The study of acoustic shock propagation in complex environments is of great interest for urban acoustics, but also for source localization, an underlying problematic in military applications. To give a better understanding of the phenomenon taking place during the propagation of acoustic shocks, laboratory-scale experiments and numerical simulations were performed to study the propagation of weak shock waves between parallel rigid boundaries, and into shadow zones created by corners. In particular, this work focuses on the study of the local interactions taking place between incident, reflected, and diffracted waves according to the geometry in both regular or irregular – also called Von Neumann – regimes of reflection. In this latter case, an irregular reflection can lead to the formation of a Mach stem that can modify the spatial distribution of the acoustic pressure. Short duration acoustic shock waves were produced by a 20 kilovolts electric spark source and a schlieren optical method was used to visualize the incident shockfront and the reflection/diffraction patterns. Experimental results are compared to numerical simulations based on the high-order finite difference solution of the two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations.


OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in hypertensive patients. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study PLACE: Civil Hospital Karachi SAMPLE SIZE: Eighty patients DURATION: July 2001 to July 2002 PATIENTS AND METHODS: All the hypertensive patients above 30 years of age of both sexes were included in this study. A detailed relevant history, physical examination including BP was carried out and all the base line investigations and Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) were performed. Data of each patient were entered on a separate perfoma. RESULTS: Eighty hypertensive patients were studied, out of these 46 (57.5%) were females and 34 (42.5%) were males. The ages of patients were between 32-80 years, mean age + SD was 55.725 + 13.364. The maximum patients were in 41-60 years of age (56.25%). Results of this study showing that the frequency of IGT was 46.2%, prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was 8.7% and prevalence of diabetes was 5% in these hypertensive patients. CONCLUSION: It is concluded hat impaired glucose tolerance is related to hypertension and other clinical and metabolic abnormalities such as obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia and family history of DM and positive history of intake of diabetogenic antihypertensive drugs such as diuretics and beta-blockers. Hypertensive patients should be screened for glucose tolerance by OGTT on mass level for the prevention of diabetes. It is an easy and cost effective approach.


Activated carbon is a good non-polar adsorbent. Because of its huge specific surface area and micropore, good adsorption performance and recycling, it can be used together with a variety of substances to adsorb various properties of wastewater. This paper mainly introduces the structure, adsorption mechanism, modified activated carbon, microbial bound activated carbon, microwave bound activated carbon and the future research direction of activated carbon.


A new theoretical foundation for the joint design and operation (JDO) of shared spectrum access for radar and communications (SSPARC) is presented. The JDO SSPARC framework entails advanced radar-comms channel estimation, along with a real-time adaptive space-time transmit and receive optimization procedure to maximize forward channel signal-to-noise while simultaneously minimizing co-channel interference. Additionally, a new expression for radar capacity is introduced that when combined with traditional communication capacity provides a unified measure of the total capacity of the combined radar-comms network. High fidelity site-specific electromagnetic radiation propagation simulations are conducted to provide a sense of the real-world potential gains achievable with JDO SSPARC as compared with non-optimized approaches.


There has been growing concern about the detrimental effects of certain anesthetic agents on the developing brain. Preclinical studies in small animal models as well as nonhuman primates suggested loss or death of brain cells and consequent impaired neurocognitive function following anesthetic exposure in neonates and late gestation fetuses. Human studies in this area are limited and currently inconclusive. On Dec. 14, 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning regarding impaired brain development in children following exposure to certain anesthetic agents used for general anesthesia, namely the inhalational anesthetics isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane, and the intravenous agents propofol and midazolam, in the third trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, this warning recommends that health care professionals should balance the benefits of appropriate anesthesia in young children and pregnant women against potential risks, especially for procedures that may last >3 hours or if multiple procedures are required in children


The cost effectiveness of nonmetallic materials in three direct-use geothermal applications was assessed. An extensive review of the available literature was conducted in order to ascertain those processes for which sufficient design and cost data had been published to permit this economic assessment to be made. Only three such processes could be found and they are discussed.


We study theoretically competition between the charge ordering and the superconductivity in the two-dimensional organic conductor β-( meso -DMBEDT-TTF) 2 PF 6 . We analyze the extended Hubbard mode...


In adjacent areas in north-eastern New South Wales, T. vulpecula occurs in the open forest and woodland and T. caninus occurs in the closed and tall open forest; both species are found in the pine plantation. T. vulpecula has a single breeding season in autumn when all females 1 y old and older reproduce. The young become independent around 175 days old and disperse at up to 2 y old. Mortality is low (15%) among dependent young but considerably higher among independent dispersing individuals. T. caninus also has a single autumn breeding season. The young become independent around 240 days old but disperse after 18-26 months, females moving before males. Mortality is high (56%) among dependent young but less so among subadults. An adult sex ratio of parity is the result of a higher survival among subadult males than females offsetting the reverse in adults. Some 2-y-old and all 3-y-old females reproduce but a few older females fail to breed in certain years. There is evidence that the high mortality of dependent young and failure of older females to breed is associated with offspring of previous years remaining in the population. Adult males and females appear to form a pair-bond. Population parameters of T. vulpecula described from other areas show considerable variation; this flexibility in population strategy explains the species' success in occupying a diversity of habitats and rapidly colonizing new areas.


Introduction (R L Wiegel) Random Waves in the Sea (Y Goda) Tsunamis - Their Coastal Effects And Defense Works (N Shuto) Basic Concepts of Coastal Sediment Transport (P Nielsen) Morphology of Erosional and Accretional Coasts (P D Komar & T Sunamura) Numerical Modeling of Nearshore Wave Transformation (H Nishimura & M Isobe) Laboratory Experiments - Renewed Importance (J W Kamphuis) Field Observation and Database Management (D H Swart & G Mocke) Beach Nourishment and Hybrid Methods for Coastal Protection (R G Dean) Dredging and Navigation Channels (J B Herbich) Enhancement of Coastal Habitats (M Nakamura & S Otake) Hydro-Environmental Assessment of Coastal and Estuarine Systems (H L Butler & C F Cerco) Coastal Zone Management - US Perspective (P Grenell) Coastal Zone Management - European Perspective (H Kunz) Coastal Zone Management - Japanese Perspective: (A) Sediment Movement and Beach Transformation Due to Port Construction in Japan (K Katoh) Coastal Zone Management - Japanese Perspective: (B) Beach Erosion in Japan and Perspective to Solve the Problem (T Uda) View on Future Prospects of Coastal Engineering (K Horikawa).


Changes in bronchial epithelium were followed over a 6-month period in the lung of rats implanted with plexiglas capsules containing a mixture of Sr/sup 90/ and Y/sup 90/. In bronchi of all calibers, squamous epithelial carcinomas arose from a process which began as basal cell hyperplasia, leading to a replacement of the normal cylindrical epithelial cells. Metaplasia and neoplasia of bronchial epithelium under the influence of Sr/sup 90/ radiation is visualized as proceeding via the following steps: normal cylindrical epithelium -- basal cell hyperplasia yields transitional epithelium yields resting squamous epithelium yields proliferating squamous epithelium yields invasive carcinoma. Carcinomas developed most rapidly in proximity to the radiation source. (H.H.D.)


Endometrial carcinoma represents the most common female genital cancer in the US. From 2006, both incidence and death rate increased by about 1% and 2% per year, respectively. The average age of woman diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma is 60, while it is uncommon in woman younger than 45. The differences in the epidemiology, presentation and biological behaviour of endometrial carcinoma suggest that there are two types of pathogenic diseases: type I endometrial carcinoma, also known as estrogen dependent or endometrioid type, and the type II, which is estrogen independent and non-endometrioid type. While type I ABSTRACT


This study investigated the impact of the initial clinical presentation of bladder cancer on tumor characteristics. A cross-sectional, retrospective study was performed, and it involved 515 patients who underwent transurethral bladder cancer resection at the University Hospital Center Split between April 2019 and April 2023, excluding recurrent cases. The association between symptomatic versus asymptomatic presentation and bladder cancer characteristics was analyzed. A subgroup analysis compared tumor characteristics between patients with gross and microscopic hematuria. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant association between symptomatic presentation and the detection of high-grade bladder cancer (OR 3.43, 95% CI 2.22–5.29, p < 0.001), concomitant CIS (OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.31–8.88, p = 0.012), T2 stage bladder cancer (OR 5.79, 95% CI 2.45–13.71, p < 0.001), a higher number of tumors (IRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.07–1.45, p = 0.005), and larger tumor size (B 1.68, 95% CI 1.19–2.18, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, gross hematuria was associated with the detection of high-grade bladder cancer (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.12–3.84, p = 0.020), T2 stage bladder cancer (OR 6.03, 95% CI 1.42–25.49, p = 0.015), and larger tumor size (B 1.8, 95% CI 0.99–2.6, p < 0.001). The identified associations between symptomatic presentation and unfavorable bladder cancer characteristics, likely attributed to early detection in asymptomatic cases, underscore the importance of additional research in the development of bladder cancer screening strategies.


Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated feed in dairy cows represents a potential risk for public health, particularly in children, due to the resulting elimination of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk. The aim of this study was done to determine total aflatoxins levels (AFT) in feed and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in raw milk from 40 dairy herds in Jalisco state, Mexico. AFT content in feed samples (n=40) was analyzed by direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Raw milk samples (n=40) were analyzed for the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) using direct inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AFT residues were detected in 92.5 % of the feed samples and ranged from 4.82 to 24.89 μg Kg-1 (mean = 10.84 ± 5.84 μg kg-1). Three samples (9.3 %) were above the maximum level allowed by Mexican federal law (20 μg Kg-1). AFM1 residues in milk were detected in 80 % of samples that ranged from 0.006 to 0.065 μg L-1 (mean = 0.023 ± 0.016 μg L-1), and were mostly below maximum permitted levels (0.5 μg L-1). Produced feed in this region exhibited AFT contamination, although AFM1 levels found in the raw milk do not represent health risk. Such widespread AFT contamination highlights the need for extensive research including different animal production systems, geographical areas and seasons to control and prevent AFT contamination in feeds and AFM1 contamination in milk throughout Mexico.


....................................................................................................................................................... iii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... v Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................... vii Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... ix 1.0 Characterization of NRC Need .......................................................................................................... 1.1 2.0 Recent Scientific Findings on Climate Change ................................................................................. 2.1 2.1 Temperature .............................................................................................................................. 2.2 2.2 Precipitation (and Humidity) ..................................................................................................... 2.4 2.3 Hurricanes ............................................................................................................................... 2.10 2.4 Winds ...................................................................................................................................... 2.13 2.5 Sea-Level Rise ........................................................................................................................ 2.15 3.0 Summary of Climate Change Projections for the United States ........................................................ 3.1 3.1 Temperature .............................................................................................................................. 3.1 3.2 Precipitation and Floods ............................................................................................................ 3.8 3.3 Hurricanes and Sea-Level Rise ............................................................................................... 3.15 3.4 Summary of Climate Impacts .................................................................................................. 3.20 4.0 Status in Climate Modeling and Federal Agency Activities .............................................................. 4.1 5.0 References ......................................................................................................................................... 5.1


Data are presented for trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aromatic hydrocarbons and /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu in Mytilus edulis, M. californianus, and Crassostrea sp. collected in the US Mussel Watch program in 1976-1978 from 62 locations on the US east and west coasts. General similarities in geographical distributions of concentrations were present in all 3 years with at least an order of magnitude elevation of concentrations of Pb, PCBs, and fossil fuel hydrocarbons in bivalves sampled near the larger urban areas. Elevated Cd and /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu concentrations in bivalves from the central California coast are apparently related to enrichments of Cd and nuclear weapons testing fallout /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu in intermediate depth water of the North Pacific and upwelling of this water associated with the California Current system. Data have revealed no evidence of local or regional systematic elevations of environmental concentrations of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu as a result of effluent releases from nuclear power reactors.


In the paper, we analyzed the competitive advantages of edible agricultural exports, and pointed out the existing problems and challenges in brand development, in addition, we put forward related suggestions on promoting the brand development, including strengthening the build of demonstration province of quality and safety of export agricultural products, giving full play to guiding role of the government, developing cluster brand and enhancing enterprises' subjective awareness.


David Bradley sets out to discover how Elizabethan theatre companies prepared plays for performance: how playwrights understood the composition of the actor-companies they wrote for, how actors followed their directions for entrances and exits, and what happened when plays were adapted for changes in personnel or for other companies. Bradley's evidence includes seven theatre plots and seventeen manuscript plays, some from theatre productions which took place at the Shakespearean playhouse the Rose Theatre. Bradley's conclusions can be extrapolated to expand our understanding of other companies and their repertoires in Elizabethan theatre. The book contains facsimiles of printed plots from the period, an appendix listing playwrights, plays, theatre companies, and the number of actors needed for performance, as well as an extensive bibliography.David Bradley sets out to discover how Elizabethan theatre companies prepared plays for performance: how playwrights understood the composition of the actor-companies they wrote for, how actors followed their directions for entrances and exits, and what happened when plays were adapted for changes in personnel or for other companies. Bradley's evidence includes seven theatre plots and seventeen manuscript plays, some from theatre productions which took place at the Shakespearean playhouse the Rose Theatre. Bradley's conclusions can be extrapolated to expand our understanding of other companies and their repertoires in Elizabethan theatre. The book contains facsimiles of printed plots from the period, an appendix listing playwrights, plays, theatre companies, and the number of actors needed for performance, as well as an extensive bibliography.


The article presents fishing and biological characteristics of silver carp
populations in Desnogorsk reservoir, formed after the mass stocking with large
planting material in 2003-2012. A description of trade state and silver carp's
biological peculiarities is given. The efficiency of reclamation measures with
the use of silver carp under conditions of the Smolensk NPP cooling reservoir
is considered.


Dongchuan Cu deposit is the famous Proterozoic stratabound Cu deposit in China. As to the genesis of this ore deposit, there are various view points, such as magmatic metallogenesis, cogenetic sedimentary metallogenesis, sedimentary-reformation metallogenesis, etc. In my research work, basing upon a lot of realistic materials, the important role in metallogenesis of volcanic-emanation-and effusive hot brine on sea bottom is emphasized. And on this basis, the metallogenetic series, deposit type and metallogenetic model are proposed.


tion emerge from its literary ghetto. Exiled for some forty years to the socalled pulp magazines, science fiction burst free during the 60 s to produce wide-screen epics such as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, television series such as STAR TREK, bestselling novels such as THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, a steady offering of juvenile books, and some 300 new adult books per yearmostly paperbacks. An especially important factor in this emergence is the juvenile and student audience. Science fiction has always had strong appeal to a certain portion of the adolescent audience. Most life-long science fiction fans are made in their teen or pre-teen years. But in the past, this coterie was small and clannish, as most ghetto populations are. In the past ten years, however, science fiction has shared many aspects of the so-called youth revolution. Its readership is climbing steadily, and most of those new readers are students.


We survey the asymptotic properties of regression Lp estimators under general classes of error distributions. It is found that the asymptotic distributions of Lp estimators depend crucially on p and the shape of the error distribution near the origin. A number of important features arise as a result, among which are (a) use of a small p may yield accelerated convergence rates for Lp estimators under certain classes of error distributions; (b) for p < 1, Lp regression should, under some circumstances, be undertaken by locally maximizing, rather than minimizing, the sum of the pth powers of the absolute deviations; and (c) consistent estimation of the sampling distributions of the Lp estimators can be achieved by the m out of n bootstrap in general. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate our theoretical findings, and a computational algorithm is suggested for local maximization as may sometimes be required by the Lp procedure.


For surgeons, complications are a fact of life. Thoughtful assessment and discussion of each complication at the weekly hospital morbidity and mortality conference is directed at early detection and treatment. These discussions often provide the basis for modifications in management that improve the care of patients and the results of many surgical procedures. DeVries and Shapiro address this issue in a new multiauthored book encompassing subjects in general pediatric surgery and pediatric neurosurgery, orthopedics, and urology in 37 chapters. The text is clearly written and well illustrated, providing useful information for both generalists and pediatric surgeons. Organization of the contents is a bit confusing, since chapters on specific organs, such as the esophagus, are mixed with others on specific disorders, such as biliary atresia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and Wilms' tumor. While most conditions are covered in varying detail, many chapters have excessively long and nonessential descriptions of etiology and diagnosis, which


This paper studies how perceived social mobility affects participation in revolution using the case of the abolition of China's civil exam system that lasted over 1,300 years and served as a primary way of creating a gentry class. Employing a panel dataset across 262 prefectures and exploring the variations in the quota on the entrylevel exam candidates, we find that higher quotas per capita was associated with a higher probability of having revolutionaries after the abolition and higher incidence of uprisings in 1911 that marked the end of the 2,000 years of imperial rule. This finding is robust to various checks including using the number of small rivers and short-run exam performance before the quota system as instruments. The pattern in the data appears most consistent with a model in which people perceiving more mobility under the exam system were more likely to be mobilized after the abolition of the exam. In addition, we document that modern human capital also contributed to the revolution and that social capital strengthened the effect of quotas on the participation in the


Medicine is an information intensive sector, where patient's treatment is determined by the availability of a large amount of diagnostic knowledge. Nowadays we can hardly imagine processing of such a huge amount of data and extraction of relevant hypothesis or knowledge, which could be used e.g. later for the treatment of other patients, without proper ICT infrastructure. This poster presents HemoRec – international project involving the web based information system with the same name, designed to capture, handle and analyze data regarding patients mainly with hemophilia and other coagulation disorders. HemoRec is currently focused on treatment centers in five central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the ultimate goal of this project is to improve (medical) care of hemophilia patients and to improve quality of life of patients by providing physicians with the possibility to create new hypothesis or to evaluate existing ones on the data regarding patients from different countries. HemoRec information system has been developed as a patient data management tool to be used in the clinical environment. It enables comprehensive, structured, and standardized data collection to facilitate everyday working procedures in hemophilia treatment centers, and to provide a basis for advanced clinical research. HemoRec system is a web based application, which was designed mainly for the internet environment, however it can be used also as a standalone application with the possibility of batch synchronization of the data. Most of the this information system was coded using ASP.NET technology. One of the key issues when developing and using medical information systems is the security. HemoRec system respects all the standards and current legislative in the areas of security and personal data privacy. The HemoRec system is a data driven application, which means that the content of the application is defined by metadata stored in the database. Almost every aspect of system is driven by the metadata. Metadata enables us to provide to the users various customization features, which can be used for the modification of system's behavior according to the needs of various users or treatment centers. Because HemoRec was designed to be used in several countries it is a multilingual system. It can be easily localized to various languages and users can choose, which language they prefer (their native one usually). When users collect and enter data to the information system they would also usually like to perform some data analysis tasks using the collected data. Therefore HemoRec provides to the users possibilities of basic data analysis, overview of data characteristics and possibilities to export data to other formats for the data analysis performed in software packages developed by third parties. Analytical and export tools in HemoRec include standard charts – available in both graphical and tabular form, reports, advanced tables and standard tables. The system also includes an effective, secure, and easy to use tool called MyHemoRec, which can be used by patients themselves to share bleeding and infusion data directly with their healthcare provider. The HemoRec information system itself is currently fully functional and we are starting to register treatment centers, which would like to participate in this project. These centers will be responsible for the entering data to the system and they will be available to use results of the data analysis performed on the basis of these data in the future. More information about the project can be found on the web page http://www.hemorec.com.


The following new species have been found in material submitted from various sources for identification. Glyphodes obscura, new species Fig. 1, 9, 13 Head, body and wings above moderately dark greyish brown, wings with a faint purplish sheen, hind wing a little paler and somewhat translucent in basal two-thirds. Markings very obscure. Fore wing above: antemedial band w-eakly fulvous. dark-bordered. somewhat oblique; discocellular patch obscure, quadrate; postmedial band weakly fulvous, dark-bordered, outwardly oblique to anal fold, then retracted to lower angle of cell and again outwardlyoblique to inner margin; an obscure dark subterminal line, almost parallel to margin; a narrow dark terminal line; fringe a little paler than an wing, with a dark midline. Hind wing above: a distinct dark dot at lower angle of cell; a very obscure, regular, postmedial band; traces of a dark, crenulated, subterminal line; terminal lineand fringe as on fore wing. Fore wing beneath: base and disc paler than above; ancerntdial line lacking; discocellular marking dark, geminate, joined posteriorly tn the inner end of postmedial line; the latter dark, roughly L-shaped, the part behind the discocellular patch obsolete; termen and fringe as above. Hind wing beneath: much ns above. but discocellular dot obscure and postmedial band dark, not fulvous. Female a little paler than male. Expanse 40 to 44 mm.


As baby boomers reach the age of retirement, the number of retirees is expected to increase rapidly and they desire a healthy and leisurely late life in a more pleasant environment. In response to the demand, senior towns are being constructed and they are responded very positively by middle‐aged people with their retirement ahead. Thus, local self‐governing bodies are promoting senior towns actively, but internal and external conditions are not favorable including the slump in the real estate market. Thus, in order to activate the construction of senior towns, this study identified classes of potential residents and analyzed their needs and factors related to their preference for senior town. These works are expected to derive directions for efficient development, to provide basic information for research on future retirees' requirements, and to contribute to senior town projects in progress.


For Markov chains controlled by a team of agents there is no generally applicable method for obtaining the optimal control policy if the delay in information sharing between the agents is more than one-step. the authors consider such a problem for a Markov chain whose transition probability matrix consists of blocks, with the coupling between the blocks being on the order of epsilon , where epsilon is a small parameter. It is shown that if each block is controlled by only one agent, then it is possible to obtain policies arbitrarily close to the optimal control policy by making use of the fact that the coupling between the blocks is weak. The authors present a complete set of results for the finite-horizon case and discuss possible extensions to the finite-horizon case.<<ETX>>


ABSTRACT The Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit are one of the most popular approaches to exploiting petroleum and natural gas. During the offloading operation, the responses of FPSO and shuttle tanker become complicated because of the hydrodynamic interactions. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the coupling effects on hydrodynamic characteristics of FPSO and shuttle tanker during side-by-side offloading in both frequency and time domain. During the transfer operation, the draft of FPSO and shuttle tanker would change accordingly, resulting in the change of hydrodynamic characteristics and pose a potential threat. Added mass and quadratic transfer function (QTF) are calculated in different working condition and incident angles in the frequency domain. Time domain analysis is based on the spread mooring and side-by-side offloading system. Power spectral densities and statistical characteristics of hawsers' tensions are calculated to determine the most hazardous environmental condition.


Few questions are more vexing in the development of an optimum tax structure than that of allocation of tax sources between federal and territorial governments in a federal system. The need for a substantial degree of uniformity in tax structures and burdens in the interest of optimum resource allocation, effective tax administration, and tax compliance conflicts directly with the need for fiscal autonomy on the part of the territorial governments. The result is inevitably a compromise, and in many countries, including Canada, an unstable one, with constant complaints leading to frequent review of the system. Attainment of an optimum solution is difficult at best, and in the older federations, such as Canada, the United States, and Switzerland, change is impeded by tradition, by the doctrine of states' rights, and by the reluctance of one level of government to surrender any of its control over taxation to another level. A review of the solutions to the problem adopted by three federal systems in British tropical Africa, all of relatively recent origin, is of interest both in terms of African problems and for the light which it may throw on the search for better solutions elsewhere.


SUMMARY Over a four-year period 878 samples of faeces were collected from five species of small wild rodents and two species of shrews at sites in England, Scotland and Wales. A search was made for Salmonella in these samples but no isolations of this genus were made. Several other genera of Enterobacteriaceae were identified.


Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted enormous interests as the novel channel materials for atomically thin transistors. Despite considerable progress in recent years, the transistor performance is largely limited by the excessive contact resistance at the source/drain interface. In this review, a summary of recent progress on improving electrical contact to TMDC transistors is presented. Several important strategies including topology of contacts, choice of metals and interface engineering are discussed.


The lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic may have exacerbated mental health problems. This study aimed to explore the mediating and moderating effects of rumination and exercise between social connectedness and insomnia. A cross sectional survey was employed, a total of 10097 Chinese students completed social connectedness (SCS-R), total active time (IPAQ-SF), rumination and insomnia severity (ISI). The results revealed that: (1) social connectedness had a significant direct predictive effect on insomnia in college students (β = -0.19, t=-48.31, p<0.01), can also indirectly predict the level of insomnia through the mediation of rumination (β = -0.13, t = -32.41, p<0.01). (2) The direct effect of social connectedness on insomnia and the mediating effect of rumination were moderated by exercise. This study supports the view that insomnia may be aggravated during lockdown, which was associated with a decreased sense of social connectedness.


This paper provides a mechanism for the development of a digital library—Greenstone Astronomical Digital Image Library (GADIL)—for astronomical images using open source software Greenstone digital library, and its use for astronomy community and educational users in India. The system is based on open source software like GSDL, Apache, PERL, GRE and Imagemagik, and can serve as an ideal access tool of research-ready scientific images so as to enhance astronomers' productivity and increase public awareness of astronomy as a subject.


Context. The nearby multiple system δ Velorum contains a widely detached eclipsing binary and a third component. Aims. We take advantage of this system offering the opportunity to determine the set of fundamental parameters (masses, luminosities, and radii) of three coeval stars with sufficient precision to test models of stellar evolution. Methods. Extensive high-resolution spectroscopy is analyzed by the broadening function technique to provide the first spectroscopic orbit of the eclipsing pair. Simultaneous analysis of the spectroscopic data and the SMEI satellite light curve is performed to provide astrophysical parameters for the components. We use a modified Roche model assuming an eccentric orbit and asynchronous rotation. Results. The observations show that components of the eclipsing pair rotate at about two-thirds of the break-up velocity, which excludes any chemical peculiarity and results in a non-uniform surface brightness. Although the inner orbit is eccentric, no apsidal motion is seen during the SMEI photometric observations. For the inner orbit, the orbital parameters are eccentricity e = 0.290, longitude of the periastron passage ω = 109 ◦ , and inclination 89.0 ◦ .


The hydrogen-bonding interactions between thioacetamide (TA) and urea derivatives such as tetramethylurea (TMU) and dimethyldiphenylurea (DMDPU) have been studied using near-infrared absorption spectroscopy. Thermodynamic parameters for the interactions between TA and urea derivatives were determined by analyzing the +Amide Ⅱ combination band of TA at 1970 nm. The ΔH° values, indicating the intrinsic strength of hydrogen bonding, are - 23.0 kJ/mole and - 19.8 kJ/mol for TMU and DMDPU, respectively. This is well explained by the inductive effects of substituents. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations for the proton affinity of TMU, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) in gas phase have been carried out at HF/3-21G ad HF/6-31G(d) levels, showing that the proton affinity of TMU is larger than that of DMA, which agrees well the experimental results.


The materials for this course are available to be shared with Ontario Colleges. These materials have been copyrighted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.
This license is permanently located at
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/. All materials may be freely used, as long as the edits are similarly shared with all potential users.


Through the comparative analysis with traditional reference and consultation service, the paper discusses the new features of library reference and consultation service under the network environment, and put forward some measures.


Livestock farmers have an increased risk of chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reduced forced expiratory volume (FEV1). Ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, inorganic dust and organic dust may be causally involved, but a role for specific biological agents cannot be excluded.


The successful prevention of juvenile delinquency and recidivism lies in the formation of psychological and pedagogical knowledge in the socio-pedagogical rehabilitation of individuals placed under the preventive supervision by the police. To assess the level of formation of students' knowledge about socio-pedagogical rehabilitation, the authors developed a series of tests "Monitoring the level of students' knowledge about the implementation of socio-pedagogical rehabilitation activities of the citizens under supervision", consisted of 40 questions and divided into three sections: regulatory, methodological and psychological-pedagogical. The tests were offered to 56 students of the Ural Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Ekaterinburg. The article presents the results of the methodological section of the test.


Objective To investigate the protective effects of remote ischemic preconditioning(RIPC) on lung injury and its mechanism in rats undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB). Methods Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups(n=20 each): sham operation group(group S), group CPB and group RIPC+CPB. Rats in group S were anaesthetized and cannulated but did not undergoing CPB; rats in group CPB were cannulated in tail arteries and right jugular vein for CPB; rats in group RIPC+CPB were subjected to RIPC before CPB. RIPC was used by compressing the two hindlimbs alternately with a tourniquet for three cycles of10 min ischaemia followed by 10 min reperfusion. The superior vena cava blood samples were collected at 2 h after anesthesia resuscitation for determination of concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6, and pulmonary tissue were obtained to observe the wet to dry weight ratio(W/D ratio), concentrations of malondialdehyde(MDA) and activity of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-px). The histopathological changes of lung tissue were also examined. Results Compared with group S, the plasma concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6, the W/D ratio and concentrations of MDA in lung tissues were increased, while activity of GSH-px in lung tissues was decreased in group CPB and group RIPC+CPB(P0.05).Compared with group CPB, the plasma concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6, the W/D ratio and concentrations of MDA in lung tissues were decreased, while activity of GSH-px in lung tissues was increased in group RIPC+CPB(P0.05).Compared with group CPB, the morphological injury of pulmonary tissue was alleviated in group RIPC+CPB under HE staining. Conclusion RIPC can reduce the lung injury in rats undergoing CPB. The mechanism is closely related to inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and lipid peroxidation.


This essay delineates essential features of memory as a salient topos of rhetorical literature, both classical and modern. This essay also considers how both the arts of rhetoric and memory alike underwent cultural devaluation in Western modernity only to reappear in altered forms as compelling objects of analysis. In doing so, the essay contends that current enthusiasms for the study of collective memory in communication and composition studies alike signify forms of simultaneous connection and disconnection with the historical role of rhetoric in the classical art of memory.


Med 2004; 30: 302–308. 3 Britto J, Nadel S, Maconochie I et al. Morbidity and severity of illness during interhospital transfer: impact of a specialised paediatric retrieval team. BMJ 1995; 311: 836–839. 4 Bull C. Current and potential impact of fetal diagnosis on prevalence and spectrum of serious congenital heart disease at term in the UK. British Paediatric Cardiac Association. Lancet 1999; 354: 1242–1247. 5 Randolph GR, Hagler DJ, Khandheria BK et al. Remote telemedical interpretation of neonatal echocardiograms: impact on clinical management in a primary care setting. J Am Coll Cardiol 1999; 34: 241–245. 6 Browning Carmo KA, Barr P, West M et al. Transporting newborn infants with suspected duct dependent congenital heart disease on low-dose prostaglandin E1 without routine mechanical ventilation. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2007; 92: F117–F119.


BACKGROUND
A novel injectable, fast setting calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is currently used in orthopedic therapy for bone fractures. This study evaluated the possibility of applying this cement to healing periodontal defects.

METHODS
Fenestrations and 3-walled periodontal defects were surgically created on bilateral first molars and canines in 5 beagle dogs. CPC was applied to the defects on one side of the mandible. Untreated defects on the contralateral side served as controls. CPC was applied to all defects in the maxilla. Twelve weeks after surgery, the animals were sacrificed and decalcified and undecalcified specimens were prepared. Periodontal tissue healing was evaluated histologically and histometrically under a light microscope.

RESULTS
Healing of periodontal tissues in terms of bone and cementum formation was consistently observed in the CPC-applied sites. CPC was partly replaced by new bone. The residual CPC appeared detached from the denuded root surface. New cementum and periodontal ligament-like tissue were observed between the detached CPC and root surface. No unfavorable reaction was noted in the CPC-applied sites. No statistically significant difference was noted in the experimental or control sites under histometric analysis.

CONCLUSIONS
Although there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 treatment groups, histological observation indicated that CPC seemed to act as a scaffold for bone formation and provided histocompatible healing of periodontal tissues in this study. This cement might be applicable to periodontal therapy; however, further investigations are required.


The current study came to shed light on the process of musical taste and its relationship to the functional exchange between the religious and secular lyrical heritage, which the researchers formulated with the following question: (Is there a relationship in the process of musical taste in the functional exchange between the religious and secular singing heritage). Which aimed to: Reveal the process of musical taste and its relationship to the functional exchange between the religious lyrical heritage and the worldly lyrical heritage. The third chapter included the selection of (17) samples from the research community converted between the religious and secular lyrical heritage. As for the fourth chapter, the results of the research included the following: The impact of the process of musical taste in the functional exchange between the religious and secular lyrical heritage and vice versa, on (Iraqi songs, radat, and virtues) the most famous and popular, and popular in Iraqi society. In light of the results, the researchers concluded the following: taking advantage of the technical and artistic advantages in the production and performance of the worldly lyrical heritage, and applying it in the production of religious heritage, while adhering to the privacy imposed on it by the religious pressure Then recommendations, proposals.


EuroSPI is an initiative with four major goals 〈http://www.eurospi.net〉: • An annual EuroSPI conference supported by Software Process Improvement Networks from different EU countries. • Establishing an Internet-based knowledge library, newsletters, and a set of proceedings and recommended books. • Establishing an effective team of national representatives (from each EU country) growing step by step into more countries of Europe. • Establishing a European Qualification Framework for a pool of professions related to SPI and management. This is supported by European certificates and exam systems. EuroSPI established a newsletter series (newsletter.eurospi.net), an SPI Manifesto (SPI=Systems, Software and Services Process Improvement), an experience library (library.eurospi.net) which is continuously extended over the years and is made available to all attendees, and a Europewide certification for qualifications in the SPI area (www.ecqa.org, European Certification and Qualification Association). A typical characterisation of EuroSPI was stated by a company using the following words: '. . . the biggest value of EuroSPI lies in its function as a European knowledge and experience exchange mechanism for SPI and innovation'. EuroSPI22009 was held in Alcala, a historical city close to Madrid. The University of Alcala, as the host of EuroSPI 2009, is one of the oldest universities of Europe and was then a model for establishing other universities across Europe. They also act as the reference University for all the Spanish Speaking Countries world wide and they issue the annual Cervantes price of the literature. The university stands for collaboration and networking with an impressive history. As in previous years, a joint best paper award was jointly delivered at the conference by EuroSPI and the ASQ (American Society of Quality). This year, experts from 14 countries met before the conference and established a first version of an SPI manifesto. EuroSPI hosted its foundation in Alcala on 3.9.2009 and the manifesto has been released on 1.2.2010. This SPI Manifesto is published across the world during 2010. It gives expression to the state-of-the-art knowledge on systems, software and services process improvement grounded in hundreds of man years of practice and experience from organizations worldwide. Also at EuroSPI 2009, the scope of the conference was expanded from software process improvement to systems, software, and services-based process improvement. EMIRAcle is the institution for innovation in manufacturing being a result of the largest network of excellence for innovation in manufacturing in Europe. EMIRAcle's key representative joined the EuroSPI community. Papers, case studies for process improvement on systems and product level will be included in the future. EMIRAcle and Grenoble Institute of Technology are the hosts for EuroSPI22010. Networking, experience exchange and continuous improvement can help in creating a competitive advantage on the market. Among the 24 countries represented at EuroSPI'2009, the contributions were highly relevant for the European industry. The SPI manifesto creates a future vision, the extension of SPI to the


Totally 37 species of spiders belonging to 25 genera and 11 families have been found in the four fields of Astragalus adsurgens.The dominant species of spider communities are Theridion impressum,Xysticus striatipes,Meioneta nigra and Pardosa agrestis.The quantity dynamics of spiders community structure and dominant specie are influenced by the biological characteristic of spider,the vegetations,the soil and the human activities.The result of the study would make reference to the integrated management and control of insect pests.


Knowledge of the strain distribution in keratoconic corneas and its relation to corneal surgical outcomes could lead to more personalized decision-making for ICRS alone or in combination with CXL. Purpose: To compare the results of intrastromal corneal ring segment (ICRS) alone or combined with same-day corneal crosslinking (CXL) and investigate the relationship of preoperative corneal biomechanics data on the outcomes. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology of Federal University of Parana. Design: Prospective nonrandomized interventional comparative study. Methods: Forty-nine eyes of 44 keratoconus patients underwent ICRS only (n = 27, Group 1) or same day ICRS+CXL (n = 22, Group 2) and were followed up for at least 24 months. Visual acuity and preoperative and postoperative tomographic variables were compared between groups. Tomographic data were obtained with a dual Scheimpflug analyzer, and eye-specific finite-element models were used to derive 3 variables related to preoperative biomechanical strain (maximum principal strain [MPS]): mean MPS (mMPS), highest local MPS (hMPS), and position of the hMPS (hMPSx and hMPSy). The relationship between preoperative strain data and the change (∆, difference between postoperative and preoperative data) in tomographic parameters was also investigated. Results: Steepest (K2) and maximum keratometry (Kmax), inferior–superior (I–S) index, coma, and cone location magnitude index (CLMI) significantly improved in both groups. Corrected distance visual acuity was significantly better after ICRS alone (P = .03), whereas corneal asymmetry measured through the I–S index was better after CXL+ICRS (P = .04). In Group 1, hMPSy significantly correlated with K2, tomographical cylinder, mean keratometry, and ∆spherical aberration, whereas mMPS significantly correlated with ∆eccentricity. In Group 2, hMPS significantly correlated with K2, Kmax, I–S index, and ∆coma, and hMPSy significantly correlated with I–S index and ∆coma. The mMPS significantly correlated with ∆CLMI. Conclusions ICRS alone seems to be the most suitable option to improve visual acuity, whereas combined ICRS+CXL provided better corneal regularizing results. Preoperative peak strain (hMPS) was predictive of the extent of regularization and flattening after ICRS+CXL.


World War I soldiers of 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, in muddy conditions at "Clapham Junction", Belgium. Shows one reading jokes from the publication "NZ at the Front" to a wounded man on a stretcher. Photograph taken circa 20 November 1917 by Henry Armytage Sanders.
Original print from this negative in album PA1-f-91.
Members of the New Zealand Division wrote and illustrated the publication 'New Zealand at the front', published in 1917 and 1918.
Inscriptions: Photographer's title on negative - bottom left - H342
Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s).
Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 4.75 x 6.5 inches


ByAshworth, Mary English in Africa: The Perspective of a Canadian Teacher. Pub Date jan 69 Note-9p. Journal Cit-The English Quarterly, A Publication of the Canadian Council of Teachers of English; v2 n1 p81-8. Jan 1969 EDRS Price MF-$0.25 HC-$0.55 Descriptors-*African Culture, African Languages, Bilingual Education, *Bilingualism, Bilingual Teachers, Cultural Factors, Cultural Images, *Developing Nations, *English (Second Language), Croup Unity, Language Programs, Multilingualism, *Nationalism, National Programs, Political Divisions (Geographic), Second Language Learning


Key Points Question How did patients experience answering and clinicians experience using a standard question about firearm access on a routine mental health questionnaire? Findings In this qualitative study, a standardized question about firearm access was asked during semistructured interviews with 36 patients, including firearm owners and people who were experiencing suicidal thoughts, and 30 clinicians, including clinical social workers and nurses. Participants described why firearm access questions are important, but can be challenging to answer and discuss. Meaning These findings suggest that firearm access questions can be used to normalize and support patient-centered dialogue about when and how to limit access to firearms to reduce risk of suicide.


One of the largest groups of snakes is the family Colubridae. This is a paraphyletic assemblage that includes a few venomous species, but most pose no special health risk to humans. Thirty to forty percent of colubrids possess a Duvernoy's gland, a specialized oral gland located in the temporal region. Although it is a homologue to the venom glands of viperid and elapid snakes, the Duvernoy's gland is anatomically and functionally distinct. Generally it lacks a large internal reservoir of secretion, emptying is under low-pressure flow, and the secretion is not delivered via hollow fangs. In contrast, true venom glands hold a large store of ready venom, expel the venom under direct action of striated muscles, and inject it as a high-pressure pulse via hollow fangs. Both the Duvernoy's gland and the venom gland are part of a snake's trophic system, involved primarily in predatory behavior. True venoms are composed of potent toxins whose main biological role is to bring about rapid prey death. Although the secretion from the Duvernoy's gland may include toxins, surprisingly only a few colubrids deploy it similarly to kill prey quickly. In fact, the biological role(s) of Duvernoy's secretion remain today largely unknown. Therefore, it is misleading, in a functional and evolutionary context, automatically to call Duvernoy's secretion a venom (biological role) when only its pharmacology (property) is known. Although Duvernoy's secretion has some components in common with true venoms, some may be fundamentally different in chemical composition, likely because it is involved in different biological roles than a true venom. This means it likely includes novel chemical components with a promise of interest to human medicine.


AbstractThis work is motivated by an unusual feature associated with the start-up of a moist nearly neutral atmospheric flow over a mountain ridge that was previously observed in a full-physics numerical model. In that study, the upstream propagation of a wave of subsidence precluded the establishment of upward-displaced and saturated flow that might be expected upstream of the topography. This phenomenon was hypothesized to be a consequence of the peculiar property of saturated moist neutral flow: an upward air parcel displacement produces zero buoyancy, while a downward displacement desaturates the air parcel and produces a positive buoyancy anomaly. In the present study, this hypothesis is confirmed within numerical solutions to a reduced system of equations that incorporates the saturated-atmosphere property in a particularly simple manner. The relatively uncomplicated nature of these solutions motivates the numerical solution of a further simplified initial-value problem for both nonhydrostatic and h...


A review of the bibliography on the cultivation of lupin and especially on the influence of a flushing of lupin before mating on the reproductive characteristics of sheep has been carried out. Factors modifying this response, such as the ammount of lupin consumed, duration and season of flushing and the age of the sheep have been studied.


Using water-glass as the activator,phosphorus gypsum,fly ash,steel slag and blast furnace slag as cementitious materials,shielded sediment as fine aggregate,anti-mud polycarboxylate superplasticizer and water-resistant dispersant were used to improve pulp properties.Through the study of powder material ratio and species and content of activator,a high performance industrial residue and shield-sand synchronous grouting material was made with good workability(initial fluidity of 27 cm,6hafter 23.5cm,3hbleeding rate1%),long setting time(60h),excellent water-resistant dispersion performance(amphibious strength ratio 85%),can prevent the segment floating(consistency value 11.3cm)and has successfully applied in Wuhan rail transit line 3 eight section B double king intervalstation.


The present work has aimed to confirm experimentally the applicability of the following prediction equation for thermal conductivity to molten silicate slags with dispersing CaO phase: [Equation]where λeff is the effective thermal conductivity of the whole system, λ0 and λ1 are the thermal conductivities of the matrix and dispersing phases, respectively, and f0 is the volume fraction of the matrix phase. The above equation was conventionally proposed to predict thermal conductivities for two-phase systems with dispersing phases such as composite materials, and thus it was required to investigate its applicability to liquid samples with dispersing solid phases. First, thermal conductivity measurements were made at room temperature on silicone oil having polyethylene dispersion and gel and paraffin having alumina dispersion as well as the single phases of the constituent substances. Likewise, thermal conductivities were also measured on molten CaO–3mass%SiO2–37mass%Al2O3 slags having CaO dispersion at 1743K. These measurements have confirmed that the prediction equation applies to the two-phase systems with dispersing phases used in the present work. Thus, it is likely that thermal conductivities of molten silicate slags with dispersing CaO phase can be predicted from the equation using the thermal conductivities of CaO and molten slags and the volume fraction of CaO at a given temperature as long as no percolation of CaO occurs.


In the last few years, there has been agrowing interest in studying biological networks. Many deterministic and probabilistic clustering methods have been developed. They aim at learning information from the presence or absence of links between pairs of vertices (genes or proteins). Given a network, almost all these techniques partition the vertices into disjoint clusters, according to their connection profile. However, recent studies have shown that these methods were too restrictive and that most of the existing biological networks contained overlapping clusters. To tackle this issue, we present in this paper a latent logistic model, that allows each vertex to belong to multiple clusters, as well as an efficient approximate inference procedure based on global and local variational techniques. We show the results that we obtained on a transcriptional regulatory network of yeast.


This article presents an investigation of frictional shakedown for layered systems subjected to periodic contact loading. The term shakedown is here referred to as the possibility of developing interfacial residual stresses at the layer/substrate interface such that frictional slip, originally activated by the applied external contact load, ceases after a few loading cycles. The two-dimensional elastic problem of an elastic strip uniformly pressed against an elastic half-plane and subjected to a concentrated oscillating tangential force is studied. A quadratic programming technique which enables to resolve interfacial micro-slip adopting the distributed dislocation technique is proposed to analyse the behaviour at the layer/substrate interface. The solution to the problem is first validated against classical solutions and subsequently used to map the interfacial behaviour of layered systems undergoing different loading scenarios.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


In this study, aircraft observations from the Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Twin Otter are used to characterize the variability in drizzle, cloud, and aerosol properties associated with cloud rifts and the surrounding solid clouds observed off the coast of California. A flight made on 16 July 1999 provided measurements directly across an interface between solid and rift cloud conditions. Aircraft instrumentation allowed for measurements of aerosol, cloud droplet, and drizzle spectra. CCN concentrations were measured in addition to standard thermodynamic variables and the winds. A Forward Scatter Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) measured size distribution of cloud-sized droplets. A Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP) was used to measure distributions of drizzle-sized droplets. Aerosol distributions were obtained from a Cloud Aerosol Scatterprobe (CAS). The CAS probe measured aerosols, cloud droplets and drizzle-sized drops; for this study. The CAS probe was used to measure aerosols in the size range of 0.5 micron - 1 micron. Smaller aerosols were characterized using an Ultrafine Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) sensor. The CPC was used to measure particles with diameters greater than 0.003 micron. By subtracting different count concentrations measured with the CPC, this probe was capable of identifying ultrafine particles those falling in the size range of 3 nanometers - 7 nanometers that are believed to be associated with new particle production.


The explosive (phreatomagmatic) volcanism caused by magma and water interaction in continental settings plays an important role in volcanic field evolution. Most of the continental volcanic fields have phreatomagmatic volcanoes, as magma encounters surface and/or ground water tables upon its route to the surface. Identification of phreatomagmatic volcanism in any volcanic fields is important since the existence of such volcanoes demonstrates the presence of water at the time of the volcanism. The resulting phreatomagmatic volcanic landforms are characteristic of the type of magma – water interaction. If magma interacts with surface water, the resulting volcanoes are steep sided and their pyroclastic deposits will be dominated by fragmented, angular, chilled magma


This paper describes the Control Algorithm of a WAPS implemented in the 220kV network of the Central Interconnected Power System in Chile. A new optimization heuristic has been designed to solve a formal MIP problem for Automatic Generation Control, and implemented to effectively deploy control actions, both for stable (normal) operation and to prevent or respond to any undesired line contingencies that may arise in the supervised transmission network.


In this work, the complexity of human-machine communication and problems related to autonomous systems in partially controlled environments is addressed. To this end, formal languages, state diagrams, relationships, autonomous and atomic propositions are used. The definition of logics, required to describe processes, which truth-values vary with time, to evaluate the need of language technologies for the performance of automatons in real environments involving human beings is considered. The importance of the investigation is presented and the proposed methodology that uses formal languages and temporal logics is implemented to synthesize automatons with finite states used in systems with state combinatorial explosion.


The implementation of sports programs for young people are based on the assumption that sport is an important educational factor in the education of young people. Participation in physical activity is an important factor in the socialization of children and young appearance, allowing you to ethical behavior development. In recent years we have seen that the behavior of young people in sport has been degraded, ie, more attitudes of aggression, deception, disrespect referees, opponents and even teammates back image professional sports. Currently, what is paramount is to win, no matter how this goal is achieved, participation in sport is increasingly valued. A quote from P. Coubertin began to be misplaced, "the important thing in sports is not to win but to compete." So it becomes important to change the values that govern the sport, "where are we going if we do not respect the basic rules of the game that people want nobody respects good sports" (Capa 2005). Materiales para la Historia del Deporte Suplemento Especial No 2, 2015 ISSN: 2340-7166 346 Therefore, sports programs are based on the general idea that sport is a vehicle for the promotion of education among youth. The Olympic Games as the epitome of that participation in sport can serve as a source of mobilization of young people in achieving the goals recommended by the Olympics. Olympic education, with all its ideals and values associated with it can contribute greatly to the formation of these youth sports. The Olympic Games as the world's biggest sporting event, where is the thread for the promotion of the values and the defense of Olympism sport as a way to promote peace, harmony, friendship, solidarity among all peoples.


In the paper, we present a fast and effective calculation method of coupled interconnect S-parameters. The paper presents an approach based on the method of successive approximations, but taking into account the dependence on the frequency of line parameters. The concept is to use the rational approximation of the matrix of per-unit-length parameter of the line calculated for each frequency. In our approach, we calculate the scattering parameters of an n-wire transmission line.


Fornaro and colleagues investigated the influence of cholesterol level changes and disease activity on the estimated cardiovascular (CV) risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, at baseline, 3 months and 6 months after the start of a tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) inhibitor (n=55), abatacept (n=33) or tocilizumab (n=24).1 The cohort consisted of mainly women (n=86) aged 53±13 years, with a mean disease duration of approximately 59±76 months. CV risk was calculated with QRISK3-2018, Reynolds Risk Score (RRS), Expanded Risk Score (ERS) in RA (ERS-RA) and Progetto Cuore. The Progetto Cuore and RRS scores were multiplied by 1.5 as advocated by the current EULAR recommendations.2 The authors identified a modest but statistically significant change in total cholesterol (TC) at 3 months that returned to baseline at 6 months. Additionally, the ERS-RA and RRS scores significantly decreased during follow-up, while the Progetto Cuore and QRISK3-2018 scores did not change. Thus, the authors argue that QRISK3-2018 and Proguetto Cuore can be used at any time, as they do not seem to be significantly affected by the modest changes in TC levels and disease activity.

Several findings of this interesting study need …


Objective
To evaluate the diagnostic value of biomarkers and their combinations for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among HCC related to different causes.

Methods
Retrospective analysis was applied for alpha fetal protein (AFP), alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU) and des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin (DCP) levels among 275 cases of HCC, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) related HCC (n=102), hepatitis C virus (HCV) related HCC (n=103) and alcohol related HCC (n=70).

Results
The levels of AFP, AFU and DCP had no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) among three groups of HCC. For HBV-related HCC, HCV-related HCC and alcohol-related HCC, the negative rates of AFP were 35%, 36% and 52%, respectively; the negative rates of AFU were 57%, 72% and 58%, respectively; and the negative rates of DCP were 38%, 42% and 41% respectively. For HBV-related HCC, the detection sensitivity of HCC increased from 65% to 76% using combination of AFP and DCP while combination of AFP and AFU showed no effect on the sensitivity. For HCV-related HCC, the sensitivity increased from 64% to 79% using combination of AFP, AFU and DCP . For alcohol-related HCC, the sensitivity increased from 48% to 78% using combination of AFP, AFU and DCP.

Conclusions
The expression levels of AFP, AFU and DCP showed no statistically significant difference among HCC related to different causes. For HCV-related HCC and alcohol-related HCC, using combination of AFP, AFU and DCP can improve the detection sensitivity for HCC. For HBV-related HCC, using combination of AFP and DCP can improve the sensitivity for HCC.

Key words:
Alpha fetal protein; Des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin; Alpha-L-fucosidase; Hepatocellular carcinoma


Background  Based on the increasing knowledge of T‐cell‐mediated pathogenesis in atopic dermatitis (AD), systemic immunosuppressive drugs are increasingly applied. The chronic, relapsing course of severe AD necessitates a drug, both efficacious and safe in long‐term application. Leflunomide is a pyrimidine de novo synthesis‐inhibiting immunosuppressant exhibiting an extremely long in vivo half life of its active metabolite.


A guide containing practical advice, tips, and applications for libraries and archives looking to use Tumblr. Discover print & online resources dedicated to Tumblr and social media generally


Moon is the most common typical imagery in Chinese ancient poetry.Sushi was the famous poet of Song dynasty.He was good at writing the poems about moon.The essay stresses to probe SuShi Chinese moon to express about society.philosophy,and aesthetics,and how the fellings were developed and deepened in his poems.


Promoter-proximal stalling, a general phenomenon observed during the expression of many RNA polymerase II transcribed genes, is dependent on transcription factor IIH (TFIIH). Reactions lacking TFIIH initiated transcription, but the transcription complex encountered a block to elongation proximal to the promoter. The accumulation of promoter-proximal stalled complexes was reduced in the presence of TFIIH and efficient escape from this site also required an activator. Promoter-proximal stalled complexes could not be induced to resume elongation. Our results indicate that effective recruitment of TFIIH into transcription complexes is achieved during formation of the preinitiation complex at the promoter. The studies establish that promoter clearance is a regulated event that requires TFIIH.


Radio and TV University arises at the historic moment when China comes into the beginning of modernization.During the moderniza- tion process,the problems began to manifest itself in Radio and TV University.Depending on the evaluation norms system,the experimental project of open education gives a brief account of the modernization in Radio and TV University.The preparation work for evaluation gives a fresh impetus to the modernization of Radio and TV University.In the"after evaluation period",Radio and TV University gradually speeds up the modernization process.In order to shoulder the responsibility for the society,we must strengthen intensive construction through connotative development.Radio and TV University' s education,open education,Radio and TV University's system are three distinguishable and similar concepts,but their connotations are unified to some extent.They embrace two aspects-school's basic conditions and core competitive ability.In school's intensive construction,system,quality and manage- ment are the key problems which need to be solved as soon as possible.


Objective: To understand the current situation of regular healthy physical examination among women in Xuzhou city,analyze the influencing factors,explore the measures to promote their active participation in regular physical examination. Methods: Six hospitals in Xuzhou city were selected as study areas,the female population receiving healthy physical examination in outpatient department and physical examination center were surveyed by a questionnaire. Results: There was statistically significant difference in regular healthy physical examination behavior( P 0. 05); 33. 4% of the women of different marital statuses participated in healthy physical examination;there was no statistically significant difference in regular healthy physical examination behavior among the women of different ages,educational levels,personal incomes,occupations,cost ranges they could pay and cognitive levels about healthy physical examination( P 0. 05);multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age,occupation,cognition score of healthy physical examination and the cost range they could pay were the main influencing factors of their healthy physical examination behavior. Conclusion: The number of the women taking part in regular healthy physical examination in Xuzhou city is small. Most women understand medical knowledge somewhat but not comprehensive,health education work should be developed correspondingly,more attention should be paid to young women,rural women and the women with low cognition of healthy physical examination; relevant measures should be taken and the regular healthy physical examination rate should be increased to achieve early prevention and early treatment.


PFAPA syndrome is an auto inflammatory disease. Researchers have stated that auto inflammatory mechanisms can play a role in etiology of several psychiatric diseases and for this reason auto inflammatory diseases are frequently associated with psychiatric disorders. The purpose of this paper, it is aimed to report two cases diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome and having psychiatric symptoms and to discuss them accompanied by literature data. As authors, in the light of cases we report and literature knowledge, we think that children with PFAPA syndrome could be under risk in terms of psychiatric problems due to common inflammatory etiology.


Through high-temperature sintering and carbonization, two Co/ZnO nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NC) composites derived from ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 were manufactured for use as anodes for Li ion batteries: composite-type Co/ZnO-NC and core-shell-type Co@ZnO-NC. X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method were performed to identify the pore distribution and surface morphology of these composites. The findings of the BET method indicated that the specific surface area of Co/ZnO-NC was 350 m2/g, which was twice that of Co@ZnO-NC. Electrochemical measurements revealed that Co@ZnO-NC and Co/ZnO-NC had specific capacities of over 400 mAh g−1 at a current density 0.2 A g−1 after 50 cycles. After 100 cycles, Co/ZnO-NC exhibited a reversible capacity of 411 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1 and Co@ZnO-NC had a reversible capacity of 246 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1. The results indicated that Co/ZnO-NC exhibited superior electrochemical performance to Co@ZnO-NC as a potential anode for use in Li ion batteries.


The possibility of using artificial neural networks (ANN) to automate the appearance control of the fuel elements of BN-800 type reactors was investigated. The architecture of the training set and the defect detection algorithm independent of the ANN configuration and input data format are presented. The main classes and architecture of the ANN used in experimental studies are given. The training process and the calculation of the quality assessment of the ANN are described. The results of experimental studies on fuel element simulators (the probability of detecting defects is more than 97%) allows us to expect that deeper training using a large number of controlled products will allow us to fully automate the control process.


Objective To evaluate the current situation and the impact factors of the scientific researching capacity of nurses in our hospital,and to provide a reference to improve the nursing- care scientific researching capacity for our hospital.Methods With the method of status survey,a total of 30 nurses of our hospital were investigated according to the "Nursing Research Comprehensive Survey Questionnaire",which is self- revised by researchers and needs no sign.Results At present,the overall scientific researching capacity of nurses in our hospital is obviously insufficient.Reasons have some connection with the irrationality of nursing- care talent structure in our hospital,hospital's lacking of necessary attention and support.Further more,it is also because that nurses have paid insufficient attention and college or technical nursing schools haven't set their own scientific researching courses and so on.Conclusion Hospital should reinforce the systemic training of the scientific researching capacity of nurses in order to provide a favorable environment.


Stenosis and thrombosis caused by stenosis are the most frequent complications of arterio-venous (a-v) access for haemodialysis. The well-known disadvantages and potential dangers of CVC for haemodialysis [1] should be sufficient reason for consequent access surveillance in order to early identify and treat every significant stenosis before thrombosis occurs. Immediate declotting of a thrombosed access with correction of any underlying stenosis in a way that the access can be used again for the next planned haemodialysis session is necessary to further reduce the need for CVC access. Pre-treatment CVC implantation should only be considered in patients with severe electrolyte disturbances or hyperhydration, when immediate haemodialysis is necessary. Surgeons and interventional radiologists have developed valuable tools to cope with access stenosis and occlusion. However, it is not clear which treatment option should be applied to which clinical problem because comparative studies are scarce. Nevertheless, when there is little evidence it may be allowed to think logically: the basic aim of surgical and radiological intervention on a stenosed or thrombosed access, of course, is to restore its function. This does not only mean to restore sufficient a-v flow but also to preserve or to reconstruct the needling segment, whenever and as durable as possible. Depending on the individual patient's access problem, surgical and interventional treatment alternatives may be differently effective in achieving this aim. Arterio-venous fistula thrombosis


The article deals with the word-formative peculiarities of the derived units with the productive component суғ / 'water' in the Khakas language. The affixal derivatives with this component, the semantics of which depends on the meaning of the affix, are considered. The compound words reflect the conceivable connections between the named objects and water, representing the results of the experience of the world classification by the Khakass people. The idea of the Khakas of the homeland which is reflected in the paired words with the component суғ is specific.


Magnetite and hematite mixtures occur widely in nature. Magnetic unmixing of the signals recorded by these minerals can be important for assessing the origin of their respective paleomagnetic remanences and for extracting geological and paleoenvironmental information. However, unmixing magnetic signals from complex magnetite and hematite mixtures is difficult because of the weak magnetization and high coercivity of hematite. We assess here the relative effectiveness of first‐order reversal curve (FORC) and extended FORC‐type diagrams, FORC‐principal component analysis (PCA), isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) curve decomposition, and PCA of remanent hysteretic curves for unmixing magnetic components in samples from the magnetically complex Inuyama red chert, Japan. We also further characterize the domain state and coercivity distributions of both magnetite and hematite with FORC‐PCA and IRM acquisition analysis in the red chert. We show that IRM curve decomposition can provide valuable component‐specific information linked to coercivity, while FORC‐PCA enables effective magnetic domain state identification. PCA of remanent hysteretic curves provides useful information about the most significant factors influencing remanence variations and subtle coercivity changes. To identify components in complex magnetite and hematite mixtures, we recommend PCA analysis of remanent hysteretic curves combined with FORC analysis of representative samples to identify domain states and coercivity distributions.


This work was supported by the MEE Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education,Xiamen University(Grant No.MEE9903)and by Ministry of Education Foundation for University Key Teacher


We show that the equilibrium of intramolecular spirocyclization of coumarin-hemicyanine hybrid fluorophores can be finely tuned by means of chemical modifications. We used this scaffold to develop activatable fluorescent probes with large Stokes shifts for γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and esterase.


K-anonymization is an important approach to protect data privacy in data publishing scenario.Like K-D tree for multidimensional K-anonymity,this paper proposes,an implementation of R tree in which each record is considered as a point in d-dimensional space of the attribute.Instead of dividing the region into pieces,the nearby rectangles are grouped into parent minimal bounding rectangles and forms disk blocks.Experiment results by modifying several parameters show that the algorithm can handle higher dimensionality compared with grid file or k-d tree.


Design by Mathematics is an inventive design approach dedicated to high performance integrated circuits. It is based on mathematical principles and techniques, such as Riemann's integration or Fourier's transformation. These mathematical tools are used to optimize a specific signal processing and conditioning. A given tool behavior is then copied as much as possible within a silicon implementation, yielding to mixed-signal integrated circuits that demonstrate innovative system architectures and disruptive approaches. While using Design by Mathematics does not imply one will achieve better performances than when using classical design techniques, it offers a substitute that can counteract key technical bottlenecks and pave the way to new opportunities. In this talk several Design by Mathematics examples will be presented, focusing on wireless systems. These systems include next generation standards such as 5G and its carrier aggregation technique in the radiofrequency range. Fourier's and Walsh's transformations will used, as well as Fourier's recombination and Riemann's integration, for either the receiver path or the transmitter path of a system.


Introduction - K B Suri PART ONE: DATA BASE Data Base for Small Scale Industries - An Appraisal - G Ramachandran Data Base of the Unorganised Manufacturing Industry - An Appraisal - M R Saluja An Approximation to the Size-Structure of Indian Manufacturing Industry - K Sundaram and Suresh D Tendulka RELATIVE EFFICIENCY Relative Efficiency of Modern Small Scale Industries in India - Bishwanath Goldar Resource Use Efficiency and the Small Scale Enterprise - I M D Little PART THREE: INDUSTRY STUDIES Small Scale Leather Shoe Manufacturing in Agra, India - A Case Study in Small Scale Industry in India's Development - J George Waardenburg Sugar Processing in India - The Scope for Intermediate Technology - H H de Haan Small and Large Units - Symbiosis or Matsyanayaya? - Nirmala Banerjee Technology, Firm Size and Product Quality - A Study of Laundry Soap in India - K B Suri PART FOUR: FACTOR AND PRODUCT MARKETS AND LINKAGES Labour and Product Markets - Dipak Mazumdar Financial Assistance to Small Scale Industry Sector - An Appraisal - V S Patvardhan Nature of Small Scale Industry and its Development Role - S R Hashim GOVERNMENT POLICY Small Industry Development Programmes in India - Efficiency, Explanations and Lessons - Some Field Studies - J C Sandesara Government Policies Concerning Small Scale Industries - An Appraisal - Arun Ghosh Indian Textile Policy - Dipak Mazumdar


As business schools increasingly seek to incorporate Web-based information and communication technologies into the instructional process, there is a need for rigorous research into the factors affecting the successful integration of these technologies into management education. A key factor identified in prior management education research as critical to the successful implementation of such instructional technologies is student acceptance. We use the literatures on management education, technology acceptance, and change implementation to develop and test a model predicting business school students' acceptance of a Web-based course management system. Arguing that such a system which transitions traditional course-management processes to the Web constitutes an instance of a process change, we examine the role played by various change-enabling factors as well as change-motivating factors in students' acceptance of the system. We find that perceived incentive to use the system, perceived faculty encouragement to use the system, and peer encouragement to use the system are positively related to perceived usefulness of the system, which in turn is positively related to student acceptance of the system. We also find that awareness of the capabilities of the system, perceived availability of technical support, and prior experience with computer and Web use are positively related to perceived ease of use of the system, which in turn is positively related to student acceptance of the system. Implications for management education research and practice are discussed.


There are more and more Web services used in collaborative learning, hence it has become increasingly important to locate proper Web services in an accurate and efficient way. In this paper, an annexed algorithm, called eLSDAUS, is proposed to improve the existing semantic-based matchmaking algorithm. In the algorithm, we introduce and incorporate in a new factor - user satisfaction, which is the user's level of satisfaction about the result of service discovery. This algorithm allows users to take part in the process of e-Learning service discovery, and evaluate the result of service discovery. User's evaluation in the form of user satisfaction is fed back to the system. Adopting an amendatory function that takes the user satisfaction as an input, the system modifies the weights of each property of the advertise service, and then total match degree of service discovery up to best. Experiment indicates that the precision of the service discovery improved 5 percent as the number of advertisement services up to 1000. After learning for one week, over 93% students are satisfied with the e-Learning service discovery result.


The enlargement of the European Union will lead to a higher number of cross-national curriculum vitas of European citizens. Thus, the complexity of public administration interaction across Europe will rise. To ensure that this interaction does not become a barrier to European citizens' mobility, public administrations need to support E-Government in an informational, communicational and transactional stage, but above all in an integration stage. The interaction of processes from public services needs to be integrated in an interoperable infrastructure. Such a solution was developed in the EU project "InfoCitizen" on a conceptual and technical level. The solution was proven to be working in scenario simulating a real curriculum vitae of a mobile European citizen. 1 E-Government: The third stage The modernization of government services is one of the major objectives of the European Union. The eEurope 2005 Action Plan therefore proposes a set of actions, especially the creation and the establishment of interactive and interoperable public services [1]. Using E-Government offers new possibilities to public administrations (PA) of governments, regions and municipalities to bring public services to citizens and businesses in a more comfortable manner. For instance information technologies allow the electronic interconnection of public administrations [3]. However, the multitude of individual initiatives has led to massive solutions not compatible with each other. In the long term harmonisation will enable easy interconnection and interaction between European public administrations (EPAs). Entire programs of public initiatives are dedicated to the effort of harmonisation. While these programs contribute to an electronic harmonisation an intermediate midterm solution for interoperability between public administrations is required to make the interconnection between EPAs possible. The project "InfoCitizen", funded by the European Commission under the 5th Research Framework Program, developed an architecture for interoperability between EPAs. The specification and execution of interoperability was not limited to system integration, but covered the whole lifecycle of interactions of organisations, public services, business processes and of course application systems. InfoCitizen started in September 2001 for the duration of 24 months with the participation of eleven organisations coming from five different EU-countries. 2 Integrated public services E-Government is considered as support of public service processes through Information Technology (IT) [2]. There are many possibilities to enhance public services by improved information exchange. Through Internet or Intranets, multiple forms of decision making, business processing or simple communication will change the interaction with public administrations [4]. Nevertheless, the degree of support for E-Government in public administrations strongly depends on its realization, mainly measured by the four stages Information, Communication, Transaction and Integration. However even today, the number of governments providing transactional features is very low and thus they underperform in the most valuable stage of Integration: Figure 1 No. of countries providing interactive and transactional features [5] The gap is even more significant when looking at the cross-country dimension. Transnational public services in Europe, i.e. those that cross the borders of the member states, are poorly, if at all, developed [6]. Therefore, pan-European interoperability between EPAs has to be fostered. Thus, there is the need for integration of citizens and businesses into public administration processes as well as the integration of different public services. The citizens and businesses can influence the execution of public services without having to know the way public services work and are processed. Consequently, full electronic support is required, covering all public services and the according processes. The InfoCitizen Project aimed at improving the process interoperability – both at the organisational and system levels – for facilitating structured information exchange and sharing amongst European Public Administrations. It achieved this by 1. designing and establishing a common, open and extensible European information architecture, the InfoCitizen European Architecture, that specifies organization-, processand system interoperability, applicable for all EPAs and that has been tested in representative public administration segments among the participating EU countries, 2. developing a distributed, decentralized, internet-based framework of standard-software components, the InfoCitizen Framework solution, building on emerging technologies (e. g. software agents, middleware, xml, Web Services) and acting as a pan-European IT interoperability infrastructure for EPAs, that support the InfoCitizen European Architecture created. 3. deploying it in a demonstration network of administrative sites, while also a pan-European integration exercise has been set up.


Abstract The use of C band in radar meteorology offers clear advantages as far as sensitivity and cost are concerned. On the other hand, the interpretation of the measurements in terms of meteorological quantities is more difficult because of the presence of propagation effects that are not negligible. In this work simulations are used to investigate the impact of the propagation effects on the performance of a C-band dual-polarization meteorological radar; in particular, path attenuation (both total and differential) on rain-rate estimation will be addressed. The simulations are carried out on realistic (horizontal) maps of precipitation, obtained from actual radar measurements, performed at S band (a nonattenuating wavelength) by the meteorological radar located at Spino d'Adda, near Milan, Italy.


Innovative education is an important aspect of quality-oriented education. How to implement it should be a major concern in college for all the English teachers. According to the teaching practice for many years,the author described the awareness and the specific measures about the implementation of innovative education from such respects as changing teaching concept,improving teaching models,reforming teaching methods and optimizing teaching environment in college English teaching.


The experimental materials of patinopecten yessoensis were the experimental materials,master the method of making blood smear for patinopecten yessoensis,the tissue structures of patinopecten yessoensis were observed and analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and tissue section.With 5mL syringe absorbs the heparin sodium 2mL,then extraction of grass carp 1mL of blood,on one end of the slide drip a drop of blood,the lift hand flat,right hand with another level of slide force will promote blood,air dry in the shade,make five blood smear in the same way.After drying,take one blood smear used as blank control,take two blood smear dyeing with Switzerland,another two blood smear with Jim dyeing liquid dye,air dry in the shade,wash,observed.Take the fresh tissue of patinopecten yessoensis tissue was cut into 1.0*1.0*0.3cm of the Scallop in Shell,after immobilization,dehydration and transparent,leaching wax,embedding process,the tissue block cut into 4~6μm paraffin sections.Then after hematoxylin staining hydrochloric acid alcohol to fade,with eosin stain re dyeing process with neutral gum complete mounting and dried for microscope observation and photography.Finally,the structure of the human body and fish was analyzed and compared with the observation and comparison.


Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has recently attracted much attention in both the technical and business communities. It has found wide applications in, for example, toll collection, supply-chain management, access control, localization tracking, real-time monitoring, and object identification. Situations may arise where the movement directions of the tagged RFID items through a portal is of interest and must be determined. Doppler estimation may prove complicated or impractical to perform by RFID readers. Several alternative approaches, including the use of an array of sensors with arbitrary geometry, can be applied. In this paper, we consider direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation techniques for application to near-field narrowband RFID problems. Particularly, we examine the use of a pair of RFID antennas to track moving RFID tagged items through a portal. With two antennas, the near-field DOA estimation problem can be simplified to a far-field problem, yielding a simple way for identifying the direction of the tag movement, where only one parameter, the angle, needs to be considered. In this case, tracking of the moving direction of the tag simply amounts to computing the spatial cross-correlation between the data samples received at the two antennas. It is pointed out that the radiation patterns of the reader and tag antennas, particularly their phase characteristics, have a significant effect on the performance of DOA estimation. Indoor experiments are conducted in the Radar Imaging and RFID Labs at Villanova University for validating the proposed technique for target movement direction estimations.


Across nations one of the most common ways that women's sexuality and personal autonomy is controlled is through family law, particularly marriage, and divorce. In essence, many such laws are in place to govern autonomous and individual expressions of sexuality, most often through the use of moral arguments located within ethno-religious traditions. Yet matters of family law are often analyzed in terms of state- or nation-building and religious practices. Indeed as Carol Pateman (1988) has shown, family law remains one of the least democratic legal and social institutions, despite women's struggles, with limited success, for family law reform. Resistance to democratizing family law is often most pronounced by elements within ethno-religious communities which hold a minority position vis-a-vis the state, and are thus excluded from the state political power structure. This has meant that women within such communities have to develop nuanced strategies to extend their sexual and personal autonomy without alienating their community. A comparison of the cases of India and Israel -- where the Muslim minorities' relationships with the state are extremely politicized -- provides insight into the ways in which women are contesting the governance and control of their sexuality through the re-shaping of marriage and divorce laws.


It was a hot day, overcast and chalky, and those were my crooked teeth, and those were my cliffy pink gums, scored with reptilian striations on the rickety aluminum shelves in the Hyde Park Bank Building— quiet always, no matter when; quiet as this crooked slip of a room with all the crooked teeth in the neighborhood next to the examining chair. Never a sound on the fifth floor; halls and doors rolled out gray and spare with arrows pointing and sign-in. Soft hush though everyone's running late and the dim waiting room's packed, the small sconce lights fanning yellow. Open your mouth, hold still, don't bite down, wait, and the tongue gets tucked away and they ask but you can't answer. So hard to be a self.