Sigmoid growth models, such as the logistic, Gompertz and Richards' models, are widely used to study population dynamics ranging from microscopic populations of cancer cells, to continental-scale human populations. Fundamental questions about model selection and parameter estimation are critical if these models are to be used to make practical inferences. However, the question of parameter identifiability – whether a data set contains sufficient information to give unique or sufficiently precise parameter estimates – is often overlooked. We use a profile-likelihood approach to explore practical parameter identifiability using data describing the re-growth of hard coral. With this approach, we explore the relationship between parameter identifiability and model misspecification, finding that the logistic growth model does not suffer identifiability issues for the type of data we consider whereas the Gompertz and Richards' models encounter practical non-identifiability issues. This analysis of parameter identifiability and model selection is important because different growth models are used within areas of the biological modelling literature without necessarily considering whether parameters are identifiable, or checking statistical assumptions underlying model adequacy. Standard practices that do not consider parameter identifiability can lead to unreliable or imprecise parameter estimates and potentially misleading mechanistic interpretations. While tools developed here focus on three standard sigmoid growth models only, our theoretical developments are applicable to any sigmoid growth model and any relevant data set. MATLAB implementations of all software are available on GitHub.


The spreading of a blob of shallow water for axisymmetrical and for one-dimensional configurations is investigated using a numerical model based on Lagrangian corrdinates. Rectangular, triangular and parabolic initial shapes of the blob are chosen. It is found that the dam-break problem (rectangular shape) yields nearly identical results for axisymmetrical and one-dimensional geometry. The spreading is much slower for both the other profiles and in particular so in the axisymmetrical case. The numerical results are compared to approximate analytical results for the triangular profile based on a conservation law. Agreement is found to be satisfactory.


The first gripper 114 reciprocates between the first table 121 and the stacking table 141, while the second gripper 115 reciprocates between the stacking table 141 and the second table 131. When the first gripper 114 grips the separator-electrode assembly 20 whose position in the horizontal direction is adjusted on the first table 121, the second gripper 115 is the stacking table 141. When the second electrode 30 is released on the upper surface and the first gripper 114 releases the separator-electrode assembly 20 on the stacking table 141, the horizontal position on the second table 131 is adjusted. The second gripper 115 grips the second electrode 30. The present invention provides a lamination apparatus and a lamination method capable of efficiently and accurately laminating a separator-electrode assembly in which a first electrode is sandwiched in a separator and a second electrode having a different polarity from the first electrode.


The aim of the study was to compare the accuracy of shear wave elastography performed by ultrasonic scanners from different manufacturers and to develop the conversion coefficients to recalculate the stiffness values obtained with different instruments using a calibrated phantom. Materials and Methods. A comparative analysis of the accuracy of stiffness measurements by shear wave point elastography was performed using three commercial ultrasonic scanners: Aixplorer (Supersonic Imagine, France), Acuson S2000 (Siemens, Germany), LOGIQ E9 (GE, USA), and the acoustic system Verasonics (Verasonics Inc., USA). The measurements were carried out using the calibrated phantom CIRS Model 049 Elasticity QA Phantom Spherical (Computerized Imaging Reference Systems Company, USA) that contained spherical inclusions of different stiffness. Results. With all tested scanners, comparable stiffness values with deviations within the measurement error were obtained. For the less stiff spheres of type I and type II, the obtained values were consistent with to the phantom calibration. For the medium-stiff phantom matrix, the measured values were at the lower limit of the calibration range. With the stiff spheres of type III, we found values lower than those predicted by calibration; the deviation was less pronounced in the linear sensor of the LOGIQ E9 scanner. In all sensors, this discrepancy increased along with increasing stiffness of the object. We developed formulas for recalculating the stiffness values for all tested scanners grouped by pairs. For example, for the pair of linear sensors Acuson S2000–Aixplorer, the conversion formulas of the Young's modulus E and the shear wave velocity V are as follows: E (Aixplorer, kPa)=3.11· V 2.06 (Acuson S2000, m/s) and V (Acuson S2000, m/s)=0.58· E 0.48 (Aixplorer, kPa). Conclusion. All tested sensors and scanners have a comparable high accuracy of shear wave point elastography. The tested instruments are more accurate when measuring objects with low stiffness; as the stiffness increases, the deviations from the standard values become greater. The formulas proposed for recalculating the stiffness indices allow an accurate comparison between the shear wave elastography results obtained with different scanners. When used with the same object, the measured stiffness values increase in the row: Acuson S2000 → Aixplorer → LOGIQ E9.


This article employs the methodology of public choice, or constitutional political economy, to the question of how citizenship should be defined in a constitution. All members of a community or an assembly representative of all members writes a constitution. Each participant in the constitution-drafting process is uncertain of his or her future identity under the constitution and thus chooses a constitution that maximizes the expected utility of all future citizens. The article describes the optimal conditions within this framework for: (1) granting citizenship to those born and raised in the country; (2) granting citizenship to those immigrating into the country; and (3) withdrawing citizenship from those who emigrate from the country. The article also discusses why it might be desirable to require that people pass certain tests and take a loyalty oath to the constitution before being awarded the privilege of voting.


This paper describes diffraction-pattern sampling as a basis for automatic pattern recognition in photographic imagery; it covers: diffraction-pattern generation, diffraction-pattern/image-area relationships, diffraction-pattern sampling, algorithm development, facility description, and experimental results which have been obtained over the last few years at General Motors' AC Electronics-Defense Research Laboratories in Santa Barbara, California. Sampling the diffraction pattern results in a sample - signature - a different one for each sampling geometry. The kinds of information obtainable from sample-signatures are described, and considerations for developing algorithms based on such information are discussed. A tutorial section is included for the purpose of giving the reader an intuitive feeling for the kinds of information contained in a diffraction pattern and how it relates to the original photographic imagery.


A novel biobased epoxy vitrimer (Gte-VA) with desirable mechanical properties was synthesized from glycerol triglycidyl ether (Gte) and an imine-containing hardener (VA), which was also a biobased ...


1 Hamilton-Craig C, Raffel OC, Pincus M, Hansen M, Slaughter R, Walters D. Coronary CT angiography for patients with stable chest pain in the Emergency Department; an appraisal of current and emerging evidence. Intern Med J 2012; 42: 226–8. 2 Maffei E, Seitun S, Martini C, Palumbo A, Tarantini G, Berti E et al. CT coronary angiography and exercise ECG in a population with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pre-test likelihood of coronary artery disease. Heart 2010; 96: 1973–9. 3 Weustink AC, Mollet NR, Neefjes LA, Meijboom WB, Galema TW, van Mieghem CA et al. Diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of noninvasive testing for coronary artery disease. Ann Intern Med 2010; 152: 630–9. 4 Ollendorf DA, Kuba M, Pearson SD. The diagnostic performance of multi-slice coronary computed tomographic angiography: a systematic review. J Gen Intern Med 2011; 26: 307–16. 5 Shreibati JB, Baker LC, Hlatky MA. Association of coronary CT angiography or stress testing with subsequent utilisation and spending among Medicare beneficiaries. JAMA 2011; 306: 2128–36.


i The goal of this project was to develop a recycling program for the Shalom Institute, a multi-use outdoor i learning facility located in Malibu, California. The literature review examined recycling behaviors, the integration of environmental education into a traditional outdoor education and camp setting, why place-based and experiential learning is ideal for this particular environment and, since the Shalom Institute affiliates with a religious organization, how teaching spirituality may deepen commitment to sustainability. The training of tHe Spanish speaking kitchen staff in recycling practices with a flip card presentation has been included. i A survey of the property' resulted in recommendations for recycling bin placement, signage, cost analysis of equipment, waste audit survey, waste tracking system, staff training and logistics and training schedule for the kitchen staff. Contact information of key personnel, contractors and stakeholders, as well as a listing of online educator resources, has been compiled.


The decoration of the entrance jambs had the function of drawing the attention of passers-by and showing them the identity of the owner of the funerary monument, a function furthermore called "signalling". In most tombs with decorated entrance jambs the choice of (sub)themes is such that the signalling function is evident and can be interpreted as a person signalling function. The function of the decoration on the entrance thicknesses is less straightforward; a signalling function is possible because light penetrates deep enough into the corridor to make the decoration there visible, but the same argument makes an inviting function just as probable, all the more because a signalling function has already been assigned to the decoration on the entrance jambs. The conclusion is that in the first half of the Old Kingdom a close connection exists between the servants and priests on the false door and the entrance.Keywords: entrance jambs; entrance thicknesses; western wall


Sex chromosome polymorphism in Bulgarian populations of Guenther's vole (Microtus guentheri Danford & Alston, 1880) has been described. All studied individuals of Guenther's vole have the diploid chromosome number 2n = 54 (FNa = 52). The autosomes are acrocentric. All autosomes in the karyotype have constitutive heterochromatin, located in the centromeric region. In three autosomal pairs distal heterochromatin has been described. The sex chromosomes exhibit interpopulation variation in morphology and heterochromatin patterns. In most studied individuals, the X chromosomes are submetacentric, but there are individuals with acrocentric X chromosomes. The Y chromosome is completely heterochromatic. The acrocentric X chromosomes have a large centromeric heterochromatic block, which probably originated as a result of random amplification of sequences as have been proposed in other species of the genus Microtus.


Sulfonylurea herbicides,widely applied in agricultural crop protection worldwide,were a milestone of the herbicide development because of its ultra-high activity at low application rates with low toxicity and environmentally benign characteristics.In order to study further structure activity relationship of these kind of herbicides,on the basis of our former studies,16 novel 4-phenylpyrimidine sulfonylurea compounds were rationally designed and synthesized using monosulfuron and monosulfuron-ester as leads.All structures of the new compounds synthesized were confirmed by 1H NMR,MS and elemental analysis.Preliminary herbicide screening indicated that,most compounds show certain extent inhibitory activity to various weeds at 1.5 kg/hm2,the inhibitory activity to dicotyledonous weeds were better than those to monocotyledonous weeds.Phenyl substituted pyrimidines were not benefit to improvement of herbicide activity.


Phenolic are largest group of secondary metabolites which widely distributed in plant kingdom. These polyphenols have drawn attention due to their strong beneficial properties such as antioxidant and their noticeable effect in prevention of various diseases such as cancer due to the oxidation stress. Hence, an efficient method of extraction to obtain high yield of phenolic was carried out. This study was conducted to determine an efficient microwave assisted extraction (MAE) of phenolic compounds from Java Tea (O.stamineus). The optimum MAE parameters such as solvent-type, solvent concentration (v/v, %), different extraction time (min), sample-solvent ratio (w/v), and different irradiation power (Watt) of microwave were identified to obtain high yield of Total phenloic content (TPC) from Java tea leaves. TPC of Java tea leaves with different parameters of extraction were estimated by using the Folin-ciocalteu (FC) assay and spectrophotometric method. Generally, high extraction yield was obtained by using 50% aqueous acetone as a solvent (516.45 GAE mg/g), 20 min of extraction time (350.89 GAE mg/g), 1:20 of sample-solvent ratio (w/v) (406.45 GAE mg/g), and 180 Watt of irradiation power of microwave (414.78 GAE mg/g). Further work will be required to identify other parameters that will also can be major effect on the yield of TPC inside the Java Tea such as sample weight ratio, different part of plant, form of the sample (powder or piece) and etc.


Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become the focus of the company's daily operations and strategic choices. At present, the supply risk events caused by the CSR violations of service providers in the service supply chain are frequent, which highlight the importance of formulating appropriate contracts to constrain the CSR level of providers. In the context of asymmetric CSR cost information, this paper analyzes the optimal contract parameters of integrators when providing screening contracts or pooling contracts and compares their impact on profits and the CSR level. The information asymmetry belongs to classic principal-agent problem, and we will use the revelation principle to design the contracts and solve this problem. The results that different contracts have different effects on the CSR level of different types of providers. A low-cost provider's CSR level is the highest when a screening contract is provided, while a high-cost provider's CSR level reaches the peak under a pooling contract. If pursuing profit maximization, the integrator should choose to provide a screening contract. When the integrator needs to ensure a higher average level of social responsibility, a pooling contract should be chosen. The findings also show that service cost is an important factor affecting the CSR level of the provider, and only when the providers' service cost is low, will providers actively fulfill their social responsibility.


Breast cancer is major cause of the high mortality rates among young women in developing countries. In Latin America, it is a great health problem, as well. For example in Brazil and Ecuador, this is the leading cause of cancer among women around 35 years old. Early detection is important to improve the chance of cure. Thermal imaging has the ability to show regions where there is any potential cancer by indicating areas of the body where there is an abnormal temperature variation. Moreover, thermography can detect suspicious regions in patients of any age, even in cases of dense breasts, where the detection of an abnormality can not be achieved by mammography. An essential step in the use of thermal imaging systems is the development of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). However, any development towards a CAD system or even an examination guided by computer should consider adequate extraction of the region of interest (ROI). This paper proposes a methodology for automatic segmentation of thermal imaging breast and validation of the results by generating a Ground Truth (GT). The automatic method proposed in this paper consists of several image-processing techniques such as thresholding, clustering, edge detection and refinement, among others. For the evaluation of the results the developed GT are presently available on the Internet, in order to allow proper verification of the results. Finally, the results obtained by the proposed methodology for the 328 images used in this study showed average values of accuracy and sensitivity around 96% and 97%, respectively.


Long jump is composed of the technical movements such as run-up, take-off, vacating and landing. The run-up and take-off techniques are the key factors to determine the performance in a long jump, especially the last several steps. In this paper, the last two steps and takeoff technique of the three Chinese elite male long jumpers, who entered the final competition in the World Athletics Championships in 2015, were analyzed using Dartfish video analysis system. The results showed that the jumping angle of the Chinese elite male long jumpers was at a reasonable range, but compare with the most elite athletes in the world, the last two steps and the takeoff technique of the Chinese elite male athletes were not perfect. The step distances of the last two steps of the most elite athletes in the world were "large-small", while these of the Chinese elite male long jumpers were "small-large", which resulted in a loss of horizontal speed; the takeoff sector angle of the Chinese elite male long jumpers was bigger than that of the most elite athletes in the world, which led to a loss of vacating height. Therefore, the last two steps and the takeoff technique of Chinese long jumpers are still needed to be improved. Keywords— Men's long jump; approach; the last two steps; technical analysis


Concrete alkali-aggregate reaction can be great damage to the concrete, which is called the cancer of content.The paper studies and discusses the reason and condition of the concrete alkali-aggregate, several methods on this are he put forward.


The sorption equilibrium isotherm of carbon dioxide at 20 8C on a commercially manufactured carbon molecular sieve has been measured with a variable volume (vacuum to high pressure) volumetric adsorption apparatus. Measurement was taken over the pressure range ,10-2000 Torr and the isotherm is characterized by Dubinin-Radushkevich analysis which provides the micropore size distribution. The equilibrium information is subsequently employed to characterize the dynamics of adsorption and it is shown that the uptake of carbon dioxide is Fickian with some deviation from Fickian behavior noted at lower pressures. The derived mobility parameter agrees reasonably well with that predicted by the Darken relation over more than a 200-fold change in pressure. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.


Photonic crystal structures are fabricated in Laboratory for Photonics, Institute of Physics, Belgrade, by the holographic technique [1]. Fast Padé approximation is used as a numerical aid in studies of photonic crystals, see recent publication [2] and some of references therein. In this paper a method based on the Fourier transform and Padé approximants is investigated for analysis of holographic photonic crystal structures. The Padé approximants are numerical tool that can be used to accelerate the convergence of a slowly converging sequence. For a power series defined as:


The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – the planned successor to the Hubble Space Telescope – is in serious trouble.


While interlocking directorates have been misused in Corporate America for decades, traditionally this misuse is in violation of the various antitrust act legislations. Since corporate collusion generally occurs between companies in common industries, and most often involves price fixing or manipulating supply of a product to yield greater pricing and profits, these antitrust violations are often a foregone conclusion. This case study analyzes a type of corporate collusion through interlocking directorates that is far more ominous, exploring the power of interlocking directorates and demonstrating how they may have been misused to manipulate foreign policy and military strategies, and in this case study, how the petroleum and defense industries may have benefitted from these actions.


Windows Operating System is currently the most widely used, which is a non-real-time operating system. It can't be used to provide a real-time communication environment for applications. However, for some distributed system, real-time data communication is essential. Considering these constraints and requirements, this paper proposes a real-time communication solution based on processor separation and virtual machine technology. This solution can well meet the requirements of real-time communication for the distributed systems built by Windows, TCP/IP stack and Ethernet.


The article focuses on the problem of psycho-emotional health of adolescents and timely revealing prone to suicidal behavior. The problems also studied in the article include: prophylaxis, psycho-correction and psycho-emotional health of adolescents at risk; awareness-building activities among adults, parents and educators. The ideas to be popularized among the above mentioned groups of people are follows: psychological peculiarities of adolescence age, relationship between parents and children. The article also provides recommendations on prophylaxis of suicides among adolescents. Lack of attention to the problem of emotional well-being during the early stages of personality development leads to adolescents social maladjustment. Timely and high quality diagnostics of children's psycho-emotional health allows to take adequate corrective measures to prevent undesirable tendencies in a personality development, to prevent problems in school and out of school activities of adolescents, including suicides. The article also contains the description of experiment and empirical data on the adolescents prone to suicides. The experience received and described can be of use by experts in developmental psychology and pedagogy, parents and class teachers.


We have prepared nanocomplexes composed of silver or gold nanoparticles as a core and merocyanine or phthalocyanine as a shell portion by the co-reprecipitation method. From their absorption spectra, the core metal nanoparticles seemed to interact electronically with the shell layer of organic compounds in the nanocomplexes to give different electronic states from their original states. The morphology of their nanocomplexes was observed by electron microscopies.


Field experiments (2001–2005) were carried out to create optimal schemes for sowing mixtures of perennial grasses in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia. Objects of research were Krasnoobsky oats, Eastern galega Gorno-Altayskaya 87, awnless brome Antey. The soil of the plots was medium thick, medium loamy leached chernozem. The experiment was carried out in two layouts spread in time and in space. Grasses were sown under the cover of Krasnoobsky oats. Awnless brome was sown across galega in the first ten days of May. Seeding rate of awnless brome was 3.0; 4.5 and 6.0 million germinating seeds per hectare. Recordings of yield were made according to standard methods. The highest yield of galega dry mass was achieved when it was sown in rows with awnless brome planted with inter-row spacing of 15 cm (it was higher than with 30 cm inter-row spacing by 1.16 t/ ha and 0.63 t/ha, respectively). In the variant "three rows of galega + a row of awnless brome" (3 : 1), the yield of dry mass of the mixture in two cuttings was higher by 5.7 and 2.1% than when they were sown with every other row skipped. The total yield for two cuttings exceeded single-species crops of galega by 0.48–2.03, and awnless brome by 2.15–2.54 t/ha. A tendency towards a decrease in the yield of dry mass in single-species crops of galega with an increase in row spacing was noted. In mixtures sown at the same time according to the 3 : 1 scheme, the yield of dry mass was 5.14 t/ha in the first mowing and 4.05 t/ha in the second. This is higher than in the mixture sown according to the scheme "a row of galega + a row of awnless brome" (1 : 1) by 2.2–7.6, or 2.2–13.1%. Awnless brome in mixtures is more competitive than galega. An increase in the seeding rate of awnless brome from 3.0 to 6.0 million germinating seeds/ha in the herbage of galega increased the yield by 0.9–1.37 t/ha. The yield of dry mass of mixtures sown at the same time was higher than mixtures with awnless brome planted between rows of galega with spacing of 15 cm by 2%, and with row spacing of 30 cm by 10%.


FIELD: construction. SUBSTANCE: tubular light guide acquires inner reflecting properties by several methods. In order to limit formation of focusing points, which may result in formation of local overheating sections as light goes down along pipe, tubular light guide is provided with holes or longitudinal corrugations. EFFECT: improved efficiency of illumination system. 4 cl, 9 dwg


The efficiency of the interaction between MHC-II-peptide complexes (pMHC-II) and T cell receptor depends on the amount of antigen present at the surface of DCs. MHC-II molecules are constitutively present in plasma membrane lipid rafts, membrane microdomains that are important to induce T cell activation at low antigen doses. In this work we investigated if DCs can possess a specific pMHC-II distribution at the surface that can enhance T cell activation. In murine bone marrow derived mature DCs (mDCs), MHC-II molecules displayed a clustured phenotype. Using an antibody that recognizes specific IAk-HEL pMHC-II complexes, we observed that pMHC-II also showed a clustered distribution on the surface of antigen-loaded mDCs. While DCs treated with LPS for only 12 h had 50% less IAk-HEL pMHC-II complexes at the cell surface than DCs treated for 30 h, both cell types showed a clustured distribution of these complexes. Despite the fact that 12 h DCs expressed less IAk-HEL pMHC-II complexes and less CD86/CD40 molecules at the cell surface, T cell activation was similar using 12 h- or 30 h-mature DCs. We are currently investigating the relationship between pMHC-II complex number and cluster distribution over time with the antigen presenting cell function to elucidate the role of microdomain association of pMHC-II in T cell activation.
 This work is supported by NCI.


A preliminary study' indicated that belief in ESP (telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition) was related for college students to belief in UFOs, ghosts, omens, reincarnation, astrology, Tarot, I Ching, graphology, and palmisuy. Belief in ESP was also relaced to having experienced paranormal phenomena but not with participation in activities such as yoga and mind control. Belief in ESP was not related to sex, race, major, religion, parents' religion, or the personality dimensions of extraversion-introversion, sensing-intuition, and judgmentperception as assessed by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, 1962). Belief in ESP was associated with the personality dimension of thinking-feeling as assessed by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This paper reports an attempt to replicate this latter finding. The thinking-feeling scale of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was completed by 149 Ss who were taking an introductory course in psychology; 7 1 males and 78 females with a mean age of 20.25 yr. (SD 4.66 yr.). Ss were asked to indicate separately their beliefs in telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition (responding yes, maybe, or no). These responses were scored respectively 0, 1, and 2, resulting in a 'belief in ESP' score for each S which ranged from 0 to 6. The product-moment correlation between thinking-feeling scores and belief in ESP was -0.17 (df = 147, one-tailed p < 0.025; on a two-tailed test p < 0.05) .' Thus, there was a very weak though significant effect for belief in ESP to be associated with feeling rather than thinking. Believers tended then to discriminate bemeen objects on the basis of their value rather than on the basis of their validity, i.e., the believer focuses on "value" rather than "truth."


Objectives: To access the state of salt intake in patients with hypertension in Beijing and analyze the relationship between salt intake and the blood pressure level and hypertensive target organ damage. Methods: This was a cross-section survey. Study subjects were patients with essential hypertension in large hospitals or community hospitals in Beijing. Patients were divided into three groups, that low salt group (urine sodium < 100mmol/d, equal to salt intake < 6 g/d), medium sodium group (urine sodium 100–199mmol/d, equal to salt intake 6–12 g/d) and high salt group (urine sodium > 200mmol/d, equal to salt intake > 12 g/d). We compared the difference of clinic and ambulatory blood pressure level, thickness of IVS and the level of 24hour urine albumin excretion. Results: Total 1651 patients were enrolled in, among them 1195 from large hospitals and the other 456 from community hospitals. Males were 44.5%, mean age was 60.12 years. The mean 24 h urine sodium was 153.2mmol, which was 141.1mmol in large hospitals and 185.0mmol in community hospitals respectively. There were 457 (27.7%)patients in low salt group,817 (49.5%)in medium salt group and 377 (22.8%)in high salt group, their urinary sodium level were 71.8 mmol, 145.2 mmol and 268.9mmol respectively. There were more females (72.6%)in low salt group and more males (61.8%)in high salt group. The diastolic blood pressure was higher in high salt group than that in low or medium salt groups measured in clinics or by ABPM. Patients with high salt intake had higher 24 h albumin excretion and thicker IVS. Conclusion: The mean salt intake was higher than WHO standard in patients with hypertension in Beijing, especially in male and in community hospitals. Patients with high salt intake had higher diastolic blood pressure level and more heart or renal damages.


For coupled-line systems, "matching" involves entire impedance matrix networks and necessarily involves multiple propagating modes. This paper presents the synthesis of several matching strategies for symmetric coupled-line microstrip structures mismatched with several types of simple passive terminations. Detailed multiconductor transmission-line analysis provides the basis for procedures to optimize the parameters of several matching networks (stubs, reactances, transformers) that yield significant line and mode reflection reduction resulting from the mismatches. Measurement of synthesized structures verifies the reflection reduction and power savings.


Giant cell arteritis (GCA), the most frequent form of vasculitis in the elderly, still poses questions regarding optimal treatment. Because of the risk of permanent vision loss, the revised European League Against Rheumatism recommendation of 2018 stresses that glucocorticoid (GC) therapy should start as soon as a diagnosis of GCA is strongly suspected.1.


A rapid and easy method of obtaining a viable culture count, the Track-Dilution method, was evaluated and compared to Spiral Plating to obtain viable culture counts from ground beef samples and beef carcass surface tissue samples inoculated with salmonellae or Escherichia coli O157:H7. Based on the statistical analysis of the dataset (n = 125 samples), the Track-Dilution method results were not different (P > 0.1) than those obtained from Spiral Plating. Linear correlation of the scatterplot of Spiral Plating and Track-Dilution indicated a high level of agreement between these two methods (r2 = 0.97). The Track-Dilution method was a valid method for estimating viable culture counts for meat animal-derived samples with bacterial counts of more than 100 cfu/mL.


This Coda considers Shelley's reception at the hands of A. C. Bradley, a critic distinguished by his tough-minded though sympathetically mobile readings of Shelley's poetry. Bradley's 'adoration' shifted into a more sobered, even self-divided admiration, yet he remains among the best critics of Shelley because he is always testing his response to the Romantic poet. He does so in, among other places, the essay mentioned above; in the earlier piece, 'Shelley's View of Poetry', included in the Oxford Lectures on Poetry, which contains other material on Shelley, principally in the essay 'The Long Poem in the Age of Wordsworth'; in his short pieces (collected in A Miscellany) on 'Coleridge-Echoes in Shelley's Poems' and 'Odours and Flowers in the Poetry of Shelley', which contains a cogent footnote doubting the validity of reading Alastor as showing that 'the failure of the hero comes from his "self-centred seclusion'"; and in his notes on passages in the poetry and prose, and on The Triumph of Life. He may have been aware of an element in Oxford disdainful of literary criticism as 'mere chatter about Shelley', but he was not fearful of analysing the Romantic poet's work or of laying bare complexities in the poetry and conflict in his responses. How this fine critic shaped his own dialogue with Shelley offers a suggestive model to the reader who wishes still, in ways the book is concerned to foster, to generate 'new relations' with the work of a major Romantic poet.


The Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review is an annual exercise by the Federal Reserve to assess whether the largest bank holding companies have sufficient capital to continue operations under adverse scenarios for the systematic component. In this paper, we extend Vacisek's framework by modeling an equally probable stress scenario (a 99.9th percentile event) that can result from either the systematic or the idiosyncratic component. From this composite function, we then select a stress scenario that satisfies two conditions. First, it corresponds to a 99.9th percentile event and, second, it maximizes the conditional probability of default at the portfolio level. The maximization choice varies with asset correlation and portfolio diversification assumptions.


This report describes three case studies of the testing of continuous modelling software. Where possible, the testing has been conducted by following the methodology outlined in the SSfM report "Testing Continuous Modelling Software" [1]. Where following this methodology has not been possible, the advice on alternative testing methods in the report [1] has been employed. The problems studied are: • Testing boundary element method software for acoustic applications • Testing finite integration technique software for electromagnetic applications • Testing software that solves a system of ODEs to model semiconductor dislocations NPL Report CMSC 42/04 © Crown Copyright 2004 Reproduced by Permission of the Controller of HMSO


A large thick Fe based amorphous composite coating was deposited on the carbon steel substrate by laser cladding method. The phase composition and microstructure are characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope, respectively. The results demonstrate that the large thick laser cladding coating has a typical layered structure mainly consisting of amorphous and nanocrystal phases. The wear resistance and microhardness property are tested by the Vickers hardness tester and MLS-225 type wet sand rubber wheel abrasion tester. The results show that the large thick laser cladding coating has excellent wear resistance and hardness.


Abstract An increasing number of developing countries are showing interest to become the emerging countries to nuclear energy. Most of these countries lack human resources and adequate infrastructures to enter such a venture. The principle objective of activities of FBNR Group is to train human resources for the countries that at the present lack the necessary conditions, but aim at the future clean and safe nuclear energy through the fourth generation and INPRO compatible nuclear reactors. The preparation for the future nuclear energy is done through development of innovative nuclear reactor that meets the INPRO philosophies and criteria. These countries may or may not have decided as yet to utilize nuclear energy, but are interested to gain a strong educational foundation for their future. The research and development of a small innovative nuclear reactor FBNR is used as the instrument for learning. The young scientists will learn how to be innovative with the vision of INPRO philosophy and criteria.


Society has produced many idealized and unattainable standards of beauty. These may be internalized by young children, increasing the risk of body dissatisfaction, which is the strongest predictor of eating disorders. Prompted by this concern, the aim of the present research was to identify and analyze the instruments that have been used to measure body perception and body dissatisfaction in preschoolers. To this end, we reviewed 18 articles published between 2005 and 2017 and retrieved from the PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases. Our results indicated that the instruments used to assess body image comprise silhouette scales, interviews and questionnaires. The results suggest that body dissatisfaction is higher when assessed with silhouette scales compared to questionnaires and interviews in preschoolers. When developing instruments to assess preschoolers' body image, it is important to take their cognitive development into account.


Abstract Johann Christoph Adelung in his Grammatical-critical dictionary (1774) defined the book thus: 'The book: Various leaves of paper or parchment combined into a whole. To make a book, that is to bind several sheets of paper together into a book.' The explanation of what a book is—as opposed to the writings or works of an author—is dependent on the production process of the object: 'book'. Together-with the various sheets of paper, the printed words and sentences on them are incorporated into a whole, firmly bound together. Then indeed, some mind makes the decision as to what is to lie between the two covers. In case of doubt, according to Adelung, it is the object of the book itself that constitutes a whole-it is incontrovertible and unambiguous. The book exists physically and as such can be experienced tangibly.


Summary Current use of the terms 'juvenile wood', 'crown formed wood' and 'core wood' is confusing: some authors have used the terms synonymously, while others have used each term in a more restricted sense to imply the region of a log where wood structure and properties are influenced by ring number from the pith (or distance from it), or by crown size. The present work was designed to clarify the use of these terms, since their definition is relevant to interpretation of the influence of silvicultural management on the wood quality of a log. Wood production and properties were studied in 23-year-old suppressed, co-dominant and dominant Corsican pine (Pinus nigra var. maritima) trees, in relation to crown size as determined by leaf dry weight profiles. At comparable ring number from the pith, differences in crown size from suppressed to dominant tree class resulted in a substantial increase in average ring width, decrease in mean percentage latewood, MOR, MOE and maximum compression strength, inconclusive differences in mean specific gravity, and negligible differences in tracheid length. From these trends, it is here suggested that 'juvenile wood' should be defined as the region around the pith in which there are inherent changes in structural characteristics associated with cambial age, independent of crown influences. The term 'crown formed' wood should be used to describe fluctuations in wood structure associated with the size of the crown, which are superimposed upon the inherent trends due to cambial age. The term 'core wood' should be retained for use in a more generalized sense, indicating the central region of the log where structure and properties are variable and differ from those of the outer wood.


In this paper, the performance of some evolutionary algorithms on grinding process optimization of silicon carbide (SiC) is investigated. The grinding of SiC is not an easy task due to its low fracture toughness, therefore making the material sensitive to cracking. The efficient grinding involves the optimal selection of operating parameters to maximize the material removal rate (MRR) while maintaining the required surface finish and limiting surface damage. In this work, optimization based on the available model has been carried out to obtain optimum parameters for silicon carbide grinding via three prominent evolutionary algorithms. They are particle swarm optimization (PSO), differential evolution (DE) and genetic algorithm (GA). The objective of this optimization process is to maximize the MRR, subject to surface finish and damage constraints of the grinding process. Numerical results show that PSO is comparatively superior in comparison with DE and GA algorithms for grinding process optimization in terms of its accuracy and convergent capability


The cooperative has been occurring poor performance, low competitiveness, lack of professionalism, unresponsiveness to changes in the business environment, inefficient management of the economy and business sector and the fragile banking system are fundamental weaknesses in cooperatives in Indonesia. The reputation of the Cooperative is a factor that Corporate Governance is one of the factors that can be analyzed as a lack of good relations between various stakeholders. The city of South Tangerang as a relatively new city has about 5 cooperatives that have been maintained by the Dinas Koperasi and have constraints such as reputation and cooperative governance. This research is qualitative research with a case study approach based on predetermined criteria. The results of this study are in the form of an overview of the cooperative management in South Tangerang and its recommendations.


The article analyses the problem of interpretation of cross-cutting criminal law concepts in the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The urgency of the study is due to the rapid reform of criminal law of Ukraine and the need to create a sustainable and high-quality conceptual framework of criminal law. In accordance with the tasks set in the article, the state of theoretical developments in the field of interpretation of cross-cutting criminal law concepts, their practical implementation and implementation in legislation was analysed. The article identifies the importance of universal interpretation of crosscutting criminal law concepts to ensure the rule of law and the implementation of state-guaranteed human rights. Prospects for the development of criminal law through the creation of an official interpretation of the conceptual apparatus of the Criminal Code of Ukraine were studied. The study was based on the work of legal scholars, as well as the practice of national law and the conclusions of the European Court of Human Rights. The article used the dialectical method as a general method of scientific cognition, by means of which social relations and phenomena that are the subject of research were studied in their interaction and complementarity. The method of analysis was used to determine the essence and content of the problem of interpretation of cross-cutting criminal law concepts. The results of the study identified ways to overcome the problem of interpretation of cross-cutting criminal law concepts and prospects for further development of criminal legislation in the presence of a stable conceptual apparatus. The obtained results allowed to made recommendations for practical improvement of the criminal legislation of Ukraine.


Based on the in situ diagnostic system and the digital image post-processing technique, quantifications of the anodic erosion components and heat transfer efficiency for tungsten and the W80Ag20 material in arcs of argon, helium, and nitrogen were achieved. The leading vaporization of silver has been found to result in evidently lower anodic heat transfer efficiency and much smaller molten pools compared with those of the tungsten anode, but the intensive generation of silver vapor under the melt layer causes higher splashing erosion of the W80Ag20 anode. However, these characteristics can be strongly changed by the cathodic blowing, which leads to a much higher splashing erosion of tungsten anode but a lower erosion rate of W80Ag20 anode. Through the visualization of the erosion behavior and the post microanalysis of the anode surface, the possible driving mechanisms for the generation of the splashing droplet were discussed. The result indicates that the local high pressure caused by the vapor blasting during the bubble explosion plays a key role in the detachment of splashing droplets. Furthermore, as for the tungsten-based anode, the comparison of erosion behavior between the W80Ag20 anode and the previous-studied W70Cu30 anode makes it clear that increasing the temperature difference between the melting point (MP) of tungsten and the boiling point (BP) of the other material has the pros and cons. It is effective for the decrease of the anode erosion when the anode heat energy is relatively weak, while it can promote the splashing erosion when the liquid tungsten layer has been formed on the anode tip. These results are beneficial for the optimal design of the electrode system in circuit breakers.


Abstract The lattice dynamics, third–order elastic (TOE) constants and thermal expansion of h.c.p. hafnium are worked out employing a model based on Keatmg'e approach. The lattice heat capacity of hafnium calculated using a frequency distribution function that involves 50 880 frequencies, shows reasonably good agreement with the experimental data. The variation of the lattice parameters of hafnium is also investigated using its TOE constants in Thurston's extrapolation formulae.


Structural models for the $\text{Ag}/\text{Si}(111)\text{-c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ phase were identified from a systematic search using tight-binding molecular dynamics and first-principles total-energy calculations. Our calculations showed that the low-energy $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ and $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ structures can be derived from the well-known honeycomb chain-channel $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ model. Two $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ models are found to have lower surface energies than both the $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ and $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ models, which is consistent with the experimental observation. A distinct feature of the $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ structure is the dimer formation induced by lateral displacements of Ag atoms within the same row in the $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ phase. Different packing patterns of the Ag dimers with the same surface area can lead to either $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ or $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ phase with very similar energies. Simulated scanning tunneling microscope images from our $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ structure are in excellent agreement with the experimental measurement. Moreover, the lowest-energy $\text{c}(12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ structure identified from our calculations also reproduces the key features in the angle-resolved photoemission measurement.


Full-color, large screen display systems can enhance military applications that require group presentation, coordinated decisions, or interaction between decision makers. The technology already plays an important role in operations centers, simulation facilities, conference rooms, and training centers. Some applications display situational, status, or briefing information, while others portray instructional material for procedural training or depict realistic panoramic scenes that are used in simulators. While each specific application requires unique values of luminance, resolution, response time, reliability, and the video interface, suitable performance can be achieved with available commercial large screen displays. Advances in the technology of large screen displays are driven by the commercial applications because the military applications do not provide the significant market share enjoyed by high definition television (HDTV), entertainment, advertisement, training, and industrial applications. This paper reviews the status of full-color, large screen display technologies and includes the performance and cost metrics of available systems. For this discussion, performance data is based upon either measurements made by our personnel or extractions from vendors' data sheets.


This is the fifth chapter in a book, Designing Planned Communities (2010), that reviews the concepts and ideas that go into the design of planned communities, and explores how local governments can encourage and provide for their good design through land-use regulation. Design standards in planned community regulations can raise constitutional problems because a court can hold them unconstitutionally vague or an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power. This problem occurs especially with planned community regulations that contain indeterminate design standards, such as equirements that a planned community's design be "creative" or "harmonious." The judicial record on the constitutional issues is mixed. Some courts have struck down stand-alone design standards that are not part of a comprehensive program for regulating planned communities, but some have not. Courts have upheld design standards when they are one element in a program of planned community regulation. Even when the courts have struck down design standards, they have provided drafting guidelines that can avoid constitutional problems. The entire book can be downloaded by going to the author's profile on Washington University Law School's website.


The purpose of this study is to study the state of gas-solid two-phase transportation process in different types of pipelines, so as to find out the cause of pipeline blockage. The horizontal pipe is the most common arrangement in the pneumatic conveying pipeline, and the gravity direction of particles in the horizontal pipe pneumatic conveying is perpendicular to the flow direction, which makes the flow of oil well cement particles in the horizontal pipe more complex, so it is very necessary to study the pneumatic conveying process of the horizontal pipe.


The Ngatamariki geothermal field, located 7 km south of Orakeikorako, discharges dilute chloride-bicarbonate waters of almost neutral pH from springs mostly on the margins of the field. Rhyolite tuffs in the northwestern part of the field are weakly silicified, probably due to their having reacted with heated groundwaters. Sinter deposits are common at Ngatamariki but are mostly relict from former activity. In 1994, the natural heat loss from the field was 30 {+-} 5 MW{sub thermal}. There has been a shift of thermal activity southward over the past 60 years; the changes were recognized by comparing air photographs taken in 1941 and 1991. In 1948, a hydrothermal eruption deposited breccia around its crater, which is now occupied by a pool at 52.5 C. Another pool at 88 C, first noticed in 1993, deposits a mixture of silica and calcite.


Bench–scale experiment was performed to assess whether union use of ferrate (Fe(VI)) and ferric (Fe(III)) addition in real surface water (reservoir and river water) resulted in better water remediation. The results indicated that increased Fe dosage improved the treatment performance, the removals of total coliform, turbidity and DOC were better when the mass ratio of Fe(VI): Fe(III) was 1:2 and pH was 8, regardless of the water source. Alkalescency condition benefits Fe(III) coagulation and Fe(VI) disinfection efficiency due to the better stability and greater exposure to Fe(VI). Union use of Fe(VI) and Fe(III), as a coagulant and oxidant to enhance flocculation precipitation, can simultaneously remove turbidity, degraded natural organic matter (NOM) degradation, and destroy bacterial activity. At optimized dosage and pH, chemical oxidation plays the dominant role in the disinfection performance and secondary removal of DOC for Fe(VI) treatment. While for the mechanisms of Fe(III), coagulation and adsorption make the dominant contribution to the removal of turbidity and DOC. The application of the optimal ratio can maximize the advantages of both Fe(VI) and Fe(III), and enables the maximum purification effectiveness at minimum dosage and cost, so it will be a simple and efficient treatment for different drinking water.


Currently, a reasonable and effective quality evaluation index system is lacking for evaluating "the National Training Program for Primary and Secondary School Teachers (hereinafter referred to as NTP)" in China. In order to make the training quality more measurable, it is necessary to construct an effective quality evaluation system for the NTP. In this paper, six aspects (meaning, purpose, principle, theoretical basis, weight design and index system construction) of constructing an effective evaluation system of the NTP are considered. Especially, the evaluation index system of training process satisfaction and influence of training results are established. Thus, the theoretical tools are provided for the scientific and accurate evaluation of the NTP effectiveness.


The invention discloses a TFT array substrate, a display device and an array substrate manufacturing method. The array substrate comprises a substrate body, gate electrodes, gate wires, gate insulating layers, an active layer, a source drain electrode metal layer, a passivation layer, a pixel electrode and a public electrode, wherein the gate electrodes and the gate wires are formed on the substrate body, and the gate insulating layers are formed on the gate electrodes and the gate wires. The array substrate is characterized in that the array substrate further comprises a capacitance compensation layer arranged on the same layer of the public electrode, the capacitance compensation layer is electrically connected with the gate wires through via holes, and the capacitance compensation layer is used for forming stray capacitance between the capacitance compensation layer and the pixel electrode when the array substrate is powered on. The array substrate has the advantages that the capacitance compensation layer electrically connected with the gate wires is arranged, the stray capacitance is formed between the capacitance compensation layer and the pixel electrode with the corresponding position, the changes of pixel voltages caused by fluctuation of the film thickness of the passivation layer are compensated, and the problems that a displayer is poor in brightness evenness and flicker evenness and the problem of residual images caused thereby are solved.


OBJECTIVE:To analyze antimicrobial drug-induced adverse drug reactions(ADR) in order to effectively prevent and reduce ADR and improve ADR monitoring.METHODS:Antimicrobial drug-induced ADR recorded in Chinese Pharmaceutical Abstracts during 2008-2009 were retrieved.The types of drugs,routes of administration,organ or system involved and clinical manifestations,top 10 antimicrobial drugs in the list of the number of ADR cases were analyzed retrospectively using Excel.RESULTS:There were 1 249 literatures on antimicrobial drug-induced ADR report,involving 656 cases and 123 kinds of drugs.18.90% of ADR were induced by cephalosporin,followed by quinolones(16.16%),penicillins(14.18%).Most ADR were induced by intravenous administration(81.10%).Main clinical manifestations were lesion of skin and its appendants(19.05%),followed by digestive system injury(16.31%) and central or peripheral nervous system system damage(14.63%).89 cases were induced by levofloxacin.CONCLUSION:Antimicrobial drug-induced ADR monitoring should be strengthened to ensure the safety of drug use.


It has been demonstrated that the presence of ions produced by a beam of partioles in an acoelerator can cause unstable coherent oscillations1 in the seme way (apart from a sign difference) that the presence of the vaouum chamber with finite conductivity can produce unstable oscillations2. However, for the symmetric mode, where the radius of the beam oscillates, there Is a great deal of difference between the effects with ions and that with finite wall conduotivity.


Finger vein authentication scheme is a non imitable biometric authentication scheme. By using this biometric authentication, we can prevent the non license from driving. So we will avoid accidents. The proposed system consists of a smart card capable of storing the finger vein of a particular person. While issuing the license, the specific person's finger vein is to be stored in the card. The same automobile should have facility of finger vein reader. A person, who wishes to drive, must match his finger vein with the smart card otherwise the car will not ignite. Car theft security module also provided using GSM. The groups of vein images were previously stored in the database, when the new vein is introduced the GSM will send a message to the authority. The car will ignite, if it gets a positive reply from the authority otherwise the car gets locked and car theft information will be sent to the nearby police station. Further, door detector, Seat belt detector and alcohol sensor are provided to the authentication module.


Across a faceted (100)/(110) interface between two d-wave-superconductors the structure of the superconducting order parameter leads to an alternating sign of the local Josephson coupling. Describing the Cooper pair motion along and across the interface by a one-dimensional boson lattice model, we show that a small attractive interaction between the bosons boosts boson binding at the interface -- a phenomenon, which is intimately tied to the staggered sequence of 0- and Pi-junction contacts along the interface. We connect this finding to the recently observed h/4e oscillations in (100)/(110) SQUIDS of cuprate superconductors.


Microarray experiments are characterized by the presence of many sources of experimental bias and a remarkably large technical variability. The assessment of differential expression for genes transcribed into a small number of mRNA copies heavily depends on the proper quantification of background fluorescence within spot. The rough model 'observed = hybridization plus background' fluorescence is at first reformulated at spot level, then it is embedded into a Bayesian hierarchical model suited for fitting control spots. The novelties of the approach include the background correction performed on the latent mean of replicated spots, and an explicit model for outlying observations at low fluorescence values in which the probability of occurrence and their magnitude depend on the background fluorescence intensity. The analysis of unpublished data from a maize ear tissues experiment confirms the feasibility of MCMC inferences as regard the computational burden. A Bayesian hierarchical model for spot fluorescence in microarrays Federico M. Stefanini Department of Statistics 'G.Parenti' University of Florence, Italy March 27, 2007 viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Firenze, Italy, firstname.lastname@example.com Hosted by The Berkeley Electronic Press Abstract Microarray experiments are characterized by the presence of many sources of experimental bias and a remarkably large technical variability. The assessment of differential expression for genes transcribed into a small number of mRNA copies heavily depends on the proper quantification of background fluorescence within spot. The rough model 'observed = hybridization plus background' fluorescence is at first reformulated at spot level, then it is embedded into a Bayesian hierarchical model suited for fitting control spots. The novelties of the approach include the background correction performed on the latent mean of replicated spots, and an explicit model for outlying observations at low fluorescence values in which the probability of occurrence and their magnitude depend on the background fluorescence intensity. The analysis of unpublished data from a maize ear tissues experiment confirms the feasibility of MCMC inferences as regard the computational burden.


Data replication is one of the popular services or a technique introduced in Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) to increase data availability. It can be used to create copies of frequently used shared data and distribute them in appropriate nodes. In most time critical applications of MANET, data replication plays a vital role because in these applications, accessing the data stored far away from a particular node will lead to unnecessary delay, which is often non negligible. To prevail over this, we have proposed a replica allocation scheme to let each node to access or obtain the data from the data servers who are in at most one or two hops away. To implement this, we have constructed and maintained a minimum dominating set, a set that consists of minimum number of data holders in a dynamic network. Our proposed mechanism reduces the searching overhead by minimizing the broadcast messages, ensures data availability, achieve fault tolerance and load balancing. Simulation results show that our proposal reduces the query response time, replication cost and the number of messages forwarded to access the data.


Combined with the reconstruction engineering of a first class highway section of Huichun to Ulan Hot expressway,the using status and the strength investigation materials were consulted,further more the reinforcement method was put forward taken the diseases and the deflection as control indexes,which can provide reference to the reconstruction projects from first class highway to expressway.


Toupin's version of Saint-Venant's principle in linear elasticity is generalized to the case of linear piezoelectricity. That is, it is shown that, for a straight prismatic bar made of a linear piezoelectric material and loaded by a self-equilibrated system at one end only, the internal energy stored in the portion of the bar which is beyond a distance s from the loaded end decreases exponentially with the distance s. Introduction Mathematical versions of Saint-Venant's principle in linear elasticity due to Stemberg, Knowles, Zanaboni, Robinson and Toupin have been discussed by Gurtin [ 1 ] in his monograph. Later developments of the principle for Laplace's equation, isotropic, anisotropic, and composite plane elasticity, three-dimensional problems, nonlinear problems, and time-dependent problems are summarized in the review articles by Horgan and Knowles [2] and by Horgan [3]. In this paper we prove an analogue of Toupin's version of Saint-Venant's principle for linear piezoelectricity. For a linear elastic homogeneous prismatic body of arbitrary length and crosssection loaded on one end only by an arbitrary system of self-equilibrated forces, Toupin [4] showed that the elastic energy U(s) stored in the part of the body which is beyond a distance s from the loaded end satisfies the inequality U(s) <<. U(O) e x p [ ( s l)/sc(1)]. (1) The characteristic decay length so(l) depends upon the maximum and the minimum elastic moduli of the material and the smallest nonzero characteristic frequency of the free vibration of a slice of the cylinder of length 1. By using an estimate due to Ericksen [5] for the norm of the stress tensor in terms of the strain energy density, one can show that so(1) depends on the maximum elastic modulus and not on the minimum elastic modulus. Inequalities similar to (1) have been obtained by Berglund [6] for linear elastic micropolar prismatic bodies and by Batra for non-polar and micropolar linear elastic helical bodies [7, 8] and prismatic bodies of linear elastic materials with microstructure [9]. Herein we prove a similar result for a straight prismatic body made of a linear piezoelectric material. 210 R.C. BATRA AND J. S. YANG We assume that the cross-sections are materially uniform in the sense that one cross-section can be obtained from the other by a rigid body motion. Thus the material properties are independent of the axial coordinate of the point. Ericksen [5] has discussed material uniformity in more general terms. Equations for Linear Piezoelectricity Let the finite spatial region occupied by the piezoelectric body be V, the boundary surface of V be S, the unit outward normal of S be nl, and S be partitioned as Su i..J S T = S E [..J SD -~ S, Su 0 S T = S E 0 S O ---0. (2) Physically, S~, ST are, respectively, parts of the boundary S on which mechanical displacements and tractions are prescribed. SE is the part of S which is in contact with a metal or electrode, hence the tangential electric field vanishes on it, and SD the part of S on which the surface electric charge is prescribed which is usually zero for dielectrics. Throughout this paper, a repeated index implies summation over the range of the index, and a comma followed by an index j stands for partial differentiation with respect to x j . The governing equations and boundary conditions for static linear piezoelectricity in rectangular Cartesian coordinates are [10] Tij,i = O, Di,i = O, ~i jkEk, j = 0 in V, OH Ti j -OSij -CijklSkl -e k i jEk in V, OH Di eiktSkl + e ikEk in V, (3) OE~ Si j = 1⁄2(uj,i + ul , j ) in V, ui = ui on S~, n iT i j = t j on ST, ~ i j k n j E k = 0 on SE, n i D i = O o n S D , where ui is the mechanical displacement, Tij the stress tensor, Sij the strain tensor, Ei the electric field vector, Di the electric displacement vector, and Cijk the permutation tensor, fii and t-i are the prescribed boundary mechanical displacement and traction vectors, respectively. H(S, E) is the electric enthalpy function given by H = 1⁄2CijkzSiiSkt 1⁄2 e i j E i E j e i j k E i S j k , (4) where cijkl are the elastic moduli, ~ij the electric permittivity, and eijk the piezoelectric moduli. The material constants have the following symmetry properties: cijkt = cjikt = cktlj, (5) eijk = eikj , Eij = Cji, SAINT-VENANT'S PRINCIPLE IN LINEAR PIEZOELECTRICITY 211 and Cijkl, eij are positive definite, i.e. for any nonzero symmetric tensor aij and vector bi cijklaijakl > O, eijbibj > 0. (6) Usually, in (3), a scalar potential ¢ is introduced by Ei = ¢ , i so that the e q u a t i o n EijkEk,j = 0 is identically satisfied and the boundary condition on SE becomes ¢ = c where c is a constant. It can be easily seen that H(0, E) ~< 0 and H(S, 0) 1> 0. Hence H is indefinite. Therefore, we introduce the internal energy density W by the following Legendre transform: W = W(S, D) = H + EiDi, (7) which generates the constitutive relations OW OW T i j OSi j ' E i ODi" (8) That W is positive definite can be seen from the following: W = H + E i D i ..~ lc i jk lSi jSkl -le l jEiEj -eijkEiSjk + Ei(eijEj + eijkSjk) : l c i j k lS i jSk l "[le l jEiEj >10. (9) Since we will use the internal energy W(S, D) which has Di as the electric variable, instead of a scalar potential ¢, it will be more convenient to use the vector potential Ck defined by 1 E Di = ~ ijkCk,j, (10) which satisfies the equation Did = 0 identically. For the uniqueness of the vector potential Ck, we may add the gauge condition ~bk,k = 0. Corresponding to the vector Di, we introduce an equivalent anti-symmetric electric displacement tensor 79ij by Di = leijkDjk, which, when substituted into (10), gives


Reaction of tert -butyl isocyanide with [Ir(COD)Cl] 2 and NH 4 PF 6 yields [Ir(CNBu t ) 5 H](PF 6 ) 2 ( 1 ). The hydride ligand is observed by both proton NMR and infrared spectroscopy. Complex 1 is triclinic, P-1, a = 11.307(3), b = 14.619(3), c = 15.486(3) Å, f = 98.204(3), g = 106.851(3), n = 106.953(3)°, Z = 2, 6746 reflections [I S 2 σ (I)], R1 = 0.0397, w R 2 = 0.0984. The closest Ir-Ir interatomic distance within the crystal is 8.6 Å. EPR and cyclic voltammetry studies also support the identity of 1 .


This article confronts the notion that male migration and remittances sent home enable women's autonomy and improve their living conditions. From the perspec- tive of structural crises, the implications of migration on women's lives are generally negative, as inequality is further increased and violence towards women is not eliminated. Based on in-depth interviews with 30 women from the Estado de Mexico between 2005 and 2006 and framed within the context of rural life, this article discusses how struc- tural crises reproduce patterns of violence, discrimination, and exclusion towards women. It also proposes some hypothesis concerning the role of structural violence as an instigator of gender-based violence. The article ends with a reflection on the role neoliberal welfare policies have on the degradation of women's human condition.


In summer seasons of 2007 and 2008 two sets of optical observations of GNSS satellites were taken at Terskol observatory. GPS and GLONASS satellites were photographed among stars during their crossing of celestial equator. Optical coordinates were determined and used as reference values for intercomparison of dynamical reference frame of GPS satellites against the dynamical reference frame of GLONASS satellites. Possible differences of two dynamical reference frames may cause additional errors during joint processing of GNSS satellites observations and should be taken into account. Introduction From the very ancient time, positional astronomy works with coordinate systems via different kinds of reference frames. There are optical, radio-interferometric, laser ranging and other methods to build reference frames. Every of them has own errors and to estimate level of errors we need to intercompare reference frames. Methodology of reference frames intercomparison has good bibliography but it still waits for final solution. From the other side, when in early ninetienth the GPS system started its operation, coordinates of the ground points are determined with the usage of satellites as a reference points (like stars are used to define coordinates of celestial bodies). Values of reference points coordinates are calcuated only on the basis of their dynamical equations of movements. The better we know satellites orbital movement, the better (more precise) the dynamical reference frame is. Today two GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) work as a global systems, two other (Galileo and Compass) are in preparation stage. In the near future we will have a list of working GNSS and will be able to process observations of the different satellite systems together [1]. That is why we must know about reference frame systematic errors and their precisions. It is well known [2] that internal precision of GNSS's based reference frames lies in millimeter range and may be determined inside the reference frame itself. In contrary to this, precision (level of systematic errors) may be determined only by intercomparison with another reference frame. The task is quite clear. With two reference frames Si and Sj and coordinate differencies of common points one may interpret dispersion of that differencies σ ij as a sum of systematic errors of Si (σ 2 i ) and Sj (σ 2 j ). Three reference frames allow us to write down three equations for three unknowns, and solve them for σ i . The greater σ 2 i , the less precise Si is. This article is first attempt to determine differencies between satellite-based reference frames via their direct intercomparison. Some results and approaches may cause discussion and should be interpreted as preliminary. Task We selected three realizations of reference frames. Optical one is based upon positions and proper motions of the stars listed in astrometric catalogue UCAC2 [3]. Astrometric reductions are used to represent celestial object's coordinates in International Celestial Reference Frame 78 WDS'09 Proceedings of Contributed Papers, Part II, 78–82, 2009. ISBN 978-80-7378-102-6 © MATFYZPRESS


5 Following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council 6 on Novel Foods, the European Commission requested EFSA to develop a scientific and technical 7 guidance for notifications for Traditional Foods from third countries. This Guidance presents a 8 common format for the organisation of the information to be presented in order to assist the applicant 9 in the preparation of a well-structured notification dossier. The history of safe use of a Traditional 10 Food should be substantiated by data on its composition and its experience of use. The proposed 11 conditions of use in the EU market should not raise safety concern. The normal consumption of the 12 traditional food should not be nutritionally disadvantageous. To that end, information is requested on 13 the description, production process, compositional data, specifications, experience of use, and 14 proposed conditions of use of the Traditional Food for the EU market. The application should be 15 comprehensive and complete. Where potential health hazards have been identified on the basis of the 16 composition and/or data from the experience of use, they should be presented, discussed and 17 adequately addressed in the proposed conditions of use to ensure that the consumption of the 18 Traditional Food is safe for the target population. The applicant should integrate the information on 19 the composition and the experience of use, and provide a concise overall consideration on how this 20 substantiates the history of safe use of the Traditional Food and how this relates to the proposed 21 conditions of use in the EU. On the basis of the information provided, EFSA will assess whether there 22 are reasoned safety objections related to the consumption of the Traditional Food under the proposed 23 conditions of use. 24 © European Food Safety Authority, 2016 25 26


In order to synthesize the artificial antigen for Phenylethanolamine A and prepare murine polyclonal antiserum against Phenylethanolamine A,Phenylethanolamine A was modified by succinic anhydride method and connected to carrier protein via active ester method(DCC)and Carbodiimide method(EDC).Two complete antigens of Phenylethanolamine A(Phenylethanolamine A-BSA and Phenylethanolamine A-OVA)were prepared successfully and identified via UV spectrophotometry,Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and ELISA.The maximum absorption peak of Phenylethanolamine A-BSA occurred in 276 nm under the UV scanning spectrum,and SDS-PAGE results showed that the Phenylethanolamine A-BSA appeared obvious trailing phenomenon.Based on the results,BALB/c mice were immunized with 10μg Phenylethanolamine A-BSA per mouse for four times at the intervals of three weeks.Ten days after the last immunization,polyclonal antiserums were collected by cutting tail procedure.All the titers of three polyclonal antiserums were 1∶10 000 approximately.The antiserum from No.1 mouse had the highest sensitivity with IC50 of 536.8ng/mL.Its rates of cross reaction with other drugs were all lower than 0.5%,which demonstrated the polyclonal antiserums had high specificity.In conclusion,the artificial antigen for Phenylethanolamine A was synthesized and polyclonal antiserum with high sensibility and specificity was obtained successfully.


The preventive effects of gene transfer of human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) on the development of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were examined usin a rat model of SAH. An experimental SAH was produced by injecting autologous arterial blood twice into the cisterna magna, and the changes in the diameter of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were measured. Rats subjected to SAH exhibited a decreased diameter with an increased wall thickness of MCA that were significantly ameliorated by pretreatment with diphenyleneiodonium (DPI, ), an inhibitor of NAD(P)H oxidase. Furthermore, application of recombinant adenovirus ( of pfu/ml, intracisternally), which encodes human Cu/ZnSOD, 3 days before SAH prevented the development of SAH-induced vasospasm. Our findings demonstrate that SAH-induced cerebral vasospasm is closely related with NAD(P)H oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species, and these alterations can be prevented by the recombinant adenovirus-mediated transfer of human Cu/ZnSOD gene to the cerebral vasculature.


An immunofluorescent method was developed to be adopted for observation of meiotic apparatus,which comprises chromosomes and the meiotic spindle,of fertilized eggs from marine bivalves.This method involves the pre-treatment of samples,fluorescent staining,and observation under fluorescence microscope.It is proved that this method is adequate for simultaneous observation of spindles and chromosomes in eggs with merits of simplicity in preparation and high definition of image of interest.


The temperature dependence of the paramagnetic susceptibility of the iron pnictide superconductor KFe 2 As 2 and its connection with the spectral properties of that material is investigated by a combination of density functional theory (DFT) in the local density approximation and dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). Unlike other iron pnictide parent compounds where the typical oxidation state of iron is 2, the formal valence of Fe in KFe 2 As 2 is 2.5, corresponding to an effective doping with 0.5 hole per iron atom compared to, for example, BaFe 2 As 2 . This shifts the chemical potential and thereby reduces the distance between the peaks in the spectral functions of KFe 2 As 2 and the Fermi energy as compared to BaFe 2 As 2 . The shift, which is clearly seen on the level of DFT as well as in DMFT, is further enhanced by the strong electronic correlations in KFe 2 As 2 . In BaFe 2 As 2 the presence of these peaks results [Phys. Rev. B 86 , 125124 (2012)] in a temperature increase of the susceptibility up to a maximum at ∼ 1000 K. While the temperature increase was observed experimentally the decrease at even higher temperatures is outside the range of experimental observability. We show that in KFe 2 As 2 the situation is different. Namely, the reduction of the distance between the peaks and the Fermi level due to doping shifts the maximum in the susceptibility to much lower temperatures, such that the decrease of the susceptibility becomes visible in experiment.


Low-temperature cracking is a significant distress in asphalt pavements built in the northern United States and Canada. As temperature decreases, thermal stresses develop in the restrained asphalt surface layer; and when the temperature reaches a critical temperature, cracking occurs. The current guides use thermal stress as a critical input parameter in the low-temperature performance model. In this paper, statistical and graphical analyses are performed to compare thermal stresses that develop in an idealized asphalt pavement calculated from mixture creep data obtained using indirect tensile test (IDT) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) test. In addition, the idea of obtaining thermal stresses from binder BBR creep data is further investigated. Thermal stresses calculated using IDT and BBR mixture creep data, respectively, are similar. Thermal stresses calculated from binder creep data are significantly different than thermal stresses calculated from mixture creep data. The effect of physical hardening is investigated for a limited number of materials, and the effect on thermal stresses is significant.


In the workplace, occupational health and safety is under the control of health and safety practitioners. The prominent figure among the practitioners is the health and safety officer. Formal education for health and safety officers in Hong Kong only started several decades ago. The education thus provided is usually catered for obtaining the academic qualification for registration of Safety Officer with the Labour Department of Hong Kong, that is, obtaining the statutory status of registered safety officer. Apart from academic requirement, there is a need for practical work experience in order to fulfil the registration requirements. The health and safety officers practising in Hong Kong come from a variety of background before they join the study in health and safety. Nowadays, the kind of education for the health and safety officers can range from a certificate level programme to university degree one. The programmes currently offered are, in majority, part-time basis while there is only one fulltime. The fulltime one is a bachelor degree programme. As a consequence, there is a great variation in terms of competency in the health and safety personnel thus produced. It is uncommon for employers criticising that they have employed health and safety officers who are not competent enough in writing and communication skills for daily work practice. This article looks at the basic professional education system for health and safety officers in Hong Kong, that is, a review on different education programmes recognised by the Labour Department as the academic requirement for registration as registered safety officers. Health and safety education is a practical subject. There is a need for health and safety officers to make adjustment on the work, without compromising the basic principles in health and safety, in the course of their work. Therefore, a comment will be made on the need for improvement in course design in order to have a better curriculum tailored for the work requirement of health and safety officers in Hong Kong.


Cato Manor, located on the outskirts of Durban, South Africa, was the focus of massive development efforts led by the Cato Manor Development Association (CMDA)—an agency that partnered with community-based organizations in facilitating redevelopment of this poor, underserviced area—from 1993 to 2003. The aim of the project was to create an area spatially and functionally integrated with metropolitan Durban in ensuring that poor urban residents have access to employment as well as social and infrastructure services. Implementation of the project was beset with enormous difficulties, many of which related to the massive transformational changes that the country was experiencing during this time. Innovation was often contextually driven, but some argue that the nature of the CMDA, as an independent agency free of the institutional constraints of government, as well as the nature of the collaboration with local community organizations together with the vision and commitment of the development team, led to innovative practice. This article aims to understand the extent to which innovation was achieved and uncovers the dynamics underpinning this.


The electronic structures of Ce compounds have been investigated by means of resonant soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) excited at resonant energy range of Ce 3d → 4f absorption. Polarization dependence of the RXES shows information on concerning electronic states. In CeO2, the Ce 4f → 3d RXES spectra are interpreted as electronic structures hybridized between 4f0 and states. Peaks appearing in the spectra are attributed to bonding, nonbonding, and antibonding states between those states, while the spectra of CeRh3 cannot be explained by only using the hybridization between 4f0 and states. The spectra have large broad Raman peak, especially when the excitation photon energy is set at satellite of Ce 3d → 4f absorption. We attribute the origin of the broad Raman peak to hybridization states involving electron–hole pairs.


In order to move forward with promoting and enhancing the apprenticeship training model, the apprenticeship community needs timely information on the demographic characteristics of the national apprenticeship population, the costs and benefits of apprenticeship training for individual apprentices, and the pathways into apprenticeship. In January 2006, CAF-FCA and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) partnered to conduct a survey funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada in an effort to assist in providing this information. The goal was to begin by examining the experience of apprentices enrolled in classroom training at publicly funded Canadian colleges and institutes. As a major provider of the classroom training, publicly funded colleges and institutes have an important role in provincial and territorial apprenticeship systems across Canada, with the exception of Quebec, where publicly funded apprenticeship training is delivered through school boards. Although private training institutes also supply classroom training for certain trades in all provinces, this study focuses on the experience of apprentices enrolled at publicly funded training providers. The following report presents the main findings and recommendations of this research.


The problem of blind data rate detection for a multi-rate direct-sequence code-division multiple-access system is addressed. The system model is based on the time-division duplex mode of the UMTS standard. A host of blind algorithms based on or inspired by maximum likelihood principles are investigated. Rate detectors with implicit or explicit multiple access interference (MAI) suppression are considered. Based on the MAI suppression filter, additional rate detectors are devised. It is seen through simulation results that the best complexity and performance tradeoff is achieved by evaluating the "energy" at the output of the MAI suppression filter associated with the candidate rate.


ABSTRACT This paper presents the effects of a technology-based engagement platform, referred to as IMPRES (Interactive Mobile Platform for Retaining and Engaging Students). IMPRES is a mobile application, backed by a set of data analysis services, which seeks to engage and retain its users to enhance their professional development. The primary goal of the application is to enhance students' engagement in their college and improve student retention. The method is influenced by and evaluated from the standpoints of four theoretical models previously used in research on the effect of a computer interface on user behavior. First, the self-determination theory perspective on digital games explains users' motivation. Second, social identity theory explains users' psychological connections to their college. Third, continuance theory explains continuity of users' engagement. Finally, the persuasive system design perspective associates IMPRES's features with users' motivation. By integrating these theories, we develop and find much support for a model of IMPRES's effects on students' intent to continue their studies. This research makes a unique contribution to continuance theory by demonstrating how an application's persuasive design features not only foster continued use of the application but also continued engagement with an organization.


QUESTION
A 23-year-old patient of mine has been taking St John's wort for postpartum depression for about 2 years. She is now planning her second pregnancy. Is she or her fetus at risk if she continues to take the herbal therapy?

ANSWER
Despite the widespread availability and use of St John's wort and extensive research on the herb, there are almost no data on reproductive safety. At this stage, therefore, St John's wort cannot be recommended as safe therapy during pregnancy.


ABSTRACT The results of leaching of coal fly ash in H2SO4 solution are presented. The effects of leaching time, H2SO4 concentration, temperature, and solid/liquid ratio were explored for the dissolution process. Particle size distribution results showed that changes in particle size occurred during the dissolution process; XRD, XRF and FTIR results indicated the same characteristics of the mineral matter in the raw and treated coal fly ash samples; and SEM showed that the raw coal fly ash particles have smooth spherical surfaces while a pricked and corroded surface and a stem-like structure were formed after leaching. The dissolution rate of coal fly ash is controlled by mixed-controlled mechanism (diffusion and chemical reaction). The corresponding activation energies were calculated to be 59.8 kJ/mol for iron, 7.3 kJ/mol for aluminium and 5.8 kJ/mol for silicon. The reaction order was determined to be zero order kinetic model.


Retinoblastoma is highly curable in high income countries. Low income countries have poor results due to advanced disease and lack of resources. Central American Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology (AHOPCA) aimed to standardize the approach and to improve outcomes of patients with retinoblastoma.


An introduction is given to the societal challenge posed by counterfeit pharmaceuticals, particularly those procured over the internet having unspecified origin. References are cited that propose for single, isolated pills in blister-packs the analytical technique of x-ray diffraction (XRD) for determining the integrity or otherwise of pharmaceutical products. Measurements have been performed on original and counterfeit pharmaceuticals by an x-ray diffraction imaging (XDI) scanner originally developed for security screening applications. XDI extends XRD by allowing voxel-based analysis of bulk, mixed-content objects. Owing to the difficulties encountered in Germany in legally procuring fake pharmaceuticals, a co-operation between the authors and the University of Jena, Germany, was entered into. Representative data from the XDI scanner illustrating significant differences in the XDI profiles of fake and original pharmaceuticals are presented. Data analysis procedures are presented allowing in many cases verification of the integrity of the pharmaceuticals studied here with the XDI scanner. It is concluded that XDI scanning may have a promising future for detecting counterfeits in large pharmaceutical packages having mixed contents.


Ottorino Rossi was born on 17th January, 1877, in Solbiate, near Como. He studied at the "Collegio Ghislieri" and in 1895 enrolled at the medical faculty of the University of Pavia. In October 1902 he went on to the Centre for Mental and Nervous Diseases of Pavia directed by Casimiro Mondino. In 1926 he succeeded Camillo Golgi and was ap pointed rector of the University of Pavia. He was the author of major scientific works including "The Arteriosclerosis of the Nervous System" and other studies giving a new interpretation of the development of lesions of vascular ori gin. He died in 1936 at the age of 59, having named the "Collegio Ghislieri" as his heir.


The purpose of a literature review was to explain about the hormonal regulation and neural control of the food intake and body weight. The ingestion of macronutrients, the energy cost of food and hormone synthesis that increases the activity of the orexygenic and anorexygenic neurons are determinative factors in the regulation of the food intake and body weight. The leptin, insulin and peptide YY increase activity of the anorexygenic neurons POMC/CART. However, the ghrelin increases activity of the orexygenic neurons NPY/AgRP. These hormones crossing the barrier hematoencephalic and binds to specifics receptors in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. These mechanisms show to the complexity of the food intake control and all the involved centers in the search for the energy homeostasis.


As the Object Management Group [10] states in its Model Driven Architecture (MDA) [11] initiative, a key success factor in software development should be separation of business and application logic from implementation platform. Existing platforms evolve quickly and new ones appear, so we need our application definition far from implementation details. This will allow us an easy migration from one platform/technology to another one, even more if we have tools that help us in such a process.