Environmental Monitoring Branch scientists evaluated two modeling methods used to compute fumigant buffer zone distances and their associated protection probabilities for specific pesticide applications: the whole field and maximum direction methods. Their findings are presented in the Department of Pesticide Regulation memorandum to Randy Segawa (Barry and Johnson 2007). The scientists undertook this evaluation to clarify for risk managers critical differences between the two methods. This clarification is essential because the two modeling methods are based upon fundamentally different philosophies of risk mitigation-and the resultant buffer zones generated by each method are very different. However, the language used to describe the level of protection achieved by each is the same. This causes confusion over the meaning of "protection probability" and the expected degree of public protection provided by the buffer zones generated by the two methods. This is a very important issue for risk managers to carefully evaluate for themselves. At your request, I summarized the memorandum and conclusions for those individuals not conversant in modeling terminology. Background Buffer zones are computed by evaluating pesticide fumigant emissions (flux) under different meteorological conditions, and using this data to calculate air concentrations at different distances and directions around the field. From these calculations, buffer zone distances from the field are determined that provide a given probability that health threshold limits will not be exceeded. If, for example, that probability is 95%, the buffer zone is described as being 95% protective. However, this is where the methods sharply differ: "protection probability" means two completely different things for the two methods.


It is impossible for this industry, which makes a major contribution to the mining sector, to continue to exist unless new technology is developed to make mining economically feasible. This article describes the findings of a study conducted for a complete mining system in PT. X. Main objective of this study was to determine the optimal Pillar and Roof parameters for new mining technique with continuous miner, which was accomplished via simulation. The characteristics of the room and pillar mining systems were determined using the calculation formula and conditional thickness techniques, which ensured that the system would be stable over the long run. The techniques of computation that were employed produced outstanding results. The most significant of these techniques is the increase in coal output via continuous mining, although it is essential to keep an eye on the stability. The influence of the random variation of the actual room sizes on the stability of the immediate and main roofs is minimal and is not taken into account in the calculations of immediate and major roof stability. The results of the investigation revealed that the safety factor for the estimated room size of 8 and 10 m is insufficient. According to the geological circumstances, the values of dependency immediate roof critical with (IRCW) and pillar management are used in conjunction with each other. To create a two-dimensional (2D) model of the pillar panel with support design utilizing roof bolt technology, a great deal of work must be done. Therefore, the simulation is carried out at the eaves edge, where the greatest likelihood of roof collapse has been seen. To put it another way, it may be said that simulation is carried out before to the major collapse. An elasto – plastic model has been chosen for investigation, with input parameters including physico-mechanical characteristics, geo-mining conditions, roof bolt and grout qualities, and other variables. The instance of a depillaring panel in an underground coal mine has been selected for investigation. During mine operation, the axial force applied on the bolt is observed to produce the reported outcome. The data from instrumented rock bolts has been collected for the purpose of validating the model based on field observations. The highest axial load generated on the bolt in the model was found to be extremely similar to the maximum axial force measured on the bolt in the field.


Chiral iron compounds have been overlooked as potential catalysts in organic synthesis. However, advances in this area within the last decade have revealed only a small part of their potential. There is no doubt that in the near future this field will flourish and further expand to deliver useful processes that will enrich the pool of synthetic methodologies. The aim of this review is to summarize advances in development of enantioselective iron-complex catalyzed processes and their application in organic synthesis. These processes include oxidative coupling reactions electron-rich arenes, cycloaddition reactions of unsaturated compounds (e.g. Diels-Alder reaction, [3+2] and [4-4] cycloadditions), aldol reactions of silylated enol ethers, carbometallations of cycloalkenes, thia- and oxa-conjugated additions, Friedel-Crafts reaction, opening of small ring compounds (epoxides), oxidations (epoxidation, dihydroxylation, heteroatom oxidation, and kinetic resolution), reductions (carbonyl group reduction), and other processes (aziridination, carbene insertions).

Keywords:

iron catalysis;
enantioselective catalysis;
coupling reaction;
cycloaddition reaction;
aldol reaction;
carbometallation;
conjugated addition;
Friedel-Crafts reaction;
oxidation;
reduction;
carbenes


After having met in Europe (Driebergen, Netherlands 1972; Frankfurt, Federal German Republic 1974), Latin America (San Jose, Costa Rica 1976) and NorthAmerica (Maryknoll, USA 1978), the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS) was ready to leap into Asia. We will here provide only a few aspects of IAMS' first meeting in that continent. The full official report of the meeting in Bangalore will be published this year in a special issue of Missiology, while also Indian Missiological Review will give an extensive covering.


Objectives: To evaluate the natural history of traumatic conductive hearing loss. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Otologic and audiometric evaluations of patients in the early posttraumatic phase were compared with evaluations at follow-up. Assessment included etiologies of trauma, classification of hearing loss, factors causing conductive loss, and analyses of changes in air-bone gaps, pure-tone averages and hearing loss class. Results: There were 45 patients, representing 47 ears, with sufficient initial and follow-up documentation to analyze the natural history of traumatic conductive hearing loss. Overall, 77% of ears showed an improvement in pure-tone averages without surgical intervention. Air-bone gaps closed from an average of 24.8 ± 12.1 to 13.2 ± 11.1 dB. Only 11% of ears demonstrated a decrease in pure-tone averages, and 12% showed no change in thresholds. All forms of injury contributing to the conductive hearing loss had good outcomes. Specifically, tympanic membrane perforations showed final air-bone gaps of 14.9 ± 11.2 dB; cases of hemotympanum had final air-bone gaps of 10.0 ± 8.1 dB; and suspected ossicular chain disruptions had final air-bone gaps of 13.9 ± 12.3 dB. Only 5 of 47 ears ultimately required surgical intervention for persistent pathology. Conclusion: Patients with all forms of traumatic conductive hearing loss can be initially managed conservatively. Even suspected ossicular chain disruptions have a high rate of spontaneous reparation. Surgical intervention for perforation or conductive hearing loss should be undertaken in the rare cases when these conditions persist greater than 6 months.


A method for an image pickup apparatus picking up an object, comprising: a solid-state image pickup device (1), for photoelectrically converting an image light received; a switching unit (10) for the first and second modes of switch between, wherein a first mode in accordance with a frame n- (n: a natural number) is read in the solid-state image pickup device (1) image pickup mode the charge accumulated in the second mode in accordance with a field m- (m: a natural number) reading a charge pickup device (1) accumulated in the solid-state image, and used to read the charge on the charge vertically adjacent odd and the even charge summing the respective different combinations of m fields to output a sum image pickup mode results.


Abstract : Ground tests were performed to help characterize modes of interaction between the SPT-140 Hall thruster and spacecraft components. The experiments were performed at NASA Glenn Research Center and at the University of Michigan. Measurements were made of thruster plume current density, electromagnetic interference (EMl), and surface sputtering and contamination. Diagnostics included Faraday probes, collimated sputter/deposition targets, and radio-frequency detectors. Ion current density measurements showed exponential decay with off-axis angle up to approximately 30 degrees. At off-axis angles greater than 30 degrees, results varied with chamber background pressure, presumably due to ambient charge exchange plasma. Sputter rates of solar cell coverglass. Kapton, and RTV were accurately measured I in from the thruster exit for off-axis angles less than 60 degrees. At off-axis angles greater than 60 degrees, the sputter rate was on the order of the measurement uncertainty. EMI tests found very little emission in the traditional RF communication bands. At the lowest frequencies, one band of E-field emission (10kHz to 20MHz) was detected which exceeded the MIL-STD-461C specification by up to 53dB.


As one of the imaging manifestations of cerebral small vessel disease, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are very common in the elderly, and are closely related to motor dysfunction and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Due to the large pathological heterogeneity of WMHs, the current understanding and research on its occurrence and development mechanism is limited, so its prevention and treatment is still a difficult problem. Studies have shown that age and hypertension are the major risk factors for WMHs. This article reviews the effects of hypertension on WMHs and their progression and pathophysiological mechanisms, with a view to finding new strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of WMHs.

Key words:
Leukoaraiosis; Hypertension; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Blood-Brain Barrier


Abstract : The paper presents data obtained during the study of the effect of excess phases in the EI435 and EI4375 alloys on the process of recrystallization. A relationship was established of the recrystallization kinetics with the presence of particles of excess phases. It was found that the separation of the intermetallic phase and carbides before deformation increases the rate of formation of recrystallization centers. The decrease of the difference in the grain size after recrystallization annealing may be achieved by the preliminary heat treatment with retarded cooling. (Author)


A 45-year-old woman presented with a left breast mass. The painless solitary tumor was palpated in the A region of the left breast. Ultrasonography revealed an internally isoechoic mass with a regular margin. Mammography visualized a light spherous tumor with a smooth margin. Histopathologically, the excised specimen was 1.5×1.2cm in size and the section was milk-white in hue and hard. At low magnification, the tumor was relatively illdefined and localized but with no capsule. Mild compression of surrounding glandular ducts was also observed. At high magnification, smooth muscle fascicular or nerve fascicular structures were seen surrounding the ducts and framework. A biphasic pattern was clear in the duct itself and neither a cytological heterotype nucleus nor mytosis was seen in the duct and surrounding cells. Muscle-actin and α-smooth muscle actin staining showed strong positive responses in the cyto-plasms of tumor cells in the vicinity of the duct. These findings confirmed that this localized tumor, growing mainly in smooth muscle cells, was a muscular hamartoma.


The results of synchronization of estrus and ovulation by Ovsynch program, can be improved if stages of estrous cycles in cows are synchronized, through two administrations of PGF2α, before the administration the first dose of GnRH. The aim of our paper was to establish if the interval between the administration of two doses of PGF 2α influence the rates of conception/pregnancy after the Ovsynch synchronization program of the estrus and ovulation. The treatments of pre-synchronization with PGF2α were started in the interval postpartum 46-50 days. At the first lot of cows, the interval between two administrations of PGF 2α was 7 days; at the second lot, the interval between the two administrations of PGF 2α was 12 days and at the third lot the interval between two administrations of PGF 2α was 14 days. As a source of PGF2α, we used 2 ml Proliz (I. Pasteur, Bucharest România) (400 mcg Cloprostenol). At all the three groups, we started the Ovsynch program at 7 days after the last administration of PGF2α by administration of 100 mcg GnRH (Ovarelin), after 7 days we administered 400 mcg Cloprostenol, and after 48 hours we administered the last dose of 100 mcg GnRH. All females were inseminated at 16-20 hours after the last dose of GnRH. At the pre-synchronized cows with 2xPGF 2α, at interval of 7 days, the rate of conception was 81.43%, significantly higher (p˂0.05) than at the pre-syncronized cow at 12 or 14 days (71.15%, 71.64% respectively). With regard at the pregnancy rates were 70%, significantly higher (p˂0.05) compared with pre-synchronized cows at 12 or 14 days (55.77%, 56.72% respectively). Are not significant differences (p> 0.05) between the pre-syncrhonized cows at 12 or 14 days.


Objective: The objectives of the present study were to develop a tool to assess school-aged children's handwriting using Rasch analysis, testing the tool's reliability and validity. Methods: The development of the handwriting evaluation tool proceeded in Four steps namely, construction of assessment items, test for construct validity using Rasch analysis, and test for inter-rater reliability. In the first step, Preliminary items for handwriting evaluation were collected through literature search. In the second step, 17 items were constructed through expert survey, content validity survey and expert review. In the third step, In the final step, testing and scoring methods were determined. data were collected from 326 1st–6th grade children and a handwriting evaluation tool consisting of 16 items was developed based on the Rasch analysis results. Results: The following results were obtained. First, regarding subject fit and item fit examined through Rasch analysis, on the sentences of lower difficulty the number of misfit subjects were 13 and misfit items were reverse and the degree to which lines were smooth, while on the sentences of higher difficulty the number of misfit subjects were 11 and misfit item was the degree to which lines were smooth. Second, regarding item difficulty, the average subject ability was higher than the average item difficulty. The most difficult item was consistency in letter size, while the least difficult item was reverse. Third, the item reliability computed in the Rasch analysis was excellent, ranging from .96–.99, and the subject reliability was acceptable with a range of .69–.70. Conclusion: This study is significant since it is the first to develop a tool that takes the unique features of Hangul (Korean alphabet) into account and objectively assesses school-aged children's handwriting. We believe the study's findings will be useful for occupational therapists who assess and treat school-aged children's major task, handwriting.


The dynamics and structure of rotating homogeneous turbulence is investigated through the statistical properties of the 'perceived' velocity gradient tensor, defined by interpolation from the locations and velocities of a set of four particles. The results of direct numerical simulations of forced homogeneous rotating turbulence at different Rossby numbers are presented. We thus provide a multi-scale analysis of the dynamics of rotating turbulence and some of its important features. We present scaling laws for second- and third-order moments of the perceived velocity gradient tensor. We relate the distribution of the enstrophy and strain variance, and of their production terms, to the topology of the flow, thanks to conditional probability density functions. These quantities demonstrate the role played by the Zeman scale in the elementary processes of rotating turbulence, when compared to the scale at which the perceived velocity gradient tensor is measured.


Abstract— Mutual coupling in an array of different sized narrow rectangular waveguide slots embedded within an infinite PEC plane is estimated by computing the generalized admittance matrix, connecting the coefficients of the modal expansion of the magnetic field to the ones of the electric field. The generic element of the above matrix requires the numerical evaluation of a quadruple integral. In this paper a singularity cancellation approach is used to remove the singularity of the Green's function and the order of integration is reduced by a suitable changes of variables. In this way self and mutual admittances can be estimated by computing double integrals. A further approximation is introduced in order to compute the latter ones by single integrals saving computational time and resources. The results of such approach are then compared with the ones provided by a commercial numerical simulation tool showing good agreement.


In this study,Zhongyan-100 was chosen as the test materials.Four cultivation methods,straw mulch(JG),plastic film mulching(DM),the liquid plastic film mulching(YM) and open field cultivation(CK) cultivars were set up to evaluate the effect of mulching method on tobacco photosynthesis,fluorescent characteristic,water content of soil as well as the soil enzyme,etc.by using randomized block design in field conditions.The results show that photosynthesis rate under the plastic film covering(2.74 μmol/(m2·s)) was higher than that of the other treatments at the Mission stage.While after the Tip pruning stage,straw mulch treatment(2.85 μmol/(m2·s)) was best,the same trend can be observed between photosynthesis rate and fluorescent characteristic under the different cultivation methods.At the Mission stage,plastic film covering treatment improved soil enzyme activity significantly but the difference was little among the different mulch treatments;each enzyme activity under straw mulch treatment was higher significantly than the other treatment at Fast growing period and displayed consistency across the different soil layers.The difference was less between the mulching plastic cover and the fluid film mulch treatment,but three kind of mulch treatments were obviously higher than comparison treatment.The different mulch treatment can enhance the soil moisture content,but the difference varied a lot among the different mulch treatments.The effect performance is DMYMJGCK.Water content increased along with the depth of soil,but the difference among each mulching methods will became smaller at the 30-40 cm soil layer.In comparison,the best mulching was plastic in the earlier stage,while straw mulching was the optimal in the later stage.


Based on the case study of the word "Sandwich",the article probes into its origin,semantic extension and characteristics.A discussion is made on its semantic extension development,cognitive mental process,the changes in semantic orientation and socio-pragmatic psychology in combination with the semantic evolvement and the pragmatic characteristics of the word "Sandwich".


In this research a computer vision-based shape recognition system which combines an image projection and the back propagation neural network is proposed. The system uses the image projection and features of the projection histogram to represent the shape, and uses the back propagation neural network to classify the shape. In this research, a fast normalization scheme is developed which is especially designed for image projection and can also find the same projection axis no matter what the object's orientation. Therefore, the proposed system can be invariant to scale, translation, and orientation variations. This research finds that the direct representation scheme of the back propagation neural net has better accuracy than the binary coding representation scheme. This research also finds that the proposed system's classification accuracy is greater than 98.8% and its processing speed is also very fast. Therefore, the proposed system is feasible for use in shape classification, in practice.


We have constructed some main-sequence mergers from case A binary evolution and we have studied their characteristics using the stellar evolution code written by Eggleton. The values of both total mass and orbital angular momentum are conservative in our binary evolutions. Assuming that the matter from the secondary homogeneously mixes with the envelope of the primary and that no mass is lost from the system during the merger process, we found that some mergers might be on the left of the zero-age main sequence as defined by normal surface composition (i.e. helium content Y = 0.28 with metallicity Z = 0.02 for Population I) on a colour-magnitude diagram because of enhanced surface helium content. The study also shows that the central hydrogen content of the mergers is independent of mass. Our simple models can possibly explain a few blue stragglers observed on the left of zero-age main sequence in some clusters. However, the concentration towards the blue side of the main sequence with decreasing mass, as predicted by Sandquist et al., will not appear in our models. The products with little central hydrogen in our models are probably subgiants when they are formed, as the primaries in the progenitors also have little central hydrogen and will likely leave the main sequence during the merger process. As a consequence, we fit the formula of magnitude M-v and B-V of the mergers when they return to thermal equilibrium with maximum errors 0.29 and 0.037, respectively. Taking the above into account, we performed Monte Carlo simulations to examine our models in an old open cluster NGC 2682 and an intermediate-age cluster NGC 2660. The angular momentum loss (AML) of low-mass binaries is very important in NGC 2682, and its effect can be estimated in a simple way. In NGC 2682, binary mergers from our models cover the region with high luminosity and those from the AML are located in the region with low luminosity, which has a certain width. The blue stragglers from the AML are much more numerous than those from our models, indicating that the AML of low-mass binaries makes a major contribution to blue stragglers in this old cluster. Our models can account for several blue stragglers in NGC 2660. For the most likely region on the colour-magnitude diagram, however, no blue stragglers have yet been observed. Our results are well matched with the observations if there is similar to 0.5 M-circle dot of mass loss in the merger process; however, it is difficult to find a physical mechanism for this much mass loss.


For a class of analytic functions f(z) defined by Laplace-Stieltjes integrals the uniform convergence on compact subsets of the complex plane of the Bruwier series (B-series) @?^~"n"="0@l"n(f)(z-nc)^nn!, @l"n(f)=f^(^n^)(nc)+cf^(^n^+^1^)(nc), generated by f(z) and the uniform approximation of the generating function f(z) by its B-series in cones |argz|=<@f<@p2 is shown.


The CoII atom in the crystal structure of diaquabis(N,N-diethylnicotinamide)bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoato)cobalt(II) is located on an inversion centre and exhibits a slightly distorted octahedral N2O4 coordination set. Hydrogen bonds of the type O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network.


As the automotive industry moves toward the car of the future, technology companies are developing cutting-edge systems, in vehicle and out, that aim to make driving safer, more pleasant, and more convenient. While we are already seeing some successful video-based augmented reality (AR) auxiliary displays (e.g., center-mounted backup aid systems), the application opportunities of optical see-through AR as presented on a drivers' windshield are yet to be fully tapped; nor are the visual perceptual and attention challenges fully understood. As we race to field AR applications in transportation, we should first consider the perceptual and distraction issues that are known in both the AR and transportation communities, with a focus on the unique and intersecting aspects for driving applications. This paper describes the some opportunities and driver challenges associated with AR applications in the automotive domain. We first present a basic research space to assist in these inquiries, which delineates head-mounted from heads-up and center-mounted displays; video from optical see-through displays; and world-fixed from screen-fixed AR graphics. We then address benefits of AR related to primary, secondary, and tertiary driver tasks as well as driver perception and cognition challenges inherent in automotive AR systems.


Talangagung landfill is one of the zones that well managed by the government of Malang Regency which uses sanitary landfill method. Additionally, it's also succeeded in the utilization of methane gas which has already distributed to the residents around the landfill directly from the landfill zones for daily purposes. For a couple of years, the processing of municipal waste in Talangagung is quite well, however, the significant increase in the waste generation could lead to new management problems in the landfill. The prediction on the waste volume on next 20 years shows that the increased amount of waste volume soon or later will exceed the current capacity of landfill zones. The previous study about waste degradation shows the different time periods of degradation in various waste as fast as just about a month to more than 7 months. The simulation from this study shows that around 2004 require 2 landfill zones to use simultaneously. Hereafter, the prediction shows while in 2018 the landfill requires 3 zones used simultaneously, starts from 2025 there is necessary to use 4 zones simultaneously. Based on the simulation result, the landfill will overload in around 2026. The models in this study were validated with a small error of E1 about 2.33% and the error of E2 about 0.76%.


A 2870 g male infant was born at 36+1 weeks' gestation by cesarean section due to mild polyhydramnios and a non-reassuring cardiotocography. An ultrasound at 31 weeks demonstrated transient hyperechogenic fetal bowel (HFB).

At birth, the Apgar scores were 9 and 10. The abdominal examination was unremarkable.

He spontaneously passed meconium. After 20 hours, he developed left hemiabdominal distension with visible dilated bowel loop sign (figure 1) and bile-stained vomiting.

Figure 1
'Bowel loop sign' on abdominal wall due to a segmental intestinal dilatation.

Abdominal radiography showed …


Palm oil based trimethylolpropane (TMP) esters are potential biodegradable base stocks for environmentally friendly lubricants. To improve the low-temperature properties of palm oil based TMP esters, which are well below the requirements set by the lubricants' manufacturers, the high oleic content palm oil based TMP ester with a pour point between −10 and −32 °C was synthesized. The synthesis of palm oil polyol esters was performed by transesterification of fractionated palm oil methyl esters with TMP using sodium methoxide as a catalyst. Nearly complete conversion to palm TMP triesters (98% w/w) was obtained. The palm oil methyl esters were fractionated at 150−180 °C and 0.1 mbar prior to the synthesis to reduce the saturated fatty acid content. The fractionation and reaction took place using the same experimental setup. The effects of composition on pour points, viscosity, and viscosity index of the high oleic content palm oil based TMP esters were also evaluated. The concentration of C16:0 methyl ester...


The European Machine Vision Association took in the last years the initiative of developing a measurement and reporting standard for industrial image sensors and cameras called EMVA1288. Aphesa offers camera and sensors measurement services and test equipment according to this EMVA1288 standard. We have measured cameras of various kinds on our self-made test-equipment. This implementation and all the measurement sets require to go in the details of the standard and also show us how good it can be but also how difficult it can be. The purpose of this paper is to give feedback on the standard, based on our experience of implementers and users. We will see that some measurements are easily reproducible and can easily be implemented while others require more research on hardware, software and procedures and also that the results can sometimes have very little meaning. Our conclusion will be that the EMVA1288 standard is good and well suited for the measurement and characterization of image sensors and cameras for image processing applications but that it is hard for a newcomer to understand the produced data and properly use a test equipment. Developing a complete and compliant test equipment is also a difficult task.


Cutaneous lymphocyte‐associated antigen (CLA+) T cells are specialized for skin homing and represent the main T‐cell population in atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions. CLA+ is expressed on the surface of circulating CD45RO+ memory T cells and most skin‐infiltrating T cells. Mechanistic studies and thus treatment advancements are limited by the need of large number of skin biopsies. Circulating CLA+ T cells may be a reliable surrogate marker of the inflammatory events occurring in the skin, and thus, the evaluation of CLA+ T cells in the blood may eliminate the need for skin biopsies. Preliminary work in AD has established that disease‐associated T‐cell abnormalities can be approached by either a study of skin lesions or activated CLA+ T‐cell subsets in peripheral blood. Future studies in adults and children, across different skin disorders, correlating blood and skin phenotypes and determining skin‐homing T‐cell functional properties are needed to establish whether CLA+ memory subsets can be used as biomarkers and a substitute for skin biopsies. This review summarizes the latest advancements reached on circulating CLA+ in AD and the great potential they harbor in understanding AD mechanisms.


Grid graphs are popular testbeds for planning with incomplete information. In particular, it is studied a fundamental planning problem, localization, to investigate whether gridworlds make good testbeds for planning with incomplete information. It is found empirically that greedy planning methods that interleave planning and plan execution can localize robots very quickly on random gridworlds or mazes. Thus, they may not provide adequately challenging testbeds. On the other hand, it is showed that finding localization plans that are within a log factor of optimal is NP-hard. Thus there are instances of gridworlds on which all greedy planning methods perform very poorly. These theoretical results help empirical researchers to select appropriate planning methods for planning with incomplete information as well as testbeds to demonstrate them. However, for practical application of difficult instances we need a method for their fast decision. In this paper, we consider an approach to solve localization problem. In particular, we consider an explicit polynomial reduction from the decision version of the valid deterministic localization plan problem to the 3-satisfiability problem.


How to use fuzzy set theory to deal with vague observed data and to draw it out into recognition results is the main concern of fuzzy patter recognition. In this paper, we set up the mathematical model of pattern recognition by using fuzzy statistics. Moreover, we work out its computer programs. According to the demands: ″goals, classifiness, objectiveness, effectiveness″ which are made by Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Education, we apply the programs to the evaluation of items of research. This method not only overcomes the weakness of simplification and subjectivity during the process of the evaluation before but makes evaluation objective, just and reasonable, which is more easily operated.


A kinetic model for the pyrolysis and combustion of PVC and halogen-free electric wires has been obtained. One set of parameters can explain all the experiments at the different atmospheres and at the three different heating rates used. Thermal analysis of different parts of the cable, cover, insulation and conductive metal, both separately and combined, has allowed for understanding of the interaction between the different materials.


The actual financial crisis put the emphasis in the study of the financial market structure to avoid the international contagion risk or systemic risk. The development of new financial instruments are necessary and the financial innovation is important to promoting the economic growth. In order to design a sustainable finance system it is necessary the consideration of economic fundamentals together with the classical legal figures, because those concepts have the historical data that we could use and put together to promoting sustainable development. In a globalized economic system the design of new financial product must be build up with the development of strong fiscal policies. We can't ignore that emerging markets in modern times are explained, in part, by the greater similarity between the economic structures in many countries. And now, the emerging economies are better diversified and they engaged in more similar economic activities than they did in the past. The source of systemic risk today is not necessarily the source of systemic risk in the future. The increase in interbank connectivity creates more opportunities for financial development, but as the same time creates more opportunities for systemic risk contagion and transmission in the future.


Utilizing supported Au as a NRR catalyst to achieve both high ammonia yield and ideal faradaic efficiency under ambient conditions.


Introduction DMSO-based non-adhesive embolic devices nowadays are the mainstay of multimodality treatment for brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (Onyx) pioneered on the market and quickly became the unofficial gold standard for AVM embolization. Recently appeared polylactide-co-glycolide and polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate copolymer (PHIL) was thought as primary competitor for Onyx. But due to its different intrinsic properties in some cases PHIL may be a valuable addition rather than substitute. Hereby we want to present our experience in combined PHIL and Onyx AVM embolization. Materials and methods The group (n=8) consisted of 3 males and 5 females aged from 14 to 67 years old. 3 patients had hemorrhagic manifestation of the disease, 3 patients had secondary epilepsy and two patients had only a headache at presentation. The patients were graded by Spetzler-Martin as grade II (n=3), grade III (n=3) and grade IV (n=2). The principle of this technique is primary PHIL injection (aiming to occlude high-flow compartments) followed by slow delivery of Onyx into small-vessel relatively low-flow parts of the nidus via the same microcatheter. In 5 cases the technique has been implied as the first session of multi-stage treatment. In 4 of them complete occlusion was instantly achieved.Abstract E-082 Table 1 No Location Grade (SM) Presentation Stage Result 1 Left front. II Hemorrhage 1 Total 2 Right pariet. II Epilepsy 1 Total 3 Right occipit. II Headache 1 Total 4 Left occipit. IV Epilepsy 3 Total 5 Right pariet. III Epilepsy 2 ˜40% 6 Right ventric. III Hemorrhage 1 ˜30% 7 Right occipit. IV Headache 7 Subtotal ->SRS 8 Right temp. III Hemorrhage 1 Subtotal ->microsurgery Results No intraoperative complications were observed. There were two cases of postoperative complications: transient neurological deficiency and parenchymal hemorrhage that did not require surgery. In one case AVM related aneurysm required immediate clipping following complete nidus occlusion. By the results of histological examination of the removed nidus we can suppose that PHIL penetrates into lower caliber vessels in comparison with Onyx (see figure 1).Abstract E-082 Figure 1 Conclusion Combined injection of PHIL and Onyx via the same micro catheter is technically possible and safe. Proposed method has a potential to increase treatment radicality with similar complication risk, though due to low presented sample size further investigations are required. Due to the fact that precipitation of PHIL takes less times, there is a possibility that some parts may left non-embolized. Onyx, at the same time, penetrates those compartments with high radicality. Disclosures A. Tasenko: None. P. Seleznev: None. A. Moskalev: None. K. Orlov: None.


In order to solve the problems that the fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) error coefficients such as scale factor, installation error and bias are not stable in the calibration of strap-down inertial navigation system (SINS) caused by the angular position error of turntable and the turntable axis mutual misalignment error. Furthermore, an expensive and high precision turntable is commonly required to calibrate the parameters of inertial measurement unit (IMU). For the purpose of calibration, this paper proposes a FOG calibration method to solve these difficulties by using the artificial fish swarm algorithms (AFSA) based on different parameter type. The feasibility of the method is verified by simulation, and the experiment is operated by the FOG SINS, which is self-developed by our laboratory. The result shows that the AFSA is valid, feasible, both saving time, workload and costs for the error parameters calibration of FOG in SINS.


In the introduction to the 1977 print collection, Martin acknowledges the difficulties of Government enforced community living and identifies the therapeutic aspect of artistic production for the residents of Baker Lake. Includes a description of "Project Surname", a program implemented in 1972 to revise anglocized Inuit names. Brief biographical notes on the artists.


Abstract Bubbles generated in laser–metal interactions (LMI) at the transition from planar-to-volume boiling behave like hard (and soft) spheres. Micrographic analysis indicates that the surface layer of vaporizing metal, which comprises small microscale bubbles, behaves like a two-dimensional granular system. Bubble collision leads to bubble self-organization which changes with laser power density Qp, and falls into (i) the kinetic regime, (ii) the clustering regime, or (iii) the regime of inelastic collapse (when bubbles form chain-like clusters), in analogy with the results of numerical simulations of hard-sphere dynamics. At a certain power density, shock waves that travel over the surface become strong enough, so that the system of bubbles behaves like horizontally and vertically shaken granular material. Since bubbles in the vibrational process are decelerated, hydrodynamic forces deform them, causing them to stay coalesced after the collision, forming a cluster with plateau borders, which is actually metal foam. The results presented show the existence of various complexity levels in the self-organization of bubbles, their sensitivity to the variation of interaction parameters, and finally, they indicate some universal features of bubble system dynamics.


Infectious microbial diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Further, emergence of Multidrug resistance (MDR) in microbes has posed a critical concern for public healthcare and microbial therapeutics. Nano-based drug compositions might be ideal candidates to address the challenges of microbial drug resistance. Herein, we synthesized monodispersed, spherical ZnO quantum dots (QDs) of average diameter 5–6 nm as biosafe, nanomicrobicidal agent against MDR pathogens. The broad spectrum microbicidal potential of ZnO QDs was evaluated against Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) producing MDR isolates of E. coli (from UTI patients with resistance to antibiotics of different classes viz. third & fourth generation of cephalosporin, penicillin, monobactams, and quinolones) and MDR isolates of C. albicans (from three different AIDS patients who during therapy acquired drug resistance and sensitive isolates evolved into MDR strains). ZnO QDs exhibited dose dependent, broad spectrum microbicidal activity against all MDR isolates of E. coli and C. albicans. Highly reduced growth indicating highly reduced cell viability was observed in all MDR isolates of E. coli and C. albicans at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 200 μg/ ml ZnO QDs and the growth/ cell viability was further reduced in presence of 250 and 400 μg/ ml of ZnO QDs for E. coli and C. albicans, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, microbicidal potential of ZnO QDs against microbial strains exhibiting MDR for currently used drugs has not been studied. Results of present study indicate that ZnO QDs might be promising as next generation broad spectrum alternative for combating MDR in microbial pathogens.


Specific heat energy consumption for space and water heating in typical apartment buildings in Tallinn is described. Hot and cold water consumption data is presented and energy conservation measures in apartment buildings are considered.


In the processing of replacing the Venturi throat,there were cracks continually occuring in the welded seams as well as the base materials of the both ends of the lifting lug elbows,which caused it impossible to have the project continuing.In order to find out the causes that led to the welding cracks,researching was made,which was mainly for analysing the chemical constitution of the lifting lug elbow's materials and the metallurgical structure of the welding beams.For the cracking causes of the base materials and the weld beams,analyses were respectively made,including the methods of metallographic examination,chemical constitution analysing and penetrant inspection.And the results showed that the crackings of the base materials and the welded beams were the same nature,both caused by thermal stress.In welding state,as the content of carbon and copper was exceeding the set standard,the base materials cracked due to the brittleness.The lifting lug elbows of this batch are not acceptable,and shall not be used.


Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most important infections in renal transplant recipients. Kidney transplant is the last hope for the patients with end stage renal diseases. Cytomegalovirus infection can threaten patients and graft survival after transplantation. Four hundred and thirty‐four renal transplant recipients contributed to this study. PCR and RFLP analyses were performed in order to determine CMV viremia and its genotypes. CMV viremia was detected in 68 (15.9%) recipients. The mean post‐transplantation time in our recipients was 50 months, ranging from 1 to 354 months. Viremia was detected in 31.2%, 30.7%, 17.5%, 10.2%, and 6.4% of the recipients in 0–3, 4–6, 7–12, 13–24, and more than 24 months post‐transplantation, respectively. The distribution of gB1, gB2, gB3, and gB4 genotypes was detected as 26.5%, 20.5%, 17.6%, and 5.9%, respectively. Mixed genotype infection was observed in 29.4% of the recipients. Incidence of viremia was higher in the first 6 months after the transplantation compared with the later stages. Moreover, CMV gB1 and mixed genotype infection were more common in our recipients. J. Med. Virol. 88:1622–1627, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


The theme of the song is about Universal Primary Education (UPE) telling the parents to take their children to school. This is a song to disseminate information about UPE and to praise the National Resistance Movement government for introducing UPE in Uganda. It is performed at school functions.


The aim of the work was to study the effect of herbal supplements on the consumer properties of wafers. In this regard, the tasks of the study was to develop technology of production of flour from chicory root and rose hips powder, to study their influence on the consumer properties of wafers. It has been scientifically proven and experimentally confirmed the use of edible roots of chicory, rose hips, and fat-free lecithin in confectionery technology to improve the quality, nutritional value and to give the product functional properties.


Brian is a JPL Fellow and the Manager of the JPL Space Robotics Technologies Program at JPL since 2010. He a B.S. Physics and B.A. Mathematics, University of California at Santa Barbara (highest honors) (1973) and a M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California (1993). In the 1980s he worked as robotics engineer assigned to Mars Rover Sample Return Mission. Between 1985 and 2005 he was the Supervisor, JPL Robotic Vehicles Group, during which time the group was responsible for the development of the Sojourner Mars Rover electronics, on-board software, mission operations software tool development, and the actual mission operations of Sojourner. Group members continued in similar key roles on MER and MSL rovers. Between 1995 and 2003 he was the Principal Investigator of the Nanorover and Nanorover Outposts and from 2004 to present, the Principal Investigator of the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed, Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) which has six wheels on the ends of six limbs that can be used for general-purpose manipulation as well as extremeterrain mobility. He was awarded NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, for contributions to planetary rover research in 1992.


This report deals with the use of benzedrine sulphate solution in ampoules-kindly supplied by Messrs. Menley and James-in the cases of twelve children given a relatively larger dose of avertin than that employed by Michelsen and Verlot. Each child had received a dose of avertin equivalent to 0.16 gramme per kg. of body weight. Supplementary anaesthesia was necessary in six cases. All the patients except one (who received 5 mg.) were given 10 mg. of benzedrine sulphate dissolved in I c.cm. of distilled water. This was administered intravendusly immediately after the operation. The immediate reactions and the length of time before the child had recovered sufficiently to answer questions were noted, and the following observations were made: Immediate Respontse.-The patients usually roused a little after the injection of the benzedrine sulphate. Within a few minutes the corneal reflex was present and the patients tended to resist painful stimuli and moved about restlessly. Only one spoke just after the injection. She uttered a few unintelligible words and went off to sleep again. In the others there was no response even to shouting. Post-operative Sleep.-ln those patients who were sufficiently anaesthetized with avertin not to require additional inhalation anaesthetic the average duration of post-operative sleep was four hours. In those needing supplementary anaesthesia the average duration was two and a half hours. This represents a considerable reduction in post-operative unconsciousness as compared with cases not receiving benzedrine, the average time in these patients being six and three-quarter hours (Boyd, 1935). Contditioni of Patients.-Instead of the usual circulatory and respiratory depression after operation, characterized by pallor and shallow respiration, the patients were flushed, had a good respiratory excursion, and showed improved pulse volume and rise in blood pressure. Post-operative Vo,nitintg.-This was present in all cases but one, and was severe in 75 per cent., the patients retching all the evening and in some instances right into the next day. Of those given avertin alone five (82 per cent.) vomited. Vomiting occurred in all the cases in which avertin anaesthesia had to be supplemented. This is in marked contrast to control cases not given benzedrine sulphate: in these the figures for the unsupplerented and the supplemented anaesthesia were 9 per cent. and 17 per cent. respectively (Boyd, 1935). Two cases call for special mention. One, a girl aged 7 in preparation for appendicectomy, returned some of the avertin solution and was conscious while coming to the theatre. She was given open ether. Two minutes after the administration of the benzedrine sulphate, and before leaving the table, she vomited, and continued to vomit all the evening. She had recovered consciousness sufficiently to answer questions twenty minutes after the benzedrine was given. The other case was interesting in view of the fact that the previous week the patient had been given a similar anaesthetic but without the benzedrine. After the first operation he slept six hours, had no post-operative vomiting, and had a normal peaceful awakening. On the second occasion, after the benzedrine, he slept three hours only, was a little strange in manner on wakening, and vomited a lot all the evening.


The antitrust rules applied to vertical integration are well-established. Although vertical combinations can, in some circumstances, raise competitive issues, the integration of two firms at different levels of the production chain frequently brings significant efficiencies and benefits for consumers. As a result, the antitrust enforcement agencies tend to give more attention to horizontal mergers and acquisitions than they do to vertical combinations. This not to say, of course, that all vertical integrations are per se lawful. For example, a vertical combination involving a dominant firm at the upstream or downstream level could potentially lead to foreclosure concerns that would be an issue under the antitrust laws. Antitrust enforcers might also consider whether a combination could facilitate collusion. But in general, vertical integrations are recognized as carrying the potential to achieve significant procompetitive efficiencies.


In the present study, the effect of two species of AMF, Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices , alone and in combination, was evaluated on the growth criteria, chlorophyll content, and root rot disease caused by Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi , on chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) under greenhouse conditions. Chickpea seeds were sown into pots containing 100 g of AMF inoculum (more than 1,000 propagules g -1 ) and, after four weeks, root of seedlings were inoculated with conidia suspension (10 6 conidia mL -1 ) of F. solani f. sp. pisi . Six weeks after pathogen inoculation, shoot and root dry weight, shoot height, chlorophyll content and mycorrhizal and Fusarium colonization were measured. Results showed that inoculation of G. mosseae was more effective than G. intraradices and dual inoculations ( G. intraradices +G. mosseae ) on the above criteria. Inoculation of F. solani f. sp. pisi without AMF treatments reduced shoot height, shoot and root dry weight, and chlorophyll content significantly compared with the control. In the presence of AMF, root colonization by F. solani f. sp. pisi and disease severity decreased and individual inoculation with G. mosseae was more effective than the other treatments. Inoculation of G. mosseae and G. intraradices caused a significant increase in plant height, shoot and root dry weight, and chlorophyll content of pathogen-inoculated plants compared with inoculated chickpea plants with F. solani f. sp. pisi. Based on the results, application of G. mosseae was found to be the best for reducing the root rot disease and improving plant growth parameters of chickpea, followed by G. intraradices and dual inoculations.


Energy efficiency investments are essential for transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy. Nevertheless, despite being financially viable, many energy efficiency investment opportunities do not materialise. The existing literature attributes this situation to financial and non-financial factors. Research suggests that many firms focus only on direct energy savings and neglect non-energy benefits that include increased labour productivity. Up to date, due to lack of high-quality data, few studies attempted to quantify the effects of the energy efficiency investments on firm-level outcomes other than the reductions in energy consumption. This paper overcomes this barrier by using novel data from a firm-level survey conducted by the European Investment Bank that covers more than 15,000 firms in 27 European Union member states and the UK during 2018-2019. It studies the relationship between the energy efficiency investment and the labour productivity of the European firms, utilising instrumental variables methodology to account for potential endogeneity. The results show a positive and causal relationship between energy efficiency investment and labour productivity. The findings of the paper suggest that firms can benefit much more from the energy efficiency investment than what is often assumed, and highlight a need for government policies that would increase firms' awareness of the non-energy benefits.


This paper has been studied in Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network. The concept of competition and model of competitive network has been studied. It analyses model of Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network and LVQ algorithm. Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network is a hybrid neural network and quantum computing theory is used in the Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network directly to build Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network. Model of Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network and Quantum-LVQ algorithms are proposed. In the study of clustering problem, experiments show that Quantum Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network have an advantage over than Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network.


The technique relies on the phenomenon of diffusion of water molecules in tissue. For each voxel of the image the diffusion tensor describes the magnitude and directionality (anisotropy) of the water movement (2), providing an unique composite contrast that reflects the tissue characteristics (3). Tractographic algorithms are using this information to simultaneously delineate multiple fiber tracts threedimensionally and to identify alterations in the brain structural connectivity.


Following the onset of a rapid state transition in the black hole transient ASASSN-18ey/MAXI J1820+070 (ATel #11820), NICER has been observing the source with a very high cadence (see left panel in figure linked at the end of this telegram).


The responses of barren-round caribou to fixed-wing aircraft and to helicopters were observed in the northern Yukon and Alaska. Effects of aircraft altitude, type of aircraft, season and terrain were determined together with the activity and size of group of the caribou. Panic reactions or strong escape reactions were observed in a high percentage of all groups when aircraft flew at altitudes of less than 60 metres. Flying at a minimum aircraft altitude of 150 metres during spring and fall migrations, and 300 metres at other periods, would prevent the caribou reacting in the ways most immediately injurious to them.


Modern smart grids are built based on top of advanced computing and networking technologies, where condition monitoring relies on secure cyberphysical connectivity. Over the network infrastructure, transported data containing confidential information, must be protected as smart grids are vulnerable and subject to various cyberattacks. Various machine learning based classifiers were proposed for intrusion detection in smart grids. However, each of them has respective advantage and disadvantages. Aiming to improve the performance of existing machine learning based classifiers, this paper proposes an adaptive deep learning algorithm with a data pre-processing module, a neural network pre-training module and a classifier module, which work together classify intrusion data types using their high-dimensional data features. The proposed Adaptive Deep Learning (ADL) algorithm obtains the number of layers and the number of neurons per layer by determining the characteristic dimension of the network traffic. With transfer learning, the proposed ADL algorithm can extract the original data dimensions and obtain new abstract features. By combining deep learning models with traditional machine learning-based classification models, the performance of classification of network traffic data is significantly improved. By using the Network Security Laboratory-Knowledge Discovery in Databases (NSL-KDD) dataset, experimental results show that the proposed ADL algorithm improves the effectiveness of existing intrusion detection methods and reduces the training time, indicating a promising candidate to enhance network security in smart grids.


The comparative study explores the phenomenon of lexical cross-linguistic influence on high school students' writing performance within two distinct regions of Morocco: Rabat-Sale and Souss-Massa. Using James Taxonomy as a framework, written narratives produced by 200 students from both regions were analyzed focusing on their lexical choices and the occurrence of lexical errors. Distinct patterns of lexical errors, including Calque, Prefix, Over-inclusion, Borrowing, and Omission errors, were identified in students' narratives. The results revealed notable differences in lexical errors between the Souss-Massa and Rabat-Sale regions. Souss-Massa students exhibited higher frequencies of Calque (25), Prefix (20), Over-inclusion (35), and Omission (28), indicating a stronger influence from other linguistic sources and potential issues with precision and clarity in their writing. In contrast, Rabat-Sale students showed a higher frequency of Borrowing (28), suggesting a greater tendency to incorporate foreign language elements into their writing. These results have implications for tailored language education and curriculum development in Morocco and emphasize the importance of considering regional linguistic nuances.


Surface ring-shaped crack development in a heated up cylinder made of fragile material (inorganic glass) under cooling in water is examined. It is shown that the crack may develop under temperature stresses arising because of cooling medium from the cylinder surface and because of crack banks cooling by the medium getting into the crack. Computing of these temperature stresses is fulfilled; it is shown that the second stresses might be neglected comparing with the first ones.


Background: Hyaluronic acid is a commonly prescribed intra-articular (IA) therapy for knee primary osteoarthritis (OA). In India majority of population lives in rural areas having limited resources and socio-cultural biodiversity. Their personal, socio-cultural and occupational habits vary and need to be addressed. The primary outcome measure was pain of knee joint reduction after therapy and follow up visit. Secondary outcomes were therapy related adverse events (AEs). Methods: Population (n=20) are selected from rural areas of age range 40 to 60 years having poor economic background and daily labour by profession. Participants with diabetes and cardic illness and BMI ≥30 were excluded. All participants were having grade2 B/L knee OA with mild effusion and fulfill the ACR classification criteria. Each participant was assessed on Visual analog scale (VAS) pain and Composite indian functional knee assessment scale (CIFKAS) at the end of three months of therapy and statistical analysis was done. Results: Among the 20 participants 11 were female, 9 were male. The mean (mean±S.D.) of BMI and duration of disease was 23.6±2.73 and 4±2.08 respectively. Pearson correlation coefficient calculated for pain during physical activity/ pain during functional ADL activity, ability to perform physical activity/ ability to perform ADL activity and social function and emotional function score were 0.634/0.701, 0.731/0.687 and 0.566/0.607 respectively which indicates that they are highly correlated. Conclusions: A single dose of IA NASHA is effective and safe in reducing pain and functional disability in patients with primary OA of knee.


A variable-scale model wind turbine has been developed by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center for testing scale-model floating offshore wind turbines. This model has been designed to be lightweight with a robust individual blade pitch mechanism. Froude number similitude is used to develop scaling relationships, while specialized blades have been designed to produce representative aerodynamic forces despite mismatched Reynolds numbers. Numerical simulations show that the model turbine is able to match the scaled aerodynamic thrust of commercial wind turbines by altering blade pitch and maintaining Froude number and tip-speed-ratio similitude. This turbine has the capability to accurately simulate commercial turbines of varying sizes in complex loading conditions with the additional capability to implement and test new control algorithms.


PURPOSE:To eliminate a need to take the data size of a junction face into consideration and to join data without deviation by judging the junction position by shift operation and exclusive OR operation. CONSTITUTION:In the case of vertical junction between read-in image data 1A and 1B, image data 1A is shifted to the leftmost position with bit operators to cause the right end of image data 1A and the left end of image data 1B to coincide with each other. Exclusive ORs of junction face data of image data 1A and 1B are operated and are stored together with position coordinates at this time. It is judged whether the junction face of image data 1A and 1B can be shifted or not; and if it cannot be shifted, a coordinate X to which the sum of exclusive ORs is closest is detected. Image data are moved to the coordinate X and are coupled. Finally, data in protruding parts of image data are deleted to generate image data 4 having a manageable format.


Complex Chemistry of Reactive Organic Compounds, XXI: On a Simple Synthesis of the Halfsandwich Rhenium Complexes (η-C5H4X)Re(CO)3 [X = Cl, Br, I]

Tricarbonyl(η-chlorocyclopentadienyl)rhenium (3a), (η-bromocyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylrhenium (3b), and tricarbonyl(η-iodocyclopentadienyl)rhenium (3c) are formed in one-step, high-yield syntheses by cyclopentadienylation of the corresponding pentacarbonylrhenium halides (CO)5ReX [X Cl (1a), Br (1b), I (1c)] with diazocyclopentadiene (2).


Summary Objective: To evaluate the result of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. Subject and method: A prospective, longitudinal study was carried on 34 atrial fibrillation patients underwent radiofrequency ablation at 108 Military Central Hospital from 3/2019 to 10/2021. The result was recorded on some features of ablation technique, safety and recurrence rate during the follow-up. Result: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation accounted for the majority (94.11%), 8.9% had other arrhythmias (atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia). Procedure time and X-ray exposure time were 272.1 ± 62 minutes and 75 ± 16.5 minutes, respectively. Isolated 4 pulmonary veins was done successfully in 91.17%. Blood vessel wall tear required suturing (5.9%), pericardial effusion (5.9%), pleural effusion (5.9%), acute tricuspid regurgitation (2.9%). The rate of recurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation was 20.6%. Conclusion: Radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation has high efficacy, low complications and low recurrence rate.


Degenerative changes in the lumbar spine can cause back pain with or without radiation into the lower limb. The most common sufferers are middle-aged persons between the ages of 30 and 50, but the number of patients under age 30 is steadily rising.

The affected persons typically have pain that can be treated initially with physical therapy and medications. When these measures no longer suffice, injection therapy can provide additional help. Published guidelines now recommend periradicular injection therapy for radicular lumbar syndromes. This low-risk, minimally invasive form of treatment should always be preferred over a surgical procedure unless major weakness is present (7, 14–16). Computerized tomography (CT) or conventional X-ray fluoroscopy is often used to provide imaging guidance for the placement of the injecting needle into the lumbar spine. Both of these techniques result in the delivery of a certain amount of ionizing radiation to the patient. The lumbar spine and the abdominal and pelvic organs lie unprotected in the path of the X-ray beam generated by the CT scanner or fluoroscope.

Health care is an important area where measures should be taken to protect against radiation injury, because, on average, about 50% of an individual's annual dose of ionizing radiation is derived from medical procedures (1, 2). The potentially problematic use of ionizing radiation in medicine is currently under discussion in a number of countries, not only in Germany (3, 11, 12), particularly in light of the increasing use of computerized tomography (17). The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the problem of ionizing radiation in image-guided injection therapy.


The level of cultural productivity determines the mode of cultural industry development.Today cultural industry development in the world has three modes: 1.the mode of cultural resources development which is determined by the use of cultural resources,that is cultural resources industry,the lowest level of the cultural industry;2.the mode of cultural technology development which is determined by cultural production technology,that is the middle level of the cultural industry development;3.the mode of cultural market development which is determined by the marketing factors of the cultural industry development,that is the advanced level of cultural industry development.At the present,the underdeveloped areas in the northwest of China should choose the sustainable mode of cultural industry development.


The paper presents a new algorithm for process the signals delivered by an inverter, necessary to power an electrical induction motor. The proposed algorithm, based on a Least Mean Square (LMS) adaptive filtering method, estimates in real-time the harmonics and interharmonics that affect the fundamental frequency of power supply voltage. The application in which the algorithm is involved is designed to monitor ten bands of harmonics along with their interharmonics. The presented method reveals better performances than other conventional measurements methods, mainly due to its possibility of realtime implementation.


To achieve commercialization of organic electronics, the field must see an improvement in both performance and material stability while maintaining a low cost of fabrication. To achieve this, low-cost additives...


A method to establish the finite element model and assess the stress of expansion joints on power plant air cooling system were presented based on the rules of JB 4723—1995"Steel Pressure Vessels—Design by Analysis" and "ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,Section Ⅷ,Div 2,Alternative Rules for Construction of High Pressure Vessels",and to explain the method,calculation of a gimbal expansion joints was put forward.


Data driven health care research is accentuated due to the Gargantua data available in the form of structured and unstructured. Forecasting the impact of infectious and epidemic diseases will be of major assistance to the health care industry. The objective of this work is to study the impact of dengue cases across India by applying the Deep Learning methodologies based on Long Short-Term Memory using Recurrent Neural Networks. The factors considered in the prediction method are climatic conditions, temperature, rainfall data, humidity and population considered for the period between 2014 and 2019. The activation function applied is ReLU and on training the model using LSTM the level of accuracy in forecasting the epidemic is over 89% for infection and for death it is 81%. The Root Mean Square Error values are also computed and it is observed that when the number of iterations is increased the error value decreased. The proposed methodology assists the Health care department to make safety precautions before the outbreak of the dengue fever.


Alfalfa is an important legume forage with high drought resistance.However,drought stress is still the main adverse factor limiting alfalfa production.A pot-cultivation experiment was performed to investigate the photosynthetic physiology of alfalfa under drought stress.Two Alfalfas varying in their tolerance to drought were used,Longdong with high drought resistance and BL-02-329 with low drought resistance,to systematically study photosynthetic physiology under drought stress.The results showed:(1)Under drought stress,the net photosynthetic rate,transpiration rate,stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content decreased at varing extents,and chloroplast ultrastructure was damaged in the leaves of both Longdong and BL-02-329.Compared to the low drought-resistance BL-02-329,when subjected to drought stress,the net photosynthetic rate in the leaves of high drought-resistance alfalfa,Longdong,decreased more slowly and chloroplast shape and grana structure were less affected.(2)Stomatal restriction was the main factor for the P'n s decrease in the leaves of both alfalfas under light drought stress,while the non-stomatal restriction was the main factor for the P'n s decrease in the leaves of these alfalfas under medium and severe drought stresses.(3)Measurement of fluorescence of PSⅡ Reaction Center indicated Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo decreased in both alfalfas under drought stress.However,when under drought stress,Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo showed a smaller decrease,and the capability to utilize light and the potential to activate PSII remained higher in the high drought-resistance Longdong than in the low drought-resistance BL-02-329.Quenching(qP)of chlorophyll fluorescence decreased and Non-photochemical Quenching(qN)of chlorophyll fluorescence increased for both alfalfas under drought stress.Generally speaking,qP decreased less and qN increased more in the high drought-resistance alfalfa than in the low drought-resistance alfalfa,suggesting that when under drought stress,the electron transport activity and photosynthetic apparatus was damaged less in the alfalfa with high drought-resistance than in the alfalfa with low drought-resistance.


Hemodynamic observations were made in 71 normal newborn infants up to 60 hours of age. A right-to-left or bidirectional shunt through the ductus arteriosus was demonstrated in 8 of 63 infants. Evidence of a definite left-to-right shunt was found in 7 of 30 infants. The data indicate that a bidirectional shunt is present shortly after birth and may persist for as long as 6 hours. This eventually becomes entirely left-to-right, and by 15 hours of age the shunting of blood either becomes physiologically insignificant or ceases entirely.


Summary Preventive Approaches to Disruption (PAD), Chisholm et al (1986), is a collection of material comprising a book and an accompanying videotape. Together the materials allow a secondary school staff to design and implement its own in‐house, in‐service training courses on the subject of classroom disruption. This article attempts to describe the package briefly and the underlying rationale for its design.


Background: Morin is natural flavonoids obtained from Moraceae family, found to be associated with many therapeutic properties like anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and cardio-protective activities. Aim: The aim of present study is to synthesise flavone (JPG-I), a derivative of Morin (JPG-II) by simple acetylation and to investigate their comparative hepatoprotective activity with Morin. Methods: Standard (Silymarin 100 mg/kg), morin (40 mg/kg), JPG-I (40 mg/kg), JPG-II (40 mg/kg), were administered per orally for 21 days in 40% alcohol (2 ml/100 g/day, p.o.) treated groups. Body weight and urine analysis were assessed on 7th, 14th, and 21st day. On 21st day animals were sacrificed and blood was collected for assessment of liver profile (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, TB) and liver was isolated to carry out the evaluation of biochemical (LPO, GSH, nitrate). Results: The present study demonstrated that there was decrease in body weight, increase in liver function enzymes (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, TB) and oxidative stress parameter level in alcohol treated group on 7th, 14th, and 21st day.Whereas reverse was observed with test compounds (morin, JPG-I and JPG-II). Conclusion: Compound JPG-II treated group was found to be more effective as compared to morin and JPG-I treated group.


Intensive animal feeding operations create large amounts of animal waste that must be safely disposed of in order to avoid environmental degradation. Cattle feedlots and chicken houses are two examples. In feedlots, cattle are confined to small pens and fed a high calorie grain-diet diet in preparation for slaughter. In chicken houses, thousands of chickens are kept in close proximity. In both of these operations, millions of tons of manure are produced every year. The manure could be used as a fuel by mixing it with coal in a 90:10 blend and firing it in an existing coal suspension fired combustion systems. This technique is known as co-firing, and the high temperatures produced by the coal will allow the biomass to be completely combusted. Reburn is a process where a small percentage of fuel called reburn fuel is injected above the NO{sub x} producing, conventional coal fired burners in order to reduce NO{sub x}. The manure could also be used as reburn fuel for reducing NO{sub x} in coal fired plants. An alternate approach of using animal waste is to adopt the gasification process using a fixed bed gasifier and then use the gases for firing in gas turbine combustors. In this report, the cattle manure is referred to as feedlot biomass (FB) and chicken manure as litter biomass (LB). The report generates data on FB and LB fuel characteristics. Co-firing, reburn, and gasification tests of coal, FB, LB, coal: FB blends, and coal: LB blends and modeling on cofiring, reburn systems and economics of use of FB and LB have also been conducted. The biomass fuels are higher in ash, lower in heat content, higher in moisture, and higher in nitrogen and sulfur (which can cause air pollution) compared to coal. Small-scale cofiring experiments revealed that the biomass blends can be successfully fired, and NO{sub x} emissions will be similar to or lower than pollutant emissions when firing coal. Further experiments showed that biomass is twice or more effective than coal when used in a reburning process. Computer simulations for coal: LB blends were performed by modifying an existing computer code to include the drying and phosphorus (P) oxidation models. The gasification studies revealed that there is bed agglomeration in the case of chicken litter biomass due to its higher alkaline oxide content in the ash. Finally, the results of the economic analysis show that considerable fuel cost savings can be achieved with the use of biomass. In the case of higher ash and moisture biomass, the fuel cost savings is reduced.


The applied range of scroll compressor has been enlarged continuously because of its high efficiency, low noise, small size, and so on. There are some methods for single scroll compressor to perform the high pressure ratio, such as adopting discharge valve, increasing the roll angle of scroll wrap, etc. The present article mainly discusses two other ways for one compressor to reach the high pressure ratio. One way is. to change the height of scroll wrap, the other is to alter the position and shape of discharge port. The models used to calculate the working pocket volume and the discharge port flow area are set up. This study lays the theoretical basis for designing the high pressure ratio scroll compressor. INTRODUCTION The scroll compressor has been put into commercial use since the early 1980's, more attention has been paid towards the scroll fluid machinery because of its advantages, such as high efficiency, low noise, high reliability and so on. The applied range of scroll fluid machinery has been enlarged continuously. The scroll compressor was first produced in the early stage OJ , then the scroll vaccum pump was developed (2], the scroll oil pump was also manufactured (3]. The structure patterns of the scroll fluid machinery are more and more consequently. The built~in compression ratio of the scroll compressor is low at present , as a result, its applied range is restricted to a certain extent. The main reason is that the final roll angle of the involute spiral is too great when the built~in compression ratio is high. The greater the final roll angle, the greater the area of the radial leakage passage, this not only cuts down the compressor efficiency, but also causes the difficulty in producing an accurate profile. This article briefly discusses two ways to enhance the built-in compression ratio of the scroll compressor. One way is to change the height of scroll wrap, this means to adopt the step profile, the other is to alter the position and shape of the discharge port.


We report the case of a 64‐year‐old woman with dystrophinopathy exhibiting asymptomatic hyperCKemia and psychiatric symptoms only. Since adolescence, she had experienced communication difficulties and anxiety neurosis, which kept her unemployed and once led her to attempt suicide. Her full intelligence quotient was 89, with relatively low scores in processing speed and working memory, because of attention/concentration deficit or obsession. She has a nephew with severe dystrophinopathy, and both of them had duplication of exon 44 of the DMD gene, encoding dystrophin. Her mother became wheelchair user at age 60, and was suspected to have some psychiatric problems since she neglected her own ailing child. The cognitive and mental states of women with dystrophinopathy should be paid more attention to since such problems may manifest due to dystrophin deficit.


In Latin America, the materialization of labor human rights faces serious obstacles stemming from global capitalism. In this way, this research examines MERCOSUR in the context of the incorporation of labor and migration issues in the regional integration of Latin America, especially given the significant presence of Venezuelan migrant workers in the Brazilian State of Roraima living in subhuman conditions. This situation is not only a humanitarian crisis, but has deeper roots in MERCOSUR's integrationist project, which neglected in the last decades the implementation of a more solid regional social and labor integration of rights in the bloc despite the wide legal protection of labor in the global system of human rights protection. Moreover, this situation today presents itself as a paradox, since it has obstacles of several orders (social, economic, political, etc.) that should have been outlined in the mercosurist regional integration of the 21st century.


In November 1992, AlliedSignal (Allied) and General Atomics (GA) formed a conversion marketing partnership, known as ConverDyn. The venture was formed to market UF[sub 6] conversion services following the closure of the Gore, Oklahoma, conversion facility operated by GA's wholly owned subsidiary, Sequoyah Fuels Corporation (SFC). The closure of the Gore facility occurred after an extended period of regulatory snarls that resulted in production outages and substantial expense. The loss of SFC's capacity (9,100 MTU nameplate) brings conversion supply and demand more into balance after many years of significant oversupply. In the past two months, spot prices have increased more than 30 percent, yet prices in the USA still lag those observed in Europe. However, the conversion market is still fraught with uncertainty in the face of weapons dismantlement, the availability of low-enriched uranium (LEU) products, and the potential for increased capacity from other countries.


The feasibility of immunizing monkeys with enzymes from oral streptococci in an attempt to reduce dental caries was investigated. Forty rhesus monkeys, Macaca mulatta, were used. Cariogenic streptococci, S mutans, were implanted into all the monkeys' mouths. There was no pathological effect resulting from immunization. Of the 40 animals, 30 retained the implanted flora throughout the experiment; the remaining 10 were reimplanted until the streptococci remained. In six months, gross carious lesions were evident with plaque. Inhibitors present in the monkey sera after immunization inhibited glucosyltransferase, fructosyltransferase, and neuraminidase activzties. It was presumed the inhibitors were antibodies. There was a reduction of 68.6% in the total carious lesions in the animals immunized intraorally with glucosyltransferase, 62.4% reduction in those injected with fructosyltransferase, and 57.4% reduction in total lesions in those immunized with glycosidic hydro lases after 19 months, as compared to the control group. There were no gross lesions apparent in the group immunized with glycosidic hydrolases. It appears that immunization with enzymes significantly reduces caries and is feasible in a primate model.


The absolute configuration of pyrimidine nucleoside derivatives prepared by enantioselective reduction was determined using a combination of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy in tandem with quantum chemical calculations. Such a combined approach based on a comparison of experimentally measured and theoretically simulated chiroptical properties allows reliable predictions of absolute configuration. The advantage of using more than one chiroptical method for the assignment of absolute configuration is demonstrated. The reliability of the proposed assignment was further confirmed by ECD measurements at variable temperatures and the use of Moscowitz procedure. This allowed the relative energies of the conformers obtained from the calculations to be verified, and the distribution of conformers to be estimated.


This paper reports our recent experience in deploying software measurements in GQM for supporting quantitative software engineering. A software engineering measurement system (SEMS) is developed and used to enhance the metrics layer of GQM, and a methodology for integrating GQM and SEMS is described. A supporting tool, the software engineering measurement expert system tool (SEMEST), for implementing the deployment methodology, is developed. By enhancing GQM with SEMS, the software industry may carry out a GQM-based measurement project more efficiently and effectively. Experimental data in measurement can also be compared and benchmarked among projects and organizations.


Investigations showed: haemoglobin 12 8 g/dl; white cell count 11 3 x 109!l (11 300/mm3), with 15 % eosinophils; blood urea 10-3 mmol/I (62 mg/ 100 ml); blood glucose 5-4 mmol/l (98 mg/100 ml); and serum sodium 129 mmol(mEq)/l, potassium 5-2 mmol(mEq)/l, and chloride 97 mmol (mEq)/l. Chest and abdominal x-ray pictures were normal. Antinuclear factor and thyroid and parietal cell antibodies were absent. The basal plasma cortisol concentration was low and there was no response to prolonged stimulation with tetracosactrin, which confirmed primary adrenocortical failure. Sweat was collected from his back and tested for electrolytes. Two months after treatment with cortisone acetate and fludrocortisone the patient felt well and had gained weight. The skin over his legs was normal. No local treatment was given for the ichthyosis. Much of the hyperpigmentation was reversible. The sweat test was repeated (see table).


Using density functional theory the electronic structure of 4d transition metal and sp impurities from the third, fourth and fifth rows of the periodic system in a Cu matrix is calculated self-consistently. The authors use the local spin density approximation of Hedin and Lundqvist. The impurity is embedded in the perfect crystal environment and described by a single perturbed muffin-tin potential in the KKR-Green function scheme used previously for other impurities in Cu, Ag and Al. Results are given for the local density of states, scattering phase shifts, local charges, change of density of states at the Fermi level and residual resistivity. The density of states of the virtual bound states of 4d impurities is not very Lorentzian-shaped due to a rather large d-d interaction and the local density of states at the bottom of the Cu d band is more similar to pure Cu than it was for 3d impurities. The sp impurities are electronically characterised by a piling up of s or p bonding and antibonding states at both sides of the Cu d energy region gradually shifting to lower energies when they are filled.


The first successful example of the three-component coupling of N-alkylanilines, terminal alkynes, and alcohols was achieved at room temperature by a visible-light-mediated copper-catalyzed photoredox hydrogen-atom transfer process. This method allows preparation of propargylamines through uniquely selective α-C-H bond activation of unactivated alkylalcohols. Preliminary studies indicate that formation of α-oxy radical is operative. This approach facilitates rapid access to biologically important propargylamines from methanol as an abundant feedstock.


The invention provides a cursor positioning method of a handheld pointing device. The cursor positioning method comprises the following steps: extracting a first digital image of a reference point, and computing a first pointing coordinate according to an imaging position of the reference point in the first digital image; producing a cursor parameter corresponding to the cursor according to the first pointing coordinate; recording the first pointing coordinate when the handheld pointing device enters a lock hole positioning mode so as to fix the cursor at the first pointing coordinate; extracting a second digital image of the reference point when the handheld pointing device leaves the lock hole positioning mode, and computing a second pointing coordinate according to the imaging position of the reference point in the second digital image so as to produce a movement vector between the first pointing coordinate and the second pointing coordinate; computing the cursor positioning according to the movement vector and the first pointing coordinate, and correspondingly producing the cursor parameter for controlling the cursor movement. Through the adoption of the cursor positioning method, the convenience and stability on the operation of a user are improved.


A comment on 'Spawning dynamics of the eastern gemfish (Rexea solandri) in relation to regional oceanography in south-eastern Australia' by J. D. Prince and D. A. Griffin, Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 611–22. Temporal trends through the winter seasons in commercial landings of eastern gemfish (Rexea solandri) during the years 1977–79, 1982–85, 1986–87 and 1989–92 were reasonably stable for given latitudes, despite variable oceanographic influences, as depicted by 250 m isotherm data. This suggests that the overall pattern of occurrence of pre-spawning aggregations of eastern gemfish in these periods was determined by a combination of time of the season and latitude, rather than by oceanographic factors. Between 1986 and 1996, only four instances were identified where gemfish catches contained >10%of 'running ripe' females, and the variety of oceanographic conditions under which these catches were made provides little support for the hypothesis that eastern gemfish spawn into subsurface plumes of upwelled sub-Antarctic water.


Summary Classic vitamin E deficiency in the male Holtzman rat over a span of 2 to 10 months on test diet resulted in no significant difference in activity of liver codeine-O-demethylase, whether measured on whole homogenates, 15,000g supernatants, or separated microsomes. It did significantly, but to relatively slight extent, increase hexobarbital sleeping time. Appreciation is expressed to our colleagues, Dr. A. Sheppard and Dr. L. Weiss, for help with the gas chromatography of blood tocopherol and the determination of hexobarbital sleeping times, respectively.


abstract:Literature on business information literacy primarily focuses on business students. This paper instead explores business information literacy for students in liberal arts colleges: aside from career preparation, are there reasons to teach them to grapple critically with business information? This paper brings together survey findings, concepts from critical information theory, and the "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" developed by the Association of Colleges and Research Libraries to bear on this question. It argues that business information is a powerful genre for teaching core concepts central to both information literacy and liberal arts: critical inquiry, authority, access, incentives, rhetorical practices, and more.


There are mainly three methods used to evaluate clothing pressure comfort,which are objective evaluation method,subjective evaluation method,subjective and objective comprehensive evaluation method.The objective measurement of clothing pressure embodies objective evaluation method.The objective measurement has two methods,indirect measurement and direct measurement.And direct measurement is widely used because of its simple evaluation method.Subjective evaluation method is an important method evaluating clothing pressure comfort because it can solve many problems which objective measurement can't solve and reflect subjects' dress feeling more fairly.However,any one method used solely is not comprehensive because of the complexity of evaluation of clothing pressure comfort.Therefore,two evaluation methods need combine together,using subjective and objective comprehensive evaluation method make evaluate clothing pressure comfort more perfect.And the trend and matters of clothing pressure comfort evaluation method are also pointed out.


The precise time integration method was used to simulate the migration of chemical substances from plastic packaging material to food and was evaluated theoretically.The L2 error estimate between the exact solution and the approximate solution were obtained,which showed that the precise time integral method is a high-precision method.


Prismatomeris Thwaites is a small genus consisting of 15 species in the family Rubiaceae and is distributed throughout Asia (Mabberley, 2008; Chen and Taylor, 2011). In Viet Nam, the genus is represented by four species (Ho, 2000; Tran, 2005). While exploring the flora of HonBa Nature Reserve in Khan Hoa Province of the country, the authors came across an interesting specimen of Prismatomeris which, after critical examination and with help of relevant literature (Pitard, 1924; Ho, 2000; Tran, 2005; Chen and Taylor, 2011) and type specimens, identified as P. fragrans E.T. Geddes. This species was so far reported from North West Laos and Thailand, but never from Viet Nam. Hence, this is reported as a new distributional record for the flora of Viet Nam. A detailed description and colour photographs are provided for easy identification of the species.


The object of this paper is to emphasize the importance of sebaceous cyst among the precancerous lesions by a comparison of our group of cases with those reported by others. A review of the literature reveals that only Bishop 1 and Caylor 2 have reported anything of statistical nature. By sebaceous cyst we mean a retention cyst caused by the occlusion of one or more ducts of sebaceous glands with the accumulation of the secretion. Atheroma is a synonym for sebaceous cyst, but we prefer using the latter term, as we feel that it is more descriptive. In 1914 Ricker and Schwalbe 3 stated that reports of forty-three cases of malignant change in sebaceous cysts had been published up to that time. Seff and Berkowitz, 4 Busfield, 5 Narat 6 and others have subsequently reported similar cases, but none of these investigators has had a sufficient series to attempt statistical


The net energy gain of windows is the solar gain minus the heat loss integrated over the heating season. The net energy gain can be calculated for one orientation or averaged over different orientations. The averaged value may be used for energy labeling of windows of standard size. Requirements in building codes may also be based on the net energy gain instead of the thermal transmittance of the window.


Capabilities required for network centric operation require significant changes in the Human System Interface (HSI) of existing aircraft. The current controls and displays do not provide the capability needed for network centric operations. Initially, the network centric concept was that the aircrew members would pull the information they needed from the network. Evaluation of existing controls and displays, aircraft data buses, communications including data links, and mission planning determined that not only did the existing hardware and software not provide the needed capability, the aircrew members would need time critical information from other nodes in the network pushed to their aircraft and "smart" displays.


The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate if, and how, weight loss can be achieved in women with overweight and obesity after pregnancy by combining results from two randomized controlled trials; LEVA (Lifestyle for Effective Weight loss during Lactation) and LEVA in Real Life. In the LEVA trial, a 12week diet intervention based on the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations produced a weight loss of 9%, which was sustained at 10% after 1 year, among 68 lactating women. However, important aspects of the dietary changes contributing to this weight loss remained to be examined. Therefore, in the first two papers, eating frequency and food choice in the LEVA trial are reported. In the following two papers, the short and long term effectiveness of the diet treatment to produce weight loss among 110 postpartum women within a primary health care setting were examined through the LEVA in Real Life trial. At baseline, LEVA women reported an eating frequency of 5.9 intake occasions per day (paper I). During the intervention, a positive association was found between change in eating frequency and change in energy intake. Also, women who received diet treatment reduced their eating frequency more during the intervention than did women not receiving it. Furthermore, results from paper II show that LEVA women had a high intake of sweets and salty snacks and an intake of fruit and vegetables below the recommendations at baseline. During the intervention, women receiving diet treatment reduced their intake of sweets and salty snacks and caloric drinks, and increased their intake of vegetables, more than did women not receiving it. At 1 year, only the difference in increased vegetable intake remained between the groups. Thus, findings from papers I and II suggest that dietary changes in line with current dietary guidelines can help women with overweight and obesity to achieve weight loss after pregnancy. In the LEVA in Real Life trial, women randomized to the diet group achieved greater weight loss after 12 weeks (6.7% vs 2.0%) and 1 year (11.6% vs 5.1%) compared to the control group (paper III). Preliminary data after 2 years show that the diet group has had a greater weight regain from 1-2 year compared to the control group such that the observed difference in weight loss at 1 year was not maintained at 2 years (7.5% vs 5.8%). In sum, the combined results from papers III and IV provide evidence that diet treatment delivered within a primary health care setting can produce clinically relevant weight loss among postpartum women with overweight and obesity. However, the results also highlight the difficulty of maintaining weight lost during the first year postpartum.


The addition of cricket flour into foods has been extensively examined giving its great economic, nutritional, and environmental advantages. Even though entomophagy presents great economic, nutritional, and environmental benefits, there is yet a notable reluctance to insects as foods. Consequently, the use of edible-cricket flour (ECF) in foods is quite challenging. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of barbecue sauce (BS) as affected by cricket flour. Barbecue sauce formulations without (Control) and with 5% (T1), 10% (T2) & 15% (T3) w/w were evaluated by 100 panelists (color, aroma, texture, flavor, overall liking, and purchase intent) under the following informed condition: without ECF (ECF−) and with ECF + benefits (ECF+). In addition, the pH, brix, viscosity, color (L*, a*, b*, browning index), and texture (firmness & adhesiveness) were analyzed. The crickets were farmed and the ECF was made by, baking, grounding, and drying processes. The addition of ECF into BS did not drive to a significant (P < 0.05) difference in the pH while ECF affected color, brix, texture, and viscosity. When compared to control, the color, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall liking did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) only among samples containing 5% of ECF (T1). Furthermore, purchase intent and overall liking were significantly (P < 0.05) increased with the beneficiary statement only among T1 samples. To sum up, 5% of ECF can be added when improving the nutritional profile of barbecue sauce. ash (940.26), and moisture (925.09) content. In addition, total carbohydrates (21CFR101.92) and calories (21CFR101.92) were estimated. For BS, the pH, brix, viscosity, color (L*, a*, b*, & browning index), and texture (firmness & adhesiveness) were analyzed. The pH analyses were carried out by using a Thermo Orion 3 Star pH Benchtop Meter (Fisher Scientific, Instruments, Pittsburgh, PA). The apparent viscosity was determined by using a PCE-RVI-1 rotational viscometer (PCE Instruments, Southampton, UK). Samples were measured with an L4 spindle at 30 rpm. The soluble solids of the sauces were analyzed using a BOECO hand refractometer (BOECO, Hamburg, Germany). The L* (lightness-darkness), a* (red-green axis) b* (yellow- blue axis) values were analyzed by using a Colorflex HunterLab® colorimeter (Hunter Lab, VA, USA) and browning index (BI) values were estimated as Palou et al., (1999). Measurements were determined with D 65 illumination and a 10° observer angle. The texture parameters firmness and adhesiveness were analyzed in BS in a Brookfield CT3 texture meter (Brookfield Engineering Lab Inc., Stoughton, MA) by using the Hai-Yan Yu method.