Original Research Article The influence of religion as a treatment alternative in prison is as old as the history of Prisons. Religion for the prison chaplains is an essential part of rehabilitation for inmates. Religion in prisons has been used as an effective tool to rehabilitate inmates so that they can be productive in their lives post-prison. Christian Chaplains have been supportive of rehabilitation of inmates by offering various faith-based programmes to the inmates. However, studies have shown that Prison Chaplains do not only offer religious forms of rehabilitation but also engage in other administrative duties. The aim of this paper therefore was to examine the role of pastoral programmes in the rehabilitation of inmates in Western Kenya Counties. Specifically, the paper examined how various pastoral programmes have been utilised in the rehabilitation of inmates in prisons of western Kenya Counties. The study obtained data for analysis through questionnaires, interview, focus group discussion and observation administered to the chaplains/catechists, officers in charge of prisons and inmates. The results show that a number of pastoral programmes are available to inmates to aid in their rehabilitation and integration back to their communities. These programmes promote sound ethical and moral values with the aim of addressing offending behaviour. This paper provides evidence linking pastoral programmes and rehabilitation of prison inmates in Kenya.


Quarry sites present a variable lithic record that is linked to the different technical procedures used by people in extracting the necessary raw materials for subsistence. The purpose of this study was to analyze the diversity of procedures and practices used by knappers for core reduction at quarries. To this end, systematic surveys, sampling, and a techno-typological analysis of cores from two quarries (PPZAC and POZAC) were carried out. We identified different core types (isolated flakes cores, polyhedral cores, bifacial cores, ake-cores, among others) that present particular knapping techniques: simple, bifacial, multifacial and centripetal. In addition, cores with specific treatment of the percussion platforms and the core face were documented. From this study, individual or collective practices and "specific ways of doing" that formed part of the technological systems linked to lithic procurement at volcanic rocks quarries were recorded.


Recent research works suggest cluster head reselection as a mechanism for network lifetime improvement. Cluster head reselection is either energy or time dependent. However, frequent cluster head reselection increases time overhead and energy consumption leading to reduction in network lifetime. Hence, an attempt is made to minimise the cluster head reselection frequency. The cluster head reselection is carried out whenever the energy of current cluster head falls below the threshold and this threshold corresponds to the minimum energy required for a node to survive. It is this selection of the threshold value that favours reduction in cluster head reselection frequency. Further, the cluster head reselection is based on energy drainage parameters such as the rate of recurrent communication of sensor node in addition to the residual energy of the node and distance of the node from the base station. To demonstrate the effect of rate of recurrent communication of sensor node on cluster head reselection, experiments are conducted both through simulation and hardware. Further, to study the effectiveness of the proposal, comparisons are made with other algorithms such as low energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH)-C, adaptive decentralised re-clustering protocol and T-LEACH. Reduced cluster head reselection frequency exhibits low energy consumption and time overhead with enhanced network lifetime.


The purpose of this thesis is to acquire an understanding of the impact which the micro environment in which a purposive sample of small graphic design agencies are embedded has upon their development which will offer practical recommendations to the owner-managers of small professional business service firms as well as make suggestions for policy and future research. For the purposes of acquiring such an understanding the concept of a social network (Mitchell 1969) is used to guide the collection of data about participants' perceptions of the impact which the relationships in which small graphic design agencies are embedded has had upon their development. The findings to emerge from inductive analysis of this data suggest that one factor contributing to the development of a purposive sample of small graphic design agencies were the social networks in which they were embedded. Particularly this analysis identifies the multiplex relationships which case-firms shared within individuals holding 'broker' positions within these networks as having had an important impact on their development. Further, this analysis suggests that participants involvement in 'networking' activities and owner- managers' control of these were also important in the development of case-firms, This analysis also identifies a number of influencing factors which suggest that certain findings may be specific to small graphic design agencies. The thesis concludes that the social network concept was a useful construct for conceiving of the relationships in which case-firms were embedded and identifies a number of recommendations for the owner-managers of small professional business service firms as well as for research and policy.


Depending on the rapid changes in technology, it has become crucial to meet the professional development needs of IT teachers and develop their professional competencies within the framework of international standards. This study aimed at developing a measure that can be used to determine IT teachers' professional competencies within the scope of international ISTE-CSE Standards. A total of 259 IT teachers working in different cities of Turkey participated in this study. A measure composed of 3 factors and 19 items with an internal consistency coefficient of α=.958 was obtained. It can be stated that the developed tool is a valid and reliable measure to determine IT teachers' professional competency levels within the scope of ISTE-CSE Standard.


A response function theory for many-body systems arbitrarily away from equilibrium is presented. It is based on the n onequilibrium statistical operator method fully described in a previous article (~ev. Brasil .Fis.15, 106 (1985)l. We present a formal theory for evaluation of transition probabilties and the average values of dynamical quan- tities in far - from - equilibrium many-body systems under the action of externa1 perturbations. We also derive a n onequilibrium thermodynamic Green's functions algorithm appropriate for the calculation of response functions and scattering cross sections in terms ofa generalized fluc- tuation - dissipation theorem for far - from - equilibrium systems.


Objective To evaluate the clinical value of 18F-FDG SPECT-CT in detecting recurrence and metastasis of gastric cancer.Methods Analyzed the SPECT-CT imaging data in 122 cases with gastric cancer retrospectively,and then combined with the results of pathological examination,of which 79 cases compared with the same period of enhanced CT and the joint inspection of the two by each other in the remnant stomach or anastomotic recurrence of diagnostic performance; 109 cases with the comparison of stomach tumor markers and the joint inspection of the two by each other in the diagnosis of metastatic evaluation of performance.SPSS13.0 software package was used to performx2 test and fisher's exact probability.Results ① The sensitivity,specificity,positivity predicitive value (PPV),negative predictive value (NPV),and accuracy of 18F-FDG SPECT-CT in diagnosing residual stomach or anastomotic recurrence was 84.0%,96.3%,91.3%,92.9% and 92.4% respectively.Those of enhanced CT was 58.3%,78.2%,53.8%,81.1% and 72.2% respectively.The former of which the sensitivity,specificity,PPV and accuracy were significantly higher than enhanced CT,and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=3.953~11.805,all P<0.05).Although the NPV is higher than enhanced CT,the difference was not statistically significant (χ2=3.344,P>0.05).Joint diagnosis of the two indicators was 88.0%,98.1%,95.7%,94.6% and 94.9% respectively,significantly higher than the enhanced CT,and the difference was statistically significance (x2=4.732~10.341,all P<0.05).Although the indicators were higher than 18F-FDG SPECT-CT,the difference was not statistically significant (allχ2=0.000,P>0.05).② The sensitivity,specificity,PPV,NPV,and accuracy of 18F-FDG SPECT-CT in diagnosing metastasis of gastric cancer was 92.9%,87.5%,96.3%,80.8% and 91.7% respectively.Those of gastric tumor markers was 81.2%,75.0%,92.0%,52.9% and 79.8%.Where the former sensitivity,NPV and accuracy were significantly higher than the stomach tumor markers,the difference was statistically significant(χ2=4.026~6.355,all P<0.05).Although specificity and PPV were higher than the gastric tumor markers,the difference was not statistically significant (χ2=0.574,0.681,P>0.05).The two combined diagnostic indicators was 96.5%,83.3%,95.3%,87.0% and 93.6% respectively,similarly with the 18F-FDG SPECT-CT,and the difference was not statistically significant(χ2=4.026~6.355,all P>0.05),but significantly higher than the gastric tumor markers,and the sensitivity,NPV and accuracy of the difference was statistically significant (χ2=7.143~10.014,all P<0.05).Conclusion 18F-FDG SPECT-CT has greater clinical value in detecting recurrence and metastasis of gastric cancer.

Key words:
Stomach neoplasms;  Neoplasm recurrence, local;  Neoplasm metastasis;  Tomography, emission-computed, single-photon;  Tomography, X-ray computed;  Fluorodeoxyglucose F18


Ionization suppression can be defined as the decrease of photoinduced atomic ionization rates with an increased applied field intensity. The temporal and spatial intensity distribution of a focused laser pulse introduces difficulty in observing ionization suppression. An analysis of the effect of a temporally Gaussian laser pulse on ionization suppression from Rydberg levels is given. It is found that ionization suppression by the Gaussian pulse is still apparent, even though the low-intensity tails of the pulse produce moderate ionization. Further, the spatial effects are examined for a scheme whereby a narrow atomic beam is passed through the focus of a laser at which ionization is detected. Ionization suppression in the more intense region of the laser focus is predicted to be apparent above the background ionization from the relatively large region of low intensity surrounding the laser focus.


Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of papaverine hydrochloride in calculus-caused acute renal colic unresponsive to conventional treatment.Methods Eighty calculus-caused acute renal colic patients unresponsive to conventional treatments in Emergency Department of Beijing Tongren Hospital from 2004 to 2007 were divided randomly into groups Ⅰ(given intravenous Raceanisodamine Hydrochloride and Aspirin-Dl-Lysine),Ⅱ(given intravenous papaverine hydrochloride),Ⅲ(given intravenous pethidine).Pains were assessed by vision analog score(VAS) in all patients before or after treatment.Results After 1h of treatment,VAS was significantly lower in groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ(1.05±0.23,0.98±0.40,respectively)than in group Ⅰ(3.74±2.45),the difference was significant(P0.05),but there was not between groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ(P0.05).No obvious adverse reactions were noted in groups Ⅰ,Ⅱ,but in group III,mild or moderate sedation noted in 9 patients,mild bradycardia and hypotension in 2.Four hours after treatment 6 patients still had severe renal colic(VAS7),5 of them improved after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL),1 was hospitalized to undergo emergency renal fistulization due to ineffective ESWL.Conclusion Papaverine hydrochloride,remarkably effective to calculus-caused acute renal colic unresponsive to conventional treatment,can be used as a substitute for anesthesia drugs such as pethidine.


ease and psoriasis: so far, so near. World J Hepatol 2015; 7:315–26. 4 Papp KA, Menter MA, Raman M et al. A randomized phase 2b trial of baricitinib, an oral Janus kinase (JAK) 1/JAK2 inhibitor, in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Br J Dermatol 2016; 174:1266–76. 5 Papp KA, Menter MA, Abe M et al. Tofacitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis: results from two randomized, placebo-controlled, phase III trials. Br J Dermatol 2015; 173:949–61. 6 Strober B, Buonanno M, Clark JD et al. Effect of tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, on haematological parameters during 12 weeks of psoriasis treatment. Br J Dermatol 2013; 169:992–9. 7 Ludbrook VJ, Hicks KJ, Hanrott KE et al. Investigation of selective JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 for the treatment of psoriasis in a randomized placebo-controlled phase IIa study. Br J Dermatol 2016; 174:985–95. 8 Papp K, Pariser D, Catlin M et al. A phase 2a randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, sequential dose-escalation study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ASP015K, a novel Janus kinase inhibitor, in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Br J Dermatol 2015; 173:767–76. 9 Eli Lilly files oral rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib in US. 2016. Available at: http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/eli_lilly_ files_oral_rheumatoid_arthritis_drug_baricitinib_in_us_910828 (last accessed 17 May 2016). 10 Refusal of the marketing authorisation for Xeljanz (tofacitinib). 2013. Available at: http://www.ema.europa.eu (last accessed 17 May 2016). 11 Pfizer announces FDA acceptance for reviewof supplemental newdrug application for oral Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) for adult patientswith moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. 2016. Available at: http://www.pfizer.com(last accessed 17May 2016). 12 Lexchin J. How safe are new drugs? Market withdrawal of drugs approved in Canada between 1990 and 2009. Open Med 2014; 8:e14–19. 13 Galvan-Banqueri M, Marin Gil R, Santos Ramos B, Bautista Paloma FJ. Biological treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis: indirect comparison. J Clin Pharm Ther 2013; 38:121–30. 14 Bachelez H, van de Kerkhof PC, Strohal R et al. Tofacitinib versus etanercept or placebo in moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis: a phase 3 randomised non-inferiority trial. Lancet 2015; 386:552–61. 15 Alinia H, Feldman SR. Oral tofacitinib for psoriasis: what happens with interrupted treatment? Br J Dermatol 2015; 172:1194–5.


Unique among models of nuclear structure, the face-centered-cubic (FCC) lattice model predicts the attenuation of the periodic table at Z<110 and the impossibility of superheavy nuclei. The total binding energies of superheavy nuclei in the FCC model (109<Z<127) were calculated on the basis of parameters obtained from a least-squares best-fit for 914 nuclei (Z<99). No indication of increased stability was found for any of the transuranic elements.


This study is concerned with the ways to improve the quality of learning experiences of accounting students. Drawing on the effective teaching and student approach to learning literature, we hypothesise that effective teaching and students' approach to learning (deep versus surface learning) are two important predictors of the quality of the learning experience. The hypotheses were tested using survey data of second‐year undergraduate students enrolled in two core accounting subjects at an Australian university. The data were analysed using the partial least‐squares structural equation modelling approach. The study aims to make a useful contribution to theory and teaching practice.


Proteins are the workhorses of any living system. They are essential for day-to-day life and yet we still do not fully understand how they work. Proteins are intricate structures composed of thousands of atoms that interact and fluctuate over multiple temporal and spatial scales. These motions are encoded in the peptide sequence; fast and local vibrations develop collectively into the motion of secondary structures and catalytic domains. Despite the importance of dynamical fluctuations in mediating function and other biomolecular processes such as allostery, there is inadequate evidence supporting the various theories and calculational approaches which attempt to determine the relationships between structure, dynamics and function. Graph theory provides a way of capturing and representing the 3-dimensional atomistic physicochemical details of a protein in a reduced form. In this thesis, we use Markov Stability, a novel graph-theoretic method for analysing the hierarchy of protein motions. We begin by producing an energy-weighted atomistic graph representation of a protein. We then use the transient behaviour of a random-walk to identify regions of atoms/residues that form communities. Using mutagenesis we are able to identify mutations that result in a large change to the community structure. We then use experimental methods (primarily single-molecule FRET) to explore the effect of these predicted mutations and validate the predictive qualities of Markov Stability. In this thesis, we demonstrate a strong correlation between theoretical and experimental measures. We focus our study on Adenylate Kinase; a protein that balances molecular stability and fast large domain motions in the pursuit of cellular energy homeostasis. Given the structural data taken from the protein data bank we use the Markov stability graph theoretical approach to identify a number of biologically relevant community structures at different timescales. We are able to illustrate agreement between Markov Stability and the rate of motions of ADK subdomains. We then use the graph theoretical analysis to predict the effect of mutations to global dynamics and validate these predictions using single-molecule FRET; we show excellent agreement between the calculated properties of the graph theoretical analysis and the variation in FRET dynamics. Finally, we explore the relationship between the predictive score attributed to mutants by Markov Stability and the associated change in molecular stability.


Submitted for the MAR08 Meeting of The American Physical Society Jamming and correlated percolation on energetically-evolved graphs SHILIYANG XU, JENNIFER SCHWARZ, Physics Department, Syracuse University — Numerical simulations suggest that the zero-temperature jamming transition in repulsive soft spheres has an unusual mixed second-order/first-order character whose exponents appear to be in the same universality class as mean-field k-core percolation. In k-core percolation model, every occupied site must have at least k occupied neighbors. The k-core analogy of jamming is similar to the kinetically constrained analogy of the glass transition where the geometric constraint of k = d + 1 contacts needed for local mechanical stability drives the transition. We now introduce energetics explicitly into the analogy by investigating k-core percolation on a graph where edges are dynamically evolved with the goal of minimizing an xy-model-type interaction between a node and each of its neighbors. The xymodel-type interaction captures the angular arrangements of jammed configurations at the onset of jamming. Moreover, the graph dynamics captures nonequilibrium aspects of jamming that cannot be captured by static approaches such as a version of rigidity percolation with repulsive forces only. Shiliyang Xu Physics Department, Syracuse University Date submitted: 27 Nov 2007 Electronic form version 1.4


Abstract In connection with the development of a suitable light-aging test for evaluating the light-aging properties of rubber, plastics, dyed fabrics, and paints, a considerable amount of research work and literature search was undertaken. The purpose of this article is to make readily available these data to facilitate additional work in the evaluation of the weathering and light-aging of the above-mentioned materials. It is intended to present these data in a somewhat informal style, and to set forth not only the successful experiment, but also those tests which have been disproved as being either impracticable or not applicable to the particular material under investigation. Most of the work has been done in connection with rubber compounds and synthetic rubber-like materials, with the primary purpose of differentiating between satisfactory and unsatisfactory materials from the standpoint of light-aging and weathering resistance. However, there is a secondary purpose which, at present writing, is far ...


The key link in the design of the barrel-type sealing digestive tank lies in the calculation of the internal force of the tank.The accuracy of the internal force is required owing to the increasing capacity of the tank instead of the approximate calculation.The large scale finite element program—SAP2000 has been adopted to calculate the internal force of the structure of the digestive tank by the tri-dimensional-line elastic finite element.In addition,the internal bending force,which is often neglected,has been taken into consideration.Therefore,the edge effect has been achieved accurately.


Title of Dissertation: AN EXAMINATION OF SCIENCE TEACHERS' LEARNING IN A LABORATORY-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Melissa Lynn Kiehl Doctor of Education 2008 Dissertation Directed By: Dr. J. Randy McGinnis Department of Curriculum and Instruction Science Professional development generally refers to the collection of activities that systematically increase teachers' knowledge of academic subjects and advance teachers' understanding of instructional strategies. Given the complexity of the reform initiatives for science education in the United States of America as set forth by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), professional development might provide a bridge for aligning teacher practice with national standards (Loucks-Horsley, 1995). However, the current model of professional growth, focused largely on expanding a repertoire of skills, is not adequate (Little, 1993). Understanding teacher learning theory and utilizing research on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) could be the differentiating factor for science teacher professional development; if utilized in design and evaluation, they may promote both knowing science in context and knowing how to tailor science learning to the needs of students (Shulman, 1987). The purpose of this study was to investigate how the Laboratory Science Teacher Professional Development Program (LSTPD), a three year professional development model that immerses teachers in learning science content through inquiry, impacts teachers' learning and classroom practice. It first aimed to analyze teacher learning and PCK; second, it examined their views on professional development; and third, whether they anticipate adapting their practice to include facets of their laboratory experience. Participants were teachers in their second or third year of participation in LSTPD. The study followed a qualitative case study design and made use of in-depth interviews and observations to examine teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and practice. The study drew on a constructivist framework. Findings demonstrated that teachers' understanding of content, inquiry, and science as a living enterprise were greatly increased, and that teachers generated goals for practice that echoed their new understandings. Further, teachers articulated how they connected LSTPD to their classrooms, fueling further discussion of the role of PCK in their experience. This study has greater implications for the design of sustained research-based professional development experiences in promoting learning in teachers, and inquiry techniques in classrooms. AN EXAMINATION OF SCIENCE TEACHERS' LEARNING IN A LABORATORY-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM


We report the case of a 15-year-old woman who was ad-mitted for acute myocarditis with cardiogenic shock. Physi-cal examination revealed typical cutaneous eruption evocat-ing parvovirus B19 infection: initially pruritic red papular eruption was mainly located on the palms (Picture 1A) and 24 hours later on her face, arms (Picture 1B), and legs. PCR examination of the blood confirmed the diagnosis. Other etiologic examinations were negative: HIV 1-2, HTLV 1-2, HHV6, HBV, HCV, EBV, CMV, toxoplasmosis, toxocara, chlamydiae, mycoplama, rickettsia, coxiella. Initial echocardiography demonstrated acute left ventricular failure; as the ejection fraction was less than 10%, vasopressive drugs were necessary. Troponin I was elevated (until 5 μg/L, normal< 0.04). A few days later, ad integrum recovery was shown. She was clinically asymptomatic, echocardiography was nor-mal, and MR-scan findings were compatible with a minima acute myocarditis (late enhancement). She was discharged with bisoprolol 2.5 mg per day, colchicine 1 mg per day, and aspirin 3 g per day. This case illustrates PVB19-induced myocarditis leading to severe cardiac dysfunction. Parvovirus B19 to direct myocardial injury, and could a autoimmune of the myocardium.


Growing global environmental problems force us to think about their impact and search for ways to protect the environment. While the construction industry and the production of construction materials contribute to environmental pollution, they also offer great potential for addressing many environmental problems. Important opportunities exist in the use and processing of a whole host of industrial and construction waste and in the use of mineral resources. Among such mineral resources is magnesite, whose deposits in Slovakia are abundant. The current sustainability trends impose strict requirements on construction materials and products, favoring solutions with sufficient ecological and efficiency performance characteristics. With this focus on efficient and sustainable solutions in mind, the objective of this research was to analyze magnesium oxide construction boards, as they are the most commonly used construction product based on MgO. The specific MgO-based boards that were studied were applied in selected constructions built using the so-called dry method of construction and were compared with traditional material solutions. The research methodology is based on an analysis of computational models of the proposed variants to determine selected thermal-technical parameters. The analyses of external and interior structures presented in this work suggest that when boards based on MgO and traditional materials are used for coating constructions built using the dry method of construction, the former provide certain benefits in terms of energy accumulation, improving living comfort, and in terms of the fire resistance of constructions, improving overall safety. The conclusion of the presented article is devoted to discussions with works that addressed various perspectives on the application of MgO in the field of materials research. The findings from this analysis are beneficial especially in terms of expanding the knowledge in the area.


Residents of Xuan Wei County in China have unusually high lung cancer mortality that cannot be attributed to tobacco use or occupational exposure. They are exposed to smoke from unvented, open pit coal or wood fires (often used for cooking and heating). The variation in lung cancer rates among communes within the county suggests that indoor combustion of smoky coal may be the prime determinant of lung cancer. To characterize the air in Xuan Wei homes, samples of the air particles and semivolatile organics were collected from homes located in communes with different lung-cancer rates. Samples collected in the commune in which the lung-cancer rate is high and smoky coal is the predominant fuel-contained high concentrations of submicron particles with high organic content; organic extracts of these samples were mutagenic. Samples from homes in a wood-burning commune, which has a low lung-cancer rate, consisted mostly of larger particles of lower organic content and mutagenicity. The smoky coal sample was also a more potent skin-tumor initiator compared to the wood or smokeless coal sample and was a mouse skin carcinogen.


Eighty-one boneless pork loins were used to determine the influence of freezing and pH on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) values and cookery traits. Chops with lower pH ( 6.2). Similar to cooking losses, total moisture losses decreased with increased pH. Frozen chops had lower WBS values (more tender) than fresh chops. However, fresh chops had a higher total yield (lower moisture loss) than frozen chops.


For understanding self-focusing and filamentation of electromagnetic beams in plasmas (and other media) when the beam power is well over critical, considerable success has recently been achieved using the well-known nonlinear Schrodinger equation with saturating nonlinearities. Sufficiently large isolated high-power beams with noticeable structure can break up into numerous filaments, which emerge from the phase of filament creation rather close to the known filament equilibria having lost excess power while forming and pulsating. However, the periodic boundary cases more characteristic of laser beam coverage of inertial confinement fusion targets show asymptotic states more complicated than a noninteracting ensemble of equilibrium filaments. While the filament density can be estimated in terms of the average intensity, considerable filament interaction and activity is the usual result. At extremely high intensities very complicated self-focusing structures are formed.


A review of the performance of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) programs in 8 countries--Colombia Niger Pakistan Peru Philippines Senegal Thailand and Zaire--revealed substantial progress in making ORT available and changing the approach of the health care system to diarrhea case management. It was noted consistently that health centers had ORT salts in stock health workers had received training in ORT within the past 3 years supervisors were visiting health workers both community- and clinic- based health workers were prescribing ORT for the majority of cases of diarrhea they treated and mothers are aware of the existence of ORT and increasingly knowledgeable about how to prepare the solution. However also noted were the following weaknesses: the inability of health workers to assess accurately the signs and symptoms of diarrhea and the degree of dehydration concomitant prescription of antibiotics-antidiarrheals and ORT inadequate counseling on the part of community-health workers about ORt administration and the need for the provision of other fluids and the failure of training and supervision to address these deficiencies. The 2 major recommendations of this comparative review are stepped-up attention to counseling and to supervision. Health workers need additional training in their communication skills so they can provide mothers with the information and confidence they need to use ORT. The supervisory system needs to be reoriented so that supervisors actually observe worker performance and can identify deficiencies ORT was prescribed in 76-100% of the diarrhea cases observed by the study team. Needed at this time is greater emphasis on the qualitative aspect of ORT programs.


Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how academic library directors set goals for change in the information age and the factors influencing the approaches used.Design/methodology/approach – Bolman and Deal's reframing change model provided the foundation for this research. An online survey was sent to 1,010 academic library directors in the USA. The response rate was 59 percent. The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The collected quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive (frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations) and inferential statistics (binary and multinomial logistic regressions).Findings – Most directors used multiple approaches to set goals for change. The structural and human resource approaches were the most frequent single approaches. Regression analysis confirmed that demographics, human capital, and library variables played significant roles in setting goals for change.Research limitations/implications – Data in this study w...


We demonstrate poly-crystalline silicon waveguide devices on deep-trench isolation in a commercial bulk 180nm SiGe BiCMOS process without any process modifications or post-processing. At 1550 nm, the measured loss for the poly-crystalline silicon waveguide and an MMI compatible with the waveguide are around 3.0 dB/mm and 0.38 dB, respectively.


The objective of the present study was to assess differences in the problematic behavior of Hispanic and Anglo hospitalized inpatients. Case records were randomly selected from the files of the Colorado State Hospital for a final sample of 50 Hispanic and 50 Anglo patients. A list of 62 problem variables were constructed from problem lists contained within each individual case record. Hispanic patients were found to have significantly more problems than Anglo patients. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed on the two ethnic groups using the 62 problem variables as predictors. The ethnic groups were the dependent variables and problems were the independent variables. This resulted in the successful separation of groups by problem variable. The results indicate that socioeconomic conditions alone are insufficient in explaining the prevalence of mental illness within the Hispanic inpatient population. The results also showed a pattern of problematic characteristics that Hispanic patients appear to share. The nature of these difficulties involve communication problems and resistance to the traditional hospital milieu. The implications of these findings are discussed.


Abstract As part of our synthetic program we sought an efficient preparation of 1-aryl-4-substituted-1-cyclohexenes that would provide flexibility in both the nature of the aryl and cyclohexenyl substituents. An ideal approach would involve [4+2] cycloaddition if a versatile synthesis of the requisite 2-aryl-1,3-butadienes were available. Several syntheses of 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene have been reported. There are two general approaches: 1) classical methods involved a pyrolysis of an alcohol or alcohol derivative as a final step [1,2]; 2) more recent methods utilize a transition metal-mediated coupling of a preformed diene [3,4]. The coupling with chloroprene grignard [3] would appear to provide greatest flexibility. However, prompted by the low catalyst activity with aryl halides as well as the probable carcinogenicity and cost of chloroprene, we sought a more convenient method.


In 1978, an International Exhibition for Palestine took place in Beirut with the aim of presenting works of international artists united for the Palestinian people, in a district controlled by the Palestinians and populated by Palestinian, Lebanese and Arabic activists. During the exhibition, Nasser Soumi polled the Palestino-Lebanese public. At that time, his artistic work did not correspond to the revolutionary art practiced by the majority of the Palestinian artists. His concern was the existential problem of the human beings—including the Palestinians'. Beyond the public, the poll was a way to better understand himself.


Industrial protocols are critical communication elements for networking components in industrial applications, and plays core rule for security audit and anomalous detection. The emerging of fog computing paradigm makes that intelligence moves down to the industrial devices for enhanced local computational capability. In this work, deep convolutional generative adversarial networks (GAN) is applied for designing industrial protocol construction scheme, in which a discriminator and a generator are respectively established to achieve collaborative training and optimization. Siemens S7 protocol payloads are transformed into gray scale images for texture feature extraction, and a data set of industrial protocols are adopted for implementation. The adversarial training model could be uploaded in the industrial cloudlets, and the proposed protocol construction scheme will launch a perspective for establishing honeypots or honeynets in the fog computing.


【Task】 After being hydrophilized by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, even in small environments ultraviolet radiation, to provide a photocatalytic film stack the state having a small contact angle of water of the surface can be maintained for a long time. A Respect photocatalytic film with tin oxide, (111) by a monoclinic type zirconium oxide having a structure in which the crystal plane is oriented somewhat to the underlying layer, the crystallinity of the photocatalyst layer is improved consisting tetragonal tin oxide and its surface roughness is increased, it is possible to obtain a photocatalytic laminated film that can be maintained even long hydrophilic in environmental light irradiation is small after the hydrophilization treatment by light irradiation.


This is a listing of the most distinguished books of 2012 from several review sources. These titles were recommended by different review sources.


This paper is part of the second Literature Compass panel cluster arising from The Texas A&M John Donne Collection: A Symposium and Exhibition. [Correction added after online publication 24 October 2008: 'This paper introduces the second Literature Compass panel cluster' changed to 'This paper is part of the second Literature Compass panel cluster'.] Comprising an introduction by Gary Stringer and three of the papers presented at the symposium, this cluster seeks to examine the current state of Donne Studies and aims to provide a snapshot of the field. The symposium was held April 6–7, 2006.

The cluster is made up of the following articles:

'Introduction to the Second Donne Cluster: Three Papers from The Texas A&M John Donne Collection: A Symposium and Exhibition', Gary A. Stringer, Literature Compass 5 (2008), DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2008.00551.x.

'Donne into Print: The Seventeenth-Century Collected Editions of Donne's Poetry', Ted-Larry Pebworth, Literature Compass 5 (2008), DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2008.00552.x.

'"a mixed Parenthesis": John Donne's Letters to Severall Persons of Honour', M. Thomas Hester, Literature Compass 5 (2008), DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2008.00553.x.

'What We Think About Donne: A History of Donne Criticism in Twenty Minutes', Paul A. Parrish, Literature Compass 5 (2008), DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2008.00554.x.

***

The standard paradigm of critical responses to John Donne from the seventeenth century to the present is not seriously contested: during his own day Donne was reasonably well known, albeit a somewhat controversial poet. As the century progressed, Donne became increasingly out of fashion, and throughout the eighteenth century and into the nineteenth century, Donne had largely disappeared from the public and critical eye. The 'rescue' of Donne in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries has led to an interest that has continued largely unabated to the present, though often without the unbridled enthusiasm that characterizes some responses early in the twentieth century. In the past few decades, Donne's work has been viewed through the lenses of virtually every critical and theoretical approach one could identify. More recent efforts, particularly as exemplified by the Variorum Edition of the Poetry of John Donne, have not so much challenged the standard paradigm regarding Donne criticism as to add to our knowledge and understanding by filling in gaps and shading in historical transitions, the better to provide a more comprehensive understanding of what we have thought about Donne for more than four centuries.


In 1994/95 the derivatives industry was rocked by a series of high‐profile derivatives disasters. For example, litigation between Procter & Gamble and Bankers Trust highlighted a troubled relationship between banks and corporate clients. Examines the success of relationship marketing in the derivatives industry in light of these events. Participants in the derivatives industry in Sydney and Hong Kong are interviewed to determine whether the watershed cases of 1994/95 caused, or were indicative of, a more widespread deterioration in relationships. However, the expected benefits of relationship banking have remained largely unrealized. Concludes that further work is needed to overcome the significant impediments to successful implementation of relationship banking.


A writer's success is often at the mercy of history, and many writers have been unfortunate enough to produce their best work at the wrong time. In our own century A. E. W. Mason wrote Musk and Amber, one of the most poignant historical novels in the English language, at a time when the paper shortage and the pressures of the Second World War effectively smothered its achieving the success it deserved. Dick Brome's theatrical career was obliterated by the Civil War. He was just becoming the prime advocate of conservative methods of staging in the face of the growing interest in moveable scenes when the theatres were closed, and it is important to consider what direction his work would have taken if Davenant and Jones had been able to build the theatre in Fleet Street for which they received a patent in 1642. One notes his disapproval of Suckling's use of the new techniques in the prologue he wrote for Newcastle's The Country Captain:


With the development of new internet application technologies, cyberspace security is becoming more important. How to effectively identify network attacks is the core issue of cyberspace security. Deep learning is used in intrusion detection, which can find hidden attacks in intrusion data and then improve the accuracy of detection. Semi-supervised learning uses a small number of labeled data and a large number of unlabeled data to train. It reduces the requirements of the sample. In this paper, an intrusion detection algorithm based on semi-supervised learning and deep learning is proposed to solve the problem of low accuracy in intrusion detection systems. The algorithm uses sparse self-encoder and softmax classifier in deep learning to classify the data and improves the classification performance. Experimental verification is carried out using KDD CUP99 dataset. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm.


India is a developing country, where the majority of population is striving for a better life. In recent times, people are interested in inventing new things; therefore wireless power transfer technology has been developed. This advanced technology helps people by allowing them to wirelessly operate household appliances and electrical equipment. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other wireless power transfer technologies can be used. This study developed a WPT utilizing Bluetooth, which only allows a limited range. To overcome this drawback, Arduino boards are incorporated along with the Bluetooth to transfer the power. The proposed WPT can assist people in accessing the end application from any location. WPT is utilized in almost all the fields like industries, home, colleges, hospitals and so on. Nowadays, most of the things/house appliances are operated wirelessly to avoid voltage drops and other things. Furthermore, by increasing the frequency of the resistors present in the proposed model, the power can be transmitted to a longer distance. Due to increasing demand for automation in the present society, the proposed model has been designed by using Bluetooth. Although Wi-Fi may not be available in every home, smartphone is available in every home, so this research work has developed a project based on Bluetooth technology. The bluetooth devices assist in the transmission of electricity over longer distances by increasing bandwidth or transferring power up to the bandwidth energy. It is very simple and cost effective. With this model, the power can be easily transferred from one place to another with more bandwidth and reduced wired networks by utilizing the wireless medium.


Approximately 53% of near-term newborns admitted into intensive care, experience respiratory distress. These newborns are commonly delivered by caesarean section and have elevated airway liquid volumes at birth, which can cause respiratory morbidity. We investigated the effect of providing respiratory support with a positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 8cmH2O on lung function in newborn rabbit kittens with elevated airway liquid volumes at birth.Near-term rabbits (30d; term=32d) with airway liquid volumes that corresponded to vaginal delivery (~7mL/kg, Control, n=11) or caesarean section (~37mL/kg; Elevated Liquid (EL), n=11) were mechanically ventilated (tidal volume=8mL/kg). The PEEP was changed after lung aeration from 0 to 8 to 0 cmH2O (Control, n=6; EL, n=6) and in a separate group of kittens, PEEP was changed after lung aeration from 8 to 0 to 8 cmH2O (Control, n=5; EL, n=5). Lung function (ventilator parameters, compliance, lung gas volumes and distribution of gas within the lung) was evaluated using plethysmography and synchrotron-based phase contrast X-ray imaging. EL kittens initially receiving 0 cmH2O PEEP had reduced functional residual capacities and lung compliance, requiring higher inflation pressures to aerate the lung compared to Control kittens. Commencing ventilation with 8 cmH2O PEEP mitigated the adverse effects of EL, increasing lung compliance, functional residual capacity and the uniformity and distribution of lung aeration, but did not normalize aeration of the distal airways. Respiratory support with PEEP supports lung function in near-term newborn rabbits with elevated airway liquid volumes at birth who are at greater risk of suffering respiratory distress.


With development of gas vehicle technology and the west-east gas transmission project development in China,the demand that diesel buses is modified into CNG engine is expanding a lot of jobs has to be done for this modification.LRN6A3L-Q gas engine is developed based on the LR6105ZLQ Dongfanghong diesel engine where intake system,the combustion system,ignition system are designed and modified.Its test results and baisc situations is presented in the paper.


Editor—Interested general practitioners may be the key to providing continuity of care to patients who self harm.1,2

I am a general practitioner working in an inner city practice that serves many university students. The hospital emergency department sends a notification of attendance to the general practitioner of all patients who visit hospital having deliberately harmed themselves. Our general practice automatically sends letters inviting these patients to make a double appointment to see one of us so that we can provide local follow up and support. We asked the emergency department to be more precise when describing lacerations—accidental or deliberate—so we could target the correct group. About half the patients respond. About half the patients are already known to us as having mental health problems.


In the presence of a catalytic system containing zirconium acetylacetonate, ethylaluminum dichloride, and alkyl halide benzene undergoes oligoalkylation by ethylene with the formation of a mixture of higher alkylbenzenes. The molecular weight of the oligoalkylation product depends on the concentration of the transition metal compound and on the temperature and does not depend on the concentration of ethylene. The kinetic relationships governing the reaction were investigated, and a kinetic equation was obtained. The numerical values of the rate constants for the main stages of the process were determined by means of a computer.


Work environment change during the Covid-19 pandemic caused symptoms of health problems. Since the online school, teachers at the Nurul Islam Integrated Islamic Elementary School, Cahaya Ilmu Elementary School, and Al-Iman Elementary School have experienced mental and physical health problems. Mental health disorders such as work stress, both stress that comes from within themselves and from the organization/environment. Physical health problems felt by the teachers were eye nerve disorders, joint disorders, muscle and spinal disorders. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of the work environment on the health conditions, especially for the mental and physical health of teachers, the sample in this study is 138 people. The data collection techniques used surveys, interviews, and distributing the questionnaires, and the data processing and analysis techniques used simple linear regression methods.  The results of the partial analysis there is a negative amount of 20,6% influence between the work environment on healthy conditions, this means that any unfavorable high state of the work environment will deteriorate the teacher's physical and mental health.


Fangxi Reservoir is a hydraulic complex mainly for the purpose of water supply as well as flood control,irrigation,power generation and other functions.The static investment reaches 1150.46 million yuan.By estimating and analyzing the reservoir's supply water prices and loan payment capability,the paper proposes a reasonable financing plan.


Some researches of social facilitation have been gradually formed since 1898 and developed some theories,such as dominant response theory,evaluation theory,distraction-conflict theory,and so on.However,there exist some contradictions about these experimental studies,for understanding the effect of social facilitation on sport performance.By utilizing the meta-analysis,this article analyzes the issue.The results show that(1)the relation appeared a moderate effect(r=0.32)between social facilitation and skilled movements;(2) the relation is negative correlation between social facilitation and non-skilled action(r=-0.11).Meanwhile,the author analyzes the effect of personality on social facilitation and further explained the limitations.


Existing methods of compensation of commutation instants are generally developed based on the assumption that the back electromotive force (EMF) is trapezoidal wave and the three-phase windings are symmetrical. But this is not the fact. The actual back EMF waveform and commutation ripple would make the conventional methods disabled. According to the actual back EMF waveforms, the relationship between commutation point shift and the difference of dc-link current, which is sampled at the points before and after commutation, is analyzed. Based on this relationship, a novel self-compensation method of commutation error is proposed, which can be used both in sensorless motor and in hall sensor-based motor. As the shift phase is obtained through analytical method, fast convergence speed can be achieved. Furthermore, the influences caused by the freewheeling of turn-off phase inductance and the unbalanced three-phase windings are analyzed and removed. At last, the validity of the proposed self-compensation method is verified through experimental results.


The capacitance voltage measurements were applied for characterization of the semiconductor/dielectric interface of GaN MOS capacitors with SiO2 and HfO2/SiO2 gate stacks. From the Terman method low density of interface traps (Dit ≈ 10 eV−1 cm−2) at SiO2/GaN interface was calculated for as-deposited samples. Samples with HfO2/SiO2 gate stacks have higher density of interface traps as well as higher density of mobile charge and e ective charge in the dielectric layers. High quality of SiO2/GaN interface shows applicability of SiO2 as a gate dielectric in GaN MOSFET transistors.


In area surveillance problems, planning an effective route is important for both of cost and safety. One solution is to transform a surveillance problem to another route planning problem such as a traveling salesman problem or a vehicle routing problem. However, conventional problems are limited in their settings (e.g., route expression), which cause difference between the models and the real world situation. Another solution is to evaluate routes by modeling and simulating the problem environment, for approaching the real world. In this paper, we develop a new simulation environment for surveillance, then propose a route optimization algorithm in the environment.


Daskalov, G. M., and Mamedov, E. V. 2007. Integrated fisheries assessment and possible causes for the collapse of anchovy kilka in the Caspian Sea. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 503-511.Anchovy kilka (Clupeonella engrauliformis) is the most abundant species of fish in the Caspian Sea. An integrated catch-at-age analysis based on commercial catch data and relative abundance indices from research surveys over the period 1991-2004 indicated two main periods. First, a period of high catches, from 1991 to 2000, sustained by relatively good recruitment and high spawning-stock biomass. At the end of this period, catches peaked at up to 271 400 t, fishing mortality reached 1.8 y −1 in 1999, and overfishing seems to have taken place. Over the next period, 2001-2004, the stock virtually collapsed, recruitment failing in 2001 and remaining very low thereafter. In 2005, total catches dropped to a historical minimum of 54 300 t. The most likely primary cause of the stock collapse is the invasion and spread of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Caspian Sea. The dramatic recruitment failure from 2001 to 2004 is primarily attributed to competition/predation by this ctenophore, although other factors, including overfishing, likely contributed.


From the design point of view,we analysis on forepart water breaking reasons of asphalt pavement,we want to find out a way to comprehensive control it in quickly and permanence. That would provide the basis to enhance the working life of the asphalt pavement.


Based on survey data of three forest tenure reform demonstration 333 peasant households.From capital spending and labor input,technical inputs of woodland,forest tenure reform under the background of advancing the development situation are analyzed,and points out the problems with collective forest right system reform.Combining with the real situations,suggestions for guiding and stimulating peasants to forestland investment are put forward through perfecting the forest right mortgage,playing the function of forestry station and conducting forestry subsidy way and so on.


Forming a semiconductor device can include forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate including a conductive region thereof, wherein the insulating layer has a contact hole therein exposing a portion of the conductive region. A polysilicon contact plug can be formed in the contact hole wherein at least a portion of the polysilicon contact plug is doped with an element having a diffusion coeffient that is less than a diffusion coefficient of phosphorus (P). Related structures are also discussed.


The Pierce impedance of helix slow-wave structures has been measured using nonresonant perturbation techniques. Effects of space harmonics and TE fields were demonstrated using experimental results for the first time. It was found that there was an error in the derivation of the correction factor commonly used for the uniform-axial-field assumption. It was shown that this error should be corrected at higher frequencies for accurate measurements. Using an automated set-up and improved experimental techniques the measurement repeatability of the existing technique has been improved from 5% to 2%.


The current and projected use of computerized design and production equipment in the apparel industry was assessed by surveying designers working for apparel manufacturers. The purpose was to determine if there is an accelerated acceptance of technology and what the implications are for apparel design education given changes in the industry. Comparisons were made between different sized companies (based on gross annual sales) and between companies producing different types of clothing. Designers were asked for recommendations on coursework and needed exposure to computerized equipment in designer training. Results show greatly increased use and projected use of computerized equipment particularly for design and pattern making equipment. Specifically, larger companies utilize computers across many different tasks while smallerfirms specializing in women's clothing are less likely to use computerized equipment.


Video on Demand platforms employ artificially intelligent movie recommender systems to support users in finding suitable content. However, prior work suggests that users still face several problems. Users reportedly feel overwhelmed by the high number of recommendations and find it hard to make sense of these suggestions and how these systems work. At the same time, current systems only employ few or no possibilities to control and make sense of the recommendation algorithms. This study investigates interactive explanations as an approach to improve sense-making and user-system trust. An initial study (based on 12 semi-structured interviews) examined the acceptability of expressive feedback on watched movies to derive highly personalised explanations. While this study found extensive feedback to be only moder-ately accepted because of high interaction effort, explanations of the eventual recommendations were found to be in high favour. Therefore, a follow-up within-subject online user study (N=30) compared three prototypes of interactive explanations (feature-weighting, timeline, and genre-swapping) with a non-interactive/non-explainable baseline. These prototypes used the participant's Netflix viewing activity to make personalised recommendations. In particular, each prototype's effect on different levels of sense-making, user-system trust, and other variables was measured. The results show that interactive explanations are an effective way to enable users to make sense of recommender systems and their output. Moreover, all interactive systems were found to improve user-system trust significantly. An overreaching demand for more control and increased transparency in movie recommender systems furthermore suggests that Video on Demand platforms should start to employ interactive explanations. less demanding overall (main effect). However, the varying correlations between LD ~ ATI * Prototype were not found to be signifi- cantly different.


To date, few studies have incorporated singers of contemporary commercial music styles (CCM singers) into their participant samples. When CCM singers have had some small representation, the researchers typically have been from outside the CCM areas of voice, and reports have featured either laboratory-based testing of small participant samples or investigation of symptomology from patients seeking treatment in voice clinics. For the most part, this etic (outsider) reporting lacks consideration of the real world performance contexts and environmental conditions of professional contemporary gig singers' (PCGS) work-life. What follows here are reflections that have evolved from my lifelong career as both PCGS and teacher of CCM singing styles. Additionally, the self-reports of 102 PCGS in Australia present an "insider" view of the real world from the lived experiences of this important, yet under-researched, group of professional voice users.


For infectious diseases, as highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 (A/H5N1 HP), the need for an early detection and warning mechanism is essential, especially when countries have been free of disease for an extended period of time. Evaluating the sensitivity and the expected cost of surveillance are necessary steps to ensure an efficient and sustainable system. Stochastic scenario tree modeling has been used here to assess the sensitivity of the A/H5N1 HP surveillance system in sector IV of Thailand. The whole process of disease detection, from passive surveillance to X-Ray, has been described and sensitivity of each component and of the overall system has been estimated. Scenarios, according to selection of high risk areas, inclusion of components or sampling procedure, have been tested and discussed. (Resume d'auteur)


Abstract Spectral analysis of time series of a c. 17 ± 0.3 year core, calibrated for total ß activity recovered from Sentik Glacier (4908m) Ladakh, Himalaya, yields several recognizable periodicities including subannual, annual, and multi-annual. The time-series, include both chemical data (chloride, sodium, reactive iron, reactive silicate, reactive phosphate, ammonium, δD, δ(18O) and pH) and physical data (density, debris and ice-band locations, and microparticles in size grades 0.50 to 12.70 μm). Source areas for chemical species investigated and general air-mass circulation defined from chemical and physical time-series are discussed to demonstrate the potential of such studies in the development of paleometeorological data sets from remote high-alpine glacierized sites such as the Himalaya.


| Movement evaluation is important and necessary to identify the risks of injury, enabling the elaboration of preventive and corrective exercise programs, aiming to improve the performance of functional activities and consequent wellbeing. This study aimed to analyze and compare the incidence of dynamic knee valgus in bodybuilders and sedentary women, as well as to identify the pain symptoms and the potential for injury associated with this biomechanical change. Sixty women were divided into two groups: bodybuilders and sedentary, aged 18 to 30. Data collection consisted of Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the data were subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis. A total of 60% of sedentary women had dynamic knee valgus, with a predominance of bodybuilders (33.3%), showing an association between dynamic valgus and sedentary lifestyle (p<0.03). There was no association between pain and dynamic knee valgus (p>0.06) for both groups. 50.0% women and sedentary had a FMS score below six points, representing a high risk of injury. It is concluded that sedentary women are more predisposed to dynamic knee valgus, as well as greater pain symptomatology and greater risk of lower limbs injury.


http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/43/2/320 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/0363546514559826 2015 43: 320 originally published online December 30, 2014 Am J Sports Med Martha M. Murray Benedikt L. Proffen, Patrick Vavken, Carla M. Haslauer, Braden C. Fleming, Chad E. Harris, Jason T. Machan and Benefit in the Porcine Model Addition of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Whole Blood for Bioenhanced ACL Repair Has No


Background: Repeated and long treatment with tramadol that could cause toxic metabolites by accumulationin the body and with high level of risk of pharmokinetic interaction alongside the decreasing of tramadol,therefore this study was carried out to investigate the toxic impact of the tramadol on the tissues of the brainin the male rats.Method: This experiment was accomplished and processed at environmental toxicology laboratory,environmental studies department, institute of graduate studies and research, university of Alexandria, Alexandriap) ovince, Egypt. a group of rats (32, male) from Albano waster subspecies and they weigh from 200-250g,all belonging to the animal house of the faculty of medicine, university of Alexandria and grouping in tofour groups (8 rats for each group in each cage). In regards to the control group, they were given basal foodand tap water through-out 10 days by gastric tube, day by day. Group three the rats were fed with basal dietand given Tramadol HCL orally in dose 45mg/ kg .B.W dissolved in (5ml) normal saline (0.9%) by gastrictube, daily for Twenty days. Group for the rats were fed with basal diet and given Tramadol HCL orally indose 45mg/ kg .B.W dissolved in (5ml) normal saline (0.9%) by gastric tube, daily for Thirty days. When theexperimental period reached its end, kidney tissues of each rat were instantly removed and after that weighed thenput into 10 percent of neutral buffer formalin to be considered as a fixative solution.The Results: The results showed significantly decrease in the heaviness of the brain in the groups of therats that given the Tramadol HCL in dose 45mg/ kg .B.W with increasing the time of administration ascompared to the control group. Histopathological changes were observed in rats brain tissues section therats that given Tramadol HCL orally in dose 45mg/ kg .B.W dissolved in (5ml) normal saline for ten daysrevealed mild degree of tissue injury in the cerebral cortex, with few vacuolar degeneration and dilatationof blood vessels, and the tissue sections of group two after ten days revealed mild degree of tissue injury inthe cerebral cortex, with few vacuolar degeneration and dilatation of blood vessels, while the three groupObserved increase in the vacuolar degeneration, with neural atrophy and degeneration of neurons withreduction the neural process and pyknosis of the nuclei dilatation of blood vessels after twenty days oftramadol administration. The tissue Sections the obtained from the group four after thirty days revealedincrease in the vacuolar degeneration, with more atrophy of the neural cells and complete reduction theneural process and pyknosis of the nucleus in the injured neural cells and glyosis.The Conclusion of this study there are harmful toxic effects when administrated the tramadol for longperiod on the brain tissues, therefore abuse of tramadol should be avoided except with medical prescriptionowing to its toxic effects.


Power consumed by modern computer systems, particularly servers in data centers has al- most reached an unacceptable level. However, their energy consumption is often not justifiable when their utilization is considered; that is, they tend to consume more energy than needed for their comput- ing related jobs. Task scheduling in distributed computing systems (DCSs) can play a crucial role in increasing utilization; this will lead to the reduction in energy consumption. In this paper, we address the problem of scheduling precedence-constrained parallel applications in DCSs, and present two en- ergy-conscious scheduling algorithms. Our scheduling algorithms adopt dynamic voltage and fre- quency scaling (DVFS) to minimize energy consumption. DVFS, as an efficient power management technology, has been increasingly integrated into many recent commodity processors. DVFS enables these processors to operate with different voltage supply levels at the expense of sacrificing clock fre- quencies. In the context of scheduling, this multiple voltage facility implies that there is a trade-off be- tween the quality of schedules and energy consumption. Our algorithms effectively balance these two performance goals using a novel objective function and its variant, which take into account both goals; this claim is verified by the results obtained from our extensive comparative evaluation study.


Many studies discussed consumers boycott in various contexts but they all agreed that it constitutes an undesirable behaviour from business firms' perspective. Consumer's buying and boycotting behaviour is influenced by various factors. Limited studies focused on consumer boycott from transnational consumers prospective. The current study examines the boycotting behaviour of London Arabs and the factors that influence it. An online survey was used for data collection. Four key measures adapted from the literature were used in this research and multiple regressions were applied to examine the factors influencing boycotting behaviour. The study found that London Arabs boycotting behaviour is characterised by their demographics, religion, transnationality and social capital. This paper offers an empirically tested foundation for understanding the boycotting behaviours of this largely uncharted segment of consumers. It is the first study that examines this transnational segment's boycotting behaviour where transnationality and connectedness are proven to be powerful factors in influencing boycotting behaviour.


A number of usability studies report that many users of the WWW cannot find pages already visited, additionally many users cannot visualise where they are, or where they have been browsing. Currently, readily available WWW browsers provide history mechanisms that offer little or no support in the presentation and manipulation of visited sites. Manipulation and presentation of usage data, such as a browse history has been used in a number of cases to aid users in searching for previously attained data, and to teach or assist other users in their browse or searching techniques. The paper presents a virtual reality (VR) based application to be used alongside traditional Web browsers, which provides them with a flexibly tailorable real time visualisation of their history.


Summary Mice which developed paralysis within 5 days after an intracerebral inoculation of Lansing strain of poliomyelitis virus had approximately as much virus in the brain as in the spinal cord-medulla. After 5 days little or no virus was recovered from the brain although pools of cord-medulla of mice which became paralyzed up to 4 weeks after injection were found to contain as much virus as did the pool of the first 5 days.


Tnt's corporate transport statistical information is, in the main, expendable. The bulk of information is destroyed seven days after production. A dozen programs have value up to 52 weeks after production, and less than half that number have value for more than 52 weeks. The sole purpose of retaining the dated information is to compare the current week's revenue and profit with the corresponding week of the previous year, and with the projections for the current year. Tonnage comparisons tell us very little. The rate per tonne in isolation, whether by individual lane or all lanes consolidated, is also of little value. The success or failure of the enterprise is measured solely by the amount that revenue exceeds total costs.


Computer-related anxiety and stress affects everyone who uses a computer and is aggravated by poor management, faulty system design, inadequate training, misunderstandings by users of what computers can do, and substandard documentation. Research has shown that computer users, no matter how experienced they are, can experience anxiety and stress that negatively affect their job performance. The problem is so pervasive that no single management strategy, ergonomic plan, training model, or system design can resolve the dilemma. Physical and psychological problems that afflict computer users can be reduced only by a united effort of all people involved with designing systems, training, and operating computers within organizations. This article reviews research in the field, and outlines how management, system designers, and technical communicators can help users relieve stress and anxiety when using and learning how to operate computers. When managers, designers, and technical communicators work together, factors that create computer stress and anxiety can be identified and reduced when computer systems and training are properly designed and managed.


Two individuals with chronic severe hemiplegia resulting from a stroke underwent a rehabilitation intervention for 40 and 80 hours to restore voluntary movement in their arms and hands. Both participants had a stroke six years prior to joining the study and had since tried multiple interventions all of which had failed to produce any meaningful improvement in their upper limb function. The intervention presented here used a brain-computer interface in combination with functional electrical stimulation therapy. During each session, functional tasks, such as lifting a water bottle, were practised. The performed motions engaged the muscles of the shoulder, arm, forearm, and hand. Both participants experienced significant and meaningful changes in their ability to use their affected arm and hand as measured by standard clinical measures.


This study set out to investigate the historical process of co-pastors in the Korean Presbyterian Church: its origin, institutional establishment, expansion, and abolition. The position of co-pastors was created by the appointment of eight Korean pastors as co-pastors to work with missionaries at the third presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1909 under the influence of the American Presbyterian Church. Since then, the position underwent continuous expansion in its implementation through the process of institutional establishment and expansion. At the third general meeting held in 1914, pastors were categorized into installed pastors, interim pastors, installed co-pastors, and interim co-pastors. At the sixth general meeting held in 1917, pastors were distinguished by various titles. At the 18th general meeting held in 1929, the institutional establishment of co-pastors was completed by the provisions about the titles of pastors to Article 4 of Chapter 4 under Politics in the constitution. In the field of ministry, it developed in the form of joint ministry with Korean installed pastors and co-pastors as well as missionaries and Korean co-pastors in the 1920s. Since then, it was further divided into the forms of joint ministry between Korean installed pastors and installed co-pastors and joint ministry between Korean installed pastors and interim co-pastors. In the Korean Presbyterian Church, the title of co-pastors worked to enable collaborative leadership through joint ministry. The joint ministry between Han Kyung-jik and Kang Shin-myeong at the Youngnak Church as installed pastor and co-pastor is a case showing that the title continued to play positive roles even after Liberation. The title of co-pastors was, however, abolished after the introduction of a new title called assistant pastors at the 40th general meeting of the Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1955. This decision neglected the historical contribution made by the title of co-pastors. The abolition of co-pastors and the introduction of assistant pastors presented a turning point to accelerate the change toward an installed pastor-centric single leadership system instead of collaborative leadership through joint ministry.


Abstract During recent years, in order to satisfy consumer's demand at meat quality and animal welfare, it has become popular to raise pigs outdoors. As reported by various authors this kind of rearing system may affects chemical-physical traits of meat but mainly the adipose tissue, characterised by an higher content of unsaturated fatty acids (Pugliese et al., 2004). The aim of this work is to verify the effect of rearing system on some meat and subcutaneous fat quality traits. For this reason, twelve Large White x Duroc pigs were raised under two different farming system following the organic regulations: six pigs were reared indoors while six pigs were reared outdoors on woodland pastures of 5000 m2. Both group were fed the same diet but, during the months of October and November, the pigs raised outdoors received 1kg/die of chestnuts (Castanea sativa) instead of maize. All animals were slaughtered at the target weight of about 140kg, reached at the age of 12 months for the indoor group and at the age of 13 months for the outdoor group. 24 hours after slaughtering, from all carcasses the left loin (muscle longissimus lumborum) was excised and vacuum packaged. The meat was analysed for the determination of: pHu, colour, water holding capacity (drip loss, water-bath loss and M/T ratio) and shear force on water-bath cooked meat; the subcutaneous fat was analysed for colour and shear force. To verify the effect of the different rearing system, data underwent to variance analysis (SAS, 1995). As regard the main results, the rearing conditions do not affect pHu values (5.43 vs 5.47), in agreement with results of other authors (Lebret et al., 2002; Pugliese et al., 2004). The colour parameters of meat are similar between indoor and outdoor pigs, in spite of the different age and of the attended different content of myoglobin. Shear force on water-bath cooked meat is significantly higher for the outdoors pigs (12.82kg vs 10.94kg) probably due to the higher exercise and to the older age at slaughter. Results of water-holding capacity show that outdoors pigs have a significantly lowest drip loss (2.78% vs 4.86%) and a significantly highest value of water-bath loss (32.36% vs 20.12%); no differences are revealed for the M/T ratio. These contradictory results on water-holding capacity are in agreement with other authors and may be related to the different methodologies used (Pugliese et al., 2004). As regard the quality of subcutaneous fat, it is possible to note that the outdoors pigs show lower value of C* (2.77 vs 4.56) and higher value of H* (58.33 vs 41.01) thus their fat is less coloured and clearer, in agreement with the results of Pugliese et al. (2004). No differences are revealed for shear force parameters: it seems that the consistence of fat is not influenced by rearing system even if it is well known that outdoors pigs have a different fatty acid composition than indoors pigs, mainly in terms of polyunsaturated fatty acid content. In conclusion it seems that the outdoor rearing system, further on influences the consumer perception of quality, effectively modifies some meat and fat quality traits, making interesting an ulterior deepening of this argument.


Land price is key to land market management,and urban residential land price is key to urban land price management.Recently,urban land price ascended fast,meaning a land price risk which has caught governmental attention.However,there is no any risk warning mechanism in China.This paper,based on a case study on Tangshan city,applies residential land price risk evaluation model to define a rational range of Tangshan residential land price,classifies the warning range of urban residential land price in Tangshan city by using a related code,ascertains the preceding index of land price forecast by using time-difference relation analysis method,and forecasts the price trend by means of BP,and evaluates the Tangshan urban residential land price,attempting to providing a reference for government to make policies and for investors to get to know the risks.


An introduction to the Nanoscale themed collection on emerging quantum technologies at the nanoscale, featuring high-quality research on quantum materials and devices for computing, sensing, imaging and communication.


ABSTRACT Diagnostic fossil angiosperm pollen figured from an outcrop section show that lower Edmonton (pre-Lance) sediments are exposed near Sheerness, Alberta (Sec. 22, Twp. 29, Rge. 13, W 4th Mer.). These strata are of the same age as the beds below the Drumheller Marine Tongue of the Edmonton Formation exposed in the type section at Drumheller, Alberta (Sec. 14, Twp. 29, Rge. 20, W 4th Mer.). Structural data obtained from oil-well records between the two localities substantiate the fossil evidence, which shows that no sediments of Lance age are present in theSheerness badlands.


How do states create their regulations for independent testing laboratories? Here, Lori Dodson sheds some light on how the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission handled their regulations.


This paper describes an approach using machine learning to extract sound expressiveness and translate it into light. An autoencoder was trained on several musical ex-amples, thereby learning how to compress a constant Q transformed audio input, and then the latent space representation was used to generate visuals, in real time. A single interactive control parameter, the interpolation speed between new and current values, was made for customisa-tion. The expressiveness of the visuals was tested through a variety of musical textures and genres rated by participants. Results indicate that participants found the system's translations to be visually expressive, and reacted very positively to the experience. The control parameter was tested for customization potential and found to be a good tool for allowing the participant to adjust the visual expression. The method for expressive visualization used in the system shows promise for further development.


This paper addresses two components of the problem of estimating the magnitude of step trends in surface water quality. The first is finding a robust estimator appropriate to the data characteris- tics expected in water-quality time series. The Hodges-Lehmann class of estimators is found to be robust in comparison to other nonpara- metric and moment-based estimators. A seasonal Hodges-Lehmann estimator is' developed and shown to have desirable properties. Second, the effectiveness of various sampling strategies are examined using Monte Carlo simulation coupled with application of this estimator. The simulation is based on a large set of total phosphorus data from the Potomac River. To assure that the simulated records have realistic properties, the data are modeled in a multiplicative fashion incor- porating flow, hysteresis, seasonal, and noise components. The re- sults demonstrate the importance of balancing the length of the two sampling periods and balancing the number of data values between the two periods. The inefficiency of sampling at frequencies much in excess of 12 samples per year is demonstrated. Rotational sampling designs are discussed, and efficient designs, at least for this river and constituent, are shown to involve more than one year of active sam- pling at frequencies of about 12 per year. (KEY TERMS: water quality; sampling; monitoring; statistics; trends; estimation.)


A number of shy yet innovative ventures were identified in refugee camps in Lebanon to bring in education, health or work to refugees. Many social enterprises are active in the Mena region and Lebanon attempting to address a protracted refugee crisis. In the context of limited research on social enterprise in the MENA region in general and on incubators and accelerators we aim to explore their capacity to develop these ventures and increase social inclusion and development, and help resolve the refugee crisis. Our exploratory research contributes to the ICT in social development literature. First, we point out how refugee-oriented startups need to be specifically targeted as a locus of support activity much like other "markets" in order for this ecosystem to grow and develop. Second, the form of this support may have to include specialized incubators, accelerators and other capacity building initiatives for the ecosystem to thrive.


On May 15, 2006, a breach in the riverbank caused an avulsion in the Suncook River in Epsom, NH. The breach in the riverbank and subsequent avulsion changed the established flood zones along the Suncook River; therefore, a new flood study was needed to reflect this change and aid in flood recovery and restoration. For this flood study, the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the Suncook River were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This report presents water-surface elevations and profiles determined using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers onedimensional Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System model, also known as HEC-RAS. Steady-state watersurface profiles were developed for the Suncook River from its confluence with the Merrimack River in the Village of Suncook (in Allenstown and Pembroke, NH) to the upstream corporate limit of the town of Epsom, NH (approximately 15.9 river miles). Floods of magnitudes that are expected to be equaled or exceeded once on the average during any 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, or 500-year period (recurrence interval) were modeled using HEC-RAS. These flood events are referred to as the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods and have a 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent chance, respectively, of being equaled or exceeded during any year. The 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year flood events are important for flood-plain management, determination of floodinsurance rates, and design of structures such as bridges and culverts. The analyses in this study reflect flooding potentials that are based on existing conditions in the communities of Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown at the time of completion of this study (2009). Changes in the 100-year recurrenceinterval flood elevation from the 1979 flood study were typically less than 2 feet with the exception of a location 900 feet upstream from the avulsion that, because of backwater from the dams in the abandoned channel, was 12 feet higher in the 1979 flood study than in this study. Introduction The Suncook River drains a group of lakes to the south of Lake Winnipesaukee and flows for approximately 30 mi to the Merrimack River at a location between Concord and Manchester, NH (fig. 1). Floods typically occur along the Suncook and Little Suncook Rivers during the spring, fall, and winter. Some of the most severe flooding in early spring is a result of snowmelt and heavy rains in conjunction with river ice. Major flooding in the fall is a result of heavy rainfall associated with tropical storms. Large thunderstorms can result in rapid runoff and flooding in the downstream reaches of small streams. Two floods in March 1936 resulted in the largest flood of record for the Suncook River. A combination of saturated ground, warm temperatures, snowmelt, and heavy rains from the second flood, following the filling of lakes and reservoirs and high river flows from the first flood, resulted in a peak flow of 12,900 ft3/s at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage Suncook River at Depot Road in North Chichester, NH (streamgage number 01089500), hereinafter referred to as the Suncook River streamgage. The March 1936 peak flow was determined to be between a 100and 500-year event (Flynn, 2008; Olson, 2007) and remains the largest flood of record at the Suncook River streamgage. From May 13 to 16, 2006, central and southern New Hampshire were flooded as a result of rainfall in excess of 8.8 in. (measured in Concord, NH) over a 4-day period. During the storm, flooding, along with streambed and streambank erosion and deposition, was substantial at several locations in the state. As a result of the flood damage, a presidential disaster declaration was made on May 25, 2006, for the New Hampshire counties of Rockingham, Hillsborough, Strafford, Merrimack, Belknap, Carroll, and Grafton. In response to this declaration, the USGS, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), measured or computed flood data at 65 streamgages within the disaster declaration area (Olson, 2007). On the basis of surveyed high-water marks, the peak flow at the Suncook River streamgage for the May 2006 event was determined to be 7,600 ft3/s (Olson, 2007), the third largest flood of record at this streamgage. This flow was determined from the Suncook Flood Study of the Suncook River in Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown, New Hampshire, 2009 By Robert H. Flynn 2 Flood Study of the Suncook River in Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown, New Hampshire, 2009 ROCKINGHAM STRAFFORD BELKNAP GRAFTON


On the basis of structure and characteristics of nano-Sb2 O3,research development in the surface modification of nano-Sb2 O3 and its dispersion method in resin matrix were reviewed in this paper,including the using of masterbatch,surfactants and coupling agents,in situ polymerization.The dimension effect of Sb2 O3 was explored.The synergistic effect between nano-Sb2 O3 and halogen-containing and halogen-free flame retardants in polymeric materials was introduced.The development significance and direction about nano-Sb2 O3 were finally summarized


The benefits of fermented milk have been known to mankind since the ancient days of civilization. The important role of fermented milk in human nutrition has been well documented through the ages, from the original unpredictable souring of milk caused by the microorganisms inherent in milk to modern microbiological processes, leading to fermented milk with the greater nutritional value produced under controlled conditions. The bioactive peptides synthesized by the microbial degradation of proteins in fermented milk and the addition of supplements, such as probiotics and prebiotics endow them with various physiological functions, including the regulation of the gut microbiota, cholesterol lowering, and immunomodulation, making them potential functional foods that are notable in healthy diets. Here, we summarized the development of fermented milk into four stages and also summarized their impact on health and diseases during different developmental stages. In addition, we described the characteristics and limitations of fermented milk in different eras. Accordingly, we integrated the future trends in the development of fermented milk as functional foods. It is hoped that the efforts to develop the potential of fermented milk as functional foods will help manage the health risks faced by many countries.


Background We investigated changes in the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis in Mali following a decade of donor-funded control and a further 12 years without control. Methodology/Principal Findings National pre-intervention cross-sectional schistosomiasis surveys were conducted in Mali in 1984–1989 (in communities) and again in 2004–2006 (in schools). Bayesian geostatistical models were built separately for each time period and on the datasets combined across time periods. In the former, data from one period were used to predict prevalence of schistosome infections for the other period, and in the latter, the models were used to determine whether spatial autocorrelation and covariate effects were consistent across periods. Schistosoma haematobium prevalence was 25.7% in 1984–1989 and 38.3% in 2004–2006; S. mansoni prevalence was 7.4% in 1984–1989 and 6.7% in 2004–2006 (note the models showed no significant difference in mean prevalence of either infection between time periods). Prevalence of both infections showed a focal spatial pattern and negative associations with distance from perennial waterbodies, which was consistent across time periods. Spatial models developed using 1984–1989 data were able to predict the distributions of both schistosome species in 2004–2006 (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was typically >0.7) and vice versa. Conclusions/Significance A decade after the apparently successful conclusion of a donor-funded schistosomiasis control programme from 1982–1992, national prevalence of schistosomiasis had rebounded to pre-intervention levels. Clusters of schistosome infections occurred in generally the same areas accross time periods, although the precise locations varied. To achieve long-term control, it is essential to plan for sustainability of ongoing interventions, including stengthening endemic country health systems.


The spectrum of finite-difference two-magnon operator is investigated for quantum S=1/2 chain with variable range exchange of the form $h(j-k)\propto \sinh^{-2}a(j-k)$. It is found that usual bound state appears for some values of the total pseudomomentum of two magnons as for the Heisenberg chain with nearest-neighbor spin interaction. Besides this state, a new type of bound state with oscillating wave function appears at larger values of the total pseudomomentum.


Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined as the occurrence of thrombosis and/or recurrent fetal losses in association with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA). Although it has been suggested that APLA have a pathogenic role in the thrombotic complications of APS, pathogenicity of APLA has not been conclusively proven. It has been speculated that other inherited or acquired thrombogenic risk factors might influence the development of thrombosis in patients with APS. In the present study, we examined the effect of well known inherited thrombophilic risk factors (inherited protein C (PC), protein S (PS) and antithrombin (AT) deficiencies; factor V Leiden (FVL) G1691A mutation, and prothrombin G20210A mutation) in the development of thrombosis in APS patients. Seventy-three definite APS patients with arterial and venous thrombosis (group 1: APS patients with thrombosis), 29 antiphospholipid antibody-positive patients with first trimester abortus and/or thrombocytopenia and no history of thrombosis (group 2: APLA-positive patients without thrombosis), and 126 healthy controls (group 3) were included into the study. PC, PS, and AT deficiencies were screened with functional assays; the presence of FVL mutation and prothrombin mutation were detected by polymerase chain reaction. PS and AT activities were found to be normal in all groups. Only a single APS patient with thrombosis had been found to have PC deficiency, PC activities were normal in both APLA-positive patients without thrombosis and healthy controls. The frequencies of FVL A allele for APS patients with thrombosis, APLA-positive patients without thrombosis, and healthy controls were 10.4%, 6.8%, and 4.9%, respectively. The frequency of FVL A allele was significantly higher in APS patients with thrombosis compared with healthy controls (10.4% vs 4.9%, p= 0.02 with chi-square test). The frequencies of prothrombin A allele for APS patients with thrombosis, APLA-positive patients without thrombosis and healthy controls were 3.4%, 0%, and 1.3%, respectively. Although the frequency of A allele was higher in APS patients with thrombosis compared with both APLA-positive patients without thrombosis and healthy controls, it was not statistically significant. Our results showed that inherited PC, PS, AT deficiencies, and prothrombin G20210A mutation are not common in patients with APS. FVL G1691A mutation may contribute to the development of thrombosis in a small group of APS patients. This study suggests that the known inherited thrombophilic risk factors are not responsible for the development of thrombosis in the majority of APS patients. Further prospective studies in larger cohorts of patients are needed to delineate the exact role of thrombophilic mutations in the development of thrombosis in APS.


Research surveys carried out between 2011 and 2013 indicate that many Africans believe their governments are failing to provide enough power, as shown by only South Africa being ranked the 16th while the rest of the East African region are occupying between 104th and 163rd in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa generated power is estimated at 68-Gigawatts no more than that of Spain, with South Africa alone accounting for 40-GW. The East African Rift System (EARS) is one of the major tectonic structures of the earth that stretches for about 6,500 km from the Middle East (Dead Sea-Jordan Valley) in the North to Mozambique in the South. The EARS passes through Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar. Its estimated geothermal energy resource potential is more than 15,000 MWe. Despite the high geothermal potential of the EARS, only Kenya and Ethiopia have installed a capacity of about 217 MWe. Other countries are still at the surface exploration stage and yet to locate their geothermal reservoirs. Geothermal energy presents a clean and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fuels and has the potential to provide long-term, secure base-load energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. However this potential can only be realized if the geothermal exploration and exploitation planning processes and strategies currently taking place at member state level are geared towards regional cooperation endeavourers. The concerted regional development of geothermal resources will consolidate financial, technical and human resources and eliminate or mitigate risks associated with resource exploration and development; lack of funding; and lack or inadequate geothermal policy, legal and institutional frameworks in most countries of the EARS. The regional geothermal development strategies will enhance absorption of upfront and political risks, consolidate private, bilateral capital and other foreign direct investments in addition to guaranteeing conducive investment environment as well as being vital to overcoming many investors reluctance and triggering the region's growing energy demands.


Sediment suspension and sedimentation affect coral reef ecosystem by altering physical and biological processes. In general, sediment suspension is controlled by the hydrodynamics of turbulence in reef systems (Pomeroy et al., 2017). The structures of colonies increase roughness and enhance turbulence mixing in coral reefs, which might affect sediment suspension. However, such complex processes between the sediment suspension and turbulence in natural reef systems are not well understood. Here, we present field observations of turbulence and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) over an intertidal reef flat. This research aims to understand, quantify, parameterize, and study the physical process of SSC variations, and, to investigate how the turbulence affecting the variation of SSC on the reef flat.


This work proposes a realization for an improved system using a unique parallel processing technique and the approximation of the piecewise parabolic interpolation, to generate digital chirp signals with a bandwidth reaches up to 320 MHZ for the applications of radar and particularly Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). In this work, a hardware implementation for a smart parallel processing technique with 4 threads is completely derived and achieved, this implementation is done by field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology, and exploited to increase the bandwidth of the generated chirp signals using a hybrid system based on direct digital frequency synthesizer with low cost and minimal hardware overhead, in addition to having a smaller ROM size with respect to the other existing techniques in the literature. The utilized implementation uses X5-TX platform with FPGA Xilinx Virtex5 SX95T with 512 MB DDR2 DRAM and 4MB QDR-II memory.


A HPLC method for the determination of magnolol and honokiol in Baoji Pill has been established. The method can be used to control the quality of Boji Pill.


The clumping parameter related to schistosomiasis is obtained by fitting a negative binomial distribution to data collected from a village in Brazil; the natural uninfected and parasite-induced snail host mortality rates are obtained from laboratory data. These values are used in a schistosomiasis model proposed earlier by the authors, and a disease transmission parameter from snails to humans is estimated. Then, the effect of chemotherapy of humans is assessed using prevalence of morbidity as a measure of the level of schistosome infection in a human population.