IN THE past decade various types of grafts have been used in middle-ear surgery. The advent of tympanoplasty procedures encouraged the use of Thiersch and full-thickness tympanoplasty autografts. Recent developments in stapes surgery for otosclerosis have included mobilization of the stapes and interposition of various types of autografts between the footplate and the fenestra vestibuli. Tissues chosen for this work have included buccal mucosa, conjunctiva, vein wall and fat, but they have not been generally accepted. Search has continued for a tissue which will resist infection, have a sufficient tensile strength and yet be thin enough to conduct sound. The idea of using peritoneum as a homograft for this type of procedure was suggested by the work of Shackman, who demonstrated that peritoneum could be transplanted from one rat's peritoneal cavity to another's, and the graft was accepted by the host without any antigenic reaction. He carried out extensive experiments and showed that the donor area of peritoneum survived in the host, becoming later indistinguishable from the host's own peritoneum.


The 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 mandates that patients have access to their clinical notes, labs, and imaging through electronic portals and requires information sharing among healthcare entities. We provide practical tips to healthcare professionals on best practices in documenting substance use in the era of transparent electronic medical records, as well as provide guidance on the application of the Cures Act information blocking exceptions for their patients who use substances.


In order to improve the stability of the removal function for aspheric surface and realizes its machining. A polishing tool based on non-Newtonian fluid (silly putty) is designed. The influence of shear stress of silly putty in polishing tools on the pressure distribution on the aspheric surface is analyzed. According Preston equation, the removal function of non- Newtonian fluid polishing tool is optimized theoretically based on its surface pressure distribution with the polishing tool executing a planetary motion of the polishing tool. The influence of the structure, materials and driving mode of polishing tool on the removal function shape was analyzed. Then, the polishing tool was improved and the marks on the removal spot were removed. The effect of filling rat io of silly putty and process parameters on removal function was studied by experiments. A method of obtaining stable removal function based on non-Newtonian fluid polishing tools is presented.


Endothelium‐dependent cutaneous vasodilation (VD) is attenuated in essential hypertensive (HTN) humans. Using spectral analysis (fast Fourier transformation) we aimed to characterize vasomotion in laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) recordings during local heating (LH)‐induced VD before and after inhibition of nitric oxide (NO)‐dependent signaling (NOS‐I: L‐NAME) in HTN and normotensive (NTN) humans. We hypothesized that HTN would have lower total power spectral densities (PSD), and in the frequency intervals (FI) associated with endothelial and neurogenic vascular control. LDF recordings during LH experiments from 18 HTN (MAP: 108±2mmHg) and 18 NTN (MAP: 88±2mmHg) men and women were analyzed. LH‐induced VD increased total PSD for all FI (all p<0.001). HTN had a lower total PSD (HTN:30±6AU2, NTN:14±3AU2, p=0.03) and neurogenic FI (HTN:6±1AU2, NTN:17±3AU2, p<0.01) versus NTN. As a percentage of total PSD, HTN had reduced neurogenic (HTN:41±3%, NTN:51±1%, p<0.001) and higher myogenic contributions (HTN:29±3%, NTN:24±1%, p=0.04) to the total spectrum. NOS‐I decreased total PSD (p<0.001) for both groups, but HTN exhibited lower endothelial (p<0.01), neurogenic (p<0.05), and total PSD (p<0.001) compared to NTN. These data suggest that HTN results in altered neurogenic and NO‐dependent control of skin vasomotion and support the use of spectral analysis as a non‐invasive technique to study vasoreactivity.


The echiuran Prashadus pirotansis is redescribed from new material collected in the Arabian Gulf. The description greatly amplifies that of Menon & Datta Gupta (1962) and reveals an error in their original description of this species. Information is provided on habitat, zonation and feeding activities.


Abstract A significant contribution that teacher education can make is to prepare preservice teachers to integrate. This action research addressed four questions: Will integrating Classroom Management and Wednesday Field Experience increase teacher knowledge and their ability to connect theory with practice? Will preservice teachers develop strong "teacher voices" and explain why they will or will not use certain strategies, activities and/or ideas in their own classrooms? Will preservice teachers begin to understand the importance of Action Research and how it can be used to improve their own teaching? Will the Action Research Form, that was developed help these preservice teachers become more knowledgeable about themselves and the teaching profession, work? This was a qualitative action research study. Twenty-seven preservice teachers wrote weekly reflections on topics they observed while in their assigned elementary classrooms. The results demonstrate the applicability of this approach.


Describes the use of tapping actuators in a "micropositioning cell." Tapping actuators are fixed (both in position and orientation) about the perimeter of the cell. A part in the cell can be precisely positioned by firing a sequence of tapping actuators (sensing the position of the object after each tap for feedback control). Such a system could be used for micropositioning tasks or in parts feeding applications. We show the controllability of this system for circular parts, describe an algorithm to position these objects, and present the results of simulated experiments. We conclude with some future directions and address the issues in extending this work to more efficient algorithms that work on a broader class of parts.


What follows is a brief introduction to the formulation of the Common European Asylum System. The formulation of common policies on asylum at the European level is driven by an assumption that the movement of asylum applicants is determined by "pull factors", i.e. policies deemed attractive to asylum seekers, who are perceived as rational actors deciding on their destination countries according to these factors. European policy-makers believed that the controlling of these pull factors would reduce the numbers of asylum seekers in any particular Member State. However, the danger is that competition in the asylum field will lead to a "race to the bottom" in terms of protective policies, with all States desiring to reduce the total number of asylum seekers on their territories. In order to claim asylum in an EU country, an individual must either reach the territory of a Member State or be within its jurisdiction. Strict border controls and entry requirements mean that asylum seekers most often have to enter illegally in order to lodge their claims. Member States employ administrative bodies to hear the claims of asylum seekers and different procedures may be used with regard to claims made at the border. Procedure in examining the case differs according to whether the case is deemed admissible, inadmissible or unfounded. The EU Procedures Directive relates to the issue of access to asylum procedures and the measures to be in place with regard to asylum determination. Article 25 of the Procedures Directive catalogues eight instances where Member States may consider an asylum claim "inadmissible" including where a "non-EU State is considered a "safe third country"". If an individual lodging an asylum application in a destination State is found to have originated from, or passed through, a so-called "safe country", her claim may be left undetermined and she becomes liable to return to that "safe country". It is clear from these provisions that the Procedures Directive, in designating no less than 15 permissible grounds for accelerating procedures, in leaving Member States with broad discretion as to the interpretation and application of the provisions, in including those grounds based on the "safe country" concept also as inadmissibility grounds results in legal ambiguity and will likely lead to the adoption of diverse practices and possibly inadequate levels of protection across the Union. It has been argued that due to the flexibility in application of the Directive attributed to Member States, that it is "of dubious utility as a harmonisation instrument". It fails even to facilitate institutional harmonisation in allowing Member States to create a number of different bodies responsible for processing claims . It has been suggested that "only one EU measure comes close to adding a pan-European dimension to dealing with asylum claims: the Dublin II regulation". The Dublin Regulation is the central binding EU instrument for the implementation of the "safe third country" concept, incorporating the Dublin Convention, agreed at Schengen, into EU legislation. The Dublin Convention established the rules for the determination of the Member State responsible for hearing the claims of asylum seekers, and is founded on the notion that this responsibility lies with the first Member State with which the asylum applicant establishes contact, whether by the issue of a transit visa, the legal presence of a close family member, or in the absence of these, the first physical contact with the territory. State Parties are required


The feasibility of the generation of detonation waves moving periodically across high speed channel flow is experimentally demonstrated. Such waves are essential to the concept of compressing requirements and increasing the engine pressure compressor with the objective of reducing conventional compressor requirements and increasing the engine thermodynamic efficiency through isochoric energy addition. By generating transient transverse waves, rather than standing waves, shock wave losses are reduced by an order of magnitude. The ultimate objective is to use such detonation ducts downstream of a low pressure gas turbine compressor to produce a high overall pressure ratio thermodynamic cycle. A 4 foot long, 1 inch x 12 inch cross-section, detonation duct was operated in a blow-down mode using compressed air reservoirs. Liquid or vapor propane was injected through injectors or solenoid valves located in the plenum or the duct itself. Detonation waves were generated when the mixture was ignited by a row of spark plugs in the duct wall. Problems with fuel injection and mixing limited the air speeds to about Mach 0.5, frequencies to below 10 Hz, and measured pressure ratios of about 5 to 6. The feasibility of the gas dynamic compression was demonstrated and the critical problem areas were identified.


Ultraviolet optical coatings employ wide bandgap dielectric materials due to their characteristic low absorption. High-reflectivity and antireflective coatings are essential for optical devices, which can be achieved by alternately depositing two dielectrics with different refractive indices. In this research, a multilayer high-reflectivity coating has been designed for middle UV wavelengths using Al2O3 and AlF3 layers on a sapphire (0001) substrate, and the initial two-layer structure has been fabricated by atomic layer deposition. The surface morphology and roughness of the coating was measured by atomic force microscopy after each deposition step. Ultraviolet spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry were used to characterize the optical performance of the single and multilayer coatings. Monochromatic x-ray photoemission spectroscopy was used to study the film composition, bonding, and impurities. A bilayer reflective coating was demonstrated, with a smooth surface (Rq < 1 nm) and peak reflectance of 25%−30% at a wavelength of 196 nm. The measured reflectance deviated from the simulations in the middle UV range, and an analysis of the AlF3 layer prepared by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition indicated the presence of Al-rich clusters, which were associated with the UV absorption. A thermal atomic layer deposition process for AlF3 deposition showed reduced absorption, which could be more effective for shorter wavelength designs.


This study investigate the impact of cabin service attributes on customer satisfaction and the recommendation using an online review data of air service users. The results of the analysis are summarized in some of the features, such as the following. First, as in the previous studies, the attributes of the cabin service affect customer satisfaction and recommendation. In customer satisfaction, seat comfort, face-to-face service of employees, food that has been provided, a relatively wide variety of attributes, air service price are taken into account. In the recommendation, such as face-to-face services of employees and air service prices, relatively limited attributes is found to have been considered. Secondly, in terms of seat grade, the business customers and the economy customer differ in consideration factor of customer satisfaction and recommendation. In the business customers, Value of the paid money is considered important to the recommendation and satisfaction. But the economy customer consider various attribute, such as value of the paid money, seat comfort, face-to-face service of employees, food that has been provided. Third, In terms of the magnitude of the impact, air service price is greater than the service of the employee on customer satisfaction. But the service of the employee is greater than air service price on recommendation.


This paper is a review of Italo Calvino's novel Invisible Cities (1974). Situated in the context of urban history research, this novel illustrated that both literary and academic works involve the construction of discourses. The intimate connectness of history and literature was illuminated by the intersection of multi-discourse and multi-reality of cities, and the foundation of their coalition resides in political actions through discursive battles. Through the reading of Invisible Cities, we may find out a new vision of urban history research.


This study provides guidelines for using EPRI`s PMOS model and provides examples of its use. PMOS and its underlying methodology are described in some detail. The data requirements and analysis process are described and illustrated through a fictional example. Finally, the analyses of several real projects using PMOS are described and the results of these analyses are presented. The study confirmed that the changes in operation of the modified unit need to be considered when evaluating the effects of unit modifications. A profitable modification that decreases operating costs may also lead to an increase in the unit`s energy output, and thereby significantly increase its value to the system. If only the cost savings were analyzed, the modification`s benefits would be underestimated. It has also been observed that modifications that only provide fuel cost savings over limited load ranges do not necessarily offer significant operating savings, especially if the unit typically operates over different loadings. This study provided valuable insight to the likely impacts of various unit modifications.


Figure 1: February 1984 (UV in May) eontinuum energy distribution otthe Quasar 3e 273 trom the radio wave (= 10 10 Hz) to the X-ray (= 10'8 Hz) domains. The data are given as erosses and the titted tunetion (see the text) as a eontinuous line. The best tit parameters implya large tar ultraviolet "bump" (interrupted line), whieh will need eontirmation with tuture instrumentation. was given in the Messenger in 1984 (ref.2). Several observations of 3C 273 in each of the spectral domains radio, mm, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, X-rays were performed each observing season (Oecember-July). They showed that there are at least 4 distinct cooling processes which dominate the continuum emission in the far infrared, near infrared, opticalultraviolet and X-ray domains respectively. That the information acquired in the different bands is not redundant is shown by the fact that flux variations are not correlated in any simple way in the different spectral domains. Our observations revealed that the flux observed in the different spectral domains varied with time in a complex and seemingly uncorrelated way: We observed an irregular decrease by a factor"'" 2 in the hard X-rays (2-10 keV, observed in EXOSAT's Medium Energy detectors) between Oecember 1983 and May 1984. The fastest flux variation during this period implies a change by a factor 2 in "'" 30 days in this spectral region. At the same epoch the soft Xrays ("'" 0.7 keV, observed in EXOSAT's Low Energy telescope) decreased by about 30 %, no comparable change was observed in any of the other bands. The long term behaviour of 3C 273 between 1984 and 1986 is characterized by a "'" 20 % increase in the ultraviolet flux, a nearly constant flux in the optical and


Transverse domain wall motion in strips with a series of nanobars placed perpendicularly on either side has been investigated systematically by micromagnetic simulation. Domain wall motion in strips is driven by electric current owing to the spin transfer torque effect. In a strip in contact with nanobars, a domain wall can withstand a high current density (above A/cm2) to maintain structural stability, but the domain wall velocity cannot be increased markedly. Domain wall motion in strips not in contact with nanobars can reach a higher speed under a relatively low current density. To examine the effects of nanobars on domain wall motion, the DW depinning energy and the Walker limit uw at different parameters are discussed systematically.


Sensor driven building management involves tasks like reducing and optimizing power consumption, monitoring the health of the building appliances, maintaining quality of the atmosphere in the building and tracking occupants in various parts of the building (useful for purposes such as building safety and emergency evacuation) to name a few. This demands observation of various influencing factors on a continuous/regular basis. We call these factors "facets of observability". One simple approach for observing these facets is to place sensors at all the nodes or locations which need to be monitored. However, installing numerous sensors in different parts of the building can a) be tedious and expensive b) cause inconvenience to the users c) increase the Return on Investment period and, d) affect the aesthetics of the building. These issues prompt us to ask the question, "What types of sensors are useful for building energy management and where do we deploy them in a building?" We argue that a sensor, suitable for observing a particular facet, may in turn help to infer other facets. This insight can be exploited to reduce the number of physical sensors deployed in a building. However, the location and type of sensors deployed must be chosen strategically. In this paper, we develop an approach based on these considerations and apply it to monitor various facets in different areas, including a smart classroom complex, in our building. We show that impressive reductions are possible in number of hard sensors needed without compromising on observability. A reduction of at least 48% in energy consumption is an added byproduct of the sensor based building management in our case study which has a fairly high energy consumption baseline.


A distorted wave description of inelastic scattering of nucleons from nuclei is formulated so that the microscopic content of the various ingredients can be made explicit. Special care is taken to ensure that physical processes are not overcounted as a consequence of the use of distorted waves in both the initial and final channels. Two attitudes to applications of the theory are taken. In the first, it is assumed that phenomenological distorted waves are employed and attention is focused upon the microscopic transition potential and the final distorted wave. Theoretically based recommendations for practical calculations of both these quantities are given. Secondly, we present a completely microscopic treatment wherein the truncations of the microscopic distorting potentials and the transition potential, at the single scattering level, are consistent with the underlying theoretical framework which links them. Our approach is designed to embody the distorted wave impulse approximation as a suitable lowest order result. Again, recommendations for practical calculations are given.


Helen Janiszewski and Shellie Radford outline the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy, highlighting that care and information must be personalised


A container is formed of a composite piece of material having at least two different facing fabrics or a flexible sheet material having facings of complementary colors and/or textures. The material is folded at midlength to form two equal sidewalls joined at the bottom and the sides to form an article containing portion. Two strap-loops extend upwardly from the article containing portion and include inwardly extending cutout areas along the outer edges and outwardly extending cutout areas along the inner edges. The strap-loops may be manipulated in various manners to provide for security to the contents.


Xu Qian is a representative of the study The Book of Songs in the early Yuan Dynasty.Shijizhuanmingwuchao achieved a high academic achievement.It adds a large number of commentaries of Yin Xun and Ming Wu for Shijingjizhuan.It also corrects a lot of mistakes for Shijingjizhuan.There are many innovative ideas in the Shijizhuanmingwuchao.It has a high reference value.Shijizhuanmingwuchao is very excellent in the Zhu Xi's academic clan factions,and it has a high academic value.


Background and objectives : Diabetes could cause disability and premature death. Therefore, blood glucose control in patients is important for preventing and slowing the progression of complications . Theobjective of this research wastostudy the effectsof health education program to develop behavior to control blood glucose. Methods: This research is quasi- experimental research by applying the theory of self-regulation and social support. The samples were 32 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They were received knowledge, training, modeling and social support from researchers, health team and caregivers. Results:  After experiment the experimental group had mean scores of knowledge, perceive of self-efficacy, outcome expectation and practice were higher significantly than before and comparison group (p< 0.05). Mean level of blood sugar was lower significantly than before and comparison group (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Health education program help patients develop their behavior on blood glucose control.


Featured Application This article is focused on a literature review to provide a valuable resource for understanding the latest developments in the Maintenance 4.0 approach. The conducted research will be helpful for many people, including maintenance managers, maintenance engineers, and researchers, who are interested in the issues of maintenance performance in the context of Industry 4.0 technologies implementation. The conducted literature review intends to introduce the readers to the major up-to-date theory and practice in Maintenance 4.0 main research directions. The presented study makes it possible to identify the thematic structure related to maintenance performance. In addition, it shows which topics from the studied scientific area are the most investigated in a given country/region. At the same time, the conducted analysis allowed the development of future research directions in the areas identified as research and knowledge gaps. Abstract Recently, there has been a growing interest in issues related to maintenance performance management, which is confirmed by a significant number of publications and reports devoted to these problems. However, theoretical and application studies indicate a lack of research on the systematic literature reviews and surveys of studies that would focus on the evolution of Industry 4.0 technologies used in the maintenance area in a cross-sectional manner. Therefore, the paper reviews the existing literature to present an up-to-date and content-relevant analysis in this field. The proposed methodology includes bibliometric performance analysis and a review of the systematic literature. First, the general bibliometric analysis was conducted based on the literature in Scopus and Web of Science databases. Later, the systematic search was performed using the Primo multi-search tool following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The main inclusion criteria included the publication dates (studies published from 2012–2022), studies published in English, and studies found in the selected databases. In addition, the authors focused on research work within the scope of the Maintenance 4.0 study. Therefore, papers within the following research fields were selected: (a) augmented reality, (b) virtual reality, (c) system architecture, (d) data-driven decision, (e) Operator 4.0, and (f) cybersecurity. This resulted in the selection of the 214 most relevant papers in the investigated area. Finally, the selected articles in this review were categorized into five groups: (1) Data-driven decision-making in Maintenance 4.0, (2) Operator 4.0, (3) Virtual and Augmented reality in maintenance, (4) Maintenance system architecture, and (5) Cybersecurity in maintenance. The obtained results have led the authors to specify the main research problems and trends related to the analyzed area and to identify the main research gaps for future investigation from academic and engineering perspectives.


It is gradually becoming obvious that the action of the middle ear muscles is extremely complex. From the early observation that they contract reflexly in the presence of sudden loud sound, subsequent work described mainly the means by which sound should be presented in order to elicit the reflex contraction. Among other things it was observed that this reflex is bilateral, and the theories to explain the purpose of this action ranged from that of an accommodatory mechanism as seen in the lens of the eye to that of a device for protecting the ear from damage through excessive sound. It was found, however, that some of the limitations in the manner of presenting tones to elicit the reflex sometimes brought on muscle activity which was not directly of a reflex nature. These different kinds of actions have been brought under study and described in such a way that it now appears there is much more to the activity of these muscles than merely a sudden total contraction upon the presentation of a loud sound.


This report explores two grant-administration issues specifically affected by the federal shutdown. It gives an overview of federal aid to state and local governments, characteristics of federal grants and methods for disbursing the funds, grant administration issues affected by a lapse in federal funding, and potential legislative options to reduce the impact of future government shutdowns.


. This is the write-up of a talk I gave at the Winter Symposium of the Royal Dutch Mathematical Society on January 9, 2021, which is to appear in the Dutch journal Nieuw Archief voor Wiskunde. It discusses my recent research paper [26] with Kosyak, Sofos and Zhang on finding cyclotomic polynomials with prescribed maximum coefficient and its connections with prime number theory.


Abstract : Though the United States has pledged to withdraw its combat forces from Iraq by the end of 2011, ethnic and sectarian fault lines will continue to divide the country. Tensions in northern Iraq-where Arab and Kurdish communities face off regarding disputes over land, resources, governance, and security-could easily, with the right catalyst, lead to armed conflict. The risk of violence is increased significantly by the presence of roughly 75,000 Kurdish peshmerga fighters and thousands of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in and around disputed areas. To prevent violence between Arabs and Kurds, U.S. forces have supervised a joint security architecture that includes representation from the ISF, Kurdish forces, and USF-I. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has also launched a range of CBMs to establish trust between the Arab and Kurdish communities and to defuse potential flash points. Continuing to contain Arab-Kurd tensions will require a neutral third-party arbitrator that can facilitate local CBMs, push for national-level negotiations, and prevent armed conflict between Iraqi and Kurdish troops. While U.S. civilian entities could help implement CBMs and mediate political talks, the continued presence of U.S. military forces within the disputed internal boundaries would be the most effective way to prevent violent conflict between Arabs and Kurds. This paper presents options for mitigating the risks of Arab-Kurd conflict both before and after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It discusses the feasibility of establishing a range of CBMs that can help Arabs and Kurds build trust and avoid local conflicts that could derail efforts to resolve Iraq's fundamental political challenges through negotiations. It also suggests mechanisms through which U.S. government entities-both civilian and military-could work to alleviate tensions in northern Iraq.


Time-evolving relationships between entities in many complex systems are captured by temporal networks, wherein detecting the network components, i.e., communities or subgraphs, is an important task. A vast majority of existing algorithms, however, treats temporal networks as a collection of snapshots, thus struggling with stability and continuity of detected communities. Inspired by an observation that similarly behaving agents tend to self-organise into the same cluster during epidemic spreading, we devised a novel community detection approach for temporal networks based on a susceptible-infectious-recovered-like (SIR-like) spreading process. Specifically, we used a Markov model of the spreading process to characterise each network node with a probability of getting infected, and subsequently recovering, when the infection starts from every other node in the network. This led to a similarity measure whereby nodes that easily infect one another are considered closer together. To account for network time evolution, we used communities from the preceding time step to modulate spreading in the current time step. Extensive simulations show that our technique outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in synthetic and real-world temporal networks alike.


A method for axenic tissue culture and callus formation of the marine brown alga Laminaria angustata were established for the first time. Axenic medullary tissues were obtained from the stipes of the sporoplytes by the punching method using cork borer. Callus tissues have been induced from the medullary tissues on ASP 12-NTA medium solidified with 1.0% agar. These cultures were maintained in an incubator at 14°C and illuminated with cool white fluorescent lamps at ca. 2000 1x with 14 hr light and 10 hr dark cycle. This method for tissue culture will contribute to advances in breeding and cultivation of Laminaria plants.


Preclinical models show that an antiangiogenic regimen at low‐dose daily (metronomic) dosing may be effective against chemotherapy‐resistant tumors. We undertook a prospective, open‐label, single‐arm, multi‐institutional phase II study to evaluate the efficacy of a "5‐drug" oral regimen in children with recurrent or progressive cancer.


This paper describes the design and simulation of a fourth-order Butterworth active bandpass filter designed for single-sided magnetic particle imaging (MPI) scanner. Bandpass filters (BPF) are used in MPI scanner set-up to attenuate the harmonic distortions generated by the power amplifier before passing the purely sinusoidal signal to the excitation (Drive) coils. The BPF is designed based on the excitation frequency of 22.8 kHz, having Butterworth response, and realized using Sallen-Key topology by cascading one second-order highpass filter and one second-order lowpass filter, with values of the passive components calculated using the coefficient matching method. MATLAB and NI Multisim software are used to simulate the filter, and the results are compared. The magnitude response obtained using MATLAB have monotonic amplitude response in the pass and stopband, and maximally flat with small ripples in the passband than the NI Multisim implementation, while NI Multisimimplementation has better roll-off than MATLAB implementation.


The durability assessment of additively manufactured parts needs to account for both surface-breaking material discontinuities and surface-breaking porosity and how these material discontinuities interact with parts that have been left in the as-built state. Furthermore, to be consistent with the airworthiness standards associated with the certification of metallic parts on military aircraft the durability analysis must be able to predict crack growth, as distinct from using a crack growth analysis in which parameters are adjusted so as to match measured data. To partially address this, the authors recently showed how the durability of wire arc additively manufactured (WAAM) 18Ni-250 maraging steel specimens, where failure was due to the interaction of small surface-breaking cracks with surface roughness, could be predicted using the Hartman–Schijve variant of the NASGRO crack growth equation. This paper illustrates how the same equation, with the same material parameters, can be used to predict the durability of a specimen where failure is due to surface-breaking porosity.


The thermodynamic, dynamic and structural relaxations of supercooled liquid and glassy Ni have been investigated using molecular dynamics simulations based on the embedded atom method. The glass transition temperature Tg is estimated to be 800 K by characterizing the pair correlation function, and the critical temperature Tc is 840 K according to the calculated diffusion constant. Three temperature regions can be observed as the temperature decreases: (a) in the temperature range 840 K≤T≤1000 K, crystallization of supercooled liquid occurs when the characteristic relaxation time is long enough to reach the incubation time τ; (b) a complicated region composed of partial crystal and glass will appear within the range 810 K≤T<840 K; and (c) glass crystallization can be detected as the temperature is below 810 K. Results for dynamic and structural relaxations indicate that not only the crystallization of supercooled liquid but that of the glass derive from the nucleation and growth of crystal nuclei, which relates closely to the structural rearrangements of atoms. A temperature–time-transformation schematic plot has been constructed based on the temperature dependence of the characteristic relaxation times.


Sir : We recently reported increased levels of phosphotyrosine in the glomerular epithelial cells of patients with nephrotic syndrome due to membranous glomerulonephritis. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is involved in the control of many intracellular processes, including cell proliferation and adhesion. Glomerular podocytes do not proliferate in membranous glomerulonephritis, but they do show dramatic ultrastructural evidence of changes in cell adhesion. We therefore sought to investigate the distribution of podocyte adhesion molecules by immunoelectron microscopy, but (like other groups) we failed because the relevant epitopes have extreme sensitivity to aldehyde fixatives. Towards the end of the project, we resorted to high resolution confocal scanning microscopy. Archival frozen material was not sufficiently well preserved for this purpose, but before the end of the project we did collect just one case of 'early' (stage 2) membranous glomerulonephritis with very severe nephrotic syndrome. The results in this one case are intriguing, but as we are not in a position to pursue the findings in the near future we request your permission to bring them to the attention of others who may be able to confirm or refute the result. Samples of renal cortex were placed in freezing isopentane within seconds of removal from the patient. Three controls were obtained from renal biopsies of patients with microscopic haematuria with no detectable proteinuria, in whom the biopsy was subsequently found to have no abnormality by conventional light microscopy, Histopathology 1999, 34, 553–563


We investigated human plasma fibrinogen (HPF) immobilization onto a planar sodium polystyrene sulfonate (NaPSS) brush in a protein aqueous solution. The saturated amount and time constant of the phenomenon were measured using time-resolved attenuated total reflection (ATR) UV absorption technique. The static and kinetic behavior were revealed to depend on the salt concentration in the protein solution. The results indicate that the immobilization is driven by the entropic effect and coulombic interaction, in contrast to previous reports for micellar PEB that the entropic effect is dominant. The immobilization mechanism identified in this work is independent of the molecular species and is applicable for any combination of protein and planar PEB with the same sign of charge in water, which is consistent with the nonspecific immobilization of proteins onto various PEB that has been reported to date.


Inflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic lesions of vascular walls. This concept, initially promoted by Ross [1], was confirmed by several lines of evidence in recent years. Components of the inflammatory system were found in the atheromatous plaque, a relation between lipid metabolism, endothelial damage and inflammation was pointed out, and progression or instability of cardiovascular disease is associated with a systemic inflammatory response. These findings directed attention towards interleukin (IL)-10 as one of the most important mediators that physiologically limits and down-regulates inflammation. Indeed, IL-10 proved to have several protective features acting against atherosclerotic disease. Interest in this cytokine was further strengthened by its role in patients with chronic renal failure, in whom a very high level of systemic inflammation is associated with an enormous burden of cardiovascular morbidity.


Objective To study the significance of reactive hyperglycemia in early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its prognostic value. Methods The heart function (Killip grade), rate of malignant arrhythmia and mortality of 206 cases of AMI were examined retrospectively based on whether the patients were AMI alone, or complicated with diabetes or hypertension. Results (1)Early reactive hyperglycemia was found in 48.2% patients of AMI without diabetes, preferred in female, in patients with anterior wall of infarction. (2) The level of reactive hyperglycemia was related to Killip's grades ( r =0.19, P 0.01), rate of malignant arrhythmia ( r =0.40, P 0.01), and in-hospital mortaliy. (3) The in-hospital mortality was highest in patients complicated with DM and HT, or DM, while lower in patients with HT, and lowest in patients of AMI alone. However, the mortality of AMI alone but with early hyperglycemia was higher than that without (25% vs 3.4%, P 0.05), and was almostidentical to that of patients complicated with DM and HT or with DM (25% vs 30.8% or 31.3%, P 0.05). Conclusion Hyperglycemia in early phase of acute myocardial infarction predicts worse prognosis. Intensive treatment in AMI patients with diabetes, hypertension and early phase hyperglycemia was strongly recommended.


Active learning and inquiry are generally promoted as important modes of learning (Bransford, Brown et al., 2003). In particular, there is a huge body of literature on inquiry and the 'nature of science' in secondary education (see for instance Bybee, 2002; Clough, 2002; Flick & Lederman, 2006; Jong, 2006; Linn, Davis et al., 2004; Linn, Lee et al., 2006; Lunetta, Hofstein et al., 2007; Reiser, Smith et al., 2001; Schwartz, Lederman et al., 2004; Slotta, 2004). Major elements of inquiry are scientificallyoriented questioning, prioritizing evidence, using evidence for explanations, connecting explanations to scientific knowledge, communication and justiabSTRaCT


Detection of potential cross-hybridization (or cross-reaction) between a short oligonucleotide sequence and a longer (unintended) sequence is crucial for many biological applications, such as selecting PCR primers, microarray nucleotide probes or short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In this paper, we propose a flexible framework for estimating the significance of siRNA off-target effects on untargeted transcripts (messager RNA, or mRNA) in the RNA interference (RNAi) process. The framework can also be extended to other applications with minor changes. We have developed and implemented a new homology sequence search framework – siRNA Off-target Search (SOS). SOS uses a hybrid, q-gram based approach, combining two filtering techniques using overlapping and non-overlapping q-grams. Our approach considers three types of imperfect matches based on biological experiments, namely G:U wobbles, mismatches, and bulges. The three main improvements over existing methods are: the introduction of a more general cost model (an affine bulge cost model) for siRNA-mRNA off-target alignment; the use of separate searches for alignments with and without bulges, that enables efficient discovery of potential off-target candidates in the filtration phase; and the use of position-preserving and order-preserving hit-processing techniques, that further improves the filtration efficiency. Overall, SOS achieves better performance, in terms of speed and recall/precision, than BLAST in detecting potential siRNA off-targets.


Heart is muscular organ of human body which pumps blood through circulatory system. Heart attack means fails to pump sufficient blood to human body. Now a day heart attack is becomes major issues of human burdens, because of number of heart attack patient increase among the population of INDIA. So to reduce the number of patient health monitoring system is introduced. Most of the people mainly spend their time by sitting on chair so chair is the location where health monitoring system is fixed. The person who sit on chair, sensor sense his signals of body and process this signal using signal processing technique and shows his electrocardiograph on screen, also alert the patient in case of abnormal condition appears.


ABSTRACT
Two new Salmonella serotypes were described. Culture 3018/64; serotype 48:g(p), z51:-; was isolated from a marine iguana and was assigned the name S. marina. Culture 3210/64; serotype 6, 7:1, w:1, 2; was isolated from the feces of a Gaboon viper and the name S. gabon was given to it.


A field-effect transistor is developed on PDMS microchannel to control flow in microfluidic chips by modifying the surface charge condition. By applying a gate voltage to one side of the microchannel wall, zeta potential at that side is altered, while the zeta potential at the other side is maintained at the original value. This non-uniform zeta potential results in a secondary electroosmotic flow in lateral direction, which is used for flow control in microchannel geometries. The flow control is observed both quantitatively and qualitatively at relatively low voltage (less than 50 [V]), and this local flow control is primarily due to the leakage current through the interface between PDMS and glass layers. To verify the experimental results, a leakage capacitance model is introduced to estimate the modified zeta potential for the straight channel case, and excellent agreement is obtained between the predicted and experimental zeta potential results.© 2006 ASME


The incidence of neovascularization in central serous chorioretinopathy recently increased probably because of the use of new tools, such as optical coherence tomography angiography, which allowed to identify the new vessels without any dye influence.


This paper deals with the measurement error of elevation angle for low-altitude target tracking with monopulse radars in the presence of multipath, which degrades the target tracking algorithms greatly. By means of the theoretical analysis and computer simulation based on real environment,we confirm that the fixed bias compensation can't solve some real scenarios' problem.Then we develop a novel compensation technique after the estimate of phase difference between direct and reflective path. Also, we can use it as a threshold to eliminate the peak error in the tracking stage. Complex monopulse ratio is utilized and the accuracy of tracking is improved,especially in some kinds of scenarios .


Abstract Context Therapeutic doxorubicin administration is restricted as this anticancer drug may be cardiotoxic. The traditional Chinese medicine qiliqiangxin has been approved for clinical treatment of chronic heart failure. Objective To explore the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of qiliqiangxin on doxorubicin-induced congestive heart failure (CHF) in rats. Materials and methods A CHF rat model was established via intraperitoneal DOX injections (2.5 mg/kg/week) for 6 weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to control, CHF, CHF + QL (1.0 g/kg/d), or captopril (3.8 mg/kg/d) treatment groups (n = 10) for 4 weeks. MicroRNA sequencing elucidated the molecular mechanisms of qiliqiangxin on doxorubicin-induced CHF in rats. Results Unlike in the CHF group, QL significantly reduced Bax:Bcl-2 (2.05 ± 0.23 vs. 0.94 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) and the levels of collagen I (0.19 ± 0.02 vs. 0.15 ± 0.01, p < 0.05), collagen III (0.19 ± 0.02 vs. 0.14 ± 0.02, p < 0.05), TGF-β1 (5.28 ± 0.89 vs. 2.47 ± 0.51, p < 0.05), Smad3 (1.23 ± 0.12 vs. 0.78 ± 0.09, p < 0.05), MMP-2 (0.89 ± 0.01 vs. 0.53 ± 0.05, p < 0.05), and TIMP-2 (0.24 ± 0.03 vs. 0.44 ± 0.03, p < 0.05). QL also upregulated TGF-β3 (0.65 ± 0.06 vs. 0.96 ± 0.10, p < 0.05) and Smad7 (0.09 ± 0.01 vs. 0.19 ± 0.023, p < 0.05). Moreover, Smad3 was a target of miR-345-3p. Discussion and Conclusions The beneficial effects of QL on DOX-induced CHF in rats are mediated by reduction in myocardial fibrosis, promotion of TGF-β3/Smad7, and inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3. QL may also modulate specific miRNAs. These results provide evidence that QL might be an effective treatment for DOX-induced CHF.


Summary 1.80; 95% CI 1.5 2.2;P heterogeneity 0.93) increased further for obesemen (2.4; 95% CI 1.9 3.2; P heterogeneity 0.35)when comparing to normal weight; correspondingrisk estimates were similar among women (foroverweight RR Summary 1.5; 95% CI 1.1 2.2;P heterogeneity 0.57 and for obesity 2.1; 95% CI1.4 3.2; P heterogeneity 0.94).Although adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagusand gastric cardia share several characteristics andare difficult in clinical practice to be distinguished,these tumors should be regarded as separate diseases[2]. Results from meta-analysis indicated that overallassociations with cardia cancer were heterogeneous,although stratification by study population providedhomogenous results for studies from the USAor from Europe. A high BMI ( 25 kg/m 2 ) waspositively associated with the risk of cardiaadenocarcinoma (RR Summary 1.5; 95% CI 1.31.8; P heterogeneity 0.38) for men and womenfrom the USA and Europe when comparing toBMIB25 kg/m 2 [1]. Stratified analysis showed thatBMI-adenocarcinoma association was strongest forcancers that were above 2 cm from the gastroeso-phageal junction and weakest in the gastric cardia. Ina recent prospective study of 41 295 people fromAustralia, not included in the above-presentedmeta-analysis, BMI 30 kg/m


A 38-year-old man presented to our emergency room with severe pain and inability to mobilize his right shoulder joint after a violent blunt trauma during his work. The humeral head was palpable anteriorly, with the loss of normal contour of the deltoid and acromion prominent posteriorly and laterally, as it occurs in the anterior shoulder dislocation. The shoulder was easily reduced on 1st attempt using 1.5 mg/kg intravenous fentanyl and 0.5 mg/Kg intravenous midazolam sedation in the emergency room. After the procedure, he complained of pain at the right humeral head, so we performed an X-Ray.


Literature MGlerial appearing below is thought to be of particular interest to Linacre Quarte rl y readers because of its moral, religious , or philosophic content. The medical literature constitutes the primary , but not the sole source of such material, In general, abstracts are intended to refle ct the substance of the original article. Contributions and commentsfrom readers are in vited. (£. G. La{oret, M. D., 170 Middlesex Rd. Chestnut Hill, M A 02167.


The business model approach in higher education gained traction in the 1980s when federal and state funding for universities and colleges began to decrease. Critics of this model contend that current funding structures undermine the mission of the higher education and negatively impact retention (Rabovsky 2012). As Astin (1997) suggested, the structure of the American college and university system is more complex than the concept of customer satisfaction and efficiency. Past research indicates that we have created an institutionalized uncaring of learning. The business model is broken, lacks resilience, and is not sustainable.


According to the invention is a reactor for the release of hydrogen from a hydrogen-bearing, liquid compound having a reactor vessel that contains at least one body with a metal support structure to which a solid, highly porous coating is applied, the substances catalytically active for the release of hydrogen includes from the liquid, hydrogen-bearing compound, characterized in that the body with a metal support structure is heated by means of a Joule self-heating or induction heating.


This paper examines the effect of exchange rate volatility for a set of three European countries, Germany, Sweden and the UK, on sectoral exports for the period 1973 q1-2010 q4. In addition to the standard deviation of moving average of the logarithm of the exchange rate, a new measure capturing unexpected fluctuation of the exchange rate is examined using the autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) modelling for co-integration. The results suggest that there exist a long-run co-integrating relationship between the exchange rate volatility and the level of exports for the sectors examined, in the UK and Germany, but it does not have an effect on the exports of Sweden.


Denise the Visitor Centre Manager explains who the clients are for the botanic gardens. She also gives a few examples of typical questions asked by clients and the types of information that can be given in response.


With the improvement of the level of grid intelligence, the distribution network, as the terminal of the power system, ensures the safety of the distribution room and has an important significance to the smooth operation of the grid. To be able to understand the operation condition of the secondary equipment in the distribution room in real-time and ensure the safe and stable operation of the distribution room, a method for sensing the secondary operation status of the distribution room is proposed. Firstly, the noise processing method based on the wavelet transform is proposed based on the environmental data and the operation data of the secondary equipment such as voltage and current in the distribution room, and then the time-frequency analysis method of the data characteristics of the secondary equipment is designed for the denoised data and transformed into the form of time-frequency diagram to extract the data features. Finally, a ResNet-based secondary equipment operation situational awareness model is proposed to determine the current operation status of the power distribution room by means of time-frequency graph classification. The analysis of the algorithm shows that the method can effectively sense the current secondary equipment operation status of the power distribution room and ensure that the power distribution room is in a smooth operation state.


ELEVEN oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annum L.) lines, CM 601 through CM 611 (Reg. no. GP-83 through GP-93) (PI 517949 through PI 517959), were released as germplasm on 29 July, 1987 by Agriculture Canada Research Branch, Research Station, Morden, Manitoba. The lines were selected for resistance to rust (incited by Puccinia helianthi Schw.) and to Verticillium wilt (incited by Vertidllium dahliae Kleb.) The fertility restoring lines CM 608, CM 609, and CM 610 were also selected for resistance to race 2 of downy mildew [incited by Plasmopara halstedii (Farl.) Berl. & Toni]. Agronomic criteria for selection included oil content (dry weight basis), self-compatibility, and early physiological maturity. Both CM 609 and CM 610 have recessive branching and are multi-headed, while the other 9 lines are all single headed. Comparative height, oil content, and days to flowering of the 11 lines are compared with that of HA 232 (Table 1). CM 601 (Reg. no. GP-83) is an S8 selection from CM 400, a line heterogeneous for rust resistance and agronomic characteristics (1). CM 601 is resistant to rust and to wilt, is of mid-early maturity and has high self-compatibility. The achenes are medium sized and black with grey stripes. CM 602 (Reg. no. GP-84) is an F6 selection from the cross CM 400/CM 338; both parental lines were heterogeneous for resistance to Verticillium wilt and/or rust (1,4). CM 602 is resistant to rust but segregates for resistance to wilt. The line is of mid-early maturity, and is moderately self-compatible. The achenes are black, medium sized, and resemble those of CM 601. CM 603 (Reg. no. GP-85) is an F6 selection from the cross CM 565/CM 338, of which CM 565 is an S4 selection from 'Armavirec'. CM 603 is resistant to both rust and wilt, has good self-compatibility and matures early. The achenes are medium sized, black with grey stripes and plump. CM 604 (Reg. no. GP-86) is an F6 selection from the cross CM 303//CM 565/CM 338. CM 303 is an S3 selection from 'VNIIMK 8931', which is also the source of HA 89. CM 604 is resistant to wilt but susceptible to rust. The line matures early and has good self-compatibility. The achenes are medium sized and black with faint grey stripes. CM 605 (Reg. no. GP-87) is an F6 selection from the cross CM 392/CM 447. Parental line CM 392 is an F3 selection from the cross CM 30RR/Smena, while CM 447 is derived from a gene pool composed of lines from various cultivars developed in the USSR (3). CM 30RR is a line derived from a Mennonite variety with rust resistance. CM 605 is resistant to both rust and wilt, has good self-compatibility, and is of mid-early maturity. The achenes are black with grey stripes. CM 606 (Reg. no. GP-88) is an S5 selection from CM 446, a sister line of CM 447 (3). CM 606 is resistant to rust, segregates for resistance to wilt, is of mid-early maturity, and has good self-compatibility. The achenes are medium sized and black with grey stripes. CM 607 (Reg. no. GP-89) is a composite of eight F4 plants from the cross 77AB/HA 301. The female parent is a dwarf accession in which short plant height is conditioned by recessive genes, while HA 301 was derived from a single S4 plant of 'Peredovik 304' (5). CM 607 is moderately susceptible to rust and segregates for resistance to wilt. The line is of late maturity and has good self-compatibility. The achenes are medium sized and black with faint grey stripes. CM 607 can be selected further for improved wilt resistance. CM 608 (Reg. no. GP-90) a sister line of CM 587 (2), is a fertility restorer line. CM 608 is moderately susceptible to rust, resistant to wilt, and resistant to downy mildew race 2. The line is of late maturity and has good self-compatiTable 1. Comparative height, oil content, and days to flowering of 11 oilseed sunflower germplasm lines and of HA 232.


We present a new method for the experimental determination of the top quark mass that is based upon the mean distance of travel of b hadrons in top quark events. The dominant systematic uncertainties of this method are not correlated with those of other methods, but a large number of events is required to achieve small statistical uncertainty. Large tt event samples are expected from Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron and the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We show that by the end of Run II, a single experiment at the Tevatron could achieve a top quark mass uncertainty of ∼ 5 GeV/c 2 by this method alone. At the CERN LHC, this method could be comparable to all others methods, which are expected to achieve an uncertainty of ∼1.5 GeV/c 2 per experiment. This new method would provide a useful cross-check to other methods, and could be combined with them to obtain a substantially reduced overall uncertainty.


This paper presents new methods on robust set invariance, set stabilizability, and set stabilization of Boolean control networks (BCNs) subject to arbitrary disturbance inputs. We approach these problems from a novel algorithmic perspective and develop more efficient algorithms that scale to moderately large networks. The predecessor concept in graph theory is first generalized to a robust predecessor (RP) of a state set to handle nondeterministic state transitions. A direct connection between RPs and a robust control invariant set (RCIS) is established. After that, a simple recursive elimination algorithm is developed to identify the largest RCIS quickly. A faster method is then proposed to check robust set stabilizability and attain time-optimal robust set stabilization. Compared with existing methods, our algorithms feature lower time complexity and reduce the running time dramatically, as demonstrated by case studies for two biological networks.


Portfolio optimization is a pertinent topic of significant importance in the financial literature. During the portfolio construction, an investor confronts two important steps: portfolio selection and portfolio allocation. This article seeks to investigate portfolio optimization based on the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) method applied on the Moroccan All Shares Index (MASI) historical stock log returns covering the period from 2 January 2013 to 27 October 2022 allowing us to build two portfolios: MST-Portfolio and MST-Portfolio 2. Portfolio selection was carried out for MST-Portfolio and MST-Portfolio 2, respectively, based on 63 stocks or using the Degree Centrality (DC) measure and portfolio allocation for both portfolios was carried through the use of the Inverse Degree Centrality Portfolio (IDCP). The obtained portfolios were compared with the Minimum Variance Portfolio (MV Portfolio) and Equal Weighting Portfolio (EW Portfolio) using centrality measures, diversification, and backtesting. According to the used indicators analysis, MST-Portfolio and MST-Portfolio 2 are the most well-performed and robust portfolios showing a good performance during the studied period, even during the COVID-19 crisis, and ensuring a good level of diversification. The findings demonstrate that both suggested methods can enhance portfolio performance, evidence that can help investors or active managers when optimizing their portfolios.


Melanolestes is a Nearctic and Neotropical genus of predatory reduviid bugs. It is revised and a diagnosis is given. The species up to date includes: M. argentinus Berg, M. degener Walker, M. morio Erichson, M picicornis StAl, M. picinus StAl and M. picipes (Herrich-Schaeffer) and all are redescribed. Three new species, M. goiasensis, M. lugens and M. minutus, are described. A key is presented and the main taxonomic characters (head, pronotum, scutellum, male and female genitalia) are illustrated. Distribution maps and a table with measurements and ratios are included.


The invention discloses a safety helmet with a dustproof mask. The safety helmet comprises a safety helmet body and a brim disposed on the periphery of the safety helmet body, and is characterized in that straps are arranged on two sides of the brim, the dustproof mask is connected to the middles of the straps on two sides and sequentially comprises a filter A, a bamboo charcoal adsorption layer and a filter layer B, and reinforcing ribs are arranged outside the safety helmet body. The safety helmet has the advantages that the dustproof mask can filter dust in the air, safety of constructors is guaranteed, and safety of the safety helmet is improved by the reinforcing ribs arranged on the safety helmet.


【Objective】To explore the efficacy of the arthroscopically assisted reduction and mini-invasive percu-taneous inter-fixation to the malleolus fracture of Danis-webber A/B type.【Methods】 16 patients with malleolus fracture(single joint) of Danis-webber A/B type were treated by the arthroscopically assisted reduction intra-visual-ization and mini-invasive percutaneous inter-fixation.According to what were observed in the joint space,the dam-aged ligament and the swelling synovium were resected or renovated,and the free cartilaginous fragments were ex-cised.And at the mean time the lesion of cartilage was performed using shaving.Then,with the help of the rod and kirschner wire,the displaced fracture was anatomically reduced and the kirschner wire or the hollow lag screw was placed to fix the fragment.【Result】Postoperative roentgenograms revealed that all the fractures were anatomically reduced according to the Burwell-Charnley criteria.The average follow-up period was 7.5 months,the kofoed func-tion assessed criteria evaluated the outcome that the 14 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good,the average score of all those cases was 93.5.Nobody reported pain or activity limitation.The postoperative activity returned to their pre-operation physical activity level.【Conclusion】The arthroscopy assisted reduction and mini-invasive per-cutaneous inter-fixation to the malleolus fracture of Danis-webber A/B type is an effective technology being worth to popularization for its mini-invasion,accurately reduction and less complication


Image denoising is an important pre-processing step in image analysis. Developing the denoising algorithm is a difficult task because information must be preserved while removing the noise from the images. In this paper, a new Decision Based Unsymmetric trimmed median filter using Euclidean distance measure is proposed for the removal of Salt and Pepper noise from a gray scale images. The proposed algorithm replaces the noisy pixel by trimmed median value of uncorrupted pixels which are having minimum Euclidian distance between processing pixel and surrounding pixels. When all the pixels are 0's and 255's then the noisy pixel is replaced by mean value. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the MDBUTMF using PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio). The proposed filter is experimented with different noise density in Lena image, Left iris image, Right iris image and Plant image in JPG/JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format. The results of the proposed algorithm shows a significant improvement in comparison with MDBUTMF filter even if the noise density in very high with better PSNR values.


In the U.S., cash-rich acquirers perform better in the presence of strong shareholder rights both at deal announcement and in the long run after mergers. Cash-rich acquirers underperform only when they are less financially constrained and when their shareholders possess weak rights. In the U.K., this positive cash effect on acquirer performance persists on average. In both countries, positive cash holdings effects are stronger when an acquirer is more financially constrained and can be explained by the precautionary motive.


Various drugs, hormones, vitamins, etc., have been employed in attempts to accelerate the processes of regeneration and maturation in injured peripheral nerves (for a summary, see Guth, 1956). Most of these attempts have been unsuccessful, but Bammer & Martini (1953) have claimed that sensory re-innervation of the rabbit's cornea is accelerated by the administration of polysaccharide pyrogens; they believed that irritation of the nerve cells and stimulation of their metabolic processes might be the mechanism involved. Hoffman (1952) has reported that the outgrowth of buds from intact axons and their subsequent re-innervation of partially denervated muscle was accelerated in rats by the administration of 0.1% pyronin B or G, or a combination of both these dyes in the animals' drinking water. His investigation was prompted, apparently, by the claim that pyronin is mutagenic in Drosophila and accelerates the rate of growth of these insects, possibly by attaching itself to and acting upon ribose nucleic acid bodies. He thought that a similar mechanism involving Nissl bodies in appropriate nerve cells might explain the accelerated axonal budding (and, by inference, increased rate of axoplasmic synthesis) which he observed. It has been suggested (e.g. by Bodian, 1947) that axon regeneration is merely an artificially accelerated normal function of nerve cells. If this were so, and if Hoffman's tentative explanation of his own results is valid, then pyronin might be expected also to accelerate the processes of axonal regeneration. Experiments made to test this possibility are reported here.


The compatibility and mechanical property of two kinds of synthetic fibers to geopolymer were studied. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polypropylene (PP) were used as reinforcing fiber materials. The result shows that flexural strength of geopolymer is obviously increased by mixed with reinforcing fiber. PVA is better than PP in reinforcing the flexural strength, both of these fibers have no significant effect in reinforcing the compressive strength to geopolymer.


United States Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Chief Scientist: Bill Danforth. Geophysical data (sidescansonar, GPS) of field activity 01018 (R-1-01-NH) in Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire from 06/10/2001 to 06/16/2001, http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/r/r101nh/html/r-1-01-nh.meta.html.


Background: Rasa Shastra is a specialized branch of Ayurveda which mainly deals with the pharmaceutical preparations. Bhasma is a special dosage form mentioned in metal obtained after various samskaras eral times. Bhasmas are said to be properly prepared if they pass certain tra texts. But in the present era, only Bhasma pariksha jective: Hence the present study was carried out to assess analytical parameters. Materials and Methods: was tested with both ancient parameters and modern parameters like microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X (ZP), UV-Spectroscopy and Fourier transform Infra shows major peaks of HgS, CuS and a minor peak of Cu clusters of irregular shaped flakes at 3KX and 5KX magnifications ence of elements viz. O-21.74%, S-23.67%, Cu with Zeta Potential of -44.2 mV. UVSpectrum of FT-IR analysis showed 27 peaks between the wavelengths 3956.11 concluded that both the parameters are essential for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of proper formation of the Bhasma.


When I started my medical training nearly 40 years ago life in NHS hospitals seemed so much simpler. General surgeons performed most of the surgery and were managed by their secretaries; nurses nursed; and wards were designated 'male or female surgical'. The wards were overseen by the gimlet eyes of the ward sister and hospital matron. These formidable ladies would have had apoplexy at the sight of or even the thought of a man in the female surgical ward or vice versa.


Purpose – This paper aims to analyse, through the lens of learning network theory, ways in which external VET practitioners work within private enterprises to promote learning within these organizations.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on analyses of six case studies in two Australian States, each comprising a vocational education institute and an enterprise. In total, 34 interviews were held with four groups of participant – TAFE managers and practitioners, enterprise personnel and worker‐learners – from different industries.Findings – The paper finds that the overlaying of an external learning system on existing learning systems brings inevitable tensions that need to be carefully managed. VET practitioners working in industry operate in two worlds with very different cultures. They need to learn how to work within different power structures, how to build around existing work and learning networks, and how to mesh in with the flow of enterprise work. In the process of working with compan...


The mud crab (Scylla serrata) is widely distributed in the Indo-West-Pacific region as mangrove associated fauna. Being high protein the crabs are valuable food for human consumption. It is an excellent dietary item for humans and is equal in taste to the shrimp. Crab take the replacement of shrimp. Mud crab(Scylla serrata) is high demand items in export market. Now a days, it plays an important role to upliftment the socio-economic condition of poor coastal people in Bangladesh. Crab culture playing important role in economic growth of Bangladesh. The present work is basically the first attempt to determine the suitable water & soil quality, growth rate & mortality for enhancement of soft shell production (a new crab item)in plastic cages.


In order to promote the use of hydrothermal energy for direct heat applications, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has funded twenty-two demonstration projects. Eight of these projects are administered by the San Francisco Operations Office of the Department of Energy (DOE-SAN), with technical support from the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC) of Rockwell International. The projects are described and their status given.


A general scheme to predict the sound pressure radiated from an automotive exhaust system is presented. The scheme is demonstrated with a step‐wise computational procedure on a model system comprised of an electroacoustic driver source, an expansion chamber muffler, and a tailpipe radiating to free space. The predicted sound pressure level spectra agree well with the corresponding measured spectra for various test cases with zero mean flow. Also, studies are made of the theoretical effects of variations of the source impedance on the sound pressure radiated from the model system.


A late Quaternary vegetation record is presented from a lowland site on the leeward southwest coast of New Caledonia. Plum Swamp is a backswamp on the Plum River at around 10 m a.s.l., just within the ultrama®c terrain that dominates the southern third of New Caledonia. Pollen analysis, charcoal analysis, radiocarbon dating and stratigraphic analysis are employed to reconstruct the vegetation and sedimentary history of the valley. The vegetation record commences at around 20,000 yr BP and shows that from this time up until the late Holocene the valley was forested. The greater representation of taxa more prevalent at higher altitudes during the late glacial suggests a response to cooling and an enrichment of the lowland forest with more montane elements. The late glacial transition between 14,000 and 9000 yr BP is a period of instability within the valley when vegetation is disturbed by ®re. Forest recovers after this and there is increasing stability until the arrival of people in the late Holocene at around 3000 yr BP. The initial colonisers of New Caledonia had a profound effect upon the vegetation of the valley, converting the lowland forest to a stunted and species poor maquis on the ultrama®c sediments and Melaleuca woodland on the non-ultrama®c substrates. However, sedimentary processes are relatively unchanged during this time. Dramatic geomorphic change does occur in the catchment though, during the latter part of the 20th Century as a consequence of mining. q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


Using sample data from two accredited business school in the Florida State University System, one non-tenure granting and one tenure granting, and regression analysis, this paper explores variation in faculty salary levels across business disciplines. The results indicate (1) that accounting and finance professors earn more than management professors, thus receiving a salary premium in the market, (2) that marketing and information systems/operations management faculty earn no significantly different salaries than management professors, and (3) that economics professors earn less than management professors and thus receive a discount in the market. The results also indicate that rank, administrative duties, years in the profession, and research productivity are significant determinants of the salaries of business professors, but that salaries in this sample are unrelated to gender and race. The findings also provide evidence of salary inversion, with assistant professors receiving larger salaries than associate professors. The unique results of this study are that salary discounts and premiums by discipline are similar at both non-tenure granting and tenure granting universities.


A wireless communication infrastructure entity 200 having a communication configuration is configured to generate parity bits based on the information word to encode the parity bits based on the communication configuration of the wireless communication infrastructure entity, the encoded parity bits are the It is combined with the information word. The wireless communication user terminal based on the set of configuration indicator bits used to identify a set of configuration indicator bits used to encode the parity bits combined with the information word and encodes the parity bits from which the information word and the encoded It is configured to determine a communication configuration of the combination of the parity bit received wireless communication entity.


The grain size distribution over sandbanks is far from uniform, and ranges from fine sand to gravel. Using stability analysis, we investigate the relative influence of the grain size dependent parameters on the sandbanks dynamics. Two models are developed and used: (1) the 3D stability analysis of Hulscher (1996) taking into account the transport threshold, (2) a 2DH stability analysis designed for sandbanks and taking into account most of the grain size dependencies.The first model is used to predict sandbanks occurrence in the North Sea and their geometrical characteristics. The comparison with observed sandbanks shows that the inclusion of critical shear stress improves the results. With the second model, we investigate the relative influence of the grain size dependent parameters on the sandbanks dynamics, especially the sandbanks morphological time and wavelength. The results show that neglecting the grainsize dependencies, especially the transport threshold, has a drastic influence on the sandbanks dynamics.


Lima L.R., Mendes H.M.F., Soriani F.M., Souza D.G., Alves G.E.S., Teixeira M.M. & Faleiros R.R. 2016. Histologic and inflammatory lamellar changes in horses with oligofructose-induced laminitis treated with a CXCR1/2 antagonist. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 36(1):13-18. Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 30161-970, Brazil. E-mail: email@example.com With the hypothesis that blocking chemokine signaling can ameliorate acute laminitis, the aim was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of intravenous DF1681B, a selective antagonist for CXCR1 and CXCR2 (chemokine receptors), in an oligofructose equine laminitis model. To twelve mixed breed clinically healthy hoses with no previous history of hoof-related lameness was administered oligofructose (10g/kg given by nasogastric tube) and divided into two groups: treated (intravenous DF1681B at 30mg/kg 6, 12, 18, and 24h after oligofructose) and non-treated groups. Laminar biopsies were performed before and 12, 36, and 72h after administering oligofructose. Samples were stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and scored from 0 to 6 according to epidermal cell and basal membrane changes. The IL-1β, IL-6, and CXCL1 RNA expressions were determined by RT-PCR. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to compare times within each group (P<0.05). The PAS grades and IL-1β and IL-6 RNA expression increased in the non-treated group, but remained constant in the treated horses. In conclusion, DF1681B therapy reduced laminar inflammation and epidermal deterioration in treated horses. CXCR1/2 blockage should be considered therapeutically for equine acute laminitis.


In order to obtain the applicable range of statistical energy analysis(SEA) and the key factor in the application of SEA,the model theory is applied to study the input power and the coupling loss factor.The deep-seated meaning of "statistic" in SEA is analyzed in detail.The analysis results show that the large characteristic dimension,high damping broad analytical band,and irrelevant distributing exciting force can all improve the calculation precision of SEA.


Introduction: Human atria comprise distinct epicardial layers, which can
bypass endocardial layers and lead to downstream centrifugal propagation
at the "epi-endo" connection. We sought to characterize anatomical
substrates, electrophysiological properties, and ablation outcomes of
"pseudo-focal" atrial tachycardias (ATs), defined as macroreentrant
ATs mimicking focal ATs. Methods and Results: We retrospectively
analyzed ATs showing centrifugal propagation with post-pacing intervals
(PPIs) after entrainment pacing suggestive of a macroreentry. A total of
26 patients had pseudo-focal ATs consisting of 15 perimitral, 7
roof-dependent, and 5 cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)-dependent flutters. A
low-voltage area was consistently found at the collision site and
co-localized with epicardial layers like the: (1) coronary sinus-great
cardiac vein bundle (22%); (2) vein of Marshall bundle (15%); (3)
Bachmann bundle (22%); (4) septopulmonary bundle (15%); (5) fossa
ovalis (7%); and (6) low right atrium (19%). The mean missing
tachycardia cycle length (TCL) was 67 ± 29 ms (22%) on the endocardial
activation map. PPI was 9 [0-15] ms and 10 [0-20] ms longer than
TCL at the breakthrough site and the opposite site, respectively. While
feasible in 25 pseudo-focal ATs (93%), termination was better achieved
by blocking the anatomical isthmus than ablating the breakthrough site
[24/26 (92%) vs. 1/6 (17%); p < 0.001]. Conclusion:
Perimitral, roof-dependent, and CTI-dependent flutters with centrifugal
propagation are favored by a low-voltage area located at well-identified
epicardial bundles. Comprehensive entrainment pacing maneuvers are
crucial to distinguish pseudo-focal ATs from true focal ATs. Blocking
the anatomical isthmus is a better therapeutic option than ablating the
breakthrough site.


Primary bone tumours account for 5% of all adolescent and child cancers. When Ewing's sarcoma arises in soft tissue rather than bone, it is referred to as extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (ESS). Computed tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of Ewing's sarcoma are non-specific, and a radiological differential diagnosis should be considered. Ewing's sarcoma is confirmed by features on histological analysis. In young people who present with soft-tissue tumours, ESS should be considered. In the management of patients with tumours, imaging techniques are useful for biopsy guidance, evaluating the possibility of resection, and tumour response to treatment.


As a contribution to the ongoing work aiming to improve welfare in farmed silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes), the present study attempted to investigate stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) as a physiological indicator of fear or anxiety in this species. Measuring rectal temperature (Trec) served as a stressor and immediately elicited SIH. Then, the foxes received either the anxiolytic drugs, diazepam or buspirone, or sterile saline. Trec in the foxes treated with diazepam and buspirone was significantly lower 90min after treatment. The results indicate that SIH induced by handling was attenuated by anxiolytic drugs, which supports the hypothesis that anxiety contributes to the development of SIH.


The Upper Paleolithic site of Poiana Cires¸ului is located in the Bistrit¸a Valley in the Eastern Carpathian area of Northeastern Romania. The long geological sequence preserved at Poiana Cires¸ului is attributed to the last Wurm Pleniglacial and to the Tardiglacial. To date, four Epigravettian and Gravettian layers have been excavated, and at least two more have been documented through recent core tests in the lower part of the deposits. The oldest excavated Gravettian layer has recently yielded a date of 26,000 BP, which suggests that the deposits at Poiana Cires¸ului very likely preserve the longest geological and cultural Upper Paleolithic sequence in the area. Given the excellent state of preservation and the rich archaeological record, the site of Poiana Cires¸ului offers an opportunity for better understanding the Upper Paleolithic cultural dynamics in Eastern Romania. Moreover, recent data casts serious doubts on the time-honored cultural framework developed in the 1950s by C. S. Nicolaˇescu-Plops¸or for the Upper Paleolithic of the Bistrit¸a Valley.


The effect of mold temperature variation during injection molding on the long-term viscoelastic behavior of polybutylene terepthalate (PBT) was studied by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and flexural creep tests. The time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle was applied to the experimental data and the master curves were created to predict their long-term behavior. The WLF and Arrhenius models were verified for the shift data in the investigating temperature range and the activation energies for the deformation process were calculated based on the Arrhenius equation. Further a four-element Burger model was applied to the creep results to represent the creep behavior of the PBT processed at two different mold temperatures and to better understand the deformation mechanism. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and density measurements were accomplished to characterize the process-dependent microstructures. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers


An experiment was conducted to compare the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) calculated by Jackson equation and van Genuchten equation for soils different in gypsum content and treated with some soil conditioners. Two soils were used, gypsiferous soil (410 gm kg-1gypsium) and clayey soil (435 gm kg-1 clay), were mixed in three levels 0, 50, and 100%. The soils were treated with peat moss 0 and1%, polymer,0,1.and 2% and without addition. Then, were packed into plastic tubes 5 cm diameter and 25 cm in height at bulk density of 1.3 Mg m-3 and were exposed to three wetting / drying cycles. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was calculated from (Jackson equation, and van Genuchten equation. the results showed good agreement between K values measu dy using Jackson and van Genuchten equation using RETC program. The relationship between K and θ and percentages of gypsum is a positive and between K and ψ an inverse relationship. The value of K increased from 81.7 cm. day-1 to 137.8 cm. day-1 when the percentage of gypsum was increased from 46 to 410 g kg-1 consecutively for soil in treated with conditioners and within minor tension limits approaching zero. The K values decreased when the soil was treated with peatmoss and polymer, and the most effective treatment in reducing the K values was a mixture of (2% polymer + 1% peatmoss). The K values remained close to zero with medium to high tensions and also with medium to low θ, and it did not increase to an effective degree except when θ approached its upper limits and with low tensions, and its increase was exponential within these ranges.


The main purpose of the present invention is a compound whose primary component is a sulfurized lithium useful as lithium secondary battery positive electrode active material, a high positive electrode utilization, has a high capacity and also provides a novel material having excellent charge and discharge characteristics has good cycle characteristics to. A complex comprising lithium, iron, sulfur, and carbon as constituent elements, a sulfurized lithium of the diffraction peaks, including as a (Li


The history of water quality modeling dates back to the pioneering work of Earle Streeter and Harold Phelps (1925), who described the oxygen deficit in the Ohio River as function of time for a steady source point discharge of pollutant. The development of the Streeter-Phelps model marks the beginning of a period of intense study to expand the model to reflect an increased knowledge of the real system. However, over time these models came to incorporate a number of inconsistencies, reflecting a historic development wherein model layers lacking a common unifying principle were added one by one. These inconsistencies in model formulation prompted the relatively recent development of the River Water Quality Model No. 1, as "a scientific and technical base from which to formulate standardized, consistent river water quality models and guidelines for their implementation" (Reichert et al., 2001a; Reichert et al., 2001b; Vanrolleghem et al., 2001; Shanahan et al., 2001, Rauch, 1998; Shanahan, 1998; Somlyddy, 1998). Many of the deficiencies in the formulation of current models of traditional water quality pollutants were seen in the description of the conversion submodels. Ultimately, the deficiencies were seen to stem from the lack of a uniform underlying concept in the definition of state variables. Three different conceptual levels were noted: (1) phenomenological (e.g. DO and BOD), (2) biochemical (i.e. nitrogen cycle constituents), and (3) ecological (i.e. algae). To resolve this problem in RWQM1, the definitions for organic constituents are based on elemental mass fractions. From this sciencebased definition of organic constituents, the effects of biogeochemical transformation processes can be related to all constituents through the elemental mass fractions and other stoichiometric parameters. The present study examines the implementation of the RWQM1 conversion submodel into an existing simulation program called WASP for Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program. EPA's WASP 5.0 is a dynamic compartment transport model that has been used in conjunction with modular conversion submodels to predict the response of aquatic systems to pollutant loads. The modular structure of WASP allows a relatively straightforward implementation of user-written conversion subroutines into the existing transport framework. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss such and implementation of RWQM1 into WASP 5.0, while Chapter 4 treats the question of calibration and verification of site-specific implementations of the resulting simulation program entitled RWQMWASP. Thesis Supervisor: Peter Shanahan Title: Lecturer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering


Urban traffic signal control system controls the economic lifeline of cities,and its efficiency level directly affects the socio—economic development state,so it has received much concern from the whole society.Firstly,this paper briefly reviews the development course of the urban traffic signal control system,analyzes and discusses the control model and optimization algorithms and other aspects of the foreign typical traffic signal control systems such as TRANSYT,SCOOT,SCATS,and so on,and points out their features and weaknesses.Secondly,analyzing three domestic representative traffic signal control systems such as NUTCS,HiCon,and SMOOTH,this paper summarizes the domestic research achievements and current status in this filed.Finally,it puts forward the development outlook and some constructive suggestion to the traffic signal control system in public transport priority,mixed traffic,standardization and modularization,intelligent control and system integration.


Through the statistical analysis of historical operation records of electric distribution network in Foshan,the primitive data necessary for calculating its reliability have been obtained.After analysing the data,factors influencing the level of reliability of this network have been found,so the corresponding strengthening measures have been put forward.


Today it is clear that the national government is taking steps to generate projects in the development and competitiveness of the country, in areas with underdeveloped is the area of road infrastructure, the reason why state goes to individuals for using concession contracts before they assume the terms implementing projects that generate the country development, profit and growth for many other sectors, will increased the demand for jobs, It will generate an increase in gross domestic product, the country will be more competitive, it will call foreign investment, It may balance income inequalities,among many other advantages and benefits expected to be incurred as a result the construction and improvement of road infrastructure, but this futuristic vision from the state is seriously affected by an issue that many options has not been assessed in more detail, as in the case of prior consultation, process to be performed when the project has a presence in areas affected Indigenous communities, afrocolombian or Rom.


This study aims at identifying and exploring the critical incidents (CI) experienced by English vocational high school teachers. Their particular tasks, such as creating learning opportunities and resources that must meet the students' specific needs, bring them some challenges and difficulties. Despite the importance of CI for fostering teachers' reflective skill as well as teachers' professional development, the teachers are still unfamiliar with this systematical reflection activity. Besides, Research on this subject has been mostly restricted to EFL teachers in general and left ESP teachers like vocational teachers unexplored. By interviewing three vocational high school teachers and analyzing their CIs reflection, this study found that the most CIs teachers encountered are behavioral and students' language proficiency. Besides, their perspective on using CI as a self-reflection tool is somehow similar to the previous studies which notify that reflection is seen as challenging as well as rewarding at the same time. Some insight referring to the use of CI for a collaboration activity is seen as a promising activity for a professional development program.


The article explores various meanings of the concept "(un)natural" in written and spoken discourse devoted to traditional Scottish dancing. Analysing this concept alongside its co-occurent adjectives and adverbs in 18th–21st-century sources allows to better appreciate the semiotic complexity of the concept and its uses. The article highlights the seeming obviousness of what dancing naturally means to different kinds of stakeholders (dancers, teachers, spectators and researchers). It also emphasises the link between what is seen as natural dancing and people's habits, both kinaesthetic, resulting from dance practice or the lack thereof, and stylistic or visual, grounded in spectators' exposure to various manifestations of the Scottish dance repertoire.


When multiple grades of the same product are manufactured on the same equipment, key product properties for each grade are usually monitored separately because of inherent differences among grades. Although effective, this approach is slow in dete..


In the United States, only approximately 0.4% of all melanomas are diagnosed in patients aged <20 years. To the authors' knowledge, melanoma in pediatric members of melanoma‐prone families has not been fully investigated to date. The objective of the current study was to evaluate pediatric patients with melanoma with extensive follow‐up in melanoma‐prone families with and without cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) mutations.


Objective To observe the effect of short-term intensive insulin therapy on pancreatic β-cell function in the new cases with type 2 diabetes. Methods Fifty patients were equally randomized into group O treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents and group I given intensive insulin therapy. After 12 weeks of intensive insulin therapy, all patients took oral hypoglycaemic agents instead of insulin until week 36. Blood glucose (BG), plasma C-peptide and glycosylated hemoglobin A1C of week 0, 1, 2, 4, 12, 36 were examined. Results After treatment, BG and HbA1C of group I were decreased obviously, C-peptide was increased. Whereas, as compared to group O, BG and HbA1C of group I were lower, C-peptide was higher. Conclusion To new cases with type 2 diabetes with obvious hyperglycemia, BG can be controlled well and pancreatic β-cell function can be improved by short-term intensive insulin therapy.


The traditional values of sport are undermined by the increasing commercialization and unethical behavior of sport organizations across different contexts (here: professional sport teams, sport-governing bodies and sporting goods retailers). The findings of this thesis provide evidence that corporate social responsibility (CSR) represents a promising instrument for organizations in order to position themselves as socially responsible and to generate more favorable responses among consumers. Moreover, CSR can be used to counter negative effects of sport organizations' unethical behaviors and to reduce negative effects on the organizations themselves as well as on their stakeholders. These results are particularly relevant for sport organizations across different situational peculiarities who aim to implement CSR communication strategies in the future.


This paper presents a gait multi-objective optimization system that combines bio-inspired Central Patterns Generators (CPGs) and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. CPGs are modeled as autonomous differential equations, that generate the necessary limb movement to perform the required walking gait. In order to optimize the walking gait, four conflicting objectives are considered, simultaneously: minimize the body vibration, maximize the velocity, maximize the wide stability margin and maximize the behavioral diversity. The results of NSGA-II for this multi-objective problem are discussed. The effect of the inclusion of a behavioral diversity objective in the system is also studied in terms of the walking gait achieved. The experimental results show the effectiveness of this multi-objective approach. The several walking gait solutions obtained correspond to different trade-off between the objectives.


Marine economic geography is a rising branch of economic geography. This paper analyzes the background of the development of marine economic geography, and explains its researching objects and section scope. Up till now, scholars from home and abroad have done much research work in such aspects as coastal management, development and distribution of marine industries, marine resources and sustainable development, the economy of coastal cities, marine territorial politics and economics, spatial structure of seashore tourism, multi-subject integration, etc. Based upon which, we come to the conclusion that marine economic geography is a promising subject. Finally, this paper puts forward the main directions in future study as follows: the theories and methods of marine economic geography, the mutual penetration between the relevant economic subjects, the range of the study, two-in-one of the marine and land economy, soft marine science and more penetrated study of the current fields.


An accurate determination of the leading-order hadronic vacuum polarisation (HVP) contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon is critical to understanding the size and significance of any discrepancy between the Standard Model prediction and experimental results being obtained by the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab. The Standard Model prediction is currently based on a data-driven approach to the HVP using experimental results for σ ( e + e − → hadrons) . Lattice QCD aims to provide a result with similar uncertainty from calculated vector-vector correlation functions, but the growth of statistical and systematic errors in the u/d quark correlation functions at large Euclidean time has made this difficult to achieve. We show that restricting the lattice contributions to a one-sided window 0 < t < t 1 can greatly improve lattice results while still capturing a large fraction of the total HVP. We illustrate this by comparing windowed lattice results based on the 2019 Fermilab Lattice/HPQCD/MILC HVP analysis with corresponding results obtained from the KNT19 analysis of R e + e − data. For t 1 = 1 . 5 fm, 70% of the total HVP is contained within the window and our lattice result has an error of 0.8%, only about twice as big as the error from the e + e − analysis. We see a tension of 2.4 σ between the two results. With increased statistics in the lattice data the one-sided windows will allow stringent tests of lattice and R e + e − results that include a large fraction of the total HVP contribution.