Abstract This paper explores the movement of bodies in urbanising landscapes. In particular, it looks at the bodily practice that unfolds at a 'bus stop made by stopping buses' in peri-urban Mexico City. Doing so, I pursue three questions: What are the specificities of bodily practice in the peri-urban realm and out of what socio-material conditions do they emerge? How does this practice sit within notions of informality and cityness? And what urban imaginaries do peri-urban practitioners 'grow' out of their direct engagement with the material environment, that is, in this case, when taking buses? The bus stop in question is located in the municipality of Tecamac, State of Mexico, in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (ZMVM). It is a site of pure activity, social occurrence without being forged into built form; a site with 'nothing there' but the encounter of travellers and buses along the Mexico City-Pachuca highway. Carefully examining the seemingly banal activity of flagging down and boarding buses, however, allows us to take seriously the bodily and material dimensions of urban life and to acknowledge their influence on how city is made and thought. The paper draws on ethnographic research with a focus on visual and sensory methods. Keywords Peri-urban, bodily practice, cityness, informality, bus stop, Mexico City On the road to Mexico City Cars dashing by at high speed, the sound of rushing tyres whooshing in my ears like the tails of a myriad of comets. Around me, other travellers of Mexico City's peri-urban realm come climbing up the slope that marks the distance between the neighbourhood and the highway. Coach after coach is pulling in, stopping, opening its doors, and pulling out again into the flow of traffic, taking away traveller after traveller who continue to arrive at the bus stop. From the periphery to the heart of the city region it is 'only' a bus ride--but boarding a bus, here, on the Mexico City-Pachuca expressway, is a journey itself that takes us into an array of questions concerning the making and perception of urbanising lifeworlds with their material, bodily and imaginary dimensions. Mexico City--or more precisely: the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM) --is well known as a 20-million-plus urban affair. What is less well known is the scale, pace and complexity of the ongoing restructuring of the city's social and material fabric. In particular, two tendencies of territorial restructuring are of interest here: the accelerated urban growth of the expanded peripheries in conjunction with and in spite of--a moderate densification of the metropolitan (inner) periphery (Aguilar and Ward, 2003: 10-13; Delgadillo, 2010: 53-54); and the region-wide excess of new housing in comparison with the actual increase in population (Delgadillo, 2010: 55). Both trends are the product of extensive formal housing developments fuelled by federal housing policies that place the revenue of international capital above that of ecological and social urban sustainability (Delgadillo, 2010: 53; Iracheta, 2010: 18; Ziccardi and Gonzalez Reynoso, 2012: 92). Together, they prolong and intensify earlier processes of Mexico City's metropolitanisation and do not substitute informal building activities that are also pushing the built-up area further and further into the region (Aguilar and Ward, 2003; Benlliure Bilbao, 2008; Castillo, 2007; Delgado, 1998; Garza, 2000; Garza and Schteingart, 2010; cf. Ward, 1991, 1998). As a result, today, the Valley of Mexico is consolidating patterns of "dispersed" (Aguilar, 2008: 134) or "diffuse" (Delgado, 2003) urbanisation, dissolving into an ever further-reaching "complex kaleidoscope where barriers do not disappear but multiply, enclosing ever smaller units" (Nivon Bolan, 2005: 155, own translation). This process of regional expansion with simultaneous fragmentation has been addressed as Mexico City's comprehensive "peripheralisation" (Nivon Bolan, 2005: 144; see also Wissel, 2012, 2013). …


Blue economy is the basis of a sustainable development of the ocean-based country like Bangladesh. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Blue economy is the use of sea and its resources for sustainable economic development and the concept is new in Bangladesh and South Asia.


In this paper, we consider the problem of optimizing the quantiles of the cumulative rewards of Markov Decision Processes (MDP), to which we refers as Quantile Markov Decision Processes (QMDP). Traditionally, the goal of a Markov Decision Process (MDP) is to maximize expected cumulative reward over a defined horizon (possibly to be infinite). In many applications, however, a decision maker may be interested in optimizing a specific quantile of the cumulative reward instead of its expectation. (If we have some reference here, it would be good.) Our framework of QMDP provides analytical results characterizing the optimal QMDP solution and presents the algorithm for solving the QMDP. We provide analytical results characterizing the optimal QMDP solution and present the algorithms for solving the QMDP. We illustrate the model with two experiments: a grid game and a HIV optimal treatment experiment.


A two step melting process in Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayer assemblies of cadmium arachidate (CdA) has been studied by infrared spectroscopy in conjunction with thermal measurements. These techniques have allowed, for the first time, the investigation of detailed structural changes which occur during heating, melting, and annealing cycles. Prior to the melting point, a pretransitional disordering of the hydrocarbon tails was observed. This was followed by a catastrophic breakup of the cadmium lattice at a temperature corresponding to the melting point as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).


Washington State Department of Transportation Local Programs Division requested the creation of a Resource Planning Index (or " Index ") for use in benchmarking and tracking the stewardship performance of investments associated with Washington's Scenic and Recreational Highways. A GIS analysis was performed to develop a unique Index value for each 1000 feet of roadway. The Index value was calculated based on the proximity of features of interest associated with specific opportunities for protecting, preserving, or enhancing resources associated with the state Scenic and Recreational Highways. This Index may be used in preliminary assessments of locations where there may be a confluence of such opportunities. As always, a local scale analysis of the location should assess exactly what opportunities exist there and whether a proposed project would actually provide the desired benefit or impact. the creation of a Resource Planning Index for use in benchmarking and tracking the stewardship performance of investments associated with Washington's Scenic and Recreational Highways. For the purpose of this study, stewardship is defined as " protecting, preserving, and enhancing resources associated with the state Scenic and Recreational Highways. " 1


Objective To analyze the antidiarrheal effects of reduning joint montmorillonite in the treatment of children with rotavirus diarrhea.Methods 83 children with rotavirus diarrhea were randomly divided into two groups,40 cases in group A were given conventional treatment,while 43 cases in group B were given reduning joint montmorillonite therapy,the therapeutic effect of the two groups was observed.Results The time of antidiarrheal,vomiting eased,to resume normal stool consistency and frequency of group B were shorter than those of group A(P0.05);total effective rate of group B was higher than that of group A(97.69% vs.77.50%,P0.05);SIgA of group B after treatment was(2 884.5±1 208.5)mg/g,more than that of group A which was(1 624.8±1 021.6)mg/g(P0.01).Conclusion Reduning joint montmorillonite in the treatment of children with rotavirus diarrhea can shorten the antidiarrheal time,improve clinical symptoms and immune function.


Excerpt INTRODUCTION The problem of producing a substitute carbohydrate for dextrose in the treatment of diabetes has been studied extensively by various investigators. This subject was comprehensi...


Background: There are no studies examining the use, safety, efficacy, effective fluence and pulse duration of Laser hair reduction in Nigerians. This study aimed to document the safety, efficacy, effective fluence and pulse duration, and the number of Laser sessions to achieve permanent hair reduction.
Methods: A retrospective review of Laser hair removal in 87 FitzPatrick skin type V and VI patients from January 2017 to August 2021 using the neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:Yag). The fluence (Joules/cm3), pulse duration (msecs), Laser site and interval between Laser sessions were documented. Data was summarized using frequencies and percentage proportion. Comparison of pulse duration, fluence, and the number of sessions between different body sites was tested using analysis of variance.
Results: A total of 354 laser sessions were performed in 87 patients made up of 80 females and 7 males; mean age of 35.8±9.24 years. The face was the most frequently treated site (67.5% of the sessions). The mean number of laser sessions, pulse duration and fluence were 4.07±4.22, 19.38±1.48 (msec) and 18.22±1.29 (J/cm3) respectively. An average of 6 sessions was required to achieve permanent hair reduction: the face required a significantly lower number of sessions, p=0.043.
Conclusions: The long pulse Nd:Yag 1064 laser is an effective and safe Laser for hair removal in skin types V and VI. The effective, safe pulse duration and fluence are 16 to 22 msec and 15 to 20 J/cm2 respectively. The face requires fewer number of Laser sessions.


Every year, thousands of college students in the life sciences take introductory physics. Some educators have advocated physics be presented in a way that is relevant to these students. Most are biology majors, but many students are in the allied health field studying to become athletic trainers, occupational therapists, or professionals in some other allied health field. These students take a physics course that often has no math prerequisites, covers all of classical physics in a year, and focuses on the physics of the human body.


ABSTRACT We show how the Hermite sampling method can be used to approximate the eigenvalues of Sturm-Liouville problems. Because it involves the derivatives with respect to the eigenvalue parameter, it requires more smoothness on the coefficients and integrating a one parameter family of matrix Sturm-Liouville operators to generate the required samples.


This paper provides a reflective account of my journey of self-discovery through academic study and reflective practice. The importance of understanding one's personal agendas when commencing research work is highlighted. Utilising a hermeneutic approach, the background to the research endeavour is described as a 'backdrop' to the subsequent journey of discovery that unfolded. The paper describes a culture of custodial and institutionalised practice that influenced my work and my attitudes towards nursing. The essence of such practice is articulated through 'metaphorical stories' that illustrate the prevailing practice culture. The impact of this practice is outlined and the importance of recognising and dealing with unresolved practice conflicts as a legitimate 'chapter' in the research process is highlighted. It is concluded that if nurses are to achieve therapeutic competence then active engagement with learning in practice is required. Dealing with such conflicts is considered to be important to the development of expertise in practice and the achievement of therapeutic competence.


Encryption has been a widely used technology for protecting secure data. However, recent threats show that encrypted data are being hacked and decrypted. A 128-bit encryption can be broken by a few weeks of supercomputing processing. These data are very critical to an organization and could be lethal if accessed by unauthorized group. Here a new transmission model is proposed for securing structured data over sensitive networks. The model uses simple mathematical operations to secure data segments, obtained after segregating the whole data and transmitting the segment in parts.


The mycelial growth inhibition method was used to assess the synergistic effect of the complex between myclobutanil and kresoxim-methyl to control Macrophoma musae(Cooke) berl et Vogl.Experiment results showed the mixture(9∶1~2∶8) have a broad range of increase in effect,the mixture(6∶4,2∶8)could take the best efficacy on the inhibition of mycelial growth,Their toxicity ratio(RT) was 1.93 and 2.24,and co-toxicity coefficient(CTC) was 844.85 and 1 183.83.


Objective:To study the prevalence of Dry eye disease among patients attending O.P.D. (Out Patient Department) of Assam Medical College for ophthalmic problems. Materials and Methods:-This is a prospective study conducted on 200 patients attending outpatient department of Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh; Assam. The study was done from June,2016 to Nov,2016. This study was conducted based on tear film status which was evaluated by Schirmer's I Test, Tear film break up time and Tear meniscus height. RESULTS:A total of 200 patients were enrolled in the study. Out of which 65 (32.5%) patients were found to have dry eye disease. The incidence of the dry eye disease was found to be high(39.13%) among the in 51-60 years age group, 22(27.5%) in males and 43(35.83%) in females. Most common presenting symptom was itching among 52 (80%) patients. Positve Schirmer's testI(less than 10 mm.) were found in 63 patients(31.5%). CONCLUSION:The prevalence of the dry eye is 32.5% according to the our Hospital based study. Dry eye incidence increases with the age. The females were affected more than the males.


With the increasingly fierce market competition, enterprises put more and more emphasis on R&D activities, and the ability of independent innovation becomes the core competitiveness of the enterprises. As the main part of technical innovation team, the R&D personal has become more and more highly valued by the entrepreneurs. This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation framework of innovation performance based-on the study of R&D personnel's characteristic, and calculates the weight of each index and R&D personnel's achievements by using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process. The result indicates that this assessment method is objective. The result can be used in R&D personnel's performance appraisal to enhance the level of human resource management.


Objective:To explore the prevalence and effect factors of postpartum depression in women with chronic HBV infection.Methods:Pregnancy questionnaire,anxiety and depression rating scale,Edinburgh postnatal depression scale and postpartum questionnaire were used to survey the women at 28~36 gestational weeks and 4~6 weeks after delivery.Results:The incidence of postpartum depression in women with chronic HBV infection was 28.20%;the incidences of postpartum depression in women undergoing spontaneous labor,cesarean section and midwifery surgery were 26.11%(82/314) and 31.19%(68/218),respectively,there was no significant difference(χ2= 2.89,P 0.05).The result indicated that there was no correlation between delivery mode and the occurrence of postpartum depression.The result of univariate analysis showed that PMTCT failure,interruption of breastfeeding,anxiety during pregnancy,depression during pregnancy,lack of related knowledge and low income were risk factors of postpartum depression;harmonious familial relationship and good compliance of PMTCT were protective factors.The result of multivariate analysis revealed that PMTCT failure,interruption of breastfeeding and depression during pregnancy were risk factors;harmonious familial relationship and good compliance of PMTCT were protective factors.Conclusion:The incidence of postpartum depression in women with chronic HBV infection is high.The effect of PMTCT and perinatal psycho-social factors are closely related to the occurrence of postpartum depression.


This paper aims to cluster Castanea sativa based on morphological variations of leaves and fruits. Therefore, the main and natural existing sites of sweet chestnut including Shaft, Fouman and Shafaroud were considered in Guilan province. From each site, 10 trees with various morphological traits with at least 100 meters distance from each other were selected. Leaves and fruits were sampled from selected trees. Totally, the number of 30 samples of fruits and leaves were provided individually. The ANOVA results of quantitative traits (e.g. the length, the width of the lamina, special form of the leaf, total and relative length of the petiole, the leaf basal shape, fruit weight, seed weight and healthy seeds weigh) showed significant difference in the three study areas. It was concluded that the morphological traits such as leaf, the width of the lamina, the relative length of the petiole, the leaf tip shape, lamina shape, seed weight and healthy seeds weight were the most important elements in shaping of cluster.


ABSTRACT: In this paper we consider a machine repair problem with spares, balking and reneging. The failure and repair of machines is assumed to be exponentially distributed. Birth and death process is employed to formulate the mathematical model of the problem. The Chapman-Kolmogorov equations are formulated for steady state, which have been solved recursively. The queue size distribution for the system having N operating units along with the mixed spares of which S1 are warm and S2 are cold is established using product type technique. Some special cases are deduced which tally with earlier existing results. To find out the optimal number of spares and repairmen a cost function is also mentioned.


Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is a rare vascular disease. Unlike acute ischemia with a sudden onset, CMI is characterized by permanent or episodic intestinal hypoperfusion, usually due to atherosclerotic vascular lesion. Despite the high prevalence of atherosclerosis of mesenteric arteries in the general population, clinical manifestations of CMI may be absent up to the end-stage disease, which is due to the formation of extensive collateral circulation and the presence of residual fetal circulation. CMI not only worsens the quality of life, but also increases the risk of acute ischemia against the background of chronic. This problem is relevant, since the incidence and related mortality do not tend to decrease. The article presents the case report of CMI in a patient with an atypical abdominal angina. The etiopathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment methods are described in relation not only to the presented report, but also to literature data. This improves understanding and management strategy of this rare life-threatening pathology.


This manual provides information on the development and use of the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale (MSS; Kwapil, Gross, Silvia, Raulin, & Barrantes-Vidal, 2018) and the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale-Brief Edition (MSS-B, Gross, Kwapil, Raulin, Silvia, & Barrantes-Vidal, 2018). Note that complete information about the scales and their development can be found in the source articles for the scales.


In this paper,a 1/15 scale model of concrete filled square steel tubular frame structure with dampers is tested on shaking table to study the dynamic characteristics and seismic responses,especially the effect of dampers on seismic behaviors of the structure.Test results show that the structure has no obvious weak story,the torsion of the whole structure is small,and the dampers play an important role in energy dissipation,but the lateral stiffness of the structure is not enough,the elasto-plastic interstory drift does not meet the code requirement(1/80) for energy dissipation structures.According to the test results,the structural design is improved to meet the code requirement.


Poly-vanadium-molybdenum acid H_2V_(12-x)Mo_xO_(31±y)·nH_2O(0≤x≤4.0) xerogel thin films humidity elements are prepared by sol-gel process,and its complex impedance plots are analyzed.Results show that the radius of semicircle of the complex impedance plots for poly-vanadium-molybdenum acid xerogel thin films increase with increasing of x.When x≥2.5,in the low-frequency range,the contact part of the total impedance for electrode appears.The properties of humidity elements are best as x=2.0,while the complex impedance is higher and no relationship with frequency.H_2V_(8.5)Mo_(3.5)O_(32)·nH_2O xerogel thin film humidity element has good linear and high sensitivity in total relative humidity range at 1 kHz.


Leigh Ann Wheeler, Co-Advisor Andrew Schocket, Co-Advisor This project examines the intersection of in vitro fertilization and abortion during the early 1970s. Because of the potential destruction of laboratory created embryos, anti-abortion activists and politicians linked these two procedures together soon after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade. Tracing the implications of this discursive connection throughout the 1970s and 1980s, this dissertation argues that IVF's ties to abortion stunted its development in the United States by making the reproductive technology a controversial issue. The questions that direct this study are: why did IVF policy originate in the United States during the early 1970s and how did these policies affect the development of in vitro fertilization in America. Further, this study questions how government policies on IVF changed over time and what outside forces contributed to such changes. This project investigates how IVF developed in the United States by examining governmental policies surrounding the reproductive technology. This study has depended on archival materials, along with newspaper and magazine articles, government documents, and scholarship on infertility, motherhood, bioethics, and abortion. The American government neglected to fund human IVF because anti-abortion activists linked the new reproductive technology to abortion. As IVF continued to be associated with abortion in the early years of its development, this study explores how clinical expanded throughout the United States despite the lack of federal funding. Private, unregulated clinics offered IVF services, but success rates were low and the procedure was expensive. Policymakers


Music is the language of spirit,the lubricant of the society.It is also a kind of art of arouse spirit experiences,and the booster of a harmonious society.Music can help constructing comfortable relationship, transmitting affections.Music is a kind of spirit power in a harmonious society construction.


One of the better-kept secrets in the U.S . , and presumably around the Pacific Rim, seems to be the abundance of coal in Alaska. Although the identified resources are only about 1 4 0 billion tons, the speculative and hypothetical resources are enormous — 0.5 to about 5 .5 trillion short tons (McConkey et al, 1977) . Although I am quite skeptical of newspaper statements that 1 0 to 2 3 % of all the coal in the world is in Alaska, it is apparent that Alaska's coal resource is significant in the world coal resource total. The importance of these resources lies not so much in their enormity as in their location. Billions of tons of this coal, in several coal fields, lie at or near tidewater. Proposed coal ports in southern Alaska lie approximately 5 , 0 0 0 km (3 ,100 mi) from Tokyo and 6 , 0 5 0 km ( 3 , 8 0 0 mi) from Korea, which is 1 ,900 km (1 ,200 mi) closer than are the western U.S . and Canadian ports (Figure 1). The Alaskan ports are also 1 , 9 0 0 to 3 , 4 0 0 km (1 ,200 to 1 ,500 mi) closer to these markets than are the Australian coal ports.


The utility model discloses an automatic turning and translating mechanism, which comprises a gantry (1); wherein, a first roller conveyor chain (2) and a second roller conveyor chain (3) are arranged in the gantry (1), and are respectively provided with first bearers (9) and second bearers (10). The automatic turning and translating mechanism has the following characteristics: a swing beam (4) is arranged over the first roller conveyor chain (2); a moving beam (7) is arranged over the swing beam (4); vacuum suction cups are arranged on the swing beam (4) and the moving beam (7); the moving beam (7) is connected with a rodless cylinder (11); and the rodless cylinder (11) and a step motor (5) are connected with a PLC control system. The whole mechanism, which is a function unit in an automatic spray line, has sensitive, high-efficiency, accurate and reliable performance, realizes automatic turning and translation in the process of the massive and industrialized spray finishing of full-degradable dishware and has the advantages of reasonable equipment structure, easy operation, low failure rate, energy saving and high efficiency.


A bivariate representation of a complex simple Lie algebra is an irreducible representation having highest weight a combination of the first two fundamental weights. For a complex classical Lie algebra, we establish an expression for the weight multiplicities of bivariate representations.


By analyzing the distribution of "Pa —Cuo"'s forces and the election process of the village head,this paper probes into the power structure of the village committee in Tibetan migrant village,and points out that the power shows the restriction between the nation's influence and the villagers' identification to "Pa Cuo".


Increases in EEG alpha-wave production through operant conditioning have been reported to result in pleasant, relaxed states (Kamiya, 1969), raising the possibility of using alpha conditioning for the clinical treatment of anxiety. The present study attempted to demonstrate the relaxing effects of alpha conditioning. Two standardized anxiety measures (Cattell & Scheier, 1963; Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970) were given to 20 female undergraduates who volunteered for an experiment on alpha conditioning. Ss were given 3 weekly 30-min. training sessions. For 10 Ss a tone sounded when they were in alpha. The other 10 Ss received alternating correct and incorrect feedback (the output of the relay to the tone was reversed every minute). Both groups were told that the tone indicated the time in alpha and were instructed to keep the tone on. A fourth session, serving as an extinction period, was run without auditory feedback. Duration of time in alpha was recorded for each session. Cattell and Scheier's scale was administered before and after the four sessions; the A-State measured relaxation state after each session. Data indicated that Ss receiving correct feedback learned to increase their alpha time over sessions [Ms (SDs) = 6.35 (4.05), 7.87 (4.49). 13.49(4.43). 10.59(4.95) min.]; K . 3 = 26.41 ( p < .01). The group given alternating false and correct feedback actually decreased their alpha production [Ms (SDs) = 12.70 (6.361, 9.85 (3.071, 9.75(2.07), 7.79(2.26) min.]; &,a = 5.07 ( p < .05) . There were no differences between the responses of the two groups on either the Cattell and Scheier (F < 1.0) or the A-State scale (F < 1.0), although over-all decrease in anxiety was shown on the former (FIsls = 7.17, p < .05) and A-State scale (R.M = 6.53, p < .05). These results are consistent with previous work (Kamiya, 1969) demonstrating increased alpha production as a result of conditioning. However, since equally positive psychological benefits were reported by both groups, this study did not show unique benefits of increased alpha production beyond those attributable to a placebo effect. In fact, one control subject reported that it was the most relaxing thing she had ever done! These results indicate that a placebo control definitely should be included in fumre studies of alpha feedback.


We cryptanalyze Fridrich's chaotic image encryption algorithm. We show that the algebraic weaknesses of the algorithm make it vulnerable against chosen-ciphertext attacks. We propose an attack that reveals the secret permutation that is used to shuffle the pixels of a round input. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our attack with examples and simulation results. We also show that our proposed attack can be generalized to other well-known chaotic image encryption algorithms.


Abstract If you think about the last television commercial for an Italian pasta brand you have seen, are you sure it is really Italian? In many cases, especially in the food sector, neither the company nor the product originate from the advertised country, meaning that the company is pursuing a foreign branding strategy and is trying to benefit from positive stereotypes customers have about the specific foreign country. By collecting both quantitative and qualitative data through a point-of-sale intercept survey, this article assesses the impact of alleged origins on customers' willingness to buy (WTB) and willingness to pay (WTP) if the actual origin is disclosed. The sample consisted of 200 German customers who were asked to answer questions related to one of two hedonic products they had just bought. It is empirically shown that foreign branding has a positive impact on the brand's performance. However, as soon as customers find out that they were misled with regard to the origin of the product, both their WTB and their WTP decrease. This study contributes to the knowledge on the role of products' origins on customers' WTB and WTP. In contrast to the vast majority of the studies in this field, the communicated origin of the product is based on a foreign branding strategy and not on the product's actual origin. Consequently, it was possible to manipulate within-subject variables by disclosing the actual origin of the product. The results of our study suggest that foreign branding may be a successful strategy for companies to increase their customers' WTB and WTP. At the same time, our results raise concerns about the suitability of foreign branding as a long-term marketing strategy, unless a company can successfully maintain its foreign image. Future research opportunities include the choice of consumers with a different cultural background, of other hedonic products or of utilitarian products.


This study reviews the new public management (NPM) civil service reform initiatives under the Roh Moo-Hyun government in Korea. The main emphases in the discussion are placed on interpreting the reform efforts in terms of the measures for bureaucracy control, and examining the possibilities and limitations of the new NPM reforms in Korea.This study adopts as a theoretical guidance, the "control mechanisms of the civil service system" suggested by Christopher Hood. This study raises the issue of culture in the expansion of the NPM doctrines in the East Asian context. It is argued that the Korean administrative culture could be a serious constraint affecting the potential for the NPM reforms. The authors conclude that despite some positive control effects of the NPM reform measures on the overall Korean civil service system, there are many limitations that still exist in both the reform measures and in their outcomes.


ABS TRACT Objective: Biological drugs are used mainly in psoriasis in dermatology, but are increasingly used in the treatment of many other inflammatory dermatoses. They are preferred as a treatment option especially in patients with psoriasis who do not respond to conventional therapies. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the features and treatment outcomes of patients with psoriasis in our clinic using biological agents. Material and Methods: Between June 2014 and February 2018, 87 patients with psoriasis using biological drugs in the dermatology clinic were evaluated. The demographic data, laboratory data and clinical information of the patients were obtained retrospectively by screening patient files. Results: 82.8% (n=72) of patients with psoriasis used biological drugs for the first time, whereas 17.2% (n=15) used more than one biological drug. The drug with the highest duration of drug survival was adalimumab. The most preferred biologics in the treatment of obese patients with psoriasis were infliximab and ustekinumab, whereas adalimumab and ustekinumab were the most preferred biologics for patients with arthritis. In 20.7% (n=18) of the cases, the biological drug was combined with methotrexate and 70.1% (n=61) received isoniazid prophylaxis before treatment. Conclusion: Biological drugs have become a well-tolerated and effective treatment option in patients when conventional treatments are inadequate. Although the main goal of biological drugs was to achieve clinical remission, they did not show the same effect in every patient. Approximately one in five patients with psoriasis has switched to another biological drug due to treatment failure or side effects.


In this paper, we study the Gegenbauer matrix polynomials. An explicit representation, a three-term matrix recurrence relation and orthogonality property for the Gegenbauer matrix polynomials are given. These polynomials appear as flnite series solutions of second-order matrix difierential equations.


The global trend for energy consumption as a foundational requirement for economic and social development is an increasing
one. Electricity consumption is proportional to the CO2 emitted at the process level and especially for machining processes. The electrical
energy demand during machining can be categorized and modelled as basic energy (energy demand by the machine tool while operating
at zero load) and tip energy (energy for actual material removal – cutting). The tool tip energy is evaluated from the specific cutting energy.
At present limited data exists with regards to the key parameters required for modelling the tip energy. Previous studies and data for
specific energy were based on the normalisation of the total energy demand with the material removal rate and have not investigated the
effect of tool wear. In this work, the impact of tool wear on the specific energy coefficients in machining were studied and modelled. Cutting
tests were performed and tool wear and tool life based on the specific energy coefficient for each wear land value were evaluated. The
study has for the first time provided data on the variation of specific cutting energy for higher tool wear lands and presents vital sensitivity
analysis. With longer cutting time, tool wear increases which leads to higher specific cutting energy and energy consumption during
machining. The specific energy coefficient increased by up to 50% when turning EN8 steel alloy between 2 and 10 passes. This knowledge
is vital information for process planners and could enable energy estimates to be more accurate and realistic with regards to capturing the
impact of tool wear.


Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve(EKC)hypothesis, this paper use the method of principal component analysis(PCA)to extract ChangshaZhuzhou-Xiangtan's ecological environmental pollution factors. Regression models was taken to verify the interactive effect between Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan's economic development and ecological environment degradation which by using Changsha-ZhuzhouXiangtan's gross domestic product(GDP)per capita and sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides ,total suspended particulate emission data from 1990 to 2010. The result shows that the fitting curve between environmental pollution factors and GDP per capita is conform to environmental Kuznets curve. Changsha-ZhuzhouXiangtan enters to EKC's later stage which ecological environment degradation begins to falls with GDP per capita increasing. KeywordsEconomic Development; Ecological Environment Degradation; Environmental Kuznets Curve; Principal Component Analysis; Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan


Abstract. Plasma catecholamine levels, lymphocytic β‐adrenoceptor densities and lymphocytic cAMP production were studied in 10 male subjects attending a withdrawal clinic after prolonged alcohol abuse. On admission the mean β‐adrenoceptor density was 29 ± 9 fmol mg‐1 protein (about 60% of the mean level of healthy control subjects, P < 0.002). The following day a significant elevation of the β‐adrenoceptor level up to 46±19 fmol mg‐1 protein (P<0.05) took place. This was accompanied by a parallel activation of the β‐adrenoceptor‐mediated cAMP production of the lymphocytes. No major changes in β‐adrenoceptor levels or cAMP production took place during the next 7 days. Plasma catecholamine levels were elevated at arrival and decreased steadily during the withdrawal period.


Oxidation behavior and subsequent mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2 were studied. The oxide scale has significant effect on strength and hardness, which is mainly attributed due to the mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of substrate and oxide phases. The improved flexural strength ( 650 MPa) could be noticed at 1000 °C; however, at elevated temperature the ductility of Ti3SiC2 was predominant and reduced the strength.


The intent of this thesis was to write a memoir of my five month trip to Libya that explores cultural differences through my experiences as an American with Western ideals. This memoir is focused on the cultural norms of marriage in the rural town of Msalata, in the central rural farming belt north of the ever expanding Sahara Desert of North Africa. My goal was to produce a work that is informational while showing the humanity of the local people through my perceptions as an outsider with different expectations. It was a time of discovery for me about the value of my upbringing and the positive aspects of American and Libyan culture. Our five months in Libya proved our strength and weakness. Libya was not what I expected. The people were hospitable beyond my experience. The customs at times were primitive and required an open mind. My children and I were the token Americans that summer who were invited to every wedding and birth. I was expected to attend many social events from circumcision celebrations to giving condolences along the side of my brother-in-law's wife. Due to my American Christian upbringing I shared the moral values of Islam, which made it easy for me to become Muslim and live an Islamic life. At the same time, I could not fully accept all aspects of Libyan culture nor did my husband. Hadi rejected many things about his culture because it conflicted with Islam. My thesis did not come out the way I expected. It took a different direction from what I had original planned. It became focused on wedding traditions rather than on broader cultural


ABSTRACT Various forms of specification criteria exist in international codes for selecting the required level of prequalification for post-installed fasteners in concrete. In general, there are inconsistencies between existing specifications that tend to be tailored to each country's/region's seismicity, design, and construction practice. This study evaluates existing approaches and provides recommendations for selecting suitable seismic performance categories for regions without such specifications with a focus on low-to-moderate seismic regions such as Australia. A detailed review of international practice is presented followed by a holistic seismic assessment of reinforced concrete buildings. Based on the findings, a specification criterion for Australia is recommended.


So-called streamer-puff coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were recently identified by Bemporad et al. as a new variety of CME. They originate from nonradial ejecta from compact ejective flares occurring in the outskirts of the base of a streamer and travel out along it, during which the streamer is transiently inflated by the puff but is not disrupted. Moore & Sterling further indicated that streamer-puff CMEs are a particular subclass of a broad class of CMEs, called "over-and-out" CMEs, which come from flare-producing magnetic explosions of various sizes and are laterally far offset from the flare. In this paper, we present observations of a streamer-puff CME that resulted from the spectacular eruption of an active-region filament inside a single helmet streamer consisting of a double-arcade system, occurring in AR 10792 on 2005 July 29. The filament was covered by a smaller arcade in the outer flank of the streamer base, with a nearby quiescent prominence below another larger arcade. In the inner corona the filament eruption underwent nonradial motion, while in the outer corona the CME had a radial path along the streamer that was laterally offset from the original site of the filament. The CME was narrow with an angular width of only 15° and clearly showed a typical three-part structure below 1.38 R☉. In this eruption, the prominence remained nearly unchanged, but in other stronger eruptions of a homologous sequence from the same AR in the following days, it exhibited obvious oscillations. These observations can be explained by the magnetic-arch-blowout scenario for streamer-puff and over-and-out CMEs, in which the streamer arcade can act on the erupting filament, laterally deflecting and channeling its motion. The prominence oscillations probably indicate an interplay or interaction between the twin arcades that could affect but not destroy the overall field configuration supporting the prominence.


The extraction of total flavones from grosvenor momordica with ultrasonic was studied.The ethanol concentration,extraction time and material-solution ratio were investigated.It was shown that the optimal conditions were: 40% ethanol,material-solution ratio 1∶25,45min.Under the optimal condition,the extraction yield was 1.761%.At the same time,the contranatant extraction process with two stages was investigated,and it was shown that the extraction yield was up to 1.894% under the same conditions.


Objective:To investigate the incidence and its risk factors of post-stroke depression (PSD) in cerebral stroke patients at acute stage.Methods:127 stroke patients consecutive admitted to hospital within 72 h onset were divided into PSD group and non-PSD group according to the scores of 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD) in the 14 d after admission.The relationship between PSD and clinical factors including sex,marital status,age,education,stroke type,lesionlocation,hypertension,diabetes,coronaryarterydisease,smoking,drinking,BMI,family history of stroke,score of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS),Barthel Index (BI),and score of mini mental statue examination (MMSE) were analyzed.Results:The PSD incidence in this group was 36.2%(46 cases).In PSD group,man were easier to hypertension,the infarct volume and scores of BI on admission were significantly higher,BI and score of MMSE on admission were significantly lower than non-PSD group (P0.05 or 0.01).Conclusion:The incidence of PSD in patients with cerebal stroke at acute stage is high.The cerebral infarction,hypertension and BI on admission are the independent risk factors of PSD.


Introduction Several British investigators have published preliminary observations with a new penicillin which is active against penicillin-ase-producing staphylococci. 1-10 Our studies of this penicillin, sodium methicillin (penicillin X-1497 or sodium 2,6-dimethoxyphenyl penicillin monohydrate), have included comparisons of the bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of methicillin, penicillin G, penicillin V, and phenethicillin (penicillin 152) against several recently isolated bacterial species; the susceptibility tests of staphylococci were correlated with the activity of staphylococcal penicillinase on 3 penicillins. In addition, measurements were made of the antistaphylococcal activity of serum and transudates after large intramuscular doses of methicillin. A number of hospitalized patients have been treated to determine the effect of methicillin on nasal carriers of staphylococci. Finally, a small group of patients with serious bacterial infections have been treated and observed for toxicity and therapeutic effectiveness. Materials and Methods The susceptibility of various bacteria to the 4 penicillins * was determined by a twofold serial


Numerical simulation on the flow field characteristics in stirred tank with different structure size of bottom logarithmic spiral baffle was conducted by computational fluid dynamics(CFD) method.Simulation was conducted by multi-reference frame method,sliding grid method and k-e turbulent model.Under the 100 r·min-1,simulation analysis was performed on bottom baffle's flow field of different structure size.The result shows that:increasing the width and chord length of bottom baffle gives advantage to strengthening the mixing performance of stirred tank and shortening the mixing time.The bottom baffle can improve the flowing situation under impeller area,and the axial velocity has a positive correlation with width and chord length,negative correlation with distance to the center.The bottom baffle can increase shear rate to a certain degree.Increasing the chord length and width is beneficial to improving shear strength.


The dynamics of erotic relationships characterized by male domi nation and female submission can be seen in their literary incarna tion via the fiction of Ines Arredondo. Her provocative short stories, praised for their intensity and sophistication, are distinguished by the exploration of male/female relationships from a woman's point of view: "la problematica de la mujer en el complejo mundo de sus relaciones con los otros . . (Arenas 68). As such, they accurately reflect the aim of the author's literary group, the Generacion de medio siglo, which aspired to "transgredir el orden establecido" (Arenas 66). In presenting women's bleak reality, Arredondo's fiction con tains the seeds of feminist literature today.1 Her frank and disturbing investigation into the problematic issue of women's desire is cast as a series of oppositions: vaci'o/lleno, puro/impuro, and ser/no ser. These thematic and formal elements link her work to the dialectical nature of eroticism and a woman's search for ideal love, which, in Arredondo's fiction, leads to a woman's feeling broken, abandoned and devoid of all sense of self—a "ser vacio" (Bradu 32).2 The author's concern with the problem of domination is evident through her use of a recurring pattern: older, lustful men seeking ful fillment of their own sexual needs in relationships lacking tender ness or compassion are dramatically paired with young girls, barely on the cusp of womanhood, who passionately, obsessively and un successfully seek love. These stories, then, may be seen as developmental tales in which girls, in contrast to boys, shrink into patterns of submission, "grow[ing] down" (Pratt 14).3 Their passive acceptance of marriage with unsuitable husbands indicates how women often are complicit


This report presents new four-round integral properties against the Rijndael cipher with block sizes larger than 128 bits. Using higher-order multiset distinguishers and other well-known extensions of those properties, the deduced attacks reach up to 7 and 8 rounds of Rijndael variants with 160 up to 256-bit blocks. For example, a 7-rounds attack against Rijndael-224 has a time complexity equal to $2^{80}$.


Objective To seek simple and effective method of DNA extraction from epithelial cells samples.Methods 76 DNA samples of epithelial cells extracted by Chelex-100 method were quantitated by ABI 7500 Real Time System and typed with Identifiler system in ABI 3130 Genetic Analyzer.Results The average DNA contents of different epithelial cells samples were put as the following respectively:headgear(8.31ng),glass(6.20ng),toothbrush(49.40ng),shaver(6.92ng),comb(10.68ng),chewing gum(16.30 ng),amniotic fluid(320 ng)。These samples that Amelogenin and above 10 STR loci were typing successfully were 75.8%.Conclusion The epithelial cells samples DNA extracted by Chelex-100 method can be typed successfully.


Perceptions of communities about natural resource conservation are important intermediate outcomes of conservation interventions. This is especially important in communitybased natural resource management regimes, where they need to be assessed before the ultimate outcome of conserved natural resources and biodiversity. The assessments of these perceptions are also very important for conservation management purposes. Selected communities in the AfadjatoAgumatsa area in Ghana, West Africa started community forest conservation in 1999 with technical support from a conservation organization as well as financial support from an international agency. At the beginning of the conservation action, forest conservation perceptions were assessed. In this study, we evaluated the changes in perceptions about forest conservation in three communities living in the AfadjatoAgumatsa area in Ghana, between 1999 and 2009. The method we used was a qualitative pretest posttest evaluation. We also assessed which socioeconomic factors predicted peoples' perceptions about forest conservation. The results suggest that there has been an overall increase in support for forest conservation in the area expressed by the cultural, natural resource and economic benefits and values from the forests since 1999. This increase could be influenced by the cultural and economic benefits that the conservation program introduced. However, some respondents continue to hold reservations about restrictions to the exploitation of natural resources that the conservation program has imposed. This concern has to be continually managed.


Indonesia's tax ratio is low compared to other countries. the importance of tax is unarguable. Currently, tax revenue contributes 70% of the state budget. it is necessary to know how large the tax potential from the indonesian economy actuallyis. Since corporate income tax is the highest contributor of tax revenue , it is important to calculate the tax potential using many diffrent approaches. This study tries to give alternatives in estimating the corporate income  tax potential by using input-output analyses. an operating surplus in the input-output table is considered as a proxy af taxable income. By using impact analysis and the leontief inverse, the author forecasts an operating surplus for years 2006-2010 based the 2005 input-output table. Another important tool is an adjusment on the effective tax rate , since it is unrealistic if using statutory tax. Furthermore, there are several main sectors that still have room for collecting taxes as follows: processingsectors, financial and real estate sectors, transfortationand communication sectors, trade hotel and restaurant sectors non oil and gas mining sectors, and other services sectors . This study proposes that  indonesia has the potential to achieve a higher tax ratio in the near future


Given a query graph that represents a pattern of interest, the emerging pattern detection problem can be viewed as a continuous query problem on a dynamic graph. We present an incremental algorithm for continuous query processing on dynamic graphs. The algorithm is based on the concept of query decomposition; we decompose a query graph into smaller subgraphs and assemble the result of sub-queries to find complete matches with the specified query. The novelty of our work lies in using the subgraph distributional statistics collected from the dynamic graph to generate the decomposition. We introduce a "Lazy Search" algorithm where the search strategy is decided on a vertex-to-vertex basis depending on the likelihood of a match in the vertex neighborhood. We also propose a metric named "Relative Selectivity" that is used to select between different query decomposition strategies. Our experiments performed on real online news, network traffic stream and a synthetic social network benchmark demonstrate 10-100x speedups over competing approaches.


A number can predict a child's future in China. Ask what class he or she is in and you know that a child in an odd-numbered class is more likely to fail to reach university, be from somewhere other than where they usually live and believe the USSR still exists.


The power supply enterprise′s marketability,the commercialized operation,makes to solve the customer properly to the power supply enterprise′s suit,elimination customer dissatisfaction,becomes the marketing management the important constituent.This article unifies the electric power marketing service work characteristic,has analyzed the customer suit main origin,proposed reports to the authorities the marketing question management pattern in view of the suit.


This study aims to increase the mathematic interest fifth grade students of 2 Glagah Elementary School. This type of research is a classroom action research (CAR). The subjects in this study were teachers and fifth grade students of Majegan 3 Elementary School with twenty six students. While the object of research is applying Group Investigation learning strategy. The technique of collecting data through interviews, observation, and testing. Data analysis technique used triangulation source. The results showed an increased interest mathematics of students that includes four aspects of indicators of interest mathematics, which includes: sense of excitement in pre-cycle by 60%, the first cycle of 74% and increased in the second cycle 84%, increasing interest in 64.4% pre-cycle, the first cycle and a 79% increase in cycle II 84%, their interest in maths the 48% pre-cycle, the first cycle of 70% and increased 86.5% in the second cycle, the involvement of the students towards learning Mathematics 60% pre-cycle, the first cycle of 66% and increased 87.5% in the second cycle.Group Investigation learning strategy also increased student learning outcomes at the stage of pre-cycle there are 7students who completed KKM or 27% and increased in the second cycle there are 24 students who completed the KKM or 92%. The conclusion of this study is through the application of Group Investigation learning Strategy can increase the mathematics interest fifth grade students of 2 Glagah Elementary school of school year 2015/2016.

Keywords: Interest in Learning Mathematics, Group Investigation learning Strategy.


My research program reflects the essential interplay between abstract theory and explicit machine computation during the latter half of the twentieth century; it sits at the intersection of recent work of B. Mazur, K. Ribet, J-P. Serre, R. Taylor, and A. Wiles on Galois representations attached to modular abelian varieties (see [21, 24, 26, 28]) with work of J. Cremona, N. Elkies, and J.-F. Mestre on explicit computations involving modular forms (see [9, 11]). In 1969 B. Birch [4] described computations that led to the most fundamental open conjecture in the theory of elliptic curves:


ABSTRACT This pilot study represents the first systematic attempt to determine how common lines are on Election Day, at what times of day lines are most likely to form, what are the bottlenecks in the voting process, and how long it takes an average citizen to cast his or her ballot. This study highlights the importance of evaluating polling station operations as a three-step process: arrival, check-in, and casting a ballot. We collected data during the 2008 presidential primary election in California, measuring the efficiency of the operational components of 30 polling stations across three counties. We found statistically significant, and meaningful, variation in the service rates of poll workers and voting technology. Our findings should better help election officials make critical decisions about the allocation of critical resources.


Background: HIV among pregnant women poses particular risks to their family, offspring and health workers at the time of delivery. Aims: To determine the level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive pregnant women in an HIV/AIDS treatment centre in Ibadan, Nigeria and, to identify factors influencing adherence. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed among 66 HIV-positive pregnant women attending an HIV clinic at Adeoyo Maternity Health Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria. Findings: Results showed that 47% of the HIV-positive pregnant women adhered to their drug regimen, while 53% did not. Among the non-adherent women, forgetfulness (16.4%), unfavourable work schedule (15.2%) and side effects (12.1%) were the common factors reported for missing drugs. Conclusions: The study concluded that the level of adherence to antiretroviral medications among HIV-positive pregnant women was considerably low.


Deucravacitinib is a first-in-class, oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor approved in multiple countries for the treatment of adults with plaque psoriasis[1,2]. Deucravacitinib binds to the unique TYK2 regulatory domain, conferring greater functional selectivity vs JAK inhibitors, which bind to the catalytic domain. Deucravacitinib showed superior efficacy vs placebo in a phase 2 trial in SLE (NCT03252587)[3].This analysis assessed the pharmacokinetics (PK), selectivity profile compared to JAK inhibitors, and exposure-response (E-R) relationship for efficacy and safety of deucravacitinib in SLE.In the phase 2 trial, patients with active SLE were randomized 1:1:1:1 to placebo or deucravacitinib (3 mg BID, 6 mg BID, 12 mg QD). PK analysis included pooled concentration data from 266 SLE patients and 328 phase 1 participants. IC50was determined byin vitrowhole blood assays and plotted against PK profiles. E-R analyses included data from 356 patients. Logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between deucravacitinib exposure and probability of achieving efficacy endpoints and safety events at weeks 32 and 48.Deucravacitinib PK in SLE patients was not meaningfully different from that in phase 1 participants. At 12 mg QD, deucravacitinib Cmaxwas 8-fold lower than JAK 1/3 IC50and 47-fold lower than JAK 2/2 IC50(Figure 1). In the E-R analyses, the probability of achieving SRI(4) and BICLA at week 32 increased with increasing deucravacitinib CminSS, with 3 mg BID providing near-maximal response. The E-R relationship for infection and infestation was relatively flat, while skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders increased with increasing deucravacitinib CminSS. These E-R relationships were similar at week 48.Deucravacitinib PK in SLE patients is not meaningfully different from that in phase 1 participants. At clinically relevant exposures, deucravacitinib demonstrates highly selective inhibition of TYK2 vs JAK 1/2/3. The deucravacitinib E-R relationships are well characterized for various efficacy endpoints and safety events.[1]Armstrong A, et al.J Am Acad Dermatol.2023;88(1):29-39.[2]Strober B, et al.J Am Acad Dermatol.2023;88(1):40-51.[3]Morand E, et al.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022 Nov 11 (Epub ahead of print).This study was sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb.Takafumi Ide Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Manoj Chiney Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Huynh Yen Thanh Bach Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Vineet Goti Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Bindu Murthy Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Coburn Hobar Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Qihong Zhao Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Urvi Aras Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb.


In this paper we describe a Monte Carlo calculation of the surface tension of water at 25 °C. The procedure used involves computing the free energy required to create a surface in a system of 256 water molecules with periodic boundary conditions imposed. In order to optimize computing time we have used a modified version of an umbrella sampling algorithm suggested by Torrie and Valleau. The excess surface free energy is computed in a series of steps, the most important of which consist of incremental calculations in which the interface is gradually created. Our final result is γ=97±6 dynes/cm, larger than the experimental value of 72 dyn/cm. Reasons for the rather large difference are discussed. Our result can be used as a basis for comparison of the surface tension of water/air interfaces with the surface tension of other aqueous interfaces calculated using the same technique.


The invention relates to a combined cable and air-channel for the cabinet air conditioning, an air channel (1) and adjacent one to the air duct (1), parallel to the air duct (1) guided in the cable duct (2), wherein a first longitudinal side (3) of the air duct (1) at least one opening (4), and wherein a longitudinal side (5) of the cable duct (2) is a detachably latched locking side (6). The invention further relates to a corresponding cabinet.


and opened the perspective of a potential useof 1D magnetic molecular nanowires for information storage.Even though 1D magnetism is a very active area of research,such dynamic behavior was never detected before since it isnot clear how to fulfill experimentally the requirements of aperfect 1D Ising-type chain. This finding prompted us to lookcarefully at 1D systems containing anisotropic elements,suchas cobalt(ii) and low-spin iron(iii) centers that we synthesizedrecently,


In order to study the influence of PS-C grout with different C/W ratios on its groutability to different fractures of Jiaohe ruins,the grouting pressure and effects are discussed.Based on the data of experiments,a conclusion is drawn that when the fracture width is larger than 1 cm,the grout with 0.6 C/W ratio should be used.When it is 0.75 cm to~1 cm,the grout with 0.65 C/W ratio should be used.The grout with C/W ratio of 0.7 should be used when the fracture width is between 0.5 cm and 0.75 cm.When it is smaller than 0.5 cm,the grout with C/W ratio of 0.75 should be used.


Abstract. The Brazilian VHA 14-X is a technological demonstrator of a hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system based on supersonic combustion (scramjet) to fly at Earth's atmosphere at 30km altitude at Mach number 10, designed at the Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory of Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics, at the Institute for Advanced Studies. Basically, scramjet is an aeronautical engine, without moving parts, therfore it is necessary another propulsion system to accelerate the scramjet to the operation conditions. Rocket engines is a low-cost solution to launch scramjet integrated vehicle to flight to the test conditions. The Brazilian two-stage rocket engines (S31 and S30) are able to boost the VHA 14-X to the predetermined conditions of the scramjet operation, 30km altitude but at Mach number 7. Therefore, the VHA 14-X S project has being developed to fly at the Earth's atmosphere at 30km altitude at Mach number 7. Analytical theoretical analysis, computational fluid dynamics simulation and experimental investigation are the methodologies used to design the Brazilians technological demonstrators, before flight through Earth's atmosphere. Vehicles flying at high speeds undergo a process of temperature increase at the wall and surrounding. Knowledge of the phenomenon, as well as determining the intensity, is of paramount importance to the material specification to be used for its manufacture, its thermal protection that keeping the wall temperature and in the indoor temperature of vehicle at acceptable levels and also prevent telemetry problems generated by ionization of the air. Aerodynamic heating based on Fay and Riddell methodology is evalueted at the stagnation point of the VHA 14-X B under two models of the gas: calorically perfect (γ=1.4) and equilibrium air. The results show that lower values are found for equilibrium model, because the effects of the molecular vibrational energy are considered. However, the levels of the heating found in both cases are high, in order of MW/m.


Traditional univariate shift-share studies of employment provide an unreliable indicator of the relative performance of a region or an industry for they fail to separate the effects of output and productivity change on the demand for labor. An extended shift-share model is proposed that overcomes this weakness and permits identification of different processes of regional development. This model is used to investigate annual employment change in twenty (two-digit SIC) manufacturing industries in nine census regions of the U.S. between 1950 and 1986. The timing and depth of the exodus of manufacturing jobs from the snowbelt to the sunbelt is illustrated along with the business cycle performance of industries and regions. Productivity growth in the sunbelt is positively associated with rapid output expansion, whereas in the snowbelt it is associated with the loss of market share and economic rationalization.


Introduction: Although generic orthopaedic implants have been available for several years, there has been slow adoption of this cost-saving option. We hypothesize equivalent outcomes between generic and conventional cephalomedullary nails (CMN) in the treatment of peritrochanteric femur fractures. Methods: We evaluated 419 patients undergoing CMN for peritrochanteric femur fracture with a minimum 6-month follow-up. Demographic data, radiographic assessment, and clinical outcomes were compared. Results: Ninety patients were treated with generic implants and 329 patients with conventional implants. The overall complication rate was 7.0%, with a revision surgery rate of 5.4%. No significant differences were seen in demographic variables or surgical factors. Although there was an increased incidence of postoperative infections with conventional nails (P = 0.045), no significant differences were seen in other complications. Conclusion: At our institution, generic nails cost approximately 38% less than their conventional counterparts. There seems to be no increased rate of implant-associated complications with the use of generic CMNs, although allowing for notable cost savings.


Changes of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and protein activities were assessed during the rooting process of two cultivars of olive. Cuttings bases were submitted to a quick dip treatment to promote rooting, using indol-3-butyric acid (IBA). Samples for quantification of enzyme activities were collected at 0-60-120 days after culture. The highest peroxidase activities were measured at first of the sampling, these values decreased in connection with the root formation. Polyphenol oxidase activity maximized on the 60 days and then declined to a minimum on 120 days in both cultivars. The total protein contents increased during 60 days of culture. All these results indicate that peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and protein are more important in rooting of olive cuttings.


A novel series of coumarin linked imidazole derivatives 4(a-l) were synthesized by reacting 3-(1H-imidazol- 1yl-acetyl) coumarin (3) with various substituted phenyl hydrazines. The compound (3) itself was synthesized by reacting 3-(2-bromoacetyl)coumarin (2) with imidazole in 1,4-dioxan.The structures of all the synthesized compounds have been established on the basis of physical, spectral and elemental analyses data. Among the 12 compounds that have been screened for antifungal activity against C.krusei, C.albicans, A.niger, A.flavus and P.notatum, compounds 4b,4d and 4e possessing o, p-chloro and p-bromo substitutions showed significant activity mainly against C.krusei and C.albicans, moderate activity against A.niger and A.flavus and negligible against P.notatum at a concentration of 250µg/mL and 500µg/mL.


: This study examines the relationship between cultural institutions, Cultural identity, and ideology in Chinese museums through a discourse analysis. The Palace Museum, the Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and the Xinjiang Regional Museum are used as case studies. The research methods employed include discourse analysis, content analysis, critical discourse analysis, in-depth interviews and a field survey. The results of this study show that these museums present narratives that construct a Cultural identity rooted in the past, but also forward-looking and modern. These narratives are closely tied to the ideology of the Chinese and are used to promote a sense of unity and continuity among the Chinese people. However, there are also contradictions and limitations in the construction of Cultural identity through these cultural institutions.


Abstract The effect of Pyrax dust (pyrax), alginate pellets, and activated vermiculite/bran (VBB) formulations containing biomass of the biocontrol fungus Gliocladium virens (G1-3) on pre- and postemergence damping-off of snapbeans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) caused by Sclerotium rolfsii was determined from greenhouse and field trials. The ability of these formulations to reduce germination of scierotia of S. rolfsii was also evaluated. In the greenhouse, pyrax/biomass and alginate pellet formulations, which provided as little as 1.5 × 10 3 colony forming units (cfu) of G1-3 per gram of soil, significantly increased plant stand in pathogen-infested soil over that in the untreated control. Formulations which provided 3.0 × 10 3 cfu of G1-3 per gram of soil gave stands (>80%) comparable to that in noninfested, pathogen-free soil. In order to achieve similar results with activated VBB, soil had to be amended with a formulation that provided at least 2.3 × 10 4 cfu of G1-3 per gram of soil. All three formulations reduced the germination of sclerotia of S. rolfsii in loamy sand and loam soils in the greenhouse. In loamy sand amended with pyrax/biomass, alginate pellets, and activated VBB, the scierotial germination was inversely correlated ( r = −0.93, −0.94, and −0.79, respectively) with snapbean stand in the greenhouse. However, a higher rate of activated VBB than the other two formulations was necessary to achieve a comparable reduction in sclerotial germination. Over a 2-year field study, all three formulations added to soil to provide 10 3 to 10 4 cfu of G1-3 per gram significantly prevented damping-off, but no treatment yielded a plant stand similar to that in noninfested soil (73-85%) after 35 days of growth. Pyrax/biomass, alginate pellets, and activated VBB gave final stands of 59 to 73, 57 to 71, and 62 to 77%, respectively. The addition of the formulations to loamy sand in the field resulted in a 1000-fold increase in propagule numbers of G1-3 within 11 days of application.


The propagating spin wave spectroscopy (PSWS) technique is applied for the first time to metallic thin film patterns, allowing to measure their magnetostatic wave modes. Using micrometer scale local excitation and detection, we show that magnetostatic surface waves propagate on a distance as long as 40 μm in a continuous permalloy film. In micrometer wide permalloy stripes, we observe both quantized spin wave modes and quasi-saturation modes, well explained by existing models. In addition, low-frequency additional modes were observed which, we suggest, are generated in the magnetically inhomogeneous edge regions.


The conceptual model of information architecture of a system for managing the interaction of economic agents is presented. The model allows determining the main indicators of the enterprise in terms of interaction and shows the advantages or disadvantages of working with other economic agents in various conditions that affect the object of study. The proposed method is especially effective in crisis conditions and in conditions of complex external environment, when companies have to look for new methods of business organizing for effective work.


New mixed-valent copper chalcogenides BaCuS3_ x and K3Cu8X6 with X = Se or Te and KCu3Se2, with chemical patterns corresponding to the recently investigated K3Cu8S6 and KCu3S2, were synthesized. For these new samples the results of resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements are presented. For BaCuS 3_x , K3Cu8Se6 and KCu3Se2 the metal—insulator transition is observed with the low temperature phase being metallic, which is untypical, whereas K3Cu8Te6 is a metal in the investigated temperature range. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of the studied samples testifies to their diamagnetic or weakly paramagnetic behaviour.


Spin valves based on materials in which the spin-flip is suppressed by the spatial separation of charge carriers, while maintaining electric neutrality in the valve volume, are considered. The possibility of using these valves as electric batteries is discussed. It is shown that if the potential difference across the valve is controlled, incommensurability effects such as the "devil's staircase" may be expected, which are associated with the Coulomb interaction and redistribution of electrons occurring while the battery is charged and discharged. The effects of the emergence and vanishing of spontaneous spin polarization of conduction electrons with a change in the Fermi level in the valve are predicted. Such spin valves can also be used in implementing spintronic memory cells, supercapacitors, and similar devices.


Apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) has been proposed to be involved in lipid and glucose metabolism and related to cardiovascular risks. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of apoC-III levels with coronary severity and cardiovascular outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients under different glucose metabolism status.

 A total of 4342 consecutive patients with newly angiography-proven stable CAD were enrolled and categorized into three groups according to apoC-III levels and further stratified by glucose metabolism status [diabetes mellitus (DM), pre-DM, normal glucose regulation (NGR)]. Patients were followed for the occurrence of cardiovascular events (CVEs). Plasma apoC-III concentration was measured by enzyme immunoassay and coronary severity was assessed by number of diseased vessels, Gensini score and syntax score. The relationships of apoC-III levels with coronary severity and CVEs were evaluated.

 389 (9.0%) CVEs were developed during a follow-up of 5.1 years. Plasma apoC-III levels were increased in prediabetic and diabetic patients with stable CAD. Elevated apoC-III levels were associated with more severe coronary lesion and the risk for CVEs. No significant differences in incident CVEs and coronary severity were observed between pre-DM and NGR groups. When combined glucose metabolism status and apoC-III levels as stratifying factors, patients with the highest apoC-III levels and pre-diabetic or diabetic patients with any levels of apoC-III had more sever coronary lesion and higher risk of subsequent CVEs compared to those with the lowest apoC-III levels and NGR.

 Our data firstly found that elevated apoC-III levels were greatly associated with coronary severity and adverse cardiovascular events in stable CAD patients with pre-DM and DM, which suggested apoC-III may be a prognostic predictor among CAD patient with impaired glucose metabolism.

 Type of funding sources: None.


To the Editor: —In rereading some copies ofThe JournalI find an editorial comment entitled "Physiologic Death and Artificial Respiration (April 23, p. 1471). The statement is made that "public utility companies could render a still greater public service if they would offer to provide instruction to the public in the proper methods of artificial respiration." I want to give the doctors a clearer idea of just what is being done by our First Aid Service and to explain the plan and purpose of its work. The American Red Cross First Aid Service was originated in 1910. The primary purpose is accident prevention in that it has been found that persons trained in first aid are safer workmen. Secondly and almost equally important is proper first aid until medical aid is secured. This includes such important measures as artificial respiration, digital pressure for control of bleeding, and proper transportation


CONTEXT
Clinical trial evidence indicates that estrogen therapy with or without progestins increases venous thrombotic risk. The findings from these trials, which used oral conjugated equine estrogens, may not be generalizable to other estrogen compounds.

OBJECTIVE
To compare risk of venous thrombosis among esterified estrogen users, conjugated equine estrogen users, and nonusers.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This population-based, case-control study was conducted at a large health maintenance organization in Washington State. Cases were perimenopausal and postmenopausal women aged 30 to 89 years who sustained a first venous thrombosis between January 1995 and December 2001 and controls were matched on age, hypertension status, and calendar year.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Risk of first venous thrombosis in relation to current use of esterified or conjugated equine estrogens, with or without concomitant progestin. Current use was defined as use at thrombotic event for cases and a comparable reference date for controls.

RESULTS
Five hundred eighty-six incident venous thrombosis cases and 2268 controls were identified. Compared with women not currently using hormones, current users of esterified estrogen had no increase in venous thrombotic risk (odds ratio [OR], 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-1.22). In contrast, women currently taking conjugated equine estrogen had an elevated risk (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.24-2.19). When analyses were restricted to estrogen users, current users of conjugated equine estrogen had a higher risk than current users of esterified estrogen (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.11-2.84). Among conjugated equine estrogen users, increasing daily dose was associated with increased risk (trend P value = .02). Among all estrogen users, concomitant progestin use was associated with increased risk compared with use of estrogen alone (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.13-2.26).

CONCLUSION
Our finding that conjugated equine estrogen but not esterified estrogen was associated with venous thrombotic risk needs to be replicated and may have implications for the choice of hormones in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.


Focusing on the mixed conditions of both random variables and interval variables, this paper constructs a hybrid reliability analysis algorithm based on adaptive step size. First, the double-loop optimization model is decoupled into a sequence reliability analysis model of probability analysis and interval analysis. In probability analysis, we use the existing iterative information to determine the adaptive step length parameters and find the most probability point (MPP). In interval analysis, quadratic programming is used to find the optimum point in the interval variable space. Finally, the results of two case studies show that the proposed algorithm have a good calculation accuracy compared with Monte Carlo Sampling (MCS). In particular, the algorithm also has high calculation efficiency and convergence stability when the performance function has a high degree of nonlinear.


Communication Board (CB) is an Assistive Technology (AT) that enables people who have speech impairment to communicate their needs or desires using visual-graphic symbols. Since each patient has individual needs, it is important to offer a customizable approach to define the vocabulary of their CB. In this context, this paper proposes a modeling language for diagramming the CB vocabulary. Its feasibility, expressiveness and usefulness were validated through the construction of a software that will be described later in this paper.


Prime Therapeutics has studied the costs and clinical events relationship among their members using a controlled substances (CS) score algorithm that identifies potential overuse/abuse of opioids/controlled substances.


Vacancies for NHS consultant posts in Scotland increased by more than 25% in the past year, official figures have shown. BMA Scotland expressed alarm at the figures and warned the Scottish government that it faced a "major recruitment and retention problem" that could threaten services.

The figures, published by Information Services Division Scotland,1 showed that the number of vacant whole time …


Abstract:Published in 1991, Victor Villaseñor's Rain of Gold is a national best-seller that has received scant critical attention. The lack of literary criticism, especially within the subfields of multi-ethnic literary studies and US empire studies, is particularly surprising given the book's engagement with a century of international struggle between Mexico, Old Europe, and the United States. Informed by critical work on the imperial histories and cultures of the Americas, this study traces several intersecting narratives within the text, which document the experiences of individuals crossed by the expanding political, economic, and territorial borders of the United States during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These stories provide critical insights into the tensions experienced by a nation struggling to reconcile its socially inclusive mythologies with its systemic oppression of certain American subjects. In conversation with Chicana/o cultural critics, including Sonia Saldívar-Hull and Ramón Saldivar, this article reads Rain of Gold as a feminist dismantling of binary choices between assimilation and marginalization initiated by the book's matriarchs, who work to subvert nativist constructions of citizenship on both sides of the US-Mexico border. The focus on the resistance efforts of Villaseñor's ancestors through the layering of private lives and public histories exposes the domestic and foreign operations of US empire and reveals common patterns of marginalization left out of the official historical record. By unsettling codes of spatial and political belonging, the work produces alternate strategies for creating community from divisive social and political landscapes, a project of critical importance in today's twenty-first-century America.


In view of the characteristics of arc gouging,the temperature field of arc gouging was simulated with the method of deactivation of elements using FEM,and the influence of the temperature field on the microstructure of the groove was also researched.The studies show that the temperature fields of arc gouging change sharply,especially the cooling speeds exceed that of the welding processes.Because the high heat affected zone is very narrow,the microstructures changing zone of the groove is also narrow,and the main microstructure in this zone is fine martensite for 10Ni5CrMoV steel.


Experimental teaching is a key component in the experiment practical teaching system of electronic information specialty. However, the development of traditional experiment teaching has been hindered by many restricting factors, such as devices, work-places, teaching staffs and institutions. To ease the situation, the bottleneck which has been suffered during the networking for the experimental teaching in electronic information specialty are analyzed and summed up in this paper. And a novel experiment teaching for electronic information specialty has been obtained. It will offer more effective reference for the information of experimental teaching in electronic information specialty in "Post-MOOC Era".


European integration has led to considerable changes within the political systems of the member states. This phenomenon is known as "Europeanisation" and has been subject to intensive research. The following study of the Green parliamentary group (Bundnis 90/Die Grunen) in the German Bundestag exemplifies the Europeanisation of a category of actors that has so far remained unstudied in spite of its relevance for the Europeanisation of national parliaments in general. An institutionalist approach is developed to explore four dimensions of the parliamentary group's Europeanisation: the formation of specialist expertise, the establishment of information channels, the internal coordination of European policy as well as attempts to assert political influence directly on EU level. The empirical analysis is based upon oral and written interviews of 13 members and employees of the Green parlia-mentary group and the German delegation in the European Green parliamentary group. The benefit of the study is of empirical as well as theoretical nature: the empirical analysis contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the Europeanisation of the Bundestag. Furthermore, the development and testing of a specific approach for the analysis of parliamentary groups increases the theoretical scope of Europeanisation studies.


Concentrated emulsions of flavor oleoresins are pre pared by (1) forming a solution or cohoidal solution of the oleoresin in a diluent; (2) forming a preformed mixture comprising an emulsion stabilizer and at least one oil selected from the group consisting of edible and essential oils; (3) mixing said solution or colloidal solution with said preformed mixture with agitation; (4) adding an aqueous solution or dispersion of an emulsion stabilizer to form a final mixture; and (5) emulsifying said final mixture. The product aqueous emulsion may be spray dried to form an encapsulated oleoresin.


The anti-Stokes luminescence spectra of crystals corresponding to the , , , , , , , , , , , , and transitions upon excitation of the level of ions are studied. A method for visualisation of IR radiation in the two-micron range using crystals is proposed. The energy efficiency of conversion of two-micron laser radiation to radiation in the red spectral range by a crystal is estimated to be no higher than 0.02 %.


Significance: The low nucleophilicity of 1,3-dicarbonyl metal enolates and the ready retro-aldol reaction have stalled the development of metal catalysts for asymmetric aldol reactions. The protocol uses overall neutral conditions where only the metal center acts as Lewis acid. Using BINAP as the chiral ligand, the reaction yields protected alcohols directly with excellent enantioselectivity. Comment: Recognizing acetals as oxocarbenium ion precursors is the key for the success of the reaction. Competitive retro-aldol reactions are prevented. Furthermore, the strategy affords highly functionalized chiral products bearing chemodifferented synthetic handles (ketone, alkene, ester and protected alcohol). In some cases, a palladium catalyst was not optimal and necessitated the use of a more stable platinum catalyst (i.e. 3e). Intriguingly, when an unsubstituted acrylate acetal was used, it reacted via a 1,4-addition (6). 3 43–86% yield dr = 2:1 to 6:1 96−99% ee [(BINAP)Pd(OH)2]OTf2 (10 mol%)


The Open Access movement (OA), is a movement that occurred just over 10 years ago with the signing of the first declaration in Budapest, followed in 2003 by those in Bethesda and Berlin. The emergence of this movement in Europe and North America is mainly due to the increase in the cost of research journals, which suffered the brunt of "journal aggregator" companies that began to obtain ownership of multiple journals and hence acquire control and decision over their prices. This led academics, researchers and university libraries from the first world to have problems in acquiring them, since the cost of subscriptions multiplied exponentially.


Through the dream, the fantasy and the metaphor we expand our sensitive experience and can reach a different world view. Every time this happens the symbolic function becomes predominant and the process of knowledge is entirely entrusted (Fonzi et al., 1975; Durand, 1987). In hypnotic state, unlike spontaneous productions (dream activity, artistic expression ecc.), the symbolic function can be consciously channelled towards achieving specific goals. In this optical is examined a text of C. Levi-Strauss (Levi-Strauss, 1966) about a shamanistic ritual of healing and is compared with hypnotic techniques.


The study was conducted on 1,042 Punjabi adults and adolescent boys and girls (11-17 years) belonging to middle class families residing in Delhi, India. To study the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on various fat measures, a set of 7 body measurements namely weight, stature and skinfold thickness at biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and medial calf measurements was taken on each subject. There was a redistribution of fat away from extremity towards the trunk, a rapid occurring process in males than in females. Increase in body mass index (BMI) with age was more pronounced in females than in males, both at adolescence and adult stage. There was an increase in grand mean thickness (GMT) calculated as mean of all five skinfold thicknesses, in adolescent girls where as in adolescent boys it fluctuated with age. The trunk/extremity ratios reflected a trend in favor of increase in trunk fat, more marked in boys than in girls. The correlations were of low magnitude, however, some skin folds displayed relatively higher value of correlation indicating that these could be determinant of adult obesity.


Rather than presenting an academic paper, I wanted to simply examine my own perspective as a physical educator and classroom teacher and the importance of creating relationships with children. As a relatively new physical educator and recent Masters of Education graduate of the University of Toronto at OISE, but experienced classroom teacher working in a Toronto public school, spirituality at first appeared to be the farthest thing that affected both my life and the life of my classes. During the last two years, I became increasingly aware of the connection between physical education and feelings of enthusiasm and perseverance that have helped my students to see themselves in positive ways. The relationship developed between teacher and student had been apparent to me but I had not realised how important until I began graduate school and reflecting on both my classroom practice and how it had extended into the gymnasium. I often thought that physical education teachers tended to focus on the physical aspects and skills, but instead I found that it was indeed making a shared connection with my students through the various physical and everyday activities as of the highest importance. The shared connections encourage feelings of perseverance, and fit together between mind, body and spirit, which also encouraged active participation and success. What I had suspected to be true for the classroom really was true anywhere in the school community. My experiences as a physical educator and classroom teacher helped me create positive learning environments for children as they struggled with academic and physical activities. With this paper, I am asking academics to help teachers such as myself to understand the correlation to something we as teachers take for granted as part of our everyday teacher–student relationship.


We report the photoinduced conjugation of polymers synthesized via reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with a number of low molecular weight (functional) olefins. Upon irradiation of a solution of an aliphatic alkene and the benzyl dithioacetic acid ester (CPDA) or dodecyl trithiocarbonate (DoPAT) functional poly(alkyl acrylate) at the absorption wavelength of the thiocarbonyl group (315 nm), incorporation of the alkene at the polymer chain-end occurred. The most efficient systems identified with regard to the rate of reaction and yield were poly(butyl acrylate)/CPDA/ethyl vinyl ether (78% monoinsertion product after 1 h) and poly(butyl acrylate)/CPDA/1-pentene (73% insertion product after 7 h) at ambient temperature. An in-depth analysis of the reaction mechanism by 1H NMR and online size-exclusion chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (SEC/ESI−MSn) revealed that a possible [2 + 2] photoaddition mechanism of conjugation does not take place. Ins...


Elaboration of technology leads to increasing complexity of the enterprise using it, and the type of technology available for particular purposes sets limits to the types of structures appropriate for organizations. Comparing the mining enterprise, the manufacturer, the hospital, and the university, the authors advance a number of propositions about relationships between technology and administrative processes. James D. Thompson is director of the A dministrative Science Center, University of Pittsburgh. Frederick L. Bates is associate professor of sociology in Louisiana State University.


Objective: To evaluate the early therapeutic alternatives such as Bosentan an Endothelin receptor blocker, Theophylline and Adenosin receptor blocker and Vardenafil a non-selective Phosphodiesterase 5 enzyme inhibitor for the therapy of ischemic priapism in the rat models. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups. Control group, Vardenafil group, Bosentan group and Theophylline group. Erection was provided by vacuum constriction method and it was maintained for 4 hours for achieving the priapism in all groups. Then, Six rats from each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Consequently, cavernous tissue samples were collected and placed in the tissue bath. Tissue samples were prepared as 0.5-0.2 cm. strips and put into heat jacketed double walled organ bath containing 37°C krebs solution which is constantly bubbled with 95% O2 and 5 % CO2 and mounted at a resting tension of 1000 mg. After taking the 1 hour record of the three groups except the control group, Bosentan, Theophylline and Vardenafil were admitted in increasing doses. Consequently the alterations of the contractions in the strips due to the drugs and their increasing doses are observed. Results: In this study we detected that Bosentan increased the frequency and amplitude of the contractions of the cavernous tissue in the Priapism status in a statistically significant manner, Theophylline decreased the frequency and the amplitude significantly and Vardenafil had statistically no effect on the frequency and amplitude. Conclusion: Inhibition of priapism induced apoptosis with Bosentan, seems promising on preserving erectile function. Key words: Bosentan, ischemic priapism, theophylline, vardenafil


Penny Harrison, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing at De Montfort University, Leicester, discusses the confusion that arises from how roles are named


This research takes a new perspective in explaining the willingness to use debit cards in which the use of debit cards is treated as a rational choice over cash, its alternative means of payment. Upon the adaption of rational choice theory, this study comprehensively identifies the costs and benefits associated with debit card usage and tests the effects of these forces on debit cardholders' willingness to use the card. Moreover, this study also investigates the influence of cash habit on the willingness to use debit cards. This research employed both the qualitative method with in-depth interview to develop hypotheses and measurement scales and quantitative survey on 376 Vietnamese debit cardholders to test the conceptual model. The findings indicate that the willingness to use debit cards can be significantly encouraged by enhancing perceived benefits and reducing perceived adaptation costs associated with debit card usage. Moreover, although the habit of using cash does not directly affect willingness to use debit cards, it significantly weakens the positive impacts of perceived benefits and strengthens the negative impacts of perceived adaption costs on willingness to use debit cards.


There is an inseparable connection between the health of soils and the well-being of people. Disturbances—changing climate and environment, invasive species, increasing wildfire severity and frequency, land management practices, and land use changes—are affecting soil health in complex ways that are only partially understood. This assessment provides a baseline for soil health by synthesizing the most recent research on the properties and processes characterizing forest, rangeland, wetland, and urban soils at regional and national levels. It also summarizes the current state of knowledge about the effects of historical and ongoing disturbances. Finally, it highlights the technologies, networks, and outreach programs central to future research on, and monitoring and management of, the nation's soils. The state of the knowledge indicates that adverse changes to soil properties could, in the long term, undermine the primary ecosystem services provided by soils: abundant water, food, and fiber and moderation of climate warming. Research that can further explain the underlying principles of soil science and the effects of disturbances is needed to inform policies and management practices to optimize soil health on a broad scale and support human health and welfare through the twentyfirst century. In this chapter, we identify key challenges and opportunities for soils research and management grouped by overarching themes: (1) understanding basic soil properties and processes; (2) understanding disturbance effects; (3) monitoring, modeling, mapping, and data-sharing; (4) training the next generation of scientists; and (5) managing soils. Each theme is introduced with a short recapitulation of its significance and associated issues. Please see the individual chapters and appendixes of this report for a fuller discussion of topical and regional issues, research findings, and information gaps. A distinct advantage of this particular time in history is that the scientific understanding of soils, the quantity of soils data, and the consistency, organization, and accessibility of these data have never been greater or of higher quality. Numerous federally funded efforts; long-term monitoring networks (Appendix B) and studies; collaborations across multiple agency, state, and private research institutions, together with contributions by nongovernmental organizations and private enterprise; and advances in chemical, physical, and computational techniques are enabling researchers to gather and interpret immense quantities of data. From detailed genomic descriptions of the microbial diversity found in a gram of soil to satellite-mounted instruments allowing the remote assessment of soil moisture across vast swaths of the planet, new tools are yielding information at scales and in quantities that were previously unthinkable. Assessments of these new data along with those from traditional approaches and on-site measurements are informing science-based management recommendations that are setting the stage for sitespecific tailoring of soil management practices (Chap. 9). These advances in technology, communication, monitoring, and networking are the prime resources and create the opportunities for addressing the research challenges critical to solving the daunting tasks of growing enough food and sustaining the nation's soil-driven ecosystem services into the future. It is no coincidence that the words "earth" and "soil" are often used interchangeably in ordinary conversation. It is a crucial concept that a narrow range of conditions for both proL. H. Geiser (*) · T. Patel-Weynand Washington Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC, USA e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com