INTRODUCTION The primary objective of this paper is to present a characterization of the Middle Stone Age assemblage from the site of Klein Kliphuis (KKH) in the Western Cape (Fig. 1). KKH was excavated in 1984 by a team from the South African Museum (now part of Iziko Museums of Cape Town). The excavation was to form part of a larger regional project looking at the nature and distribution of Later Stone Age (LSA) huntergatherer and herder sites. During the course of the excavation a single 1 m × 1 m square was excavated below the perceived end of the LSA, into what were presumed to be Middle Stone Age (MSA) artefact-bearing layers. The excavator's original division between the LSA and MSA layers of Klein Kliphuis is retained here as a useful distinction, though it is the contention of this paper that some of the artefacts excavated from below this division are of LSA association. Information pertaining to the LSA component of the site was published (van Rijssen 1992), but although the MSA component was sorted, it was neither analysed in depth nor published. Analysis conducted in 2005 and 2006 suggests the presence of a stratified sequence at Klein Kliphuis which appears to parallel part of the sequence at Diepkloof Rock Shelter some 50 km to the southwest. This paper discusses the layers at Klein Kliphuis in terms of their culture–historical affiliation, based on comparison with published data from better resolved MSA excavations elsewhere.


Objective: To describe the evolution in the consumption of anti-ulcerous drugs by active principle in containers and import. Desing: Retrospective observational transversal study. Placement: Consumption of prescribed containers in Spain during the years 1995 to 1998 at the level of anti-ulcerous active principles. Measurements and results: The measures used are the percent in the consumption of DDD, the DHD (daily doses defined for 1000 inhabitants and day) and DTC (Daily Treatment Cost). The consumption of anti-ulcerous drugs has increased over these four years, with special incidence in the omeprazol. The antagonists to the Histamine 2 have increased, though to a lesser extent. In regard to the cost, the treatment cost per day has clearly decreased, above all in the omeprazol and the ranitidine. The rest of the drugs tend to the lowering in their consumption, except the drugs of recent commercialization like the lansoprazol, the pantoprazol, the roxatidine and the bismuth ranitidine. Conclusions: The consumption of these drugs is higher every year, and above all the case of the omeprazol, which displaces the ranitidine from the first place that this last one occupied in the year 1995. The consuption in DDD of these two medications in 95' is 34.35% and 39.08% respectively and in 98' 44.96% and 31.49%. The DTC is higher in the proton-pump inhibitors, although the cost of the omeprazol decreased over these four years. The ranitidine DTC decreased in 98' thanks to the appearance of the generics EFG in 1997. On a global level, the prescription of these drugs is very high; being of 82 million containers and 272, 558 million pesetas during these four years. But, above all, we must inquire if the use has been the right one and if the investment has been the adequate one. Discovered one of the major causes of the prevalence of the disease, the Helicobacter pylori,2,3 it should imply a greater rate of healing and a decrease in the recurrences, thus, diminishing the consumption of these drugs


Through two narrative inquiries, in this article I explore the challenges for qualitative researchers in working with multiple languages in capturing, translating, analyzing, and representing narratives. I discuss the effect on research when we engage in these processes considering what was happening as we translated both texts and experience from one language into another. Woven into this discussion is attention to the effect that choosing one language or another might have on our research: the participants, the processes, and the findings. I consider how to remain awake to the ethical and relational issues regarding language choices that we make at every step of the research process.


The scientific basis of the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for vitamins A and C is discussed by the vice-chairman of the 1980–1985 RDA Committee. At the annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which was held in St. Louis, MO, on April 13–18, 1986, an evening forum on the RDA controversy was arranged under the auspices of the Public Affairs Committee of the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN). Moderated by Prof. Irwin H. Rosenberg of the University of Chicago Medical Center, spokesmen for the 1980–1985 RDA Committee and for the National Academy of Sciences presented their views. This article, appropriately modified and expanded somewhat for publication, is based on the talk given by Dr. fames Allen Olson, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, Ames, and current president of AIN. Prof. Olson, whose expertise is in the field of vitamin A and carotenoids, was a member of the 1980–1985 RDA Committee. His opening comments express his feelings: "I must admit that I am not all that happy to be here. In fact, I feel much like Antigone, in Sophocles' tragedy, who faced the unresolvable conflict between loyalty to family and obedience to the State, and as you know, finished badly. My own conflict is between the conviction that the recommendations of our RDA Committee were absolutely correct, both scientifically and socially, and the equally held belief that nutritional scientists, our professional societies and the Academy all have much to gain by working harmoniously together. The disruption of 40 years of professional cooperation by the Academy, therefore, is very saddening indeed."


An S=1 pseudospin formalism is constructed for ferroelectrics with protonic conductivity, the change carriers in which are protons moving along a network of hydrogen bonds. The Hamiltonian is written in the pseudospin form and in the second-quantization operator representation. A system of equations describing the state of the ferroelectric cell is obtained. A numerical analysis of this system reveals the presence of traveling nonlinear lattices that can affect the dynamical properties of the ferroelectric.


In the face of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) role of capital market demanded to be pro-active. The capital market expected to have contribution to the Indonesian economy by preparing regulations in accordance with the actual of economic conditions which would require of Human Resources who has a good performance at Indonesia Stock Exchange as the regulator of capital market in Indonesia. This research aims to know the influence of working motivation toward employee performance at Indonesia Stock Exchange, to know the influence of working environment toward employee performance at Indonesia Stock Exchange and to know the influence of working motivation and working environment toward employee performance in Indonesia Stock Exchange. The research design was descriptive and verificative with survey method. The population all employees of Indonesia Stock Exchange in Jakarta. The sampling technique based on the calculation Slovin found 150 respondents with a Probability Sampling with the type of Simple Random Sampling. Data analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that there is a simultaneous effect on working motivation and working environment on employee performance. Working motivation and working environment partially significant influence on employee performance. Suggestion for Indonesia Stock Exchange can provide good motivation and give more attention and achievement for employees as well as providing a working environment that can support employee performance.


Network risk assessment has become a hot topic in the area of network security research in recent years. Risk Calculation in the risk assessment is a very important part. Some methods have been presented to resolve this problem. These methods have strengths and drawbacks. In order to achieve more actual risk assessment result of network system, this paper proposed a new network risk calculation method based on Source and Destination of attack events, the two risks to determine whether the event is a alert from two different aspects in order to reflect the security of the entire network. At the end, through the experimental results with DARPA Data sets 2000 from Lincoln laboratory, it demonstrates the potential of the proposed method.


1 During emergency situations in trains, rapid and safe evacuation is crucial for saving lives of pas- 2 sengers. Computer models such as EvacTrain, STEPS, Pathfinder and FDS+Evac are making use 3 of either a discrete space network or a continuous space network, and allow determining egress 4 times for various emergency passenger train designs and conditions. These models offer insights 5 into potential difficulties and offer possible solutions to evacuation challenges in a short time and 6 at low cost. This paper focuses on the application of MassMotion (a commercial available evacua- 7 tion software commonly used for evacuation planning in buildings) to passenger train evacuation. 8 Key performance indicators such as mean total evacuation times, standard deviations, maximum 9 evacuation times, minimum evacuation times, and 95th percentile of egress times are determined 10 to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of MassMotion. In the validation test, actual occupant 11 egress rates from a fire drill conducted by the Spanish Railroad Administration in a passenger train 12 are used to measure the reliability of MassMotion for producing accurate egress time predictions. 13 Further, the MassMotion passenger train simulation model is verified and compared to other exist- 14 ing microscopic passenger train evacuation models for a hypothetical case study. The comparison 15 shows that microscopic models with continuous-space representation predict passenger evacuation 16 times more accurately than discrete networks. Also, the force-based model MassMotion provides 17 consistent and reliable egress time predictions. The findings of this study contributes to the field 18 of egress models for passenger train emergencies and can be used by evacuation modellers and 19 authorities to support their decisions. 20


Abstract The tracer diffusivity of Co in amorphous NixZr1-x has been measured as a function of pressure for 0·42≤x≤0·62. The primary conclusions that can be drawn from the results of these measurements is that the activation volume △V of diffusion in amorphous NixZr1-x alloys is about (8-20) × 10−30m3, and it is dependent upon alloy composition. The results are discussed in terms of a previously proposed interstitial-like diffusion mechanisms for Co in amorphous Ni-Zr.


The fuzzy mathematics theory was utilized in this article.The generalized analysis of the explosive welding effect,was carried out with the metal explosive welding as an example,so as to realize the metal explosive welding parameter determination and the quantification.This method designs to the explosive welding and constructs,which has certain guiding sense and the function.


Hospital data on 306 mother-infant pairs in Cobán, Guatemala, were studied to assess factors responsible for low infant birth weights involving the two general kinds of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), these being Type I (symmetric stunting) and Type II (asymmetric stunting or wasting). The results indicate that the Type I IUGR observed arose primarily from long-term poverty, malnutrition, and chronic poor living conditions, while much of the Type II IUGR seemed attributable to maternal disorders affected by short interbirth intervals.


The problems on management are analyzed combined with the practical management of basic highway management unit and the corresponding measures are put forward.


The observation in the Akatani Mine has started in the year after the Niigata Earthquake,and a peculiar phenomenon on tiltgrams has been found in these seven years up to 1973.Only in a certain period in a year, namely between June and November, unusual tiltingchanges lasting for a few hours were often shown up in the past obtained data.The phenomenon seems as a result of development of a fissure occurred in the rock by a repeat-sng fatigue. It may be caused by periodic increase of thermal stress at around the 10 m depthlayer on a year cycle under the horizontal compressive stress state of E-W trend.


According with the energy conservation principle, it is assumed that the stage and auditorium spaces are diffuse. The linear differential equations are set up and the solutions of the equations are founded in order to get two sound energy density formulas. The two formulas are changed properly in order to gain the stage and auditorium spaces sound decay equations. By the testing data provided in associated reference, the calculation results show that the obtained errors are in the permitted range of engineering.


Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, has increased globally due to dysfunctioning of rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody. The clinical manifestation includes progressive disability of synovial joints due to inflammation of synovial membrane. The outlined research work was carried out with an aim to prepare microneedle arrays to co-administer folic acid with methotrexate for transepidermal delivery in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The microspheres of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) containing folic acid were developed by using multiple emulsion (w/o/w type) system. Polyvinylpyrrolidone-based microneedles arrays of methotrexate were casted by using silicon based moulds. Microspheres were analysed for particle size, entrapment efficiency and in-vitro release of folic acid studies. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the microsphere exhibits sphere-like structure within narrow size range of 7 ± 1.1 to 13 ± 1.3 μm. In-vitro release study showed controlled release of drugs from microneedle arrays up to 24 h. Pharmacodynamics efficacy study of microneedle array was estimated by using Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) model in female Albino Wistar rats and showed suppression of paw swelling. It was concluded that the transepidermal microneedle technology for co-administration of folic acid with methotrexate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is a minimally invasive, cost-effective and an alternative to the conventional drug delivery system.


Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 0$ and let $G$ be a connected reductive algebraic group over $k$. Under some standard hypothesis on $G$, we give a direct approach to the finite $W$-algebra $U(\mathfrak g,e)$ associated to a nilpotent element $e \in \mathfrak g = \operatorname{Lie} G$. We prove a PBW theorem and deduce a number of consequences, then move on to define and study the $p$-centre of $U(\mathfrak g,e)$, which allows us to define reduced finite $W$-algebras $U_\eta(\mathfrak g,e)$ and we verify that they coincide with those previously appearing in the work of Premet. Finally, we prove a modular version of Skryabin's equivalence of categories, generalizing recent work of the second author.


The existing problem that related to workload of medical records officer in Primary Health Care of Ambulu there are never done the analysis and evaluation, more over since 2018 medical record unit and registration unit splinted into two unit to be on one's own. This research that intend to do the analysis workload of medical record officers therfore be discovered the level of workload of officer with WISN (workload indicator staff need) methode. If ther is already known the workload of medical record officers the next is an analysis of causative factors of workload was carried out with  fishbone methode with approach of  5M (man, money, methode, material, mechine) and then the next with FGD (focus group discusion) to determine the main priority that caused workload so that improvements of workload can be made. The type of this research is a qualitative with collecting data tecnic in the form of observation, interview, documentation, and FGD. The subject of this research are 3 medical record officer, there are 1 medical recorder and 2 medical recorder helper. The based on this research workload analysis the job description is well done because in the job description there is no division of tasks according to posisition so completion of the task have done together. The result of the calculation of workload is knowing the amount of officer needs the results obtined ideal number of officers there are 4,85 there for be rounded to 5 so the conclusion is the workload in the unit medical record is high with rhe total 0,6. The efforts to improve the workload including addition of human resources and the held of training thus increasing the knowledge and skills of officers.


Abstract We find that the relation between state variables, such as the t-bill rate and term spread, and consumption growth is time-varying. In the cross-section of U.S. stocks, risk premia for exposure to state variables vary over time accordingly. When a state variable predicts consumption strongly relative to its own history, its annualized risk premium increases by 6% (0.4 in Sharpe ratio). This effect implies that risk premia can switch signs and are increasing in the conditional variance of the state variable. These common drivers of time-varying risk premia are consistent with the Intertemporal CAPM. Benchmark factors contain the same conditional expected return effects as state variable risk premia.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how business model innovation (BMI) mediates the relationship between integrative capability, business strategy and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature review provides the model and hypotheses. Using a sample of 165 Chinese firms, the authors conduct the examination using a theoretical model and hypotheses following standard analysis methods.

Findings
The results show that BMI positively mediates the relationship between integrative capability and firm performance. Moreover, a differentiation strategy positively moderates the link between BMI and firm performance, while a cost leadership strategy presents a significantly negative moderating effect.

Research limitations/implications
First, the authors test the hypotheses using data from China; thus data from other emerging economies should be tested. Second, the authors use cross-sectional data in this study making it impossible to verify the dynamic developed in the process of BMI; a longitudinal study could provide a more comprehensive understanding. Third, the authors consider one intermediate mechanism to test the relationship of integrative capability and firm performance; additional factors may link integrative capability and firm performance.

Practical implications
The mediating effect of BMI suggests managers should pay more attention to BMI to improve firm performance, and they should understand that BMI's role varies across different business strategies.

Originality/value
The paper is original in its investigation of the effect of integrative capability and BMI on firm performance using data from China and demonstrates the mediating effect of BMI on the relationship between integrative capability and firm performance.


The specific capacitance of several types of Josephson tunnel junctions has been measured by observing resonances in lightly-damped 2-junction interferometers. The capacitance was calculated using the resonance voltage, obtained by analyzing steps in the I-V characteristics, and the interferometer inductance, which was measured directly by the injection of a control current. Using this technique, the specific capacitance C s was determined for tunnel junctions with Pb-In-Au alloy base electrodes and Pb-Bi counterelectrodes, as well as for junctions made on Nb films with Pb-In-Au counterelectrodes. In both cases, barriers were produced by rf plasma oxidation. Junctions with Josephson current densities j 1 between 200 and 5000 A/cm2were investigated. It was found that 1/C s decreased with \log j_{1} , and that at j 1 = 1000 A/cm2, C s was 4.2 ±0.3 μF/cm2for the Pb-alloy junctions and 13.4 ±1 μF/cm2for the Nb junctions. These results are discussed in relation to available data on oxide thickness and dielectric constant.


Cholangiocarcinoma or bile duct cancer is a rare type of cancer which is prevalent in developed countries and its prevalence is increasing in developing countries Cholangiocarcinoma is included in the list of lethal cancer While surgery is the cornerstone of its management the benefit of adding neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment in the form of chemotherapy and or radiotherapy have not been shown to significantly improving the prognosis of the patients The role of radiotherapy in the management of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma remains debated These cancers usually present at advanced stages and are associated with low rates of local control and overall survival The indications and implications of radiotherapy in these carcinomas are still not very clear However planning target volume and biologically effective dose of radiation have a prognostic value and initial treatment response is helpful in predicting survival time In this review we tried to explore various ways and options where radiotherapy can provide some better results in treating resectable and unresectable IHCC


A continuous beam bridge has a 36.0 m wide deck with two box-girders whose flange is linked instead of crossbeam.Mechanic characteristics is analyzed on the bridges by building spatial models.Compared with seperated pair of box girder,the flange-linked bridge integrity is in good condition and its deflection is decreased obviously because of the increased lateral restraint,which was proved by theoretical analysis and bridge test.


For the past three decades a large amount of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data has beca used to a wide range of geoscience applications in Brazil (geology, geomorphology, cartography, etc.). The L-band PALSAR imageries with new attributes (high spatial resolution, distinct wave polarization, stereoscopic and polarimetric capabilities) need to be evaluated for practical application ia distinct kinds of tropical terrains. In adclition, the possibility of gathering interferometric data to derive aJtimetric information should also be investigated. Monoscopic, stereoscopic (same/oppositeside pairs) and digital (value-added SAR products, amplitude polarized images, polarimetric signattut) analysis will be carried out for terrain mapping ia three test-sites: Carajás Province and Bragança coastal plaM, both located on the eastemmost border of the Amazon Region (Pará State) , and Curaçá Valley, a semi-and arca on the northeast of the country (Bahia State).


A perfect financial market is the physical manifestation of a developed country, and the rational transfer and distribution of capital resources can significantly improve the real economy's operational efficiency. In the era of sharing economy, the traditional linear systematic financial risk early warning model based on the Internet can no longer meet the early warning and identification of nonlinear systematic financial risk brought on by the embeddedness of the Internet network. The improved loss function is used to optimize the model to identify and monitor systemic financial risks in this paper. DL is used to identify systemic financial risks, a classification model based on DNN is built, and the improved loss function is used to optimize the model to identify and monitor systemic financial risks. The experimental results show that this model can achieve a recall rate of 93.2 percent and an accuracy rate of 95.4 percent. The results of the experiments show that the DL-based identification model is both effective and practical. The use of DL not only improves identification and analysis methods in the field of financial risk management, but it also encourages empirical research to shift from linear to nonlinear, from a focus on parameter salience to a focus on model structure and dynamic characteristics, while also better capturing tail risks.


The article highlights the issues of social and age characteristics of college students, their possible impact on the educational course and its results


The matched-guise test, which was originally developed by Lambert et al. (1960), has been useful in determining covert attitudes towards accents, dialects, or languages. In this paper, the author p ...


Laser-induced fluorescence from iodine molecules seeded into a flowfield is shown to provide the capability for the nonintrusive measurement of pressure with both spatial and temporal resolution. It is shown theoretically that, in the limit of high pressure, fluorescence from iodine, excited at linecenter by a tunable, narrow-band width laser, is inversely proportional to pressure and insensitive to other flowfield variables. The high pressure limit is shown to apply for pressures greater than about 150 Torr in an iodine-seeded flowfield. Data col lected in a static cell and in an underexpanded-jet flow field verify the theoretical prediction. A photographic negative is shown to record two-dimensional pressure distributions directly when exposed by fluorescence from a sheet of laser radiation. Iodine transitions which are optimum for pressure measurement and accessible with a tunable dye laser are identified. The effect of fluid velocity on the linecenter fluorescence signal is evalu ated. Preliminary measurements in a non-steady flow demonstrate that the technique can be used to resolve pressure fluctuations on the order of 1% at frequencies up to a few kHz with good spatial resolution.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence and causes of perioperative complications in patients who undergo microvascular free flap procedures for reconstruction of the head and neck.

SETTING
Academic tertiary care medical center.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 400 consecutive microvascular free flap procedures were performed for reconstruction of the head and neck, with 95% of the defects arising after the treatment of malignancies. Flap donor sites included radial forearm (n = 183), fibula (n = 145), rectus abdominis (n = 38), subscapular system (n = 28), iliac crest (n = 5), and a jejunal flap. Patient-related characteristics (age; sex; diagnosis; comorbidity level; tumor stage; defect site; primary vs secondary reconstruction; and history of surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy) and the incidence of perioperative complications were recorded prospectively over a 7-year period.

RESULTS
The perioperative mortality was 1.3%. Overall, perioperative complications occurred in 36.1% of all cases. Free flaps proved to be extremely reliable, with a 0.8% incidence of free flap failure and a 3% incidence of partial flap necrosis. Perioperative medical complications occurred in 20.5% of cases, with pulmonary, cardiac, and infectious complications predominating. Multivariate statistical analysis showed significant relationships between the incidence of perioperative complications and preoperative comorbidity level as indicated by American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status (P =.02).

CONCLUSIONS
The present study confirms that free flaps are extremely reliable in achieving successful reconstruction of the head and neck. The incidence of perioperative complications is related to preoperative comorbidity level.


A fruitful discussion on the subject requires, first of all, to disentangle it from the difficulties arising whenever single aspects are considered separately, as unconnected technicalities concerning isolated problems. Induction is viewed usually in many very different, partial, unsatisfactory, isolated fragments of theories. There is the formalistic one of a kind of logicians; there are the two mathematical ones concerned respectively with inductive reasoning and inductive behaviour; and all became more and more complex owing to a growing inflation of formalism. Formalism is, in effect, the illusory remedy to the insufficiencies arising from isolation, and is in turn a factor of enhancing isolation. The thesis of the present paper goes just in the opposite direction, trying to show, as clearly and simply as possible that, avoiding the misleading preconceptions of artificial unilateral constructions, the whole subject admits a unique and very natural interpretation and a simple universal answer. That is the Bayesian theory: but it is a pity it is called a "theory" and has a name, for the same reasons that led Cornfield to say (noting that Bayes' theorem is but an obvious result) that "it is overly solemn to call it a theorem at all". Probabilities have a unique true meaning as degrees of belief (a subjective one, although one must take into reasonable account the objective data available: symmetries, frequencies, analogies, from all his experience), and must coherently agree together and coherently evolve by changing of the state of information. (That is, summarizing, the Bayes' theorem.) All that is imposed, in a unique way, by concordant reasons pertaining to each of the aspects (and are, in their essence, an unique reason which presents itself under slightly modified appearance in the various occurrences). These views, which in the present summary could only be sketched in an abstract and apodictical form, are carefully exposed in the present paper, comparing the effect of conformity to them, or of deviations, on all possible facets of the problems concerning induction, as for logical conclusions and for inductive reasoning and behaviour. Objections against subjectivity should be overcome; abstaining from subjective opinions yields in fact no improvement on objectivity; on the contrary, a subjectivistic integration to the barren bulk of the objective data appears to be necessary, so that, if it is missing, we are led not to any better situation but to a more erratic one.


FRP pipe concrete steel tube composite column (DSTC) is proposed by Professor Teng Jinguang, Hong Kong Polytech University, a new type of composite structure. In order to further study the axial compression performance of DSTC, this paper makes a deep research on the DSTC in different sizes under different conditions by the finite element simulation. According to the results of experiment and simulation, it can be known that, with the increase of the size of the specimen, the ability of resisting deformation is weakened, the effect of size effect on the mechanical properties of different concrete strength grade of DSTC is different, and the effect of size effect on the high grade concrete is less than that of the low grade concrete.


In this study, we investigated the possible wash-back effect of the university entrance exam as a highstakes test and the pre-university English textbook. A 16-item teacher's perspective questionnaire was given to 40 female and male teachers teaching at pre-university schools in Education District No. One, Shiraz, Iran. The data obtained were subjected to SPSS version 17 using Chi-square test to be analyzed. The results showed alignment with those studies which supported the wash-back effect of the high-stakes exams on the teaching materials at different educational levels. Our EFL teachers' perceptions in the study highlighted that the fourth-graders' teachers mostly used supplementary materials geared toward university entrance exams' demand, contrasting with the main textbook's educational objectives. Further pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research would follow.


This paper describes a stochastic modeling between an F0contour and linguistic features of a sentence for speech synthesis. The F0contour of a sentence is represented by concatenation of the F0patterns of a Japanese syntactic unit, bunsetsu .A bunsetsu F0pattern is composed of the F0average and the F0shape. The F0average is independently predicted for each bunsetsu by a quantification theory from linguistic features of the bunsetsu. The most probable sequence of bunsetsu F0shapes for a sentence are found in the F0shape database by a probabilistic measure. The probability that an F0contour is observed for a sentence is defined by two kinds of probabilities, the F0 shape production and the F0shape bigram. The latter is a probability of adjacent occurrence of two F0shapes, like a word bigram in speech recognition. Several typical bunsetsu F0shapes are extracted by clustering of training data and stored in the F0shape database. The probability of the F0shape production is computed for each bunsetsu based on the distribution of linguistic features in the cluster.


Abstract Digital reconstruction and visualization of archaeological sites are beneficial not only for public edification and admiration, but they can also significantly contribute to the site interpretation process. By going beyond basic modeling scenarios, one can apply 3D analyses for accurately testing visibility and lighting parameters, among other aspects. Based on the results of these tests, further insights can be extrapolated about the lived experience of culturally specific ancient peoples. The case of a Roman "villa" at Apollonia-Arsuf in Israel presents the opportunity to apply these informal techniques to a household shrine, or niche-style lararium, found within the building in order to ascertain sightline visibility based on the architectural plan and visual impact as a result of artificial illumination from ceramic lamps. This paper also considers how photorealistic visualizations aid in phenomenological areas of research through sensory archaeology and sense of place, which in turn encourages reflection on the political, social, and religious meanings of the built environment. When we combine the power and diverse applications of 3D visualization technology with decades of research about Roman architecture, culture, religion, and social norms, the result is a step closer to recreating archaeological remnants and, in turn, understanding the ancient experience.


The Red Palm Weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most important pest of the Phoenix dactylifera (Date palm), Metroxylon sagu (Sago palm), Phoenix sylvestris (Toddy palm), Borassus flabellifer (Palmyra palm), Elaeis guineensis (Oil palm), Corypha umbraculifera (Talipot palm), Arenga saccharifera (Sugar palm), Livistona chinensis (Serdang palm), Oncosperma tigillaria ( Nibong palm), Oreodoxa regia (Royal palm) and some ornamental palms also have been reported to be attacked by the weevil (Esteban-Duran et al.,1998). It is prevalent in middle east countries where date palms are grown in abundance. It is a local sporadic major pest of coconut and other palms throughout India.


Summary In terms of addressing climate change in a cost effective way, reducing demand for energy and improving efficiency became one of the key policy objectives. Therefore, the European Union has set a target for 2020 of saving 20% of its primary energy consumption compared to BAU projections. But this target is threatened to be failed from today's point of view. EU Low Carbon 2050 Roadmap confirms this issue and states that with current policies, only half of the 20% energy efficiency target would be met by 2020. Accordingly European Commission has published a new proposal for a new energy efficiency directive and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC (COM (2011) 370 final). One of the main proposed measures is the implementation of mandatory energy saving measures which imposes suppliers obligations on Member States. Thus this paper analysis the energy efficiency utility obligations in implementing countries in EU namely United Kingdom (UK), France (FR), Italy (IT), Denmark (DK) and Flemish region of Belgium (BE-Flem) and discusses the possibility of implementing utility obligations in Austria taking the experiences and specific lessons learned of implementing countries.


We present the magnetocaloric properties of the substituted Heusler alloy Ni2Mn1−xCuxGa, which shows a maximum magnetic entropy change of SM −64 J /Kg K=−532 mJ/cm3 K at 308 K for a magnetic field change H=5 T. The dependence of SM on H is approximately linear and does not reach saturation at 5 T. It is demonstrated that the temperature at which SM occurs can be tuned through subtle variations in composition. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2202751


After China's reform and opening up,the social transformation leaded to increasingly intensified confrontation between rural and urban.Luyao as China writer comes from northern Shanxi,his publications "Life" in 1982 and "Ordinary World" in 1986,expressed his reflection on rural villages and the fate of educated youth.In this paper the author reproduces the value of Luyao's thinking by recalls the fate of two main protag onists.


FEATURES OF PLANTAR PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OF CHINESE CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN TWO AND ELEVEN ABSTRACT. Since foot biomechanics of Chinese healthy children has not been systematically investigated, the aim of this study was to comprehend the features of plantar pressure distribution of those subjects. Totally, 895 healthy children aged between two and 11 were recruited and those with the foot deformities were excluded by visual inspection. Children's plantar pressure was measured by Footscan pressure plate with two-step protocol and self-selected speed. Regions of plantar pressure were divided into ten parts: hallux, toes 2-5, the first to fifth metatarsal head, mid foot, medial heel and lateral heel, at which parameters of peak


A novel high gain planar aperture antenna array, which is applied to 5G millimeter-wave systems, is proposed in this paper. The antenna element is fed by a slot on a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW). The element radiation structure consists of an opening cavity with multiple cross-shaped patches on the top, which extend the aperture field to realize an uniform aperture electric field distribution and thus a high element gain. Simulated results show that its operation band is from 26.2 to 29.6 GHz (12.2%), covering the n257 band (26.5-29.5GHz) with a peak gain of 19.65dBi. Based on the element, a 4 × 2-element antenna array is designed, whose -10-dB impedance bandwidth covers from 25.9 to 29.6 GHz (13.3%). The gain reaches about 24.5-26.7dBi within the operating band. The proposed array is suitable for packaging integration and can be potentially used for 5G point-to-point communication applications.


Indium tin oxide films (ITO) are characterized precisely by spectroscopic ellipsometry which determines not only the thickness of the layers but also the optical indices in a large spectral range. The quality of the ITO films is checked by the transparency of the layers in the visible range 0.4 to 0.6 micrometers . Indeed, target degradation is detected by the occurrence of an absorption band in this region. The electrical conductivity of the layer can also be deduced by the Drude model applied to the absorption in the infrared region. Moreover, spectroscopic ellipsometry can give all these information on all the surface of the panels, checking at the same time the homogeneity and the stability of the deposition process. Different experimental examples will be presented and discussed.


We study Euclidean random fields X over Rd of the form X=G*F, where F is a generalized white noise over Rd and G is an integral kernel. We give conditions for the existence of the characteristic functional and moment functions and we construct a convergent lattice approximation of X. Finally, we perform the analytic continuation of the moment functions and the characteristic functional of X, obtaining the corresponding relativistic functions on Minkowski space.


Objective Using data envelopment analysis method to evaluate relative efficiency of se-cond-grade hospitals in Henan province,and to provide basis for hospital managers to make the improvement measures.Methods Using data envelopment analysis method to deal with the final index.Results Hospitals input and output index to reduce or increase the ratio of the range.Conclusion Second-grade hospitals construct more perfect DEA indicator of screening and evaluation system.And the hospital operation efficiency distribution is different between different cities.


Light is one of the important factors in human life. Lighting especially in houses of worship is considered a very important part for symbolic and spiritual reasons. Light is the main focus in architecture, both in Islamic and Gothic architecture. The purpose of this study is to summarize the role of light in buildings of worship, especially houses of worship.  This study uses a qualitative method of literature study. The results of this study indicate that the role of light in buildings of worship, especially houses of worship, is very important for the congregation, both spiritually and visually. Spiritually, the role of light can provide inner peace and also the closeness of the servant to his God. from a visual point of view the role of light can provide beauty and comfort to the room. From these results, the conclusion is that the role of light in religious buildings in the building of houses of worship is very important for worshippers, in shaping the inner kayakinan both in spiritual terms and in Visual terms


This paper presents an automatic method for understanding and interpreting the semantics of unannotated web images. We observe that the relations between objects in an image carry important semantics about the image. To capture and describe such semantics, we propose Object Relation Network (ORN), a graph model representing the most probable meaning of the objects and their relations in an image. Guided and constrained by an ontology, ORN transfers the rich semantics in the ontology to image objects and the relations between them, while maintaining semantic consistency (e.g., a soccer player can kick a soccer ball, but cannot ride it). We present an automatic system which takes a raw image as input and creates an ORN based on image visual appearance and the guide ontology. We demonstrate various useful web applications enabled by ORNs, such as automatic image tagging, automatic image description generation, and image search by image.


Keywords: intellectual property, attestation, representation, legal status, patent attorneys
   The article is devoted to the study of the organizational and legal principles of attestation of candidates to patent attorneys in Ukraine. The article analyses formation and development of the institute of patent attorneys in the context of obtaining the legal status of a patent attorney and adducesperiodization of the stages of development of the attestation procedure from 1994 to2022. The possibility is substantiated of conditional distinguishing of four stages.   The first stage of formation of legal bases of the institute of patent attorneys in Ukraine (1994−1996) is connected with creation of legal bases of functioning of the institute, definition of standard and requirements for obtaining the legal status of a patent attorney, introduction of procedure of attestation of candidates to patent attorneys, formation of community of patent attorneys.     The second stage of the development of the institute of patent attorneys conditionallylasted from 1996 to 2016 and is conditionally characterized as a period of strong development of the patent attorneys community, in particular by regular attestation, the creation of the first professional association of patent attorneys and their active assistance in the development of intellectual property protection.
    The third stage, which has been ongoing from 2017 to the present, is actually characterized by the suspension of attestation and the block of the possibility of obtaining the legal status of a patent attorney.      It has been established that the result of the reform of the system of legal protection of intellectual property, in particular the liquidation of the State Intellectual Property Service and the subordination of the relevant sphere of intellectual property to the competence of the Ministry of Economy, was the suspension of the attestation procedure. The exclusion from participation in the attestation procedure of the educationalinstitution, based on which attestation and transfer of the relevant functions to the subordinate enterprise took place, partially complicated the continuation of the attestation procedure. The expulsion from participation of the educational institution in the attestation procedure, because of which the attestation took place and transfer of the relevant functions to the subordinate enterprise, partially complicated the continuation of the attestation procedure.    The attention has been drawn to the absence of the corresponding order of the Ministry of Economy on the approval of composition of the Attestation and the Appeal Commission. The authors have described the prospects for the development of the attestation procedure at the fourth stage, which can tentatively begin in 2022.


Concerning the problem that typical time synchronous algorithms used in multi-hop Wireless Sensor Network(WSN) mainly focus on increasing the network synchronization precision,but ignore such issues as the network energy,path hop and error accumulation,a cluster-based and energy-efficient hierarchical time synchronization algorithm was proposed based on a cluster hierarchical network structure.In this algorithm,a cluster node was selected to take a two-way synchronization with the cluster head,and its neighbor nodes achieved bidirectional synchronization indirectly through the passive monitoring mode.In such a way,the number of the packet's transmission was reduced while the digital signature pattern ensured the safety of transmission.In addition,the cycle update coefficient of synchronous group delay was quoted to further reduce the consumption of synchronization packets.The simulation results show that the algorithm reduces the energy consumption and prolongs the network life time,therefore this algorithm has certain practicability.


Bothrops asper (Garman, 1883), a large, dietary generalist viper, is the only lancehead species widely distributed in the humid lowlands of Middle America and northwestern South America (Sasa et al. 2009, Saldarriaga-Córdoba et al. 2017). The species exhibits cryptic habits and adapts very well to disturbed environments such as agricultural areas (Sasa et al. 2009). These features, added to its high prolificacy, make B. asper responsible for the highest snakebite incidence throughout its distribution (Sasa et al. 2009). It is not surprising that it is a snake of great medical importance that has monopolized epidemiological and toxicological studies in the region (Saldarriaga et al. 2003, Alape-Girón et al. 2008, Bravo-Vega et al. 2019). Some studies have found an ontogenetic


Beating of crdiac myocyte is elastic motion.The biomechanics characters of myocyte can be ob-tained through the analysis of theparticular points'movements.The algorithms such as logarithm-search and three-step-search are rely on an assumption that the matching error decreases monotnically as the searched point moves closer to the global potimum.But this assumption is far from reality and the algorithms may con-vere only to a local optimum.Genetic Algorithm(GA)is a kind of global optimum algorithm.An adaptive crossing operator and an adaptive mutating operator are proposed based on the classic GA.Using these opera-tors motion vector of the beating of cardiacmyocyte was detected.


The route choice behavior of toll route users and their perceived values of time (VOTs), which determine their choice of route, are critical in modeling the toll income stream of a proposed toll road. This is also fundamental in assessing the financial risks of the financiers of the toll road investment. Internationally, the most acceptable approach is to use individual choice or discrete choice models calibrated on the potential users' actual route choice or discrete choice models calibrated on the potential users' actual route choice behavior (revealed preference – RP) as well as their intended behavior (stated preference – SP). The VOT is subsequently used in network transport models such as EMME/2 and SATURN so that these models reflect the correct distribution of trips amongst alternative routes for each Origin-Destination (O-D) pair of the trip matrix. VOTs are therefore critical parameters in the trip assignment process and it is important that VOTs are estimated accurately. This chapter describes three value of time studies that were conducted for the purpose of two toll road studies in South Africa and one in India.


We present a linear-system solver that, given an -bysymmetric positive semi-definite, diagonally dominant matrix with non-zero entries and an -vector ,p roduces a vector within relative distance of the solution to in time ,w here is the log of the ratio of the largest to smallest non-zero entry of . If the graph of has genus or does not have a minor, then the exponent of can be improved to the minimum of and . The key contribution of our work is an extension of Vaidya's techniques for constructing and analyzing combinatorial preconditioners.


Due to rapid increase of wireless users and the popularity of multimedia applications, the demand for wireless spectrum is increasing rapidly. However, due to current static spectrum policy, the available usable spectrum is becoming scarce while a significant amount of spectrum remains underutilized. In this aspect, cognitive communications can be considered as a promising technology to enhance spectrum usage efficiency by allowing the coexistence of heterogeneous networks within the same spectrum. In this paper, starting with the rationale of cognitive communication, we present two different coexistence scenarios in the context of satellite cognitive communication. We then present the current status of spectrum regulation in the context of Cognitive Radio (CR) and the relevant decisions of World Radio Conference 2012 (WRC-12). Finally, we present the technical aspects and regulatory challenges of this technology and provide some suggestions from research, industrial and regulatory perspectives.


The preparation of low-molecular-weight chitosan with cellulase was studied.The effects of different conditions on the degradation of chitosan were investigated.The optimum degradation conditions of cellulase were as follows: pH4.0~8.0, 40~55 ℃,the ratio of chitosan to cellulase is 5∶1~20∶1.On the condition of pH5.0,50 ℃ and the 10∶1(the ratio of chitosan to cellulase),chitosan was degraded for 5 minutes,30minutes,60 minutes and 240 minutes respectively,its average molecular weight was about 8.58×104、7.02×104、5.23×104 and 2.44×104.Compared with chitosan of average molecular weight 5.18×105 before enzymatic degradation,cellulase had relatively apparent effect on degradation.The rates of degradation were 16.5%、13.5%、10.9% and 4.7% in contrast to the initial molecular weight.From degradation some traits can be concluded in the course of enzymatic degradation: the viscidity of solution declines quickly in the initial stage of hydrolysis,which suggests that cellulase functions by the way of endo-cut;Increasing the concentration of enzyme will increase the speed of reaction.


© 2012 Wang et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Immunohistochemistry of Neuronal Apoptosis in Fatal Traumas: The Contribution of Forensic Molecular Pathology in Medical Science


A three-dimensional finite difference model has been developed for the treatment of saturated-unsaturated transient flow in small nonhomogeneous, anisotropic geologic basins. The uniqueness of the model lies in its inclusion of the unsaturated zone in a basin wide model that can also handle both confined and unconfined saturated aquifers, under both natural and developed conditions. The integrated equation of flow is solved by the line successive overrelaxation technique. The model allows any generalized region shape and any configuration of time variant boundary conditions. When applied to natural flow systems, the model provides quantitative hydrographs of surface infiltration, groundwater recharge, water table depth, and stream base flow. Results of simulations for hypothetical basins provide insight into the mechanisms involved in the development of perched water tables. The unsaturated basin response is identified as the controlling factor in determining the nature of the base flow hydrograph. Application of the model to developed basins allows one to simulate not only the manner in which groundwater withdrawals are transmitted through the aquifers, but also the changes in the rates of groundwater recharge and discharge induced by the withdrawals. For any proposed pumping pattern, it is possible to predict the maximum basin yield that can be sustained by a flow system in equilibrium with the recharge-discharge characteristics of the basin.


A new species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler is described from Yunnan Province, China. The new species closely resembles G. prasinum (Blyth), but it is differentiated from the latter species by the following characters: precloacal plate divided, iris blue and inside of mouth greyish-white in life. Based on phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data, the new species is recovered as the sister species to G. prasinum by Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses. The uncorrected pairwise distance between the new species and other species of the genus Gonyosoma ranged from 11.78% to 17.07% calculated using the mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence. This discovery increases the number of Gonyosoma species to seven.


【Objective】The purpose of this study was to investigate the real-time dose monitoring in X-ray total body irradiation (TBI). 【Methods】For 23 cases,the multi-channel semiconductor dosimeter was used for real-time monitoring during X-ray TBI. And the output stability of the linac was monitored by Farmer dosimeter. 【Results】 The results showed a very good agreements between the prescribed dose and the dose mearsured by semiconductor dosimeter. The dose uniformity of each part well met clinical requirements,and the dose of lung was at the accept-able level. The dose output could remain stable for a long time as monitored by Farmer dosimeter,and the maximum deviation between the predicted data and which in the TBI data acquisition was 2%. 【Conclusion】In TBI,multi-channel semiconductor dosimeter was suitable for real-time dose monitoring,and Farmer dosimeter can be used as a powerful tool for monitoring the output stability.


Job satisfaction in an organization plays an important part in employees' performance. It has connection with commitment and work atmosphere in the organization. With referrence to the previous study  on the issue within office of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, there seem to exist problems in the issue. The paper further makes an account of job satisfaction in the organization. Using quantitative method, the finding of the study is that work atmosphere plays more significant part in maintaining job satisfaction among the employees of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs than that contributed by commitment. Keywords : Organization's commitment, work atmosphere, employees' job satisfaction


With this approach, relatively large and complex PCB designs are required to meet all of the spacing and layout requirements of the drivers and discrete power devices combination. Another equally perplexing problem is maintaining consistent performance and reliability when the characteristics of the drivers and power devices are not properly matched. An alternative solution to these problems is to use an integrated power module that contains all the required power devices along with matched gate drivers and protective functions integrated in low-voltage and high-voltage ICs (LVIC & HVIC). Finally, the fully integrated package solution allows to decrease the stock handling and reduces the assembling time compared to a discrete solution.


The literature which compared spatial task performance of blind and sighted subjects was analyzed using a meta-analytic approach. Effect sizes were computed for comparisons between early versus late onset visually impaired subjects, early onset versus sighted, late onset versus sighted, and mixed onset versus sighted. The results are based on 47 studies that analyzed the spatial task performance of 1,289 sighted subjects, 691 early onset subjects, 183 late onset, and 657 mixed onset. The early onset group generally showed poorer performance in comparisons with either the late onset or the sighted groups. Comparisons involving the mixed onset group showed inconsistent results. This finding is discussed in light of the need to more exactly specify the variable of age of onset. The findings from this study synthesize the past research efforts in this field. Suggestions for a future research agenda include a shift toward examining within group differences among visually impaired persons.


Time-dependent-change of flowability of fresh concrete is very important for developping concrete practice design method. In this study, in order to develop a predicting method of the change of viscosity for cement paste used polycarboxylate based superplasticizer referencing Hattori-Izumi theory, time-depending-change test of cement paste was carried out. The main factors of this experiment was type of powder. For lime powder which is not active powder, viscosity kept steady with time. It was considered that this result was what the theory of potential had expected. On the other hand, viscosity changed with time for ordinary portland cement which was chemically active powder. A prediction model of time-dependent-change of viscosity for cement paste was developped assuming apparatus potential energy between two cement particle from experimental test result. It was considered that the model could predict viscosity-change for temperature effect and for using high early strength cement on the whole.


History of Technology (ICOHTEC) was "A History of Technology for an Age of Crisis." Discussing crises was highly attractive for many scholars, and two-thirds of the papers covered this theme. Such a focused conference is unique in the history of ICOHTEC, known for developing topics by organizing sessions at meetings every year.1 The symposium was scheduled at Eindhoven University of Technology, a center of research for the history of technology in Europe. The Program Committee received and evaluated more than two hundred paper proposals.2 After the committee, chaired by Stefan Poser, had almost completed preparations for the entire event, the COVID-19 crisis forced us to find another solution for this conference. The local organizers invited us to be one of the first international conferences in the humanities to go digi-


A series of spall experiments has been completed with thin depleted uranium targets, nominally 0.1 mm thick. The first set of uranium spall targets was cut and ground to final thickness from electro-refined, high-purity, cast uranium. The second set was rolled to final thickness from low purity uranium. The impactors for these experiments were laser-launched 0.05-mm thick copper flyers, 3 mm in diameter. Laser energies were varied to yield a range of flyer impact velocities. This resulted in varying degrees of damage to the uranium spall targets, from deformation to complete spall or separation at the higher velocities. Dynamic measurements of the uranium target free surface velocities were obtained with dual velocity interferometers. Uranium targets were recovered and sectioned after testing. Free surface velocity profiles were similar for the two types of uranium, but spall strengths (estimated from the magnitude of the pull-back signal) are higher for the high-purity cast uranium. Velocity profiles and microstructural evidence of spall from the sectioned uranium targets are presented.


We present a minimal model for the quantum evolution of matter under the influence of classical gravity in the Newtonian limit. Based on a continuous measurement-feedback channel that acts simultaneously on all constituent masses of a given quantum system, the model scales and applies consistently to arbitrary mass densities, and it recovers the classical Newton force between macroscopic masses. The concomitant loss of coherence is set by a model parameter, does not depend on mass, and can thus be confined to unobservable time scales for micro- and macroscopic systems alike. The model can be probed in high-precision matter-wave interferometry, and ultimately tested in recently proposed optomechanical quantum gravity experiments.


Most of the tools available for monitoring multicast have only marginal utility in today's multicast infrastructure. These tools lack the ability to handle the latest routing protocols because they rely on application layer data like the Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP). Our goal is to develop a system that monitors multicast at the network layer; that can provide functionality for all of the network management tasks; and that can be easily extended to monitor the evolving set of multicast protocols. To this end, we have developed Mantra, a tool for collecting data from multicast routers, analyzing the collected data and presenting realtime results. Using collected data, Mantra creates interactive graphs depicting the state of the multicast infrastructure. Results from Mantra are being used to monitor multicast usage and deployment, as well as routing protocol deployment and performance. In addition, the results are being used to detect common anomalies and to troubleshoot frequent routing problems. In this paper, we discuss the issues related to multicast monitoring, describe the existing efforts in the field and present the design of Mantra. In addition, we present results based on data collected over a 6 months period by monitoring the multicast traffic at two points: (1) at the Federal IntereXchange-West (FIXW) router, and (2) an on-campus router.


Objective To understand epidemiological characteristics of malaria cases reported in Shanghai, so as to provide scientific evidence for better prevention and control of malaria. Methods The data of malaria reported in Shanghai during 2016-2019 were collected from the Information Management System for Infection Disease Report and Information Management System for Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, and the clinical manifestation, diagnosis and treatment were collected and statistically analyzed by SPSS22.0. Results Totally 183 malaria cases were reported in Shanghai during 2016–2019, all of them were laboratory confirmed cases, including 139 P.falciparum cases (76.0%), 23 P.ovale cases (12.6%), 11 P. vivax cases (6.0%), and 10 P. malariae cases (5.5%). All the cases were imported from Africa ( n =178, 97.3%) and southeast Asian ( n =5, 2.73%). Most of the cases fell into the age range of 30-<40 years ( n =59, 32.2%) with a male-to-female ratio of 10.4:1. There were significant differences ( P <0.01) in the rate of misdiagnosis and the rate of over 3 days diagnosis between severe malaria (51.6%, 16/31; 38.7%, 12/31) and non-severe malaria (27.0%, 41/152; 13.8%, 21/152). One severe malaria case was finally dead. Conclusions Imported cases were still existed in Shanghai after malaria elimination. Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis were the main factors for the occurrence of severe malaria. It is suggested to carry out health education, active screening and skill training of diagnosis and treatment to achieve "early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment", so as to avoid the occurrence of malaria deaths. 摘要:目的 了解上海市疟疾消除后的流行病学特征, 为制订输人性疟疾的防控策略和措施提供依据。 方法 收集 2016—2019 年上海市疟疾疫情信息和疟疾病例个案调査资料, 采用SPSS22.0统计软件对疟疾病例的流行特征与感 染诊治情况进行统计分析。 结果 2016—2019 年上海市共报告疟疾183例, 均为实验室确诊病例, 其中恶性疟139 例 (占 76.0%), 卵形疟 23 例 (占 12.6%), 间日疟11例 (占6.0%), 三日疟 10 例 (占 5.5%)。所有病例均为境外输人, 分别来 自非洲 (178 例, 占 97.3%)和东南亚(5例, 占 2.7%)。病例的男女性别比为 10.4:1, 年龄 30~<40 岁 (59 例, 占 32.2%)。重 症疟疾的初诊误诊比例 51.6% (16/31) 和超过 3d 确诊比例 38.7% (12/31) 与非重症疟疾的 27.0% (41/152)、13.8% (21/152) 的差异均有统计学意义 ( P <0.01), 1 例重症病例导致死亡。 结论 疟疾消除以后上海市仍然面临境外输人的风 险, 首诊误诊和确诊时间延迟是重症疟疾发生的主要影响因素。建议有针对性地开展风险人群健康宣教、主动筛査以 及诊疗技能培训, 做到"早发现、早诊断、早治疗", 避免疟疾死亡病例的发生。


A review is preserted on the question: can the electron neutrino and the muon neutrino be conceived as different states of a single elementary particle or not? (tr-auth)


In fixed guideway transit with established station stops, the propulsion energy can be reduced by grading the guideway downward on leaving the station (using gravity to assist in the acceleration) and grading upward on arrival at the next station (again using gravity, but this time to assist in the braking). A computerized conceptual cost model has been developed incorporating parameters relating to required elevated structures and required dynamical considerations. The increase in total cost required to construct a station stop at a given elevation above the guideway level between stops is calculated by the computer program to be compared with the resultant decrease in energy consumed in acceleration and deceleration. Because today's costs are extremely uncertain, unit costs are input by the user to determine the increased construction and operating costs and the resultant energy savings. The program outputs suggestions for structural design and associated cost data. (GRA)


e17065 Background: The Phase 3 VISION and TheraP trials excluded men with Hgb≤ 9 g/dL or blood transfusion within 30 days of Lu-177. Patients (pts) with mCRPC who are eligible for Lu-177 are often pancytopenic due to marrow infiltration and previous cytotoxic therapy. Clinicians are often faced with the dilemma of packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (Tx) to meet "eligibility requirements" of Lu-177. The impact of low Hgb levels on treatment (trt) outcomes is unclear. Methods: We retrospectively identified pts with mCRPC who received at least one cycle of Lu-177 between July 2022 and January 2023 at a single institution. Demographic, disease, laboratory and trt characteristics were recorded. Pts with Hgb level ≤10 g/dL or who received RBC Tx up to 14 days prior to the first Lu-177 dose were compared to pts with a pre-trt Hgb level ≥10 g/dL and no prior PRBC Tx. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Time to trt discontinuation was defined as the time from the first Lu-177 cycle until progressive disease per treating physician (clinical, radiographic, PSA progression) or adverse effect necessitating cessation and compared using the Kaplan Meier method. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were utilized to assess the association of Hgb ≤ or ≥ 10 g/dL on the risk of trt discontinuation. Results: 51 pts were included, median follow up was 5.75 months, median age 70 years, 90% Caucasian. 49% (n = 25) had Gleason 9 /10 disease. Median number of prior trt was 4. 94% (n = 48), received prior docetaxel and 39% (n = 20) received prior cabazitaxel. 27% (n = 14) of pts had either Hgb≤10 or received a RBC Tx prior to trt. Of these, 50% of pts (n = 7) had stopped Lu-177 prior to completion of 6 cycles. Median number of cycles was 3. Reasons for trt cessation included clinical decline (n = 4), PSA or radiographic disease progression (n = 2), cytopenia (n = 1). Of pts who had Hgb ≥10 (n = 37), most (86%) are in ongoing trt, 11% (n = 4) have stopped trt due to progressive disease, 1 pt died. Pts with Hgb≤10 had a shorter time to trt discontinuation, 4.5 months (95% CI: 4.43- NA) vs not reached for those with Hgb≥10, p = 0.004 and an increased risk of trt discontinuation HR = 1.65 (95% CI: 1.53-18.09, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Pre-trt Hgb≤10 g/dL may be associated with worse outcomes in pts with mCRPC undergoing trt with Lu-177 and caution should be exercised. A larger data set and longer follow up is needed to further investigate outcomes in this pt population. Multivariable analysis is planned. [Table: see text]


Author for correspondence: Denisa Pirscoveanu, Neurology Department, Neuropsychiatry Clinical Hospital, Medicine and Pharmacy University, 129 Calea Bucuresti, Craiova, Zip Code 200620, Romania email: email@example.com The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines the neuropathic pain as "pain resulting from disease or damage of the peripheral or central nervous system, and from dysfunction of the nervous system". Pain can occur after injuries at any level of the nervous system: peripheral, central or autonomic. The sympathetic nervous system may be also affected, causing sympathetically maintained pain.


City governments are actively involved in enhancing the development potential of their territories. They mobilize public capital to influence development. In this article, a conceptual framework is constructed around two factors that trigger the mobilization of public capital: (1) a perception of imbalance between a city's competitive tax burden and service-delivery levels and (2) city officials' vision of the appropriate place for their city amid what they consider to be relevant cities. Trigger mechanisms produce four city-level orientations to development that are labeled survivalist, market, expansionist, and maintenance. In an application of the conceptual framework, data are presented from representative cities.


In Canada, as in many other countries, the traditional reliance on government for the provision of most transportation infrastructure is being questioned. New possibiities for private ownership and operation of infrastructure are being explored. Governments are looking at the potential to contract out various acitivites, and to transfer management responsibilities to public agencies or independent authorities. In this paper the researchers examine a number of alternative ownership and organizational arrangements for roads and airports. A main focus is on the two main competing alternatives of public and private provision. (A)


This thesis explores several topics related to agricultural commodities. It is comprised of three empirical chapters:
In Chapter 2, we show the validity of investing capital in fertilizer mining companies, both from a market return perspective for individual or institutional investors, and from a hedging standpoint for insurance companies and other economic actors exposed to inflation risk and high agricultural commodity prices. First, we explore the relationship between corn, wheat, and fertilizers, showing how price spikes in corn and wheat, followed by a price spike in fertilizers, made fertilizers visible to investors for the first time. We then analyse an exhaustive sample of listed fertilizer-mining companies and look at the sensitivities of their stocks to agricultural indexes and the fertilizer index in order to better explain the high returns they offered at the time of the first food crisis.
Chapter 3 focuses on corn and wheat and is twofold. Firstly, we argue that the coefficient of variation and standard deviation of prices are more informative measures of uncertainty than the volatility of returns, since it is food prices and their "volatility" that matter for the survival of human beings. Secondly, we compare the quality of future price prediction provided by individual forward contracts with the geometric average of the forward curve introduced by Borovkova and Geman (2006). We find that the average value of the forward [...]


by to in on can their level of trust using either a component-specific or a system-wide trust This study tests these two theories. 36 participants monitored two gauges, each with an automated aid at different reliability levels, while engaged in a pursuit tracking task that simulated an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission flight. The data suggest that participants do not evaluate the reliability of each gauge independently (i.e. component-specific trust), but instead combine their experience from each automation aid and derive one overall perceived reliability value for the entire system consistent with the system-wide trust hypothesis.


The National College for Teaching and Leadership has selected 152 National Leaders of Governance (NLG) from over 24,000 schools in England, highly ...


Personality Disorder is a mental health disorder recognized by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Mental Disorders Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Personality Disorder refers to personality characteristics that, for a prolonged period, are maladaptive, inflexible, and pervasive in many contexts, causing severe discomfort and disability. The study was DSM-5 lists three clusters of personality disorders with ten specific disorders in those categories. An adolescent must meet the DSM-5 requirements to be diagnosed with a personality disorder. The primary aim of this article is to review research documenting the underlying mental health problems in personality disorders amongst adolescents and, to evaluate research on potential intervention


Vikings capture our imagination like few other cultures. But what do we really know of them beyond the stereotype of warriors and seafarers? Modern research paints a much more complex picture of their times. Curators Gunnar Andersson and Kerstin O Naverskold and associate professor Frederik Svanberg, from the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm, look at social relationships, craftsmanship and other aspects of Norse culture as examined in our exhibition Vikings - Beyond the legend.


We investigated the potential of tailings generated from chrysotile asbestos fiber production as a source of iron, nonferrous metals, and gold. We proposed the use of granulometric separation and systematically examined different enrichment processes, namely magnetic separation, gravity concentration, and enrichment using a Knelson concentrator, to extract the valuable components. The characterization of the initial tailing samples revealed that it comprises primarily of serpentine, brucite, antigorite, hematite, vustite, sillimanite, and magnesium oxide. Using the suggested enrichment process, we isolated gold, chromite, and nickel-cobalt concentrates as valuable products in addition to magnetite. The new approach exhibited high separation efficiency for iron, nonferrous metals, and gold, allowing their satisfactory extraction.


The Nasaruvaalik Island field station in the high Arctic was established to facilitate research and monitoring on rare seabird species, largely to meet regulatory obligations defined in Canada's Species At Risk Act. After building a small research facility at the site, investigations have not only shed new insights on at-risk seabirds, but have: 1) provided new insights into movements and annual habitat needs of other ground-nesting seabirds; 2) shown effects of weather on seabird breeding effort and success; 3) determined contaminant concentrations in species that have generally been overlooked in Arctic pollution monitoring; and 4) have captured trends in local breeding populations that appear to mirror region-wide trends. However, the future of monitoring at the site is unclear, as safety concerns, considerations of new approaches to Arctic research, and monitoring priorities in a time of multiple environmental stressors may be shifting.


Abstract Structural peculiarities of the rod-like micelles in lyotropic liquid crystalline nematic-calamitic and hexagonal mesophases have been investigated. The lengths, the parameters of anisometricity, the form factors and the volumes of these micelles have been determined. The method of the electrical conductivity anisotropy in the orientational shear flow has been used. The rod-like micelles of nematic-calamitic and hexagonal mesophases were considered as the prolonged ellipsoids.


In 1984, the same year that scholars were gathering at Cornell University to theorise 'Nuclear Criticism,' Amiri Baraka was formulating his own version of nuclear futurity in Primitive World: An Anti-Nuclear Jazz Musical. Baraka's musical manifests and conceptualises atomic afrofuturism, a historically specific affirmation of black existence that was forged while facing nuclear apocalypse. Nuclear Criticism, which lost much of its exigency after the end of the Cold War, needs to evolve to account for the present nuclear era, as its focus on totalities leaves it ill-equipped for incorporating the disparate lived experiences of those who have already experienced the apocalypse and for whom nuclear apocalypse is a repetition or extension of white supremacy's agenda of extinction. This article offers a genealogy of atomic afrofuturism, examining how throughout the cold war period African American artists like Sun Ra, Langston Hughes and Amiri Baraka were exploring the post-apocalyptic conditions of black existence, including its conflicting temporalities and tenses, while much of America still believed the apocalypse was imminent, not immanent. And so it is Derrida's anti-apocalyptic missives together with Baraka's anti-nuclear musical that can offer the framework Nuclear Criticism so desperately desires for imagining the unimaginable.


Wire ropes are widely applied in the storage and transportation projects of oil and gas. The elasticity coefficient is an important natural parameter of the wire rope, Europe and former Soviet Union have many researches about this question, through experimental methods,they obtained the calculation formula of elasticity coefficient. This article quotes the concept of equivalent elasticity coefficient and according to the length calculation formula of the hanged rope, theoretically infers the calculation formula about the amount of deflection influencing the wire rope elasticity coefficient. The process of this equation inferred not only is simple, but also can correctly compute the influence of the amount of deflection to the elasticity coefficient of the wire rope.


FIELD: chemistry. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method for producing 5-aminolevulinic acid methyl ester hydrochloride. The method comprises etherification of 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride by methanol and involves 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride boiling in methanol in the presence of 3A or 4A aluminosilicate molecular sieves, dried at 300-350°C prior to the reaction. EFFECT: method for producing 5-aminolevulinic acid methyl ester hydrochloride, simplified and more eco-friendly process, achieved high conversion, high yield of the target product. 7 cl, 10 ex


Article is devoted to urgent issues of the functional features of the organism young basketball players in the dynamics of the training session accordingly changes the values of heart rate based on the level of biological maturation of their organism.


Frequency of controlled impedance of the coaxial probe assembly of spring-loaded in the insulating housing or the conductive housing. Comprising a central contact to float in a fixed or axially controlled impedance of the connector body or the assembly high frequency coaxial probe assembly. The head of the probe contacts, create a fixed or axially floating reference plane or spatial projecting therefrom through the controlled impedance connector body and snapped into place on the controlled impedance connector body or assembly retained the ground contacts elastically deformable fixed or field replaceable and removable with flexibility. Individual coaxial probe assembly of controlled impedance at high frequency, when it is opposed to planar devices such as DUT board has become spring loaded to provide continuous axial signal contacts. Elastically deformable in flexible, fixed or field replaceable grounding contacts, to provide a continuous wiping action resilient. The wiping action removes oxides or material from the surface of the conductive element forming a ground plane of the planar devices. Thus, minimizing the total ground loop between the outflow current path and the return current path, whereby, while reducing the inductance, contact between conductive elements forming a ground plane on the planar device is ensured.


Abstract Wavelet bases subject to various homogeneous boundary conditions on an interval are constructed. They are obtained from Daubechies′ compactly supported wavelets which are restricted to the interval following an idea by Y. Meyer and then, suitably modified. The Sobolev spaces arising from homogeneous boundary problems are characterized in terms of wavelet coefficients in these bases.


In the Eritrean school system, corporal punishment is officially banned, but teachers and principals are often observed using it. There is lack of empirical evidence about the disciplining techniques employed by teachers and school administrators in the literature representing the Eritrean context. However, students and parents complain about the way teachers and school leadership attempt to discipline students. The paper explored the repertoires of strategies schools employ to handle students' misbehaviors and alternative mechanisms of disciplining to positively influence misbehaving students. The study used cross-sectional survey research method combining qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The study involved 513 participants comprising school management team, teachers, students, members of parent-teacher association, school discipline committee from five schools and college graduating students. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from multiple sources of information through questionnaire, interview and focus group discussions. In addition, experiential data were gathered in a field work of school based observation and relevant secondary data. The results are thematically presented following the major research questions. The main "disciplining techniques teachers and school principals use in school compounds are discussed in detail. The findings show that the disciplining techniques employed in the schools are corporal punishments that reflect the teachers' and principals' aggression rather than wisely guiding and disciplining misbehaving students. the of misbehaving to of (right). a participants a to


Tailings ponds are an integral part of oil sands mining development in northeastern Alberta, but waterfowl and shorebirds often land in these ponds during spring migration where they may become covered with oil. For decades, managers have developed and implemented methods for deterring birds from landing in these ponds, yet no deterrent strategy is fully effective. Therefore, to enhance deterrence strategies, it will be important to understand the environmental conditions that influence bird use of tailings ponds. This study quantified waterfowl flights over, and use of, tailings ponds and compared this use to waterfowl activity at natural waterbodies in the region over a single spring migration period. Results suggest that waterfowl are most likely to land on tailings ponds before lakes have thawed, after which migratory ducks appeared mainly to use natural waterbodies for migratory stopover sites. Very high numbers of waterfowl were observed on one waterbody, Kearl Lake, suggesting that this lake may be of greater importance to spring staging waterfowl than previously thought. A small sample of birds oiled at tailings ponds were examined in relation to spring weather conditions. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the probability of birds being oiled tended to increase with precipitation levels. Results of this study suggest that (1) preservation of natural waterbodies may play an important role in minimizing bird use of tailings ponds, and (2) future bird deterrence efforts should especially aim to deter birds during rainy weather conditions when birds may be more likely to become oiled. These results were from a small sample size, are preliminary in nature, and should be interpreted with caution. A concerted and careful effort to collect and thoroughly analyze long-term records of oiled birds may reveal important environmental effects predicting bird oiling events.


Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, ulcerating inflammatory skin disease. PG is often associated with systemic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Herein, we report a case of PG associated with ulcerative colitis successfully treated with infliximab. Our case report supports the efficacy of infliximab for refractory case of PG with IBD.


When the food poisoning bacteria Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium were treated with radiation (cobalt-60 r-rays) and heat (10 minutes at ), their sterilizing effect was revealed differently depending on the order of treatments. Post-irradiation heating showed a synergistic effect whereas pre-irradiation heating revealed the opposite effect and the effects differed slightly with heating temperature.


Aims: To conduct a systematic review of instruments for the clinical measurement of established and emerging addictions; and to determine whether these addictive behaviours are similarly conceptualised in clinical research. Methods: The analytic strategy employed comprised three steps: 1) major search engines were used to do an inventory of available psychometrically validated clinical instruments for assessing addictions; 2) an analytical grid was developed and validated, covering 21-parameters related to four conceptual categories: dependence (DSM-IV-TR), temperament (Cloninger and Zuckerman), social handicap (Fougeyrollas), and cognitive behaviour analysis (Beck); 3) all instruments were analysed and compared through the grid. Results: The method yielded 191 questionnaires covering 21 addictive behaviours. The most prevalent behaviours were those best represented in terms of number of questionnaires. The criteria categories most evaluated by the questionnaires were dependence and cognitive behaviour; temperament and social handicap were much less often considered. Patterns were generally similar in terms of parameters, whether questionnaires concerned substance or non-substance addictions. Conclusions: The measurement of addictions appears clinically cohesive, as determined by a validated analysis grid applied to an exhaustive set of questionnaires identified via a systematic literature review.


An adjustable hearing assistive device that automatically configures to the hearing needs of a user. The adjustable hearing assistive device can be in the form of a hearing aid that includes a presence activated sensor adapted to receive setting data, hearing processing circuitry adapted to receive sound and manipulate an audio signal, and a controller adapted to configure the processing circuitry in response to the setting data so that sound output to a user is in accordance with the hearing needs of the user. The setting data can include settings for a default mode of operation or temporary settings for use when the user is in a particular environment. Setting data can be provided by a hearing profile tag in the form of an RFID tag and the presence activated sensor can be an RFID reader.


The glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in two marine invertebrate molluscs such as Tridacna maxima and Perna viridis were analyzed. Both the species was found to contain variable amounts of GAGs in the form of heparin biomolecules as identified by metachromatic activity and agarose gel electrophoresis analysis. Anticoagulant property of the biomolecules was assessed by anti factor Xa activity. Their mole cular weight was estimated as 15000 and 9000 Daltons through GP C-HP LC. The 1H NMR analysis of heparin was used to predict binding sites of the heparin. Structural characteriz ation studies clearly demonstrated that heparin is the major GAGs constituents in the test animals.


Abstract Accreditation of analytical chemical laboratories is becoming a must in today's world. In the case of laboratories dealing with soil and plant analysis, it is not sufficient to tally with rules for accreditation only. Across‐border standardization and validation of analytical procedures as well as participation in international interlaboratory analytical studies, are also highly important if reproducible, comparable and mutually recognized results are to be reached. The way of working of some national and international organizations in the field of accreditation, standardization and validation is described. Furthermore a few interlaboratory analytical studies are discussed in some detail to give examples of this type of work.


Objective:To assess the relationship of cardiopulmonary exercise test(CPET)with 6 minutes' walk test(6MWT)and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)to exercise tolerance in patients with pulmonary embolism(PE).Methods:Cardiopulmonary exercise test on the bicycle ergometer,6 MWT and echocardiography were all performed in 17 treated pulmonary embolism patients(5 male,12 female).Results:(1)Six minutes' walk distance correlated with VO2peak(r=0.667,P0.01),while had no correlation with VO2AT and VE/VCO2 slope(r=0.458,r=-0.456,P0.05).(2)VO2peak VO2AT VE/VCO2 slope did not correlate with LVEF(r=0.435,r=0.357,r=-0.426,P0.05).Conclusion:6 MWT is an accurate and reliable assessment of exercise tolerance in patients with pulmonary embolism.


Several theoretical models have been proposed to explain household behavior, such as the unitary model, non-cooperative model, and cooperative model. These three models make different predictions about the provision of household public goods. By using both the Japanese tax reforms conducted in the 1990s as a quasi-natural experiment and Japanese panel data on household expenditure, I study how the within-household income distribution affects household public goods and discuss which model is most relevant. I find that the neutrality of the effect of the income distribution on household public goods does not hold, which shows the failure of the unitary model. I also find evidence that the non-cooperative model does not hold either. Finally, I argue that the observed data are consistent with the cooperative bargaining model.


The tangential k-Cauchy-Fueter operator and k-CF functions on the quaternionic Heisenberg group are quaternionic counterparts of the tangential CR operator ∂̄b and CR functions on the Heisenberg group in the theory of several complex variables. We analyze the operator b associated the tangential 2-Cauchy-Fueter operator and give its fundamental solution when the coefficients of the group satisfy the condition ∑n−1 l=0 al ̸= ± ∑n−1 l=0 |al|. As an application, we prove that the L-integrable 2-CF function space is trivial in this case. We also discuss the results for general k.


An inverse analysis utilizing the conjugate gradient method of minimization and adjoint equation is used successfully to solve the inverse problem in estimating the temperature‐dependent thermal conductivity of a composite material. No prior information is available on the functional form of the unknown thermal conductivity in the present study, thus, it is classified as the function estimation in inverse calculation. The accuracy of the inverse analysis is examined by using the simulated exact and inexact measurements that were obtained within the medium.


A 7-month-old intact male Maltese dog was presented with a 1.5-month history of glaucoma in the right eye (OD). Ophthalmic examinations revealed a corneal perforation with iris entrapment, corneal edema and neovascularization, and buphthalmos OD. Intraocular pressures were 33 mmHg OD and 19 mmHg in left eye (OS). The right eye was diagnosed with chronic glaucoma and corneal perforation with iris entrapment. Now that the eye was blind, implantation of intraocular silicone prosthesis (ISP) and conjunctival flap were elected to salvage the globe. The corneal perforation healed with the conjunctival pedicle flap and the cornea accommodated the ISP properly. A satisfactory cosmetic result was achieved without complications in the 15 months following the procedure. Therefore, this case report indicates the combined an ISP and a conjunctival flap would be an alternative for the treatment of glaucoma associated with corneal perforation in dogs.


A practical technique in determining the dynamic stresses in pipelines using finite element method is investigated by Moussa et al.. The authors propose to create an FEA model to excite the piping structure by a single concentrated harmonic force at its midspan with frequencies ranging from 0 to 160 Hz. The dynamic vibrating displacements are then determined as well as the von Mises stress at all elements. The displacement responses are as- sumed as if they were measured and are then used as input to excite the model. The von Mises stress in both cases ~ force input and motion input ! are compared together and plotted for different tested sections. For the case of a single displacement used as the loading source, the maximum differences are 0.0 and 9.4 percent for Sections 1 and 12, respectively ~ Fig. 2 of the paper ! . Here, the same pipeline structure is restudied using an analyti- cal approach as well as a user-oriented piping stress analysis soft-ware, CAESAR II. The results show that both approaches are nearly identical, but differ seriously from the aforementioned work. The piping model is described as follows:


The anthelmintic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Morinda citrifolia fruit (noni) was evaluated in chicken naturally infected by Ascaridia galli. The anthelmintic activity in vitro was determined in adult parasites. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts were used in the following concentrations: 1.69; 3.37; 6.74; 13.48 e 26.96 mg.mL –1 and 4.17; 8.34; 16.68; 33.36 and 66.72 mg.mL –1 , respectively. The anthelmintic activity in vivo was determined by the administration of 10 mL.kg –1 of the aqueous (50.1 mg.mL –1 ) and ethanolic (24.6 mg.mL –1 ) extracts during three consecutive days. Later the chickens were euthanized and necropsy was performed in order to count the remaining helminths. The data were analyzed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test. In the concentrations of 13.48 and 26.96 mg.mL –1 , the aqueous extract demonstrated mortality of 46.67 and 50%, respectively, there was a significative difference from the negative control (P 0.05). It follows that the anthelmintic activity of noni fruit test showed satisfactory results in vitro, there is a need for studies in higher concentrations in the in vivo test.


Reducing the particle size of AACC wheat bran decreased water-holding capacity, due, in part, to the collapse of its fiber matrix. Physical structure of commercial oat bran collapsed during manufacture and further grinding had limited effect. Physical structure of microcrystalline celluloses and guar gums did not differ between product types. The amount of water held by oat bran and microcrystalline cellulose was increased by reducing particle size. Water binding properties of guar gum were not affected. Physical structure of dietary fiber must be considered if water-binding properties are to be useful predictors of stool bulking efficiency.


The thymus is the largest lymphoid tissue of the human body, located in the superior mediastinum, growing until puberty and then involuting to nearly disappear around 18 years [1]. It can be affected by benign and malignant neoplasms. Thymolipoma, comprising 2–9% of thymic neoplasms, is a rare benign neoplasm of the thymus composed of mature adipose and thymic tissue [1]. Less than 200 cases had been reported in the literature by 2015 [2]. Although rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis for any anterior mediastinal mass with fat density. A 22-year-old man was admitted to Ghaem teaching hospital, Mashhad, Iran with 3 months history of dyspnea on exertion and chest heaviness. He had no other chest, constitutional symptoms or signs of autoimmune disorders. On physical examination the only abnormal finding was complete absence of vesicular breath sounds in the left hemithorax. Posteroanterior chest radiograph revealed a huge fat density obscuring the left heart and mediastinal border (Figure 1). Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a large mass (22 × 19 × 17 cm) with fat density admixed with soft tissue strands occupying the anterosuperior mediastinum extending to the left hemithorax (Figure 2). Laboratory tests were not remarkable. The patient was scheduled for surgical resection with a primary diagnosis of thymolipoma. Care was taken as regards malacia or external pressure of the left main bronchus. Partial sternotomy was accompanied with left thoracotomy through the fifth left intercostals space. The tumor (31 × 15 × 12 cm) resided left of the pericardium without any invasion to pericardial or lung tissue (Figure 3). Dehiscence of the tumor by blunt and sharp dissection was easily done with care about preservation of the left phrenic nerve. A large encapsulated tumor with a yellowish elastic surface and soft yellowish fatty tissue by incision was removed (Figure 4). Histopathological examination revealed mature adipose tissue and hyperplastic thymic structures with Hassel's corpuscles identified as a benign thymolipoma.