A physical explanation of the lateral guiding mechanism in channeled-substrate-planar (CSP) lasers based on the amount of wavefront tilt of the transverse field outside the channel region is presented. Because of this inherent wavefront tilt, all CSP lasers will have a very slight asymmetry in their transverse far-field pattern. The nature of the guiding mechanism does not require light absorption by the substrate. Design curves showing the complex lateral effective index step as a function of n-clad thickness with the active layer as a parameter are also presented. Depending on the specific layer compositions and thicknesses, the CSP guiding mechanism can provide a positive lateral index step for substrates with mole fractions of AlAs ranging from 0 to higher than 0.2. >


I am grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities for a summer grant in 1997, which launched me on the research for this article. A visiting scholarship at Wolfson College, Cambridge, in the summer of 1998 gave me the opportunity to carry on the research and writing. I would also like to thank Mark Chinea, Thea Summerfield, Andrew Taylor, and Nicholas Watson for generously shar ing their scholarship with me, as well as the editor and anonymous reviewers of Speculum for their very useful comments. Elizabeth J. Bryan very kindly read an earlier draft of this article. Part of this work was delivered as the Ninth Annual Rossell Hope Robbins Lecture to the Medieval Club of New York, in May 1999.


Long distribution feeders connected to Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) systems are unique subsystems of the electric power network in Australia, especially in the State of Queensland. Since the SWER systems are connected between two phases of a distribution line via an isolating transformer, they are inherently unbalanced loads. In this paper a proposal will be developed to investigate the problems associated with the SWER systems and to suggest possible solutions. The study is based on an actual distribution feeder supplying power to several SWER lines in a rural area of the State of Queensland, Australia. Some issues will be addressed including suggestions for correcting the unbalanced operation, high energy losses, voltage and load profile, and the quality of power supplied to the customers.


Microbes in the environments surrounding nuclear waste depositories pose several questions regarding the protection of the surrounding communities. microbes can facilitate microbially influenced corrosion (MIC), mobilize and facilitate the transport of nuclides as well as produce gaseous emissions which can compromise containment. We have developed an analysis of the extant microbiota that is independent of quantitative recovery and subsequent growth, based on signature biomarkers analysis (SBA).


Our analysis of observed Hickson Compact Groups shows that there is a strong and statistically significant (p = 0.002) relationship between mass to light ratio (M/LR) and group mass, with more massive compact groups having substantially higher M/LRs, scaling roughly with mass to the 0.76 ± 0.09 power. This relationship holds even after dropping clusters of galaxies whose log mass differs from the mean log mass by more than two standard deviations. For a sample of Abell clusters of galaxies, a similar but weaker relationship is observed, with more massive galaxies having a M/LR that scales with mass to the 0.73 ± 0.09 power (p = 0.010). This relationship implies that heavier galaxy clusters have dramatically higher fractions of dark matter.


Based on the AC permanent magnetic synchronous linear motor in IC packaging devices, the fundamental principle of linear motor is introduced and a simple but effective model is established. According to the high speed and high accuracy requirement in IC packaging platform, several controllers compressing all kind of disturbance are designed and compared by Simulink simulating. And then in different operating conditions, the choice of controllers is presented with effective compressing disturbance and rapid response.


We investigated the in vitro effects of pyrogallol on cell growth, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis in HeLa cells. Pyrogallol inhibited the growth of HeLa cells with an IC50 of approximately 45 µM. Pyrogallol induced arrest during all phases of the cell cycle and also very efficiently resulted in apoptosis in HeLa cells, as evidenced by flow cytometric detection of sub‐G1 DNA content, annexin V binding assay, and DAPI staining. This apoptotic process was accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm), Bcl‐2 decrease, caspase‐3 activation, and PARP cleavage. Pan‐caspase inhibitor (Z‐VAD) could rescue some HeLa cells from pyrogallol‐induced cell death, while caspase‐8 and ‐9 inhibitors unexpectedly enhanced the apoptosis. When we examined the changes of the ROS, H2O2 or O  2.− in pyrogallol‐treated cells, H2O2 was slightly increased and O  2.− significantly was increased. In addition, we detected a decreased GSH content in pyrogallol‐treated cells. Only pan‐caspase inhibitor showing recovery of GSH depletion and reduced intracellular O  2.− level decreased PI staining in pyrogallol‐treated HeLa cells, which indicates dead cells. In summary, we have demonstrated that pyrogallol as a generator of ROS, especially O  2.− , potently inhibited the growth of HeLa cells through arrests during all phases of the cell cycle and apoptosis. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


A dwarf mutant 428dm was found in a population of the japonica wide-compatibility rice germplasm 02428. It still maintains the wide compatibility of 02428 when crossed with both indica and japonica varieties. In other characters like growth and development stages, grain shape, and reaction to phenol, there is no difference found either between 428dm and 02428,except that in plant stature 428dm is significantly shorter than 02428. The plant height of the 428dm line was, on average, 46. 33± 2. 08 cm with two obvious prolonged internodes only. The panicle length was around 14. 17±0. 70 cm. The lengths of the first and the second internodes next to the panicle were 23. 83±2. 17 cm and 5. 57± 1. 60 cm, respectively. The results show that the 428dm dwarfness is recessively inherited in the F1 of 428dm × 02428. However, the relationships between 428dm and other identified dwarf sources, especially the sd-1 gene-containing indica source, remain to be investigated.


High performance liquid chromatography in reversed-phase system was used to control the synthesis of Finasteride {17β (N-tert-carbamoyl)-4-aza-5α-androst-1-ene-3-one} - the drug used in the therapy of prostatic carcinoma. The objective of these investigations was the finding of such composition of mobile phase which would separate the semi-products obtained in individual stages of synthesis from final products and UV detection at 210 nm. For this purpose we adopted the method of triangle optimisation.


• • 49 T he first six years of a child's life are the most critical years for development, and appropriate health care, nutrition, stimulation, affection, and education are critical for healthy development. These early years also present a window of opportunity to mitigate any developmental concerns. With the right intervention, the child's health, productivity, and quality of life can improve significantly. Headquartered in New Delhi, iRockit is a startup in the early child development (ECD) space in India. It helps children achieve age-appropriate milestones across the multiple domains of development—cognition, speech, motor, emotional, and self-help. It is the only startup in the country that tackles ECD through the healthcare route, using health care technology. Its vision is to make ECD a routine part of pediatric health care, much in the same way as immunization is already being handled today.


In this study, we explored the interaction between humans and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). We analysed local mitigation techniques and propose possible measures to reduce human–elephant conflicts. For four protected areas in Bangladesh, we investigated how people interact with elephants and other crop-damaging species. Crop-damaging species differed from site to site, but elephants were generally the most frequent offenders. Although some people were able to control crop damage caused by other wildlife, damage caused by wild elephants was mostly uncontrollable. Forest villagers were somewhat tolerant of damage caused by other wildlife but they were not tolerant of damage caused by wild elephants. Tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife other than wild elephants tended to increase with distance of respondents from protected areas. Non-tolerance of crop damage caused by wildlife was more common in southeast Bangladesh than in the north. Habitat destruction, caused by high population growth and poverty, appeared to be a major cause for increasing human–elephant conflict. There is an urgent need for adoption of an umbrella strategy (e.g. estimate the size of elephant populations, develop landscape-scale conservation plans and create forest buffer zones under community-based natural resource management schemes) in the use of conflict mitigation as a conservation tool for Asian elephants.


The paracrystalline surface (S)‐layer of Caulobacter crescentus is composed of a single secreted protein (RsaA) that interlocks in a hexagonal pattern to completely envelop the bacterium. Using a genetic approach, we inserted a 12 amino acid peptide from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain K pilin at numerous semirandom positions in RsaA. We then used an immunological screen to identify those sites that presented the inserted pilin peptide on the C. crescentus cell surface as a part of the S‐layer. Eleven such sites (widely separated in the primary sequence) were identified, demonstrating for the first time that S‐layers can be readily exploited as carrier proteins to display 'epitope‐size' heterologous peptides on bacterial cell surfaces. Whereas intact RsaA molecules carrying a pilin peptide could always be found on the surface of C. crescentus regardless of the particular insertion site, introduction of the pilin peptide at 9 of the 11 sites resulted in some proteolytic cleavage of RsaA. Two types of proteolytic phenomena were observed. The first was characterized by a single cleavage within the pilin peptide insert with both fragments of the S‐layer protein remaining anchored to the outer membrane. The other proteolytic phenomenon was characterized by cleavage of the S‐layer protein at a point distant from the site of the pilin peptide insertion. This cleavage always occurred at the same location in RsaA regardless of the particular insertion site, yielding a surface‐anchored 26 kDa proteolytic fragment bearing the RsaA N‐terminus; the C‐terminal cleavage product carrying the pilin peptide was released into the growth medium. When the results of this work were combined with the results of a previous study, the RsaA primary sequence could be divided into three regions with respect to the location of a peptide insertion and its effect on S‐layer biogenesis: (i) insertions in the extreme N‐terminus of RsaA either produce no apparent effect on S‐layer biogenesis or disrupt surface‐anchoring of the protein; (ii) insertions in the extreme C‐terminus either produce no apparent effect on S‐layer biogenesis or disrupt protein secretion; and (iii) insertions more centrally located in the protein either have no apparent effect on S‐layer biogenesis or result in proteolytic cleavage of RsaA. These data are discussed in relation to our previous assignment of the RsaA N‐ and C‐terminus as regions that are important for surface anchoring and secretion respectively.


The work is devoted to the creation of an experimental sample of ultrasonic equipment for conducting studies on drilling the simulator of the lunar soil. Studies have confirmed the possibility of creating equipment. The ultrasound equipment under study provides the specified drilling conditions for the lunar soil simulator.


The background for taking the topic of code-switching is due to the fact that for a large percentage of the people of the world speak more than one language which is a natural way of life with a variety of factors determining which language will be spoken on any particular occasion. People have frequently been immersed in a veritable ocean of cross current of talk: therefore, no one speaks in the same way. Besides that they code-switch, that is, they use more than one language in the execution of a speech act. In communicating people tend to code-switch from one language to another language. In other words, code switching commonly takes place in society and in any speech event.
The study under report was done to find answer to the following research questions: (i) what language are mostly switched by the Account Officers of "Bisnis Bank" in Surabaya when interviewing their customers, and how often does the code-switching occur in each language? (ii) what are the reasons for the Account Officers of "Bisnis Bank" in Surabaya and their customers switch from one code to another when talking to each other during the interviews? And, (iii) how does the code-switching affect the interviewers and interviewees in the interviews?
Using a set of questionnaires the writer elicited answers from the Account Officers of "Bisnis Bank" and their customers in Surabaya about the reasons and the effects they often switched from one code to another. The instruments used to analyze the data are of four kinds: (I) a set of questionnaires to elicit answer from the participants for reasons and effects of code-switching; (II) a parameter to designate factors accounted for code-switching; (III) a worksheet to record the number of occurrence of linguistic items being switched; (IV) a summary of the total number of frequency of occurrence of code-switching in the interviews.
The data analysis brought the following results: First, the languages mostly switched were English Javanese and Chinese. The code-switching from Indonesian (which was the medium of the interviews) to English occurred 49 times, to Javanese 28 times and to Chinese 18 items. Second, the factors accounted for the code-switching were: (1) settings of interviews are formal, but once in a while become informal: (2) participant relationship was distance with low solidarity showing superiority, but once in a while showing high solidarity due to ethnic identity: (3) the function was referential, affective and rhetorical; and (4) the participants attitudes were positive due to multilingualism, showing ethnic consciousness and unawareness when code-switching. Third, the relatively high frequency of code-switching resulted in the effectiveness of the interviews, smoothened the progress of the interviews so that the Account Officers and their customers understood each other better.
In brief, one can say that the code-switching done by both the Account officers and their customers have been proper and effective for the sake of better understanding between them in terms of the successfulness of doing business.
The writer hopes that the study under report will be able to stimulate other students of socio-linguistics to carry out other researchers on the aspects of code-switching in particular and on other aspects of socio-linguistics in general.
The writer also hopes that the findings of this study should give a good input to the field of sociolinguistics that is to enrich the branches of sociolinguistics studies in general. The findings of this study should also propose an input to the field of sociolinguistics especially at the English Department of Widya Mandala University that is to give a better understanding of code-switching.


This study examined spatial and temporal distribution on PM2.5 and children``s asthma admission in Seoul, qualitatively evaluated the effects of PM2.5 on children``s asthma admission, and estimated the health benefit of health damage reduction, according to PM2.5 concentration improvement. This study examined the spatial and temporal distribution of PM2.5 and children``s asthma hospital admission in Seoul from 2007 to 2013. As a result of krigging analysis, the concentration of PM2.5 showed a constantly declining trend from 2010 to 2013, and the concentration was higher in spring and winter, compared to summer and autumn. According to search for the areas, where asthma admission of the age group of 15 and younger children occurred intensively, most northwestern area of Seoul was the hot-spot. For spatial correlation analysis between PM2.5 and the asthma admission of children aged 15 and younger, this study conducted a risk analysis using rapid inquiry facility(RIF). As a result, the relative risk of asthma admission was higher in the area with higher PM2.5 concentration than in the area with lower PM2.5 concentration. This study also quantitatively evaluated PM2.5 and its effects on asthma admission in Seoul from 2007 to 2013. As a result of health effect evaluation, PM2.5 increase significantly raised children``s asthma admission. By age, the age group aged 0 to 4 had relatively higher risk of asthma hospital admission due to PM2.5 than that of the age group aged 15 and younger. By gender, boys were affected more by PM2.5 than girls. If Seoul``s PM2.5 concentration in 2013 is assumed to meet the air quality criterion recommended by WHO, this study estimated the health benefit of the decrease in asthma admission through PM2.5 concentration improvement by applying a concentration-response function of asthma admission drawn by this study, according to air pollution concentration increase. According the findings of this study, the step-by-step consolidation of air environment criteria of PM2.5, which is scheduled to be executed in 2015, is required for people``s health protection. Also, the health benefit estimation results of environmental policy can be used as useful judgement basis in deciding policy priority and preferential areas.


AIM:To set up a quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of rutaevine and evodin in Evodia rutaecarpa. METHOD:An RP-HPLC method was set up, using Hypersil-C 18 column, acetonitrile∶water (36∶64, v/v) as mobile phase with a flow rate of 1 0 ml/min at the detection wavelength of 204 nm. RESULT:The calibration curve was linear in the range of 4 04~40 4 μg·ml -1for rutaevine (r=0 9998, n=6) and 3 96~39 6 μg·ml -1 for evodin (r=0 9999, n=6) respectively. The average recoveries were 99 2% (RSD 1 4%) and 98 8% (RSD 1 2%) respectively. CONCLUSION:This method is accurate, sensitive and convenient.


This article explores the experiences of students who participated in a distance service-learning programme. The students from Lesotho, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe had completed a service-learning project in their communities. Using telephone interviews, this study attempted to ascertain the benefits and challenges of doing service-learning via distance learning, and in addition to establish whether the experience had been meaningful to the students from an Afrocentric perspective. Interviews of 11 students revealed that the challenges they had experienced were those commonly experienced by African students enrolled in distance learning. Service-learning added challenges in terms of additional costs, and the difficulties of establishing relationships of trust in communities. The students also reported having a sense of responsibility and empathy towards others which made their service-learning endeavours meaningful to them. Issues of social justice and learning from the communities in which they were placed did not feature in the interviews. This highlights the importance of foregrounding these matters in the materials developed for these courses.


Thank you very much for reading children as victims witnesses and offenders psychological science and the law. As you may know, people have look hundreds times for their favorite books like this children as victims witnesses and offenders psychological science and the law, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some malicious bugs inside their desktop computer.


The nonlinear and stochastic characteristics of loads in the distribution system result in the uncertainty of injected harmonic current at load buses,and then lead to the harmonic distribution uncertainty in the power system.To deal with the uncertainties of harmonic sources in harmonic power flow calculation,an interval is used to replace the point value to develop a complex affine model of the constant-current source for the harmonic source.Taking the harmonic source with a typical spectrum as an example,the influence of load uncertainties on the harmonic current produced by the harmonic sources is analyzed,and the modeling method is described as well.On this basis,a complex affine calculating method based on backward/forward sweep for three-phase uncertain harmonic power flow in the distribution system is proposed.The method proposed is tested on a typical 33-bus distribution system,and the results obtained are compared with those from Monte Carlo's method of harmonic power flow analysis.Simulation results show the effectiveness of the method proposed in calculating harmonic distribution in the distribution system with uncertain harmonic sources.


Objective:
To investigate the clinical efficacy of uterine artery embolization in the treatment of endogenous cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) and exogenous CSP.

Methods:
Thirty cases of endophytic CSP cicatricial pregnancy from January 2017 to January 2018 were selected as the observation group, and 30 cases diagnosed as exogenous CSP from January 2016 to January 2017 without systematic classification were randomly selected as control group, and the two groups were treated with pure uterine operation after interventional therapy. The difference of data between the two groups was compared, such as the amount of bleeding, degree of postoperative pain, time of hospitalization, normal time for recovery of serum HCG, and recovery time of menstruation.

Results:
In the observation group, the amount of bleeding, time of hospitalization, degree of pain after the operation, recovery time of serum HCG and recovery time of menstruation were all lower than those in the control group, and the difference of data between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05) .

Conclusions:
Interventional embolization of uterine artery is better than exogenous CSP in the treatment of endogenetic CSP. It should actively advocate a more systematic classification of CSP by color Doppler ultrasound, so as to provide better therapy for clinical treatment.

Key words:
Uterine artery embolization; Endogenetic type; Uterine scar pregnancy; Clinical efficacy


Interest rate plays an important leverage role in macroeconomic market.This paper presents the differential equation that reflects the properties of interest rate transmission,and examines the conclusion that the problems resulting from interest rate changes should be related to the basic equation deformation.The characteristics of interest rate distribution of non-stable process of interest rate transmission are also analyzed based on the differential equation solution.


This study develops a new approach to quantitatively identify the most important determinants of urban water use. The approach is based on a data mining model called genetic programming (GP), which automatically optimizes the structure of the function and parameters simultaneously. With historical urban water use as the target, the GP model identifies the most relevant factors for 47 cities in northern China. Compared with conventional regressive models, the GP model performs better than the double-log model. The Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE) of the GP model is 0.87, while the NSE of the double-log model is 0.79. According to the results of the case study, urban water use is determined by both socio-economic and natural variables. Total population, service industry indicators, green land area, housing area, water price, and rainfall are the most significant determinants of urban water use. Among them, total population, service industry indicators, and green land area clearly have positive contributions to urban water use, whereas rainfall has a negative impact on urban water use. The impacts of housing area and water price are complex, which implies that these determinants may have different impacts on urban water use in different conditions. The new model and new insights developed in this study could be helpful for urban water management, especially for cities that experience water scarcity.


The purpose of this study was to test effects of the Triple Abduction Model (TAM) for improving the skills of scientific hypothesis generation in science learning. Twenty-six students were selected for the TAM group and 27 others were selected for a traditional group from one high school. Researchers developed and administered 10 TAM and traditional-style activities. The degree of hypothesis explanation was evaluated during the experimental treatment. Each Subjects' ability in scientific hypothesis generation was assessed by the Science Knowledge Generation Test A and B. Test A was used as a protest and B for a posttest. The results of this study revealed that the degree of hypothesis explanation of TAM was significantly higher than the degree of the traditional group, and the mean of the TAM group was equal to the mean of traditional group on the pretest. Additionally, the mean of the TAM group was significantly higher than the mean of the control group on the posttest. Therefore, instruction with TAM was more effective than the instruction using traditionals method for increasing students' hypothesis generation skills.


The invention relates to a controller (18) for a transducer (14), which controller is designed to receive measurement signals (SM) of an output line (35) of the transducer (14) from a measuring device (34) and to evaluate the measurement signals (SM) in order to generate a switching signal (SS) having a switching frequency (fSW), wherein the controller (18) has a sampling device (36) for producing (120) a sampling signal (SSAMPLE) by sampling (120) received measurement signals (SM). The sampling device (36) is designed to perform the sampling (120) at a sampling frequency (fSAMPLE) that is less than three times the switching frequency (fSW). A transducer (14) comprises a controller (18) according to the invention.


Surface plasmons are waves that propagate along the surface of a conductor.By altering the structure of a metal's surface,the properties of surface plasmons,such as their dispersion,modes,and the coupling effect,can be significantly changed.In particular their interaction with light can be controlled and tailored,which offers the potential for developing new types of photonic deviceses.This could lead to miniaturized photonic circuits with length scales that are much smaller than those currently achieved.Plasmonics has become one of the frontierfields of research.The principles,novel effects,and physical mechanisms of surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs)are attracting wide interest due to bright prospects of potential applications in subwavelength optics,data storage,light generation,microscopy and bio-photonics.The basic principles of SPPs,their novel phenomena,and some potential applications are introduced in this review.


Canada's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. This means that religious communities have the right to "insist upon certain moral commitments from those who wish to join" them. In Wall v Highwood Congregation, the Supreme Court affirmed that "religious groups are free to determine their own membership and rules" and that it will not intervene in "issues of theology." But two weeks later, in Trinity Western University, the Supreme Court ruled that government actors could refuse to recognize law degrees issued by a religious university because of its religiously-based admissions requirements.

Many aspects of the Trinity Western ruling are difficult to reconcile with the Court's previous interpretations of the Charter, including its 2001 decision which explicitly affirmed Trinity Western's right to maintain a Community Covenant. This article offers a critique of the reasoning employed (especially by the majority), and provides some reflections on what the ruling might mean for future jurisprudence, particularly in the area of religious freedom.


Mini-grids for rural electrification in developing countries are growing in popularity but are not yet widely deployed. A key barrier of mini-grid proliferation is the uncertainty in predicting customer electricity consumption, which adds financial risk. Energy-use surveys deployed in the pre-feasibility stage that capture present and aspirational consumption are intended to reduce this uncertainty. However, the general reliability and accuracy of these surveys has not been demonstrated. This research compares survey-predicted electrical energy use to actual measured consumption of customers of eight mini-grids in rural Kenya. A follow-up audit compares the aspirational inventory of appliances to the realized inventory. The analysis shows that the ability to accurately estimate past consumption based on survey or audit data, even in a relatively short time-horizon is prone to appreciable error — amean absolute error of 426 Wh/day per customer on a mean consumption of 113 Wh/day per customer. An alternative data-driven proxy village approach, which uses average customer consumption from eachmini-grid to predict consumption at other mini-grids, was more accurate and reduced the mean absolute error to 75 Wh/day per customer. Hourly load profiles were constructed to provide insight into potential causes of error and to suggest how the data provided in this work can be used in computer-aided mini-grid design programs. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).


Objective To discuss the significance of plasma level changes GMP 40 in old patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease(CAHO).Methods The plasma level of GMP 40 was measured among CAHD group( n =24) and control group( n =20) using radioimmunoassay.Platelet(PLT),plasma prothrombin time(PT) and myocardial enzymes were measured too.Results The plasma level of GMP 140 was much higher in the acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and unlimited angina pectoris(UAP) group than that in the control group( P 0 05).There was a correlation between plasma level of GMP 140 and the change of myocardial enzymes.as well as the ischemic area of AMI and UAP.Conclusions Plasma level of GMP 140 might be a important indicator to observe the change of disease and the prognostic of disease.


This article outlines the state of the art in German research on environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD). Empirical German research on the importance of environmental education and ESD for schools is analysed in relation to three research fields. First, survey research describes the practice of environmental education and ESD, for example in the ways instruction is organised by teachers and pupils. Second, research on innovation analyses strategies for implementing environmental education and ESD in the school system, while third, research on teaching and learning examines the effects of teaching and learning processes. In describing the state of the art, longitudinal research providing evidence on the development from environmental education to ESD is examined, as are teachers' understandings of the new concept. The results of innovation and teaching‐learning research allow us to identify research gaps and challenges, and to make recommendations for future research.


Deafness and peripheral neuropathy are relatively rare complications of carbon monoxide intoxication. A case of carbon monoxide intoxication is presented with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, weakness and sensory impairment in the left hand, and weakness and atrophy of the left quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscles.


Integrins are fundamental for cell adhesion and the formation of focal adhesions (FA). Accordingly, these receptors guide embryonic development, tissue maintenance and haemostasis, but are also involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. A detailed understanding of the molecular interactions that drive integrin activation, focal adhesion assembly, and downstream signalling cascades is critical. Here, we reveal a direct association of paxillin, a marker protein of focal adhesion sites, with the cytoplasmic tails of the integrin β1 and β3 subunits. The binding interface resides in paxillin's LIM3 domain, where based on the NMR structure and functional analyses a flexible, seven amino acid loop engages the unstructured part of the integrin cytoplasmic tail. Genetic manipulation of the involved residues in either paxillin or integrin β3 compromises cell adhesion and motility. This direct interaction between paxillin and the integrin cytoplasmic domain identifies an alternative, kindlin-independent mode of integrin outside-in signalling particularly important for integrin β3 function.


We use classical molecular dynamics simulations to study the collapse of single (SWNT) and double-walled (DWNT) carbon nanotube bundles under hydrostatic pressure. The collapse pressure (pc) varies as 1/R 3, where R is the SWNT radius or the DWNT effective radius. The bundles show ∼ 30 % hysteresis and the hexagonally close packed lattice is completely restored on decompression. The pc of DWNT is found to be close to the sum of its values for the inner and the outer tubes considered separately as SWNT, demonstrating that the inner tube supports the outer tube and that the effective bending stiffness of DWNT, DDWNT∼2DSWNT . We use an elastica formulation to derive the scaling and the collapse behavior of DWNT and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. PACS numbers: 81.07.De, 02.70.Ns, 62.20.Dc, 62.50.+p


Objective : to evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injections into the neck muscles to reduce dystonic postures, head tremor, and pain syndrome in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) within the first 8 cycles of treatment. Patients and methods. The investigation included 76 patients (26 (34%) men and 50 (66%) women) with CD and dystonic head tremor, who were given BTA injections into the neck muscles for the first time. All the 76 patients received at least one cycle of BTA therapy. At the same type, 18 of these patients received 4 cycles of injections and 36 patients had 8 cycles. Injections were given when the symptoms of CD recurred or increased and the patient needed to be retreated. The interval between the injection cycles was arbitrary, but not less than 12 weeks. The doses of BTA agents per treatment cycle were as follows: Dysport was 400 to 1000 U, xeomin was 50 to 300 U, and Botox 200 to 300 U. The symptoms of CD were assessed using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) and the Tsui scale before the first injection of BTA and injection cycles 4 and 8; the presence or absence of head tremor was recorded. Results. The TWSTRS severity of CD symptoms decreased from 38 [36; 41] to 30 [27; 33] scores by injection cycle 4 (p < 0.001) and to 26 [23; 27] scores by cycle 8 (p<0.01). The Tsui severity of CD reduced from 9.3 [9; 10] to 7.2 [7; 8] scores by injection cycle 4 (p<0.001) and to 6.7 [6; 7] scores by cycle 8. The Tsui tremor scores decreased from 1.9 [1.6; 2.1] to 1.4 [1.1; 1.6] scores by injection cycle 4 and to 1.1 [0.9;1.4] scores by cycle 8 (p<0.01). Tremor completely disappeared in 6 (11%) of patients by injection cycle 4 and in 6 (18%) patients by cycle 8. According to Section 3 of the TWSTRS, pain intensity was reduced from 9.9 [8.9; 11.0] to 5.0 [3.3; 6.6] scores by injection cycle 4 (p<0.001) and to 2.1 [0.7; 3.6] scores by cycle 8 (p < 0.01); pain regressed completely in 12 (41%) and 9 (64%) patients by cycles 4 and 8, respectively. Conclusion. BTA injections into the neck muscles are an effective treatment for CD symptoms, such as dystonic tremor, posture, and pain. Successive injection cycles have a cumulative effect that is more marked by injection cycle 8. It is appropriate to prescribe longer treatment cycles to patients with CD and head tremor. Dystonic head tremor, unlike dystonic postures, may regress fully after BTA injections


The paper explains the need for high-voltage impulse generators which will produce the standard voltage waveshapes specified for impulse testing. A theoretical analysis of the impulse generator and load circuit is given, and the development of the multi-stage generator for high voltages is described. The mechanism of operation of the multi-stage generator is analysed and is illustrated by oscillograms. Illustrations of two typical generators are shown, and some of the auxiliary equipment needed is briefly mentioned. The paper concludes with an example of impulse-testing technique.


• Magic has a unique and universal appeal that captivates the interest of children. One has only to observe the fascination in their faces during magic shows. When handicapped children are introduced to instructional concepts through the device of a magic trick, their attention span and motivational levels usually increase. A rabbit pulled from a hat, for example, can be an extraordinary way to introduce a unit on animals. Magic can provide teachers and other adults with a special entree into the world of children. The fascination that it produces creates new avenues of communication which are frequently helpful in instructional situations. Most special educators believe in a multisensory approach to instruction. Magic certainly offers a creative means for stimulating the senses. Tactile, visual, and auditory senses are probably the most commonly used, although some magic tricks also involve the gustatory and olfactory senses. Magic is both an observational and participant activity. Children can enjoy watching others, or they can actually take part. Most magic tricks do not require highly developed psychomotor skills. With practice, even the most uncoordinated child can master a substantial number of feats. Success is virtually assured if the interest level is high. By


This article uses content analysis to examine the media construction of violence and sexuality among young Black, White, and Latina women who fight on WorldStarHipHop.com. I explore symbolic themes derived from the construction of violence through physical fighting. Findings suggest overrepresentation of depictions of Black women as perpetrators, specifically with weapon use and amount of physical violence shown. Findings also indicate racial differences in displays of nudity. Yet, these racialized images conflict with existing codes of violence in urban Black communities. This article adds new insight into the critical discourse surrounding urban Black women and new media construction of girl violence.


Introduction: Recently, Interacoustics presented a new otoacoustic emission protocol where the probe pressurizes the ear cavity, thus eliminates the risk of non-assessment (REFER outcome) due to a negative middle ear pressure. This study evaluated the characteristics and the performance of this new protocol on a newborn well-baby population. Methods: One hundred sixty-three newborns (age 2.7 ± 1.1 days) for a total of 294 ears were assessed randomly. Transiently evoked otoacoustic responses were acquired by the Titan device (Interacoustics), using the default and a pressurized TEOAE protocol. The data were analyzed in terms of signal to noise ratios (S/Ns) at 5 frequencies, namely, 0.87, 1.94, 2.96, 3.97, and 4.97 kHz. To assess any possible gestational age (GE) effects on the TEOAE variables, the responses were subdivided in 4 different age subgroups. Results: There were no significant differences between the left and right ear TEOAE responses, for age (in days), GE (in weeks), weight (in grams), and S/N at all 5 frequencies. Considering the pooled 294 ears, paired t tests between the default and the pressurized TEOAE data showed significant differences across all 5 frequencies (p < 0.01). The pressurized protocol generated TEOAE responses presenting larger S/Ns, and a positive additive effect of approximately 2.31 dB was observed at all tested frequencies. There were no significant GE effects on the pressurized TEOAE responses. In terms of performance, both protocols performed equally (same number of PASSes). Conclusion: The pressurized TEOAE protocol generates responses with higher S/Ns which might be useful in borderline cases where the middle ear status might cause a REFER screening outcome.


War in History 2006 13 (1) impressive insights are those relating to Seven Pillars as a deliberate attempt to produce a modernist version of epic and so concerned to create epic effects (including recitations of sonorous names) rather than accurate details. Lawrence's achievement lay in creating a narrative 'so vivid that it is as if we had been there'. Less convincing, in the essay 'The Hero from Homer to Now', is the assertion that in the First World War individual heroism, except in air combat, was in effect impossible. There were numerous heroic actions in ground warfare on all fronts, but these are now ignored or overlooked in recent literary convention which prefers to dwell on horror and futility. Appropriately, from the literary standpoint, Calder's hero is Wilfred Owen, whose stature, he claims, is growing year by year as part of a 'magnificent modern myth'. Since the author elsewhere shows an acute sense of the fallability of memory, it would be well worth explaining that the 'Owen myth' is of comparatively recent origin. The vagaries of memory and changing historical perspectives might also have been noted in several critical references to Sir Arthur Harris and Bomber Command for 'battering German cities and slaughtering children'. Calder acknowledges that for most of the war strategic bombing was Britain's only way to strike directly at Germany, and (one might add) there was little public or political opposition at the time. It is, however, one thing to be critical of strategic bombing in hindsight on moral grounds, but quite another to suggest that it was 'futile' because for a time German war production actually increased. As Richard Overy showed in The Air War, 1939–1945 (1980), 'Bombing was much more effective than the Allies believed (at the time). It may have failed to stem the increase in German arms production, but it prevented the increase from being very considerably greater than it was' (p. 123). Only a few misprints were noted, but since the author stresses his rugby interests he might want to raise a glass to the exploits of that legendary French full-back Serge 'Bianco' (p. 136).


The precise identification of pipeline weld contours directly affects the quality of pipeline welds. Through the conversion of the pixel scale of the weld contour to the actual physical scale, characteristic parameters of the weld inner surface are obtained from the physical scale information, such as the width of the weld along the length, width deviation, edge deviation, realize the detection and quality judgment of the inner surface of the weld. Through the conversion model of the image pixel two-dimensional coordinate system to the camera three-dimensional coordinate system and the depth information of the weld contour in the image, the conversion from the pixel scale of the weld contour to the physical scale is realized. According to the physical dimension information of the weld, the characteristic parameters of the weld inner surface are extracted, and the quality of the weld inner surface is judged.


When the existence in Utrecht of the DeWitt/Van Buchel drawing of the Swan Theater became known in 1888, William Poel was already seven years into his inquiries into the best means of staging the public amphitheater and great hall plays of the English Renaissance.1 I mention this to emphasize that the discourse came before the fact: the belief that Shakespeare's plays are best staged as it was then imprecisely imagined they had once been staged-simply, without elaborate settings or time-consuming scene changes, with direct actor-audience address, "in-the-round"-had as much to do with reactions against the late nineteenth-century stage's pictorialism, with its set-changing interruptions and cut-and-paste revisions to Shakespeare's texts, as it had to do with presenting the Bard "authentically." Some of the confusion caused by the uneasy mixing of historical scholarship and the assumptions and practices of our own contemporary theater profession can be glimpsed in the phenomenon of modern in-the-round staging, often claimed as a more "authentic" approach to Shakespeare in performance, but one which is then modified to make possible post-Stanislavsky acting methods and to satisfy modern audience expectations.


In the present paper we study scaling field theories related to the class of exactly solvable noncritical models of statistical mechanics which are known as RSOS (restricted solid-on-solid) or IRF (interaction round a face) models. These models are related to simple Lie algebras and they generalize the integrable version of RSOS model proposed by Andrews, Baxter and Forrester. 1> The models related to gl(n) were found by Jimbo, Miwa and Okado,2> the models related to other classical Lie algebras were obtained by the same authors in Ref. 3) and by Pasquier in Ref. 4) for Dn-case with a special coupling constant. Critical properties of JMO model were found in Ref. 5) where the authors obtain the explicit formulas for magnetization in the model and compute its critical behavior. It was established there that the critical behavior of these models was described by coset conformal field theories. 6>.7> Therefore it is natural to expect that corre sponding scaling field theories will be integrable perturbations of these conformal field theories. s> In this paper we describe the thermodynamics of the noncritical magnetic chain. Then we find the ground state, excitations over the ground state and the scattering amplitudes of excitations. By getting the scaling limit over the ground state of the model we compute the central charges of corresponding field theories, the dimensions of perturbations, the spectrum and scattering amplitudes of excitations. Under certain assumptions we generalize these results for any Lie algebra of A-D-E type. In certain simplest cases this gives known S-matrices like Es, E1, Es scalar S-matrices.9> In certain other models matrix elements of the S-matrix are given by Pasquier's solutions 4> of the Yang-Baxter equation. We do not discuss here the relation of RSOS models to integrable models of vertex type. 23>' 25> Partially the relation was explained in Refs. 4) and 26). The relation between the spectrum of row-to-row transfer matrices in RSOS and in vertex models will be given in a separate publication. For some of the scaling models the same answer was obtained by Bernard and


Performance analysis of a reversible micro-pump system is obtained by numerical simulations. The unsteady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are solved in a moving micro-pump system using a spectral h/p element algorithm, employing an arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation on structured/unstructured meshes. The performance of the micro-pump is evaluated as a function of the Reynolds number and the geometric parameters. The volumetric flowrate is shown to increase as a function of the Reynolds number. The unsteady traction forces on the pump membrane and the vorticity dynamics within the pump cavity are presented.


Composites prepared by grafting poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) onto the surfaces of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) (RGO-g-P3HT) exhibit an enhanced photothermal effect due to photoinduced energy transfer from P3HT to RGO. A remote photo-controlled electrical switch was prepared using RGO-g-P3HT as a photothermal layer.


Abstract Seasonal forecast of climate anomalies holds the prospect of improving agricultural planning and food security, particularly in the low latitudes where rainfall represents a limiting factor in agrarian production. Present-day methods are usually based on simulated precipitation as a predictor for the forthcoming rainy season. However, climate models often have low skill in predicting rainfall due to the uncertainties in physical parameterization. Here, the authors present an extended statistical model approach using three-dimensional dynamical variables from climate model experiments like temperature, geopotential height, wind components, and atmospheric moisture. A cross-validated multiple regression analysis is applied in order to fit the model output to observed seasonal precipitation during the twentieth century. This model output statistics (MOS) system is evaluated in various regions of the globe with potential predictability and compared with the conventional superensemble approach, which ...


Abstract : The manoeuvres of the application satellite SYMPHONIE are simulated by a motion simulator facility to increase confidence in the performance of the satellite attitude control system. Earth sensor, sun sensor, and attitude control electronics are used as hardware components in the simulation. The dynamics of the satellite is simulated by an analog computer. The dynamical motion simulation facility is considered as a new approach to a simulation technique with actual components. (Author)


We study service scheduling problems in a slotted system where jobs arrive according to a Bernoulli process and leave within two slots after arrival. Service costs are quadratic in service rates, and there is also a linear waiting cost. We frame the problems as average cost Markov decision processes. While the studied system is a linear system with quadratic costs, it has state-dependent control and a non-standard cost function structure, rendering the optimization problem complex. We obtain explicit optimal policies in the case when all the jobs are of the same size. In particular, we show that the optimal policy is linear or piece-wise linear in the system state, depending on the system parameters. We then consider a scenario where each service request comes from a rational agent interested in optimizing his/her service and waiting cost, and we obtain a symmetric Nash equilibrium. We extend our study to a scenario where job sizes can take distinct values, and job arrivals constitute a Markov chain. Here, we provide an algorithm that yields the optimal policy, but it is of exponential complexity. Finally, we propose an approximate policy of linear complexity for general job size distributions and derive its performance bound.


Background
Illness narratives for veterans living with heart failure (HF) have been largely unexplored, yet HF is a significant and impactful illness affecting the lives of many veterans.

Methods
This study used narrative inquiry to explore the domains of psychosocial adjustments using the model of adjustment to illness, including self-schema, world schema, and meaning.

Results
Five illness narratives of veterans living with HF were cocreated and explored domains which were found across all the narratives explored in this study. Emergent themes included: uniqueness of the veteran experience and the social, historical, and cultural context of narrator and researcher.

Conclusions
Veterans living with HF are a unique population who experience changes in their self-schema, world schema, and meaning through their illness experience. These findings have important implications for interdisciplinary health care research and clinical practice, providing important insight into how people live with chronic illness.


Performance of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) can be enhanced by converting thermal energy of its high temperature exhaust gas to mechanical power using a micro gas turbine (MGT). A MGT plays also an important role to pressurize and warm up inlet gas streams of the SOFC. Performance behavior of the SOFC is sensitively influenced by internal constructions of the SOFC and related to design and operating parameters. In case of the SOFC/MGT hybrid power system, internal constructions of the SOFC influence not only on the performance of the SOFC but also on the whole hybrid system. In this study, influence of performance characteristics of the tubular SOFC and its internal reformer on the hybrid power system is discussed. For this purpose, detailed heat and mass transfer with reforming and electrochemical reactions in the SOFC are mathematically modeled and their results are reflected to the performance analysis. Effects of different internal constructions of the SOFC system and design parameters such as current density, recirculation ratio, fuel utilization factor, and catalyst density in internal reformer on the system performance are investigated and, as a result, some guidelines for the choice of those parameters for optimum operations of the SOFC/MGT hybrid power system are discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME


For conducting use, an organic molecule chalcone (1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-prop-
2-en-1-one (DCHP) and metal oxide nanocomposite (MONC) doped polymer thin films were prepared.
In addition, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) was utilized as a host polymer. The features of
successfully prepared thin polymer films were characterized. The XRD analysis revealed the nano-sized
(40-150 nm), crystalline phases and semi-crystalline behaviour of polymer films. The XPS and EDX
confirmed the elements of PVA, CS, DCHP, MONC4 and MONC5, as well as the oxidation states of
MONC4 and MONC5 sample films. The morphology of the prepared polymer film revealed an even
distribution, a smooth surface and a blossoming flower-like structure from the SEM results. The TGA
study revealed the multi-stage decomposition upon heating, but no complete decomposition for the
produced film containing MONC4 and MONC5 thin films. The bonding between doped materials and
the host polymer in the film was confirmed by FT-IR studies. The produced thin polymer composite
film containing metal oxide nanocomposites and DCHP exhibited a high dielectric property and high
AC conductance of 1.12 × 10-6 S cm-1 at room temperature.


In 2014, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ‐ Education (SNAP‐Ed) incorporated Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) approaches to reinforce obesity prevention efforts. This expansion included engagement in multi‐sectoral coalitions which provide community‐level supports for healthy eating and active living. Coalition success depends on creating well‐defined collaborations that share authority, accountability, resources, and achievements. Arizona's SNAP‐Ed utilized the Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory (WCFI) to evaluate coalitions' effectiveness in supporting food systems and active living PSE goals at the community level.


Computed Tomography (CT) is a type of examination that increases its use gradually over the years, because it has a more advanced technology and because the medical field prefers to use it for diagnostic imaging. The number of exams done in children is increasing and this is becoming a problem because the infant biological tissue is more radiosensitive to the effects of ionizing radiation. This requires radiological protection methods that can reduce the dose of radiation in pediatric patients. Therefore, the present research aims to identify aspects related to radiological protection in dose reduction in pediatric computed tomography through a literature review. In this study, an integrative literature review was carried out, in which 11 articles in English were analyzed and selected from research conducted outside the national scope, to which data were analyzed and enumerated the most cited methods for dose reduction. Among them are: iterative image reconstruction methods (ASIR), use of automatic exposure control (AEC), modulation of the tube current, care of the basic parameters (voltage and current), creation of pediatric dose reference levels (DRL), child positioning, device modernization (detectors), use of infant PPE, substitution for other exams, population awareness and information, dose justification and optimization, dosimetry, and screening filters. It is concluded that for the reduction of radiation dose it is important to correct basic processes in the technical and informational area, so that the children are less affected and the radiological protection always comes first. Descriptors: Tomography, X-Ray Computed. Radiation Protection. Pediatrics. Radiation Dose.


The Maastricht Treaty on Europe Union features an Excessive Deficit Procedure limiting the freedom to borrow of governments participating in the European monetary union. One justification is to prevent states from over- borrowing and demanding a bailout which could divert the European Central Bank from its pursuit of price stability. We challenge this rationale. Using data for a cross section of federal states, we find no association between monetary union and restraints on borrowing by subcentral governments. There is,however, an association between fiscal restraints and the share of the tax base under the control of sub-national authorities. Restraints are prevalent where subcentral governments finance a relatively small share of spending with their own taxes. Lacking control of the tax base, such governments cannot be expected to resort to increased taxation to deal with debt crises. Prohibiting borrowing by subcentral governments will not eliminate the demand for tax smoothing and public investment. Governments whose ability to provide such services is limited may therefore pressure the central government to borrow for them. We report evidence that the financial position of central governments is more fragile where subcentral jurisdictions are prevented from borrowing. The implications for the EU are direct. That EU member states control their own taxes should strengthen the hand of authorities seeking to resist pressure for a bailout. But in the longer run, borrowing restraints may weaken the financial position of Brussels, transferring bailout risk from the member states to the EU itself.


Systematically evaluating the emission intensity and total emission of industries is indispensable for understanding energy and environmental sector performance in general and to support scientific climate change policy-making. In this study, an environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) model for Saskatchewan is developed to investigate the life-cycle environmental impacts of different industries. The IO table is transformed and disaggregated based on the energy use patterns and the underlying economic structure. Key GHG emissions, including CO2, CH4 and N2O, are considered and the CO2 equivalent intensities of different economic sectors are calculated. An in-depth analysis of key industries is conducted to further investigate the interactions between different industries. The results show that the developed model can be effectively used to evaluate the GHG emission intensities. A significant variance exists among the GHG emission intensities of different industries. Fossil-fuel electric power generation, as an intermediate input, has a strong effect on other industries and is a key factor for emission reduction. The developed modeling framework is applied in a detailed case study of the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, to illustrate the potential benefits of its use in the environmental policy-making field.


The fertility dynamics are related to the direction of population policies and socio-economic conditions of the community. From the 1970s to 1990, Soeharto had succeeded in reducing fertility rates. Unfortunately, population control had weakened in 2000 when the government adopted regional autonomy. Consequently, population control was no longer a priority due to the merger of institutions with the full authority of population and family planning. In addition, improving the socio-economic conditions of society poses challenges to population control efforts. This paper aims to analyze fertility and contraceptive prevalence rate trend in Indonesia based on the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey data. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics. The results indicate socio-economic conditions affect people's mindset in deciding the use of contraception and pregnancy. People are aware of birth control but tend not to use modern contraception and move to traditional contraception. The socio-economic improvement of women, which causes negative child value, is sufficiently a sufficient condition to maintain or reduce fertility. Other factors such as improvement of maternal education, maternal participation in work, and increased family welfare that is important to keep fertility at a low level.


Several coatings and linings have been examined and used for the protection of sewer concrete pipes, against mainly biogenic-provoked corrosion due to the production of bio-sulfuric acid, leading to the degradation of the pipes' structure and eventually, to their collapse and need for costly replacement. This study aimed to examine the potential differences between five different magnesium hydroxide coatings, prepared from powders presenting different purity, surface area and pore size distribution, when applied as corrosion protection agents. These coatings were tested by using accelerated sulfuric acid spraying tests, both in dry and wet coating conditions. The coating adhesion ability and their microstructure were examined by the application of pull-off measurements and of SEM analysis, respectively and were found to present certain differences, regarding the adhesion ability and the surface morphologies. During the acid spraying procedure, the surface pH and the mass change of coated concrete specimens were recorded daily. The surface pH was reduced towards acidic values and the mass reduction approached almost −20% in comparison with the initial coating mass for certain cases. Additionally, the hardness and roughness of concrete surface under the coating layer (i.e., the interface between the coating and the surface) after four days of acid spraying, exhibited much smaller changes (due to protection) in contrast to the uncoated concrete specimens (used as blank/comparison experiments), which were found to be highly affected/corroded. The formation of concrete corrosion and coating by-products, as noticed after the respective chemical reactions, was recorded by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and the respective quantification of obtained results. In all the coated specimens only very small amounts of the major by-product (gypsum) was observed, indicating that the concrete surface was sufficiently protected from sulfuric acid attack.


The invention relates to a new use of omega-3 fatty acid (s) as a means to avoid thrombus formation in the animal or human body. By the omega-3 fatty acid (s) is particularly avoided thrombus formation caused by congestive heart failure or atrial fibrillation. Preferably, the agent is applied preventively against disease and / or development of a disease to vascular dementia. The omega-3 fatty acid (s) advantageously include highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acid (s), preferably EPA, DHA, DPA, ETA, 21: 5n3 and / or SDA.


The present invention relates to thermoplastic and polyareneazole pulp for use as reinforcement material in products including for example fluid sealing materials, as a processing aid including its use as a thixotrope, and as a filter material. The pulp comprises (a) irregularly shaped, thermoplastic fiber fibrous structures, (b) irregularly shaped, polyareneazole fibrous structures and (c) water, whereby thermoplastic fiber fibrils and/or stalks are substantially entangled with polyareneazole fibrils and/or stalks. The invention further relates to processes for making such thermoplastic and polyareneazole pulp.


This article expounds gravitational field and electric field in the following aspects: describing, theorems, basic equations and kinetics nature, etc. Through the similarity, we can solve the problems of gravitational field like that of electric field.


Forest management generates border effects in mature dense forests. How agaricoid fungi species react to this disturbance depends on climatic and site conditions, as well as forest management syste...


A detailed dataset describing the canopy geometry of a walnut orchard was acquired to support testing and comparison of the predictions of canopy microwave and optical inversion models. Measured canopy properties included the quantity, size, and orientation of stems, leaves, and fruit. Eight trees receiving 100 percent of estimated potential evapotranspiration water use and eight trees receiving 33 percent of potential water use were measured. The vertical distributions of stem, leaf, and fruit properties are presented with respect to irrigation treatment. Zenith and probability distributions for stems and leaf normals are presented. These data show that, after two years of reduced irrigation, the trees receiving only 33 percent of their potential water requirement had reduced fruit yields, lower leaf area index, and altered allocation of biomass within the canopy.


Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) is the lower motor neuron-predominant form of motor neuron disease (MND). MND is a relatively common, progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease, the pathogenetic basis of which is not fully understood. Recent genetic studies have identified mutations in the Fused in sarcoma/ translated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS) gene at chromosome 16 in approximately 3% of familial MND and less than 1% of sporadic patients. The mutation usually leads to an earlier onset and more aggressive phenotype of MND. In this case study we describe the autopsy neuropathology of a late-onset and seemingly sporadic case of PMA. The pathology was dominated by loss of lower motor neurons and widespread FUS positive cytoplasmic inclusions. These inclusions were negative for TDP-43, distinguishing them from typical sporadic MND cases. FUS positive cytoplasmic inclusions were also found in other regions, in both neurons and glia. They were present in brainstem nuclei, cerebellum and deep grey structures but were absent from hippocampus and neocortical areas. This unique case broadens the phenotypic and neuropatho-logical spectrum of FUS-related neurodegenerative conditions and may provide additional insights into the role of FUS in both sporadic and familial MND.


Raman spectroscopy and 129Xe NMR, in conjunction with hydrogen chemisorption and transmission electron microscopy, have been used to monitor the location and stability of metal clusters as a function of oxidation conditions for NaY-zeolite-supported platinum. After initial calcination and reduction of Pt-NaY, subsequent reoxidation at temperatures up to 873 K induces no additional agglomeration of the metal species. Different Pt-NaY systems exhibit cluster-size-dependent responses to reoxidation treatment, consistent with the greater reactivities expected for small metal particles compared to larger aggregates. We present a summary of platinum dispersal chemistry in NaY zeolite based on these and recent corroborative results.


The U.S. Congress is considering several strategies to reform the federal income tax system. The most widely discussed strategy, a flat tax, would tax income received by businesses and individuals at the same low, flat rate. Flat tax proposals would eliminate most tax deductions and tax credits but would increase the personal exemption for individual taxpayers. While the debate continues over whether a flat tax would be fair to individual taxpayers, assessing the effect of a flat tax on economic growth and business activity is also important.> Most economists who analyze tax incentives conclude that a flat tax would encourage economic growth, which would have a positive effect on businesses in general. The effects on businesses would not be uniform, however, and many small businesses would be affected differently than large businesses. Small businesses are an important component in the U.S. economy, producing about half of private sector output and employing over half of the work force, so tax reformers need to understand how a flat tax would affect the small business sector of the economy.> Golob examines the effects of a flat tax on businesses in general and on small businesses in particular. He concludes that businesses in general are likely to benefit from a flat tax and that small businesses are likely to benefit more than large businesses. Most businesses would benefit from higher economic activity associated with a flat tax. Small businesses would benefit even more than large businesses, due in part to reduced compliance costs. In addition, a flat tax would eliminate tax deductions and tax credits less widely available to small businesses, thereby leveling the playing field between large and small businesses. Moreover, lower interest rates under a flat tax would offset more of the loss of interest deductibility for small businesses than for large businesses.


Possible evidence for the presence of Cm-248 in the early solar system was reported from fission gas studies (Rao and Gopalan, 1973) and recently from studies of very high nuclear track densities (not less than 5 x 10 exp 8/sq cm) in the merrillite of the H4 chondrite Forest Vale (F.V.) (Pellas et al., 1987). We report here an analysis of the isotopic abundances of xenon in F.V. phosphates and results of track studies in phosphate/pyroxene contacts. The fission xenon isotopic signature clearly identifies Pu-244 as the extinct progenitor. We calculate an upper limit Cm-248/Pu-244 to be less than 0.0015 at the beginning of Xe retention in F.V. phosphates. This corresponds to an upper limit of the ratio Cm-248/U-235 of not greater than 5 x 10 exp -5 further constraining the evidence for any late addition of freshly synthesized actinide elements just prior to solar system formation. The fission track density observed after annealing the phosphates at 290C (1 hr, which essentially erases spallation recoil tracks) is also in agreement with the Pu-244 abundance inferred from fission Xe. The spallation recoil tracks produced during the 76 Ma cosmic-ray exposure account for the very high track density in merrillites.


Many simulation problems can take advantage of distributed simulation approach when dealing with the huge timeor spacecomplexity and the conventional sequential solution is not satisfying. We have proposed and implemented an object-oriented toolset for developing both sequential and conservative distributed simulation architectures, based on a sound formal background and our previous experience. Hierarchical structuring of model components is supported. Different distributed simulation mechanisms may be chosen for synchronisation of simulation processors. Lookahead information can be extracted from model description and used to speed-up the simulation run.


The article aims to consider the coordinating roles of colleges,administrations and markets in the higher vocational education.It recognizes that the role play relies much on their orientation as coordinators: colleges as a player of academic autonomy and service,administrations as an enforcer of accountability system and innovative policies,markets acting as directors of developing higher vocational education.


Objective To investigate the association of the 5-HT2c receptor gene-759C/T and-697C/G polymorphism with therapeutic response of atypical antipsychotics in first-episode schizophrenic patients.Methods 179 first-episode schizophrenic patients were treated by risperidone and clozapine for 8 weeks.The severity of symptoms and the therapeutic responses of drugs were evaluaded by the positive and negative symptom scale(PANSS).The genotypes and allele frequencies of 5-HT2c receptor genes were assayed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) amplification and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism(RFLP) technique.Results The therapeutic effect of female patients with-759C allele are better than that with-759T allele.A significant association between total PANSS and negative symptoms scores reduction of female patients with C /C genetype was apparent.The 5-HT2c receptor-697C/G genetypes is not significantly associated with the improvement of the positive symptom and negative symptom either in male patient group or in female patient group.Conclusions 5-HT2c receptor gene-759C/T polymorphism may associate with clinical response to antipsychotics on first-episode schizophrenia.C/C genotype and C allele is likely to be a predictive factor of antipsychotics efficacy.5-HT2c receptor gene 697C/G polymorphism may not associate with clinical response.


The current development of Russia is not based on the values of military production and this country does not satisfy the fundamental conditions of an arms race. However, old weapons remain present in Russia. Besides, the military sector is fundamentally dependent on the level of development and on the national capacities in terms of human resources, capital and research-development. If the President Poutin wishes the democratic modernization, the stock of capital has collapsed, the arms industry lobby is in ruin, the technological development is victim of backwardness, the economy is very weakened, the foreign investment is insufficient, while corruption has spread throughout all the sectors of social life and the educational and health system has deteriorated. Nonetheless, the fact remains that Russia may rearm and quickly restore an important power, notably thanks to a strong culture of military mobilization. Thus, the military system could live again. Its mechanism is damaged, but it remains repairable.


AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR QOS-AWARE DATA REPORTING IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS HYUN JUNG CHOE, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Arlington, 2009 Supervising Professor: Sajal K. Das Wireless sensor networks are being deployed in a wide variety of applications such as environment monitoring, smart buildings, security, machine surveillance system, and so on. The deployment of sensor networks for a specific sensing application enhances the ability to control and examine the physical environments while collecting meaningful information from the monitoring area. In densely deployed networks, the sensor nodes located in an adjacent area detect the targeted phenomena in its sensing range and report the gathered (raw or processed) data to designated sinks via single-hop or multi-hop communication paths. Although the correlation of data from proximity sensors cause overheads in terms of energy consumption for data delivery and processing, yet they improve data accuracy. Therefore, the definition of quality of service (QoS) and the metrics to evaluate the performance of a wireless sensor network are different from traditional networks in that the QoS attributes highly depend on the specific sensing tasks and applications. While energy efficiency is an important consideration for designing algorithms and protocols for wireless sensor networks, other QoS parameters such as the coverage rate, the end-to-end delay,


We prove that there exist uncountably many inequivalent rigid wild Cantor sets in R 3 with simply connected complement. Previous constructions of wild Cantor sets in R 3 with simply connected complement, in particular the Bing-Whitehead Cantor sets, had strong homogeneity properties. This suggested it might not be possible to construct such sets that were rigid. The examples in this paper are constructed using a generalization of a construction of Skora together with a careful analysis of the local genus of points in the Cantor sets.


The French Ministries of Education, Research and Technology, and Post, Telecommunications and Space have signed an agreement with France Telecom for the construction of a high bit-rate, broadband fibre-optic network to link the country's universities, public research organisations, and private and industrial laboratories. The first stage should be operational by 1992 and in its final form the network will link with other research networks in Europe. The project RENATER (Reseau National de Telecommunications pour la Recherche) has been budgeted at FF 150m for the first five years, a large portion of which is expected to be spent in helping users to learn how best to exploit the new tool.


In this work result of the theoretical analyses, witch the main purpose was modelling of the microstructure change during round bars rolling was presented. To determination of the austenite diameter during numerical modelling of the rolling process it is necessary to assign mathematical models of the microstructure change, relationship making the value of yield stress dependent on deformation parameters, temperature and strain range. Theoretical analysis was made in computer program Forge2008®, based on the finite-element method. An analysis was made for two cases: traditional - without accelerated cooling during rolling process and normalizing with one section of the accelerated cooling during rolling process for the ø26 mm round bars. Modification of the ø26 mm round bars rolling technology with accelerated cooling, affect the reduction of average austenite diameter, which cause improving impact resistance of the final product. Results of the theoretical analysis were verified in industrial conditions, in one of polish steelwork.


One-node stem pieces ca. 1 cm in length containing a axillary bud and a fully expanded leaf were obtained from it in vitro plants of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Leaves were removed and the nodes were cultured on the MS medium to investigate the effects of temperature, day length, sucrose, and CCC in microtuber formation and development. The fresh weight of microtubers after 80 days increased significantly at 8% sucrose and compared with . The tuberization and development were reduced at except short-day treatment of 8 hours at 8% sucrose. The fresh weight and diameter were increased on the culture medium added CCC 500 mg/L. The potato tuberization was promoted under short daylength, and it showed great effect by treatment with the CCC. Though the tuberization was promoted at low temperature of in a histologic change of an axillary bud part cell of a potato, the cells were able to observe the swelling growth. Swelling growth of tissue was stimulated in the darkness and was more remarkable by addition of CCC. In particular, in the visual ratio of cell division for each position in the tissue, the cortex part showed larger ratio of cell expansion than that of the pith part. The effect of CCC was identified at 8% sucrose in the darkness. The effect of CCC was not showed in sucrose 3% under long daylength of 16 hours. As a result, the fact of a substance with AGPase important for starch composition was certified by the result with the inclose of AGPase activity on high concentration of sucrose, CCC, and dark treatment by which tuber formation and development are promoted.


In this study, optimization of uranium (VI) adsorption process using Triocthylamine (TOA) functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (TOAFMNPs) as a novel adsorbent from synthetic sulfuric acid and real media were investigated. Firstly, this adsorbent was synthesized and characterized. Then the synthetic sulfuric acid solutions were prepared and the effects of different variables affecting uranium adsorption from these solutions were evaluated in detail. The results revealed that the optimal conditions were achieved in pH=5, contact time of 20 min, adsorbent amount of 3 g l-1 , and U (VI) initial concentration of 10 mg l-1. Under these conditions associated elements (Al, Fe, Mg, and V)had negligible effect on uranium adsorption and maximum percentage of U (VI) ions adsorbed by the TOAFMNPS was 94.6%. The maximum adsorption capacity was evaluated as 27.5 mg g-1 at room temperature. The selective stripping of U (VI) from the loaded TOAFMNPs was obtained by using sulfuric acid. The uranium adsorption process form real sample media was investigated in optimal conditions.The real sulfuric acid solutions used in this study were obtained by leaching of ore deposit of second anomaly of Saghand mine. At optimum condition 80.8% of U (VI) in pregnant leach solution (PLS) was adsorbed on TOAFMNPs without any interference of other metals. Based on the experimentsthis novel adsorbent may present potential application in the adsorption of U (VI) in these real solutions.


Ontology matchers establish correspondences between ontologies to enable knowledge from different sources and domains to be used in ontology mediation tasks (e.g. data transformation and information/ knowledge integration) in many ways. While these processes demand great quality alignments, even the best-performing alignment needs to be corrected and completed before application. In this paper, we propose a rule-based system that improves and completes the automatically-generated alignments into fullyfledged alignments. For that, the rules capture the pre-conditions (existing facts) and the actions to solve each (ambiguous) scenario, in which automatic decisions supported by a folksonomy-based matcher are adopted. The evaluation of the proposed system shows the increasing accuracy of the alignments.


The paper identifies as the root of the recent controversy in the theory of capital David Ricardo's finding that competitive prices and costs of production depend not only on the methods of production employed, but also on the wage rate (or rate of profits) and change with it. A consequence of this result, whose systematic elaboration we owe to Piero Sraffa, is that systems of production cannot generally be ordered monotonically with the rate of profits. Reswitching, capital reversing, price and quantity Wicksell effects, etc., are all rooted in this fact. It is argued that the rate of profits is not determined by the marginal productivity of capital and that the equality between the two in equilibrium must not be misinterpreted as implying a causal relationship leading from the latter to the former. Attempts to assess the empirical probability of reswitching, etc., in terms of input–output tables ought to be received with many reservations for both theoretical and data-related reasons. It is further argued that problems for marginalist theory already arise in a zero-profit framework, in which compound interest effects are ruled out. Hence the seemingly unobtrusive 'laws' of input demand and output supply are a much less reliable basis to stand on than is conventionally thought. The paper concludes with some remarks on the implications of the findings in the controversy for Keynes's theory of investment.


Objective To examine the behavioral disorders of the primary school students and its relation with rearing and educating patterns of their parents.Methods Using the Achenbach Children Behavior Checklist and EMBU,a sample of 930 pupils was tested.Results The number of child behavioral disorders accounted for 11 07%.The factor scores of EMBU can forecast children's behavioral disorders remarkably.Conclusion Only a small number of children had behavioral disorders.Emotional care,admission,less protection and interference,less punishment were good rearing and educating patterns,which can greatly reduce the behavioral disorders.


The aim of this paper is a computer study of the system for simulation and optimization of interbank settlements. The system is based on the Poisson-lognormal model of settlement flow and performs iterative simulation and optimization of expected transaction costs using randomly generated samples of transaction flows. The results of study by Monte-Carlo simulation are given, based on data of the payment and settlement system of the Bank of Lithuania.


In this paper we prove the existence for optimal control problems with terminal constraints on time scales. A definition of the solution of semi-linear control systems involving Sobolev space W 1,2 T is proposed and new existence and uniqueness results of this kind of dynamic systems on time scales are presented under a weaker assumption. According to LT strong-weak lower semi-continuity of integral functionals, we establish the existence of optimal controls. In particular, the existence for calculus of variations on time scales is derived.


The effects of temperature(7) on oxide films for 316L stainless steel(316L SS) in borated and lithiated water without and with Zn injection were investigated by in situ potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectra(EIS).The protective property of oxide films in the Zn-free/Zn-injected solution degraded with increasing temperature.With increasing temperature,the structure of the oxide film varied from a single layer to double layers,the Cr-rich oxide layer played a key role on retarding further oxidation.Compared to the Zn-free case,the corrosion rate decreased significantly in the Zn-injected solution due to the formation of compact Zn-bearing oxide films,but the instinct growth mechanism of the oxide films remained unchangeable.The solubilities and structure model of oxides were proposed to discuss the formation mechanism of oxide films on316L SS in the hydrothermal solution.


EPN-30. YAP1-MAMLD1 FUSIONS ALONE ARE SUFFICIENT TO FORM SUPRATENTORIAL EPENDYMOMA-LIKE TUMORS IN MICE Kristian W. Pajtler1,2, Sebastian Brabetz1, Monika Mauermann1, Norman Mack1, Laura Sieber1, David T. W. Jones1, Hendrik Witt1,2, Huiqin Korkel-Qu3, Marc Zuckermann4, Jan Gronych4, Andrey Korshunov5,6, David Capper5,6, Hai-Kun Liu3, Stefan M. Pfister1,2, Marcel Kool1, and Daisuke Kawauchi1; German Cancer Research Center, Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, Heidelberg, Germany; University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Research Center, Molecular Neurogenetics, Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Research Center, Molecular Genetics, Heidelberg, Germany; GermanCancer Research Center, Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, Heidelberg, Germany; University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg, Germany Oncogenic fusions containing RELA orYAP1have recentlybeen identified as genetic hallmarks of distinct molecular subgroups of supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPN), designated ST-EPN-RELA and ST-EPN-YAP1, respectively. ST-EPN-YAP1 tumors, exclusively found in pediatric patients, are molecularly andclinicallydifferentfromST-EPN-RELAtumors, suggesting that theyhave to be treated differently. YAP1 acts as a transcriptional regulator in the HIPPO tumor suppressor pathway. The lack of adequate models for ST-EPN-YAP1 has so far hindered efforts to develop effective targeted therapies for these tumors. In an attempt to model this subgroup, the most frequent fusion type, YAP1-MAMLD1, was constructed and cloned upstream of IRES-Luciferase into the pT2K transposable vector. The resulting vector was injected together with the Tol2 transposase into the lateral ventricle of E13.5 wildtype mouse embryos followed by transfection using an electroporation-based in vivo gene transferapproach.Afterbirth,YAP1-MAMLD1-expressing tumors,monitored using luciferase-based in vivo bioluminescence imaging, developed rapidly with 100% penetrance. The animals had to be sacrificed due to severe neurological symptoms on average at P20. Resulting tumors resembled molecular characteristics of their human counterparts. The YAP1-MAMLD1 protein was predominantly compartmentalized to the nuclei of tumor cells even when phosphorylated at serine residue 127, which normally retains YAP1 in the cytoplasm, implying constitutive activation of the YAP1 fusion protein. Conserved tumorigenic potential of transformed cells was confirmed by subsequent orthotopic transplantation of these tumor cells into immunocompromised recipient mice. We thus provide a novel model for ST-EPN-YAP1, which is currently entering first preclinical drug testings. Neuro-Oncology 18:iii30–iii39, 2016. doi:10.1093/neuonc/now070.29 #The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: email@example.com.


The photobehaviour of young rainbow trout was studied from the time of hatching to completed emergence using an artificial turf substrate incubation system. At all light energies tested, free-embryos initiated a substantial downward movement and rates of fish descent did not appear to reflect the order of light energy levels. A nocturnal activity rhythm was established early in the downward phase. The occurrence of a rapid photoresponse shift 21 days after hatching coincided with the synchronous onset of emergence in all fish groups and the depletion of 85% (by volume) of the yolk reserve. Concurrent morphological observations indicated that the photoresponse change occurred when fish were about 25 mm long, and when paired and median fins were fully developed.


An unusual new species of bopyrid parasite is described: unlike other bopyrids, the new species is attached on the dorsal surface of the abdomen of its host, a pontoniinid shrimp Periclimenes hertwigi Balss. A new genus has been erected for the parasite, Filophryxus dorsalis. It is distinguished from other genera by the presence of pereiopods I and II on the longer side of the body and pereiopods I, IV-VI on the shorter side, by three pairs of uniramous pleopods and no uropods on the abdomen. The specimen was collected off the Coast of Queensland, Australia, at a depth of 275 m.


AJHP has been my primary career focus for the past 37 years. I am retiring at the end of 2014. Since joining the Journal staff in January 1978, I have read more than 20,000 submissions; we have published only about half of them, disappointing about 10,000 sets of authors. I want to convey my sincere


Indoor climate quality as well as energy standard of school buildings is very important subject. In this context it seems obvious that mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (HR) is better solution than natural/hybrid ventilation. However, data collected within RenewSchool Project showed that in some cases natural ventilation provides better indoor climate than mechanical ventilation with HR. At this point the question arises whether it is possible to provide required indoor climate and similar energy consumption in school classrooms with natural/hybrid ventilation as in buildings with balanced mechanical ventilation with HR? The paper presents comparison of energy performance and indoor climate in typical school classroom with two different ventilation strategies: mechanical balanced ventilation with heat recovery (HR) and natural/hybrid ventilation. For both types of ventilation the model of energy performance as well as calculation of indoor climate were carried out. The primary energy consumption (heating energy and electricity used for ventilation) in rooms with similar ventilation rate and thermal comfort were analysed and commented. It was showed that providing thermal comfort is not problematic, but energy performance and indoor air quality can vary a lot between different ventilation strategies. In analysed cases the classroom equipped with mechanical ventilation with HR, for heating and ventilation, consumed about 40% of primary energy less then the one with natural/hybrid solution. In a moderate climate (Europe, Poland) it is possible to meet requirements of indoor climate and keep energy consumption on reasonably level in classrooms with mechanical ventilation with HR as well as in classrooms with natural/hybrid ventilation.


Coincidence detection is of interest to get as much information as possible about transient events occurring in laser induced plasmas. The present work is focused on coincidence ion–photon detection of laser plasmas of high-energy organic compounds (TNT and DNT) in a condensed phase irradiated with UV laser pulses using an advanced instrument for simultaneous monitoring of both types of chemical species generated. The optical emission spectrum is acquired from atoms, atomic ions and diatomic molecules, whereas the mass spectrum derives from fragment ions of the molecule. These fragments result from direct ionization or may be formed through indirect pathways. Fluence-resolved experiments showed the evolution of the main optical-mass signals in the acquired spectra for a limited energetic range, showing the different stages of lifetime of plasma: the rising thresholds and extinction of the different atomic and molecular studied species, besides the breakage of the aromatic ring and the later excitation of ionic species at a higher fluence level.


Quantum chemical calculations were performed on the pyrimidne and it is derivatives that it use as corrosion inhibitors of iron electrode, using the semi empirical method AM1. The highest occupied molecular orbital energy, lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy, dipole moment and the total of electronic energies of the molecules is calculated. the assessment of quantum chemical and corrosion inhibition efficiency studies were carried out to investigate whether any clear links exist between the results of quantum chemical calculations and inhibition efficiencies experimental of pyrimidine and it is derivatives by using a linear model encompassing the charge transfer resistance " Rt ". Regression equations, with more reliable of correlation coefficients were derived between Rt and the molecular calculations. The significant correlations is evident indicated that the variation of the corrosion inhibition with the structure of the inhibitors may be explained in terms of electronic properties.


The transmission ratio and meshing point were not changed towards moving of arc gear after hob process,but pressure angle at the meshing point certainly changed.The impact of meshing transmission of arc gear by central distance error researched by current literature was based on arc tooth profile,and this study was not suitable for the arc gear processed by hobbing.By using the tooth surface equation of both concave and convex arc gears,the impact on meshing transmission of arc gear by hobbing method and central distance error has been analyzed in detail.


General characteristics of microbial biopolymers polyhydroxybutyrate and polylactate is given. Main methods of their production and usage prospects were described on the basis of these biopolymers comparison with the most widely used synthetic polymeric materials


Statistical analysis of microwave balanced amplifiers using Monte Carlo method is presented. Yield of balanced amplifiers using tuning of matching networks is defined.


The present study explains the in situ growth of Co–Al layered double hydroxide coated on an anodized aluminum substrate for thin film microextraction (TFME) approach. Anodizing process was performed by applying an electrochemical (chronoamperometry) method on a cost-effective Al foil used as a substrate. A multivariate optimization method has been explored for the TFME of quercetin from different kinds of honey and fruit juice samples by using the prepared anion exchangeable film. After TFME, the analyte was quantified via high performance liquid chromatography-UV detection (HPLC-UV). The Plackett–Burman design was employed for screening experimental factors. The effective factors were then optimized using Box–Behnken Design (BBD). Under the optimized conditions, the obtained limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.18 and 0.61 μg L−1, respectively. The batch-to-batch reproducibility at 50 μg L−1 concentration level was 4.3% (n = 3). The validation results allowed the method to be utilized in the quantification of quercetin in real samples.


Network simulator has been acknowledged as one of the most flexible means in studying and developing protocol as it allows virtually endless numbers of simulated network environments to be setup and protocol of interest to be fine-tuned without requiring any real-world complicated and costly network experiment. However, depending on researchers, the same protocol of interest can be developed in different ways and different implementations may yield the outcomes that do not accurately capture the dynamics of the real protocol. In the last decade, TCP, the protocol on which the Internet is based, has been extensively studied in order to study and reevaluate its performance particularly when TCP based applications and services are deployed in an emerging Next Generation Network (NGN) and Next Generation Internet (NGI). As a result, to understand the realistic interaction of TCP with new types of networks and technologies, a combination of a real-world TCP and a network simulator seems very essential. This work presents an integration of real-world TCP implementation of Linux TCP/IP network stack into a network simulator, called INET. Moreover, verification and validation of the integrated Linux TCP are performed within INET framework to ensure the validity of the integration. The results clearly confirm that the integrated Linux TCP displays reasonable and consistent dynamics with respect to the behaviors of the real-world Linux TCP. Finally, to demonstrate the application of the INET with Linux TCP extension, algorithms of other Linux TCP variants and their dynamic over a large-bandwidth long-delay network are briefly presented.