Impact of human activities on the tidal flat of estuary delta has been getting more and more intense.During the last three decades,the tidal flat of Yangtze River delta front was influenced by two types of engineering projects.One was the building of the dams at the Yangtze valley,which led to the sharp cutoff of the sediments into the sea.The other was the series of large-scale coastal and estuarine engineering projects.To discover the evolution of the tidal flat responsive to these significant human activities can not only support to manage the estuary and the coast of the areas,but also help to bring about a better theoretic understanding of the evolution law of the coast driven by human activities(in the Yangtze Estuary).In order to reveal the phasic variation of the tidal flat in the late 30 years,this paper calculated the areas of the four tidal flats(Eastern Chongming coast,Eastern Hengsha Coast,Jiuduansha and Eastern Nanhui coast) and analyzed the main reasons for the phasic variation of the tidal flat based on the topographic maps surveyed in the years from 1977 to 2011 by national professional department and other data.The results showed that the area growth rate of the four tidal flats above 0 m isobaths declined from 14.5 km 2 /a in the period of 1977-1983 to 4.9 km 2 /a in the period of 1983-1994,and then it increased to12.2 km 2 /a in 1994-2000 and to 26.4 km 2 in 2000-2011.Similarly,the growth rate above 5 m isobaths decreased from 22.8 km 2 /a in the period of 1977-1983 to-1.4 km 2 /a in the period of 1983-1994,and it increased to 5.2 km 2 /a in 1994-2000 and then fell to 0.3 km 2 /a in 2000-2011.The general decrease of the tidal flat growth rate in the preceding stage reflected a control role of decreasing sediments from the drainage basin into the sea,and the response of tidal flat under water(5 m isobath) to it was more sensitive than that of mudflat of intertidal zone(0 m isobath).The increase of its growth rate in the following stage indicateds that a series of large-scale coastal and estuarine engineering projects had a clear effect of accelerative silting to the tidal flat,and the effect overtook the influence of the declining sediments and took the lead in the tidal flat evolution.In a word,the obvious change of the tidal flat growth rate in Yangtze River delta front attributes to human activities during the last 30 years.On the other hand,the changes of the four tidal flats as well as those in all phases show obvious differences,which reflects that the influence of human activities on the evolution of delta tidal flat is a complicated issue.Consequently,it is necessary to do further research.


The present invention discloses a proton exchange membrane fuel cell separator manufacturing method comprising a slurry preparation, green body forming, drying, sintering buried carbon, impregnation, carbonization step. Present invention was produced using a bipolar plate having high mechanical strength, light weight, good conductivity, long-term operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a non-toxic pollution. It is a fast, efficient, low cost, mass production of PEMFC bipolar plate technology.


The Lean Manufacturing approach for waste elimination can be applied in all sorts of operations. In this work this approach is adapted and applied for the reduction of inventory in the network of convenience stores of the leading Mexican company in this sector. The work describes the efforts devoted to achieve such objective in the store network served by the Distribution Center (DC) of San Martin located in Mexico City (CDMX). The initiatives considered are the increase of store inventory replenishment frequency and the reduction of the delivery time from the DC to the stores. The use of lean tools and mathematical models for defining replenishment frequencies and delivery routes is described. The description of expected results and those of a pilot program are given.


The purpose of this article is (a) to give the reader an introduction to formal standardization and (b) an overview of international standardization activities in the field of ICT. In the first part of the article the introduction to formal standardization will be exemplified at a national level by the national Danish standardization organization (DS), at a European level by the European standardization organizations (CEN/CELENEC and ETSI) and at a global level by the international standardization organizations (ISO, IEC and ITU). The second part of the article will provide the reader with an overview of the standards and ongoing standardization activities in JTC1 – the joint technical committee between ISO and IEC on ICT standardization. This paragraph will include a number of illustrative examples to give an in-depth impression of the work in the joint technical committee.


Jared Diamond's book Collapse captivated readers with its tales of past great civilizations succumbing to dramatic cycles of decline, and among them are the ancient Maya. Diamond's model of the Maya collapse has become quite popular since its publication, however numerous other divergent theories exist as well, which attempt to explain the phenomenon. Diamond, buoyed by the success of his book and his renown as an author, is the assumed authority, despite academic criticism. By comparing Diamond's Collapse with current research I hope to critique Diamond and thus elucidate the condition of the Maya decline concerning the roles of the environment, the regional variability of various sociopolitical dynamics, such as those that were played out in the Petexbatun region, and the extent of Post Classic continuation of Maya tradition.


Anthropology,since its transfer from the West to China in the 1920s,has been enjoying its Chinese process.As the methodology guidance of cultural anthropology,fieldwork has also been experiencing its Chinese process.Chinese anthropology fieldwork can be chronologically divided into 4 periods:the 1st period(before 1934),the 2nd period(from 1934 to 1949),the 3rd period(from 1949 to 1980) and the 4th period(from 1980 to the present).Each period shows its own characteristics.


A general pattern for the dynamics of K in decomposing leaf and needle litters is described, based on 139 litter decomposition studies carried out in forests of northern and central Europe and the northern United States. We distinguished an initial phase of fast changes in K concentration and a later one in which the litter was close to humus and all K appeared to be immobile. In the initial phase the rate of change in K concentration was related to the initial K concentration: the higher the initial concentration, the faster its decrease and the faster the quantitative release of K. For litters with particularly low initial K concentrations, an increase in concentration was observed from the very start of decomposition. In the late phase a slight increase in concentrations was observed. After ca. 60% accumulated mass loss, K concentrations approached similar levels in various litter types, irrespective of the litter type and initial concentrations. We also estimated a theoretical equilibrium state at whi...


Analysis incorporating race also was prominent in the symposium on two recent and important works in labor history. The Wages of Whiteness by David Roediger demonstrates the racism of European-American workers with regard to African Americans in the nineteenth century. As industrialism expanded, Roediger asserts, attacks on their work rules and living standards led workers of European descent to adopt the concept of "whiteness" to elicit both wage and psychological bonuses. Peter Linebaugh's The London Hanged provides a fresh analysis of the changing class structure in eighteenth-century England, connecting these changes to English colonialism. As Robin Kelley noted, the English working class was transatlantic and "in color." Equally fascinating is Linebaugh's description of the criminalization of London's poor on the basis of new laws against property crimes. Also reflecting the important role of the state in working-class life, several labor panels explored the relationship between workers and the government. In the roundtable "Reconnecting the Political: Gender, Race, and the State," panelist Lawrence Glickman examined how class, ethnicity, and gender affected the government definition and application of the "living" and "minimum" wages during the Progressive era. Pointed analysis of gender and the state came in the panel "Legal Discourse and Sexual Difference: Gender, Work and the State at the Turn of the Century." For example, Lea VanderVelde demonstrated how gender structured legal discourses, showing that actresses—but not actors—seeking freedom from contractual obligations were enjoined from finding work elsewhere by judicial decisions bound with the rhetoric of fidelity. On subjects as diverse as twentieth-century actresses and seventeenthcentury apprentices, New England spinners and Alabama steel workers, this year's OAH labor panels showcased a wide variety of presentations. While the picture presented was not as far-reaching as that of the conference in general, this breadth of focus ensured an illuminating and enriching experience for the labor historians in attendance.


The philosophical knot If you study clinically the sorts of behaviour Freud dealt with, you may justifiably feel tempted to say that they manifest conflict of the individual with himself or herself. You might regard this self-conflict as a clash between forces within the person. And you might wonder, as Freud did: what items contend inside of us? What forms do their struggles take? With great originality and boldness, Freud put forth quite heterogenous theories of the mind's components, and of how their operations result in various types of normal as well as disturbed behaviour. I find many of his speculations altogether spellbinding. Yet despite my unqualified enthusiasm, I fear that none of these ingenious and suggestive partitioning explanations will turn out to be both illuminating and coherent. I plan to illustrate why it was nevertheless reasonable for him to propose such 'dynamic' accounts of human activity and affliction. I hope it will be instructive to see which features of behaviour threw Freud into conceptual confusion. These few deep muddles cannot possibly discredit Freud's innovative work. Our appreciation of the difficulties he seems to have encountered should advance our understanding, in philosophy of mind and action, of the person and his reflexive acts. I realize that the doctrinal thickets I want to rummage in have been staked out by a legion of Freud experts. But I think most of the sceptical commentators have not argued their case in detail.


As in India, a person dies on every crack of the timepiece so, we've proposed an operation that will give an exigency health response to the case. The main purpose of this design will fill the gap between the case and ambulance response time. Ambulances are a vital part of exigency medical services. Generally, cases have a finite range of ambulance connections; therefore whenever in an exigency, they find difficulty. With this design, it's proposed that the operation would enable the case to bespeak a lift to the sanitarium. The case can detect themselves or can upload their current position as well as their destination position into the operation. The system would also show the nearly available ambulances and the case can choose its applicable lifts by comparing the citations and distance of every lift over a region. Eventually, billing at the end. The design further trials to contribute blood force-delivery services to the hospitals. On the other hand, the ambulance motorist would get a prompt about the booking made by the case. The ambulance motorist has to confirm the booking made and the operation will guide the motorist towards the destination.


The NEVOD-EAS array for the detection of extensive air showers in the energy range 1015–1017 eV is being created in MEPhI on the basis of the Experimental complex NEVOD. The array will allow independent estimations of the size, axis position and arrival direction of EAS registered by the detectors of the experimental complex. The NEVOD-EAS registering system is organized in a cluster principle, and data analysis is performed using a newly developed cluster approach. The features of this approach to the NEVOD-EAS experimental data analysis are discussed.


This article introduces the structure, principles and performance of several low-noise gear pumps, analyses that gear pump is the noise source in the new internal combustion forklift and battery forklift, provides some methods which can reduce the gear pump noise, and establishes the matching relation between gear modulus and pressure angle of the gear pump, which is applied to the new internal combustion forklift and forklift battery.


Movements of adult Blattella germanica (L.) populations were significantly influenced by structural features of low-income apartments. Plumbing connections between adjacent apartments enhanced movement. Mark-recapture studies showed that 75% of the immigrants into a given apartment were from adjacent apartments with common plumbing. Applications of chlorpyrifos + dichlorvos at the termination of the study indicated that not all insecticides. even though containing flushing agents, increase inter apartment movement. Results suggest structural modification as a means to deter movement. The degree and frequency of movement suggests that management programs be aimed at entire structures as opposed to localized areas within buildings.


Evidence presented in this paper suggests that rice husk ash (RHA) increases the early hydration of ordinary portland cement (OPC). While most mineral additives are not very chemically reactive with lime (silica fume being an exception), RHA will react with lime within the first few hours of mixing. Where there is sufficient lime to react with the RHA, the lime-RHA reaction and the accelerated reaction of the OPC results in an increased rate of heat of hydration as well as a rapid initial rate of gain of strength. There is also evidence to show that OPC/RHA blends produce a transformation of large pores into fine pores although the total porosity of the matrix is greater than for other OPC blends containing mineral additives. The morphology of the hydrating OPC/RHA system suggests that as particle dissolution proceeds the porosity of the RHA particle becomes more revealed. This contribution to total porosity could explain the initial decrease then slight increase in the total porosity-time relationship observed up to 60 days. At later ages, the concomitant processes of OPC hydration and RHA particle dissolution would produce little change in the total porosity. As a consequence, the strength-time relationship should also remain relatively constant and this observation is confirmed for the OPC/RHA results shown and for lime/RHA strength results reported by Cook and Suwanvitaya. (TRRL)


Objective:To study the outcome of recurrent or locally advanced elderly patients with rectal cancer treated by radiotherapy of the whole pelvic and three dimensional-conformal radiotherapy(3DCRT) combined with Xeloda.Methods:Fifty-two patients with recurrent or locally advanced elderly patients with rectal cancer were treated by radiotherapy,plus Xeloda(tested group,30 patients) and radiotherapy alone(control group,22 patients).Results: The symptoms-alleviation rates were 96.7% and 72.7%(P0.05),with efficient(CR+PR) rates of 86.7% and 59.1%(P0.05),in the tested and control group.The 2-year survival rates were 56.7% and 40.9% respectively(P0.05),and 2-year distant metastasis rates were 76.7% and 77.3%(P0.05),in the tested and control group.The side effects were similar between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusions: Recurrent or locally advanced elderly patients with rectal cancer treated by radiotherapy of the whole pelvic and 3DCRT combined with Xeloda may improve the recently effects and the quality of life,and its toxicity is tolerable.


Body temperatures (T_b) of 7 free—ranging Abert's squirrels were monitored by intraperitoneally implanted temperature sensitive radio transmitters. Relationships between Tb, activity, solar exposure, ambient air temperature (T_a), and weather conditions were examined. T_b values ranged from 35.2 to 41.1 degrees C (° = 39.0 degrees C) and varied with behavior. A hyperthermic condition during both summer and winter developed during bouts of intense activity and the degree of hyperthermia was related to intensity of activity. Immediately following intense activity, squirrels sought shade in a tree to facilitate cooling. Squirrels exhibited hypothermia in the nest during the day and night. A diurnal rhythm of Tb was observed in free—ranging squirrels when in the nest and similar rhythms of T_b and O_2 consumption rate (V_(O_2)) were observed in laboratory squirrels. Basking was common on winter afternoons and upon emergence from the nest in the morning throughout the year, resulting in elevated Tb values. Pos...


Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of TNF-α on leukemic blasts and to search for the principle of the leukemic immunotherapy.Methods HL-60 cells were incubated with recombinant human TNF-α(rh-TNF-α). The number of bcl-2 protein expression positive cells was detected by immunocytochemistry and cell apoptosis by hematoxylin dye.Results Incubated with 10 U/ml?100 U/ml and 500 U/ml rhTNF-α, the number of apoptosis HL-60 cells was significantly higher than those of control groups (P0.05) accompanied by decreasing of bcl-2 expression positive HL-60 cells (P0.05) except the group in which HL-60 cells were incubated with 10 U/ml rhTNF-α for 2hr(P0.05). The higher the dose of rhTNF-α, the larger the effect. And the effect reached it′s apex at 8hr. The numbers of apoptosis HL-60 cells had a negative correlation with bcl-2 expression.Conclusions TNF-α can promote the apoptosis of HL-60 cells. Down-regulation of bcl-2 gene expression may be one of the mechanisms of TNF-α′s apoptosis-promoting effect.


The invention discloses a low-shrinkage high-resilience EPE beads. The non-metallocene catalyzed LLDPE resin is adopted as the main base material so enable the EPE beads to have relatively high porosity by closed pore, and HDPE is used as an auxiliary material to enable the EPE beads to have rigidity and resilience after foaming; no anti-shrinkage agent needs to be added, and the porosity by closed pore of the EPE beads is as high as 95% or above, the shrinkage rate is as low as 2-3%, the foaming aperture is 200-300 micrometers, the surface glossiness is good, the light transmittance is high, the mechanical property is excellent, and the surface adhesive power is high; in addition, as inorganic gas in a supercritical state is used as a foaming agent, no heat preservation device is required after foaming, all needed is to feed steam of 0.3-3 KPa into the conveying pipeline of polyethylene resin particles, the continuous increase in foam pores of the polyethylene resin particles is completed through the fact that steam stays in the conveying pipeline for 30-120s; the production efficiency is high, and the energy consumption is low.


In order to improve the real-time performance and reliability of trajectory identification based on GPS position,a trajectory parameters estimation algorithm by Kalman filtering is put forward,using GPS position data as observations and performing the optimal prediction by fourth Runge-Kutta numerical integration for solving projectile trajectory nonlinear differential equation.Improvement method is taken into account in case of failure or gross error of GPS receiver.Semi-physical simulation is used by Spirent GPS satellite signal simulator and C/A code receiver.The results show that the error of trajectory parameters estimation is approximately 30 percent to 40 percent of GPS raw measurement when the receiver works properly.Further,trajectory parameters estimation could be close to true value even if GPS receiver is abnormal.


A survey of the insects visiting common buckwheat flowers and examination of the pollen attached to the insects captured at the field in Hokkaido was carried out in order to determine their role as pollinator. Two bumblebee species, Bombus ardens sakagamii and B. hypocrite sapporoensis, were captured as the predominant species (75.4%) and 97.6% of B. ardens sakagamii and 96.0% of B. hypocrite sapporoensis had tetraploid common buckwheat pollen attached to their body surface even though they were captured in a diploid common buckwheat field. From these results, these two bumblebee species were thought to be the main pollinators of common buckwheat in Hokkaido for the first time.


reviewed by Gitti Salami Hans-Joachim Koloss's two-part article in African Arts on medicine (njom, pl. ajom) among the Ejagham (Koloss 1984, 1985), alas published without its accompanying photographs, has long presented the most updated information about esoteric knowledge in the Cross River culture region. In Traditional Institutions in Kembong (Cameroon), a historically grounded ethnography on Central Ejagham people (a.k.a. Keaka), Koloss conveys how an acephalous society's broader cultural institutions and artistic practices facilitate a people's negotiation with god (obasi) for a harmonious existence amidst ancestors, spirits, ghosts, and witches. The text, which is meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated, provides a step-by-step introduction to the complexity of Ejagham thought and fills in gaps in the art historical scholarship on the Upper Cross River region; thus it is an invaluable resource for readers with a general interest in African art and for scholars with specialized knowledge of the field. Although the study is not framed as such, it functions as a sequel to Koloss's 2000 monograph World View and Society in Oku (Cameroon). The current volume is considerably informed by Koloss's keen awareness that the egalitarian society in the forests of Cameroon's South West Province constitutes an "entirely different world in cultural respect" from the stratified Oku kingdom in the Cameroon Grasslands (p. 17). In fact, it is Koloss's insight into the two societies' dissimilar attitudes towards seemingly comparable cultural institutions that fostered his attention to minute details of performance practice and utmost respect for his informants' explications. Throughout the text, Koloss wraps up general accounts of various rites' ideal miseen-scene with documentation of specific performances the author observed over a period of twenty-five years, between 1980 and 2005. This description is sensitive to the fact that the society is undergoing dramatic changes. The monograph is presented in seven chapters, each supplied with endnotes that in and of themselves constitute a valuable synthesis of the scholarship on Cross River cultures. A preface, written by Hon. Rev. Dr. Ayukachale Peter Egbe and late Chief of Kembong Alfred Ayuk Ako, regrettably casts the book in light of salvage anthropology, an attitude that occasionally also surfaces in Koloss's writing, for example, when he states that one can no longer "expect to observe 'completely authentic' ways of life" (p. 20). Chapter 1 discloses background information about the research project and situates the reader in the geographic region and its history. Koloss moves skillfully from familiar themes, e.g. the transatlantic slave trade, German and British colonialism, the arrival of Christianity, and the modern state's administrative centers, to more nuanced local recollections about Kembong's clan history and fortuitous positioning at crossroads that led to Calabar and Limbe at the coast and Bamenda, the gateway to the Cameroon Grasslands, in the east. The significance of these routes permits the author to touch upon the diffusion of the cultural institutions that lay at the heart of the study: Mgbe, Angbu, Obasinjom, Mgbokandem, and Nchebe. Chapter 2 introduces the reader to the intricacies of the Ejagham worldview and lays a foundation for an understanding of medicines and masquerades. Obasi, the creator, represents the source of all animation. He is accessible primarily through benevolence of ancestors and female forest/water spirits. These supernatural beings are further distinguished from malevolent ghosts, who wander the earth intent on tyrannizing humanity, and witches, who fly through the night preying on victims during their sleep. Vivid portrayal of this entanglement, in which human action has immediate repercussion in the supernatural realm, leads to a discussion of the tools and remedies Ejagham people devised to diagnose and treat illness and misfortune. Chapter 3 similarly seeks to ground the reader in the culture, but here in its sociopolitical aspects. The dominant theme revolves around the egalitarian society's complete intolerance of social stratification in the past (except when it came to women and descendents of slaves) and its process of decision making by consensus, rather than by majority vote. Koloss accounts for profound transformation of these attitudes as a result of the imposition of alien administrative structures, wise old men having been replaced by younger elected officials, who embellish their persons, contrary to indigenous cultural precepts, with insignia that lean on the grandeur of the Grasslands kingdoms. Chapter 4 focuses on men's secret societies (Mgbe and Angbu), men's social clubs (Nkanda and Obon), and family-owned masks (Nchebe and Mkpe). The author diligently recounts information about acquisition of various institutions and, where they are hierarchically organized, provides details about their structures. An overview of initiation fees (enumerated in gallons of palm wine, chickens, goats, etc.), member's duties and privileges, as well as performance practices, masquerades, and specific iconography associated with each grade of membership is far more detailed than previous records of these institutions. Koloss includes textual and photographic documentation of aspects of Mgbe, the well-known leopard society (a.k.a. Ekpe), that have rarely been noted by scholars; for example, he shows a leaf masquerade, Nchokanda, during a Mgbe member's funeral and makes much of the messenger of the society, Okina, a jester with a zigzag staff. A "table of Mgbe" (efem mgbe) with feather plume decorations resembles altars of the related Abakuá society in Cuba and the "stone of Mgbe" (eteh mgbe) turns out to be anthropomorphized during installations. Of similar significance is a detailed account of a night ceremony and its associated sacrifices, the highest honor bestowed on recently deceased ancestors. It provides a context for performances of Nchebe, a masquerade that has been the subject of much speculation due to its utilization of a skin-covered head crest. In Koloss's documentation, performances come alive. Such is the case with the esoteric practices of the Angbu society, which in Kem-


We describe a technique for controllably etching nanometer size features into Si(100) and GaAs(100) surfaces with the scanning tunneling microscope while under a (0.05%) HF solution which dissolves oxides. The etching mechanism appears to be due to a field‐induced oxide growth followed by a chemical etching of the oxide. With this technique, we can etch features as small as 20 nm in linewidth.


After the application of producing process's data Acquisition System to producing process's monitoring system,the capability of monitoring the producing process are improved,so is the level of information manage.The design of the producing process's software and database and it's key technology are introduced in this paper.Using the technology of computer network,the tecnology of high speed data store to carry out the share of real time data.This system has many strongpoints,such as simple structure,expansion,high rate of guality and price and so on.The practical run of the system indicate that it can satisfy with the require of the power plant.


Abstract : We have pursued several research directions on the development, characterization, control and synchronization of nonlinear dynamical systems displaying low dimensional deterministic chaos. The goal of this program is to uncover fundamental issues related to the control and synchronization of nonlinear systems by conducting experiments with novel devices and making precise comparisons between our observations and theoretical predictions. The results of these studies will eventually lead to improved performance of devices that are based on nonlinear systems and to the development of new classes of communication systems. Specifically, we have investigated the control of high speed nonlinear systems including electronic circuits and lasers, and we have explored the conditions under which two nonlinear systems will synchronization in an experimental setting. This research has resulted in 11 publications, 12 invited conference presentations, colloquia, and seminars, 4 distributed conference presentations, one Ph.D. dissertation and several extended contacts with DoD researchers.


Oral mucosal drug delivery is an alternative and promising method of systemic drug delivery which offers several advantages. Sublingual literally meaning is ''under the tongue'', administrating substance via mouth in such a way that the substance is rapidly absorbed via blood vessels under tongue. Sublingual route offers advantages such as bypasses hepatic first pass metabolic process which gives better bioavailability, rapid onset of action, patient compliance , self-medicated. Dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing) is common among in all ages of people and more in pediatric, geriatric, psychiatric patients. In terms of permeability, sublingual area of oral cavity is more permeable than buccal area which is in turn is more permeable than palatal area. Different techniques are used to formulate the sublingual dosage forms. Sublingual drug administration is applied in field of cardiovascular drugs, steroids, enzymes and some barbiturates. This review highlights advantages, disadvantages, different sublingual formulation such as tablets and films, evaluation.


Thulium fiber lasers are important $2-\mu \mathrm{m}$ sources of radiation [1] with a wide range of applications e.g. in industry, medicine, or defense. However, their power is an order of magnitude below their potential and the main limiting factor is associated with thermal effects in the fibers, which significantly affect both spectroscopic and laser properties [2], [3]. The emission peak around 1800 nm showed a significant change in its shape at cryogenic temperature when compared to the other measurements presented in [3]. Therefore, we present here emission spectra measurements carried out using a liquid nitrogen cryostat to cool the temperature of fiber down to 77 K continuously in order to clarify the trends of emission changes at low temperatures.


Weighted cross correlation function-based causality-in-variance test was used to analyze the fluctuated spillovers between Shanghai composite index and Hang seng index,and BEKK model was built to test the time-varying correlation of the two time series.The results show that the fluctuated spillover between these two stock markets is not obvious and their correlation is small,but there is a trend toward the increase for the two tome series.


AbstractStructures subjected to distress by expansive soils generally show cracks of various types. These cracks are frequently used as an excuse to adopt nonrealistic decisions in construction pra...


Objective: To compare the rates of conversion to Alzheimer dementia (AD) between subtypes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a community-based birth cohort investigated at age 75 and followed up after 30 months. Methods: The Vienna Trans-Danube Aging Study investigated every inhabitant of the area on the left shore of the river Danube who was born between May 1925 and June 1926. With use of the official voting registry, 1505 subjects were contacted and 697 participated. Data refer to the cohort of 581 nondemented individuals who completed extensive neuropsychological examination at baseline. Follow-up after 30 months was possible in 476 probands (35 deceased). Results: The 141 patients with MCI at baseline were classified into two subtypes. At follow-up, 41 of these patients with MCI were diagnosed with AD. Conversion rates to AD were 48.7% (CI: 32.4 to 65.2) for amnestic MCI and 26.8% (CI: 17.6 to 37.8) for nonamnestic MCI. Another 49 AD cases originated from cognitive health at baseline (12.6%; CI: 9.4 to 16.3). Conclusions: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) showed a high probability to be diagnosed with Alzheimer dementia (AD) after 30 months. Subtypes of MCI were not useful in defining early stages of various types of dementia: Not only amnestic MCI but also nonamnestic MCI converted frequently to AD, and conversion to vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies was not restricted to nonamnestic MCI.


The miniaturized dual-mode band-pass filters (BPF) using Minkowski-island-based (MIB) fractal patch resonator are proposed in this paper. The BPF is mainly formed by a square patch resonator in which a MIB fractal configuration with 2nd order iteration is embedded in the patch. By the perturbation and the T-couple/inter-digital coupling, the wide-band and dual-band responses are obtained respectively. For wide-band design, at 2.41 GHz it has good measured characteristics including the wide bandwidth of 2.26–2.56 GHz (3-dB fractional bandwidth of 12.4%), low insertion loss of 0.72 dB, high rejection level (−52.5/−44.9 dB), and patch size reduction with 60.6%. For dual-band design, the proposed filter covers the required bandwidths for WLAN band (2.23–2. 98 GHz and 4.79–5.8 GHz) applications.


We apply a range of different geoscience disciplines to the investigation of the evolution of North Atlantic conjugate margins. Numerical models develop promising asymmetries.


Telah dilakukan penelitian tentang pengaruh arcs tabung sinar-X terhadap detil pada gambaran radiograf Obyek yang digunakan dalam eksperimen tersebut berupa " X-ray test patterns " yang diekspose pada tegangan 60 kV, 0,05 detik dan variasi arus tabung 50 mA, 70 mA, 100 mA, 150 mA, 200 mA dan 300 mA. Dengan membandingkan hash tersebut dengan standar ternyata diperoieh detil yang baik bila arus tabung diset pada 50 mA dan 70 mA A research has been conducted about the influence of the X-ray tube to detail on radiograph image. The object used on experiment is "X-ray test patterns"which was exposed on voltage 60 kV, 0.05 second and current variations are 50 mA, 70 mA, 100 mA, 150 mA, 200 mA and 300 mA. From comparing the result with standar can be conclude that good detail can be accieved if tube current set on 50 mA and 70 mA.


A great amount of scrap metal waste is lost in the manufacturing of gold jewelry due the lack of available knowledge for precious metal recovery in small jewelery shops. This study presents the experimental results on a bench laboratory scale of a hydrometallurgical route to treat gold jewelry scrap using samples with proportions that are higher and lower than 10% Ag. The adopted route consisted of preliminary sampling, leaching with HNO 3 to extract the silver, followed by aqua regia leaching of a gold solid residue from the previous leaching stage to dissolve the contained gold. Some typical parameters of the leaching stage were evaluated with the use of a statistical planning of experiments by "The complete Factorial Method" with two experimental levels. The optimum experimental conditions for the maximum metallic extraction were determined by "the ascending path method for statistical optimization". The leaching liquors were treated,


The study aim was to evaluate whether Gal-3 would have a predictive role of among CLL individuals after achieving clinical remission. Methods: The study population consisted of 178 consecutive patients with CLL. All patients were divided into two groups depended on progression of CLL (n=156) and without it (n=22). The study protocol was approved by the Zaporozhye State medical University Ethnics committee review board. The study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki and voluntary informed written consent was obtained from all patients included in this study. It was analyzed cumulative survival related to CHF, and additionally all-cause mortality was examined. Prognosis was assessed by the composite endpoint included all-cause death, CHF-related death or CHF hospitalization, censored at 1 year Results: Within 1 year one hundred ninety six cumulative clinical events occurred in 51 patients, with their distribution being as follows: 29 deaths, 65 cardiac arrhythmias, 17 cardiac ischemic events, 9 strokes (5 lacunar infarctions and 2 cardioembolic strokes), 37 newly chronic HF and 39 hospital re-admissions for cardiovascular reasons. Accordingly mentioned above data all patients without progression of CLL were distributed into two cohorts without cardiovascular events


World Vitiligo Day (WVD) has been celebrated every June 25th since 2011. WVD's original purpose was to bring this "forgotten" disease into the public eye, by raising awareness, portraying its true nature, and debunking common vitiligo myths. And, over the years, its purpose has broadened to recognize the hurt caused to millions by bullying, social neglect, psychological trauma, and disability that affects those with vitiligo—who are also known as "vitiligans." WVD is a global enterprise, so the campaign headquarters (HQ) moves across the globe each year. It was envisioned in Nigeria, built up in Italy, then touched down in India, China, the Czech Republic, Brazil, and—last year—the United States. The role of VR Foundation is to coordinate the global effort, while national and local vitiligo support groups organize walks, picnics, parades, and other events. Also, clinics and volunteer doctors offer free skin screening programs, education, and consultations to the public. For 2019, WVD HQ is in beautiful Hanoi, Vietnam. The National Dermatological University Hospital of Hanoi, with support from the Vietnamese government and VR Foundation, will organize the event. Honorary Chairman of the WVD 2019 is Prof. Nguyen Van Thuong. The international theme of this year is "The Quality of Life of a Vitiligo Patient." A panel of renowned speakers will cover a whole range of topics in vitiligo: from the biology of melanocytes by Prof. Torello Lotti to surgical therapies by Prof. Davinder Parsad to novel herbal treatments by Prof. Michael Tirant, and everything in between. In the United States, members of all vitiligo support organizations are invited to meet in Houston, Texas, on June 21–23, 2019, for a conference organized by Houston Vitiligo Awareness Movement, led by its founder Diane Tribitt. The conference theme is "The Mental and Medical Journey of Living with Vitiligo—The Journey Starts with ME!" This will include research and treatment updates, mental and emotional health sessions, and a panel discussion promoting open dialogue on the social impact of vitiligo. The forum will be moderated by vitiligo spokesperson Lee Thomas, an Emmy award winning news anchor for Fox2 in Detroit, and Erika Page, a founder of an immensely popular lifestyle blog Living Dappled. Next year, HQ will continue its international journey and move to Belgrade—the outspoken, proud, and audacious capital city of Serbia— under the firm leadership of Prof. Aleksandra Vojvodic. With each passing year, WVD grows bigger and bolder. And, with it, recognition of vitiligo grows, particularly since Winnie Harlow, supermodel and vitiligan, walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion show— one of the hottest fashion tickets on the planet—last fall. What's more, six U.S. State governors and numerous city mayors have now declared June "Vitiligo Awareness Month." But there is still much work to do. WVD and its supporters are battling to persuade major organizations such as the UN and WHO to give vitiligo the attention it deserves and instill change in the national health care policies of member states. Organizers are also looking to big pharmaceutical companies to introduce products that satisfy the growing demand for effective treatments. And everyone can do their bit to help, simply by going to www. 25June.org, signing the petition and joining 500+ thousand members who vote for the global recognition of WVD.


Phase-pure InSe thin films have been prepared by a low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique using a single-source precursor: [(Me)2In(μ−SeMe)]2. These films have been characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and found to be single-phased and polycrystalline with a hexagonal lattice. The optical properties of the films have been studied via absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopies.


The oil and gas industry is actively pursuing the implementation of remotely monitored and controlled well completions. This technology, collectively referred to as intelligent completions, has advanced rapidly over the last few years showing benefits including increased recovery and production accelemation. Savings from reduced well intervention provide further payback, particularly for multilateral, subsea or unattended platform wells. Application of this technology has continued to expand rapidly because the value of these completions has been demonstrated in field installations. Intelligent-completion installations are becoming widespread, with approximately 200 systems deployed. The concept uptake has increased during 2002-03 with 50 to 75 systems per year being installed. This level of application is expected to increase as the technology becomes widely accepted as field-proven.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether patients with acute posterior vitreous detachment with pigmented vitreous granules or hemorrhage have a higher likelihood of retinal tear compared with those with qualitatively normal vitreous examination findings.

METHODS
A multicenter cross-sectional study was performed in 3 peripheral ophthalmic clinics. Patients with acute posterior vitreous detachment were examined for the presence or absence of vitreous pigment granules, vitreous hemorrhage, and horseshoe retinal tear.

RESULTS
Fifty-nine consecutive patients with acute posterior vitreous detachment met our eligibility criteria. Eight patients had a retinal tear, and thus its prevalence in our study was almost 14%. Thirteen patients (22%) had a high likelihood because they had evidence of either pigmented vitreous granules or hemorrhage. The prevalence of retinal tear in the setting of acute posterior detachment associated with vitreous hemorrhage alone, pigment alone, or vitreous hemorrhage and pigment was 54%. Patients with posterior vitreous detachment with pigmented vitreous granules or hemorrhage were significantly more likely to have a retinal tear (odds ratio, 52.0; 95% confidence interval, 5.4-497.0). Patients with a retinal tear were 7 times more likely to have pigmented vitreous granules or hemorrhage (LR + ve = 7.4, in which LR + ve indicates positive likelihood ratio; 95% confidence interval, 3.3-16.4).

CONCLUSION
Patients with posterior vitreous detachment with vitreous pigment granules or hemorrhage are 52 times more likely to have a retinal tear compared with those who have normal findings on qualitative vitreous examination.


The main objective of this study is to determine whether human-forecaster at the main airports of South Africa add value to the raw numerical weather prediction model output when they provide forecast services to the aviation industry. Data set pairs of weather observations made at these airports and terminal aerodrome forecasts were constructed for the three forecast systems: the human-forecaster, persistence forecast and the raw output from the 12 km resolution the Unified Model administered by the South African Weather Service. These three data set pairs were independently evaluated by the in house developed forecast verification system of the South African Weather Service. A Monte Carlo method was used to determine the significance of the verification results obtained from calculating the proportion correct, hit rate, false alarm ratio, critical success index, Heidke skill score and the Pierce skill score of the various forecasts. In general, it was found that the forecaster-adapted forecasts are superior to the raw model output, thus providing the evidence that the aviation industry may benefit most from forecasts routinely issued by South African Weather Service forecasters.


both be limited to ( 1 me/liter. Otherwise eutrophication may occur when the ground water under an application site emerges into a surface water. Such a restriction cannot be supported by the body of facts available on N and P responses in land treatment. The position conflicts with the dilution logic presented for surface discharges in the very same chapter. If dilution of ground water emerging into a surface water will not occur, then how can dilution be depended on for a direct discharge into the same surface water from an outfall pipe? If dilution is the answer to pollution, it should apply to all cases. In summary, this book, despite updating and editing, remains a conference proceeding. It is valuable in that context and may be of use to those not previously exposed to land treatment concepts. Of equal value might be similar conference proceedings and the many documents now available from various state and federal agencies. The world still waits for the definitive textbook on planning and design of land treatment systems.--SHERWOOD C. REED, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03 755.


Scholarly interest in Marxist philosophy has fluctuated dramatically in the past fifty years. Before that, there was little scholarly work in Britain on Marxist philosophy or on Marxism more generally. In the nineteen fifties there were important contributions by economic theorists and social historians but academic discussion of Marx's philosophy or even of his political theory was minimal and mainly by critics. There were only a few philosophers who adhered to Marxism and these were mostly associated with the British Communist Party. This was an orthodox party aligned with the Soviet Union in its political and theoretical standpoint. It was never a large political party, unlike those in some other European countries such as Italy or France, and had only a limited impact on British intellectual life.


The present investigation concerns minimum weight design of composite plates in the presence of cutouts undergoing large amplitude oscillations. The Ritz finite element model using a nine-noded C0 continuity, isoparametric element along with a higher order displacement theory which accounts for parabolic variation of transverse shear stresses is used to predict the dynamic behavior. The optimal value is found by using a Genetic Algorithm with tournament selection. Results have been obtained for various cutout geometries like square, rectangular, circular and elliptical in the large amplitude range.


Four-parameter logistic model is used to describe height-diameter relationship of dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii. Rupr.) from longitudinal measurements using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling approach. The parameter variation in the model was divided into random effects, fixed effects, and variance-covariance structure. The values for fixed effects parameters and the variance-covariance matrix of random effects were estimated using NLME function. Autocorrelation structure was considered for explaining the dependency among multiple measurements within the each individual. Information criterion statistics (AIC, BIC and Likelihood ratio test) are used for comparing different structures of the random effects components. These methods are illustrated using the nonlinear mixed-effects methods in S-Plus software.


Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are cause of 30% of total global deaths and their development can be initiated by risk factors (RF), including the psychosocial ones, such as anxiety and depression. Studies evidence that the association between anxiety and CVD increases in 26% the risk of disease, while depressive disorders have a prevalence of approximately 10% incidence in the general population. It was conducted a literature review of anxiety and depression as RF for CVD in young adults. It was verified that the literature indicates the occurrence of a bidirectional association between these factors, since they contribute so much to development and for the poor prognosis of CVD. Referring to young people, the literature suggests that this population is inserted in various anxiogenic contexts, such as the university and the labor market, as well as they are susceptible to the manifestation of depressive symptoms. Accordingly, this paper highlights the need for more scientific research which provide empirical data about these FR in cardiovascular health of young adults.


Two educational uses of models and simulations: 1) Students create models and use simulations ; and 2) Researchers create models of learners to guide development of reliably effective materials. Cognitive tutors simulate and support tutoring - data is crucial to create effective model. Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center: Resources for modeling, authoring, experimentation. Repository of data and theory. Examples of advanced modeling efforts: SimStudent learns rule-based model. Help-seeking model: Tutors metacognition. Scooter uses machine learning detectors of student engagement.


We use the highly sensitive chemically amplified resist to obtain the high resolution and sensitivity in deep sub- micron region. We analyze the edge profiles and performances of resist by using the Electron-beam Lithography simulator (ELIS) and experiments. We mainly characterize the trend of resist profiles to measure the variation of wall angle, sensitivity, contrast, and solubility. In the simulation, development model for CAR is optimized to express the developed profiles of highly sensitive resist with high solubility and to have a good agreement with resist profiles in the electron beam lithography. From our results, we understand that resist edge profile depends on the solubility, sensitivity, and contrast of resist in the developer and got the high resolution to 0.15 micrometers line and space patterns using Leica EBMF 10.5 Gaussian beam. Finally, the ELIS simulator is useful in optimizing the deep sub- micron process.


A series of notches were fabricated on the outside and inside surfaces of 0.068-inch ID by 0.035-inch wall Zircaloy tubing by electromachining. Curves of ultrasonic response as a function of notch depth, notch length, metal path length, and entry angle for both the transverse and longitudinal tests are presented. The effect of notch orientation on ultrasonic response is discussed. Types and styles of transducers were partially evaluated. Techniques were developed for calibrating ultrasonic transducers using ball bearings, wires, minature receiving crystals, and optical imaging. The results of theoretical studies using Schlieren imaging techniques are discussed. Verification of theoretical Lamb-wave curves for Zircaloy using narrow frequency bands was achieved. (auth)


The morphology of the two species of Australian freshwater assimineids is described in detail. A new genus and species of Assimineinae, Aviassiminea palitans, is named from freshwater springs in north Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Austroassiminea letha Solem et al., 1982 from coastal springs in south Western Australia is also described and the original anatomical account is corrected in several important details. This taxon is shown to be a member of the Omphalotropidinae and is the only other non-marine assimineid known from Australia. All of the described assimineid genus-group taxa are listed in an appendix, with an assessment of their status, and their known diagnostic characters.


The preparation of nanoparticulate RuO2 supported on mesoporous silica SBA-15 was optimized to achieve a uniform dispersion and confinement of RuO2. The supported RuO2 (NP2) has been used as the catalyst for photoinduced water oxidation with Ru(bpy)32+ as the photosensitizer and S2O82– as the sacrificial oxidant. Both NP2 and the previously prepared NP1 achieved O2 yields (based on S2O82–) of 95% and 88% and overall quantum efficiencies of 11.3% and 10.0%, respectively. These benchmark numbers far exceed those of many other metal oxide-based catalysts and previously reported RuO2 catalysts. In addition, NP2 has been recycled up to five times with minimal loss of activity.


Tristetraprolin (TTP) is a prototypic family member of CCCH-type tandem zinc-finger domain proteins that regulate mRNA destabilization in eukaryotic cells. TTP binds to AU-rich elements (AREs) in the 3′-untranslated region of certain mRNAs, including tumor necrosis factor α, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and immediate early response 3, thereby facilitating their ARE-mediated decay. Expression of TTP is up-regulated by a variety of agents, including inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor α, a prominent activator of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors. Accordingly, TTP is involved in the negative feedback regulation of NF-κB through promoting mRNA degradation. We describe here a novel, ARE-mediated decay-independent function of TTP on the termination of NF-κB response: TTP suppresses the transcriptional activity of NF-κB-dependent promoters independent of its mRNA-destabilizing property. In TTP knock-out mouse embryonic fibroblasts, lack of TTP leads to enhanced nuclear p65 levels, which is associated with the up-regulation of specific, ARE-less NF-κB target genes. We find that attenuation of NF-κB activity is at least in part due to an interference of TTP with the nuclear import of the p65 subunit of the transcription factor. This novel role of TTP may synergize with its mRNA-degrading function to contribute to the efficient regulation of proinflammatory gene expression.


Thank you for reading money and class in america notes and observations on the civil religion. As you may know, people have search numerous times for their favorite books like this money and class in america notes and observations on the civil religion, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they cope with some infectious bugs inside their computer.


Throughout the reentry literature, there is widespread recognition about the central role of social support—including emotional and instrumental support—to prevent recidivism and promote integration. Although emotional support is often considered a relatively more important construct than instrumental support in scholarship on stress and coping, reentry research generally focuses on the provision of material and informational resources. This chapter analyzes novel data—daily open-ended survey questions via smartphones about a person's most important positive and negative points of the day—to understand the types of social support that people most value in their daily lives in the immediate months after release from prison. Using this approach, the chapter describes the importance of spending time with others, the central role of children, and changes in support over time. The chapter concludes by recommending that reentry scholars pay greater attention to the construct of emotional support in studies of recidivism and integration.


The purpose of this pilot investigation was to examine the efficacy of a parent-child book-reading programme designed to enhance the early literacy skills of pre-schoolers with communication disorders. Four parents and their children completed a 5-week programme that included group parent training supplemented by individualized guided reading practice sessions for each day. Results indicated that programme participation positively influenced children's concepts about print and that parents judged the programme to be beneficial to themselves and their children. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance towards enhancing the early literacy skills of pre-schoolers with communication disorders.


Case study of the introduction of robust multivariable process control (MPC) into a third party distributed control system. The authors discuss interface development and the factors necessary for successful refinery MPC performance.


A Raman lidar has been developed for remote analysis of industrial plumes. The first test results were obtained. The Raman spectrum was excited by the fourth harmonic of a YAG laser. The signals received were recorded by a multichannel system which counts individual photoelectrons. A UMI-93 image converter tube combined with an isocon television camera tube or three FEU-106 photomultipliers were used as the light detectors. The gases SO/sub 2/, CO/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, O/sub 2/, and H/sub 2/O were recorded in a plume from a thermal power plant at a distance of 200 m. For a signal-to-noise ratio of 2, probed layer 22.5 m thick, distance of 100 m, and measurement time of approximately 3.5 min (10/sup 4/ laser pulses at a repetition frequency of 50 Hz), the sensitivity was 50 ppm.


Optic nerve sheath diameter ultrasound is a rapid point of care tool for diagnosing and monitoring increased intracranial pressure. We described some important issues regarding this statement: brief anatomical description of optic nerve; measuring; correlation between the results obtained by computer tomography scan measures and ultrasound and finally the learning curve. We concluded that measuring optic nerve sheath diameter using ultrasonography makes available a highly useful method to determine intracranial pressure in clinical practice.
Key words: point of care ultrasound; optic nerve ultrasound; optic nerve sheath diameter; intracranial pressure


Understanding the brain and the influence music has upon it remains a phenomenon little understood within science and human functioning. Research into the neuropsychology of music is in its early developmental ~hase, and is often contradictory in methodology, findmgs and theoretical framework. The complexity and differences of this research suggest that the application of theory as proposed by Julia Usher's article is indeed relevant in developing an understanding of the processing and impact of music within the brain, and its practical implications for music therapy treatment. Such links start to offer deeper explanatory frameworks than the mere observation that 'music works'. Although as clinicians we have all observed this, as a profession we are a long way from offering evidence to convince sceptics or others within our professional spheres. The research into music and the brain tends to focus on two approaches. Gardner (1982) describes the first of these as a 'bottom-up' approach, where one musical component only is tested. This contrasts with the 'topdown' approach which starts from an organised piece of music or gestalt musical form, and draws heavily on the importance of musical schemata. Erdonmez (1993) has applied such a paradigm to music therapy practice, comparing the gestalt experience of improvisation or guided imagery to music to the 'bottom-down' experience of singing a specific song or rehabilitation of specific skills within music therapy. It is important to consider the concept that music is a complex structure combining the components of pitch, harmony, rhythm, timbre and intensity. Take, for example, melody, which is formed by any number of pitches in simple or more complex combinations; or rhythm, formed by sounds and silences. In addition, when perceiving music, the listener may not only be experiencing these musical factors, but may also experience additional extramusical associations which cannot be separated from the music. In examining emotion in music, Meyer (1956) stipulated that whilst perceiving and responding to music does involve cognitive processes, these need not be conscious, unless reflection and deliberation are involved. Should these processes remain unconscious, then such mental tensions are experienced as emotional affect rather than thought-processes. Considering theory from the psychology of music, Thaut (1990) emphasises the need to develop not only an understanding of the perception of stimulus properties but also the responses to these which are meaningful determinants of nonmusical behaviour. He explores the links between music perception and subsequent neuro-behavioural responses, particularly arousal and its relationship to affective responses. In doing so, he depicts a model which suggests that music stimulates the brain reward centres through activation, organises through structure, and makes associative connections which in turn facilitate awareness and recognition of significant feelings. Usher suggests discriminating between 'fields' of responsiveness, and certainly this idea is supported from the literature examining the neuropsychology of artistic function which links pathology to artistic result (Gardner 1982). The tendency to relate changes in an individual predominantly to emotional reactions is one which still prevails within the 'artistic' world of music therapy, often without a wider examination of what effects the pathology may bring to bear upon an individual's ability to process material and express musically. It is essential also to consider pathology and neurological processes to ensure objective interpretation which can be communicated credibly to colleagues outside the music therapy profession. Usher's definition of the process of 'sufficiency' as effected by neurochemical sensitivity as opposed to what may appear 'resistiveness' is a clear example of how developing an understanding in pathology can only aid our interpretation of clients' responses. Despite theories of hemispheric specialisation which prevail in the common understanding of music and the brain, there remains little evidence to suggest unequivocally that either hemisphere is superior, or even that ear advantage actually reflects cerebral superiority. Sergent (1993) stresses that to understand the perception of music, we need initially to identify underlying operations, rather than rely on a dichotic approach to hemispheric processing which has yielded few definitive results or provided a model for musical processing. She suggests that the number of factors involved in processing musical material may go some way in explaining the inconsistent and often contradictory empirical investigations into hemispheric specialisation in processing musical functions. Primarily, she emphasises that different strategies engage different cerebral structures, resulting in cerebral interdependence rather than superiority. Thus, experimental design should incorporate either the gestalt musical task or functions involved in processing specific parameters. For example, a musical task recruits various cerebral functions which cannot be separated from other simultaneous thought processes, i.e. separating the physical from the musical during the act of play-


A novel MEMS-based boiler is fabricated and tested. The device is designed to operate from low-temperature heat sources using capillary action channels. The channels supply working fluid to the heated boiler surface, eliminating the need for traditional working fluid pumps. Two basic types of construction are evaluated. First, a more traditional silicon-based device is constructed and tested. Fabrication of the silicon boiler utilizes standard micro-fabrication practices. Second, a copper-based unit is fabricated and tested. Fabrication of the copper boiler focusses on low-cost techniques performed outside the scope of traditional micro-fab procedures. Results of these tests show the promise of non-traditional metals in low-temperature MEMS-based applications. The effectiveness of the copper boilers is shown to be 60% greater than their silicon counter parts. The copper-based prototypes exhibited a maximum evaporation rate for working fluid pumped across the boiling surface of 4.21 mg/sec.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


The authors consider the theory and evidence on the propensity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to patent their innovations. Drawing on UK, European and US literature and data sources, they show that small firms are less likely to use patents as a means of protecting their investment than other means such as confidentiality, secrecy or time to market. SMEs are also less likely than larger firms to use others' patents as a source of information for their own innovation activities, preferring customers, suppliers and trade fairs. Conversely, smaller firms are more likely than larger firms to put their patents to productive use or to licence out their technology, a pattern that is likely to reflect relatively higher cost and capacity pressures. Among the emerging trends, of particular interest for high tech SMEs is the role of patents as an increasingly important factor in obtaining financial backing by venture capitalists. A survey of UK and US small businesses conducted jointly by the Centre for Business Research (CBR) at Cambridge and the Industrial Performance Unit at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides data for further analyses which reveal that small firms in the United States are twice as likely as those in the UK to patent innovations, but are still much less likely to patent than larger US firms. The authors conclude with a general discussion of main findings from a UK and European perspective.


Sales of "natural" foods are rising much more rapidly than any other segment of the food market. Evidence of this leading edge of growth comes from a variety of indicators - the exponential rise in farmers' markets, the expansion in natural foods grocery stores, consistently strong stock market showings, and investment by venture capitalists. Many mainstream supermarkets have joined the trend, offering an array of organic and other natural foods. Although natural products now comprise about two percent of total food sales, the rapid growth rate, if sustained, will quintuple its influence on the farming, processing, distributing, and retailing food stream over the next decade. Despite impressive growth through the 1990s, achieving the full potential of the natural foods market is not assured. This immature market requires careful policy actions to fulfill its capacity to help satisfy private and public objectives. While the growth in natural food sales holds obvious rewards for the business sector, contributions to public policy objectives should not be overlooked. Scientists and practitioners of sustainable agriculture know that economic viability is key to farming and food systems that leave a lighter environmental footprint across the country. The spread of such systems could contribute to important national environmental objectives; for example, reduced water pollution. However, adoption of these alternative systems of food production has been slow. The strong growth in consumer demand for natural foods offers an economically viable opportunity for wider adoption. In 771e Natural Foods Market: A National Survey of Strategies for Growth, Nessa Richman identifies the obstacles to achieving the hill potential of this market development, and presents private and public strategies to reduce key barriers. Prominent on the list of obstacles is the uncertainty over standards for natural foods products, which would guide the actions of all market participants, from farmers to consumers. Both industry and government agencies have roles in alleviating that uncertainty. The report's comprehensive analysis combines and interprets a diverse array of private and public information, to help experts and novices understand this developing market. It uses the latest information to chronicle the growth and diversity of the sector. The identification of obstacles draws upon the findings of a new national survey of farmers, food processors, distributors, and retailers. The responses of those already involved in natural foods are contrasted with those who are not already involved, ill order to assess the obstacles perceived by each group. Private and public strategies to foster durable market growth are built from the survey findings and from the insights gained from interviews with food industry leaders. The Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture offers this report to encourage effective actions in the private and public sectors, which will lower obstacles to growth in the natural foods market. With the report, the Institute's Policy Studies Program undertakes a new initiative centered on analysis of the marketing of sustainable agriculture products. We hope that this report and following publications stimulate a dialogue within and among private and public circles, which moves society toward a sustainable food system.


This article reports the analysis of prospectively gathered data on eight young adults who committed suicide during an ongoing longitudinal study of long-term treatment of schizophrenia in the community. Young adult men with an early onset of psychiatric illness were identified as a high-risk subgroup. At the time of admission to the study, the subjects who eventually committed suicide reported significantly more distress and tended to be less satisfied with their lives than the other subjects. Specifically, baseline measures of self-reported subjective distress were consistently predictive of later suicide, whereas interviewer-rated measures and postbaseline assessments were not.


TPS1110Background: HER2+ breast cancers have the propensity to metastasize to the CNS. Most systemic therapy does not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) effectively, limiting treatment options. Palbociclib is a small molecule inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases (CDK) 4 and 6, which has been studied in hormone positive breast cancers and found to have significant anti-tumor activity. Preclinical models demonstrate HER2+ tumors require cyclin D1 and CDK4 for progression and maintenance, and palbociclib has been found to have single agent activity in transgenic HER2+ models. Preclinical studies have also found that palbociclib crosses the BBB and exerts anti-cancer effects; indeed, clinical trials investigating its activity in primary brain tumors are ongoing. The summary of these data provide rationale for investigation of palbociclib in patients with HER2+ breast cancer and brain metastasis. Methods: A single arm study of palbociclib in patients with metastatic HER2+ breast cancer with brain metastasis ...


The present invention discloses a high-power lithium secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode comprising a first positive active material represented by Formula 1 and having a layered structure represented by the following formula 2 having a spinel structure and a second positive electrode active material as a positive electrode active material, based on the total weight of the positive electrode active material, the amount of the first positive electrode active material is 40 to 100% by weight; a negative electrode comprising a capacity 300mAh / g or more amorphous carbon; and a separator.


One of the goals of the Multichannel Audio Research Laboratory (MARLab) at McGill University is to develop an intuitive controller and interface for multichannel room simulation systems that would manage a number of different physical parameters and provide dynamic control over the spatial and perceptual attributes of a multichannel soundfield. The perceptual attributes are investigated to determine how changes in physical parameters need to be modified to provide changes in spatial attributes. By modifying only those physical parameters most relevant to the control of perceptual attributes of a multichannel environment, signal processing can be minimized, as the control functions become more complex. Others such as [1] and [2] have considered this paradigm as well.


s / 215 The Journal of Entrepreneurship , 13, 2 (2004) Sage PublicationsNew Delhi/Thousand Oaks/London Abstracts Prepared by Sanjay Pal of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad We publish in this section abstracts of significant papers appearing in other journals. Authors are requested to send their papers, published elsewhere, for this purpose. Deniz Ucbasaran, Andy Lockett, Mike Wright and Paul Westhead, 'Entrepreneurial Founder Teams: Factors Associated with Member Entry and Exit', Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice , vol. 28, no. 2 (Winter 2003), pp. 107–27. This exploratory study provides a review of the neglected area of entrepreneurial founder team turnover. A novel distinction is made between entrepreneurial founder team member entry and team member exit. Ninety owner-managed ventures were monitored between 1990 and 2000. Presented hypotheses relating to a team's human capital were explored using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Variables associated with entry were found not to be the same as those associated with exit. The size of the founding team was significantly negatively associated with subsequent team member entry. The link between team turnover and entrepreneurial team heterogeneity was mixed. Functional heterogeneity was weakly positively associated with team member entry. Heterogeneity of prior entrepreneurial experience was significantly positively associated with team member exit. In addition, family firms were significantly negatively associated with team member exit. The average age of the team was not significantly associated with team member entry or exit. The results showed that practitioner awareness of the different factors associated with team member entry and exit may encourage them to provide assistance, which facilitates the team building process over time in developing firms. Limited research has been conducted surrounding the dynamics of team development in new and developing independent private firms. Studies focusing on top management teams (TMTs) in larger and established firms have failed to explore whether the factors associated with team member entry are the same as those associated with team member exit. Variables 216 / The Journal of Entrepreneurship, 13, 2 (2004) associated with new team member introductions, for example, have received limited attention in TMT studies. The contribution of this study has been the exploration of team member entry as well as team member exit reported by independent private firms. A comparative static longitudinal database of independent private firms was utilised to ascertain the entry and exit of team members at three points in time (that is, founding, 1990/91 and 2000). A conceptual framework has been presented that emphasises the importance of both human capital and team cohesion in private owner-managed firms. Linked to the conceptual framework, hypotheses have been presented. Several independent (and control variables) were identified and presumed to be associated with the two selected binary dependent variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilised to identify the combination of control and dependent variables associated with entrepreneurial founder team (EFT) entry or exit. Two models were presented with regard to each dependent variable. The first model included all the control and independent variables excluding the measure(s) relating to heterogeneity. The second model included control and independent variables as well as the variable(s) relating to heterogeneity. It was found that private firms with small EFTs were more likely to report the entry of new team members. An important motive for the need to bring in new team members is to add to the total amount of human capital within a team. It can be inferred that EFTs in private firms may be constrained by the amount of human capital at their disposal. This constraint can be overcome by recruiting appropriate additional team members. Family firm teams concerned with maintaining cohesion (that is, protecting the interests of the family members that own the majority of ordinary voting shares in the business) are less likely to be associated with the exit of members from the EFT. When considering whether to leave the family firm, team members may reflect upon the potential nonpecuniary costs associated with affecting the family relationship. Although not in a statistically significant direction, it was detected that family firms were positively associated with new member entry, either from other family members or from outside, consistent with the need to augment human capital. Firms exhibiting heterogeneity with regard to a team's entrepreneurial experience were more likely to be associated with the exit of team members. This suggests that where one or more entrepreneurs have prior entrepreneurial experiences, these individuals may try to dominate those who are inexperienced entrepreneurially, thus reducing cohesion and creating conflict-inducted team turnover. The fact that one or more team members


Phosphate activated GCE was prepared by cyclic voltammetry,and the electrochemical behavior of epinephrine(EP) at this electrode in a phosphate buffer medium of pH 6.0 was studied.A cyclic voltammetric method for determination of trace amount of EP was proposed,by which the interference of ascorbic acid to the determination of EP was effectively eliminated.A sensitive oxidation peak of EP at 0.26 V(vs.SCE) was observed.Linear relationship between values of oxidation peak current(ipa) and concentration of EP was obtained in the range of 1.0×10-6-1.2×10-5mol·L-1,with detection limit(3S/N) of 3.0×10-7mol·L-1.This method was applied to the determination of EP in injections,giving results in consistency with the labelled values.Average recovery of the method found by standard addition method was 99.7%.


Study objective: To assesstheutilization ofvenous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis ina medical-surgical ICU. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: A closed (mandatory critical care consult) medical-surgical ICUofa large community teaching hospital. Interventions: Themedical records ofconsecutive medical-surgical ICUadmissions were evalu¬ atedby a single investigator during a 3-month period. Riskfactors forVTEandthetype and timing ofVTEprophylaxis were recorded. Measurements andresults: Of308admissions evaluated, 209were included inthestudy. VTE prophylaxis was administered within thefirst 24hofICUadmission to179ofthe209study patients or 86%.Fifty-three percent (n=lll) were surgical patients and47% (n=98) were medical patients. Thestudy patients hadan average of4.4risk factors forVTE.Thirty study patients (14%) didnotreceive VTEprophylaxis. Conclusion: Eighty-six percent ofthemedical-surgical patients included inthisstudy received VTEprophylaxis. Theutilization ofVTEprophylaxis described inthisstudy ishigher compared topreviously published data. Thenatureofphysician coverage inour medical-surgical ICU (closed unit), consistent practice patterns ofa designated ICUstaff, anda continuing medical education program involving VTEprophylaxis are thefactors believed toberesponsible forthese results. (CHEST 1998; 113:162-64)


Until recently, the management of ischaemic stroke has largely been a passive process, centred on control of patient complications and rehabilitation of acquired deficits. However, recently there has been a refocusing of attention on more proactive stroke management, with interventional radiologists now often playing a central role within the stroke management pathway. Multiple therapeutic options are now available for managing acute ischaemic stroke. All of these therapies aim to achieve early recanalisation of occluded arteries leading to early vascular reperfusion of the ischaemic penumbra, the area of potentially salvageable brain tissue surrounding the permanently infarcted core. The currently available acute stroke therapies can be categorised according to the technique used to achieve reperfusion:


The effects of the duration, timing and chemical amelioration of short-term waterlogging during furrow irrigation of cotton in a cracking grey clay soil were investigated at Narrabri, N.S.W. Water was run in furrows for 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 h at each of the three crop irrigations. In other treatments, watering was extended from 4 to 16 h either at the first, second or third irrigation, to establish at which irrigation waterlogging had the most effect. Soil applications of hydrogen peroxide and foliar sprays of urea were evaluated as chemical ameliorants of short-term waterlogging. Increasing the period of inundation from 4 to 32 h reduced green bolls m-2 by 17.5 %, open bolls m-2 by 20.6 % and final lint yield by 300 kg ha-1 or 18.3 %. No further decreases were observed by increasing the period of inundation to 64 h. Extended waterlogging was equally damaging at each of the three irrigations. The rate of recovery from waterlogging to an air-filled porosity of 0.10 cm3 cm-3 in the top 20 cm of soil was highly correlated with lint yield, and was consistent with results from a previous season. Soil applications of hydrogen peroxide did not ameliorate waterlogging damage, whereas significantly higher lint yields were obtained from foliar sprays of urea applied prior to each irrigation. The results confirmed that cotton should be irrigated and thereafter drained rapidly in this soil to minimize loss of yield. This could be achieved by increasing the rate of application of irrigation water and by using shorter fields and steeper slopes. The use of chemical ameliorants requires further investigation.


This introductory chapter provides context for the volume's subsequent contributions on Goethe's Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship on a variety of levels. It begins by explaining its aims with regard to the relationship between philosophy and literature. It then locates Goethe's novel within this set of aims in three ways: first, by providing a brief outline of Goethe's career; second, by locating his novel in the literary-historical context of late eighteenth-century Europe; and third, by outlining the connections between the Goethe of Wilhelm Meister and specific philosophers and thinkers who influenced his thought and for whom his work was in turn influential.


In 2005, The Paradise of Maitreya, a Chinese fresco-secco wall painting belonging to the Far Eastern Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and dating to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), underwent extensive treatment to address both surface and structural problems. In the early 1930s, several years after its acquisition, the painting was mounted onto Masonite panels and installed on the north wall of the Bishop White Gallery by George Stout. The preparation of the painting fragments for mounting used a process developed by Stout and Gettens at the Fogg Art Museum. A description of this process that relied heavily on the use of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) resin will be outlined as well as a brief history of past treatments as these relate to the present condition of the wall painting and its current treatment. The treatment, carried out in 2005 involved surface cleaning and consolidation, but most specifically addressed the problem of cracking and general breakdown in the joint material between the Masonite panels. In order to address the instability in the joints, Plastazote. LD45, a closed-cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam, chosen for its flexibility and imperviousness to fluctuations in relative humidity, was used as a support for the fills between the Masonite panels.


Autologous T cells with anti-tumor specificity are a promising form of tumor therapy. However, generation of large numbers of highly specific and long-lived effector T cells is challenging. A group of collaborating scientists has demonstrated that they can transduce peripheral human T lymphocytes with a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor and expand these cells using CD19 artificial antigen-presenting cells and interleukin 15, thus generating large numbers of CD19-specific cytotoxic T cells. When these cells were transplanted into SCID-Beige mice bearing a widely metastatic CD19 human lymphoma, tumors in many of the mice regressed completely and the mice remained tumor-free for more than 300 days. This approach shows great promise for immunotherapy of a variety of tumors.


The genome of the yeast Candida albicans harbours many genomic short sequence repeats (SSRs). These are stable upon transition of colonization to infection in immune‐compromised patients. We show here that in non‐neutropenic patients this transition may coincide with variation in several of the SSRs. This may have implications for stage‐specific expression of C. albicans pathogenicity factors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A large‐scale crop model is forced by a range of climate datasets over West Africa to test the sensitivity of simulated yields to errors in input rainfall. The model skill, defined as the correlation between observed and simulated yield anomalies over 1968–1990 at the country scale, is used for assessment. We show that there are two essential rainfall features for the model to skillfully simulate interannual yield variability at the country scale: cumulative annual variability and frequency. At such a scale, providing additional information on intraseasonal variability, such as the chronology of rain events, does not improve the model skill. We suggest that such information is relevant at smaller spatial scales but is not spatially consistent enough to impact large‐scale yield variability.


Shaped silica constructed by silica fiber with axial poly(ethyleneimine)s (PEIs) filaments was available simply from rapid hydrolytic condensation of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) upon aggregates of PEIs with different architecture.


The actuality on introduction and commercial planting of loquat was introduced into Longchuan during 2001-2005. The fertility culture practice was summarized .The practice includes the selection of variety and land, rational close plant and horticulture practice.


This paper presents an enhanced method of testing validity of arithmetic optimization of C compilers using random programs. It generates arithmetic expressions which are longer than a previously proposed method but yet does not lead to undefined behavior . This is achived by modifying the expressions on detecting undefined behavior during the computiation of the correct values of the expressions. The detection ability is further improved by incorporating multiple expressions into each program. Experimental results show that a random testing system based on our new method has higher capabilities of finding compiler bugs; it has detected more bugs than previous method in earlier versions of GCCs and it has also revealed flaws in some latest versions of GCCs which have been unknown so far.


In October 2010, over 150 mental health and child welfare professionals, parents, policy makers and child care staff gathered for a 2 day symposium on the campus of Babson University in Wellesley, MA to reflect on The Other 23 Hours Then and Now: Lessons Learned and Future Directions in Fostering Resilience and Building Competence with Troubled Children and Their Families. The symposium came about due to the generosity of what was then known as the Walker School in Needham, MA – a pioneering child and family treatment agency whose founding director, the late Albert E. Trieschman, Ph.D., touched the lives of hundreds of child care professionals and parents through his brilliance, clinical acumen, and consummate skills as a teacher and mentor. Al's presence animated and informed many discussions as it continues to do in the child and youth care field at large. For some of us, particularly Larry Brendtro and myself, co-authors with Al of the 023 Hours(Trieschman, Whittaker, & Brendtro, 1969), it was both a reunion and revisiting of those halcyon and heady days of the mid 1960's when we were both forging the arc of our careers, sharing perspectives from vibrant treatment settings like Walker and the University of Michigan Fresh Air Camp (UM-FAC) and trying mightily to bridge the gap between what at the time seemed like powerful systems of ideas pulling in opposite directions: notably, psychodynamic ego psychology and social learning theory. All three of us took it as a high compliment when David WinemanClinical Director of the UM-FAC and pioneering collaborator with Fritz Redl in a seminal contribution to the literature of child helping (Redl & Wineman, 1957) wrote in his foreword to 023 Hours(Trieschman et al., 1969):


Identification of a proper location for sensor actuator pair is very important for multimode vibration control of beams. A lot of research work is carried by various researchers, for the optimization of actuators and sensors location. Various techniques and approaches have been used, but there are two broad approaches. In the first approach the placement of patches is combined with controller parameters, while in second approach, the locations are achieved independently of controller parameters. For achieving the best vibration control, the placement of the piezopatches should be in the region of maximum strain location. This paper presents, controller independent, simplified optimal patch placement strategy, on cantilever beams, based on modal strain profile. The modal strain patterns obtained from FE analysis of beams, are utilized to devise a strategy for identifying the locations of piezopatches. The effectiveness of strategy adopted for optimal location is compared with the results obtained from a controller dependent placement methodology employed by previous researchers. It is found that the proposed methodology is in agreement with the work carried out earlier.


This preliminary clinical study was conducted to evaluate the effect of combination of Shilajit extract and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on fasting blood sugar and lipid profile subjects with early diagnosed type-II diabetes (NIDDM). At the onset of treatment baseline assessment was taken following General symptomatic examination, Average Fasting Blood sugar and lipid profile. The patients were instructed to take investigational combination twice a day for four weeks. At the end of the therapy period, it was found that the drug had considerably reduced symptoms related to diabetes, average fasting blood sugar and lipid profile.


We describe a stereoscopic system that uses a fast, switchable lens (1000Hz), synchronized to the display, to construct a temporally-multiplexed image with correct focus cues. It has great potential for vision research and various applications.


This workshop will discuss the psychological and interaction mechanisms, potential applications and ethical dilemmas of ubiquitous persuasive technology. That is, persuasive technologies are intentionally designed to change a person's attitude or behavior or both, and aim at persuading human agents to behave in socially-valued ways, by giving information, providing feedback, and taking over actions (e.g., a fuel consumption feedback device in a car). More and more, ubiquitous technology surrounds the users in their everyday life, which allows for persuasive interventions at the right time and in the right place, without the necessity of the (full) attention of the user. This workshop will study ubiquitous persuasive technology and its strong potential to change behavior or attitudes from an interdisciplinary perspective. It will address the need for theoretical foundations (e.g., psychological, interactional), investigate potential applications and consider ethical consequences of ubiquitous persuasive technology.


Background:
Balo's concentric sclerosis is considered a rare variant of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is characterized by multi-layer or onion-shaped, often tumefactive lesions visualized by MRI. However, the mechanisms causing bizarre lesion formation are still unknown. MRI at 7 Tesla (T) visualizes brain lesions with anatomical details allowing for the depiction of vascular abnormalities in the majority of MS lesions. Here we studied the morphology of Balo-like lesions at 7T to elucidate potential differences or similarities with classical MS lesions.
Methods
Four Balo's concentric sclerosis like patients underwent 7T MRI including high resolving T2* weighted (T2*w) and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). Eight MS patients with relapsing-remitting MS served as controls. The images were analyzed regarding lesion morphology, lesion distribution and formation. Two further Balo like cases will be included for the upcoming AAN meeting.
Results
Until today, we detected 22 lesions in Balo patients (n=4) and 476 lesions in MS controls (n=8). Lesion morphology was concealed in one Balo patient as a consequence of prior brain biopsy. The other Balo-like lesions exhibited a small central intra-lesional vein (2 of 3 lesions) and (multiple) T2* hypointense rims. Other white matter lesions (n=18) in Balo patients with relapsing-remitting disease course were of comparable morphology and distribution to lesions of MS patients (hypointense rim count n=5, perivascular lesions count n=17, periventricular lesions n=8). Lesions involving U-fibers or the grey matter, however, were not present in Balo's patients.
Conclusion
Our case series underpin the hypothesis that Balo's concentric sclerosis is part of the MS disease spectrum sharing the same pattern of perivascular inflammation. Nevertheless, our Balo cohort was in part heterogeneous regarding clinical features and distinct MR markers. Additional cases will be presented at the AAN meeting. Disclosure: Dr. Behrens has received personal compensation for activities with Genzyme and Roche. Dr. Sinnecker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kuchling has nothing to disclose. Dr. Harms has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ruprecht has received personal compensation for activities with Merck Serono and Bayer Schering Pharma. Dr. Niendorf has nothing to disclose. Dr. Paul has received personal compensation for activities with Teva Neuroscience, Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Bayer Schering Pharma, Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, MedImmune, and Novartis., Dr. Dorr has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wuerfel has nothing to disclose.


A scanning Fizeau interferometer is used to measure a set of eight inch reference flats. The uncertainty in the measured figure is less that 2 Årms.


A simple and rapid method for the determination of β-agonists including Clorprenaline,Mabuterol,clenbuterol and ractopamine in swine urine by using molecular imprinted solid phase extraction followed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been developed.4 β-Agonists in swine urine were concentrated and cleaned-up by using molecularly imprinted polymer(MIP) solid phase extraction cartridge,the comparison study of clean up effect for the MIP and common solid phase extraction cartridge was carried out.Then the purified sample was derivatized by using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide(BSTFA) containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane(TMCS) and were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(selected ion mode).Under the optimized conditions,there is a good linear correlation(the calibration coefficient is above 0.99) between the ratio of peak areas and the concentration of β-agonists in the range of 5-100 μg/L.the limit of quantitative(LOQ) is 0.5 μg/L for ractopamine and 0.2 μg/L for other β-agonists in swine urine samples,the recoveries of different quantities of the β-agonists spiked in swine urine are between 75.1% and 97.5%,the relative standard deviations(RSD) are below 10%.The developing method was applied to the determination of clenbuterol and ractopamine in real urine samples,the precision of the results is good,the manipulation of the developed method is simple and fast comparing to other methods.


Boundary is very commonly defined as line that distinguishes two different regions. Boundary provides clarity to human eye in understanding any view. It plays a major role in Medical field, as finding the correct boundary in noisy images is still a difficult task. This paper introduces the new technique of detection using the information of intensity and texture of an image. Our proposed technique detects the boundaries of objects in noisy images using the information from the intensity gradient via the vector image model and the texture gradient via the edge map. we discuss the proposed technique on various medical images using Self organizing map (SOM) clustering provides correct boundaries even in an ill-defined images and multi grey level images. This method is robust and applicable on various kinds of noisy images without prior knowledge of noise properties. Key Word: Boundary Extraction, Edge Following, SOM Clustering.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the editorial operations underpinning the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management in light of the review process and the quality of articles. It further outlines the articles in the special issue and relates them to the scope of the journal.Design/methodology/approach – The editorial processes of the journal are analysed and reviewed.Findings – The journal draws on a variety of research streams in humanitarian logistics; it is concluded that there is a need to stress the importance of research with managerial insights for humanitarians still further.Research limitations/implications – Humanitarian logistics is an emerging field and, unsurprisingly, there is still a lack of good empirical research and research with rigor as well as relevance. Based on submission statistics it can be concluded that the field has already reached a global dimension.Practical implications – There is still a lack of empirical studies in humanitarian logi...