Background: Reactive nitrogen species increase by an unclear mechanism with exposure to hyperbaric oxygen, which inhibits neutrophil β2 integrin adherence. Results: Nitric-oxide synthase-2 activity increases when held in proximity to short filamentous actin by focal adhesion kinase. Conclusion: Protein associations are transient because of actin S-nitrosylation. Significance: Nitric-oxide synthase regulation in neutrophils depends on cytoskeletal protein associations. This investigation was to elucidate the basis for augmentation of nitric-oxide synthesis in neutrophils exposed to hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperoxia increases synthesis of reactive species leading to S-nitrosylation of β-actin, which causes temporary inhibition of β2 integrin adherence. Impaired β2 integrin function and actin S-nitrosylation do not occur in neutrophils from mice lacking type-2 nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) or when incubated with 1400W, an iNOS inhibitor. Similarly, effects of hyperoxia were abrogated in cells depleted of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) by treatment with small inhibitory RNA and those exposed to a specific FAK inhibitor concurrent with hyperoxia. Nitric oxide production doubles within 10 min exposure to hyperoxia but declines to approximately half-maximum production over an additional 10 min. Elevated nitric oxide production did not occur after FAK depletion or inhibition, or when filamentous actin formation was inhibited by cytochalasin D. Intracellular content of iNOS triples over the course of a 45-min exposure to hyperoxia and iNOS dimers increase in a commensurate fashion. Confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation demonstrated that co-localization/linkage of FAK, iNOS, and filamentous actin increased within 15 min exposure to hyperoxia but then decreased below the control level. Using isolated enzymes in ex vivo preparations an association between iNOS and filamentous actin mediated by FAK could be demonstrated and complex formation was impeded when actin was S-nitrosylated. We conclude that iNOS activity is increased by an FAK-mediated association with actin filaments but peak nitric oxide production is transient due to actin S-nitrosylation during exposure to hyperoxia.


Based on Synergistic theory,the coupling degree model of land use benefits and urbanization has been put forward,by constructing the index system on the coupling,calculated coefficient of coupling of major cities in China in 2008,then use the correlation analysis on driving force.The results show that: the coupling intensity of most cities came into middling stage,there obviously exists regional disparity of the coupling degrees and coupling coordination degrees,the coupling degrees in the eastern regions are higher than those in other regions,coordination and land use have a close relationship,but there is no spatial corresponding relationship between regional coupling intensity and coordination degree,most city belonging to land use benefits retarded type at present,so there still has a large of land intensive using space to improve.


Summary form only. The authors have constructed a modular-type multigap pseudospark chamber to investigate the electron beam produced. The chamber consists of a hollow cathode and 65-mm-diameter brass electrodes with a 3-mm-diameter hole on center and plexiglass insulating washers stacked alternately. The capacitance of the device has been adjusted from the interelectrode capacitance 11 pF to 760 pF by adding external capacitors. The chamber was charged up to 30 kV, and then the gas pressure was slowly increased until breakdown occurred. At a breakdown voltage of 25 kV, a peak discharge current of 640 A was measured and an electron beam of 190 A and 20 ns FWHM was extracted through the anode hole. Inside the drift tube, filled with the same 40 mtorr of argon gas as the chamber, the electron beam propagated farther downstream. As the beam propagated, the beam current dropped to 120 A and 60 A at 3 cm and 30 cm from the anode, respectively. The spatial profile of the beam was determined. At an axial distance of 3 cm from the anode a beam diameter of 1.5 mm FWHM was found.<<ETX>>


Abstract ABSTRACT King Eiders (Somateriaspectabilis) breeding inwestern Canada and Alaska molt wing feathers andspend the winter in remote areas of the Bering Sea,precluding direct observation. To characterizetiming of migration and habitat used by King Eidersduring the nonbreeding period, we collectedlocation data for 60 individuals (27 femalesand 33 males) over three years from satellitetelemetry and utilized oceanographic informationobtained by remote sensing. Male King Eidersdispersed from breeding areas, arrived at wing moltsites, and dispersed from wing molt sites earlierthan females in all years. Males arriving earlierat wing molt sites molted flight feathers at higherlatitudes. Distributions of molt and winterlocations did not differ by sex or among years. Ofthe variables considered for analysis, distance toshore, water depth, and salinity appeared to bestdescribe King Eider habitat throughout thenonbreeding period. King Eiders were located closerto shore, in shallower water with lower salinitythan random locations. During the winter, lower iceconcentrations were also associated with King Eiderlocations. This study provides some of the firstlarge-scale descriptions of King Eider migrationand habitat outside the breeding season.


Okmok volcano erupted on July 12, 2008, following an 11‐year hiatus. Detailed inspection of the syn‐eruptive seismograms revealed the presence of an ultra long‐period mode at a frequency of 1.7 mHz, which is not a characteristic of the background seismic noise at Okmok. Data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and National Aeronautical and Space Administration Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors displayed the propagation of a vigorous ash‐and‐steam plume up to about 17 km above sea level. We suggest that the observed ultra long‐period signals represent the response of the seismometer to changes in gravity associated with buoyancy oscillations set off in the lower atmosphere above Okmok by the emplacement of the eruption column. Calculations based on simple modeling of these effects allowed estimation of peak atmospheric pressure perturbations associated with the eruption of less than 1 mbar.


The performance of Rankine cycle binary systems for power generation using a hydrothermal resource has been investigated as a part of the DOE/GTD Heat Cycle Research Program. To date mixtures of paraffin-type hydrocarbons and water-ammonia mixtures have been investigated. This report gives the first results of the consideration of mixtures of halocarbons as working fluids in these power cycles. The performance of mixtures of Refrigerant-114 (R-114) and Refrigerant-22 (R-22) in combinations from pure R-114 to pure R-22 was calculated for such cycles. Various alternatives were considered: (1) minimum geofluid outlet temperature constraint/no constraint, (2) dry turbine expansion/expansion through vapor dome, (3) use of a turbine exhaust gas recuperator/no recuperator. Results of the study indicate that the halocarbon mixtures are at least as good as the hydrocarbon mixtures previously analyzed for a 360/sup 0/F resource. The magnitude of the net geofluid effectiveness (net energy produced per unit mass geofluid flow) for the R-114/R-22 mixtures is the same as for the best hydrocarbon mixtures previously analyzed. The percentage improvement in effectiveness in using mixtures over using the pure fluids as working fluids is comparable for both classes of working fluids. Recommendations are made to continue investigation of the halocarbon mixtures as possiblemore » alternatives to the hydrocarbon working fluids.« less


A highly water-soluble polyphenolic compound, geraniinic acid A, together with elaeocarpusin which is composed of equimolar geraniin and ascorbic acid, has been isolated from Geranium thubergii SIEB. et ZUCC. by means of centrifugal partition chromatography and gel chromatography, and the structure was elucidated on the basis of degradative and spectroscopic studies. One of these compounds, elaeocarpusin, was synthesized by condensation of geraniin and ascorbic acid; this route is considered to be biomimetic. The distribution of elaeocarpusin in various plants including Acer nikoense MAXIM. was also investigated.


Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS education in Tibet college students in Qinghai,and to offer empirical basis for prevention HIV / AIDS more effectively.Method Three months HIV / AIDS education was implemented among 403 Tibet college students.Questionnaire survey was conducted before and after the education to compare knowledge,attitude and behaviors about AIDS.Results After health education,more than 84% in all students have correct knowledge on the epidemiology and adverse health implications of HIV / AIDS.The correct rate of National Eight Questions about HIV / AIDS increased significantly.The rate of discrimination to HIV / AIDS patients and infected people decreased.The rate of approval with premarital sex declined 20.6%(P 0.01).The rate of supports for the safe sex was increased by 39.5%.Conclusion Multi-faceted HIV / AIDS education program could increase the KAP on HIV / AIDS among Tibet students,and it should be applied to other minority areas in Qinghai province.


Through the analyses of teaching scheme of engineering specialities, including the arrangement of main courses, teaching practices and graduate design, this paper offers some probing suggestions in order to meet the need of modern society development.


The author of article studies all tendencies of increasing of youth drug use and drug-related crimes. On the basis of conducted sociological researches an attempt in discovering of the level of latency of youth drug crime is taken. In order to reflect the regional aspect of the problem the author estimates the available official statistics on drug-related crimes in the Republic of Dagestan. The conclusion about the necessity of improving measures against the increase of youth drug crime is made.


34Background: At low doses, rapamycin inhibits cell proliferation and angiogenesis while augmenting CD8 T-cell responses, cumulatively producing an antitumor effect. Oral rapamycin is limited by va...


Secondary ion mass spectrometry(SIMS) technology is widely used to analyze the chemical composition and structure characteristics of organic compound from coal and petroleum source rocks recently.Analytical method for mass spectrum of SIMS was introduced,and the characteristic of secondary ion composition of organic compound was analyzed;characteristic of mass spectrum of organic compound SIMS was comprehensively studied,and the cracking mechanism was discussed by the means of chemical kinetics principle.The results showed that aromatic nucleus was the basic structural unit of organic compound,which contained heterocycle with various oxygen-containing groups and branched chains;the crack of organic compound SIMS was controlled by the dissociation energy of different chemical bonds in the complex macromolecular structure of organic compound;the dissociation energy of α—β bond of α-carbon and β-carbon and C—C bond of branched-chain carbon were weakest in the structure of organic matter,and α—β bond and C—C bond of branched-chain carbon were easily fractured in the structure of organic chemistry;α—β bond in the structure of(C6H5)CH2—C2H5 and C—C bond of branched-chain carbon were easily fractured to form fragment ions including(C6H5)CH+2(91),C2H+5(29) and CH+3(15) in branched chain connected with benzene ring,which were the main peaks of fragment ions in mass spectrum of organic compound SIMS.


Experiments were carried out to determine the extent and rate of separation of mixtures of uranium hexafluoride and plutonium hexafluoride by selective thermal decomposition. Gaseous mixtures of uranium hexafluoride, plutonium hexafluoride, and helium were circulated for varying lengths of time through nickel vessels packed with nickel wool at temperatures of 150, 200, and 300 deg C. The initial ratios of uranium hexafluoride to plutonium hexafluoride in the mixtures were of the order of 10 to 1. The gas phase was analyzed for uranium and plutonium before and after circulation. The amounts of uranium and plutonium in the solid compounds deposited in the vessels were also determined. Passage of the mixtures through the hot vessels resulted in the removal of 99.5 to 99.9% of the plutonium. The solid product remaining in the vessels was plutonium tetrafluoride containing 0.09 to 1.3% uranium. The separation of plutonium hexafluoride from uranium hexafluoride by selective thermal decomposition is applicable to fluid bed fluoride volatility processes for the recovery of fissile material from reactor fuels. (auth)


A simple catalyst-free and solvent-free method for the cyanosilylation of a variety of aldehydes with trimethylsilyl cyanide as well as the Knoevenagel condensation reaction of various aldehydes with malononitrile was developed. The developed protocol demonstrated high efficiency in the two C–C bond formation scenarios.


The sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has advanced our ability to understand structural and physiological dynamics of vegetation. Substantial efforts have been made to monitor SIF through ground-based observations, but continuous and long-term field observation data are still sparse. This is at least partly due to 1) lack of commercially available complete and proven ready-to-use systems and 2) challenges of sensor calibration and maintenance in the field in order to meet the strict requirements necessary for high-quality SIF retrieval. Here, we present the filter-based smart surface sensing system (4S-SIF) to overcome technical challenges of monitoring SiF in the field as well as to decrease sensor cost for more comprehensive spatial sampling. To monitor SIF, we combined ultra-narrow band pass filters and photodiode detectors to observe electromagnetic radiation at specific wavelengths (760nm, 756nm and 770nm). We verified the satisfactory spectral performance of the bandpass filters and confirmed that Digital Numbers (DN) from 4S-SIF exhibited linear relationships with the DN from the QEpro hyper-spectral spectroradiometer in each filter band (R>0.99). To verify that 4S-SIF can actually detect the SIF signal, we installed the sensor on a plotscale strawberry equipped with the hyper-spectral spectroradiometer. The 4S-SIF represents a strong linear relationship with QEpro-SIF either variation of density of plant or DCMU treatment. In addition, we confirmed that 4S-SIF shows no variation of dark current value and wavelength shift at various air temperatures. We believe that 4S-SIF will be a useful tool for collecting in-situ data across multiple spatial and temporal scales.


| This work was aimed to study the influence of different factors on the pregnancy rate in the Pure Arab Breed (PAB) mares, inseminated intra-cornually in post-ovulation. A total of 62 thoroughbred PAB mares were inseminated by this method during the breeding season of 2016. Almost half of these mares (28) received an hCGtreatment (Chorulon®) to induce ovulation. Heat in all the mares was detected by rail teasing, and their follicular activity monitored 3 times a day by ultrasound (9am, 4pm and 11pm) until observation of the corpus luteum. At this moment, intracornual artificial insemination with frozen semen (AIF) is executed and the pregnancy rate is determined after the pregnancy confirmation examination, at 35 days post AI. Results showed that the pregnancy rate does not vary between the group of mares treated with Chorulon® (37%) and that of untreated mares (34%). However, this parameter varies significantly according to the moment op AI (21.5% if the AI occurs at 4pm versus 36% and 36.5% respectively if the AI is practiced immediately after the 9am and 11pm ultrasound examinations, respectively, p<0.05). Moreover, the rate of pregnant mares is higher when the ovulation occurs in the right ovary (p<0.05). A significantly higher number of pregnancies is obtained when the diameter of the preovulatory follicle measures between 35 to 44 mm (p<0.05). The identified variation factors influencing the pregnancy rate in PAB mares are the moment of insemination, the ovary where the ovulation occurs, and the diameter of the preovulatory follicle.


Objective To evaluate the feasibility of in vivo three dimensional MR spectroscopic imaging (3D MRSI) and primarily evaluate the value of 3D MRSI. Methods Combined phased array, endorectal MR imaging and 3D MRSI was performed in 22 patients suspected of prostatic adenocarcinoma. MR imaging and 3D MRSI data were compared with histo pathological findings. Results Twenty one of the 22 patients accomplished the examination and obtained the acceptable 3D MRSI results. One patient could not endure the endorectal coil because of a previous operation of his annus rectum. Forty one pathological samples were obtained from 6 patients, which were comparable with 3D MRSI results. Two one samples of them were prostate adenocarcinoma, whereas 14 were benign prostate hyperplasia and 6 were normal peripheral zone. Significant variations in metabolite levels with normal peripheral zone, BPH and prostate cancer were detected with a 3D MRSI examination added to a clinical MR imaging examination. The ratio of (choline+creatine)/citrate of the normal peripheral zone, BPH and prostate cancer was 0.51±0.17, 0.60±0.21 and 1.98±0.95 respectively. An estimate of prostate cancer was determined by generating metabolite images in which the metabolite ratio significantly exceed normal peripheral zone values. Conclusion 3D MRSI is feasible in the examination of the prostate gland. The preliminary results suggest that a 3D MRSI added to a clinical MRI examination may help define the presence and spatial extent of prostate cancer.


PDF Version June 19, 2017 TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED: SUBJECT: Risk assessment level for school year 2017–2018 (fiscal year 2018) As a pass-through entity, TEA awards federal grant funds to eligible subrecipients, including local educational agencies (school districts and


This paper supports the fact that Manuel Machado's knowledge of the filmic adaptation of Lubitsch as well as the theatrical version of The man that I killed by Maurice Rostand (which was also reviewed by him) might be one of the most important stimuli to write The man who died in the war. On the other hand, a «Chronicle from Paris», which was written by Manuel Machado in the French trench during the First World War and published in 1919, appears as an intertext in the first play of The man who died in the war. These facts, which were unknown until present, point out that the paternity of The man who died in the war does not exclusively belongs to Antonio Machado, but also to Manuel, who probably impulses the work from the beginning playing a crucial role in its elaboration.


This presentation, reflecting a politics undergraduate thesis, will explore the design process behind the ballots that voters use in democratic elections around the world. Ballots are an inherently political objects, and in many cases, the most direct line of communication a citizen has to the government of their country. As such, the design of the ballot affects the legitimacy of higher level electoral and democratic institutions. This project argues that by co-opting the language of product design, a universal ballot design process would make more efficient ballots across the globe.

Product design starts with a brainstorming stage that explores at the user, the goal of the object, and the context of its use to create an effective design. By applying these observations to the process of designing a ballot, each electoral commission can produce a more effective ballot. Currently there is no standardization for ballot design other than ensuring that electoral commissions tried to make it "friendly." By examining cases of bad ballot design, it is possible to see what element of the design process was missed or misused to create a process that corrects for these mistakes. This project examines poorly designed ballots in Florida, Scotland, and Colombia to explore the large-scale effects these small design choices make, and how to fix them.


Participation in short-term study abroad programs has dramatically increased in recent years. Little empirical research exists on learning outcomes associated with short-duration study tours, however. This study examines the impact of a study tour on the perceptions of American college students following a 2-week tour of Mexico. Based on measures of preand posttrip perceptions of the host country, students were found to have significantly changed following a brief overseas stay. Pretrip perceptions were also compared with the perceptions of a control group of students who did not participate in study abroad to determine the influence selfselection bias might have on initial perceptions. Analyses revealed significant differences in the perceptions of the two groups, but no significant difference between the pretrip and control groups' perceptions of the host country. Internationaleducators havelongrecognizedthe impactofstudyabroadon student participants along many dimensions such as academic achievement, personal development, greater cultural appreciation, and enhanced global awareness. In light of these educational benefits, in recent years educational groups have called for an increase in study abroad programs and a reduction in the various impediments that prevent the vast majority of students from participating (Lane, 2003). Efforts at increasing student participation appear to be bearing fruit, as evidenced byrising interest in overseas studyand growing diversity in destinations 1 Carley and Tudor: Assessing the Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad Produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press, 2006 Carley &Tudor: Assesing Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad 151 and lengths of study abroad programs offered by institutions of higher learning (Dennis, 2004; Marklein, 2003; McMurtrie, 2005). Increasing popularityofstudyabroad has fueled a growing interest in knowing more about what students actually learn from their experiences. While there are numerous anecdotal accounts from participating faculty and study abroad administrators regarding the educational benefits of overseas study, observers often cite a lack ofsufficient evidence to convince skeptics (Rubin & Sutton, 2001; Sideli, 2001; Vande Berg, 2001). According to one study, 95% of colleges assess student satisfaction following participation, but few measure gains in academic achievement, personal development, or intercultural skills as outcomes of study abroad (Sideli). As pointed out by its proponents, if study abroad is to be fully recognized and promoted as an invaluable part of a student's education, then more research evidence is needed to document learning outcomes among student participants. A review of the research literature found limited information to document the impact ofstudy abroad. This is consistent with the observations ofothers who note that research in this area is increasing but still relatively undeveloped (Rubin & Sutton, 2001; Sideli, 2001;Vande Berg 2001). While challenging some longheld assumptions about best practices (Hulstrand, 2006a), existing studies report a positive impact on students participating in semester or yearlong programs abroad (e.g., Carlson & Widaman, 1988; Carsello & Creaser, 1976; Hadis, 2005; McCabe, 1994). Observers note that more evidence is needed, however, ifoverseas experiences are to become a more accepted and integral part ofhigher education (Hulstrand; Rubin & Sutton). While studies on the impact of longer sojourns suggest positive student gains, less is known about the extent to which students benefit from short-term programs. These programs vary from a week to roughly a summer in length. Because oftheir affordability and ((convenience:' programs ofshorter duration are increasingly popular alternatives among U.S. students and colleges (Hofius, 2004; McMurtrie, 2005). The American Council on Education has also encouraged ..shorter stints as a way of accommodating students who would otherwise not be able to participate (Lane, 2003). Because of the brevity of these programs, however, questions inevitably arise about their educational value, and whether students really learn much from such minimal international exposure. The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess some of the learning outcomes resulting from short-term study abroad. To determine its effectiveness and impact on participatingstudents, we examine American students' perspectives prior to and shortly after participation in a two-week study trip to Mexico. For control purposes, their perspectives are compared to those of a similar student group that did not participate. The study fills some of the gaps that presently 2 Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective, Vol. 1 [2006], Iss. 2, Art. 5 http://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/jgi/vol1/iss2/5 152 Journal for Global Initiatives exist regarding what students gain from short-term study abroad experiences. The research may also be beneficial to international programs managers and study abroad faculty seeking alternative and improved ways of measuring what students learn from study abroad. Review of the Literature Assessing student gains is a not a simple process, given the multifaceted nature of the study abroad experience. As a result, consensus has been lacking in how and what to measure (Sell, 1983; Sideli, 2001). Benefits can be immediate or long-term; gains can be measured in terms of academic achievement, career impact, attitudinal change, or personal growth. Outcomes may be viewed broadly (for instance, impact on global awareness) or in more specific terms (such as improved language proficiency). Institutions might examine learning outcomes for the purpose of improving course materials and student assignments used in specific programs or for determining which trip destinations or durations are most conducive to international learning. In light of these different ways of viewing how students change as a result of overseas study, it is hardly surprising that professionals in the field of international education have differed in how they measure the impact of study abroad and consequently sought guidance on the assessment process (Sideli). Most of the research on study abroad outcomes has dealt with students who participated in longer overseas stays, rather than those of only a few weeks duration. These studies have tended to focus on broader changes in personal development and world-mindedness, outcomes which are more likely to result from extended, rather than shorter, periods of cross-cultural exposure. The majority find measurable gains in cross-cultural skills and global understanding resulting from study abroad. As an example, using self-report data from American college students in Europe, Carsello and Creaser (1976) found students returned home with broadened horizons and more interest in art, architecture, foreign language, history, and meeting strangers. Carlson and Widaman (1988) learned that students came away from study abroad with greater "world-mindedness" than their non-study abroad counterparts. In a qualitative before-and-after study, McCabe (1994) also found that students' global perspectives changed during the time spent abroad. Kitsansas's (2004) examination of the role of students' study abroad learning goals confirmed that all students gained in cross-cultural skills, although goals mediated the impact of the overseas experience. Other studies have discovered a similar positive impact in terms of cross-cultural skills and global outlook (e.g., Carlson, Bum, Useem, & Yachimowicz, 1991; Drews, Myer, 3 Carley and Tudor: Assessing the Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad Produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press, 2006 Carley &Tudor: Assesing Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad 153 & Peregrine, 1996; Hadis, 2005). Evidence has also been found confirming gains in second language acquisition for students who study abroad in non-English speaking countries (e.g., Brecht & Robinson, 1993; Parr, 1988; Rivers, 1998). These aforementioned studies dealt with students who had traveled abroad for longer periods of time, generally a semester to a year. Longer exposure to other cultures and languages and more time away from one's home country are likely to have a stronger impact than shorter stays. If student travelers are limited to only a few weeks overseas, do they experience positive learning outcomes? Are short-term programs worth their while, and are colleges and universities correct in pursuing them as viable alternatives? Short-Term Study Abroad An increase in the number and popularity of short-term study abroad programs is a significant trend in higher education today (Hulstrand, 2006b). NAFS.xs (The Association of International Educators) Guide to Short-Term Programs Abroad describes these programs as faculty directed visits of 1 to 8 weeks generally sponsored by a home institution or consortium (Hulstrand). A recent directory of short-term programs includes over 2,900 student tours of 2 weeks or less offered by u.s. and foreign universities and other organizati~ns (IIEPassport, 2005). These programs reportedly account for a significant part of the dramatic increase in foreign study participation among U.S. college students over the past decade (Hulstrand). With the mushrooming ofshort-term programs, some schools are finding that demandoutpacesadministrative resources andthe abilitytomonitor their "academic and intercultural quality:' according to a recent article in the International Educator (Hulstrand, 2006b, p. 49). Assessment ofstudent learning is therefore an important challenge facing international programs administrators and study abroad faculty (Gillespie, 2002; Gillespie, Braskamp, & Braskamp, 1999). Although some studies have been published on methods of teaching shortterm programs for maximum educational benefit (e.g., DeLoach, Saliba, Smith, & Tiemann, 2003; Guerrero, 2005), a review of the academic literature shows a scarcity in the number and scope


The grass cutter uses a solar-based energy source, which is easier to use, more advantageous compared to another energy source especially for a gas-based source of power. Solar grass cutter is based on solar power because this energy is a renewable source of energy and it is easy to work. Due to the continuous increase in the cost of fuel and the effect of emission of gases from the burnt fuel into the atmosphere, this necessitates and the use of the abundant solar energy from the sun as a source of power to drive a lawnmower. A solar-powered lawn mower was designed and developed, based on the general principle of mowing. The designed solar-powered lawnmower comprises of direct current (D.C) motor, a rechargeable battery, solar panel, and Bluetooth control. In this present work the idea has been created a 3D model with the help of CATIA V5 and the fabricated as per the model. The solar grass cutter fully automatic and arduino program were used to instructions the machine.


One of the steps that can be taken to reduce earnings fluctuations is income smoothing, by moving high income in a certain year into an unfavorable period, this is done to create a stable company profit so that it is reflected in good company performance in the eyes of investors. The purpose of this study is to determine whether company size is able to moderate the effect of financial leverage on income smoothing. This research was conducted at companies listed in the 2013-2017 banking period. The number of samples in this study were 110 samples that were selected using the purposive sampling method. The data analysis technique used in this study is logistic regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that financial leverage has no effect on income smoothing, and company size is not able to moderate the effect of financial leverage on income smoothing.


This study aimed to identify the role of strategic planning in the achievement of administrative excellence.  To achieve this objective, the study researchers used the descriptive survey method where the questionnaire has used as a tool for the study. The sample of the study was randomly selected nd. Consisted from 41 female leaders of public elementary schools in Central Riyadh. The result of the study showed that the level of administrative excellence was significant. The study also showed that there is a direct correlation statistically significant at level (0.01) between strategic planning and administrative excellence in Riyadh's elementary schools. Moreover, there are no statistically significant differences between the mean responses of family members on strategic planning (in different variables: job and years of experiences) and administrative excellence in public elementary school. The researchers recommended the establishment of workshops and training courses in the field of strategic planning for school leaders in order to increase the efficiency of applying the strategic planning, the awareness of it and its effective contribution in achieving strategic planning in schools. Finally, it plays a noticeable role in practicing both general planning and strategic planning in particular.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between serious acute neurological illness and receipt of whole-cell pertussis vaccine, given as diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine.

DESIGN
Population-based case-control study.

SETTING
Outpatient and inpatient hospital settings, physician practices, and the general population in Washington and Oregon states.

SUBJECTS
A total of 424 confirmed cases of neurological illness were identified prospectively during a 12-month period by statewide active surveillance from the population of 218,000 children 1 to 24 months of age living in Washington and Oregon (estimated 368,000 DTP immunizations given). Each case child was matched to two population control children by birth date (+/- 5 days), gender, and county of birth. Written immunization records were used to determine whether illness occurred within 7 days of immunization in case children, or within 7 days of the same reference date in control children, thus qualifying as exposed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Outpatient and inpatient cases of complex febrile seizures, seizures without fever, infantile spasms, and acute encephalitis/encephalopathy confirmed by an expert panel masked to immunization history.

RESULTS
The estimated odds ratio (OR) for onset of serious acute neurological illness within 7 days for young children exposed to DTP vaccine was 1.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6 to 2.0). When the analysis was restricted to children with encephalopathy or complicated seizures and adjusted for factors possibly affecting vaccine administration, the OR was 3.6 (95% CI, 0.8 to 15.2). Odds ratios for specific study diagnoses varied, but all CIs included 1. No elevated risk was observed for the largest group of illnesses studied, nonfebrile seizures (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2 to 1.5).

CONCLUSIONS
This study did not find any statistically significant increased risk of onset of serious acute neurological illness in the 7 days after DTP vaccine exposure for young children.


Background and Purpose Although iron-mediated mechanisms are important in experimental brain injury after carotid occlusion, their clinical role in acute ischemic stroke has not been determined. We evaluated the influence of iron stores, measured as serum ferritin, on the outcome of acute cerebral infarct. Methods Admission and fasting glycemia, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum cortisol, serum ferritin, and 24-hour urinary free cortisol levels were measured on the first day of hospitalization in 67 patients admitted with an acute ischemic stroke of less than 24 hours' duration. Patients were classified into two groups according to their Canadian Stroke Scale (CSS) score on day 30; good outcome group (alive and CSS score >7 points) and poor outcome group (dead or CSS score ≤ 1 points). Results Thirty-three patients (49%) had good outcome and 34 (51%) poor outcome. Fasting glycemia (P=.001), serum cortisol (P<.001), and urinary free cortisol (P=.001) but not admission glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin had higher levels in patients with poor outcome. Serum ferritin values were greater in the poor outcome group (218±156 μg/L versus 133±125 μg/L; P=.004), and a correlation between ferritin values and degree of worsening or improvement of the CSS score on day 30 was found (P=.002). Serum cortisol (odds ratio [OR], 6.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 26), fasting glycemia (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.2 to 24), and serum ferritin (OR, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 19) were independently related to poor outcome in a logistic regression analysis. Conclusions High serum ferritin levels within the first 24 hours of hospitalization for an acute ischemic stroke are related to a poor prognosis, independent of the stress response. More research is needed to determine the origin of increased serum ferritin levels and the therapeutic implications.


Maternal adversity is associated with long-term physiological changes in offspring. These are believed to be mediated through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm). Changes in DNAm are often interpreted as damage or as part of plastic responses of the embryo. We propose that selection on stochastic DNAm differences generated during epigenetic reprogramming after fertilization contributes to the effects of maternal adversity on DNAm. Using a mathematical model of epigenetic reprogramming in the early embryo we predict that this "epigenetic selection" will generate a characteristic reduction in variance of DNAm at selected loci in populations exposed to maternal adversity. We tested this prediction using DNAm data from a human cohort prenatally exposed to the Dutch Famine and confirmed the reduction in DNAm variance, suggesting that epigenetic selection may have occurred. Epigenetic selection should be considered as a possible mechanism linking adversity in pregnancy to offspring health and may have implications for the likely effectiveness of intervention strategies.


Our results, reported in Hansen et al. (1) in a recent issue of PNAS, illustrate the value of earth observation data sets in generating internally consistent quantifications of land cover change, specifically, gross forest cover loss at the global scale. In that article, we state that our results are limited to this dynamic and that a more complete characterization of forest change would include forest cover gain and the proximate drivers of change. Wernick et al. (2) take issue with (i) our purported dismissal of other data and findings and (ii) the lack of reforestation/carbon uptake analyses. Concerning existing global data sets on forest extent and change, the issues regarding definitions and the difficulty in producing global scale syntheses is well described by others and referenced in our paper (3, 4). We believe that improved consistency in both definitions and methods is needed to advance global forest monitoring. Our results are a step in that direction and illustrate the value of deriving internally consistent and directly comparable results at the global scale. Our study does not replace or supersede other results, and we do not present our result as "the only one based on sound data." Our results are unique and limited to the gross forest cover loss dynamic.


Simple Summary The composition of milk is fundamentally dependent on the feeding of the cows, and thereby on a particular environment. However, stable isotope composition is not always constant in the environment and can even change in the same area. Thus, the aim of this study was to better understand the impact of water and food sources on oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen stable isotope ratio (18O/16O, 13C/12C, and 15N/14N) distribution and fractionation in cow milk in different seasons of the year. Cow milk, drinking water, feed, and precipitation water were collected for three years from the same location. Overall, combined δ18O, δ13C, and δ15N analysis of cow milk provides valuable information about the amount of variation in stable isotope ratios in natural samples. This study can be helpful for studies of milk product authentication. Abstract Various studies have shown that stable isotope analysis has the potential to verify the geographic origin of foods and drinks. However, stable isotope composition is not always constant in the environment and can even change in the same area. Dairy products are of particular interest as a group of foods that play an important role in feeding the population. The composition of milk is fundamentally dependent on the feeding of the cows, and thereby on a particular environment. To better understand the amount of variation in δ18O, δ13C, and δ15N values in the milk from the same area, we measured stable isotope ratios in cow milk water, artesian water, and precipitation (δ18O) as well as in bulk milk samples (δ13C and δ15N) collected in 2014–2016. Different water and food sources were available during the winter (artesian water only and dry grass) and summer (artesian water and fresh grass), and spring and autumn seasons reflected transitional periods. Oxygen stable isotope ratios in milk water were relatively lower in winter and transitional seasons and higher in summer, showing the dependence on the main water source. δ13C values reflected particular food sources. This study shows the applicability of the stable isotope ratio method in linking cow milk to specific environments and reveals the amount of variation in stable isotope ratios in the same area. These results could be valuable for other studies on geographical origin determination of dairy products.


The appearance of the quotation from Hos. vi. 6 (tlAeos 6£Aco KCCI OU 0uuiav) in Matt. ix. 13 and xii. 7 is striking for at least two reasons: (i) the citation is unique to Matthew among the parallel Synoptic narratives, and it may therefore be considered as a redactional insertion by the evangelist; (ii) the quotation is introduced by Matthew into each of the first two episodes in which Jesus is represented as in dispute with the Pharisees and passing judg-ment on their conduct. The possible significance of these two points - and only the second half of the first requires further discussion - may be worth ex-ploring, but that exploration cannot proceed fruitfully until we have investi-gated the text-form of the quotation and the precise meaning for Matthew of the term EAeos.


Background: CVT-510, N-(3(R)-tetrahydrofuranyl)-6-aminopurine riboside, is a selective A,-adenosine receptor agonist with potential potent antiarrhythmic effects in tachycardias involving the atrioventricular (AV) node. This study, the first in humans, was designed to determine the effects of CVT-5 10 on AV nodal conduction and hemodynamics. Methods and Results: Patients in sinus rhythm with normal AV nodal function at electrophysiologic study (n = 32) received a single intravenous bolus of CVT-5 10. AH and HV intervals were measured during sinus rhythm and during atrial pacing at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after the bolus. Increasing doses of CVT-510 (0.3 to 10 pg/kg) caused a dosedependent increase in the AH interval. At 1 minute, a dose of 10,ug/kg increased the AH interval during sinus rhythm from 93 ± 23 msec to 114 ± 37 msec, p = 0.01 and from 114 ± 31 msec to 146 ± 44 msec during atrial pacing at 600 msec, p = 0.003). The AH interval returned to baseline by 20 minutes. CVT-510 at doses of 0.3 to 10,ug/kg had no effect on sinus rate, HV interval, or systemic blood pressure, and was not associated with serious adverse effects. At doses of 15 and 30 pg/kg, CVT-510 produced transient second/third degree AV heart block in all four patients treated. One of these patients also had a prolonged sedative effect that was reversed with aminophylline. Conclusions: CVT-510 promptly prolongs AV nodal conduction and does not affect sinus rate or blood pressure. Selective stimulation of the A,-adenosine receptor by CVT-510 may be useful for immediate control of heart rate in atrial fibrillation/flutter and to convert paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to sinus rhythm, while avoiding vasodilatation mediated by the A2-adenosine receptor, as well as the vasodepressor and negative inotropic effects associated with 3-adrenergic receptor blockade and/or calcium channel blockers.


Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from existing ones. This process is important in several physiologic processes, such as embryonic development, placenta formation, and wound healing. However, angiogenesis also occurs in numerous pathologic conditions, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and neurological disorders such as Parkinson and Alzheimer's disease. Recently a number of agents that inhibit angiogenesis have been approved to treat diseases such as cancer and AMD. In this context, several studies have been conducted, showing the antiangiogenic effect of natural products, which makes them a potential candidate in the development of new antiangiogenic drugs. The purpose of this review is to describe the studies of natural products, focusing on the quinones, with antiangiogenic activity.


To build all-around well-off society makes the middle five provinces face important tasks in the future. The middle five provinces have the source priority and strategic position, they must deepen the reformation and strengthen the co-orperation to promote the common developement.


Resin-bead spot tests for various organic functional groups have been described [1—4]. p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (p-DAB) is a useful reagent for the resin-bead detection of primary and secondary aromatic amines [ 5] , but it has not been used for spectrophotometric determinations of secondary aromatic amines as the initial yellow colour is unstable and slowly turns green. p-Dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC) is superior to p-DAB in ' this respect; it gives with diphenylamine and other aromatic amines a stable colour which is useful for spectrophotometric determinations.


How to build a data warehouse and data mining is constantly worth exploring and optimization, not only technically, in commercial applications as well. This article discusses the introduction of new technologies and concepts, the traditional method of data warehouse technology has changed dramatically, based on data warehouse applications are a new development. Each enterprise data warehouse based on the characteristics of different companies, you can use a very flexible method of selection and design selection, implementation. According to some relatively new technical features, talk about data warehousing and data mining architecture.


Objective To evaluate the anxiety level in elder patients with respiratory system diseases accurately.Methods 63 elder in-patients with respiratory system diseases were evaluated by STAI-Form Y in January 2007.Results In 63 patients,the positive number of anxety state were 39 cases,the positive rate was 61.90%(39/63).On the aspect of culture degree,the positive number of anxiety state of the patients who had graduated from junior high school or lower one were 22 cases,the positive rate was 95.65%(22/23);that of the patients who had graduated from seniro high school or technical secondary school were 12 cases,the positive rate was 63.16%(12/19);that of the patients who had graduated from junior college or higher one were 5 cases,the positive rate was 63.16%(5/21).On the aspect of sex,the positive number were 23 cases(85.18%) of female and 16 cases(44.44%)of male.There was significantly different between them(P0.05).The linear correlation analysis indicated that there was positive correlation between state and trait grade(r=0.8896,P=0.0073).Conclusion There is much anxiety state of patients in respiratory department.It can find the anxious patient correctly by STAI-Form Y and provide foundation to make relevant countermeasures in time.


Aim: To evaluate the haemostatic properties of Vivostat® patient-derived fibrin sealant in a broad range of surgical procedures. Method: In a prospective, randomised, multicentre, clinical study, typical surgical wounds of 69 patients (cardiothoracic, general, obstetric and gynaecologic, and vascular), requiring intervention to control bleeding, were treated with either Vivostat-derived sealant (n = 35) or Surgicel® (n = 34) as required and the time taken to arrest bleeding was assessed. Results: Compared with Surgicel, the mean time to haemostasis of Vivostat-derived sealant was significantly shorter (1.6 vs. 3.3 min, p < 0.0001) and more patients were successfully treated (i.e. no additional haemostatic measures required; 94 vs. 65%, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Vivostat-derived sealant is a more reliable and rapidly effective surgical haemostat than Surgicel.


All terrestrial ecosystems are constituted of a belowground and an aboveground subsystem. These subsystems depend on each other, since above the ground primary producers are the main source of organic carbon for the system, whereas below the ground soil organisms are responsible for the breakdown and recycling of organic matter and the mineralization of the nutrients therein (Scheu and Setälä 2002, Wardle 2002, Porazinska et al. 2003). To understand community and ecosystem-level processes it is necessary to study the interactions within and between these subsystems. However, most ecologists have investigated belowground and aboveground communities separately, leaving the "between subsystems" interactions unstudied (but see Wardle 1999, 2002, Bonkowski et al. 2001, Masters et al. 2001, van der Putten et al. 2001, Brown and Gange 2002). Moreover, studies of different types of plant–animal interactions, such as pollination, herbivory, and seed dispersal, have traditionally progressed separately, focusing on just one kind of interaction and ignoring the possible interference with others (Herrera et al. 2002). This leads to an oversimplification of our understanding of plant–animal interactions, as most plants interact simultaneously with a broad spectrum of animals. Aboveground


Women empowerment is a process in which women challenge the existing norms and culture, to effectively promote their well being. The participation of women in Self Help Groups (SHGs) made a significant impact on their empowerment both in social and economical aspects This study addresses women empowerment through self help groups in Mettupalayam district of Tamilnadu . The information required for the study has been collected from both the primary and secondary sources A Random sampling method has been followed. Average and percentage analysis was carried out to draw meaningful interpretation of the results. Chi - Square test used to find whether the two attributes are associated or not. Garret ranking technique was used to find the reasons for joining the Self help group. The results of the study revealed that the SHGs have had greater impact on both economic and social aspects of the beneficiaries.


Abstract An efficient rhodium-catalyzed method for C–H olefination at the C7 position of indoles has been developed. The N-imino directing group was shown to be crucial for high regioselectivity and reactivity of the metal catalyst. The utility of this protocol was further demonstrated through a concise, four-step synthesis of pyroquilon from indole.


Abstract Despite large increases in the numbers of nontraditional students entering or returning to higher education, very little research has addressed how faculty members view and work with this student demographic. In the current study, we examined the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of 171 university and community college teachers with respect to their nontraditional students. Results indicated that the participants held very positive attitudes and perceptions of their adult learners but reported treating these students similarly to the traditional students in their classes. Teachers who reported more positive attitudes toward adult learners also reported making more accommodations in their classes for these students. Finally, teachers reporting more classroom accommodations for adult learners reported more professional experiences related to and interest in learning about adult learners. Implications of these findings for future research and for faculty development are discussed.


The purpose of this study was to try to understand the Swedish population regarding the perceptions of the Swedish welfare system, based on the reactions that occurred after Sweden's Prime Minister ...


We present a method of studying errors in flight crew communication, based on the information-processing paradigm. The taxonomy of errors proposed here is based on two dimensions, Type of Communication Errors (Transmission, Detection, Identification, Interpretation, plus Action linked to communication), Type of Adjustment (Individual: problem-solving by the operator concerned; interactive: problem-solving by crew). This taxonomy, tested during certification flight test, seems to be useful in all work situations based on information exchange between operators.


Higher parameters of centrifugal machines are constantly required, such as the pressure of the medium to be sealed and the speed of rotation of the shaft. However, as the parameters increase, it becomes more and more difficult to ensure the effectiveness of sealing. In addition, sealing systems affect the overall safety of equipment operation, especially vibration. In order to harmonize the sealing functions and increase the dynamic rigidity of the rotors of centrifugal machines, a method for modeling complex sealing systems has been developed. Non-contact seals are considered as hydrostatic–dynamic bearings that can effectively dampen rotor oscillations. A general approach to the analysis of non-contact seals as automatic control systems and an algorithm for constructing their dynamic characteristics at the design stage were proposed for the first time. Models of "rotor-gap seal", impulse seal and "rotor–hydraulic face" systems, and seal-supports of a shaftless pump have been studied to assess the effect of these seal systems on the oscillatory characteristics of the rotor. Analytical dependencies are obtained for calculating the dynamic characteristics and stability limits of seals as hydromechanical systems. The directions for improving the safety of operation of critical pumping equipment due to a targeted increase in the rigidity of non-contact seals are determined, which leads to an increase in the vibration resistance of the rotor and the environ-mental safety of centrifugal machines. The paper proposes a method for designing sealing systems based on the configuration of sealing components in order to achieve harmonization between sealing and vibration reliability, taking into account oscillatory processes due to hydrodynamic sealing characteristics.


Gyrotrons are in development to produce 2 MW CW of RF power in the mm-wave frequency range. Developers require RF loads to test these devices at full power, and similar loads will be required for ITER. This presentation describes development of a 2 MW CW RF load to meet these requirements.


Leaf samples from coffee plants under three different fertilizations, namely NPK, NP and PK, were collected for chemical analysis. It was found that the contents of N, K, Ca, Mg and S in the first, second, third and fourth pair of leaves were the same from the statistical point of view. On the onder hand, there was a significant effect of the position of the leaf in the branch on the P content, which was higher in the first pair. With the exception of the P level ,the four pairs of leaves are chemically uniform. Nevertheless it is not considered as convenient to mix all kinds of leaves into one sample, since the composition may vary a great deal when sampling is done some other time, such as the period of fruit growing. It is recommended therefore that either the third or the fourth pair leaves should be collected for routine work in foliar diagnosis.


Objective To integrative of the clinical effect of cervical erosion.Methods A retrospective analysis of our hospital in June 2008~2010 gynecology in February between cervical erosion were treated 120 patients,patients were randomly divided into two groups of 60 cases.Two groups of patients were treated MTE2000 microwave integrated therapy for the treatment,the treatment group was based on the use of dampness,only with,traditional Chinese medicine to stop bleeding.Results After treatment,the total effective control group significantly(P0.01).Conclusion Integrated treatment erosion of the cervix curative treatment significantly,it is worth the clinical application.


Liquid natural rubber (LNR) was functionalized into liquid epoxidized natural rubber (LENR) and hydroxylated LNR (LNR-OH) via oxidation using a Na2WO4/CH3COOH/H2O2 catalytic system. Microstructures of LNR and functionalized LNRs were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The effect of CH3COOH, H2O2, Na2WO4, reaction time and temperature. reaction time and temperature on epoxy content were investigated. LNR-OH was obtained when oxidation reaction was conducted at a longer reaction time, higher temperature or excess amount of catalyst. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reported the thermal behavior of functionalized LNRs. Molecular weight and polydispersity index (PDI) were determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC).


Customary inheritance is the process by which tangible and intangible property is inherited and passed on from generation to generation. The customary law of inheritance contains provisions on the transfer of property and intangible property from generation to generation to their descendants. An heir is a person who dies, whether male or female, leaving behind a portion of the property acquired and the rights and obligations that must be exercised during his lifetime, whether by will or not. The legal basis for the crown prince to bequeath part of the crown prince's property according to BW inheritance law. Many or at least the share that the heirs receive from the applicable law. Therefore, all heirs have the same inheritance. Meanwhile, batak customary punishment is based on the provisions of the law and ordinary presidential orders on the division of inheritance.


Banda arc has a high seismicity, therefore, it is necessary to reduce the earthquake risk. Earthquake parameters variation from Gutenberg - Richter relation, log n(M)=a – bM, has introduced the model of earthquakes prediction related to earthquake risk. Earthquake data from NEIC catalogue for a period of 1973 - 2009 has been used to analyze earthquake parameters variation (a-value, b-value) in the area of Banda arc within coordinates 1°-13° S and 120°-135° E. This research used ZMAP ver. 6.0. to analyze the earthquake data. The result of spatial analyze shows the areas of potential destructive earthquakes are surrounding of Flores, Alor and western part of Seram. The probability of earthquakes occurrence with the magnitude 6.5 RS in these areas is 7 – 15 years, whereas the magnitude 7 RS is about 20–60 years.


In recent years,wavelet analysis has become frontiers of engineering discipline with rapid development.The wavelet transform has perfect characters of localization in both time domain and frequency domain.Also it can sample the step length of radio-frequency component by both time domain and frequency domain and focus on any details of the objects.In this paper,we introduced both classical and wavelet algorithm.Also we compared the two algorithms by using Matlab and elaborated the qualities of both algorithms.At last,we figured out the wavelet algorithm was better from the effect.


Fossil fuel depletion risk forecasting and growing environmental concerns are strong impetus for developing higher efficient transportation system nowadays. Hybridization is considered as one of the most efficient short and mid-term solutions. In particular, series hydraulic hybrid configuration provides a further advantage when it provides more degree of freedom of engine control. However, low energy density characteristic of hydraulic accumulator is also a significant obstacle. This challenge is an important part of motivation for a model-based approach to develop the control system. The aim of this paper is to propose a control-oriented model of a series hydraulic hybrid vehicle (SHHV) with minimum order and number of the parameters. The SHHV is then considered as a multi-input and multi-output system. A classical approach of control system design is applied to estimate an output-feedback servo control for the low-level controller. In addition, a multi-PID-based controller is also designed, tuned, and implemented using decentralized approaches. In addition, the proposed control system allows developing and evaluating the benefit of different power management strategies for a SHHV.


This thesis investigates and develops some aspects of low speed wireless telemetry applications. The system configuration is one of a single master, controlling and communicating with multiple slave stations over a radio network. The aim of this thesis is to develop a narrow band wireless communications network based on a protocol with slotted time base, utilizing standard, off the shelf hardware. The idea is to investigate different strategies for improvement of data throughput performance under conditions of both lowand high loading, using this basic protocol. Such strategies may, amongst others include collision detection, flow control and pre-scheduling algorithms. This thesis will also show the how the non-adaptive system's data throughput performance can be improved using an adaptive system under lowand high loading. Half-duplex communication mode will be used for data communication. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za


SUMMARY The fidelity of magnetic resonance sounding signals is often severely degraded by noise, primarily electrical interference from powerline harmonics and short electromagnetic discharges. In many circumstances, the noise originates from multiple sources. We show that noise cancelling can be improved if the multiple origins of noise are taken into account. In particular, a method is developed where powerline harmonics are efficiently removed through a modelbased approach. Subsequently, standard multichannel Wiener filtering can be used to provide a further noise reduction. The performance of the method depends on the distribution of noise on the particular site of measurement. Simulations on synthetic signals embedded in real noise recordings show that the combined approach can improve the signal-to-noise ratio with an accompanying improvement in retrieval of model parameters.


Pulpotomy therapy is the treatment of choice for cariously exposed vital primary molars. Controversies surrounding formocresol which enjoys good clinical success as a pulpotomy medicament has triggered the search for better alternatives. The objective of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the materials that have been studied as alternatives to formocresol to aid clinicians in making an informed choice of medicament for pulpotomy.


We investigate a Fe2 molecular nanomagnet that displays a giant, field-induced step in its magnetisation curve. Detailed magnetisation and magnetic torque investigations demonstrate that in this Fe2 system the single-ion anisotropy is dominant over the isotropic exchange coupling. Accurate spin Hamiltonian parameter values and tensor orientations are obtained. The theoretical analysis reveals that this system is a very promising candidate for the direct observation of the Néel vector tunnel splitting in weakly coupled molecular nanomagnets.


Batch isotherm experiments were performed to study the sorption characteristics of typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),naphthalene,anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene on mangrove sediment from Jiulong River estuary.The effects of water temperature,salinity and sediment aggregates with different sizes on the sorption of the three PAHs were investigated.The results demonstrated that the sorption of the three PAHs in the mangrove sediment was a two-step process,including a rapid sorption process and then a slow sorption process.The sorption process can be well described by Freundlich model,and the sorption of the three PAHs on sediment was nonlinear.The sorption capacities of the PAHs on the sediment were in the order of benzo[a]pyreneanthracenenaphthalene.The sorption capacities of the three PAHs on sediment decreased with increasing temperature,but increased with salinity.The sorption capacities of PAHs on sediment aggregates with different sizes were in the order of 0.063—0.25( 0.063)0.25—1.0(1.0) mm,and it was due to the difference of black carbon content in sediment aggregates.


Wire tension as well as wire feed should be controlled tightly for the geometry and corner accuracy or wire-EDM. In this paper, a closed-loop wire tension control system for micro-wire-EDM is presented to guarantee a smooth wire transport and a constant tension value. In order to keep smooth wire transportation and avoid wire breakage during wire feeding, the reel roller is modified and the clip reel is removed from the wire transport mechanism. A genetic algorithm based fuzzy logic controller is proposed to investigate the dynamic performance of the closed-loop wire tension control system. Experimental results demonstrate that the developed wire transport system can result in satisfactory transient response, steady state response and robustness. The proposed genetic algorithm based fuzzy logic controller can obtain fast transient response and small steady-state error than a PI controller.


The chitosan-vitamin C complex was synthesized through the electrostatic attractions among ions. The structure of complex was characterized by FT-IR and DSC. The results of solubility testing show the complex was water soluble. The testing results of auto-oxidation rates of pyrogallic acid indicate the complex was superior to chitosan in scavenging ·O-2.


Traditionally synthetic fiber ropes based on nylon and polyester fibers have been widely used in the marine industry. In recent years, as the offshore petroleum industry has moved to depths beyond 1000 meters, these have attracted more attention for both mooring and deep sea handling, and high performance ropes (high modulus polyethylenes (HMPE), aramids) are also being studied. Ocean energy converters will also require mooring systems with long term reliability. Following pioneering work by Petrobras large polyester fiber ropes are now being used in station keeping of floating platforms off Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico [1]. This application followed extensive development projects and sea trials, and has resulted in a large database of tensile properties. Tension is clearly the dominant loading in most marine applications but torsion and flexure may also be present. Torsion can be induced during tension loading, due to the unbalanced construction of some ropes (e.g. 6+1 wire ropes). However, even in a balanced construction, the movement of an adjacent unbalanced steel wire loaded in tension may introduce twist. Torsion may also arise during handling or installation operations. Bending occurs whenever ropes pass over pulleys, and can rapidly degrade high performance ropes. A thorough understanding of all these phenomena is therefore essential for safe design. Over the last ten years IFREMER has been involved in several projects concerned with both offshore and oceanographic applications of fiber ropes. The present paper will briefly describe tests developed specifically to address: Tension-torsion coupling in large steel and polyester ropes, Twist effects on braid strength of HMPE, and Bend over sheave performance of high performance ropes.


Most dental complaints that prompt an emergency department (ED) visit do not require antibiotics. These authors reviewed the National Hospital


The Wanyan Family Ancestral Tablet in Qishan and the Wanyan family Tree in Jingchuan indicate that the Hans living there are offspring of the Nuzhen people.Evidence discover respectively in Fengxiang,Gaolan and Yongdeng and other places show that Mongolians descendants are inhabiting these places.The five relics discovered are of great historical value.


This research was conducted to test cadmium tolerance by five speices of native herbs for screening cadmium tolerance plant. We examined germination rate, root and shoot growth rate of seedling, fresh biomass of native herbs exposed to cadmium solution for 14 days. Especially, germination rate of Abutilon avicennae and Amaranthus retroflexus was over 90% in all concentration, but germination rate of Aeschynomene indica, Echinochloa crus-galli var. oryzicola and Echinochla crus-galli var. frumentacea began to decrease when they exposed to 15 mgCdSO₄ /L. The higher the Cd concentration, the length of root, shoot grew lower. The fresh biomass of Echinochloa crus-galli var. oryzicola, Echinochla crus-galli var. frumentacea and Amaranthus retro-flexus were not so different from each control, but those of Abutilon avicennae and Aeschynomene indica began to decrese greatly when exposed to 60 mgCdSO₄ /L. EC/sub 50/(Effective Concentration 50%) of Abutilon avicennae, Aeschynomene indica and Amaranthus retroflexus was 44.6∼77.5 mgCdSO₄ /L for root growth, 38.6∼114 mgCdSO₄ /L for shoot growth, 60∼107.5 mgCdSO₄ /L for fresh biomass. Among the native herbs, sensitivity of cadmium ordered as root length > fresh biomass > shoot length. These results indicate that Abutilon avicennae is a tolerant species for cadmium.


We introduce a rst attempt to generate a nationwide data baseline of the mechanical, mineralogical
and morphological characterization of Ecuadorian soil. With this aim, the analysis of unaltered soil
samples corresponding to the capitals of twenty-three provinces and six other signi cant locations
in Ecuador is performed as follows: First, the gradation and Atterberg limits allow us to obtain each
sample's classi cation according to the Uni ed Soil Classi cation System (USCS), which provides
important information regarding soil's mechanical behavior...


The invention relates to an oral preparation and a preparation method thereof. The preparation contains lurasidone hydrochloride, a micronized particle of a dispersion supporter, microcrystalline cellulose and a water-soluble polymer adhesive. More specifically, the invention relates to the oral preparation and especially to a tablet. The preparation has a fast dissolution characteristic, and dissolution characteristics of an active component are identical; even though the content of the active component in the preparation changes in a certain range, the dissolution characteristics of the active component are still identical.


In this paper a class of numerical methods to solve linear and nonlinear PDEs and also systems of PDEs is developed. The Differential Transform method associated with the Method of Lines (MoL) is used. The theory for linear problems is extended to the nonlinear case, and a recurrence relation is established. This method can achieve an arbitrary high-order accuracy in time. A variable stepsize algorithm and some numerical results are also presented. Keywords—Method of Lines, Differential Transform Method.


Abstract A 30-year hindcast was performed using version 4.1 of the IAP AGCM (IAP AGCM4.1), and its potential predictability of the MJO was then evaluated. The results showed that the potential predictability of the MJO is 13 and 24 days, evaluated using the signal-to-error ratio method based on a single member and the ensemble mean, respectively. However, the MJO prediction skill is only 9 and 10 days using the two methods mentioned above. It was further found that the potential predictability and prediction skill depend on the MJO amplitude in the initial conditions. Prediction initiated from conditions with a strong MJO amplitude tends to be more skillful. Together with the results of other measures, the current MJO prediction ability of IAP AGCM4.1 is around 10 days, which is much lower than other climate prediction systems. Furthermore, the smaller difference between the MJO predictability and prediction skill evaluated by a single member and the ensemble mean methods could be ascribed to the relatively smaller size of the ensemble member of the model. Therefore, considerable effort should be made to improve MJO prediction in IAP AGCM4.1 through application of a reasonable model initialization and ensemble forecast strategy.


Soil is inhabited by a huge number of invertebrate species, the so called soil fauna. For some of them, the soil represents a refuge. Out of the soil the environment is less suitable; there is too much light, and the humidity and temperature are more instable. For these reasons many species of soil fauna show specifi c pattern of epigeic activity – they are more active during periods with more favourable conditions, i.e. during spring and autumn in annual rhythm and/or during night in diurnal rhythm.


ABSTRACT While the application of precision agriculture technology to tactical, or within cropping season, decisions such as variable rate nutrient application may be an initial focus for producers, other decisions can be considered. Precision agriculture, as an information system, can provide data to help make spatially dependent strategic, or multiple cropping season, decisions. This research evaluates the economic benefit of filter strips on a diversified crop farm including corn and double cropped wheat with soybean. Economic analysis includes break-even computations permitting development of a decision-making criteria for the selection of these strips using historical yield monitor data. Results suggest that there is potential for this geographic information assisted process of filter strip delineation to increase overall net returns for producers with economically superior results to either a more naive approach of enrolling all eligible land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)or not participating in CRP. Furthermore, results suggest that information from precision agriculture, when coupled with appropriate economic analytical tools, can increase enrollment in CRP and enhance sustainabilily through increased profits and the environmental benefits from engaging in the CRP.


BACKGROUND: Medication errors are currently known as the most common medical errors. Research shows that work environment and organisation management, in addition to the role of nurses, contribute to the occurrence of an error. AIM: Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the rate of nurses' medication errors and its relation to the care complexity and work dynamics in the Taleghani Pediatric Hospital of Gorgan in 2017. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study. Sampling was done through census method (N = 100). The data collection tools consisted of four questionnaires of demographic information, Salyer work dynamics, Medication Administration Errors, and Velasquez Nursing Care Complexity. Data were analysed in SPSS V.16 software using descriptive and inferential statistical methods including independent t-test and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: Medication calculation errors, wrong dose and wrong medication were the most common non-injectable medication errors, respectively. Drug incompatibility, wrong infusion rate and medication calculation errors were the most common injectable medication errors, respectively. There was a positive correlation between medication calculation errors (P = 0.02, r = 0.23), wrong solvent (P = 0.04, r = 0.21), and drug incompatibility (P = 0.01, r = 0.25) with amount of work dynamics. Also, there was a positive correlation between medication calculation errors (P = 0.03, r = 0.22) and wrong medication (P = 0.00, r = 0.31) with the nursing care complexity. CONCLUSION: Regarding the irrefutable impact of working conditions on the occurrence of errors, it appears that the study and complete recognition of nurses' working conditions and their adjustment would lead to a reduction in medication errors.


Second language research and literature have provided a number of definitions for tasks depending on their underlying assumptions, including the scope and perspectives that are illustrated by linguists researching tasks or task-based teaching and learning. Although Task-Based is not a definite method that teachers must follow systematically, the adoption of Task-Based method as the teaching approach in English language education environments is based on a number of assumptions, principles and theories of second language acquisition. In fact, the adoption of Task-Based was a result of a better understanding of the nature and processes of language learning and also because of the inadequacies of other approaches, for instance, Present-Practice-Product. Task-based English Teaching (TBET) has been adopted not only because it has well-grounded assumptions but also due to the sound rationale behind its implementation within which it can satisfy both supporters of communicative approach and defenders of traditional approaches by drawing on both theory of learning in general and theory of language learning in particular. Contextualized language learning is the main principle of TBET that attracted the attention of second language learning which was coined and later developed by second language researchers and educators in reaction to other teacher- dominated, form-oriented methods. This paper attempts to deal with task-based, the role it plays in language teaching in details and aims to provide some suggestions for L 2 learning.


hendong mining area,located in the arid and semi-arid areas,is an important coal origin in China,where the overburden structure has characteristics of shallow seam,thin bedrock and thick windblown sands,thus,the green mining(especially water preserving mining) has important significance in this area.Based on the failure characteristics of different rock strata,combining with the analysis of deformability,bearing capacity,and physical quantities associated with mining,a mechanical model predicting the height of water-flowing fractured zone(WFZ) is given,which is further used to analyze the height of WFZ in LW12610 of Daliuta coal mine.Both the results of numerical simulation and field observation show that the mechanical model is advisable.


This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project to promote the development of an incarnational ministry at the Webb Chapel Church of Christ. This intervention employed a team of Webb Chapel opinion leaders representative of various subgroups of the congregation. In the fall of 2008, this group met for eight sessions to discuss the self-emptying practices of Jesus and the need for his followers to emulate those self-emptying practices in their individual lives. Through interaction in the eight sessions, the group developed a model by which self-emptying practices could be implemented at Webb Chapel. Evaluation of the project illuminated the following principles: (1) Jesus revealed the supreme example of self-emptying when he took on humanity and became flesh for a time. (2) Jesus chose to empty himself of the desires that drive man to be independent from God. (3) Self-emptying is something that the disciples of Jesus can do and are called to do as well. (4) Self-emptying places God at the center of one's heart.


An new turbulence model for Very Large Eddy Simulation, based on the extended kε model of Kim and Chen is developed. Introducing an adaptive filtering technique the model can distinguish between numerically resolved and unresolved parts of flow. The model is applied to the unstable vortex motion in a pipe trifurcation. This flow phenomenon could not be predicted with classical RANS methods and usually used turbulence models. By applying the VLES method with the new turbulence model the phenomenon was well predicted and the results agree quite reasonable with measurement data.


The author looks at a severely practical way of investigating accidents. He develops the concept that a logical sequence of questions which looks behind the superficial causes and consequences of an incident, is a technique which commends itself highly.


Veterinary outreach and field medicine projects are expanding across international boundaries at a rapid pace. Projects span from small, local initiatives to robust country-wide programs operated by international animal welfare charities. Both smalland largescale disaster relief efforts involving animals are also becoming increasingly common. Although the majority of larger animal welfare organizations have operating manuals, guidance documents, and participant guidelines to follow, smaller groups often have few to no protocols or resources to use, other than a passion to help make a difference for the animals in a community. A Field Manual for Small AnimalMedicine was born out of the editors' passion for providing a resource for those working in this exciting and challenging field. This manual is intended to assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and those involved in animal welfare projects with improving the health andwelfare of animals in remote, rural, and international contexts. The contributing authors recognize the challenges faced when executing field surgical clinics, disaster response, and treatment of free-roaming dogs and cats in the face of limited resources. Like many other textbooks, some goldstandard recommendations are provided; however, thismanual strives to also provide practical and cost– effective recommendations where the ideal solution may not be available. Readers will encounter highlighted tips and tricks that suggest innovative ways to best allocate resources to provide the best animal care possible. Practicing veterinary medicine in limitedresourced environments requires amultitude of skills and training in a variety of subjects ranging from soft tissue surgery to emergency medicine. The topics chosen for inclusion in this manual were those deemed most critical for small animal practitioners, spay/neuter surgeons, shelter administrators and program managers. On an individual animal level, treatment protocols for commonly observed canine and feline diseases, euthanasia considerations, emergency medicine, and diagnostic techniques are discussed. As fieldwork often consists of high-volume spay/neuter activities, information pertaining to humane handling and capture techniques for freeroaming animals, surgical asepsis, high-volume surgical techniques, and cost-effective anesthetic and pain management is included. On a programmatic level, the editors also felt that it was necessary to include material on dog population management, methods of measuring programmatic success, and community engagement. Thoseworking in limited-resourced shelters might find information on sanitation, wellness and preventive care, and emergency sheltering useful to their operations. Althoughmuch has been published on these topics in the past decade in various journals, textbooks, and organizational manuals, the information remains scattered. The editors attempted to centralize such


The spatiotemporal fidelity of signal transduction is maintained in large part by scaffolding proteins. In particular, A‐Kinase Anchoring Proteins (AKAPs) accelerate and amplify the phosphorylation of substrate proteins by anchored kinases. However, the mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain unclear. Our present study endeavors to clarify this mechanism utilizing a combination of mathematical modeling, biochemistry, and FRET microscopy. We propose a model wherein enzymes on a scaffold undergo a "conformational switch" into an active intermediate. This model predicts anchored enzymatic reactions to be accelerated, amplified, and insulated from inhibition in comparison to those occuring in solution. We are exploring a novel interaction between AKAP7α and Protein Kinase C (PKC) as a model system to validate these predictions. Our preliminary data comparing the FRET responses of a genetically encoded PKC activity reporter (CKAR) to an AKAP7α‐CKAR fusion protein reveal that both the speed and strength of the CKAR substrate phosphorylation is enhanced when it is tethered to AKAP7α. Additionally, PKC bound to AKAP7α appears to be less susceptible to several classes of PKC inhibitors, including the ATP competitive inhibitor Gö6976 and the substrate inhibitor PKC 20–28. Collectively, our findings provide strong theoretical and molecular evidence that more narrowly defines the anchoring hypothesis.


Malachite green (50 mg/L) was completely decolorized under static condition within 10 h at pH 6 and 30°C by the fungal strain Cunninghamella elegans; however decolorization was not observed at shaking condition. Induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase was observed during malachite green (MG) decolorization suggesting their involvement in the decolorization process. Toxicity study revealed the degradation of MG into non-toxic products by Cunninghamella elegans. FTIR analysis showed decolorization of MG. (Roushdy M.M. and Abdel-Shakour E.H. Potential Biotechnological Application of Lignin Peroxidase Produced by Cunninghamella elegans in the Decolorization and Detoxification of Malachite Green Dye. New York Science Journal 2011;4(8):80-88 (ISSN: 1554-0200).


Brazilian agribusiness has shown a significant growth in recent years. With it, high volumes of effluents are generated, with a large supply of organic matter and nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus. When these effluents are not properly treated, they present a high polluting potential, impacting the environment and human health and other animals. Several processes of nutrient removal have been studied. Deamonification processes that combine partial nitration with the anammox process have been gaining a prominent position in the world scenario and several studies are developed to optimize them. The microorganisms responsible for the process are of great importance and studies on the characterization of microbial consortia in reactors are recent and have become frequent due to the advance of molecular techniques and the need to understand and optimize the community of microorganisms in operational reactors. The present study aimed to identify and characterize the anammox sludge present in four reactors with different experimental conditions, aiming to determine the microbial community in these environments and understand how they behave with operational changes. Samples were collected from two reactors exclusively anammox (1 and 2) and one deamonification reactor (3). DNA extraction and amplification of the genetic material were performed for the sequencing of 16S amplicons on the Illumina MiSeq platform. In Reactor 1, two genera anammox Ca. Jettenia were identified, with a relative abundance of 7% and Ca. Brocadia (3%), besides the Chloroflexi phyla (27%), Proteobacteria (24%), Chlorobi (20%) and Acidobacteria (9%). In Reactor 2 were the same phyla not anammox, and the same two genera anammox, but in different relative abundances Ca. Brocadia (8%) and Ca. Jettenia (3%). In Reactor 3, only the genus anammox Ca. Jettenia (10%) was identified, accompanied by the same non-anammox phyla identified in reactors 1 and 2. Sludge from Reactor 1 served as inoculum for reactors 2 and 3, indicating that changes in reactor operating conditions influence the dynamics of the microbial community.


Abstract This paper classifies Poisson structures with the reduced simple normal crossing divisor on a product of Fano varieties of Picard number 1. The characterization of even-dimensional projective spaces from the viewpoint of Poisson structures is given by Lima and Pereira. In this paper, we generalize the characterization of projective spaces to any dimension.


Speech, language, and hearing professionals provide informational counseling for individuals with hearing loss to facilitate success in a variety of settings. The focus and content of the informati...


[PROBLEMS] A vial capping device and a vial capping method that are capable of reliably tightening a cap on a vial. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A vial capping device has a cap installation ring (35) on which a thread (56) that is screwed on a thread (9) on the outer peripheral surface of a cap (2) is provided, a holding device (71) for holding a vial (1), a movement device (71) for causing at least either a thread (6) on the internal peripheral surface of the cap (2) installed on the cap installation ring (35) or an opening section (3) of the vial (1) to approach the other; and a tightening motor (42) for rotating at least either the cap installation device (35) or the holding device (71).


In some developed countries, the automatic vehicle recognition is a quite mature technology. This paper applies the multi-classification method based on support vector machine (SVM) to vehicle recognition. Support vector machine, appeared recently, is a new theory and technology in the filed of pattern recognition and has shown excellent performance in practice. This method was proposed basing on structural risk minimization (SRM) in place of experiential risk minimization (ERM), thus it has good generalization capability. By mapping input data into a high dimensional characteristic space in which an optimal separating hyperplane is built, SVM presents a lot of advantages for resolving the small samples, nonlinear and high dimensional pattern recognition, as well as other machine-learning problems such as function fitting. The simulation results show that the proposed method is effective and feasible.


Since 1960's, India steadily achieved remarkable progress in its agricultural mechanization, but mainly concentrated for few crops like paddy, wheat, etc. Though vegetable contributes significantly in Indian agriculture, vegetable farming lagged behind in its mechanization. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the main bulbous vegetable crop from Alliaceae family grown in India. Manual garlic harvesting is time consuming operation and requires high man-hours. For mechanised garlic harvesting under Indian conditions, studies were conducted on optimisation of design parameters of mechanical harvesting of garlic through evaluation of biometric and engineering properties relevant to mechanical harvesting of garlic. An experimental set up of garlic harvesting system was fabricated to determine the influence of soil-machine parameters on mechanical harvesting of garlic at three levels of soil moisture content (15, 12 and 9%), rake angle (10 0 ,15 0 and 20 0 ) and speed of operation (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 km.h -1 ). Field experiments were conducted to determine optimum values for design of garlic harvester. The design values were incorporated in design of a garlic harvester and field evaluated. Observations on biometric and engineering properties of garlic plant such as plant length were used to decide the length of soil separator and accordingly, it was kept as 1000 mm. Shape factor, polar diameter and equatorial diameter were used to decide lateral spacing between rods of soil separator as 50 mm. Depth of garlic bulb with respect to soil surface was used to decide the minimum depth of digging blade in soil during harvesting operation, and was decided as 120 mm. Slope of rods of soil separator was kept at 25 0 considering the angle of rolling resistance of garlic plant. Weight of garlic plant was taken into consideration for deciding the strength of material used for components of garlic harvesting system. Cutting and crushing resistance of garlic plant were used to consider the strength of digging unit of a harvesting system. Influence of soil-machine parameters on experimental set up of garlic harvesting system was determined in terms of garlic harvesting percentage, damage ii percentage, soil separation index, and power requirement. Observations showed that soil moisture content significantly affected harvesting percentage and soil separation. Highest garlic harvesting percentage (96.70%) and maximum soil separation (0.25) was obtained at 12.23±0.35% soil moisture content (d.b). Also, minimum power (4.04 kW) required was observed at 12.23±0.35% soil moisture (d.b). Rake angle had influence over all performance parameters. Highest garlic harvesting percentage (96.70%) and minium damage percentage (4.75%) was obtained at 15 0 and 20 0 rake angle, respectively. However, soil separation was lower at rake angle of 20 0 . By considering overall performance, rake angle of 15 0 was most satisfactory. On the other hand, speed of operation had effect on soil separation index and power requirement. Highest speed of operation (4.5 km.h -1 ) resulted in lower soil separation index (0.25), without significant difference at other two levels of operational speed. High speed required maximum power requirement (14.02 kW), while lowest speed (1.5 km.h -1 ) required minimum power (4.04 kW). Considering the above, soil moisture of 12.23±0.35% (d.b), rake angle of 15 0 and 1.5 km.h -1 speed of operation were recommended as design operational parameters of a garlic harvester. A 4-row tractor operated garlic harvester was accordingly designed and field evaluated in sandy loam textured field. Harvesting percentage, damage percentage, soil separation index, power requirement and field capacity were observed to be 96.12%, 5.94%, 0.26, 4.54 kW and 0.24 ha.h -1 , respectively, and were satisfactory. The total cost of fabrication of garlic harvester was Rs. 12700/-. Operational cost of machine harvesting was estimated to be Rs. 1670/for one hectare, which was much lower than cost of manual harvesting (Rs. 3750/per ha), leading to about 55 % savings in cost of harvesting operation. The prototype garlic harvester had a breakeven point at 218.12 h.yr -1 , with a pay back period of 3.63 years.


This paper proposes a novel comprehensive state of charge (SOC) and voltage control scheme for battery equalization. For the circuit topology, the equalizers contain balancing circuits based on buck-boost converter topology, which can guarantee bi-directional power flow between battery cells, and each cell is corresponding to one balancing circuit. For the control scheme, real time SOC of each cell is measured to determine the switching state of each balancing circuit so that equalization path can be changed accordingly. Real time voltage is also measured to minimize the load voltage ripple. PI controller is then applied to regulate both SOCs and voltages across the battery cells through the adjustment of the switching duty ratios, thus making a trade-off between equalization speed and battery voltage fluctuations. The circuit topology is constructed in SIMULINK while the control algorithm is implemented in MATLAB. Simulation results of SOC, voltage and current are obtained to validate the control design.


Aphthous stomatitis is an urgent problem of modern medicine dentistry and is an inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane mouth with a long, manifest flow. The aim of the study is to study the structure of somatic pathology in children with aphthous stomatitis. In the course of the study, a single-center clinical examination and treatment was performed at the clinical dental clinic of the Federal state budgetary educational institution of higher education "Bashkir state medical University" of the Ministry of health of the Russian Federation in 37 patients (20 boys and 17 girls) aged 4 to 14 years. The diagnosis of concomitant systemic pathology was recorded based on the results of the conclusions of district pediatricians, ENT doctors, gastroenterologists, immunologists, allergists, and rheumatologists. As a result of the study, it turned out that all the examined patients had comorbidities, namely, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of ENT organs, allergic reactions, as well as a violation of the immune status, Behcet's disease. Based on the results of the study, it turned out that patients with aphthous stomatitis, as a rule, have a wide range of health-related problems, which should be taken into account when drawing up a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with this disease. The somatic status of all patients with aphthous stomatitis is burdened with comorbid pathology. The structure of somatic pathology in patients with aphthous stomatitis is dominated by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (chronic gastritis in 17 people, gastric and duodenal ulcer in 1 person, biliary dyskinesia in 5 people, chronic cholecystitis in 3 patients, Crohn's disease in 1 patient).


The potential of the public category is discuss in this paper for the study of the relations between archaeology and society. Pursuing this aim, the uses of this concept in Argentine Archaeology is analyzed during the last fifteen years. Within this period, social transformations generated a significant scenario for thinking materials, speeches and archaeological practices around the public category. This context has allowed a greater action capacity for social minorities involved with archaeological materials, but also reformulations over the narratives of the national history. Besides, the "politics of culture" of late 20th century led to the activation of cultural heritage materials and archaeological landscapes for tourism purposes and identity actions. Following this approach, it is worth to make some questions: what meanings are attributed to the public in Argentine Archaeology at the beginning of the 21st century? How these meanings are related to theoretical debates in social sciences? And what political implications are involved with these meanings?


This chapter describes the variation in the amount of phenolic compounds between transgenic and wild type hybrid aspen (Populus sp.), and demonstrates the potential of using transgenic aspen plants ...