In some higher education systems the traditional ideal of a close coupling between
teaching and research, often associated with Humboldt, is increasingly getting under
pressure. Based on empirical case studies of researchers and research groups in a
variety of scientific fields in Germany and Austria on the one hand, and England and
Australia on the other hand, the authors investigate whether the implementation of
New Public Management brings about a de-coupling of research and teaching in terms
of resources and roles for both activities – and if so, which causal mechanisms are at
work. Germany and Austria do not yet show much evidence of this kind. However, in
England and Australia considerable tendencies of de-coupling can be observed and
the underlying factors can be identified. In this respect a performance-based mechanism
of research funding is a key factor of the Matthew effect described by Robert
K. Merton.


A tight binding Hamiltonian is used to investigate the electronic structure and the average local character of eigenstates in a large class of compounds with 4-2 local coordination. General theorems are established for AX 2 and AB X4 compounds relating the existence of gaps to the local environment. General expressions are derived concerning the « s » or « p » character of the eigenstates on any atom. The highest valence band is shown to be in all cases a pure p non bonding or lone pair band on the X atom. One finds quite generally that the valence band of AX2 systems splits into three subbands for which only two distinct possibilities can exist. Additional gaps are obtained for AB X4 systems. A detailed numerical investigation is made especially in the important case of oxides.


The antifungal activity of Lactobacillus plantarum was evaluated in vitro using Penicillium roqueforti as the indicator fungus and investigated the preservative effect of Chinese steamed bread. The screening of antifungal activity was assayed by double-layer plate point inoculation, mycelial growth rate inhibition, conidial germination assays and agar diffusion, L. plantarum CCFM259 (CCFM259) exhibited good inhibition of P. roqueforti mycelial growth and conidial germination, with inhibition rates were 45.3 and 18.0%, respectively. The water/salt-soluble extract of CCFM259 was partially purified and exhibited the properties of strong antifungal activity and good thermal stability, and kinds of organic acids were identified. Agar diffusion assays results illustrated that acetic and phenllactic acids showed the most significant inhibition, and the mixture of acids also exhibited a synergistic effect. The Chinese steamed bread manufactured with CCFM259 possessed desirable sensorial characteristics and did not show any contamination by fungi until 7 days of storage, a similar level of inhibition comparable to that afforded by 0.25% (w/w) calcium propionate.

Practical Applications
Interest in the application of sourdough for the steamed bread is growing constantly in China, mainly due to the improvement of quality requirements. Type II sourdough as an industrial culture starter is generally not suitable for achieving dough leavening but are used for dough acidification, and as dough improvers. These sourdoughs are generally fermented by the selection of microbial strains with a long fermentation time, high dough yield and temperature of fermentation in order to shorten the fermentation process. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the antifungal activity of Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM259 in vitro using Penicillium roqueforti as the indicator fungus, to develop a natural improver of dough and to extend the shelf life and sensory characteristics of steamed bread.


Abstract : Discussion of the acceleration of droplets in a gas flow, in the case in which the temperature and velocity of the droplets and the gas differ widely. A solution of the problem is obtained by taking the thermal and mechanical interaction between the droplets and the gas into account and using an equation for the droplet dynamics in the form of an empirical quadratic law with allowance for a pressure gradient. (Author)


A simple and numerically efficient model for the input impedance of a rectangular microstrip antenna with and without an airgap between the substrate and the ground plane is presented. This airgap does not significantly alter the relative field pattern but it does provide a simple parameter by which the resonant frequencies of the antenna can be tuned. This model describes an improvement to the cavity model of a rectangular coax-fed antenna whereby the dynamic permittivity accounts for the fringing fields of the patch. This model, valid for both electrically thin and thick substrates is well suited for computer-aided-design (CAD). The computations are compared with experimental data, showing good agreement. >


This paper studies the effects of overtraining and FTS on female athletes,and analyses the relationship among overtraining,symptom of disordered eating,menstrual disorder,and osteoporosis.The mechanisms are respectively researched,and then the methods for preventing from and treating relevant diseases are put forward.


Polar cycloadditions, in which one of the reacting partners is ionic, are less common than cycloadditions involving uncharged or dipolar components but often occur more readily.[1] For example, whereas [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions that involve styrene subunits as the 4π component generally require reactive dienophiles or harsh reaction conditions to proceed,[2] the Povarov reaction, which is the stepwise[3] [4⊕+ 2]-cycloaddition of N-aryliminium ions with electron rich olefins, occurs readily at or below room temperature.[4],[5] The charge that is present in the ionic partner of polar cycloadditions is often due to the presence of a heteroatom and these systems can provide useful routes to heterocyclic products,[1a] which are prevalent scaffolds in biologically active molecules.[6] Although uncharged heteroallenes have been used extensively in the preparation of heterocyclic compounds,[7] cationic heteroallenes have received less attention. To this end, we have been exploring the use of 1-aza-2-azoniaallene cations (e.g. 2, Scheme 1) in intramolecular reactions as a means of preparing a variety of aza-heterocycles. In this communication we report our discovery that aryl-1-aza-2-azoniaallene cations can react by an unprecedented intramolecular [4⊕ + 2]-cycloaddition with pendant alkenes wherein the azo bond and one aromatic π-bond make up the 4π component.

Scheme 1

Varied Reactivity of Aryl-1-aza-2-azoniaallene Salts

1-Aza-2-azoniaallene cations are known to react by several different pathways leading to a variety of products. For example, these species can add nucleophiles at carbon to provide azo products,[8] can undergo 3,3-sigmatropic rearrangements,[9] and can react in stereospecific intramolecular C-H amination reactions to provide pyrazolines by what appears to be a concerted nitrenoid-type insertion (e.g. 2 to 3, Scheme 1).[10] In addition, these cationic heteroallenes can act as 1,3-dipoles in [3+2]-cycloaddition reactions with a variety of π-systems to provide 5-membered ring heterocycles. [11] We have taken advantage of this latter reactivity to prepare bicyclic diazenium salts (e.g. 6a and 6b, Scheme 1). [12]

While continuing our studies on intramolecular reactions of 1-aza-2-azoniaallene cations we recently prepared heteroallene 8a (Scheme 1), which could in principle form a 5,5-bridged bicyclic diazenium salt similar to 6b. However, orbital alignment in the transition state leading to that product would not be ideal; this asynchronous ring closure would be Baldwin-disfavored in the same way that 5-(enolendo)-exo-trig aldol condensations are disfavored.[13] We were interested to observe that in fact heteroallene 8a did not undergo intramolecular [3+2]-cycloaddition, but instead reacted by an unprecedented intramolecular [4⊕ + 2]-cycloaddition to provide a tricyclic protonated azomethine imine containing a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocinnoline scaffold (9a, Scheme 1). Cinnoline derivatives, including 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocinnolines, show diverse biological activity[14] and although tetrahydrocinnolines can be prepared by several classical methods,[15] the development of new methods to prepare this useful scaffold continues to be an active area of research.[16] The unprecedented nature of this reaction, the uniqueness of the protonated azomethine imine products[17] and the potential that these products will have diverse reactivity and thus be useful synthetic intermediates encouraged us to examine this polar cycloaddition in more detail. Our preliminary results are presented here.

Our first task was to optimize the reaction conditions for the conversion of 7a to 9a. Our initial results were obtained by adding 1.2 equiv of SbCl5 to a −78 °C solution of 7a in CH2Cl2 and then allowing the reaction to warm to room temperature. After some experimentation, we discovered that using a slight deficiency of SbCl5 (0.95 equiv) resulted in cleaner crude reaction mixtures. Alternative Lewis acids were screened (Table 1) and while we were pleased to see that AlCl3, AgOTf and TMSOTf could each mediate the reaction, they did not improve the yield or product purity compared to the use of SbCl5. However, the triflate counter ion did give a product that was more crystalline, which allowed us to confirm the structure of 9a by X-ray crystallography.[18] Factoring in both cost and the simplicity of using a liquid Lewis acid caused us to select SbCl5 as the Lewis acid of choice for further studies.

Table 1

Assessment of Lewis Acids

With optimized reaction conditions in hand, we next explored the scope of this intramolecular cycloaddition (Table 2).[19] We were pleased to note that increased substitution adjacent to the heteroallene carbon was well tolerated; the more sterically hindered isopropyl derivative 7b (entry 2) provided the desired product in 88% yield, whereas the cyclohexanone derived α-chloroazo 7c (entry 3) provided tetracycle 9c in 83% yield as a 2:1 mixture of diastereomers.[20] Incorporation of a silyloxy group adjacent to the heteroallene carbon was also well tolerated and silyl ether 7d provided the more heteroatom rich product 9d in 71% yield (entry 4). In this case, one could envision the cationic heteroallene intermediate undergoing a competitive 1,2-hydride migration to the electrophilic carbon facilitated by the adjacent oxygen, but this product was not observed.

Table 2

Substrate Scope

We next examined the scope of this reaction with respect to alkene substitution. We were pleased to observe that α-chloroazo compounds 7e and 7f (entries 5 and 6), which contained a di- and tri-substituted olefin respectively, provided excellent yields (97% and 98% respectively) of the desired product. Importantly, these examples show that this transformation can efficiently form nitrogen-bearing and all-carbon quaternary centers.

In an effort to gain some understanding of the concertedness of the bond forming events, we prepared trans and cis alkenes 7g and 7h (entries 7 and 8) and subjected each to the cyclization conditions. The cycloaddition reaction proved to be stereospecific; each substrate led to a unique diastereomer of product, which suggests that the cycloaddition process is concerted.[21]

Incorporation of the alkene component into a ring provided tetracyclic products 9i and 9j (entries 9 and 10) as single diastereomers in high yield. These results highlight the ability of this transformation to provide structurally complex products from structurally simple starting materials.

The electronic nature of the dienophile can have a dramatic effect on the efficiency of polar cycloadditions. For example, the Povarov reaction fails when the dienophile is electron deficient.[4d] To test the scope of this reaction with respect to the electronics of the pendant dienophile we prepared cyclization precursors 7k and 7l (entries 11 and 12) which contain electron rich and electron deficient olefins respectively. The electron rich olefin (7k) was surprisingly difficult to prepare as both it and the hydrazone precursor decomposed readily. Treating 7k to the reaction conditions provided cycloaddition product 9k in a modest 33% yield. We suspect that this low yield is not due to the cycloaddition step itself, but rather to the instability of 7k which became noticeably dark in color while setting up the reaction. It is interesting to note that this highly electron rich olefin reacted to provide a single diastereomer of product. In view of the cationic nature of the heteroallene intermediate, we expected an electron deficient alkene to be a poor reaction partner. We were surprised to observe that enoate 7l (entry 12) provided cycloadduct 9l in 93% yield. This high yield further demonstrates the broad scope of this reaction.

In view of the similarity between heteroallenes 5 and 8a (Scheme 1), which are identical except for the length of the tether that separates the heteroallene from the pendent alkene, it is interesting that 5 provides only diazenium salt product and none of the corresponding protonated azomethine imine. In addition, intermolecular cycloadditions of 1-aza-2-azoniaallene cations proceed by the [3⊕+ 2] manifold[11a–g] and taken together these facts indicate that the [3⊕+ 2] pathway is intrinsically more favorable than the alternative [4⊕+ 2]-cycloaddition described here. It seems likely that this latter reaction occurs in the cases described here because of the orbital alignment constraints discussed above which stem from the intramolecular nature of these reactions.

In conclusion, we have discovered an unprecedented reactivity of aryl-1-aza-2-azoniaallene salts. The [4⊕+ 2]-cycloaddition reaction described herein is likely concerted and provides high yields of protonated azomethine imine products that contain a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocinnoline core. This reaction occurs at low temperature, is quite general with respect to alkene substitution and delivers products that contain all carbon or nitrogen bearing quaternary centers in high yield. Further studies on the scope and mechanism of this transformation including computational studies and application of this cycloaddition in natural product synthesis are planned.


In some contextual conditions, Imperfect and Present tenses in the French language can create temporal contexts with time reference and determine space reference of included indefinite noun groups.


The catalytic activity of carbonic anhydrase (EC 184.108.40.206) is linked to the ionization of a group in close proximity to the essential zinc ion. Studies have been undertaken to delineate the ionizations germane to the active-site chelate system. Several imidazole ligand systems were studied in order to approach a representative chelate. The simplest involved the complexation of Zn(II) by imidazole and by N-methylimidazole. As well, two bidentate systems, Zn(II)-4,4'-bis-imidazoylmethane and Co(II)-cyclic-L-histidyl-L-histidine were investigated. It was found that in a species containing metal-bound water and imidazole coordinated by means of the pyridinium nitrogen, the most acidic group was the pyrrole N-H in the imidazole ring. By the use of N-methylimidazole, the pKa of a metal-bound water molecule in a triimidazole ligand field was found to be 9.1. Noting the preference for labilization of the pyrrole hydrogen, the catalytic features of carbonic anhydrase are reexamined assuming that the pK... is associated with the N-H ionization, and not with the ionization of metal-bound water. In 1964, Kernohan established a pH dependence for bovine carbonic anhydrase (carbonate hydro-lyase; EC 220.127.116.11) characterized by a pKenz of 6.9 (1). Subsequently, kinetic investigations were extended to include the human B and C isoenzymes (2, 3). The high-activity human C enzyme was found to have a pH dependence similar to that described for the bovine enzyme. Further work has revealed that the human B enzyme has a lower turnover number coupled with a more alkaline pH dependence, having a pKenz value near 8.2 (4, 5). Although the pH dependence of the intrinsic activity has been known for quite some time, the nature of the ionizing group responsible for the sigmoidal behavior has been, and still is, the seat of much discussion. It has been well established that the ionizing group must be intimately associated with the essential metal ion cofactor (6). Changes in the covalent domain of the metal ion can be selectively monitored if the native zinc is replaced by cobalt (7). Visible spectral (8, 9) and related analyses (10, 11) of the substituted enzyme reveal a close parallelism between the development of intrinsic activity and profound changes in the ligand system. The interaction of 83C1 with the bovine enzyme indicates that enzymic inhibition is concurrent with the binding of one ion per enzyme molecule, directly to the metal ion. This anionic inhibition is intimately associated with the pH dependence, as a plot of the apparent pKenz against [Cl-] yields the expected pKenz when extrapolated to zero chloride concentration (12). Assuming that the ionization is metal ion linked, there exist two possible interpretations. Either the dissociation originates in the preexisting ligand system, or the ligands are exchanged, inducing the ionization of the incoming ligand. Of the two, the latter choice appears less attractive, for the following reason. It has been found from x-ray crystallographic studies on the human C isoenzyme, crystallized at pH 8.5, that the zinc ion is tetrahedrally coordinated to three imidazole rings and most likely a solvent molecule (13). From magnetic moment (14), spectral (15), and magnetic circular dichroism results (16), this situation is thought to be maintained in solution. Taken most simply then, the x-ray study defines the ligand field of the active enzyme. Presumably, a ligand exchange leading to the active enzyme would already have occurred. But, Coleman (4), by cyanide titration, has found the ionizing group to have an intrinsic pKa> 11, a pKa difficult to attribute to the ionization of a protonated imidazole side chain. Thus, in light of the arguments that would be needed to rationalize a ligand substitution process, the alternative of an ionization in the preexisting metal ion-ligand system seems more straightforward. In the alternative hypothesis, the dissociable hydrogens are the histidyl pyrrole hydrogens* and the metal-bound water molecule protons. The pyrrole hydrogens have as yet not been discussed in connection with the ionization, presumably because of their intrinsic pK.; the pKa of neutral imidazole is 14.5 (17). The known versatility of coordinated hydroxide (18, 19) coupled with its compatibility with most of the available criteria has led many workers (6, 20, 21) to accept the water dissociation hypothesis. Unfortunately, due to the problems inherent in the experimental design, little direct evidence is available to substantiate or refute this hypothesis. As well, Koenig and Brown (22) have questioned the proposal, being unable to reconcile either the nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion data or Ward's 35CI relaxation data with the ionization of a metal-bound water molecule. In an attempt to more fully correlate the observed parameters pertinent to this ionization, we have begun an investiAbbreviations: Complexes of the type MpHqAr are defined as follows: p, q, r are the respective stoichiometries of the metal ion M, the hydrogen ion H, and the uncharged ligand A. The subscript, -q, indicates the uptake by the complex of q additional equivalents of base, due either to the titration of pyrrole or complexed water protons. * Imidazoles are amphoteric compounds. Due to the basicity of the "pyridine-type" nitrogen, imidazoles readily form salts with acids and complexes with most metal ions. Imidazoles with the "pyrrole-type" N-H intact are weak acids with pKa values on


Our brains keep working despite frequent failures of their component neurons, and this 'fault-tolerant' characteristic is of great interest to engineers who wish to make computers more reliable. Neuroscience is by far the most exciting branch of science because the brain is the most fascinating object in the universe. Every human brain is different - the brain makes each human unique and defines who he or she is.


Seventy-nine training directors of internship programs based in prisons, jails, and selected forensic settings received surveys concerning several aspects of their programs. Fifty-three responded for a return rate of 67%. Whereas these programs are seen to exist on a continuum with few sharp lines of distinction between them, there are enough differences to warrant applying the term correctional psychology internship specifically to those programs offering training experiences primarily in general population prison/jail settings. Different training emphases and staffing patterns were among factors distinguishing corrections-based internships from their more traditionally forensic counterparts. Both forensic and prison programs offer a wide variety of training experiences and continue to enjoy administrative support.


An experimental energy storage system has been designed using a new type flat micro heat pipe heat exchanger that incorporates a moderate-temperature phase change material paraffin with a melting point of 58°C. The basic structure, working principles, and design concept are discussed. The heat transfer process during the charging and discharging of the heat exchanger under various operating conditions has been experimentally investigated. Results show that the performance of the new type flat micro heat pipe was steady and efficient during charging and discharging. The average thermal storage power and absorption efficiency have been determined to be approximately 537 W and 92.5%, respectively.


As an activity theorist, Engestrom (2004) makes the distinction between making joint decisions and modelling. Borrowing from the sociology of architecture, our aim is to put those two worlds into fruitful interplay with one another in an organisational setting. We propose in this paper to revise certain contributions from the strategic management literature around three configurations (ideal-types) of the space of the strategy (Lejeune, 1994). Along the journey, we will discuss some aspects of the Organisation Modelling (OM) approach, an approach concerned with both the hard and soft dimensions of the organisation architecture (Morabito et al., 1999).


Managing crisis and emergency requires a deep knowledge of the related scenario. Simulation and analysis tools are considered as a promising mean to reach such understanding. Precondition to these types of tools is the availability of a graphical modeling language allowing domain experts to build formally grounded models. To reach this goal, in this paper, we propose the CEML language and the related meta-model to describe structural aspects of crisis and emergency scenarios. The meta-model consists of a set of modeling constructs, a set of domain relationships, and a set of modeling rules. Then we introduce a set of methodological guidelines to reach an executable code, consisting of a system architecture and the mapping rules to transform the CEML modeling constructs into others typical of discrete event simulation. Finally, we propose a preliminary set of collaboration design patterns to model interaction and communication exchange arising among emergency services providers and citizens to solve the crisis. An emergency scenario example demonstrates the applicability of the presented approach.


We investigate the stability of the initial-boundary value problem for the quasilinear viscoelastic equation $$\displaylines{ |u_t|^{\rho}u_{tt}-\Delta u_{tt}-\Delta u+\int_0^tg(t-s)\Delta u(s)ds=0, \quad \text{in }\Omega\times(0,+\infty),\cr u=0,\quad \text{in }\partial\Omega\times(0,+\infty),\cr u(\cdot, 0)=u_0(x),\quad u_t(\cdot, 0)=u_1(x), \quad \text{in }\Omega, }$$ where \(\Omega\) is a bounded domain of \(\mathbb{R}^{n}\; (n\geq 1)\) with smooth boundary \(\partial\Omega\), \(\rho\) is a positive real number, and g(t) is the relaxation function. We present a general polynomial decay result under some weak conditions on g, which generalizes and improves the existing related results. Moreover, under the condition \(g'(t)\leq -\xi(t)g^{p}(t)\), we obtain uniform exponential and polynomial decay rates for \(1\leq p<2\), while in the previous literature only the case \(1\leq p<3/2\) was studied. Finally, under a general condition \(g'(t)\leq -H(g(t))\), we establish a fine decay estimate, which is stronger than the previous results.
For more information see https://ejde.math.txstate.edu/Volumes/2020/85/abstr.html


This special issue introduces traditions and concepts of social work and pedagogy that have developed over recent decades and are currently being debated in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The contributions offer insights into different theoretical perspectives on how to conceptualise a theory of social work, professionalisation, skills and research methodologies. In spite of their theoretical and methodological differences, the articles have a lot in common, especially concerning the central social work discourses in the German-speaking countries (the concept of social work combines the traditions of social welfare and health with the traditions of social pedagogy). Looking at the history of social work in Germany after the Second World War, the strong influence of socio-critical theoretical approaches on the development of social work in Western Germany in the 1970s should be mentioned first. This has been reflected in fierce debates on the relevance of social management and quality assurance since the beginning of the 1990s, and in current discourses on the 'activating welfare state' and the neo-liberal version of self-responsibility (Anhorn & Bettinger, 2005; Bütow et al., 2008; Millar, 2008; Widersprüche, 2008). The various contributions are also united by a general striving towards a reflective self-conception of social work regarding the relation of theory, research, education and practice. In connection with this, there has been long and controversial debate on the question of whether social work is an academic profession or 'simply' an occupation (Becker-Lenz et al., 2009). How can one acquire the complex skills/knowledge for acting in this field in an academically adequate way? What do the protagonists of social work have to learn and know in order to be able to recognise and work on social problems, and to influence social policy according to the interests of their clients? To arrive at deeper insight into such issues, an empirically-based theory is needed that focuses on the deconstruction of social problems as well as on the reconstruction of the experience and knowledge of professionals and clients. The methodological approach of the articles in this issue is based on the interpretative paradigm of qualitative social research. The articles illustrate that research and the development of theories on the practice of social work draw on different strands of theoretical knowledge from the sociology of knowledge, interaction theory, lifeworld orientation and biographical approaches. Thus, they also make visible the controversial requirements for acting, the conflicting facets of the relationship between professionals and clients, and the biographical constitution of the individual's capability for acting. The continuous reflection that accompanies the debates outlined above touches the domain of teaching an interdisciplinary field in which the imparting of knowledge is


Ten β-(m- and p-substituted phenyl)-β-oxopropionates (I and II; X = F, Cl, Br, Me, or OMe) were synthesised and condensed with thiourea to yield the corresponding 6-(m- and p-substituted phenyl)thiouracils [(V) and (VI)], which were converted into the analogous uracils [(VII) and (VIII)] by treatment with chloroacetic acid. Nitration of 6-(p-substituted phenyl)uracil derivatives gave 5-nitro- or m,5-dinitro-compounds according to reaction conditions. 1H N.m.r. spectra of most of the compounds are recorded.


Based on the elasto-plastic theory,a numerical simulation on Excavation of Hanjialing large span road tunnel is conducted using the FLAC-2D software.And the stability is analyzed to ensure the safety and economic rationality of the tunnel operation.The calculation results and relevant conclusions can make up blankness of the analysis on large span tunnels,and offer the important reference for the design and construction of tunnel.


Juvenile-type diabetes is a contraindication to use of any oral hypoglycemic compound as the sole therapeutic agent. The best candidates for this therapy alone, without insulin, are diabetics whose disease appeared after the age of 40 years, is of less than 10 years' duration, and is stable, requiring small doses of insulin. Phenformin seems to enhance glucose utilization and to augment the action of endogenous or exogenous insulin; its use in obese diabetics has been recommended. In general, insulin-sulfonylurea combination therapy has not been effective. Phenformin-insulin therapy occasionally may be beneficial. A combination of sulfonylurea and phenformin also may be advantageous. Initial "loading doses" are no longer used.


Experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Eupatorium lindleyanum(EL) on the growth of juvenile Fenneropenaeus chinensis.The experiment lasted for 5 weeks.Results showed that food consumption and absorption efficiency increased with the increase of EL;when reaching the maximum,food consumption and absorption efficiency decreased with the increase of EL.Moreover,food coefficient decreased with the increase of EL,and when reaching the critical point,it increased.


MXenes, comprising of atomically thin layers of transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, exhibit properties which are not found in their corresponding bulk materials. Interestingly, because of the presence of transition metal, MXenes may also provide the candidate materials for observing low-dimensional magnetism. This can be of interest to various applications such as spintronic devices, data storage, and electromagnetic interference shielding. Here, we focus on the magnetic MXenes which are only a few in number out of known MXenes. We propose a machine learning model for the prediction of magnetic MXenes using a carefully designed descriptor.


The conference, hosted by Universiti Utara Malaysia, will
address the relationship between government, industry, the
community and the academy in building an open, innovative society and a sustainable economy for the 21st century.


Abstract : In the initial phase of Seventh Air Force's Civic Action Program, the effort was largely limited to informal, voluntary humanitarian activities, medical aid, and some construction projects. In May 1966, Civic Action became an official part of the Air Force mission. At that time, its meaning and scope were defined, and an organizational structure was established, which was considered second only to combat operations. This new program was aimed at forging a link between the peasant in the village and the central government. Historically, the peasants' loyalties were to their family, their land, and their spiritual world; consequently, they had little feeling of identification with the central government. The effort to win the hearts and minds of the people of South Vietnam was originally a civilian operation under the direction of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). By May 1967, MACV was given the responsibility for central direction of all U.S. civil and military activities in support of the Revolutionary Development in Vietnam. The role of PACAF was largely limited to manning, funding, and securing transportation for the Base Civic Action Officers. Under operational control J2 of MACV, 7AF developed a Civic Action Program comprising three phases: Military Civic Action, Community Relations, and Humanitarian Activities. After the Tet Offensive in early 1968, the Government of Vietnam (RVN) and COMUSMACV responded to the recovery priorities created in its wake. Both agencies shifted Civic Action emphasis to humanitarian and recovery projects and ultimately, in late 1968, devised a more vigorous and ambitious goal--formalized in the Accelerated Pacification Program. This report addresses these major trends and designs for 1968, the manner in which 7AF responded to them, and the general guidelines, plans and problems associated with Seventh Air Force efforts.


Block excavations at the Rattlesnake Pass site in south-central "Ujloming provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about a Folsom occupation at a small shorttenn site. Excavations revealed b...


We construct triples of commuting real structures on the moduli space of Higgs bundles, whose fixed loci are branes of type (B, A, A), (A, B, A) and (A, A, B). We study the real points through the associated spectral data and describe the topological invariants involved using KO, KR and equivariant K-theory.


A characteristic ornament of alternating ridges and grooves (pectinate ornament or kammartige Ornamentierung of Hagdorn, 1982) exists on the interpinnular surfaces of Encrinus liliiformis Lamarck from the German Oberer Muschelkalk (Upper Anisian to Ladinian). These ridges and grooves run transverse to the length of the pinnule and in life would have formed a very large number of microscopic interpinnular channels. These channels would probably have been ciliated and suggest that E. liliiformis , unlike most other crinoids, was at least in part an active filter feeder, i.e. produced its own feeding currents, by active ciliary beat through the interpinnular channels. Passive filtration of bottom currents, like that observed in Recent crinoids, may also have been used, particularly near the tips of the arms. Zusammenfassung. Eine charakteristische Ornamentierung (kammartige Ornamentierung von Hagdorn, 1982) befindet sich auf den Oberund Unterseiten der Pinnulae von Encrinus liliiformis Lamarck aus dem deutschen Oberen Muschelkalk (Oberanisium bis Ladinium). Sie besteht aus alternierenden Riicken und Furchen, die die Lange der Pinnula quer iiberkreuzen und die beim lebenden Tier eine groBe Anzahl mikroskopischer, zwischen den Pinnulae gelegener, Rohrchen gebildet haben wiirden. Allem Anschein nach waren diese Rohrchen bewimpert und alles deutet darauf hin, daB E. liliiformis , zumindest zum Teil, sich (ungleich anderen Crinoiden) als aktiver Filterfresser nahrte, d. h. erzeugte seine eigenen Filter-Stromungen mittels aktiven Wimperschlages in den interpinnularen Rohrchen. Passives Filtrieren der bodennahen Stromungen des Wassers, wie oftmals bei rezenten Crinoiden beobachtet, war wahrscheinlich auch an der Nahrung beteiligt, besonders in den distalen Teilen der Arrne. The German Triassic crinoid Encrinus liliiformis Lamarck from the Oberer or Hauptmuschelkalk is one of the most famous species of fossil crinoid. It was well described in a classic monograph by Beyrich (1858), the growth of its stem was studied by Aldinger (1928), and countless other works have mentioned it thus Biese (1934) listed 778 previous references. More recently Linck (1954) and Hagdorn (1978) have published important field observations on the species and Seilacher et al. (1968) have discussed the mechanics of the stem. Nevertheless it is the pinnular ornament which provoked this paper. Although mentioned by Hagdorn (1982, p. 15) under the name of comb-like or pectinate ornament (kammartige Ornamentierung ), it has not previously been described. Pectinate ornament suggests a new interpretation of how the species fed. E. liliiformis is conventionally placed in the family Encrinidae of the paraphyletic suborder 1 Poteriocrinina ' of the paraphyletic subclass 'Inadunata' (Moore et al. 1978, p. 720). Unlike most inadunates, however, it lacks an anal plate or plates, and for this reason may be closely related to the latest common ancestor of extant crinoids. Indeed Simms (1988, p. 271) regards the Encrinidae as the most crownward plesion in the stem group of the Crinoidea. In this paper I shall not further discuss the systematic position of E. liliiformis nor consider how widespread the presumed mode of feeding may have been. Stratigraphically E. liliiformis is one of the youngest known inadunates. I am grateful to Herr Hans Hagdorn, of Kunzelsau, Wtirttemberg, who supplied material of E. liliiformis from his own collection and thus encouraged me to trespass on his own intellectual field. Dr David Hardwick, of Imperial College, London, kindly discussed the species with me from a hydrodynamic viewpoint. (Palaeontology, Vol. 32, Part 3, 1989, pp. 483-497, pis. 53 and 54.) © The Palaeontological Association 484 PALAEONTOLOGY, VOLUME32 text-fig. 1 . Encrinus liliiformis. General reconstruction of anatomy, a. Lateral aspect of theca and upper part of stem, b. An arm in closed position seen from the central axis of the theca, c. Lateral aspect of arm in closed position, d. Lateral aspect of arm when partly opened. Note that the upper pinnules have become slightly separated from each other because of the outward warping of the lower part of the arm, whereas the lower pinnules all remain in close contact, e. Theca in basal aspect, f. Theca from above when closed. Note the small circular gap remaining between the tips of the arms. ANATOMICALDESCRIPTION 'Upper' and 'lower' in what follows, whatever the part being described, will consistently refer to the crown of the crinoid orientated stem-downwards by convention. 'Right' and 'left', with respect to an arm, refer to the sides of the arm seen from outside by the observer. For a general description of crinoid morphology see Ubaghs (1978). In outer shape (text-fig. la; PI. 53, fig. 3) the crown of E. liliiformis resembles an unopened tulip JEFFERIES: FEEDING IN ENCRINUSLILIIFORMIS 485 text-fig. 2. Encrinus liliiformis. Reconstructions to show the effects of opening, a , Lateral aspect of partly opened theca, omitting the nearest two radii and the five arms farthest from the observer. The tegmen is shown inflated upwards so as to block the gaps which would otherwise exist at the bases of the pinnule series of adjacent arms, b. Lateral aspect of the partly opened theca. It is likely that the theca could open somewhat wider than this (cf. text-fig. 5). c. Section through theca at level d-d (in text-figs. 2a, b) with theca completely closed. The thecal space at this level is almost entirely filled by pinnules except for a central axial region, d. Section through d-d to show how, on opening, the series of pinnules remained in contact with those of adjacent arms by their tips. Thus ten inhalent chambers would be separated from a central exhalent chamber which, in transverse section, would have the form of a ten-pointed star. but with a constriction or waist situated about one third of the height from the base. The stem was without cirri and was often cemented down by an attachment disk or root (PI. 53, fig. 2). Hagdorn (1978) has found these roots in situ where they help to form the framework of small reefs. Often, however, the stem broke during the life of the crinoid. When this happened, the animal frequently survived the breakage long enough to form a new rounded end to the truncated stem (Linck 1954, p. 233). As to the plates of the crown, there are five small infrabasals entirely hidden by the stem 486 PALAEONTOLOGY, VOLUME32 attachment and five basals small enough to be invisible in lateral aspect (text-fig. la). Five large radials alternate with the basals and each carries a muscular articulation with the respective first primibrach. The junction between first and second primibrach is an immobile synostosis and the second primibrach is an axillary. By means of a pair of muscular articulations, separated by a summit in perradial position, each premaxillary is connected with a pair of undivided arms, thus making ten arms in all. In each arm the first two secundibrachs are uniserial and joined by an immobile synostosis. More distally, the secundibrachs become biserial in arrangement. However, this biseriality is more quickly evident internally than externally. For on the outside approximately the first seven secundibrachs are uniserial (text-fig. la), whereas seen from inside the third and fourth secundibrachs already alternate. The lower secundibrachs, in the externally uniserial region, are joined to each other by obvious muscular articulations with recognizable emplacements for the aboral ligament, interarticular ligament and the adoral muscles. In this region, therefore, successive ossicles could presumably move slightly relative to each other, bending inward by the contraction of the muscles or outward by elastic contraction of the aboral ligaments. Such movement, however, could not have represented more than a slight warping of the externally uniserial region. More distally, where the secundibrachs are strongly biserial both inside and out, the junctions between successive plates must have been immobile, or almost so, though vestigial traces of the various regions of the muscular articulations are always visible between the plates. In the upper part of this fully biserial region each brachial plate carries a rounded knob externally. Still more distally, towards the tip of each arm, the plates have no such knobs and tend once more to a uniserial arrangement. The ten arms could shut tightly in life, judging by the fact that the fossils are usually preserved in this condition. The tips of the arms are rounded, however, rather than pointed, so a small, approximately circular or decagonal area would always have remained open distally (text-fig. If). At the sides of each arm the brachial plates carry wide lateral facets which represent surfaces of contact with the neighbouring arms when the crown was tightly shut (text-fig. lc). How wide the crown could open in life is an important problem. Opening would mainly happen by elastic contraction of the aboral ligaments between the radial plates and the first primibrachs, and between the axillary plates and the first secundibrachs, although there would also be, as already suggested, outward flexing of the externally uniserial region of the arm and perhaps of the proximal part of the biserial region also. It is impossible, however, to estimate accurately the maximal angle of bending which occurred at each of the joints involved and so no precise conclusions can be drawn from the anatomy as regards the maximal gape. Preservation of the fossil is more informative in this respect. Most of the complete fossils are rather tightly closed or slightly ajar. The closure is presumably the result of muscular contraction at death by burial whether burial resulted from a sudden influx of mud or, as Hagdorn (1978, p. 62) has suggested, was sometimes caused by falling crown-first into the mud when the stem broke. If these complete fossils were trying to close themselves when they d


Objective
To explore the serological and molecular biological mechanisms of 2 cases of ABO blood subgroup samples.

Methods
A total of 2 unconfirmed blood samples which were investigated at the Institute of Blood Transfusion of Qingdao Blood Center for ABO blood group identification, on 21 October 2015 and 12 November 2015, were included in this study as study objects, respectively. Phenotypes of blood samples were detected with forward and reverse blood grouping testing, absorption and irradiation test. PCR-sequence specific primer (SSP) and direct sequencing methods were carried out to identify the genotypes of the samples. The haplotypes of exon 6, 7 and intron 6 were also analyzed by haplotype sequencing method.

Results
① The serological identification of sample 1 was identified as Ael type. Direct sequencing showed that there was c. 940A>G heterozygous mutation in exon 7 of ABO gene. The results of haplotype sequencing showed that ABO genotype of this sample was Ax13/O02. ② The serological identification of the other sample was identified as Bel type. The results of the direct sequencing showed that there was c. 784G>A heterozygous mutation in exon 7 of the ABO gene. The haplotype sequencing results showed that the ABO genotype of this sample was Bw17/O01.

Conclusions
The combination of serological typing and gene sequencing is a reliable method for typing ABO blood subgroups of unconformity blood type individuals.

Key words:
ABO blood-group system; Gene sequence; Blood group serology; ABO genotyping; ABO blood subgroup


An investigation into the dynamics of Genetic Programming applied to chaotic time series prediction is reported. An interesting characteristic of adaptive search techniques is their ability to perform well in many problem domains while failing in others. Because of Genetic Programming's flexible tree structure, any particular problem can be represented in myriad forms. These representations have variegated effects on search performance. Therefore, an aspect of fundamental engineering significance is to find a representation which, when acted upon by Genetic Programming operators, optimizes search performance. We discover, in the case of chaotic time series prediction, that the representation commonly used in this domain does not yield optimal solutions. Instead, we find that the population converges onto one "accurately replicating" tree before other trees can be explored. To correct for this premature convergence we make a simple modification to the crossover operator. In this paper we review previous work with GP time series prediction, pointing out an anomalous result related to overlearning, and report the improvement effected by our modified crossover operator.


The invention relates to a method of operating a mobile unit (1) in a mobile radio network (3), wherein the handset (1) comprises a security module (2) by means of which an access to the wireless network (3) can be obtained. The inventive method is characterized in that the mobile part (1) is displayed before or at the commencement of the use of a premium service for which the toll fee rate service is billed.


Hybrid heterogeneous catalysts containing (fluoro)aryl-sulfonic groups were characterized through combined spectroscopic techniques and adsorption of probe molecules, with their reactivity being modulated for acetal formation.


. Very few studies have analyzed the dependence of population growth rate on population density, and even fewer have considered interaction effects of density and other stresses, such as exposure to toxic chemicals. Yet without such studies we cannot know whether chemicals harmful at low density have effects on carrying capacity or, conversely, whether chemicals reducing carrying capacity are also harmful at low density, impeding a population's capacity to recover from disturbance. This study examines the combined effects of population density and a toxicant (fluoranthene) on population growth rate (pgr) and carrying capacity using the deposit-feeding polychaete Capitella sp. I as a test organism. Populations were initiated with a stable age distribution, and population density and age/size distribution were followed during a period of 28 wk. Fluoranthene (FLU), population density, and their interaction influenced population growth rate. Popu- lation growth rate declined linearly with the logarithm of population biomass, but the slope of the relationship was steeper for the control populations than for populations exposed to 50 (cid:109) g FLU/(g sediment dry mass). Populations exposed to 150 (cid:109) g FLU/(g sediment dry mass) went extinct after 8 wk of exposure. Despite concerns that toxicant effects would be exacerbated at high density, we found the reverse to be the case, and effects of fluoranthene on population growth rate were much reduced in the region of carrying capacity. Fluoranthene did reduce carrying capacity by 46%, and this could have important implications for interacting species and/or sediment biogeochemical processes.


SUMMARY Verrucous carcinoma is a form ofsquamous cell carcinoma which was first described as a distinct clinical and pathological entz'ty by Ackerman iri 1948. This study is the [irst report of 44 cases in Malaysians. Verrucous Carcinoma (VC)formed 1.8 percent of all oral squamous cell carcinoma cases. There was a predominanceofmales (M:F = 1.4:1). The peak age incidence was between 51 - 70 years (66 percent). The buccal mucosa (43 percent), gingioae (20 percent) and commissures of lzps (17 percent) were the commonest sites of inooloement, The Chinese who do not chew the betel quid had the least frequency of vc. No case was reported in the Chinese female. The highest frequency of vc was in. the Indians who often added tobacco to their betel quids. Although thz'rty three years have passed since A ckerman's first description of vc it still remains a mystery. Clinicians, pathologists and immunologists z'n Southeast Asia have the opportunz'ty to study and contribute to a better K. Ramanathan, K.M.N., A.M.(Mal.), B.D.S.(S'pore), C.O.P.(Lond.), F.D.S.R.C.S.(Edin.), F.D.S.R.C.S.(Eng.), M.I.A.D.R., C.M.I.A.O.P., F.I.C.D., M.I.C.O.I.,


During the past 25 years, incremental gains in knowledge about aerosol delivery to mechanically ventilated patients had a major impact on patient care in this setting. The complex array of factors influencing aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation made it difficult to elucidate the


Energy Sharing Systems (ESS) are envisioned to be the future of power systems. In these systems, consumers equipped with renewable energy generation capabilities are able to participate in an energy market to sell their energy. This paper proposes an ESS that, differently from previous works, takes into account the consumers' preference, engagement, and bounded rationality. The problem of maximizing the energy exchange while considering such user modeling is formulated and shown to be NP-Hard. To learn the user behavior, two heuristics are proposed: 1) a Reinforcement Learning-based algorithm, which provides a bounded regret and 2) a more computationally efficient heuristic, named BPT- ${K}$ , with guaranteed termination and correctness. A comprehensive experimental analysis is conducted against state-of-the-art solutions using realistic datasets. Results show that including user modeling and learning provides significant performance improvements compared to state-of-the-art approaches. Specifically, the proposed algorithms result in 25% higher efficiency and 27% more transferred energy. Furthermore, the learning algorithms converge to a value less than 5% of the optimal solution in less than 3 months of learning.


Protection coordination as well as anti-island protection play significant role in the process of biomass power plant connection on the distribution network. Distribution generation island operation in Croatia is unacceptable according to the existing National grid code Paper presents a protection coordination of all passive protections used in the real biomass power plant and connected distriubution network feeder. Short-circuits three phase, two phase and single line to ground faults and generator islanding simulations have been performed and simulated in the time domain at the different network locations using DIgSILENT Power Factory software. The time-current plots coordination of protective devices are made using Smart PDC module in Easy Power Protector software tool. Full Text: PDF DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v6i6.11418


Local wall heat-transfer coefficients have been measured for water and for the non-Newtonian systems consisting of 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0 wt % carboxymethylcellulose in water. The results were compared to existing correlations, and good agreement was found for the water system outside the impeller region. In the impeller region, deviations were large. For the non-Newtonian systems, a functional dependence between the Reynolds number and the heat-transfer coefficient, given by Nu/(Pr0.33Vi0.14) ∝ Re0.8, was found to fit the data well. Support for this was found by a closer examination of the existing literature. This is in contrast to the currently accepted dependence on a Reynolds number exponent of 0.67−0.68. On the basis of the data, a new correlation for non-Newtonian fluids has been suggested. Radial temperature profiles for the wall region were also measured and presented.


Aim: Variety of phylloplane and endophytic fungi is used to imitate as one of the rich source of novel compounds of biological accomplishments and have a high level of organizational diversity on the leaf surfaces. Bioactive composites produced by these phylloplane and endophytes have shown inspiring potentiality towards therapeutic medicine, for which it is necessary to appreciate and employ this important microbial resource and make it more valuable for the wellbeing of mankind. During the present study, isolation and enumeration of phylloplane (ectophytic) and endophytic fungal species was carried out from one medicinal plant, Avicennia marina collected from marine mangrove environments of Puducherry coast. Methods: During the study, two methodologies viz., moist chamber and direct agar plate methods were used for the isolation and enumeration of phylloplane and endophytic fungi. Results & Discussion: Altogether, 25 fungal species of 13 genera were isolated from the mangrove plant, Avicennia marina. Among the isolated fungi, Aspergillus niger, Cochilobolus victoria, Colletotrichum sp., Curvularia lunata, Drechslera sp., Glomerella sp. Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. oxalicum, Phoma sp., Sordaria sp. White sterile mycelia were found common in both phylloplane and endophytes. Moist chamber method was found suitable to record more number of fungi than agar plate method. The host relative preference and tissue specification evidence was found between the phylloplane and endophytes based on the fungal community distribution and composition.


Organic chemistry has always been one of the strongest areas of research in the chemical sciences in India. The Indian Journal of Chemistry, Section B is the leading journal from India covering important contributions in the area of organic and medicinal chemistry. This is the first attempt to carry out a scientometric assessment of the visibility and impact of this journal towards serving the needs of researchers, mainly from India, in these areas. All papers published in this journal during 2005 to 2009 have been analysed using various scientometric parameters like geographical distribution, citations received each year, authorship patterns, etc. The papers are grouped under four main fields: (i) Heterocyclic Chemistry, (ii) Synthetic Organic Chemistry, (iii) Natural Products Chemistry and (iv) Theoretical Chemistry and assessment and performance of these and the forty five specialized sub-fields in organic chemistry have been studied.


The balance of power in Sierra Leone's parliament during the next five years suggests that crafting a stable majority for governance is likely to be tricky, if not messy. The ruling party, the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), has 48 seats; the All People's Congress (APC), 68; the Coalition for Change (C4C), 8; and the National Grand Coalition (NGC), 4. There are three independent members, representing seats in districts dominated by the SLPP, and 14 paramount chiefs who are not elected by universal suffrage. The National Electoral Commission's Web page reports that the result for Constituency 39, in Falaba, is still under investigation.


The botanical properties and biological characteristics of Baojing Yangdong pear were examined with artificial pollination experiments. The results show that Baojing Yangdong pear with the characteristics of late maturing, store resistance, disease resistance, sweet, soluble solid 15 5%,low self pollination rate, higher fertility by cross pollination,strong fertility of the embryo sac can be used as the maternal plant.Its hybrid seed can be obtained from the parent crossed.That proves that it can be used as the paternal plant. Compared with Huanghua pear's pollen,its pollen is even in size, symmetrical in shape. The perforations are rarely distributed on the surface of the pollen.


Objective: to analyse the sociocultural and organizational factors of the health services related to the unplanned absenteeism. Material and methods: by mean...


While considerable effort has been devoted in recent years to building miniature heat engines, relatively little attention has been paid to understanding how their performance changes with engine size. This paper presents scaling rules for the performance of miniature two-stroke piston engines that are candidates for battery replacements in miniature unmanned vehicles and man-portable electronic systems. In so doing, it quantifies the current state of the art in small engine performance and provides a means to estimate a minimum thermodynamically sensible length scale for a two-stroke engine. The scaling rules are derived from comprehensive dynamometer investigations of nine of the smallest commercially available internal combustion engines. Engine mass ranges from 15 to 500 g, displacement ranges from 0.16 to 7.5  cm3, power outputs range from 8 to 650 W, and overall efficiency ranges from 3 to 12%. Peak torque, power, and normalized power follow power law scaling relationships with engine displacement. ...


The calculations for the yields were done by Al Sondgeroth and Anthony Malensek. The authors used the DECAY deck called PBSEC{_}E.DAT from the CMS DECKS library. After obtaining the run modes and calibration modes from the liaison physicist, they made individual decay runs, using DECAY TURTLE from the CMS libraries and a production spectrum subroutine which was modified by Anthony, for each particle and decay mode for all particle types coming out of the target box. Results were weighted according to branching ratios for particles with more than one decay mode. The production spectra were produced assuming beryllium as the target. The optional deuterium target available to broadband will produce slightly higher yields. It should be noted that they did not include pion yields from klong decays because they could not simulate three body decays. Pions from klongs would add a very small fraction to the total yield.


The seasonal influence of countermeasures for milk after a nuclear accident was investigated using a quantitative decision-aiding technique, cost-benefit analysis. The 15th day of April and July was selected as a typical deposition date of radionuclide for growing season and non-growing season of pastures, respectively. A dynamic food chain model, DYNACON, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures for reducing the ingestion dose. The countermeasures considered are (1) a ban on milk consumption and (2) the substitution of clean fodder. The net benefit from the countermeasures was quantitatively evaluated in terms of cost equivalent of avertable doses and monetary costs of implementing the action. It showed a distinct difference for the different deposition seasons of radionuclides. Obviously, the rapid introduction of a countermeasure after a deposition was important in maximizing the cost effectiveness. In most cases, the substitution of clean fodder was more cost effective than a ban on milk consumption.


Digital Financial Services (DFS) present an opportunity to expand financial access within society; however, DFS adoption remains relatively low in Indonesia. This study aims to assess how individual perceptions of internet connection quality and the credibility of DFS platforms influence their adoption in Indonesia. Utilizing data from the 2020 Digital Economy Household Survey (DEHS) and employing the probit and ordered probit estimation models, the research demonstrates a positive and significant relationship between perceptions of internet connection quality, DFS platform credibility, and the likelihood and frequency of DFS usage. Notably, a majority of DFS users fall under the "occasionally used" category, indicating usage ranging from 3 to 30 minutes per day. The study underscores the need for collaborative efforts to establish a well-distributed, trusted, and secure DFS ecosystem. This necessitates addressing regulatory frameworks, enhancing infrastructure, and improving public financial literacy to enhance user acceptance and utilization of DFS platforms.


This study aimed to evaluate the effects of diameter of Gliricidia sepium cuttings (6, 8 and 10 cm) on the number, diameter, and length of sprouts, 2 mo after planting in plants grown in nursery condition. These same attributes and plant survival rate were used in the evaluation conducted 4 mo after planting both in nursery and in the field. The experimental design was a randomized blocks with ten replicates. Results of the initial evaluation in the nursery showed that the cuttings of the largest diameter (10 cm) gave sprouts with the largest diameter and length in their upper 30 cm portion. At 4 mo, under field conditions the largest total number of sprouts was obtained with cuttings of 10 and 8 cm planted directly in the soil. A positive correlation (r = 0.99; P< 0.0001) was found between the number of sprouts located in the top 30 cm and plant survival rate (%) in the field. Independent of planting conditions, the survival rate of plants in the field was not affected by diameter of the cuttings and averaged 90%. In conclusion, gliricidia cuttings can be used for vegetative propagation by planting directly in the field without the nursery stage provided that the minimum cuttings diameter of 8 cm is observed.


Methods were developed for the direct electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of ammonium acetate extractable molybdenum in soil, and aqua regia(hydrochloric acid + nitric acid, 3+1) soluble molybdenum in soil and sewage sludge. An atomization temperature of 2900 °C provided maximum sensitivity without reducing the lifetime of the furnace. Multiple injections with an individual drying and ashing stage were used to provide the sensitivity required for the extractable determinations. Satisfactory accuracy was obtained and characteristic mass, precision and detection limits were determined. Molybdenum values are reported for a range of Community Bureau of Reference [(BCR), Belgium] Certified Reference Materials.


Question answering systems aim to find answers to natural language questions by searching in document collections (e.g., repositories of scientific articles or the entire Web) and/or structured data (e.g., databases, ontologies). Strictly speaking, the answer to a question might sometimes be simply 'yes' or 'no', a named entity, or a set of named entities. In practice, however, a more elaborate answer is often also needed, ideally a summary of the most important information from relevant documents and structured data. In this paper, we focus on generating summaries from documents that are known to be relevant to particular questions. We describe the joint participation of AUEB and ILSP in the corresponding subtask of the bioasq3 competition, where participants produce multi-document summaries of given biomedical articles that are relevant to English questions prepared by biomedical experts.


Abstract : The paper considers stochastic problems in team theory. In particular, the linearity of the optimal control laws for the one-step delay LOG stochastic control problem is established, and the explicit formulae are presented. In addition, the control sharing, non-static, non-classical LOG problem is solved. (Author)


The ability to learn richer network representations generally boosts the performance of deep learning models. To improve representation-learning in convolutional neural networks, we present a multi-branch architecture, which applies channel-wise attention across different network branches to leverage the complementary strengths of both feature-map attention and multi-path representation. Our proposed Split-Attention module provides a simple and modular computation block that can serve as a drop-in replacement for the popular residual block, while producing more diverse representations via cross-feature interactions. Adding a Split-Attention module into the architecture design space of RegNet-Y and FBNetV2 directly improves the performance of the resulting network. Replacing residual blocks with our Split-Attention module, we further design a new variant of the ResNet model, named ResNeSt, which outperforms EfficientNet in terms of the accuracy/latency trade-off.


There has been significant interest in a quantum paraelectric material strontium titanate (SrTiO3), and its lattice dynamics and unusual dielectric character have been extensively studied. In low temperatures, its dielectric constant increases up to about 30 000. The dielec‐ tric constant increases extraordinarily with decreasing temperature while the paraelectric phase is stabilized by quantum fluctuations without any ferroelectric phase transition even below the classical Curie temperature Tc=37 K [1]. In SrTiO3, a ferroelectric transition is easi‐ ly induced by a weak perturbation such as an uniaxial stress [2], an isotopic substitution of oxygen 18 for oxygen 16 [3], and an impurity doping [4,5].


The present study emphasizes on to the socio -economic development of different backward women Self -Help Groups (SHG) through ornamental fish farming of Paschim Medinipur district and to evaluate the functions of SHG to act as an important tool for major poverty elevation. Major recurring cost for ornamental fish rearing is cost for seed and feed. To minimizethe recurring cost live bearer ornamental fishes are to be cultured with the help of live fish food. To culture of live bearer, there is no need of seed, as the seed are produced by the adult fish themselves within short time but the seeds have to be separ ated time to time from the culture system to avoid cannibalism. But in case of egg laying ornamental fishes the seeds are to be collected from other sources by paying huge money. To avoid this farmer can produce their own seed in a separate system and canmaximum benefit. This investigation based on ornamental fish culture, breeding, management practices and marketing with special emphasis on Mollies, Platies, Guppies, Sword tail, Gold fish and Siamese Fighting fish and also its impact on rural econ omy. Subsequently, it will be helpful to the backward rural women Self Help Group through the selling of colossal fish seed at a time. Therefore, in this way they can overcome own economic crisis and as well as to restored livelihood security.


This paper starts with human and its coordination with environment, adapts the complex systematical harmony management thoughts in managing science to the human resource management in enterprises, thus explains how to realize the coordination between staff and enterprise main body, among staffs and between staff and outside environment, so as to construct an enterprise human resource management with harmony.


This contribution focuses on application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in experimental low-NOx burner design. A set of 27 geometric alternatives were introduced in order to identify an optimum geometry of secondary fuel nozzles of an experimental burner in terms of minimum NOx production. The most promising alternative was found as a result of the computation process. A detailed analysis of flow, a flame shape and a heat flux through a shell of an experimental chamber, in case of the most promising alternative compared to the less promising one, is subject of this article.


FPGA based fast electronics to acquire and pre-process signals of detectors and diagnostics and PLC based hardware and software for motion, vacuum and other control and monitoring applications are key elements of the European X-Ray Free Electron Laser. In order to bring the newly developed scientific user facility up and running, the underlying electrical and electronic components require a diverse array of tools and processes to be developed in order to meet the continually adapting requirements and make use of technological advances. Many challenges were faced, including high availability and up-time, adaptability to a dynamic environment, rapid lead-time for integration of complex components, numerous instrumentation installations and commissioning, high time resolution and subsequently, high demands on data and sampling rates, synchronization and real-time processing. In this contribution we will provide an overview of the selected technologies, developed concepts and solutions along with generically designed frameworks and tools, which aim to provide a high degree of standardization on the control systems and even automatic generation from requirements to final install.


The advent of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) is a major breakthrough in the management of patients with venous thromboembolic diseases and atrial fi brillation. Clinical trials with DOACs have been performed without laboratory assessment


ABSTRACT The glass transition temperature and rheological moduli of plasticized corn gluten meal (CGM) were determined with dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The tested plasticizers were water, glycerol, polyethylene glycols (PEG) 300 and 600, glucose, urea, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine, at concentrations of 10–30% (dwb). The glass transition temperature (Tg) of CGM, measured at 188°C when unplasticized, was lowered by >100°C at 30% plasticizer content, except by PEG 600 and glucose, which showed limited compatibility with CGM proteins. The highest plasticizing efficiency, on a molar basis, was measured with PEG 300 and was attributed to the large number of hydrophilic groups and the high miscibility of this compound with CGM proteins. The change in Tg due to the plasticizing effect was modeled with the Gordon and Taylor equation, but a better fit of the experimental data was obtained with the Kwei equation.


The micro-organisms responsible for causing gastroenteritis have changed over the last few decades. This article chronicles those changes and describes the laboratory tests devised to improve diagnosis.


Mice genetically susceptible or genetically resistant to the leukemogenic effects of A-MuLV(Mo) were tested for their expression of the B-lineage neoplastic transformation-associated antigen, 6C3Ag. Genetically resistant inbred strains and recombinant inbred lines developed neither cells expressing high levels of 6C3Ag (6C3Aghi) in their hematolymphoid tissues nor Abelson leukemias. Genetically susceptible inbred strains and recombinant inbred lines developed high percentages of 6C3Aghi hematolymphoid cells concomitant with development of Abelson leukemias and lymphomas. Thus the genetically- determined resistance to A-MuLV(Mo) leukemogenesis appears to act at some step(s) after virus infection but before the stage of malignant progression, which is marked by 6C3Ag expression.


A 47‐year‐old man was admitted after a car collision in shock with cardiac tamponade. After his circulation was stabilized by pericardial drainage, we treated him conservatively. Abnormal laboratory data and initial electrocardiogram (ECG) were suggestive of myocardial injury. However, echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography could not reveal the cause of the tamponade or the site of cardiac injury. ECG‐gated cardiac magnetic resonance images were acquired.


European history during the Age of Exploration (15th -18th century) is known primarily for a period of expansion and discovery, constituting for much of the socio-economic and political developments that significantly impacts its historical trajectory. Trade, being one of the major aspects which facilitated such developments, saw the European influence extend into the Asian sphere. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to reconstruct the history of the Age of Discovery through the movement and trade of goods from Asia, examining their role as catalysts in important historical events of the period. This cross-examination will primarily be conducted through relating different types of commodities, such as porcelain, to broader European trends such as the rise of materialism. Multiple primary sources will be drawn upon, such as museum objects, in combination with secondary sources such as research from previous historians. The concluding finding was that broader trends through the Age of Discovery history were able to be reconstructed through examining the impact and movement of Asiatic goods.


Advocating metaphysics is the fashion of Wei Jin Dynasties. Calligrapher Wang Xizhi's Preface of Orchid Pavilion best illustrates this fashion. His calligraphy influences the later generations in two ways. 1. The later generations follow develop his style. 2. The later generations copy his style. The former is active while the latter is passive.


The successive compounding in energy demand necessitates the integration of the distributed energy resources at the distribution network. Unlike the traditional distribution network, the current distribution network is bidirectional. For a distributed resource connected at the distribution side network parameters needs to be pre-calculated keeping a safe margin with respect to the local utility standards. Due to the fact that the distribution network is unbalanced most of the time, this integration of the local power sources is more challenging. In this paper, the authors have implemented a new strategy for increasing local photovoltaic injection for an unbalanced active distribution system. The analysis is done in MATLAB and the result is validated using Typhoon HIL realtime simulator.


Herein, the systematic change in the self-polarization behavior against the post-heat treatment after film deposition was investigated to understand the origin of self-polarization in hydrothermally prepared (K x Na1−x )NbO3 films with x = 0.88 at 240 °C below the Curie temperature. The transverse piezoelectric constant, e 31,f , was evaluated by the cantilever method. The as-prepared films and heat-treated films at 300 °C had an almost perfectly self-polarized state and showed e 31,f of ∼−5.0 C m−2 without applying an electric field as a poling treatment. Also, the piezoelectric response shows good linearity with the asymmetric piezoelectric butterfly curves, showing imprint characteristics. The self-polarized states were maintained until the heat treatment above the Curie temperature. Moreover, the self-polarized film was successfully deposited on the post-heat-treated film without the self-polarized state. This result suggests that the self-polarized state is generated regardless of the polarized state of the underlying layer by the hydrothermal synthesis in which deposition temperature is below the Curie temperature.


The term vulvar leukoplakia is not a histological but a descriptive diagnosis meaning "white spot".[1] It is used for non-inflammatory diseases characterized by pathological modification of external genitalia multilayered flat epithelium that is accompanied by skin and mucosa cornification [1]. white lesions of the vulva, primarily occur due to secondary degeneration in the epidermis caused by microvascular lesions in the dermis [2], or as a result of growth disorders and epidermal cell degeneration caused by insufficient nutrient supply after nerves and blood vessels degenerate locally. [3] here we report a case of 60 year old postmenopausal woman presenting with pruritis vulva which was later diagnosed with squamous cell hyperplasia of vulva.

Keywords: postmenopausal, pruritis vulva, leukoplakia, clobetasol


ABSTRACT The replicator (rep) of the nopaline-type Ti plasmid pTiC58 is located adjacent to the trb operon of this conjugal element. Previous genetic studies of this region (D. R. Gallie, M. Hagiya, and C. I. Kado, J. Bacteriol. 161:1034–1041, 1985) identified functions involved in partitioning, origin of replication and incompatibility, and copy number control. In this study, we determined the nucleotide sequence of a 6,146-bp segment that encompasses the rep locus of pTiC58. The region contained four full open reading frames (ORFs) and one partial ORF. The first three ORFs, oriented divergently from the traI-trb operon, are closely related to the repA, repB, andrepC genes of the octopine-type Ti plasmid pTiB6S3 as well as to other repA, -B, and -C genes from the Ri plasmid pRiA4b and three large plasmids fromRhizobium spp. The fourth ORF and the partial ORF are similar to y4CG and y4CF, respectively, of the Sym plasmid pNGR234a. The 363-bp intergenic region betweentraI and repA contained two copies of thetra box which is the cis promoter recognition site for TraR, the quorum-sensing activator of Ti plasmid conjugal transfer. Expression of the traI-trb operon from thetra box II-associated promoter mediated by TraR and its acyl-homoserine lactone ligand, AAI, was negatively influenced by an intact tra box III. On the other hand, the region containing the two tra boxes was required for maximal expression of repA, and this expression was enhanced slightly by TraR and AAI. Copy number of a minimal repplasmid increased five- to sevenfold in strains expressingtraR but only when AAI also was provided. Consistent with this effect, constitutive expression of the quorum-sensing system resulted in an apparent increase in Ti plasmid copy number. We conclude that Ti plasmid copy number is influenced by the quorum-sensing system, suggesting a connection between conjugal transfer and vegetative replication of these virulence elements.


Sharp existence and nonexistence results for positive solutions of quasilinear elliptic equations with critical growth in geodesic balls on spheres are established. The arguments are based on Pohozaev type identities and asymptotic estimates for Emden–Fowler type equations. By means of spherical symmetrization and the concentration‐compactness principle existence and nonexistence results for general domains on spheres are obtained. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


It has been suggested that in poor households women have a more definite decision making power and a better status than in middle class households as poor women are important, often primary economic providers. The A. attempts to examine the validity of this perspective through a case study of five women from five slum households of Calcutta. An attempt has been made to analyse the gender based dominance-dependency relationship engendered by marriage and its perpetuation through socialization and the consequence of this for the status of women in poor households.


caine in the presence of P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens (MIC > 2000 mg/l). However, a MIC was determined for all the other microbes, from 250 mg/l for M. catarrhalis up to 2000 mg/l for S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Finally, a MIC was determined for all the microbes in the presence of Tetracaine . These MIC were systematically lower than with Oxybuprocaine , ranging from 312 mg/l for C. macginleyi and M. catarrhalis up to 2500 mg/l for P. aeruginosa. The MIC results are summarized in Table 1. This is the first study to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Fluorescein . OurMIC results for the local anaesthetics were similar to those of previous studies (Kleinfeld & Ellis 1966; Labetoulle et al. 2002; Pelosini et al. 2009). It should be noted that in clinical practice, Fluorescein is very often used in combination with a local anaesthetic (Darugar et al. 2011). An additional analysis was therefore carried out using the combinations of Fluorescein -Oxybuprocaine and Fluorescein -Tetracaine (Table 1). No interaction was detected for the Fluorescein -Tetracaine combination. However, the Fluorescein Oxybuprocaine combination appeared to have a synergistic effect on Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococci and Pneumococci). Finally, with any cases of severe CA, the patient's eye should be routinely rinsed with sterile saline solution before samples are taken, in order to remove the fluorescein and local anaesthetic and avoid producing a negative culture.


To begin with, we would like to thank Dr Wierdsma for his contribution to the discussion about the results of our study. Second, we must concede that our presentation of the results of the statistical analyses is certainly susceptible to improvement. The multivariate logistical regressions in Table 3 and Table 6 do not state the results of the Omnibus test or the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-offit test. We therefore include some additional information here to supplement the results section of our paper in the expectation that it will further clarify how we arrived at our conclusions. First, we include some extra information about Table 3, which states the results of logistic regression analysis for associations between involuntary admission one year prior to interview and low service satisfaction (Verona-EU). Here, we add the two test results not shown in the article. The Omnibus test demonstrated the significancy of the model (p = .000) and the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodnessof-fit test showed that this model provides a significantly better fit than the null model with no predictors (p = .231). Prior involuntary admission is therefore clearly a predictive factor for negative opinions about prior mental health care in association with being younger than 40 years of age. We also include some new information about Table 6, which states the results of logistic regression analysis for associations between the sum score Verona-EU, involuntary admission prior to interview and civil detention during two years of follow-up. In the first step of the multivariate logistic regression, we introduced the total score for the VSSS-EU. Table 5 clearly showed a significant (p ≤ .01) but non-linear (reverse U-form-like) association between the VSSS total score and the outcome measure: patients with a mixed score had the highest percentage of civil detentions during follow-up and patients with a high score the lowest. We therefore introduced the VSSS total score to the logistic regression procedure as a three-value ordinal variable rather than a linear one. After this variable was introduced, the Omnibus test demonstrated the significancy of the model (p = .001) and the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodnessof-fit test showed that the first step resulted in a significantly better fit than the null model with no predictors (p = 1.0). In step 2 the Omnibus model test also demonstrated the significancy of the model (p = .001), while the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that the final model fits the data well (p = .999). There is therefore no reason to doubt that patients with a satisfactory score on the Verona-EU were at significantly less risk of civil detention during follow-up than patients with a dissatisfactory score. This relationship is apparently dependent on a history of recent involuntary admission, a finding that is clearly in line with the results showed in Table 3. In this part of our Amsterdam Study of Acute Psychiatry, we were looking for an answer to the question of how a prior history of civil detention (an event in the past) can affect the present risk of civil detention for patients. Clearly, a past event can only have an effect on the present through the intermediary of an actor that exerts an influence in the present. Which variables could be operating as actors in the present in this context (see the interaction model)? We found that the level of satisfaction with mental health care is an intermediary variable. Patients who are happy with the care that they have received are less likely to qualify for civil detention, and the level of that satisfaction depends upon whether or not they have undergone civil detention in the past. It would therefore seem useful to develop interventions that reduce treatment dissatisfaction in compulsorily admitted patients. More treatment satisfaction and less compulsion will be favoured by both doctors and patients.


This study investigates the role of crowd noise in the elicitation of social facilitation, mental imagery, arousal, and cognitive resource allocation. Participants (N = 60) listened to 8 total songs, 4 where artificial crowd noise was used to simulate a live recording and 4 that were the untouched studio recordings. Results indicate that crowd noise does not elicit greater enjoyment or mental imagery, but it does elicit greater allocation of cognitive resources and lower arousal over time, indicative of social facilitation. These results indicate that crowd noise is better defined as a content feature rather than a structural feature.


This pandemic is a challenge in developing creativity to the use of technology, not only the transmission of knowledge, but also how to ensure learning is delivered properly, the professionalism of teachers is required to be more than just the delivery of materials but also how to make effective and efficient classes in the online learning period. This article is the result of research that has been conducted of theachers in Schools at Glagah district of Lamongan Regency. This research uses qualitative research methods with a case study approach, data collection through interviews and observations which are then carried out descriptively constructive analysis. It becomes important the strategies used by teachers in making learning more fun and not burdensome for students and accompanying parents. The right strategy without reducing the quality of existing learning is to manage the best time, master the required technological devices, be fun but relaxed, and maintain good communication with the parents of learners.


The Argentinean spider Mecicobothrium thorelli Holmberg is redescribed on the basis of the first specimens to be discovered since the long lost holotype was collected in 1881; the female is described for the first time. The female of the Californian species Megahexura fulva (Chamberlin) is redescribed and the male described for the first time. Hexura picea Simon from Washington and Oregon is redescribed and a new species, Hexura rothi, is described from Oregon. A new genus, Hexurella, is established for four new species: H. pinea and H. apachea from Arizona, H. rupicola from California, and H. encina from Baja California. The presence of an elongated, cymbium-shaped tarsus surrounding the male palpal bulb is suggested to be synapomorphic for the family. Evidence from the structure of the tarsal organ is used to support the previous rejection of a hypothesized sister-group relationship between the Mecicobothriidae and Antrodiaetidae in favor of one between the Mecicobothriidae and Dipluridae.


Traditional notions of epistemological legitimacy force journals to call for standards of scholarship that produce results of little use in the phenomenal world experienced by managers. Complexity science is proposed as a "new" normal science offering the prospect of more effectively bridging the two worlds of journal scholarship and managerial practice. Predominant elements of complexity science are a focus on processes governing the emergence of new structural order, use of power laws to explain complicated subunit interactions, and the development of agent-based computational experiments giving better leverage on complex causal dynamics over time. From these, a "bottom-up" scientific methodology has developed. This paper first elaborates on what is meant by "emergence" in complexity science. A Stage Model of emergence follows, which consists of four sequential stages of emergence, each of which builds on the former, given starting conditions of heterogeneous agents attempting to adapt to environmental constraints. In Stage 1, based on horizontal causal dynamics among the agents, network structures form. In Stage 2, upward causal dynamics lead to emergent groups, group norms, and supervenience (downward causality). In Stage 3, growing subunit differentiation and emergent hierarchy give rise to more complicated causal dynamics. In Stage 4 a proliferation of coordinating entities and regulation processes leads to causal intricacy—complicated causal dynamics. Not surprisingly early examples of agent-based computational experiments fall mostly in Stage 1. Good models of Stage 2 causal dynamics also exist, though less in number. By our reckoning, two exemplar computational experiments represent Stage 3 dynamics. One model squeaks into Stage 4. A number of issues are mentioned that call for improved model designs. We also propose a power-law explanation to simplify seemingly complicated emergence dynamics.


Cisplatin, the first platinum compound approved for cancer treatment, is widely used in the treatment of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC incidence rates rise globally. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis, which are associated with increased mortality. Cisplatin dose might influence cancer invasion and metastatic behavior of the cells. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of low-dose cisplatin treatment on EMT- related changes in HepG2 cells. Following treatment with 4 µM cisplatin, HepG2 cells were evaluated morphologically. Gene expression of E-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail1 was assessed by quantitative PCR. Immunofluorescence analyses of NA-K ATPase were performed. Although the low-dose cisplatin treated cells exhibited a more stretched morphology, no statistical difference was detected in gene expression of E-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail1 and immunofluorescence of NA-K ATPase. Findings on low-dose cisplatin effects in HepG2 might contribute to the knowledge of antineoplastic inefficacy by further understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug action.


Today, on many occasions and in many different places, one must be authorised in order to use certain services or applications or to access protected data. A user (person) can be authorised in three differant ways or combinations of ways: it is either information that user knows, something that the user possess or a measurement of some physical or psychological characterstics unique to that user. This paper describes using of complex events in active databases for authorisation purpose


THE first paper in this series provided a background and rational for a new scale construction method: example-anchored scaling (Taylor, 1968a). Our initial application was with &dquo;clinical judgment,&dquo; in which one person rated another on a variable of clinical interest. The method was used to construct a particular kind of rating scale: a thermometer-like line divided into 100 points, with discrete way points being anchored by specific examples. Most of our reported applications have employed casehistory vignettes as anchors, but photographs have also been used, and other kinds of examples (drawings, test responses, attitude statements, etc.) are possible. Briefly stated, construction of an example-anchored scale begins by defining, as concisely and clearly as possible, the domain of behavior to be measured. A set of 30 or so examples (items) are accumulated so as to sample the full range of the domain. Five or six judges rank order the examples in terms of the defined content. The degree of order-i.e., the agreement in rankings-is evaluated statistically by Kendall's W (1962). It has been shown (Taylor, 1968b) that this brief judgmental method


terest, in addition to condensed reports of the proceedings of the " Western Dental Society," and of the " American Dental Con vention but we are sorry to see in it a paper which we can not endorse, as it advocates a principle entirely repugnant to our feelings and convictions of right, and against which we must enter a protest. It is entitled " Extracting Teeth by Galvan ism," signed "Jerome." The writer, after giving the method of applying the agent, and reports of cases—as have been previously published—with descriptions of various kinds of batteries, winds up in the fol lowing extravagant spread-eagle style :— " We learn that many are experimenting regardless of the patent, and we think the owners of the patent will find that they are engaged in rather an unprofitable business. They may annoy some, but nine-tenths of the profession will use it without a right—except that right ichich Almighty God and the spirit of our Depublican institutions grants to every man—the pursuit of happiness, the acquisition of knowledge, and the use of such knowledge." The sublimity and completeness of the italicized sentence (the italics are ours) would be greatly enhanced, we think, by the following amendments:—After the name of the Deity, (which we greatly regret to see in such connection), add the words " the Continental Congress." After the words " Repub lican Institutions, add, "and the Genius of Filibusterism and at the close of the sentence, add that emphatic and popular en dorsement, "That's so." But, seriously, we submit to the intelligent reader, whether this same spirit of " acquisition," though exhibited in other forms, has not interfered materially with the liberty of the "pur suit of happiness" of many a man, by confining him in one of a certain class of public institutions. Notwithstanding we may sincerely regret and strongly discourage (as we do regret and discourage) this disposition to patent every thing, still we must condemn such sentiments as the above, as erroneous and unjust in principle—in appropriating, without regard to ownership, that which the law recognizes and protects as property—and this we do without any reference whatever to the particular case under discussion, but on the abstract principle involved. J. R. m'g.


Software reuse has been targeted as a panacea for reducing software costs and for improving both software quality and programmer productivity. Today, it is accepted practice for software developers to reuse software units, that range from ascii units such as code fragments, to binary units such as functions, modules and even entire application systems, to both guide and reduce their development efforts. These software units are typically bundled with library or framework packages, are available as in-house and off-the-shelf components, or are accessible via books, manuals, web sites, live application code and code that the developer has written previously. Software unit procurement is the first key step of the reuse process at the software implementation stage, and is often broken down into component procurement and code sample procurement based on the two popular types of software units. While tools exist to assist developers in this procurement process, the tools are limited in their capabilities by the type of queries they provide, the efficient matching/mining techniques that underlie the procurement process and the effective ranking techniques used to evaluate the procured units. We broadly classify these limitations as quality of procured units and the effective ranking of the same.
This dissertation contributes solutions that address the quality and ranking of retrieved software units. As part of this dissertation, we have developed two assistant frameworks, the XML-based Component Discovery and Evaluation (XCoDE) framework and the XML-based Code Snippet Mining and Ranking (XSnippet) framework for procuring components and code samples, respectively.
The XCoDE framework allows developers to query for components based on the component information. Our approach is based on a unique Quality of Match (QoM) metric that qualitatively and quantitatively evaluates the match of two given components. The QoM metric forms the basis for a disciplined application of different matching techniques to all aspects of a component, thereby exploiting the diversity of syntactic and semantic information inherent in a component. Our experiments have shown that XCoDE has significant potential to provide higher accuracy than individual matching techniques and other combination techniques.
The XSnippet framework allows developers to query for code samples based on the context of code under development. Our approach is based on a novel graph-based code mining algorithm that supports the range of object instantiation-specific queries, and an innovative context-sensitive ranking heuristic that has been experimentally proven to provide better ranking of best-fit code samples than context-independent heuristics. Our experimental evaluation has shown that XSnippet has significant potential to assist developers, and provides better coverage of tasks and better rankings for best-fit code samples than other code assistant systems.