Adult students are the newest clientele that many of us have noticed in our libraries over the past three to five years. As demographics declined for the traditional eighteen to twenty-one year old college students, more adult students; people who in the 1970s and 1980s were called "non-traditional" students became patrons in our libraries. Librarians need to be aware of how adult students work and study as well as characteristics of adult learners. They need to pay attention to hours of service, access to services from off-campus, and students' understanding of technology. Finally librarians need to market their services and seek feedback from adult students about additional needs. Adult students are the newest clientele that many of us have noticed in our libraries over the past three to five years. As demographics declined for the traditional eighteen to twenty-one year old college students, more adult students; people who in the 1970s and 1980s were called "non-traditional" students became patrons in our libraries. Some of these students are back in school to start or finish a bachelor's degree but many are returning for certificate programs, master's degrees or selected courses to retool their job skills in order to keep pace with today's workforce requirements. As Speer (1996, 34), points out, "Ten years is more than a lifetime in some fields. The half-life for knowledge in the electrical engineering field is five years; for computer sciences, two-and-a-half years. It's increasingly difficult for many people to kid themselves that four years of traditional "front-loaded" education will suffice for an entire career." Adult students have different lives and priorities than traditional students. They have family and job responsibilities and their lives are not centered on a campus. Lawler (1991, 12) lists the following characteristics of adult students: Adults have many roles and responsibilities in their lives, education being only one, and usually not the major task at the time of its undertaking . . . Adults are usually motivated by a pragmatic desire to immediately use or apply their knowledge or skill, . . . Adults are usually prompted by a transitional event in their lives to seek education. Events such as divorce, job change, death, or moving, can be cited as reasons for learning, . . . Most adults attend an educational event voluntarily. The expectations that adult students have from libraries in institutions of higher education are very different than those of traditional students. In addition, adult students are consumers who will be vocal about their needs and will go elsewhere if a library can not supply the services they demand or materials they require. This is applicable not only to the library but also to the larger institution of higher education. What can libraries do to accommodate adult students? Librarians should become knowledgeable about adult learning and adult education. They should begin to think about how policies, services and procedures interface with the needs of adult students. As we look at how to better serve adult students, librarians should first consider the characteristics of adult students and how they interface with what the library currently does. 1. Adult students have other priorities in their lives beside education. Do librarians expect students to come to us for services? Do we give students the ability to access services at locations closer to their homes. The Penn State Great Valley Library has joined the Tri-State College Library Cooperative to help students who may travel an hour of longer have access to libraries closer to their homes. On a Saturday a student may find themselves needing to visit the library in between running children to soccer practice, grocery shopping and other responsibilities. An hour long trip to the Great Valley Library to spend time doing research is probably not practical. The consortium membership allows them to do their research close to home. 2. Adult students are pressed for time. The time limitations of adult students mean that libraries need to be available when students can use them. This is especially important for times just before and after classes as many students only come to campus on the night they have class. At Penn State Great Valley, a graduate only campus, the library is empty during most daytime hours. From 8:30 AM to 4 PM there may only be ten patrons in the library at anyone time, however, from 4-6 PM, just before class, all seats are occupied and any number of students can be found at the Information Desk, in the stacks looking for materials, or sitting at a LIAS terminal or CD-ROM workstation searching the online catalog or databases. In addition, the library does not close on holiday weekends as many adult students consider these long weekends as a chance to catch up on school work. For example, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of three day holiday weekends such as Memorial Day weekend are times for hours as usual at Great Valley with the only day the library closes being the holiday itself. Finally, library instruction classes take place from 5-6 PM at night, just before classes start as well as on Saturday mornings so that students can attend. 3. Adult students want to access the library from outside the campus. Can students access the online catalog and databases from home or office so that they can do research at times that match their schedules? Penn State Great Valley students have access to the LIAS online catalog and databases through dial in and INTERNET. We often get reports of students who dial in from their hotel room on the road to do their papers or who access the catalog late in the evening after children are in bed. It is for this reason that the Head Librarian has created web-based library instruction which includes a library tour and an online searching tutorial. In addition, the individual reference consultations are conducted at times that fit the of the student, mostly in late afternoon or early evening. Finally, we are in the process of implementing faxing and email of interlibrary loan requests so that students can make the most of their time off-campus. 4. Adult students want credit for what they know. When teaching library instruction classes librarians should try to get a feel for the background of our students. What are their majors? Do they have extensive library experience and just need to have some specialized training or are they novices who last attended school when card catalogs were current technology? Instruction should be geared to the level of the students and to their interests and needs. It should link to the knowledge that adult students have already acquired. In addition to regular library instruction, reference consultations can be used to give one-on-one in depth instruction for those who have specific needs for an individual search. 5. Adult students are self-directed. One of the goals of the library is to teach students to use the online catalog and databases so that they can do at least most of their basic research with a minimum of assistance. This is especially important if students wish to use library resources from home or other offcampus locations. At Great Valley library instruction workshops often take the form of Doing Library Research From Your Home or Office. 6. Adult students learn differently than traditional students. Librarians need to learn about Malcolm Knowles and his theory of andragogy (Knowles, 57) as well as other trends in adult learning. In the andragological perspective the librarian becomes a facilitator rather than the giver of all knowledge. Students learn by methods such as collaborative learning and link what they already know to newly acquired skills 7. Adult students will have wide ranges of familiarity with computer and other technologies. On one hand, librarians may find themselves faced with students who have never worked on a computer, requiring them to take a step by step approach as they train patrons. They may also find students in the same class who are highly technology literate. This second group of patrons may extensively use technology in their workplace. These students will expect the best INTERNET connections and other services. They may be impatient they have to wait for slower students to catch up on technology. It is for this reason that library instruction classes at Great Valley often have a library assistant as well as the librarian who can assist those who are not familiar with technology and allow them to keep up with a moderately paced class. 8. Adult students are consumers making it important for the library to market their services and to be responsive to patron feedback. At Great Valley, information about library instruction is passed out in classes. The Head Librarian writes information pieces for the student newsletter and the library publishes its own newsletter called Know News. For students who prefer to access the library over the web, the Great Valley Library Homepage is an important resource. Solicitation of feedback includes student representation on the Library Advisory Committee, informal conversations with students, inclusion on Center-wide post-graduation questionnaires and a suggestion box in the library. The Head Librarian gives out her work phone number and email address to students at each library instruction session along with assurances that we want to know how the library is doing in serving adult student needs. Finally, key staff members have been given business cards and along with those of the Head Librarian, these are placed at the Information Desk so that staff can immediately give students information about who to contact for a needed service. In summary, we need to make libraries more user-friendly for adults. We need to be aware of how adult students work and study as well as characteristics of adult learners. We should be cognizant of adult learning theory and understand andragogy


The paper analyses fragmentarily preserved views of Empedocles, that, in the author's opinion, represent the antecedents of deviations from the anthropocentric vision of the world and anticipate the majority of later attempts at scientific, philosophical, and legal modifications of the status of all living beings. Empedocles, namely, claims that all beings think, i.e., that they have understanding or consciousness. He is, moreover, portrayed as a proponent of the thesis that plants as well have both intellect and the ability to think, and that they are driven by desire and have feelings, sadness and joy. According to him, the idea that the whole nature is akin not only has a vital-animal meaning but, to a certain extent, a mental meaning. Empedocles urged his disciples to abstain from consuming ensouled beings, since it is in the bodies of these beings that penalized souls reside. He believed that he himself was one of them who had been killed and eaten, and that it is by purification that prior sins in connection with food should be treated. Empedocles' case shows that humans are living beings that err, and that they owe to animals justice based on mutual kinship. Aside from living a pure life, practicing the recommended katharmoi, and abstaining from flesh in any version, the path to the salvation of the soul leads through two additional dimensions. The first is being revealed in the important phrase of the sage from Acragas that one should fast from evil. And secondly, the wealth of divine thoughts is connected with being happy, just as those who have vague opinions about the gods are wretched. Eventually, the "Sicilian Muse" believed that if people live in a holy and just manner, they shall be blessed in this life, even more so after leaving this one, because they will achieve happiness that will not be temporarily, and be able to rest for eternity.


Dear Sir, Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the top three most commonly diagnosed cancers among women and men. However, it is widely acknowledged that it receives less attention than other cancers. Breast cancer gets the most public attention because of its high incidence and iconic status [1]. Lung cancer attracts attention because of its established link with smoking [2], and prostate cancer is sometimes presented as the neglected 'male equivalent' of breast cancer [3]. Recognition of the high incidence of CRC is particularly important in the UK because the new national screening programme based on biennial Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) Testing has recently been introduced. In the first 28 months of the screening programme, uptake in England was only around 55% (von Wagner C, Baio G, Raine R, Snowball J, Morris S, Atkin W, Obichere A, Handley G, Logan R, Rainbow S, Smith S, Halloran S, Wardle J, submitted). This contrasts with uptake of around 74% in breast screening [4] and 80% in cervical screening [5]. Lack of awareness of CRC's high prevalence may contribute to low uptake of CRC screening [6,7]. One study has demonstrated that informing people that CRC is common and often asymptomatic can lead to increased awareness of risk and a decision to be screened in up to 50% of those who had initially declined the test [8]. Awareness that CRC is a common cancer has been found to be low in several studies using a recognition-based methodology [9–11], and may be even lower if measured using open recall questions [12]. We report findings from research using a populationbased UK sample investigating awareness of the high incidence of CRC using an open response format. Data were collected as part of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Opinions Survey in September and October 2008. This uses stratified random probability sampling and a computer-assisted, face-to-face interview. Respondents were asked about common male and female cancers using the following questions: 'What do you think is the most [then second then third most] common cancer in women [men]'. Both men and women were asked the questions for both sexes. Responses were recorded verbatim. Of 3652 households invited to participate, interviews were completed with one person from each of 2216 households (61% response rate), of whom 2208 (968 males and 1240 females) completed the questions on common cancers (99.6%). Awareness that CRC is a common female cancer was extremely low (16%), with men less likely to identify it as a common female cancer (12%) than women (20%). Older respondents were more likely to name CRC as a common female cancer than younger respondents (22% at ‡ 65 years vs 9% at 16–24). There were no other demographic differences. Awareness that CRC is a common male cancer was higher (40%). Again, women had higher awareness than men (43% vs 36%) and the youngest respondents were the least likely to name CRC as one of the top three (19% at age 16–24). Awareness was higher in respondents who were married and from higher socioeconomic and white ethnic backgrounds. The most frequently reported female cancers (in any order) were: breast cancer (94%), cervical cancer (60%) and lung cancer (34%) (Fig. 1). The fourth and fifth most frequently mentioned cancers were ovarian cancer (19%) and skin cancer (18%). CRC, named by 16% of respondents, was sixth in the list. The most frequently reported male cancer was lung (70%), followed by prostate (65%) and CRC (40%). However, 29% of respondents identified testicular cancer as being in the top three, and 13% identified skin cancer (see Fig. 2). As far as we are aware, this is the first population-based study assessing awareness of CRC in relation to other common cancers in which respondents were simply asked to name common cancers. The results show that the British are largely unaware of the high incidence of CRC, and significantly less aware than they are of the other 'top three' cancers. Over 80% of respondents failed to identify CRC as being among the top three female cancers and 60% failed to identify it as a common male cancer. Although awareness was somewhat higher in older age groups, who are the target for CRC screening, it was still relatively low, despite information being available in the leaflet that accompanies the screening invitation. Lack of public awareness of CRC might be partly due to media under-reporting relative to the disease burden. The media prefers to focus on positive cancer stories, and with relatively high mortality, CRC performs poorly. CRC may also be associated with embarrassment because of difficulties with discussing a private body area and its functioning [13], which could contribute to low levels of media coverage. However, the new UK government's commitment to CRC screening, including the introduction of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening (based on evidence from


Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), characterized by > 100 hypoxic episodes per day, is a hallmark of moderate sleep apnea, a condition highly prevalent in individuals with spinal cord injury. Both 1 day (Huxtable et al., 2013) and 7 days (Gonzalez‐Rothi, in preparation) of CIH (15 episodes/hour; 8 hours/day) abolish phrenic motor plasticity in intact rats due to neural inflammation. Although a milder CIH protocol (40 episodes/day) enhances phrenic activity in acutely injured rats (Fuller et al., 2003), the effects of CIH protocols that more closely approximate moderate sleep apnea have not been explored in animal models of chronic spinal injury. Thus, we are evaluating the impact of moderate CIH (2 min hypoxic episodes, 2 min intervals; 8 hrs; single day) on phrenic nerve activity and the capacity to elicit phrenic motor plasticity in rats with chronic C3/4 midline contusion injury (12 wks). Neurophysiology experiments conducted one day post‐CIH are ongoing and include assessments of: 1) phrenic nerve activity during baseline and maximal chemoreflex activation; and 2) moderate AIH‐induced phrenic long‐term facilitation (pLTF). Preliminary analysis suggests reduced pLTF in contused rats exposed to CIH. These experiments are the first to explore the effects of CIH on respiratory outcomes following chronic spinal contusion. Further experiments are required to explore the impact of: 1) prolonged CIH exposures on breathing ability after chronic cervical contusion; and 2) whether reducing neural inflammation will enhance phrenic plasticity and translate into improved functional recovery following chronic spinal cord injury.


How to properly use social resources has become an important problem ideological and political educators must face in universities.We must first correctly understand the connotation and characteristics of social resources of ideological and political education in universities so that we can classify them in a scientific way.Social resources of ideological and political education in universities consists of regional and local cultural resources,family resources,community resources and media resources.Effective and efficient application of the social resources of ideological and political education in universities can advance the ideological and political education work in universities.


Dysregulation of cholesterol synthesis is implicated in Huntington's disease. Boussicault et al. show that expression of CYP46A1, the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol degradation, is reduced in patients and a mouse model. Restoration of CYP46A1 re-establishes normal cholesterol levels and is neuroprotective, suggesting that targeting cholesterol degradation may have therapeutic potential.


Transepithelial movements of Na super(+) and Cl super(-) were measured in isolated perfused gills of the shore-crab Carcinus maenas) at two different salinities. Posterior gills are shown to be the only ones able to generate net Na super(+) and Cl super(-) influxes counterbalancing the salt loss occurring when in dilute media.


We provevia Dynkin's isomorphism theorem, that spatial trajectories of local times of a class of symmetric Lévy processes, with regularly varying Lévy exponent ψ at infinity, belong to a class of Besov spaces. Our result generalizes the case of symmetric stable Lévy processes treated in [5]


A study has been made of the influence of impurities on the flow stress of melt-grown magnesium oxide single crystals. The state of dispersion of the transition metal impurities chosen -iron, titanium 9 vanadium and chromium - was varied by heat treatment at temperatures up to 2,000oC in different environments? and the associated changes in flow stress measured at room temperature Evidence for impurity redistribution in each case was derived from an application of optical and microwave absorption techniques, combined with direct microstructural observations by electron microscopy a A good correlation has been found between the experimentally observed flow stress and the calculated strengthening by dispersed obstacles identified by these methods.

In as-grown crystals the principal defects influencing the flow stress are considered to be in the form of impurity-vacancy pairs and anion-cation vacancy pairs, and it is these defects which govern the initial annealing behaviour. Additional evidence to substantiate these conclusions has been provided by measurements of the temperature dependence of the flow stress, and the recovery of neutron irradiation damage in doped crystals.

During low temperature anneals in air vacancy clustering and collapse as dislocation loops has been observed, and correlated with an initial plastic softening behaviour. Impurity oxidation also takes place under these conditions9 leading to an increased concentration of impurity vacancy pairs, and subsequently to the formation of a spinel precipitate dispersion. An explanation for the flow stress variations at low temperatures for long ageing times is proposed in terms of a precipitation hardeninq-overageing behaviour in which precipitates are undeformed in the initial stages of yielding As a result of the high nucleation rate in the supersaturated vacancy environment existing in as-grown crystals, a significant hardening is produced, even for low volume fractions of precipitates In many cases the particle dispersion corresponding to the flow stress maximum has been found to be unresolvable. Nevertheless, a correlation of the flow stress calculated on the basis of an Orowan mechanism with the experimentally observed flow stress is possible by evaluating the precipitate volume fractions indirectly from the E.P.R. and optical results. The particle radii calculated in this way are in good agreement with the observed microstructure over the annealing ranges considered.

At elevated temperatures in air the flow stress has been found to be modified by interstitial oxygen diffusion. The centre responsible for the flow stress peak in these conditions is considered to be in the form of an interstitial oxygen ion trapped at an impurity site.


The invention discloses a completely novel dental restoration automatic processing method; according to the method, a dental restoration is processed through optical scanning and by virtue of a composite system which is composed of a computer aided design (CAD) system, a CAD auxiliary system and a selective laser cladding machine; the method, by combining an existing dental CAD system and a metal 3D printing technology, can rapidly manufacture the individual metal dental restoration, and a conventional manufacturing mode of an implant and upper structures thereof can be changed; by changing numerical control cutting processing into metal 3D printing processing, a processing efficiency can be greatly improved, and individual manufacturing can be also achieved; when necessary, the two processing modes, namely the metal 3D printing processing and the numerical control cutting aided processing, can be organically combined, so that the processing method can take advantages of the two processing modes, and the perfect combination of metal 3D printing and numerical control cutting is achieved; therefore, the conventional manufacturing mode of the implant and the upper structures thereof is changed.


Our main conclusion is that the contemporary understanding of the relationship between consumer behaviors (and expenditures) and their associated environmental impacts has, as a result of considerable careful research over the past decade, now reached a mature stage of development. The state of knowledge, however, is far less certain with respect to questions pertaining to the role of policy measures to stimulate sustainable lifestyles, to facilitate sustainable consumer behaviors, and to forge sustainable systems of production and consumption. The future course of the planet depends on humanity's ability to provide a dignified quality of life for a prospective 9 billion people without exhausting the earth's resources or irreparably damaging its biogeochemical systems. On the basis of this recognition, delegates at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg in 2002, called on the international community to work toward improving global living conditions and to "encourage and promote the development of a ten-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards SCP" (United Nations 2002). A major European Union−funded project— Sustainable Consumption Research Exchanges (SCORE!)—convened over the last few years a scientific network to support this initiative (the Marrakech Process). The SCORE!


Objectives/Goals To design a replacement electrolyte for the potassium iodide/iodine electrolyte in Grätzel type dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells using simpler materials. Research has shown that cell performance is directly related to electrolyte presence. Methods/Materials Grätzel type photovoltaic cells were made with ITO glass. All cells had one electrode composed of a mesoporous titanium dioxide layer with absorbed blackberry anthocyanin or citrus chlorophyllide dye and a second graphite catalyst electrode. Control cells had a commercial KI/I electrolyte in ethylene glycol placed between electrodes. Water, inorganic and organic salt mixtures, strong oxidizing agent based electrolytes, and electrolytic capacitor electrolytes were tested as alternate electrolytes. Performance of each electrolyte was evaluated by measuring voltage and current of photovoltaic cells under a calibrated halogen light. Results Most of the designed electrolytes carried some charge because cells showed an ability to convert photon energy into electrical energy. Water based electrolytes were not as useful as charge carriers though good open circuit voltage of up to 0.5V was observed. Strong oxidizing agents like potassium permanganate destroyed the photovoltaic cell. Electrolytic capacitor electrolytes made with ethylene glycol, boric acid and ammonium hydroxide show promise as replacements for the conventional KI/I electrolyte. Among alkali metals, the potassium ion in ethylene glycol provided best results. The best current carrying capacity of alternate electrolytes was nearly 50% of the conventional KI/I electrolyte. Conclusions/Discussion Organic dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells can use alternate electrolytes that do not contain the iodide/iodine redox pair to act as charge carriers. These alternate electrolytes provide less current than the KI/I electrolyte, but open circuit voltage remains the same. Superior performance of electrolytes based on ethylene glycol rather than water indicates that ethylene glycol is a necessary solvent. Different organic dyes sensitizers such as anthocyanin and chlorophyllide may require different electrolytes for optimum performance.


Along with the other Nordic countries, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are often perceived of as gender equality pioneers with comprehensive gender equality policies. But how does the governmental gender equality policy of today reflect that their populations have become more culturally diverse during the last decades? My analysis, based partly on governmental action plans for gender equality 2000–2005, including the related parliamentary debates, points to some similarities but also to major inter-country differences. In all three countries, there is expressed a clear concern for the agency of women and girls of ethnic minority background, centered on violence and oppression. But, while ethnic minority and gender equality is highly prioritized in the Danish gender equality policy, the same is not true for the Swedish equivalent in the period studied. Also, the Danish case gives the clearest example of what is believed to be conflict between minority cultural traditions and "Danish" equality norms, whereas the Swedish governmental rhetoric is dominated by theories of ongoing patriarchy, seemingly indifferent to cultural diversity. While Norway is characterized by a lack of overall gender equality action plans and parliamentary gender equality debates during this period, its policies towards gender and multiculturalism have been managed largely as discrete issues.


Ichthyosis vulgaris (IV) is a hereditary skin condition characterized by an accumulation of cells in the horny layer that manifests as xerotic, platelike scales. It is most prominent on the extensor surfaces of the extremities, back, abdomen, and legs and exhibits palmar hyperlinearity (Takeichi & Akiyama, 2016). If not properly treated, this build up can cause difficulty in patient care and a decrease in the quality of life of those afflicted with this condition. There are more than 20 types of ichthyosis to include epidermolytic ichthyosis, congential reticular ichthyosiform erythroderma, and lamellar ichthyosis, with IV being the most common type of hereditary nonsyndromic ichthyosis and characterized as a reduction of keratohyalin granules or a granular layer absence (Takeichi & Akiyama, 2016). This IV is caused by mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG) associated with this skin barrier formation and has varying phenotypic manifestations. IV is strongly associated with other atopic cutaneous manifestations such as atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis. Hallmarks of IV include the visible scaling and dryness that spare flexural surfaces, palm and sole hyperlinearity, and a strong disposition for allergic disease comorbidities such as asthma and seasonal allergies (Leight, Zinn, & Jalali, 2015).


In this paper, monitoring results of 5 kinds of drinking water in Sichaun Province are reported. The results showed that total radioactivity among these drinking water are different from each other greatly. The tap water is lower, whereas groundwater is higher. The total α of 96% tap water samples meets the standard,while the total β of all tap water meets the standard. It is necessary to detect the 226 Ra level of water samples which α radioactivity exceeds the α limit. For drinking water, its 226 Ra level must be lower than the α limit.


In 1992 the libraries of Harvard proposed to the governing body of the University that a systematic, comprehensive conversion of the retrospective catalogs be undertaken. The rationale for the project was based on five key points, each related to strategic activities of the libraries


This article documents nearly three years of investigations concerned with locating, mapping, and analyzing the spatial configuration of residential pithouse and plankhouse features in Chehalis territory. We propose that the Chehalis people organized their houses and settlements along a four kilometer stretch of the Harrison River in order to control socio-economic activities occurring within their territory. We provide theories borrowed from the disciplines of human ecology and cultural ecology and document ethnohistoric, ethnographic, and oral historical evidence to show that the Chehalis occupied a key locale on the Harrison-Lillooet interaction corridor. The Chehalis' role in this trade and navigation corridor linking the coast and interior was that of economic middlemen.


Today, one of the concerns of institutions and organizations is the issue of job satisfaction and performance. Since the role of education system in societies is of significant importance and has a key role in social, cultural, political, and economic development of the society and given the important role of teachers who have the responsibility of teaching students, the issue of teachers' job satisfaction and performance is very important. Also according to the important role of self-awareness in regulating emotions and behavior of individuals, this study has been performed to examine the role of selfawareness and self-esteem in predicting job satisfaction and job performance of teachers. The population of this study includes the teachers of elementary schools in the city of Kerman. From this population, 258 teachers were selected by multistage cluster sampling. The present study is survey and the research instruments used in this survey are Saleh Balvardi self-awareness questionnaire (2009), Eysenck self-esteem questionnaire (1976), Berry Field and Ruth job satisfaction questionnaire (1951) and Nabdel job performance questionnaire (2007). To investigate the relationship between variables, correlation method was used and to check the role of self-awareness and self-esteem in predicting job satisfaction and job performance, path analysis was used. The results showed that self-awareness and self-esteem play a role in predicting job satisfaction and job performance. There is also a significant relationship between the four variables.


Background: CPX-351 is a liposomal formulation of 5:1 molar combination of cytarabine and daunorubicin (Leukemia research 2010; 34: 1214). Subset analysis in a Phase II study reported improved outcomes in first relapse AML pts with European Prognostic Index defined poor-risk disease (Cancer 2015; 121: 234). In a phase 3 randomized study among fit pts, 60-75 years (yrs) of age with high-risk AML, that compared induction CPX-351 (100 U/m2, days 1, 3, 5) and vs 7+3; CPX-351 significantly improved response, event free and overall survival (Journal of Clinical Oncology 2016; 34(15_suppl): 7000). Observations from the Phase I study of responses occurring at dose levels of one third to one half the MTD (32 to 43 U/m2), suggest that doses of 75 and 50 units/m2 may still be effective and better tolerated among pts at high risk for toxicity. Hypothesis: Reduced dose CPX-351 as induction therapy may improve the outcome of pts with AML at high risk for 60-day mortality and not ordinarily offered induction therapy. Design: We designed an open-label, phase II trial of CPX-351 administered on days 1, 3, and 5 at 50 (arm 1) or 75 (arm 2) units/m2 as induction. Fifteen pts each were to be randomly assigned to these two arms. As these doses are below the original MTD dose of 100 units/m2, a cohort of 15 pts were to be studied at 100 units/m2 provided the first two dose levels were safe. At the end of the study a single dose level was to be chosen based on efficacy and safety i.e. dose limiting toxicity (DLT) The primary objective is to assess preliminary efficacy (CR/CRp/ CRi within 2 induction cycles) in pts with newly diagnosed AML at high risk for induction mortality, defined as 30-50% predicted risk of death by Day 60, and to select the most promising dose level for further efficacy testing. To be considered at high risk for induction mortality pts ≥60 yrs must have at least 1 and pts 1.3 g/dL. Pts with ejection fraction Results: Based on safety of 2 dose levels (50 units/m2 and 75 units/m2) of CPX-351, one additional cohort with a dose of 100 units/m2 was opened. Fifty-two pts (15 at 50 U/m2, 25 at 75 U/m2 and 12 at 100 U/m2) have been treated (4 screen failures). Median age is 68 yrs (range 54-84) and 19 (37%) pts are females. Ninety percent of pts had prior MDS or T-AML, 81% had therapies for MDS and 54% had adverse cytogenetics. Patient characteristics are outlined in Table 1. Median number of cycles to response has been 1 (range 1-2) and median number of cycles administered is 2 (range 1-5). Twenty (38%) pts have responded; 15 achieving CR, 3 CRi, 2 CRp. Six of 15 pts with CR were MRD negative at response. Responses (CR/CRp/CRi) are, arm 1=3/0/0 (20%), arm 2= 6/2/2 (40%) and arm 3= 6/0/1 (47%). With median follow up of 5.3 months, median survival in the entire cohort is 5.9 months and median remission (CR/CRp) duration 5.3 months (Fig 1a and b). Median time to recovery of counts for responding patients was 35 day (range, 16-153 days). Response rate trended to be lower among pts with mutant TP53 (20% vs 46%, p=.08), therapy related AML (0% versus 48%, p=.02) and younger than Deaths within 60 days were 11 (21%), all due to sepsis, multi-organ failure or disease progression; 5 in arm 1 (33%), and 3 each in arms 2 (12%) and 3 (25%). Most frequent grade 3-5 toxicities, irrespective of attribution, were febrile neutropenia (38%) and respiratory failure (17%). Conclusion : In a very high-risk elderly cohort of newly diagnosed pts with AML, CPX-351 induction yielded promising remission rates at all 3 doses tested. The efficacy, toxicity and early mortality profile favors the use of CPX-351 at 75u/m2 on days 1, 3 and 5 as the preferred induction schedule. Presence of TP53 mutation or T-AML potentially defines groups with low probabilities of response. Disclosures Kantarjian: Delta-Fly Pharma: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Research Funding; ARIAD: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding. DiNardo: AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria, Research Funding. Daver: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.: Consultancy; Incyte Corporation: Honoraria, Research Funding; Kiromic: Research Funding; Immunogen: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz: Consultancy; Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Consultancy; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; Pfizer Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding. Jabbour: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy. Pemmaraju: LFB: Consultancy, Honoraria; stemline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; affymetrix: Research Funding; cellectis: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria; novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; roche diagnostics: Consultancy, Honoraria; abbvie: Research Funding. Wierda: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Emergent: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: Employment; Acerta: Research Funding; Juno: Research Funding; GSK/Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genzyme: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Jain: Verastem: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Servier: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Novimmune: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Honoraria, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding. Cortes: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; ARIAD: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sun Pharma: Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Teva: Research Funding.


In this paper the problem of liquefaction of sand under either monotonic or cyclic loading is tackled from the point of view of continuum mechanics. It is shown that a suitable constitutive model may explain, in a phenomenological sense, the generation of pore pressure in an undrained test either when the load is monotonically increased to failure or when sand is cyclically sheared at constant stress or strain amplitudes. It is demonstrated that in the former case liquefaction of loose samples amy be described if a convenient set of constitutive parameters is chosen. It is also shown that liquefaction under cyclic loading may occur even for very dense sands, and that the essential features revealed by experiments, such as progressive pore pressure build-up accompanied by small shear strains followed by a sudden pore pressure increase with large strains, are correctly modelled by the theory. The constitutive model employed is a combination of a classical elastoplastic constitutive law, which proved to be successful in modelling the behaviour of sand under monotonic loading, and of a law allowing for hysteresis, which applies to loading processes within the yield locus, especially conceived to interpret the behaviour of soils under cyclic loading. (Author/TRRL)


Black turmeric  Curuma caesia Roxb. is an important medicinal plant belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. Presently this plant is considered to be endangered by the central forest department of India.(1) Though the genus curcuma used for the treatment of various ailments but Curcuma caesia Roxb. is a very less known and almost untouched drug. The present work attempts to establish the necessary pharmacognostic and phytochemical standards for evaluating the medicinally and economically plant material of c. caesia. various parameters, such as morphology, microscopy, physiochemical constituents of the rhizome (medicinally and economically important plant part) was studied and the salient features are documented. To conserve the endangered species it is exercised to cultivate it in the central India i.e Jhansi by the rhizome cuttings.Â


We investigate the effects of the driving field phase fluctuation on the gain and dispersion and population differences in an open simple three level non inversion lasing system.We find that the phase fluctuation of the driving field will results in a finite line width.With the line width increasing,both the gain and dispersion decrease monotonously;when the line width doesnt equal to zero,the system can generate a large refractive index along with zero absorption,and this conclusion is much different from that obtained from a closed V type three level system.


Through the fractal dimension analysis on Zhou Wei's EMG signals before and after the competition, the author found that the fractal dimension of athlete's EMG signals were apparently different at the different training state; the fractal dimension of athlete's EMG signals were fundamentally identical; the fractal dimension of EMG signals from different muscle groups of the same athlete accomplishing the same movement are relatively stable; the fractal dimension of EMG signals at different contractile states of muscles are apparently different.


Numerous software tools are available to facilitate and improve the efficiency of systematic reviews. These tools vary in the nature and number of features supported. It is important for review authors to consider the complexity and size of the review undertaken in addition to the funding available before selecting a suitable tool. Available tools are listed in Table S1 below, along with a brief description and the corresponding weblink.


.....................................................................................................viii Chapter 1: Introduction and Perspective................................................................1 1.1 Preface.........................................................................................2 1.2 Neurodegenerative Diseases: Distinct Syndromes, Striking Similarities............3 1.3 Prion Concept as Paradigm for Neurodegenerative Spread.............................6 1.4 Mechanisms of Trans-Cellular Prion Propagation................................................13 1.5 Strains: Amyloid Structures Drive Phenotypes..............................................17 1.6 Phenotypic Diversity in Non-Infectious Neurodegenerative Diseases...............23 1.7 The Current Perspective....................................................................26 1.8 Summary....................................................................................28 1.9 Figures.......................................................................................29 Chapter 2: Distinct Tau Prion Strains Propagate in Cells and Mice and Define Different Tauopathies...................................................................................................35 2.1 Preface........................................................................................36 2.2 Abstract......................................................................................37 2.3 Introduction..................................................................................38 2.4 Materials and Methods.....................................................................41 2.5 Results.........................................................................................63 2.6 Discussion....................................................................................75 2.7 Figures........................................................................................81 Chapter 3: Tau Prion Strains Dictate Patterns of Cell Pathology, Progression Rate, and Regional Vulnerability In Vivo.........................................................................121


Cassava leaves and tubers from six cultivars were analysed for carotenoids by both open-column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major carotenoids of leaves were the non-vitamin A carotenoid lutein (86-290 mg kg−1 fresh weight (FW)) and the pro-vitamin A carotenoid β-carotene (13-78 mg kg−1 FW). Immature leaves contained less than mature leaves. Tubers contained 0.1-3 mg kg−1 FW of β-carotene and 0.05-0.6 mg kg−1 FW of lutein. Carotenoids present in small amounts included α-, γ-, and §-carotenes and β-cryptoxanthin and others were separated and partially identified. Yellow tubers contain much more β-carotene than white tubers and cassava is a good source of pro-vitamin A carotenoids compared with other root crops. Both methods gave similar results for β-carotene and lutein, but the open-column method did not allow separation and quantitation of carotenoids present in small amounts. HPLC separated many carotenoids, but most peaks could not be identified for lack of reference compounds. A great advantage of open-column chromatography for developing countries is its use of simple equipment and readily available reagents and solvents compared with HPLC, which requires complex equipment needing careful maintenance and expensive solvents. The open-column method is more labour intensive but this is not a constraint in developing countries.


In this paper, a high isolation design is proposed for a MIMO antenna pair in portable mobile terminals. The proposed MIMO antenna pair consists of two monopoles antennas with an edge to edge distance of 0.1λ (λ is the free space wavelength at 2.4GHz), a neutralization line, and a pair of matching networks. By properly adjusting the neutralization line in the antenna pair, a good isolation performance is achieved without any complex decoupling measures. The isolation for the proposed MIMO antenna pair is about 35 dB, which is 28 dB higher than its coupled antenna pair counterpart. Finally, a simple single-stub matching circuit is added to both ports. Therefore, the matching performance is good in the desire band. The proposed MIMO antenna pair and its coupled counterpart have been fabricated and measured. Gains, efficiencies, and ECCs have been measured. They all demonstrate that the proposed decoupled antenna is an eligible candidate for Wi-Fi MIMO applications from 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz.


Similarly in need of revision is the contention that the presence of Aramaic expressions in the Greek text of the Gospel of Mark refutes the theory that this Gospel was translated into Greek from Aramaic; for, it is argued, whereas a translator from Aramaic to Greek would have no reason to retain Aramaic expressions, these might well have been used by an author writing in Greek "to add local color to his story/' But with έφφαθά now recognized as Hebrew, the theory of an Aramaic original of at least the pericope in which it is cited cannot so cavalierly be dismissed. The Aramaic texts of our Palestinian Targums, indeed, illustrate just such retention of Hebrew words and names regarded as somehow significant. The Fragment Targum, for example, at Gen. 22 π has: ΉΠ ΊΒΚ1 awnij? rva yhl οΠΊϋΚ Π9 "Abraham answered in the language of the Holy House and said, hinneni (here am I);" other examples occur at Gen. 3111 35 is, and, in Targ. Ps.-Jon., at 32 3. By the same token, it is not impossible that the Aramaic ταλειθά κούμ, originally standing in a Hebrew text, was retained in Aramaic when the Hebrew text was turned into Greek. In fine, the presence in the Greek Gospel of Mark of at least one indubitably Aramaic saying, and of one utterance that is equally certainly Hebrew, is strongly suggestive of the possibility that both Hebrew and Aramaic texts, translated into Greek, were drawn upon for incorporation into the Greek Gospel. It will be remembered in this connection that fragments of both a Hebrew text of Tobit and of an Aramaic text of this book have been recovered from the Qumran caves; hence texts of a given work could appear and circulate in both languages. Be this as it may, it is certain that the Greek Gospel of Mark makes Jesus say in Hebrew to the deaf-mute ΠΠοΠ; "Be opened/'


How are researchers to go about examining the intricate relations between language and power? Given that there are a number of possible frameworks, this book provides a suitable introduction for those planning to engage in research in the area. It is in four parts: introduction, development, exploration and extension. In the introduction, the authors define hazy concepts such as power, ideology and discourse. From Marxist and Gramscian perspectives, operational definitions are given in terms of everyday manifestations for instance, the use of language to legitimise practices that may privilege certain groups and/or marginalise others. Themes touching upon language, race, institutions, law, economy and politics are surveyed in two ways. First, Simpson and Mayr discuss relevant research trends, giving readers a global view of how social and economic concepts have shaped our understanding of language and power. For example, the scholarship on gender and language has been variously influenced by theories of deficit, dominance and difference. Also, the emergence of forensic linguistics can be attributed to the increasing need to understand the influence of language in the commission (or non-commission) of crimes. Secondly, the authors enrich the discussion of key themes by providing details of linguistic features that figure in the practice of power: here, we find discussion of the use of metaphor, euphemism, presupposition/implicature and so on. The second part of the book expands upon the themes and topics identified in the first section. The main principles of critical discourse analysis and the influential work of Fairclough in examining text, discourse and social practice are central here, and lead into an elaboration of potential discourses and techniques in language-and-power analysis. The third section delves into actual analytic techniques, providing readers with sample activities. As an example, potential problems in police interrogations are outlined, and readers can then work to identify the manipulations involved. In the final section of the book, key readings are provided some relate to the topical areas presented earlier, others illustrate methods and analyses which novice researchers may employ in their own undertakings. These readings are not reprinted in their entirety, but none are difficult to obtain. Teachers may find them useful course supplements, since they are accompanied by guide questions. Readers are also directed to the book's website, where further readings on language and power can be found. This book is essential for researchers, as it gives a holistic view of the complexities of language and power. Through its strategic discussion of essential facets (history, politics, ideology) and important contexts (institutions, media and so on), it helps readers to achieve a 'critical' stance and develop analytic rigour. Overall, Simpson and Mayr have effectively linked theory and practice, and constructed an invaluable resource for language teachers and researchers.


The main purpose of this paper is to study the sensitivity analysis for nonlinear set-valued variational equations based on -resolvent operator technique. The obtained results encompass a broad model of results.


Inductive power transfer (IPT) technology is becoming a convenient and promising charging solution for underwater vehicles and robots. The conventional resonant SS IPT system potentially has overcurrent and overpower issues at weak magnetic coupling conditions. This paper proposed an SS IPT system with a detuned transmitter circuit, which limits the transmitting current and system power at weak and even zero coupling conditions and achieves a high misalignment tolerance with stable output power. A detuned SS IPT prototype is implemented with a switching frequency of 250kHz and a primary resonant frequency of 200kHz. The system performance is tested in both air and saltwater with an input dc voltage of 150V and a 14.8V lithium battery load. Experimental results show that the maximum transmitting current only achieves 2.48A with a low power loss of 10.1W at zero coupling condition and the maximum achievable system power is limited at 190W. With a transfer distance of 50mm and a horizontal misalignment range of [-60mm 60mm], the output power has a small fluctuation of 31.25% and 26.3% in air and saltwater, respectively. In the aligned condition, the maximum system efficiency achieves 91.37% with 129.6W in air and 87.79% with 128.4W in saltwater.


Stereo projector (3) for projecting a two-fields stereo imaging onto a disposed in a predetermined distance projection surface (2) having two strip projectors (5, 6) for generating each respective corresponding strip-shaped cutouts of the two fields, wherein the two strips projectors ( emit 5, 6) light of different polarization (with an optical system 11) to the common mapping of the strip-shaped sections of the two half images onto the projection surface (2), wherein the optic (11) comprises a deflection device (8) which is synchronized with a line frequency rotatable or is pivotable to sweep with the strip-shaped cutouts the projection surface (2), wherein the optic (11) comprises a focusing means for focusing the strip-shaped cutouts on the projection surface (2), characterized in that the focusing and the deflecting device (8) are coupled together so that e ine object distance of the focusing means in response to a displacement angle (α) of the deflection device (8) is variable and the focusing an optically focussing element (7) and drive means (12) for varying a pitch of the strip projectors ...


Abstract : Decentralized execution, a concept that every service doctrine promotes and warfighters most cherish, is being challenged by mounting external forces that may be making it increasingly difficult to practice this philosophy. The stakes are high, for the implications not only encompass civil-military issues, i.e., political control, but the very professionalism of our military forces. An examination of trends in high technology (command-and control issues) , military - media relations, the spectrum of conflict, international law, and Joint operations illustrates many of the obstacles combatant commanders are having to face. Despite our beat efforts, these challenges may soon become overwhelming, and although decentralized execution will not be rendered obsolete, it may become a lost art.


A novel analytical method has been developed for the determination of lidocaine (2-(diethylamino)-N-(2,6-dimethyl)phenylacetamide) in human serum. After solvent extraction from serum the extract was analyzed by gas chromatography employing a van den Berg type solventless injector, a new sensitive and selective detector, the surface ionization detector, and a bonded phase flexible fused silica capillary column. The detection limit was ca. 30–50 ng/ml.


Russia and the other Member-states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) have a key advantage of their geographical position being a connection between the European Union countries and the Asia-Pacific region. This advantage provides a unique opportunity for cargo transit transportation between those regions and getting positive effect for overall economic development through increasing transport and logistic services sectors. At the same time, this opportunity poses certain challenges for Russia and the other EAEU countries, such as the need to better utilize the existing transport networks, to promote further development of transport infrastructure, to improve the quality of already existing transport and logistics services and increase their competitiveness particularly but not exclusively by introducing more efficient and up-to-date technologies.


The development of green supply chains by multinational manufacturers (MNMs) in emerging markets promotes a better corporate reputation and competitive advantage. Selecting viable marketing channels will help reduce risks in overseas markets while positively impacting the green level and the stakeholders. This paper analyzes channel decisions under different scenarios in a game analytical framework and identifies that both exclusive and competitive channels promote the green supply chain, and that the latter leads to a higher green level and benefits the local manufacturer. Whatever profit-seeking or corporate social responsibility- (CSR-) seeking follows, the MNM prefers the competitive channel when the green research and development (R&D) investment coefficient is relatively low and vice versa for the exclusive channel. Moreover, transaction cost undermines the green supply chain, the competitive structure lowers the loss of greenness, and the exclusionary mode raises the MNM's profits. Another interesting finding is when subsidies are offered by the importing country, the competitive structure is more conducive to the green and the participant's gains, while the exclusive structure is detrimental to the green and only advantageous for the domestic manufacturer's benefits. Besides, the revenue-sharing contract results in a higher green level of the supply chain in the channels than before, but the MNM tends to select the exclusive marketing channel with a relatively lower green level due to the profits. Subject to the findings, we propose an improved revenue-sharing contract that achieves the MNM's competitive retailing option and ensures the emergence of the manufacturers' win-win solution.


A highly regioselective cascade synthesis of 2,3-dihydrobenzodioxepinone from 2-bromophenols and epoxides has been developed. The reactions go through nucleophilic ring-opening of epoxides and subsequent palladium-catalyzed intramolecular alkoxylcarbonylation.


Food is vital for civilization, it is necessary for nourishment and survival; Food and Agriculture Organization report stated that, 2.5 million people eat street food global level every day. Street food unit take part in a significant role in diet for urban people particularly low income people. In this scenario, these paper deals with the street food customer relation¬ship between vendors and consumers and also study the customer's retention in the street food sectors. In short duration, this paper is to illustrate and analyze why customers come back to the identical street food sector and preferences towards buying street food. These paper findings also consider to the Street food vendor can also use our conclusion to enhance the retention rates by adjusting relevant service essentials of the street eateries.


This guide includes books and web resources on women's studies. The library has many databases that offer electronic resourses on women studies


The positioning of these particles in book epigrams suggests that the dodecasyllable can exhibit secondary pauses in addition to the primary caesura, and that δέ and τe have become semantically bleached to the point of being almost interchangeable.


Introduction Minimizing exposure of the newly calved heifer to environmental stress at its introduction into the dairy herd would have benefits in terms of production and animal welfare. Fordham et al. (1991) suggested that housing environment changes were more stressful than previously assumed. Observations of increased behavioural activity after environmental changes over periods of several weeks were suggested to be a mechanism for greater stress levels of the animals at key periods in the life cycle. Increased first lactation yields would bring considerable economic benefits associated with higher returns (Phelps, 1992). Behavioural stresses may lower animal reproductive efficiency, expressed as a longer return time to service and thus an increased calving interval (Moberg, 1991). Changes in management around the calving period in dairy heifers was observed to predispose heifers to pododermatitis aseptica (PDAS), often loosely called 'subclinical laminitis', leading to solar ulceration (Bazeley and Pinsent, 1984). Abnormal behavioural patterns are also associated with lameness (ColamAinsworth et al., 1989). The importance of reducing incidence of lameness in order to improve dairy cattle welfare is well recognized. Recent work in Ireland and Scotland indicated that behaviour should be considered as a factor in foot lesion and lameness development (Logue, 1996). This study examined the hypothesis that separate housing of first calving heifers from the adult herd would have a beneficial effect upon claw horn lesion development and the extent to which behavioural changes may be associated with this effect.


Consumer demand for healthy snacks continues to grow signalling new developments in an industry where unique flavours, formulations and recipes offer opportunities to increase market share.


Revista Cubana de Pediatria 2011; 83(1):182-187 http://scielo.sld.cu 183 This is the case of a premature patient aged one month weighing 1 600 g, whose epicutaneous catheter was fractured moving to be located in the distal portion in the left branch of pulmonary artery. The catheter was removed by femoral route by interventionist cardiac catheterization allowing us to demonstrate the effectiveness of such procedure in this type of complication.


The objective of this paper is to discuss the key issues relating to the development of local corporate bond markets. We examine the requirements for local corporate bond market development, and compare and contrast experiences across both mature and emerging markets. We suggest that core aspects such as benchmarking, corporate governance and disclosure, credit risk pricing, the availability of reliable trading systems, and the development of hedging instruments are fundamental for improving the breadth and depth of corporate debt markets. The demand and supply of corporate bonds are dependent on factors such as the investor base, both local and foreign, and government policies toward the issuance process and associated costs, as well as the taxation regime. The sequencing of reforms is key to overall market development.


The eects of the plasma prole on the global energy connement have been studied in Heliotron E with special regard to dierences between heating methods (ECH, NBI and NBI + ECH). With high power NBI, peaked Ti and peaked ne proles (Ti(0)=hTii 2:7, ne(0)=hnei 4:5) were simultaneously achieved under low recycling conditions. A peaked ne prole (ne(0)=hnei 2:5) could lead to the high Ti mode where the ion heat transport in the central region is substantially reduced. By changing the ECH launching condition (on-axis, o-axis and toroidally oblique injection), the peakedness of the Te prole could be controlled in the range 1:3 Te(0)=hTei 4:5. A peaked Te prole and a flat ne prole (3:5 Te(0)=hTei, ne(0)=hnei 1:8) were brought about by the well focused on-axis ECH. The ECH plasma with a peaked Te prole has higher stored energy than that with a moderately peaked Te prole for the same injected ECH power and the same density region. The global energy connement time normalized by the LHD scaling, G E = LHD E ,s howedne(0)=hnei dependence for the low Ti mode NBI plasmas. For the high Ti mode, the ne(0)=hnei dependence of G E = LHD E was weak. These ndings suggest that the LHD scaling should be modied to scale the global energy connement of the helical plasmas in a wide range of ne(0)=hnei.


Recently computational thinking is a hot issue in teaching researches for computer fundamentals. The problems due to decreased credits of courses after the undergraduate training programme is revised in 2009 have been discussed,as well as how to foster the computational thinking of students in Principle of Computer Hardware Technique series courses. A new innovation approach has been proposed to improve the ability of students to analyze and solve complex problems in terms of innovating course structure,teaching method and evaluation scheme of Principle of Computer Hardware Technique series courses.


Abstract Transferring knowledge to an agent makes him more successful or productive, which is beneficial for the principal. However, knowledge transfer also increases the agent's outside option. I identify two reasons for withholding knowledge — to reduce labor costs within a principal–agent relationship, and to weaken the agent in case of a separation. Moreover, the role of synergy is discussed both for building up a principal–agent relationship and for transferring knowledge. While synergy is decisive for knowledge transfer, cooperation between the principal and agent may even take place in the absence of synergy. Furthermore, I analyze whether the principal is more likely to transfer knowledge to a more able or to a less able agent. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of a noncompetition clause are briefly discussed.


Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of parameter estimation in nonlinear regression models. As for linear models, the least squares method occurs as the most important estimation method because many favorable properties known from the linear theory can be at least asymptotically assured. The solution of the corresponding nonlinear optimization problem requires in general iterative methods. In concrete case studies, the selection of an appropriate procedure from the large set of iterative methods proposed in the literature, the choice of starting guesses, incremental change, and step size requires a lot of experience. The examples of nonlinear regression models are empirical growth curves, exponential models, and Coob–Douglas models. The least squares estimation is the main estimation method in nonlinear regression. The formulation as an inadequate least squares problem may be needed because of the fact that the numerical treatment may be much simpler or, looking on statistical efficiency, it could seem to be reasonable to diminish the dimension of parameters. However, the investigation of weighted inadequate least squares approximation (WILSA) is of basic importance, taking into consideration that the model choice problem in the nonlinear case is difficult. The chapter discusses the problem of approximating a nonlinear response function in a given linear set of functions, polynomial approximation, the consistency of least squares estimators, asymptotic distribution of least-squares estimators, asymptotic optimality of GLSE without normality, maximum likelihood estimation, robust nonlinear regression, and confidence regions of the model.


Three books released in the past few years - Anthony Hecht's Collected Earlier Poems, his Transparent Man, and a collection of essays on his poetry, The Burdens of Formality - have a striking photograph of Hecht on their dust jackets. He is looking into a mirror, and as we look over his fight shoulder, we see the reflection of his face. He is gazing not at himself (no narcissism here), but at us, his audience. The mirror forms his and our frame, and once removed, the photograph flames the mirror. I have come to the conclusion that the portrait is singularly appropriate, given the way we attend to Anthony Hecht's poetry: the photographer Richard Avedon comments that in a posed photograph, isolated from their environment, people become "symbolic of themselves."(1) This is the way we view Hecht, and this is the way he views himself. The deliberate double frame, the reflected image, the consciousness of an audience in a moment of self-reflection: all are deeply characteristic of Hecht's work and endeavour. I say "attend to" his poetry deliberately, since "read" is too passive a word for the experience of encountering a volume of Hecht's work, especially if that volume is the Collected Earlier Poems. Perhaps more than any poet writing today, Anthony Hecht's verse is firmly rooted in drama, and that most active of art forms has had a profound effect on his writing and on our response to his verse. It was not always so, however; his earliest volume, A Summoning of Stones, is distinguished by its deliberate stasis, by what Richard Howard calls "moments recovered,...instances rescued from the flux of phenomena" ("Anthony Hecht" 198). But with his second book, The Hard Hours, Hecht fashions a poetic strategy and voice that is indebted to the drama, and since that volume his attention to the theatre is everywhere evident. When asked to select a favorite poem from the past to place beside one of his own in Howard's Preferences, Hecht chose a scene from King Lear. He has translated Aeschylus's Seven Against Thebes, choruses from Oedipus at Colonos, and written essays on Othello, The Merchant of Venice, and The Tempest. His latest volume of poetry, The Transparent Man, contains a reconsideration of A Midsummer Night's Dream in which Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Hermia are given new speeches, as Auden's The Sea and the Mirror comments on The Tempest.(2) Some of the most remarkable of his later poems are dramatic monologues - "The Venetian Vespers," "The Grapes," "The Transparent Man," and "See Venice and Die" - as he increasingly resorts to dramatic forms to explore themes he found could not he contained in the traditional lyric forms he was writing at the time. But I will argue that Hecht's interest in the drama is not simply a poet's attraction to a sister art; he is drawn to it because drama, especially tragic drama, presents through its action a Weltanschauung that he shares. Not that Hecht is a tragedian manque, but the influence of the drama on his work is comparable to John Ashbery's interest in abstract expressionist painting, or Richard Howard's attraction to photography in his "Homage to Nadar" sequences. All three find in the other art form a mode of expression that corresponds to their poetic endeavour - Ashbery looks for improvisational gestures to subvert logic, Howard is concerned with the sells deliberate posturing, and Hecht is acutely aware of the tragic inevitability of fortune's reversal. It is the dramatic element of Hecht's poetry that I believe sets him apart from (and above) Richard Wilbur, to whom he is often compared, usually to Hecht's disadvantage. Wilbur's poems, with a few exceptions, remain static explorations of his theme, while Hecht goes beyond meditation to engage process through drama. And it is precisely this engagement that accounts for the powerful effect of his poems. Of course, I am not the first observer to note that Hecht's poems bear some resemblance to drama. Over a quarter of a century ago Laurence Lieberman noted that Hecht's juxtaposition of scenes in poems like "More Light! …


The deceptively simple tin selenide (SnSe) film has emerged as an appealing 2D material with a narrow bandgap, high charge carrier mobility, and significant thermoelectric figure of merit. In particular, compared with most commonly investigated 2D materials, SnSe with a puckered honeycomb structure possesses a lower lattice symmetry, resulting in prominent in‐plane anisotropy. Herein, with polarization‐dependent Raman spectroscopy and polarization‐dependent nonlinear absorption measurements, pronounced polarization‐dependent nonlinear optical properties of a SnSe flake are demonstrated originating from the anisotropic optical transition probability of SnSe, which is confirmed by ultrafast polarization‐dependent pump–probe experiments. Furthermore, a novel SnSe‐based all‐optical switch is proposed and experimentally explored. Specifically, due to the polarization‐dependent nonlinear optical response of SnSe, this all‐optical switch can access the "ON" and "OFF" modes of continuous‐wave signal light (633 nm, 13 µW) by altering the polarization of the switching light (800 nm, 65 fs, 1 kHz, 34 GW cm−2), rather than modifying its intensity, achieving an unexpectedly high ON/OFF ratio (the difference of the normalized transmittance of signal light between "ON" and "OFF" modes) of 44%. This work opens up real perspectives for versatile optoelectronic devices based on SnSe materials.


This paper reviews the historical background of programs for training personnel in the administration of highway safety programs. It notes that federal legislation causes graduates of safety programs to move from one area to another among highway safety, occupational safety, transportation, law enforcement, and so on. There are problems in filling these positions, especially with the current minimal funding for personnel development. An example of one state's approach to administering programs to develop personnel for highway safety programming is presented to show the administrative principles used as well as the extensive planning necessary to pursue and maintain a personnel development program to cover identified educational and training needs. /Author/


Background: the comprehensive analysis at the foot of the bed of the hemodynamically unstable patient in critical conditions is a challenge for the intensivist; that is the reason why, interpreting correctly and appropriately the physiopathologic variables related to these events is so important. Objective: to identify some of the metabolic, gasometrical and hemodynamic variables that make possible a better comprehensive analysis of the unstable patient. Method: an analytical descriptive study was conducted in the intensive care unit of the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Teaching Hospital, from January, 2000 to January, 2014. The universe was composed of 533 patients in a state of shock, 332 of them were in a state of non-cardiogenic shock and 210 were in a state of cardiogenic shock. All the patients monitored in an invasive way and in a state of shock in their first 72 hours of evolution, were suggested as inclusion criterion. The model was estimated by using the technique of multivaried analysis and the binary logistic regression and coefficient for each introduced independent variable. Results: the association of mean arterial pressure of 0, 000 and of importance of 0, 99; the excess of base 0, 000 and of importance of 0, 82; of oxygen central venous saturation significance of 0, 000, importance of 0, 89 and oxygen mixed venous saturation with a level of statistical significance of 0,005 and of importance of 1, 061, predominated. Conclusions: the correct interpretation of these variables turns out to be really important for the analysis of the patient in a state of shock since it makes possible conducting a more comprehensive and appropriate analysis of these patients and establishing protocols of more reasonable treatments without wasting time. DeCS: BLOOD GAS ANALYSIS; METABOLISM/physiology; HEMODYNAMICS/physiology; MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS; EPIDEMIOLOGY, DESCRIPTIVE. _____________________________________________________________________________


Ion transport in bionanopores is closely related to biological processes and can be regulated by various external stimulations. Multivalent ion as one of the stimulators shows a great ability in tu...


Flakes are a practical breakfast menu that generally contains nutrients in the form of carbohydrates, and protein, rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals to meet the nutritional intake of the morning. This study aims to make flakes purple yam with the addition of soybean flour to increase its nutritional value, especially protein content. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor, namely the ratio of purple yam flour and soybean flour (100% : 0%), (90% : 10%), (80% : 20%), (70% : 30 %). Product analysis includes protein content, water content, and rehydration power (physical) to determine the selected product, then chemical analysis includes ash content, fat, crude fiber, and carbohydrates, as well as sensory and hedonic quality organoleptic tests. The data analysis used was ANOVA and Duncan's Advanced Test with 95% confidence interval. The results showed that the flakes selected were treated with 70% purple yam and 30% soybean flour. The flakes selected have protein content of 15.62%, water content of 4.40%, ash content of 1.55%, fat 4.16%, crude fiber 13.53%, carbohydrates 74.47%, and rehydration power of 18.84%. The results of the sensory quality test showed that the flakes had a dark brown color, odorless powdery aroma, slightly sweet taste, and a crunchy texture. The results of the hedonic test have the highest preference value on the attributes of texture, color, and aroma and, overall, towards liking.


This article focuses on the botanical publications of two eighteenthcentury English women writers: Elizabeth Blackwell's A Curious Herbal (l737-1739) and Priscilla Bell Wakefield's An Introduction to Botany (1796). A brief rhetorical description and analysis of these books indicates that they contribute several new perspectives and techniques to the historical tradition of botanical writing and illustrating, as well as exhibit many of today's techniques for effective technical communication. Several suggestions are offered for further research directions to establish the significance of these writers within the conceptual framework of the feminine "green" tradition.


Objectives: To address the focused question: "In patients with osseointegrated implants diagnosed with periimplantitis, what are the clinical and radiographic outcomes of augmentative surgical interventions compared with nonaugmentative surgical measures"? Material and Methods: Literature screening was performed in MEDLINE through the PubMed database, for articles published until January 1, 2018. Human studies reporting on the clinical (ie, bleeding on probing [BOP] and probing depth [PD] changes) and/or radiographic (ie, periimplant defect reduction and/or fill) treatment outcomes after surgical augmentative periimplantitis therapy, and/or comparing augmentative and nonaugmentative surgical approaches were searched. Results: Thirteen comparative and 11 observational clinical studies were included. Surgical augmentative periimplantitis therapy resulted in mean BOP and PD reduction ranging from 26% to 91%, and 0.74 to 5.4 mm, respectively. The reported mean radiographic fill of intrabony defects ranged between 57% and 93.3%, and defect vertical reduction varied from 0.2 to 3.77 mm. Three randomized controlled clinical studies failed to demonstrate the superiority of augmentative therapy compared with nonaugmentative approach in terms of PD and BOP reduction. Conclusions: The available evidence to support superiority of augmentative surgical techniques for periimplantitis management on the treatment outcomes over nonaugmentative methods is limited.


Optical interferometry techniques was use for the first time to measure the surface resistivity/conductivity of the pure aluminium (in seawater at room temperature), UNS.No305 stainless steel (in seawater at room temperature), and pure copper (in tab water at room temperature) without any physical contact. This was achieved by applying an electrical potential across the alloys and measuring the current density flow across the alloys, during the cyclic polarization test of the alloys in different solutions. In the mean time, optical iterferometry techniques such as holographic interferometry was used in situ to measure the orthogonal surface displacement of the alloys, as a result of the applied electrical potential. In addition, a mathematical model was derived in order to correlate the ratio of the electrical potential to the current density flow (electrical potential/electronic Current flow=resistance) and to the surface (orthogonal) displacement of the metallic samples. In other words, a proportionality constant (surface resistivity or conductivity=1/ surface resistivity) between the measured electrical resistance and the surface displacement (by the optical interferometry techniques) was obtained. Consequently the surface resistivity (ρ) and conductivity (σ) of the pure aluminium (in seawater at room temperature), UNS.No305 stainless steel (in seawater at room temperature), and pure copper (in tab water at room temperature ) were obtained. Also, electrical resistivity values (ρ) from other source were used for comparison sake with the calculated values of this investigation. This study revealed that the measured value of the resistivity for the pure aluminium (7.7x1010 Ohms-cm in seawater at room temperature) is in a good agreement with the one found in literature for the Aluminium Oxide ,85% Al2O3 (5X10 10 Ohms-cm in air at temperature 30C0). Unfortunately, there is no measured values for the resistivity of cupric oxide (CuO), Cuprous Oxide (Cu2O), or even the oxide of the UNS.No304 stainless steel in literature to compared those values with the measured values in this study.


ABSTRACT       An assessment of geological and geotechnical parameters of selected gully sites in Sangere Loko Area of northeastern Nigeria is presented. Field geological study revealed that the area is underlain by basement rocks consisting of granites and granite gneiss which has been intruded by the Tertiary basaltic rocks. The soils in the area are product of insitu weathering of the underlying basement rocks giving rise to clays, silts, laterites and sand deposites occurring more than 3 meters in depth. Results of sieve analysis indicate that soils at the gully sites have sorting values ranging from 0.204 to 1.434 showing well to poorly sorted soils. Furthermore the mean hydraulic conductivity values of 4.89 x 10-3 cm/s and mean transmissivity value of 1.24 x 10-4 cm2/s indicate relatively moderately permeability, seepage fluxes and pore pressures which will likely reduce the shear strength of the soils. The plastic limits of the soils vary from 13.15% to 21.90 % whereas the plasticity index varies from 12 % to 21.30 % revealing soils of low to moderate plasticity as well as friable, poorly cohesive soils that are susceptible to gully erosion. The compaction test display maximum dry density values of 1.78 kg/m3 to 2.21 kg/m3 with an optimum moisture content values of 6.10 % to 10.20 % revealing generally loose soils that are susceptible to gully erosion. The results of the study were used to infer the surface and subsurface processes that contribute to the formation and expansion of gullies as well as recommendations on how to control the menace of gully erosion in the area were made.


Objective To establish a method of Ditong Biyan Liquid.Methods The TLC was used.Results Herba Taraxaci,Radix Scutellariae,Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii can be distinguished by TLC,respectively. Conclusion The method is simple and accurate,and can be used for identification of Ditong Biyan liquid.


The low temperature investigations of the magnetic properties of non-twinning LiCu2O2+δ crystals showed that a new spontaneous magnetization phase arises in the compound at temperatures less than T~150 K along with the basic long-range helimagnet phase at T<24 K. The increase of an extra oxygen Оδ concentration intensifies ferromagnetic response of this phase. We suggested a cluster model for the new phase as an antiferromagnet structure with a short-range order with the weak and hidden ferromagnetism on the basis of both the theoretical group analysis of the magnetic and crystal lattice symmetry and the analysis of the temperature, field, hysteresis and anisotropy properties of spontaneous magnetization.


The SMW method is a new construction technology imported from Japan,with strata applicability,low cost,short construction period,low environmental pollution and strong water retaining.This paper introduced SMW method design points,and engineering application of this method.


This paper analyses and calculates the optimal water amount required to play the function of the wetland ecology system,regarding water as the principal factor control with Xianghai wetland as a exam- ple.


The invention discloses a method, a system and a device for limiting subscription of business resources, wherein, the method comprises: receiving a subscription message for the business resources; determining whether the subscription of the business resources meets a predetermined subscription limiting condition or not, wherein, if not, the business resources is refused to be subscripted. Thereby, the method, the system and the device which are provided by the invention can limit the subscription of the business resources, can reflect the justification that the subscriptions of the business resources with different businesses occupy wireless bandwidth resources via limiting part of subscribers to subscribe the business resources of a certain business or limiting the number of times of part of the subscribers subscribing the business resources of a certain business in the limited wireless bandwidth resources of the SIP system providing the businesses.


This paper presents the generation module of the speech-to-speech dialogue translation system Verbmobil. Spontaneous speech, large multilingual vocabulary, difficulty of the translation task, robustness and real-time constraints make the design of such a module very challenging. In order to overcome these difficulties, we have developed a system based on a general kernel and the declarativity of the knowledge sources. This fully implemented system proves the practical relevance of several techniques such as constraint-solving for the microplanning task or HPSG-to-TAG compilation for syntactic realization. In addition to the successful deployment of our module into the Verbmobil system, the kernel has been adapted to other domains and tasks.


The utility model discloses a damping lamp support for a crane. The damping lamp support comprises a mounting bracket used for being fixed on the crane, a hanger fixedly connected with the mounting bracket, and a base used for mounting a lamp, wherein the base is vertically mounted on the hanger in a sliding manner through a connecting piece and is positioned below the hanger; and an elastic damping device is arranged between the base and the hanger. When the lamp is mounted on the damping lamp support, an effective damping effect can be achieved, so that the service life of the crane lamp can be prolonged, and the safety accident that the lamp falls off and hits a working staff can be avoided.


AbstractFive 915-MHz wind profilers and GPS receivers across California's northern Central Valley (CV) and adjacent Sierra foothills and coastal zone, in tandem with a 6-km-resolution gridded reanalysis dataset generated from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, document key spatiotemporal characteristics of Sierra barrier jets (SBJs), landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs), and their interactions. Composite kinematic and thermodynamic analyses are based on the 13 strongest SBJ cases observed by the Sloughhouse profiler between 2009 and 2011. The analyses show shallow, cool, south-southeasterly (i.e., Sierra parallel) flow and associated water vapor transport strengthening with time early in the 24-h compositing period, culminating in an SBJ core at <1 km above ground over the eastern CV. The SBJ core increases in altitude up the Sierra's windward slope and poleward toward the north end of the CV, but it does not reach the westernmost CV. Above the developing SBJ, strengthening southwesterly flow des...


【Purpose: We investigated the relationship of depression and the ability to engage in activities of daily living in the elderly. Methods: Subjects (n = 182) were 60 years or older and who attended the Senior College of Gimhae Senior Welfare Center. We collected data via a questionnaire, through a Self- recording method and through individual interviews. We collected data on personal and general characteristics, level of depression, and activities of daily living. Results: Among all subjects, 51.1% reported having depressionMild depression was reported by 29.7% (54 subjects), moderate depression by 13.2% (24 subjects), and severe depression by 8.2% (15 subjects). Activities of daily living, including walking, climbing stairs, standing from a chair and sitting on and using toilets, using a telephone, bathing, shopping, cleaning house, and managing money were significantly lower in elderly subjects who were depressed (p】


The drilling and putting into operation of new wells on the operated well-stocks are labor-intensive and expensive business processes. Therefore the actual direction at the operation of such well-stocks is the development of new methods and the implementing them tools of effective well-stock management of already existing wells that allow lowering costs at the production of hydrocarbon material (HM). In this regard, today the optimum management decision-making is impossible any more without the use of perspective methods and algorithms of the intellectual analysis of geological and technological data. Results of the analysis of a current state in the field of intellectual methods and algorithms in relation to problems of well-stocks management at the production of HM on oil fields are given in the article. Results of the efficiency research of cluster analysis methods and the deep artificial neural networks (deep ANN or DANN) at the solution of one of the main tasks of well-stock management are received and analyzed; the task is a candidates-wells selection for carrying out geological and technical arrangements on the well-stock.


In the paper, we consider the computation of the posterior Cramér-Rao bound in a problem of target tracking based on received signal strength measurements. This is a theoretical lower bound on the estimation error while assessing the performance of any kind of estimation algorithm. Here the method is applied to a nonlinear filtering problem of tracking a node in wireless sensor networks. Specifically the bound is computed against the root mean square error of two nonlinear filters: bootstrap and unscented particle filter.


The absence of reference videos with pristine quality and the complexity of authentic distortions pose great challenges for blind video quality assessment (BVQA) towards user-generated content (UGC) videos. Although it is straightfor-ward to leverage transfer learning techniques to learn effective BVQA models, it is nontrivial to explore how to bridge the domain shifts for better video representation learning. In this work, we propose to transfer meaningful knowledge from perceptually relevant domains, i.e., image quality assessment (IQA) with authentic distortions and video classification with rich motion patterns. We develop a promising strategy to use both groups of data to learn the feature extractors. We train the proposed model on the target VQA databases using a mixed list-wise ranking loss function. Extensive experiments on six VQA databases demonstrate that our method performs very competitively under both individual database and mixed database training settings. Codes and models are available at https://github.com/zwx8981/BVQA-2021.


Sanitary landfill leachate is considered a heavily polluted wastewater. It contains high concentration of organic matter, heavy metals and toxic components. To treat leachate a combination of physical, biological and chemical treatment are often required to enhance the treatment efficiency. Coagulation/flocculation is a commonly used process in water and wastewater treatment. In this study, the characteristics of municipal landfill leachate from Bukit Tagar Landfill leachate was analyzed. The pH of the leachate sample was 6.6 while the BOD and COD of leachate were 27000 mg/L, 59000 mg/L, respectively. The concentration of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu in the leachate was 11.25mg/L, 15.15mg/L, 17.55mg/L and 10.95 mg/L, respectively. The leachate contained high concentrations of colour (15300 ADMI), TSS (13.5 mg/L), and ammonia at (4300 ml/L. All parameters analyzed were above the Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluent) Regulation Standard B limits. Jar-test experiments were employed to determine the efficiency of coagulant and flocculent FeCl3 and P-Floc775 at different concentrations, pH and mixing speed, in removing heavy metals, turbidity, colour and TSS from the leachate. After coagulation, the filtrates were digested and analyzed. Treatment with 2g/500mL of FeCl3 (which was the optimum) produced the highest reduction in turbidity (75%), colour (82%), TSS (78%), Cd, Pb, and Cu (100%) and Zn (91%). The optimal reduction of all parameters was at pH 7. On the other hand the optimum mixing speed for FeCl3 was 100 rpm and at 90 rpm for P-Floc775. At optimum coagulant dosage, pH and mixing speed Cd, Pb, and Cu were lower than the EQA Standard A and B limits, whereas the Zn remained above the Standard A and B. Mixing speed and pH improved the performance of FeCl3 and P-Floc775, at optimum dosage. FeCl3 and P-Floc775 were effective in the reduction of most parameters to below EQA 1979 limit.


In the pages of her editor's "Comment" in The Dial for August 1927, Marianne Moore paused to ruminate about, of all things, snakes. "The usefulness, companionableness, and gentleness of snakes," she began, "is sometimes alluded to in print by scientists and by amateurs." Needless to say, we dissent from the serpent as deity; and enlightenment is preferable to superstition when plagues are to be combated - army-worms, locusts, a mouse army, tree or vegetable blights, diseases of cattle, earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, and floods. Destruction such as was experienced by us in western states and in Florida the past winter, from tornadoes and from the Mississippi in the spring, could not have been more portentously afflicting or more usefully admonitory had we believed ourselves to have been preyed upon by an aquatic serpent or by a wind god. (Complete Prose 187) Moore's comments appear to bespeak an internal conflict. Initially, Moore approaches her subject from the pose of a rational skeptic. "Needless to say," she insists, that "we dissent from the serpent as deity." Her emphatic phrase, "Needless to say," places her firmly on the side of the enlightened scientists who prefer to rely on technology rather than superstitious ceremony to solve the pesky problems - locusts, mice, and vegetable blights - that nature doles out. No sooner has Moore uttered her preference for "enlightenment," however, than she invokes images of the destructive powers of nature that extend well beyond the reach or control of technological know-how: earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes. Such natural disasters, Moore states, are "usefully admonitory." Even though rational science insists that nature is not a collection of powerful gods, floods and tornadoes warn us to check our arrogant assumption that nature, however void of vengeful spirits, is comfortably controllable. Qualifying her own scientific pose, Moore turns back to the serpent and professes her admiration for those less-skeptical cultures that once viewed nature with reverence, wonder, and a healthy dose of dread. A certain ritual of awe - animistic and animalistic - need not, however, be effaced from our literary consciousness. The serpent as a motive in art, as an idea, as beauty, is surely not beneath us, as we see it . . . in the turtle zoomorphs, feathered serpent columns, and coiled rattlesnakes of Yucatan; in the silver-white snakes, "chameleon lizards," and stone dragons of Northern Siam. Guarding the temple of Cha-Heng in Nan, the hundred yard long pair of blue-green-yellow painted monsters - with reared head and flowing, skin-like rise of body - are, one infers from Reginald le May's description and partial photograph, majestic worms. Nor does the mythologic war between serpent and elephant seem disproportionate when one examines a stone dragon which guards rice fields in Northern Siam from raiding herds of elephants. As Edward Topsell has said in his Historie of Serpents, "Among all the kinds of serpents there is none comparable to the Dragon," and the fact of variants seemed to Aldrovanus, no detraction. "Dragons there are in Ethiopia ten fathoms long" and there are little ones. In an old letter to the public we read: "Thirty miles from London, this present month of August, 1614" - and the news is attested by two men and by a Widow Woman dwelling near Faygate - there lives a serpent "or dragon as some call it," "reputed to be nine feet, or rather more, in length. It is likewise discovered to have large feet, but the eye may be there deceived" and "two great bunches" "as some think will in time grow to wings; but God, I hope, will defend the poor people in the neighborhood, that he shall be destroyed before he grow so fledged. Farewell. By A. R. He that would send better news, if he had it." (187-88) Engaging the mythology of the serpent, Moore's thoughts move from the companionable snake to the mysterious dragon, from a gentle creature to a fierce myth, from an image of nature's utility to an implication of nature's might, from the rational present to the imaginative past. …


Consider a closed cyclic queuing system consisting of M exponential queues. The Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the joint distribution of the consecutive sojourn times of a customer at the M queues is determined and shown to have a product form. The proof is based on a reversibility argument.