The massive generation of medical data from smart health-care applications in recent years necessitates the development of big data classification strategies. Medical data classification can be used to visualize patterns in the data and detect the presence of the disease in medical data. We present an efficient support vector machine (SVM) hybridized with a grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm for chronic kidney disease (CKD) data classification in this work. Initially, infinite feature selection (IFS) algorithm is used to select the best features from a set of available features. The dataset's selected features are processed and fed into the GWO optimized SVM algorithm. The proposed CKD classification strategy has been simulated in MATLAB. CKD dataset from UCI machine learning repository is utilized for testing the developed strategy. The performance of the proposed CKD classification strategy is examined by accuracy and root mean square error (RMSE) values. According to the investigational findings, the proposed CKD classification system achieved accuracy and RMSE value of 97.58% and 0.1581, respectively, for classifying subjects into the CKD and non-CKD categories. The performance of GWO optimized SVM algorithm is outstanding, according to the experimental observations.


I attempt to analyse the next-to-leading-order non-holomorphic contribution to the Wilsonian low-energy effective action in the four-dimensional N = 2 gauge theories with matter, from the manifestly N = 2 supersymmeric viewpoint by using the harmonic superspace. In particular, the perturbative one-loop correction is found to be in agreement with the N = 1 superfield calculations of de Wit, Grisaru and Roček. The previously unknown coefficient in front of that perturbative non-holomorphic correction is calculated in the case of the SU(2) gauge group. A special attention is paid to the N = 2 superconformal gauge theories, whose one-loop non-holomorphic contribution can be exact, even non-perturbatively. The coefficient in front of the next-to-leading-order term turns out to be zero in the case of the N = 4 super-YangMills theory, while it does not vanish in the case of finite N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories with four hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation of the gauge group. Supported in part by the 'Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft' and the NATO grant CQG 930789 2 On leave of absence from: High Current Electronics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Akademichesky 4, Tomsk 634055, Russia


the main process,parameters,result and cost of middle water reusing in MCC paper Yinhe Co.,Ltd are introduced in this paper,which is the shortcut of saving water and reducing energy consumption and pollutant.


A simple, efficient, flexible and accurate interpolation method, CIVA, is introduced for use with mesh-free methods for flow simulations. The method enables mesh-free cubic interpolation with the local co-ordinate system, such as volume and area co-ordinates, by utilizing the concept of the CIP scheme and allows the development of new highly accurate mesh-free methods. The mesh-free methods integrate the gridless, particle and CIP methods since they have flexibility in the treatment of moving calculation points. For achieving high accuracy with the CIVA method, it is also important to correctly evaluate particle movement. The improvement of the evaluating algorithm is another objective of this study. The validity of the algorithms is confirmed by applying them to the convection and convection-diffusion problems. Since the CIVA-based mesh-free methods enable flexible, efficient and accurate fluid simulation, they make it possible to perform highly accurate simulations of many kinds of problems that involve complicated geometries and phenomena


Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is based on the imaging of the reflected light. Due to high light absorption by retinal vessels, reflected light from locations beneath these vessels is significantly decreased [4]. The phenomenon produces a shadow image below vascular structures. In 1997, Podoleanu et al., suggested using OCT to generate en face images of the retina [5]. This technique offered the potential to image individual retinal layers on the coronal plane. One of the main advantages of en faceimages is that the branching pattern of arterioles and veinules is more easily appreciated at several planes than on B-scans. Adequate averaging and flattening of the obtained C-scans allow additional improvement in the delineation of blood vessels.


A dequate food supplies depend on productive land. Soil erosion is a major environmental problem that threatens world food production (UNEP 1980). Today the human population is greater than ever before, and more people are malnourished (Swaminathan 1983). At present, one billion people are malnourished and the problem is growing rapidly (Latham 1984). Currently 97% of the world's food supply comes from land rather than oceans and other aquatic systems (CEQ 1980). Therefore, the control of soil erosion for a sustainable agricultural system is essential to any program to improve world food security and development. Just at a time when agricultural efforts are focused on increasing crop yields, land degradation is increasing. The dimensions of land destruction


The applications of epoxy resins have been limited in the field of multifunctional materials, owing to their brittleness and single functionalization. Modifying the resin matrix with graphene is considered as one of the effective ways to toughen and expand the functionalization of epoxy resin. In this paper, graphene-based composites were prepared under superstrong magnetic field environments, generated by a superconducting magnet. The composites had anisotropic photopermeability. The results of photopermeability measurements of the graphene oxide composites showed that the graphene oxide was aligned by the superstrong magnetic field. The orientation time of graphene oxide with a mass fraction from 0.05 to 0.5 wt% was about 3 min and the orientation rate was inversely proportional to the additive amount of graphene oxide and viscosity of the resin matrix. The photopermeability and thermal expansion of the anisotropic composites with different types of graphene materials were compared. The photopermeability parallel to the direction of the magnetic field lines was better than that perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. The photopermeability parallel to the magnetic field lines of the composites with graphene oxide was larger than those of nanographene sheets or reduced graphene oxide. The coefficient of linear expansion parallel to the direction of the magnetic field lines was smaller than that perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. The coefficient of linear expansion perpendicular to the magnetic field lines of the composites with nanographene sheets was larger than those of reduced graphene oxide or graphene oxide.


e14004Background: Depression and anxiety are frequent causes of excess morbidity for cancer patients, but access to mental health care, including outpatient psychiatry, is limited across academic a...


Abstract. This paper describes the use of a web-based Essay Critiquing System and its integration into in a series of composition workshops for a group of secondary school students in Hong Kong. It begins with a review and application of the hybrid learning approach, followed by a description of a methodology for corpus preparation and the distribution computing architecture for the system. Then, it explicates the way in which the system is integrated into a writing pedagogy implemented in the workshop and the feasibility evaluation result. The positive result confirms the benefits of hybrid learning. 1 Introduction English is taught as a second language for students in Hong Kong. Among the four language skills, writing seems to be difficult to many second language students and they feel stressful in composition lessons. They have either difficulty in generating ideas to have a good coverage of the composition topic or insufficient time to well organize their ideas and thoughts within the lessons. Although process writing has been practiced for some time and teachers are encouraged to give feedback to students' writing drafts, they also find it stressful to provide immediate individual formative feedback within a lesson, especially when the class size is large. To alleviate this learning and teaching barrier, we developed a web-based system called Essay Critiquing System (ECS). ECS makes use of an automatic text analysis technique known as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to give students just-in-time feedback for reflecting on the essay content and organization of ideas. Based on the feedback, students can further revise their drafts independently and repeatedly until they find their essays good enough to be submitted to teachers for grading. We believe that it is an effective way to challenge and encourage students to revise their essays' contents and organization. This teaching mode is related to hybrid learning as we integrate both the online composition learning process using ECS and face-to-face meetings in which the teacher reviews the submitted drafts, provides written and/or verbal feedback to the students, and grades the final drafts.


The monitoring and control system of some stirring machine adopts trifurcated multiple and topologic structure.Considering FIX and VB software both supporting DDE,we can develop a network implementation program based on Client/Server.Considering FIX and VB software both supporting DDE.A network implementation program is developed based on client/server.The server side program can get data from the realtime database of FIX software by DDE,and then the data can be sent to client through the TCP (transfer control protocol).In this way,the overall system cost can be reduced greatly.


Rationale Cardiac microvascular leakage and inflammation are triggered during myocardial infarction (MI) and contribute to heart failure. Hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (Hif2α) is highly expressed in endothelial cells (ECs) and rapidly activated by myocardial ischemia, but whether it has a role in endothelial barrier function during MI is unclear. Objective To test our hypothesis that the expression of Hif2α and its binding partner aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (ARNT) in ECs regulate cardiac microvascular permeability in infarcted hearts. Methods and Results Experiments were conducted with mice carrying an inducible EC-specific Hif2α-knockout (ecHif2α–/–) mutation, with mouse cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMVECs) isolated from the hearts of ecHif2α–/– mice after the mutation was induced, and with human CMVECs and umbilical-vein endothelial cells transfected with ecHif2α siRNA. After MI induction, echocardiographic assessments of cardiac function were significantly lower, while measures of cardiac microvascular leakage (Evans blue assay), plasma IL6 levels, and cardiac neutrophil accumulation and fibrosis (histology) were significantly greater, in ecHif2α–/– mice than in control mice, and RNA-sequencing analysis of heart tissues from both groups indicated that the expression of genes involved in vascular permeability and collagen synthesis was enriched in ecHif2α–/– hearts. In cultured ECs, ecHif2α deficiency was associated with declines in endothelial barrier function (electrical cell impedance assay) and the reduced abundance of tight-junction proteins, as well as an increase in the expression of inflammatory markers, all of which were largely reversed by the overexpression of ARNT. We also found that ARNT, but not Hif2α, binds directly to the IL6 promoter and suppresses IL6 expression. Conclusions EC-specific deficiencies in Hif2α expression significantly increase cardiac microvascular permeability, promote inflammation, and reduce cardiac function in infarcted mouse hearts, and ARNT overexpression can reverse the upregulation of inflammatory genes and restore endothelial-barrier function in Hif2α-deficient ECs. GRAPHIC ABSTRACT A graphic abstract is available for this article. Diagram of the role of HF2a/ARNT in the cardiac MI.


Korean ports have not doing their best roles to link the ocean with the land in spite of their best geogrophical situation, which was due to the blockade of trade to the socialist countries. But in August, 1992, the formal relations with China was established, opening the period of trade to China, This has propelled the local development of the Korean South-West seaside districts. This has required the division and adjustment of their roles in Mokpo and kwangyang ports. This study aims at explaining the validity of port development and the economic development of the two relatively retarded ports to keep pace wi th the change of surroundings home and abroad and to do their best roles in their transportation to the mainland and in reciprocal parties. Furthermore, it aims at presenting the direction of the roles of Mokpo and Kwangyang ports for the active trade to China in the period of close relations between two countries. The ports in the South-West Area should be made in the direction of the expansion and the adjustment of their activities for the preparation of the coming 21st century. Mokpo should be constructed as the center of marine commodity transportation to the North-West district in accordance with the expansion of trade to China and North-West countries. A new basic program for the construction of a new port as the forefront to China trade should be made because the current Mokpo facilities will not cover the commodity transpotation arising from the construction of Daebul. Sambo and Youngam industrial complex. Kwangyang will play its roles not only for the main port of North-South economic development by linking the South and West districts but a]so for the easing of the disproportion of the economic development between the East and West area of Korea. With the expectation of reorganization of marine transportation systems of the North-East Asia. Kwangyang should be built as a free trade port not as a port for the inland commodity transportation to act as the substitution of HongKong-the intermediary trade port of North-East Asia and to maximize the national economic value added by reinvestigating the quay development program of the Kwangyang container. The port development of South West area should put its emphasis on the main port development and special development according to its activity and importance for the trade to the sociatist countries. And detail programs for the port development should be made and promoted by time]y acquiring the port facilities from the private capital.


This thesis deals with inmproving the marketing mix of services at The National hotel. The aim is to propose some recommendations that will be useful for the hotel and will lead to increasing competetitiveness. The theoretical part involves the interpretation of basic concepts of marketing of hotel services, marketing mix and competitiveness. The practical part is definened by the charakteristics of TheNational hotel and subsequently to analyze actual state of the marketing mix of services, SWOT analysis, competitive nalysis and PEST analysis. The analyses are the starting point for the following recommendations leading to the increase improvement of marketing mix of services.


Stakeholder management has become increasingly important to business viability in today's competitive landscape where organizations operate as open systems interacting with various stakeholders. Rooted in its normative approach, stakeholder theory (e.g., Freeman, 1984; Evan and Freeman, 1988) prescribes that a business firm is responsible for the well-being of its stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees, investors, and communities who are identified by their interests in the business; thus, the firm ought to be "managed in the interests of its stakeholders" (Freeman, 1994:417). Freeman (1984) also proposed a stakeholder approach to strategic management, paving ways for the instrumental perspective of stakeholder theory, the research focus of which is on the performance-enhancing mechanism of stakeholder management and competitive advantage that firms can derive from managing stakeholder relationships. Stakeholder-based competitive advantage is based on the fundamental logic of the resource-based view (RBV), postulating that effectively managing relationships with primary stakeholders, such as customers, employees, suppliers and communities, can result in valuable, socially complex resources that are difficult to imitate and can enhance firms' value creation and their ability to outperform competitors (Galbreath, 2006; Hillman and Keim, 2001). Normative and instrumental approaches differ substantially in their approaches to stakeholder theory and firm performance. The normative approach focuses on philosophical and normative inquiries in which empirical pursuits are not emphasized. In contrast, the instrumental approach focuses on theoretical and empirical endeavors in investigating stakeholder management (Donaldson, 2003). Nonetheless, both approaches yield a common prescriptive thrust that managers should manage their business in the interest of primary stakeholders such as employees, customers, and suppliers who can affect or are affected by the firm. This prescriptive suggestion leads to some pragmatic questions including: (1) whether practicing managers or decision-making agents in business firms would universally embrace such stakeholder prescription; (2) if the stakeholder prescription is not universal in nature, under which conditions the decisionmaking agents would be more likely to embrace the prescription; and (3) whether stakeholder prescription would influence managerial decisions pertaining to external stakeholders (e.g., suppliers and customers) and internal stakeholders (e.g., employees) in a similar manner. These questions are addressed through experiments. Specifically, this study empirically investigates the universality of the stakeholder prescription in two aspects. First, it examines whether the stakeholder prescription, in the absence of the norm of reciprocity between the firm and the stakeholders, can exert its influence on stakeholder-related decisions. The norm of reciprocity has been regarded as a stabilizing force of social systems (Gouldner, 1960) and is arguably a foundation of stakeholder relationships (Tangpong and Pesek, 2007). Thus, investigating the decision-governing effect of stakeholder prescription in isolation of, and in combination with, the reciprocity norm is warranted. Second, given that stakeholders can be conceptualized as external and internal constituents whose dynamic relationships with firms may differ (e.g., Galbreath, 2006; Post et al., 2002), this study investigates whether the stakeholder prescription has an impact on managerial decision-making in both external and internal stakeholder-related decision circumstances. The unit of analysis in this study is the individual decision-maker rather than the organization as the literature suggests that stakeholder theory presents the manager as the central figure of a stakeholder approach, and thus the understanding of managerial decision-making is crucial to the fundamentals of stakeholder management (Reynolds et al. …


A concept of Intermodulated Photoacoustic Stark Spectroscopy (IMPASS) was used in an attempt to perform the interference-free field measurement of trace ammonia (3-40 ppbv) concentration levels in the air with a time resolution of 40 s.


Planned modality of ESKD management varied with degree of frailty (P < 0.001). 21% of patients who had CFS completed were planned for Conservative Management of ESKD, in contrast to only 5% of those who did not have CFS assessment (P < 0.001). QoL assessment via KDQOL36 had 35% completion rate. There was a significant negative correlation, of weak-moderate strength between increasing frailty and QoL (Rho -0.328 to -0.402).


Ad hoc networks might be a disruptive technology in the mobile telecommunication industry. They are based on technologies like 802.11x and Bluetooth and range from wide area solutions to Personal Area Networks. Although they may not substitute current infrastructure in the near future they may threaten the dominant position of mobile operators enabling other players within the mobile value system to improve their relative bargaining position. This paper assesses the technological characteristics and capabilities of different types of ad hoc networks. It is argued that small area single-hop ad hoc networks are a very likely scenario impacting the mobile value system especially in the field of ubiquitous computing. Business model and value chain analysis is reflected and applied in this context to estimate which players are influenced and to generate hypothesises for further research. Impact of Mobile ad hoc Networks on the Mobile Value System


Questions to leave you with, "How do we take our data with us? What privacy do you give up for convenience? How do you


We give explicit formulas as well as a quadratic time algorithm to solve (so called) generalized Vandermonde's systems of p linear equations and n variables. It allows in particular to find all (so called Lagrange's) interpolation polynoms with degree n-1 taking given values in p distinct points.


A study has been conducted to determine the feasibility of applying gas reburn to glass tanks for NOx emissions control. Three model furnaces representing the main furnace types were evaluated: a 250 ton per day end port container glass furnace, a 500 ton per day side port flat glass furnace, and a 125 ton per day recuperative fiber glass furnace. The evaluation consisted of conceptual reburn system designs, a thermal analysis, an estimate of NOx removal achievable, and an economic analysis. It was found that NOx reductions on the order of 80 percent may be expected for the regenerative glass furnaces, and 65 percent for the recuperated furnace. The cost of control is estimated to be 25 to 33 percent of the cost of oxy-fuel. Potential complications are an estimated increase on the order of 200 deg F in gas temperatures throughout the regenerator and a decrease in fuel efficiency of up to 10 to 12.4 percent.


Performing for an audience is one of the most widely spread forms of social anxietywhich affects many people, and fear is one of the most important causes of unsuccessfulperformance on stage. A university student – a future music teacher – experiences what it is likebeing in front of an audience and to feeling emotional strain. The aim of this research is to explorethe ways which encourage students to feel better in front of an audience. Is it possible to overcomesignificant stage fright by having knowledge of psychological self-regulation? This article disclosesthe modelling of concert rehearsal tasks during individual lessons applying the personal meaningmethod (PMM): creating favourable preconditions to optimize the state of mind while on stage;strengthening the artistic suggestion of public performance of future teachers; positively influencingthe learning motivation of students. Observation helped to analyze more deeply the behaviour ofstudents and their activity in the process of training, comparing these dimensions with respectivechanges during public performances. PMM training verifying case method of analysis in the contextof possibilities revealed the conditions of future music teachers' regulation of emotions while onstage, ways and the peculiarities of pedagogical encouragement.


The agricultural commodity futures market in India is constantly evolving due to favorable government policies and continuous reforms since 2002. An important function of the futures market is to aid in efficient price discovery. However, heightened volatility, induced by speculation has arguably distorted prices. This study aims at examining the gaps in the functioning of agricultural commodity futures market by using Johansen's Cointegration, Granger Causality and Johansen's Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The results indicate oscillating leadership in price discovery between futures and spot markets depending upon the nature of the commodity, time to maturity of the contracts and liquidity in the market. The findings of the paper underscore the need for active intervention by the regulators.


Instruction in universities is the basic approach to cultivate innovative talents.It is of basic significance to think about how to cultivate innovative talents from the visual angle of theory of instruction.About teaching content,it is necessary to analyze the main teaching elements theoretically,such as teaching objectives,teaching content,teaching process,teaching pattern,teaching methods and teaching environment of cultivation of innovative talents.About teaching methods,it is necessary to combine the theoretical analysis with the reality of Instruction in universities to make them go with each other.


In this paper, we proposed a shared‐antenna full‐duplex framework for the multiuser multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) system with a large‐scale antenna array exploited at the base station to transmit and receive signals simultaneously. It has the merits of both the full‐duplex system and the time‐division duplex massive MIMO system, that is, the high spectral efficiency and the channel reciprocity. We focus on the zero‐forcing and the maximal‐ratio transmission/maximal‐ratio combining linear processing methods, which are commonly used in the massive MIMO system. As the main finding, we prove that the direct‐path and reflected‐path self‐interferences can both be suppressed by the large‐scale antenna array in the entirely dependent channels as well as independent channels. Monte‐Carlo simulations show that the self‐interference decreases below the white noise level if the scale of antenna array is large enough, and our full‐duplex large‐scale antenna system significantly outperforms the half‐duplex system in terms of spectral efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Ritual Tabuik resembling every year at date 1 Muharam Hijriyah by some fases. The fases is take the soil, cut the banana stem, maratadai, mahatam, arack the finger, arrack sorban, tabuik naiak pangkek, ma-oyak tabuik and to throw a way the tabuik in the sea. The finally purpose the last work is : (a) to gape the ritual tabuik in Pariaman form craft the art work relief with used wood media, (b) ti grow creativitas and a good appreciation in labour, (c) to more reference in the work art by relief art wood. Some process to realize the last work used some fases that is : the first, planning, to gate art ideas from reference a bout tabuik Pariaman from some media and direct survey to place ritual tabuik. The second, elaboration, to analize data. The third, sintecis, to arrange schedule work. The forth, to planned the sketsa. The fifth, to execution be art work relief. The title this work is Ritual Tabuik dalam Kriya seni Relief Kayu, among others are: Make tabuik 1, Make tabuik 2 Take the soil, Take the banana stem, Ma-oyak tabuik, to throw a way the tabuik. Kata kunci: ritual tabuik, relief kayu


XML has small size and can be easy to edit,exchange network information and search database.It is prior to HTML that is another popular markup language.MathML is an application of XML,developed for containing mathematical components within documents.Its design comply with the agreement of XML family,so can it closely cooperation with the relative tools of XML.Application of creating mathematical equation is described.Other applications of XML are also mentioned.


BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has numerous neurologic signs and symptoms, including hearing impairment. The reports concerning the type and severity of hearing loss in MS patients vary and little is known about an association of the disease characteristics with changes in hearing status.

OBJECTIVE
To find the otologic and neuro-otologic manifestations of MS with the use of routine hearing assessment tools.

METHODS
The presence of neuro-otologic signs and symptoms were studied in 30 patients diagnosed with MS. Patients underwent pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and acoustic brain stem response (ABR) tests. The results were compared with 30 healthy age and sex matched controls.

RESULTS
The most common finding was sensory-neural hearing loss followed by dizziness and nystagmus. The shape of the audiogram and severity of hearing loss was associated with both chronicity and disease activity. There were abnormal latencies in ABR waves which were more significant with high velocity stimulus.

CONCLUSION
Hearing status deserves careful attention in MS patients. It may be used as a diagnostic means or an indicator for evaluating the characteristics of the underlying disease.


The analysis and calculation of the interference and noise in CDMA satellite communications system is the most important for system design In this paper,the source of the interference and noise in CDMA satellite communications system is studied,and the carrier-to-noise ratio is calculated This paper gives a good reference to designing CDMA communications system


Building on the work by Hardin (Stata Journal 2: 253–266), this note shows how the calculation of the Murphy–Topel variance estimator for two-step models can be simplified in Stata by using the scores option of predict.


Copolymer hydrogels of acrylic acid (AA) and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP), crosslinked with 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate (BDDMA), were prepared by radical copolymerization. The chemical structures of copolymer hydrogels were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and H NMR spectroscopy. The swelling ratio (Rs) was measured for four types of hydrogels structures, in three different media pH 1.2 , 4 and 7.4 at 37C as a function of time. A Naproxen Sodium is used as a model drug to investigate the drug release profile of the hydrogels. The concentration of drug released was measured on UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Results indicated that the swelling ratio and drug release is increase concentration decrease of crosslinked agent and pH increase.


There could be large error in Compressive Sensing Ultra-Wide Band(CS-UWB)channel estimation because of the coherence of sensing information matrix and the noise interference.Firstly,the Adaptive Sensing Information(ASI)matrix is constructed by measurement vector weighting,which has the desirable properties of low coherence and containing measurement information to support the sparse recovery algorithms to obtain optimal atoms.Secondly,a modified Sparsity Adaptive Matching Pursuit(SAMP)algorithm is proposed to recovery sparse signal accurately without prior information of sparsity or SNR.Finally,a non- convex CS-UWB channel estimation method is presented based on the ASI matrix and the modified SAMP algorithm.Both the theoretical analysis and the experimental results show that this method can accurately reconstruct UWB communication channel in low SNR conditions with very low compressive sampling ratio.


A new surface antigenic determinant on both normal and malignant plasma cells of mice has been detected with rabbit antisera, obtained by immunization with mouse myeloma cells and purified by in vivo absorption. One IgG- and one IgA-producing myeloma was used. Although the determinant was detected on plasma cells and one lymphoma and not on other lymphoid cells, it was also found on cells of liver, kidney, and brain. Thus the antigen is not a plasmacyte-specific antigen. In spite of an apparent similarity between the tissue representation of the determinant and that of the PC.1 alloantigenic determinant, the present determinant is not identical with the PC.1 determinant, since it is found on the respective tissues of PC.1-negative strains of mice.


In 1974, while working on conservation issues in the Indian Ocean's Mascarene Islands, I proposed to use poison to eradicate 2000 introduced rabbits from Round Island, the 151-ha home of 17 endemic organisms (1 bird, 6 reptiles, and 9 plants) severely endangered by habitat degradation caused by the rabbits. This action was opposed vociferously by animal welfare groups who were concerned about cruelty during the poisoning. As a young and idealistic conservationist I was shocked that such an important program could be halted by opponents who concluded they would rather allow the extinction of all 17 endangered endemics than condone the poisoning of rabbits. The islands condition deteriorated for 12 more years until 1986 when the rabbits were finally eradicated by a well-executed poisoning program.


Introduction: In this modern era there is an increased awareness of the oral health amongst pregnant women and knowledge of dental surgeons of taking radiographs during pregnancy is also an utmost important factor The key principles and safety of taking radiographs of the pregnant women should be known along with the most appropriate radiographic technique. Material and Method: A cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge,attitude and practices of dental surgeons regarding radiographs in pregnant women. A cluster sampling technique was used and 264 dental surgeons from7 different dental institutions were selected. A self questionnaire was distributed to the dental surgeons that comprised of 23 closed-ended questions. The data was entered and analyzed for frequency and percentages by using SPSS version 23. Results: The results showed that 47.68% knows that we can take radiograph during pregnancy. While 83.33% shows their attitude that they allow to take radiograph. 37.68% dentists have performed radiographs in their daily practice, in which 52.7% give the opinion that 2 trimester is the safest period. Conclusion: All the members of the dental professionals must be aware of patient perceptions, preferences and patients needs. Dental studies should include guidelines and techniques to train the upcoming dentists for excellence practice in radiography of pregnant women so that upcoming mishaps can be avoided.


Hybrid halide perovskites are now considered as low-cost materials for contemporary research in photovoltaics and nanophotonics. In particular, because these materials can be solution processed, they represent a great hope for obtaining low-cost devices. While the potential of 2D layered hybrid perovskites for polaritonic devices operating at room temperature has been demonstrated in the past, the potential of the 3D perovskites has been much less explored for this particular application. Here, we report the strong exciton-photon coupling with 3D bromide hybrid perovskite. Cavity polaritons are experimentallly demonstrated from both reflectivity and photoluminescence experiments, at room temperature, in a 3$\lambda$/2 planar microcavity containing a large surface spin-coated $CH_3NH_3PbBr_3$ thin film. A microcavity quality factor of 92 was found and a large Rabi splitting of 70 meV was measured. This result paves the way to low-cost polaritonic devices operating at room temperature, potentially electrically injectable as 3D hybrid perovskites present good transport properties.


This paper examines the relationship between foreign shareholding and stock price efficiency for Malaysian public listed firms over the 2002-2008 sample period. We use stock price delay as an inverse measure of informational efficiency, and consider the speed of adjustment to local and global common factor information. The results show that foreign investors accelerate the incorporation of both types of common information into the prices of Malaysian stocks, mainly due to their superior skills in processing systematic market-wide factors. However, we find evidence of optimality in foreign shareholding, suggesting that the efficiency benefit disappears after foreign ownership exceeds a certain threshold level. Further analyses uncover the underlying channels that give rise to the U-shaped curve, and identify the significant moderating variables that strengthen this relationship. Our disaggregate analysis on foreign investor heterogeneity shows that foreign investors who trade via nominee accounts are elite processors of public market-wide and firm-specific news in the Malaysian stock market.


Westinghouse Electric Corporation is developing both the Communications Ground Segment and the Series 1000 Mobile Phone for American Mobile Satellite Corporation's (AMSC's) Mobile Satellite (MSAT) system. The success of the voice services portion of this system depends, to some extent, upon the interoperability of the cellular network and the satellite communication circuit switched communication channels. This paper will describe the set of user-selectable cellular interoperable modes (cellular first/satellite second, etc.) provided by the Mobile Phone and described how they are implemented with the ground segment. Topics including roaming registration and cellular-to-satellite 'seamless' call handoff will be discussed, along with the relevant Interim Standard IS-41 Revision B Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations and IOS-553 Mobile Station - Land Station Compatibility Specification.


The Angelchik prosthesis is a silicone‐filled, doughnut‐shaped device used for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux. This device appears on sonograms as a C‐shaped, hypoechoic structure with nonspecific Doppler waveforms. Because the Angelchik prosthesis is rarely used anymore, recently trained sonographers and radiologists may misinterpret this sonolucent appearance as an unusual vascular lesion. We report a case of an Angelchik prosthesis that was incidentally noted at the gastroesophageal junction on a routine abdominal sonographic examination. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 28:254–257, 2000.


In recent years, organic-inorganic nanocomposites have attracted great interest to researchers because they frequently exhibit unexpected hybrid properties synergistically from the two components. Polymer nanocomposites are a class of reinforced polymers with low quantities of nanometric-sized fillers which give them improved properties. Being highly unsaturated, natural rubber is easily attacked by heat, oxygen, ozone and chemicals leading to degradation of polymer chains and deterioration of properties. In this study maleated natural rubber was modified with nanoclay to improve its barrier properties and strength. The ability of clay layers to improve the barrier properties and strength of MA-gNR is examined as a function of clay content. The sorption properties of the nanocomposites were investigated using different solvents. Oil resistance of the samples was found using methods outlined in ASTM D 471:98. The oil intake reduced by 52 % at 5 % nanoclay loading. The time for initiation of ozone cracking has increased from 3 to 4 hrs. Air permeability also significantly reduced on nanofiller modification. The swelling resistance is also enhanced by increasing the clay loading. The study shows that the barrier properties of natural rubber can be significantly improved by reinforcing with nanoclay.


The article aims at presenting some general ideas on the changes at work, after more than two decades of its beginning. To illustrate the arguments, recent studies focusing on different aspects of the subject, carried out by Brazilian and Portuguese researchers in their respective contexts, are examined. In spite of the diversity of objects of study, there is some convergence regarding the conclusions: the studies emphasize the heterogeneity and diversity of the work situations, at the same time, they point out to situations that would be better characterized by "ambiguity". This article's conclusion suggest that the current analyses on the changes at work tend to apprehend the complexity of the new reality, abandoning the dualist perspectives that prevailed in the years 1980 and the beginning of the 1990s.


Networks of neurons, which form central pattern generators (CPGs), are important for controlling animal behaviors. Of special interest are configurations or CPG motifs composed of reciprocally inhibited neurons, such as half-center oscillators (HCOs). Bursting rhythms of HCOs are shown to include stable synchrony or in-phase bursting, which is a phase-locked state that has zero phase difference. This in-phase bursting can co-exist with anti-phase bursting, commonly expected as the single stable state in HCOs that are connected with fast non-delayed synapses. The finding contrasts with the classical view that reciprocal inhibition has to be slow or time-delayed to synchronize such bursting neurons. Phase-locked rhythms are analyzed via Lyapunov exponents estimated with variational equations, and through the convergence rates estimated with Poincaré return maps. A new mechanism underlying multistability is proposed that is based on the spike interactions, which confer a dual property on the fast non-delayed reciprocal inhibition; this reveals the role of spikes in generating multiple co-existing phase-locked rhythms. In particular, it demonstrates that the number and temporal characteristics of spikes determine the number and stability of the multiple phase-locked states in weakly coupled HCOs. The generality of the multistability phenomenon is demonstrated by analyzing diverse models of bursting networks with various inhibitory synapses; the individual cell models include the reduced leech heart interneuron, the Sherman model for pancreatic beta cells, the Purkinje neuron model and Fitzhugh-Rinzel phenomenological model. Finally, hypothetical and experiment-based CPGs composed of HCOs are investigated, and predictions that may be verified by electrophysiologists studying the sensory-motor systems are made. This study is relevant for various applications that use CPGs such as robotics, prosthetics, and artificial intelligence. INDEX WORDS: Bursting, Central pattern generator, Fast threshold modulation, Half-center oscillator, Inhibition, Lyapunov exponents, Multistability, Networks, Neurons, Phase-locking, Poincaré return maps, Synchrony, Variational equations STABILITY ANALYSIS OF PHASE-LOCKED BURSTING IN INHIBITORY NEURON NETWORKS


All states rely on gasoline taxes as one source of funds for road improvement and maintenance. Historically, gasoline usage has been roughly proportional to road usage for most light vehicles, so the gas tax could be viewed as a user charge. Increasing fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles reduce both the equity of the revenue source and its growth over time. At the same time, improved technology has made more direct pricing of road usage more feasible. This paper reports on the economic issues that arise in moving toward the more extensive use of road pricing as a substitute for fuel taxes.


This chapter will consider some of the salient considerations associated with the maintenance of electrical power systems. Suffice it to say that there is no single maintenance policy for power systems, but rather individual company policies based upon common areas of consideration, and experience gained through operating the equipment. Consideration will also be briefly given to investigations into the incorrect performance of equipment.


This article explorers the concept of online volunteering, the historical background of its emergence and distribution, the current state of this phenomenon. The essence of the project "Online Education Volunteers", which is being implemented on the basis of the IKBFU (Kaliningrad, Russia), is revealed. The project is based on the ideas of the cluster approach in education. The stages of project organization are described in detail. The results of a survey of volunteers regarding their attitude to online education are presented. As a result, risks were foreseen that hinder the introduction of online volunteering. The features of testing the program and the organization of reflexive practices based on the results of the project are revealed. As a result, the general goals of online education were identified, contributing to productive interaction and the main areas of training online volunteers. It is concluded that the implementation of the project makes it possible to create an information-rich educational online environment based on the principles of network interaction and social partnership, to implement a cluster approach to build a new educational space, including further joint development of developmental programs, practices and educational relationships with an emphasis on personal development and self-realization of both schoolchildren and students. The tools proposed in the article stimulated the emergence of some pedagogical precedents, which can become the basis for further research and methodological development.


The lithospheric mantle is rarely "pristine"; instead, chemical heterogeneities on a variety of scales are inferred to be a result of multiple melt depletion, refertilisation and metasomatic events [1]. Identifying such events is critical to constraining the initial composition and evolution of this important geochemical reservoir. Mantle sulphides are particularly susceptible to modification, significantly altering chalcophile element and isotope compositions, such as the platinum group elements and Re-Os isotopes [2]. Copper is strongly chalcophile and its isotopes are readily fractionated by secondary processes [3], making Cu a potential proxy for both sulphide alteration and fluid source. Here we present Cu isotope analyses of peridotite xenolith samples taken from Kilbourne Hole, USA, which show significant variability (δ65Cu = –0.40 to +1.10‰ [4]). Such large variations are outside the "igneous" range, defined by komatiites, basalts and orogenic lherzolites (δ65Cu = –0.07 to +0.16‰; [5]), and are unlikely to represent primitive mantle heterogeneity. In particular, the source of extreme heavy Cu isotope enrichment in some xenoliths can be linked to metasomatism involving a LREE-enriched fluid, possibly sourced from the subducted Farralon Plate [6]. We also see strong evidence that partial melting fractionates Cu isotopes: the isotopically lightest xenoliths (δ65Cu = –0.40 to –0.20‰) are the most melt-depleted and also have the most unradiogenic 187Os/188Os. Thus, xenoliths in this suite with "basaltic" δ65Cu imply refertilisation of the depleted material by an asthenosphere-derived melt. Our data indicate that, in terms of Cu isotopes, the lithospheric mantle is highly heterogeneous and could be isotopically distinct from the primitive mantle.


The year 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the original publication in Portuguese of Paulo Freire's first book, Education as the Practice of Freedom. In honor of this anniversary, this symposium brings together Latin American pedagogues to discuss the development and continued relevance of Freire's work. Educacao e Atualidade Brasileira (Education and Contemporary Brazil) in the Work of Paulo Freire Maria Luisa de Aguiar Amorim Translated by John D. Holst and Maria Alicia Vetter Educacao e atualidade brasileira (Education and Contemporary Brazil) (Freire, 1959) establishes the roots of Freire's ideas that appear in his first published book, Educacao como pratica da liberdade [Education as the practice of freedom] (Freire 1967); keeping the original theoretical framework, with some changes of wording, some re-ordering, adaptations to the context of the military coup of 1964, and the inclusion of his literacy method, Education and Contemporary Brazil, published posthumously in 2001, continues to be relevant. It would appear that this first work sets forth issues which his subsequent works address. Freire's experience in the Social Service of Industry (SESI) made him intimately familiar with the educational issues of the proletariat. It is here that he comes to understand the limits of "welfareism" [asistencialismo]: the answer is not to do things for people, but with people. From this experience, he emerges as an educator that confronts dehumanization, developing ideas that go beyond schooling. Alienation is a starting point. Humans find themselves lost, submerged in historical conditions that block their emergence to a society in transition (allowing for the transition of consciousness and people's insertion in their reality); as participants in a process of emergence and transition of consciousness (still naive), without reaching the criticality that is necessary for their integration and participation in their own destiny, humans can be trampled by industrialization. Confronted with a suffering and humbled humanity, Freire provided measures for overcoming the antinomy that we lived as a result of democratic inexperience, and of the emergence of the working classes in public life due to industrialization. The circumstances demanded measures capable of mitigating the problems of production in conjunction with the insertion of humans in their own times. Dialogue is outlined negatively. Antidialogue reinforces democratic inexperience; the arrogance of a few confronting the others mute and silenced, provides the basis for Pedagogy of the Oppressed in 1970. Horizontal social relations, common language as a starting point, and respect for common people, are the conditions for dialogue; this is different from the idea of a public, common interest, which does not exist. The vote depends on family ties, personal friendship, or feelings of gratitude, which reveals ideological inconsistencies. The common Brazilian is resigned to life! Limited to vegetable-like interests, he or she cannot perceive their own historicity. Commitment presupposes freedom that, taken up responsibly, demands that the external and vertical authority of paternalism becomes flexible, internalized and made critical. Under a different political horizon, the discussion of authority, discipline, and freedom would be taken up again in Sobre Educacao: dialogo (Freire & Guimaraes, 1982). Moving beyond the majority of educators that identify education with schooling, Freire's project is organic: change humanity, society, and education. Society moves from a predominantly enclosed and authoritarian phase toward a new predominantly open and democratic situation. Assisted by industrialization, technical education should meet human necessities. The lack of scientists and technicians should not stop economic development. Transition will always be present, but its perspective will not always be the same: change, transformation, or social revolution will exhibit a different type of power. Freire draws on various sources: initially the "phaselogical structure" of Jaguaribe (1957) aids society, and other references base the problem in development/underdevelopment. Brazilian intellectuals (Ramos, 1957; Pinto, 1956) lay the foundations for concientization; liberals and pragmatists support the initiatives of universal schooling. Among other contributions, Mannheim (1950) provides a conceptualization of fundamental democracy through primary groups, upon which Freire bases the concept of dialogue in his first essays. From the writing of 1959 to that of 1967, with a slight alteration, Education as the Practice of Freedom, no longer uses the perspective of "flourishing capitalism" but rather "open society". But only in Cultural Action for Freedom (1970a), between the texts of the 1968-1974 period, does Freire orient his work toward socialism. The utopian dream of a democratic socialist society will be his final project, renovated in Pedagogy of Hope (1994). Freire is not rigorous in an academic sense, but gives rigor a new meaning: the coherence between thinking and acting (Amorim, 1997). Studies of our development show that Brazil was born mute and submissive. Its predatory economy was constituted by large property ownership—the hacienda or the sugar refinery— large distances, land turned over to individuals who were also owners of other human beings, all predisposes people to become either the "big boss" or the dependent, the "protected". Submission creates the "extended hand". Freire relates these behaviors to a political conceptualization of social relations, extending from the private to the public sphere. Here he finds the marks of a verbal education juxtaposed to a sterile school, prejudices against manual labor, and the prohibition of common people to participate in public life, the absence of the idea of serving others in the national habits, and the devaluing and neglect of mass schooling. Overcoming democratic inexperience implies revising education and the school together: grades and types, their technical and humanist content, their formal and informal breadth. In terms of the common people and their schooling, "when they have any, its on average between two and three years" (Freire, 1959, p. 88, our translation). Schooling of a few hours, with a program removed from reality, does not help in understanding vital problems. Illiteracy is alarming; overcoming it means more than simply eradicating an exposing an injustice, but rather reading is the right to "say one's word", to write, and the power to make history by transforming it. "How do we learn to discuss and debate in a school that does not train us to think, because it imposes its own agenda?" (Freire, 1959, p. 97, our translation). We discuss without searching, negating rediscovery; this will be rethought with Cultural Action for Freedom, when Freire's close contact with the Christian left and the popular movements bring Freire more clearly to Marxism that proposes a rediscovery of society, power, knowledge, and education. Education and Contemporary Brazil provides a critique of education in general, and specifically a theory of adult education, drawn from a process of exclusion that found its raison d'etre in class oppression. It is a question of still unresolved social justice. For Freire, education is human education [formacion] (Amorim, 1997). While it is easy to see his project of popular education from 1959 forward and his methodology of adult literacy from 1963 forward, it seems more difficult to understand how they emerged from a pedagogical analysis in general, including schooling. Dialogue seems overlooked as a constructor of knowledge and new conditions of life. This results in the idea that the discussion of vital themes seems appropriate in one area and not in another. The fact that it is the social structure that generates exclusion seems forgotten, isolating popular and adult education. Education and critical consciousness, the linking of knowledge and life, theory and practice, popular knowledge and scholarly knowledge, is part of the process of the recuperation of our humanity (Amorim, 1997). Moreover, individuals who learn to speak their own words direct their own future, but it is only in the collective that they can become concretely humanized. Paulo Freire and the Cuban Revolution Felipe de. J. Perez Cruz Translated by John D. Holst and Maria Alicia Vetter The topic of the relations between Paulo Freire and the Cuban Revolution is understudied. Without a doubt, Freire was a Latin American of an epoch marked by the triumph of the first socialist revolution in the western hemisphere. The military coup of 1964 that fractured the democratic process in his country and that led him along with hundreds of educators and progressive people first to jail and later to exile, is part of the dynamic of revolution/counterrevolution that shaped the fortunes of the Latin American and Caribbean peoples of the second half of the twentieth century. Like the majority of people of his generation, he had a profound sympathy for the Cuban Revolution. He confessed to Rosa Maria Torres in 1986, "I have a special passion for Cuba" (Freire in Torres, 1986, p. 79). He would also be bound to Cuba by the fact that his wife Elsa "his teacher," "his lover and educator of his children" as he liked to say, "loved Cuba" (Freire in Freire, Perez, & Martinez, 1997, p.14).


A clear understanding of international marketing strategy has become very important with the increased level of globalization across international markets. Once a firm decids how it will serve a foreign market, the two strategic options available to marketers are standardization and adaptation of the international marketing strategy. A review of the literature reveals that the selection of an appropriate international marketing strategy between standardization and adaptation depends on firm, product, industry, and export market factors. The study revealed that international experience, product type, competitive intensity, government regulation, cultural difference, economic difference, exporting country image, physical conditions, and marketing infrastructure had a significant effect on the degree of product and/or promotion adaptation of Korean exporting firms. These findings support the conventional view that marketing program adaptation is a function of external and internal factors and provide guidelines to managers from export driven economies in the Newly Industrialized Countries(NICs) regarding the decision to standardize or adapt their international marketing strategy as they emulate the successful export economy of Korea.


The word "leader" is used to describe a variety of roles in modern Africa. The Anglicism "le leader" is commonly heard even in Francophone countries. For the purposes of the present discussion, we define a missional leader as a person God has called to provide direction to a group or movement to accomplish His plan and purpose. Such leaders often are the key to advancing (or impeding) the work of God in a given context. As someone once quipped, "There are no bad churches, only bad leaders." Hence, this article seeks to discuss the role of leaders in accomplishing God's mission in and through the Church in Africa. While Africa is its focus, the issues I discuss may well be relevant in other majority world contexts.


Disclosed are a water supply apparatus and a control method, accumulating power by means of the power generated from water, and meanwhile providing security management. The apparatus is connected to a water-supply connection pipe (25) and comprises a wireless communication device (46c) so as to communicate with and receive data from and send data to an exterior communication equipment (47), and a power supply portion (40) having a power generating portion and a battery (40a), wherein the power generating portion utilizes the water from the water supply apparatus to generate power, the battery is charged by the power generating portion, and the wireless communication device is located in the water supply apparatus. In this method, the power is generated and accumulated by means of water so as to supply electricity to an emergency light. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises an irradiation unit (42) which can be driven by utilizing the power supply of the power supply portion according to the result sensing by a light sensor (45).


New porous polyimide films were elaborated by vapor induced phase separation process. The influence of different parameters such as the nature of the solvent, the molecular weight of the porous agent, and relative humidity on the structure of the film was investigated. It was shown that the porous film prepared from NMP presents the most original morphology with micro-and nanopores. Moreover, such structure is only obtained when the porous agent used has a high molecular weight. The synthesized porous film was swelled in protic ionic liquid for fuel cell application. The performed conductivity measurements as a function of temperature have shown that the conductivity of the impregnated polyimide film increases when the temperature rises up to 150 °C following Arrhenius behavior.


THE TYPE OF EVALUATION chosen for a PFS project will dictate how outcomes are measured; ultimately, these results will inform how much a government—and therefore, its taxpayers – will pay for the project. But the "right" choices when it comes to measurement are not often obvious: should we measure the project's results against a historical baseline, or compare to another group of similar individuals? Are there ethical considerations that make certain methods more or less feasible? Are there outcomes to measure for learning purposes beyond those linked to payment? An effective selection process should pragmatically weigh the learning priorities and operational tradeoffs of the project partners in determining the most appropriate evaluation design.


With the continuous development of the machinery manufacturing industry, people's application requirements and standards for technology are gradually increasing. Many researchers have begun to pay attention to hydraulic transmission technology in machinery manufacturing to avoid new troubles for the development of the entire industry. This article summarizes the application content of hydraulic transmission technology in machinery manufacturing based on previous work experience. The author discusses the leakage control measures of the hydraulic transmission system from four aspects: controlling the leakage of the hydraulic system, strengthening the control of the original seal, controlling the oil pollution, and reducing the shock and vibration probability of the equipment.


Chronic and excessive alcohol ingestion is one of the major causes of Liver diseases in the western world. Now alcohol consumption is increasing in modern India. Fatty Liver is present in 90% of chronic alcoholics. Alcohol is considered as a direct hepatotoxin. Progressive fibrosis and cirrhosis, clinically presenting as end-stage liver disease are common outcomes in alcoholic Liver disease (ALD) patients. A variety of laboratory tests are available to assist in the progression and diagnosis of cirrhosis to end stage liver disease. The aim of this study is to identify po- tential novel biomarkers for progression of cirrhosis to end-stage liver cirrhosis.A total of 150 subjects were participated in this study.100 were diagnosed as alcoholic liver cirrhosis and 50 were normal health subjects. The biomarkers evalu- ated in this study included liver function indicators including serum albumin, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and renal parameters (urea and creatinine). The AST,ALT,GGT,ALT/AST Ratio and Bilirubin are significantly elevated in alcoholic liver cirrhosis compared to healthy controls. Serum albumin is decreased in alcoholic liver disease patients than in healthy controls.


An image processing device includes an input section where performing of input of an operation on a display image is possible using a multi-viewpoint image, a parallax detection section which detects the parallax of each image which configures the multi-viewpoint image, and a parallax control section which adjusts parallax of the multi-viewpoint image in a case where it is at least possible to perform an operation on the display image using the input section.


We present real space quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculations of the scandate LaScO$_3$ that proved to be challenging for traditional electronic structure approaches due to strong correlation effects resulting in inaccurate band gaps from DFT and $GW$ methods when compared with existing experimental data. Besides calculating an accurate QMC band gap corrected for supercell size biases and in agreement with numerous experiments, we also predict the cohesive energy of the crystal using the standard fixed-node QMC without any empirical or non-variational parameters. We show that promotion (optical) gap and fundamental gap agree with each other illustrating a clear absence of significant excitonic effects in the ideal crystal. We obtained these results in perfect consistency in two independent tracks that employ different basis sets (plane wave vs. localized gaussians), different codes for generating orbitals (\textsc{Quantum Espresso} vs. \textsc{Crystal}), different QMC codes (\textsc{Qmcpack} vs. \textsc{Qwalk}) and different high-accuracy pseudopotentials (ccECPs vs. Troullier-Martins) presenting the maturity and consistency of QMC methodology and tools for studies of strongly correlated problems.


Dielectric elastomers, as an important category of electroactive polymers, are known to have viscoelastic properties that strongly affect their dynamic performance and limit their applications. Very few models accounting for the effects of both electrostatics and viscoelasticity exist in the literature, and even fewer are capable of making reliable predictions under general loads and constraints. Based on the principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, this paper develops a field theory that fully couples the large inelastic deformations and electric fields in deformable dielectrics. Our theory recovers existing models of elastic dielectrics in the equilibrium limit. The mechanism of instantaneous instability, which corresponds to the pull-in instability often observed on dielectric elastomers, is studied in a general non-equilibrium state. The current theoretical framework is able to adopt most finite-deformation constitutive relations and evolution laws of viscoelastic solids. As an example, a specific material model is selected and applied to the uniform deformation of a dielectric elastomer. This model predicts the stability criteria of viscoelastic dielectrics and its dependence on loading rate, pre-stress, and relaxation. The dynamic response, as well as the hysteresis behavior of a viscoelastic dielectric elastomer under cyclic electric fields, is also studied. & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Background: Recent stalls in fertility decline have been observed in a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and so far no plausible common reason has been identified in the literature. This paper develops the hypothesis that these fertility stalls could be associated with stalls in the progress of education among the women of the relevant cohorts, possibly resulting partly from the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) of the 1980s.
Methods: We descriptively link the change in the education composition of successive cohorts of young women in sub-Saharan Africa and the recent fertility stalls. We use reconstructed data on population by age, gender, and level of education from www.wittgenstein centre.org/dataexplorer, and fertility rates from the United Nations.
Results: In most sub-Saharan African countries, we observe that the same countries that had fertility stalls had a stall in the progress of education, particularly for young women who were of primary school age during the 1980s, when most of the countries were under structural adjustment. Conversely, stalls in fertility are less common in countries that did not have an education stall, possibly in relation to SAPs.
Conclusions: The results point to the possibility of a link between the recent fertility stalls and discontinuities in the improvement of the education of the relevant cohorts, which in turn could be related to the SAPs in the 1980s. This descriptive finding now needs to be corroborated through more detailed cohort-specific fertility analysis. If the education-fertility link can be further established, it will have important implications for the projections of population growth in affected countries.


In this paper, TiB reinforced Ti-6Al-4V matrix composites were successfully fabricated using a spark plasma sintering, hot rolling and heat treating process. (Transformed β-Ti + secondary α-Ti) domains were formed in TiB/TMCs after heat treatment. The size of these domains increases from 2.5 μm to 4.6 μm with the increase of solution time. The aspect ratio of whiskers monotonously decreases along with the solution time extending. The highest ultimate tensile strength of 1332 MPa and yield-strength of 1315 MPa were achieved by (940 °C, 15min+ water-quenching+537 °C, 4h) TMC.


Project-Based Science (PBS) has traditionally been proposed as a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed, in part, to better motivate students to learn. As PBS units became more widespread in schools, initial evaluations of their impact focused primarily on documenting important learning outcomes such as performance on unit assessments and standardized exams (Herman, Mackenzie, Sherin, & Reiser, 2002). The motivational impact of PBS units is not so well documented. In particular, little has been done to study motivation across PBS units or across school years. Traditional measures of motivation, first developed primarily by educational and developmental psychologists, were essentially inherited by the learning sciences community and have not been efficient indicators of the impact of curricular innovations on student motivation. We argue for new motivation-related measures that are more closely coupled to the actual experiences of students in projects and report on our initial attempts to develop such measures.


The paper concerns the methodological basis of research for creating knowledge in management sciences understood as practical sciences or design sciences. The aim of this paper is to introduce research framing in management sciences, which takes into account that the conventional approaches to management regarded as an explanatory science are not sufficient to fully examine and deal with contemporary ill-structured, complex, unambiguous and often open management and organization problems. The aim has been realized using existing knowledge within a conceptual research framework for intellectual deliberation on the presented approach.


Many of the ways practiced in Jiuzhaigou's tourism development and management have been praised by experts from the United Nations as 'having solved the cosmopolitan problems',thus a good example for the tourism development in the westem parts of China.By summing up Jiuzhaigou's experience both in tourism development and management,this paper puts forward some innovative ideas:innovating the form and contents of the entrance ticket,attaching importance to tourists' dissemination of their own experience on the scenic spots,improving all the tour guides' connotation of Jiuzhai culture,fostering potential tourist market by making use of information neutral or irrelative to tourism,combining production with tourist education and research,practicing an innovative system of participation and so on.


The forward-backward asymmetry ${\cal A}_{\rm FB}$ in $B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^-$ decay is a sensitive probe of New Physics. Previous studies have focused on the sensitivity in the position of the zero. However, the short distance effective couplings are in principle complex, as illustrated by $B\to \rho\ell^+\ell^-$ decay within the Standard Model. Allowing the effective couplings to be complex, but keeping the $B\to K^*\gamma$ and $K^*\ell^+\ell^-$ rate constraints, we find the landscape for ${\cal A}_{\rm FB}(B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^-)$ to be far richer than from entertaining just sign flips, which can be explored by future high statistics experiments.


Clinicopathological features of 12 cases with suprasellar germinoma during the past 71/2 years have been evaluated. The visual disturbance progressed insidiously in eight cases and relatively rapidly in three. Visual fields revealed characteristically asymmetric temporal hemianopia in most cases and sometimes atypical defects.Pathological findings elucidated that visual disturbances would be caused mainly by tumor cell infiltration into the optic pathway. Radiotherapy was effective and there was no recurrence of the visual functions after irradiation in six cases who have been followed up for a period ranging from two years to 71/2 years.


Gait monitoring is important for rehabilitation but clinic‐based measurements provide a brief snapshot of gait patterns. Many consumer‐based activity monitors facilitate continuous gait monitoring in daily life but may be subject to measurement errors. This study examines a novel consumer‐based activity monitor that is worn on the feet, and therefore not susceptible to inaccurately detecting upper body movements as gait.


Aim: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to find the percentage of prevalence of malocclusion and the type of occlusal trait from urban –rural population of age group 17-23 in a college in Coimbatore district. Materials and Method: A descriptive cross -sectional study with purposive sampling method. Statistical test used: Examinations were computerized and analyzed using statistical package for social science version 24. Chi square test was used for computing statistical significance. Result: The difference in prevalence of malocclusion in college students from rural and urban area was significant with the prevalence being more in rural population. Conclusion: Malocclusion is widely spread among young adult population with greater prevalence in students from rural area, with Angles class I to be the most predominant type of malocclusion. The type of occlusal trait in rural students was proclination and the urban students had maxillary anterior crowding.


My bachelor's thesis on Love throught the Eyes of Seniors deals with the perception of love and intimacy of seniors.
The aim of this bachelor thesis is to find out how seniors percieve love and intimacy and how they have maintained the parthership for the lifetime. Has their love changed throughout the years and if so what was the major reason that caused the change in the perception of love. Last but not least, one of the important elements will be a loss or a departure ot the partner and if they are open to begin new relationships or not after this experience.
The research uses the research method of case study, techniques of semi-structured interviews. The informants are the seniors partly from the family and partly from Nursing Service in Jaroměř.


Communities Unlimited is working with existing and new partners to make their mission of moving communities in areas of persistent poverty toward sustainable prosperity a reality.


With growing concerns regarding climate change and rising energy costs, there is an increased focus on improving the energy efficiency of software. One relevant avenue of research is the transformation of software designs in order to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Design Patterns are of interest here as the indirection they introduce is likely to have a detrimental effect on energy consumption. In this paper we report on our investigations into the impact on energy consumption of the Decorator pattern, which is a structural design pattern used to enable additional behaviour to be attached to an individual component dynamically. Application of this pattern improves the maintainability of software at the cost of increased indirection and redundancy, which may reduce energy efficiency. In this paper we explore features of the Decorator pattern that impact on its systematic removal, with a future goal of removing this pattern using automated refactoring. We subsequently examine experimentally the Decorator pattern's impact on energy consumption in Java and find its implementation results in an increased number of instantiated objects and method invocations at run-time. The removal of the pattern can result in up to a 96% reduction in energy consumption in a best-case scenario with a textbook example, and up to a 5% reduction in energy consumption in an open-source project with a case study examining JUnit, a popular unit testing framework for Java. These results demonstrate the energy savings achievable with the removal of Decorator pattern instances and open the way for similar investigations of other design patterns.


The effect of 18-crown-6 ether 3 on the decarboxylation rate in THF of sodium salts of carboxylic acids formally derived from hydrocarbons has been investigated and these acids include 9-phenylfluorene-9-carboxylic acid, fluorene-9-carboxylic acid, phenylacetylene carboxylic acid, triphenylacetic acid, and diphenylacetic acid. Addition of equimolar 3 resulted in an increase in decarboxylation rate of 13- to 500-fold and there was a correlation between the decarboxylation rate and the pKa value of the product hydrocarbon.The decarboxylation of triphenylacetate was investigated in detail. The effect on reaction rate of cation (Li+, Na+, K+), crown ether concentration, water concentration, and solvent polarity has provided information as to optimum reaction conditions and has helped to clarify the reaction mechanism.


Abstract : The paper presents the definition and design specification of the test panel and input-output equipment, computer hardware, and software for a ground version of the Computerized Performance and Analysis Response Evaluator (COMPARE). The program consists of six tasks: warning-light monitoring, arithmetic computation, target identification, code-lock solving, probability monitoring, and tracking. A computer is used as a test signal generator, response receiver, and scoring device. The computer is designed to assess efficiency changes in performance of operational tasks. (Author)


ABSTRACT Aggression, tantrums, and self-injury can /unction as escape behaviors, allowing children tc terminate aversive demand (teaLching) situations. In one group of six psychotic children, these behaviors were frequent in demand situations, and rare in nondemand situations. Further, when stimuli correlated with the termination of demands were presented, problematic behaviors decreased dramatically. These problems were treated in twc rays--by an escape-extinction procedure in which the child was prohibited from leaving the demand situation AS long as disruptive behavior was cccurring, and the intrcducticn of strongly preferred reinforcers to attenuate the aversiveness of the demand situaticm thereby reducing the motivation to emit escape responsrs. Such an approach was successful in eliminating the aggressive and self-injurious behaviors of two children and the tantrum behavior of two others. (Author/PJC)


Device speed and functionality requirements are quickly forcing the semiconductor industry to incorporate copper and low-k dielectric materials. Compared to the commonly used aluminum metallization scheme on the traditional silicon dioxide and silicon nitride passivation, a Cu/low-k combination offers higher on-chip communication speed and a lower overall device cost. However, the low-k materials have intrinsically lower modulus and poorer adhesion compared to the commonly used dielectric materials. Thus, thermo-mechanical failure is one of the major challenges for development of a Cu/low-K large die flip chip package. In this paper, a two-dimensional plane strain analysis is performed on the diagonal cross-section of the package. A series of parametric study is performed to study the effect of bevel cut at die corner, effect of bevel cut depth, effect of filling materials of bevel cut, effect of Cu post bumps vs. lead-free bumps, effect of Cu post height and effect of Cu post diameter. Findings of these simulations could be used as a design consideration for the design of the Cu/low-k larger die flip chip package.


In this paper, the operator spectrum theory is applied to study the asymptotic mean-square stabilization for discrete-time mean-field stochastic Markov jump systems (MF-SMJSs) with multiple delays. First, we adopt a feasible model augmented strategy to equivalently transform the considered stochastic dynamics into an auxiliary delay-free model. Then, by utilizing a delay-dependent linear Lyapunov operator (DDLLO), we construct two sets of stabilizing conditions: Lyapunov type and spectrum type. It is remarkable that the developed conditions are both necessary and sufficient, which can be verified availably by LMI feasibility tests. To confirm the effectiveness of our theoretic results, an illustrative example is included.


This article examines institution building in the course of the transition to the authoritarian regime of the New State (Estado Novo) in Portugal. The special interest of the Portuguese experience derives from the fact that cartelization and corporatism were combined under the same policy and governed by the same legal framework. The first part of the article reconstructs the historical path from the micro perspective of the introduction of cartelization in the canning industry, which constituted the prototype for future developments in economic policy. Next is emphasized the way the accumulation of spontaneous and discrete individual adjustments of producers to regulation generated a series of unexpected consequences, i.e. consequences that were not in the initial plans of the regulators. The development of 'bureaucratic corporatism' then appears as the historical consequence of the State's overhauling of contradictory policies, its correction of the distortions brought about by economic regulation and the need to preserve ever larger mechanisms for the consultation of interests, without lessening State control.


The case study method of teaching social work practice diverges from many, more traditional textbook approaches with good reason. Social work is a hands–on field, and Case Studies in Child, Adolescent, and Family Treatment allows learners to participate in the real–world practice by presenting authentic perspectives and generating critical thought. This book is a particularly valuable take on the case study method because, instead of focusing only on the experiences of one or two practitioners, it brings practitioner narratives together with the voices of policymakers, students, parents, and academics.


gas has been widely used in many industrial fields as insulating, cleaning and covering gases due to its outstanding arc-extinguishing and insulating properties. However, global warming potential of gas is 23,900 times more than that of and it remains in the air during 3,200 years. For these reason, technological and economical effects could be expected for the separation of from gas mixtures by hydrate forming process. In this study, we carried out morphological studies for the hydrate crystal to understand its formation and growth mechanisms. hydrate film was initially formed at the interfacial boundary between gas and liquid regions, and then subsequent dendrite crystals growth was observed. The dendrite crystals grew to the direction of gas region probably due to the guest gas concentration gradient. The detailed growth characteristics of hydrate crystals such as nucleation, migration, growth and interference were discussed in this study.


The magnetism and magnetotransport properties of ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{x}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ $(0l~xl~0.10)$ were investigated. For $x=0.00,$ electron-spin-resonance spectra indicate the phase transition among the paramagnetic (PM), ferromagnetic (FM), charge-ordering (CO) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) phases, and reveal the coexistence of the four phases in the temperature range 210\char21{}190 K. With a little doping of Ti $(xl~0.06),$ the CO phase is melted. Meanwhile, the FM phase is separated out from the PM phase. At $x=0.10,$ AFM-CO is melted entirely and the system enters a disordered state. The magnetoresistance increases quickly with x, achieving ${10}^{4}%$ under 6 T for $x=0.06.$


Recent work in culture theory has mounted a decisive critique of the reifying tendencies that have been inherent in anthropologists' use of the culture concept. At the same time, cultural-property legislation has proliferated around the globe, leading, ironically, to a bureaucratic celebration of precisely those aspects of culture theory that many anthropologists now mistrust. This article reviews some of the reifying assumptions built in to the notion of cultural property, and examines two historical cases, one at the dawn of the nationalist era, the other at the end of the twentieth century.


We develop a image segmentation algorithm in which the segmented region has both an exterior boundary cost and an interior benefit associated with it. Our segmentation method proceeds by minimizing the ratio between the exterior boundary cost and the enclosed interior benefit using a computationally efficient graph partitioning algorithm. Our interest is motivated by very efficient algorithms for finding the globally optimum solution, and a desire to investigate how weak smoothness constraints may be globally imposed without disallowing very high local curvature. We analyze the performance of the approach, indicating both strengths and weaknesses, and discuss its connections with prior image partitioning algorithms. The relationship with snakes is discussed in detail and it is shown how to efficiently compute an approximation to common snakes under the additional constraint that it enclose a given point. When user interaction is available, there is a clear advantage to minimizing user interaction for purposes of improved speed and ease of use and for robustness. "Ratio regions" can accommodate several levels of user interaction and it is empirically shown that very coarse initializations can be tolerated. User interaction not only guides the algorithm to perceptually salient regions but can also be exploited to significantly reduce the computational cost.


The drive device for discharge lamp comprises: a switch circuit to convert the received dc signal into ac signal, a transform circuit to convert the former signal into one driving lamp group, a voltage sensing circuit to receive and sense the voltage of the said dc signal, a current sensing circuit to receive and sense the voltage of the said dc signal, and a PWM controller to control the ac output signal of switch circuit according to sensed voltage and current. This invention saves cost and improves precision.


Objective: 1) Determine the diagnostic yield of a shared genetic screening algorithm in adult and pediatric populations with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). 2) Recommend effective testing strategies to evaluate for genetic causes of deafness in patients presenting with idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss. Method: A total of 221 adult and 163 pediatric patients with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing impairment were recruited from otology clinics between 2001 and 2011. Peripheral blood samples were screened for mutations in GJB2 and GJB6 and mitochondrial DNA mutations 1555A>G, 7444G>A, and 3243A>G. Audiometric data and family history were also collected. Results: GJB2/GJB6 related deafness was diagnosed in 23 out of 163 pediatric patients (14%) compared with only 3 out of 221 adults (1%). All 3 adults had a family history of hearing loss, and 2 patients noted deafness onset at birth. Nineteen GJB2 mutations were identified with 35delG, the most common mutation. The 35delG homozygous state was the most common pathogenic genotype (54%). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations were found in 6 adult probands (3%). No mtDNA mutations were found in pediatric patients. Conclusion: Testing for common GJB2/GJB6 mutations in pediatric patients has considerable value in establishing an etiologic diagnosis for SNHL. Similar testing in adults is of very low yield except perhaps in cases of early onset HL or strong family history. Mitochondrial DNA testing should be considered in adults with idiopathic SNHL.


A 'novel' and cost-effective 'on-off'-type monophosphate H(2)PO(4)(-) (Pi) chemosensor based on the mononuclear 2,2'-dihydroxyazobenzene (DHAB)-Zn(ii) complex was developed and a molecular keypad lock can be realized in the DHAB-based system by using Zn(ii) cations and Pi anions as inputs.


In order to become members of EU, countries in transition in SE Europe have been under pressure of introducing measures and laws relating to environmental protection. The urge is getting higher as the natural resources and biodiversities, which are amongst the highest in level in the continent, are under constant threat due to improper use or unplanned exploitation. Considering the still existing traces left from the legacy of centrally planned economy and political systems, the paper will question how some models of sustainable development in Europe are applicable in these countries. Through various shifts of social, economic and political indicators the paper will analyze their influences in relation to implementation of sustainable development policy as well as activities in connection to green economy introduction. An intensive approach will be employed in case of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the results of various studies and cases from the practice will prove that all these mentioned factors play a key role in planning of sustainable development. The conclusion is that an approach that takes into consideration all named factors, integrating researchbased and practice-based knowledge should be proposed for these countries.


The objective of the present study is to investigate the low Reynolds number (LRN) fluid dynamics of two airfoils in pitching oscillations. The airfoils are in a tandem configuration and perform in-phase oscillations. Navier-Stokes (NS) equations with Finite Volume Method (FVM) are used and the instantaneous aerodynamic force coefficients are analyzed. The effect of amplitude of pitching oscillations and Re are investigated on the fluid forces. It is found that the amplitude of pitching oscillations is of primary importance to the fluid forces, affecting them quantitatively and qualitatively. Re is found to be of secondary importance compared to the effects of the amplitude of pitching oscillations. It mainly affects the magnitude of the forces.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


Modified metal fuels which improve the stability in storage of pyrotechnics and methods for manufacturing such fuels are provided. Improved storage stability is conferred either by alloying the precursor metal prior to the powder production process, or by forming an enhanced stability coating on the surface of the metal powders during the powder production process. Alloying may include the addition of manganese, yttrium, neodymium, beryllium or zirconium. The coating process may comprise an atomization process wherein droplets of molten magnesium or aluminium come into contact with gas comprising a low percentage of a halogenated gas, such as sulphur hexafluoride. The modified metallic powder has a reduced tendency to react with moisture during storage to release hydrogen.


Egyptian Agriculture faces a worrying situation, despite the promises of the Aswan High Dam : agricultural output doesn't match the population growth, reclaimed desert la,ds don't produce what was expected, the cooperative system set up 20 years earlier is in crisis, with the liberty granted to rich farmers.


Improving proficiency in mathematics and eliminating the gaps in proficiency among social groups is and has been the goal of many public and private efforts over the past decade and a half. States and national professional organizations have developed standards for mathematics proficiency and assessments intended to measure the degree to which students attain such proficiency. Various programs have been instituted to attract and retain more effective teachers of mathematics. New curricular materials have been developed along with training and coaching programs intended to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to use those materials. However, these efforts have been supported by limited and uneven research and research-based development, which is part of the reason for the limited success of these efforts.


This paper presents a systematic review of literature related to teacher resilience. The review underpins a larger research project that aims to enhance the resilience of early career teachers by embedding evidence-based practice within the pre-service teacher education programs of two Australian universities. One aim of the paper is to identify constructs and consequent research methods to inform the development of a questionnaire for use with pre-service and early career teachers, and guide the nature of strategies implemented in the universities involved. There is concern internationally with the high attrition rates of early career teachers. Numerous studies have examined factors such as workloads and behavior management difficulties that contribute to teacher stress and burnout. More recently researchers have looked towards teacher resilience as a more positive way of addressing this problem. Definitions of resilience include the ability to "bounce back" after experiencing difficult events. It is the capacity to deal constructively with challenges and the ability to maintain social and emotional wellbeing in the face of difficult events. A shift in thinking from attrition to resilience offers the potential for more effective interventions to occur. A search of databases such as ERIC and ProQuest revealed over 250 journal articles and conference papers linked to key words such as 'resilience', 'teachers' and 'burn out' published between 2000 and 2009. Papers selected for systematic review are those most relevant to teacher resilience and are summarized according to key criteria such as conceptualizations of resilience, research methods used, key empirical findings, and issues raised. For example, one important issue arising from the literature is the relationship between teacher retention and teacher resilience. The assumption is that if new teachers develop greater resilience, they will be less likely to leave the profession. At the same time, however, there is evidence that some teacher education students consciously plan to teach only for a short time before moving on to achieve other life goals. The paper will provide an overview of strengths and limitations of current research suggest directions for future research and derive implications and recommendations for pre-service teacher education programs.


This study constructs the relationship between work stressors and the desire for organizational construction and the moderating role of leader–member exchange. The study is conducted by integrating social exchange and uncertainty management theory. Through investigating 204 employees and performing a scenario study in China, this research confirms that challenge stressors are positively related to desire for organizational construction. The relationship between hindrance stressors and desire for organizational construction tends to be U-shaped in the condition of high leader–member exchange, and the relationship tends to have an inverted U-shape in the condition of low leader–member exchange. This study has important implications for discerning the scope of application for both social exchange and uncertainty management theory, as managers seek to explain the relationship between negative treatment of employees and their desire for organizational construction.


This paper follows up on a series of reference papers that inspired MDPI's Topic "Stochastic Geomechanics: From Experimentation to Forward Modeling", where global and local deformation effects on sand specimens are fully described from high-resolution boundary displacement fields, as supported by a comprehensive experimental database (which includes varying degrees of specimen's heterogeneity) that is available to the scientific community for further study. This paper presents an elasto-plastic comparative analysis of different finite element models reproducing different sand specimen heterogeneity configurations as follows: loose, dense, and half-dense half-loose specimens. The experimental conditions for these specimens' heterogeneity configurations were simulated with an axisymmetric finite element model. To characterize the stress-strain response obtained from the experiments, an elasto-plastic constitutive model with strain-hardening and softening laws was adopted to reproduce the sand specimens' mechanistic response. An expert-based calibration of the numerical models accounted for both global and local effects by making use of global observations captured by the triaxial point sensors (i.e., axial force and displacement) and by local observations captured by 3D digital image correlation analysis (i.e., 3D boundary displacement fields). Results show that predictions of the proposed numerical models are in good agreement with the experimental observations, both global and local responses. The combined use of global and local observations to calibrate sand triaxial specimens sets the basis for a more comprehensive parameterization process. For the first model set, three experiments were assumed with homogeneous materials. While both dense and loose models showed good agreement with the experiments, the displacement field prediction of the half-dense half-loose layered model identified limitations in reproducing heterogeneous configurations. Afterward, the second set compared and analyzed the half-dense half-loose layered models by implementing a heterogeneous model, showing significantly better model predictions (i.e., after the implementation of the heterogeneous model, which accounts for a transition zone between the upper and lower segments).


ing, induced the formation of osteophytes (bone spurs) at the inflamed joints and also prevented the resorption of bone by specialized cells called osteoclasts. As was consistent with the mouse data, they observed that DKK-1 was expressed at aber-rantly high levels in joint specimens from humans with rheumatoid arthritis and that in both species DKK-1 expression was induced by TNF- α . These results identify the Wnt pathway as an important regulator of joint remodeling in rheumatoid arthritis. Because Wnt signals influence both the formation and the destruc-tion of bone, future therapies targeting this pathway could in principle be applied not only to rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by bone loss, but also to osteoarthritis and other diseases of the joint. — PAK


Consider the function with variables z1…,zm where υ and λj (j = 1,…,m) are complex numbers and.Г is a suitably chosen integral domain. In case m = 2, if we set [z1 z2]n as Г, it is the Selberg integral [22]. Our function can be regarded as an extention of it; so we may call (0.1) a Selberg type integral It is known that (0.1) satisfies a Gauss-Manin system, i.e. a system of rationally holonomic differential equations [3], [21].


Relation of LabVIEW in the implementation of the control In its theoretical conception, the realization and implementation, as well as the design of the interface made in NI LabVIEW software with the purpose of involving the access control system to the refinery simulating the card that drives the mechanism to operate the entrance door of the workers, this does not present great difficulty, but the requirement to integrate the set of operations can solve a complex problem, requiring careful planning and a radical change in the mentality and training of users. The trusted employees or workers have access cards to the refinery. As time has gone by, the number of workers' cards has decreased, which has led to everyone using the same entry card, so the project seeks to reproduce these cards to personalize access for each user, as well as to register them during certain working hours.