It is important for all educators, but especially those working in P-12 systems, to not only be prepared to navigate the digital terrain but to do so while taking a critical stance and encouraging students to critically examine and confront injustice. To that end, this article spotlights the work being done in a literacy methods course for preservice teachers. Consideration is given to efforts to engage preservice teachers in the integration of information communication technologies (ICTs) in ways that develop critical consciousness while promoting social justice and equity.


The poet and novelist Francis Stuart's sojourn in Germany during the Second World War and his broadcasting activities for the Nazis remain a cnámh spairne among historians and journalists alike. Assessments of his radio talks range from that of his biographer J.H. Natterstad, who described them as being of 'a literary or semi-literary' character, to that of Kevin Myers, who equated the broadcasts with 'voluntary siding with the most bestial régime in the history of civilisation'. In October 1997 a television documentary during which Stuart was quoted as saying that 'the Jew was always the worm that got into the rose and sickened it' triggered off a long-running controversy in the letters pages of the Irish Times. Some prominent intellectuals rushed to Stuart's defence, arguing, for example, that the worm metaphor was indeed a positive one, representing the 'hidden, unheroic and critical'. On the other hand, leaving aside the question whether or not Stuart was an antisemite, two German emigrants to Ireland argued that anyone, including Stuart, 'who lived in Germany at that time, any person working for the Ministry of Propaganda had to be an active Nazi sympathiser'. From a more scholarly perspective, David O'Donoghue has recorded that in his radio talks Stuart was neither anti-Jewish nor anti-Russian, while Dermot Keogh suggested that Stuart's broadcasts from Germany in fact mirrored the content of antisemitic publications in Ireland at the time. Stuart himself denied ever having backed the Nazis, and rejected the charge of antisemitism in the R.T.É. interview broadcast in January 1998: 'I never supported that régime.'


In heat exchangers, an incompressible fluid is heated initially and cooled at the boundary. The goal is to transfer the heat to the boundary as efficiently as possible. In this paper we study a related steady version of this problem where a steadily stirred fluid is uniformly heated in the interior and cooled on the boundary. For a given large P\'eclet number, how should one stir to minimize some norm of the temperature? This version of the problem was previously studied by Marcotte, Doering et\ al.\ (SIAM Appl.\ Math '18) in a disk, where the authors used matched asymptotics to show that when the P\'eclet number, $\pe$, is sufficiently large one can stir the fluid in a manner that ensures the total heat is $O(1/\pe)$. In this paper we confirm their results with rigorous proofs, and also provide an almost matching lower bound. For simplicity, we work on the infinite strip instead of the unit disk and the proof uses probabilistic techniques.


An approximation involving cubic spline functions for parameter estimation problems in the Euler-Bernoulli-beam equation (phrased as an optimization problem with respect to the parameters) is described and convergence is proved. The resulting algorithm was implemented and several of the test examples are documented. It is observed that the use of penalty terms in the cost functional can improve the rate of convergence.


Due to increased use of IoT devices and data sensors a huge amount of data is being produced for processing in real‐time. Fog computing has evolved as a solution for fast processing of data. To complete the data processing as per requirement of user, it is processed at fog nodes which are near the user. To complete work in a specified time with limited resources, task scheduling is performed. With the increased amount of data to be processed, the completion of task within given time in fog computing is a major challenge. So, scheduling of tasks and resources is a very important issue. A lot of research has been undertaken in recent years. In this survey, authors have reviewed various task scheduling algorithms suggested by researchers to meet the user requirements. The focus of this article is on diverse scheduling techniques being deployed in fog computing. An effort has been made to classify existing approaches, research issues and determine significant issues existing in this field. There are four major scheduling categories that are used by researchers namely, static, dynamic, heuristic, and hybrid. As per this study, 17% researchers deployed static, 23% dynamic, 47% heuristic, and 13% hybrid approaches, respectively. Analysis shows that for QoS (Quality of Service) parameters 19% researchers are focused on response time, 18% on cost and energy consumption, and 16% on makespan. For QoS parameter other factors have much smaller contribution in comparison to the above factors. In the tools used, researchers observed that 40% of the researches have used iFogSim, according to literature. Besides, this research article also discusses open issues and future work in the field of fog computing. This article also underlines various open issues and future directions in the field of fog computing.


The obstacle detection field is a very broad one and a lot of obstacle detection systems. Almost all obstacle detection systems use a combination of passive-active technology, and in General the best solution is obtained using a vision system combined with a distance sensor like radar. After that, the data is transmitted to the processor. Hence, the processor is going to decide the proper commands and then it sends them to the driver and thus the robot will be followed in the absence of obstacle detected. In this project mainly whenever robot senses any obstacle automatically diverts its position to left or right and follows the path. Robot consists of two motors, which control the side pair wheels of each and help in moving forward and backward direction. Robot senses the object with help of obstacle sensor. IR pair is used for detecting the obstacle. The two basic parts for working with IR are the emitter and the detector. The emitter is typically an LED that emits near-infrared light. Infrared (IR) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres (μm), and extending conventionally to 300 μm. These wavelengths correspond to a frequency range of approximately 1 to 400 THz, and include most of the thermal radiation emitted by objects near room temperature. Microscopically, IR light is typically emitted or absorbed by molecules when they change their rotational-vibration movements. We have used two D.C motors to give motion to the robot. The construction of the robot circuit is easy and small .The electronics parts used in the robot circuits are easily available.


: The article gathers and describes the evidence relating to archives in ancient Egypt in the period c. 2500–1000 BCE, and discusses its importance for our understanding of archival practices and functions. The material, which consists primarily of papyri, ostraca and, in some extraordinary cases, of clay tablets, is invariably fragmentary, widely distributed both chronologically and geographically, and in many cases largely unpublished. The article provides a convenient overview of the contents of the surviving archives with a notable focus on types of documents and their uses, as well as archaeological context and the materiality of manuscripts. Contextual material is only occasionally cited, and the emphasis throughout is on the physical documents as remains of archival holdings.


It is my great pleasure to join readers as the new editor of the Information Literacy and Instruction column. Librarians who specialize in reference, instruction, and other user services are regularly challenged to provide both the tools and the materials that enable patrons to find and use the information they seek. Literacy and instruction are essential components of our discipline, and I encourage you to consider how important your contributions are in helping librarians become more informed, aware, and instructed on these and other important topics. A simple Google Scholar search for "information literacy" retrieves more than 60,000 citations. Since its infancy, the term information literacy itself has taken on many meanings in many contexts. Today, information literacy can occur in the library, in the classroom, or in aisle seven of the grocery store. Information literacy doesn't just mean fluency; it means competency and critical thinking. Readers of our journal serve patrons in settings as diverse as public, corporate, and prison libraries, and they provide these services to individuals of all ages, races, creeds, and abilities. This column also offers readers an opportunity to learn about information literacy and instructional approaches that they can integrate into their own, unique settings. Please consider this a call not only for papers about information literacy and instruction, but also a call for our continued pursuit to better understand literacy and instruction in novel, unique ways.


The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has implemented patient safety initiatives to help decrease the number of medical errors in surgery. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.


The existence and uniqueness of almost periodic solutions are established for a fully nonlinear first-order almost periodic differential equation under some natural conditions by using viscosity solution method.


This study analyzed the tax and fee structure for Kentucky motor carriers and details a possible policy scenario for eliminating the weight-distance tax. The report starts out analyzing detailed revenue and rate information for the motor fuel tax, motor fuel surtax, IRP registration fees, intrastate registration fees and the weight distance tax. Consolidation policies in Idaho and Ohio were reviewed, as well as a previous consolidation proposal in Kentucky. A new consolidation framework was developed, where IRP and intrastate plate fees were increased by 180% and the weight-distance tax was eliminated. Projections for weight-distance tax and IRP fees (both current and proposed) were compared to assess the revenue impact on the Road Fund. In addition, the tax/fee burden for motor carriers was assessed to see whether the proposed changes would help or hurt firms of various sizes and operation tendencies. Interstate carriers who log a high percentage of miles in Kentucky, or interstate carriers who run a low number of overall miles per vehicle, would generally see an increased tax burden; motor carriers who log a low percentage of miles on Kentucky roads or a high number of overall miles per vehicle would generally see a diminished tax burden. Virtually all intrastate carriers would have to pay more under the proposed legislative changes.


Synchrotron-based x-ray topography (XRT) measurements have been used to study the initial stages of relaxation in ZnSe layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on vertical gradient freeze Bridgman GaAs substrates. The formation of the very first strain-relieving misfit dislocations in the grown ZnSe layers has been detected in a layer of thickness 100 nm. No such dislocations have been observed in a corresponding layer of 95 nm thickness. The critical thickness for this material system is therefore estimated to be 97.5±2.5 nm, which is markedly lower than the widely accepted value of 150 nm. In contrast to the InGaAs/GaAs system, combined XRT and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate that the initial misfit dislocations observed for ZnSe/GaAs are not, in general, formed by the bending over of pre-existing threading dislocations into the interface, but by other mechanisms such as stacking fault decomposition. The critical thickness data obtained have been used to infer the maximum critical thickness of CdZnSe quantum wells possible in II–VI laser diodes.


This study focuses on finding if the hazards produced by gasoline 90 (vehicle fuel in Egypt) are less than those produced by gasoline 80 in healthy Swiss albino mice. Sixty mice were equally divided into 3 groups: group one (control), group two (topically treated with 0.5ml gasoline 90 /kg B.W.) and group three (topically treated with 0.5ml gasoline 80 /kg B.W.). The specimens were taken after 4 and 8 weeks. Determination of bioaccumulation of some heavy metals, biochemical examination and a light microscopical study were performed. It was found that the accumulation of lead, cadmium and nickel in the liver had the following order lead > cadmium > nickel. After topically treated with gasoline 90 and 80 for 8 weeks, there was an increase in the activities of the serum liver function enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate amino transferase) and adenosine deaminase and a decrease in the total protein content of the liver homogenate. There were pathological changes which were more pronounced by treatment with gasoline 80 than with gasoline 90 depending upon treatment duration from 4 to 8 weeks. After 4 weeks of topically treating mice with gasoline 90, cellular infiltration, dilatation of blood sinusoid and cytoplasmic vaculation were demonstrated. After 8 weeks the liver architecture of the mice was disrupted with liquid infiltration and the presence of foamy areas. After 4 weeks of topically treating mice with gasoline 80, we observed a shrinking of the blood sinusoid, hypatocyte vaculation with pyknotic nuclei and different stages of karyolysis. After 8 weeks, there was a noticeable hypatocyte degeneration and complete disappearance of blood sinusoids in the liver sections of the mice.


The Synchronous Reference Frame (SRF) has been known as one of the most common methods of voltage sag compensation. Despite suitable performance in 3-phase voltage sags mitigation, the application of the SRF does not work that well in unbalanced situations. This paper addresses this problem, through the use of a novel control strategy based on the pre-fault compensation theory. In this strategy, not only the control system is capable of restoring the amplitude of the voltage to its pre-fault value, but it also can remove phase angle jumps. Furthermore, the compensator's response has been remarkably improved with the application of a Least Squares (LS) algorithm in the estimation part of the control module. The response and accuracy of the proposed LS estimation algorithm is compared with other conventional methods such as SRF, Adaptive Linear Combiner (ADALINE), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Finally, the proposed and SRF control algorithms are simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC, and their performance is assessed in voltage sag/swell mitigation of a distribution system during asymmetrical faults.


Landslide-dammed lake outburst floods (LLOFs) may pose serious safety threats to nearby residents and their livelihoods, as well as cause major damages to the downstream areas in mountainous regions. This study presents the Diexi ancient landslide-dammed lake (DALL) in the Upper Minjiang River at the eastern margins of the Tibetan Plateau, which was known to an estimated previous maximal lake area of 1.1 × 107 m2 and an impounded volume of 2.9 × 109 m3. Then, at approximately 27 ka BP, the ancient landslide dam failed and catastrophic LLOFs occurred. It was determined that the peak discharge of the Diexi ancient LLOFs could be reconstructed using regression, parametric, and boulder competence approaches. The reconstructed maximum peak discharge might be 72,232.66 m3/s, with an average velocity of 17.23 m/s, indicating that the Diexi ancient LLOFs were the most gigantic outburst floods to occur in the Upper Minjiang River Valley since the Late Pleistocene Period. The differences in the widths and slopes within the former and the later reaches of the dam indicated that the geomorphic influences on the river channel resulting from the DALL and its LLOFs have existed for tens of thousands of years. These findings were of major significance in deepening the understanding of the existence and disappearances of important river-knickpoints on a time scale of tens of thousands of years.


We present an electrically-actuated adaptive fluidic lens having a 10-mm aperture, 4-diopter range and center-thickness less than 1 mm. The lens employs dual deflectable glass membranes encasing an optical fluid. A piezoelectric ring bender actuator draws less than 1 mW and is built into the 25-mm-diameter lens housing. The adaptive lens demonstrates resolution comparable to commercial precision glass singlet lenses of similar format over a wide range of field angles and focal powers. Focal power vs. voltage, resolution, modulation transfer function (MTF), life testing and dynamic response are examined and show that the lens is suitable for numerous adaptive lens applications demanding high optical quality.


Search results of the electronic device method includes the steps of detecting a user input; Analyzing the content of the detected user input; Determining the match of the old context and a context extraction; If they do not match, and that the old context and the extracted context may include the step of grouping the search result included in the old context.


The performance of hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) with diversity combining over an ideally interleaved flat Rayleigh channel is investigated. Instead of evaluating the joint probability density function of the sum of multiple Rayleigh random variables, a simple method is proposed to analyze the square of the sum, and the pairwise error probability can therefore be evaluated, yielding the lower and upper bounds of the probability of error for hybrid ARQ with diversity combining. It is shown that the diversity combining contributes to the increased diversity order, which is validated by both numerical analysis and simulation results.


THE INVENTION IS ON A MECHANISM FLUID PRESSURE SEVERAL PISTONS 14 AND SEVERAL cars. SELECTION engined IS OBTAINED THROUGH TWO IDENTICAL DRAWERS 17 AND 18 OF THAT ALLOW NEUTRALISER CHOICE OR A FIRST GLOBAL dISPLACEMENT 45A, OR SECOND OVERALL CUBIC 45C, OR DO ANY OF THESE TWO NEUTRALISER cars. APPLICATION IS MAKING AN EFFICIENT MOTOR WITH LITTLE BULKY AND A SMALL COST.


The reactions of Pd (dba)2 (dibenzylidene acetone palladium (0)) and Pt (dba)2 (dibenzylidene acetone platinum (0)) with BPPY (Benzoyl Methylene Triphenylphosphorane) and BBuPY (Benzoyl MethyleneTri-n-butylphosphorane) in (1:2) ratios using tetrahydrofuran as solvent have yielded Pd (dba)(BPPY)2 (1), [Pd (dba)(C(H)COPh(PPh2-o-C6H4)][PPh3CH2COPh](2), Pd (dba)(BBuPY)2 (3), and Pt (dba)(BPPY)2 (4) complexes. Upon heating complex (1) in THF, a cyclization reaction occurred to give complex (2). The products (1), (2), (3), and (4) are studied by IR, 1H, 31P, and 13C NMR technique.


The Alber equation has been proposed as a model for stochastic ocean waves, and it is associated with a nonlinear "eigenvalue relation" which controls the possible linear instability of given wave spectra. We call this condition the "Penrose condition" after a similar one appearing in plasma physics, and we show that it can be easily understood by adapting tools developed in plasma physics. Our main result is linear Landau damping: we prove that if a spectrum is stable in the sense of the Penrose condition, then any perturbations of it vanish in time. This is stronger than what the well-known formal linear stability analysis indicates, which would only be slow growth of perturbations, and not decay of perturbations. This is the first quantification of a mechanism that can explain the observed robustness of stationary and homogeneous spectra in the ocean. Finally, numerical investigation indicates that typical real-life spectra are stable, while if they become appreciably more narrow they would become unstable, further supporting the plausibility of Landau damping as a real-life phenomenon taking place in the ocean.


Computer technology has been effectively used by caregivers in the delivery of healthcare services to persons living with AIDS and caregivers of those with Alzheimer's Disease. Recently, the concept of using computer technology to provide homecare support to a group of caregivers and pediatric patients at a specialty hospital in Northeast Ohio has been proposed. Unlike prior computer-based healthcare delivery systems that have focused on one type of user, the proposed technology will assist three user groups: caregivers, children, and hospital professionals. A second unique aspect is the integration of the technology into the hospital routine. Major decision-makers, who are also hospital professionals, have been identified and interviewed to determine their needs. A structured analysis using critical factors/future state was used to review and determine the existing hospital processes. Findings indicate that the facility has a unique need for out-of-hospital patient management. A myriad of post-discharge planning and external community activities must be supported by the proposed technology. Based on pre-implementation findings from the critical success factors/future state, specifications were developed for a decision support system that includes a variety of tools designed to meet the needs of the diverse user base. Decision support systems will aid in semi-structured decision-making and allow users to access data to make such decisions.


The study is aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) like banning mass gatherings (Lockdown) etc on vector borne diseases. This study can throw some light on the epidemiology of all vector-borne diseases under surveillance during this COVID-19 pandemic. This study is done in Dumka district, Jharkhand.
Method- A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 Blocks of Dumka District. Sampling technique used in this study was convenience sampling. Study of six month was conducted for vector-borne diseases from January 2021– June 2021.To know the epidemiology of vector-borne disease before and after COVID-19 pandemic, data from the year 2019 and 2020 was used for data analysis.
Result – During the six months study period between January 2021-June 2021, maximum number of cases found in Dumka District was Kala-azar followed by Lymphatic Filariasis and then Malaria. There was sharp decrease in number of vector-borne disease cases. After data analysis between the year 2019 and 2020 reduction of cases was seen in Kala-azar (15.3%), Lymphatic Filariasis (8.9%) and maximum reduction of cases was seen Malaria (98.1%).
Conclusion – A drastic reduction in reported cases of vector-borne diseases was noticed. To better understand the reason behind the changes in vector-borne disease prevalence a consistent and vigilant surveillance is required.

Keywords: COVID-19, Vector-borne diseases, non-pharmaceutical interventions.


Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are appealing in obtaining fine-granular observations about the physical world. Due to the fact that WSNs are composed of a large number of low-cost but energy-constrained sensor nodes, along with the notorious time-varying and error-prone nature of wireless links, scalable, robust, and energy-efficient data disseminating techniques are requisite for the emerging WSN applications such as environment monitoring and surveillance. To meet this challenging demand, we propose a hybrid data dissemination framework for WSNs in this paper. In particular, we conceptually partition a whole sensor field into several functional regions and apply different routing schemes to different regions in order to provide better performance in terms of reliability and fair energy usage. For this purpose, we also propose a novel zone flooding scheme, essentially a combination of geometric routing and flooding techniques. Our scheme features low overhead, high reliability, good scalability, and notable flexibility. Simulation studies are carried out to validate the effectiveness and efficiency of our scheme.


Otic anatomy has been used to propose two different hypotheses about tarsier-anthropoid affinities: (1) Tarsius and Anthropoidea evolved independently from Paleogene omomyid tarsioids, and (2) Tarsius (or Tarsiidae) and Anthropoidea are phyletic sister groups. The arrangement of otic structures into form-function complexes of the middle and external ear is essential for phylogenetic analysis. Although the middle ear cavities in anthropoids contain mastoid cells not present in Tarsius, the two taxa share tympanic and anterior accessory cavities in a dual cavity-septum configuration. The resonant effects of the two coupled volumes are closely similar in Saimiri and Tarsius despite marked differences in the position of the septum and aditus, suggesting that their middle ear morphology is convergent. Although the intrapetrosal pathway of the intemal carotid artery has been described as "perbullar" in both anthropoids and Tarsius, the artery crosses part of the tympanic cavity (promontory) in platyrrhines but not in Tarsius. Furthermore, a branch of the tympanic nerve passes through the carotid foramen in at least some anthropoids but not the anterolaterally-shifted carotid foramen of Tarsius. The emergence of the internal carotid nerve onto the external aspect of the promontorial canal in tupaiids and probably Rooneyia viejaensis supports Szalay's (1975a) contention that a large promontorial artery links omomyids with living haplorhines. The bony external meatal tube is an adaptation designed to reduce physiological noise in species where the jaw joint borders directly on the external ear. Since the bony meatal tube is characteristic of the rounded and clinocranial skull of Tarsius, the skull ofthe earliest anthropoids probably did not closely resemble those of Tarsius or Paleogene forms currently recognized as "tarsioid." ' Instructor, Department of Anthropology, New York University and Hunter College, City University of New


Emerging market of RFSOI applications has motivated us to come up with the robust compact model for RFSOI MOSFETs. In this work, we have validated the RF capabilities of BSIM-IMG model which is the latest industry standard compact model for independent double gate MOSFETs. Results are validated with the experimental S-parameter data measured. Model shows good agreement for different biases over wide frequency range from 100KHz-8.5GHz.


Thin silicon dioxide films nitrided in N2/NO/O2 atmosphere at different temperature and NO/O2 flow ratio were investigated by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) using negative acquisition mode and Cs+ sputtering at low energy. The N depth distributions obtained by the ToF‐SIMS profiles were compared with the correspondent N1s peaks acquired in X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, demonstrating that the gradient in ion yield which occurs at the interface using these measurement conditions can be useful to quantify the amount of nitrogen placed exactly at the interface. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This invention relates to new inhalant preparations, that is, those preparations suitable for intra-nasal ad ministration and sinus irrigation. The treatment of pathologic disorders of the upper respiratory system is a well developed medical practice and the treatment of such disorders as the common cold and ailergies by the use of inhalants is already well es tablished. In spite of the fact that large number of preparations have been tried, and some have met with considerable commercial success, there is still a wide recognition that the ideal inhalant has not been found. Among the more important characteristics of an ideal inhalant are blandness or freedom from irritation. Sec ondly, the inhalant should provide prompt vasoconstric tive action which will persist over a suitable period of time up to several hours by one application. Thirdly, the in halant should be compatible with numerous therapeutic agents such as the antibiotics, the sulfa drugs, antihista." minics and antiseptics. Also it should be capable of di lution so that a single preparation might be suitable for use as nose drops and also, upon dilution, as a spray. The vasoconstrictor in an inhalant, which is deemed quite necessary by all authorities, should be one which is non-irritating, is free from secondary rebound phenom ena, should cause little or no respiratory acceleration, should have a low order of stimulation on the central nervous system and should have low vasopressor effect. The most commonly known vasoconstrictors are ephédrine and compounds bearing a close similarity to this compound in chemical structuré. Amphetamine has been used as a vascconstrietor but it is not well accepted because of its pronounced stimulation of the central nerv ous system. Likewise 1-ephedrine is characterized by a certain amount of central nervous stimulation and Secon dary rebound. In summary it may be said that prior to this invention no one of the presently known vasoconstric tors is sufficiently bland while at the same time giving high initial vasoconstrictive action and satisfactory dura tion. It is an object of this invention therefore to provide an inhalant preparation which has all of the desirable properties of an idea inhalant. According to the practice of the invention there is now provided an inhalant preparation which gives high initial vasoconstrictive action plus reasonably long action and at the same time is substantially free from any of the unde: sirable side effects which are normally associated with this class of drugs. Essentially this inhalant consists of -desoxyephedrine in a pharmaceutical carrier adapted for application to the nasal mucosa. The inhalant of this invention contains 1-desoxyephedrine substantially free from the d-form. 1-Desoxyephedrine is not a new chemical and it is prepared by the resolution of di-desoxy ephedrine by known methods. Because of its freedom from irritation and lack of side effects, preparations con taining 1-desoxyephedrine are especially useful for treat ment of children, cardiac patients, hypertensives and the like. 5


In order to prevent tone deviation caused by the film thickness fluctuation of forming the storage capacitor, the capacity for installing the detection has the same layer structure as that of the storage capacitor disposed in each pixel in the array substrate. And, by detecting the capacitance of the detection capacitor for a representative of the plurality in the storage capacitor and, on the basis of the detected values and adjusts the voltage amplitude of the power source wiring connected to the storage capacitor ΔVcs An array substrate, a driving circuit, a detection capacitor for a switching element, a storage capacitor, a pixel electrode, a liquid crystal capacitor, the counter electrode


Google Earth has made a wealth of aerial imagery available online at no cost to users. We examine some of the potential uses of that data in illustrating basic physics and astronomy, such as finding the local magnetic declination, using landmarks such as the Washington Monument and Luxor Obelisk as gnomons, and showing how airport runways get their numbers. Close inspection of the images provided by Google Earth reveals that most of them are actually obtained via camera-equipped planes rather than satellites.


In this work we have modelled and simulated the electronic charge transport properties for a Single-walled Carbon Nano-tube with different geometries using first-principle calculations and Non equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method. We modeled a Single-walled Carbon Nano-tube by rolling Zigzag (4,0) Graphene Nanoribbon strips with the different doping atoms (S,N,P) using semi-empirical Extended Huckle Theory (EHT) within the framework of non-equilibrium green function (NEGF). The simulations were carried in Device mode using Atomistic Tool Kit (ATK-12.8.2) and its graphical interface (custom analyzer) Virtual Nano Lab till the self-consistent results was reached. The effect of the change in conductance and I-V characteristics of the junction was visualized for various transport parameters. The distinct changes in conductance reported as the positions , concentration and type of dopants was varied in central region of the CNT between two electrodes at different bias voltages from -1V to 1 V with steps of .25 V. This suggested conductance enhancement mechanism for the charge transport in the doped Single-walled Carbon Nano-tube at different positions is important for the design of CNT based nano electronic devices.


The maximal cardinality of a code W on the unit sphere in n dimen- sions with (x,y) ≤ s whenever x,y ∈ W, x 6 y, is denoted by A(n,s). We use two methods for obtaining new upper bounds on A(n,s) for some values of n and s. We find new linear programming bounds by suitable polynomials of degrees which are higher than the degrees of the previously known good polynomials due to Lev- enshtein (11, 12). Also we investigate the possibilities for attaining the Levenshtein bounds (11, 12). In such cases we find the distance distributions of the correspond- ing feasible maximal spherical codes. Usually this leads to a contradiction showing that such codes do not exist.


Present paper illustrates the litter and nutrient dynamics of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.) forests at 1-3 years aged growing in Tarai belt of Kumaon of Uttarakhand. The objectives of this study were to determine the litter inputs, nutrients (NPK) and their dynamics. Shisham is commonly occurred in the nutrient poor site because of their leguminous features. This study was carried out in young aged Shisham forests for the estimation of tree density, forest floor, litter fall and nutrients content and returns. The litter trap methods were used for the estimation of forest floor biomass and litter input. However, the nutrients of litters and soil related parameters were calculated as already mentioned various workers. Tree density was 1111 tree/ha in each forest. The average forest floor mass was 2.54 (2yr) –2.84 t ha-1. Of this, herbaceous live accounted for 12-17 %. Among the litter components, partially and more decomposed litter shared maximum. The litter and herbaceous components was found in increasing and decreasing order with age of stand. The forest floor litter was 3.22(3yr)-3.72(1yr) in rainy, 2.78(3yr)-3.10(1yr) in winter and 1.36(2yr)-2.12(3yr). The annual replacement of forest floor litter ranged from 88-97% with a turnover time 1.03-1.14 year. The turnover rate of different nutrients (NPK) was 47-57%. It was decreased with increase in forest age. The total amount of nutrient return to the soil through litter input was 2.20-12.42 for N, 0.21-1.10 for P and 0.65-3.62 kg h-1 yr-1 for K. It was increased with increase of forest age because of higher amount of litter accumulation. The nutrient use efficiency was (NUE) was 66.2-108.1 for N, 745.6-1202.9 for P and 227.0-361.3 for K. The present findings of young age Shisham forest would be beneficial for the further management study of Shisham forest particularly in relation to the litter and nutrients point of view.


We evaluated the role of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels, somatostatin, and Zn2+ in the control of glucagon secretion from mouse islets. Switching from 1 to 7 mmol/L glucose inhibited glucagon release. Diazoxide did not reverse the glucagonostatic effect of glucose. Tolbutamide decreased glucagon secretion at 1 mmol/L glucose (G1) but stimulated it at 7 mmol/L glucose (G7). The reduced glucagon secretion produced by high concentrations of tolbutamide or diazoxide, or disruption of KATP channels (Sur1−/− mice) at G1 could be inhibited further by G7. Removal of the somatostatin paracrine influence (Sst−/− mice or pretreatement with pertussis toxin) strongly increased glucagon release, did not prevent the glucagonostatic effect of G7, and unmasked a marked glucagonotropic effect of tolbutamide. Glucose inhibited glucagon release in the absence of functional KATP channels and somatostatin signaling. Knockout of the Zn2+ transporter ZnT8 (ZnT8−/− mice) did not prevent the glucagonostatic effect of glucose. In conclusion, glucose can inhibit glucagon release independently of Zn2+, KATP channels, and somatostatin. Closure of KATP channels controls glucagon secretion by two mechanisms, a direct stimulation of α-cells and an indirect inhibition via somatostatin released from δ-cells. The net effect on glucagon release results from a balance between both effects.


The invention discloses D-type graphite cast iron and a production method thereof and belongs to the technical field of graphite cast iron. The D-type graphite cast iron has the characteristics of high tensile strength, high content of pearlite in a matrix and high thermal fatigue resistance. The production method of the D-type graphite cast iron has the advantages of simple process and low cost; the D-type graphite cast iron comprises the following components in percentage by weight: 3.0-3.3 percent of carbon, 1.9-2.3 percent of silicon, 1.5-2.0 percent of manganese, 0.6-1.0 percent of copper, 0.08-0.12 percent of titanium, 0.06-0.08 percent of sulfur, 0.005-0.015 percent of magnesium, 0.005-0.015 percent of rare earth, less than or equal to 0.03 percent of phosphorus and the balance of iron. The production method comprises the following steps: fusing raw materials, blowing argon into liquid iron, discharging, pouring a ladle, carrying out first time of breeding, pouring a casting mold and carrying out second time of breeding. The D-type graphite cast iron can be used for producing an air-conditioning compressor cylinder body, has excellent thermal fatigue resistance and is long in service life.


1. Let primes denote differentiations with respect to a real variable, t, the range of which will be the half-line t ? 0. The fulnctions to be conisidered, f(t), g(t), x(t), will be assumed to be defined and continuous on this half-line. For the sake of simplicity, it will be assumed from the beginning that all these functions are scalars. In addition, all functions will be regarded as real-valued. Correspondingly, x(t) will be said to be of class (L2) if


The continuous-time generalised predictive control (CGPC) using a long-horizon cost function has superior robustness as compared to some other control strategies suitable for adaptive control. The anticipated filtering (AF) of the control error within the CGPC framework can be designed so as to yield stable control systems. The main goal of this paper is to propose an AF-CGPC control design procedure making numerical designs more efficient and control more robust. The approach is based on two main principles: mean-square low-order Markovian approximation of the plant's step response within a properly determined time interval and a rational Markov-equivalent-restricted redesign of the model of the plant.


The Transient Climate Response to Cumulative CO2 Emissions (TCRE) is the proportionality between global temperature change and cumulative CO2 emissions. The TCRE implies a finite quantity of CO2 emissions, or carbon budget, consistent with a given temperature change limit. The uncertainty of the TCRE is often assumed be normally distributed, but this assumption has yet to be validated. We calculated the TCRE using a zero-dimensional ocean diffusive model and a Monte-Carlo error propagation (n = 10 000 000) randomly drawing from probability density functions of the climate feedback parameter, the land-borne fraction of carbon, radiative forcing from an e-fold increase in CO2 concentration, effective ocean diffusivity, and the ratio of sea to global surface temperature change. The calculated TCRE has a positively skewed distribution, ranging from 1.1 to 2.9 K EgC−1 (5%–95% confidence), with a mean and median value of 1.9 and 1.8 K EgC−1. The calculated distribution of the TCRE is well described by a log-normal distribution. The CO2-only carbon budget compatible with 2 °C warming is 1100 PgC, ranging from 700 to 1800 PgC (5%–95% confidence) estimated using a simplified model of ocean dynamics. Climate sensitivity is the most influential Earth System parameter on the TCRE, followed by the land-borne fraction of carbon, radiative forcing from an e-fold increase in CO2, effective ocean diffusivity, and the ratio of sea to global surface temperature change. While the uncertainty of the TCRE is considerable, the use of a log-normal distribution may improve estimations of the TCRE and associated carbon budgets.


While cohesive teams are essential to advancing interdisciplinary research, few frameworks exist to guide team development. In this article, eight academic women adopt a participatory process of inter-relational reflexivity to reflect upon our interdisciplinary research and propose a best-practice framework for sustained effectiveness of interdisciplinary collaboration.


PHITS (Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport code System) [1] is a general purpose particle and heavy-ion MC transport code which can transport neutrons from thermal energies up to 200 GeV. The 3-dimensional Monte-Carlo radiation transport code was developed with collaboration of several institutes including JAEA, RIST, KEK and Chalmers University of Technology. The same method as in the MCNP4C code [2] is employed for neutrons with energies between 1 meV and 20 MeV based on the Evaluated Nuclear Data such as the ENDF-B/VI [3], JENDL-3.3 [4,5]; and for p and n up to 3 GeV for the JENDL-HE [6,7] file.Above 20 MeV, the Bertini model with free p-p and n-n cross sections parameterized according to Niita et al. [8] is used up to 3 GeV, while the simulation model JAM (Jet AA Microscopic Transport Model) developed by Nara et al. [6] is used above 3 GeV for nucleons, above 2.5 GeV for pions, and for all energies for all other baryons. JAM is a hadronic cascade model, which explicitly treats all established hadronic states including resonances with explicit spin and isospin as well as their anti-particles. For protons and other hadrons, JAM is used above 1 MeV, but for charged particles below 1 MeV only the ionization process is considered until the particles are stopped. PHITS also uses Evaluated Nuclear Data for photon and electron transport below 1 GeV in the same manner as in the MCNP4C code based on the Ion Transport System (ITS) code, version 3.0 [9]. The energy range of electrons and photons is restricted to the energy region 1 keV 1 GeV at the present, but the extension of the maximum energy of these particles is in progress. PHITS can also transport nuclei in any solid, gas or liquid material. Below 10 MeV/n, only the ionization process for the nucleus transport is taken into account, but above 10 MeV/n the nucleus-nucleus collisions up to 100 GeV/n is described by the simulation model JQMD (JAERI Quantum Molecular Dynamics) developed by Niita et al. [10]. In the QMD model, the nucleus is described as a self-binding system of nucleons, which are interacting with each other through the effective interactions in the framework of molecular dynamics. One can estimate the yields of emitted light particles, fragments and excited residual nuclei resulting from the heavy ion collision. The QMD simulation, as well as the JAM simulation, describes the dynamical stage of the reactions. At the end of the dynamical stage, excited nuclei are created and must be forced to decay in a statistical way to get the final observed state. In PHITS the GEM model [11] (Generalized Evaporation Model) is default employed for light particle evaporation and fission process of the excited residual nucleus.


The market for color printers will continue to grow at a steady pace through the end of the decade. INTERQUEST expects unit shipments of color printers to grow at a 25% to 30% annual rate through the end of the decade, in the United States. Ink jet, electrophotography, and dye sublimation thermal transfer printers will enjoy the fastest growth while impact dot matrix and pen plotters will continue to lose ground.


Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of standardized house dust mite allergen specific immunotherapy (SIT) for rhinitis and asthma in children. Methods Forty-two children with allergic rhinitis and asthma who received a standardized house dust mite allergen SIT in our hospital were enrolled in our study. The result of allergen skin prick test, serum specific IgE levels (sIgE) of house dust mite and dust mite,pulmonary function and symptom scores were analysed before and at one year after treatment in all children. Results Skin indexes of house dust mite and dust mite, symptom score were significantly decreased at one year after treatment,but the levels of house dust mite and dust mite sIgE,lung function test (FVC,FEVt,MEF25-75) showed no significant differences. Conclusion Children with allergic rhinitis and asthma have significant improvements in their skin sensitivity and clinical symptoms by given SIT for one year,but the impact of SIT on airway inflammation needs further observation.

Key words:
Specific immunotherapy; Allergic rhinifis; Asthma; Children


This study investigates the relationship between the number of jobs created and funding granted as part of the Community Led Local Development element within the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme. Analysis is carried out using ex-post application-level data associated with Axis 3-'improving the quality of life and the management of economic activity' during the 2007-2013 period. A two-step procedure is used to estimate a negative binomial model and correct for sample selection. A joint estimation was performed to allow for correlation between the structural and selection equations. Results indicate that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between the number of created jobs and the amount of awarded grant per application and, moreover, that this relationship depends on the categories, or Measures, within Axis 3. The more economic-focused Measures (Diversification into non-Agricultural Activities, Business Creation and Development, and Encouragement of Tourism Activities) showed a statistically significant link between the amount of public funds and job creation. No such relationship was found for the other Measures. Finally, in cases where public funds are linked to job creation, we found that this happens only above a given threshold, namely two or three jobs.


Diverted 22,200 tons of construction waste from land lls, about twice the weight of the Ei el Tower, by repurposing it for use in gabion retaining walls ► Incorporated 582 tons of coal power plant waste into concrete used throughout the site. The concrete mix includes waste y ash and slag, aggregate, and ground slag. ► Saved 30,620 linear ft of virgin timber by using recycled Australian Jarrah hardwood for all timber used in the project. ►


An RFID(Radio Frequency IDentification) security device for preventing housebreaking of a criminal personating an outdoor service employee is provided to prevent a crime in advance by comparing a criminal image with an image registered in a police station server, and make the police arrest the criminal easily by storing the criminal image and voice when the criminal housebreaks. An ID input device identifies outdoor service employees. A microcomputer(12) transmits a signal received from the ID input device to police station/anti-crime management servers(17,18), and receives/displays photos registered in the police station/anti-crime management servers by responding to the transmitted signal. An ID output device outputs the photo output from the microcomputer and the photo captured by the ID input part to compare the photos. The ID input part includes a camera(15) capturing the outdoor service employee at a gate, and an RFID reader(10) or a numeric pad(11) for receiving a resident registration number. The outdoor service employee inputs the resident registration number to the ID input part by using the numeric pad or contacting a resident registration card, in which an RFID tag is embedded, to the ID input part.


Welcome! This 2015 December issue of ACM Inroads is longer than a typical issue and contains very interesting articles. In addition to the excellent insights (columns) and features (e.g., EduBits, Back Page, and Spotlight) from our faithful authors, we have a remarkable presentation on the way industry has influenced a computing curriculum in Russia, and the second part of a special section on the CS10K project. This issue should be a keepsake for future reference. The article on the evolution of a computing program in Russia is noteworthy, showing how the current computer science program at Petrozavodsk State University evolved over the years by addressing the needs of its local industries. The fascinating cooperation between commerce and academia has led to a very robust and modern curriculum. As a result, the program and the university have garnered a reputation of excellence in the region and the country. Moreover, as the article points out, the resulting program is in close harmony with the CS2013 curricula recommendations endorsed by ACM and IEEE. Other computer science programs should consider mapping their own curricula following the method detailed in this article. I am delighted to report that this issue of ACM Inroads contains the second part of the two-part sequel under the CS10K rubric. The first part, presented in the 2015 September issue, focused on the "Exploring Computer Science" course; this second part addresses the ongoing "Computer Science Principles" project. Once again, Quincy Brown and Amy Briggs, guest editors for both parts, have piloted this formal dissemination of the CS10K initiative, assembling an exciting collection of a dozen thought-provoking articles that focus on the National Science Foundation's CS10K project, under development since 2009. The project has stimulated many new initiatives including an eighty-one million dollar grant for schools in New York City [1]. These informative articles will not disappoint. For me, it is time to say "Good-bye" as Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of ACM Inroads, a position I've held since its inception in 2010. As the founding EIC, it has been a long, but rewarding journey. I trust that this ACM window to the world has made a lasting contribution to computing education worldwide. Of course, none of this would be possible without the continued dedication of the regular Inroads authors and of the many contributing authors over the years. This issue also marks the last insight and the last activities as associate editor for Lisa Kaczmarczyk, whose dedication to this publication goes back to its inception. Thanks, Lisa! Allow me to point you to her Percolations (p. 31), where she reflects on how life and computing education has changed during her tenure. To all Inroads contributors past and present, I extend a heartfelt thanks for your time and your efforts. I take this opportunity to introduce to you my successors: co-EIC Mark Bailey and Laurie Smith King. Mark and Laurie are excited about their new roles and the future of the publication. Transitioning as EIC is not always easy, so please reach out and give them your support.


In the article, the subject was examined under the following headings: XVI. Administrative section of Turkey (provinces, sanjaks, towns, legal and administrative division), the economic situation, the provision of state services, the deterioration of internal order, the uprising of the madrasa students, the political tension between civil servants.


it is a social institution, developed in a specific historical context, which will continue to evolve in the future. On the other hand, however, our capacity to answer these questions is uncertain, for several reasons. First, one danger is to oversee human agency. History remains to be written, and decisions to be taken by societies and individuals. How much climate change will be avoided through international co-operation? How much international solidarity will be shown in adapting to climate change? These questions, which remain unanswered, will obviously affect the impact that climate change will have on international law. Second, climate change itself will have an uncertain impact on human societies. At the very core of the concept of adaptation lies the idea that vulnerability depends not only upon physical exposure to climate-related events, but also upon human resilience. Many uncertainties remain, for instance, as to the capacity of technological innovation to contribute to adaptation and balance some of the impacts of climate change. Third, the impact that climate change will have on international law does not happen in the laboratory conditions, all other things being equal. Other factors will transform international law in the decades to come. The rise of Asia, in particular, will affect the balance between climate change and international law. In these circumstances, it seems that any prediction as to the consequences that climate change and its governance will have on the structure of international law is likely to be limited to pure speculation. Unsurprisingly, this book did not (could not) fulfil its promises. Rather than a book on international law in the era of climate change, Rayfuse and Scott ended up editing a more classical book on the international responses to climate change, looking at a multitude of rules, spread in diverse legal fields. This is interesting in itself, yet less attractive than what was promised.


The previous issue of Chinese Law and Government presented translations of Chinese central government and Party documents regulating the practice of religion.1 In many cases, however, such documents are so broadly and vaguely worded as to give little sense of how they might be implemented in particular cases. There are indeed wide variations in the actual restrictions placed on religious believers at different times and in different places. To understand how religion is actually regulated in China, we therefore need to examine local regulations and local cases of enforcement. The material in this journal issue is translated with this in mind.


The use of educational platforms involves not only an opportunity to streamline the learning process, but a means to streamline the process for which the teacher spends much time and effort. Added to this, it also includes saving paper for tests that may lead to the institution to affect the environment in which we live by the irrational use of paper. Thus it is considered that there are three categories in which the implementation of platforms can benefit teaching practice: a) human resources, b) and c time) sustainability. With this approach the implementation of the Moodle platform is decided in the implementation of exams for teachers against English group. The results showed that this implementation is an opportunity to streamline the process of evaluating and monitoring student learning, not only saves time and huge amount of paper and costs of material resources, but also promotes an innovative way to improve teaching practice against the group has used the potential that e-learning, especially the Moodle platform. Although no deal as a means of learning, presents opportunities for blended learning that can be exploited. Palabras clave / key words: plataforma educativa aprendizaje examenes sostenibilidad / Learning educational platform examinations sustainability


Abstract The author presents a model of clinical intervention based on patients' mentalization, or mind reading, that is, the function of the mind to understand the mind. The action of mind reading means a type of thought, mostly not conscious, implicit, often not even encoded in words, that expresses the meaning "I think that you think that I think." Thoughts about the analyst's states of mind crowd the minds of patients, taking shape in these questions: "What do you think I have in mind?" and so "How do you plan to act towards me?" If the analyst does not capture and does not disambiguate the doubts, the patient's perplexity and insecurity can intensify and produce emotions of anxiety, fear, fright, but also anger towards a silent interlocutor. Conversely, the analyst who mentalizes the state of mind of the patient and verbalizes it heteroregulates the patient's fears and anxiety level. Mentalization and affect regulation are also related to the analyst's recognition of the patient's metacognition process. At the conclusion of the theoretical section, a clinical sketch shows examples, and highlights in therapeutic work the abovementioned theoretical issues.


Purpose: This study is a descriptive study which aims to determine the attitude and perceptions of asthma patients about their health and their opinion regarding the success of treatment.
Method: The study is carried out without any sampling. The participants are 74 patients who were admitted in a public pulmonary disease clinic between April and June 2010.
A revised version of Health Belief Model scale for asthma treatment and another scale, which was developed to determine the opinion and observations of patients regarding the success of treatment, are used for data collection. In addition to descriptive statistics, regression analysis, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests are used in the data analysis.
Findings: The mean score of attitudes and perceptions of asthma patients, which is defined with the Health Belief Model and which can affect their responsiveness to treatment, is found out 3,37(±0,38) and the attitude and perceptions of patients are positive. The mean value for success treatment is 2,35(±0,49). Since the treatment is deemed to be more successful as it gets closer to 1 hence it can be said that the opinion of asthma patients regarding the success of treatment is positive. In the study, it is found out that the participants have a high admission rate to hospitals and that there is no significant difference for socio-demographic characteristics in the positive attitude development and in their belief in the efficiency of the treatment that they are receiving, of which both are components of health belief model concept. The findings from regression analysis indicate that the duration of the asthma sickness and the number of people living in the household not only affect the perceptions and attitudes of patients that are investigated by health belief model, but also the effectiveness of the treatment and the number of admissions to the Emergency Room in the last 6 months.
Conclusion: In order to prevent long-term complications, the behavior and attitudes of asthma patients, especially the young ones , regarding asthma should be determined and detailed programs should be organized to educate and inform them. Treatment models, which would enable to receive treatment whilst not to cause any problem in their social and professional life's, should be investigated.


Fibromatosis of the breast is an uncommon disease, although several series of this condition in females have been reported in the literature. We present the first case to be described in a male patient.


Microbiologically induced calcite precipitation (MICP), a multidisciplinary technique involving biology, chemistry, and soil mechanics, is used for improving the engineering properties of soils. This technique involves the hydrolysis of urea by urease (a bacterial enzyme) into carbonate and ammonium ions, which precipitate in the form of calcite in the presence of a calcium source. The pore space of soil varies with the soil type. The pore space of coarse-grained soil is greater than that of fine-grained soil. Therefore, application of MICP on fine-grained soil is limited and was investigated here using Taipei silty clay. MICP was successfully applied on Taipei silty clay with the mixing method. Factors affecting MICP, such as concentration of bacterial/cementation solution, curing time, and pH of soil, were investigated. A two-fold increase in the shear strength of Taipei silty clay was achieved. An appropriate configuration on the test, such as concentration of bacterial and cementation solutions, was proposed. In addition to MICP, soil improvement by a combination of natural fiber and MICP was also studied. This shows that soil strength increased with the addition of up to 1% fiber. However, pure MICP gave a better result in terms of soil improvement than natural fiber. The results showed that MICP is effective in reducing the amount of fibers added to the soil while yielding the same improvement ratio.


There were certain developments in the study of Sun Tzu's intelligence thought since the last period of 20th century.By Statistical Analysis Methods and Close Reading Methods,the author from three aspects made a thorough analysis of all the recorded literatures of Sun Tzu's intelligence thought available in the databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure,concluded the traits,pointed out the problems,and made suggestions on how to go deep into the study of Sun Tzu's intelligence thought in the future.


Organically modified silicates (Ormosils) have been applied as matrices in the preparation of CdS-doped glassy nanocomposites via a low temperature route. EDX spectra show that a CdS concentration up to about 20 wt.% has been obtained. The CdS microcrystallites of hexagonal wurtzite structure with average particle size in the range of 20 to 120 angstroms were formed within Ormosils matrices. The quantum confinement effects were clearly observed in samples with smaller particle sizes from absorption and photoluminescence excitation spectra. High- quality CdS-doped films with enough thickness have been prepared by spin-coating for waveguide device application. The Ormosils used are thermally stable up to 360 degree(s)C which is higher than the processing temperature for normal integrated circuits. The nonlinear optical properties of these nanocomposites measured by degenerated four wave mixing technique on picosecond time scales using a Nd+3:YAG laser at 532 nm are described.


Reading Braille documents are a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. A blind person should touch every Braille letter by his or her fingers. Therefore, high sensitivity in fingers and memorizing every Braille letters are key factors in Braille reading. Due to enhancement in technology, several Optical Character Recognition (OCR) systems have been introduced for different languages in different parts of the world. However, in Sri Lanka, there are no systems that extract Sinhala or English Braille characters using OCR and convert those Braille codes to sound output. The main purpose of the research is to create a system that extracts both Sinhala and English Braille segments from a given Braille document and makes the Braille content into voice. At the beginning Embossed Sinhala or English Braille image which took from webcam or a high-resolution phone will use for image processing techniques such as gray scaling, thresholding, erosion, and dilation. Erosion and gray scaling help to eliminate the noise and the noise-free image used to detect contour. After pre-processing, the image using an OpenCV library do the segmentation and character extraction. Braille character recognition has done by taking binary to decimal equivalent numbers. Before generating voice output, recognized Braille letters should convert to corresponding language letters (either Sinhala letter or English) and mapping English letters can directly generate English words but in Sinhala need an additional step called Unicode Mapping to generate a Sinhala word. When a Braille document is in high quality, the system will reach for 95 percent accuracy level and generally, results have around 85.30 percent success rate. This software provides many usability characteristics to increase simplicity when it's using OpenCV and related technologies. Even teachers can use this to improve their teaching terminologies and explain things more clearly in their lessons.


Julian's time in Antioch and studies his execution of three individuals. T. neatly discusses this as politically rather than religiously motivated (p. 102). T. returns to the passio Artemii and the passio Eugenii et Macarii, which narrate the deaths of Eugenius and Macarius, again, allegedly at the hands of Julian. T. concludes here that the major discrepancies in location are suggestive of the fictitious nature of the texts (p. 106). Chapters 14 and 15 focus upon Julianisation in more passions épiques, this time of Eusignius, Juventinus and Maximinus. Here T. again exploits the inaccuracies of these martyrologies to demonstrate the desire of later writers to blacken Julian's name and reign. Indeed, in the case of the death of Eusiginius, T. demonstrates that this was actually at the hands of Julian's uncle Julianus. Chapters 16 and 17 provide more evidence of the fabrication of these tales to fit into a romanticised view of Christianity. T. notes several differing Christian versions of Julian's death with emphasis upon the Julian Romance's description of Julian's death at the hands of St Mercury. Chapter 16 discusses the issues of these romanticised tales, with the examples of the martyrdom of Apollonius and Apollonia at Rome, a city that Julian never visited (p. 129). T. uses this chapter to debunk other martyrdoms, including that of Pimenius (p. 130). This theme is carried through to Chapter 17, in that T. outlines the later martyrologies invented long after Julian's death, and their purpose in perpetuating Julian's representation as a crazed persecutor. In Chapter 18, the final chapter, T. concludes that Julian's image and reign has been used and abused in order to provide a foil to Constantine and other Christian rulers. T.'s work provides some interesting insights on an aspect of Julian's reign that is not often discussed in great detail. While his ideas surrounding the issue of local rather than imperial persecution are often found in other works (cf. G.W. Clarke, The Letters of St Cyprian of Carthage [1984–1989], F. Millar, The Emperor in the Roman World [1977]), his discussion of this representation in the martyrologies is novel, and provides some stimulating material. T.'s work is a clear, and instructive piece that makes its argument well. His masterful use of the literary sources and analyses of martyrologies, which so effectively perpetuate the idea of Julian as a persecutor, are successful in providing nuance to Julian's reputation. The text is well organised and provides sufficient depth and explanation of the issues. It can be strongly recommended for specialists and non-specialists alike.


Introduction, Materials and Methods: To further evaluate the susceptibility of camels to infection with FMDV, two fully grown female sheep were inoculated intradermally in the coronary band and five dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius) around 400-450 kg (three females and two castrated males of 7-10 years of age) were inoculated subepidermo-lingually each with 10 TCID50 of a first cattle passage FMDV type O UAE 7/99 inoculum in a volume of 0.25 ml. The two female sheep and three female dromedaries were naïve in respect to FMDV before inoculation while the two castrated male dromedaries had been inoculated 9 months earlier with a cell-culture passaged preparation of the same FMDV isolate (before cattle passage), but had shown no signs of infection and stayed antibody negative . An additional five female dromedaries of approximately the same weight and age were kept in the same pen as the inoculated camels as continuous direct contacts and another 4 sheep were kept in a corner of the camel pen as contacts from the day after inoculation. Results: The two inoculated sheep developed elevated body temperatures, had, albeit minor, local swelling and inflammation at the site of inoculation and were lame on one to four feet for several days typical for FMD in sheep. Infectious FMDV and FMDV RNA, respectively, were detected at relatively high levels in sera on days 1-4 after inoculation of the sheep. Infectious virus was isolated from a probang sample from one of the inoculated sheep on day 3 after inoculation and RNA was detected in probang samples from the two inoculated sheep on days 3, 6, 10 and 14 after inoculation and in mouth swabs from day 1 to 4. Moreover, the inoculated sheep developed an antibody titre against FMDV at 4 days after inoculation and increasing high titres from day 10. None of the camels or the contact sheep developed any clinical signs of disease nor had the inoculated camels any signs of vesicular lesions, swelling or inflammation. However, one of the inoculated female dromedaries had a significantly raised body temperature of 37.9 C at 3 days pi and this camel also had a viraemia on days 2-4 after inoculation as determined by virus isolation and by detectable FMDV RNA in the serum samples taken at 2-6 and 10 days after inoculation. No infectious virus was isolated from probang samples from this animal, but very low levels of FMDV RNA was detected by real time RT-PCR in a probang sample taken at 6 days after inoculation while probang samples taken at 3, 10, 14, 21 and 28 days were clearly negative. Real time RT-PCR analysis of mouth swabs indicated a low amount of FMDV RNA to be present from day 1 to 3 (and up to day 5 in the camel with viraemia) after inoculation in 4 of 5 of the inoculated camels while no infectious FMDV or FMDV RNA was detected in sera, probang or mouth swab samples from the 5 contact camels or the 4 contact sheep. The 5 contact camels, the 4 contact sheep and the 2 inoculated female camels, that did not develop a viraemia, did not develop any antibodies to FMDV when tested up to 28 days after inoculation. In contrast, the female camel with viraemia started to produce detectable antibodies to FMDV at 14 days after inoculation while the two previously exposed male camels, despite having no detectable viraemia, had detectable antibodies to FMDV from 10 days after inoculation. However, neither of these dromedaries developed any antibodies against FMDV non-structural proteins (NSPs). Discussion: Based on these results in addition to our previous preliminary findings we conclude that dromedaries are of very low susceptibility to infection with FMDV serotype O, and that they are unlikely to play any significant role in the natural epidemiology of FMD.


Because of the differences in spindle speed and extended length of micro milling cutter, Tool life and machining surface quality vary markedly. Therefore, a geometric model of carbide end mill whose diameter is 0.2mm is built. With free meshing method, meshing density is set up reasonably, which ensure the rationality of the built finite element model. On the premise of considering the extended length of the micro milling cutter, apply linear load on the main cutting edge and front-cutting edge, carry out the deformation and stress analysis using finite element software. Applying different spindle speeds under four extended lengths, through comparing maximum stress and strain under four extended lengths, change rules are summarized and the extended lengths of the tool suited for micro-milling are achieved.


by Dr. Acland, p. 20). The " average of seven Novembers", ending 1850, is said to be 27,012 (Repvort of the Evidence into the State of the Sewerage, etc., of Oxford, 1851, evidence of Mr. Allen, .1I 5;`). In December 1850, the number is estimated at 27,443 (Mo1nthly Report on the MIortality and Public Health of Oxford, annual series iii, bv Dr. Greenhill and Mr. Allen). Of this large number of cases, it was hardly to be expected that accurate notes should have been kept, at a time when such a heavy demand was made upon the services of the medical profession during the prevalence of the other acute diseases then affecting the inhabitants. At the medical dispensary, 173 cases were entered on the books, upon recommendations of subscribers. But the medical officer (the late Mr. Wood) told me that in many houses where lie was visiting he found other members of the family ill, and that he attended them without entering their names on the books of the dispensary. On the whole, he thought he attended 300 cases. Two of the number had the disease for the second time; Mr. Wood himself attended them in the former attack. MIr. Hansard has kept accurate notes of thirty-seven cases among the soldiers of the militia and the recruiting parties stationed here. The greater part of these were admitted into one of the buildings in the yard of the Radcliffe Infirmary, which had been hastily fitted up to receive them. He adds, " There were about thirty other cases in the regiment, but so mild that the febrile symptoms and half a dozen spots were all the indications of the disease. No particular record was taken of them, because they were not sent to hospital." In the Radcliffe Infirmary, 62 cases came under observation; 27 patients were admitted with the disease upon them-26 from the town, and 1 from Garsington, a village about six miles off; -all of these recovered. 31 patients, admitted with other diseases, were attacked; 3 of the nurses caught it, and one of the resident officers. Of the patients in the house, in whom the disease appeared after admission, 3 had not recovered from the small-pox at the time of their death:A married woman, aged 34, with fistulous ulcerations about the lower bowel, and other symptoms of unhealthy constitution, was attacked with confluent small-pox, and died after seven days illness. A butcher, aged 61, was admitted with mortification of the foot. The leg had rotted off nearly as high as the knee, when he was attacked with confluent small-pox, and died on the 19th day. A married woman, aged 40, with some functional disease of the female system, was attacked with confluent small-pox, and died in about three weeks. These three patients all exhibited on the arm the cicatrix of former vaccination; it is believed they had not been revaccinated. One medical practitioner caught the disease, the wife of another, and several children in the family of a third,-all in a mild form.


The article analyses the defining characteristics of a method in textology that is rooted in the idea of a search. The method is described in detail with the example of Aleksey Balakin's study 'Was Goncharov the author of Nimfodora Ivanovna?' ['Byl li Goncharov avtorom povesti Nimfodora Ivanovna?']: we follow every step taken by the researcher in his quest for truth about the authorship. The article acknowledges the compelling arguments offered by Balakin to debunk the novella's long-established but hasty and unfounded attribution to Goncharov and the researcher's meticulous verification of the style and writing period of the anonymous author against the events in Goncharov's life and literary career (as well as his known stylistic, ideological and artistic preferences). The article mentions that the search relies on the method of comparative-critical analysis. In addition, the study compares and contrasts the meanings of a search in history and textology. In support of such a comparison, the author refers to theses from Marc Bloch's The Historian's Craft.


It has been extremely gratifying to find in recent issues of the Review of Social Economy a continuation of the analysis of the science of economics, particularly its relation to philosophy and human values. The science of economics has been a fascinating subject for debate for many years, beginning with the classical economists who claimed there was no relation between economics and philosophy. In "Economics As a Moral Science," Kendall Cochran writes: "the economist must abandon the traditional position that he should not make moral or value judgments; instead, he should not only make them explicitly, but he should actively urge their implementation." [Coch? ran, p. 187] Irving Goffman in "Free Market Economists and Human Values," quotes the following from Alfred Marshall:


Purpose
This paper aims to map key strategic concerns that Commonwealth Caribbean States will face in combating economic crimes and strengthening financial integrity in the post-pandemic era.

Design/methodology/approach
Horizon scanning was used to conduct a qualitative policy analysis of key regulatory developments in international anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFTP) and tax governance, from the perspective of Commonwealth Caribbean countries.

Findings
This paper finds that the COVID-19 pandemic might widen several fault lines, along the Global North/South axis, in international AML/CFTP and tax regulatory governance. These include the "sustainable development" gap in AML/CFTP norm-making; making the Financial Action Task Force fit-for-purpose; renewed campaigns against "harmful tax competition"; and international commitment to scaling up technical assistance to combat economic crimes in developing countries. It questions the sustainability of the prevailing "levelling the playing field" regulatory approach to AML/CFTP and tax matters and whether serious consideration ought not to be given to mainstreaming "differential treatment" in international AML/CFTP and tax standards, for resource-strapped Caribbean countries.

Originality/value
To the best of the author's knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to assess the strategic policy risks and challenges that will arise from balancing economic recovery and fighting economic crimes by small and vulnerable Commonwealth Caribbean States in the post-pandemic era.


When children go through a medical procedure (e.g. a blood draw), they often experience increased levels of anxiety and stress. We believe that having an empathetic robot companion during the procedure can help children cope with pain and improve their overall experience. The robot makes use of a set of behaviors derived from pain management literature and modeled on human behaviors and cognitive behavioral therapy. In order to investigate the role of the robot as social companion, we are currently performing a Wizard of Oz study at a children's hospital. Our results are preliminary, but so far we have observed - as illustrated in the video - that the robot can improve the experience for children as long as they are not highly agitated.


The research had objectives 1) to study levels of achievement, students' general condition, and educational environment factors including learners social support, the equipment and facilities and the curriculum, 2) to compare the achievements of accounting students who were categorized by general condition and 3) to study the correlations between students' general condition, social support, the equipment and facilities, the curriculum and achievement of accounting students of the Faculty of Social Technology in 2012 Academic Year. There were 94 students and the instrument was questionnaires asking about students' general features and educational environment factors. The findings indicated that accounting students of the Faculty of Social Technology at Rajamankala University of Technology Tawan-ok Chantaburi Campus prioritized factors that affected their achievement at the high level. The rank of the factors was in order: learners, social support, and curriculum respectively. The equipment and facilities were the factors that the students found significant at the moderate level. The findings from the analysis of the correlations revealed that factor relating to learners and the academic achievement were correlated at the statistical significance level of 0.05. In fact, they were positively correlated at the moderate level. This meant that the higher condition the students had, the higher their achievement scores were. When each factor was considered, it was found that the students' condition relating to self-responsibility, interest in the profession, and achievement motive was correlated with academic achievement at the statistical significance level of 0.05., and they were positively correlated at the high level. This meant that the more responsibilities the learners had, higher their achievement scores were. The correlation between social support factors and the academic achievement results were found not to be significant. However, when each aspect of the social support factors was considered, it was found that instructors, the relationship with classmates and family aspect were correlated with the achievement scores at the statistical significance level of 0.05. The correlation was positive and at the high level. This meant that the students who prioritized instructors, the relationship with classmates and family aspect at the high level, their academic achievement was also at the high level. The correlations between factors concerning equipment, facilities and curriculum and the students' academic achievement were found not be significant.


It has now been a little over two weeks since we welcomed Vienna based tasteful 80s and 90s influenced post hardcore act SMALL HOURS and their new music ...


Neurological surgery is about 100 years old. Therefore, it seems appropriate that a group of neurosurgeons should write an anthology covering various facets of the philosophy of their discipline. The book is published by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as part of the Neurosurgical Topics series. It was …


Phytoestrogens, structurally or functionally mimic of mammalian estrogens, are phenolic non-steroidal plant derived compounds. On the basis of their hormonal activity, they can bind to estrogen receptors and show potential benefits for human health. There are three main classes of phytoestrogens isoflavones, lignans and coumestans out of which Isoflavones are most studied group of phytoestrogens and predominantly found in legumes such as soybeans. The soy isoflavones, genistein have most potent estrogenic activity. Estrogen level begin to decline with a woman's age and resulting in the end of menstrual cycle which results in menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, urogenital atrophy, incontinence, insomnia, heart problems and osteoporosis. Depending on their concentration and other factors, genistein can act like weak estrogens by binding to the estrogen receptor on cell membranes and as estrogen antagonists by preventing estrogens from binding to the receptors. Genistein come into focus of interest due to their positive effects in prevention of hormone dependent cancer, cardiovascular diseases by improving plasma lipid concentrations, osteoporosis and cognitive decline. In this study, our main focus is on the extraction and isolation of isoflavones-genistein from soybean seeds and optimization of extraction parameters to give a high yield of genistein. HPLC analysis revealed that the product thus obtained contained a high content of genistein.


A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) (40) has a plurality of series-connected inverters (42, 44, 46). In each of the inverter, the first transistor 48 is coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal (VDD) of the output terminal of the first current electrode, a second current electrode, and a plurality of serial another inverter of the connected inverters coupled to the a first control electrode, and has a second control electrode for receiving a first bias signal. The second transistor 50 has a second current of the first current electrode coupled to the electrode, and the second a second current electrode coupled to a power supply voltage terminal (VSS), and the coupling to the first control electrode of the first transistor of the first transistor It has a first control electrode. The same or a second control electrode of the first transistor of each inverter or receive a separate analog control signal (VGP, VPP or DNP), the threshold voltage of the first transistor thereof to affect the frequency and phase of the signal of the VCO adjust. An inverter, a transistor, a power supply voltage terminal, a voltage controlled oscillator, an analog control signal


A novel approach is presented to accurately estimate the resonant features of a multipatch backscatter-based chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. An ultra-wideband impulse radar (UWB-IR)-based reader interrogates the chipless tag with a UWB pulse, and the received backscatter is analyzed in the time domain. The key components constituting the backscattered signal, the structural mode, and the antenna mode are identified, and their spectral content are analyzed. Analysis shows that the antenna mode backscatter contains the information carrying signal while the structural mode backscatter contains no information about the tag. A semi-analytical model is developed to explain the behavior of the signal backscattered from the chipless RFID tag. Simulation and semi-analytical results are validated by experimental measurements obtained in an anechoic chamber environment using a 4-b multipatch chipless RFID tag. The new method does not rely on calibration tags for operation and has a greater degree of freedom in the orientation of tags with respect to a reader. A novel method, selective spectral interrogation (SSI), that uses a set of interrogation pulses to extract information bits stored in the spectral signature of the chipless tag is also introduced.


The concept of state failure has only recently emerged in the political science and legal literature. Although state failure has been used to predict violent conflicts, and all citizens are affected by violence in failed/fragile states, women are especially at risk. Using data from the WomanStats project, this study's findings reveal that the physical security of women is lower in failed/fragile states compared with more sustainable nations. The characteristics of failed states that increase the likelihood of various forms of violence against women are identified, including high levels of militarization, countries with neighboring states at war, and massive movement of refugees.


This article is a response to a piece by Robinson Everett, principal lawyer for the plaintiffs in a series of challenges to North Carolina?s post-1990 congressional redistricting collectively referred to as the Shaw cases. In it, I argue that the Shaw cases reflect a ?structural? notion of equal protection, in which the clause is detached from the protection of any identifiable injury to a particular individual and is instead used to regulate the political process itself. In particular, I focus on the concept of standing to show how incongruous the Shaw cases are. I then argue that Bush v. Gore is also a structural equal protection case. It raised quite similar issues of standing, remedies, judicial respect for the states and the political branches, and the frame within which to assess equal protection claims. In particular, using the resources of the Stanford Law Library's Election 2000 website, which contains virtually all the legal documents filed in the Florida recount cases, I show that Bush v. Gore raises serious questions of standing with respect to the equal protection clause claim with which the Supreme Court ultimately disposed of the case.


The performance of the activation function in convolutional neural networks is directly related to the model's image classification accuracy. The rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation function has been extensively used in image classification models but has significant shortcomings, including low classification accuracy. The performance of a series of parametric activation functions has made parameter addition a popular research avenue for improving the performance of activation functions in recent years, and excellent progress has been achieved. Existing parametric activation functions often focus on assigning a different slope to the negative part of the activation function and still involve the negative value alone in the activation function calculation, without considering the impact of linking the negative value to the positive value on the performance of the activation function. As a result, this work proposes a novel parametric right-shift activation function, the adaptive offset activation function (AOAF). By inserting an adaptive parameter (the mean value of the input feature tensor) and two custom ReLU parameters, the negative parameters previously driven to zero by ReLU can be turned into positive parameters with lower weight and participate in CNN feature extraction. We compared the performance of the suggested activation function to the performance of a selection of typical activation functions using four distinct public datasets. Compared with ReLU, the average classification accuracy of our proposed activation function improved by 3.82%, 0.6%, 1.02%, and 4.8% for the four datasets, respectively.


We study the finite temperature Casimir interactions on two parallel boundaries in the anti-de Sitter space–time AdSD+1 induced by the vacuum fluctuations of a massive fermionic field with MIT bag boundary conditions. Due to the nontrivial curvature, the magnitudes of the Casimir pressures on the two boundaries are different, where the pressure on the right is larger than the pressure on the left. Nevertheless, it is shown that the Casimir interaction always tends to attract the two boundaries to each other at any temperature and for any mass. The ratio of the magnitude of the pressure on the right to the magnitude of the pressure on the left decreases as the temperature increases or when the mass increases. For bosonic fields, it is well known that the high temperature leading term of the Casimir interaction is linear in temperature. However, for fermionic fields, the Casimir interaction decays exponentially at high temperature due to the absence of zero Matsubara frequency.


The authors applied one of the most commonly used methods,called modified Ripley's K(i.e.(Ripley's) L) function and J function,to analyze the spatial point pattern and marked point pattern of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands for 3 samples in 3 different towns(Duguitala,Huhemudu and Balagong).The results show that the spatial patterns of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands in Duguitala,Huhemudu and Balagong were obviously different.In Duguitala,the pattern of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands was regular in small scale(0-5.0 m),and random in middle and large scales(5.0——50.0 m).In Huhemudu,the pattern was regular in small scale ((0——8.0 m)) and random in middle and large scales (8.0——50.0 m).In Balagong,the situation was more complicated and the pattern was regular in small scale(0——3.5 m),random in small and middle scales(3.5——10.5 m),clumped in middle scale(10.5——19.5 m) and random again in middle and large scales((19.5——)50 m).While the marked point pattern analysis was more detailed and exact in the scale than point pattern analysis.For example,in Duguitala,the scale of regular was 2.9——11.6 m,and the scale of random was 0——2.9 m,11.6——13.5 m and 14.2——50.0 m.The reason causing the different patterns of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands was the environment heterogeneity caused by different water conditions in the study region.Finally, the authors analyzed the environmental interpretation and ecological significance of the spatial pattern of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands,and suggested that the utilization,protection and restoration of Nitraria tangutorum shrub islands must base on the relationships among spatial patterns,scales and different succession periods.


Next generation networks (NGN) introduces a great emphasis on creating innovative telecommunications services that are rapidly deployed and tied to users need. Telecom operators and Service Providers are therefore facing important challenges to manage the overloaded data of the user preferences, the customized services and the whole service delivery chain. This is mainly due to the lack of standardization and common vocabulary, which strongly hinder information exchange and communication between information systems. Ontologies, which capture the semantics of information from various sources and giving them a concise, uniform and declarative description, have gained significant interests in research activities and industry. This paper is an analysis of ontologies usefulness to answer the NGN management challenges. Hence how ontologies may be used to improve Telecom Operators information systems in the NGN context.


As the secondary damage and difficult flowbacking of the reacted acid can be produced during the conventional acidizing in the heavy oil reservoir, a technology of thermochemistry complex a-cidizing has been studied in W5 heavy oil reservoir of Jiangsu Oilfield. i. e. , optimizing the acidizing formulation and using the acidizing fluid to corrode partial of the cores and organic bulkhead to improve the permeability of immediate vicinity of wellbore; adding agent A in acidizing fluid and agent B in overflush fluid and then injecting them into piecewise formations and making thermochemistry reaction in the formations, thus, a great deal of gas and heat are generated. Because of the gas and heat, the formations are heated up, the organic matter are dissolved, crude oil viscosity is thinned and the flowbacking of the reacted acid is forwarded. However, optimized multifunction additive KB-28 has poor acid resistance although it plays significant roles in cutting down superficial tension and corrosion mitigation, therefore, resist KB-96 is used in the acidizing fluid.


This paper describes a fully differential DLL-based frequency multiplier using a noise-rejected voltage-controlled delay line (VCDL). In order to improve the power consumption and synthesized frequency range of the DLL-based frequency multiplier, we design an edge combiner using current mode logic to generate a fully differential output clock. This edge combiner consists of four stage fully differential current logic with XOR scheme. It can obtain the characteristic of high speed operation. Based on TSMC 0.18/spl mu/m 1P6M N-well CMOS process, the simulation results show that the DLL can operate from 360 to 550MHz. And, the frequency multiplier can synthesize frequency from 720MHz to 2.2GHz. The proposed frequency multiplier produces the 2/spl times/ and 4/spl times/ fully differential output clock frequency. The total power dissipation is only 38mW and the cycle-to-cycle jitter is less than 17ps.


Adhesive contacts whose one of surface is microstructured using pattern has raised a considerable attention in the past two decades. Fundamental understanding of these contacts is important because it would permit to control the adhesion properties by micropatterning the substrate rather than by chemical functionalization. However, the precise role of the major parameters that govern this type of contact remains to be clearly identified. We will discuss the conditions for the formation of a contact between the elastic hemisphere made of PDMS and microstructured surfaces with hexagonal pillars, also in PDMS. The "JKR" test connects the adhesion energy to the contact surface area between the hemisphere and the sample plan. However, this specifically developed device allows a "quasi-static" classic use, but also explores the contact behavior in frequency: a dynamic mode has been developed that works in cyclic loading. This allows to analyze the effect of load frequency based on the parameters of textured surfaces. In the context of static tests, we describe the structural role of pillars and discuss the hysteresis phenomenon of contact after loading and unloading, exclusively due to contact between the pillars with no influence on the behavior on the top of pillars. In a second step, we show that the variation of the aspect ratio of pattern surface texturing leads to an invariant behavior when the formation of contact between the hemisphere and the flexible elastic substrate: the geometric scaling study leads to similar contact behavior in static and dynamic mode. 21 ème Congrès Français de Mécanique Bordeaux, 26 au 30 août 2013 2 Mots clefs : Surfaces microstructurées, échelle, comportement, hystérèse


Gene transfer in primary mammalian myocytes via non-viral methods has been cumbered by the low efficiency of transfection.We developed a simple and reproducible procedure to transfect human paraoxinase 1 gene(PON1) into the primary cultures of mouse myoblasts and mature muscle cells.Electroporation was used to promote the PON1 delivery in mouse myogenic cells and myotubes with high cell viability.The highest arylesterase activities in culture medium of myoblasts was 0.954±0.187(U/ml) under the conditions of 800(V/cm),20 ms and 50 μF,whereas in myotubes,it was 2.611 ± 0.420(U/ml) under 700(V/cm),20 ms and 50 μF.Respectively 87% and 84% of the expressed PON1 in myoblasts and myotubes were secreted into culture medium after electroporations.The PON1 mRNA in mouse myocytes was detectable by RT-PCR.As the efficiency of PON1 expression in muscle cells with our approach was significantly higher than that by calcium phosphate or cation lipid method,it might be potentially useful for the non-viral delivery in bioengineering and gene therapy.


In this paper we study the permanence and the oscillatory behavior of the solutions of a system of two nonlinear difference equations.


The hypocotyl inoculation technique was used to screen 273 wild soybean lines(Glycine soja L.)from Southern China by P.sojae strain Pm14,and to further explore their resistant distribution and capacity.The results indicated that 3.30% and 16.48% of wild soybean lines from Jiangxi,Hunan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held resistant and intermediate reactions to race Pm14,respectively.It suggested that there are resistant recourses to Phytophthora root rot among wild soybean lines taken from Southern China.While there were a little higher percent of resistant recourses in Guangxi.


We are developing a cryocooled (RE)Ba2Cu3O7 (REBCO; RE = rare earth) persistent-mode superconducting magnet system that generates 1 T with multiple superconducting joints. In parallel to the design of the system, we have investigated transport characteristics of the REBCO superconducting joints. Critical currents (<italic>I</italic>c) were measured as a function of magnetic field and temperature. Two joint samples with <italic>I</italic>c of 107 and 53 A at 77 K, self-field were measured. The first one showed <italic>I</italic>c of 357 A at 50 K and 0.1 T (magnetic field is perpendicular to the tape surface). <italic>I</italic>c of the REBCO joint samples showed remarkable hysteresis. The anisotropy of <italic>I</italic>c changed with temperature. <italic>I</italic>c at <italic>B</italic> perpendicular to the tape were higher than those at <italic>B</italic> parallel to the tape at temperatures below 20 K. The random pinning is possibly the dominant pinning mechanism in the whole temperatures for the REBCO superconducting joints in magnetic fields perpendicular to <italic>c</italic>-axis.