Adsorption of reactive black 5 (RB5) from aqueous solution onto chitosan was investigated in a batch system. The effects of solution pH, initial dye concentration, and temperature were studied. Adsorption data obtained from different batch experiments were modeled using both pseudo first- and second-order kinetic equations. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to the Freundlich, Tempkin, and Langmuir isotherms over a dye concentration range of 45–100 µmol/L. The best results were achieved with the pseudo second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm equilibrium models, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption capacity (qe) was increased with increasing the initial dye concentration and solution temperature, and decreasing solution pH. The chitosan flakes for the adsorption of the dye was regenerated efficiently through the alkaline solution and was then reused for dye removal. The activation energy (Ea) of sorption kinetics was estimated to be 13.88 kJ/mol. Thermodynamic parameters such as changes in free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) were evaluated by applying the van't Hoff equation. The thermodynamics of reactive dye adsorption by chitosan indicates its spontaneous and endothermic nature.


Giorgio Agamben, Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Translated by Daniel Heller-Roazen. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998. Pp. xii + 199 pages. $45.00 cloth; $16.95 paper. For the first time in history, the possibilities of the social sciences are made known, and at once it becomes possible both to protect life and to authorize a holocaust. -Michel Foucault qtd. in Agamben (1998:3) Sacredness is a line of flight still present in contemporary politics, a line that is as such moving into zones increasingly vast and dark, to the point of ultimately coinciding with the biological life itself of citizens. If today there is no longer any one clear figure of the sacred man, it is perhaps because we are all virtually homines sac7i. -Giorgio Agamben (1998:114-15) Giorgio Agamben's Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life is one of those books that comes along all too infrequently, unsettling conventional answers and inspiring new questions in a range of academic disciplines. We understand that this is a large claim with which to begin, but it is our hope in this essay to show the immense range and depth of Agamben's insights and the implications of these insights for anthropologists, historians, legal theorists, sociologists, and others. Indeed, if the rapid commission of translations of Agamben's works are any indication, our prediction of his increasing theoretical influence would seem already in the process of being fulfilled.1 Our claims for this text are, in fact, matched by Agamben's own ambitious-and apocalyptic-declarations. Homo Sacer began, we are told in a cryptic aside, "as a response to the bloody mystification of a new planetary order"; but soon, "in the urgency of catastrophe," Agamben felt the need to confront and revise "without reserve" a range of terms that are central and seemingly self-evident in the social sciences (p. 12). Amongst the points of critique, the "sacredness" of human life and the paradox of sovereign power are at the forefront. Between them, Agamben hopes to do nothing less than reveal the originary and true nature of the modern political realm. His argument, succinctly summarized in the concluding chapter of the text, is organized around three main points: 1. The original political relation is the ban (the state of exception as zone of indistinction between outside and inside, exclusion and inclusion). 2. The fundamental activity of sovereign power is the production of bare life as originary political element and as threshold of articulation between nature and culture, xoe and bios. 3. Today it is not the city but rather the [concentration] camp that is the fundamental biopolitical paradigm of the West. (p. 181) The precise meaning of these statements will become clearer in the course of our exposition. For now we wish to stress that "bare life" should not be confused with natural life, as bare life is what, in Agamben's view, is produced as the originary (both original and originating) act of sovereignty.2 The production of this bare life thus establishes a relation that defines the political realm and which Agamben calls, following Jean-Luc Nancy (1993), the relation of ban, or abandonment. Bare life is produced in and through this fundamental act of sovereignty in the sense of being included in the political realm precisely by virtue of being excluded. And it is this same bare life, once abandoned by the law at the outskirts of the polis, that has today, according to Agamben, fully entered the polls to the point of rendering outside and inside, life and law, truly indistinguishable from one another. It is in this way that the concentration camp, for Agamben, has become the "fundamental biopolitical paradigm of the West." Our primary purpose in this essay is to trace the intellectual genealogies of each of the three claims outlined by Agamben in his conclusion. Before we turn to this task, however, some initial remarks further clarifying these claims and their relation to one another will be helpful. …


The thermal contact resistance at a highly polished single-crystal silicon (111)/liquid helium interface has been directly measured from 0.4 to 2.1 K using a single experimental cell. A thermal analysis is presented using the thermal conductivity of the Si which is simultaneously measured. The effect of phonon scattering by nanoscale surface roughness on the observed thermal resistance is investigated. A feature brought to light in our analysis is that the surface roughness which plays an effective role in phonon scattering is temperature dependent. This explains the temperature dependencies of the thermal contact resistance. Comparisons with other experiments are made.


The article is devoted to the problem of English teaching effectiveness increasing at non-linguistic faculties of high school and observes the differentiation as one of the ways of teaching process optimization. The article contains a description of different level programs by the example of Murmansk Humanities Institute"s economic faculty.


Nine grades official selection system was a main selection system for officials in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and the Southern and Northern Dynasties."Zhongzheng"was the basic agency which took responsiblility for observing, assessing and ranking the grades. At the very beginning of nine grades official selection system State Zhongzheng, County Zhongzheng, etc. were all established. In the period of Caofang, Zhongzheng was divided into high position and low position. Besides the duties performed, Zhongzheng also played the important role of educating people. Zhongzheng was a non-special, but a local agency. Except Zhongzheng, there were other agencies like Situfu, Zhongshusheng. They all had their own work, but at the same time they were related to each other.For a long time, we took nine grades official selection system as nine grade Zhongzheng system, therefore Zhongzheng's role was exaggerated.


The rapid development of economy brings high uncertainties of land use in the future,which made the general revision of land use planning modified frequently and also weakened its guidance quality and authority quality. The author promoted the major uncertainties are the great environment uncertainty,national policy uncertainty,economy development trend uncertainty and other occasional uncertainty through the study of the producing and developing progress of the uncertainty combined with its performance in the general revision of land use planning.Therefore,we should decrease or eliminate the uncertainties from theory perfection,project promotion and strengthening its legal position of the general revision of land use planning,to make sure of the statutory quality and authority quality of the general revision of land use planning,and to make real of the reasonable allocation of land resource and the promotion of land using layout of the general revision of land use planning.


Summary Introduction Robertsonian translocation (RobT) is the central fusion of the long arms of two acrocentric chromosomes, leading to 45 chromosomes in humans. The most common ones are rob(13;14) and rob(14;21) (91%). Other types of RobT are so-called rare cases. In the general population RobTs occur with a frequency of approximately 0.123%, but among men with reproductive failure this value rises 9-fold. Infertility in RobT carriers is associated with the formation of unbalanced spermatozoa resulting from segregation of the chromosomes involved in trivalent during the meiotic prophase. In spermatozoa of many RobT carriers an increased level of chromosomal aneuploidy is observed. Materials and Methods We examined the hyperhaploidy level of chromosomes 7, 9, 18, 21, 22, X and Y in spermatozoa of 6 RobT unrelated carriers: two carriers with rare rob(13;15), one with rare rob(13;22), and three of the common rob(13;14). Results were compared with the control data from a group of 7 fertile men with a normal karyotype. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied. Results We found an increased level of sperm aneuploidy regarding at least one of the analyzed chromosomes in each of the carriers, while in rare RobTs interchromosomal effect (ICE) was observed. Meiotic segregation pattern of a rare rob(13;15) carrier revealed the 76% of normal /balanced spermatozoa. Disucussion Due to the relatively high population frequency of RobTs, their influence on reproductive failure, hight risk of imbalancement in prenatal diagnosis (7%), and small amount of data for rare RobTs, each newly characterized case is valuable in genetic counseling.


Several recent publications have documented changes in river discharge from arctic and subarctic watersheds. Comparison of these findings, however, has been hampered by differences in time periods and methods of analysis. Here we compare changes in discharge from different regions of the pan‐arctic watershed using identical time periods and analytical methods. Discharge to the Arctic Ocean increased by 5.6 km3/y/y during 1964–2000, the net result of a large increase from Eurasia moderated by a small decrease from North America. In contrast, discharge to Hudson/James/Ungava Bays decreased by 2.5 km3/y/y during 1964–2000. While this evaluation identifies an overall increase in discharge (∼120 km3/y greater discharge at the end of the time period as compared to the beginning for Hudson/James/Unvaga Bays and the Arctic Ocean combined), the contrasting regional trends also highlight the need to understand the consequences of adding/removing freshwater from particular regions of the arctic and subarctic oceans.


Abstract A description is given of a radar facility operating in New Zealand which measures the atmospheric trajectories and hence heliocentric orbits of earth-impacting meteoroids having radiants with declinations +5° < δ < −30° down to a limiting radar meteor magnitude of +13 (corresponding to particle sizes of ~100 μm, masses ~10−6 g). The data handling capacity of the facility permits recording, orbit reduction and efficient presentation of orbital data using graphical packages to be carried out on a routine basis. The daily yield is ~1500 individual orbits with >3×105 secured to date; this is greater than the number determined in all previous meteoroid orbit surveys combined and forms a major southern hemisphere database for dynamical studies of the solar system meteoroid population.


As American business corporations have expanded their operations into overseas locations, the demands for qualified executive personnel have risen sharply. The focus of the article is upon the procedures for staffing overseas positions used by American firms and the frequently disorganized staffing programs being used by some of the corporate giants of American industry.


Discussion Precisely 4 weeks after admission, the patient was well and after a further 10 days' convalescence in the ward, was discharged free of any abnormal physical signs to enjoy his previous state of good health. Now, 18 months after his illness he is well. The E.S.R. and heart shadow have both returned to normal but the inverted or flat T waves persist in standard leads and AVF and V 3 to V,. The onset was deceptively like that of coronary thrombosis but, looking back, the blood pressure 120/70 was rather high for a patient so ill if the cause was coronary thrombosis. The sedimentation rate was raised very early in the illness. This is unusual in coronary thrombosis where it usually increases from the second or third day to a maximum at the end of a week; and then gradually subsides to normal. The pericardial rub appeared too early for the rub of cardiac infarction involving the pericardiaI surface. It was also too diffuse and lasted too long. Too much stress was put on the point that an Army doctor rejected him presumably for heart disease. Perhaps he did so for other reasons such as the fact that the patient was more useful to the war effort as a civilian than as a soldier. The dental extractions were misleading for careful questioning revealed that his teeth had been removed earlier than was first thought and too long ago to be connected with the present illness. Looking back over the history there should never have been any doubt that this man was suffering from pericarditis, for although the pain is usually described as sharp and aggravated by movement and respiration, it is known that it can closely resemble the pain of myocardial infarction. The persistence of the loud friction rub was certainly against the diagnosis of coronary thrombosis. The existence of pericarditis as a part of another systemic illness was unlikely because of the previous good health of the patient up to the time of developmeat of pain. The rapid recovery without residual signs and the absence of valvular disease indicates that the acute pericarditis was of the kind spoken of as acute benign or viral pericarditis. This condition has become notorious for its confusion at onset with coronary thrombosis and later with subacute bacterial endocarditis. In many cases there has been a respiratory infection of some kind immediately preceding it. Some textbooks make a point that pain due to pericarditis does not radiate to the arms but in this case pain was felt in both arms as far as the elbows. The electrocardiographic findings in pericarditis (without effusion) are really those which would be produced by an imaginary superficial cardiac infarct of a diffuse kind. There is elevation in the RS-T segment in the standard and chest leads but the normal upward concavity is maintained. Then the RS-T segment returns to the isoelectric level and the T wave becomes inverted. Q waves are absent. The E.C.G. in the present case shows a raised ST segment very well in leads II and V. and in other leads, except on VR and VI to a significant degree.


It is one of the well-known cornerstones of corporate governance that (minority) shareholders are subject to a risk of being expropriated by the controller of the …rm, i.e. either entrenched management under a dispersed ownership structure or a controlling shareholder under concentrated ownership. On the other hand, economic theory has increasingly begun to recognize the role of employees and other "non-shareholder constituencies"during the past years. While potential shareholders may be reluctant to invest if they are adequately protected against private bene…ts of control, stakeholders may be deterred from investing if they are subject to the risk of ex post opportunism (e.g. holdup). Although both aspects may be important to corporate governance, their interaction has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In our model we study the incentives that in‡uence the decision by the controller of the …rm (either a controlling shareholder or manager) to divert resources from (other) shareholders and employees. We also analyze how these incentives vary, between …rms, according to the speci…c corporate governance structure chosen by a certain …rm and the degree of protection granted by the law. The e¤ectiveness of diversion (i.e. the amount taken from the prior expectation of dividends or wages and additional implicit bene…ts) depends on the e¤ectiveness of corporate law and employment law respectively against the taking of private bene…ts of control (to the detriment of shareholders) or the exploitation of (e.g.) holdup situations (to the detriment of workers). University of Bologna yVienna University of Economics and Business Administration and ECGI zUniversity of Bologna


The Barnardo's Participation Project, previously known as the Disabled Children and Young People's Participation Project, was established by Barnardo's (Northern Ireland) in 2002. The aim of the Project was to develop ways of involving children and young people with disabilities in decision-making in relation to health and social care and children's services planning processes. Since its inception, hundreds of children and young people, with a range of physical and learning disabilities, sensory impairments and autism as well as life-limiting conditions, have participated in the Project. This paper describes how the Project has evolved over the years in response to emerging issues identified by the members as well as the demands of changing organisational and political contexts. Reflecting on the journey of the Project, the paper identifies the factors that contribute to successful participation practice and the challenges to participatory practice in recent years. As the title of this article suggests, the Project has found that children and young people with disabilities are skilled in recognising the difference between tokenistic consultation and meaningful participation. Within policy there is a strong emphasis on service user involvement; however, the principles of good participation practice require specific knowledge and attention. Good participation practice requires policy-makers and professionals to realign themselves with the rights of children and young people to have their say. The value of true, meaningful participation is evidenced by seeking and acting on their views about issues that affect their lives.


Xylocoris species (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) are known to occur in various habitats and attack a diversity of agriculturally important prey. Other groups of organisms, such as strains of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) bacteria, also have been extensively studied and applied as biological control agents. The use of these Bt‐bioinsecticides in association with predators may be a good strategy in integrated pest management. This work had the objective to study predator behaviour, predatory capacity, and functional response of fifth‐instar nymphs of Xylocoris sordidus (Reuter) to eggs of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) treated with one of three commercial Bt‐bioinsecticides. The predator presented a type II functional response to untreated P. xylostella eggs (control) and to eggs treated with Agree, whereas the response was type III to P. xylostella eggs treated with Xentari and Dipel. However, on a diet of C. cephalonica eggs the predator displayed a type II response curve on eggs treated with each of the three bioinsecticides, and a type III response on untreated eggs. Bioinsecticides based on B. thuringiensis may be used in association with X. sordidus predators to control lepidopterous pest species.


This academic study aims to analyze rithā' poetry, which holds a significant place in the literary production of the Ṣadr al-Islām period. To this end, literary works of the period, especially poems, will be carefully scrutinized, while tracing the development process of rithā' poems, identifying the themes and topics covered, and exploring the prominent poets of the genre. Additionally, the historical and social context of the period, which played a pivotal role in the emergence and evolution of rithā' poems, will be taken into account. Therefore, sources that shed light on the political, social, and cultural structures of the period will also be examined. The study will also investigate different perspectives and interpretations of rithā' poems and conduct an extensive analysis of the literary understanding and values of the period. The outcomes of this study will demonstrate that rithā' poetry not only embodies a literary genre but also serves as a mirror reflecting the social, cultural, and aesthetic values of the Ṣadr al-Islām period.


The breaking/making current and voltage of contact is available for the synthetical diagnosis on the reliability and the residual electrical life of the contact. In the frequency domain, the wavelet transform which can show the time-frequency characteristics of breaking current was used to indicate how the spectrum changes with the arcing current and operation number, modulus maxima and center of power spectrum were extracted. As a result, the wavelet transform modulus maxima are not closely correlated with the operation number and the center of power spectrum is relatively stable.


Increasing human and animal population in Himachal Pradesh is putting ever greater pressure on the natural resources. There is, evidently, greater pressure on social systems too, wherein individual gain is getting precedence over society's welfare. Hence, the entire system is under strain. This article draws attention towards Himalayan eeo-system preservation and suggests remedial strategies.


An imbalance phenomenon in using lithium-ion battery pack is very common, which decreases the storage capacity and cycle life time of the batteries. So an equalization management system is required. A novel measurement cells voltage method is proposed, which can effective balance of the battery pack. A bidirectional DC/DC converter based on super-capacitor is used to equalize among the elements of the batteries. The system temporarily stores the charge drawn from the high SOC battery in the super-capacitor, and then the charge is moved into the low SOC battery without wasting energy. A appropriate control strategies of the equalization management system (EMS) was used. In order to verify the operation of the EMS, a prototype of 16 lithium-ion cells is designed, some experimental results are used to verify the validity of the proposed system.


We present a microscopic description of the nucleon‐nucleon collision cascade that permits the modeling of typical cascade and exciton descriptions of the process. Each configuration of particles and holes is treated explicitly and transitions induced by energy‐conserving two‐body collisions are considered. We can reproduce the extreme limits assumed in cascade and exciton type models. Although the microscopic description of the interaction chain can be written in the form of a master equation, the number of configurations is usually quite large and a Monte Carlo simulation method is used to obtain solutions.


In this paper the authors propose a novel technique in 3D tomographic PIV, where the particle images are recorded by CCD cameras with coplanar continuous and pulsed laser light sheets to reproduce a single 3D particle streak image instead of conventional particle point images recorded at two instants. Compared to conventional tomographic PIV, this new approach has several advantages: cameras do not require optional double exposure mode, continuous laser source can be used and focusing of particle image is not so severely required for successful velocity recovery. Moreover, the ghost particles are less generated and if any, can be filtered out more easily. On the other hand, high image processing computational load for 3D image reconstruction because of need of proper extraction of 3D voxel blobs corresponding to individual particle paths from the reconstructed voxel intensity space, and the intersection of particle paths and directional ambiguity on the camera projected images are some of the challenges to overcome. In the present study, the authors attempt to devise new ways to refine this new streak based tomographic image velocimetry technique and apply it to the measurement of a 3D water flow past a finite-height submerged square cylinder.


The present work contains information about the design and implementation of a SRAM memory that is able to cope with SEU and SET produced by radiation. This paper shows how two different techniques could be implemented together to aim that target. The architecture of the memory is proposed, and details of the different blocks are given. Also a new method is developed and proposed for automatic recovery of the data after a SEU. Making use of the proposed topics, an ASIC will be produced for diagnose and compare of the methods involved in the design.


Abstract : The five senior service schools in the United States use a variety of teaching methods. This study reviews the teaching methods used at the war colleges, considers their method selection criteria, discusses the various techniques for evaluating instructional method, and reaches the following conclusion: teaching method is not an important variable in predicting subsequent student performance. More important predictors include instructor and student background and expertise, what worked well in the past, the content of the curriculum, and even the time of year. Quality presentations and the use of a variety of techniques are more important than the particular method used. Keywords: Military education.


Boat dwellers were a special population group in Chinese history and the study of them lasted many years.After the founding of New China in 1949,the boat dwellers' lives underwent profound changes.In the great social transformation,the study of the boat dwellers achieved breakthroughs in the perspective,content and methods of study.


The growing concern over the increasing epidemics of HIV/AIDS in the country as well as the non quantified disease burden in Biu, Borno State necessitated this study, which established the incidence and demography factors associated with the disease using a survey conducted between July and December, 2010. A total of 487 sera collected from patients attending Abott Medical Centre were screened using rapid Chromatographic immunoassay and the concurrent administration of structured questionnaires during specimen collection were analysed. Out of the total patients screened, 201 (41.3%) were HIV positive, 63 (13.3%) were men, 138 (68.7%) were females and the highest infection rate (46.8%) occurred in patients between age 21 and 40. These age and sex distribution was statistically significant (P> 0.01) by Chi-square test. This finding confirm endemicity of HIV and the associated social, economic and cultural factors contributing to the spread of HIV which identified socio-professional, marital types and levels of education as most significant attributes. Active surveillance through HIV counselling, screening and testing of all patients visiting any health centre should be intensified, in addition to empowering women to negotiate for safer sex. Keywords : Incidence, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Chromatographic immunoassay, demography, Biu, Borno State Nigerian Journal of Parasitology , Vol. 32 [2] September 2011, pp. 235-238


Objective
To explore the inflammatory mechanisms of pulmonary embolism (PTE) and/or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in elders secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation.

Methods
A total of 26 elders with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary PTE and/or DVT and 26 patients with low-risk COPD during stable phase diagnosed during the period of January 2008 to December 2012 were enrolled. The relevant parameters of routine blood examination, blood viscosity, D-dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), arterial blood gas, blood cytokine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were retrospectively analyzed.

Results
The major nonspecific symptoms were cough, sputum and dyspnea. The mean of neutrophile percentage (N%), D-dimer, FIB, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), C-reactive protein (CRP), low and high shear blood viscosity in blood samples of patients with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary PTE and (or) DVT were higher than those of the control group (t=3.339, 2.700, 2.207, 2.431, 2.257, 2.143, 2.223, 2.797, all P<0.05). However arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was lower than that of lower-risk COPD patients (t=4.312, P<0.05). IL-6 in blood of patients with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary PTE and (or) DVT was positively correlated with low-shear blood viscosity, D-dimer and FIB (r=0.437, 0.624, 0.429, all P<0.05). TNF in blood of patients with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary PTE and (or) DVT was positively correlated to FIB, low and high cut blood viscosity (r=0.624, 0.519, 0.513, all P<0.05). Plasma CRP in blood of patients with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary PTE and/or DVT was positively correlated with D-dimer, FIB, IL-6 and TNF (r=0.478, 0.541, 0.533, 0.491, all P<0.05).

Conclusions
Inflammation may exist in elders with acute exacerbation of high-risk COPD secondary thrombotic disease. IL-6 and TNF may promote thrombosis secondary to acute exacerbation of COPD disease. Early screening and/or prophylactic anticoagulation are necessary for prevention.

Key words:
Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Pulmonary embolism; Venous thrombosis


Intracellular calcium levels can have profound effects on muscle biology via alterations in gene expression. In particular, intracellular calcium levels increase during muscle activation and are thought to underlie fast-to-slow shifts in muscle gene expression. In the present work, we determined that increased intracellular calcium has a significant effect on the activity of the adult fast myosin heavy chain (MyHC) promoters in the order of MyHC IIa ≫ IId/x > IIb. We have identified the pathways by which the calcium signal mediates increased activation of the MyHC IIa promoter. Inhibition of calcineurin or calcium-calmodulin kinase greatly attenuates ionophore-induced activation of the MyHC IIa promoter, whereas protein kinase C inhibitors have no effect. Inhibition and overexpression studies with members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family reveal roles for MEK1/MEK2 and MEKK1, but not p38 or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Downstream mediators of these effects are the activities of the MEF-2 and NFAT transcription factors, whose binding sites in the MyHC IIa promoter are required for calcium-induced activation of the MyHC IIa promoter.


provided by the paediatrician or psychologist, or both, who may also be needed to help with the behavioural results of head injuries, and to modify the family response to the child. Litigation features prominently in many cases, and as after other types of accident, it is essential to keep the parents informed of the details of the child's condition and the possible long term outcome, to concern them in management plans, and to put them in touch with helping agencies.


A methodic of the approximate theory shell equations construction for the null curvature shell is presented. The two subsystems describing elementary stress-strain states with respect to the initial one are detached. The detachment of the principal terms in the every equation is made with the help of the simple iteration method. The weight coefficients for the every sought component of stress-strain state are determined in this way. The generalized half-membrane state equations are constructed and the end effect asymptotics are given. The elementary stress-strain states are constructed according to the found weight coefficients with the asymptotic integration method.


Electric vehicles are clean alternatives to traditional vehicles. Fuel cell and lead-acid batteries are the two sources considered for electric vehicle energy management in this paper. Designing of efficient control system algorithm for electric vehicles is the key to long lasting life of the sources. The primary role is to analyze how energy demand of drive cycle data is managed between different sources in electric vehicles. In this paper, simulation and hardware implementation of energy management algorithm is implemented by TI's DSC28335. This novel method of power distribution is successfully implemented through simulations and hardware.


Summary form only given. The results of an experimental investigation of ion-beam plasma parameters in an ion etching technological system are presented for the case of ion beam space charge neutralization by a glow cathode-neutralizer (CN) in comparison with analogous results without CN. The measured parameters were plasma potential /spl phi//sub pl/, neutralizing electrons energy distribution f/sub e/ and temperature of its maxwellian kernel T/sub e/. The investigation was performed on the vacuum unit equipped with the multichannel Hall-type ion source "Radical-M" (production of "Vacuummashpribor", Moscow). The beam radius and length was 50 mm and 200 mm respectively, average beam energy was 0.3-1 keV, beam current varied over the range of 1-50 mA. The beam propagated in a vacuum chamber with grounded metal walls at gas pressure in the range of 10/sup -5/-10/sup -3/ Torr. CN was a tungsten wire of 0.4 mm diameter. To measure /spl phi//sub pl/, T/sub e/, f/sub e/ a Langmuir probe was used with addition of modulation technique of probe current double differentiation.


A modern pulp paper industry needs to integrate both advanced managerial and automatic technologies effieiently to adapt itself to wordwide competion and to preserve a healthy environment.This paper analyses the features of the pulp paper industry and its requirement for CIMS in detail,then presents the integrated architecture of CIMS used in the pulp paper industry and also dicusses its key technologies and new supporting technologies.


.................................................................................................................................. iii DECLARATION .............................................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................... xi ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................ xiii CHAPTER ONE ..............................................................................................................................


It has become an inevitable trend that manage heritage by digital technology in the cultural and museum area. This paper comprehensively describes the characters of data and user, proposal design, architecture building, heritage information collection, and the realization of data mirror function in the developed heritage digital system, especially the use of distributed database technology, and the test results generated by NetBeasns and Oracle10g Database.


Crystal structures of the titled compounds [Mn(Him)(salen)][ClO4]CH3OH (1) and [Mn(biim)(salen)][ClO4] (2), have been determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The molecular structure of the imidazole adduct (1) is a binuclear structure bridged by phenoxy oxygen atoms of salen ligand, while that of the 1,4-di(1-imidazolyl)butane adduct (2) is a polynuclear structure bridged by imidazole nitrogen atoms of 1,4-di(1-imidazolyl)butane.


Caring for children with short stature falls under the purview of many medical and surgical specialists, and the scientific literature regarding short stature is widely dispersed in pediatric, genetic, endocrine, and orthopaedic journals. For social, cultural, and medical reasons, it is important to be prompt in arriving at a diagnosis of childhood short stature, institute effective treatment, and counsel the patient and family about realistic outcomes. This is not an article on how to treat children with short stature, nor does it itemize the specifics of the multiple syndromes and diseases that shorten stature. Rather, we will propose a method by which the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, by answering a series of clinical questions, can arrive at a tentative diagnosis and launch additional diagnostic steps as needed. The method is summarized in Figure 1 and in the table derived from the algorithm (Table 1). A few conditions are detailed for purposes of illustration.


Using the document method, in analysis of the essence and characteristics of "Happy Sports" viewpoint in physical education, the author objectively states that "Happy Sports" is an advanced teaching viewpoint, which represents the nature of quality education, and at the same time remains the essence of traditional education, while overcoming its shortage. Therefore "Happy Sports" is an important way to strengthen the sense of lifelong sports and promote the change of physical education to quality education.


In this paper,some properties of transitive sets on a topology space are investigated.Using those properties obtained,the following result is proved by a constructive method: Let X be a completely metric space with a fixed point,if f is a topological transitive continuous self-map on X,then there exists a dense infinitely-expansive LY-scrambled set consisting of transitive points of f.Finally,it is asserted that a topological transitive continuous self-map on a completely metric space with a fixed point is LY∞-chaotic.


Although poverty is the most stringent problem in Moldova, the existing research had been done primarily by the WB and the UNDP. Measurement of poverty rates, rural poverty, and socio-economic characteristics of poor people had been the major focuses of the existing research, however very little information exists on the distribution of poverty. This research explains how poverty is distributed in Moldova using the minimum of existence level as poverty estimate.


When analyzing high-dimensional data with many elements, a data visualization that maps the data onto a low-dimensional space is often performed. By visualizing the data, humans can intuitively understand the structure of the data in the high-dimensional space. The self-organizing map (SOM) is one such data visualization method. We propose a spherical tree-structured SOM (S-TS-SOM), which speeds up the search for winner nodes and eliminates the unevenness of learning due to the position of the winner nodes by placing the nodes on a sphere and applying the tree search method. In this paper, we confirm that the S-TS-SOM can achieve the same results as a normal spherical SOM while reducing the learning time. In addition, we confirm the granularity of clustering on the tree structure of the S-TS-SOM.


This paper summarizes the current research background and application status of big data, systematically describes the domestic development of the concept and technology of big data, introduces the international advanced big data technology and the mainstream technology and methods of big data in China's agricultural field, and the technology and application status of big data in the field of international cooperation; and discusses the existing problems. Finally, it is systematically proposed that the big data of international cooperation in agriculture should be applied to the research of international cooperation in agriculture, the application of big data in international cooperation in agriculture, and the application of big data in international cooperation in agriculture should form a solid triangular structure.


The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for the power supply unit for generating at least one DC voltage from the AC voltage of the power grid (2) (15, 16) (1). Circuit arrangement, the switching element (3) for switching the load current of the power supply unit (15, 16) are connected in series to the switching element (3), to limit the current surge when switching element (3) is turned on a current limiting element (4), it is connected in parallel to the switching element (3) and a current limiting element (4), and bistable first relay to keep the load current (6), the power supply units (15, 16) first switching from first operating state to the second operating state and a control circuit (10). The present invention further suitable control circuit (10), the switching method of the computer power supply unit, power supply unit (15, 16), and according to the use of this method.


Automated recognition of features from CAD models has been attempted for a wide range of application d~ mains in mechanical engineering. However, the absence of a clear mathematical formalism for the problem haa made it difficult to develop a general approach—and thus most of these methods are limited in scope. In this paper, we develop a formalization of the problem of recognizing a class of machinable features expressed as MRSEVS (a PDES/STEP library of machining features) [11], and an algorithm for solving this problem. Some of the characteristics of this approach are


The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is involved with allocating attentional resources to maintain postural control. However, it is unknown whether age‐related structural and functional declines of the DLPFC may impair postural control during sensory manipulation. In this study, we aim to understand the effects of aging on the DLPFC when sensory cues were removed or presented inaccurately (i.e., increased sensory complexity) during the sensory orientation test (SOT).


Abstract— Electrowetting‐based displays have been successfully demonstrated in reflective mode, showing video capability and high optical performance. However, because this technology is based on a high‐efficiency optical switch operating between a light‐absorbing state and a light‐transmitting state, the technology lends itself naturally to a transmissive mode enabling a complete range of applications. This paper describes the first active‐matrix full‐color transmissive electrowetting displays including its main technical and system aspects. Two architectures have been demonstrated: one uses color filters, the other field‐sequential‐color illumination. The paper also introduces alternative concepts for more efficient color transmissive electrowetting displays with multiple absorbing layers.


. Modern high-speed tool steels are classified according to chemical composition, and the present general tendencies as regards proportions of those elements present which may be classed as impurities are discussed. These data are based on analysis of about 65 lots, representing approximately 40 brands, produced by various manufacturers during the period 1919-1922. Comparative lathe cutting tests are reported for about 25 brands, representing various type compositions. The test used is known as the breakdown test, in which the endurance of tools is measured under fixed working conditions, and a discussion of the behavior of the different groups is given under both moderate and severe service. Measurements of power consumed by various steels in severe tests are likewise reported. A discussion is given of some of the limitations of the competitive breakdown test, and recommendations are made regarding its application.


Objective: To describe surgical and visual outcomes after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in complicated phacoemulsification cataract surgery with retained lens fragments. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of 46 eyes and described the findings with an average follow-up time of 13.5±6 months. Results: The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved 0.27 logMAR and IOP diminished 2.3mmHg from baseline. The greater improvement of BCVA was observed when PPV was performed within the first week (10.8%) and when balanced saline solution (BSS) was left in the vitreous cavity (69.5%). Conclusion: Patients have better visual outcomes if ◗ Resumen


This study aims to investigate and find out the influences of job dissatisfaction, organizational commitment and external job opportunities on Medical specialist's voluntary turnover intention in a public sector. There are a total of 165 questionnaires collected using professional social networks. both descriptive and correlation matrix were applied to analyze the data obtained. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the degree between independent variables with dependent variable in this research. The research findings showed a low level of dissatisfaction, a low degree of attachment to their public hospital environments and a strong conviction of the availability of external opportunities for alternative job. the results suggest that job dissatisfaction and organizational commitment and external job opportunity had a significant relationship with voluntary turnover intention.


Objective:In a Tween80-(NH4)2SO4 liquid-solid extraction system,extraction separation of Cu(Ⅱ),La(Ⅲ)and Ce(Ⅳ)metal ions with Sulfosalicylic acid as the extractant were investigated.Methods: Based on study of absorption spectrum of sulfosalicylic acid and metal ionic compounds in solid extraction system,the extraction efficiencies of Cu(Ⅱ),La(Ⅲ)and Ce(Ⅳ)metal ions were discussed under different acidities,salt dosages,quantities of extractant and types of surfactants.Results: Compared to Sulfosalicylic acid spectra,the maximum wavelength of Cu(Ⅱ)and Ce(Ⅳ)shifted to the red,while that of La(Ⅲ)did not.The extraction separation of Cu(Ⅱ)and La(Ⅲ)was carried out by controlling the solution acidity(pH2.0).Conclusion: The method is rapid,simple and easy to operate.It has been applied to the extraction separation of metal ions with satisfactory results.


The nature of unique magnetic properties and martensitic transformation of Ni2Mn1+xIn1−x shape memory alloy has been revealed by first-principles calculations. The uncommon magnetic properties occurring upon martensitic transformation are originated from the change of Mn-Mn interatomic distances. The critical value of Mn-Mn interatomic distance corresponding to the change of magnetic interactions has been determined. A decrease of the intensity of Ni 3d states at the Fermi level upon martensitic transformation has been observed for x = 0.5. Moreover, the Ni 3d-Mn 3d hybridization plays an important role in establishing the magnetic properties and driving the martensitic transformation.


: Background: Streptococcus pyogenes also known as group A Streptococci (GAS) is an important pathogen for human that causes a wide variety of diseases. Despite the fact that antibiotics are effective to treat GAS infections, antibiotic resistance particularly to macrolides is increasing in a number of countries causes an increase in mortality, which has become a global public health concern. Aim: Determine the prevalence of multidrug resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from different clinical sources in Al-Diwaniyah city. Method : The study included the collection of (125) samples from different clinical source(Throat swabs, tonsils, urine ,burns) from patients in Al-Diwaniyah teaching hospital and Burns' hospital in Al-Diwaniyah city, during the period from 15-8-2022 to 1-12-2023 .The patients were with different ages ranging from 6-50 years, and from both sexes. The identification of bacterial isolates were achieved by morphological characteristics of bacterial colonies on selective media , result of Bacitracin sensitivity test ,Gram stain, and biochemical tests and confirmed the diagnosis by Vitek system. Results : A total of 20 (16.0%) isolates were identified as S.pyogenes from (125) clinical samples that collected from different sources, that distributed by 1 (5


Abstract : U.N. peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone have special significance, since this is the first time that the Security Council and the U.N. Secretariat has had to formulate mandates and concepts of operations (CONOPS) to confront a power/money based organization that rules through terror with no clearly defined ethnic, clan, political or ideological agenda. A central conclusion of this survey is that although DPKO has demonstrate an improved capacity for organizing forces and formulating rules of engagement (ROE), its further damaged the U.N.'s already frayed reputation for neutrality and effectiveness. Moreover, the U.N.'s setbacks in Sierra Leone showed that success in execution today's post-Cold War "second generation" peacekeeping operations depends less on coalition building or fielding large numbers of troops than on the deployment of an inner core of training and adequately equipped contingents under a unified command structure that are supported by militarily competent powers committed to executing an overall political/economic/military strategy.


This paper proposes an approach of analyzing the effect of the shear lag and the shear deformation on the static characteristics of rectangle thin-walled box girders generally used in engineering,in consideration of two different longitudinal displacement difference functions to accurately reflect the amplitude of change of shear lag in the thin-walled box girders with the wing slabs of various widths.The principle of minimum potential energy is applied to establish the governing differential equations and corresponding natural boundary condition,and the closed-form solutions of generalized displacements are obtained.The variations of the shear lag effects of rectangle thin-walled box girders,caused by the change of factors such as span-width ratio,type of loading are discussed.By the calculation examples,this study compares the fi-nite shell element solutions with the traditional method and the analytical solutions of this paper,the result manifests that the approach of two-parameter warping displacement function can more accurately reflect the variations of the longitudinal displacement and the normal stress in the wing slabs,thus the analytical solutions of this paper is still more identical with the finite shell element solutions.


A military information visualization system which uses a web-based virtual space according to the present invention includes: a virtual visualization space management module (102) which grasps the location of XML file type information on a map and builds an information image about an information subject similarity, an information object relationship, and an information classification type into a web browser-based virtual visualization three-dimensional space (A); a time image management module (108) which expresses XML file type information in an animation in which a change is performed according to time progress; and a change management module (111) which zooms in when selecting a level-of-detail (LOD) function while converting the XML file type information from a two-dimensional graph into a three-dimensional graph or reversely. The military information visualization system provides a zoom-in which uses the level-of-detail (LOD) function with various relationship expressions which a military document has through the three-dimensional virtual space on an internet web browser and, specifically, remarkably improves information readability and space utilization by expressing enemy movement information, which is expressed in the military document, in a position on the map, the 2D or 3D graph, and the animation according to the time progress. [Reference numerals] (100) Military information visualization system;(101) Data input;(102) Virtual visualization space management module;(103) Virtual visualization space composition component;(104) Information subject similarity display component;(105) Information relationship display component;(106) Information classification display component;(107) Related map display component;(108) Time image management module;(109) Related image display component;(110) Hourly variation expression component;(111) Conversion management module;(112) 2D/3D conversion component;(113) LOD management component;(114) Web browser screen display;(115) Web browser UI function


OBJECTIVE: We determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in an urban population of Jahrom, a city located in the south of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomly selected subjects ≥30 years-old were studied using stratified sampling. Target study sample was 892 (405 men and 487 women). Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using modified Adult Treatment Panel guidelines when any three of the following were present: central obesity, raised triglyceride ≥150 mg/dl, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (<40mg/dl in men and <50mg/dl in women), blood pressure ≥ 130/85mm Hg, and diabetes or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 100 mg/dl. We used body mass index instead of central obesity. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome was present in 257 (28.8%; CI 95%: %) subjects, 24.7% in men and 32.2% in women (P= 0.013). This prevalence increased with age in both men and women (p<0.05). The most common component of metabolic syndrome was high blood pressure (51.2%) and low HDL cholesterol (51.3%) in men and women, respectively. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in this urban population. Method of cardiovascular prevention should be focused on this issue


This paper is focused on the mathematical description of hydraulic control system, in which the hydraulic power comes from variable pump, the actuators are two valve controlled motors, and the load is purely inertial. It can be seen from the model that the two valve controlled motors would be coupled with each other if the characteristic of variable displacement pump is taken into account.


Physiological tremors reduce the precision of surgeons during microsurgery. Active cancellation of tremor will improve the results of microsurgery. It will also lead to the development of more sophisticated surgical procedures, previously considered difficult to perform. Tele-robotic systems, steady-hand robot and Micron active hand-held instrument are currently existing techniques for tremor cancellation. We propose the design of an active glove, capable of sensing the surgeon's hand tremors and compensate them by generating counter forces on the surgeon's fingers. The proposed mechatronic system for the active glove consists of inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) and actuators, to be mounted on the fingers, both interfaced with custom-designed microcontroller board. This work presents the design and development of various aspects of the proposed system. First, a prototype board was designed and developed specifically for this application, using dsPIC33F family microcontroller. The design allows interfacing multiple sensors and actuators, and also provides on-board power management and safety features. Interfacing of inertial sensors and implementation of a complementary filter for estimation of finger tip orientation is successfully demonstrated. Further, the challenge of isolating tremor motion from voluntary surgeon motions is accomplished by implementing an adaptive filter. Future algorithms would need these for efficient cancellation of tremors. The development of actuators (either pneumatic or electro-active polymer-based) to be mounted at the finger nodes was outside the scope of this project. Therefore, an existing single-axis flexure-based manipulator system with voice coil actuator was modified to implement the proposed control algorithm. The proportional plus derivative (PD) control shows promising results in reducing tremors at the surgeon's tool tip by 92%, when holding at a point and by 31% while carrying out a voluntary motion.


Aim To develop a sensitive competitive ELISA for the determination of biotin in transformed yeast culture media.Methods The ELISA plate was firstly coated with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and then successively incubated with rabbit ami-Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae serum and goat anti-rabbit IgG-biotin to form the solid biotin, which competed with the biotin in the solution (standard or sample) for the limited streptavidin-horse radish peroxidase conjugate. The standard calibration curve for biotin analysis was constructed in the range of 50-2000ng·L^-1. Results The detection limit for biotin was found to be 83 ng·L^-1 , which waa about 1000 times lower than the lowest determination concenlration in the reported ELISA for biotin analysis. The relative standard deviations for the spiked samples at biotin concerarations of 200 ng·L^-1, 500 ng·L^-1 , and 1000 ng·L^-1 were 24.87%, 6.15%, and 7.86%, respectively, with the average recovery of 101.13%. The wild yeast and its sixty-three transformed yeast culture media were applied to the developed ELISA for the determination of biotin. It was found that the biotin concentrations in more than 85 % of the tested samples were enhanced with different increase factors after transformation. Conclusion Utilization of Mycoplasma hyopnetunoniae as the coating protein improves the precision and accmacy oftbe ELISA assay, which might be used for the biotin assay in other media.


We present a new set of analytical solutions to model the steady state structure of a protoplanetary disc with a magnetically-driven wind. Our model implements a parametrization of the stresses involved and the wind launching mechanism in terms of the plasma parameter at the disc midplane, as suggested by the results of recent, local MHD simulations. When wind mass-loss is accounted for, we find that its rate significantly reduces the disc surface density, particularly in the inner disc region. We also find that models that include wind mass-loss lead to thinner dust layers. As an astrophysical application of our models, we address the case of HL Tau, whose disc exhibits a high accretion rate and efficient dust settling at its midplane. These two observational features are not easy to reconcile with conventional accretion disc theory, where the level of turbulence needed to explain the high accretion rate would prevent a thin dust layer. Our disc model that incorporates both mass-loss and angular momentum removal by a wind is able to account for HL Tau observational constraints concerning its high accretion rate and dust layer thinness.


We review the development trends in microwave magnetism and superconductivity over the last five decades. The review contains the key results of recent studies related to the promising areas of modern magnetism and applied physics – spintronics, magnonics, magnon caloritronics, physics of magnonic crystals, spin-wave logic, and the development of novel micro- and nano-scale magnetic devices. The main achievements in these fields of physics are summarized and generalized.


Non-intrusive optical measurement techniques have been examined in the context of developing robust instruments which can routinely yield data of engineering utility in high speed turbomachinery test rigs. The engineering requirements of such a measurement are presented. Of particular interest were approaches that provide both velocity and state-variable information in order to be able to completely characterize transonic flowfields. Consideration of all of the requirements lead to the selection of particle image velocimetry (PIV) for the approach to velocity measurement while laser induced fluorescence of oxygen (O 2 LIF) appeared to offer the most promise for gas temperature measurement. A PIV system was developed and demonstrated on a transonic turbine stage in the MIT blowdown turbine facility. A comprehensive data set has been taken at one flow condition. Extensive calibration established the absolute accuracy of the velocity measurements to be 3-5 %. The O 2 LIF proved less successful. Although accurate for low speed flows, vibrational freezing of O 2 prevented useful measurements in the transonic, 300-600 K operating range of interest here.


One of the features of prestressed concrete girders is that they are fabricated in a manufacturing facility rather than at the project s i te. Therefore, they must be handled several times and transported prior to erection in their final locations in the bridge. Accidents or near-miss incidents have often been traced to assumptions that are made with a lack of complete control or complete information or awareness of interdependencies of variables regarding what is required to achieve the final positive outcome. In other words, the designer does not know the route or the equipment being used by the contractor and producer.


This paper presents a novel scanner design for single fiber endoscope based on electromagnetically-driven microcoil with large tilt-angle, which can realize larger scanning scale utilizing the high-order resonance modal. As the important driven component, the microcoil with large tilt-angle on the polymer tube with 1mm diameter has been fabricated by our developed spray coating and cylindrical projection UV-lithography system [1], The modals and dynamic response of the designed scanner under high-order vibration have been simulated and analyzed. And the microcoil with 60° tilt-angle has been successfully fabricated on the polymer tube by wet etching and maskless electroplating process. Finally, the electromagnetic property and the maximum driven displacement of fabricated scanner have been evaluated, which is in agreement with that simulated ones.


This study presents detailed characterization of the chemical and physical properties of particulate matter emitted by a 2.0-L BMW lean-burn turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine operated under a number of combustion strategies that include lean homogeneous, lean stratified, stoichiometric, and fuel-rich conditions. We characterized particulate matter number concentrations, size distributions, and the size, mass, compositions, and effective density of fractal and compact individual exhaust particles. For the fractal particles, these measurements yielded fractal dimension, average diameter of primary spherules, and number of spherules, void fraction, and dynamic shape factors as function of particle size. Overall, the particulate matter properties were shown to vary significantly with engine operation condition. Lean stratified operation yielded the most diesel-like size distribution and the largest particulate matter number and mass concentrations, with nearly all particles being fractal agglomerates composed of elemental carbon with small amounts of ash and organics. In contrast, stoichiometric operation yielded a larger fraction of ash particles, especially at low speed and low load. Three distinct forms of ash particles were observed, with their fractions strongly dependent on engine operating conditions: sub-50 nm ash particles, abundant at low speed and low load, ash-containing fractal particles, and large compact ash particles that significantly contribute to particulate matter mass loadings.


The technological advancements in the field of remote sensing have resulted in substantial
growth of the telemedicine industry. While health care practitioners may now monitor their
patients' well-being from a distance and deliver their services remotely, the lack of physical
presence introduces security risks, primarily with regard to the identity of the involved parties.
The sensing apparatus, that a patient may employ at home, collects and transmits vital signals
to medical centres which respond with treatment decisions despite the lack of solid authentication
of the transmitter's identity. In essence, remote monitoring increases the risks of identity fraud in
health care. This paper proposes a biometric identification solution suitable for continuous monitoring
environments. The system uses the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal in order to extract unique
characteristics which allow to discriminate users. In security, ECG falls under the category of
medical biometrics, a relatively young but promising field of biometric security solutions. In this
work, the authors investigate the idiosyncratic properties of home telemonitoring that may affect
the ECG signal and compromise security. The effects of psychological changes on the ECG
waveform are taken into consideration for the design of a robust biometric system that can identify
users based on cardiac signals despite physical or emotional variations.


Porous SiC was successfully fabricated by a facile and energy efficient sacrificial porogen leaching method using in situ synthesized aluminum-based binders by reaction bonding at low sintering temperatures of 600–1000°C. Porous SiC ceramics with porosity in the range of 30–58% and compressive strength of 1–33 MPa were obtained. Interconnected bimodal pores were produced by both stacking of SiC particles and leach out of salt. During sintering, the aluminum binder experienced metal to ceramic transformations forming various alumina polymorphs (γ, δ, θ and α-Al2O3). The porogen content and sintering temperatures significantly influence the properties of porous SiC.


The spark discharge plasma jet driven by nanosecond high voltage pulses is studied.The rotational temperature of N2(C3Пu) molecule is calculated according to its rotational emission band near 380.5 nm.The vibration temperatures of N2(C3Пu) molecule are measured based on the optical emission spectra from N2 second positive system,and calculated using emission intensity ratios of 371.1 nm to 380.5 nm.A theoretical estimation of the jet velocity can be obtained by the model of isovolumetric process.Meanwhile,a two-dimensional computational model of plasma jet in air is presented to provide a better understanding of the characteristics of spark discharge plasma jet.Moreover,the evolution of the jet velocity is investigated.The maximum jet velocity occurs at 20 μs and reaches 206 m/s.The now-depleted chamber cools,drawing fresh air from outside the device into the chamber at 70 μs.The cycle is complete,and the device is ready for operation again.Spark discharge plasma jet can induce rapid and high strength aerodynamic actuation.


A consideration of turbulent mixing is especially important in the laser fusion problems where the intensities of shock waves and acceleration fields achieve great values and the arising instabilities lead to a considerable reduction of thermonuclear yield. A standard set of thermodynamic values is insufficient to describe a process of turbulent mixing because a classical set averaging takes no account of the coherent structures, which are essential for the process. However, there is supposed to be a certain "reasonable" number of parameters characterizing a further development of turbulent process, as evidenced by numerical calculations and experimental data. An attempt has been made to determine numerically the turbulent mixing steady-state formation at an example of two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor problems. In order to define such hidden characteristics one applied a mathematical apparatus of artificial intellect used effectively in fuzzy logic problems. The process states were coded by wavelet transform allowing one to consider spatially localized structures. The processes under study were determined by numerical calculations. As a result one obtained a steady-state representation of an RT-mixing process. The stable parameters are expressed through linear combinations of wavelet coefficients and Fourier transforms of the physical fields.


This study paper presents the behaviour of some graft/rootstock bio-systems. The growth process depending on the growth strength given by the main plants dimensions. The researches were performed from 2006 to 2008, on three plum trees soils, engrafted on four rootstocks, on a plantation from the Didactical Agricultural Station "Banu Maracine". The results intended to establish the trunk section area, the tree crown diameter, the crown volume, the tree high and the field filling degree. It was observed that the biggest influence on the three plum trees soils is made by the Miroval rootstock, these one imprinting the biggest growth vigor, and the lowest influence is presented by the Otesani 8 rootstock.


The invention relates to a method for adjusting an electronically controlled damping system in a motor vehicle, wherein at least one parameter varying according different loading conditions of the vehicle axle is determined and an adjustable variable for an adjuster of a vibration damper is determined according to the parameter and the adjustable variable transmitted to the adjuster of the vibration damper in such a way that it makes it possible to adjust the desired behaviour of the vibration damper.


Abstract CLINICAL CASE A 46 year old caucasian female with past medical history of menorrhagia was referred from primary care for evaluation of thyrotoxicosis. Thyroid function was assessed in the context of menometrorrhagia. She did not have any history of thyroid disorder or abnormal thyroid function tests. Per outside records, recent labs demonstrated TSH 0.88 uIU/mL (0.36-3.74), Free T4 > 8.00 ng/dL (0.76-1.46), Free T3 2.9 pg/mL (2.18-3.98). All other labs were within normal limits. Thyroid ultrasound revealed normal parenchyma and volume. She did not take any medications or supplements including biotin. She denied heat intolerance, anxiety, palpitations, dyspnea, tremors, hyperdefecation, or change in hair, skin, or mood. No epiphora, diplopia, or eye irritation was reported. Her father had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, mother with hypothyroidism. Repeat labs at our visit revealed normal TSH of 1.05 uIU/mL (0.358- 3.74), normal Free T3 2.58 pg/mL (2.18- 3.98), normal Total T3 136 ng/dL (80-200), elevated Free T4 >8.00 ng/dL (0.76-1.46) and elevated Total T4 11.6 ug/dL (4.5-10.5). These lab values were not consistent with patient's euthyroid clinical status, prompting assessment of Free T4 by dialysis, normal at 1.5 ng/dL (0.9-2.2) and T3 uptake, high at 40% (24-39%). This picture was consistent with Familial Dysalbuminemic Hyperthyroxenemia (FDH). The decision was made not to treat the patient with anti-thyroid medications and to perform a confirmatory genetic testing to test for mutations in the ALB (albumin) gene. DISCUSSION The free T4 assay used by our institution is performed on the Siemens Dimension Vista platform using a two-step chemiluminescent immunoassay. While in theory two-step assays should not yield abnormal results in FDH, several two-step assays are known to yield falsely high results in patients with FDH (1, 2, 3). Other potential etiologies for discordant Free T4 levels include thyroid hormone autoantibodies, heterophile antibodies, biotin use, and anti-streptavidin antibodies (3). CONCLUSION Recognition of laboratory error in the workup of thyroid disease is essential. Clinicians must ensure thyroid function labs are consistent with each other and with the patient's presentation. In such cases misdiagnosis of hyperthyroidism or thyroid hormone resistance may lead to unnecessary testing and inappropriate treatment (3). References 1. Cartwright D et al. Familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia: a persistent diagnostic challenge. Clin Chem. 2009 May;55(5):1044-6 2. Ross HA et al. Spuriously high free thyroxine values in familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia. Clin Chem. 2011 Mar;57(3):524-5 3. Favresse J et al. Interferences With Thyroid Function Immunoassays: Clinical Implications and Detection Algorithm. Endocr Rev. 2018 Oct 1;39(5):830-850.


Membrane technology has become widely accepted in many seawater and brackish water treatment applications and these days it is more often used also in variety of waste water treatment processes as the final treatment step of water re-use process. In addition to traditional use of membranes for desalination, new requirements have been challenging membrane manufacturers to develop special products for selective removal of hardness, natural organic matter, color, fats, proteins and other macromolecular species. Nanofiltration (NF) membranes are usually used for selective removal of certain species in applications when TDS reduction is not a priority. Hydranautics has developed a variety of NF membranes for such applications with different characteristics. In the 1980's, HydraCoRe membranes were developed to separate color from soya sauce. Since its first introduction, the HydraCoRe membranes are now manufactured in three varieties with different flow, salt rejection and MWCO. These membranes have already been successfully used on color and organic matter removal applications. One of these applications is the treatment of waste water for the pulp and paper industry. This industry is known as producer of high volumes of waste water with high pH and high color. It is difficult to treat by biological treatment process, as it contains a significant amount of lignin and chlorinated fragments from the bleaching process, high salt and organics content, and fine colloidal material. Pilot tests have been performed by Hydranautics using hollow fiber Ultrafiltration (UF) pretreatment to spiral wound NF membranes to treat this type of water. The HydraCoRe membrane reduced feed color from a dark brown color as high as 12,000 Pt-Co color units (PCU) to < 25 PCU in the permeate which was < than the 50 PCU required to allow discharge to the local river. This paper will present results of pilot tests and discuss future potential of using HydraCoRe membranes in this type of applications.


AIM To study the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalability of two different nifedipine sustained-release tablets in healthy volunteers.METHODS An open randomized crossover study of 40 healthy male volunteers was carried out with orally single-dose and multiple-dose nifedipine in test and reference preparations.The concentrations of nifedipine in plasma were determined by LC-MS /MS.The Pharmacokinetic parameters and correlative bioavailabilities were statistically calculated with DAS2.0 software.RESULTS The main pharmacokinetic parameters of test and reference preparations after a single dose were:ρmax were(90 ± s 44) vs(96 ± 40) μg·L-1,tmax(2.1 ± 0.6) vs(2.2 ± 0.8) h,AUC0-36(391 ± 117) vs(406 ± 183) μg·h· L-1,t1/2(6.3 ± 2.2) vs(5 ± 3) h,respectively.The correlative bioavailability of the test preparation was(101 ± 21) %.The main pharmacokinetic parameters of test and reference preparations after multiple doses under stable condition were:ρmax were(84 ± 28) vs(93 ± 35) μg·L-1,tmax(2.2 ± 1.1) vs(1.8 ± 0.9) h,AUCss(440 ± 152) vs(455 ± 190) μg·h·L-1,ρav(37 ± 13) vs(38 ± 16) μg·L-1,DF(181 ± 56) vs(222 ± 63) %,t1/2(6.7 ± 2.3) vs(5 ± 4) h,respectively.The correlative bioavailability of the test preparation was(104 ± 29) %.CONCLUSION There were no significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between the two different formulations of nifedipine sustained-release tablets in healthy volunteers,they were bioequivalent.


With increased globalization, the threat of price-based competition has lead to an upward
trend of western manufacturing firms adding services to their product offerings,
in an effort to deliver product-service systems (PSSs) that cover a wider range of customers'
needs. In this transition towards more services, there are many firms that fail
to develop successful systems, get stuck, or fall back in their original business. This
study aims to investigate why some firms fail to servitize their offering when others do
not. To develop the understanding of this discrepancy, this study is designed as a multiple
case study with five manufacturing case firms. From the data collected in these
cases, twomajor findings emerge. Firstly, a typology of PSSs that enables a connection
between different types of obstacles and different PSS types is developed. Secondly,
with the help of the typology in the first finding, it is found that a firm's relative position
in the value chain has an impact on the range of attainable PSSs. Finally, the main
implication of these findings is that manufacturing firms that have a distant position
in the value chain relative to the customer should not try to develop certain PSSs. More
specifically, such firms should avoid developing PSSs that have non-separable product
and service components and primarily generate value for the customer that is charged
for, unless they circumvent or partner up with the middleman in between themselves
and the customer.


The discrete-time quantum walk is a quantum counterpart of the random walk. It is expected that the model plays important roles in the quantum field. In the quantum information theory, entanglement is a key resource. We use the von Neumann entropy to measure the entanglement between the coin and the particle's position of the quantum walks. Also we deal with the Shannon entropy which is an important quantity in the information theory. In this paper, we show limits of the von Neumann entropy and the Shannon entropy of the quantum walks on the one dimensional lattice starting from the origin defined by arbitrary coin and initial state. In order to derive these limits, we use the path counting method which is a combinatorial method for computing probability amplitude.


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– The advent of the internet has dramatically changed the retail landscape. Online purchases have been increasing annually for the past several years, yet only account for 6 percent of total purchases. With the potential for growth being relatively unlimited, many online businesses have been created, and conventional stores are questioning whether their current brick and mortar business model will continue to be successful. The operational processes of online companies are difficult to formulate, as evidenced by their high failure rates. The purpose of this paper is to examine one online business, Bellacor, to determine whether there are operational efficiencies to be gained, that errors can be reduced and whether they are operating in conjunction with customers' expectations., – The design methodology used involved an examination of Bellacor's service blueprint, implementing the Six Sigma DMAIC cycle, developing cause‐and‐effect diagrams and creating poka‐yokes to modify the existing service blueprint to improve the operational process., – The "improve" phase of the DMAIC cycle produced several poka‐yokes to overcome numerous failures in the current service blueprint. It is the authors' opinions that implementing the new proposed blueprint will likely result in improved customer service, improved delivery tracking, fewer errors and a better overall experience for the customer., – The main limitations of the survey surrounded the time frame allotted to complete the study. Had more time and resources been available, a more robust survey could have been created and additional order data could have been gathered., – With a better experience for the customer and improved accuracy throughout the process, profits will improve. There is considerable market share available for a successful operation and management needs to continually revisit the current process to ensure that it is as efficient and customer‐friendly as possible., – The value of the study goes beyond Bellacor as a successful online business. The study attempts to lay the groundwork for what is successful and needed by today's consumer. Lessons and procedures learned in the paper can be translated to any company with a similar business model.


OBJECTIVE: To estimate the comparative cost-effectiveness of atorvastatin and simvastatin. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial set in general practice. Effectiveness was measured by percentage reduction in total cholesterol and percentage of patients achieving NHF targets. The costs calculated in the study were hospital admissions, emergency room/clinic visits, visits to GPs and specialists, tests/investigations, treatment of adverse events and drug costs. RESULTS: Of the 691 patients in the atorvastatin arm, 682 used health care resources. Of the 337 patients in the simvastatin arm, 332 used health care resources. The monthly drug costs with atorvastatin was $48.30 for 10mg, $66.93 for 20mg, with simvastatin at $42.06 for 10 mg, $58.12 for 20mg. The average cost of health care for atorvastatin and simvastatin was $460.48 and $490.11 respectively (p = 0.47). Adverse events accounted for 60% of all health care costs in the atorvastatin group, 77% in the simvastatin group. The weighted average monthly drug costs (WAMDC) after 6 weeks of treatment were $48.30 for atorvastatin and $42.06 for simvastatin. 38% of patients reached NHF target cholesterol levels on atorvastatin, 25.5% on simvastatin. The cost per responder was $1.27 with atorvastatin, $1.63 with simvastatin. After 12 weeks of treatment the WAMDC was $59.53 for atorvastatin, $53.77 for simvastatin with 47.5% and 33.8% response rates, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness of an extra patient achieving target on atorvastatin was $0.50 at 6 weeks, $0.42 at 12 weeks, $0.26 at 18 weeks and $0.51 at 24 weeks. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin achieved a greater percentage reduction in total cholesterol per mg than simvastatin, and was equally well tolerated. While drug costs for atorvastatin were slightly higher, overall health care costs were lower than for simvastatin. Atorvastatin was more cost-effective than simvastatin in achieving NHF targets. The incremental cost-effectiveness of atorvastatin suggests additional patients can achieve NHF targets relatively inexpensively.


A search for neuritogenic compounds in Chinese herbs resulted in the isolation of two known substances, ostruthin and (-)-bornyl ferulate, from Notopterygium incisum (and/or N. forbesii). Both compounds induced comparable neurite-like structures in 20% of rat PC12 cells at 2 micrograms/ml, and showed cytotoxicity at concentrations higher than 3 micrograms/ml.


To solve the auto-recognition problem of multi-type traffic lights in complex background,a novel method based on brightness value division,K-means clustering and histogram analysis of foreground objects was proposed.Firstly,self-localization was realized by brightness value division,geometric features analysis and classification statistics.Along with signal color judgment by K-means clustering algorithm,the type and direction information of traffic lights would be acquired by analyzing the histograms of foreground objects;accordingly auto-detection was realized.Experimental results showed that the proposed method had high detection accuracy for multi-type traffic lights in different scenarios.It was proved that this method was highly reliable and widely applicable.


Submitted for the DAMOP07 Meeting of The American Physical Society Characterization of a Rubidium Magneto-Optical Trap WEI WEN YU, BRAD CROCHET, GREGORY CARSON, ALINA GEARBA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 — Recently at the University of Southern Mississippi, rubidium atoms were cooled and trapped in a standard magneto-optical trap (MOT). A systematic characterization of the rubidium MOT in terms of the total number of trapped atoms versus several laser intensities, laser detunings, and magnetic field gradients is currently under way. The total amount of fluorescence emitted by the cold atoms is measured with a calibrated photodetector subtending a known solid angle, while a high-speed video camera connected to a computer via an image acquisition board is used to monitor the size and the shape of the atomic cloud. The first experimental results will be presented at the meeting. Alina Gearba Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 Date submitted: 05 Feb 2007 Electronic form version 1.4


Phenomenon: Satellite campuses of medical schools in Canada introduce smaller communities to new medical learners. Non-physician health care professionals (NPHCPs) in regional hospitals may have had little prior exposure to learners. Lack of clarity regarding the role of the medical student is a barrier that hinders interprofessional collaboration. The purpose of this project was to examine the educational relationship between students and NPHCPs in regional hospitals.
Approach: Surveys were distributed to NPHCPs of various disciplines at two community hospitals in Waterloo Region. A second survey was distributed to medical students attending a satellite medical campus of McMaster University.
Findings: Surveys completed by 141 NPHCPs identified the following themes: frequent student interaction, no orientation to students, uncertainty of roles, willingness to teach, and barriers to teaching. Student surveys demonstrated frequent interactions, lack of familiarity of their role by NPHCPs at regional hospitals, desire to learn from NPHCPs, and specific teachable procedures.
Insights: NPHCPs and medical students agree that interprofessional medical education can improve patient care, communication and the quality of education. While there is interest in involving NPHCPs in teaching, orienting NPHCPs to the roles of students in regional hospitals may improve relationships and allow informal teaching opportunities.

Funding: This work was supported by the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University.


Based on the elementary theory of vegetation restoration of extreme degraded ecosystem,and the theory to use vegetation to control soil erosion,the rapid vegetation technology dominated by a vertical arbor-shrub-grass ecosystem is proposed with regard to the characteristics of extreme degraded mesa ecosystem in Dianchi lake watershed.Demonstration effect of this technology is evaluated as well.


Performance decrement over time is the most salient behavioral characteristic of vigilance tasks (Jerison & Pickett, 1963). A recurring unexplained phenomenon which has been familiar in vigilance literature is the end spurt effect, an improvement in performance as the end of the watch is approached. Bergum and Lehr (1963) reported that subjects who were aware of the length of the vigil and encouraged to use their watches demonstrated the effect. Catalano (1973) demonstrated that, when subjects were told that the task was 90% completed, there was a significant improvement in performance. The end spurt, however. occurs in monitoring sessions when subjects have their watches removed and are not told at which point they are in the vigil (Johnston. et al.. 1967; Weiner, 1973). The present investigation attempted to determine the effect of the subject's expectation of the length of the vigil on the occurrence of the end spurt. Forty-rwo students were randomly assigned to one of three groups which were given one of three instructional sets concerning the length of the task: ( 1 ) 60 rnin., ( 2 ) 120 min., and ( 3 ) 180 rnin. All subjects monitored a visual display for the occurrence of five dots of light for 135 min. An event was the occurrence of four dots of light. The event/signal rate was one event every 2 sec., with five signals occurring at random intervals during each 10 min. Subjects were given 2 sec. to respond after a signal was presented. The mean number of correct detections during each 10and 20-min. period were analyzed. All groups exhibited the characteristic decrement in performance over time. The group instructed that the task was 120 min. long showed a trend toward an improvement in performance at the end of the second hour. The 120-min. group had a significant improvement in performance between 100 and 120 min. ( r = 3.04, df = 13, p < .01). There was an improvement in performance for the 60-min. group between 70 and 80 min. The increase in performance for this time period, as compared to the previous 10-min. period (60 to 70 min.), approached significance ( t = 2.06, df = 13, P < .06). A plausible explanation for the increase occurring at this time rather than during the previous period (60 to 7 0 min.) is that che subjects tended to overestimate the GO-min. interval. A morivational/arousal interpretation of the end spurt as espoused by Catalano (1973) is favored by the authors. Future research exploring the end-spurt phenomenon should look at motivational variables.


We give a class of quadratic systems without rational first integral which contains irreducible algebraic solutions of arbitrarily high degree. The construction gives a negative answer to a conjecture of Lins Neto and others.


The proposed EOQ model is a genuine attempt to manage retailer's inventory when retailer's stock is comprised of defective as well as constantly deteriorating items. Defective items in inventory are managed by selling them at discounted rate after a quality check process. Deterioration of items is controlled by investing suitable amount in preservation technology. The study assumes price sensitive quadratic demand incorporating the effect of inflation leading to a realistic situation. The objective of this paper is to maximize the retailer's total profit with respect to cycle time, selling price, and preservation technology investment. Numerical examples are given to validate the model, and sensitivity analysis of inventory parameters is done to understand their effect. The outcome of this paper is applicable to goods like utility vehicles, stationary items, Fashion accessories, Cloths, Footwears, etc.


This study examines the relations between the CEO type (owner CEO vs. professional CEO) and earnings management over 9,266 firm-years from 2011 to 2020 in Korea. Two earnings management measures, accrual management and real activity management (abnormal cash flow from operations, abnormal production cost, and abnormal discretionary expense), are considered as means to avoid reporting losses or earnings decreases. We partition the sample into two groups based on the type of CEO (owner CEO vs. professional CEO) and investigate whether earnings management is used for achieving earnings targets (small profit or small earnings increases) for each group. We find all earnings management measures are significant at the 5% level or better in the direction of aggressive earnings management in the owner CEO sample, while all but one measure (abnormal production cost) are insignificant in the professional CEO sample. Our findings suggest that an owner CEO is more likely to manage earnings to achieve small profit or small earnings increases compared to a professional CEO.


We have developed our pediatric ventilator system for a prolonged use in respiratory cripple.  The system is simple, low-priced and versatile even in small hospital providing that Bird's respirator Mark 7/8, compressed air, oxygen, pressure regulators and flowmeter are available.  The coaxial Mapleson F breathing circuit is easily constructed from local materials and demonstrated in this report.  The preliminary clinical study was done in 11 pediatric patients.  The longest use of this system was over 100 days in patient with Guillain Barre's syndrome.


The increasing interest in children and young people as composers, as evidenced by the growing literature on the subject in recent years, has tended to overlook at least one important aspect of young composers' development: their sense of tonal thinking, its emergence and consolidation. This article traces these characteristics through the compositions of one boy, showing how he 'progressed' from pre-tonal operations to fully-established tonal procedures. The discussion of his development is deliberately limited to the examination of harmonic thinking, which manifests itself before long(er)-range tonal planning (in the form of tonality or key schemes) becomes a focus of concern.


It is well-documented that cyberbullying and victimization co-occur with traditional forms indicating that they share similar mechanisms. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the general antibullying program ViSC might also be effective in tackling these new forms of bullying. A longitudinal randomized control group design has been applied to examine the program effectiveness in 18 schools. In total, 2,042 students in Grades 5 to 7 (47.3% girls) aged 11.7 (SD = 0.9) attending 105 classes participated in the study. Utilizing a multiple group bivariate latent change score model controlling for traditional aggression, traditional victimization, and age, results demonstrate program effectiveness for cyberbullying (latent d = 0.39) and cyber victimization (latent d = 0.29) indicating that these behaviors reflect a systemic (school) problem.


We present a methodology to perform Kriging of spatially dependent data of a Hilbert space. Our object-oriented approach is conducive to the spatial prediction of the entire data-object, which is conceptualized as a point within an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. In this communication, we focus on the application of this broad framework to the geostatistical treatment of particle-size densities, i.e., probability densities that describe the distribution of grain sizes in given soil samples.


This paper studies the design of optimal time-consistent monetary policy in an economy where the planner trusts his own model, while a representative household uses a set of alternative probability distributions governing the evolution of the exogenous state of the economy. In such environments, unlike in the original studies of time-consistent monetary policy, management of households' expectations becomes an active channel of optimal policymaking per se; a feature that our paternalistic government seeks to exploit. We adapt recursive methods in the spirit of Abreu, Pearce, and Stacchetti (1990) as well as computational algorithms based on Judd, Yeltekin, and Conklin (2003) to fully characterize the equilibrium outcomes for a class of policy games between the government and a representative household that distrusts the model used by the government.


This article is an attempt to study intercultural communication from a semiotic perspective. Indeed a thorough account of the theoretical basis of such semiotic approach is beyond the domain of a paper like this. However I will give a general view of the main terms used so that the audience not fully familiar with semiotic terminology and theory can also communicate with the paper.


A problem of the applicability of two-dimensional models in simulations of heterogeneous material behavior on the meso-scale level has been studied, using a metal matrix composite (MMC) structure as an example. In order to incorporate explicitly the MMC-structure in 3D calculations, a special algorithm has been applied to design an artificial structure containing an Al(6061)-matrix and Al2O3-inclusions. Twoand three-dimensional simulations of the mechanical behavior of the MMC-structure under tension have been performed using both finite-element and finite-difference methods. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of different components of stress and strain tensors has been provided on the basis of mesomechanical concepts. Results of three-dimensional calculations have been compared with those obtained in 2D formulations of plane strain and plane stress conditions. Based on the comparative analysis, some conclusions regarding the applicability of 2D approximation when considering deformation behavior on the meso-scale level have been drawn. 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


The increasingly more expensive maintenance measures, cuts in the cost budget, and the loss of know-how on the part of vendors all require a change of policy with respect to maintenance concepts on the part of operators. This also applies to the existing valve concepts, the drives included. Under these aspects, the current drive, which is self-actuated and actuated by outside media, for a parallel-plate valve of a nominal width of 700 was reconsidered. The effort served to reduce maintenance costs and, at the same time, simplify the drive concept as well as cut back on the number of in-service inspections. Moreover, the number of active components were to be minimized and installation conditions in the plant were to be improved. When the boundary conditions to be observed with respect to process technology had been laid down, the competent technical department developed a concept of modification of the drive. A major constituent part was the demonstration of the functioning capability of the new drive under accident conditions. It was achieved mainly by an analytical approach. In the resultant drive concept, the same control valves are employed to actuate a driving cylinder by means of self-actuation or by an outside medium as a function of pressure.


The diel vertical migration (DVM) behaviour of a heterotrophic ciliate community was monitored in a eutrophic gravel pit lake located near the lower Rhine in Germany. The purpose of the study was to determine whether DVM in ciliates occurred, if this behaviour was species-specific, and to examine factors (predator avoidance, location of prey, temperature and oxygen regimes) that could drive this behaviour. Day and night samples were taken monthly from March to October 2002. Ciliates and algae were sampled every meter and zooplankton every 2 m, from 0 to 14 m. At the same time, physico-chemical parameters (temperature, O 2 and chlorophyll-a) were measured. Results show that the ciliates do perform vertical migration, but this could not be tied to differences in the diel distributions of potential zooplankton predators of ciliates. Of the putative ciliate predators, only Chaoborus performed vertical migrations, making it difficult to associate ciliate migration behaviour with predator avoidance.


The representing learning makes specialty of knowledge graph and it indicates the difference between different entities. The knowledge graph representing with the low-dimensional space. In fact, most of the method usually concern of description of entity which is hard for existing strategies to take benefit of. Here, we recommend a new representing learning method with knowledge graphs that uses entity description. We evaluate our method on two tasks like knowledge graph and entity classification. Experimental effects on actual-world datasets show that our version plays higher than different baseline fashions, especially under the zero-short setting, which indicate that our technique for novel the entity description.


More and more CEOs holds that business model innovation(BMI) is more important than technology/product innovation.While many efforts of business model innovation/copy have lead to failures,why? One of questions is what are the additional supporting factors during BMI.Through case study,this study has two findings: firstly,it is verified that BMI does not rely on technology/production;secondly,the research argues that the role of government is one of important supporting factors during BMI.