It has been most rewarding to witness the explosive growth in the amount of effort and attention that economists pay to immigration-related issues over the past 30 years. In the early 1980s, few economists seemed interested in these topics; the debate over immigration issues in the United States and Europe did not raise fundamental questions about social policy; and there were few technical or conceptual issues that cried out for an unambiguous resolution. The intellectual landscape has changed dramatically. Thirty years later, immigration-related issues attract an ever-increasing number of economists to examine the many questions that are raised by the policy debate; by the role that migration flows – and international migration flows, in particular – play in determining labor market outcomes in both sending and receiving countries; and by the ambiguities and difficult identification problems that permeate the models and econometric methods that are used to measure these outcomes....


Circular hollow sections (CHS) are widely used as bending members in many structures including moment resisting frames. Several structural design provisions such as CIDECT suggest hot spot method and classification method for assessment of fatigue performance of CHS welded joints particularly in the elastic range. By contrast, the authors have proposed a strain concentration method of H-section beams which requires only displacement at the end of the macro-members to assess the cyclic plastic deformation capacity. This paper presents the experiments on four types of CHS T-joints subjected to cyclic bending moment to investigate the strength and the cumulative plastic deformation capacity. Finite element analysis was used to examine the plastic strain distribution at the strain concentration zone of the CHS T-joints. The strain concentration ratio of the CHS T-joints was established by those testing and numerical results. It was found that the cumulative plastic deformation capacity of the CHS T-joints assessed by the proposed method is by and large consistent with the testing results.


The major emphasis of this thesis is the statistical analysis of the biological affinity of entario Iroquois populations within the context of the Ontario Iroquois Tradition. The statistical comparison is based on a study of the dental morphology of the permanent crowns of three ossuary populations. A total of 64 dental morphological traits are considered. The three dental samples studied include two protohistoric Keutral ossuary populations and a protohistoric Huron ossuary population. The results of the statistical analysis indicate a greater degree of bioiogical affinity between the two protohistoric Neutral ossuary populations than between the Neutral ossuary populations and protohistoric Huron ossuary population. The dental morphological evidence parallels the present model of the Ontario Iroquois Tradition which is based on archaeological, ethnohistoric and linguistic studies. This model indicates a cultural divergence between the four entario Iroquois groupings the Neutral, Huron, Erie and Petun which occurred circa 1400 A.D. Up until this point, dental studies of the Ontario Iroquois have been limited in number. This thesis indicates the potential of dental morphological analysis for making a major contribution to our current understanding of the ii Ontario Iroquois. In addition, it hopefully provides a preliminary step towards a uniform framework within which future Ontario Iroquois studies can be carried out.


The thesis presents the theory of elastic mechanics to build the modeling of finite element method. Through the stiffiiess equation of lagrange interpolation structure, it expounds the pre-processing, the post-processing and the software ANSYS 8.0, and paves an impovtant way for computer-aided-engineering.


In patients with history of previous abdominal surgery, creation of pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic procedure involves risk of complications as there is association of underlying adhesions at the umbilicus site. Palmer's point is alternative site of primary port insertion. For creating pneumoperitoneum, visceral slide technique is used to detect the movement of viscera immediately deep to the abdominal wall. This technique is reliable in identifying adhesion-free areas of the abdominal wall. This study was undertaken to evaluate use of Palmer's point in creation of pneumoperitoneum in patients of previous abdominal surgeries and to check the efficacy of the visceral slide technique for detection of umbilical adhesions in these patients. This one-year study was conducted on 30 patients with previous history of abdominal surgery in the Government Medical College, Jammu. Visceral slide test was conducted using a real time ultrasonography machine with a 7.5 MHz abdominal transducer placed in a sagittal plane at the umbilicus and the ultrasound scan focused on the infraumbilical region between the anterior abdominal wall and the aortocaval complex. A normal visceral slide (positive test) is movement of the viscera more than 1 cm. An abnormal visceral slide (negative test) is defined as movement of the viscera less than 1 cm. At the end of the surgery, intra-operative, early and late complications were evaluated. Adhesions under the umbilicus were present and absent in 15 (50%) patients each. The visceral slide technique was negative in 9 (30%) and positive in 21 (70%) patients. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of visceral slide technique was 60%, 100%, 100%, 72% and 70% respectively. Definitive evidence of the efficacy of Palmer's point in creation of pneumoperitoneum could not be established due to the small sample size and patients with limited spectrum of abdominal surgeries. Further studies in the form of multicenter randomized control trials are needed to verify the utility of Palmer's point for creation of pneumoperitoneum and to evaluate the role of visceral slide technique in diagnosing intra-abdominal adhesions preoperatively.


Latest developments in the field of telecommunications combined with the Internet and the World Wide Web, have enabled us to transmit huge volumes of data, in wide range of forms and formats in an information environment which cuts across the geographic as well as political boundaries of the world. According to a study done by IDC, worldwide proliferation of PCs and smart phones, increased internet access and the boost in capturing data from machines such as surveillance cameras or smart meters has contributed to the exponential growth of digital data. By 2020, IDC projects that the digital universe will reach 40 ZB. However, currently majority of this data is untagged and unstructured (EMC Press release Dec 11, 2012). As of today only 3 percent of this potentially useful data is tagged, and even less is analyzed. Effective and Efficient KO tools play a major role in realizing the full potential of Big Data.


To support ERSP-funded scientists in all aspects of synchrotron-based research at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). This support comes in one or more of the following forms: (1) writing proposals to the APS General User (GU) program, (2) providing time at MRCAT/EnviroCAT beamlines via the membership of the Molecular Environmental Science (MES) Group in MRCAT/EnviroCAT, (3) assistance in experimental design and sample preparation, (4) support at the beamline during the synchrotron experiment, (5) analysis and interpretation of the synchrotron data, and (6) integration of synchrotron experimental results into manuscripts.


Hybrid broadcast broadband TV (HbbTV) is a new proposed standard for applications on TVs and set top boxes, which brings what many other standards have proposed before. The main differentiator for HbbTV is the choice to use CE-HTML in order to reduce the learning time for new developers, since web development is commonly used for Internet.In this project HbbTV is tested as an application platform and conclude it is a good start to leverage application development for TVs and set top boxes. But HbbTV lacks some important features and feature definitions that needs to be added. Developing applications for HbbTV is basically the same as regular web-development as long as no broadcast specific features are used and the application is delivered by broadband. Applications can also be made almost completely independent of delivery channel. In addition this report concludes that using a broadband connection, instead of broadcast channel, will in most cases be better for application delivery. The broadcast channel adds minor value for delivering applications but can be used when no Internet connection is available. The HbbTV standard does not help anyone else than broadcasters unless if it becomes broadly accepted industry standard.The HbbTV consortium has already recognized flaws found during this reports testing and has proposed corrections, in an errata, that addresses the most important problems found.


Hybrid electric vehicles equipped with continuously variable transmission show dramatic improvements in fuel economy and driving performance because they can continuously adjust the operating points of the power source. This article proposes an optimal control strategy for continuously variable transmission–based hybrid electric vehicles with a pre-transmission parallel configuration. To explore the fuel-saving potential of the given configuration, a 'control-oriented' quasi-static vehicle model is built, and dynamic programming is adopted to determine the optimal torque split factor and continuously variable transmission speed ratio. However, a single-criterion cost function will lead to undesirable drivability problems. To tackle this problem, the main factors affecting the driving performance of a continuously variable transmission–based hybrid electric vehicle are studied. On that basis, a multicriterion cost function is proposed by introducing drivability constraints. By varying the weighting factors, the trade-off between fuel economy and drivability can be evaluated under a predetermined driving cycle. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, simulation experiments are performed under four different driving cycles, and the results indicate that the proposed method greatly enhanced the drivability without significantly increasing fuel consumption. Compared to a single-criterion cost function, the use of multiple criteria is more representative of real-world driving behaviour and thus provides better reference solutions to evaluate suboptimal online controllers.


Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of natural and industrial orange juices and a beverage on the surface roughness of composite material. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 disc-shaped specimens with a thickness of 2 mm and a diameter of 10 mm were taken from an orthodontic bonding composite. The specimens were randomly assigned into three groups (i.e., natural orange juice, Rani orange juice, and Mirinda orange beverage). The roughness of the specimens was examined by atomic force microscope at baseline, 1 day (6 hours), and 1 week (6 hours per day) after immersing. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA test and Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: The surface roughness of composite exposed to the selected drinks increased significantly (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Natural orange juice, Rani orange juice, and Mirinda can affect the surface roughness of composite, which varies based on the type of drink and immersion time.


MOOCs pedagogical strategies assume that students construct their own knowledge and collaborate with their mates. Largescale learners' interaction figures hinder both proper interpretation of learners' needs and prompt remediation actions. To this we describe a preliminary study of a two-step collaboration analysis, which consists of inferring domain-independent indicators on students' relationships obtained from social network analysis and using an influence diagram to warn teachers on students' problematic circumstances to facilitate prompt remediation actions.


AIMS
Ideal positioning of left ventricular (LV) pacing lead in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is technically demanding. This case aims to place LV lead in anterolateral branch of coronary sinus (CS) using collateral route blindly.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Externalization via the CS ostium using collaterals retrogrogradely, which was not visible in initial balloon occlusion venography, through one delivery sheath with the support of commonly used micro-guide catheter and subsequent successful LV lead placement in anterolateral branch of CS.

CONCLUSION
This innovative retrograde approach for LV pacing lead implantation in anterolateral branch of CS obviated the need for snare technique to capture the distal end of the wire when antegrade route was not successful.


The nuclear accident of Chernobyl led to the largest uncontrolled experiment in risk perception and management ever conducted. Charted here are the connections between the levels of radioactive fallout, the public policies various governments pursued in response, and the resulting perceptions about nuclear power on the part of the public.


A 77-year-old woman with fever, lower leg edema and general malaise was referred to the Tokyo Medical University Hospital. She had undergone a left nephrectomy for renal tuberculosis and a subtotal gastrectomy for a gastric ulcer at ages 19 and 42 years, respectively. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed a 7.8-cm right renal mass and a thrombus in the inferior vena cava (Fig. 1a). Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a right renal tumor, with a thrombus extending into the right atrium through the renal vein (Fig. 1b). No lymph node or distant metastasis was noted. We diagnosed the condition as renal cell carcinoma (stage T3c N0 M0). The laboratory findings showed anemia (blood hemoglobin level, 9.1 g/dL), and elevated serum creatinine (1.85 mg/dL) and C-reactive protein levels (5.4 mg/dL). The remaining examination result was unremarkable. She refused to undergo a nephrectomy and thrombectomy, because the procedures were invasive and postoperative hemodialysis induction is required. Therefore, a 400-mg/day sorafenib treatment was initiated. No adverse effects were observed during the initial 2 weeks; subsequently, the sorafenib dosage was increased to 600 mg/day. A total of 20 days after the treatment initiation, she complained of general malaise. Sorafenib was withdrawn because an elevated level of serum creatinine and thrombocytopenia were also observed. Three days thereafter, she suddenly experienced abdominal pain and vomiting. The abdominal radiograph showed massive small and large bowel dilation. At this time, her body temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate were 35.8°C, 105/46 mmHg and 83 b.p.m., respectively. The laboratory test results showed no significant elevation of leukocyte count (4300/mL), but an increased C-reactive protein level (4.5 mg/dL) was recorded. The abdominal CT scan showed a distended small bowel and intestinal submucosal gas, indicative of pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and massive hepatic portal venous gas (PVG; Fig. 1c,d). Although intestinal tract necrosis was suspected, arterial embolism or free air was not detected. An emergency operation was not possible given the rapid deterioration of her general condition. The patient died 17 h after the symptoms developed. PI is a pathological condition defined by the infiltration of gas into the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, and has


The probability of having sensitive information retrieved from secondhand IoT devices has increased, even though the previous user removed data and deleted apps in those IoT devices. Due to the increase in flash memory storage technology, the ability to store residual information from various applications has improved. There has been a lot of identity theft reported due to the data acquired from secondhand machines. Recovering the deleted or formatted files from a user's device is easy to get.This study investigates retrieving data from secondhand memory cards from such devices. This paper examines how residual data are left in used IoT devices memory chips via a combined approach. One can recover data from secondhand phones, and the best way to wipe out such devices is to utilize software tools to prevent data leakage. To experiment with the data retrieval, Samsung Galaxy devices and other IoT devices were considered for the various ways in which new users can retrieve the data. In our preliminary results showed that our combined approach recovered more deleted data from secondhand phones.


This study was a qualitative examination of faculty perceptions about the Blackboard 5 learning platform. The study took place within the School of Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the fall of 2001. The study involved content analysis of cases developed from recorded interviews of conversations with faculty members concerning their experiences with the Blackboard course delivery system. Interviews were conducted with five participants, four who were Blackboard users and one who chose not to use Blackboard in his class. Ten categories emerged from content analysis. Several of these categories were similar and revolved around the benefits of increased communication/collaboration/community through online instruction. (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Faculty Perspectives of Blackboard 1 Running Head: FACULTY PERSPECTIVES OF BLACKBOARD Faculty Perspectives of the Blackboard Course Delivery System Jeffery W. Anderson The University of Alabama at Birmingham PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY J.Anderson U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) ttefriis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent 1 official OERI position or policy.


It isn't just the U.S., the climate of blatant lies has permeated politics worldwide. Perhaps it is not that truth is irrelevant for politics but what is needed is a theory of truth that fits politics
Looking at the theatre of politics around us today, it is difficult not to give in to a sense of cynicism. Perhaps more than any other theme in contemporary politics, it is the prevalence of lies that characterises the current condition. This is not restricted to the multiplicity of lies that defined the American election; the climate of blatant lies has entered into the way politics is conducted across the world today.


The Be X-ray binaries shew rather weak and variable X-rays. They can be divided into two types, the transient sources and the penranent sources. Two ranges for the X-ray luminosity Lx can be discerned: a) Lx~ l o 3 4 erg s" 1 (X Per, y Cas, 2S0114+65, all permanent sources); b) Lx~ l o 3 6 erg s~l. They have long periods, hence wide orbits, they ar not eclipsing and their mass loss rates are low. The optical spectra are generally very variable and irregular, masking periodic changes. No optical orbits exist and only for 4U0115+63 an X-ray orbit is known (Rappaport et al.1978) . An overview of the Be X-ray binaries with some of their characteristics is given in Table 1.


Part 1 1. Here comes the bogeyman... 2. A cultural, critical and creative context 3. Bridging the gap between child reader and adult author 4. The (im)possibility of writing for children... 5. Elements of storytelling for children 6. Engaging with Icarus Part 2 7. Considering the bogeyman... 8. Story Structure 9. Early Readers 10. Social realism, narrative non-fiction and The Tiger Who Came to Tea 11. Poetry for Children


.. Objectives: Muscles and skeleton work together if any human being wants to roam around. If muscles and joint move to their full range then a free and purposeful action is achieved and goal is met for which movement was performed. If movement abnormality is seen then its underlying cause can be tight muscle especially the hamstring in the lower extremity. Tight hamstring is quite common in normal individuals. This tightness is not desirable and needs to be treated particularly when somebody needs to perform full range of motion without any difficulty. There are numerous choices to achieve this purpose. Different researchers use different choices according to their own thinking. The main theme underlying this research is to find out evidence based treatment option to treat the tight hamstring group. Study Design: randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration: different football clubs of Lahore from March 2015 to June 2015. Methodology: For this research two groups of football players were utilized. One group was selected for post isometric relaxation technique alone while other group received a combination therapy containing post isometric relaxation and cross frictional massage. Result: the p-value for the group 1 was 0.51 while for group 2 was 0.000. Conclusion: After conducting this research a conclusion was drawn that a combination of post isometric relaxation and cross frictional massage showed better results in releasing the tightness of hamstring than alone therapy. So a combination therapy comprising post isometric relaxation and cross frictional massage was a better choice to treat tight hamstring.


This paper presents a probability distribution of stress ranges and a spectral fatigue damage calculation of offshore structures subjected to nonnarrow banded Gaussian stress processes. The stress range probability distribution is empirically formulated on the base of a number of stress range probability histograms obtained frôm the rainflow cycle counting algorithm using the Monte-Carlo procedure. Although the probability distribútion introduced is general for both linear and nonlinear damage accumulations, in the paper the linear damage accumulation (Palmgren-Miner's rule) is used with a multi-linear S-N fatigue model. This model can also be used for a nonlinear fatigue model applying a piecewise linear approximation. Formulation of the mean damages in short-term and long-term sea states-arc presented in general. For a linear S-N model the customarily known damage correction factor is constructed. It is worked out that an empirical stress range probability distribution can be more generally used in the damage calculation than an empirical damage correction factor. KY WORDS Offshore structure, Fatigue damage, S-N model, Stress range, Probability density, Stress spectrum, Nonnarrow banded process, Damage correction factor. INTRODUCTION In practical fatigue analysis of offshore structures it is often assumed that the stress process is narrow banded. Uñder fürther restriction of the process as to be Gaussian the mean fatigue damage can be calculated precisely from the stress range distribution which becomes Rayleigh. In this approach, the stress range is ässumed reasonably to be double of the stress amplitude. This approach is appropriate if the stress spectrum has a single peak which may be observed under certain conditions e.g. a) when the wave frequency and the natural frequency of the structure lie within close proximity of each other or b) assumption of a quasi-static response of the structure neglecting the effect of the natural vibration which is applicable only in sever sea states and if the structure is not dynamically sensitive. In realistic:situation, the contribution of aseversea state to the cumulative damage is 1 TECHM$CHE UNIVERsImT Laboratorium voor SCheepshydmmeJ)a Arch lef Mekefweg 2, 2628 CD Deift Tel: 015786873Fax 015.7 considerably small in the long term since the dumulative damage is primarily produced by small sea states (sea states with small significant wave hàights). Because, a sever sca state has much lower probability of occurrence than a small sea state. En casc of smáll sea states, although there may be some insignificant flùctuations in a stress spectral shape of a complex strúcture, fundamentally the stress spectrum displays two major peaks occurring respectively around the wave frequency and at the lowest natural frequency of the scructurC. In this case, the stress variation becomes a nonnarrow banded process so that the Rayleigh distribution cannot be used to represcnt the distribution of the maxima, and also the stress range cannot be taken any longer as double of the stress amplitude. In order to improve the damage under noinarrow banded processes a correction factor was intrOduced by Wirsching and Light, 1980 using some rainflow streis rángcs under a Gaussian process. Lutes er al., 1984, Winterstein and Cornell, 1985 have also investigated the same problem for both Gaussian and non-Gaussian processes. They concluded that the nonnormality of the stress procçss. which is inherent because of the nonlinearity of the drag force term, gives rise to the damage and may be more significant than the bandwidth effect along. The importance of the nonnormality may be problem dependent. i.e. it depends on the degree of the nonlinearity of the process, so that it seems to be difficult to judge a solid decision from sorne-simple examples, for a complex structure which is both equally in drag and inertia regimes. Also it may be of practical interest to know individual error rates introduced by different assumptions in an analysis.Hence, the bandwidth effect is treated here as an important subject to be studied. The present paper introduces an alternative approach to the damage calculation under a nonnarrow banded Gaussian stress process using a multi-linear SN model. The procedure is based on the-experimental (rainflow) determination of the stress range probability distribution which is obtained independently from the parameters of the fatigue model used. This procedure is very suitable for the damage calculation using a multi-linear S-N model, and also it can be successfully applied to the fracture mechanics formulation of the damage assessment. Before it is introduced the following section, which presents some basic information, is thought to be useful. DAMAGE ACCUMULATION RULE AND MULTILINEAR S-N FATIGUE MODEL Fatigue damage is expressed as being a fúnction of the number of. stress cycles and ranges. The damage caused by one cycle is stated as, dD(1) where N(S) is the totai number of cycles to failure at the stress range S. By using Paris.Erdogan's law of the crack growth (Paris and Erdogan, 1963) the number of cycles N can be expressed as,


This paper reviews research which has a bearing upon an understanding of the ametropias. The role of the retinal image as a modifying influence in a feedback mechanism exerting some control over emmetropisation is discussed. The concept of a genetic predisposition to environmental factors is developed and a plea is made for more research to aid the clinician in his management of refractive errors.


This paper describes the study of an original permanent magnet device. This device works as both a coupling and as an axial bearing. It can be particularly useful in naval propulsion application to transmit the torque without any contact between a motor axis and the propeller and to maintain the propeller in its axial position, compensating the axial force related to thrust. Two kinds of devices are studied for this type of specification. The first corresponds to the classical structure of cylindrical air-gap coupling. The second is an original structure where pairs of rings of axially magnetized magnets are stacked on each rotor. The computation of the behavior of the device (torque and axial force) is done using a semi-analytical method based on magnetic charge theory. This method allows a very fast calculation of the performances of the devices. This study shows the interest of the stacked structure for this type of application.


The Xihoumen Bridge with 1 650 m main span has the longest main cable of all suspension bridges in China,while it is located in severe monsoon and typhoon inshore environment.An efficient and reliable technique for sag adjustment of strand is adopted for ensuring erection quality.The key sag adjustment technique and process are introduced in this paper.


Based on the definitions of air conditioning period, dehumidifying period and heating period, this paper puts forward the exchanging conditions and psychrometric process of ventilation system in residences. Because of the remarkable humid climate in hot summer and cold winter regions, the ventilation dehumidification becomes a more important part of the air treatment system. In order to improve the indoor thermal environment quality, new strategies must be founded to control both temperature and humidity of ventilation system.


About the book • A practical handbook on everything a medical professional needs to know in order to write a medico-legal report. • Shows how knowledge and experience of psychiatry can be harnessed to answer the legal questions necessary for the administration of justice and the resolution of disputes. • Covers the training, skills and knowledge that are necessary to prepare expert psychiatric evidence for courts and other legal situations. • Chapters suitable for all medical experts include: the role and responsibilities an expert witness; the medico-legal consultation; the structure and form of the generic report; going to court; and maintaining expertise. • Includes a special focus on reports for criminal proceedings, in personal injury cases, for family cases and those involving capacity, plus reports for tribunals, inquests, and for jurisdictions in the British Isles outside England and Wales. • Appendices include useful sample letters and forms that can be adapted by those starting out in expert witness work.


The utility model relates to an ecological slope protection brick. The outer periphery of the slope protection brick is a regular hexagon, the inner periphery of the slop protection brick is circular, and the slop protection brick is hollow; the top end face of the slope protection brick is parallel to the horizontal plane; an included angle is formed between the bottom end face and the horizontal plane; the included angle is equal to an included angle between the protected slope and the horizontal plane; and three groups of anti-slip teeth are formed on the bottom end face. By the ecological slope protection brick, the problem of soil erosion caused by the conventional ecological slope protection mode can be solved; and the ecological slope protection brick can be widely applied to the fields of highway side slope protection, riverway side slope protection, park landscape construction and the like, has high practical significance and far-reaching significance for improving the ecological environment and soil and water conservation, and has obvious social and ecological benefits.


A 3-year experiment was conducted at Kairi Research Station on the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, to determine the effects of stocking rate and applied nitrogen fertilizer on the pasture yield and composition, diet selection by cows, and soil fertility of Gatton panic (Panicum maximum cv. Gatton) pastures. Thirty-two Friesian cows were used in a 4x2 factorial design: four stocking rates (2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 cows/ha), each at two rates of fertilizer application 200 and 400 kg N/ha.year. The higher rate of fertilization increased the pasture green dry matter on offer at all samplings (P < 0.01); the increase ranged from 1 106 kg/ha in summer to 548 kg/ha in spring. Green dry matter decreased ( P< 0.0 1) with increasing stocking rate, with mean yields of 3736 and 2384 kg/ha at 2.0 and 3.5 cows/ha, respectively. Weed yields increased over the 3 years at the higher stocking rates for pastures receiving 200 kg N/ha.year. The crude protein content of leaf and stem increased with increasing stocking rate and amount of applied nitrogen fertilizer. Values ranged from 12.1 to 26.5% of dry matter (DM) in leaf and from 3.7 to 13.8% DM in stem. In leaf, sodium concentration (range 0.05-0.20% DM) was increased, while phosphorus concentration (range 0.21-0.44% DM) was decreased by the higher rate of fertilizer application. Plant sodium and phosphorus levels were inadequate for high levels of milk production. Dietary leaf content and crude protein contents were consistently increased by both a reduced stocking rate, and the higher rate of fertilization. Cows were able to select for leaf and at the lowest stocking rate, leaf in the diet averaged 38%; while the leaf content of the pasture was 20%. Dietary leaf content ranged from 38 to 57% in summer and from 11 to 36% in winter. Dietary crude protein ranged from 13 to 15% in summer and from 7 to 11% in winter and was positively correlated with pasture crude protein content and dietary leaf percentage. Soil pH decreased (P<0.05) from an overall mean of 6.3 in 1976 to 6.1 at 200 N and 5.8 at 400 N in 1979. Soil phosphorus status remained stable, while calcium and magnesium levels were lower (P<0.01) after 3 years.


The state of the electric power industry of Russia is assessed, and promising scientific and technical projects in this area for the immediate future are outlined.


[1] Rolandone et al. [2008] report estimates of the strain rate adjacent to the creeping segment of the San Andreas Fault in central California. Some of their strain-rate estimates are based on monument velocities inferred from short runs of data (e. g., 2003.4–2004.8) that include coseismic corrections for the 2003.975 San Simeon and 2004.744 Parkfield earthquakes. This comment uses only the longer runs of their data for an alternative analysis that leads to strain rate estimates significantly closer to zero than they propose. In this comment tensor, not engineering, strain is used, extension is reckoned positive, and the uncertainties quoted in the text and table are standard deviations. [2] I use data from Rolandone et al. [2008] to calculate the strain rate for the Benito network (the 15 monuments northeast of the San Andreas Fault in Figure 1), a network specifically chosen by Sauber et al. [1989] to monitor strain along the creeping section of the San Andreas Fault. The Benito network extends along the central segment of the 170-km-long creeping section of the San Andreas Fault. The velocities (Figure 1; see also yellow arrows in Figure 1 of Rolandone et al. [2008]) for 14 monuments (those with velocities indicated by arrows in Figure 1) in the Benito network were measured over the interval 1998.88–2004.58 [Rolandone et al., 2008, Tables S1 and S3]; the velocity for monument BONT was not given. I have eliminated monument BITT from the data because it is too close (1.6 km; top of strip map C of Brown [1970]) to the active trace of the San Andreas Fault and thus subject to local disturbances. The positions and velocities of the remaining 13 monuments have been referred to a Cartesian coordinate system with origin at 36.21 N, 120.79 W (same origin as used by Rolandone et al. [2008]), the y-axis directed along the strike (N41 W) of the San Andreas Fault, and the x-axis directed perpendicular to strike (N49 E). I have then found the uniform rotation rate w and uniform strain rates eij that best approximate the observed velocity field according to the equations [Jaeger, 1964, p. 39]


CONTEXT
Little is known about the etiology of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (sMTC). While germline gain-of-function mutations in the RET proto-oncogene cause hereditary MTC, the molecular mechanisms leading to the sporadic forms remain obscure. Our group had evidence about the existence of a low-penetrance susceptibility locus for sMTC in linkage disequilibrium with RET variants S836S/IVS1-126G>T, and probably in 5' with respect to both variants. In this study we sought to identify such locus. On the other hand, because an overrepresentation of G691S/S904S variants in patients with sMTC had been previously reported, we sought to determine if such association was present in our series.

DESIGN
We performed a case-control study analysing a wide spectrum of RET variants in the 5' region of the gene, as well as the variants G691S/S904S. Haplotype distribution were also analyzed. A total of 58 patients with sMTC were included in the study. In addition, 100 unselected, unrelated race-, age-, and gender-matched normal controls were also evaluated.

MAIN OUTCOME
Although the overrepresentation of IVS1-126G>T remains present in our current sMTC series, thus supporting our previous hypothesis, no differences were obtained among cases and controls in the distribution of the variants tested upstream this position. On the other hand, the frequency and distribution of G691S/S904S variants were similar in both groups of study, leading to exclude their role in sMTC in our series.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings would suggest that the major genetic events contributing to the appearance of sMTC may reside in several different RET loci. In this way, we could hypothesize about the existence of at least two sMTC loci, linked to S836S-IVS1-126G>T, or to G691S-S904S, respectively.


This article deals with a new copy of Amadís de Gaula, printed in Venice in 1533, which was found by the author within the Special Collections of the University of Arkansas Library. This work focuses on the origin of the copy, as well as on one of its first owners, most likely an Italian reader. Through this paper we provide a physical description of this copy, according to the model proposed by Professor Lucía Megías.


This review examines the relationship between the financial incentives confronting physicians in managed care plans and the utilization of services. The primary conclusion of this review is that the financial incentives confronting physicians are a key element in explaining the lower utilization rates of enrollees in managed care plans. However, this conclusion is not definitive because it is based on studies that are subject to numerous sources of potential bias. To isolate the impact of financial incentives facing physicians on the performance of health plans, it is necessary to adjustor patient, physician, health plan, and market characteristics related to utilization, and most studies include little information about these characteristics.


It was previously reported that the continuous infusion of sodium mesoxalate into the pancreatic circulation produced a marked fall of blood sugar level in dogs, resulting often in death from hypoglycemic convulsions. From this and other results of experiments reported earlier by us it is reasonable to assume that the stimulating action of sodium and calcium mesoxalates on the 9-cells of the pancreas was so great that it caused an increase in the secretion of insulin and ultimately hyperinsulinemia sufficient to develop hypoglycemia. On the basis of above assumption we began our studies on the quantitative assay of insulin activity in blood plasma. Recently some investigators''-3' reported success in quantitative assay of the insulin activity in plasma by the rat diaphragm method. There are not a few,4'-9' however, who are critical of these reports on the ground that even if the rat diaphragm method is applicable to quantitative assay of insulin in balanced salt solution, it can not be used for assay of insulin in plasma, since plasma contains some factors which affect glucose uptake by the isolated rat diaphragm. The present communication describes the experiments carried out by the authors, in which attempts have been made successfully to remove or lessen this effect of plasma components as far as possible. Experimental. The diaphragm donors were Wistar strain rats weighing 80-100 g, maintained on the standard diet in animal stock room (22±5°C). They were starved for 16 hours before use. The materials were prepared by the hemidiaphragm technique. The hemidiaphragms were incubated into the manometer flasks for one and a half hours at 37.4°C at a shake rate of 90 cycles per minute. After incubation the hemidiaphragms were blotted dry and weighed on a torsion balance. The glucose concentration of incubation medium was determined by the method of Somogyi.l°' Insulin. Two samples of crystalline insulin with potencies of 23.06 units per mg (Eli Lilly & Co.) and of 24.8 units per mg (Simizu Co.)


The locations problem in infinite ethics concerns the relative moral status of different categories of potential bearers of value, the primary examples of which are people and points in time. The challenge is to determine which category of value bearers are of ultimate moral significance: the ultimate locations, for short. This paper defends the view that the ultimate locations are 'people at times'. A person at a time is not a specific person, but the person born at a specific point in time (de dicto). The main conclusion of the paper is that the unsettling implications of the time- and person-centered approaches to infinite ethics can be avoided. Most notably, a broad class of worlds that person-centered views deem incomparable can be strictly ranked.


The analysis of residual styrene in terpolymers of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene (ABS) by a rapid electroanalytical method is described. The sample is simply dissolved in N, N-dimethylformamide containing an excess of electrolyte and analysed by square wave voltammetry on a gold microdisk electrode; the styrene content is determined using the standard addition technique.


Etymologically, theory has to do with processions and sight-seeing. As the settings and objects of these procedures, buildings, and the urbs generally, are theoretical matters from the beginning. That is. their immobility gires a point to movement. How. though, does Ibis originating dialectic of architectural discourse find contemporary incorporation? In Repressed Spaces (2002) I extended these theoretical anxieties to public space design, defining the agoraphobia experienced in modern city spaces as a 'movement inhibition.' In current work the loosening of limbs thus frozen in mid-stride is attributed to the renewed influence of Eros. What, in this context, would an erotic architecture be? It is likely that it will involve an expanded range of place-making terms, which foreground the value to design of movement figures. The pivot is such a figure, one of a number of terms also pivotal to theorising architecture. If the rapid shuttle is the perfect illustration of the constant feedback of our now globalised Time, the pivot of the pulley would then represent the axis of a Time belonging to a reason that tries to disclose the hidden meaning of the Event. Paul Virilio


Baced on the latest achievements of research on Geophysical deep exploration,the distribution map of the crust-mantle structural ratio value R(1°×1°)of the continental lithosphere in the eastern part of China(to the east of 105°E) has been complied the following contents have been studied:1.the distribution of R value and characteristics of lithospheric block zoning and geotectonic conformation in the eastern Chinese mainland;2.the distribution of R value and the heterogeneity of seismic activity in eastern China;3.the dynamic implications of R value.The results show:1.the characteristics of R value lsolines indicate that it has a close relation to the lithospheric block zoning,geotectonic conformation and characterstics of R value on deep genesis.2.The high R value areas are corresponding to the highly seismic regions,so R value can be taken as a quantitative indicator of seismic zoning and seismic risk assessment.R value is an dynamical factor ofseismic activity.


Yb:NaY(WO 4) 2 [abbreviated as Yb:NYW] single c ry stal is a kind of new type laser crystals that has an excellent scintillating pr operties. In this work,high quality Yb:NYW single crystal of 20 mm in diameter and 20 mm in length was grown by Czochralski method. The phenomenon of cracking in the Yb:NYW crystal was investigated. The relationships between manufacturing parameters, the thermal stress and strain in the crystal, and growth parameters such as size of crystal, temperature gradient,pulling rate and rotating rate et c. are also discussed. Experimental results indicate that the crystal cracking is related to the thermal stress that results from over growing rate, rotating rate and cooling rate of crystals. The optimum technical parameters for growin g crack-free Yb:NYW crystals are presented.


It has been debated by many researchers whether a home disadvantage exists within professional sports, especially in a decisive game of a championship competition. The present study checked for a home disadvantage within professional football conference championship games. Data were compiled from 1970 through 1993, since there were two conference championship games played each year throughout the specified years. Analyses indicated a significant association between games' locations and actual outcomes. In particular, the home teams won significantly more conference championship games than the visiting team. Directions for research are discussed.


The interaction between Sm3+and MP 11 in the aqueous solution was investigated with cyclic voltammetry, UV Vis absorption spectrum and circular dichroism. It was found for the first time that Sm3+could bond to O of carboxyl group in the heme group altering the surface charge of MP 11 molecule and thus increasing its diffusion coefficient.In addition, the interaction between Sm3+and MP 11 molecule would change the secondary structure of the MP 11 molecule increasing the exposure extent of the heme group in the MP 11 molecule.The above results could increase the reversibility of the electrochemical reaction of MP 11.


(57) Abstract: a simple structure, the frequency of occurrence of trouble is small, provides a beverage filling apparatus which can achieve a filling that does not substantially contain oxygen. And A priming mechanism fixed position for receiving a supply of the container (20), and a device for filling an inert gas into the vessel prior to the start filling operation, apparatus for filling the beverage into containers under inert gas in the container gripping member of the filling mechanism (20) (19) are provided on the processing chamber for receiving a supply of inert gas surrounding the container (1) in the filling position (17) (12), the external and through the entrance gate chamber feed is blocked by the opening and closing gate (10.1, 10.2) (11) to the processing chamber (12), that is configured to supply the container to the processing chamber (12) Te the features.


With the rapid development of Internet applications, diversified Quality of Service (QoS) has been required in packet routing to meet the demand of various types of applications. This paper presents an Intelligent QoS-aware Routing (IQoR) framework with the assistance of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), which supports multi-class QoS provisioning for packet forwarding. The simulation results show that IQoR outperforms the widely-used benchmark routing algorithms by significantly reducing the average delay and jitter of packets.


This study provides an alternative procedure to produce the penalized spline small area estimation (P-Spline SAE) model by plotting each of auxiliary variable and variable interest as a simple nonlinearity identification and performing the iterative procedure: by estimating the model, producing partial residual plots to check model adequacy and also identify the nonlinearity, and testing the significance of spline term using Restricted Likelihood Ratio Test (RLRT). These procedures are applied to estimate the monthly average per-capita expenditure of district level in the Province of Bali, 2014 using direct survey estimates from the National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas 2014) and auxiliary variables from the administrative record of village data (PODES 2014). The Fay-Herriot (FH) model (M1) as a benchmark and four P-Spline SAE model, i.e. the P-Spline SAE with spline term: x2 and x3 (M2), x3 and x4 (M3), x2, x3 and x4 (M4), and x1, x2, x3 and x4 (M5), are obtained. From RLRT, the spline term of M3, M4, and M5 are statistically significant. According to the parametric bootstrap of mean squared prediction error (MSPE) and coefficient of variation (CV), the M4 and M5 show a significant improvement with the CV values range from about 1%-6% compared to M1 with a range from about 4%-17%, shows that these two models more efficient. The M3 model shows the opposite performance even though has the smallest AIC value. More detail, the MSPE and CV produced by M4 are slightly better than M5 makes the M4 is the best model in this study.


In 43 adults suction biopsies from the fundus or the body of the stomach were obtained with a Crosby-Kugler's biopsy capsule.One-half of the biopsy specimen was fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin and stained with H & E. Cryostat sections from the other half of the specimen were incubated with Nitro-BT and the specific substrate to demonstrate the activity of SD, NAD, and NADP, respectively. An augmented histamine-test was performed in all patients after an overnight fast.In 10 patients with normal gastric mucosa the activity of SD, NAD, and NADP was most pronounced in the parietal cells.In 18 patients with superficial gastritis a similar or slightly decreased dehydrogenase activity was observed, and the secretion of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid did not differ significantly from that found in the subjects with normal gastric mucosa.Except for a markedly reduced NAD activity in the surface epithelium, slight or no reduction of the dehydrogenase activity was observed in the eight patients showing...


The main purpose of this paper to scrutinize to what extent advanced L2 learners would differ from L1 speakers in the anticipation, integration, and repair of syntactic information during sentence processing. For this purpose, we conducted two on-line self-paced reading experiments for processing multiple Sluicing (or TP ellipsis) with two PP remnants in English by both L1 speakers and L2 learners and found some interesting findings as follows. First, L1 speakers showed an early effect of processing both the first preposition pied-piped and the first SWIPING-ed (or inverted preposition) PP remnant conditions in the same way, pointing to the fact that they anticipated upcoming information (TP ellipsis), whereas the L2 learners did not. The latter result is in line with those in other works showing that L2 learners do not expect upcoming syntactic categories in the same fashion as L1 speakers do. Second, L2 speakers showed a late effect of processing both the first and the second SWIPING-ed PP conditions analogously, implying either an increase in working memory or the use of different repair tactics compared with L1 speakers.


This research mainly studied the brewing technology the Fructus cannabis steeping wine,which took the rice wine as the liquor base.The effects of the granularity of Fructus cannabis,the addition of Fructus cannabis,the soaking time,the soaking temperature on the sensory evaluation of the Fructus cannabis steeping wine were determined respectively by the single factor experiments,on which the orthogonal experiments were designed by the central composite design of Design-Expert soft.And the optimum brewing conditions of the Fructus cannabis steeping wine were obtained as follows:1.25 mm for the granularity of Fructus cannabis,32% for the addition of Fructus cannabis,5.5 days for the soaking time and 23 ℃ for the soaking temperature.The Fructus cannabis steeping wine obtained under the condition was bright yellow,good for taste,aroma harmonious and has a particular flavor of fructus cannabis.


Atypical appearances of the female pelvis may be encountered on routine computed tomographic scans and include abnormal location of pelvic viscera, postsurgical changes, congenital anomalies, and masses. The appearances of such pelvic pathology and anatomic variants is presented.


The fluorescence performance of a new fluorescent reagent,3-(4'-iodinylphenyl)-5-(2'-carboxylphenylazo) rhodanine,has been studied.A catalytic kinetic method was described for the determination of trace amount of aluminum(Ⅲ),based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of 3-(4'-iodinylphenyl)-5-(2'-carboxylphenylazo) rhodanine by hydrogen peroxide under the buffer medium of potassium hydrogen phthalate-sodium hydroxide.The linear range of this method was from 0 to 0.015 μg·mL-1 and the detection limit was 6.46×10-9 g·mL-1.The method was applied to the determination of trace aluminum in baking powder and boiling water with satisfactory results.


A new approach to estimate the power system frequency and signal components using wavelet transform is proposed in this paper. The wavelet function is expressed by the power series and is able to be performed by the z-transform, which can shorten the estimating time of the signal frequency compared with the general convolution integral. The fundamental frequency (60Hz) or the harmonics frequency (300Hz) of the signal is quickly estimated and components of signal are extracted by the proposed method. The online estimation by the proposed method is successfully achieved in the experiment using the DSP system. And the characteristics of the estimation method by the parameter changes are confirmed.


Near-infrared optical tomography (NIROT) is a non-invasive imaging technique based on diffuse propagation of light in turbid media. It has high sensitivity to tissue oxygenation, which is a vital biomarker. NIROT enables one to quantify and image oxygenation at a bed-side in clinics, thus complementing other imaging modalities. Time-domain (TD) NIROT systems benefit from time-of-flight (ToF) information, but are often affected by relatively low signal-to-noise ratio and long acquisition time. However, fast acquisition is needed for in vivo assessment of oxygenation. In this work we present a time-multiplexing approach which enables multiple-fold faster acquisition with high SNR, suitable for various ToF applications, including NIROT. We combine it with hybrid convolutional neural-network (hCNN)-enhanced reconstruction to achieve an impressive 11-fold increase in acquisition speed.


DevOps is currently one of the latest software development practices. Lately it has gained the interest of people in academia and practice. DevOps extends Agile practices to software operations and aims to make software development process faster, more reliable and increase collaboration. Currently there are multiple studies which aim to define DevOps but only a few which try to understand and evaluate how DevOps is utilized and understood in practice and at large. The aim of this study is to investigate DevOps adoption, practices and tool usage by software professionals in Finland. In addition, the study investigates perceived benefits and challenges of DevOps adoption. A survey with an online questionnaire was selected as the method for gathering data from software practitioners in Finland. Previous literature focusing on DevOps was used to establish an understanding of DevOps and to create meaningful questions for the survey. A link to online survey questionnaire was then distributed using Slack, LinkedIn and mailing lists during Spring 2018 to Finnish practitioners. Multiple channels were selected to collect sufficient responses for analysis. A total of 81 respondents answered to the questionnaire and were from different backgrounds with respect to organization size, role and team size. Most of the participants had already adoptedDevOps and clear understanding of the concept was considered the most important factor in DevOps implementation. Automation was both an important meaning of concept and also most agreed practice. Faster release cycle time and system quality were the most agreed benefits and lack of common understanding for DevOps was considered the most challenging. Amultitude of different tools are used in organizations. The most popular in their own categories were Jenkins(CI), Kibana(Monitoring), Amazon AWS(Cloud) and Ansible(Config/Provisioning). Automationwas considered important aspect of the DevOps concept and also in practice. Further research and qualitative data is required to find out the actual reasons behind these results. The questionnaire instrument can be reused on different target groups. Qualitative questions should be asked on organization level to find out the reasons behind different implementations of DevOps.


Summary The alkaline-phosphatase activities of 421 samples of commercial raw-milk Cheddar cheese made over a period of 15 months have been determined using phenolphthalein diphosphate as the substrate. Cheese produced during the same period at different factories showed variations in activities by factors up to 3.6. Seasonal fluctuations were more pronounced, the maximum occurring in November to January and the minimum in April to June, with an over-all ratio of maximum to minimum of 13. Cheese made from milk heat-treated for 16 sec at 134, 140, 146, and 152 F showed 14, 24, 51, and 88% destruction of phosphatase activity.


The asymptotic lower and upper bounds on the lifetime of cluster-based Time-Hopping Impulse Radio Ultra-Wide Band (TH-IR UWB) wireless sensor networks with n static sensor nodes randomly located on a square of area S are considered. We derive the lower and upper bounds on the lifetime of cluster-based TH-IR UWB sensor networks. The results indicate that the lifetime of cluster-based network is Θ((n/S log n)α), which is at least (n1/2/(log n)α-1/2) times longer than that of non-cluster-based TH-IR UWB network; thus clustering can significantly improve the network lifetime. The bounds also reveal that the network lifetime increases with node density n/S, thus the large-scale dense cluster-based TH IR UWB wireless sensor network is more practical.


LEM3 is the newest implementation of Learnable Evolution Model (LEM), a non-Darwinian evolutionary computation methodology that employs machine learning to guide evolutionary processes. Due to a deep integration of different modes of operation and the use of the advanced machine learning system AQ21, the LEM3 system is a highly efficient and effective implementation of the methodology. LEM3 supports different attribute types for describing individuals in the population, such as nominal, rank, structured, interval and ratio, which makes it applicable to a wide range of practical problems. It also implements very efficient methods for switching between different modes of operation and operators controlling the generation of new individuals. This paper describes the underlying LEM3 algorithm, results from LEM3 testing on selected benchmark function optimization problems (with the number of variables varying from 10 to 1000), and its comparison with EA, a conventional, Darwinian-type evolutionary computation program. In every experiment, without exception, LEM3 outperformed EA in terms of the evolution length (the number of fitness evaluations needed to achieved a desired solution), sometimes very significantly. It also outperformed the previous LEM2 implementation.


Abstract Different damage effects are observed in KDP and ADP when irradiated with light and heavy ion beams. Color centres stable up to 240 K are observed in both compounds irradiated with beams of 22 MeV 2H+ and fluences below 1 × 1016 ions/cm2; a tentative mechanism for their generation is given. For fluences between 1 × 1016 and 2 × 1016 ions/cm2 no further damage is observed in KDP; but ADP crystals show a light color stable up to the melting point and for higher fluences they appear white and opaque: X-ray diffraction patterns show no amorphization; a broad band due to electronic excitations, besides the characteristic Raman spectra is observed. No spontaneous cleavage was ever observed. With 88 MeV 16O6+ ions, as dense valence-electronic and nuclear interactions become important, clustering of point defects and creation of extended defects take place; different damage steps appear progressively, including radiation induced spontaneous cleavage; threshold fluences are given.


To help improve outcomes for children with cerebral palsy (CP), ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) and supramalleolar orthoses (SMOs) are prescribed. However, it is not clear why one intervention is prescribed over the other.

 To explore the rationale for prescribing AFOs and SMOs in children with CP and its link to the choice of outcome measure used.

 Narrative review.

 Six databases were searched (eg, Medline) and data extracted from articles that met the inclusion criteria. Data describing the participant demographics, type of orthosis, and outcome measures used were summarized to provide context for the different rationale for orthotic prescription that were thematically analyzed.

 Forty-seven articles were included. Participants were aged 9 ± 2 years, 59% were male, 79% had diplegia, and 38% were classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System level I. All studies included a rationale for prescribing AFOs that, in most cases, reflected the outcome measures used. These rationale statements were synthesized into 5 specific themes (e.g., reduced energy expenditure and metabolic costs). By comparison, 5 of these studies described the rationale for providing SMOs, and of those that did, most of the rationale statements were nonspecific.

 A large and contemporary body of literature describes the rationale for prescribing AFOs for children with CP. There are opportunities for future research that clearly articulates the rationale for prescribing SMOs for children living with CP and to focus the rational for orthotic intervention on the real-world challenges that are most important to children living with CP, such as the ability to participate among peers.


Combination steel sheet pile, comprising H-beam steel sheet pile and the sheet pile member having a plurality of sheet pile with respect to the longitudinal direction is divided vertically, in the longitudinal direction of the sheet pile at least one member is an end portion with respect to a replacement of the H-shaped steel plate member for detachable pile.


In this paper, ZnO-TiO2-rGO nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure of the synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by SEM, XRD, HRTEM, and XPS. Butanone is a typical ketone product. The vapors are extremely harmful once exposed, triggering skin irritation in mild cases and affecting our breathing in severe cases. In this paper, the gas-sensing properties of TiO2, ZnO, ZnO-TiO2, and ZnO-TiO2-rGO nanomaterials to butanone vapor were studied. The optimum operating temperature of the ZnO-TiO2-rGO sensor is 145 °C, which is substantially lower than the other three sensors. The selectivity for butanone vapor is greatly improved, and the response is 5.6 times higher than that of other organic gases. The lower detection limit to butanone can reach 63 ppb. Therefore, the ZnO-TiO2-rGO sensor demonstrates excellent gas-sensing performance to butanone. Meanwhile, the gas-sensing mechanism of the ZnO-TiO2-rGO sensor to butanone vapor was also analyzed.


Foreign body ingestion is common in children. About 80% of ingested foreign bodies spontaneously pass through gastrointestinal tract. The management of an ingested magnet depends on its size, the same as for other foreign bodies. However, it has been reported that magnetic foreign body ingestion can lead to gastrointestinal fistula. We report here on the case of a 13-month-old boy who ingested two magnet bars that attracted to each other, and they were holding the gastric mucosa. A simple abdomen X-ray revealed that the location of two magnet bars was not changed according to the patient's positional change. The magnet bars were removed with an alligator forcep under gastroduodenal endoscopy.


When the inorganic domain sizes in a composite are reduced to a level such that a
"molecular composite" is formed, the hybrid materials are commonly referred to as
"ceramers". Hybrid materials span from inorganically modified organic polymers to
inorganic g1asses slightly modified by organic polymers. The incorporation of an
inorganic phase into an organic polymer is done almost exclusively by the "sol-gel"
process. [Continues.]


Temperature elevation on external surfaces of a low-temperature Ultrafil system cannula and on the surface of extruded ther moplasticized gutta-percha mass was studied. The Ultrafil cannula warmed for 15 min exhibited a mean sur face temperature o f82.26 °C immediately after withdrawal from the heater. The highest cannula metal applicator surface mean temperature o f34.52 °C was recorded after 8 s. Temperature of the gutta-percha mass extruded from the cannula was observed to fluctuate. Thus, the highest mean temperature of 53.90 °C at the needle orifice and 45.22 °C at the gutta-percha mass extru ded for 3-5 mm, was recorded after 12 and 8 s, respectively.


This study evaluates the relationship between Human Capital Efficiency and Economic Value Added of quoted service firms in Nigeria from 2010-2019. Ex-Post Facto research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of fifty-one (51) firms was selected from population of eighty two (82) firms listed on the Nigeria stock exchange. Data were sourced from annual report and accounts of the sampled quoted service firms, particularly the comprehensive income statement and statement of financial positions of these companies as well as their respective notes to the accounts for the period. The analyses applied the data collected from publications of the Nigerian stock exchange (NSE) and the annual report and accounts of the sample quoted companies. Descriptive statistics and Panel Least Square (PLS) Regression Analysis were employed to test the hypothesis. The study revealed that human capital efficiency and value-added intellectual coefficients have a significant positive relationship with economic value added of quoted service firms in Nigeria at 5% level of significance. Consequent upon the positive relationship firms should invest more in Human Capital Efficiency to improve performance. Also, firms should endeavor to recruit and employ competent professionals with great skills and competencies to motivate employees to give their best.


An efficient and reusable protic-ionic-liquid solvent–catalyst system, HMTA–AcOH–H2O, has been developed and used in the Knoevenagel condensation reaction of aromatic aldehydes with ethyl 2-cyanoacetate. Under ultrasonic irradiation, the Knoevenagel condensation promoted by the protic-ionic-liquid solvent–catalyst system proceeds smoothly and cleanly. Moreover, the HMTA–AcOH–H2O solvent–catalyst system could be recycled for at least 6 times and no significant loss of activity was observed. This protocol has notable advantages, such as being eco-friendly, the ease of the work-up and reuse of the ionic liquid conveniently, which could help reduce disposal costs and contribute to the development of new catalysts for use in green and continuous chemical processes.


The skills deployed to navigate the choppy waters during the uncertain times following the end of the Cold War are no less necessary today when the international outlook is even more clouded. The regional architecture is still shaky and buffeted by economic and strategic turbulence with regional and extra-regional powers chasing shifting goals in the near-to-medium term. All contributors are of the view that India needs to do more within the LEP framework. Additionally, in this reviewer's view, an empowered oversight group could be set up to ensure quick delivery on commitments and for faster progress on connectivity. India's national TV and radio broadcaster should be marshalled as a soft-power instrument. Internet telephony should be leveraged, much more strongly, for extensive institutional linkages in the spheres of education, health, R&D and joint academic projects relating to common challenges facing the region and for active participation in e-governance projects in the region. ∗The Reviewer is a former additional secretary, multilateral economic relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. All opinions expressed in this review are personal.


Autism rates are on the rise across the country with many interesting theories on causation including environmental toxins such as mercury and lead (1). Datasets exist that could be used for an extensive ecological study to investigate exposures and their potential association with these rising disease rates. However often datasets are not ideal for such an analysis and need extensive modifications including cleaning and aggregating of data to make a comprehensive analysis more valid and possible. In this study the author investigates the use of three separate datasets" one for autism disease rates and the other two representing mercury and lead levels in air. These datasets will be evaluated in relation to their methods of collection, comprehensiveness, reliability, geographic coverage and specificity, and appropriateness for a study of heavy metals and autism. A review on the subjects of mercury, lead, autism rates and the potential role of air quality is also provided. A preliminary exploratory data analysis on variables created from the datasets for use in a future ecological study was conducted using the SPSS statistical software program. This included descriptive statistics and frequency distributions for the newly created variables that represented state and regional levels were produced for and are reviewed in this analysis. A series of tables are included representing state/regional disease rates and exposure levels that are ranked in ascending order.Abstract


Efficient blue, green and red phosphorescent OLEDs have been harvested from silver nanoparticles embedded at a glass:Ga–Zr-codoped TiO2 interface. The embedded silver nanoparticles at the interface removed the non productive hole current and enhanced the efficiencies. The blue emitting device (456 nm) with emissive layer Ir(fni)3 exhibits a maximum luminance (L) of 40 512 cd m−2 (ITO – 37 623 cd m−2), current efficiency (ηc) of 41.3 cd A−1 (ITO – 40.5 cd A−1) and power efficiency (ηp) of 43.1 lm w−1 (ITO – 39.8 lm w−1) and external quantum efficiency (ηex) of 19.4% (ITO – 6.9%). A newly fabricated green device based on emissive layer Ir(tfpdni)2(pic) shows intensified emission at 514 nm, luminance of 46 435 cd m−2 (ITO – 40 986 cd m−2), current efficiency of 49.7 cd A−1 (ITO – 47.3 cd A−1), power efficiency of 48.6 lm w−1 (ITO – 41.4 lm w−1) and external quantum efficiency of 17.5% (ITO – 14.9%). The red device (618 nm) with emissive layer Ir(bbt)2(acac) shows luminance of 8936 cd m−2 (ITO – 8043 cd m−2), current efficiency of 6.9 cd A−1 (ITO – 4.6 cd A−1), power efficiency of 5.7 lm w−1 (ITO – 4.9 lm w−1) and external quantum efficiency of 9.3% (ITO – 6.9%).


Abstract : The combined and separate effects of load bearing exercise and dietary carbohydrate (CHO) levels on rifle shooting were examined. The study consisted of three phases. During each phase participants (15 male soldiers) were randomly and blindly administered one of three experimental ration diets, 250 g, 400 g, or 550 g CHO diet for a four day period. Protein and total kcal remained constant with the CHO and fat contents varying. Participants fired a disabled M-16 rifle equipped with the Noptel ST-1000 marksmanship simulator before and after strenuous load bearing exercise. The exercise consisted of marching on a treadmill for up to 4 hr at a rate of 3.5 mph while carrying a weight of 45 kg. Participants shot at a simulanted 100 m target for both speed and accuracy and for accuracy only. Analyses of variance showed shot group tightness (SGT) was significantly impaired (p<0.05) following exercise when shooting for accuracy only. Sighting time was reduced following exercise (p<0. 05). No main effect of CHO level occurred for any marksmanship measure. A significant diet by exercise interaction effect for SGT (p<0.01) existed when shooting for accuracy only. A significant deterioration in SGT occurred after exercise while consuming the 250 g CHO diet while no significant differences existed pre to post exercise for the 400 g or 550 g CHO diets. The results of this study indicate that soldiers required to march with loads of 45 kg can expect to display impairments in marksmanship.... Marksmanship, Carbohydrates, Load carriage, Physical exercise, Fatigue, Military tasks.


The non-specifi c effects of vaccines Paul Fine and David Elliman comment on a leading article by Frank Shann which focuses on the non-specifi c effects of vaccines. No one disputes that immunisations are among the most important advances in modern medicine. Their impact on morbidity and mortality have been well described and are undisputed. Older physicians remember polio wards, and outbreaks of measles and mumps. Physicians in their 40s and 50s recall numerous cases of bacterial meningitis caused by Haemophilus Infl uenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae . However, Shann addresses a different, and very complex and controversial topic, the non-specifi c effects of vaccines, including the non-specifi c effects of BCG. The impact of BCG vaccine on diseases other than tuberculosis are likely to be very different in Guinea Bissau, where they have been well studied, in contrast to other countries, where the infectious disease environment is entirely different. See pages 661 and 662


The possibility of X(1835) discovered by BESII as a 0{sup -+} glueball is studied in this paper. The decay rates of X(1835){yields}pp, VV are associated with the gluon spin contents of proton and vector mesons, respectively. Estimations of the decay rates of X(1835){yields}VV, {gamma}V, {gamma}{gamma} and the cross sections of {gamma}{gamma}{yields}X(1835){yields}f and h{sub 1}+h{sub 2}{yields}X(1835)+... are presented. It predicts that as a glueball X(1835) is unlikely to be produced in J/{psi} hadronic decays but as a pp it is likely.


ABSTRACT Accurately quantifying transpiration (T) in apple orchards and its proportion of precipitation (P) is important for comprehending hydrological and ecological processes. A field experiment was conducted during the growing seasons (May to September) of 2013–2016 on the Loess Plateau of China to investigate the characteristics of T in apple (Malus domestica, cv. Fuji) orchards of different ages at multiple temporal scales. The results indicated that tree age clearly influenced T for the young (8-year-old) and old (18-year-old) apple orchards. Transpiration was consistently higher in the old than the young orchard at the same time scales (p < 0.05). At the monthly scale, T was not significantly correlated with leaf area index (LAI) or soil relative extractable water (REW) for either orchard. Average ratios of T to P for the four years were 37.7% and 50.2% for the young and old orchards, respectively. These results identified that trees age should be considered when evaluating T and sustainably developing revegetation activities on the Loess Plateau and in other similar regions.


The CAD technology based on knowledge-driven represents the development direction of current CAD technology. The trend of CAD technology has been summarized on the basis of analysis on the development and research status of CAD technology and system, limitations in the current CAD systems and the development directions are also pointed out. Finally, basic principles for CAD systems based on knowledge-driven are elaborated.


We report on the first realization of an entirely guided-wave squeezing experiment at telecom wavelength. Our setup exploits non-linear optical waveguides and fiber components. This configuration allows implementing a plug-and-play experiment, compatible with fiber networks.


A "Building Block Approach" for the synthesis of various quinone-amino acid hybrids through ethylene cross-enyne metathesis and Diels-Alder reaction as key steps is described. A library of comformationally constrained quinone-based phenylalanine derivatives and dicarba analogs of cystine have been generated starting from a common precursor using Grubbs' catalysts. This methodology has also been extended for the synthesis of fullerene-based dicarba analogs of cystine.


Knowledge of how climate and fire regimes affect regeneration in foundation species is critical to the conservation of entire ecosystems. Different stages of regeneration often require different ecological conditions, but dynamic constraints on regeneration are poorly known for species that regenerate only after infrequent wildfires. Focussing on a long‐lived, foundation tree species (Eucalyptus regnans), we tested the hypothesis that the relative importance of fire regime variables (fire severity and time since previous fire) and environmental gradients on post‐fire regeneration would shift as seedlings developed.


Synthesis index of water organism pollution has CODCr,CODMn,BOD5,TOC,etc.TOC is the most important.Collecting ordinary water sample in Guangzhou,such as Zhujiang Water,Pond Water,River Water,Sewage Water,analyzed them with Shimadzu TOC-VCPH Organic Carbon Analyzer.TOC concentration could be obtained by subtracting the TIC(Total Inorganic Carbon) concentration from the TC(Total Carbon)concentration.The results show that TOC has a very good correlation with COD,by means of TOC regression equations.It shows that the COD numerical value can be deduced from TOC determination.The TOC numerical value can be used as rapid pollution monitoring for the water.It can be used as a fast and cheap parameter of index of organic pollution.


Many methods have been introduced as economic load dispatchers. However, all these methods depend on the optimization field, where most of these studies mainly focus on how to strengthen the optimization algorithms themselves. This means the mystery key that segregate between the good and bad ELD solvers is the optimization algorithm itself. However, there is a practical fact known in many real power stations that the generators set-points, assigned by automation centers, are actually in discrete form. Thus, the solutions presented in the literature are infeasible if they are seen from this practical point of view. One of the approaches is to use combinational optimization algorithms. Because most of ELD problems have limited number of generating units, so all the solutions can be extracted by slicing the fuel-cost function of each unit in order to have a full map of all feasible solutions. Based on that, the exact optimal solution as well as all other best solutions can be easily obtained by this method. The main challenge that could be faced with this optimization-free method is when the dimension of the given ELD problem is large, because the discrete search space exponentially increases as the number of variables or/and slicing resolution increases. This challenge can be avoided if that ELD problem is correctly formulated based on real configurations of electric power stations. Some numerical experiments are given to illustrate the mechanism of the proposed technique.


Wilhelm Herrmann has become a neglected figure in the history of modern theology chiefly because of the well-rehearsed criticisms of specific aspects of his theology, many of which were obvious even to his contemporaries. Such neglect seems unwarranted because Herrmann's theology provides the most consistent example of a theological dualism which was to survive more or less intact, not merely in the dialectical and existentialist theologies of the 1920's and 30's, particularly those of Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann, but also in the "two generations


Despite the gravity equation's empirical success in "explaining" trade flows, the model's predictive potential has been inhibited by an absence of strong theoretical foundations. A general equilibrium world trade model is presented from which a gravity equation is derived by making certain assumptions, including perfect international product substitutability. If, however, trade flows are differentiated by origin as evidence suggests, the typical gravity equation is misspecified, omitting certain price variables. The last section presents empirical evidence supporting the notion that the gravity equation is a reduced form from a partial equilibrium subsystem of a general equilibrium model with nationally differentiated products. THE "gravity equation" has been long recognized for its consistent empirical success in explaining many different types of flows, such as migration, commuting, tourism, and commodity shipping. Typically, the log-linear equation specifies that a flow from origin i to destination j can be explained by economic forces at the flow's origin, economic forces at the flow's destination, and economic forces either aiding or resisting the flow's movement from origin to destination. In international trade, bilateral gross aggregate trade flows are explained commonly using the following specification: PXi, = fo(yi) (I?) 2(Dij )3(A 1)4u (1) where PXij is the U.S. dollar value of the flow from country i to country j, Yi (Y1) is the U.S. dollar value of nominal GDP in i (j), Dij is the distance from the economic center of i to that of j, Aij is any other factor(s) either aiding or resisting trade between i and j, and u is a log-normally distributed error term with E(ln uij) = 0. This specification was used in Tinbergen (1962), Poyhonen (1963a, 1963b), Pulliainen (1963), Geraci and Prewo (1977), Prewo (1978), and Abrams (1980).1 Table I presents results from estimating a gravity equation similar to (1) for 15 OECD countries' trade flows.2 Coefficient estimates are stable across years and are representative of trade gravity equations. Despite the model's consistently high statistical explanatory power, its use for predictive purposes has been inhibited owing to an absence of strong theoretical foundations. The most common justification-used in Linnemann (1966), Aitken (1973), Geraci and Prewo (1977), Prewo (1978), Abrams (1980), and Sapir (1981)-was developed by Linnemann and asserts that the gravity model is a reduced form from a four-equation partial equilibrium model of export supply and import demand. Prices are always excluded since "they merely adjust to equate supply and demand."3 However, critics have argued that this approach is "loose" and does not explain the multiplicative functional form.4 This study addresses these and other issues in developing further the microeconomic foundations of the gravity equation. The "looseness" critique is addressed by systematically describing assumptions necessary to generate a gravity equation similar to (1) from a general equilibrium framework. Specific, yet intuitively plausible, functions for utility and production generate the equation's multiplicative form. Section I presents a general equilibrium model of world trade derived from utilityand profit-maximizing agent behavior in N countries assuming a single factor of production in Received for publication June 16, 1983. Revision accepted for publication December 12, 1984. *Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The author is very grateful to J. David Richardson, Robert Baldwin, Rachel McCulloch, James Alm, Saul Schwartz and two anonymous referees for helpful comments on earlier drafts, and Doug Cleveland for research assistance. All errors remain the author's responsibility. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston or the Federal Reserve System. 'Linnemann (1966), Aitken (1973), Sattinger (1978) and Sapir (1981) used the same general specification, but also included exporter and importer populations. Microeconomic foundations of this alternative specification are discussed in Bergstrand (1984). 2The countries are Canada, United States, Japan, BelgiumLuxembourg, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The adjacency, EEC, and EFTA dummies are explained in the appendix. 3Linnemann (1966), p. 41; Leamer and Stern (1970), p. 146; (Geraci and Prewo (1977), p. 68; Prewo (1978), p. 344; and Sapir (1981), p. 341. 4See, for example, Anderson (1979), p. 106 and Leamer and Stern (1970), p. 158.


Attenuation correction is critical to accurate PET quantitation. Accurate and robust attenuation correction remains challenging in hybrid PET/MR because it is difficult to segment bones, internal air and lungs accurately in MR images and MR often suffers from artifacts due to metal implants and signal shading. Joint estimation (JE) of activity and attenuation from time-of-flight (TOF) PET data has recently gained substantial interest because the JE approach shows a promise to address the challenges in MR based attenuation correction. We have previously implemented a JE algorithm with MR-based priors and demonstrated its feasibility using FDG PET/MR clinical data. However, JE algorithms have rarely been evaluated on non-FDG tracers which often have spatially more specific uptake patterns with little activity in background tissue, and hence may pose challenges to JE. In this study, we evaluate the JE algorithm using non-FDG PET/MR clinical data. We demonstrate that the JE algorithm improves the accuracy and robustness of MR-based attenuation correction not only for FDG as previously shown but also for non-FDG tracers such as 68Ga-DOTATOC and Fluoride. In addition, we demonstrate the critical role of TOF information in JE algorithms.


The identification of the ear is useful for determination the relationship between the criminal face picture and suspected person face picture. The paper described the characters of the ear, the method of the ear identification, the problems of the ear identification and developing of the ear identification in the future.


We are delighted to present the second installment of Computing Capitalisms: History, Business, and Information Technology. This series, introduced in the July–September 2020 issue, is a call to expand the scope of the business history of computing—from its traditional emphasis on IT firms and computingmarkets toward the broader political-economic and sociocultural forces that dynamically structure their operation. The first issue of the series celebrated new directions in the study of the state as a factor in the business history of computing. It highlighted the state as a site to observe the coproduction of social visions and technological systems and emphasized how the character and deployment of state powers can shape the political economy of IT. This second issue offers case studies that expand upon the institutions traditionally taken up in business histories of computing, focusing on a range of organizational settings in which computing plays a part in the coordination and management of economic resources. The three featured articles address computing capitalisms in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the United States and explore how efforts to computerize work in a range of institutional settings—from hospitals, to banks, to psychological testing firms—triggered complex negotiations about labor, industry structure, and the role of scientific expertise in a corporate setting. In "Walking Instead of Working," Theodora Vardouli and David Theodore examine the history of space allocation algorithms through a case study on their implementation in British Hospitals during the late 1960s and early 1970s. They show how space allocation algorithms "adapted algorithmic methods for floor layout design developed in industrial capitalist settings to the promotion of the British welfare state." This fascinating article sits at the intersection of the histories of building science, healthcare management, and the business history of computing. It uncovers the "algorithmic reifications of work" embedded in computer-aided architectural design systems and emphasizes that the use of these algorithms as well as the physical implementations of their outcomes hinged on a rich visual culture that translated abstract mathematical objects into spatial layouts. Next, in "Consortium Computing and Time Slicing in the Banking Sector," Janet Toland examines developments within the banking sector of New Zealand in the late 1960s as they sought to coordinate and share computing resources within a sector-wide consortium. This effort to "integrate the ledger accounts of all trading banks within a country" was prompted by both the relatively small size of New Zealand, but also by the banks' realization that they could pool resources "to achieve scale from expensive computing technology." Toland describes the emergence of a consortiumof banks called Databank Systems that pooled banking resources and required careful engagement with a heavily regulated banking environment. The organization, Toland shows, depended on responsiveness to local context and geography and drew on strong personalities to overcome competing institutional interests. The closing article "From Papers to Programs" by Kira Lussier addresses the history of computerized psychological testing. Lussier uses psychological tests as a means to inquire into the social, political, and technical negotiations that framed the introduction of computers into the business of psychological testing. She focuses on software used to interpret the result of a test called the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The developers of the software, National Computer Systems insisted that computerized psychological testing offered "technical fixes for bias." At the same time, however, courts and psychologists cautioned that there were "complex layers of technological and social mediation embedded in software programs for psychological tests." The issue also features an anecdote by Jim Cortada, "Preserving the Past by Industry Participants" that continues our series of anecdotes on the preservation of computing history. It ends with Charles House's review of Cortada's book, IBM: The Rise and Fall and Reinvention of an Icon and reports on the SHOT 2020 meeting compiled by David Hemmendinger.


The extraction condition for total flavones from rhododendron was optimized.UV-spectrophotometry was used for the determination of total flavones.Compared with the ethanol Soxhlet's extracting method,the extraction rate of flavones with optimized extraction technics(ethanol leaching,ethanol reflux extracting,ethanol ultra-sonic extracting) was determined by orthogonal design.The order of total flavones content was reflux extracting≈Soxhlet's extractingultrasonic extracting≈ leaching in different ethanol extraction technics.The optimum extraction conditions of extracting total flavones was 11 times of 60 ethanol,refluenced for 1.5h at water bath for two times.


Research shows that fewer students, and particularly minority and low-income students, enter and persist in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs in the United States than in other programs. This is often attributed to a lack of knowledge and exposure to opportunities in STEM. Southwest Florida is one such area where minority and low-income students especially lack an awareness of STEM as a viable career option. To address this concern, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in partnership with the Collier County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted a two-week on-campus STEM camp during summer 2014. The program objectives were to increase the students' awareness of STEM fields by exposing them to real-world math and its application in related career fields. The camp also introduced students to practicing professionals in local STEM industries, creating potential internship opportunities for program participants. Through these experiences, the summer STEM camp sought to improve students' skills in mathematics, thus increasing their likelihood of being accepted into college or university to pursue STEM related degrees. Thirty-eight (38) students from 10 different local high schools participated in the summer camp. The group was closely split among males (N=20) and females (N=18), with 75% of the camp participants coming from groups that are traditionally underrepresented (Black or Latino descent) in STEM fields. The students also represented high-performing students among high school freshmen (23%), sophomores (27%), and juniors (50%) and had an average GPA of 3.83. In order to meet the objectives presented above, a committee of individuals from various backgrounds including academia, business, and community outreach designed a curriculum incorporating math and hands-on projects in STEM. The camp was delivered in three (3) phases. The morning phase was math instruction delivered by a certified high school mathematics teacher. The afternoon phase included exposure to careers in STEM fields and hands-on projects offered by regular university STEM faculty. The third phase consisted of panel discussions with local STEM professionals, panel discussions with university admissions and financial aid officials, and field trips to companies and organizations with major emphasis in STEM fields. In order to assess whether students' mathematics skills improved as a result of participating in the summer camp, a combined practice SAT and ACT mathematics pre-test was given to the students on the first day of the camp. The students were given a practice SAT/ACT post-test on the last day of the camp. Thirty-five percent (35%) of students increased their SAT math scores, and 23% increased their ACT math scores. The highest increase, 43%, was noticed among 10 graders on the SAT practice test and 27% among 11 graders. Surveys were also given throughout the camp in order to assess the students' perceptions of STEM fields to evaluate its effectiveness. By the end of the summer camp, over 95% of the students expressed an interest in P ge 26529.3 pursuing STEM-related careers, and five students received paid internships. These results emphasize the need for more programs to expose minority students to opportunities in STEM. It is hoped that the information in this article can assist others in developing effective and sound STEM related programs that will aid in overcoming the barriers that challenge the realization of diversifying the pool of individuals who enter into STEM related fields.


The bioherbicide approach to weed management involves the inundative use of selected microorganisms for attacking specific weeds and controlling their infestations within the same year of application. Ideally, bioherbicides are most effective for weed management in annual cropping systems that are unsuitable for the classical biological control approach, which involve the use of natural enemies requiring more than one year to develop effective, weed suppressive populations. Only a few bioherbicides are successful in field-scale control of weeds while the effectiveness of other candidate bioherbicides has been limited by restricted host-range, elaborate formulation requirements, and lack of persistence in the field. Special situations in which bioherbicides may be most effective include management of weeds that are considered herbicide-resistant, parasitic, and invasive. Based on the current status of bioherbicide use, strategies for widening host ranges, improving formulations for practical use, and improving techniques for enhancement of weed-suppressive activity in conventional and sustainable agricultural systems are needed if bioherbicides are to make significant contributions to nonchemical weed management.


This work aims to describe how the insolvency of a firm affects other business creditors. Through a sample of small and medium entities in Catalonia for the biennium 2004–2005, the situation of creditors before and after the legal event (insolvency proceedings) has been studied. The results confirm the existence of a substantial change in the composition of the financial structure of these firms (substitution of long-term debt by short-term debt; decrease in solvency and profitability, increase in financial charge, among others) and, therefore, the contagion of liquidity problems. The study covers 2 years before and after the insolvency and is dynamic in the sense that it highlights how the creditors change their source of finance and the ending situation. The main contributions of the object are the effect of insolvency on other companies closely related and also the technique used—multidimensional scaling.


Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop grown worldwide with a planting area of 6.57 million ha in China, which accounts for about 20% of the world's total rapeseed planting area. However, in recent years, the planting area in China has decreased by approximately 12.2% due to the low yield and economic benefits. Thus, to ensure oil security, it is necessary to develop high-efficiency cultivation for rapeseed production. Crop growth models are powerful tools to analyze and optimize the yield composition of crops under certain environmental and management conditions. In this study, the CROPGRO-Canola model was first calibrated and evaluated using the rapeseed planting data of four growing seasons in Wuhan with nine nitrogen fertilizer levels (from 120 to 360 kg ha−1) and five planting densities (from 15 to 75 plants m−2). The results indicated that the CROPGRO-Canola model simulated rapeseed growth well under different nitrogen rates and planting densities in China, with a simulation error of 0–3 days for the anthesis and maturity dates and a normalized root mean square error lower than 7.48% for the yield. Furthermore, we optimized the management of rapeseed by calculating the marginal net return under 10 nitrogen rates (from 0 to 360 kg ha−1 at an increasing rate of 40 kg ha−1) and 6 planting densities (from 15 to 90 plant m−2 at an increasing rate of 15 plant m−2) from 1989 to 2019. The results indicated that the long-term optimal nitrogen rate was 120–160 kg N ha−1, and the optimal planting density was 45–75 plants m−2 under normal fertilizer prices. The optimal nitrogen rate decreased with increasing fertilizer price within a reasonable range. In conclusion, long-term rapeseed management can be optimized based on rapeseed and nitrogen cost using long-term weather records and local soil information.


Three new Magnolia species and a new record from Guatemala are described and illustrated. Two of the new species, M. javieri and M. oscarrodrigoi, are from Alta Verapaz Department and one, M. veliziana, is from Quiché Department. Additionally, M. faustinomirandae is newly reported for the flora of Guatemala. With this contribution, the number of native Guatemalan species increases from 11 to 15 species. An updated distribution map and a key to species are provided. Guatemala, particularly the north-wet-arc in the Maya Highlands, is now an important centre of diversification and endemism for Magnolia. The conservation status of the newly proposed species was unofficially assessed using IUCN criteria.