Ad hoc wireless networks depend on mutual collaboration among nodes. Congestion in ad hoc wireless networks thus presents more of a challenge than for other network types. This article proposes RAODV (relieving AODV), a modification of the AODV routing protocol, to handle congestion via third party neighbour nodes in dense and static ad hoc networks. RAODV nodes use a T-entropy threshold-based congestion detection algorithm to determine the congestion status of their neighbours. If RAODV determines that congestion is occurring, it then tries to relieve congestion via a local repair modification algorithm that replaces the congested node by a suitable monitoring/third party neighbour node. This article also shows evidence that RAODV results in better network performance than AODV in simulations with random network topologies.


This paper presents a novel method to estimate the number of shorted turns in a permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) following the detection of interturn short-circuit (ITSC) fault and its location. In this proposed method, PMSM is excited through a low sinusoidal voltage at standstill condition to obtain the winding resistance and synchronous inductance by current response. It is shown that the ITSC fault introduces variation in the current response, which can be used to calculate the number of shorted turns under zero fault resistance assumption. Using this practical procedure, the fault severity can be estimated directly in a straight-forward manner. In other words, the severity estimation for a given machine can be done without complex machine modeling or experiments on ITSC prototype with multiple taps. The findings in this paper are essential for a comprehensive solution including fault mitigation algorithms and postfault operations. In order to verify the findings, a three-phase equivalent circuit model supported by finite element analysis results is used to take saturation and space harmonics into account. In addition, experimental results are presented to demonstrate the validity and practicability of the severity estimation.


Extensive SAR studies on the unselective BRS3 agonist, [H‐D‐Phe6,β‐Ala11,Phe13,Nle14]‐bombesin‐(6‐14)‐nonapeptide amide, have highlighted structural features important for BRS3 activity and have provided guidance as to the design of selective agonists. A radically modified heptapeptide agonist, maintaining only the Trp‐Ala moiety of the parent [H‐D‐Phe6,βAla11,Phe13,Nle14]‐peptide amide, and with a very different carboxyl terminal region, has been produced which was potent at BRS3 and essentially had no NMB or GRP receptor activity. Its structure is Ac‐Phe‐Trp‐Ala‐His(τBzl)‐Nip‐Gly‐Arg‐NH2. Copyright © 2004 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Different design alternatives of an information and communication system with different degrees of compatibility regarding (system)ergonomic criteria are compared in a static driving simulator study with 30 subjects. Especially the early phase of the learning curve is considered. The applied design of a static driving simulator study proves to be an adequate method for a differentiated assessment of design layout for such systems within the car. The results show that a higher degree of compatibility leads to significant improvements in the safety of operation while driving. Furthermore the necessity to assess design alternatives regarding task performance, the effects on glance behaviour and driving performance is pointed out. It is not sufficient to consider just one assessment criterion.


More than 20 years have passed since B. Buzan, O. Waever and J. de Wilde published their "Security: A New Framework for Analysis", which has become a classic in the discipline of security studies. Although Russian scholars increasingly attempt to use the securitization theory's conceptual apparatus in their research, the knowledge of the theory itself remains rather fragmentary. The overwhelming majority of existing papers refer to the so-called Copenhagen School's (CS) intellectual heritage, while more comprehensive approaches and recent studies remain almost unknown among Russian scholars. The author attempts to fill this gap. This article is first in line of a series of studies, entirely devoted to the phenomenon of securitization: from the earliest milestones to the modern stage of development of the theory. The paper examines the theoretical and philosophical premises, as well as the ideas and assumptions of the securitization theory, first formulated by O. Waever in the late 1980s. The author refers to the original texts of the main figures of the CS: O. Waever and B. Buzan, conceptualizing the history of the concept of securitization and immersing the reader into the atmosphere of security studies field at the end of the 20th century. As a result, it becomes possible to determine the key elements of the early theory of securitization: security as a speech act, national security as a main focus of study, post-structural realism as a research agenda of O. Waever, and the idea of security as a negative meaning. The article concludes that despite the shortcomings of the early theory of securitization noted by many critics, it was based on a valuable and fruitful idea - an attempt to go beyond the notion of security as an absolute good or a metaphysical entity, which was typical of traditional and many alternative approaches to the definition of security.


Moulting data were collected from a size range of J. lalandii in an aquarium where field conditions of light intensity and temperature were simulated. Elemental analysis was carried out on intermoult exoskeleton, exuviae and whole lobsters. Lobsters lose a mean of 27% of their dry mass per year at ecdysis. Exuviae contained a higher ash content, a 28,1 % lower organic carbon content indicating reabsorption, and a similar inorganic carbon content when compared with intermoult exoskeleton. Estimates for a lobster population occupying 100 m2 at Robben Island are that 228 g organic carbon and 57,3 g nitrogen are lost annually. However, the annual cost of moulting to J. lalandii in terms of exuvial mass, which includes carbon and nitrogen, is considerable when viewed in terms of lost production.


This article summarizes the regulatory actions of the Food & Drug Administration as related to gel-filled silicone breast implants. It also relates the actions to the influences of outside forces such as press coverage, congressional investigations, and consumer activism.


Computer simulation of a variety of solid-fluid interfaces in nano-to-micrometer scales has attracted much attention in recent years. We have been developing the hybrid simulation schemes to apply them to the interfaces at realistic settings without losing physical accuracies, by concurrently coupling the electronic density-functional theory (DFT), the molecular dynamics (MD), the recursive coarse-grained particle (RCGP) method, and the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) method. In the hybrid DFT-MD simulation scheme, multiple DFT regions each of which is composed of a relatively small number of atoms are embedded in a system of classical MD atoms. For robust coupling of the DFT and MD regions with reasonable mechanical accuracies the buffered-cluster method is adopted, which requires no link-atoms and is applicable to a wide range of materials and settings. The sizes and number of the DFT regions change adaptively to trace the chemical reactions during the simulation run. The hybrid DFT-MD simulation scheme is successfully applied to various interesting processes including the atomic-scale friction between nano-scale objects. Useful MD simulation requires realistic, dynamic boundary conditions to the atoms. We develop the RCGP method to coarse-grain the atomic system in the solid phase, in which each particle represents a group of the atoms and the inter-particle interaction is constructed by renormalizing the inter-atomic interaction in a recursive manner under the assumption of the local statistical equilibrium. The RCGP method has attractive features such as its natural incorporation of the atomic phonons in the thermal equilibrium and its potential suitableness to connection to the atomistic system. In the hybrid RCGP-MD simulation scheme, the overall shape of the total system calculated with the RCGP method gives the dynamics boundary conditions to the MD regions. A nano-thrusting simulation of a structured Al system that demonstrates reasonable coupling of the RCGP and MD regions is presented. A hybrid RCGP-LBE simulation scheme has been developed to study interaction between the fluid motion and the elastic body in realistic settings. The dynamics of the fluid is simulated by the LBE with the dynamic boundary conditions relating to the moving solid body. The solid body is coarse-grained with the RCGP method. A hybrid RCGP-LBE simulation of a deformable nano-rod in the Poiseuille flow is performed to confirm the fluidsolid coupling scheme.


Embedded microcontrollers are often programmed in plain C and lack support for multithreading and real-time scheduling. This can make it very cumbersome to implement multirate feedback control applications. We have developed the TINYREALTIME kernel for the Atmel ATmega8L AVR to show that it is feasible to use high-precision, deadline-based scheduling even in a tiny 8-bit processor with 1 KB of RAM. The kernel is demonstrated in a multirate control application, where six periodic real-time tasks (four control tasks and two pulse width modulation tasks) are used to control two ball-and-beam processes.


To establish the system of quality control of Medlar, the essential oil was extracted from Medlar by steam distill method and its chemical components were analyzed by GC/MS. The result showed that 64 peaks were separated and 28 of them were identified. The main contents are oxidation trepenes, fatty acids ester and hydrocarbons aromatic series composition.


Based on the full velocity difference(FVD) model,with the consideration of effect of multiple information from preceding cars to the following car,a multi-anticipative velocity and velocity difference(MAVD) model of traffic flow was proposed.The linear stable judging condition was obtained to the improved model by its stable analyzing,which enlarged efficiently the stable range of the improved model.The delay time of car motion and kinematic wave speed approach are more exactly to the observed values and unrealistically high acceleration does not appear.Numerical simulation further shows that the improved model can overcome the disadvantage of negative velocity occurred at small reaction coefficient in FVD model by considering the information of the multiple cars.


In his seminal The Poverty of Historicism (hereafter PH) Sir Karl Popper deployed a number of arguments to prick the pretensions of those who thought that they were, or could come to be, in possession of knowledge of the (social) future. These 'historicists' assumed that they could lay bare the law of evolution of a society, and that their possession of knowledge of such a law justified (large-scale) political action which had the aim of removing obstacles to the progress of history. In arguing against historicism Popper was clearly motivated by his interest in removing the intellectual backing for such revolutionary political practice. My first reading of PH was in the company of people who were extremely dismissive of the anti-revolutionary message, and who tended to argue that if that was the conclusion of Popper's theoretical argument, then obviously the argument was flawed. Within their context, that of the implementation of apartheid policy in South Africa, there was much to be said for this attitude. There is no doubt that Popper's message was insufficiently contextualised, or rather that he did not signpost very clearly whether he intended the anti-revolutionary political prescription to have limited or universal application. In this paper I want to reconsider some of these issues, particularly whether the truth of anti-historicism, in the sense intended by Popper, has such conservative consequences for political action.


"Today Christ calls us to agree with Him and follow Him on the path which transforms all our existence" (Pope Francis). The first transformation takes place through Baptism. Baptism pardons all our sins both original and personal. However, forgiveness of the original sin remains a controversial truth of faith. Pope Benedict XVI said that "original sin is usually hard to understand" and therefore talking about original sin is a way to say that salvation is primarily universal and not individual. In order to more fully understand what happens at Baptism, this article overviews Biblical aspects of the original sin, development of the doctrine of the original sin in the history of the Church and consequences of the primordial sin. It is also revealed what Baptism does to the original sin. KEY WORDS: primordial (original) sin, Baptism, justification.


Aim. To develop and implement an algorithm for early diagnosis of a localized form of prostate cancer based on the determination of the specificity of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) marker in different age groups.Materials and methods. In the framework of a screening program for early detection of diseases of the urogenital system developed at the Stavropol Regional Clinical Specialized Uroandrological Center, middle-aged and elderly men were examined using the following characteristics: IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score), serum PSA level, digital rectal exam, transrectal prostate ultrasound, urodynamic tests, as well as transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy in cases of elevated total PSA. The data (for 2010–2021) on the frequency of detection of localized prostate cancer depending on patient age (40–59 years, 60–69 years, ³70 years) and total PSA level were analyzed.Results. With an increase in total blood PSA >4 ng/ml, there is a clear trend towards a decrease in the detection of benign prostatic hyperplasia and an increase in the detection of adenocarcinoma, which is confirmed by the data of histological examinations of biopsy specimens. In 81 % of cases, transrectal multifocal biopsy of the prostate gland (adenocarcinoma and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia was detected) under transrectal ultrasound control is justified, including when PSA values are in the "gray zone", which shows a rather high value of this method.Conclusion. Total serum PSA level is a readily available indicator for differential diagnosis of prostate diseases including detection of localized prostate cancer in out-patient conditions. The obtained data points at high specificity of this marker in men over 40 years old. Measurement of serum PSA level at the age of 40–49 years is necessary for early detection of oncological pathology. For total serum PSA level >4 ng/mL, mandatory transrectal multifocal prostate biopsy is recommended at any age.


A calculation method for the determination of the forbidden gap width is proposed which is based on the experimentally obtained Hall constant, RH, only. RH is to be measured in a relatively narrow temperature interval, not involving the intrinsic conductivity range. Calculations were performed for Ge, Si, InSb, and InAs and the results agree with literature data verifying the theoretical considerations. In addition, it is shown that the present method allows to calculate both electron and hole mobilities separately, in the intrinsic conductivity range.

[Russian Text Ignored.]


We investigate the dependent relationship between two failure time vari- ables that truncate each other. Chaieb, Rivest, and Abdous (2006) proposed a semi- parametric model under the so-called "semi-survival" Archimedean-copula assump- tion and discussed estimation of the association parameter, the truncation prob- ability, and the marginal functions. Here the same model assumption is adopted but different inference approaches are proposed. For estimating the association pa- rameter, we extend the conditional likelihood approach (Clayton (1978)) and the two-by-two table approach (Wang (2003)) to dependent truncation data. We fur- ther show that the three estimators, including that proposed by Chaieb, Rivest, and Abdous (2006), differ in weights. The likelihood approach provides the formula for a good weight. Large sample properties of the proposed methods are established by applying the functional delta method, which can handle estimating functions that are not in the form of U-statistics. Analytic formulae for the asymptotic variance estimators are provided. Two competing methods are compared via simulations, and applied to the transfusion-related AIDS data.


Prevention in Reading: A Differentiated Effect Monique BRODEUR University of Quebec in Montreal Catherine GOSSELIN University of Quebec in Montreal Julien MERCIER University of Quebec in Montreal Frédéric LEGAULT University of Quebec in Montreal Nathalie VANIER University of Quebec in Montreal This study examines the outcome of a general program to prevent reading difficulties that integrated systematic phonics teaching in an underpriveliged milieu. Seventeen kindergarten teachers applied the program, while nine continued with their regular activities. Two hundred sixty two students, 165 in the experimental group and 97 in the control group, were evaluated on their knowledge of letters and their metaphonological skills. These evaluations were carried out four times, at the beginning and at the end of kindergarten and the first grade. The results show that the development curve for the knowledge of letters was stronger in the experimental group than in the control group, whereas for metaphonological skills, the curves were similar. Moreover, a low, average or high initial level of knowledge of letters modulated the effect of the intervention; the group of students with a low initial level benefited more from the intervention in terms of their knowledge of letters, while for metaphonological skills, the advantages of the program for low and high level students varied depending on their skills. These results suggest that schools would benefit 57 volume XXXIV:2, automne 2006 www.acelf.ca Prévention des difficultés d'apprentissage en lecture : l'effet différencié d'un programme implanté par des enseignantes de maternelle chez leurs élèves


To study and analyze the extraction of keratin from egg-shell membrane. On the base of the single factor experiments and the Box-Benhnken design, the desired conditions of extraction of keratin are concluded. They are 64℃ of the temperature, 4.6% of the enzyme dosage, 2.2 hours of the total reaction time, 9.3of pH. Our present results showing that the yield of keratin was 38.0% and the content of keratin was 76.87% under the above-mentioned conditions.


Introduction: The Medtronic SelectSecureTM pacing lead (MSS) has hypothesized advantages compared to conventional transvenous pacing leads (CPL) of similar design (bipolar pacing, thin lead diamete...


With new missions being selected, missions moving to post-operations, and missions starting their journey to various targets in the Solar System, the European Space Agency's Planetary Science Archive [1] (http://psa.esa.int) is in constant evolution to support the needs of the projects and of the scientific community. 1. What happened in 2019, and what are the challenges for 2020 The past year has been particularly successful for European Space Agency (ESA) Solar System missions, with the launch of the BepiColombo mission to Mercury, and the start of the science phase for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). Scientific observations from BepiColombo and ExoMars 2016 TGO are stored in the archive a few days after reception on the ground. The PSA therefore provides the scientists with almost real time access to the data. As is common for ESA missions, access to the data is protected and reserved to members of the science team during the first months of the mission. The development of such archives is a new concept that requires a very strong support from each mission's Science Ground Segment (SGS) and the instrument teams. The development of this concept in the framework of the new Planetary Data System standard V4 (PDS4) used for the two new missions is particularly challenging. In 2020 ESA will face challenges such as the expected start of the ExoMars 2020 Rover and Surface Platform (RSP), and the flybys of planets by BepiColombo. Rosetta will also soon end its journey by completing its archive. The content of the Rosetta archive will continue to be curated, like other missions in legacy such as Venus Express or SMART-1. By 2020, users of the Planetary Science Archive (PSA) will have access to new services based on Geographical Information Systems and new geometrical search capabilities. 2. You can contribute to the PSA! At the PSA we constantly interact with our users to ensure that our services are in line with the expectations and needs of the community. We encourage feedback from community scientists through: • PSA Users Group: A group of scientific experts advising the PSA on strategic development; • Direct interactions: Scientists from the PSA are present at the EPSC-DPS and eager to receive your comments and suggestions; • ESA missions: If you are part of a mission archiving its data at the PSA, you are the expert that can tell us how your data should best be searched and used. Please, help us improve the missions' legacy.


High speed optical switching, modulation, wavelength multiplexing and filtering are becoming increasingly vital functions to realize fiber optic access networks that provide high bandwidth telecommunication services to the home or building. By using existing integrated optics microresonator technology and organic electro optic materials, large scale photonic integration of active functions is feasible. A new generation of integrated optics technology will be developed into robust densely integrated active photonic platform and eventually lead to the demonstration of low power, highly manufacturable and hence low cost multiwavelength transceivers for access networks. For the engineering of optical subsystems, two different approaches, both based on electro optic polymer microresonators vertically coupled to add drop waveguides, have been investigated and implemented. The first approach uses the hybrid integration of inorganic waveguides coupled to electro optic polymer microresonators whereas the second design associates polymer waveguides and microresonators. Using these approaches, we have designed and realized working microresonator prototypes used as mux/demux, high speed switches or modulators


Some of the most challenging philosophical questions about human knowledge take the form of asking how knowledge of a certain kind is possible. Even when they are not explicitly expressed in those words, what lies behind such philosophical questions are certain considerations that seem to imply that it is not possible for anyone to have any knowledge of the kind in question. Quassim Cassam focusses on the role of such "obstacles" and on what needs to be done in the face of


While energy arbitrage from energy storage can lower power system operating costs, it can also increase greenhouse gas emissions. If power system operations are conducted with the constraint that energy storage operation must not increase emissions, how does this constraint affect energy storage investment decisions? Two bi-level energy storage investment problems are considered, representing 'philanthropic' (profitability-constrained) and profit-maximizing storage investors (PhSI, PMSI). A MILP heuristic is developed to obtain good candidate solutions to these inherently MINLP bi-level problems. A case study is conducted on a 30% renewable system, with sensitivity analyses on the price of storage and the price of carbon emissions. Regardless of the emissions-neutrality constraint, a PhSI installs significantly more energy storage than a PMSI, increasing system flexibility. The effect of the emissions-neutrality constraint in the absence of a carbon price is to reduce the quantity of storage purchased and reduce annual system emissions (${\scriptstyle\sim}$3%), with only minor increases in overall cost (${\scriptstyle\sim}$0.1%). In cases with a carbon price, storage does not tend to increase emissions and the emissions constraint does not tend to decrease storage investment. The emissions-neutrality constraint is seen to deliver similar emissions reductions even in a system with much higher renewable penetration (46%).


for the past few decades, an extensive variety of cryptographic protocols have been suggested in order to resolve the secure communication problems even in the occurrence of challenger. The assortment of this work varies from developing fundamental security primitives providing confidentiality and authenticity to solving more difficult, application-specific problems. With rapid developments in perimeters and potential of communications and information broadcasts, there is a rising require of authentication protocol. However, when these protocols are deployed in practice, a significant challenge is to ensure not just security but also privacy throughout these protocols's lifetime. As computer-based devices are more extensively used and the Internet is more globally accessible, new types of applications and new types of privacy threats are being introduced to password privacy in the context of smart card based password-based authenticated key exchange (PAKE). Especially, we show that smart card based PAKE protocols provably meeting the existing formal definitions do not accomplish the anticipated level of password privacy when organized in the real world. Authentication is necessary for any secure transaction. Smart card based authentication mechanism are most popular because of the strong security and simplicity. This paper also describes about various smartcard based authentication mechanisms. Index Terms — Smart Card, Password-Based Authenticated Key exchanges (PAKE), Authentication, Symmetric Key,


OBJECTIVE To identify the variety and evaluate the quality of herbal medicine"Miziyinhua".METHODS The variety of herbal medicine "Miziyinhua" was identified by macroscopic identification,field tracking,specimen investigation and taxonomic study.The quality was evaluated by determining the contents of main effective chemical constituents and researching the antibacterial activeness,combined with the macroscopic character of "Miziyinhua".RESULTS The variety of "Miziyinhua"is Lonicera acuminata Wall.The difference of contents of the main effective chemical constituents in the species is big and the antibacterial activeness of the good population was studied.CONCLUSION The results may prove to be useful for the utility and further study of "Miziyinhua".


Objective To investigate the best method to culture and label vocalfold fibroblasts(VFFs)in vitro.Methods VFFs were cultured by enzyme digestion to observe their growth and morphology under an inverted microscope and labeled with Ad-EGFP.The cells(100 million/0.1ml)were injected into the vocal cords of 12 New Zealand rabbits to observe the growth of VFFs.Results VFFs could be cultured in vitro and showed characteristic morphologyof fibroblasts.Immunochemistry showed positive vimentin expression Ad-EGFP could transfect VFFs.No survived cells were observed on the tissue sections 15 days after injection of VFFs.Conclusion VFFs can be cultured by enzyme digestion.Ad-EGFP is an ideal tracing marker.


The purpose of a software environment is to support the creation and maintenance of computer software. This support takes the form of a set of computer programs called "software tools," which are used by a programmer to generate and manipulate software and information about software.
The use of a software environment can be significantly simplified if the user's attention is focused on the information provided by the environment rather than the tools that create this information. The purpose of an "object manager" is to provide this focus by automating the process of tool invocation. An object manager will respond to a request for a piece of information, or "object", by invoking the minimal number of tools necessary to produce that object. If previously computed objects are automatically stored by the object manager for later re-use, significant improvements in response time can be achieved.
In an extensible environment, the kinds of information potentially provided by the environment are easily extended through the addition of new tools that generate and manipulate new kinds of information. The added complexity of an object manager designed to support this extensibility is significant, but the current rapid rate of technological change makes this flexibility essential.
In order to demonstrate the feasibility of efficient extensible object management in large software environments, an object manager called the Odin System was designed and implemented based on the results of this research.


Waveguide electromagnetic field structures is complex,to understand the electromagnetic field distribution in a rectangular waveguide,with the TE and TM wave equations,each component of electromagnetic field can be determined at any time anywhere in a rectangular waveguide;and then determined the vectors directing of Electric and magnetic fields anywhere in waveguide,so simulated the TM11 and TE11 wave distributions for waveguide cross-section and longitudinal-section.Conclusions of the simulation results are in line with the actual,properly reflect the characteristics of electromagnetic wave propagation in a rectangular waveguide,so are of great significance for understanding its characteristics.


Real estate industry has been increasingly important in recent years. Therefore, to explore a more effective way to calculate house price index that accurately reflects the market becomes a hot topic among scholars both domestic and aboard in recent years[1]. This paper aims at finding an effective method to calculate the house price index for small and medium-sized cities.


Abstract 2926 Introduction Angiogenesis plays a central role in the progression of both solid and hematological tumors. In particular, in multiple myeloma (MM) the critical role of bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and angiogenesis has been well documented. The past decade has witnessed a dramatic improvement in the therapeutic options in MM. However, the disease remains incurable, underscoring the need for continued efforts towards understanding MM biology and exploitation of novel therapeutic approaches. In this setting, monoclonal antibodies against myeloma-specific cell surface antigens represent a promising therapeutic approach, which is however hampered by a lack of appropriate target structures expressed across all pathogenic myeloma cells. The Eph receptors, a large family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) activated by ephrins binding, have been implicated in many processes involved in malignancy, including alteration of the tumor microenvironment and in angiogenesis, in both of which EpHA3 likely plays an active role. Aberrant expression of EpHA3 is seen in many types of hematolologic malignancies (some leukemic cell lines, T-cell lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms) although it is not expressed ubiquitously. Finally, the over-expression of Eph is believed to be sufficient to confer tumorigenic potential although probably further mechanisms can occur to abnormally activate the receptor. Basing on the role of EpHA3 in haematological malignancies, a first-in-class engineered IgG1 antibody targeting the EpHA (KB004) was developed and it is now under phase I clinical trials in USA and Australia for the treatment of EpHA3 overexpressing hematological myeloid malignancies refractory to conventional treatment. We investigated the EpHA3 role and its preferential membrane–bound by GPI linker ligand EFNA5, in MM patients in order to define EpHA3 as new molecular target for a novel therapeutic approach with a specific anti EpHA3 monoclonal antibody. The EpHA3 expression has been studied through a comparative proteomic analysis between BM endothelial cells (ECs) of patients with MM (MMECs) or with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGECs), of control subjects (normal ECs) and in MM cell lines. Methods After written informed consent, BM aspirates have been collected from 20 MM and 4 MGUS patients. Normal ECs were derived from 3 BM aspirates of subjects with anemia due to iron or vitamin B12 deficiency. We analyzed the expression levels of EpHA3 in normal ECs, MGECs and MMECs and MM cell lines evaluating the mRNA and protein levels by RT-qPCR and by WB coupled to ImmunoFluorescence analysis. The biological effects of EpHA3 targeting in MMECs have been studied silencing the EpHA3 mRNA in MMECs and testing them at 72h after silencing in series of functinal assays including viability assay by trypan blue exclusion staining and by in vitro angiogenesis assay followed by measurement of mesh areas and vessel length. Moreover, we studied EFNA5 mRNA expression levels in Normal ECs, MGECs and MMECs and in MM cell lines by PCR. Results Our data showed that EpHA3 mRNA levels are progressively increased from ECs to MGECs reaching the highest values in MMECs. Subsequent analysis by WB and immunofluorescence confirmed EpHA3 protein upregulation among the different EC types. The MMECs in which EpHA3 has been silenced revealed a protein level reduction of approximately 60% when compared to the control. We could not detect major viability defects. Furthermore, in vitro angiogenesis inhibition was marginal when compared to the not silenced counterpart. To know whether EpHA3 may impact not only MM angiogenesis but also plasma cells, three MM cell lines were studied for the EpHA3 expression. We found the plasma cell lines gave constant over expression of EpHA3. Finally, the preliminary data regarding EFNA5 mRNA expression level showed it is expressed in either MMECs and MM plasma cell lines. The evaluation of KB004 effect on MMECs in term of apoptosis induction and in vitro tube formation inhibition, as well as the analysis of EpHA3 levels in primary MM plasma cells are in progress. Conclusions From this study we expect to characterize the role of the EpHA3in MM patients and to provide experimental evidences supporting the possibility of using EpHA3 as a new molecular target for MM by proving the in vitro efficacy of a monoclonal antibody to target the angiogenesis of MM. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Differing concepts of aging, i.e., a normative versus a pathologic process, are presented in historical perspective and are traced through selected writings from ancient China, India, Egypt, and Greece into more modern times. There is no consistent shift across epochs from one to the other perspective, and mixed perspectives often appear. Ideas regarding the aging process and age‐related disease are influenced by the changing medical state of the art in various eras. Because of the still incomplete knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved, the current status of medical knowledge has not yet resolved the "aging vs disease dilemma." History, however, does reveal insights that promote respect for prescientific observations and intuitions, provide a contextual background for progress achieved, and foreshadow current trends in the theory and practice of geriatrics.


In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle District No. 1, many scholars and commentators have tried to answer the question: "Where do we go from here?" Although varying answers have been proposed ranging from more magnet schools to increased funding of underperforming schools, many school administrators who are committed to achieving and maintaining racially diverse student bodies have decided to expand their definition of diversity to include consideration of students' socioeconomic status. This Essay will address the constitutionality of using class as a measure of diversity under the Roberts Court's interpretation of equal protection, as well as the viability of such initiatives to achieve diversity goals.


The culture of an aquaculture probiotic, i.e., Arthrobacter sp., CW9, was spray dried with different carriers/protectants, in which Scan Electric Microscope (SEM) was used to analyze the surface of micro-paticles produced by spray-drying. Matrix of protectants, inlet temperature and feed rate were optimized according to the survival rate after spray drying. Scanning electron micrographs showed that cracks formed on the particle surface were a key factor in enhancing bacteria survival during spray-drying. Span-60 had synergism with Skim Milk Powder (SMP): trehalose (7.5%: 7.5%, w/v) in protecting Arthrobacter sp., CW9 bacteria from heat injury, unlike SMP with trehalose. Particle size is an important factor influencing bacteria survival during spray drying and particle size itself was influenced by certain additives.


Several authors e.g. [2, 9] have shown that it is possible to nitride stainless steel in such a way that a metastable phase is formed in which nitrogen remains in solid solution, increasing the surface hardness and wear resistance without compromising the corrosion behaviour. This phase is referred to as a nitrogen-expanded austenite and is denoted as γN or S phase. One of the characteristic features that enables one to identify this phase is that its XRD reflections are shifted to lower Bragg angles with respect to those for normal austenite. In CEMS one observes a single line combined with a quadrupole doublet(s) in the central part of the spectrum. The isomeric shift (IS) with respect to α-Fe of the singlet and the doublet are usually around 0.00 and 0.1−0.2 mm/s, respectively. The quadrupole splitting (QS) in the doublet is typically around 0.3 mm/s. It is commonly accepted that the single line corresponds to the resonant transition in the Fe nucleus having no interstitial nitrogen neighbours and represents normal austenite γ0. The doublet is due to the Fe nucleus having one or more nitrogen atoms as the nearest neighbours and representing the γN phase. In some cases, apart from the singlet plus doublet combination, also the ferromagnetic γN(m) phase can be observed. There is, however a controversy on how the paramagnetic γN(p) to ferromagnetic γN(m) phase transition depends on the nitrogen concentration, see e.g. [2, 3, 5, 9]. Some of the authors e.g. [3, 7] claim that regardless of the processing used, the γN phase can only be formed if iron, chromium and nickel are available in the system, but Interaction of nitrogen atoms in expanded austenite formed in pure iron by intense nitrogen plasma pulses Jerzy Piekoszewski, Bożena Sartowska, Lech Waliś, Zbigniew Werner, Michał Kopcewicz, Friedrich Prokert, Jacek Stanisławski, Justyna Kalinowska, Władysław Szymczyk


RNA as well as determine drug resistance in slowly replicating nonculturable organisms like M. leprae . Therefore, M. leprae PCRs have been developed as early as in the 1980s [6] . In this issue of Ophthalmic Research , Farrukh Shamsi and his group from the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, KSA, subjected ocular tissue specimens of a female patient with suspected leprotic eye lesions to stains and confirmed the findings by custom-made real-time PCR. If any DNA is found by PCR this does not yet imply a causal relationship, but if stains identify the suspected organism from a lesion, evidence is strong. Therefore it can be difficult to interpret positive findings in asymptomatic patients long after treatment [7] . Is this case report relevant for ophthalmologists today? Seen on a global scale, 410,000 new cases (in 2004) [8] are diagnosed each year, and ocular involvement is common. Laboratory diagnosis can be difficult, and until now the diagnostic arsenal has not been sufficient [4] . In this article it is stated correctly that 'acid-fast bacilli' and 'typical' histopathology of a lesion is not sufficient. Confirmation of pathogens from excised tissues and quantification by RT-PCR is to be recommended whether or not the clinical diagnosis seems evident [4, 5, 9] . Alexander A Bialasiewicz, Muscat The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology has developed into one of the most frequently utilized genomic research and diagnostic tools in human and veterinary medicine. An ever-increasing literature of more than 66,000 PubMed-cited articles on general infections, 3,600 on all mycobacteria, 2,400 on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 249 on Mycobacterium leprae (as of 06.01.2007), documents the wide dissemination of PCR. As an economic showcase, PCR has been so important to the research and business communities that despite patents and license restrictions, new ways of distribution through business partnerships, corporate and adaptive licensing have been found. Nevertheless the patent holders have been rewarded with 2 billion USD returns [1] . As an example of the development of a diagnostic tool, PCR methods and proper handling have been refined for many years to yield sensitive, specific and rapid results of small amounts of pathogen DNA or RNA from patient specimens with very few stainable organisms [2, 3] . Applications of PCR for the laboratory diagnosis of granulomatous masses with few and slowly replicating organisms like mycobacteria are evident [4, 5] . PCR and RT-PCR are helpful to detect, quantify, and differentiate mycobacterial DNA or Published online: February 2, 2007


During wildland fires, firebrands form once they break off of burning vegetation or structures. Many are then lofted into the fire plume where they are transported long distances ahead of the fire front, igniting new "spot" fires as they land. To date, very few studies have been conducted on the breakage mechanism of thermally-degraded vegetative elements. Knowledge of these mechanisms is needed to feed mathematical models of firebrand transport from traditional wildfires as well as those that spread into communities. First, a framework to understand the behavior of thermally-degraded wooden elements under simultaneous external loading is presented. A set of experiments were designed such that cylindrical wooden dowels of different species are exposed to different heating conditions similar to wildland fires, in order to model the breakage mechanisms of these elements in the absence of wind. The thermally-degraded elements are subjected to the three-point bending test to obtain the mechanical response of the materials after combustion. Assuming Hookean Orthotropic behavior for combusted dowels, dimensional analysis of the results reveals that the ultimate strength of the dowels is affected by the recoverable elastic strain during loading, which is found to occur under two distinct regimes. These results are not only important for better understanding of the breakage mechanisms but also are advantageous for developing a failure theory of thermally degrading wooden elements under simultaneous wind loading conditions.


Sodium percarbonate were produced by by-product alkali residue of hydrazine hydrate as the material and wet low temperature synthesis crystallization method.The influence facts on products yield with orthogonal test method were studied,including reaction temperature under 10℃,material ratio,kinds of stabilizer and its quantity,salt quantity and reaction time.The process was optimized.Under the optimization stations,the yield is 85%,the quality of products meet the standards of Chemical department.The comprehensive utilization method was found for by product alkali residue of hydrazine hydrate with carbamide method.


In the previous of this series (Asprey, 1933) it was suggested that the antagonistic action of a kation towards an accompanying kation depended on two factors; one of these is its competition with the accompanying kation This factor will always tend to reduce the absorption of both ions as compared with that taking place from their pure solutions. The second factor is the specific effect o the ion on the absorptive power of the tissue; this was presumed to differ with the valency of the kation. It was supposed that monovalent kations tend to increase, and divalent, and trivalent kations to decrease, the intake of other kations by the tissue. In the experiments previously described the antagonistic action exhibited by varius kations towards the ammonium ion in its absorption by potato tissue was observed. It was found, however, that only one monovalent salt, lithium chloride, actually increased the ammonium ion in its absorption by potato tissue was observed. It was found, however, that only one monovalent salt, lithium chloride, actually increased the ammonium intake. It was shown that the apparent divergence in the behaviour of lithium and the other monovalent alts could be explained by assuming that the specific effect of all of them on the tissue was the same; to increase the absorption of ammonium, but that the effect of sodium and potassium was very much less than that of lithium. Reduction in absorption caused by ionic competition would then mask the relatively weak tendency of sodium and potassium to increase the intake of ammonium. Although this provided a suitable explanation of the results obtained, there was at that time no evidence either to support or to disprove it. It was decided that some light would be thrown on this matter if experiments could be devised in which the specific effects of salts on the tissue alone were determined. It was thought that by immersing the disks of potato tuber first in solutions of the salts under consideration for a known period and then in ammonium chloride, information might be obtained about the specific effect of these salts on ammonium intake, since ionic competition would be eliminated.


Purpose: A type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is due to ischemia from increased oxygen demand or decreased supply. It is not an infrequent complication following non-cardiac surgery or in the setting of acute medical illness. The purpose of this study was to determine whether type 2 MIs had a worse prognosis than a type 1 MI. Methods: The hospital database of a large terti-ary-level academic medical center was queried for all patients with a troponin I ≥ 1.6 ng/mL during a one-year period. The outcomes of patients with a type 2 MI were compared to those with a type 1 MI. Results: This retrospective study found that a type 2 MI is more lethal than the usual type 1 MI, particularly among women and the elderly. There was no statistical difference in outcomes between those that occurred in the post-operative setting compared to those that occurred in the setting of acute medical illness. Conclusions: Type 2 MIs are common and are associated with increased mortality, as compared with type 1 MIs. To date, no guidelines exist for the management of this type of MI. Further research into underlying mechanisms resulting in type 2 MI as well as potential treatment strategies is needed.


This article considers snapshot photography and affect through a reading of artist Jason Lazarus's Too Hard to Keep. Lazarus's project is an archive and shifting installation of anonymous photographs that donors can no longer bear to keep. It highlights the dual nature of the photographic snapshot – simultaneously banal and emotionally charged, tedious and intensely affecting, private and public, a site of cultural normativity as well as resistance. The article proposes that because viewers of Lazarus's installations cannot know what specific feelings any of the images previously evoked, they are encouraged to contemplate shared practices of photography and the diffuse affective charge of ordinary photographs.


Between two direct current (DC) connections in a parallel wiring structure there is a intermediate power store and a bridge circuit with two parallel branches (A/B,C/D), to each of which are wired rectifier diodes (DA,DB,DC,DD) in parallel. Certain rectifier diodes (DE,DF) link to each other in single connecting paths (9,10) in an opposed conducting direction. Each of two alternating current (AC) connections links individually via a connection node to one of the parallel branches between two switch units by means of a connecting wire, in which each has inductive chokes (L1,L2).


The principle of checks and balances is a guiding premise of the American Constitution and of the definition of the presidency and executive power. Where did it come from? Historians portray it as an eighteenth-century concept, adumbrated by Montesquieu and invoked to identify the wisdom of the English constitution. Yet its origins lay in the mid-seventeenth century, when that constitution had broken down. The England of the 1650s and the America of the 1780s underwent parallel experiences, which produced a parallel of political vocabulary. In both countries the removal of an alleged tyrant—Charles I; George III—was followed by alleged tyrannies of legislative power—the English parliament; Congress and the new state legislatures. In both countries a new executive office—the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell; the presidency—was created to prevent both extremes. The language of checks and balances was invented to vindicate Cromwellian rule.


Communication quality of wireless links unavoidably varies over time, for a number of reasons that are mostly unknown in the design phase of distributed systems. This is a severe limitation when such network technologies are employed to connect devices and subsystems in industrial applications, where high reliability and timeliness are customarily demanded. The ability to foresee, to some extent, the quality of a link in the near future is likely to provide clear benefits in many such cases.In this paper, we analyzed and compared the performance of two approaches, based on simple moving averages and artificial neural networks, respectively, to carry out predictions for a real Wi-Fi link. Results confirm that reliable estimates about the packet delivery ratio can be obtained in realistic operating conditions by averaging the recent past, and that the use of machine learning may improve prediction further.


The magnificent Nave of York's famous Minster will be transformed into a 1,000-seater theatre this summer as the epic Mystery Plays return to the ...


Despite its high tensile strength and its brilliant fatigue behaviour, 7075-T6 aluminium alloy usage is dramatically reduced, due to its sensitivity to corrosion and its poor surface characteristics. In order to be adopted for advanced applications in the aeronautic, automotive and maritime fields, as well as in further innovative applications, 7075-T6 resistance must be improved. Controversial results are found in literature on coated 7075-T6 fatigue strength, due to the complex mechanical interaction between the substrate and the coating, and the high temperatures involved in the coating process. In the present work, testing on rotating bending fatigue (R = -1) 7075-T6 uncoated and PVD DLC coated specimens has been conducted. Different stress levels were considered, to assess the impact of the applied stress on the fatigue life of the substrate-coating system. SEM characterization of the fracture surfaces has been performed, to investigate the influence of the coating on the fracture mechanism


Understanding the nature and characteristics of financially distressed firms is essential in effective formulation and implementation of insolvency law, and thereby ensuring the optimal allocation of the limited resources. We empirically examined the pre operating, financial and investment performance of 1500 financially distressed firms reported to bankruptcy protection during the period 1992-2007. In the light of the complex corporate organizational structure in India, we analyzed the influence of corporate ownership structure on the firms' financial distress.


In a recent article, Cumming (2014) called for two major changes to how psychologists conduct research. The first suggested change—encouraging transparency and replication—is clearly worthwhile, but we question the wisdom of the second suggested change: abandoning p-values in favor of reporting confidence intervals (CIs) only in all psychological research reports. This article has three goals. First, we correct the false impression created by Cumming that the debate about the usefulness of NHST has been won by its critics. Second, we take issue with the implied connection between the use of NHST and the current crisis of replicability in psychology. Third, while we agree with other critics of Cumming (2014) that hypothesis testing is an important part of science (Morey et al., 2014), we express skepticism that alternative hypothesis testing frameworks, such as Bayes factors, are a solution to the replicability crisis. Poor methodological practices can compromise the validity of Bayesian and classic statistical analyses alike. When it comes to choosing between competing statistical approaches, we highlight the value of applying the same standards of evidence that psychologists demand in choosing between competing substantive hypotheses.


The OMG hasissueda Requestfor Proposalfor a workflow management facility for the Object Management ArchitectureReferenceModel. The two responsesarecomplex object-orienteddesigns. Unfortunately, they bothignorerecentwork in object-orienteddesignpatterns.Usingthesepatternswill correctsomeof thedeficienciesin theproposals.


This research is entitled the role of the members of the Regional People's Representative Council in the formulation of policies in Sinjai Regency. The focus of the problems studied are: Design, Discussion, Determination and Socialization. This research was conducted at the DPRD Sinjai Regency. Based on the type of data, this research is qualitative research. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, and documentation. The informants in this study were members of the District Legislative Council. Sinjai from each commission as well as the Secretary of the Council. The data analysis technique used is data collection, data reduction, data presentation, drawing conclusions or verification. The results of this study state that: (1) The role of council members in the draft regional regulations is evidenced by the existence of local regional regulations produced in recent years but the implementation of initiative rights has not been fully optimal; (2) The role of board members in discussing a policy depends on the participation of council members in participating as members of the special committee in the process of discussing a policy; (3) The role of board members in the determination process must carry out a review, evaluation and comparative study of a policy to be determined; (4) DPR members have an obligation to disseminate the policies that have been determined to the public but have not yet disseminated specific regional regulations that are included in the annual work plan.


Nurses and midwives are set to hear this month who is to represent their profession at the Department of Health. Almost 50 people applied to become England's next chief nursing officer (CNO) after Sarah Mullally announced that she is leaving the post on September 30 to become a full-time Church of England curate.


An original method to find the shape of favored redistributions is presented, which is in turn used to assess the political acceptability of the optimal tax theory. Two surveys have been conducted in 2016 to quantify French preferences for income redistribution. In the first survey, respondents picked their preferred values for parameters which were used to determine the shapes of redistributions. These parameters included the proportion of winners and losers from a tax reform, and the minimum guaranteed income. Using different algorithms, several redistributions were derived from the interpolation of the median choices of each parameter (50% of winners, 10% of losers and a monthly demogrant of 800€). They resulted in transfers from high to low incomes of one tenth of the national disposable income. In the second survey, a majority of respondents agreed on implementing these redistributions. These results are in line with previous literature and robust to alternative specifications. Interestingly, the average desired redistribution corresponds closely to the shape of the optimal taxation derived from an utilitarian criterion. This allowed to show that this redistribution fails to obtain a significant majority support (contrarily to others), despite its good reception in a setting inhibiting self-interest. Finally, this study provides evidence that French citizens support a more direct democratic procedure to define the income tax rates, and describes a way to do so.


There are advantages to using planar light guide (PLG) concentrators instead of Fresnel concentrators for glass building façade photovoltaic systems. This paper details the main components of a PLG concentrator and describes how the concentrator works. The design of a PLG concentrator is constrained by the limitations of the diamond turning process used to make the microlens array. These manufacturing limitations and their effects on the lens design and system performance are reviewed. We report on the design of a 25 × 100 mm planar light guide concentrator with a 50x geometric concentration and an 85.0-88.1% theoretical optical efficiency for use in building integrated photovoltaics.


Background: Perfectionism is a character of personality thatindicates striving  to be perfect  and having  high standards for practice .it is a tendency to evaluate one' s andothers behavior critically. Aim of this study was investigating theeffectiveness of Quality of Life Therapy on the perfectionism.Methods: This was a semi experimental research with pretest andposttest with control group.  Thestatistical population was individuals referring 3 counseling centers(Industrial university counseling center, Bousatan counseling center &Alefbaye-zendegi counseling center) in autumn and winter of 2012. Researchsample included 32 individuals were selected through available sampling andallocated into two groups of experimental and control. The experimental groupwas trained 8 sessions of instruction for eight weeks in quality of lifetherapy. At the end, both groups received posttest. The measurement instrumentwas Hill perfectionism inventory with Kronbach's alphaof coefficient 0/92. Datawere analyzed with Covariance and Mancova Analysis through SPSS-18.Findings: The results showed that there were significantdifferences between the scores of perfectionism in experimental and controlgroups in posttest (P<0/01). It was also shown that, this interventionQuality of Life Therapy significantly reduces the subscales of perfectionismincluding: interpersonalsensitivity, striving for excellence, perceived parental pressure,organization, high standard for others, adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism.Conclusion: This study indicated the efficacy of Quality of LifeTherapy on perfectionism. So, institutions should include health andeducational develop and implement training programs to reduce maladaptiveperfectionism.  Keywords: Education, Quality Of Life Therapy, Perfectionism


The South Korean traffic compatibility test provides an effective political instruments for prognosing and controlling the traffic volume. It allows extensive judging of the effects of town planning development measures and of larger individual projects on traffic. In view of the ever increasing traffic volume and the stresses connected with it, analysing the city and environmental compatibility of projects along with their effects on traffic becomes of increasing importance. So far, this is not part of the traffic compatibility test after South Korean example. After having intergrated these compatibilty aspects, the traffic compatibilty test could lead to a greater consideration of the effects of individual new building projects on traffic. This could be of informative value in the planning and decision making process and finally, taking into account alternatives in the line of action or, measures of compensation, this could lead to an altogether greater compatibility in the integration of a project.


The processing and upgrading of high-boilingpoint petroleum fractions, containing a large number of components from different groups (paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, aromatics) require an in-depth evaluation. In order to characterize them, their thermodynamic and thermophysical properties must be determined.This work presents a computational approach based on the breakdown of the petroleum fraction into pseudocomponents defined by a trial-and-error exercise in which the mass- and molar-balance errors were minimized. Cases studies are illustrated to three heavy residues 400°C+ from "W, Y and Z" crude oil. This procedure requires the boiling point distillation curve and the density of the whole fraction as the input bulk properties. The methods proposed according to available correlations in the literature and standard industrial methods were mainly used to estimate properties that include the basic properties (normal boiling point, density and Watson factor characterization), the thermodynamic properties (molar mass and critical properties) and the thermophysical and transport properties (kinematic viscosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity and vapor pressure).The methodology developed has shown to be a useful tool for calculating a remarkably broad range of physicochemical properties of high-boiling-point petroleum fractions with good accuracy when the bulk properties are available, since computational approach gave an overall absolute deviation lower than 10% when compared with the experimental results obtained in the research laboratories LDPS/LOPCA/UNICAMP.


Leaders of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's new biology program say they made biological countermeasures a high priority after the Aum Shinrikyo religious group attacked passengers on Tokyo's subway trains with nerve gas in 1995 and after it was revealed that Iraq's military built an extensive bioweapons stockpile in the late 1980s.


This paper tries to analyze the scope of protection of the Olympic mark right.Then based on the main law on this aspect in our country currently-The Olympic Mark Protection Act,it clarifies the constitutive requirement of the infringement of the Olympic mark right and some questions existing in it,establishes the sanction systerm of the secondary infringement,the concurrence of litigious right in the case about the Olympic mark right,and makes some suggestions on China's legislation.


Background: The ultrasound examination is a surface technique with an accurate diagnosis of pathological processes adjacent to the pleural line. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of hand-held ultrasound devices (visual stethoscopes) in the diagnosis of peripheral lung disease. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of literature comparing the diagnostic accuracy of truly hand-held ultrasound devices compared to conventional high-end ultrasound devices, chest X-rays, thoracic CT (computer tomography), or physical examinations to diagnose peripheral lung lesions. ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PubMed Central bibliographic databases were searched within a time limit of 15 years. Results: The applied search strategy retrieved 439 studies after removing duplicates; 34 were selected for full-text review, and 15 articles met all inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. When comparing hand-held ultrasound devices to chest X-rays, negative predictive values were above 90%, while positive predictive values tended to be lower (from 35% to 75.8%). Hand-held ultrasound reached a correlation of 0.99 as associated with conventional ultrasound with a Bland–Altman bias close to zero. Conclusions: Being accessible, radiation-free, and comparatively easy to decontaminate, hand-held ultrasound devices could represent a reliable tool for evaluating peripheral lung diseases. This method can be successfully employed as an alternative to repeated X-ray examinations for peripheral lung disease monitoring.


Absolute cross sections for the K-shell photoionization of ground-state Li-like boron [B2 +(1s22s 2S)] ions were measured by employing the ion–photon merged-beams technique at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron radiation facility. The energy ranges 197.5–200.5 eV, and 201.9–202.1 eV of the [1s(2s2p)3P]2Po and [1s(2s2p)1P] 2Po resonances, respectively, were investigated using resolving powers of up to 17 600. The energy range of the experiments was extended to about 238.2 eV yielding energies of the most prominent [1s(2ℓ nℓ′)]2Po resonances with an absolute accuracy of the order of 130 ppm. The natural linewidths of the [1s(2s2p)3P] 2Po and [1s(2s2p)1P] 2Po resonances were measured to be 4.8 ± 0.6 meV and 29.7 ± 2.5 meV, respectively, which compare favourably with theoretical results of 4.40 meV and 30.53 meV determined using an intermediate-coupling R-matrix method.


Objective
To analyze the clinical features of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (AIDS-KS) patients in Xinjiang uygur autonomous region, and to evaluate the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and systemic chemotherapy.

Methods
Clinical data on 70 AIDS-KS patients admitted in Sixth People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January 2008 to June 2013 were reviewed. The demographic characteristics, progress of KS, extent of lesions, treatment and prognosis of these patients were retrospectively studied. The efficacy of different therapies and the prognosis were compared using t or χ2 test.

Results
The average age of 70 AIDS-KS patients was (40±10) years, and the ratio of male and female was 2.5∶1. Sixty-six out of 70 (94.29%) patients were Uyghur ethnic. Among 70 patients, 23 cases (32.9%) were rapidly progressed. Lesions often progress to plaques and nodules affecting head, neck, trunk, limbs and internal organs. Among 64 evaluable cases, the fatality rate in treatment group was 7.7 (4/52), which was significantly lower than that in patients who did not receive treatment (4/12, χ2=5.861, P<0.05). After 6-month of HAART or HAART sequenced by chemotherapy, CD4+ T lymphocyte counts were significantly increased (t=35.258 and 42.528, P<0.01), while it was decreased or remained in low level in patients received other treatments or untreated. HAART sequenced by chemotherapy, chemotherapy sequenced by HAART, and chemotherapy alone were effective for all AIDS-KS patients, while the effective rate in patients received HAART alone was 86.4% (19/22), and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) was appeared in 45.5% (10/22) patients.

Conclusions
AIDS-KS more frequently occurs in young Uighur males. The lesion may affect various organs, and some progress rapidly. HAART plus chemotherapy may reduce the incidence of IRIS and improve the prognosis.

Key words:
Sarcoma, Kaposi; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Clinical features; Prognosis


The paper describes a future trend of EMC simulation on PCB level. The coupling of multiconductor multilayered transmission lines in modern automotive control units is calculated in realtime during the layout process. Serving as an example a triplate structure with parallel planar microstrip lines is investigated. A forward function is developed to calculate the coupling factor between the microstrip lines. The data for all occurring configurations is stored in a lookup table. The table is used to solve the inverse electromagnetic problem. Forward and inverse functions are verified and already proven in the industrial application


The consequences of phase separation and devitrification processes for the ESR patterns of Fe 3+ ions and oxygen hole centres in glassy and glassy-crystalline systems are discussed. Analysis of the Fe 3+ spectra by simulation (including 4th order terms) allows their model-based interpretation for homogeneous, phase-separated and devitrified samples as well. It is even possible to estimate the ratio of Fe 3+ ions incorporated into the glassy matrix to those localized in the crystalline phase. An influence of irreversible structural reorganization in glasses on γ-irradiation-induced oxygen hole centres is detectable by studying their saturation behaviour. For the example of a barium silicate glass studied here, pronounced passage effects could be detected at 77 K. In contrast, a devitrified sample of the same composition after γ irradiation yielded the same spectral pattern at low microwave power, but only saturation broadening was to be observed when rising the microwave power. In an annealed sample of anorthite composition (in mol%: 25CaO, 25Al 2 O3, 50SiO 2 ) progressive crystal growth was detectable using Fe 3+ ions as probes.


Social democracy, it is often said, is nice but pricey. Whatever its merits in the rich countries of Western Europe, social democracy is frequently dismissed as an infeasible model for developing countries. Based on generosity towards the poor and protection against market competition, the argument goes, social democracy is only possible in consensual, homogeneous and affluent societies with an extraordinary commitment to equality. In third world countries that are conflict-ridden, heterogeneous and poor, does the social democracy have any relevance? In this article we offer a more agnostic view of the feasibility of the social democratic model of development in the third world. First, we argue that consensus, homogeneity, and affluence are products of the social democratic model, not prerequisites. Second, we claim that the central social democratic policy as a development model was the policy of wage compression attained through highly centralized wage-setting institutions. Third, we argue that the economics benefits of wage compression would be as significant in South Africa, Brazil or India today as they were in the Nordic countries between 1935 and 1970. The political feasibility of a policy of wage compression, however, is open to doubt, hence our agnosticism regarding whether or not the social democratic road to affluence can be repeated. In this paper we consider social democracy to be model of development rather than an end state. In particular, we will not enter into the debate regarding the future prospects of social democracy in Western Europe within the context of European economic integration, a common currency, an aging population and the ever increasing cost of providing the best health care that money can buy. The achievements of social democracy as a development strategy in terms of combining the socialist virtues of equality and security without losing the capitalist virtues of economic efficiency and technological dynamism are not seriously in dispute. What are disputed are the answers to the following questions: What was the contribution of specifically social democratic policies to the high level of affluence and equality in Northern Europe today. Would the policies that successfully promoted development in Northern Europe be equally effective and feasible in the third world in the context of an increasingly integrated global economy?


Disclosed are an anti-fuse circuit capable of monitoring anti-fuse program data outside of a semiconductor device, and a semiconductor device including the same. The anti-fuse circuit includes an anti-fuse array including at least one anti-fuse block, a data storage, and a first selecting circuit. The data storage receives anti-fuse program data from each of the anti-fuse blocks through data buses, and stores the received data. The first selection circuit receives the anti-fuse program data from each of the anti-fuse blocks through the data buses, and selects one of the anti-fuse program data in response to a first selection signal before outputting the selected data.


Executive Summary Flickr.com, an online photosharing site, has become popular for its free memberships, open and welcoming community, social support and user friendly setup. While different studies have ranked Flickr in various ways, all so far have commented on its unusual growth and how it has become an unexpected favorite on many users' bookmarks. With the recent multi-million dollar buyout by Yahoo and alliances with other real-world and online corporations, Flickr's future shows significant hope and promise.


We study the generalization of the gadenken experiment of overcharging an extremal black hole proposed by Wald in the context of a multi black hole solution. In particular, we attempt to overcharge a system of two extremal black holes via test particle absorption to produce a system involving a black hole and a naked singularity. If such a process is possible, then this would be a potential violation of the cosmic censorship hypothesis. However, we find that, analogous to Wald's result for a single charged black hole, such a test particle which can expose the singularity, would not be able to enter the horizon. This provides an interesting and non-trivial example that supports the validity of the cosmic censorship hypothesis in four-dimensional general relativity.


ABSTRACTBackground: Bartter syndrome is a rare inherited case characterized by autosomal recessive and has few different types. Diagnosis is established by laboratory findings, namely hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, and normotensive. Hearing loss indicates Bartter syndrome type IV. Purpose: To report a case of Bartter syndrome with delayed speech. Case report: A seven years old girl with delayed speech and recurrent hypokalemia was referred to the Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, in order to evaluate the hearing level and treatment needed. Based on the Otoacoustic Emission (OAE), Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA), and Auditory State Steady Response (ASSR), the diagnosis was profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and proceeded with hearing aid and also speech occupational therapy. Clinical question: Is there a relationship between Bartter's syndrome and the incidence of hearing loss? Review method: Literature review through PubMed, Cochrane, and EBSCO, using keywords such as the impacts of Bartter syndrome on hearing loss, and sensorineural hearing loss in Bartter syndrome case. Result: Following screening of double publication and based on clinical questions over the past five years, only one relevant literature was found. Conclusion: Audiological assessment should be done in all Bartter syndrome's cases. Early intervention and timely audiological rehabilitation could improve the quality of life in  of such children.


Baby carriage with a base frame (6) having at least one wheel bearing holder (1) in which a about a vertical axis (8) rotatable wheel (2) is arranged, which automatically assumes a defined position during straight travel and can be locked in this position by a locking device is arranged from one to the underframe (6), locking bolt (14) and one in the wheel carrier (1) fixed, with the wheel (2) about the vertical axis (8) rotatable locking disc (15) cooperating with the locking bolt (14) in a relative to the lower frame (6) is linearly displaceable housing (10) is arranged, that is in which the wheel (2) is not locked from a first position, locking in a second, the wheel (2) position is displaceable, characterized in that that the locking bolt (14) extending about a transversely to the vertical axis (8) pivot axis (16) is pivotally mounted in the housing (10) is arranged, and that the locking bolt (14) by a spring (17) loaded is.


ABSTRACT Recent scientific publications show an increase in the average age of obtaining a driving license. This phenomenon suggests a certain disavowal of the car among young adults and teenagers. Based on a survey of more than 8,000 teenagers across five European countries, this article analyses the perception of cars among teenagers aged 14 to 17 years. Knowledge of teenagers' perception of cars makes it possible to consider their future modal practices during adulthood. The results showed most European teenagers to have a good perception of cars. Analysis based on the adjectives associated with cars by the surveyed teenagers revealed this perception to be structured by several dimensions: functional, safety, environmental, and aesthetic. This article particularly discusses the effects of the place of residence, age, gender on these dimensions.


The present research work was carried out in the Santa Rosa farm, San Carlos sector, of the district of Laredo during the months of July to December 2016. The experimental design used was that of complete blocks at random with five treatments and three repetitions. The treatments that were used were the ecotypes of Centenario La Molina (T1), Oscar Blanco (T2), Panoja Decumbente Compuesta (T3), Icta Tarija (T4) and Panoja Decumbente 2009 (T5). To compare the average of the treatments, the results of the ANVA were observed, when significant differences were found, the Tukey test was used at 95% of significance. The results showed regarding the morphological characteristics, presented differences between the treatments except the average height of the plant, the T3 treatment that corresponds to the Panoja Decumbente Compuesta ecotype reached the highest average plant height of 175.58 cm, and the lowest average height of plants it was obtained by the T2 corresponding to the Oscar Blanco ecotype with 133.74 cm. Regarding the physiological characteristics, they presented significant statistical differences except the characteristic of formation to the panicle; for yield characteristics the ecotypes showed highly significant statistical differences for panicle length and yield per hectare, while the others did not present significant difference, the treatment that obtained the highest yield was the T3 that corresponds to the Panoja Decumbente Compuesta ecotype with 1657.14 kg.ha-1. And the treatment that obtained the lowest yield was the T5 that corresponds to the Panoja Decumbente 2009 ecotype with 761.90 kg.ha-1.


Domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris) were an important resource for many indigenous groups, including Plains peoples. Plains people used dogs for hauling materials, as camp or village warning systems, as sources of food, and as ritual participants. The identification of domestic Plains dogs is complicated by their wolf-like body size, and from hybridization with Canis lupus and Canis latrans, which also appear in the archaeological record. By combining stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analyses with geometric morphometric studies of canid mandibles and lower teeth from Plains Village sites in North Dakota, this article presents a methodology for differentiating wild and domestic canids. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Mother to child HIV transmission accounts for over 95 percent of
childhood infections. However, many HIV Positive women still become pregnant. Achieving
the goal "HIV free generation" would only be a dream, unless a strong emphasis
is given to prevention o...


To The Editor:

Since being introduced to the subject by the late Professor Ken Russell of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Melbourne in Australia, I have been a keen admirer of Andreas Vesalius and of his writings. I was most interested, therefore, to read Dr. James Goodrich's review of the book Andreas Vesalius. On the Fabric of the Human Body. A Translation of De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem. Book I. The Bones and Cartilages, by Richardson and Carman (81-A: 1049, July 1999).

In his review, Dr. Goodrich states that only two structures bear the name of Vesalius. In all humility, I submit that Dr. Goodrich does Vesalius an injustice. There is a third structure, which, like the other two, is inconstant. The structure that Dr. Goodrich omits is the os Vesalii. An epiphyseal center sometimes appears at the base of the fifth metatarsal. If it …


We show the existence of ε-equilibria in stationary strategies for the class of repeated games with Additive Reward and Additive Transition (ARAT) structure. A new approach to existence questions for stochastic games is introduced in the proof — the strategy space of one player is perturbed so that the player uses any pure action with at least probability ε. For this ε-perturbed game, equilibria in stationary strategies exist. By analyzing the limit properties of these strategies, the existence of stationary ε-equilibria in the original game follows.


This paper introduces the design method of a dual band microstrip patch antenna, from the most basic of microstrip patch method using bilateral radiation, a dual band microstrip antenna is designed, simulated using HFSS software, results show that, choose a 50 ohm coaxial cable feed position to make the antenna work at the center frequency respectively in 9.96GHz 12.84GHz. And in the 9.96GHz and 12.84GHz echo loss to minimum, bandwidths are respectively 270MHz and 550MHz, antenna has good dual-band resonance characteristics.


LOCKEAN ESSENCES, POLITICAL POSTURING, AND JOHN TOLAND'S READING OF ISAAC NEWTON'S PRINCIPIA (1) With a letter published in the first issue of the Post Man for February 1720 the Irish-born deist, John Toland (1670-1722), responded to criticism of his Christianity not Mysterious (1696) by the Reverend Francis Hare. Hare claimed that Toland's writings bore some similarity to John Locke's; but also that Toland employed the famed philosopher to support positions with which Locke would have disagreed. (2) Toland denied this accusation and assured readers of the newspaper that "I have never named Mr. Locke in any Edition of that Book; and that far from often quoting him I have not as much brought one Quotation out of him to support notions he never dream 'd of." (3) Despite Toland's claim to the contrary, Locke's fingerprints are evident throughout his many books. This article outlines one specific use of Locke by Toland and in so doing touches on the themes of politics, patronage, and piety in early modern Britain. I demonstrate that Toland's acceptance of Locke's distinction between real and nominal essences provides the epistemological underpinnings of his early writings on self-moving matter and his interpretation of Isaac Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687), both seen in Toland's Letters to Serena (1704). Justin Champion has recently urged scholars to treat all Toland's writings as a whole, especially those on religion, rather than seeking anticipations of his later works. (4) Mindful of his advice, in what follows I examine Toland's writings for a defined period, 1696-1704, including Christianity not Mysterious, Letters to Serena, (5) and several political tracts, to present his continuity of argument where Locke's epistemology is concerned. While Toland's philosophical and literary relationship with Locke was close, personally they remained only casual acquaintances. Before Toland returned from studies in Holland in August 1693, he solicited letters of introduction to Locke from Philippus van Limborch and Benjamin Furly, men with whom Locke associated during his self-imposed exile after attempts to exclude James II from the crown had failed. Limborch described Toland as "an excellent and not unlearned young man," while Furly requested Locke find employment for Toland who had "cast off the yoak of Spiritual Authority, that great bugbear, and bane of ingenuity." (6) Locke met with Toland briefly but did not fulfil Furly's request. Toland then travelled to Oxford with the intention of composing an Irish dictionary. There he associated with Edward Lhwyd, keeper of the Ashmolean, who was impressed with Toland's linguistic abilities. (7) Lhwyd noted, however, that Toland was "eminent for railing in coffee houses against all communities in religion, and monarch." (8) Toland's behaviour also drew criticism from others. Arthur Charlett, master of University College, Oxford, commented that Toland's actions were "so publick and notorious here" as he "pretended to great Intrigues and correspondencys, and by that means abused the names of some very great Men." (9) Aside from cultivating a reputation as a braggart, Toland became known as a "man of fine parts, great learning and little religion," who was writing a book "to show, that there is no such thing as Mystery in our Religion." (10) The tome was Christianity not Mysterious. Locke also knew about Toland's writings. John Freke sent him some of Toland's drafts in March 1695. Locke indicated he was aware that Toland used his philosophy when he replied to Freke that the owner of the Essay Concerning Human Understanding is free to do with it as he pleased. (11) Toland considered Locke's Essay "to be the most useful Book towards attaining universal Knowledge...." (12) It is well known that Locke denied the existence of innate principles. He claimed that all knowledge of the world originates in sensory experience and reflection on that experience. …


We investigate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the staggered Dirac operator in the vicinity of the chiral phase transition of quenched SU(3) lattice gauge theory. We consider both the global features of the spectrum and the local correlations. In the chirally symmetric phase, the local correlations in the bulk of the spectrum are still described by random matrix theory, and we investigate the dependence of the bulk Thouless energy on the simulation parameters. At and above the critical point, the properties of the low-lying Dirac eigenvalues depend on the Z3-phase of the Polyakov loop. In the real phase, they are no longer described by chiral random matrix theory. We also investigate the localization properties of the Dirac eigenvectors in the different Z3-phases.


Dear Editor Sexual activity makes up a significant portion of anybody's life: it plays a crucial role when it comes to having full physical, mental, and psychological health.  This part of life-style has been emphasized as an essential need in Persian Medicine (PM) literature [1]. PM sages –such as Rhazes (865-925 AD)– have discussed different types of sexual disorders in their books, offering their own therapeutic methods [2]. Nevertheless, the recent increasing trend of sexual disorders and related complications e.g., infertility, has posed a serious challenge to the physicians and a growing burden to health care systems.Putting emphasis on having a healthy sex life, PM underlines proper regimen and normal digestive system without which negative consequences on both potency and fertility may occur [3]. Moreover, accomplishment of sexual desire and normal sexual function is conditioned upon the well-being of vital organs i.e., heart, brain, liver, and genital system. Not only in traditional literature but also in current studies the relation between cardiovascular diseases and sexual disorders has been mentioned [4].Avicenna (980-1037 AD) (Figure 1), the great Persian scholar of the Islamic Golden Age, is known as one of the pioneers of modern science of cardiology. He has discussed sexual disorders in the third volume of his masterpiece, Canon of Medicine.In the chapter on "noghsan-e-bah" (sexuality weakness), Avicenna discusses different sexual disorders and their proper remedies. For instance, he goes on to cover erectile dysfunction, mentioning its cardiovascular origin [5]. Avicenna precisely describes the clinical features of impotence/infertility with cardiovascular origin: "…If the decrease in the stamina of intercourse is from a cardiac origin, erection would happen less, and ejaculation may occur in a non-erectile state. The pulse would be soft and weak –body temperature drops under the normal degree…" [6].Avoidance of grief and improving body weakness using meat juice are the basic treating approaches in this case. As for the pharmacotherapy, application of fragrant herbs such as sandalwood, rose, and musk has been emphasized. Apple, lemon balm, and borage drinks are repeated prescriptions of Iranian physicians in this regard. In addition, pearls, amber, coral, silk, cloves, white behen, mastic, valerian, and cinnamon are the most common components that are used in combination forms for treating cardiogenic infertility/impotency [7].Establishing such a link in between cardiac diseases and infertility in PM is not far from the current evidence. For instance, it has been revealed that serum testosterone level is significantly decreased in men with chronic heart failure [8]; this could inevitably pose negative effects on fertility. On the other hand, some clinical evidences have shown that using a formulation (Loboob) which increases the cardiac [and other vital organs'] stamina is effective in treatment of infertility [9]. In addition, at least some –if not all– of the medicinal plants used for managing sperm abnormalities in PM have cardiotonic properties [10]. With this regard, we suggest more rigorous investigations to well understand the concept of cardiac infertility and its underlying mechanisms.


Abstract We have investigated theoretically and experimentally the impurity free vacancy induced disordering for GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum well laser structure grown by MBE with capped SiO 2 by repid thermal annealing. The position of the photoluminescence peaks, due to the n=1 electron to heavy hole transition, was measured before and after annealing the samples. As a result, the samples annealed rapidly show blue shift in the position of photoluminescence peaks and the magnitude of shift increases with increasing temperature. We analyzed theoretically the Al Ga interdiffusion process in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well structure and the experimental energy shifts were compared with a theoretical model to obtain the diffusion coefficient of aluminum into the quantum well at different temperatures and the activation energy of aluminum diffusion process. The aluminum diffusion coefficient in the sample annealed at 950 ℃ for 30 s is 6 6×10 -16 cm 2/s. The activation energy found is 5 0 eV.


Currently,villages of Miao ethnic group are commonly lack of modern social security,while the traditional social networks and their security function are quite perfect.Relying on the traditional network and the functions played by social security,elderly people could still be supported and live a happy life,and a warmth and harmonious Miao rural community could be maintained although Miao localities are relatively poor.These social securities of traditional types are good resources that should be taken advantage of for the contemporary development of rural social security.


One of the key elements in automatic simulation of ship manoeuvring in confined waterways is route finding and collision avoidance. This paper presents a new practical method of automatic trajectory planning and collision avoidance based on an artificial potential field and speed vector. Collision prevention regulations and international navigational rules have been incorporated into the algorithm. The algorithm is fairly straightforward and simple to implement, but has been shown to be effective in finding safe paths for all ships concerned in complex situations. The method has been applied to some typical test cases and the results are very encouraging.


Hundreds of companies market perishable meats, poultry, game, and seafood (finfish and shellfish) directly to consumers online, with delivery via carriers such as FedEx® and UPS®. While these products are shipped in containers with gel-packs or dry ice, the packages are transported, stored, and delivered by use of the same methods as those used for non-perishable items, potentially exposing them to extreme temperatures. Except when signatures are required for delivery, packages may be left outside a customer's home (signature release), where they may be subjected to temperature abuse. The Web sites of 427 online purveyors of perishable meat, poultry, game and seafood were analyzed regarding the company's delivery policies and the food safety information they provide. Only 20 (5%) companies indicate that they require customer signatures upon delivery. More than half (58%) provide no food safety information on their Web sites, and only 30% provide safe cooking information (9% mention safe cooking temperatures), 24% discuss safe storage, 23% list handling information, and 16% provide information about safe thawing. Moreover, the available food safety information is often difficult to locate and is sometimes inaccurate. The common delivery practice of signature release, potential resulting temperature abuse, and lack of food safety information on purveyors' Web sites may pose health risks to consumers.


The boundary conditions usually used for solving the differential equations in the theory of electrochemical transient measurements are not applicable to measurements with corroding metals. In an electrode kinetic investigation the measurement starts from equilibrium, where no net current is flowing and no net chemical change is taking place before the application of the measuring signal. The situation is completely different for a corroding electrode because a corroding metal is not in equilibrium. Under these conditions, while there is no net current flowing through the system, there is a net chemical change taking place: the corrosion of the metal. The relaxation curves calculated with the modified boundary conditions can be considerably different from those calculated the conventional way; therefore, the corrosion rates calculated from polarization data corrected for mass-transport effects using dc transient techniques may be in error. The authors discuss a series of model calculations carried out to determine this error. It is concluded that classical dc transient techniques can be used to correct polarization data taken with corroding metal electrodes for mass-transport effects, as long as the system is not completely under mass-transport control and the negative polarization from the corrosion potential does not exceed 30mV.


The ductility of the reinforced concrete elements depends on the local behaviour of the cracked section and on the spreading of the plastic strain. After cracking in the concrete, slip at the concrete-steel interface occurs and the local behaviour of the cracked section loses its importance. The bond between the two constitutive materials put in tension the concrete and, for this reason, in the un-cracked section the tensile stress in the concrete must be considered in the equilibrium equations. This phenomenon is known in literature with the name of tension stiffening effect and it limits the deformation capability of the element.
In this paper a formulation of the mean curvature of a reinforced concrete element is proposed and adopted to evaluate the influence of the tension stiffening effects on the ductility.
The equation of the mean curvature is function of the mechanical and geometrical properties of the reinforced concrete element, such as the dimension of the cross section, the amount of the longitudinal steel in tension and in compression and of the stirrups, the compressive strength of the concrete and the yielding stress and the hardening moduli of the steel.
A parameter, able to highlight the influence of the tension stiffening effect on the ductility, is introduced.
The obtain results show that the tension stiffening effect cannot be neglected when it is necessary to evaluate ductility characteristics. For example, the estimation of the ultimate deformation capacity with reference to the local section can cause an error of about 50%, if the hardening modulus of the steel is low.


A fundamental objective of studies in lithosphere geodynamics is to understand the relationships between tectonics as derived from the structural inventory of a region studied, and the pressuretemperature history as derived from the analysis of metamorphic rocks. Prograde metamorphism is commonly understood as the result of plate-tectonics-driven orogenic processes, and/or intrusions. Thermal modelling of crustal thickening predicts clockwise P-T paths with mediumto high-pressure metamorphic peaks; while heating and/or decompression with potential low-pressure metamorphic peaks is expected for crustal extension. Intrusions cause essentially isobaric heating into the low-P/highT (LPHT) domain of P-T space, or possibly compressive heating in case of overplating. Accordingly, LPHT metamorphism should essentially be restricted to (and thus be indicative of) extensional tectonic settings, local or regional-scale thermal aureoles, or magmatic arcs [1].


A simulation model was built to represent the kinetics of endogenous-protein nitrogen (EPN) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of ruminants. The GIT is split into three compartments, namely: stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The model contains three pools corresponding to these compartments and utilizes two types of source (secretions and inflow) and exit (absorption and passage) for EPN. Parameter values are set based on relevant data from the literature. According to model predictions, proportion of EPN in the total N flow increases as CP content of the diet and nitrogen intake decrease. On extremely low protein diets, EPN may represent 43, 66 and 92% of the total N in the abomasal, ileal and faecal contents, respectively. The model can contribute to improve knowledge on nitrogen recycling as well as to account for endogenous protein losses in the calculation of maintenance requirements.


The energy, generated by photovoltaic (PV) module consisting of serially connected PV cells is considerably reduced when a unit is shadowed or has a defect. This problem can be remedied by bypassing the weak units by an active circuitry, such as power converter, connected in parallel to the PV units. This way the power converter balances the power between the PV units. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the unity-gain voltage balancing method to the PV strings comprised of PV cells. The results of this study show that the unity-gain voltage balancing strategy is highly effective when applied to cell-level since no significant voltage differences exist between the MPP voltages of the cells in the string. For steady state operation, the power loss due to the equalization was below 3% even for a high difference in temperature and insolation.