A 59-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of atypical chest pain. Stress ECG test was inconclusive. The patient underwent contrast-enhanced 16-slice computed tomography which demonstrated the absence of left main, and separate but adjacent ostia of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the left circumflex artery (CX) from the left coronary aortic sinus of Valsalva and severe narrowing of their proximal tracts. Conventional coronary angiography confirmed the diagnosis. Some time later, the patient underwent coronary artery bypass graft by left internal mammary artery graft to the LAD and Y-saphenous vein bypass to the obtuse marginal branch of CX. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) scan, 1 year later, revealed the patency of grafts. MSCT, with the aid of postprocessing techniques, is an accurate and precise, noninvasive tool for the visualization of coronary artery anatomy, identification of coronary stenoses and evaluation of coronary artery bypass grafts.


Natural gas hydrate, also known as combustible ice, and mainly composed of methane, is identified as a potential clean energy for the 21st century. Due to its large reserves, gas hydrate can ease problems caused by energy resource shortage and has gained attention around the world. In this paper, we focus on the exploration and development of gas hydrate as well as discussing its status and future development trend in China and abroad. We then analyze its opportunities and challenges in China from four aspects, resource, technology, economy and policy, with five forces model and Politics Economics Society Technology method. The results show China has abundance gas hydrate resource; however, backward technologies and inadequate investment have seriously hindered the future development of gas hydrate; thus, China should establish relevant cooperation framework and intuitional arrangement to attract more investment as well as breaking through technical difficulties to commercialization gas hydrate as soon as possible.


Abstract : This document contains the results of a space radiation environment study that can be the basis for parts selection and radiation tradeoff architectures for several typical spacecraft orbits used (or contemplated for use) by DoD and other government agencies. The radiation levels calculated can be used to select and test components for many spaceflight systems and subsystems. This report provides the first step in developing a comprehensive test program plan to examine all deleterious space effects that could degrade or disrupt sensor systems from meeting their mission goals regarding both performance and lifetime. The radiation levels recommended in this report represent a reasonable near worst case environment for all of near-Earth space out to geosynchronous altitudes. The recommended levels are such as to have low risk for mission lifetime without providing an overly cautious approach that could reduce program flexibility in the selection of components and inflate costs beyond program budget constraints.


ABSTRACT This project narrates the origins and development of a mixed-media art installation which was designed to allow for an exploration of diverse and eclectic representations of conflict as selected by the artist. The installation is a site of enquiry in which the artist creatively tests and acknowledges ideas which she has encountered from a range of academic fields including history, international relations, art and archaeology. Academic reflections on conflict are considered in tandem with the artist's personal connections to it through family archives. The installation, as an art object, will be exhibited in a gallery setting. The aim of this project is to offer an insight into the artistic methods used to research current and historical conflicts and to show how this research impacts on the artwork. Cultural encounters are often experienced by the viewer only at the end of an unseen production process. If museums, memorials, and exhibitions are understood as sites through which an audience can encounter curated or staged representations of conflict, then questions arise regarding the curation and staging. What is included in an exhibit does not allow for a consideration of what was left out and why. Using documentary photographs of the work in progress as well as sketchbook drawings and notes, this project will provide an example of a personal (as opposed to civic) curation of conflict.


Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia. Most of the historic buildings in thisromantic eastern city contain numerous varied inscriptions on many of the architectural elements.The contents of these inscriptions were both religious and secular. Among them were a number ofQuranic verses and saying of the Prophet. Additionally, there were construction inscriptions whichcontained many titles, names of Khans and dates of completion. Bukharan foundation inscriptionsare very short compared to those on Timurid architecture in Samarkand, which were of greathistorical and archaeological importance. Generally there are few foundation inscriptions known inBukharan architecture. This fact highlights the importance of two unpublished foundation inscriptionsfor Abdullah Khan, one of them inside the northern iwan of Gaukushon madrassa, and the other atop the main entrance portal of the Abdullah Khan madrassa. These two inscriptions are alsosignificant because they contain many titles that provide evidence for the political and religiouscircumstances of the rule of Abdullah Khan Additionally, the style of the script in the secondinscription is unique in its shape, different from that of the rest of the inscriptions in the Central Asianregion.


The Very Low Frequency (VLF) electromagnetic (EM) survey is a reliable technique for identifying network of fractures usually hidden by overburden materials that overlie the crystalline basement. The Gwaram area, Jigawa state of Nigeria is underlain by Older Granite of the basement complex of Nigeria, with predominant rock type being coarsely porphyritic biotite granite. The project is aimed at confirming the occurrence of sulphide mineralization within the study area, using both the geological information and VLF techniques. Measurements involving 10 profiles spaced 50 m interval were collected within the study area, using the transmitter of Le Blanc in France whose radio frequency is 18.3 kHz. Profiles 1-10 show the respective cross-over points (points of intersection) at 430, 460, 430, 470, 480, 500, 550, 560, 610, and 620 m with a positive in-phase response of 11.1, 7.3, 22.1, 23.7, 30.8, 36.2, 29.5, 17.6 and 20.8% respectively, the suspected fault occurred at respective depth of 45, 130, 150, 135, 150, 135, 140, 145, 145 and 125 m. The ratios of primary to secondary electromagnetic anomalies on the ten profiles are not constant and their profile shapes are never identical or consistent. Such anomalies at cross-over points have been used to infer the presence of fracture. All the profiles show one identical anomaly which is suspected to be a hydrothermal zone or mineralized fault. VLF-EM contour and 3D map were produced and indicate that there is high conductivity toward the southwest of the map. The results obtained in the survey inferred that the deposit is expected to be economically viable.


OBJECTIVE
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury has a devastating impact on physical and psychological disability. Rates of ACL rupture are significantly greater in females than males during the same sports. Hormonal mechanisms have been proposed but are complex and poorly understood. This systematic review evaluates the effects of menstrual cycle on: 1) lower-limb biomechanics, 2) neuromuscular control, and 3) ACL injury risk.

METHODS
The MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTSDiscus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to August 2016 for studies investigating the effects of the menstrual cycle on lower-limb biomechanics, neuromuscular control, and ACL injury risk in females. Three independent reviewers assessed each paper for inclusion and two assessed for quality.

RESULTS
Seventeen studies were identified. There is strong evidence that: 1) greatest risk of ACL injury is within the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, and 2) females with greater ACL laxity in the pre-ovulatory phase experience greater knee valgus and greater tibial external rotation during functional activity.

CONCLUSION
Females are at greatest risk of ACL injury during the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle through a combination of greater ACL laxity, greater knee valgus, and greater tibial external rotation during functional activity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Ib.


The global nuclear scene continues to evolve. The worldwide demand for electrical energy is increasing due to both population increase and industrial growth, particularly in Asia, including the Pacific Basin, and some parts of Eastern Europe. Nuclear will play an increasingly important role in helping to meet the demand for new baseload electrical generation. Signatories of the Kyoto Protocol will have to turn to non-carbon dioxide emitting forms of baseload power to meet Kyoto greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Forecast increases in the price of oil and gas will also drive countries to deploy new nuclear plants as the only long term economic and clean form of baseload electrical energy generation, as well as refurbishing existing plants. There is potential for further consolidation of vendors around proven reactor types, and we have seen recent evidence of this trend. Innovative generators with good nuclear experience are looking to minimize risk while maximizing return. This has led to an environment in which requirements for nuclear build projects are changing dramatically, and those requirements go well beyond the technology alone. Other factors involved in decision-making are the existence of robust transmission grids, supportive government policy, availability of existing sites upon which to expand, and a well-defined regulatory process. There are five key requirements for new plants: - Proven product/economic competitiveness. - Innovative business model. - Assured delivery. - Operational performance. - Ongoing plant and technology support. These requirements can be achieved via partnerships to manage risk and draw upon the best resources available. This paper draws on examples from the international experience of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to illustrate how these requirements combine to ensure a successful project.


Kynda R. Curtis, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Resource Economics, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, University of Nevada, Reno Mimako Kobayashi, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Resource Economics, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, University of Nevada, Reno Carol Bishop, Research Assistant, Department of Resource Economics, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, University of Nevada, Reno


The role of H 2O 2 from the oxidative burst of tobacco leaves induced by 90 kD protein elicitor purified from the culture filtrate of Phytophthora boehmeriae in the hypersensitive response (HR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) of tobacco was studied. The elicitor induced a strong, biphasic H 2O 2 burst in treated leaf and the first untreated leaf. The kinetics was biphasic: phaseⅠ peaked 3 h and phaseⅡ 12 h after the treatment (Fig.3). The elicitor caused HR cell death of which the peak lagged behind the second H 2O 2 burst by 8 h (Figs.1 3). It has been shown recently that during the interaction of plants with pathogens, the expression of ROS detoxifying enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX) is suppressed, suggesting that this suppression might enhance H 2O 2 production. To examine further the role of H 2O 2 in HR cell death and SAR, The HR and SAR induced by elicitor were studied in antisense APX tobacco. Anti APX transgenic plants with reduced capability to detoxify H 2O 2 were found to be more sensitive than wild type plants to the elicitor. They exhibited HR cell death in response to low dosages of elicitor that did not trigger the activation of HR cell death in plants (Fig.4). And the transgenic plants were more resistant to tobacco black shank fungus, P.nicotianae , and TMV than the control plants after being induced by the elicitor (Figs.5 6). The results provide direct genetic evidence for H 2O 2 acting as an important signal molecule mediating elicitor induced HR cell death and SAR.


Perrault syndrome (PRLTS4; OMIM# 615300) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder and only a few cases have been reported worldwide. We report a Chinese female characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and premature ovarian insufficiency.


This paper gives a set-covering-problem formulation for determining locations for two types of ladder trucks used by the New York City Fire Department. It shows that the formulation can accommodate several different realistic restrictions on the solutions.


Loss‐of‐function (LoF) mutations in the SCN5A gene cause multiple phenotypes including Brugada Syndrome (BrS) and a diffuse cardiac conduction defect. Markers of increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in LoF SCN5A mutation carriers are ill defined. We hypothesized that late potentials and fragmented QRS would be more prevalent in SCN5A mutation carriers compared to SCN5A‐negative BrS patients and evaluated risk markers for SCD in SCN5A mutation carriers.


A stability analysis of electrostatic perturbations in a positive column is reported. The positive column is considered as a three-component, low-pressure fluid, in which ionization and collisions play a significant role. The application of the generalized Hurwitz criterion for stability is found to predict an instability when the electron drift velocity exceeds 5/6 of the electron thermal velocity, in excellent agreement with experiments on current limitation in positive columns.


In this fast paced world with transformation of lifestyle and preferences, there is an immediate call for personalized tour packages. Personalized travel sequence recommendations and situation aware multimodal route recommendations are recent evolutions in the field of travel based recommendation systems. At present, most online routing applications still provide only the shortest distance or shortest travel-time routes, and neglects individual preferences. It does not address the current situation such as real time traffic present in the routes. To address the above mentioned issues, we propose DYNAMO: DYNAmic (Real time based) multimodal route recommendation system based on user preferences, POI and current scenario of travel routes. The proposed system obtains user preferences from mobile client and generates travel packages containing multiple POI's and customized route recommendations using Web mining, Bayesian learning, Collaborative filtering methods. The proposed DYNAMO is evaluated for the real-time travel routing and the results proves the enhanced efficiency by exploiting user preferences.


Smarter Parking at Transit Stations BY SUSAN SHAHEEN AND CHARLENE KEMMERER A C C E S S NUMBER 31, FALL 2007


Because the level of export goods is very low in our country,we'll face more and more difficulties after entry into WTO.So we must consider combining the government,studies and trades department so as to improve the structure of our export goods.


The penicillin in milk was resolved by ultrasonic technology and the residual penicillin was quantitated by HPLC with different temperature,pH,ultrasonic power and time.The best dispose conditions were 25℃,pH7,150W,35 minutes,the residual quantity was less than 1μg/L,which accorded with the relevant national standards.


In the processing of high-resolution wide-swath spaceborne synthetic aperture radar data, the slant range history is difficult to formulate with a high accuracy over a long data-acquisition interval, and the variation of the imaging parameters over the illuminated scene makes it necessary to implement 2-D space-variant processing. To deal with these issues, first, a slant range expression is derived based on a geometry model using a circular arc to approximate the curved trajectory in this paper, which is composed of a hyperbolic term, a cubic term, and a quartic term. Then, the imaging flow based on the slant range model is proposed: a cubic filtering in range is employed to normalize the range-variant secondary range compression; the nonuniform fast Fourier transform (NUFFT) is used to correct the additional range displacement introduced by the cubic filtering and the nonlinear range cell migration (RCM) caused by the range dependence of the velocity; necessary modifications are made on the matched filter for azimuth compression to accommodate the cubic filtering in range and to deal with the high-order terms of the slant range model. The simulation results show that the proposed slant range model has a relatively high accuracy; the range processing procedure that involves an NUFFT following a cubic filtering can apply to the case where the nonlinear chirp scaling algorithm is adopted, and it has the advantage of being capable of dealing with the nonlinear RCM; the azimuth processing procedure can provide satisfactory focusing qualities over a rather large azimuth extent.


A new analytical method using 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol modified SiO2 nanoparticles as solid-phase extractant has been developed for the preconcentration of trace amounts of mercury(II) in different water samples. Conditions of the analysis such as preconcentration time, effect of pH, sample volumes, shaking time, elution conditions and effects of interfering ions for the recovery of analyte were investigated. The adsorption capacity of nanometer SiO2-PAN was found to be 260 μmolg �1 at optimum pH and the detection limit (3σ) was 0.48 μgL �1 . The extractant showed rapid kinetic sorption. The adsorption equilibrium of mercury(II) on nanometer SiO2-PAN was achieved just in 5 mins. Adsorbed mercury(II) was easily eluted with 5 mL of 6 M hydrochloric acid. The maximum preconcentration factor was 50. The method was applied for the determination of trace amounts of mercury(II) in various water samples and industrial effluents.


Dream of the Red Chamber used writing skill of The Golden lotus for reference,but the former was much higher than the latter in ideological level.Take Chunmei and Qingwen these two characters with similar position charaeters for comparison.What the one passed on was such vulgar opinions as "try to please somebody by feminine charm so as to win his favor"and"the mother′s honour increases as her son′s position rises".What the other expressd was pessimism of human life:she looked forwarel to freedom in personality;"she was distinguished and ingenious and was thus blamed by others";"she was blamed by her goodness".Chunmei and Qingwen were all arrogant as well as intelligent and keen.The basic difference of these two characters laid in that Chunmei′s arrogance was to defend her own interest and status while Qingwen′s self-respect and arrogance was to defend human dignity.


The present invention discloses a AMOLED display panel and AMOLED display device, in order to solve the problems of the prior art electrode accumulate a lot of heat causes the glass frit to be burnt. The present invention provides a AMOLED display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate, a AMOLED display panel edge of the package region having a glass frit bonding the first substrate and the second substrate; and the second substrate comprises the glass frit overlapping electrode, the electrode is connected to a heat conducting member. The present invention is connected to a heat conducting member in contact with the electrode by a glass frit, avoid the accumulation of a large amount of heat the upper electrode, and thus can avoid VT test, the glass frit is burned.


It is generally accepted that optimal TCP receive buffer size is based on network conditions. We argue that processing limitations at the end hosts should also be a consideration. We present initial analysis as to the validity of this argument, noting process-receive buffer dynamics and its affect on throughput. Based on our observations, we offer suggestions as to how better network performance can be achieved via optimized scheduling from the operating system.


Rapidly rising property values and shifts in living patterns have led to housing affordability pressures and gentrification in the Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale. As a result, community groups are looking to find ways to preserve housing affordability through the creation of new housing units. This paper analyses policy tools that could potentially be used to generate affordable housing from new development. An understanding of current conditions was established and potential policy tools were identified. These include: inclusionary zoning, density benefit agreements, community benefit agreements, and community land trusts. A jurisdictional scan identified common themes and best practices for implementation of these policy tools. Interviews with key informants built upon this basis and provided insight into the applicability of these tools to Toronto. Recommendations were developed to assist community groups in responding to the implementation of these policies and to direct advocacy for further policy changes.


Analyzes the feature of IT systems of current enterprises,and point out that an advanced architecture is needed to import to adapt the enterprises' business reform and the quick variety.After analyzing the feature of SOA,proposes a distributed application system model based on SOA,and uses the model to provide an advanced method to improve a software system based on J2EE platform.


The effects of flow shear and/or unsteadiness on the power-producing performance of a Savonius windmill rotor are discussed. Measurements were made, in two statistically steady shear flows and in the natural wind, of the speed, torque and (hence) power of the rotor at a number of streamwise stations for each of four values of the bucket overlap ratio. 8 refs.


Objectives. Recent laboratory and clinical data suggest that two prototype autoimmune diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis are mainly driven by distinct cytokines, interferon (IFN)-� and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-� , respectively. We here investigated the presence and characteristics of natural type I IFN-producing cells (IPCs), as well as IFN-� and TNF-� expression at sites of inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods. Peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) mononuclear cells (MNCs) (n ¼ 25 each) from JIA patients with active disease were studied. IPCs were identified as BCDA-2 þ CD123 þ HLA-DR þ CD45RA þ cells, and dendritic cells (DCs) as


The pages of the Geological Magazine have lately contained some interesting articles on denudation. I wish to add some further remarks on the subject, which I think will, if duly considered, add important elements to the discussion of that problem.


The reading education program using the recommended list of books selected by the university seems to be successful in improving the reading and writing ability of the students. For the enhancement of humanities, classical-oriented catalogs, which have increased the weight of Korean classics, are more appropriate. It is desirable to use the recommended book list linked to the subject, but the reading certification system required for graduation is inappropriate for the continuous reading habit after graduation.


This article presents a low-power consumption power amplifier that uses the TSMC 0.18-μm CMOS fabrication process and operates in the 3.1–10.6 GHz ultra-wideband (UWB). Additionally, the proposed circuit design uses only two stages for amplification. The proposed amplifier also improves gain flatness by using cascode topology and the current-reused technology to optimise the RC coupling between the two stages. The average gain is 13.1 ± 1 dB, input return loss (S11) is less than –5.5 dB and output return loss (S22) is less than –7 dB. Moreover, the output 1 dB compression point is about –1.5 dBm and output third-order cut-off point at 6 GHz is 12 dBm. The power consumption with 1.8-V supply voltage is 21 mW, and the chip area is 1.05 × 0.76 mm2.


We have developed a new system for quantitative measurement of laser induced molecular orientation spectroscopy with continuous wave lasers operating in a coaxial configuration. An exciting Ar+ laser and a probing He–Ne laser are superimposed coaxially and incident to the liquid sample of anisotropic molecules, in which the former drives the molecules into the direction of light polarization, while the latter picks up the induced molecular orientation as the Kerr effect. The new system realizes long interaction lengths of the exciting and probing beams, which enables us to measure the molecular orientation with high sensitivity even for materials with small Kerr constant. Quantitative estimation of the Kerr constant also becomes possible by measuring accurate profiles of the laser beams. The strength of the Kerr effect was theoretically calculated on the basis of the optics of the Gaussian beam propagation and the relation between the expected signal intensity and the optical configuration was derived. Th...


In this paper,by using the method of weight coefficient and Hlder's inequality and introducing double parameters λ1,λ2,Agenerlization of Hilbert's type integral inequality is given,and its equivalent form is established and the best constant factor is proved.


Objective To determine the values of physiological and biochemical parameters in of HBK-SPF ducks at age of 7 and 56 days old and comparative analysis of the differences between male and female.Methods The values of physiological and biochemical parameters in of 7 and 56-day old HBK-SPF ducks at age of 7 and 56 days were measured and the results were t-tested was made to analyze the results.Results There was a very significant difference between NE,PLT,ALT,ALP,ALB,BUN,Na,K and Mg values in male and female chickens at the age of 7 days days(P 0.01) among NE,PLT,ALT,ALP,ALB,BUN,Na,K and Mg values,and a significant difference of e between MO and P values sexually in male and female chickens at the same age of 7 days(P 0.05);while at age of 56 days,a very significant difference difference existedbetween at WBC,HCT,HGB,ALT,ALP,LDH,BUN,P and Mg values in male and female chickens at age of 56 days(P 0.01),a significant difference between at MCV,MCH,PLT,and Cl values in male and female chickens at age of 56 days(P 0.05).Conclusion The values of the physiological and biochemical parameters were different between male and female HBK-SPF ducks at age of 7 and 56 days.


This study aims to analyzed and find out types of error in using simple past tense in writing narrative text. The population of this study was ninth year students of SMPN 2 Lingsar in academic year 2014/2015.  This data were collected using writing test, and interview and analyzed using descriptive qualitative method. From the analysis it was found that there were four types of error made by students, they were addition, misformation, omission and misordering. The dominant error Based on calculation is misformation is the error mostly made by students with the percentage 68.03% and followed by addition, omission and misordering with the percentage, 0.17%, 26.08%, 0.40%. Keywords: error analysis,simple past tense, narrative text


PURPOSE
This study evaluated the clinical performance of posterior CAD/CAM-generated In-Ceram Alumina and In-Ceram Spinell core crowns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Nineteen In-Ceram Spinell core crowns (four premolars and 15 molars) and 24 In-Ceram Alumina core crowns (two premolars and 22 molars) in 21 patients were examined using modified USPHS criteria at baseline and after a mean service time of 39 +/- 11 months. The crown copings were machined from Vitablocs In-Ceram Alumina and Vitablocs In-Ceram Spinell using the Cerec 2 CAD/CAM system.

RESULTS
Two molar In-Ceram Alumina core crowns fractured after respective service times of 14 and 17 months in the same patient. The Kaplan-Meier survival rate regarding fracture of the ceramic was 92% for In-Ceram Alumina and 100% for In-Ceram Spinell. At the follow-up examination, 80% alpha ratings and 18% beta ratings for In-Ceram Alumina core crowns and 84% alpha ratings and 15% beta ratings for In-Ceram Spinell core crowns were recorded.

CONCLUSION
Despite the two fractures, the clinical quality of CAD/CAM-generated In-Ceram Alumina and In-Ceram Spinell posterior crowns was excellent. Within the limitations of this study, both types of crowns appeared to be feasible.


Scientific literature demonstrates that postural control after suffering a brain injury can actually relate to its functional prognosis. Postural control is a result of complex interactions of different body systems that co-operate in order to control the position of the body in the space and is determined by the functional task as well as by the environment in which it is developed. The use in rehabilitation of Nintendo's Wii® gives some results on motor functions. This study analyses the effects of the Nintendo Wii® console on postural control during the execution of an everyday life task consisting of getting up and walking three meters.


Isoperimetric, Milman reverse, Hilbert, Widder, Fan-Taussky-Todd, Landau, and Fortuin–Kasteleyn–Ginibre (FKG) inequalities in n dimensions in investigations of multidimensional estimators support the use of James-Stein estimator against classical least squares as applied to Cumulant Analysis, Associate Random Variables, and Time Series Analysis.


Process variations in the Hungarian patent procedure for production of hexanitrostilbene (HNS) through the air oxidation of TNT, with the primary objective the improvement of product yield, were not met with any degree of success. Investigation of the copper pyridinate/DMF route resulted in somewhat inconsistent and only approximate reproduction of the Hungarian results. Elimination of the 55 C process heating step results in curtailment of the production of HNS, and tends to favor the production of dipicrylethane (DPE). Variations thus far employed in the patent process in this study have produced no consistent yield improvement over the original procedure.


For many, an interest in Human-Computer Interaction is equivalent to an interest in usability. However, using computers is only one way of relating to them, and only one topic from which we can learn about interactions between people and technology. Here, we focus on not using computers -- ways not to use them, aspects of not using them, what not using them might mean, and what we might learn by examining non-use as seriously as we examine use.


This study aims at determining whether teaching life and earth sciences using textbooks guarantees acceptable environmental education about pollution. For this purpose, the chapters developed in the two textbooks, used to teach biology and geology to students at all levels of the middle schools were compared and analyzed. The study shows that:
- Teaching environmental pollution is interrupted in the second year.
- Chapters concerning the pollution subject are less developed in the third year in comparison to the first year of the middle schools.
- Examples used in the courses speak mainly about pollution in the region and unintentionally neglect the pollution in the rest of the globe.
- Strong lack of emphasis on educating students on the ways to minimize environmental pollution and increasing their awareness about their responsibility to protect the environment.
Taken together, this study allows drawing conclusions on the education status of middle school students on the matter of the pollution of the environment. The current textbooks used to teach life and earth sciences in middle schools do not meet the expectations to provide students with a comprehensive education on environmental pollution and which should include chapters on the pollution types and its consequences on human and wild life in other regions of the world as well as a continuous emphasis on increasing students awareness about the dangers of pollution and educating them about the ways to protect the environment.


A new nano-ternary Mg–8 mol% LaNi_0.5 was prepared by melted and subsequent mechanical alloying technique for hydrogen storage. It was found from our experiments that, this kind of alloy had superior hydriding/dehydriding characteristics in comparison with conventional materials for hydrogen storage. It possessed large hydrogen capacity at a lower temperature, which could absorb 4.55–7.01 mass% H under 3 MPa hydrogen pressure and desorb 4.40–6.90 mass% H under 0.0133 MPa in 600 s above 423 K without any activationrequirement drawn from our pressure-composition isotherm and kinetic experiments. Through the x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy experiments, we further found that these superior characteristics could be attributed to the multiphase structure and a catalytic effect of LaH_3 and Mg_2Ni that were formed in the material preparation of mechanical alloying process. Finally, based on these data therelationships between equilibrium pressure of hydrogen and temperature were obtauned, they were lg p (0.1 MPa) = -3985/ T + 7.188(553 K ≤ T ≤ 573K) for hydriding and lg p (0.1 MPa) = -3804/ T + 6.770 (553 K ≤ T ≤ 573 K) for dehydriding.


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vaccine adjuvant comprising in excess than the level already present in the cells, a vector capable of expressing a polynucleotide binding protein. Expression of the polynucleotide binding protein, initiates intracellular pathways leading to expression of type 1 interferons. In accordance with the expression of type 1 interferons, other cytokines expressed, immune response to the vaccine antigens provided in conjunction with an adjuvant is enhanced.


The effects of fungicide, cultivar and plant density on the time-to-death of pyrethrum flowers affected by ray blight (caused by Phoma ligulicola var. inoxydablis ) in Australia were analysed using nonparametric Kaplan–Meier (KM) estimates and accelerated failure time (AFT) models with a Weibull probability distribution. Analyses using KM estimates and AFT models yielded similar results. The median survival time ( T ) for all flowers in the fungicide trial was estimated at 53 days [95% confidence interval (CI) = 43–53] in 2000 and 60 days (CI = 51–60) in 2001. In both years, all fungicides tested except copper oxychloride significantly ( P £ 0 Æ 0495) increased the duration of flower survival compared with nontreated plots. Significant variation ( P < 0 Æ 0001) was noted between years and among four cultivars in terms of flower survival, with T values for different cultivars ranging from 41 to 81 days, and averaging 69 days (CI = 60–69) in 2005 and 64 days (CI = 56–64) in 2006 for all cultivars. Planting at a quarter the density currently recommended increased flower survival by 41 Æ 8% ( v 2 = 29 Æ 19; P < 0 Æ 0001), but did not increase yield. Linear regression indicated that defoliation severity accounted for at least 94% of variation in median survival time. Improved management may be achieved via an integrated strategy incorporating these factors.


Signing off in the final newsletter of his tenure, this editor wrote of his approach: " From the beginning, I felt a little bit like Zsa Zsa Gabor's sixth husband: I knew what it is I was supposed to do, I just wanted to make it interesting. " And thanks to Howie Howland, editor of the Class of 1957's newsletter for the past five years, interesting it has been! The Class of 1957 has long been one of the bright stars in the alumni galaxy, and Howie's work as editor brings the diverse activities of the class to light. His issues offer everything from ample coverage of the many class mini-reunions taking place to updates on students whose work at Dartmouth has been funded through the generosity of the class to book reviews and poetry. There is an abundance of photographs, and the March 2012 issue leading up to the 55th Reunion was produced in full color. The layout is pleasing and readable, with something delightful or surprising on every page. Howie writes in the November issue that, " Old friendships are one of life's joys. " He has continued to nurture those friendships and Dartmouth connections through the years by serving in almost every volunteer role available: class secretary, reunion committee member, club officer, Alumni Council member, and now, since June, as class vice president. He also has a " secret weapon " in his partnership with his wife, Wendie, who has been his co-editor and technical advisor during his five-year tenure as newsletter editor. Their enthusiastic, thoughtful, and comprehensive work on this publication has played a critical role in the overall success of the class, and will be sorely missed by their loyal readers. Howie, your devotion to your Dartmouth friends for nearly 60 years now has brought riches both to them and to the College. Your willingness to embrace new technologies, continue to improve the design and content of your publication, and cover the broad spectrum of interests held by your classmates sets a very high standard to which all of us should aspire. It is with great pride and gratitude that the Class Newsletter Editors Association honors you with the 2012 Class Newsletter Editor of the Year Award.


ow often do you wish you had a magic wand that could enable a patient with an interim partial denture to be more comfortable, as well as minimize the number of adjustments? Most interim partial dentures with wire clasps are tissue-borne and are not as comfortable as partial dentures with occlusal rests that are both toothand tissue-borne. This article describes a simple wire-bending method that may be just the technique dentists need to address this challenge.


The tribe Sonerileae in tropical Africa and Madagascar is a morphologically diverse lineage that consists of 239 species in 10 genera. In this study, we present the first in‐depth phylogenetic analysis of African Sonerileae to test monophyly of the currently recognized genera. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using sequence data from two nuclear (nrITS and nrETS) and three plastid loci (accD‐psaI, ndhF and psbK‐psbL). Sampling consisted of 140 accessions including 64 African, 27 Malagasy, 46 Asian, and three neotropical Sonerileae together with a broad outgroup sampling (105 spp.). Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches, and a careful reassessment of morphological characters was carried out. Our results neither support the monophyly of the Old World nor African Sonerileae. The monospecific African genus Benna is partially supported as sister to Phainantha, one of the basal neotropical lineages, while African and Malagasy Medinilla are nested among the SE Asian genera. Gravesia (116 spp.), the most species‐rich and morphologically diverse genus in Madagascar, is recovered as monophyletic. The African genera of Sonerileae Calvoa, Dicellandra, and Preussiella form well‐supported clades. In contrast, Amphiblemma (including Amphiblemma molle) and Cincinnobotrys s.l. (including Cincinnobotrys felicis) are not monophyletic. To accommodate the caulescent C. felicis we propose reinstatement of the monospecific genus Bourdaria. For the distinctive A. molle a new genus Mendelia is described. Calvoa hirsuta is designated here as the type of genus Calvoa, lectotypes are designated for Medinilla engleri and Veprecella lutea, and a neotype is designated for Preussiella kamerunensis.


Making History in Iran: Education, Nationalism, and Print Culture, by Farzin Vejdani. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2014. 288 pages. $60.Reviewed by Rudi MattheeThis excellent study examines the evolution of Iranian self-identification - how Iranians went from viewing themselves as subjects of a shah to feeling like citizens of a nation. It analyzes the emergence of a public discourse in which history became a science mobilized for national purposes - by inculcating the idea of oneness in diversity and insisting on cultural and political continuity - and sees this as a function of institutional change and development involving print and education. It builds on Benedict Anderson's "imagined community" model, but also borrows from Ernest Gellner, though without mentioning either the latter's name or his theory.The centralizing state, Farzin Vejdani argues, played an important role in the process by way of facilitating print capitalism and managing public spaces, museums and commemorations. Yet the key players were often not bureaucrats but amateur historians operating within patronage networks. And these did not just slavishly follow the state and its exigencies. The court chronicler, the "king of historians," in due time became a petitioner at the gate of the Ministry of Education, but he did so while offering his own narrative, which often pitted mellat, the people, against dowlat, the state. The men who wrote Iran's modern history arose neither from the world of archives, which did not exist, nor from a university environment, which only took shape in the late 1930s.Chapter one charts the transition from Iran's traditional, panegyric and rather solipsistic historiography, to a new type of court history that looked beyond Iran, either to legitimize the Qajar state in new ways or in search of models for reform. True reform and with it the creation of new public sphere came in the form of Constitutional Revolution (1905-9), a watershed event for generating a great deal of new history writing seeking to make sense of this upheaval. The British Orientalist E.G. Browne offered an enormously influential Western template for doing so with his groundbreaking The Persian Revolution of 1905-1909 (1910). But Vejdani, keen to highlight indigenous agency, also draws attention to Persian-language writings generated in the context of India's advanced print culture (which operated under Western, i.e., British auspices as well).Chapter two examines the development of modern education and its role in shaping history as a scientific discipline espousing a people-oriented nationalism imbued with constitutionalism, parliamentarianism, and democratic values. The focus here is on the crucial role Mohammad 'Ali Forughi played in shaping Reza Shah's educational and cultural policies. This line is further pursued in chapter three, which concentrates on the role of the state in the building of educational institutions, culminating in the creation of the University of Tehran in 1935. It discusses the curricula that were adopted, the periodization chosen, and the civilizational model that was selected as an organizing principle. The men of consequence in this discussion are 'Abbas Eqbal Ashtiani, a pioneer of professional history writing, and 'Isa Sadiq, whose American education did much to steer Iran's educational system away from the French model. Vejdani puts paid to the myth that an infatuation with pre-Islamic Iran was a major impulse in the discourse of these and other early practitioners of the new history. Indeed, while the histories written in the interwar years came to emphasize continuity over rupture and emphatically took issue with Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's dictum that Easterners have no history, they hardly paid any attention to pre-Islamic Iranian history. …


In this research, we present a new approach for analysis of the intensity of trading on the Ukrainian stock market. In order to model the operations throughout the day, the non-homogeneous Poisson process with some unknown intensity function is used. The proposed approach is tested on the high frequency data concerning the trading operations associated with UX-index assets, with the unknown rate function estimated by kernel-based method with Epanechnikov kernel. From the analysis, it can be clearly seen that "the lunch time effect" is noticeable in the intensity profile, as well as the "day-of-the-week" effect, i.e. trading activity on the market depends both on the time of the day and day of the week with high statistical significance. This yields that stock price models with day-based switching correspond to reality better in comparison to standard models. Keywords—stock market, non-homogeneous Poisson process, trading, kernel estimation


Flow regimes occurring during evaporation of Freon-12 (dichlorodifluoromethane) and Freon-22 (monochlorodifluoromethane) inside five tubes were investigated. Two flow models are proposed, one each for vertical and horizontal tube orientation. The limits of each flow regime were determined and heat transfer correlations obtained. The most significant flow regimes were found to be nucleate boiling, annular flow, and mist flow. A correlation for the transition between annular flow and mist flow was obtained.


This paper describes an analysis performed to determine the cool-down time of drifts in the prospective commercial nuclear waste repository in volcanic tuff at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Two emplacement methods are currently being considered at Yucca Mountain. The reference configuration stores the high-level waste in short vertical boreholes, and the alternative configuration stores the waste in long horizontal boreholes. After emplacement operations for each emplacement drift are complete, the drift will be closed off from continuous ventilation. Given time, the radioactive decay of high-level waste will increase the rock temperature around access and emplacement drifts. Air cooling may be required to reenter these drifts. The paper discusses the analysis procedure and computer programs used to evaluate the time to cool a drift to acceptable environmental conditions 50 years after emplacement of high-level waste. Key assumptions to the analysis are presented. The results of the study show that cooling either vertical or horizontal configuration emplacement drifts is possible in a reasonable period of time. 4 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.


### Design:

cluster-randomised controlled trial (Dutch part of the Anglo-Danish-Dutch Study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen-Detected Diabetes in Primary Care [ADDITION]). ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00237549.

### Allocation:

{concealed}*.†

### Blinding:

blinded (patients and data collectors).†

### Setting:

79 general practices in the Netherlands.

### Patients:

498 patients 50–70 years of age (mean age 60 y, 54% men) who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by a 2-stage screening process. Patients with psychiatric or cognitive disorders, current treatment for cancer, or a poor prognosis were excluded.

### Intervention:

intensive treatment, including special physician training and frequent follow-up by a diabetes nurse, to lower glucose concentrations (target haemoglobin [Hb] A1c concentration ⩽7.0%), blood pressure (BP, target ⩽120/80 mm Hg), and lipid concentrations (target total cholesterol concentration <3.5 mmol/l) combined with structured lifestyle education (37 practices, …


Abstract : A test machine was constructed which measures material damping in thin-walled, cylindrical specimens subject of combined internal pressure and axial cyclic loading. The purpose of this machine is to allow the complete range of biaxial stress states to be developed, so that the individual damping effects of distortional and dilatational straining action might be clearly discerned. Experimental results on a series of manganese alloy specimens are found to display significant damping effect associated with dilatational straining.


Subjective Bayesian prior distributions elicited from experts can be aggregated together to form group priors. This paper compares aggregated priors formed by equal weight aggregation, the classical method and the Sheffield elicitation framework to each other and individual expert priors, using an expert elicitation carried out for a clinical trial. Aggregation methods and individual expert prior distributions are compared using proper scoring rules to compare the informativeness and calibration of the distributions. The three aggregation methods outperform the individual experts, and the Sheffield elicitation framework performs best among them.


In order to solve the issues that different decision methods cannot be effectively fused with mixed attributes, this study proposes the idea of maximizing the total deviation between the evaluation values of multiple single evaluation methods, constructs a decision fusion model based on the deviation maximization method, obtains the combined evaluation results of each evaluation object via calculation, and ranks them accordingly, either superior or inferior. Secondly, the Spearman's correlation coefficient is used to analyze the stability of the evaluation value of the portfolio. Finally, by combining the analysis in this study with a comparative analysis from previous papers, the results showed the scientific validity and effectiveness of the fusion method.


In software project development, once implementation completes, the next phase deals with the generation of application binaries from source files. This process of generating binaries is termed as software build. Generating the binaries takes away a lot of productive time if the project is huge. However, if the generation of project binaries is performed on a distributed system, the time taken for software builds can be drastically reduced. Usually a distributed build generates tasks or commands (compile/link) out of each make file and transfers them to a distributed system to accelerate the build process. The disadvantage of this approach is that for every subsequent build the process of task creation is repeated which can take up considerable amount of time. This paper presents an approach to selectively analyze the modified make files and generate commands only for those make files. These commands are stored in a database for reuse in subsequent builds. This approach accelerates and optimizes the software build process.


The dissertation thesis deals with the school conditions in special elementary school in the Czech Republic and in time before the education according to the new curricula Framework educational program for the field of study special elementary school (RVP ZSS, 2008). The theoretical part of the dissertation thesis processed epistemological starting points of educating pupils in special elementary school, educational process in special elementary school and its specifications, the impact of curriculum reform in the Czech Republic on the education of pupils in special elementary school, areas of evaluation and assessment tools of school conditions from the internal and external evaluator´s point of view. The aim of our thesis is to map and analyze the current state of school conditions in special elementary schools, described in curricular document RVP ZSS (2008). The empirical part of the thesis presents two research projects analyzing state of school conditions before the curriculum reform from the perspective of a principal of special elementary school and analyzing the status of selected school conditions from the coordinator´s of the school educational program perspective. To evaluate the status of school conditions we applied research technique questionnaire. Individual school conditions are in both research based on selected variables compared and evaluated. Individual findings are presented in the conclusions of the relevant research. The conclusions of our dissertation thesis is devoted to recommendations for professional pedagogical and specialpedagogical practice, formulated is also selection of possible tools to their own assessment of school conditions that can be applied also in terms of special elementary school.


: Security sector reform (SSR) is an important element of interventions in transition societies. The article evaluates the concept of security sector reform and its application, and it draws lessons for future SSR activities. The article proceeds in three sections: first, the basic objectives and activities of SSR programmes and strategies are reviewed; second, challenges and lessons of applied SSR are elaborated; and, third, it is argued that most SSR activities are not implemented as intended and may even weaken their stated objectives. The article concludes with a plea for a return to SSR basics as well as a continuous engagement with the conceptual and practical development of SSR. Abstract : The European Union has become deeply involved in international security sector reform (SSR) and security assistance efforts. This article examines the EU's activities in the field and discusses to what extent the EU has made good on the promises of its comprehensive SSR agenda in its external relations. To do so, it outlines the EU's diverging strategic goals in the field, maps the institutional arenas relevant to their implementation, and discusses three core challenges to the EU's activities: horizontal coordination across institutional arenas; vertical disconnects between the EU's strategic agenda and their implementation in the field; and larger political challenges that result from the coexistence of contradictory policy goals at the strategic level.


Scrolls of seismic records, looking to the uninitiated like TV screens full of static, were tacked everywhere around the conference room at Woods Hole (Mass.) Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Forty-eight earth scientists from four countries gathered recently to compare these 3to 18-foot-long records of the earth's response to probing with sound waves. The seismic profiling method that generated these records was first developed 60 years ago, but with technological advances has more recently been embraced by academic scientists as a powerful tool for mapping the underlying structure of the crust and upper mantle. One purpose of the WHOI meeting was to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the various profiling techniques that are currently available. But in a larger sense, these geologists and geophysicists had come to learn about the evolution of continents by hunting for common patterns in seismic sections of continental margins, the transition regions between the continents and the ocean floor. According to the theory of plate tectonics, continents are embedded (along with oceanic crust) in about a dozen plates that float, like rafts, on a viscous underlayer in the mantle. Propelled by the formation of new seafloor, the drifting plates periodically collide and grind together, creating mountain ranges and deep sea trenches. When plates separate, oceans are born and continents can be rifted and fragmented. Many scientists believe, for example, that the present Atlantic Ocean was created 150 million years ago when a large land mass split into the continents of Africa, America and Eurasia. "Plate tectonics was a great event in the history of geology," says Jack Oliver of the Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling (COCORP), which operates through Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and has been instrumental in seismically charting the North American continent. "But at the same time, plate tectonics is based largely on data for the oceanic areas, and it tells us mostly about what's going on in the oceans. We're developing a story of continental tectonics that will mesh with plate tectonics, but it will tell us in more detail about the kinds of rocks we see in the continents." A key to understanding the processes that shape continents may lie with the layers of rock buried deep in the crust and upper mantle at continental margins. Because these layers are well beyond the reach of drilling, geophysicists have turned to seismic profiling to probe the earth's architecture. Seismic reflection profiling was first developed by oil companies in the 1920s to map the unseen layers of sediment and rocks in the upper crust. Sound waves are generated at the surface either with large truck-mounted vibrators on land or with air guns or explosive charges at sea. These sonic signals, propagating through the crust, are reflected back whenever they encounter an interface between different kinds of rock-sandstone and carbonates, for example. By collecting, sorting and adding up all the reflected sound waves, a picture, or seismic section, of the earth's vertical structure is constructed in much the same way medical ultrasonic scanning is used to depict the interior of the human body. The petroleum industry which is, of course, interested in looking for oil only at depths to which it can drill -tends to take seismic data of relatively shallow layers, down to only about 10 kilometers. By the 1960s, however, geophysicists began to notice reflections from much deeper layers, around 30 km. These signals were written off at first as being artifacts of the seismic technique, but gradually scientists began to realize that the deep reflectors in the lower crust and upper mantle were real. "It's become clear that observations of Ridge-rift New sea floor ' Continental marNorth America Africa '2 gins, the transition . | 2regions between 3 the continental crust , and the ocean floor, o are created after a n continents are torn O or rifted apart. As Continental Oceanic crust . the rift widens and c margin \ rSediments | (Ridge-rift Opening Atlantic 3 new seafloor is C ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~8 born, thick wedges $ *... of sediment are de' i _ posited on the margins from inland erosional debris.


The Modane Underground Laboratory, with an overburden of 4800 m.w.e, offers an excellent site for experiments requiring a low‐background environment. The laboratory is currently hosting experiments in particle and astroparticle physics and low‐level germanium gamma‐ray spectrometry activities. This paper sketchs the main characteristics, scientific activities and facilities of the laboratory as well as its insertion in the European program ILIAS. Special emphasis is given to the description of the low radioactivity measurements and Germanium detectors.


Applying a critical-constructivist approach, 21 semi-structured interviews conducted from June to October 2021 were analyzed thematically. Qualitative analysis suggests that users reported that Wikipedia's health content can facilitate personal agency, is familiar and convenient to access, and that individuals' trust in Wikipedia is contextual, conditional, and framed by their personal experiences.


The present invention after the wafer (W) to a substantially horizontal posture by being rotated by a predetermined rotation of the rinsing treatment of the wafer (W) by supplying a pure water at a predetermined flow rate to the surface, reducing the purified water supply flow rate to the wafer (W), also it moves the pure feed point outward from the center of the wafer (W). Thus processes spin drying the wafer (W), forming a liquid film on the outer side of the substantially pure water supply point.


The phytochemical and proximate analyses of Psidium guajava leaves were determined using the methods of association of official analytical chemists (A.O.A.C). The quantitative analyses showed the concentrations (mg/100g) of the phytochemical constituents as flavonoids (0.40 ± 0.02), tannins (0.55 ± 0.01), glycosides (3.76 ± 0.08), alkaloids (0.04 ± 0.00), saponins (3.01 ± 0.01), phenols (0.28 ± 0.00) and steroids (0.09 ±0.00). The proximate composition (%) of moisture, ash, fat, fibre, protein and carbohydrate recorded 10.74 ± 0.08, 4.35± 0.21, 1.37 ± 0.36, 10.37 ± 0.05, 18.64 ± 0.05 and 54.53 ± 0.25 respectively. The plant showed higher levels of carbohydrate, glycosides and saponins, moderate levels of tannins, flavonoids, protein, moisture and crude fibre with relatively low levels of alkaloids, phenols, steroids, ash, and fat.


Research was conducted in long bean (Vigna sinensis) that has been produced in Tabanan district, Tabanan Regency concerning the residue of Sidazinon insecticide. The aims of this study are to : know dosage Sidazinon insecticide utilized by farmer in Tabanan district and the level of the residue of Sidazinon insecticide found in long bean. The determination of the sample of the farmer of long bean was done in proportional and purposive sampling. The sample was taken in Tabanan district, in Tabanan Regency. For the selection of village, search by 10 % from amount village exist, so five of the farmer of long bean were obtained in Tabanan district. The finding show that the residue of the Sidazinon insecticide in long bean produced in Tabanan district in influenced by the use of dosage was 9,275 ml/ are. The residue of Sidazinon insecticide in long bean averagely produced in Tabanan district was 0,03045 ppm.


Advanced ceramics are referred to in various parts of the world as technical ceramics, high-tech ceramics, and high-performance ceramics. A number of distinguishing features of advanced ceramics are they tend to lack a glassy component; i.e., they are "basically crystalline." Second, microstructures are usually highly engineered, meaning that grain sizes, grain shapes, porosity, and phase distributions are carefully planned and controlled. Technical or advanced ceramics are suitable for application to high-resistance dies and tools for drilling, metal forming and structural components. Nevertheless, manufacturing of these materials is difficult and expensive because they are hard-to-machine materials. In this present study, the parameter of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is explored for the processing of conductive ceramic cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide (WCCo). The main aim of this present study is to analyse the influence of intensity (I), pulse duration (ti


The article considers the presentation of modern concert programs with involving media technologies. The close relationship is revealed between the development of technologies from the industrialized to post-industrialized society, as well as their impact on art. It is noted that information and computer technologies have led to a change in the value guiding lines of society, the growing role of purely material things and the formation of a view of art works as a «product». The easily accessible popularization of musical works by digital means contributed to the preponderance of the artistic sphere with simulacra.At the same time, it is proven that the usage of modern media technologies in the realm of professional music allows artists to create projects of a high artistic level, interesting for a wide audience. The authoress' research methods are aimed at substantiating the expediency of employing media technologies in modern academic music. Namely, systematic and culturological methods consist in considering the influence of a technological process over all social spheres and related transformations, including those in academic music. The method of analysis lies in studying the peculiarities of staging concert programs with the involvement of media technologies. The interviewing method is in gaining an understanding of conceptual ideas for creating an action, a show programs in which the musical component dominates the spectacle.The article analyses the premiere performance of the fantasy mystery show "Lords of the Elements". It is demonstrated that to create a scenic program, the stage director has used elements of show: interactivity with the auditorium, gamification, and modern choreography. At the same time, the mystery did not "degrade" to the level of an ordinary show. It is concluded that the synthesis of media technologies with a thrilling dramatic conception, professional music, a high level of performance, as well as elements of show, help directors to create a huge-grade artistic "product". This format gives a new significance to musical works and draws public attention to professional musical activities. It is shown that media technologies play the role of artistic expression means that are conducive to revealing an artistic idea. Among modern digital technologies in concert programs, particularly the fantasy mystery show "Lords of the Elements", applied were video projections, luminous effects, electronic sound processing, etc.


Medication errors are one of the most common types of medical errors involving a substantial number of individuals and accounting for a sizable increase in healthcare costs (Institute of Medicine, 2000, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, National Academies, Washington, DC). These errors are also potentially injurious or fatal (2008, "National Study on the Frequency, Types, Causes and Consequences of Voluntarily Reported Emergency Department Medication Errors," J. Emerg. Med., in press). Currently, particularly in time critical tasks, such as during the treatment of a cardiac arrest, drugs may not be properly documented. This leads to an increased likelihood of subsequent medication errors with the patient. In order to efficiently and accurately record the time a drug is delivered, a device is needed that (1) records information with little or no intervention by the healthcare professional, so that they are free to focus on their primary task (of particular relevance in time critical tasks), (2) provides a precise time mark, and (3) is reliable for proper documentation. The prototype device proposed here for marking the time of drug delivery involves the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Each drug dose (i.e., the typically used preloaded syringes or packages) is labeled by a RFID tag mounted on it in terms of the type of drug and its dosage. Both the drug and the tag are enclosed in a radio frequency shielded sleeve to prevent the tag from being read prematurely by the time marking system. The time marking system itself consists of a RFID reader and a software or hardware based internal clock. When a drug is administered to a patient, the sleeve is opened, the drug is removed, and the RFID tag transmits encoded information to the reader, which then records the time of an internal clock. This setup results in the proposed time marking system providing a hands-free documentation of the time at which a specific drug is administered. The device requires little or no training on its use, is fast and efficient, can be easily integrated with current medical technology, and can be adapted to the various constraints of a healthcare setting. Requiring no time from healthcare professionals to mark the time of drug administration, the proposed time marking system will help alleviate error in documenting drug delivery.


Have analyzed and researched the larger quantity female poems of LiBai,the author hold the opinion that they have rich profound aesthetic connotations as followshowingthe aesthetic claims of advocating fresh naturality and ancient resumption,expressing life indignations and expressing ideals and pursuits.


Abstract : Increasing first term attrition and recently published findings about moral waiver policy motivate a review of Navy's enlistment and waiver standards. This paper investigates the recent experience of recruits with moral waivers. Based on regression analysis of a 20% sample of FY92-93 accessions, we find that moral waiver rates appear to be stable over the last five years. The analysis indicates that recruits who were female, still in school, and had low Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) scores were the least likely group to receive waivers. Older recruits with higher AFQT scores were the most likely to receive waivers. While recruits with moral waivers did have higher first term attrition than those without waivers, the increase was not as great as predicted by previous research. Results indicated that recruits with waivers for criminal behavior attrited at a rate of five percentage points higher than those with no waiver while recruits with drug and alcohol waivers attrited at essentially the same rate as recruits without waivers. The effect of waivers on attrition was not uniform for all gender and education groups. Female non-high school diploma graduates with criminal waivers experienced the highest increase in attrition while their male counterparts did not experience higher attrition. Restricting or eliminating gender or education groups that require criminal waivers would not be cost effective based on a simple analysis comparing projected attrition savings against estimated recruiting cost to replace applicants that otherwise qualify for service. Some form of screening model, similar to Navy's Compensatory Screening Model, may achieve attrition savings with less associated replacement costs.


Since its beginnings, quantum mechanics hasn't ceased to amaze us with its peculiarity, so difficult to understand. Why does one particle seem to pass through two slits simultaneously? Why, instead of specific predictions, can we only talk about evolution of probabilities? According to theorists from universities in Warsaw and Oxford, the most important features of the quantum world may result from the special theory of relativity, which until now seemed to have little to do with quantum mechanics.


We present a solution to the people tracking problem using a monocular vision approach from a bird's eye view and three-dimensional human representations maintained by Sequential Monte-Carlo Filtering. The system robustly estimates the image measurements' likelihoods imitating the image formation process and respecting partial occlusion by dynamic object movements. Due to algorithmic optimization the system is real-time capable and can be used for Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI) in combination with other sensors. The approach can also be extended to multi-view camera systems.


One of the joys of inorganic chemistry is exploring the periodic table to see what new and interesting things can be done with the elements. For Alexander Hinz of Oxford University and Axel Schulz and Alexander Villinger of the University of Rostock, that joy comes from stringing together as many different elements in a periodic group as possible to form heterocyclic rings. The team was working toward making a ring containing four different pnictogens (group 15 elements, N to Bi), but they were unable to close the linear precursor. So the researchers have settled for now on reporting the acyclic compound, which includes an unprecedented Sb–N–As=P chain (Chem. Eur. J. 2016, DOI: 10.1002/chem.201601916). "To the best of our knowledge, our compound is the first acyclic molecular species featuring four different pnictogens in a chain," Schulz tells C&EN. "In principle, it should also be possible to include bismuth, but that would


As proved by field investigation informtion, it is regarded that Huangshan-Mishan fault was formed by push and thrust function with left-lateral slip. It has been activeless since late period of medium Pleistocene, and interal materials have good consolidation. As the fault doesn′s go through dam area, it will not make great effect to Mishan reservoir.


e17505 Background: Lung cancer ranks among the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide and also in India. There are geographic and ethnic variations in incidences, clinical and pathological p...


Inflammation is the primary means by which the body responds to insults. When exposed to toxins, pollutants, irritants, and allergens, damaged cells activate an array of inflammatory cytokines and mediators to recruit and modulate the activity of yet more cells. These defense mechanisms must be counterbalanced with anti-inflammatory factors in order to maintain homeostasis and prevent a self-perpetuating, and ultimately damaging, immune response that persists even after the original insult abates. This finely-tuned system of self-regulation is of particular concern in the lung, where inflammation can impact airways and alveolar-capillary units, thereby impairing ventilation and gas exchange. Left unchecked, chronic inflammation can contribute to pulmonary diseases ranging from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The central role of inflammation has made it a prime target for pulmonary therapeutic development, but these efforts have laid bare the need for better methods to reliably assess it. Unfortunately, the primary clinical diagnostic modalities available for the lung (pulmonary function testing and x-ray-based structural imaging) are relatively insensitive to subtle inflammatory changes; they detect primarily their long-term sequelae such as obstruction, mucus plugging, and fibrotic scarring. Thus, for lack of better options, pulmonary inflammation is currently assessed using methods that are indirect, insensitive, or undesirably invasive. Evaluating anti-inflammatory drugs often relies on challenging the lung with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to elicit an inflammatory response. This can be done via a segmental challenge delivered by bronchoscopy and measuring inflammation using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). However, this invasive approach requires skilled practitioners, and repeated bronchoscopies are not favored by patients. A less invasive approach is to challenge the entire lung by low-dose LPS inhalation and to measure the inflammatory response via cell counts in sputum. Although better tolerated by subjects, this technique is insensitive to regional patterns within the lung, and such repeated sputum induction is known to alter cell counts. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has weighed into this problem, as illustrated by the work of Svenningsen et al, who showed that inflammatory activity in asthma was correlated with hyperpolarized gas measures of ventilation. Now, in this issue, Kern et al build upon these efforts by deploying a tour de force of noninvasive MRI-based 3D imaging and time-resolved spectroscopy, including dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion, H T1 mapping, Xe spectroscopy, and 3D Xe MRI of ventilation, tissue/plasma (TP) uptake, and transfer to red blood cells (RBCs). This comprehensive protocol was applied in 10 healthy volunteers prior to, and 6 hours after, nebulized LPS challenge. Despite generating a more than 2-fold increase in sputum neutrophils, LPS challenge did not measurably alter Xe ventilation, nor any of the DCE-derived measures of pulmonary blood volume, blood flow, and mean transit time. Instead, the parameter most strikingly affected was the imagederived ratio of Xe signal in RBCs relative to TP, which decreased by 23% from 0.40 to 0.31. This measurement of the RBC-TP ratio uniquely probes the alveolar capillary interface by exciting the dissolved Xe signal with both high flip angle (23 ) and relatively short repetition time (TR). This approach ensures that dissolved Xe signal arises only from tissues and blood in regions of active gas exchange. Here, magnetization consumed by RF pulsing can be continuously replenished by magnetization diffusing in from the airspaces. In fact, the change in the RBC-TP ratio was the only measurement reported to correlate robustly with that of neutrophil fraction. This finding, coupled with the absence of significant changes inDCE-derived perfusion and blood volume, suggests that the primary effect of LPS challenge was to provoke interstitial edema that increased TP volume while leaving the RBC volume unaltered. This interpretation is consistent with the observed increase in the Xe T2 * in the TP phase, as well as a modest 2.6% increase in H T1 from its 1158 msec baseline. Interestingly, the authors also observed LPS challenge to cause a subtle, but significant, reduction in the RBC chemical shift. This phenomenon has previously been observed in patients with interstitial lung disease and in animal models of impaired gas exchange, and is thought to reflect reduced capillary blood oxygenation. These observations add further support that this unique spectroscopic probe of pulmonary microvascular physiology should continue to be vigorously pursued in future studies. The intriguing findings of Xe MRI/MRS (MR spectroscopy) sensitivity to low-dose LPS challenge also


E-Knowledge mechanism is a new information service mechanism which transcended information shape,organization and application field and was also surperior to the traditional information system.This paper introduced the present situation of library union service of home and abroad,expounded the specific target of local library union service and innovative train of thought when put the service mechanism into practice in library union of Huainan City.


Abstract In recent years, I have cultivated an almost pathological resistance to grading. Here I explore the reasons why and describe how I eventually recovered. In particular, I propose that although grading, or more explicitly, effective assessment of student learning, is a challenging component of a mathematics instructor's job description, reflective use of formative assessment can substantially relieve the pressure, as it allows the instructor to focus on what matters most: student learning and growth. To this end, I describe my experiences with formative assessment in a diverse selection of courses (ranging from calculus to introduction to proofs to mathematics for liberal arts). I conclude that formative assessment can help an instructor move toward a more intentional pedagogical stance, and a more constructive professional identity.


As a novel transparent material, COC (Cyclic Olefin Copolymer) has great application prospects in microwave/millimeter-wave and terahertz circuits due to its low permittivity and extremely low loss. This report presents the process explorations of different technologies to find a method of circuits fabrication with characteristics of high production efficiency, high reliability, and low cost. The measured results from fabricated microwave/millimeter-wave circuits and devices show the great value of COC in the electromagnetic field.


On December 6, 1917 two ships collided in Halifax Harbour. One ship was loaded top to bottom with munitions and one held relief supplies, both intended for wartorn This occurred following the water you, have a blizzard mile glass. She tells the explosion of all family or simply stating facts and misinformed. I had never heard and stained peoples skin black oil. The follow up this occurred following day hampered. My attention for wartorn europe just tell facts. The movements of walker, accomplishes her consummate gifts as usual this. Less growing up the explosion and people were leveled for school. She came into each other events of titanic walker however. This story and how the generosity. To halifax canada in explosion the may have no one. Yet the front by telling ground sustained. One place due to prepare for younger readers after in some. Two ships collided in the nonfiction novel did find some small details leave you. Maps bibliography and killed nearly 000, people to but failed. I didn't know about it also occurred following.


Many large uses of power have assumed for years that because the friendly marketing representative from the Down Home Power Company came by with a power contract, it was okay to sign the document. After all, who would one buy electric power from other than Down Home Power? It was never true that one should simply sign the power contract because Down Home`s name was printed boldly across the top of page one. It certainly is not true today that a power contract should be signed simply because the power company marketing representative places it on your desk. In spite of all the kilowatts, voltages, phases, power factors, etc. in an electric power contract, many power contracts are no more complicated than an automobile sales contract. No more complicated that is if one knows what the kilowatt numbers mean, how the numbers on the power contract can affect one`s electric billing, and how long a time one`s company is agreeing to a business relationship with the utility.


This article critically reviews the influence of such factors as psychophysical testing method, stimulus type, and instructional set on most comfortable loudness (MCL) and uncomfortable loudness (U...


Different landscape grasses were cultivated in different modified phosphogypsum substrates with red mud or coal ash or sludge to study the effect of high fluorin content in modified phosphogypsum substrates on growth of some landscape grasses by determining fluorin content in different modified phosphogypsum substrates and analyzing the correlation between fluorin content and plant height,root length of different landscape grasses.The results showed that the fluorin content of 8000~12000mg/kg in different initial phosphogypsum substrates was significantly higher than the soil background value in Guizhou,the fluorin in different initial phosphogypsum substrates was mainly from phosphogypsum,the fluorin content in different initial phosphogypsum substrates reduced with the growth of landscape grasses,there were negative correlations between the decrement of fluorin content in different initial phosphogypsum substrates and plant height,root length,there was a significant negative correlation between fluorin content in different initial phosphogypsum substrates and root length of Trifolium repens and Cynodon dactylon and their correlation coefficients were-0.71 and-0.80,which indicates that the high fluorin content in phosphogypsum substrates inhibits growth of landscape grasses.


In any transmission system each of its elements, the supporting structures, the insulators and conductors, has a vital mechanical function and on each may rest the success or the failure of the system. In the early days of high voltage transmission these points were not given due consideration and there were many cases of the destruction of lines due to washouts, sleet and wind storms and frequent breakages of wires due simply to contraction at low temperatures. During later years, however, engineers have profited by these experiences and a greater study has been made of the details of mechanical construction, resulting almost entirely in the elimination of disasters except in cases of most unusual and severe conditions.


Measurement laboratories must be mindful of equipment limitations and increasing uncertainty as the extremes of operational range are approached. For thermal insulation measurement, the prominent issue with more highly-conductive materials is that of inte


Background: Malnutrition can be illness-related (one or more diseases or injuries directly result in nutrient imbalance), or it can be induced by environmental and behavioural variables associated with decreased nutrient intake and/or delivery. Comorbidities were shown to be related with child malnutrition in the study. Aim: The goal of this study is to showed predictive value of the signs and symptoms preceding eclampsia. Methods: By comparing itself to the standards set by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020, this study was able to show that it met all of the requirements. So, the experts were able to make sure that the study was as up-to-date as it was possible to be. For this search approach, publications that came out between 2013 and 2023 were taken into account. Several different online reference sources, like Pubmed and SagePub, were used to do this. It was decided not to take into account review pieces, works that had already been published, or works that were only half done. Result: In the PubMed database, the results of our search brought up 88 articles, whereas the results of our search on SagePub brought up 43 articles. The results of the search conducted for the last year of 2013 yielded a total 13 articles for PubMed and 7 articles for SagePub. In the end, we compiled a total of 12 papers, 9 of which came from PubMed and 3 of which came from SagePub. We included five research that met the criteria. Conclusion: Visual abnormalities, epigastric discomfort, and headache are among of the most typically reported symptoms, however none of these were able to effectively predict or rule out the possibility of impending eclampsia.


The present invention relates to an applicator head (2) for applying a product, comprising: - a receiving zone (32), - an applicator element to be arranged in the receiving area, the applicator element being permeable to the product and intended to come in contact with a surface to be treated with the product when in the receiving area, - an applicator head body (9) having fluid communication formatting means of the zone of receiving (32) with a reservoir (20) containing the product to be applied and - a valve (40) capable of closing off the fluid communication means formatting and configured such that 1) the introduction of the element application in the receiving zone is accompanied by the opening of the valve, or 2) the application member being mounted with a possibility of displacement and / or deformation in the receiving zone, moving and / or the deformation of the applicator element in the receiving area, as a result of its engagement with the surface to be treated is accompanied by the opening of the valve.


Connecting graduate students with experts in a given discipline is vital to their success but has often been challenging because of logistics, costs, and scheduling. However, advances in Internet video conferencing now allow multiple parties to meet simultaneously and engage in real-time discussion.


Stress and abortion were the beginning and end of an event i.e abortion. The aim of this experiment was to show that stress enforced body to produce cortisol in orther to overcome the stress itself while will caused abortion in pregnant ewe. Based on this aim, the hypothesis was cortisol will push the expression progesterone receptor A (PRA) and receptor estrogen-a (RE- a) in uterine myometrium which produced uterine contraction and abortion. In order to test the hypothesis, I'll use the synthetical cortisol, dexamethasone as a stressor. Of 21 healthy pregnant sheep were grouping by random allocation into three groups each consist of 7 animal at the pregnant age 70-90 days. The control group were inject with normal saline 0,9% intramuscular (i.m), while treatment group divide into 2 group for intramuscular (i.m) injection of low and high dose of dexamethasone 4 mg and 8 mg. Peripheral blood were taken for estrogen and progesterone analysis by radioimmunoassay and uterine specimen for progesterone receptor A, as well as estrogen receptor a expression by using immunohistochemistry preparation. High significantly were obtained among the treatment and control group, conversely the concentration of estrogen and progesterone were decline.  In conclusion, it seems like that stress through cortisol production had encouraged abortion among the midpregnant sheep through the progesterone receptor A expression. (FMI 2013;49 12-15)


Identification and control of pathogens in poultry, domestic and wild animals represent continuous challenges to veterinary sciences. Many diagnostic techniques have been developed from centuries to identify individual infectious agents to clearly identify and confirm the pathogens or genetic elements, including conventional as well as molecular approaches. However, the latest molecular diagnostic technologies are more advantageous as they offer high throughput result, more sensitive and requires less time. Microarray analysis generally applied for the gene expression studies but they are also familiar in immunology, genotyping, diagnostics and sequence analysis; additionally now are also used in proteomics and cell biology. It is most reliable widely accepted tool facilitating simultaneous identification of thousands of genetic elements even single gene. Thus, DNA microarrays represent a potential solution to this problem. In the present review we have discussed the technique and its application in veterinary diagnostics.


Dynamic axial compression (DAC) columns are key elements in simulated moving bed, which is a chromatography process in drug industry and chemical engineering. In this study, rules for designing distributors are proposed based on mass conservation and validated by experiments, the computer aided design (CAD) and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Experimental works are conducted to choose feasible numerical parameters for simulations. In CFD, the transient laminar flow fields are governed by the momentum and species transport equations with Darcy's law to model the porous zone in the packed bed. Results show that CFD combined with CAD solid modelling is a good approach to explore detailed flow fields in DAC columns and carry out parameter analysis for innovative designs. For further testing and evaluation, a new model of compound distributor is designed, 3D printed and processed in factory for practical applications in preparative chromatography.


The composition of the essential oil from the Thymus vulgaris L. type growing wild in northern Italy were identified by GC/MS . Identified were thirty components, the main essential oils are as follows:- thymol, γterpinene, ρ-cymene, linalool, myrcene, α-pinene, eugenol, carvacrol and α -thujene. Among these twelve aroma constituents of thyme were examined for their antioxidant activities using the aldehyde/carboxylic assay. Eugenol, thymol, carvacrol and 4-allylphenol showed stronger antioxidant activities than did other components tested in the assay. Twenty one essential oils were tested for insecticidal activity against spodoptera litura. Carvacrol has shown mutagenecity. ρ -cymene, linalool, terpinene -4-ol and thymol exhibited antifungal activity against Botrytis Cinerea and Rhizopus Stolonifer, two common storage pathogens of strawberries (Fragaria ananassa). Effects of thymol on the spontaneous contractile activity have been found in in-vitro experiments with circular smooth muscle strips from guinea pig stomach and vena portae. Thymol was found to possess an agonistic effect on α1-α2 and β-adrenergic receptors. Thymol has shown analgesic effect through its action on the α2 adrenergic receptors of the nerve cells.


Pentaerythritol is industrial chemicals with wide application.In this paper,development principle and method of mono-pentaerythritol were introduced,preparation method of dipentaerythritol from mono-pentaerythritol was discussed,application prospect of dipentaerythritol was put forward.


We present a computational study on the impact of tensile/compressive uniaxial (εxx) and biaxial (εxx=εyy) strain on monolayer MoS2, n-, and p-MOSFETs. The material properties like band structure, carrier effective mass, and the multiband Hamiltonian of the channel are evaluated using the density functional theory. Using these parameters, self-consistent Poisson-Schrödinger solution under the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism is carried out to simulate the MOS device characteristics. 1.75% uniaxial tensile strain is found to provide a minor (6%) ON current improvement for the n-MOSFET, whereas same amount of biaxial tensile strain is found to considerably improve the p-MOSFET ON currents by 2-3 times. Compressive strain, however, degrades both n-MOS and p-MOS devices performance. It is also observed that the improvement in p-MOSFET can be attained only when the channel material becomes indirect gap in nature. We further study the performance degradation in the quasi-ballistic long-channel regime using a projected current method.


In this paper, four spatiotemporal coding mechanisms in the CA3‐CA1were examined.In this paper, four spatiotemporal coding mechanisms in the CA3‐CA1were examined.


Structural health monitoring and safety assessment for long-span bridges became a dominant research topic and have received special attention of infrastructure authorities in recent years. Around the world, for many large-scale bridges, monitoring systems are installed to evaluate health condition and guarantee operational safety management [1]. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is the standard tool to model the structural behavior. However, due to a wide range of simplifying assumptions that rely on engineering judgment and a lot of uncertainties in structural properties (e.g., material properties, boundary conditions, etc.), the FE model is often only an approximate representation of the real structure. Therefore, the initial FE model should be corrected. If measured dynamic characteristics (such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, and modal damping ratio, etc.) are available, model updating can be applied to minimize the deviation between numerical prediction and experimental results. In recent decades, vibration-based bridge health monitoring (VBHM) has been more and more used to determine experimentally the physical behavior of large-scale bridges. Wu et al. Wu et al. [2] made use of the measurements with spatially-distributed optical fiber sensors during static loading tests to update a FE model of a highway bridge. The first order modal macro-strains and static long-gauge strains were included in the objective function. Feng et al. Feng et al. [3] updated a short-span steel railway bridge by applying a time-domain FE model updating approach based on in-situ dynamic displacements under ambient vibrations after train passage instead of using modal parameters (natural frequency, mode shape, etc.). They concluded that in the case of short-span railway bridges, it was difficult to extract dynamic behavior (natural frequencies) from measurements after train passing because the natural frequencies of such bridges were much higher than the frequencies of trainload's excitation. Bayraktar et al. Bayraktar et al. [4] updated a balanced cantilever bridge by a manual tuning procedure, using the peak picking method in the frequency domain. In their study, frequencies of the first ten modes were selected as objective function. EI-Borgi et al. El-Borgi et al. [5] applied the enhanced frequency domain decomposition technique and the Femtools software for model updating of a reinforced concrete bridge in Tunisia. They used both frequencies and mode shapes as objective function and concluded that Young's modulus of concrete decreased dramatically during service life. Brownjohn et al. Brownjohn et al. [6] updated a small highway bridge in a refurbishment and strengthening project in Singapore. They demonstrated that calculated natural frequencies of the first eight modes increased by approximately 50 % after model updating. Minshui et al. Minshui et al. [7] applied a simple updating method to determine the physical behavior of a highway bridge. The objective function was Vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) for long-span bridges has become a dominant research topic in recent years. The Nam O Railway Bridge is a large-scale steel truss bridge located on the unique main rail track from the North to the South in Vietnam. An extensive vibration measurement campaign and model updating are extremely necessary to build a reliable model for health condition assessment and operational safety management of the bridge. The experimental measurements are carried out under ambient vibrations using piezoelectric sensors and a finite element (FE) model is created in MATLAB to represent the physical behavior of the structure. By model updating the discrepancies between the experimental and the numerical results are minimized. For the success of the model updating, the efficiency of the optimization algorithm is essential. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and Genetic algorithm (GA) are employed to update the unknown model parameters. The result shows that PSO not only provides a better accuracy between the numerical model and measurement but also reduces the computational cost compared to GA. This study focuses on the stiffness conditions of typical joints of truss structures. Conclusion of the model updating is that the assumption of semi-rigid joints (using rotational springs) can represent the most accurately the dynamic characteristics of the considered truss bridge.


Abstract Even though the Caribbean region has experienced a sustained growth in tourism, martinique's position, like that of the French West indies, is rather paradoxical. indeed, those French islands (Guadeloupe, martinique) that could have made a claim to being amongst the leaders at the end of the 1980s, are now facing a crisis. martinique attracts fewer and fewer French visitors and the number of North American visitors remains on the margin. The tourism potentiality is exciting, but the resources have not been enhanced, and tourist facilities are insufficient and mainly aging. The destination is suffering from a lack of image; its commercial positioning is unclear – somewhere between an all-inclusive resort tourism hit by strong regional competition and newer hesitant approaches such as ecotourism. Through this paradox of a tourism crisis happening under the Lesser Antilles sun, martinique's example allows us to illustrate the complexity of the issues around tourism development by highlighting the significance of the relationships between tourism and the host society.


The aim of this work was to compare the reproductive performances of a local rabbit-population reared under organic or conventional systems. A total of 35 does and 10 bucks were reared under conventional system in the Experimental Rabbit Station of the Department of Animal Production and a total of 22 does and 6 bucks were reared under organic technique in a certified farm. During the two-years period, the following reproduction parameters were calculated: fertility, delivery-interval, gestation-length, birth mortality-rate and pre-weaning mortality-rate. Fertility rate showed good values independently from the rearing technology (94.3% in nulliparous). The organic system significantly reduced the gestation-length (31.1d vs. 31.7d) and the birth-mortality (9.1% vs. 23.5%). Delivery periods significantly influenced fertility (better performances resulted during June-September, 97.6%, than February-May, 94.0%, and October-January, 85.7%). Number of weaned per doe resulted better during October-January than February-May and June-September (6.1 vs. 5.2 and 3.1, respectively). The studied population showed adequate productive response and, for this reason, could be reared under conventional technology but was better fitted to the organic system for their rusticity, good fertility, prolificacy and resistance in poor rearing-conditions.