Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were noticed in 1961 and they developed into a Health-care associated organism throughout the world. Recently the appearance of endemic Communityacquired MRSA has been reported. Infections due to community acquired MRSA are recent world wide phenomenon. This study was undertaken to compare CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA isolates on the basis of their genotyping results, clinical presentations and antibiotic susceptibilitiy pattern. Method Study design: Descriptive study. Study Setting: Central Microbiology laboratory, Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. Sample size: 161 isolates of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Study period: 1 year. Results: The proportion of HA-MRSA is 94(58%) and CA-MRSA 67(42%) among 161 MRSA isolates. A male preponderance is observed in both types of MRSA. The commonest clinical presentation of HA-MRSA is cellulitis ie,32(34.04%) ,followed by post operative wound infection ie,27 (28.72%). The commonest clinical presentation of CA-MRSA is abscess ie,27(40%), followed by post traumatic wound infection ie,14 (21% ) . Extremes of age, history of recent hospitalization in past I year, history of surgery in the past and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are the risk factors observed in case of HA-MRSA. CA-MRSA isolates show lower resistance rate towards Trimethoprim –Sulfamethoxazole 15(22.3%) than 27,(28.72%) of HA-MRSA. Resistance rates of Gentamicin were high in both CAMRSA and HA-MRSA, ie 92.5% and 93.6% respectively. CA-MRSA showed more resistance to Amikacin 28(41.79%) and HA-MRSA 0(21.27%).CAMRSA showed resistance to Ciprofloxacin for 65 strains (97%) and HAMRSA to 62 strains (65.9%). Both types of MRSA showed a low and similar resistance rate of Tetracycline ie, 10.44% CA and 9.57% HAMRSA respectively. Lower rate of Clindamycin resistance was shown by both CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA ie, 1 (1.49%) and 6 (6.38%) respectively. All 94 isolates of HA-MRSA and 67 isolates of CA-MRSA were uniformly sensitive to Vancomycin , Linezold and Rifampicin.


Background: Recent reports have shown that telomere length was associated with the risk of various cancers, but the results have been inconsistent. Methods: We prospectively evaluated the association of telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes with the risk of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 241 cases and 241 controls within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), and the risk of skin basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in 623 cases and 1,943 controls within the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). Results: No significant association was observed between telomere length and risk of SCC (longest quartile vs. shortest quartile, OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 0.62–1.93, P = 0.81). Null findings were also observed between telomere length and risk of BCC in 2 independent sets (OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.49–1.87, P = 0.83; and OR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.66–1.25, P = 0.39). Conclusion: We found no evidence that telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes was associated with risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Impact: Our prospective study suggests that telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes is less likely to play a substantial role in nonmelanoma skin cancer development. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 20(5); 1043–5. ©2011 AACR.


The aim of this study was to measure and compare the aerodynamic resistance (RA) in five different professional road cyclists obtained from a wind tunnel and to establish modification that into a performance improvement. Five professional cyclists from the Kelme-Costa Blanca Team were studied in five positions, four on the aerobike and one on the standard bike. From our results we conclude that establishing small modifications in the aerohandlebars, which result in a more profitable position, can reduce RA. The use of aerohelmet was not shown to be always useful. It is necessary to take into account the technique employed, corrected RA values with the anthropometric characteristics, static vs dynamic assessment when comparing professional cyclists RA.


CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION WAS WELL RECEIVED BY DENTISTRY STUDENTS AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY BUT FAILED TO YIELD SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN ACHIEVEMENT OVER CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION. TWENTY -ONE NULL HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED ON 154 MALE SOPHOMORE STUDENTS, WHO WERE DIVIDED INTO GWO GROUPS, HALF BEING INSTRUCTED TO A LARGE EXTENT VIA CCTV, TV CLASS, AND HALF BEING TAUGHT CONVENTIONALLY, CV CLASS. THE GROUPS WERE MATCHED ON THE BASIS OF PREDICTED GRACES ON (1) WRITTEN WORK, AND (2) PRACTICAL WORK. ALTHOUGH, THE CV CLASS HAD A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE ON PREDICTED GRACES IN WRITTEN WORK -COMPENSATED FOR BY USE OF COVARIANCE ANALYSIS -THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CV AND TV CLASSES IN. ACHIEVED WRITTEN GRADES. IN TWO OF THE THREE TRIMESTERS UNDERTAKEN, LITTLE DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND IN ACHIEVED PRACTICAL WORK BETWEEN THE CLASSES, BUT IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER THE CV CLASS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PRACTICAL GRACES. ATTITUDES TOWARD INSTRUCTION WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FAVORABLE IN THE TV CLASS, BUT THERE WAS NO EXPECTED INTERACTION BETWEEN ATTITUDES AND ACHIEVEMENT. WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS, USING THE FLANAGANITEW-SELECTION TECHNIQUE, WERE DEVELOPED AND PRETESTED FOR THE STUDY, AND CHECK -OFF SHEETS WERE DEVELOPED TO STANDARDIZE GRADING OF PRACTICAL WORK. STUDENT ATTITUDES WERE MEASURED BY SCALES WITH AVERAGE RELIABILITY (KUDER.-RICHARDSON 20) OF .91 WITH A RANGE OF .88 TO .97. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE GIVEN. APPENDICES INCLUDE SCALES, TABLES, AND COURSE OUTLINES. (OH)


"Any man familiar with public life realizes the foul gossip which ripples just under the surface about almost every public man, and especially about every President," observed Theodore Roosevelt in 1913. Varieties of "foul gossip" have plagued officeholders from the founding of the Republic to the present day, as Roosevelt suggested. Yet the nature, effects, and reach of gossip have undergone curious and sometimes striking transformations over the years. Think of one especially common topic of discussion: a politician's reputation for sexual rectitude. In the early republic and throughout the nineteenth century, American political culture subjected the sexual character of officeholders to close, steady, and often unflattering scrutiny, as most voters insisted a man of virtue constituted "the only safe depository of public trust."'1 By the beginning of the twentieth century, by contrast, revelations of sexual turpitude among the most prominent elected officials had begun to disappear from public life. Whereas Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Grover Cleveland, and other members of the nineteenth-century political elite negotiated their reputations among a broad array of publics, in the new era men such as Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy benefited from this more circumspect pattern in political speech. Theodore Roosevelt's remark is doubly useful in this respect. For if "foul gossip" could still circulate in 1913, it had already started to travel, not openly, but rather "just under the surface" of public life. What explains this transformation? Historians regularly observe that during the first decades of the century, gossip, confession, and exposure arose as distinctive attributes of mass communication, corroding Victorian modesty in virtually every


The nonionic surfactants Tween 20 [oxysorbic (20 POE) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate] and Tween 80 [oxysorbic (20 POE) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate] at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4% v/v stimulated germination of barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. # ECHCG] seeds in petri dishes. Stimulation occurred under both 30/20 and 25/15 C diurnal temperature cycles whether or not light was supplied during the 8-h high-temperature portion of the cycle. Barnyardgrass responded most to treatment under environmental conditions in which untreated seeds germinated the least. A 0.1% surfactant concentration often stimulated germination of weed seeds as effectively as did higher concentrations. Germination of redroot pigweed [Amaranthus retroflexus L. # AMARE] seeds was inhibited by Tween 80 in the light under both the low- and high-temperature regimes and by Tween 20 at low temperature in the light. Germination of tumble pigweed (Amaranthus albus L. # AMAAL) seeds was inhibited by both surfactants in the high-temperature regime whether or not light was supplied. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L. # POROL) seeds were insensitive to treatment.


INTRODUCTION Biomonitoring of exposure to environmental hazardous chemicals, physical and biological agents is gaining more momentum in toxicology in recent decades. Biomarkers have been developed and validated in exposed populations that quantify individual exposure, susceptibility, and early markers of health effects and can be used to study relationship between exposure and environmentally induced disease and possibly to screen vulnerable individuals (1).


Segregation and linkage analyses were performed on Problem 2 simulated data. Segregation analysis showed evidence for a nearly recessive major susceptibility locus with parameter estimates close to the simulation input values. Linkage analyses between this susceptibility locus (X) and the ten marker loci (A to J) led us to propose the following map: X‐G‐F‐B.


Purpose
This paper aims to examine sentencing decisions for drug-trafficking offences in the criminal courts of the city of Recife to address a gap in quantitative research on drug sentencing and incarceration in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach
Using original data obtained from the Court of Justice for Pernambuco, the research used multivariate regression analysis to investigate the effect of case processing, offender, and offence characteristics on sentence length.

Findings
A key finding of the research is the influence of two legal factors on sentence length: admitting to a drug-trafficking offence and being categorized as "mitigated trafficking". Results also indicate that first-time defendants were more likely to be categorized as mitigated trafficking, stressing the importance of criminal history on predicting sentencing outcomes. "Mitigated trafficking" is a distinct category of drug-trafficking created by the Drug Law nº. 11.343 (2006) to protect defendants considered novices in the illicit drug market from receiving longer imprisonment sentences.

Practical implications
The findings suggest that the policy strategy of having a legal distinction for a specific type of defendant appears to be effective in impacting sentence length for drug-trafficking convictions. Future research could explore how similar strategies could be adopted to influence sentencing for other vulnerable groups. However, focussing on a defendant records or prior convictions as an eligibility criterion could disproportionately impact defendants who are caught in a cycle of re-offending for socio-economic reasons or a need to finance a substance use disorder.

Originality/value
This research address a gap in quantitative sentencing research in Brazil and contributes to the broader literature by presenting results that are aligned with previous studies conducted in North America.


Significant efforts have recently been made to investigate flow boiling in microchannels, which is considered an effective cooling method for high-power microelectronic devices. However, a fundamental understanding of the bubble motion and flow reversal observed during flow boiling in parallel microchannels is lacking in the literature. In this study, complete numerical simulations are performed to further clarify the boiling process by using the level-set method for tracking the liquid–vapor interface which is modified to treat an immersed solid surface. The effects of contact angle, wall superheat, and the number of channels on the bubble growth, reverse flow, and heat transfer are analyzed.


Abstract This paper studies coordination mechanisms for the supply chain with one manufacturer and two competing retailers, where the manufacturer directly sells the extended warranty service to the consumers. We find that the efficiency of the wholesale contract increases with retail competition, whereas it decreases with the extended warranty duration. For the symmetric competing retailers, a set of quantity discount contracts have been designed to coordinate channel with Pareto improvement. Especially, when retail competition approaches infinity, the quantity discount contract to coordinate the channel will degenerate into a simple wholesale contract. For the asymmetric competing retailers, three sets of contract structures have been identified, under which the complicated quantity discount contract combined with a two-part tariff or slotting allowance can achieve channel coordination with Pareto improvement of tripartite. The results are remarkably different from the symmetric retailer scenario.


Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US states of New York and New Jersey instituted a "lockdown" that closed schools and most businesses except for essential services. The public was urged to remain at home. The 78-day lockdown period extended from 22 March 2020 to 6 June 2020. We sought to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on continuously recorded physical activity in our patients with congenital heart disease with implanted cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices—pacemakers (PPM), defibrillators (ICD) and implantable loop recorders (ILR) enabled with accelerometers that translate motion into a measure of active hours/day. Methods: All patients from our congenital CRM database with accelerometer-enabled devices who had stable cardiac status residing in NY and NJ were included. Forty-one patients met the inclusion criteria; the median age was 29.6 years (range 7–60); 54% female; 23 ICD, 15 PPM and 3 ILR. The patient activity was averaged for the 2 months prior to lockdown, during the lockdown, and the 2 months afterward. Paired t-tests were used to compare activity before and during lockdown, and before and after lockdown. Each patient served as his/her own control. Results: Active hours/day decreased by a mean of 32% (±27%) from baseline (p < 0.001). A total of 32 patients experienced a decline, 6 had no change and 3 had an increase. Active hours rebounded after lockdown and were unchanged compared to pre-lockdown levels. Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown in NY/NJ during the Spring of 2020 resulted in a significant drop in active hours/day in children and adults with congenital heart disease. Active hours/day rebounded to baseline after restrictions were lifted.


A total of 292 lichen samples, representing over 200 species and at least 65 genera and 26 families, were collected, mainly in Thailand; 170 of the specimens discharged ascospores in the laboratory. Generally, crustose lichens exhibited the highest discharge rates and percentage germination. In contrast, foliose lichen samples, although having a high discharge rate, had a lower percentage germination than crustose species tested. A correlation with season was indicated for a number of species. Continued development of germinated ascospores into recognizable colonies in pure culture was followed for a selection of species. The most successful medium tried was 2 % Malt-Yeast extract agar (MYA), and under static conditions using a liquid culture medium, a sponge proved to be the best of several physical carriers tested; this novel method has considerable potential for experimental work with lichen mycobionts.


The utility model relates to a bamboo skin vacuum cup, wherein the outer wall of a cup body is coated with bamboo skin. The utility model aims at providing the vacuum cup which has the characteristics that the vacuum cup has simple structure, is difficult to damage and has attractive appearance. The utility model adopts the technical scheme that the bamboo skin vacuum cup comprises the cylindrical cup body and a round cup cover covered at the top end of the cup body and is characterized in that a circle of bamboo skin outer sleeve is sheathed on the outer cylindrical surface of the cup body; the bamboo skin outer sleeve is made of combined bamboo skin or is formed in a mode that single-layer bamboo skin on the outer layer is adhered to a veneer layer on the inner layer; the combined bamboo skin is formed in a mode that at least two layers of single-layer bamboo skin are overlapped and adhered; each two adjacent layers of bamboo skin are longitudinally and transversely staggered along the expansion direction of the fiber length; the thickness of the bamboo skin outer sleeve is in the range of 2 to 4mm; the thickness of the single-layer bamboo skin is in the range of 0.3 to 1.0mm; a protection film is also adhered on the outer wall of the bamboo skin outer sleeve; and the upper end of the cup body is provided with an upper check ring which is convex outwards to limit the bamboo skin outer sleeve.


Safe sex is a topic of interest among researchers worldwide. In the Philippine setting, safe sex is not openly discussed. Such topics may come up only after a problem arises. Although most adolescents are not sexually active, knowledge on the benefits of safe sex is an important weapon to safeguard their health and future. Despite the studies conducted, it is alarming that there is a notable increase of unplanned pregnancies of women age 15-19 years old in the past years (WHO, 2014). Hence, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception on the benefits of safe sex among students aged 16-18 years old and identify the relationships among the demographic profile and their knowledge and their perception on the benefits of safe sex. This study revealed that the age of the respondents has some significant effect on their knowledge on the benefits of safe sex. Furthermore, respondents who own a computer with internet and respondents whose source of information on safe sex are educators have a significant effect on their perception of the benefits of safe sex. Finally, the study confirmed that there is a significant relationship between the knowledge and the perception on the benefits of safe sex. Keywords : Safe sex, adolescents, sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancy


A compact inductive proof is presented that the number of linearly independent KCL (Kirchhoff's current law) node equations of b-branch n-node connected circuits is n-1 and the number of independent KVL (Kirchhoff's voltage law) loop equations is b-n+1. Because it is easily illustrated pictorially and does not rely on graph theoretic concepts it is suitable for presentation at an elementary level of circuit theoretic instruction. >


T he recent historical commentary by J. C. Beck' suggests that pediatrics and geriatrics should have a common academic interest in the process of aging. Similarities do not end with the fact that they deal with the limits of life. This commentary compares and contrasts characteristics of the two disciplines against the background of their origins, and suggestion is made that communication and comparisons between the two disciplines might be advantageous to both. As was discussed by Beck, geriatrics and pediatrics have differing beginnings. There has been medical concern about child rearing and the diseases of children2 since earliest times, but not until the 19th century in the western world, were these interests perceived to have unique value to society. The industrial revolution and the ensuing child welfare movement were associated with improvement in hygiene and rising interest in scientific child care. In the United States, pediatrics began in the university. Its founder, Abraham Jacobi (1830-1919), held the first chair of pediatrics in a medical school, was the first president of the American Pediatric Society, and founded the pediatric section of the American Medical Association. His influence and that of his colleagues resulted in observations and then experiments which brought science to the prevention and treatment of childhood disease. It also resulted in the development of pediatrics as an academic discipline at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the early part of this century. Very quickly, rickets and other deficiency diseases, diarrhea, pneumonia, and many contagious diseases were understood and the means of their control made available. During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic decrease in the hospitalization of A


Objective:To explore the effect of microRNA-200c(miRNA-200c)in reversing cisplatin(DDP)resistance of gastric cancer SGC7901/DDP cell line and elucidate its related mechanisms.Methods:The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RFQ-PCR)was used to detect miRNA-200c expression in SGC7901 cells,DDP-resistant SGC7901/DDP cells,and miRNA-200c transfected SGC7901/DDP cells.The difference in miRNA-200c expression was compared between the groups.Drug sensitivity to DDP after transfection was tested using MTT assay.The protein expression of bax,phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN)and E-cadherin(E-cad)after transfection were detected by Western blotting.Results:The relative miRNA-200c expression level in SGC7901/DDP cell line was significantly lower than that in SGC7901 cell line(P0.05).The miRNA-200c expression was significantly increased at 24 h after transfection than that of the negative control group(P0.05).The half inhibition concentration(IC50)of DDP was significantly lower in miRNA-200c precursor tansfected group than that in negative control group(P0.05).Furthermore,the relative protein expressions of bax,PTEN and E-cad in miRNA-200c precursor transfected group were significantly higher than those in negative control group(P0.05).Conclusion:MiRNA-200c reverses the resistance of SGC7901/DDP cells to DDP through up-regulating the expressions of E-cad,PTEN and bax proteins.


ABSTRACT In this article, we present a knowledge approach to the interaction between learning and caring, which should play a significant role in the challenge of promoting sustainable healthcare. This knowledge approach requires awareness of the interactions between learning and caring in caring contexts. The intention is to present an exploration of knowledge and theory development based on research with a lifeworld perspective within caring science didactics. We are illuminating issues concerning reflection and learning encounters in a caring context, which include key concepts such as the patient's narrative. A strategy for reflective learning and caring based on the lifeworld concept is presented. This strategy includes four main components: the encounter between general knowledge and the patient's lived world, the patient's narrative, caring relationship creation through interaction with the patient and reflection through supervision. All of these components are permeated by a reflective approach. We are also clarifying what it means to intertwine learning and caring in addition to how this process can be strengthened in caring practices to optimise patient care. Three components are particularly important in facilitating the intertwining of learning and caring in clinical practice, namely genuine meetings, sensitivity towards the patient's narrative and reflection during interactions.


Many institutions offer Management Information Systems (MIS) programs from their Schools of Business. Similarly, Computer Science Departments in the Schools of Liberal Arts and Sciences offer both Computer Information Systems (CIS) and the traditional Computer Science (CPSC) major. How similar are MIS and CIS? What distinguishes them? Can both programs be offered without robbing majors from each other? Two instructors at The University of Mary Washington, one in Computer Science and the other in Management Information Systems, chose to explore these questions within the context of two existing courses. One course is offered by the computer science department as part of the computer information systems program that has existed for four years. The other course is offered by the College of Business as part of the business administration major, which has existed for many years. Both courses are required in their corresponding major. This paper summarizes the comparison of BUAD 152 Management Information Systems from the business administration major and CPSC 310 Computer Information Systems from the computer information systems major.


We demonstrated continuous wave operation at room temperature of InGaN laser diodes fabricated on 4H-SiC substrates. The threshold current and voltage were 60 mA and 8.3 V, respectively. The threshold current corresponds to a threshold current density of 4 kA/cm2. No difference in the threshold current or voltage was observed between 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC substrates. The laser oscillation was observed up to 80°C for CW operation. The peak lasing wavelength was 404.4 nm. The lifetime was 57 hours under automatic power controlled conditions with a constant output power of 1 mW at 25°C.


The famous "Homeric question" which basically consists of debates about the authorship of the Iliad and Odyssey, is an insoluble quarrel. It is believed that the "Homeric question" should be recast, this time considering the point of view of the poems' reception in visual arts and literature. No longer would it be fit to ask about the authorship of the poems and about its genesis, not even about its authenticity, but how each reader sees Homer and modifies our gaze


Completely and systemly analyse the caueses of static electricity of instrument plastic shell during producing process,the affection for instrument indicator and the techniques of eliminating static electricity affect.Introduce the kinds,the characteristics,the indexex and usages of anti-static electricity agent.


In this paper, a twin rectangular fork-like capacitance (TRFLC) sensor to recognize the flow regime of gas-oil two-phase flow in a horizontal pipe is proposed. Two phase flow experiment is carried out in a 26.6-mm ID horizontal pipe to determine the response of TRFLC sensor on different flow regimes. Both measuring and exciting electrodes consist of a base and double rectangle blades, which are placed alternately. The finite-element method (FEM) is used to calculate the sensitivity field of the sensor. The effect of sensor geometry on the distribution of sensitivity field and the optimal sensor structure is presented. Based on FEM and experimental results, the sensitivity of TRFLC was higher than the previous concave electrode (overall sensitivity of TRFLC 3.27 pF and concave 2.19 pF). Simulation results show that two blades for each electrode have more sensitivity than three or four blades in the regions near to the center of the pipeline and more uniform sensitivity in whole section of the pipe. The flow variations especially in the center of the pipeline were traced with higher sensitivity than concave type. As a result, the flow regimes such as slug can be identified with more accuracy. The flow regimes were classified using wavelet transforms and power spectral density (PSD). The wavelet variance is not sufficient to flow regime assignment due to some flow regimes overlapping. The wavelet variance in conjunction with the cumulative PSD solves this problem and presents a very useful tool to flow regime classification.


cohort a consistent of an association between SFA and CHD. These with with Randomised trials substituting dietary fats suggest a strong correlation between the effect size and the possibility of confounding by other – mostly dietary – variables. Results from prospective cohort studies show the effects from these dietary variables on CHD fully explain the effects observed in the randomised trials. results from both prospective cohort and randomised trials show that changes in serum caused by dietary changes, do not predict effects on CHD in a reliable way.


A bronchocele (bronchial mucocele) is a cystic formation caused by impacted mucoid secretion within the bronchial tree. Non-obstructive causes include bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, and asthma while obstructive causes include foreign bodies, benign strictures, congenital bronchial atresia, and in rare cases neoplasms. We describe the case of a 79-year-old male presented with increasing shortness of breath and pleuritic chest pain. He was treated for an infective exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was a current smoker with greater than a 40-year pack history. D-dimers were elevated at 1.49 and he underwent a computed tomography pulmonary angiogram that showed lobulated mass in the right lower lobe suggestive of a bronchocele. The patient underwent a bronchoscopy that demonstrated findings consistent carcinoid tumor. Transbronchial biopsies surprisingly revealed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. In rare cases, neoplasms have been associated with bronchoceles emphasising the importance of bronchoscopy (for direct visualisation) and biopsy in the workup.

Keywords: Bronchocele; Bronchoscopy; Carcinoid tumour; Squamous cell carcinoma


THE SUGGESTION that the final scenes of the Birds may parody the Prometheus Pyrphoros is not new. It was made as long ago as 1877 by W. H. van de Sande Bakhuyzen,' who produced a number of interesting verbal parallels with the surviving parts of the Prometheia in support of it. Unfortunately, however, he was proceeding on Welcker's theory that the Pyrphoros was the first play of the Prometheus-trilogy, describing the original theft of fire and its bestowal on Man; and there is much in the Aristophanic passage, especially in the final song, which makes it unlikely that a play of these contents is being parodied. After being noticed by Nauck,2 and condemned by C. Pascal,3 the suggestion was generally ignored. There is a neutral reference to it thereafter in H. Kleinknecht's article, "Zur Parodie des Gottmenschentums bei Aristophanes,"4 but that seems to be all. On the now current assumption (some further grounds for which have been given in Part I), that the Pyrphoros was not the first but the last play of the trilogy, and may have represented Prometheus' final return to man with the now legalized gift of fire, it seems that van de Sande Bakhuyzen's whole case may be worth re-opening. It may now be stated as follows. Aeschylus was almost alone among the Greek tragedians in his enthusiasm for Prometheus. The only other tragedian known to have devoted an entire play to any part of the Prometheus-legend is the fourthcentury Chaeremon (for his lo, see Nauck, page 784), whose style suggests that he was an admirer, not to say an uninspired imitator, of Aeschylus. Sophocles only handled the theme in a digression of his Colchides;5 that this play was directly influenced by Aeschylus is suggested by the occurrence in it of a striking and indeed revolutionary phrase twice found in the


This paper analyzes the role of agricultural multinational corporations in promoting the internationalization of agriculture,and its ever-increasing control force on agricultural international trade,carried out classification analysis on the global distribution strategies and methods employed by multinational corporations,analyzed the agricultural multinational corporations' impact on the internationalization of agriculture.The negative impact is mainly reflected in the way of unfair competition in international trade,damaging the fairness of international agricultural trade,undermining the host countries' independent development of agricultural industry,and transferring transnational business risks.It suggested that China should seize the opportunities and challenges of internationalization of agriculture correctly,speed up the adjustment and improvement of agricultural industry development strategy,speed up the implementation of the agricultural going out strategy,establish and improve the monitoring mechanism for international cooperation in the agricultural industry,and greatly enhance the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises


In a world of limited resources, limited sympathy and limited rationality, competition leading to tensions and conflict can arise. In such circumstances, a key responsibility of any society is to ensure the security of its citizens. The role of engineering in contributing to such security is most usually considered to be the development, manufacture and use of military equipment so as to ensure dominance if tensions result in violence. To make a contribution to international security is a worthy goal for individual engineers and engineering enterprises. However, contributing by preparation for war is an inadequate response, especially considering recent analyses of the origins of conflict, government strategy and international initiatives. These emphasise the importance of cooperatively resolving the underlying roots of conflict so as to promote sustainable peace. Competition for water is already a root source of violent conflict in some parts of the developing world, and a source of tension in many other...


Studying cells of brain slices under microscopes reveals subtle changes in neuron networks. But the field of view of microscopes is compromised by high-resolution imaging. A post hoc computer vision-aid process can address the problem. Commonly, feature-based stitching methods can be used to obtain large-scale images. They detect and match salient features within an image. However, the success rate of stitching is highly related to the scale of overlapping of two images and feature-rich properties. Unlike the feature-based methods, this paper reports on a method using a Fourier-based domain, PhaPaM, which infers relative motion from a pair of microscopy images by phase correlation. Specifically, we first apply the Fourier transform for microscope images to sequentially estimate the relative movement of an image pair. Then, we use a minimal spanning tree algorithm to minimize the stitching error and obtain the best stitching path. Finally, we apply the liner-blending method to smoothing the panoramic image. This method is evaluated using large-scale images obtained from the visual cortex of rodent animals, which shows great fidelity and satisfying results.


Abstract BACKGROUND (Z,E)‐9,12‐tetradecadienyl acetate (ZETA, Z9,E12‐14:OAc) is a major sex pheromone component for many stored‐product moth species. This pheromone is used worldwide for mating disruption, detection, monitoring, and mass trapping in raw and processed food storage facilities. In this study, we demonstrate the biological production of ZETA pheromone by engineered yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. RESULTS We mined the pheromone gland transcriptome data of the almond moth, Ephestia (Cadra) cautella (Walker), to trace a novel E12 fatty acyl desaturase and expressed candidates heterologously in yeast and Sf9 systems. Furthermore, we demonstrated a tailor‐made ZETA pheromone bioproduction in yeast through metabolic engineering using this E12 desaturase, in combination with three genes from various sources coding for a Z9 desaturase, a fatty acyl reductase, and an acetyltransferase, respectively. Electrophysiological assays (gas chromatography coupled to an electroantennographic detector) proved that the transgenic yeast‐produced ZETA pheromone component elicits distinct antennal responses. CONCLUSION The reconstructed biosynthetic pathway in yeast efficiently produces ZETA pheromone, leaves an undetectable level of biosynthetic intermediates, and paves the way for the economically competitive high‐demand ZETA pheromone's bioproduction technology for high‐value storage pest control.


Lope de Vega's El amigo hasta la muerte seems to be earlier than the date indicated by Morley and Bruerton (1606-1612) because it reveals a certain number of obscure allusions to the relationship between its author and Cervantes, at the time when their friendship hadn't become yet a literary war, which is before the publication of the first part of Quijote. Besides this, starting from the use of certain names and the elaboration of the two friends theme, it shows parallelisms and intertextual echos related to Cervantes' El gallardo espanol, a play that could perfectly be the paradigm that for mysterious reasons the young Lope used in order to write a personal and literary tribute to his friends from Alcala.


Organic Architecture is not a style of imitation, but rather, a reinterpretation of Nature's principles to build forms more natural than nature itself. Engineers, designers and architects often look to nature for inspiration. Each with its own culture, beliefs, values, traditions, attitudes and ethics is the element of people differentiation in different societies. In the other hand, we are nature. So, we should respect and learning from nature. However, they necessarily not always successful as degree of their success depended upon their perception and understanding of the nature of organisms. These gave rise to critical faults and disadvantages. Like human beings themselves, their architectures possess integral, united and harmonic system that is demonstrated in the best possible form in the natural organisms. While Organic Architecture does describe an expression of individuality, it also explores our need to connect to Nature. Using Nature as basis for design, a building or design must grow, as Nature grows, from the inside out. Nature grows from the idea of a seed and reaches out to its surroundings. A building (following the principles of Organic Architecture) thus is similar to an organism and mirrors the beauty and complexity of Nature. In this paper first we have introduced this style briefly, we described order and disorder in the architecture and we have analyzed evidences of order and disorder in this style.


The paper reviews the history and current status of wide-screen systems in the broadcast industry noting that the current trends are towards enhanced systems based on conventional 625 and 525 line standards. The European situation is examined more closely from source to display. Topics covered are the production standard, studio equipment with particular consideration given to artistic composition and dual aspect ratio working, and the current decisions for sub-titling. The various options are examined for contribution and distribution noting the wide range of scenarios from single play-out and transmission to the complex national network with regional contributions and variations. Wide-screen transmission and the home receiver are reviewed from the broadcast standpoint.


A method of measuring an insulation resistance of an electric line. An AC signal voltage having a frequency of f is applied to the electric line through a voltage transformer or a current transformer coupled to a grounding conductor or to the electric line. Phase mea suring currents having frequencies (f-fs) and (f1 +fs) are also applied to the electric line through a winding of the current transformer or voltage transformer. A leak age current component and the AC signal voltage are synchronously detected to obtain a synchronously de tected output and the phase of the AC signal voltage of the frequency f1 necessary for the synchronous detec tion is automatically adjusted so that a component of the synchronously detected output having a frequency fs becomes zero.


Incomplete release profiles of protein delivery systems can be caused by unfolding and denaturation of proteins due to protein-biomaterial interactions. This paper investigates the mechanisms causing incomplete release of the wound healing protein, Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF), from a hydroxyethyl(methacrylate) (HEMA) hydrogel by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and 2D correlation spectroscopy. This work characterizes KGF secondary structure reflected in the amide I region of the FTIR-ATR spectrum, and differences between active and heat denatured KGF. These results have been used to investigate the sequence of time-dependent changes in KGF at the surface of the HEMA hydrogel during uptake and release by 2D correlation spectroscopy. KGF stays active throughout the uptake process, and the KGF loop structures interact with HEMA moieties, potentially mimicking receptor-ligand interactions. KGF denatures during release via changes in the loops and unfolding of the extended strands. Our results suggest that a high affinity interaction between the HEMA hydrogel and KGF is beneficial for efficient loading of KGF into the hydrogel, but is too strong and prevents complete KGF release due to unfolding and denaturation of KGF. This work informs future material design that will target different secondary structural elements of KGF in order to preserve its native conformation and allow for complete release.


Following reclamation of Assamese ethnic identity, the movements for making Assam a nation province started in the 1960s. The caveat, however, was the ever-growing Bengali migrants from Bangladesh. The Assamese movement, bolstered by the exclusivity and dominance, caused resentment from the non-Assamese communities and this ostracism was manifested in the form of counter movements. After restoring normalcy for a few years, armed movement for secession kicked-off in the early 1980s and intensified in the 1990s. Unfortunately, State's intervention failed to contain protracted conflicts, rather compounded the situation and gave rise to hybrid ethnic identities in the 2000s. This further led to demands for ethnicity-based autonomy movements.


For thermodynamic prediction, the deoxidation equilibrium of aluminum in Fe-36%Ni alloy was investigated by employing a cold crucible under an Ar gas atmosphere at 1 773 K. The interaction parameters between aluminum and oxygen by taking liquid Fe-36%Ni alloy as the basis (i.e., solvent) are evaluated as follows: e Al O =-3.8, r Al O =0.9, e O Al =-6.4, r O Al =700, r Al,O Al =3.1, r Al,O O =833 within the composition range of [Al]<1 mass%. The equilibrium constant for reaction 2Al (in Fe-36%Ni) +3O (in Fe-36%Ni) =Al 2 O 3(s) was obtained in the temperature range of 1 773 to 1 973 K by using data from the present study and from previous works reported: log K AO =0.58-24 460/T The deoxidation equilibrium of aluminum in Fe-36%Ni can thus be thermodynamically described in the range of [Al]<1 mass% using both the first and second order interaction parameters as well as the equilibrium constant determined in this study.


Objective
To construct a ciaR gene-knockout (ΔciaR) mutant of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S.pneumoniae) and to investigate the effects of CiaR in CiaH/CiaR, a streptococcal two-component signal-transducing system, on the expression of genes encoding penicillin-binding proteins (pbps genes) and cia-dependent small RNAs (csRNAs).

Methods
Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (ESMA) was performed to detect the recombinant CiaR (rCiaR)-binding pbps genes. A suicide plasmid pEVP3ciaR for ciaR gene knockout was constructed and then a ΔciaR mutant was obtained through homologous recombination and insertion inactivation of the suicide plasmid, and screening with chloromycin. The mutant was identified using PCR and sequencing analysis. E-test was used to detect the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of penicillin (PCN) and cefotaxime (CTX) against S. pneumoniae strains. Changes and differences in the expression of pbps genes and csRNAs in the ΔciaR mutant and its wild-type strain before and after treatment with 1/4 MIC of PCN or CTX were detected using real-time quantitative RT-PCR.

Results
The rCiaR could bind to the promoter regions in pbp1a, pbp1b and pbp2b genes of S. pneumoniae. The ciaR gene in ΔciaR mutant was inactivated by insertion according to the results of PCR and sequencing analysis. After treatment with 1/4 MIC of PCN or CTX, the expression of pbps genes at mRNA level (pbps-mRNAs) in the ΔciaR mutant was significantly increased (P<0.05), but the levels of csRNAs were significantly decreased (P<0.05); whereas a significantly decreased pbps-mRNAs (P<0.05) and increased csRNAs (P<0.05) were observed in its wild-type strain. The result of E-test showed that the MICs of PCN and CTX against ΔciaR mutant were increased by 250-fold as compared with those against its wild-type strain.

Conclusion
The CiaR can enhance the drug resistance of S. pneumoniae to PCN and CTX through down-regulating the expression of PBP1a, PBP1b and PBP2b and up-regulating the expression of csRNAs to inhibit the expression of PBPs.

Key words:
Streptococcus pneumoniae; Drug resistance; Response regulation protein/CiaR; Gene knockout; PBPs/csRNAs


An advanced thermal control system for the Burst Alert Telescope on the Swift satellite has been designed and an engineering test unit (ETU) has been built and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber. The ETU assembly consists of a propylene loop heat pipe, two constant conductance heat pipes, a variable conductance heat pipe (VCHP), which is used for rough temperature control of the system, and a radiator. The entire assembly was tested in a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA/GSFC in early 2002. Tests were performed with thermal mass to represent the instrument and with electrical resistance heaters providing the heat to be transferred. Start‐up and heat transfer of over 300 W was demonstrated with both steady and variable condenser sink temperatures. Radiator sink temperatures ranged from a high of approximately 273 K, to a low of approximately 83 K, and the system was held at a constant operating temperature of 278 K throughout most of the testing. A novel LHP temperature control methodology using both temperat...


Through analyzing the data of the 42 CLUSTER arrays in ARGO-YBJ experiment and comparing it with the Monte-Carlo data,this article studies the array performance from the hit multiplicity,strip pattern and azimuth distribution.


The lower abdominal transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap for breast reconstruction is described. Its viability was tested when doing routine abdominal lipectomies. The flap was found to survive entirely on the same side of the rectus abdominis muscle and can be used for immediate or delayed breast reconstruction.


Objective To discuss the diagnosis value of the high frequency Transvaginal Sonohysterosono-graphy(TV-SHG) for the Uterine Cavity Lesion.Methods 150 patients were performed by Transvaginal Sonography(TVS),and their sonography and pathological results before and after TV-SHG were compared with the TV-SHG method.Results The sensitivity,differential rate,and general fit rate of the TVS are 85.5%,76.9%,and 84.0%,while that of the TV-SHG is 96.8%,84.6%,and 94.7%.The results show that the sensitivity,differential rate and general fit rate of the TV-SHG and pathological diagnosis are better than those of the TVS.The comparison between TV-SHG and TVS has significance level in the statistics(P0.05).Conclusion TV-SHG can rapidly and accurately detect the Uterine Cavity Lesion relative to TVS,and provide more reliable diagnosis basis for clinic.


* Design services are offered for $60 per hour with a 1 hour minimum charge. Camera-ready ads may be e-mailed to email@example.com in pdf, jpeg or gif format. Resolution must be 300 dpi and ads must conform to the exact specifications listed above. Reach Harvard University alumni, faculty, and staff looking to enroll their children in a summer camp and/or summer education/enrichment program. Advertise in Harvard Magazine's Summer Program Guide and reach 258,000 people in the Harvard community


Drug delivery key research aim is to support patients by designing clinically effective formulations. Drug delivery systems can enhance the treatment of a variety of diseases, including microbes' infections, and cancers. Drug delivery systems preparation methods, on the other hand, remain difficult, particularly at the microscale. Some of the necessary criteria for speeding the transformation of drug delivery systems from a limited scale to an enormous scale include reducing batch-to-batch variance and increasing production volume. Gene-specific drug delivery system has a bright future as a preventive solution to severe diseases and has developed as an influential tool in recent years as a unique technology for disease management. Gene silencing, protein expression, or gene repair may be used to cure perhaps every illness with a gene-specific delivery system. The genetic material must be paired with a delivery additive to successfully transfer the nucleic acid payload to its target tissue. There are various non-viral and viral vectors involved along with the different mechanisms of gene entry into a cell which is discussed in this article. This review highlights that the gene-specific drug delivery system has vast scope in therapy and can prove advantageous over other therapies, because it includes several carriers and different methods of plasma membrane permeation. Very interestingly, it also includes various applications of the gene-specific drug delivery system in several diseases and recent trends in the Coronavirus vaccine.


Experimental results indicate that the gray scales of the cross-talk image of laser jamming on interline transfer CCD do not change in proportion to the laser power.This phenomenon was analyzed and the cross-talk image was simulated.Because the overflowing of the photo-electric diode is continuous,every pixel of vertical CCD can attain the sum of the overflowing of laser-induced carriers from the pixels above the threshold.The change of the laserinduced carriers is expressed by the change of the concentration of the carriers.The equation of the laser-induced electron in p-njunction is solved,and the increment of the concentration of the laser-induced electron via the laser power is obtained.Thus the cross-talk image is simulated. The cross-talk images with the laser power of 10and 100times of the cross-talk threshold are simulated,and the result is comparable with the experiment result.


A highly regio-, diastereo- and enantioselective formal (3+2) cycloaddition reaction of nitrone ylides from isatins and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes was developed via iminium catalysis in the presence of an additional base, furnishing a spectrum of 1′-hydroxy-3,2′-pyrrolidinylspirooxindole frameworks. Interestingly, the regioselectivity could be finely switched in the reactions between nitrone ylides and crotonaldehyde by adding catalytic amounts of lithium perchlorate and copper(II) bromide.


We collected over a thousand technology-mediated positive experiences with media and obtained measures describing aspects of the experience itself (affect, psychological need fulfillment) and of the product (i.e., content and technology) integral to the experience (pragmatic quality, hedonic quality). We found a strong relation between intensity of need fulfillment and positive affect. Furthermore, different activities had different need profiles. Watching was foremost a relatedness experience, listening a stimulation and meaning experience, and playing a competence experience. Need fulfillment and positive affect was related to perceptions of hedonic quality, however moderated through attribution, that is, the belief that the product played a role in creating the experience. Pragmatic quality was not linked to experiential measures. The present study (a) demonstrates the merits of distinguishing between an experience-oriented and a product-oriented evaluation, (b) suggests a set of possible measurement instruments for experience-oriented and a product-oriented evaluation, and (c) details the process of how positive experience is transformed into positive product perceptions and judgments of appeal.


This article gives a review of a study which examined the experiences of incident management programs (IMPs) in the U.S. It reviews goals and benefits, basic steps involved in the IM process, status of IMPs in the U.S., and challenges faced by IMPs.


Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems allow efficient direct conversion from chemical to electrical energy. But the commercialization of the technology is strongly dependent on the development of cost-effective, long-term stable materials and seals. Sealing components in SOFC stacks have to fulfill a large variety of requirements. Primarily, they should separate the oxidants and fuel gases under all operating conditions, e.g. thermal cycling, rapid heating/cooling, temperature gradients. In this article, the state-of-the-art knowledge in SOFC sealing technology is described for the two main development directions—glass sealants and compressive sealants

Keywords:

sealing;
SOFC;
compressive sealants;
glass sealants;
ceramic sealants;
metal sealants;
mica sealants


ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to empirically examine the potential impact of supply chain practices on the supply chain performances of the agro-food industry. The constructs of interest are three-dimensional, including supplier partnerships, customer relationships and level and quality of information sharing, thus representing supply chain practices, flexibility, agility and innovation as the main characteristics of supply chain performance. To gain better understanding of the possible impact of the supply chain practices on the supply chain performances of the agro-food industry we use structural equation modelling. The analysis has revealed statistically significant positive impact of customers' relationships as well as statistically significant negative impact of a supplier partnership on the supply chain performance. From a theoretical point of view, this study has indicated contribution of different supply chain practices on supply chain performances. The results obtained from this study provide practical implications that assist managers in improving supply chain performance and highlight limitations for implementation of supply chain practice for the improvement of business operations.


Abstract : Stationary cathode-adjacent high-field domains which occur in a range of negative differential conductivity have been used to determine the electron density at the cathode for various metals deposited on vacuum-cleaved photoconducting CdS. Measurements were taken in bandgap light at various intensities and at temperatures ranging from 155 to 300 degrees K. These crystals (doped with Ag and Al) consistently have gains greater than 10 even with metal contacts of Au or Pt. The analysis shows that the 'effective barrier heights' are essentially independent of the metal work function, are dependent on the light intensity and temperature, and are generally lower in magnitude by about 40% as compared to values obtained from photoresponse measurements on CdS with negligible photocurrent. (Author)


Background.  The purpose of this case‐controlled study was to investigate whether plasma concentrations of TNF‐receptors I and II and tumor necrosis factor‐α‐induced cell adhesion molecule 1 VCAM‐1 could serve as more sensitive markers of tumor necrosis factor‐α release in preeclamptic women than a direct measurement of circulating tumor necrosis factor‐α.


Recognises that whilst an abundance of research has been conducted into solicitors' marketing, other players in the legal industry have been ignored or overlooked. Suggests that what is clearly lacking is a holistic analysis of legal‐market dynamics. Attempts to provide a clearer and more accurate understanding of the relationships within the legal industry. Investigates the role of relationships in facilitating exchange, elucidates how these relationships are developed, and identifies key relationship characteristics. Overviews the legal industry and discusses the rationale for utilising a relational perspective. Presents and analyses evidence generated from interviews with barristers, solicitors, barristers' clerks and clients. Culminates with a discussion of findings, implications and directions for future research.


ABSTRACT Rebuilding political legitimacy after civil war and state collapse is a challenging task. This paper looks at the role of the Parliament of Sierra Leone in this process. The analysis is concerned with two key areas: descriptive representation of the electorate to build inclusive politics, and elite reconciliation as a means of making democracy the only game in town. Based on data from a survey among Members of Parliament (MPs) and additional qualitative interviews, it will be shown that political representatives are predominantly male, elderly, and highly educated. Using Social Network Analysis, the paper will demonstrate that social similarities, family networks, and networks formed in educational institutions provide the social glue that form Sierra Leone's MPs into an interconnected national elite cutting across party alignments and ethnic origins. While elite integration is positive for democratization, the underrepresentation of women, youth, and the poor presents future challenges to political inclusion.


The Cloud infrastructure and its extensive set of Internet-accessible resources has potential to provide significant benefits to robots and automation systems. We consider robots and automation systems that rely on data or code from a network to support their operation, i.e., where not all sensing, computation, and memory is integrated into a standalone system. This survey is organized around four potential benefits of the Cloud: 1) Big Data: access to libraries of images, maps, trajectories, and descriptive data, 2) Cloud Computing: access to parallel grid computing on demand for statistical analysis, learning, and motion planning, 3) Collective Robot Learning: robots sharing trajectories, control policies, and outcomes, and 4) Human Computation: use of crowdsourcing to tap human skills for analyzing images and video, classification, learning, and error recovery. The Cloud can also improve robots and automation systems by providing access to a) datasets, publications, models, benchmarks, and simulation tools, b) open competitions for designs and systems, and c) open-source software. This survey includes over 150 references on results and open challenges. A website with new developments and updates is available at: http://goldberg.berkeley.edu/cloud-robotics/ Note to Practitioners—Most robots and automation systems still operate independently using onboard computation, memory, and programming. Emerging advances and the increasing availability of networking in the "Cloud" suggests new approaches where processing is performed remotely with access to dynamic global datasets to support a range of functions. This paper surveys research to date.


After the comparison of the extraction ability of several extractants袁 an analysis method was established for the determination of Te 渊IV冤 in soil samples by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. 4 mol/L HCl as the extraction agent in the experiment by ultrasound extraction at 50 益. Determination of total Te content in HCl media with TiCl3 reduction Te渊VI冤 and upper machine袁 then Te渊VI冤 could be counted by subtraction. Eliminated the interference of coexisting elements by joining Fe 渊III冤. The recovery of standard addition was 98.0%-110%袁 and the detection limit was 0.235 滋g/L袁 the relative stand deviation was 2.03%. Experiments showed good results and the method is simple袁 quick and high tensitivity援 It will be of a certain practical value.


ESO is in the process of implementing a new development platform, based on PLCs, for upcoming VLT control systems (new instruments and refurbishing of existing systems to manage obsolescence issues). In this context, we have evaluated the integration and reuse of existing C++ libraries and Simulink models into the real-time environment of BECKHOFF Embedded PCs using the capabilities of the latest version of TwinCAT software and MathWorks Embedded Coder. While doing so the aim was to minimize the impact of the new platform by adopting fully tested solutions implemented in C++. This allows us to reuse the in house expertise, as well as extending the normal capabilities of the traditional PLC programming environments. We present the progress of this work and its application in two concrete cases: 1) field rotation compensation for instrument tracking devices like derotators, 2) the ESO standard axis controller (ESTAC), a generic model-based controller implemented in Simulink and used for the control of telescope main axes.


The γ-aminobutyric acid (Gaba) is a non-protein amino acid found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Its role in plant development has not been fully established. This study reports a quantification of the levels of endogenous Gaba, as well as investigation of its role in different stages of somatic embryogenesis in Acca sellowiana Berg. (Myrtaceae). Zygotic embryos were used as explants and they were inoculated into the culture medium contained different concentrations of Gaba (0,2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 µM). The highest concentrations of endogenous Gaba were detected between the third and nine days after inoculation, reaching the value of 12.77 µmol.g-1FW. High frequency of somatic embryogenesis was observed in response to 10 µM Gaba. This treatment also resulted in a large number of normal embryos, and the lowest percentage of formation of fused somatic embryos, phenotypic characteristic of most deformed embryos in all treatments. Also, all treatments promoted the formation of the somatic embryos with positive characteristics of development resumption, which however did not originate the seedlings.


We investigated piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters with poly(vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene) films and the improved power generation from using multistacked and stretched ferroelectric films on the cantilevers. The energy harvesters generated electric power with a resonant frequency of approximately 25 Hz, which corresponded to the ambient vibration. The power density of four-layered harvesters was estimated to be 2.5 µW/m3, which was larger than the power density of previous harvesters. The output power of stretched-film harvesters was 3.6 times the output obtained from unstretched films. In addition, because organic ferroelectric films are flexible, the resonant frequency of each harvester was practically constant even when using the techniques of multistacking and stretching.


The osmotic coefficients and densities of aqueous and CCl4 solutions involving 18-crown-6 (18C6) as solute in the concentration range 0.1 to 2.0 m at 25 °C were measured. The data obtained is used to calculate activities of solvent and activity coefficient of solute and solvent at 25 °C as a function of concentration. It has been observed that activity coefficient of 18C6 increases with increase in concentration of 18C6 while the reverse is true for CCl4 solutions. Using the partial molar volume of the solute at infinite dilution, the solute−solvent cluster integral values were evaluated which yielded information on solute−solvent interaction. Application of McMillan-Mayer theory enabled us to obtain second and third virial coefficients for solute, which have been decomposed into attractive and repulsive contributions to solute−solute interactions. These are compared with other solutes such as sucrose, glucose, urea, etc. On the basis of attractive and repulsive contributions to solute−solvent and solute−...


U.S. legislators recently brought back thirty-four tax programs from legislative limbo, extending them for three years. This includes the tuition and fee deduction, used by taxpayers to save on college expenses. This regressive tax policy flows heavily towards higher-income levels, with almost a third of the deduction going to those with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000. Previous empirical research indicates the policy has had no effect on increasing college enrollment. It is imperative that researchers, policymakers, and practitioners remediate duplicative, fiscally irresponsible tax policy. To guide this remediation, I provide a legislative history of the tuition and fees deduction, duplicative effects of current education tax incentives, critiques against the current tax extender package, and recommendations for higher education tax reform.


As emi-classical approach is used to analyse how transverse effects and relaxation due to homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening affect the dynamics of superfluorescence. Results are discussed in order to match our Te 2 data.


Summary.  Imputation is commonly used to compensate for item non‐response in sample surveys. If we treat the imputed values as if they are true values, and then compute the variance estimates by using standard methods, such as the jackknife, we can seriously underestimate the true variances. We propose a modified jackknife variance estimator which is defined for any without‐replacement unequal probability sampling design in the presence of imputation and non‐negligible sampling fraction. Mean, ratio and random‐imputation methods will be considered. The practical advantage of the method proposed is its breadth of applicability.


Over the past years there has been an increase in the assessment of eye lens doses in interventional radiology procedures. This is due to the new recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP-2012 Publication 118) that proposes to reduce equivalent dose limit for the eye lens. The aim of this study is to make estimates of equivalent dose received by eye lens of the medical staff in interventional neuroradiology procedures. Consequently, this study presents an alternative for eye lens dosimetry. For this purpose nanoDot dosimeters based on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) technology from Landauer Inc. product were used. The measurements obtained for equivalent dose received by medical staff of neuroradiology were on average, lower than the new equivalent dose limit for the eye lens proposed by ICRP.


The electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilized on graphite electrodes without the addition of an electron mediator was found to start at + 600 mV vs. Ag/AgCl and the highest current was obtained at about −100 mV. With an applied potential of −50 mV and in the absence of soluble mediator, linear calibration curves for H2O2 were obtained between 0.5 μM and 250 μM and for β-D-glucose in air-saturated solution between 2 μM and 0.5 μM (HRP co-immobilized with glucose oxidase). Cross-linking the enzymes with glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin was found to increase the stability of the sensors without causing mass transfer resistance within the enzyme layer. The response time was 5 seconds both for H2O2 and for glucose and the sample through put was 150 samples h−1. The glucose measurements were made in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 6, where no interfering from physiological levels of ascorbic acid, uric acid, or paracetamol (acetaminophen) could be detected.


Abstract Postcolonial theatre and intercultural theatre have different aims and performance strategies. The former seeks to "dismantle the effects of colonialism" (Lawson 153) while the latter re‐packages foreign materials for new "target" audiences (Pavis Crossroads 137). Rustom Bharucha challenges Western adaptations for misinterpreting other cultures' ideas, but the problem is both conceptual and practical. Adaptations that gloss over the political agenda of texts and their concerns for cultural authenticity or that privilege transcultural presentation strategies produce mere "atmospherics" (Soyinka Dialogue 3) and "cultural fragments" (Brandon 31) instead of reinforcing the postcolonial intentions of "source" texts. This article will distinguish between postcolonial and transcultural strategies and analyse how transcultural approaches to space, mise‐en‐scene and characterisation in Western productions of Wole Soyinka's Death and King's Horseman written in 1975 and Femi Osofisan's Once Upon Four Robbers first published in 1991 undermine both texts' postcolonial intentions.


In this work we develop a mathematical formulation for, and study the performance of cascaded Kalman filter architectures. Sufficient conditions are given on the Master and subordinate filters to ensure the boundedness of the error covariance of the resulting cascaded filter. Furthermore, we estimate the performance loss incurred in treating the data to be refiltered as a white sequence. As an application of the results developed, we consider the Global Positioning System (GPS). Both the case where the GPS receiver is tracking 4 satellites as well as the case of reduced satellite availability are considered. In the context of this application, the effects of an unmodeled pseudo-range bias, unannounced control resets, and varying rates of incorporation of the GPS filter's estimate are all analyzed. Finally, the state space model for the Inertial Navigation Unit (INU) is developed, and computer simulation results are provided to illustrate the scope of this work.


8569Background: Nivolumab showed promising results in phase II clinical trials for advanced MM patients with good performance status (PS). Limited data exists for poor PS patients treated outside o...


Chlorodifluoroacetic acid (CDFA) was detected in rain and snow samples from various regions of Canada. Routine quantitative analysis was performed using an in-situ derivatization technique that allowed for the determination of CDFA by GC−MS of the anilide derivative. Validation of environmental CDFA was provided by strong anionic exchange chromatography and detection by 19F NMR. CDFA concentrations ranged from <7.1 to 170 ng L-1 among all samples analyzed. Monthly volume-weighted CDFA concentrations in rain event samples showed a seasonal trend between June and November 1998, peaking in late summer and decreasing in the fall for Guelph and Toronto sites. Preliminary toxicity tests with the aquatic macrophytes Myriophyllum sibiricum and Myriophyllum spicatum suggest that CDFA does not represent a risk of acute toxicity to these aquatic macrophytes at current environmental concentrations. A degradation study suggests that CDFA is recalcitrant to biotic and abiotic degradation relative to dichloroacetic acid...


Inhibition sites Ti and T2 from the Escherichia coli terminus functioned with the same characteristics in ColEl-derived plasmids and in the chromosome. These characteristics included polarity and dependence on tus, a trans-acting factor required for inhibition. Inhibition in the terminus region of the R6K plasmid was also tus dependent.


DNA methylation has been suggested as one of the epigenetic changes promoting carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the methylation status of CADM 1, MAL and hsa‐miR‐124 genes in high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) liquid‐based cytology (LBC) samples with a histological correlation.


To test the hypothesis that post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can appear after a fall and try to identify predictive factors for its development in older fallers.


Leadership is a natural ability to lead a group of individuals to translate vision into reality. The researchers used the mixed method research though the online checklist. In gathering reliable information, the researchers adopted questionnaires from the research entitled Onus of Classroom Leaders: How Erudition Develops by Giving and Receiving Peer Participation. The researchers use also cellphone for the documentation specially in making screenshot of the online feedback. Based on the table the researcher used a conceptual framework to elaborate the classroom leadership skills  and teaching and learning process where strategies used as  a key elements to state and phrase  the findings and result hence the  researcher proposed to used this in LFG DIAMANTINA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL as a basis to create  intervention and  output based education in terms of doing so. This is based on their raw score from a 30-item test in each of  the qualities of classroom leaders. Also, it indicates that the learners are interestingly good enough to further experience leadership capabilities of the students. Both posttest mean scores of the groups lie between 19 – 24 score interval. This means they got "high" scores in the 30-item test in each of the Qualities of a good leader. However, leadership skills can earn through a harmonious relationship between the two.


This study predicted that loneliness and verbal aggressiveness are correlated with interpreting ambiguous messages negatively, and that loneliness, verbal aggressiveness, and negative interpretations are associated with experiencing communication as more difficult. Students (n = 173) completed personality assessments, rated their level of difficulty with everyday communication, and responded to two hypothetical scenarios, indicating whether the messages within them communicated rejection. Results support our contention that loneliness and verbal aggressiveness are predictors of negative interpretations and communication difficulty.


As the development of computer network,IP becomes less as time goes along.Network address translation technique is used widely to resolve this problem,it can change IP domain to another IP domain.This paper gives an embedded system resolution based on S3C4510B.This resolution can also carry out the function of network address translation.First,We introduce hardware of system potentially,then analysis material implement of each function module.At last,We transplant embedded system on the hardware,test and analysis it.


This paper presents a logical, mathematical and geo metrical interpretation of the previously presented term, infoledge. There is a strong relations hip between the infoledge concept and complex numbers, which is utilized by the researchers in th e mathematical interpretation of the infoledge concept. Autopoietic theory skeleton is the startin g point in the current paper. Further more, the physical concepts, namely, kinematics and dynamics are introduced utilizing the cognition based concepts and certain concepts like domain and space . The current interpretation is expected to help in knowledge transfer simulation, cognition an d recognition, artificial intelligence developing tools efforts. It is expected that the findings will enhance the relevant literature and applications.


Aluminum alloys are of particular interest in the design of lightweight structures in different applications. Accordingly, welding aluminum alloys (AA) is a critical issue; for example, welding defects could arise during the traditional welding of aluminum alloys. This paper investigates the effects of welding using a robotic arm on the mechanical properties of 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy, as plates joined by Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding. The tensile behavior and mechanical properties were investigated using tensile testing, hardness testing, and impact testing. The tensile behavior of AA-6061-T6 un-welded and welded specimens showed a decrease in the tensile strength of the welded specimens due to the fusion of the welded zone and the partially melted zone (PMZ). The hardness test showed an increase in the hardness values away from the welded zone, attributed to voids and defects in the welded and HAZ zones. In addition, the impact behavior showed that the maximum impact is in the base metal zone, and the minimum is in the HAZ. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the welded and un-welded Aluminum microstructures. The mechanical properties of AA 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy were sensitive to the novel welding process.


FOREWORD PREFACE LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION 1. Earliest letters (c.1895) to the Outbreak of the First World War: 1895 - 1914 2. From the beginning of the First World War until the Move to Dorking: 1914 - 1929 3. From the Move to Dorking until the Outbreak of the Second World War: 1929 - September 1939 4. The Second World War: September 1939 - May 1945 5. From the Second World War to the Move Back to London: June 1945 - 15 September 1953 6. From the Move Back to London until VW's death: 15 September 1953 - 26 August 1958 LIST OF SOURCES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX OF WORKS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS GENERAL INDEX


Objective: To describe the methodological steps of developing an integrated reference guide for competences according to the profile of the healthcare professionals concerned. Design: Human resources in healthcare represent a complex issue, which needs conceptual and methodological frameworks and tools to help one understand reality and the limits of one's acts. Setting: This study uses results from four contexts (Belgium/Europe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Senegal) in which integrated reference guides for competences for healthcare professionals have been developed. Method: Priority was given to the writing of curricula (initial training) or of training plans (continuous training) more effective in terms of professionalization and more adequate to populations' needs. Results: Pedagogical approach is presented as some (step-by-step) methodological guidance which will help one to get acquainted with this approach. This analysis questions the whole issue of healthcare training institutions' social responsibility. Conclusion: The products obtained (ie reference guides for competences) are only the visible part of the results of the far more fundamental change process that is the real reinforcement of competences and capacities of healthcare professionals in organizations aiming at better managing their resources, among which are human resources in healthcare.


"An '' Analysis Of Sakarin Construction In Some Of The Beauty Packed Beverages In Mall Uit Kota Makassar '' Has Been Carried Out. The Purpose Of This Study Is To Find Out Whether There Is Saccharine In Branded Packaging Drinks That Are Traded At Uit Mall, Jalan Abdul Kadir, Makassar City And Find Out About Saccharine Levels In Branded Packaging Drinks That Are Traded At Uit Mall, Jalan Abdul Kadir, Makassar City. The Type Of Research Used Is Descriptive By Providing An Overview Of Sweeteners And Sweeteners In Traditional Cakes Traded In Hartako Market, Makassar City. The Sample In This Study Is As Many As 3 Types Of Packaging Drinks, Sampling Techniques Are Simple Random Sampling Or Random Techniques. This Research Was Conducted With Qualitative Tests And Quantitative Tests On 21-22 May 2019 At The D3 Laboratory Of Health Analysts At The University Of East Indonesia. The Results Of Laboratory Tests On Food Sweetening Substances On Traditional Cakes Qualitative Tests Showed Positive Results Containing Synthetic Sweeteners Namely Saccharin And Quantitative Tests Obtained Food Sweeteners Content Namely Saccharin In Samples A, B, And C Respectively 4.14%, 1.31% And 1.20%.


Summary form only given. Liquid crystals are technologically important electro-optical materials, as they possess many unique physical and electro-optical properties. They have also been shown to be technologically important nonlinear optical materials. Extraordinarily large optical nonlinearities are exhibited over the entire visible-near infrared-infrared spectrum; nonlinear optical responses to CW, microsecond, nanosecond and picosecond lasers have been documented. Among the various physical mechanisms, perhaps the most noteworthy ones are those associated with temperature and director axis (orientational) fluctuations. As a result of molecular correlation effects, and the critical behavior of the order parameter near the phase transition temperatures T nematic liquid crystals exhibit the by now well known property of large thermal index gradients Another property of the nematic phase is the large susceptibility of the crystal axis to weak external field, i.e., orientational fluctuations can be easily induced. In this presentation, the author describes how these thermal and orientational fluctuations may be fruitfully utilized in some noise initiated self-starting coherent nonlinear optical devices.<<ETX>>


NASA's Van Allen Probes have observed a new population of space sound waves, called plasmaspheric hiss, which are important in removing high-energy particles from around Earth that can damage satellites.


We discuss Meyers-Serrin's type results for smooth approximations of functions b = b ( t , x ) : R × R n → R m , with convergence of an energy of the form where w > 0 is a suitable weight function, and ϕ : [ 0 , ∞ ) → [ 0 , ∞ ) is a convex function with ϕ( 0 ) = 0 having exponential or subexponential growth. analysed during the current study.


The invention discloses a die for trimming the casing of an MP3, comprising an upper die set, a lower die set and a clamping mechanism as well as at least one punching work station, wherein the upper die set and the lower die set are arranged on a machine tool, and the clamping mechanism is fixed on the upper die set. In the invention, a plurality of lower punching pieces are fixed on the lower die set, a plurality of lower punching pieces define a square shape and form a concave cavity, and the concave cavity is corresponding to an upper punching piece fixed on the upper die set, thus one-step trimming and moulding of the casing of the MP3 is completed. The die for trimming the casing of the MP3 disclosed by the invention has a simple structure, processing procedure is simplified, labour intensity of workers is reduced, production cost is reduced, and production efficiency is improved.


UWB pulse radars are promising as high-resolution imaging techniques, which are required for target positioning systems of rescue robots moving in a dark smoke, for example. It can be also applied to a non-destructive measurement for industrial products (e.g. antennas and vehicles), in order to detect small surface defects. These applications require a fast, robust, and high-resolution imaging algorithm. We have already proposed a robust and fast imaging algorithm with an envelope of circles. This method utilizes the principle that the target boundaries are expressed as the envelopes of circles with the radius corresponding to the time delays. Our method can realize robust imaging even in a noisy environment. However, the error of the estimated image is at least about 1/10 of the center wavelength of the pulse because the image is distorted especially around sharp edges. This is because we assume that the scattered waveform is the same as the transmitted one. In this paper, we utilize the shape estimation method together with a waveform estimation in order to enhance the resolution of the image. An imaging algorithm based on this idea has been published. However, the earlier study utilizes a parametric approach and can be applied only to a simple polygon. In this paper, we extend this idea to general convex targets including smooth curves and edges. Numerical simulations and experiments show that the proposed method accomplishes a high-resolution imaging.


A new class of multifunctional nanoparticles that combine properties of polymeric drug carriers, ultrasound imaging contrast agents, and enhancers of ultrasound‐mediated intracellular drug delivery was developed. At room temperature, the developed systems comprise perfluorocarbon nanodroplets stabilized by the walls made of biodegradable block copolymers. The nanodroplets convert into microbubbles upon heating to physiological temperatures. The phase state of the systems and nanodroplet size may be controlled by the copolymer/perfluorocarbon volume ratio. Three areas observed in phase diagrams correspond to micelles; micelle/microbubble coexistence; and nano/microbubble coexistence. These systems manifest a relatively high drug loading capacity (about 15 % wt/wt). As indicated by biodistribution measurements and ultrasound imaging, the micelles and nanobubbles extravasate selectively into the tumor interstitia. Microbubble cavitate and collapse under the action of tumor‐directed ultrasound, resulting in a...


Generalized regression Neural Network(GRNN)is usually applied totheFunction approximation. Basedonthe principle ofGRNN,thispaperpresents a methodforthe predictive modelofnonlinear complex system. Thepresented algorithm isapplied tothetraining andpredicting process of thenonlinear model.The-simulations showthepresented methodhasgoodeffects onpredicting thedynamic process of thenonlinear model, andcould beapplied ontheprediction control fornonlinear systems satisfactorily. L DITRODUCTION ItisknowntheGeneralized Regression Neural Network (GRNN)ismuchefficient methodforfitting or approximating theoutput ofcomplex plants. GRNN is usually madeupofalayer ofradial basenetwork anda layer oflinear network. Itisknownthat Predictive Control isreferred toasmodel-based control. Itcombines the control strategy with predictive model, optimizing algorithm andfeedback adjusting. Thepredictive control forlinear systems hadbeenresolved perfectly, butit's difficult forthe non-linear complex systems. Torealize predictive model accurately for thenon-linear dynamic process isthefirst key work.According totheactive I/Oinformation, the predictive model based onGRNNcould beusedtodescribe thedynamic action ofnonlinear plants andtopredict the intending outputs. Theinformation istobethebaseof predictive control. So,setting thepredictive modelisthe precondition forrealizing predictive control ofcomplex. For thestructure-known linear models, there aremanyknown methods forgetting predictive information. However, itis difficult toobtaining predicting information fromthe structure-unknown anddefinition-defic iently nonlinear complex plants. So,thepredictive control will bedifficult to realize usually. Theapproximating ability ofGRNN will makesitpossible togetthepredictive modelquickly and accurately. Ontheother hand, GRNN issimilar asmulti-layer BP- NN innetwork structure. TheBP-NNneeds usually large amounts ofcalculation ofweights forgetting theglobal approach. Themaincharacteristics ofGRNNareits output hasthelocal linear relation totheparameters. Itisatypical local approaching network. So,itslearning speed ismore quickly thanthat ofBP-NN,especially forthefunction approaching andmodel prediction forstructure- unknown objects. Itisapowerful toolforrealizing the predictive control ofthecomplex plants orsystems. Basedontheprinciple ofGRNN,this paper presents a methodforthepredictive modelofnonlinear complex system. Thepresented algorithm isapplied tothepredicting process ofanonlinear model. Thesimulations showthat GRNNhasgoodeffects onpredicting thedynamic process ofthecomplex model, andcould beapplied onthe prediction control fornonlinear systems satisfactorily.


The invention discloses a method and a system for link switchover. According to the method for the link switchover, an alarm message is obtained, wherein the alarm message is sent by a line card through broadcast or multicast, and failure of a link happens in the line card. The link switchover is carried out according to the alarm message. According to the technical scheme of the method and the system for the link switchover, link switchover efficiency in a distributed system is further improved.


Evonik Industries has acquired Wilshire Technologies, a Princeton, New Jersey–based supplier of phytochemicals and derivatives to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Wilshire was formed in ...


Using electron spin resonance (ESR) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) three different electron traps based on regular W sites perturbed by oxygen vacancies have been identified in PbWO 4 . Analysis of ESR spectra parameters ( g -factor values and principal axes orientations) has shown that revealed centers are (WO 3 ) m vacancy containing complex anions associated with a defect in Pb sublattice: (WO 3 ) m m A Pb complexes. One of the centers (W 1 ) is thermally stable up to 350-370 v K, while the other two (W 2 and W 3 ) only to 270-290 v K. Above these temperatures trapped electrons become free and recombine with localized holes, giving rise to TSL glow peaks at T\approx 323\,\hbox{K} and 365\,\hbox{K} . Using the initial rise method the 323\,\hbox{K} TSL peak-shape was fitted allowing the first order recombination kinetic that gives trap parameters E = 0.88\,\hbox{eV} and s\simeq 5\ast 10^{12}1/\hbox{s} .


The paper introduces the wireless location in the real surroundings from the different angle of the data fusion and adding the measurement parameter,and the data fusion is based on the method of the choice of BS to get the estimation of the location by the way of three layers'data fusion;then the method of adding measuring parameter is based on the classic TDOA/AOA algorithm,adding the amend factor in the equator.The way of iteration gradually decreases the reflection of the NLOS to get more accuracy.The simulation shows that the accuracy of the adding the measurement parameter betters the data fusions,and the method is more simple.


This paper presents an XML based standard specification of remote control protocol for home appliances. In the framework level, the XML protocol provides a useful bridge between services and platforms. The proposed protocol has been implemented into a personal video recorder for remote recording service. The results imply the potential of global standards for remote control by its minimum overhead in network and processor. The proposed XML is designated RCXML in this paper.


In a relatively short period of time, the People's Republic of China has moved from a position of profound distrust towards the world to one of the most engaged actors in the contemporary international scene. This phenomenon made the country one of the most studied of the 21st century. In the academic field of International Relations, issues such as relations with the United States, performance in the United Nations, BRICS, and separatism in the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet are among the most discussed. However, although there is a consolidated literature on different aspects of the Chinese international performance, there is a certain lack of broader studies that try to capture the essence of China under a macro lens. Such tendency towards excessive disaggregation and use of complex theories and methodologies in the social sciences has excluded from the debate a considerable number of people who are concerned with and maybe could take part in the discussion. As Shambaugh (2013: iv) had already noted: 'Although this has perhaps allowed us to know more about the "trees," it has not necessarily led to a better understanding of the "forest.'" In China's World: What Does China Want?, Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies at King's College London, seeks to fill this gap by providing a great account of the various challenges that the 'Middle Kingdom' faces throughout this century. In the first chapter, Brown summarizes the principles that have governed Chinese foreign policy historically. In the immediate post-revolutionary period, the Communists' narrative was based on a double liberation: internally, from feudalism and old thought; and externally from oppression. In this context, 'national humiliation,' 'struggle,' 'liberation' and 'rebirth' were among the themes recurrently used by Communist leaders to ensure the necessary public support for the mission that the country has since been involved in: rebuilding its international prominence. Such exaggerated rhetoric and constant mention of the so-called century of humiliation – basically between the First Opium War and the 1949 Revolution – gave an emotional aspect to the People's Republic's foreign policy in the early stages of its founding.


Revealed the chemical characteristics of Longxing bauxite through field geological research and elements analysis: 1) Longxing bauxite displays an overall U-shape distribution; 2) Main minerals contained in the ores are diaspores, clay minerals, iron minerals and titanium minerals; 3) The formation of Longxing bauxite is the process of enrichment of Al, Si and loss of Si, Fe; 4) Elements with aluminum affinity from parts of the area such as Ga and Li may concentrate to form ores.


The aim of the present study was to (a) examine the prevalence of ADHD and the comorbid difficulties in a sample of 114 children, 3.6 to 17.6 yr. of age (89 boys, 25 girls) referred to our Unit and (b) evaluate the discriminative ability of the WISC–III scores for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 22), Learning Disability (n = 50), and Language Disorder (n = 42). Analysis showed only 18% of 114 children had an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis. Multivariate analysis of variance and stepwise discriminant function analysis were applied. Vocabulary and similarities were the best predictors for distinguishing between language disorders and the other two groups. Moreover, the Language Disorder group scored significantly lower on all the subtests while the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disability groups scored lower on coding and information, respectively. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disability could not be accurately identified from the WISC–III test or their ACID profile.


This paper describes an algorithm for determining intersection points of polygons. Additional information of intersection points is stored in an oriented single list which is used for the constructing of output polygons in overlay operation. Overlay operation is one of the most important functions in GIS spatial analysis. In GIS application, polygons are usually complex (convex or concave, with or without holes) with huge number of vertices, and also, there are two or more map layers for overlay. Therefore, this algorithm adopts overall computing strategy, picks up all edges of input polygons and sort them in one direction(overlapping edges are selected), and then determines intersecting and touching edges by sweep-line and rectangle test. In order to avoid repeating intersection points calculation, touching edges are polylinized and considered as line segments for further computing. Overall computing strategy and non-repeating intersection points are efficiently adopted in GIS overlay operation.


This report attempts to document the broad scope of issues that must be satisfactorily resolved before one can expect to methodically obtain, with a reasonable confidence, a near-optimal robust closed loop performance in physical applications. These include elements of signal processing, noise identification, system identification, model validation, and uncertainty modeling. Based on a recently developed methodology involving a parameterization of all model validating uncertainty sets for a given linear fractional transformation (LFT) structure and noise allowance, a new software, Uncertainty Bound Identification (UBID) toolbox, which conveniently executes model validation tests and determine uncertainty bounds from data, has been designed and is currently available. This toolbox also serves to benchmark the current state-of-the-art in uncertainty bound determination and in turn facilitate benchmarking of robust control technology. To help clarify the methodology and use of the new software, two tutorial examples are provided. The first involves the uncertainty characterization of a flexible structure dynamics, and the second example involves a closed loop performance validation of a ducted fan based on an uncertainty bound from data. These examples, along with other simulation and experimental results, also help describe the many factors and assumptions that determine the degree of success in applying robust control theory to practical problems.


Depression is considered to be one of the most prevalent mental disorders in humans. Antidepressant drugs are released in large concentrations and cause adverse effects on the environment and/or human health. Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction (FPSE), a contemporary solid sorbent-handling technique, is a quick, sensitive, and simple analytical process. This paper describes a micro-extraction FPSE procedure coupled with High-Performance Liquid-Chromatography–Photodiode Array Detection (FPSE-HPLC–DAD) for the simultaneous extraction and analysis of five antidepressants, namely citalopram, clozapine, mirtazapine, bupropion and sertraline. Three fabric media (Whatman Cellulose filter, Whatman Microfiber Glass filter and Polylactic acid disks) and two different sol–gel sorbents (polyethylene glycol (PEG 300), alongside poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-PPG-PEG 5.800)) were tested. The best FPSE device was observed to be the microfiber glass filter coated with PEG 300 sol–gel sorbent. In addition, the parameters that affect the efficiency of the process (FPSE media and sorbents, sample pH, extraction time, elution time, etc.) were optimized. The proposed methodology displays a linear range with absolute recovery values higher than 60%, RSD% of less than 13% and LOQs in the range between 1.9–10.7 μg·L−1. Finally, the method was applied in hospital and urban effluents and lake water samples, but none of the analytes were detected.


INTRODUCTION
Despite the advent of modern technologies, India is still grappling with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Stigma is one of the key aspects which can interfere with HIV test-seeking behaviour, care-seeking behaviour upon diagnosis, quality of care given to HIV-positive patients and perception and treatment of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) by communities, families, and partners.

AIM
To determine the perceived stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and its correlates among PLHAs attending the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre of North Bengal Medical College, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
An observational cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of four months among 454 patients aged ≥18years attending ART centre of North Bengal Medical College. Perceived stigma among the study subjects were assessed using a face and content validated version of Berger's HIV stigma scale. Linear regression analysis was used for statistical analysis of the predictors of perceived stigma. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16 software.

RESULTS
The majority of the study population had moderate to low stigma. Regression analysis showed that being on treatment with ART had the highest contribution towards stigma followed by gender and HIV serostatus of the patients.

CONCLUSION
The patients attending ART centre of North Bengal Medical College had moderate to low level of stigma. In absence of any efficacious stigma reduction programs in this region, more work needs to be done to assist PLHA in coping with stigma.