The manufacture of conventional polyurethanes include the use of isocyanates, which in turn require using toxic and hazardous phosgene. The safety devices are necessary to prepare these monomers. Therefore, the huge investment is inevitable for this process. Also, these monomers cannot be considered as environmentally friendly chemicals. The increasing global awareness for protection of environment from chemical pollutants has created a necessary demand for environmentally benign products. The reaction of cyclic carbonates (polycarbonates) with amines results in formation of hydroxyurethanes that can be taken into account as a unique reaction. This specific reaction has been investigated over last few years. Most chemists have been strongly attracted by this technique that is due to its potential application to prepare the green, non-toxic, non-sensitive towards moisture isocyanate free polyurethanes. This review is focused on the variety of catalysts used to prepare isocyanate free polyurethanes from five membered cyclic polycarbonates. Also, the reaction mechanism and kinetics for their synthesis have been discussed. In this review, the six-membered cyclic carbonates depicted the higher reactivity rather than five-membered cyclic carbonates for production of non-isocyanate polyurethanes. The various functions of isocyanate free polyurethanes in different fields such as coatings, construction and bio-composites have been summarized.


This article searches to understand, based on a genealogical approach, the possibilities for the emergence of the statements that demarcate the field of mental health and is (dis)articulation with workers' health policies. As a way to point out the articulations and disarticulations between these policies and its programmatic instruments, we will present a brief analytical description of the national conferences that dealt with these themes. As a comprehensive hypothesis for the obstacles for the implementation of this articulation, we will present the political and epistemological challenges of the knowledge-truth legitimating ways in the fields of mental health and workers' health.


On the basis of a large amount of experimental information, the reductive half-reaction of PSAO has been studied quantum mechanically using hybrid density functional theory (B3LYP). The suggested mechanism agrees very well with the one suggested experimentally and incorporates the observation of two different Schiff bases. The half-reaction is suggested to occur in six steps, and transition state structures connecting the different intermediates have been optimized. Two of these steps are further subdivided into two separate parts. The rate-limiting step is found to be the C−H activation of the substrate in agreement with experimental findings, and this step is found to be driven by a large gain of aromaticity in the TPQ ring. To make full use of this driving force, O2 of TPQ is suggested to be protonated prior to the C−H activation. A mechanism for how this protonation might occur is suggested. The roles of the TPQ cofactor and the critical Asp300 are discussed and compared to experimental observations a...


Background and Aims: The prone position is one of the common surgical positions used in clinical practice. Manoeuvring patients from supine to a prone position can impact respiratory dynamics and result in haemodynamic variations. Methods: This study included 64 patients and was conducted after obtaining approval from the ethics committee and registration of the trial. The primary objective was to evaluate the changes in peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), plateau pressure (Pplat) and mean airway pressure (MAP) in patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia in the prone position with (Group S) and without (Group P) spine frame. The secondary objective was to evaluate and compare the variations in heart rate and blood pressure. Results: On turning the patient prone, there was statistically significant increase in median PIP (Group S 4 cmH2O vs. Group P 0.5 cmH2O, P < 0.001), Pplat (Group S 3.5 cmH2O vs. Group P 1 cmH2O, P = 0.004) and dynamic compliance (Group S −5.513 vs. Group P −2.78, P < 0.004). Conclusions: Our study found that prone positioning with a spine frame led to a significantly greater increase in airway pressures and a decrease in dynamic compliance when compared to patients positioned prone without the spine frame.


Since the part′s heat-treatment deformation is an everlasting subject and the deformation control all long is the difficulty which the technicians in the heat-treatment sector are researching,this article,from the viewpoint of the heat treatment process,briefly analyzes the influence of case hardening process at normal temperature of large extra-thin inner gear ring on deformation as well as the effect on the heat-treatment deformation control by using mold during hardening.


reflection on the approach of the mathematician and philosopher Hilary Putnam, who presented at a conference in 2000 a historical and a critique of positivist scientific methods, is compared to the artistic evolution, to demonstrate the differences between art from vanguards and positivist scientific proposals, eventually with the approaches of Putnam, the proposal contemporary crash facts-values dichotomy, which allows overlapping forms of knowledge construction and conceptual approach between art and science.


Problems of primary cycle corrosion in nuclear reactors which are important for nuclear power station operation are considered. Under certain simplifying assumptions, the time dependence of corrosion products concentration in cooling medium of gas cooled reactors is derived. (auth)


During a four year period between 1980-1983 road traffic accidents accounted for 14 deaths, 305 admissions and 1793 attendances by children aged 0-14 in South Warwickshire, a mixed urban/rural district (population 215000) of the Midlands of England. These figures represented 63.2% of the fatalities, 21.3% of the admissions and 7.5% of the attendances due to accidents during this period. Accidents to cyclists were the commonest accidents resulting in attendances and admissions but pedestrian and car occupants accidents accounted for the fatalities and the most severe forms of injury. On several different criteria of severity road traffic accidents were found to be the most severe form of accident experienced by children. They accounted for 43% of the total permanent disability due to accidents during this period. They resulted in the highest scores on the modified injury severity scale and in length of stay in hospital. This pattern is very likely to be repeated in most other parts of the British Isles with some variations, depending on local circumstances. Good progress has been made over the years in reducing childhood road traffic accidents. In spite of this much still needs to be done to further reduce this unnecessarily high toll. Urgent attention is required to halt the epidemic of cycle accidents. For the covering abstract of the whole conference see IRRD 280469. (TRRL)


Optical fringe is one of important output information from the optical systems. Some important optical or system parameters can be obtained by analyzing the fringe information from optical system such as interferometer system or diffraction setup. The straight fringe is a kind of optical fringes frequently appearing in Young's double slit interference and single-slit diffraction and other optical structures. For the information extraction of straight fringes, it is often necessary to calculate the fringe spacing parameters. Popular straight fringes analysis methods include the fringe center method and the Fourier transform method. In addition, some image processing methods realized line detection can also be used to analyze this straight fringes image, which include Hough transform and Radon transform. In this paper, four algorithms for fringe analysis are discussed and compared, which focus on method's principle, algorithm's simulation and performance when they be applied to detect the fringes spacing. At the same time, the anti-noise performance of two image processing algorithms including Hough transform and Radon transform are analyzed.


The timber industries generate significant amounts of waste, throughout its production process, constituting an environmental aggravating, due to its inadequate final disposal and the lack of alternatives to use. This study aimed to diagnose the generation of solid waste and evaluate the management of these in the timber industries. Through the application of a questionnaire, a diagnosis was made of the main residues generated by sawmills, veneer and plywood industries in the regions of Guarapuava e Irati, Paraná, verifying the management of these residues and the environmental performance of the industries. An amount of 13 thousand m³/month of generated residues was diagnosed, with emphasis on "coastline", "wood processing finishing residues (dust, wood shavings)", "log core" and "plywood cutting". Only 50% of industries separate the residues, 11 make use of this residues and 9 have environmental management systems. It can be concluded that the industries lack alternatives for destination and use.


Ever since John Mercer's provocative paper, "West Antarctic ice sheet and CO2 Greenhouse effect: a threat of disaster" (Nature 271:321-325; 1978), researchers have grappled with questions regarding whether, when, how frequently, and, especially, how quickly the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has disintegrated and reformed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene (and whether and when it may again in the future). Oxygen isotope records, being global averages, are insufficient to answer these questions, because (1) the WAIS signal is relatively small, and (2) antiphased behavior between the poles of the precession cycle will tend to cancel part of the signal, as outlined by Raymo et. al. (Science 313, 492-495, 2006).


The present invention is related to a device and method for disinfecting a medical instrument with ozone, in particular the invention relates to a device and method for disinfecting a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.


Spinal tuberculosis increases rapidly and the humen health is threatened in recently. Our article analyzed the questions in treatment of spinal tuberculosis at present, considered the importance of individualized and comprehensive therapy in Chemotherapy, surgery, perioperative management and postoperative directly observed treatment, which leads us to treat spinal tuberculosis with systematical and synthetical means and to control it in the future.


The Hobart Jazz Octet is a collective of professional musicians in Hobart interested in taking the small ensemble form to a new level, spirit and energy – perfect for Sixty Jazz Club. The band plays original songs and arrangements from band leader / vocalist Aly Rae Patmore. The Duke Ellington 'Ebony and Ivory' project is the catalyst on a rolling sea of opportunity, creativity and expanse on ideas of original compositional works and arrangements in styles previously perfected by world class musicians.

This new Hobart Jazz Octet plays songs and arrangements by the great Duke Ellington and his loyal instrumentalists and courtiers ie Billy Strayhorn, Juan Tizol, Cootie Williams and Johnny Hodges, these blues based melodies, are some of the finest creations in big band and vocal jazz!

Alyson Patmore – Vocals/Arrangements
Jeremy Williamson – Trumpet
Alistar Dobson- Alto and Soprano Saxophone
Spike Mason – Tenor and Baritone Saxophone
Les Johnson – Trombone
Kelly Ottaway – Piano
Nick Haywood – Bass
Alf Jackson – Drums


The survival of living being in the globe is importantly depend on the existence of organizations. Every organization in the world today has to abide by the ever increasing intense competitive global business conditions. Modern organizations in the business world today have to prepare themselves to face high competition, make quick decisions, introduce innovations and develop the will and competency to cope with constant change (D'Aveni, 1998, p. 183). Today, the ability of an organization to change drives its growth (Vakola, 2013, p. 96). Successful, organizations must be responsive to the needs of constantly evolving business environment (LeanaB Caldwell, 2009, p. 20). One of the most discussed notions in organizational change is change readiness. It refers to employees` attitude towards a change initiative (Rafferty et. al., 2013, p. 121). One of the first scholars to discuss change readiness is Armenakis, and the most influential and referred to work about change readiness is by Armenakis et al. (1993) and Armenakis& Harris (2002). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational culture and employee readiness for organizational change. The objectives were to investigate organizational culture and identify the influence of organizational culture on employee readiness for organizational change in Divisional Secretariat, Eravurpatru in Batticaloa District where various change reforms has been introduced recent past. This empirical study proceeded by a systematic review of literature that led to development of a conceptual model. The data was collected from a sample of 100 Employee from Divisional Secretariat, Eravurpatru in Batticaloa district by using a survey questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that organizational culture was positively and significantly correlated to employee readiness for organizational change. This study provides empirical evidence for employee readiness predictor variables for organizational change and may contribute to strengthen the literature on change management, particularly for Sri Lanka, and may assist the management, change agents and practitioners of human resources management to shape the organizational environment in assessing, designing, introducing and evaluating new or existing programmes for organizational change.


In order to explore the cultivating technique from shrub to small arbor,4 familiar flower shrubs in landscape,Hibiscus rosa-sinensis,Nerium oleander,The vetia peruviana and Lagerstroemia indica,were studied.With holding single middle bough,3 kinds of disposal method,full sapling bough,cutting boughs and extirpating top bough,were adopted.By close planting to cultivate bole in the first year,sparse planting to cultivate bole in the second year,depositing the crown of sapling in the third year,the pruning technology in growth period and the viewing effect were improved.


More than th ree years after p ro m in e n t M uslim sc h o la r T a riq R am ad an w as b a r re d from entering the United States to take up a tenured teaching position at Notre Dame, a feder al judge in New York has ruled that the government had legiti m a te r e a s o n s to deny Ram adan's visa. The judge, Paul A. Grotty of the F ed e ra l D istric t C ourt in M anhattan, dismissed a lawsuit in D e c e m b e r filed by the Am erican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that claimed the govern m ent used an unconstitutional p o r t io n of the P atrio t Act to deny Ramadan a w o rk v isa in Ju ly 2004, when he attem pt ed to en ter th e U nited States from his home in S w itz e r la n d , T he New York Times reported in December. The ACLU su it c la im ed the Ramadan portion of the Patriot Act deny ing visa to people who "endorse or espouse te r ro r is t ac tiv ity" was unconstitutional. Grotty ru led the governm ent had revoked R a m a d a n 's v isa because the scholar had, over the course of four years, given $1,336 to a Swiss charity later designated as a terrorist group, the Times reported. He did not address the Patriot Act's consti tutionality. Ramadan has publicly argued he was unaw are of any terrorist ties and had m ade c o n tr ib u  tions solely as h u m a n ita r ia n aid. "In its letter, the U.S. Embassy claims that I 'reasonably should have known' tha t the charities in question provided money to Hamas," Ramadan said in a let te r p u b lish e d in The W ash in g to n P ost in O ctober 2006. "But my donations were m ade between December 1998 and July 2002, and the United S ta te s d id n o t b la c k lis t th e c h a r i t ie s u n til 2 0 0 3 . How sh o u ld I r e a s o n a b ly have known of their activities before th e U.S. g o v e rn m e n t i ts e lf knew ?"


This article presents a novel architecture for realizing the synchronized-switch-harvesting-on-capacitors (SSHC) technique used for enhanced energy extraction from piezoelectric transducers. The proposed architecture allows full integration by utilizing the storage capacitor already present in most energy-harvesting systems. A promising circuit implementation of the technique, named multilevel SSHC (ML-SSHC), is proposed as well, and its performance is analyzed theoretically. Based on that, a fully integrated and power-efficient transistor-level design in 0.18-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> CMOS is presented and fabricated in a prototype chip. When operating at a mechanical excitation frequency of 22 Hz and delivering between 1.51 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and 4.82 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{W}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, the measured increase in extracted power is <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$7.01\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$6.71\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula>, respectively, relative to an ideal full-bridge rectifier. While the performance is comparable to the state of the art, this is the first implementation allowing full integration at such low frequencies without posing special requirements on the piezoelectric harvester.


The invention discloses a bactericidal composition containing penconazole and propamocarb and an application thereof. The bactericidal composition has two main active ingredients, namely penconazole and propamocarb. Weight ratio of penconazole to propamocarb is 1-70:1-50. The bactericidal composition can be applied in preparation of bactericida medicines for controlling fungal diseases on cereals, fruit trees and vegetables, has obvious synergetic effects on fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, venturia inaequalis, downy mildew, late blight, rust disease, black shank and the like, overcomes and delays drug resistance of germs, and has fast bactericidal speed and long duration. Application costs are reduced. Control efficiency of the bactericidal composition is obviously superior to that of a single dosage.


The significance tests controversy in psychology was very wide in the past 30 years and associations such as the American Psychological Association published recommendations to improve the statistics practice in this field. In this paper we analyse recent research that study the statistical methods in psychology and show some advance that is still not enough to solve the problem. We finish with some recommendations to improve the teaching of inference in psychology.


In most cases connection of new and old concrete is performed by extending the reinforcement, often by means of post-installed bonded bars. New systems suitable of use on site have been developed, tested and introduced worldwide by Hilti Demolition and Fastening Technology, based on Eurocode 2, Design of Concrete Structures. Now engineers have a tested method to solve such problems as bridge renovation, retrofitting of industrial buildings, enhancement of earthquake resistance, etc.


This study explores changes in precipitation over the Brahmani-Baitarani river basin (51 822 km2) in India using three GCMs runs from CMIP5 and two basic bias-correction methods (delta change and linear scaling). Two key challenges that the study is addressing are the low station density and the lack of dynamically downscaled climate simulations. This paper provides interesting insights into challenges faced in regions of low data availability in the context of impact modeling. It could formulate general recommendations on the selection of bias-correction methods in those regions, but to


In view of the actual problems in the face of maintenance cost management of surface mining equipments,some thoughts and measures about reducing the maintenance costs of surface mining equipments are proposed,which is helpful for surface mining enterprises to obtain better economic and social benefits.


These results indicate that renal homotransplantation can be an effective way of treating patients with terminal uremia. Even during the developmental period of this study the majority of recipient patients achieved a high degree of social and vocational rehabilitation–and if related donors were used the salvage rate 21 months or longer after operation is still 65%. Nevertheless, the procedure is still experimental. The projected fate of patients in whom there is still evidence of low-grade host versus graft activity is unknown. The role of thymectomy or splenectomy in promoting acceptance of the homografts is not proven. Further work is required on the histocompatibility matching techniques. For the momeni. it would seem wisest to regard renal homotransplantation as an effective but incompletely characterized form of palliative therapy.


Among semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), 2D nanoplatelets (NPLs) are a special class of nanomaterials with well controlled optical features. So far, most of the efforts have been focused on wide band gap materials such as cadmium chalcogenide semiconductors. However, optical absorption can be pushed toward the infrared (IR) range using narrow band gap materials such as mercury chalcogenides. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of a core/shell structure made of a CdSe core with two HgSe external wells. We demonstrate that the optical spectrum of the heterostructure is set by the HgSe wells and this, despite the quasi type II band alignment, makes the band edge energy independent of the inner core thickness. On the other hand, these core/shell NPLs behave, from a transport point of view, as a wide band gap material. We demonstrate that the introduction of a wide band gap CdSe core makes the material less conductive and with a larger photoresponse. Hence, the heterostructure presents an effective electric ban...


The impact of organizational culture on administrative efficiency is a little-studied scientific problem in the field of public administration in Ukraine. Although public administration is being reformed in Ukraine, little attention is being paid to this problem. However, scholars pay attention to the culture of the organization as an economic phenomenon. Various aspects of organizational culture as a transcultural phenomenon are considered. The authors note that organizations in the economic sector quickly took an active position in the use of organizational culture. Organizational culture is studied as an important factor in forming and increasing the competitiveness of enterprises due to the possibility of influencing administrative efficiency. The public sector views administrative efficiency differently: as a social platform for employed citizens. As a result, numerous problems of low administrative efficiency of public sector organizations, unreasonable huge costs, and losses are a burden on the public budget. As a result, inefficient use of public finances delays the socio-economic development of society.
This paper discusses the possible causes of this situation. First, cultural management practices in public sector organizations in such societies are deeply rooted in a traditional management culture that has a strong bureaucratic basis. Administrative efficiency is seen not as a result but as a process. Secondly, in the field of science of public administration and administration, the scientific and methodological support of the study of administrative efficiency is insufficiently developed. The authors argue that the study, conceptualization, and operationalization of the impact of organizational culture on administrative efficiency in the context of socio-economic development of a developing country or region is an important scientific problem in public administration (for example, Ukraine, Iraqi Kurdistan). Thus, this study is aimed at developing theoretical and methodological support for the study of assessing the direct and indirect effects of organizational culture on organizational activities and administrative efficiency in the public sector. The example of Ukraine and Iraqi Kurdistan are two different traditions of organizational culture with a common problem of low administrative efficiency. The authors propose research that covers the descriptive design of a methodology for studying the impact of organizational culture on administrative efficiency: first, the analysis of the concept of administrative efficiency, and secondly, the analysis of the concept of organizational culture in relation to administrative efficiency.
Methodology: analysis and synthesis when considering strategies, programs, ratings of public sector organizations, in particular, ministries, departments, local governments, which allow analyzing the main directions of reform activities and scientific support of research on the impact of organizational culture on administrative efficiency; methods of systematization and comparison, which were used in determining the nature and features of the impact of organizational culture on administrative efficiency.
It is emphasized that such research will provide a deeper understanding of organizational culture and its relationship to administrative efficiency in the public sector. This will have a positive impact on the development of strategies and policies for governance reform and socio-economic development in developing countries and regions.


Problem statement: Trust management in a distributed dynamic environment like grid has been very vital since the allocation of appropriate resources to meet user request influences the success of the system. While considering a set of resources which are loaded invariably, balancing the load also contributes for the efficient resource utilization. Approach: This study proposes a trust calculation model, which considers weighted parameters like direct trust, reputation trust, load average information and network efficiency. Network efficiency also varies with the granularity of jobs, hence the experiment were conducted with an inclusion of this criteria. Results and Conclusion: The proposed Hybrid Model for Load aware Trust management system (HMLT) allocates the job based on the trust values. The resources with higher trust value get more jobs. As a result the performance of the proposed system found to be faster and has a better utilization of grid resources when studied in a grid environment.


According to the testing demands of the integrative testing system,the solution of the TACAN video signal generate board based on PCI bus was adopted,and the function that the azimuth angle of the TACAN video signal was adjusted was implemented.The work principle of the whole system and the design requirements were introduced.The hardware design was analyzed in detail,including using the chip PCI9054 as the PCI bus interface,using the DSP-TMS320VC5416 as the data process unit,using the FPGA-EP2C8 to design the circuit control logic,and so on.The software design of FPGA and DSP were described,and the PCI driver was programmed.The solution could be used by many kinds of industrial control computer platforms,and it had strong universality and good application prospect.


The protein drug PEGylation technology is a technology that chemically modifies protein drug by polyethylene glycol derivatives. There were the protein drugs PEGylation such as adenosin deaminase, a -2b-interferon, a -2a-interferon, etc. It can improve solubility and stability of drugs, reduce immunogenicity and proteolysis, greatly increase circulation time and improve efficacy due to increased concentration and longer dwell time at the site of aion. The technology is reviewed in this paper.


the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology, was held from 14 to 16 November 2001 at the International Conference Hall in Tsukuba, Japan, where the Tsukuba International Conference (NIR-89) was held. In the symposium, 22 lectures and 14 posters on recent developments and applications of non-destructive measurement techniques, mainly concentrating on NIR, were presented to about 150 attendees. On the first day, short courses on the principles of NIR and on chemometrics were given by Y. Ozaki (Kwansei Gakuin University), and K. Miyamoto (Wakayama Fruits Tree Experiment Station), respectively. About 70 people attended the courses. On the second day, two invited speakers H. Martens (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and W. Thanapase (Kasetsart University, Thailand) gave us keynote lectures on "Advances in Chemometrics: Combining Old Knowledge and New Observations to Simplify Multivariate Calibration", and "Present Conditions of R&D for Non-Destructive Techniques Including NIR Spectroscopy in Thailand", respectively. Martens' lecture was informative, and the status of NIR spectroscopy in Thailand seems now to be on the rise. After the keynote lectures, R.K. Cho, K.S. Ryu, C.H. Choi and H.J. Kim gave presentations on the Korean Society of NIR Spectroscopy (Cho), soil analysis (Tyu), food analysis (Choi) and life science and pharmacy (Kim), in the special session held for our sincere congratulations on the success of Korea's International NIR Conference (NIR2001). NIR research in Korea remains active. The NIR Advance Awards were given this year to M. Miyazawa (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences) for NIR studies on the structural characterisation of proteins, and M. Shimoyama (Hyogo Prefecture Police Headquarters) for NIR discrimination of physical properties of polymers. In Session 1, four lectures related to the applications of chemometrics were given: "Wavelet Transform of Raw Milk Spectra for Mastitis Diagnosis" (R. Tsenkova), "Decomposition of Mixed Spectra by Multivariate Curve Resolution" (A. Uda), Spectral Waveform Analysis by Two-Dimensional Representation of Derivatives" (K. Koashi), and "Analysis of Unfolding Process of Proteins by 2D IR and NIR Correlation Spectroscopy" (K. Murayama). In Session 2, topics on 3D imaging using IR, NMR and optical tomography were presented. K. Kudo introduced a system to reconstruct a 3D IR microimage from sliced pieces of sample. Following the lecture, NMR 3D microimaging of water distribution in developing rice caryopsis (M. Yoshida) and 3D imaging of a tissue-like phantom by NIR light were presented. In the following session, oral presentations from NIR companies (Bruker Optics, Yokogawa Electric, Toyo, Nireco, Bran+Luebbe, ST Japan and Kubota) introduced new instruments and applications to the audience. In Session 3, lectures on "Application of Fluoroimmunoassays to Biochemical Species" (T. Ikeda), "Prediction of Algal Blooming in Lake using NIR Spectroscopy" (T. Maekawa) and "A High Quality Sugarcane Production System Assisted with NIR Data" (Y. Kawamitsu) were presented, which were followed by a report on the current status of the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) for near infrared spectrophotometric analysis (R. Sekiguchi). The symposium was closed with a report on NIR-2001 (S. Tsuchikawa). A formal banquet was held at the conference hall in the evening of the second day, at which many delegates enjoyed drinking and talking. After the banquet, some speakers and attendees went to the Japanese style restaurant "Sachiko" to further their mutual understanding of the symposium, and Karaoke. The next symposium will be held on 13–15 November 2002 in Tsukuba.


Process-control systems are usually real time and embedded within the larger environment. Controllers are required to ensure desired environment properties through performing ongoing control behavior at the interface with sensors and actuators. However, the environment is heterogeneous and informal, which poses special challenge to develop complete and safe specification. Problem Frames are a rigor requirements analysis approach for software problems and emphasize the fundamental role of environment in capturing of specification. In this paper, we contribute to exploring the application of Problem Frames approach for specifying process-control system requirements. The process is an integration of problem progression and consideration of frame concern, reliability concern, overrun concern and other concerns with coordinating the nature of process-control systems. The outcome displays the applicability of PFs to process-control system specification.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a preservation policy aimed at safeguarding the Ehden Natural Reserve, a reserve providing shelter to a substantial number of endangered species. Design/methodology/approach – The current paper, offers an approach which merges contingent valuation and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to design a preservation policy aimed at safeguarding the reserve. Contingent valuation is used to estimate the expected benefits from the reserve for both local residents and tourists visiting Ehden, while using a certainty analysis approach to explore the problem of hypothetical bias. A CBA is then applied to the findings to evaluate a ten year plan to preserve the protected area through a non-profit foundation. Findings – Findings from the analysis support the feasibility of a project of this nature, which shows a positive NPV within the studied period and at an acceptable social discount rate (SDR). The balance between benefit and cost is thus always positive, except in some pes...


The article highlights the progress of implementation of scientific and technological programs in this country's industries and factors that influence them. The authors point out that the most influential factor is the level of the system of financing the program projects and tasks. The article pays attention to the necessity to use different financing sources, especially non-budgetary ones, in order to implement the programs. The authors emphasize that improvement in the system of financial provision for scientific and technological programs would contribute to shorter terms of their execution and avoid losses in their economic effect that this country is to benefit from the program projects. The article contains corresponding calculations.


Abstract : The Fram Strait is a region of complex circulation and intense dynamical activity. Its general circulation is largely influenced by the East Greenland Current (EGC), the associated Marginal Ice Zone jet, the West Spitzbergen Current (WSC) and the topography of the region. The general circulation was studied using a two-layered numerical model. Forcing of the model was done by varying: the inflow and outflow velocity; the port locations and boundary conditions; and by adjustment of topography. Representative topography of the Fram Strait was modeled in the lower layer. Results indicate that the model is sensitive to EGC width and its proximity to the western boundary; and that in the absence of EGC flow the Return Atlantic Current does not exist. Investigation of model sensitivity to WSC inflow vertical shear lead to the conclusion that when the WSC inflow is 10 cm/sec in the upper layer and 5 cm/sec in the lower layer a boundary trapped component of the WSC is generated. Keywords: Atlantic Ocean; Ocean currents. Theses.


Summary and Hypothesis The cortico-striatal system is regulated in a complex manner by multiplefeedback and feed-forward systems that have a high capacity tocompensate for a large degree of pathological insult. However, it may bethese same compensatory processes that are responsible for the aberrantinvoluntary movements observed following chronic L-DOPA treatment.Thus, although L-DOPA pharmacotherapy is highly effective in reducing theclassic triad of the symptoms of PD on a short-term basis, chronic L-DOPAadministration results in altered cortico-striatal plasticity, significantlyaltering the balance between direct and indirect output pathways. Wesuggest that these plastic changes underlie the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias. Given that continuous DA-receptor stimulation isknown to circumvent DA-induced plasticity, 15,16 it is proposed that a similartype of continuous DA stimulation could treat Parkinson's pathologywithout induction of dyskinesias. 17 Such information is important inguiding future pharmacotherapy or treatment regimens to counteract thisdebilitating side effect in the treatment of PD. ■


Barstar gene transfer from transgenic rapeseed line T742 to non-transgenic rapeseeds,other Brassica,Crucifera plants,and weeds was evaluated by artificially crossing(T742 as paternal parent) or sampling under natural pollination condition in field.The results showed that some hybrid seeds crossing between transgenic rapeseed line and non-transgenic rapeseeds or Xinjiang wild rape could be obtained,and Barstar gene could be detected by PPT and PCR in some of them,but no hybrid seed crossing between transgenic rapeseed line and other Brassica,Crucifera plants was gained.Gene transfer was affected by maternal parent types and the cross affinity between transgenic rapeseed line T742 and three maternal parent types showed the trend of B.napusB.campestrisB.juncea.The results suggested that Barstar gene could transfer from transgenic rapeseed line to non-transgenic rapeseed around,but more difficult to other Brassica,Crucifera plants except Xinjiang wild rape.


Due to the complexity of real task for learning, the learning algorithms based on ERM (empirical risk minimization) principle always have good fit for the training samples, but bad prediction for future samples. SVM(support vector machine) as a new kernel learning algorithm has embodied Vapnik's SRM (structure risk minimization) principle. It overcomes the problem for ERM posing by optimizing the object consisting of the learning error on the training samples and the capacity of hypothesis space. We'll use nonlinear support vector regression (SVR) in the prediction of finance time series. This may be illumined by the success of BP neural network and RBF neural network applied in finance time series. Before applying SVR, we use another new hot tool called ICA(independent component analysis)for feature extraction. Traditional PCA only takes into account the uncorrelated between features, however ICA considers the independence which is a more strict condition than PCA. Experiments have shown that our method based on ICA+SVR are superior to other methods, i.e. PCA+SVR, KPCA+SVR.


Presentation of the dialectic as the exemplary law methodology. The 'art of dialogue' is a technique (ars dialectica) as consubstantial in the ontological language structure as in the creation and development of the law. Historical and philosophical antecedents and foundations of the legal dialectic. Critique of Modernism and validity and force of Classical Realisme. Aristote, Roma, St. Thomas Aquinas. Listening, word and logos. Elements that compose the dialogical configuration. Transcendence of the dialectic.


Based on the static load test of 7 RC beams,the influence of the shear span ratio steel corrosion rate on the beam load carrying capacity,load-deflection curve,reinforced bars and concrete strain,is analyzed.The test results indicate: the shear span ratio is still the main factor influencing the properties of beams with corroded reinforcement;the steel corrosion rate doesn't change the failure modes,but the serious corrosion can turn the beam from the balanced reinforcement to the under reinforcement.With increasing the steel corrosion rate,the load carrying capacity and stiffness of beams reduce obviously,the ratio of yield strength to ultimate strength increases,the average strain of steel bars and concrete no longer meets the plane assumption.According to the experimental results,the calculation formulae of the flexural load carrying capacity of the beams with 6%~15% steel corrosion ratio is fitted out.


Project Mercury was the first space program to create a real time computer-centered, worldwide satellite tracking and communications network. This network is a complex of remote sites or stations having a direct, on-demand access to the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) computers via various transmission linkages: teletype, submarine cable, land lines, etc. Distance between a given site and these computers ranges from less than one thousand miles on the one hand to worldwide proportions on the other. With such an extensive network, a quick and accurate method to determine network capability to provide mission support had to be developed. Such a method had to provide for the quick identification and isolation of any malfunction anywhere in the network. In addition, a -and-ldquo;test standard-and-rdquo; applicable to all sites was needed regardless of their individual equipment configuration. Thus, a status of -and-ldquo;Good-and-rdquo; at the Canary Islands had to be identical with a status of -and-ldquo;Good-and-rdquo; at Woomera, Australia. Another factor to be considered was the tendency of electronic equipment to drift off calibration after being peaked for support of a mission. This tendency required that the peaking and the means of status determination of the equipment for support of a mission had to be performed reasonably close to llftoff. To fulfill these requirements, CADFIST, a computer-controlled, automated, network test was designed. It is a real time tracking network status check which simultaneously tests the major subsystem at each of the world-wide sites for their ability and readiness to support manned missions. CADFIST is an abbreviation for Computation and Data Flow Integrated Subsystem Test. The system, made up of individual tests under control of a master program, is designed to provide a qualitative measure of how well certain logical subsets of the over all network are functioning. Without CADFISS testing, this network verification would have to be accomplished by a personor persons centrally located making visual and voice checks.


Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR), a novel routing protocol for wireless datagram networks that uses the positions of routers and a packet's destination to make packet forwarding decisions. It also offers routing support for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). However, GPSR was designed for the symmetric links (bidirectional reachable), but sensor networks are often asymmetric in nature. So, when the destination is outside the boundary GPSR suffers by energy inefficiency as it has to trace through all the nodes in the boundary for reaching the destination. In this paper a modified version of GPSR is proposed which identifies optimal route based on energy utilization and overcome problems in GPSR so that the feasibility of using GPSR in asymmetric WSN can be increased. The simulation results prove that the energy and delay is minimized and hence the proposed protocol outperforms the existing routing protocol for WSN.


The author proves that the set of points where the Chung type LIL fails for the path of the infinite series of independent Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes is a random fraetal, and evaluates its Hausdorff dimension.


In this paper, a novel compact ultra‐high frequency (UHF) tag antenna for radio frequency identification is presented. This tag uses the Monza‐X from Impinj as a differential radio frequency integrated circuit. A wideband circular polarization was achieved. The frequency range covered for an axial ratio (AR) < 3 dB is from 830 to 903 MHz. The designed antenna is simulated by using the electromagnetic software ansys high frequency structure simulator. The tag antenna is printed on 50 × 50 mm2 of Roger 4350B substrate with a dielectric constant (Ԑr) of 3.66 and thickness of 1.52 mm. The manufactured tag antenna performance has been tested by measuring the reading distance. The measurement results show good values of reading range (RR) especially in the EU Radio Frequency IDentification band. The tag has a maximum RR of about 13.3 m at 865 MHz with an Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 2 W.


Calprotectin is a calcium‐binding protein that can be measured in serum, plasma, and feces. Increased serum and plasma calprotectin concentrations have been found in chronic inflammatory rheumatic disorders. An analytical and clinical evaluation of the DiaSorin Liaison® fecal Calprotectin assay using LIAISON® XL was performed.


Summary In a study of 80 fifth grade American boys and girls, an attempt was made to demonstrate a causal link between children's first names and judgments about the rightness or wrongness of those children's conflicted decisions. It was expected that children possessing liked names would be judged as right more frequently than children having disliked names. The expected effect was not found. Reasons for this negative finding were discussed.


BACKGROUND
Chlorophyll is the most abundant pigment on Earth, essential for the capture of light energy during photosynthesis. During senescence, chlorophyll degradation is highly regulated in order to diminish toxicity of the free chlorophyll molecule due to its photoactivity. The first step in the chlorophyll degradation pathway is the conversion of chlorophyll b to chlorophyll a by means of two consecutive reactions catalyzed by enzymes coded by NYC1 (NON-YELLOW COLORING 1), NOL (NYC1 -LIKE) and HCAR.

RESULTS
In this work, we studied the expression of NOL and HCAR genes during postharvest senescence of broccoli. We found that the expression of BoNOL increase during the first days of storage and then decrease. In the case of BoHCAR, its expression is maintained during the first days and then it also diminishes. Additionally, the effect of different postharvest treatments on the expression of these genes was also analyzed. It was observed that the expression of BoNOL is lower in the treatments performed with 1-MCP, 6-BAP and modified atmospheres, while BoHCAR expression showed an increase in these same treatments, and a decrease in the treatment with ethylene. There were no variations in the expression of both genes in heat treatment, UV-C treatment and visible light treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that both BoHCAR and BoNOL show a lower regulation of their expression than other genes involved the chlorophyll degradation during senescence. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Information technology lowers the cost of distributing information to dispersed consumers. Because national firms reap larger benefits from new media than firms serving only local consumers, media innovations may reduce the market for local products. This paper considers the effect of television on the market for local beer. Using market-level data on television penetration, local breweries and brewery production from 1945-1960, results show that increases in television penetration are associated with fewer local breweries and less local beer production. The results indicate that the industrial organization of media markets can affect the structure of markets for local products.


We study the late time behavior of a universe in the framework of brane gas cosmology. We investigate the evolution of a universe with a gas of supergravity particles and a gas of branes. Considering the case when different dimensions are anisotropically wrapped by various branes, we have derived Friedmann-like equations governing the dynamics of wrapped and unwrapped subvolumes. We point out that the compact internal dimensions are wrapped by three or higher dimensional branes.


Part 1 Religions: freedom and authority in particular traditions freedom and authority in the life of a nation. Part 2 Religious education: orthodoxy and openness - the experience of children international perspectives.


This research was carried out at Chương Mỹ and Phú Xuyên Districts for two years of 2009 Ŕ 2010 by production record keeping system according to a production cycle of 270 poultry flocks at 210 farms and smallholders to aim at better understanding the diversification, technical productivity in this region through an approach of animal production systems and the supply chains with their various constraints. Agricultural by-products are taken full advantage maximum but the daily diet is not balanced in smallholders or commercial farms. Production productivity is good with industrial broilers of ISA Brown, Ai Cập hens and Mix 1. Rate of mortality occupied about 2% with ISA Brown hens, 3% with broiler Mix 1 compared with 15% 27% of Lương Phượng chickens, CV Super Meat, French Muscovy ducks and backyard production. Poultry production in these zones is really diversified, complex about the races, feed sources and preventive sanitation. But this poultry production is facing grave difficulties such as good quality of DOCs, large fluctuation risk of prices of inputs/outputs and the high risks with epidemic diseases from this year to another.


Objective To investigate the relationship between elderly cerebral hemorrhage and post stroke depression(PSD) by observing and analysing clinically 130 cases of elderly cerebral henorrhage in our hospital.Methods The clinical manifestation data of 130 cases hospitalized from october 1998 to December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. SDS GDS and DNF were conducted.Results In the 130 cases of cerebral hemorrhage, 44 cases had depression(33 8%). the sick rate of mild moderate and severe cerebral hemorrhage complicated with depression was 50% 40 9% and 9 1% .There were no significent differences in age sex and site of hemorrhage. There were positive correlation between depression degree and extend of the clinical neurological deffects.Conclusion The disease incidence of depression is higher in the population of elderly cerebral hemorrhage. lt is important that we should pay attention to PSD


Purpose: Appendicitis represents one of the most common surgical disorders. Typically, the diagnosis can be made from well established clinical criteria, with an acceptable negative appendectomy rate from 7-25%. However, when surgical intervention is performed in the patients suspected of having appendicitis but with equivocal clinical findings, the negative appendectomy rate approaches 50%. Routine contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) has described as an accurate diagnostic imaging modality in patients with suspected appendicitis. We evaluated the role of intravenous CECT (iCECT) in patients suspected of having appendicitis but with equivocal clinical exams. Methods: Eighty seven consecutive patients who were thought to have appendicitis but with equivocal clinical findings and/or physical exams were imaged by iCECT over 18 months period. Intravenous contrast-enhanced, spiral abdominal and pelvic images were obtained using 7.5 mm cuts. iCECT images were interpreted by a board-certified radiologist. Main outcome measures included iCECT sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), accurary and negative appendectomy rate in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and determining the impact iCECT on the clinical management of the patient population. Results: A group of 87 patients consisting of 36 males (41.4 %) and 51 females (58.6%) with median age of 32 years (range 12 to 75 years) were imaged with iCECT to evaluate suspected appendicitis. Of the 87 iCECTs performed, 8 false-positive and 2 false-negative readings were identified, resulting in a sensitivity of 93.5%, specificity of 85.7%, PPV of 78.4%, NPV of 96%, and an overall accuracy of 88.5%. With regard to clinical management, 100% (31/31) of patients with appendicitis, and 4% (2/50) of patients without appendicitis underwent appendectomy. Therefore, the overall negative appendectomy rate was 6.1% (2/33). Conclusions: iCECT is a useful diagnostic imaging modality for patients suspected of having acute appendicitis but with equivocal clinical findings and/or physical exams. iCECT is particularly useful in excluding the diagnosis of appendicitis in those without disease.


Homeopathy is an alternative therapy that uses substances dilution. The homeopathic preparation of Syzygium jambolanum (SJ) has potential use in the treatment of glycemic disorders.

In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of the SJ homeopathic preparation on treating obesity and glycemic/metabolic disorders compared with metformin treatment (diabetes gold-treatment) in a mice model fed a high-fat diet.

A total of 48 male Swiss mice were divided into six groups with eight animals each, randomly distributed as follows: obese and non-obese groups (ST), treated and non treated with SJ or metformin. Obesity was induced by high-fat/high-sugar diet, while the control mice (ST) received a standard diet for 12 weeks, after which, for 30 days, the animals received a preparation of 20 µl/100g/body-weight of SJ or a dose of 250 mg/kg metformin (by gavage). The control groups ST and HFHS received water gavage. Body composition and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The adipose genes for lipogenesis and thermogenesis were tested.

The mice treated with Syzygium jambolanum presented reduced weight gain (p< 0.02) and smaller adipose tissue weight, average difference from the mice treated with metformin, and both groups showed improved insulin sensitivity (p<0.04). The main results were associated with the modulation of the adipogenesis pathway (C/EPBα and PPARγ) and to the thermogenic gene Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1).

Homeopathic administration of the Syzygium jambolanum preparation leads to lower body weight, blood glucose and total cholesterol and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL), pointing its efficiency on treating diabetes and obesity.


A novel method for reconstructing MRI temperature maps from undersampled data is presented. The method, model predictive filtering, combines temperature predictions from a preidentified thermal model with undersampled k‐space data to create temperature maps in near real time. The model predictive filtering algorithm was implemented in three ways: using retrospectively undersampled k‐space data from a fully sampled two‐dimensional gradient echo (GRE) sequence (reduction factors R = 2.7 to R = 7.1), using actually undersampled data from a two‐dimensional GRE sequence (R = 4.8), and using actually undersampled data from a three‐dimensional GRE sequence (R = 12.1). Thirty‐nine high‐intensity focused ultrasound heating experiments were performed under MRI monitoring to test the model predictive filtering technique against the current gold standard for MR temperature mapping, the proton resonance frequency shift method. For both of the two‐dimensional implementations, the average error over the five hottest voxels from the hottest time frame remained between ±0.8°C and the temperature root mean square error over a 24 × 7 × 3 × 25‐voxel region of interest remained below 0.35°C. The largest errors for the three‐dimensional implementation were slightly worse: −1.4°C for the mean error of the five hottest voxels and 0.61°C for the temperature root mean square error. Magn Reson Med 63:1269–1279, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract : This report summarizes the work on the evaluation, design, and reimplemenation of part of the ASW System Eval Tool (ASSET), performed in the Computer Science Department, Naval Postgraduate School, under the sponsorship of the Antisubmarine Warfare Division (OP-71), Office of Chief of Naval Operations. We analyzed and implemented the improvements suggested in previous evaluations of various sub-areas of ASSET. In addition, we have designed and implemented a prototype user interface shell for ASSET on a Sun Sparcstation running X windows.


The current approach to learning is based upon an educational system and paradigm that is supply‐driven and course‐based. In this paradigm, learning is offered in courses whose content, time, place and pace of delivery, method of delivery, and breadth and sequence of instruction are defined and stated by the course provider. Learning for tomorrow needs to be situated in study environments that are context‐based and demand‐driven. These environments must be flexible to meet the needs of learners, through adaptability to different learner needs, content, learning patterns and settings, and media combinations. Such flexible study environments enable learners to learn when they want (frequency, timing, duration), how they want (modes of learning) and what they want (that is, learners can define what constitutes learning to them). An environment to achieve such a distance education competency‐based curriculum is being developed in the business sciences at the Open universiteit (Ou) as a collaborative effort wi...


MOTIVATION AND ADHERENCE 1 2 Adherence to COVID-19 Measures: 3 The Critical Role of Autonomous Motivation on a Shortand Long-Term Basis 4 5 Sofie Morbée1, Branko Vermote1, Joachim Waterschoot1, Lisa Dieleman1, Bart Soenens1, Omer Van 6 den Bergh2, Richard M. Ryan3, Janne Vanhalst1, Gert-Jan De Muynck1, and Maarten Vansteenkiste1 7 1 Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University 8 2Department of Health Psychology, Catholic University Leuven 9 3Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Author Note 19 20 We have no conflict of interest to disclose. 21


HFA-134a blood levels from four clinical studies were combined to give a preliminary description of its population pharmacokinetics. HFA-134a was absorbed promptly and was eliminated with a half-life of 5.1 min.


FIELD: hygienic textile products. SUBSTANCE: this relates to absorbing articles which are used in disposable swaddling clothes, hygienic napkins, women's paddings, etc. Absorbing article has insert with multilayer absorbing body. Insert contains at least one receiving-distributing layer, one storing layer, liquid-transporting wrapping, and additional storing layer located below wrapped multilayer absorbing body. At testing for receiving and distribution of liquid at pressure of 28 g/sq.cm, receiving-distributing layer shows speed of receiving and distributing of liquid in order of 2 cu.cm of artificial urine per second. Storing layer consists of gel-creating material which can absorb artificial urine at such speed that it reaches 40% of its absorbing capacity for not longer than 10 s when being tested by "tea bag" method. Gel-creating material possesses total absorbing capacity which 25 times higher than its dry weight. This material can absorb liquid at speed of 0.8 g of artificial urine per second per 1 g of gel-creating material. Absorbing body can incorporate at least two pairs of layers. In this case, one pair of layers is made up of receiving-distributing layer and storing layer which is located below receiving-distributing layer. Both pairs of layers are hydraulically interconnected. Article can have two longitudinal edges which are located apart from each other, two end edges located apart from each other, first and second end portions, and central portion located between end portions. End portions are provided with strips which are at least partly overlapping each other when article is born below waist. Absorbing insert in this case is positioned between upper sheet which is permeable for liquid and lower sheet which is impermeable for liquid. Both sheets are connected to each other. Application of aforesaid embodiment of article allows for efficient receiving, distributing and storing of emitted liquids. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 6 cl, 10 dwg


This thesis,based on the study of the students' constitutions in the year 2000 in the whole country,figures out the three targets,i.e.height,weight and bust,of the girl-students from 7 to 18 of Han and Li nationalities in Hainan Province.It makes a vertical and cross comparison with the differences from their average value; it brings to light the levels and rules of the physical development of the girl-students in Hainan Province;it puts forward some problems and measures which should be paid attention to in the future physical education.


Purpose: This paper aims at investigating financial distress and explore the nature of the relationship between board of director's characteristics and financial distress in the Egyptian economy from 20152018. Design /methodology / approach: To determine the best suitable model to express data, two models were employed in this research. The first model is multivariate discriminant analysis model introduced by Altman and Hotchkiss (2010) and logit model. Findings: Our results suggest that the proportion of independent directors and CEO duality are found to be significant determinants for financial distress. However, board size is not a significant variable in predicting financial distress. These results have been confirmed using logistic model. On the other hand, discriminant model reveals that all the explanatory variables are significant in explaining financial distress. Increasing board size increases the probability of financial distress while CEO duality and board independence have a positive impact on financial distress probability. Depending on different criteria (R, classification table, ROC curve) to compare between logit model and discriminant model, it has been revealed that logit model is better in explaining financial distress. Originality/ value: This article is one of the first to investigate whether board of directors' attributes contribute to explain of the occurrence of financial distress in the context of Egypt's economy.


The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new approach for operationalising family-business variables. It is consistent with multidimensional definitions of family business such as the F-PEC scale. This paper demonstrates the use of the Guttman-scaling procedure, on a random sample of 885 Dutch SMEs. More specifically, the research question is as follows: Can various indicators of family business be validly combined using a Guttman scale? After reviewing the different definitions dealt with in the family business research literature, the paper presents the results of an analysis of various items available for this particular dataset. In particular, the index assigns a value of family-relatedness to a company depending upon the criteria that it meets. The study uses a series of statistical procedures, including factor analysis and cross-tabulations, to identify a potential ordering of criteria varying in difficulty. The least difficult criterion, that one or more of the management team is drawn from the family that owns the business, is met by 77.6% of the responding firms. The most difficult of the criteria, met by only 26% of the firms, is that current management plans to transfer the enterprise to the next generation. 85% of the sample can be classified properly according to this Guttman scale: If a company meets one of the more difficult criteria, it also meets all the easier criteria. In the second part of the paper, the proposed Guttman Scale is compared with the individual criteria making up the scale as well as other family business variables to predict self-perceptions of family business. In particular, the scale is positively correlated with the outcome of the question, 'Would you consider your firm a family business?' In addition, a multiple regression of the individual criteria on the dependent variable is compared with the use of the index. The paper sums up with further discussion of the possible advantages and disadvantages of the Guttman scale technique, both for theoretical and empirical development in family business research.


We investigate the feasibility of carrying out likelihood analysis on the velocities of galaxy clusters to determine power spectrum parameters. Using N-body simulations of cosmological density fields we show that the velocity field traced by clusters is highly non-linear on small scales (r < 10 h^-1 Mpc), mostly due to strong infall into superclusters. The transverse and line of sight velocity correlation functions relevant to likelihood analysis deviate significantly from the linear theory values. Unfortunately, the sparseness of cluster samples means that they are not amenable to any rigorous smoothing procedure to rectify this. We are forced instead to remove close pairs of clusters which would contribute disproportionately to the likelihood. This reduces the size still further of the small samples of observed clusters available to us, forcing us into the conclusion that using straightfoward linear theory covariance analysis on clusters is unpromising. Nevertheless we apply the technique to two sets of observational data and find marginal evidence for more power in the mass density field than standard CDM. The normalisation is consistent with \Omega^{0.6}\sigma_{8} \sim 0.7 for both data sets, within the (large) errors.


The experimental and CNDO polar tensors for BF3 and Bcl3 are reported. To satisfy charge and symmetry restrictions the importance of the calculation of limiting values for theoretical polar tensor elements is demonstrated. A convenient method to transform polar tensor elements to ∂p/∂Qi values is presented. The atomic effective charges, mean dipole moment derivatives, and anisotropies of BF3 and Bcl3 are reported and discussed.


Studies of additives (copper chelate, pure culture of microorganisms micromycetes Trichoderma harzianum F114, enzyme preparation of b-mannanase) were carried out. Chelated compound of the trace element copper, its physical and mechanical properties, namely humidity, angle of repose, bulk density, hygroscopic point, average particle size were considered. The technique of cultivation of the microscopic fungus Trichoderma harzianum F114 is presented. The determination of the physical and mechanical properties of the enzyme preparation of b-mannanase (humidity, angle of repose, degrees, bulk density, average particle size, conditional caking) has been shown in the work. For the experiments, we used arbitration methods for assessing the quality of research objects. The components of the premixes should be stable during storage, should not have a pronounced aggressive effect on other biologically active substances, should be evenly distributed in the mass of the finished product, and have a high digestibility for the animal's body. It has been established that the introduction of the studied ingredients into the composition of the premix formulation will not have a negative effect on the quality of the premixes and compound feed.


The discharging ear is a common presenting symptom to GPs and otologists. The commonest causes are otitis externa and otitis media. Less common is cholesteatoma, which presents with a chronic offensive mucopurulent discharge and deafness. Acute mastoiditis as a presenting symptom of cholesteatoma is rare and, with the introduction of antibiotics, the incidence has declined even further. We present three cases of cholesteatoma presenting as mastoiditis.


Water consumption and utilization in chemical allied industries is increasing progressively and global availability of fresh water is reducing. Reclamation of water from various industrial waste streams is play very vital role to overcome the current situation of water scarcity. Various conventional treatment methods are available for water reclamation. The performance of the membrane separation process, in terms of flux and rejection of membrane is directly influenced by the resistances involved during the filtration. This paper examines the flow reversal and pressure pulsation techniques for the flux enhancement in nanofiltration of reactive yellow 160 dye synthetic wastewater in flat sheet membrane module with HPA 150 membrane. Reversing the flow of the feed stream after some definite time intervals by changing the position of the feed stream and the introduction of the compressed air pressure pulse at different frequency parallel to the feed stream helps to alleviate the permeate flux. Nanofiltration with the pulsation of 100 ppm reactive yellow 160 dye solution at 3, 5 and 7 kg/cm2 pressure with the frequency of 1, 2 and 3 min intervals increases the permeate flux as 2.58, 5.12 and 8.80 % respectively. A similar observation was found in reversing the feed (1 min reverse after every 5 min forward feed) at a different pressure. Flux alleviation was nearly 3.02, 6.9 and 10.2 % at 3, 5 and 7 kg/cm2 pressure with flow reversal. 0.70 % permeates flux loss found at 3 kg/cm2 pressure in case of flow reversal while it is 2.22 % in the feed forward system. Similarly, 0.59 and 0.33 % reduction in the permeate flux found at 5 and 7 kg/cm2 while to the same pressure conditions at unidirectional feed system, it is 1.31 % and 0.87 % respectively. Experiments also reveal that while pulsing at 3 kg/cm2 with a frequency of 1,2 and 3 min shows permeate loss of 2.58, 5.01 and 5.21 % respectively compared to the normal feedforward system. Similarly, at 5 and 7 kg/cm2, the % loss of permeate flux value at 1,2 and 3 min are 1.31, 2.03 and 2.69 % and 1.52, 2.06 and 2.60 % respectively.
Key words: Concentration polarization; flux decline; Transmembrane pressure; Nanofiltration.


Despite the variety of cardiovascular nursing texts available there are only a limited number of texts that address the nursing implications of caring for a person undergoing cardiac intervention. This text is written by a nurse for nurses and addresses the current issues that are encountered when persons undergo cardiac intervention. The author must be complimented for providing a text for this area of cardiovascular nursing.


Nanodiamond (ND) has recently attracted much attention for its outstanding mechanical and other interesting properties. Surface functionalization of ND is necessary for applications in polymers. In this study, ND particles were functionalized with amine by covalent linking of triethylene tetramine, and further grafted with epoxy which was cured with amine curing agent. The particle dispersion and mechanical properties of epoxy/ND nanocomposites were evaluated. Both fracture toughness and storage modulus of epoxy resin were significantly improved with a low loading of ND-NH2 particles. The morphological structure of the epoxy/ND nanocomposites was examined, and toughening mechanism was explored. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:2144–2149, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers


The formulation of feasible and pragmatic policies that mitigate climate change would require a thorough understanding of the interconnectivity that exists between environment, energy, and the composition of our settlements both urban and rural. This study explores the patterns of energy consumption in England and Wales by investigating consumption behavior within domestic and transport sectors as a function of city characteristics, such as population, density, and density distribution for 346 Local Authority Units (LAU). Patterns observed linking energetic behavior of these LAUs to their respective population and area characteristics highlight some distinctly contrasting consumption behaviors within urban and rural zones. This provides an overview of the correlation between urban/rural status, population, and energy consumption and highlights points of interest for further research and policy intervention. The findings show that energy consumption across cities follows common power law scaling increasing sub-linearly with their population regardless of their urban/rural classification. However, when considering per capita and sector specific consumptions, decreasing per capita consumption patterns are observed for growing population densities within more uniformly populated urban LAUs. This is while rural and sparsely populated LAUs exhibit sharply different patterns for gas, electricity, and transport per capita consumption.


Indonesia is among the developing countries that are struggling to develop in the field of industrial development. The logical consequence of any development process, especially industrial development is the emergence of associated impacts that greatly affect the durability and sustainability of the environment. Developing the equitable industry in order to create public welfare is important. However, maintaining the security and preservation of the environment is also very important, because it is only with the availability of a good environment and healthy living that human beings can perform daily living. The availability of good and healthy environment is the constitutional responsibility of the government, as well as part of the human rights of all citizens which must be given by the State. Efforts to create a good environment and healthy living will be effective if controlled by State government and institutions who understand the objective conditions on the ground. In this regard, the granting of the authority on environmental control to regional government autonomously is the right, very smart policy choice. How To Cite: Sutrisno, B. (2014). Strategic Step for Environmental Rescue: A Theoretical Legal Studies. Rechtsidee, 1 (1), 27-58. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v1i1.98


SiGe bipolar amplifiers are getting more competitive in terms of noise figure to GaAs amplifiers. However, the linearity of these amplifiers is still limited in view of these GaAs implementations. In order to address and overcome these linearity limitations, this thesis report will start demonstrating that the linearity of SiGe bipolar amplifiers for base stations applications is limited by the base-collector charge related distortion. More specifically, it will be shown that in a CE-stage, the Cbc distortion tends to limit the linearity when the exponential distortion has been canceled. Using cross-coupled capacitive Cbc compensation, the OIP3 of the CE-stage can be still improved when all other transistor properties are close to ideal. However, once the base-emitter capacitances are added to the transistor model description, this linearity improvement vanishes again. Traditionally, people overcome Cbc related constraints in a CE-stage by moving to a cascode configuration. However, it will be shown that in a cascode configuration the Cbc of the CB-stage becomes the limiting linearity factor, again under the assumption that exponential induced distortion of the CE-stage has been effectively canceled. To overcome the Cbc distortion in the cascode configuration, 3 different techniques have been developed in this report. The first technique, a dedicated out-of-band matching has been proposed to cancel Cbc distortion. However, when considering the complete cascode lineup, it proves that the out-of-band currents from the CE-stage interfere with this Cbc compensation. Different methods have been proposed for cancellation of these currents, but only the use of an intermediate transformer between the CE- and CB-stage seems to be the most promising option. The second technique developed aims for passive in-band Cbc compensation. A compensation circuit containing a series combination of an inductor, a resistor and a multiplied copy of the Cbc capacitance can give exact compensation to Cbc distortion in a limited frequency band, however it proves to be quite sensitive to device parasitics. The last technique studied is active Cbc compensation. By sensing the currents in the base of the CB-stage, the nonlinear Cbc currents could be injected into the circuit with opposite phase, creating a much more linear amplifier. However, practical implementations also need to be stable to avoid oscillation. Adding stabilizing elements in the base of the CB-stage connection increases interactions between the Cbc of the CB-stage and the stabilization network. Due to IM3 currents from the CE-stage and phase deviations between these currents and the IM3 current from the Cbc of the CB-stage, the OIP3 will not increase when the Mextram model has been used. Although many linearization techniques have been developed and extensively studied, improvements are still needed to come to more practical, robust and product proven linearity enhancement techniques. Consequently, in the concluding chapter clear recommendations are given for future research followed by the overall conclusions of this thesis work.


Public administration is being prominent in our society.Most scholars,theorists and officials have not focused on the practitioners of public administration,but on the progress of public administration.So the question that how to avoid the economically seeking self-interest is not probed deeply.This paper tries to discusse it and give some suggestions from the economic perspective.


Measuring the degree of anonymity provided by various anonymous systems on the web, is a challenging task. We first illustrate using examples that existing measures in literature are not sufficient to fully characterise the anonymity provided by a system. We then propose a new isolation measure, based upon outliers in a distribution, and show that this measure is critical towards quantifying the overall anonymity level. We provide justification for three distinct aspects of anonymity, important from the perspectives of a user, a system designer, and an attacker, leading to a three-dimensional approach towards measuring sender anonymity. We outline various properties of the proposed three-dimensional metric and illustrate how the metric, along with adjustable weights, can be used to compare different anonymous systems. Finally, we apply the proposed metric to existing anonymous systems and discuss insights which should prove useful in the design of future anonymous systems.


This article analyzes the basic concept of Bergson: duration,and probes into the basic premise,connotation and way to understand it.It also briefly analyzes the gist of Whitehead's Process Philosophy,thus revealing the latent influence of Bergson's philosophy on Whitehead's thinking.


Increased knowledge about energy dissipation processes around colliding ice floes is important for improved understanding of atmosphere-ice-ocean energy transfer, wave propagation through sea ice and the polar climates. The aim of this study is to obtain such information by investigating colliding ice floe dynamics in a large-scale experiment and directly measuring and quantifying the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). The field work was carried out at Van Mijen Fjord on Svalbard, where a 3x4 m ice floe was sawed out in the fast ice. Ice floe collisions and relative water-ice motion was generated by pulling the ice floe back and forth in an oscillatory manner in a 4x6 m pool, using two electrical winches. Ice floe motion was measured with a range meter and accelerometers, and the water turbulence was measured acoustically with Doppler velocimeters and optically with a remotely operated vehicle and bubbles as tracers. Turbulent kinetic energy spectra were found to contain an inertial subrange where energy was cascading at a rate proportional to the -5/3 power law. The TKE dissipation rate was found to decrease exponentially with depth. The total TKE dissipation rate was estimated by assuming that turbulence was induced over an area corresponding to the surface of the floe. The results suggest that approximately 37% and 8% of the input power from the winches was dissipated in turbulence and absorbed in the collisions, respectively, which experimentally confirms that energy dissipation by induced turbulent water motion is an important mechanism for colliding ice floe fields.


Stabilizing defective domains of sub‐monolayer thickness in 2D materials plays a significant role in tuning the electronic and optical properties. The chemical vapor deposition growth of WS2 monolayers with control over phase and uniformly nucleated defect domains is reported. Multifold photoluminescence (PL) enhancement (≈20‐fold) is achieved by stabilizing defect‐dominated domains toward design of nanoscale optical devices. While the observed luminescence variation in the form of alternating triangles arises from planar heterostructure (1H–1T′) formation, defect domain present at the center of WS2 heterophase monolayer causes 20‐fold enhancement in photoluminescence. The observed luminescence enhancement is correlated with sulfur defects and confirmed by site‐specific spatial X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy and in situ PL measurements at cryogenic temperatures. Detailed microstructural and spectroscopic observations indicate the partial stripping of monolayers by removal of sulfur and incorporation of oxygen leading to increased excitonic emissions. The demonstrated atomic‐scale manipulation to stabilize defect domains over large area with enhanced luminescence behavior is relevant for developing next‐generation nanoscale photonic devices.


The text compares Mickiewicz's and Norwid's views of silence. The author states unambiguously that Mickiewicz pointed to and emphasized negative aspects of this phenomenon. Maybe it was so because his mission had a prophetic character. A prophet is one who speaks for somebody else, in somebody else's name. And Mickiewicz was, after all, a leader of the pilgrimage movement, posing (for example in Ksiegi narodu – Books of the Nation ) as a prophet. He was strongly convinced that he has to realize God's order expressed by Isaiah: "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet" (Isa 58), which is reflected for example in Ghost's words in Forefathers' Eve : "albeit I can remain silent, / I spoke furiously". In contrast with Mickiewicz, Norwid values silence. He is convinced that it can be "meaningful", that it can express anything. His view of it is broader than that of the author of Pan Tadeusz . The author of Vade-mecum is sure that in silence one can notice a certain deep system and meaning. He presents the issue both in a positive and negative way; he defines the essence of silence that, in his opinion can become speech or acting. In relation to speech silence can be: an equivalent means of expression, a part of speech, or something more than speech, a kind of "over-speech". Silence in a negative meaning is non-communicativeness of speech, and hence he formulates an apparently paradoxical statement that speech can be silence. Antinomies of Mickiewicz's and Norwid's attitudes are clearly seen. Norwid remains faithful to Montesquieu, whose view of silence he quotes, and to Pythagoras, promoting the principle "remain silent until you find that what you will say has more value than silence".


The ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a lot of media attention in the last few years. Some athletes have adopted this diet for performance and body composition changes. While studies have reported mixed results on performance, the KD has shown consistent results in improving body composition, as well as improving other health conditions. What is unclear is how KD diet affects athletes' gut microbiota. The gut microbiota is comprised of 10-100 trillion microbial cells known to influence overall health and disease of the host. A microbiota rich in diversity and beneficial bacteria has been associated with health, while a low diverse and decrease in beneficial bacteria microbiota has been associated with disease. Diet, exercise, stress, and other lifestyle factors have been shown to influence gut microbial composition and diversity. KD studies have been done primarily in mice or individuals with health conditions. KD experiments in mice have revealed a decrease in diversity; however, there is an increase in the number of beneficial bacteria. In humans, KD studies have resulted in correcting gut microbial imbalances in epileptic children; on the contrary, it may increase bacteria species associated with inflammation in obese subjects.


This paper describes the development of verbal intelligence in English at TK Negeri Gemolong Sragen. English is an international language that must be introduced to children to face global competition in the future. Therefore, this study aims to determine the teacher's strategy in stimulating the verbal intelligence of early childhood in Kindergarten Negeri Gemolong. This research method uses qualitative research methods. The results of this study indicate that the teacher's strategy in developing children's English verbal intelligence is carried out by intracurricular and extracurricular activities. Intracurricular activities are activities that are carried out based on scheduled, regular and structured activities carried out by the teacher during the learning process. In intracurricular activities the teacher uses collaborative methods from several existing methods consisting of the habituation method, the playing method, the singing method. The standard of achievement in English for children in Gemolong Kindergarten, namely self-introduction material, body parts, numbers 1-10, colors, animals, and fruit.


Purpose – This chapter argues that assistive technology itself, rather than a shared disabled identity, can be the basis for peer interaction and therefore serve as the basis for community. Specifically, prosthetic technology serves as a point of connection between amputees of different backgrounds.

Methodology – Data are from 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with a diverse group of men and women who lost legs or feet since 2002. The analysis of these interviews is enriched by ethnographic observation of support groups, mobility clinics, and visits to rehabilitation facilities.

Findings – Despite misgivings about support groups and socializing with others simply because of shared impairment, respondents reported connecting with peers through trading technical information and insights into prosthesis use. Thus, the notion of community may be most clearly understood in terms of interaction with shared objects and environments rather than shared identity.

Limitations – As with most qualitative studies, the findings here cannot be generalized to the greater amputee population in the United States.

Practical implications – The findings suggest that groups organized around activities that help people learn prosthetic legs can be the basis for community.

Social implications – This example suggests that communities of users can be a unique source of technical information about assistive technology that professionals cannot necessarily provide.

Value of paper – The analysis brings a unique perspective to the question of community and disability by drawing on sources from science and technology studies to theorize communities of users of assistive technology.


The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 or COVID-19 has been the cause of a global pandemic in 2020. With the numbers infected rising well above a 100,000 and confirmed deaths above 4000, it has become the paramount health concern for the global community at present. The COVID-19 genome has since been sequenced and its predicted proteome identified. In this study, we looked at the expected COVID-19 proteins and compare them to its close relative, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus. In particular we focussed on the M protein which is known to play a significant role in the virion structure of Coronaviruses. The rationale here was that since the major risk factor associated with COVID-19 was its ease of spread, we wished to focus on the viral structure and architecture to look for clues that may indicate structural stability, thus prolonging the time span for which it can survive free of a host. As a result of the study, we found some rather interesting differences between the M protein for COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV virus M protein. This included amino acid changes from non-polar to polar residues in regions important for anchoring the protein in the envelope membrane.


Last year's faculty recruitment season was exceedingly successful, with the department filling each of the three authorized positions with an excellent candidate. Two of the new faculty, Eyal Dvir and Georg Strasser, work in the  eld of International Economics. Eyal, who is completing his Ph.D. at Harvard, is teaching the graduate trade course and the undergraduate course in international  nance this fall. Georg, who is completing his Ph.D. at Penn, will be teaching a new graduate course in international  nance . Georg's course will be offered in the spring, as will Fabio Ghironi's graduate international finance course, leading to a new graduate  eld in international  nance. Strasser will be teaching macro theory at the undergraduate level. Joining the faculty as an associate professor is M. Utku Ünver, who is coming to BC from the BC EC THE BOSTON COLLEGE ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER


The multiplication of points on elliptic curves is the most important operation in the implementation of elliptic curve cryptosystems. Based on Frobenius map, a fast multiplication on the curves defined by y2 + xy = x3 + x2 + 1 over finite fields of characteristic 2 is given, and its optimality in the sense of using minimal numbers of additions of points is proved.


The inventory of Glacier National Park, B.C., has provided an opportunity to test a number of new procedures which might be applied to future Canadian glacier inventories. The objectives of this particular study were to complete a tripartite inventory based on available map and photo sources and develop an automated system of data acquisition and processing. The conjunction of the two has permitted an analysis of the evolution of the glaciers in this area during the last 100 years. The techniques used and a summary of the results are reported.


during the economic slowdown. The SMEs around the world play a significant role in the economic growth of many countries, as well as in the job creation or in the development of selected sectors or whole countries. The paper presents a classification of SMEs and the current state of the SME sector in Poland. In addition, the study attempts to prove that this sector, currently represents a significant segment of the Polish economy in the context of the microand macro-economic factors, especially during the economic downturn.


Due to third party copyright restrictions some third party material has been removed from the electronic version of this thesis by the author. The unabridged version can be consulted, on request, at the University of Leicester's David Wilson Library.


The two-dimensional predictive redundancy of a television picture element is calculated as a function of the preceding point correlation for both interlaced and noninterlaced scanning. The resulting curves level off rapidly when the number of previous points taken into account is increased. This seems to indicate that while appreciable improvement would accrue if preceding point redundancy were used, there would be little more to earn by including the redundancies due to more distant points, especially in view of the necessarily increased complexity of circuitry. An analysis of three-dimensional redundancy would probably result in similar conclusions.


Using B/S pattern model,ASP.NET and SQL Server,an Online Bookstore Management System is Designed and Realized with according to the electronic commerce.The system realizes user purchase books online with friendly interface and stable operation.


With the  evolution  of  computer  networks extending boundaries, Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) has emerged as a new leading edge of technology to provide any where, any time communication. Unlike wired network, the mobile ad hoc network does not need any infrastructure, so it is very difficult to perform any kind of centralized anagement and control. The routing in Mobile adhoc network is difficult and number of reactive routing protocols like AODV, DSR, and DSDV has been implemented. In the first part of this work, we propose a new algorithm AODV-TP to improve existing on demand routing protocol and an attempt has been made to compare the performance of proposed algorithm (AODV-TP) with existing algorithm DSR and AODV. Ad hoc networks are susceptible to number of attacks, due to precise physical protection of each node and changeable nature of connection security in mobile ad hoc is distinctly difficult to achieve. This paper introduces the wormhole attack, a severe attack in ad hoc network that is very stimulating to defend against. This paper proposes an easiest way to detect wormhole attacks using RBM technique. The presented method shows that solution can be implemented using reactive protocol called AODV-TP.


This paper is described quality of software and introduces the criteria of class cohesion. Class cohesion refers to the extent to which the members of a class are related. The purpose of this paper is to check the software quality, class cohesion, class cohesion metrics and mathematical properties of Class Cohesion. Several class cohesion metrics are proposed in the literature to indicate class cohesion. Metrics that violate class cohesion properties are not well defined, and their utility as indictors of the relatedness of class members is questionable. Results show that the metrics differ considerably in satisfying the cohesion properties; some of them satisfy all properties and others satisfy none. Class cohesion is an important object-oriented quality attribute which should used to improve the ability of the metrics. It refers to the degree of relatedness between the methods and attributes of a class. Several metrics have been proposed to measure the extent to which the class members are related. Key-Words: object-oriented class, software quality, class cohesion metric, class cohesion.


In recent years, various energy crisis and environmental considerations have prompted the use of renewable energy resources. Renewable energy resources like solar, wind, hydro, biomass, etc. have been a continuous source of clean energy. Wind energy is one of the renewable energy resources that has been widely used all over the world. The wind power is mainly dependent on wind speed which is a random variable and its unpredictable behavior creates various challenges for wind farm operators like energy dispatching and system scheduling. Hence, predicting wind power energy becomes crucial. This        has led to the development of various forecasting models in the recent decades. The most commonly used deep learning algorithms for wind power prediction are- RNN (Recurrent Neural Network), LSTM (Long Short- Term Memory) and CNN (Convolutional Neural Network). This paper presents the working of these algorithms and provides a timeline review of the research papers that used these algorithms for wind power prediction.


Berry JW, Poortinga YH, Segall MH, et al. (2002) Cross-Cultural Psychology: Research and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bourdieu P (1990) The Logic of Practice. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Fei X (1992) From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese Society. Berkeley: University of California Press. Lin Y (1938) My Country and My People. New York: Halcyon House. Ong A (1999) Flexible Citizenship: The Cultural Logics of Transnationality. Durham: Duke University Press. Weber M (1968) The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism. New York: Free Press.


After conducting a historical review and establi-shing the state of the art of the various approaches regarding the design and implementation of adaptive e–learning systems—taking into consideration the characteristics of the user, in particular their learning styles and preferences in order to focus on the possibilities for personalizing the ways of utilizing learning materials and objects in a manner distinct from what e–learning systems have traditionally been, which is to say designed for the generic user, irrespective of individual knowledge and learning styles— the authors propose a system model for the classification of user interactions within an adaptive e–learning platform, and its analysis through a mechanism based on backpropagation neural networks and fuzzy logic, which allow for automatic, online identification of the learning styles of the users in a manner which is transparent for them and which can also be of great utility as a component of the architecture of adaptive e–learning systems and knowledge-management systems. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future work are established.


We examine the performance of mutual funds whose managers simultaneously manage portfolios with performance-based incentive fees for three account types: mutual funds, hedge funds, and separate accounts. Importantly, our data set is free of selection bias because it is hand-collected from mandatory SEC filings. We find that only funds whose managers also manage hedge funds significantly underperform peer mutual funds. Moreover, underperformance begins only after fund managers begin to manage a hedge fund. We find that managerial incentives and opportunities for cross-subsidization explain variation in underperformance across funds, supporting the conflicts of interest hypothesis in the debate on "side-by-side management."


We report on a comprehensive set of observations of the upper atmospheric Ca and Ca + layers. The observations were obtained by ground-based li ars at Ktihlungsborn, Germany (54øN, 12øE), between December 1996 and December 1998. During this period, 1 12 nights of Ca soundings and 58 nights of Ca + soundings were realized. The Ca layer has 7 2 an average column abundance of 2.1.10 cm-, centered around 90.3 km with a mean peak density of 22 cm -3 at 89.9 km altitude. The Ca + dominates the total Ca amount above 90 km and has an average column abundance of 4.9.10 ?cm -2. Because the vaporization f cosmic dust is the most probable source of atmospheric metals, the column densities of the metals within the atmosphere are often compared with the abundance in chondritic CI meteorites. We show that the atmospheric Ca is severely depleted with respect o other metals such as Na and Fe, compared with their relative abundances in CI chondrites. We present a onedimensional steady state chemistry model of the nighttime Ca and Ca + layers, based on new laboratory studies of CaO reaction kinetics. This model is able to reproduce satisfactorily the characteristic features of the annual mean layers and to provide a possible explanation for the unusual seasonal variation of the Ca layer which exhibits a pronounced summertime enhancement around 87 km.


The estimation of chemical reaction rate constants from experimental batch or integral reactor data is examined. Consideration is given to the effect on the accuracy of the parameter estimates of the number of concentrations measured, extending the range of measurements to higher conversions, and experimental errors. The study is based on estimates of two rate constants obtained by quasilinearization in the pyrolytic dehydrogenation of benzene. It is found that if fewer than the number of independent components are to be measured, certain components produce better parameter estimates than others. The level of experimental errors is by far the most significant factor in obtaining reliable parameter estimates.