMDS and control groups at 24 hours after operation (P > 0.05) but remarkably lower in the former than in the latter group at 48 hours (1.42 ± 0.5 vs 2.27 ± 0.7, P < 0.05) and 72 hours postoperatively (1.35 ± 0.2 vs 2.25 ± 0.7, P < 0.05). The MMDS group, compared with the controls, also exhibited a lower pain score (2.2 ± 1.0 vs 3.4 ± 1.5, P < 0.05), shorter hospitalization time ([5.96 ± 1.2] vs [9.13 ± 2.3] d, P < 0.05) and higher satisfaction score (98.1 ± 1.6 vs 92.8 ± 2.8, P < 0.05), as well as shorter dressing time at 24, 48 and 72 hours after operation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The metamorphic mechanism-based special dressing system is a safe, efficient, simple and feasible method for dressing after scrotal surgery, which can effectively promote recovery and improve the quality of life of the patients.


Systematic testing of large population groups by RT-PCR is mandatory to Covid-19 case identification and contact tracing in order to minimize the likelyhood of resurgence in contagion. Sample pooling for RT-PCR has been effectively used to detect community transmission of SARS CoV-2. Nevertheless, this procedure may decrease the sensitivity of RT-PCR assays due to specimen dilution. We evaluated the efficacy of this strategy for diagnosis of Covid-19 using a sensitive commercially-available RT-PCR targeting SARS CoV-2 E and RdRp genes in a single reaction. A total of 20 mini-pools containing either 5 (n=10) or 10 (n=10) nasopharyngeal exudates collected in universal transport medium were made, each of which including a unique positive NP specimen. Positive specimens yielding CT <32 for the E gene (6 out of 10) or <35.2 for the RdRP gene (7 out of 10) were detected in mini-pools of both sizes. In contrast, most NP samples displaying CTs > 35.8 for the E gene or 35.7 for the RdRP gene remained undetected in mini-pools of 5 specimens (3/4 and 2/3, respectively) or in mini-pools of 10 samples (4/4 and 3/3, respectively.


Although multigene panel testing (MGPT) is increasingly utilized in clinical practice, there remain limited data on patient‐reported outcomes. BRCA 1/2 negative patients were contacted and offered MGPT. Patients completed pre‐ and posttest counseling, and surveys assessing cognitive, affective and behavioral outcomes at baseline, postdisclosure and 6 and 12 months. Of 317 eligible BRCA1/2 negative patients who discussed the study with research staff, 249 (79%) enrolled. Decliners were more likely to be older, non‐White, and recruited by mail or email. Ninety‐five percent of enrolled patients proceeded with MGPT. There were no significant changes in anxiety, depression, cancer specific distress or uncertainty postdisclosure. There were significant but small increases in knowledge, cancer‐specific distress and depression at 6‐12 months. Uncertainty declined over time. Those with a VUS had significant decreases in uncertainty but also small increases in cancer specific distress at 6 and 12 months. Among those with a positive result, medical management recommendations changed in 26% of cases and 2.6% of all tested. Most BRCA1/2 negative patients have favorable psychosocial outcomes after receipt of MGPT results, although small increases in depression and cancer‐specific worry may exist and may vary by result. Medical management changed in few patients.


Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are prevalent sport‐related injuries that result in protracted quadriceps atrophy and weakness despite surgical reconstruction and physical therapy. Vitamin D and its receptor are integral for skeletal muscle development and homeostasis. In addition, vitamin D status is positively associated with muscle size and strength. If the vitamin D receptor and related enzymes are upregulated with ACL injury and reconstruction, then overall vitamin D status may be an important effector of recovery. Concentrations of vitamin D needed to support optimal recovery may differ from typical clinical cut points used to diagnose vitamin D deficiency, which could have powerful therapeutic implications following ACL injury and reconstruction. This is especially important given recent research showing over 50% of athletes have vitamin D inadequacy. We hypothesized that subjects with circulating vitamin D sufficient to suppress parathyroid hormone secretion (≥ 40 ng/mL) would be better protected against quadriceps atrophy at the conclusion of rehabilitation. Muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis) were obtained from ACL‐injured and Healthy limbs of 16 participants (6M,10F; 19±5yr, body mass index: 25.1±3.7kg/m2) prior to surgical reconstruction, 1 week following reconstruction (Recon), and following the completion of post‐surgical rehabilitation (6 months following surgery, Post‐Rehab). RNA was isolated from all quadriceps biopsies, followed by library construction, sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis. Transcript abundance of vitamin D activating pathway regulators (vitamin D receptor [VDR], and Cytochrome P450 2R1 [CYP2R1] and Family 27 Subfamily B Member 1 [CYP27B1]) was assessed following analysis using DESeq2 and false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment of p‐values. Additionally, 25‐hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) was assessed in serum samples obtained at the time of reconstruction surgery. Quadriceps fiber cross‐sectional area was measured via laminin immunohistochemistry. Recon (1 week post‐surgery) muscle showed increased transcript abundance of the vitamin D receptor, VDR(elevated 7.8 fold, FDR<0.05), and vitamin D‐activating pathway regulators CYP2R1 (elevated 1.5 fold, FDR<0.05) and CYP27B1 (elevated 2.6 fold, FDR<0.05) when compared to the Healthy limb. Following the completion of rehabilitation at the 6‐month follow‐up, participants with 25(OH)D above 40 ng/mL showed 6.4% atrophy of quadriceps fiber size compared to 22.8% atrophy in participants with 25(OH)D below 40 ng/mL (p=0.06). These findings provide evidence for surgically induced elevations in the vitamin D activating pathway within skeletal muscle. Upregulation of the vitamin D activating pathway may support quadriceps mitochondrial health and satellite cell activity and self‐renewal capacity, both of which are compromised following ACL reconstruction. In addition, elevated vitamin D concentrations may protect against protracted quadriceps atrophy. Future research should investigate if manipulation of vitamin D concentrations can enhance quadriceps functional recovery following ACL reconstruction.


This article provides a description of a diagnostic developed to allow spatial and temporal measurements of the average vertical liquid mass flux within a pulsing spray. The diagnostic incorporates a patternator similar to that used in spray research for measuring mass distributions within sprays. For this application, the patternator section consists of a row of sample tubes oriented normal and intersecting the injector axis. However, in addition to the patternator section, the diagnostic incorporates a rotating shutter mechanism, which allows phased or transient sampling of the mass within transient spray plumes. To date, the technique has been successfully applied to a number of pulsing injection systems to produce spatially resolved measurements of transient mass flux. To illustrate the capabilities of this diagnostic, sample mass flux data are provided for a pulsed fuel injector. In this case, mass flux was a strong function of time and space, and measurements were possible for all regions of the spray, independent of spray number density or liquid void fraction.


The relationship between the water resources and water conservative irrigation is described.The applications and development of plastics for impermeable channel and low pressure pipes for transporting water,plastics pipes for motor pumped well,spray and micro irrigation are introduced.The close relationship between water conservative irrigation and plastics industry is stated.


New nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods for the investigation of high temperature superconductors are reported which alleviate many of the problems NMR faces in such materials. The methods rely on combining population transfers between quadrupolar split Zeeman levels with ordinary NMR experiments. Spins labeled in this manner can be investigated selectively, e.g., allowing the differentiation between isotopes, crystallographic sites, and misaligned grains. Examples for Cu NMR on YBa{sub 2}Cu {sub 4}O{sub 8} and La{sub 1.85} Sr{sub 0.15} CuO{sub 4} are reported. The methods will also be applicable to other areas of solid state NMR. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society }


The contribution of tangible and intangible feedback is compared for virtual tactile car Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) design, to measure their performance both in static conditions and while driving. A subjectively calibrated transparent glass provides tangible passive haptics, and visual cues are used to study sensory substitution-based intangible interactions. The results show that the performance of the subjects was significantly improved in driving conditions as they interacted faster, more accurately and with a higher satisfaction. In addition, our findings highlight that the contribution of tangible systems is significantly lower in driving conditions, raising new questions about the nature of haptic modalities in the function of the context of use. This study provides additional knowledge about the influence of dynamic environments and external tasks on haptic perception.


This article describes and characterizes an emerging type of user-centric wireless network model, here named a user-provided network, where the end user is at the same time a consumer and a provider of Internet access. A discussion of challenges these new models face is also provided.


One of the major research targets in our recent research has been the sensing of physical liquid parameters by means of miniaturized sensors. Such sensors and sen-sor systems can be utilized in applications, where liquids in industrial processes are monitored in order to maintain the quality of a process or the associated product. Due to the adverse properties commonly associated with chemical interfaces (lacking re-versibility, drift, etc.), we concentrate our research on physical parameters as indica-tors for the state of the liquid, in particularly density, viscosity (or more general rheological properties), and infrared absorption. The miniaturization of suitable sen-sor principles facilitates the implementation of these devices online. At the same time, scaling effects have to be taken into account, which, e.g., in case of viscosity sensors, lead to issues when it comes to applications in complex liquids such as suspensions. In our paper we provide an overview on our recent work discussing the device de-sign, the associated modeling, and the application of the devices. Keywords: Viscosity sensing, resonating sensors


Increase of a personality role in political space of society sets a task of researching of the ways of personification of special power structures. In the article there offered the main levels of psychological space of power, the corresponding political symbols and the models of political behavior. There also discussed particular features of personified space of the leader, phantoms of his influence on political space of ruling elites and electorate.


The Coyne, Issacs, and Schwartz comment appears to rest on a fundamental misunderstanding of the difference between a critique and an original work.


Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signalling is essential in the development and maintenance of the neurovasculature. Of particular importance is PDGFRβ signalling for the recruitment and maintenance of the mural cell type pericytes, which occupy an important position in coordinating blood-brain barrier functions. The PDGF pathway is also implicated in glioblastoma, where overexpression of PDGFRα is a signature of the proneural subtype of the highly malignant and invasive tumour. The expression and signalling of both PDGFRα and β by tumour cells have been implicated in tumorigenesis and progression. Therefore, we sought to study PDGF receptor signalling in primary human-derived glioblastoma tumour cells to gain a better understanding of the signalling mechanisms driven by these receptors.

 Primary human epilepsy pericytes and glioblastoma tumour cells were isolated from surgical resections obtained from consenting patients at Auckland City Hospital. PDGF signalling pathways were investigated through treatment with exogenous PDGF ligands. Pathway activation was quantified using immunocytochemistry, human cytokine XL Proteome Profiler and cytometric bead arrays.

 PDGF-BB and PDGF-DD treatment led to the activation of PDGFRβ in pericyte cultures, which mediated the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt cascades, ultimately increasing pericyte proliferation and cytokine secretion. PDGF-AA treatment resulted in transient MAPK activation, but was not followed by increased proliferation in pericytes. In contrast, although PDGF-AA, -BB and -DD induced PDGFRα internalisation (and PDGF-BB and -DD induced PDGFRβ internalisation) in GBM tumour cells, this did not result in MAPK or PI3K/Akt activation or cell proliferation.

 Despite PDGF receptor expression, the GBM tumour cells, in contrast to pericytes, surprisingly displayed a lack of responses to ligand stimulation through either PDGFRα or PDGFRβ. This warrants further investigation into the signalling mechanisms behind tumour cells to better understand tumour biology.


This paper describes a calculation method of moisture flow discharge coefficient for designing wet-steam turbines. The flow discharge coefficient in wet-steam conditions is different from that in dry-steam conditions, because the former is affected by supersaturation phenomenon and wetness fraction. An accurate prediction of the flow discharge coefficient is required for flow-pattern design in turbine stages. The developed calculation method is divided four models according to the wetness levels in the nozzle & bucket rows, and defined by the functions of wet-steam properties, such as saturated & supersaturated isentropic exponents, wetness fraction, and pressure ratio in the nozzle & bucket rows. The calculation method is applied to a full-size & a model test turbine data for the prediction of the moisture flow discharge coefficient. As a result, the developed calculation method is found to be very effective for estimating the moisture flow discharge coefficient in a wide range of wetness fractions.


In this paper, we propose a Doppler spread estimation approach based on machine learning for an OFDM system. We present a carefully designed neural network architecture to achieve good performance in a mixed-channel scenario in which channel characteristic variables such as Rician K factor, azimuth angle of arrival (AOA) width, mean direction of azimuth AOA, and channel estimation errors are randomly generated. When preprocessing the channel state information (CSI) collected under the mixed-channel scenario, we propose averaged power spectral density (PSD) sequence as high-quality training data in machine learning for Doppler spread estimation. We detail intermediate mathematical derivatives of the machine learning process, making it easy to graft the derived results into other wireless communication technologies. Through simulation, we show that the machine learning approach using the averaged PSD sequence as training data outperforms the other machine learning approach using the channel frequency response (CFR) sequence as training data and two other existing Doppler estimation approaches.


The ventilation of the subtropical North Atlantic along GEOTRACES section GA03 is quantified in terms of where and how long ago water was last in the mixed layer. Measurements of T, S, PO4*, CFC-11, CFC-12, SF6, and estimates of pre-bomb 14C are deconvolved for the boundary propagator G using a maximum-entropy approach. From G we calculate the fractions of water last ventilated in specified surface regions Ωw. We estimate that (56±13)% of the water deeper than 1000 m was ventilated in northern high latitudes, (15±5)% in the Mediterranean, and (27±12)% in the Southern Ocean. Below the thermocline and outside the deep western boundary current, mean ages of Ωw-ventilated water exceed a century. Consequently, memory of where last ventilation occurred tends to get lost and the deep mean-age patterns of Ωw-ventilated water are broadly similar for all Ωw. The mean ventilation ages, averaged over the section with Ωw-fraction weights, are roughly 200 years for all deep water masses except for water last ventilated south of the Antarctic divergence, which is about twice as old. The uncertainties in the section-mean profiles of the Ωw fractions and their mean ages are ∼50% and ∼20%, respectively. The Ωw fractions have vertically diffuse overlapping patterns suggesting significant diapycnal mixing, consistent with century-scale mean ages. We quantify the seasonal cycle of ventilation and find that in both hemispheres peak ventilation occurs during late winter and early spring, but Northern Hemisphere ventilated deep waters have a more pronounced seasonal cycle with nearly zero summertime ventilation.


This paper describes a novel hierarchy algorithm for extracting bridges over water in optical images. To reduce the omission of bridges by searching the edge, we extract the river regions which the bridges are included in. Firstly, we segment the optical image to get the coarse water bodies using iterative threshold, eliminate the noise regions and add the missing regions based on k-means clustering with texture information and spatial coherence. Then, the blanks are connected based on shape features and candidate bridge regions are segmented from river regions. Finally, the bridges are verified by geometric information and the ubiety between bridges and river. The results show that this approach is efficient and effective for extracting bridges in satellite image from Google Earth and in aerial optical images acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle.


This study examines the economic characteristics of US households in 1984 by examining mean incomes and program participation statuses for different types of labor force households. The average household income for the 84 million nonfarm household in 1984 was $2260 per month with White households having the highest averge Spanish the next highest and Black households the lowest average. In addition households with the highest average monthly incomes are married couples with a householder under 65 years of age; this group has an average monthly income of $3010 and a means tested program participation rate of 11%. Female householders with no husband present and with children under 18 years are the most likely population group to receive means tested benefits. Women who are over 65 and living alone have the lowest incomes. The effect of labor force activity on incomes and program participation is evident in most of the household types studied; for a female householder with no husband and living with her own children under age 18 average monthly income is $470 when no member of the family has a job $950 when someone is looking for work or has been laid off and $1490 when someone has a job. The means tested program participation rates for these same categories are 88% 68% and 38% respectively. Overall earnings from a job are the dominant source of income accounting for 78% of all income received; property income and social security are the next most important sources. Among the 12.4 million households in the lowest income category 2.6 million receive an average of $340 from earnings 4.4 million receive an average of $40 from property income and .7 million receive an average of $170 from private support payments.


Introduction Occult foreign body aspiration is a rare event in the adult population, being mostly seen in children. The aspiration may remain undiagnosed for a long period of time in patients who cannot recall the time when it took place, and mistaken for other pathologies such as bronchial asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia or tuberculosis(1). Due to the small number of cases encountered, there is no standard in the management of these cases. Therapeutic methods include flexible or rigid bronchoscopy. Flexible bronchoscopy can be used successfully in non-life-threatening cases, in the case of intubated patients or in those with cervical instability(2). Several studies report success rates of about 90% for foreign body (FB) extraction by using flexible bronchoscopy(3,4). Therefore, it could represent the cornerstone of the diagnosis, but should only be considered as a treatment method if the bronchologist has the necessary experience and skill, as well as a thoracic surgery service with staff available and resuscitation equipment nearby(5). CLINICAL CASES


This paper proposes a new portable medical monitoring system, which uses MSP430 as a micro controller. The system could carry out remote wirelessly monitoring based on Bluetooth and GSM, which can replace the wire communication. We introduce the Bluetooth technology and GSM. This monitoring system can monitor human bio-signals real-time, such as ECG, breath, blood pressure, pulse, temperature and it is fit for community medicine and domestic. The portable, minimizing, low-cost and wireless of the monitoring system will be widely applied in medicine and health field.


Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown that there is a strong inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and artherosclerosis. The first atheroprotective mechanism of HDL is the RCT(reverse cholesterol transport). Recently,considerable pharmacological trials have focused on targeting critical proteins and enzymes in RCT including apoAⅠ, ATP binding cassette transporter A1 and cholesteryl ester transport protein etc. A number of new drugs have demonstrated conspicuous protective effects on artherosclerosis. Therefore RCT will become an attractive target for prevention and cure of dyslipidamia and artherosclerosis.


................................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 8 Aims and hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 14 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 15 Results ................................................................................................................................. 17 Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 22 Conclusions and implications .............................................................................................. 25 References ............................................................................................................................... 27 2. Theory and Methods ............................................................................................................... 34 2.


A method for measuring the weight of a suspended load, such as the bucket of a dragline, is disclosed. The method incorporates visual observations by a person such as a test engineer, or the operator of the dragline. During a dig cycle, once the steady state operation of the hoist is achieved, sampling of parameters such as hoist motor armature and field currents, and hoist and drag rope lengths, is performed. Using the calculated values of the force applied to the load and the geometry determined by the various rope lengths, the weight of the suspended load is calculated for each sample in the dig cycle. The calculated weight data may be accepted or rejected based upon the presence of dynamic factors observed by the test engineer or operator, or evident in the data. Calibration of certain values, such as the hoist efficiency, may take place on-site, rather than relying on theoretical or modeled values. If multiple hoist motors are used, data is sensed at each, and the hoist pull force applied by each individually calculated, for improved accuracy.


combined with Liuwan coal mine, the function mechanism and support plan of joint support technology of high strength anchor arm and anchor cable are presented. And some existed chief problems are also put forwards. By economy effect analysis the result demonstrates that this technology is worth being spread.


In this paper, an Adaptive Projected Subgradient Method (APSM) based algorithm for robust subspace tracking is introduced. A properly chosen cost function is constructed at each time instance and the goal is to seek for points, which belong to the zero level set of this function; i.e., the set of points which score a zero loss. At each iteration, an outlier detection mechanism is employed, in order to conclude whether the current data vector contains outlier noise or not. In the sequel, a sparsity-promoting greedy algorithm is employed for the outlier vector estimation allowing the purification of the corrupted data from the outlier noise, prior to any further processing. Furthermore, the case where the observation vectors are partially observed is attacked via a prediction procedure, which estimates the values of the unobserved (missing) coefficients. A theoretical analysis is carried out and the simulation experiments, within the contexts of robust subspace estimation and robust matrix completion, demonstrate the enhanced performance of the proposed scheme compared to recently developed state of the art algorithms.


Type of funding sources: None.
 Background. Patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) may suffer from heart disease that can be related to the liver disease itself or to other  associated pathologies.  It has been suggested that there is a specific heart disease associated with cirrhosis, termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy which  is characterized by the presence of increased baseline cardiac output, systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and increased in pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP). The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiac structural and functional changes after LT and eventually to determine the improvement in PASP.
 Method. 51 patients were considered for the analysis who had a good quality pre and post LT echocardiograms.  The echo-study was done preLT and  repeated within 4 months and 3 years after LT. All studies were red of-line, global longitudinal stains (GLS) of the LV and right ventricle (RV) were analyzed using TOMTEC application. A Paired T-test was used to compare the echocardiographic parameters.  The group was also divided according to tertiles of pre LT PASP for the evaluation of pulmonary pressure.
 Results . Patients` mean age was 58.1 ± 7.8 years, 32 (62.6%) men, mean time between the 2 echocardiographic studies was 529.2 ± 471 days. After LT all the patients were on immunosuppressant therapy (calcineurin inhibitors, ciclosporin and/or tacrolimus).  After LT  blood pressure (BP) (83.4 ± 16 vs 91.5 ± 14 mmHg, p = 0.009 for mean BP ), heart rate (72.5 ± 15.2 vs 80.6 ± 15.3 bpm, p = 0.004), increased as LV mass index (78.6 ± 21.1 to 91.4 ± 29,  p= 0.003) and relative wall thickness (0.34 ± 0.06 to 0.39 ± 0.08,  p = 0.001).  LV ejection fraction did not change while there was a significant decrease in LV GLS (-20.9 ± 4.4% vs -17.4 ± 3.9%, p < 0.0001), impaired diastolic function (E/A 1.12 ± 0.5 vs 0.94 ± 0.4, p = 0.002) and increase in LV diastolic filling pressure (E/E' 7.7 ± 3.6 vs 8.9 ± 3.6, p = 0.018).  PASP increased (26.6 ± 8 vs 30.8 ± 11 mmHg, p = 0.018)  and  TAPSE (24.1 ± 4.5 vs 21.6 ± 3.9 mm, p = 0.002) decresed.  The pre and post echo data, were divided in preLT PASP to see if there was any tendency to decrease in PASP after LT. A progressive increase in LV remodeling and impaired diastolic function, RV- pulmonary arterial coupling decreased as an index of RV maladaptation to the increase PASP as tertiles of in PASP increased.
 Conclusion. Increased in BP has been found in patients after LT , likely related to immensuppressive therapy. LV remodeling, impaired diastolic function were likely a conseguence of increase in BP and the increased in PASP and worst RV- pulmonary circulation coupling was secondary to impaired diastolic function and increased filling pressure. After LT, patients require particular clinical attention and echocardiographic monitoring included GLS for target organ damage and  prompt adequate therapy at least in terms of BP control to avoid later cardiovascular complications.


Gun, only a district's name nowadays, was established in 7th century as a administrative unit of old Japan. Of course, there were the kuni (_??_)and the agata (_??_) before the Taika Kaishin (_??__??__??__??_), but the kuni and the gun were the first local administrative system, and had a new territory with a distinct boundary.In this article, I intend to clarify the following points about the gun by mean of the analysis of newly builtup guns written down in the Rikkokushi (_??__??__??_), the six chronicle in ancient time, and the reconstruction of some boundaries of the guns in the Heiancho (_??__??__??_), and others.(1) Almost all of gun's areas were quitely new ones, established by a partition of kunis and agatas, which were to be considered the spontaneous community. Though gun's. boundary followed frequently after rivers, watersheds or woods, at cultivated plains we found many boundaries of straight line by jori-systems (Fig. 2 shows it at the Yamato basin). The gun was therefore the pure institutional community and the formal area.(2) However, never ignored the gun's area geographical conditions. For example, there were many that it based upon the topographical condition, and had suitable goris (_??__??_) and population for the middle community between the kuni and the gori.In this point one may say that the gun had a bud to bloom the spontaneous, historical community and the substansive area later days, from the biginning of the formation of the gun.


There is strong theoretical support for oral reading fluency (ORF) as an essential building block of reading proficiency. The current and standard ORF assessment procedure requires that students read aloud a grade-level passage (≈ 250 words) in a one-to-one administration, with the number of words read correctly in 60 seconds constituting their ORF performance. The current study was part of a larger project to develop and validate a computerized ORF assessment system – Computerized Oral Reading Evaluation (CORE) – to reduce limitations in current ORF measures and procedures. The purposes of this technical report are to: (a) document whether the CORE system was accessible and useful for teachers, (b) explore potential differences between CORE and traditional ORF (i.e., easyCBM) passages, and (c) identify potential deficits in the three CORE lengths (≈ 25, 50, or 85 words). This information contributes to the response-process evidence for the CORE system's validity. Our results suggest that delivering, scoring, and storing ORF assessments online may be feasible, and desirable, for classroom teachers across Grades 2 through 4. In addition, although there were no distinct differences between CORE and traditional ORF passages, teacher reports suggest that the CORE short passages are most appropriate for Grade 2 students while CORE long and medium passages are preferred by teachers for students in Grades 3 and 4. Teacher Survey of the Accessibility and Text Features of the Computerized Oral Reading Evaluation (CORE) As the most prevalent reading assessment in response-to-intervention (RTI) models, measures of oral reading fluency (ORF) are used in elementary schools across the country to universally screen for students at risk of low reading proficiency, to ensure students are meeting teacher expectations, to monitor progress of students receiving reading intervention or identified as having a disability, and to predict year-end performance on large-scale reading achievement tests. The current and standard ORF administration requires that students read aloud a gradelevel passage, with the number of words read correctly in 60 seconds constituting their ORF performance score, reported as words correct per minute (wcpm). There is strong theoretical support for ORF as an essential part of reading proficiency. Assessing reading fluency is critical because it functions as an indicator of comprehension and overall reading achievement (e.g., Deno, 1985; Fuchs, Fuchs, & Maxwell, 1988; Hosp & Fuchs, 2005; Pinnell et al., 1995). Research also indicates that the measurement of ORF growth within or across years is important to predict future reading outcomes (e.g. Baker et al., 2008; Kim, Petscher, Schatschneider, & Foorman, 2010; Speece & Ritchey, 2005). The current study was part of a larger project to develop and validate a computerized ORF assessment system – Computerized Oral Reading Evaluation (CORE) – to reduce limitations in current ORF measures. The innovations of our proposed assessment system are intended to provide more reliable and valid measurement of students' ORF for universally screening students at risk of poor reading outcomes and monitoring the progress of those identified. Our proposed CORE assessment system will change both existing ORF assessment and delivery to increase efficiency and improve accuracy of measurement. Traditional ORF 1


The concept of paradigm has its origin in ancient Greece. Plato understood a paradigm as an idea or form, while Aristotle gave it the meaning of a particular pattern or model. The school, alongside the Temple, is the oldest social institution that meets the very important developmental needs of the young generations of society. It is shown in the article, based on the genesis of the school in various countries of the world, how in the history of the school there were periods of both development and stagnation. Major school system and program changes were carried out in accordance with the general principle of continuation and change. This means that everything that has worked well in the current practice of the school's activities should be continued and the curricula and upbringing should be constantly enriched with new content, values, and experience, while consistently changing what is incompatible with current science and practice in programmes and the organizational sphere and, above all, outdated knowledge and teaching methods. This general rule should also apply to the reform of the Polish school system introduced in 2019. Only by observing the general principle of continuation and change can school reform achieve its intended goals. The fact that the optimal change paradigm is the guiding thought of learning about school or scholiology deserves to be emphasized in the presented article. The concept of scholiology met with positive feedback from many Polish scholars involved in school education, as well as Professor Mark Bray, Chairman of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (University of Hong Kong, 2019).


In this paper a novel method to address the problem of enhancement and binarization of historic inscription images is presented. Inscription images in general have no distinction between the text layer and background layer due to absence of color difference and possess highly correlated signals and noise. The proposed technique provides a suitable method to separate the text layer from the historic inscription images by considering the problem as blind source separation which aims to calculate the independent components from a linear mixture of source signals, by maximizing a contrast function based on higher order cumulants. Further, the results are compared with existing ICA based techniques like NGFICA and Fast-ICA.


We examine if Brexit uncertainty has trade externalities beyond Europe. Using detailed data on export values and participation, tariffs, and Brexit probabilities prior to the referendum, we estimate ongoing negative trade-uncertainty elasticities between the United Kingdom and its non-European partner countries in preferential trade agreements that will require renegotiation post-Brexit. We use them to isolate the impact of the referendum on export values and net entry; we find effects similar to those identified by Graziano et al. (2018) for the UK and EU.


To maintain an inexhaustible momentum of development in the fierce competition,vocational colleges should strengthen the construction of organizational culture to provide a deep and rich culture and strong spiritual supporting for attaining the objective of training high-quality practical talents.The article puts forward realistic approach to the problems that vocational colleges face in their construction practice of organizational culture.


With the development of digital forestry, image processing and pattern recognition technology have been extensively used in the study of forestry research. It is currently a hot research that automatic plant recognition by use of computer. In some developed countries, the technology has been used in the agricultural production. This paper overviews the study of automatic plant recognition by use of computer from plant leaves and flowers, and analyses the limitations exist in the present study. In the end, this paper looking forward to the technology of automatic plant recognition.