When constructing buildings on challenging terrain or in densely built urban areas, the potential of conventional "ground" construction technology is insufficient. In this case, a building can be constructed with the assistance of helicopters. The preparation of construction processes carried out by helicopters must respect the effects of randomly changing construction conditions, mainly weather, as well as specific helicopter working conditions. Weather conditions significantly affect helicopter parameters, especially its most important value in the construction technology – the maximum load capacity. The helicopter load is therefore not constant but it "changes in time". The complexity of this system can be modelled by using simulation models. The built-in model should allow us to investigate the behaviour of construction processes under realistic conditions and to evaluate the proposed structure of the process based on the required criteria. This presented article deals with the conceptual design of the simulation model of the helicopter-aided construction process, including the design of the simulation scheme. The key part of the simulation model, taking into account future weather conditions at the construction site, is designed in several steps with gradual approximation using various numerical weather prediction models. Partial work results suggest that although construction production is characterized by several specific features suitable for the use of simulation methods, to date, the simulation approach, up to a few exceptions, is not used. For this reason, it is the primary objective of this research to verify the suitability of simulation modelling in the preparation of building construction, thereby creating the conditions for eventual use of simulation models in building practice as well. Processing this topic belongs to the area of interdisciplinary research, so in the future the presented methodology could be also used outside the construction sector, especially in logistics in general.


The AVC System which has operated in Highways has two-piezo sensors. In this system the piezo sensors are installed on parally each other this configuration has a defect about diversion driving and sensor damage. In this reserch, 3-Sensor AVC algorithm has been proposed which is supported enhance accuracy of the vehicle classification rate compare with usual 2-Sensor systems. This algorithm is allowed to calculate wheel tread, wheel width. The third inclinded piezo sensor can detec twheel tread, wheel width using signal processing. 3-Sensor AVC has been installed in real highway and the outcome performance has been proof.


Emerging architectures, such as next generation microprocessors, graphics processing units, and Intel MIC cards, are being used with increased popularity in high performance computing. Each of these architectures has advantages over previous generations of architectures including performance, programmability, and power efficiency. With the ever-increasing performance of these architectures, scientific computing applications are able to attack larger, more complicated problems. However, since applications perform differently on each of the architectures, it is difficult to determine the best tool for the job. This dissertation makes the following contributions to computer engineering and computational science. First, this work implements the computational chemistry variational path integral application, QSATS, on various architectures, ranging from microprocessors to GPUs to Intel MICs. Second, this work explores the use of analytical performance modeling to predict the runtime and scalability of the application on the architectures. This allows for a comparison of the architectures when determining which to use for a set of program input parameters. The models presented in this dissertation are accurate within 6%. This work combines novel approaches to this algorithm and exploration of the various architectural features to develop the application to perform at its peak. In addition, this expands the understanding of computational science applications and their implementation on emerging architectures while providing insight into the performance, scalability, and programmer productivity.


GH 51 is an essential derivative line from local Cempo Ireng black rice as a result of Universitas Sebelas Maret plant breeding programs. GH 51 line has better performance than Cempo Ireng, but it is not resistant to brown plant hoppers. To improve GH 51 line performance, preliminary research was conducted by irradiating GH 51 with 200 Gy gamma rays to obtain new genetic diversity. This study aims to observe the phenotype and lignin content of early flowering putative mutant in the M2 population. The results showed that the early flowering putative mutant of GH 51 black rice has a wide genetic variability on plant height, number of seed per panicles and weight of seed per plant whereas the characters of panicle length, stem diameter, number of panicles per clump, number of tillers and weight of 100 seeds have a narrow genetic variability. Lignin content of the putative mutant varies, and there are seven plants that can be selected for high lignin content, medium to high criteria of plant height, early flowering, and shorter harvesting time from mutant of GH 51 black rice.


The need for, and the process of, optimizing real time reservoir operations have attracted substantial research attention. Among these is the employment of artificial neural network (ANN), singly or with supporting algorithms, for real time multi-objective reservoir operation optimization. Using Systematic Literature Review (SLR), this paper reviews 66 studies, comprising of studies that employed ANN with or without another training algorithm(s), and those that employed evolutionary algorithm (EA) of any type for real time reservoir operations optimization. From this, it highlights the necessity of using ANN and the suitability of EA as a training algorithm. This paper, from the meta-analysis of the studies reviewed, shows that, though ANN is primarily suitable for real time forecasting, the best network architecture is the real-time recurrent learning (RTRL) neural network algorithm. And, ANN supported with supervised or unsupervised learning algorithm, has better performance potential than those singly used. Also, evolutionary algorithms are presented as viable supporting training algorithms capable of extrapolating data of deeper abstraction, complex uncertainty, with consistent predictive capacities.


On-line optimizing control of FCCU has been considered as a very important work.Although there have been so many studies on this topic but the practical application results are not so ideal.This is due to essentially th at the process is very complicated so there exist some key input variables which affect the reaction and cannot be measured on-line.This is the bottleneck of o ptimization. This paper discusses the problem of on-line observation of unmeasurable variabl es in nonlinear systems such as FCCU.Based on the theory of nonlinear observer s, a simplified sufficient conditon under certain conditons is presented to conf irm the observability of the unmeasurable inputs in these systems.Based on it, the observable condition for the unmeasurable inputs in the riser of FCCU is dis cussed and a more available on-line observation method for these variables is p ut forward.Simulation results and industrial running results are also given.


Applications associated with nucleobase protonation events are grounded in their fundamental impact on DNA thermodynamics, structure, and hybridization dynamics. Of the canonical nucleobases, N3 protonation of cytosine (C) is the most widely utilized in both biology and nanotechnology. Naturally occurring C derivatives that shift the N3 pKa introduce an additional level of tunability. The epigenetic nucleobase 5 carboxylcytosine (caC) presents a particularly interesting example since this derivative forms Watson-Crick base pairs of similar stability and displays pH dependent behavior over the same range as the canonical nucleobase. However, the titratable group in caC corresponds to the exocyclic carboxyl group rather than N3, and the implications of these divergent protonation events toward DNA hybridization thermodynamics, kinetics, and base pairing dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we study the pH-dependence of these physical properties using model oligonucleotides containing C and caC with FTIR and temperature-jump IR spectroscopy. We demonstrate that N3 protonation of C completely disrupts duplex stability, leading to large shifts in the duplex/single-strand equilibrium, a reduction in the cooperativity of melting, and an acceleration in the rate of duplex dissociation. In contrast, while increasing 5-carboxyl protonation in caC-containing duplexes induces an increase in base pair fluctuations, the DNA duplex can tolerate substantial protonation without significant perturbation to the duplex/single-strand equilibrium. However, 5 carboxyl protonation has a large impact on hybridization kinetics by reducing the transition state free energy. Our thermodynamic and kinetic analysis provides new insight on the impact of two divergent protonation mechanisms in naturally occurring nucleobases on the biophysical properties of DNA.


Aiming at the problems of single information resources, low matching degree and difficult employment of graduates on the college employment guidance platform, this paper proposes a college accurate employment model based on collaborative filtering. By extracting the data of fresh graduates and alumni and the feature database collection of employers and enterprises, this paper compares the feature similarity between fresh graduates and previous graduates, The similarity value between fresh graduates and business units is calculated according to the signing enterprises of previous graduates, the job search heat of business units is obtained by using random walk algorithm, and the list of recommended units that fresh graduates are most interested in is obtained by using comprehensive weight algorithm. The experimental test shows that the function of the system model meets the design requirements of precision employment, and can effectively improve the efficiency of graduates to obtain employment and recruitment information.


IT-600 management software of corporate information technological equipment,or JL-600 for short, consists of three major functional sectors with a total of six modules such as access to facility information,maintenance, user management and remote on-line maintenance which could each stand on their own.The logging company of Jianghan petroleum administration bureau which affiliated to SINOPEC put JL-600 into use in January 2008, and it had showed great advantages in stable running,less resource occupation,user-friendly interface and operation as well as high compatibility.It could serve the benefits for web software design and information technological equipment management.


The potential of biochemical and molecular markers in sex identification of in vivo grown and in vitro differentiated cultures of date palm was investigated. In vitro zygotic lines were proliferated from mature and immature zygotic embryos of date palm. The mature embryos were more potential in the in vitro differentiation responses compared with immature embryos. Incorporation of tissue culture medium by 3 mg/L 2ip + 5 mg/L 2,4-D gave the highest percentages of embryo germination and growth. Isozymes were used for identification of sex type of date palm cultures. High level of peroxidase activity has been observed in adult female and offshoot female. Acid phosphatase and glutamate oxaloacetate enzymes gave a strong difference between male and female date palm. Early estimation of sex type of in vitro differentiated lines has been realized via the activity levels of the two enzymes. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to compare genetic material from male, female and unknown lines of date palm. RAPD analysis showed a relatively closely relation between the two females (adult and offshoot) cultures, since they have large number of homologous bands. Although, there is low relationship between male and female, results of similarity could not confirm link to sex or estimate the sex type of unknown clones.


Similarity is at the core of scientific inquiry in general and is one of the basic functionalities in Natural Language Processing (NLP) in particular. To arrive at generalizations across different phenomena, we need to recognize patterns of similarity, or divergence, to make scientific claims. Semantic textual similarity plays a significant role in NLP research both directly and indirectly. For example, for document summarization, we need to compress redundant information which requires identifying where the text is similar; for question answering, we need to recognize the similarity between the questions and the answers; textual similarity is an important component of an entailment system; evaluating machine translation (MT) output relies on calculating the similarity between the system's output and some reference gold translations; textual generation technology benefits from sentence similarity by generating different expressions. In this talk, I will address the problem of textual semantic similarity. We have run 2 major tasks of STS over the span of two years within the context of Semeval in 2012 and *SEM shared task in 2013. The task to date is one of the most successful to be carried out within our community by virtue of being quite popular. I will share with you the details of the task, some interesting insights into the scientific merits of this enterprise and lessons learned. Finally I will share some thoughts on the future.


There are risks in the rapid development of private higher learning institutions, which include internal factors and insurmountable external factors. As a result, the government and private higher learning institutions should play important roles in guarding against and solving the risk of running private schools. The function of government is to adopt the public governance as its guideline, further perfect legislations and policies of private higher learning institutions and reinforce the macro-control of private higher learning institution. At the same time, the responsibility of private higher learning institutions is to tighten up the system of school and improve the quality of educating.


was found by 0.05 mm/year, 0.16 mm/year, 0.04 mm/year in spring (March-May), summer (June-August) and winter (December-February), respectively. However, a negative trend (-0.14 mm/year) was seen in autumn (September-No- vember). We examined the relationship between GPS PWV and temperature which is the one of the climatic elements. Two elements trends increased during the same period and the correlation coefficient was about 0.8. Also, we found the temperature rise has increased more GPS PWV and observed a stronger positive trend in summer than in winter. This is characterized by hot humid summer and cold dry winter of Korea climate and depending on the amount of water vapor the air contains at a certain temperature. In addition, it is assumed that GPS PWV positive trend is caused by increasing amount of saturated water vapor due to temperature rise in the Korean Peninsula. In the future, we plan to verify GPS PWV effectiveness as a tool to monitor changes in precipitable water through cause analysis of seasonal trends and in- depth/long-term comparative analysis between GPS PWV and other climatic elements.


ABSTRACT In this paper, a new double-photonic crystal fibre (D-PCF) is proposed and numerically investigated, result shows that can support angular momentum (OAM) mode transmission up to 26. Based on As2S3 substrate, the proposed D-PCF is composed of three well-ordered air-hole rings in the cladding and another several air-hole rings at the centre. Due to the large effective index difference greater than 10−4 between eigenmodes, OAM can be well separated with the proposed D-PCF. In addition, the confinement loss of less than 7 × 10−9 dB/m for all eigenmodes is obtained with wavelengths spanning from 1.25 to 2.1 µm, where the optical wave can be confined closely within the core of D-PCF. With these beneficial properties, the designed D-PCF could enable large-capacity transmission in high-speed communications.


A novel parametric time-frequency representation called FM/sup 2/let transform, which uses the dilated and translated windowed 2-order polynomial frequency modulated atoms (FM/sup 2/lets), is proposed. The Fourier transform, short-time Fourier transform (including Gabor transform), wavelet transform, and chirplet transform are reformulated in one framework of FM/sup 2/let transform accordingly. By FM/sup 2/let transform, both the signal's time-invariant and time-varying spectral contents can be compactly characterized. The superiority of the proposed method to some existing time-frequency distributions (TFDs) is demonstrated using a bat sonar signal.


Objective To observe the clinical efficacy on mammary hyperplasia treated with xiakucao oral solution and tamoxifen of small dose.Methods303 cases of mammary hyperplasia were randomized into three groups.A group(110 cases):oral administration of xiakucao oral solution and tamoxifen citrate.B group(100 cases):oral administration of tamoxifen citrate.C group(93 cases):oral administration of xiakucao oral solution.Medication of 20 days made one session.The treatment period of each group was three sessions(60 days).The drug efficacy and adverse reaction of three groups were observed during treatment and the recurrence of disease was observed in follow-up visit after the end of treatment period.ResultsThe effective rate was 95.5% in A group,89.0% in B group and 74.2% in C group.The efficacies in A group and B group were all higher than that in C group(P0.01).There was no statistical difference in comparison between A group and B group(P0.05).Concerning to the main adverse reactions of tamoxifen,the morbidity of irregular menstruation was 10.0% in A group,which was lower than that(38.0%)in B group(P0.01).As for only xiakucao oral solution was administered,there were no obvious adverse reactions in C group.In 3-12 months of follow-up after the end of treatment,the recurrence rate in A group was lower than that in either B group or C group(P0.01).There was no statistical difference in the recurrence rate in comparison between B group and C group(P0.05).ConclusionXiakucao(Prunella Vulgaris)acts on soothing liver qi,clearing away heat,eliminating masses,stopping pain and removing swelling in pharmacology,based on which,the integrated medication with tamoxifen of small dose applied coordinates the efficacy on mammary hyperplasia,enhances the pharmacologic efficacy of xiakucao,deceases the dose of tamoxifen,protects effectively ovarian functions,alleviates the inhibition of tamoxifen on ovarian function and the side effects of drug,as well as lowers the recurrence rate of disease in follow-up.The integrated Chinese and western medicine achieves the satisfactory clinical efficacy on the disease.


The need of clear solution for the capital structure's puzzle is somewhat became very important nowadays. This is supported by the fact that all industries struggled to deal with turbulent financial environment. Therefore all firms need a clear strategically perspective when deciding the optimal capital structure's mixture. Recent research found that firms do engage to deal with systematic risk by conducting trade off policy between financial leverage and capital intensity. This paper was design to present better analysis of how Indonesia's companies deal with systematic risk. We deploy Mandelker and Rhee (1984) decomposition method of systematic risk. Through the decomposition we found that based on mathematical perspectives, there should be inverse relationships between financial leverage and capital intensity. It shows how manager used capital structure (proxy by financial leverage) to deal with the turbulent in systematic risk. Using samples of 225 public companies in Indonesia from the year of 2000 to year of 2009, the paper try to answer the puzzle. In order to have better understanding concerning the relationships, we categorize the level of systematic risk in three groups; lower, middle and higher systematic risk. Deeper analysis in this study indicates strong support to the hypothesis that in the long run, there is a negative relationship between financial leverage and capital intensity among those three categories. The strongest relationships happened in the lower and middle category. While at the higher systematic risk, the trade off is less than other levels. Specifically, managers were found to structure the selection of debt and capital intensity in a means consistent with strategic goal of long run control of systematic risk. Keywords-component; Capital structure, systematic risk, open economy environment


Helen Chadwick (1953 1996) was an artist born into a mixed-culture family. Her father was of English origin and her mother was Greek. In 1987 she celebrated her non-English heritage by using geographical references and images of the female body in her work Lofos Nymphon (1987), a series of nude photographs of the artist and her mother with the family house and the streets of Athens as background. Chadwick lived, studied and worked in the South of England, but her interest in other cultures, linked to the role of tradition and the female, was always present in her work. This interest is detectable not only in terms of the inclusion of references to a wide European heritage, to Greek cultural elements and questions about motherhood, femaleness and the body, but also in the treatment of aspects taken from non-Western cultural traditions. Some of these aspects appear already 'filtered' through a European perspective. In her work there is a significant (Latin) American connection which this paper seeks to highlight. I shall approach my subject via the Western symbolic tradition of allegory within which Chadwick's work is framed, and I shall aim to show that in setting out to challenge the hierarchical order between the spaces for male and female typical of the Western tradition, she does not in point of fact succeed in questioning the structure of cultural values within which such a difference lies. To invert historical representations of the Christian European concept of the female and propose an idea of gender equality, Chadwick employs American exoticism, but in doing this she makes use of and subscribes to notions of 'otherness' that perpetuate hierarchical cultural classifications of colonial origin. Between 13 August and 21 September 1996, a few months after Helen Chadwick's death, two British galleries*the Barbican Art Gallery in London and the Portfolio Gallery in Edinburgh*exhibited an itinerant retrospective


In the laying process of wire rope, friction contact between the wires can affect the forming stress and structure strength. On the basis of the classical Coulomb friction law, augmented Lagrangian method is applied to calculate both the normal contact force and friction contact force, and radial return algorithm is employed to correct the trial friction force. In the one time laying process of wire rope, the effects of friction coefficient and self rotating ratio on the contact stress are analyzed, and the effects of them on the forming stress and strain are also discussed. The results provide the foundation for the rational design of laying process and structure strength of wire rope.


Single crystals of the compounds R2Fe14B some 1–4 mm in size have been grown for a study of the anisotropy of the magnetization curves. These curves for crystals with R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm were measured at the Service National des Champs Intenses, Grenoble, between 4.2 and 275 K, with fields of 0–18 T being applied along the [100], [110], and [001] directions. Magnetization curves for all five compounds are analyzed in terms of the exchange and crystal field interactions (including terms up to sixth order, which may differ at 4 f and 4g sites) following the analysis previously developed for Nd2Fe14B. Molecular field coefficients representing the exchange interactions between R and Fe spins decrease from light to heavy R compounds as previously deduced from analysis of Curie temperatures. The CEF parameters are approximately the same across the series. In particular, the A20 terms are constant to within 10%.


Background: Rupture of gravid uterus is a devastating life threatening obstetrical emergency which is preventable. Itis associated with major maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.Objective: To determine the incidence, demographic characteristics, risk factors, treatment and feto-maternal outcomesof uterine rupture at a tertiary care hospital of Mardan.Material and Methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was done at Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics,Mardan Medical Complex, Mardan, Pakistan from February 2017 to July 2017 over a period of six months. All pregnantwomen of any age, parity, gestational age or booking status with intra-operative diagnosis of complete uterine rupturewere included in the study. Those patients with small partial rents in uterus or dehiscence were excluded. Data wasentered in predesigned proforma and analyzed.Results: Frequency of ruptured uterus in our institution was 10/1000 deliveries. Amongst the risk factors, the commonestwas history of induction and augmentation by an untrained nonmedical personnel in 25(55%), followed by historyof previous cesarean in 9(20%) and obstructed labor in 8(18%) cases. Grand multiparous women comprised 36(80%)cases and most common age group was 30-39 years. Thirty nine(86.6%) women delivered at home and 40(88.8%)were nonbooked. Twenty two(48.8%) underwent uterine repair and subtotal hysterectomy was performed in 13(28.8%)cases. Thirty eight (84%) women recovered well. Fetal deaths were observed in 37(82%) cases and 6(13%) deliveredwith low APGAR score.Conclusion: The magnitude and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes of ruptured uterus were high in the study area.


Cognitive informatics is the transdisciplinary study of cognitive and information sciences that investigates into the internal information processing mechanism and processes of the natural intelligence - human brains and minds. This paper presents an extensive literature review on related research in psychology, or cognitive science, informatics, computer science that led to the emergence of cognitive informatics.


A leading consultant gynaecologist, John Studd, was last week found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council for removing a 35 year old patient's ovaries without her consent. But he was only admonished-the lowest penalty possible apart from taking no action.

Mr Studd, a consultant at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London and a pioneer of hormone replacement therapy, had told the professional conduct committee that he thought he had the "implied consent" of Jacqueline Bartley to take …


In article the most often arising diseases from skin are described and a mucosa of an oral cavity at patients with a diabetes mellitus: mechanisms of their emergence, prophylaxis methods.


Objective To study the antitumor activity of D-glucosamine hydrochloride(GAH).Methods The antitumor activity in vitro was observed by SRB,and the effect in vivo was studied by observing tumor weight and survival time of S180 and H22 mice.Results GAH was a powerful antitumor agent in 3 kinds of human cancer cell lines(HepG-2、LS-174、BGC-7901),especially HepG-2.GAH also inhibited the growth of cancer cells of S180 mice and prolonged the survival time of H22 mice.Conclusion GAH has a relative high potent antitumor effect both in vitro and in vivo.


In visualizing the motion of the smoked jet during the attack transient, an acoustic (acoustically induced) vortex was observed alternately above and beneath the pipe edge at the pre‐steady state just prior to the steady state. Interestingly enough, this acoustic vortex disappeared at the steady state. This finding is contrary to Fabre's, in which the acoustic vortex appears at the steady state [Acust. Acta Acust. 82, 863–877 (1996)]. The rotation of the acoustic vortex is the reverse of that of the hydrodynamic vortex produced at the initial phase of the attack transient. According to Howe's theory [J. Sound Vib. 70, 407–411 (1980)], our acoustic vortex seems to absorb the final excess in acoustic energy generation occurring at the pre‐steady state and to lead the finally saturated amplification of the jet stability wave. The acoustic vortex may then be convected by the jet flow into regions where the vorticity can no longer continue to interact with the acoustic field. On the other hand, Fabre's acousti...


Abstract This paper describes a novel planar repulsive maglev prototype. In this maglev system, the carrier is levitated by a planar 2D array of coils. The levitation forces are due to repelling between the magnets and the coils. Then, the general model of motion of the carrier with complete degree of freedoms(DOFs) is derived and analyzed. Next, for the sake of control, a PID controller is designed here to regulate the all DOFs of the planar maglev system. From the simulation results, satisfactory good performances including stiffness and precision have been demonstrated. The experiment of the proposed system is under preparation.


The purpose of this article is to describe a feasibility prototype of a computer‐aided instruction (CAI) system, developed for mining engineering students and mine and safety personnel to teach the complex interrelationships between a mine ventilation system and a mine fire. The system employs an artificial intelligence technique to increase students' involvement in the learning process of interrogation and confrontation. To deepen understanding of the problem, the author combined heuristic as well as algorithmic methods to simulate, diagnose, and explain certain fire situations. The CAI system extensively uses a mine fire simulator that enables real‐time graphics animation of almost all the changes occurring in the ventilation network while under the influence of fire. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 5: 249–255, 1997


Trotsky's Philosophical Notebooks is one of the most important discoveries to emerge out of the wealth of material included in the Trotsky archives at Harvard. They were accidentally discovered by Philip Pomper while he was embarked on a project for a book about Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin. Pomper, a historian affiliated with Wesleyan University, had previously written several books on Russian revolutionary history. The Notebooks were translated and eventually published by Columbia University Press in 1986, with a lengthy introduction by Pomper and annotations in Russian by Yuri Felshtinsky. The volume is entitled Trotsky's Notebooks, 1933–1935: Writings on Lenin, Dialectics, and Evolutionism. While Trotsky is today widely recognized as a great revolutionary practitioner, his standing as a Marxist theoretician has been called into question. Indeed, he has often been falsely labelled as a vulgar Marxist. This paper will argue that a close examination of Trotsky's unpublished Notebooks, interpreted in the context of his other writings, offers a unique insight into the range and the depth of his philosophical concerns. As such Trotsky should be considered a major Marxist theoretician of the 20th century.


The popular libraries were a basic pillar Ruiz Zorrilla's political-educational program in the Spain of final of the XIX century. Their creation and diffusion contributed to promote the public service of reading, disclosing the handling of the books among all the sectors of the society. The city of Palencia received in 1870 one of these popular libraries.


Trade-off theory of capital structure uses static and dynamic approach. The use of static approach has been prevalent. Despite the importance of dynamic capital structure the debate in Kenya is so far inconclusive. Therefore, to fill this gap, there was ne speed & of adjustment from target capital structure of listed non-financial firms in Kenya. Causal research design was used. The population for this study was 65 listed firms with only 35 nonfinancial firms sampled due to exclusion of financial sector which has highly regulated capital structure. Dynamic Partial Adjustment model (DPA) was used to estimate target leverage in each industry and the study found out that, there exist a target leverage level which is different from observed lev for each sector. Further, the study showed that, listed firms adjusted to target level with a speed of 51% meaning that, the adjustment costs are relatively low. DOI: 10.32602/jafas.2018.014


Herein, a monolithic polycarbonate (PC) microdevice was developed to handle both DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) processes successively. Target cell – Cochlodinium polykrikoides microalgae, the causative species for harmful algal blooms in South Korea – was firstly captured on amine-functionalized microbeads via electrostatic interaction and then lysed to release DNA into subsequent PCR channel. Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterium was used to illustrate the adhesion phenomenon based on its similar negatively-charged surface in comparison with algal cells. A 244-bp amplicon from the genome of C. polykrikoides algae was successfully amplified using this microdevice, demonstrating its potential application on further on-site analysis for early algal detection.


- Since 1990s, some events - detection of a dirty bomb in a Russian nation park in 1995, 9/11 terrorist attack to WTC in 2001, discovery of Al-Qaeda's experimentation to build a dirty bomb in 2003 etc - have showed that nuclear or radiological terrorism relating to radioactive materials (hereinafter "radioactive materials" is referred to as "nuclear material, nuclear spent fuel and radioactive source") is not incredible but serious and credible threat. Thus, to respond to the new threat, the international community has not only strengthened security and physical protection of radioactive materials but also established prevention of and response to illicit trafficking of radioactive materials. In this regard, our government has enacted or revised the national regulatory framework with a view to improving security of radioactive materials and joined the international convention or agreement to meet this international trend. For the purpose of prevention of nuclear/radiological terrorism, this paper reviews physical characteristics of nuclear material and existing detection instruments used for prevention of illicit trafficking. Finally, national detection regime against nuclear/radiological terrorism based on paths of the smuggled radioactive materials to terrorist's target building/area, national topography and road networks, and defence-in-depth concept is suggested in this paper. This study should contribute to protect people's health, safety and environment from nuclear/radiological terrorism.


In this paper we will discuss the generalized symmetric spaces for and . Specifically we will characterize the structure of these spaces and prove that when the characteristic of is not equal to two the extended generalized symmetric space is equal to the generalized symmetric space for and nearly equal for for all but one involution.


Part I. Foundations Part II. Medications Used to Treat Psychiatric and Cognitive Disorders Part III. Medications Used to Treat Neurologic and Movement Disorders Part IV. Medications Used to Treat Pain and Substance Use Disorders Part V. Medications Used to Treat the Immune System Part VI. Medications Used to Treat Chronic Disease.


In applying communicative competence that became the utmost teaching method in teaching English program, the lecturers found the fact that the Islamic communication students are apparently reluctant to speak and communicate their ideas confidently. It happens because they thought that they do not know what they are going to say and how they are going to say their ideas. By knowing these problems the lecturers then tried to analyze the sequences of Islamic-content-TED and integrate those public speaking sequences from TED talks to STID Al-Hadid's students to give an understanding and also to improve the confidence and quality in delivering public speaking speech for the sophomore students who are majoring Islamic Communication & Broadcasting. For further, in order to master this skill, students are also expected to find noble ideas to be shared in their personal public speaking. This action research study then found out that having sharing the sequences of TED talks, the student's public speaking productions are more organized and powerful moreover; the fluency and also the student's accuracy of the students could be controlled well.


In The Shawl (1990) Cynthia Ozick constructs a narrative of the Nazi genocide around women's experience, especially what it is like to be a mother in the time of the Holocaust. She creates a story about a Jewish woman, Rosa, whose daughter Magda, is slaughtered and Rosa has never recovered from this perennial shattering experience. After her identity as a mother has been disrupted and ultimately destroyed, she becomes obsessively preoccupied with the memories of her dead daughter and fantasizes a relationship with her. By forming the structural and symbolic center of the novella around the loss of Magda, Ozick manages to claim that the Holocaust survivors continue to suffer not only because they repeat their past experiences, but mostly because they start to define themselves by the absence of loved ones. By emphasizing the absence of her daughter through her obsession and fixation with the shawl that she used to wrap her in the concentration camp, Rosa creates a melancholic space that she can continue to live as a mother to Magda. Living in the darkness of that space, Ozick poses questions regarding the survival problems, such as feeling of guilt after surviving, lack of belief for the present or hope for the future. In addition to analyzing the novella with the perspective that it fictionalizes a person's compulsion to repeat the traumatic event and thus creates an endless mourning as a reaction to the Holocaust, this article will further the general criticism by focusing on being a mother during the Holocaust and how the survivors cope with not being a mother anymore once the genocide is over.


The Pacific giant salamander, Dicamptodon tenebrosus, is often the dominant vertebrate in small, high gradient, head water streams of the Pacific Northwest (Murphy and Hall 1981; Corn and Bury 1989). Murphy and Hall (1981) found larval D. tenebrosus to account for as much as 99% of total predator biomass in small streams in western Oregon and northern California. Despite studies of the diet and foraging ecology of Dicamptodon (Antonelli and others 1972; Parker 1992, 1993, 1994) the pleurocerid snail Juga spp. has rarely been reported as a significant dietary component. Juga spp. inhabit many low elevation streams in western Oregon and composes up to 90% of invertebrate standing crop biomass in certain streams (Hawkins and Furnish 1987). Although Juga are presumably easily captured by salamanders, the thick, hard shell is considered to provide protection from vertebrate predators (Hawkins and Furnish 1987). Here, we report predation by larval D. tenebrosus on Juga and compare salamander diets in stream reaches with and without Juga. The study was conducted on two reaches of Lookout Creek in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Lane County, Oregon. Lookout Creek is a 4th order stream located on the west slope of the Cascade mountains. Substrate primarily consists of cobble and small boulders. Woody riparian vegetation is dominated by Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), and willow (Salix spp.) For detailed description see Nakamura and Swanson (1994). We used Smith-Root backpack electrofishers to capture 20 larval D. tenebrosus from pool habitats in each reach. We sampled the lower reach (Juga present) on 3 August 1995 and the upper reach (Juga absent) on 5 September 1995. We attempted to collect individual salamanders of approximately the same size. The lower reach (460 m elevation) on Lookout Creek starts 1 km above the confluence with Blue River reservoir and the upper reach (590 m elevation) starts 7 km above the confluence. Salamanders were held for 2 to 3 hr before being anesthetized with a dilute solution of MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate). We measured total length (TL) and snout-vent length (SVL) of each individual to the nearest mm and mass to the nearest 0.1 g. Stomach contents were flushed (Legler and Sullivan 1979) and preserved in 95% ethanol. Salamanders were released after a 6-hr recovery period. We tested stomach flushing on 6 D. tenebrosus from Tidbits Creek (a tributary to Blue River) by first flushing their stomachs and then removing and examining the remaining contents of their digestive tracts. Flushing removed all of the contents of the stomach (including large items) as well as the contents of the 1st quarter of the intestine. We identified prey items to the most specific taxonomic level possible, usually family or genus. All identifiable prey items and parts were considered in the analysis, unless the possibility of counting individual prey items multiple times existed. In these cases, we recorded the minimum number possible for that particular taxon. Any items that could not be identified to at least the level of order were not considered in the analysis. Mean SVL of larval D. tenebrosus was 113 mm in the upper reach and 121 mm in the lower reach (t = 1.91, p = 0.063). Mean TL was 191 mm in the upper reach and 206 mm in the lower reach (t = 1.91, p = 0.063). Mean mass was 49.5 g in the upper reach and 57.5 g in the lower reach (t = 1.68, p = 0.10). We identified 327 prey items from 20 stomachs in the upper reach and 99 prey items from 19 stomachs (1 was empty) in the lower reach (Table 1). The mayfly Baetis was the most numerous item in stomachs in the upper reach; one stomach contained 110 subimagoes. Juga was the most frequent prey item in the lower reach, occurring in 12 of 20 (60%) stomachs. One individual had 11 Juga flushed from its digestive tract. Crayfish (Astacidae: Pacifasticus) were common prey items for D. tenebrosus in both reaches. In the upper reach the remains of 9 crayfish were identified in 8 individuals. In the lower reach 9 crayfish were identified in 9 individuals. D. tenebrosus were found with both crayfish parts (usually the chelae) and whole crayfish in their stomachs. Number of prey per stomach was greater in the upper reach than in the lower reach (Mann-Whitney Utest, z = 2.498, p = 0.012). Eight stomachs from the upper reach contained > 10 prey items and 14 stomachs from the lower reach contained 0 to 5 prey items (Fig. 1). A greater diversity of prey were taken in the upper reach where 9 stomachs contained > 6 different taxa, compared to the lower reach, where the greatest number of taxa recorded from a single stomach was 5, and 12 stomachs contained 3 taxa. Several hypotheses may explain the observed differences in diet. First, the prey base composition may differ between the reaches. Hawkins and Furnish


3D laser nanolithography is a versatile technique that allows fabricating arbitrary 3D structures with a resolution better than 1 μm. In this method ultrashort (≤100 fs) laser pulses are utilized to induce crosslinking in a polymer photoresist via a two-photon absorption process. The laser light is focused through a high numerical aperture objective. Due to the fact that the probability of the two-photon absorption process is proportional to light intensity squared, the crosslinking only takes place in a small volume of the photoresist around the focal point, where the laser power is the highest. By precisely manipulating the substrate using a 3d piezoelectric stage, one can selectively write a desired pattern into the polymer material and, after dissolving the non-crosslinked photoresist, obtain a free-standing structure.


The construction and operation of roof photovoltaic project put into operation in Guangdong area were introduced,the construction technical requirements and investment cooperation model were discussed,feasibility of developing photovoltaic power generation project in Guangdong area of the current fiscal policy were analyzed and evaluated from the project economics point of view of return of investment,and some findings and recommendations were presented.


Abstract We consider logarithmic averages, over friable integers, of non-negative multiplicative functions. Under logarithmic, one-sided or two-sided hypotheses, we obtain sharp estimates that improve upon known results in the literature regarding both the quality of the error term and the range of validity. The one-sided hypotheses correspond to classical sieve assumptions. They are applied to provide an effective form of the Johnsen–Selberg prime power sieve.


This conclusion aims to reflect upon and summarize the lessons that may be learned from this book. In order to do so, the next paragraph will discuss the common ground amongst the authors. What statements may summarize the different experiences and contributions? Elaborating on this, we will summarize what the reader may or should 'take away' from the book. What can be learned from social media and applied to project communication? In the final paragraph of this conclusion, we will take these lessons further and ask ourselves what 'social project management' could look like. Social Project Management?


In this paper, a discussion of the theoretical background of the computational model for early age HPC will be given. The application of the developed model to a structural element of a bridge will be discussed where the material properties of the young HPC have been obtained from experimental measurements of the 'Stichtse Brug' test program in the Netherlands.


Abstract Objective To study long-term effects in patients treated with microwave ablation (MWA) for symptomatic uterine fibroids and investigate fibroid characteristics predictive of successful treatment. Method Women who received MWA treatment for uterine fibroids in a previous study were included. A total of 16 patients underwent contrast enhanced MRI before treatment, postoperatively at 6 months and at long-term follow-up, to assess volumes of treated fibroids (n = 42). Long-term MRI was performed between 16 and 36 months after treatment [median 22 months, interquartile range (IQR) 18.5–27]. Validated questionnaires for evaluation of uterine fibroid symptoms and menstrual bleeding (UFS-QoL and PBAC) were used to assess long-term effects on symptoms. The degree of shrinkage was correlated to vascularization and T2 signal intensity (SI) at preoperative MRI and location of fibroids according to the FIGO classification, using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results Most patients (82%) reported improvement up to 3 years after treatment. Out of 42 treated fibroids, 35 (83%) continued to shrink over time with median relative volume reduction of 77% (IQR 39–95). For eight fibroids (19%) which showed low vascularization on the pretreatment MRI, there was less shrinkage compared to well-vascularized fibroids (p = 0.01). Most fibroids (79%) showed iso- to hyperintense T2 signal on preoperative MRI and showed a higher grade of shrinkage than hypointense fibroids (p = 0.02). Conclusion After microwave treatment improvement is maintained for most patients up to 36 months and most fibroids showed continuous shrinkage. Preoperative vascularization, high T2 SI and submucosal location predicted continuous volume reduction. However, to confirm this, larger studies are needed.


A lesson providing students in early primary grades an opportunity to explore counting techniques and to develop an informal sense of permutations and combinations is presented. It helps develop better counting skills and gives a more realistic understanding of how mathematics is applied in the real world and fosters a sense of mathematical empowerment.


Introduction: African American (AA) women have a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and angina/hear...


The potential effects of man‐made underwater noises on the behavior of gray whales (Eschrictius robustus) off the Coast of central California were studied during their southern and northern migration in 1983. In January, two shore‐based theodolite tracking sites recorded whales' swimming patterns as well as behavioral activities while underwater sounds (production platform, drilling platform, semisubmersible, drillship, helicopter, or killer whale, Orcinus orca) were transmitted from a vessel anchored in the middle of the nearshore migratory pattern. In April and May, when the majority of whales were mother‐calf pairs, three theodolite tracking sites recorded swimming patterns, behavior, and respiration times for individuals. Experimental noise sources consisted of either a seismic vessel operating a 40‐gun array, a vessel operating a single air gun or a stationary vessel broadcasting either drillship or killer whale sounds. The behavioral measures used to assay disturbance included deflection of normal m...


High dynamic range images contain underexposed and overexposed regions. The enhancement of underexposed and overexposed regions is the main concern of this paper. The two new transformation operators are proposed to modify the fuzzy membership values of underexposed and overexposed regions of an image respectively. For overexposed regions, a rectangular hyperbolic function is used while for underexposed regions, an s-function is applied. The shape and range of these functions are controlled by the parameters involved and these parameters are optimized using the bacterial foraging optimization algorithm so as to obtain the enhanced image. The hue, saturation, and intensity (HSV) color space is employed for the process of enhancement, where the hue component is preserved to keep the original color composition intact. This approach is applicable to a degraded image of mixed type. On comparison, the proposed transforms yield better results than the existing transforms, used in [17], for under and overexposed regions respectively.


Garmsar block is located in Central Iran Basin, and the geological prospecting in this area is in the early stage. Late research reveals this area is potential oil-bearing and some reservoirs have been found in adjacent areas in Central Iran Basin. Qom Formation is proven that has the potentiality of self-generation and self-accumulation. The depositional setting and sedimentary-tectonic setting in this block are different with Zagros area which is famous for oil-gas enrichment and well studied in terms of geological setting. This paper presents a brief introduction of latest study results for basic Geological Setting of Garmsar Block and exploration history as well, and provides instructive reference for further exploration.


z) The Abstract is copied from the NCVER database. It presents an overview of the document prepared by an information specialist. This is a key paragraph taken from the abstract of the document. The Abstract provides a quick reference point for the analyst while immersed in the detail of the lexical semantic analysis.


John Hagan and Wenona Rymond-Richmond proposed a collective action theory of genocide in their book 'Darfur and the Crime of Genocide'. They then tested their theory using data from the Atrocities Documentation Survey conducted in Chad. The theory explains the Darfur genocide well and is supported by empirical data. Since there is little criminological theoretical work on genocide, the collective action theory was a great step forward. The next step in the process should be to see if the theory is generalisable to other instances of genocide. There may be much to learn in testing Hagan and Rymond-Richmond's theory for generalisability including identifying any modifications that may advance the current theoretical work on the criminology of genocide.


The effect of the regulation of a carrier's liability by the mandatory application of rules introduced by international convention are considered in the context of a review of the standard terms and conditions employed by major UK passenger carriers reacting to the Athens Convention 1974. It is hoped that by analysing the impact of the Athens Convention upon the British operators who still play a significant part in the international transport of passengers, that light will be shed on the response than can be expected from maritime carriers to the imposition of international convention jurisdiction generally.


Early in 1993, we began an investigation into ways to decrease the cost of setup time for HP surface mount manufacturing centers. Our initial investigation covered a range of options, including: Common setups for both sides of a printed circuit assembly. All of the parts needed for both sides of the printed circuit assembly are placed in a single setup. Partially fixed setups. Commonly used parts are assigned fixed locations on the machines. Family setups. All of the parts required to build a group of printed circuit assemblies are placed in a single setup. The printed circuit assemblies in the group are chosen so that all of the required parts will fit into one setup. Feeder bank exchange. Some machines offer the ability to change a large number of parts in the setup quickly by means of removable feeder banks. The operator can set up the parts for a product in an offline feeder bank while the machine is building a different product. The operator then trades the offline feeder bank for the online feeder bank, and can start building the new product immediately. Optimization by schedule, described below.


Although the physiological alterations in the urinary tract which occur during pregnancy are well known to radiologists and clinicians, the secondary changes produced by pressure of benign pelvic tumors are not so widely recognized. Many benign pelvic tumors in women are capable of causing changes in the upper urinary tract. The recognition of the frequent occurrence of these alterations is important both to the pelvic surgeon and to the student of the ureter in pregnancy. In 1935, Baker and Lewis (1) compared the alterations of the urinary tract occurring in pregnancy with those produced by pelvic tumors. Their series included 16 patients with pelvic tumors comparable in size to the pregnant uterus after the third month of gestation. In these patients the quantitative and qualitative alterations in the upper urinary tract were similar to those of pregnancy; a high degree of dilatation was observed in pregnancy, in large ovarian cysts, and in fibromyomas of the uterus. The changes were attributed largely ...


The digital technology transformation is a largely overlooked dimension of Zeitenwende. However, preserving national security, safeguarding core values enshrined in technology, ensuring access to critical technologies, and maintaining competitiveness need to be a policy priorities for Germany and Europe. All of these are integral elements of autonomy and sovereignty in a world increasingly characterized by great power rivalry. The looming policy decisions, however, will have divergent outcomes depending on the prevailing political paradigms:


Data-storage using near-field optical microscopy is a promising technology for the breakthrough of high-density optical disk memory since wavelength limit of conventional lens-optics i not applied. We have proposed a MEMS for the near-field optical data storage, which consists of integrated optical micro-probes and a micro media-translation-table. In the first part of the presentation, three-dimensional lithography based on the bulk micromachining using resist spray coater is described. SecondlM we describe the integration of waveguide, micrbpinho!e tip, cantilever, and photodiode for a MEMS probe. The media-translation-table consisting of the inverted serateh drive actuators is also described. 1. I)(TRODUCTION Many devices and systerns can be miniaturized using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. Miero pressure sensor and micre accelerometer (air-bag sensor) are examples that are widely commercialized. In the case of optical system, some optical components need comhining to implement the fimctions desired for optical processing. Micro-optical-beneh based on Si surface and bulk micromaehining have been proposed m order to integrate optical components on a Si substrate. In the case of the surface micromachining, several optical components such as mirror, beam splitter, micro Fresnel lens can be fabricated ftom the deposited polySi films which are stood up using hinge mechanism after removing the sacrificial layer below the polySi film as shown in Fig.1[1]. Fig.1 Micro optical bench fabricated by surface micromachining However, in order to fal)ricate complex optical stmcture or to combine with the conventional optical platform, some novel micromachining techniques are to be introduced in addition to the conventional micrornachinigs. One of the important techniques for the fabrication of complex microstnictures is the pattern transfer. The sample with complex stmcture is often non-flat, sometime deeply etched by bulk micromachinig, after several lithographic processes as shown in Fig.Z Therefore novel hthography for the three-dimensional (3D) structures is needed, ee,tw・4-eeewbetw es 'l#I"eegtde\IIIIi-ll


Objective : This study was performed to evaluate the effect acupuncture on cerebral blood flow by Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography(TCD). Methods : Monitoring of TCD was examined in stroke patients before and after acupuncture on seven points of CVA. Mean Velocity, pulsatility index, systolic vel...


Based on social and economic conditions in Golo prefecture i n southern Qinghai plateau, China, information collected and investigated, the present sit uation of family farm were studied. An optimal pattern of managing family farm w as figured out. Furthermore, the countermeasures of optimal management for famil y farm were proposed.


Up to our knowledge, the literature does not describe clear principles for the design of algorithm visualizations with educational purposes. In order to fill this gap, we have conducted a study on the features of illustrations found in prestigious algorithm textbooks. In this paper, we describe the methodology followed for our analysis and the results obtained, both general and specific of three basic algorithm design techniques (divide and conquer, backtracking, and dynamic programming). The results vary, sometimes being unexpected, and allow sketching design principles for the visualization of algorithms.


Techniques are described for transmitting power information to facilitate the channel quality indicator (CQI) report. The Node B may send power information that may be used by the UE to determine the channelization power In one design, the power information comprises a power offset between the power The Node B may determine the The UE can determine the The UE may estimate at least one of the at least one SINR of transport block based on the


Tinnitus may be a clinical symptom of disturbances in the auditory system but also of stress. Noise exposure may be a trigger. Severe tinnitus may have an impact on the working capacity, and in the management of tinnitus. It is essential to differ between the etiologies to the emergence of tinnitus and to the suffering of it. The majority of the adults, and a third of the children seeking help for tinnitus have anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Consequently, it is of great importance to early identify and treat these conditions.


Abstract In this paper we present results on the stability of perturbation methods for the evaluation of Dirichlet–Neumann operators (DNO) defined on domains that are viewed as complex deformations of a basic, simple geometry. In such cases, geometric perturbation methods, based on variations of the spatial domains of definition, have long been recognized to constitute efficient and accurate means for the approximation of DNO and, in fact, several numerical implementations have been previously proposed. Inspired by our recent analytical work, here we demonstrate that the convergence of these algorithms is, quite generally, limited by numerical instability. Indeed, we show that these standard perturbative methods for the calculation of DNO suffer from significant ill-conditioning which is manifest even for very smooth boundaries, and whose severity increases with boundary roughness. Moreover, and again motivated by our previous work, we introduce an alternative perturbative approach that we show to be numerically stable. This approach can be interpreted as a reformulation of classical perturbative algorithms (in suitable independent variables), and thus it allows for both direct comparison and the possibility of analytic continuation of the perturbation series. It can also be related to classical (preconditioned) spectral approaches and, as such, it retains, in finite arithmetic, the spectral convergence properties of classical perturbative methods, albeit at a higher computational cost (as it does not take advantage of possible dimensional reductions). Still, as we show, an alternative approach such as the one we propose may be mandated in cases where substantial information is contained in high-order harmonics and/or perturbation coefficients of the solution.


Dear Editor, We have read the recent article by Mohamed et al1 on comparing the therapeutic effect of combining two modalities of scar treatment with great interest, including fractional ablative laser treatment with occluded topical application of corticosteroid and intralesional steroid injection. In this study, the authors concluded that the use of ablative fractional laserassisted delivery of topical corticosteroid application could offer a safer and a better aesthetic treatment option. The conclusions above were encouraging and of great significance. Here, we provide some opinions on this study. Keloid is a kind of disease with a high recurrence rate after treatment, which often brings great trouble to patients, posing a formidable challenge to clinical treatment.2 In this study, after four identical treatment sessions, keloid patients achieved significant improvement after fractional ablative 2940 nm Er: YAG laser treatment with occluded topical application of corticosteroid based on the Vancouver Score Scale. However, three patients (10% of the whole patients) experienced itching and tingling sensations, 12 weeks after treatment, suggesting a great possibility of recurring. Additionally, the authors did not mention the specific parts of the two identical parts, which showed signs of recurring. We would be very grateful if the author could provide more detailed information in this regard, which would give us a further understanding of the effectiveness of this treatment. As a kind of ablative fractional laser treatment, other adverse events for keloid treatment with Er: YAG laser therapy should also be fully aware of, including infection, inflammationrelated hyperpigmentation, and delayed depigmentation. In this study, it has been mentioned that there was no significant correlation between the keloid duration and the final changes assessed by VSS. However, based on clinical studies conducted by our center, we suggested that keloids with short duration had a better response to laser treatment and laser therapy might exert therapeutic effects via damaging blood vessels. Keloids with short duration tended to appear more tender and ruddier, which indicated that blood flow perfusion was higher and richer than that of keloids with long duration.3,4 Additionally, combined with the data measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), we found that the blood perfusion in the boundary area of keloids and adjacent region of normal skin was significantly higher than that in the distant region of normal skin (P < .05, Figure 1). Further studies on detailed mechanism are being carried out. ACKNOWLEDG MENT The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.


St. Croix hair sheep are known to resist parasitic infection. Parasitic resistance is in part due to the increased number and ability of neutrophil leukocytes to fight pathogens. Dietary supplements such as garlic (Allium sativum L.) are antimicrobial immune modulators that can enhance production. This study sought to evaluate the impact of fresh filtered garlic on sheep neutrophils through In vitro treatment. The study collected blood from the jugular vein of five clinically healthy female St. Croix sheep at NC A&T State University Farm and isolated neutrophils from 10 mL whole blood samples from each animal. The neutrophils were treated with fresh filtered garlic after the total cell count was measured, and 1 million cells were taken for treatment. The total protein concentration in the neutrophil supernatant was measured before and after treatment. Garlic (10 ug/mL PBS) was added to neutrophils, incubated (30 minutes, 37 °C) and centrifuged. Total RNA was extracted from the pellet using the TRIZOL RNA Isolation Protocol (Sigma-Aldrich). The RNA concentration and purity were assessed using a Nanodrop Spectrophotometer (Thermo Scientific Inc.). Pooled RNA from each group was used for cDNA synthesis, followed by qPCR analysis of the expression of 84 test genes related to the innate and adaptive immune response (RT2 profiler array) of the host. Total protein concentration in the supernatant was determined using the BCA Assay (Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit). In vitro treatment with garlic extract resulted in increased total secreted protein concentrations from treated neutrophils, as well as upregulation of 10 genes involved in immune response and downregulation of 4 genes associated with inflammation and immune regulation. The study findings indicate that garlic stimulates gene transcription and protein secretion in neutrophils from St. Croix sheep in vitro. Studies are needed on the possible impacts on neutrophil function and animal response to infection for sustainable use of garlic in animal production.


The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is one of the key instruments for NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) missions. Its high quality land, ocean, and atmosphere data products heavily rely on accurate on-orbit calibration and characterization. MODIS reflective solar bands (RSB) on-orbit calibration is reflectance based and is provided by an on-board Solar Diffuser (SD). The Bi-directional Reflectance Factor (BRF) of the SD was characterized pre-launch. The earthshine (ES) contamination to the SD signal was estimated to be approximately 0.5%. On-orbit observations and geometric optical modeling results show that this contamination strongly depends on the wavelength, calibration viewing geometry, and the Earth surface type. In this paper, the contribution from the earthshine on MODIS RSB calibration is illustrated and characterized systematically. A simple approach is proposed to reduce its impact on the RSB calibration. This approach has been applied to both Terra and Aqua MODIS RSB calibration and proved to be effective in reducing the earthshine contaminations. Consequently, it is recommended for future Level 1B calibration and production improvements.


Significance ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) modulates membrane excitability according to the intracellular metabolic state: a high ATP/ADP ratio increases excitability by closing the K+ channel pore, while a low ATP/ADP ratio reduces excitability by opening it. Such intricate regulation is achieved by allowing ATP and ADP to act upon two different subunits in KATP that exert opposing effects on the channel's gate. Previous structural studies have focused on conformations of KATP with a closed pore. This paper presents a structure of KATP with an open pore and points to a specific mechanism of allosteric regulation. KATP channels are metabolic sensors that translate intracellular ATP/ADP balance into membrane excitability. The molecular composition of KATP includes an inward-rectifier potassium channel (Kir) and an ABC transporter–like sulfonylurea receptor (SUR). Although structures of KATP have been determined in many conformations, in all cases, the pore in Kir is closed. Here, we describe human pancreatic KATP (hKATP) structures with an open pore at 3.1- to 4.0-Å resolution using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Pore opening is associated with coordinated structural changes within the ATP-binding site and the channel gate in Kir. Conformational changes in SUR are also observed, resulting in an area reduction of contact surfaces between SUR and Kir. We also observe that pancreatic hKATP exhibits the unique (among inward-rectifier channels) property of PIP2-independent opening, which appears to be correlated with a docked cytoplasmic domain in the absence of PIP2.


Developing lauraldehyde-derived Mannich base grafted PVC materials (PVC-ML-g, g = 1, 2, 3, 4, where the lauraldehyde-derived Mannich base is abbreviated as ML) via clean and efficient strategies is an effective way to resolve the increasing diseases in humans and environmental pollution caused by toxic dioctyl phthalate (DOP) traditionally used to plasticize PVC materials. Thus, in this study, the lauraldehyde-derived Mannich base, which contains both phosphate ester groups and highly flexible long carbon chains, was grafted onto PVC chains to efficiently plasticize PVC materials. The PVC-ML-g materials displayed a lower glass transition temperature than pure PVC and were comparable to conventional DOP plasticized PVC. The good plasticization behavior in the PVC-ML-3 materials was due to the simultaneous introduction of more ester groups and mobile, unentangled longer alkyl chains into the structure of PVC, which decreased the molecular interactions between the PVC chains. Moreover, the PVC-ML-g materials showed improved thermal stability and outstanding anti-migration ability because of the covalent bonds between PVC and lauraldehyde-derived Mannich base grafts.


Erythrocytes could be distinguished from nucleated cells by both uv and 488 nm light scattering. By correlating the two colors of light scattering a third population of bone marrow cells, predominantly large lymphocytes, was identified. Among splenic lymphocytes, T cells could be distinguished from B cells based on the differences in scattering of these two wavelengths. These data indicate that light scattering patterns change drastically when different colors of light are used to analyze the population. In addition, the correlation of light scattered at two different � wavelengths can aid in distinguishing populations of cells � that could not be identified by a single wavelength of


We built community health service staff incentive index system based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs,the characteristics of community health service and the performance based salary reform.We verified the effectiveness and stability of the system using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.Then we analyzed the community health service staff incentive problems of a city and provided related suggestions.


In today's world, free trade is seen as a forgone conclusion in the march towards economic development. The origin of free trade agreements rests in the neoliberalist surge of the twentieth century based upon finding a middle ground between central planning and laissez-faire capitalism. As the twentieth century progressed, neoliberalism and the ideas associated with it fell more to the side of laissez-faire capitalism. Free trade agreements between developed and developing countries demonstrate a play of power on behalf of the developed countries that seems unfair. There are stories that are not told about free trade agreements. Economic data analysis in the years since the implementation of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) demonstrates the inequality that exists in the creation of free trade agreements between developed countries—in this case the United States—and developing countries like Guatemala. Acknowledgements I will be eternally grateful to the people of Guatemala who welcomed me with open arms: to everyone at Trama Textiles and PLQ, thank you for allowing your history to become a part of me. In addition, I could not have completed this without the support of so many faculty and staff at the University of Dayton, especially Dr. Dasgupta. Thank you.


Purpose – A brownfield site is well described by various definitions and the idea to redevelop it is supported by identifying numerous benefits for the society. Further, the existing literature covers a broad range of different aspects of the brownfield redevelopment thus elaborating different features. At present, there is no overview of the brownfield features from the real estate development perspective focusing on the physical, legal and financial aspects of a site and property. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – At first, this paper contributes with the literature survey after which the features were structured according to the real estate development perspective. Additionally, the authors distinguish different expert groups and show the importance of keeping apart their aggregated opinions. Fuzzy Delphi technique is considered as an excellent method to gather such diverse panel data since it supports expert diversity in its procedure and calculation. Additionally, ...


Low-temperature transport experiments on a quantum point contact under the influence of a scanning gate are reported. The scanning gate is the metallic tip of a scanning force microscope operating at a temperature of 300mK. In particular, the influence of the scanning tip on conductance resonances observed in the gate-characteristics of the point contact is studied. The strongest conductance resonances appear to be related to the local potential within the channel of the point contact. As a consequence, the point contact with its conductance resonances can be used as a sensor for the local tip-induced potential. r 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 07.20.Mc; 73.63.!b


We investigate the occurrence of multicritical points under pressure and magnetic field in a model that describes two 5f bands (of either $\alpha$ or $\beta$ characters) which hybridize with a single itinerant conduction band. The 5f-electrons interact through Coulomb and exchange terms. The AF order parameter is a Neel vector, which is assumed to be fixed by an Ising anisotropy. The applied magnetic field is transverse to the anisotropy axis. Without field, our results for the temperature - pressure phase diagram show that, at low temperatures, a first-order phase transition occurs between two distinct antiferromagnetic phases, AF$_1$ and AF$_2$, as the pressure is increased. The two phases are characterized by the gaps of bands $\alpha$ and $\beta$ given by $\Delta_{\alpha}$ and $\Delta_{\beta}$, respectively. The AF$_1$ phase occurs when $\Delta_{\beta}>\Delta_{\alpha}>0$, while in the AF$_2$ phase, the gaps satisfy $\Delta_{\alpha}>\Delta_{\beta}>0$. The application of a magnetic field produces a drastic change in the phase diagram. The AF1 and AF2 phases separate with the latter acquiring a dome shape which is eventually suppressed for large values of the applied field. The evolution of the phase diagram under pressure, without and with magnetic field, shows the presence of multicritical points. Our results show that the evolution of these multicritical points by the simultaneous application of pressure and field is also drastic with the suppression of some multicritical points and the emergence of others ones. We believe that these results may have relevance for the growing field of multicritical points (classical and quantum) in the physics of Uranium compounds.


Summary and Conclusions Biopsy preparations of pectoral and gastrocnemius muscles from normal and genetic dystrophic chicks, and from chickens developing myopathy following diets deficient in vitamin E and sulfuramino acids, were examined histologically; serial sections were prepared to demonstrate activity of several glycolytic and oxidative enzymes. Histological and histochemical characteristics of genetic and nutritional myopathies are similar in pectoral and gastrocnemius muscles, but more intense in the former. Coagulation necrosis attacks individual fibers or portions of fibers in the earlier stages of the disease. Before other histological alterations appear, white fibers enlarge and manifest the oxidative enzyme characteristics of red muscle fibers. Apparently, muscle fibers early in the myopathic process contain more enzymes, both oxidative and glycolytic, than do the normal muscle fiber. With the development within a muscle fiber of coagulation necrosis, reactions for both oxidative and glycolytic enzymes are diminished or completely absent. The early and extensive vulnerability of the pectoral muscle of chickens for dystrophic change is an index of its high white fiber content. With reference to enzyme activity in the muscle fibers undergoing myopathic changes, apparently two processes occur during the process: at first some enzymes are increased in amount; then when necrosis occurs, various enzymes examined in this study are lost from the damaged fibers.


We have studied the behavior of thermoelectric properties of Bi0.88Sb0.12 polycrystalline samples grown by solid state reaction method. The electrical and thermal properties of the samples were obtained by Seebeck coecient S(T), electrical resistivity ‰(T) and thermal conductivity •(T) measurements as a function of temperature, in the temperature range between 77 and 300K. From S(T), ‰(T)


The parasitic association between water mites ( Arrenurus spp.) and Odonata is virtually ubiquitous wherever habitats suitable for both taxa exist.  Yet, very little is known about this association within and among the odonate species of India.  Here, we present a report on this parasitic relationship in the population of odonates of Wena Dam of Central India observed during the years 2011 and 2012. Of the 376 odonates collected for observation, 35(9.3%) individuals belonging to seven species ( Acisoma panorpoides, Brachydiplax sobrina, Ceriagrion coromandelianum, Crocothemis servilia, Diplacodes trivialis, Neurothemis tullia tullia, Trithemis pallidinervis ) were found to be parasitized by the Arrenurus spp. mites.  The mites were found attached to the undersurface of the thorax and abdomen. In all the cases, the thorax was found infested while only in seven individuals the abdomen as well as the thorax was found infested with mites.  A maximum number of mites on an individual dragonfly was in C. servilia (293) followed by T. pallidinervis (134) while the highest parasitic load per individual host species was found in T. pallidinervis (70.25%) followed by C. servilia (32.6%).  The average parasitic load per individual female and male was 39.77 and 8.9, respectively.


The lensing and Einstein ring at the core of the galaxy cluster Abell 3827 are reproduced in the modified gravity theory MOG. The estimated effective lensing mass $M_L=(1+\alpha)M_b=5.2\times 10^{12} M_\odot$ within $R=18.3$~kpc for a baryon mass $M_b=1.0\times 10^{12} M_\odot$ within the same radius produces the observed Einstein ring angular radius $\theta_E=10''$. A detailed derivation of the total lensing mass is based on modeling of the cluster configuration of galaxies, intracluster light and X-ray emission. The MOG can fit the lensing and Einstein ring in Abell 3827 without dark matter as well as General Relativity with dark matter.


The source, availability, and use of antimalarial drugs in a rural community in the Kibaha district of Tanzania were assessed. Using questionnaires, the heads of households and mothers/guardians of children under five years of age in 1000 randomly selected households were interviewed, and an inventory of antimalarials at all drug stores and shops in the area was carried out. The majority of the drugs stocked by both households and mothers/guardians were antimalarials, exclusively chloroquine. Only 20.1% of the mothers/guardians knew the correct pediatric dose regimen of the chloroquine syrup which they stocked the most. In contrast, 70.4% of the mothers/guardians stated the correct adult dose of chloroquine tablets. They had significantly (p < 0.025) higher mean ages than those who stated the dose incorrectly. Similarly, 78.6% of heads of households stated the correct adult dose of chloroquine tablets, and those with more education had better knowledge of dose regimens (p < 0.001). Drug stores were the main sources of malaria treatment for both the heads of households (72.2%) and the mothers/guardians (89.4%). Lack of drugs at public health facilities, as stated by more than 85.6% of the mothers /guardians, is a possible reason for this. Only four of the drug store sellers had professional training. Most malaria treatment in children occurs in the home and, thus, poor knowledge of pediatric chloroquine regimen by the mothers/guardians is of great concern. A simplified dose regimen, particularly the pediatric formulation for mothers/ guardians with limited education, should be developed. As these caregivers interact with the public and private health facilities, the quality of malaria management, including instructions given to them, needs to be assessed.


The invention relates to mixtures comprising one or more phthalocyanine dyes of formula I wherein CuPc is the radical of a Cu-phthalocyanine dye, A is an optionally substituted, linear or branched C2-C6-alkylene group, R1 and R2 independently of one another, are hydrogen or optionally substituted, linear or branched C1-C6-alkyl, M is hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, ammonoium or substituted ammonium, x and y is 1 to 3, with the provision that the sum of x + y is 3 to 4, and; one or several azo dyes of formula II: wherein R3 is hydrogen, methyl or methoxy, M independently of each other, has one of the meanings given in formula I, a is 1 or 2, and b is 0 or 1, n is 1 or 2, and m is 0 or 1, with the provision that when n equals 1, m equals 1, and when n equals 2, m equals 0, and stable, salt-free or low-in-salt formulations of such dyestuff mixtures, production processes thereof and use thereof. The dyestuff mixtures can be formulated as an ink-jet printing liquid. Cellulosic materials such as paper and pulp, cellulose, regenerated cellulose and cotton when dyed with these dyestuff mixtures give clear, neutral-blue shades with high brilliance, excellent light- and wet-fastness, and simultaneously very good non-staining of the back-water, without the need of a fixing step. The formulations of the dyestuff mixtures are notable for their excellent storage-stability.


Studying geological fluids mixing systems allows to understand interaction among water sources. The Hug model is an interaction point process model that can be used to estimate the number and the chemical composition of the water sources involved in a geological fluids mixing system from the chemical composition of samples Reype (2022); Reype et al. (2020, 2022). The source detection using the Hug model needs prior knowledge for the model parameters. The present work shows how the parameter estimation method known as the ABC Shadow algorithm Stoica et al. (2021, 2017) can be used in order to construct priors for the parameters of the Hug model. The long term perspective of this work is to integrate geological expertise within fully unsupervised models.


The optimal scheme of agricultural industrial structure adjustment was selected with the advanced assessment method of DEA(Date Envelopment Analysis).Based on the DEA models,the ultimate reason for not DEA efficient was analyzed,the approach to improve theses optional schemes was clarified.Finally,a new method was proposed to select the optimal scheme.The research is significant to the practice of agricultural industrial structure adjustment.


This study investigates the efficacy of miltefosine, alkylphospholipid, and alkyltriazolederivative compounds against leukemia lineages. The cytotoxic effects and cellular and molecular mechanisms of the compounds were investigated. The inhibitory potential and mechanism of inhibition of cathepsins B and L, molecular docking simulation, molecular dynamics and binding free energy evaluation were performed to determine the interaction of cathepsins and compounds. Among the 21 compounds tested, C9 and C21 mainly showed cytotoxic effects in Jurkat and CCRF-CEM cells, two human acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) lineages. Activation of induced cell death by C9 and C21 with apoptotic and necrosis-like characteristics was observed, including an increase in annexin-V+propidium iodide−, annexin-V+propidium iodide+, cleaved caspase 3 and PARP, cytochrome c release, and nuclear alterations. Bax inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK, pepstatin, and necrostatin partially reduced cell death, suggesting that involvement of the caspase-dependent and -independent mechanisms is related to cell type. Compounds C9 and C21 inhibited cathepsin L by a noncompetitive mechanism, and cathepsin B by a competitive and noncompetitive mechanism, respectively. Complexes cathepsin-C9 and cathepsin-C21 exhibited significant hydrophobic interactions, water bridges, and hydrogen bonds. In conclusion, alkyltriazoles present cytotoxic activity against acute lymphoblastic lineages and represent a promising scaffold for the development of molecules for this application.


A multicasting photonic switch reconfigurable in 50 ns is demonstrated utilizing acousto-optic Bragg cells at lambda =0.83 mu m. Crosstalk of -20 dB and an extinction ratio of -30 dB have been measured. Theoretical calculations indicate a maximum switch size of 20*20 and an insertion loss of 11 dB.


Mount St. Hilaire is an approximately 10km/sup 2/ alkaline plutonic complex in the Monteregian Hills province of Quebec. The complex consists of an older western half of alkali gabbros with cumulate lithologies, and a younger eastern portion of nepheline syenites an d magmatic breccias. The intrusives were emplaced at depths of no more than a few kilometers into Paleozoic sedimentary rocks through the underlying Grenville basement. Sr and Nd isotopic measurements indicate a primary magma with /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr of 0.7032 and /sup 143/Nd//sup 144/Nd of 0.51274, suggesting a depleted mantle source. While excess argon is not a common problem in such geologic settings, conventional K/Ar and /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar analyses show the presence of small but significant quantities (up to 9 x 10/sup -11/ mol/g) of excess /sup 40/Ar in amphibole, pyroxene, and feldspar separates from several units. Excess Ar is revealed by anomalously old dates and /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar spectra. In contrast, biotite yields consistent ages and concordant spectra which define the age and limit the time span of emplacement. Four biotite separates yield average /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar ages of 124.3 to 124.6, with a mean of 124.5 m.y. for the age of Hilaire. The source of argonmore » is uncertain; it could have been present in the initial magma or been derived by outgassing of older crustal rocks. Results for some other Monteregian intrusives also indicate that the phenomenon of excess argon may be more widespread in such complexes.« less


Glomerular crescents are most common in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis but also occur in non‐inflammatory chronic glomerulopathies; thus, factors other than inflammation should trigger crescent formation, eg vascular damage and plasma leakage. Here we report that Alport nephropathy in Col4A3‐deficient Sv129 mice is complicated by diffuse and global crescent formation in which proliferating parietal epithelial cells are the predominant cell type. Laminin staining and transmission and acellular scanning electron microscopy of acellular glomeruli documented disruptions and progressive disintegration of the glomerular basement membrane in Col4A3‐deficient mice. FITC‐dextran perfusion further revealed vascular leakage from glomerular capillaries into Bowman's space, further documented by fibrin deposits in the segmental crescents. Its pathogenic role was validated by showing that the fibrinolytic activity of recombinant urokinase partially prevented crescent formation. In addition, in vitro studies confirmed an additional mitogenic potential of serum on murine and human parietal epithelial cells. Furthermore, loss of parietal cell polarity and unpolarized secretion of extracellular matrix components were evident within fibrocellular crescents. Among 665 human Alport nephropathy biopsies, crescent formation was noted in 0.4%. We conclude that glomerular vascular injury and GBM breaks cause plasma leakage which triggers a wound healing programme involving the proliferation of parietal cells and their loss of polarity. This process can trigger cellular and fibrocellular crescent formation even in the absence of cellular inflammation and rupture of the Bowman's capsule. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Cobalt impregnated zeolite-modified electrode was prepared by mixing cobalt–zeolite (Co–Z) and graphite powder with different percentages. Using the cyclic voltammetric technique, the electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen peroxide at such electrodes was investigated. Experiments on zeolite show that it is not electrochemically active towards hydrogen peroxide oxidation in NaOH solution. The presence of cobalt ions in the zeolite matrix, by soaking the electrode in an aqueous Co(NO 3)2 solution, markedly enhances the electrocatalytic activity which was found to depend on the cobalt content. On the other hand, the presence of zeolite and/or Co metals in the catalyst is essential; however, the electro-catalytic activity depends on different percentages of Co–Z. Under the selected conditions, the anodic peak current was linearly dependent on the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide in the range 0.03–9 and 0.006-0.1 mM with CV and amperometric methods, respectively. The detection limits (S/N=3) were also estimated to be 17 and 2.5 µM.


The purpose of this study was to develop a Korean infant-toddler developmental scale and to examine the demographic variables and infant-toddler development. The subjects were 167 mothers who have infant and toddler from 1 to 36 months of age in Seoul, Daejeon, Chungju, Yeasan, and llsan in Korea. T...


Background.  Psoriasis is a multifactorial disease affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Several comorbid conditions, such as smoking, depression and obesity have been found to be associated with psoriasis. This study addressed the association of psoriasis and obesity using same‐gender full siblings as controls, correlating between body mass index (BMI) and severity of psoriasis as determined by body surface area (BSA) and the Physician's Global Assessment (PGA).


ABSTRACT: Since 9/11, the United States has waged a new brand of financial war against rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and criminal syndicates. By leveraging American global economic predominance, the US has isolated such actors from the financial system. The domain of financial warfare, however, is now no longer the sole province of the US and presents challenges from enemies and competitors. (1) ********** On 8 October 2012, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly bemoaned that the Iranian economy was under direct economic assault, with oil sales cut, bank transfers banned, and the value of the Iranian rial and foreign currency reserves plummeting. He admitted plainly, "The enemy has mobilized all its forces to enforce its decision, and so a hidden war is underway, on a very far-reaching global scale.... [W]e should realize that this is a kind of war through which the enemy assumes it can defeat the Iranian nation." (2) He was right. Over the past decade, the United States waged a new brand of financial warfare, unprecedented in its reach and effectiveness. This "hidden war" has often been underestimated or misunderstood, but it is no longer secret and has since become central to America's national security doctrine. In a series of economic pressure campaigns, the United States financially squeezed and isolated America's principal enemies of this period--al Qaeda, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Far from relying solely on the classic sanctions or trade embargoes of old, these campaigns have consisted of a novel set of financial strategies that harness the international financial and commercial systems to ostracize rogue actors and constrict their funding flows, inflicting real pain. America's enemies have realized they have been hit with a new breed of financial power. And they have felt the painful effects. Al Qaeda has found it harder, costlier, and riskier to raise and move money around the world and has had to adapt to find new ways to raise capital for its movement. The documents found in Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, reflect a terrorist leader and movement in search of new sources of money. This development was not new--from 9/11 on, the movement struggled to maintain its core financing. In statement after statement--intended for donors and sometimes only for internal consumption--al Qaeda admitted that it has been choked financially. In a 9 July 2005 letter to Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Ayman al-Zawahiri, then al Qaeda's number two, asked for money, noting that "many of the lines [of financial assistance] have been cut off." (3) The campaign against North Korea had a direct and immediate impact. In the wake of financial pressure unlike any the regime had seen while under international sanctions, North Korea found its bank accounts and illicit financial activity in jeopardy. A North Korean deputy negotiator at the time quietly admitted to a senior White House official, "You finally found a way to hurt us." (4) The Iranians, too, have suffered the economic effects of a targeted financial assault. On 14 September 2010, former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani urged the Iranian Assembly of Experts to take seriously the painful sanctions and financial pressures imposed by the United States and the international community. "Throughout the revolution," he said, "we never had so many sanctions [imposed on Iran] and I am calling on you and all officials to take the sanctions seriously." (5) The journalist Moises Naim opined that the financial pressures on Iran "are biting, the sanctions are very very powerful. They are the most sophisticated economic and financial sanctions imposed on a country ever." (6) All of these assaults derive from a blueprint for financial warfare developed years ago by the United States. It is defined by the use of financial tools, pressure, and market forces to leverage the banking sector, private-sector interests, and foreign partners to isolate rogue actors from the international financial and commercial systems and eliminate their funding sources. …


CHANGE HAS BEEN FOUND in the appearance A of the cells of the deep epithelial layers of the vagina and cervix that may be an index of radiation sensitivity in both animals and patients with cervical cancer. This paper describes this cellular phenomenon and discusses its potential importance.


This paper is an updated guide for newly minted PhDs entering the academic finance job market for the first time. We describe the institutional details of how this labor market works and what rookies need to know to improve their chances of getting the right job. We give advice for application materials, conferences, interviews, and fly-outs. We discuss job offers and what to do if a job seeker does not get one. Our advice complements strategy discussions between students and their advisors and empowers students to ask better questions of their advisors.


The present study was developed with the focus on investigating the lack of motivation that affects the development in English speaking skill in the students of ninth grade from Ruben Dario School, Susuli Central San Dionisio during the second semester 2016.
The purpose is to determine the lack of motivation in the English speaking skill. The importance of this research is to provide teacher with new techniques and activities such as: role plays, drills, peer and self assessment and strategies such as: reading disccusion, active learning, cooperative learning, integrating technology, to keep on improving the the lack of motivation in the process of teaching and learning a foreign language in high school, and involve motivation influence in the learning process.
The present study presents factors that affect the development of the English speaking skill into the classroom, the lack of resources such as: computers, tv, dvd, flashcards, and the teachers strategies, are factors that affect in a negative way the process of learning in the students as well as the traditionalism of the teacher, since the class tends to become boring and traditional opposed to the modern teaching where a lot of teaching strategies and new techniques are put into practice, for a dynamic an effective learning in students of foreign language


The focus of this article is the struggle over Jewish tithes in medieval Iberia. In the analysis of this subject the author seeks to situate the apparent decline in Jewish status within the context of the struggle over power and resources that took place between the church and the various peninsular monarchies. He argues that the relationship between the Jews, the crown, and the church owes far more to the developments in Iberian political and economic life due to the success of the reconquest than it does to any broader European movement toward persecution and exclusion. The article also suggests that the subject of Jewish tithing offers a new vantage point for studying the development and relationship of royal and ecclesiastical institutions.


Compound F had no selective narcotic to armyworm, imported cabbageworm caterpillar (Pieris rapae) and cutworm (Agrotis ypsilon) .Compared with the control larvae,the rate of heart beat of armyworm larva was decreased, and its respiratory oxygen uptake was decreased by F. The content of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) in the larva narcotized by F increased by 73-7% and 192.3%. Compound F was inferred to affect the nervous transmiission of synapse in which GABA is regarded as the nervous transmitter.