The present study aims at evaluating the economic impact of the use of hyaluronic acid (Hyalubrix®60/HyalOne) as an alternative to surgery in the treatment of hip osteoarthritis, consistently with the therapeutic protocol envisaged in the Ortobrix study. To quantify the cost and efficacy of the treatment options under evaluation, the perspective of both the Italian NHS and the Society was considered. To this end, a decision analysis model was created over a 4-year period, to quantify the cost of treatments, procedures and adverse events, as well as the benefits expressed as survival rates and reduced lost workdays. The results show that, since the treatment with Hyalubrix® enables to avoid or delay the need for Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgery, it is possible to reduce mortality, adverse events and total costs. Hyalubrix®, given in the hip by ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection as an alternative to surgery is the most favourable option, helping preserve the survival rate over a 4-year period, of approximately 1 in 100 patients considered candidates for THR, preserve work capacity for a total differential amount of 500 days, and achieve considerable savings in economic terms, of approximately 550,000 € and 600,000€ euros from the NHS and the Societal perspectives, respectively.


In 1904, the Austrian sculptor Richard Luksch (1872–1936) produced two over-life-size ceramic figures of the female body for Josef Hoffmann's famous Kurhaus at the Purkersdorf Sanatorium located on the outskirts of Vienna. Despite Luksch's affiliation with one of central Europe's most progressive buildings of the time and his early involvement with the Viennese Workshops, these ceramics have been virtually written out of the history of Viennese modernism. This essay strives to reinsert Luksch's figures into this history by offering a new interpretation that contextualizes them as powerful articulations of a new type of femininity anchored in contemporary discourses on nerves and gender, namely, that of the femme fragile.


Nursing and midwife students at the National Medical-Social Institute of Cotonou were interviewed in December 1995 on their attitudes and behavior regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). 81 women and 50 men from among the 141 eligible students completed the anonymous questionnaire. The students ages ranged from 20 to 35 years and averaged 24 years for the women and 23 years for the men. 2.5% of the women and 6% of the men had children. The women were 14 years old on average at menarche and 18 years old at first intercourse. The mens age at first intercourse ranged from 12 to 23 years and averaged 17.6 years. 15% of the women and 23% of the men reported having 2 partners while 5.3% of the women and 33% of the men reported having 3 or more. Fewer than 5% of the women and 16% of the men reported having STDs in the preceding 5 years. Half the students of both sexes believed that STDs could be spread by means other than through sexual contact. 86% of the women and 58% of the men reported ever experiencing anxiety about STDs after unprotected relations. 43.5% of the men and 51.5% of the women reported using condoms while 27.5% of the men and 17.5% of the women had never used a condom. 52% of the women and 49% of the men believed condoms to be ineffective. 16% of the men believed that urinating after intercourse is effective in preventing STDs. The data indicate that the students lack information on STD transmission and condom use.


The problem of the relatively small angles of repose reported by computer simulations of granular materials is discussed. It is shown that this problem can be partially understood as resulting from mesoscopic forces which are commonly neglected in the simulations. After including mesoscopic forces, characterized by the easily measurable surface energy, 2D computer simulations indicate that the angle of repose should increase as the size of the granular grains decreases, an effect not seen without mesoscopic forces. The exact magnitude of this effect depends upon the value of the surface energy and the coordination number of the granular pile


Introduction: MR Studies of skeletal muscle, their composition, physiological and patho-physiological responses to exercise have gained increased popularity with recent advances in MRI and have become an interesting complementary technique in addition to the direct measures of muscle activity, e.g. electromyography EMG. MRI is particularly useful for mapping spatial variations of anatomy and activity within a muscle that could remain completely undetected with EMG. The quite established technique of muscle functional imaging relies on the activity induced increase of T2 of muscle water. Because of its sensitivity T2-muscle mapping holds great potential for demonstrating patterns of muscle activation of normal and pathological or diseased states [1]. The early work of Bratton [2] explained the increase of T2 under muscle contraction by release of protein-bound water molecules in exchange with free water (two compartment model). For this model the underlying water exchange times have to be smaller than the time scale of the MR-experiment. Furthermore recent findings of Saab et al. [3] demonstrated multi-component T2 relaxation even in in-vivo tissue but their technique did not provide any spatially resolved data. With recent advancements in high precision multi-relaxation data acquisition techniques even on conventional whole body MRI-systems as demonstrated in [4], we introduce the ability of an in-vivo spatial and dynamic resolved multi-component relaxation technique for the human muscle anatomy. This technique could not be used until recently for this type of measurements in such problematic areas as the human muscle anatomy because of its inherent problem with generating slice excitation as well as refocusing patterns from inhomogenous RF that lead to contaminated T2-echo decay curve due to stimulated echoes and makes revealing multiple components impossible. With the use of a B1-NNLS correction technique, as originally proposed by Jones [5] and recently adopted in a clinical research study for myelin water imaging by Pasloski et al. [6], as well as the ability to control B1-homogeneity with a multi-transmit system, we could demonstrate the feasibility to decompose multiple relaxation compartments in the human calf-muscle with high spatial and sufficient dynamic resolution.


In wireless sensor networks (WSN) prolonging the network lifetime is one of the most challenging issues. The nodes in WSN are limited in terms of energy, processing power and storage. The energy is the most important factor since the network lifetime is limited by the energy of the nodes. In this article, a mobile base station (BS) approach is considered to utilize the energy consumption of sensor nodes (SNs) and the movement of the BS is governed by fuzzy logic inference mechanism. In a cluster based architecture a priority is given to each cluster head (CH) based on three fuzzy input parameters. These parameters are initial energy, distance to the BS and data transmission rate. The BS decides to move towards a CH with the highest priority in order to save more energy. We will then compare the performance of our proposed model with LEACH (Low Energy Adaptive Hierarchy) protocol. We will also show that our proposed model, the CH energy is consumed in a more uniform fashion.


We have shown a novel large-channel-count wavelength-selectable laser diode source using non-amplifying current-tunable semiconductor Fabry-Perot filters. This approach allows for fine tuning of the comb filter to precisely match the ITU WDM grid with relatively simple off-the-shelf technology, reducing restrictions on manufacturing tolerances of essential subcomponents for such multiwavelength switchable DWDM sources.


Innovation is a social process. The interaction between multiple social domains determines fierce competitive environment of innovation. This article presents a theory of evolutional mechanism of innovation, defines the specific concepts of the four social domains and analyses three selection and evolutionary stages of the process of innovation evolution. And one time, a case study of the selection process within Siemens depicts the practical application. Elaborated research on evolutional mechanism assists organizations exploit their approaches to improve their capabilities of innovation-focus on using managerial practices to improve innovative capabilities, but not simply improve individual innovative capabilities


This paper presents a design of fractional order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (FOPID) controller for a 4 degree-of-freedom (DoF) lower limb exoskeleton (LLE) for motion assistance. The exoskeleton consists of four actuators, each responsible for hip flexion/extension and knee flexion/extension. The ankle is considered a passive one in this design. The exoskeleton dynamic modeling is derived using the Euler-Lagrange method. The fractional order PID controller is used to improve the stability and performance of the exoskeleton by incorporating the advantages of integer order PID controllers and fractional order calculus. To improve the performance of the controller, an atomic orbital search (AOS) optimization algorithm is used to tune the controller parameters. The effectiveness of the proposed fractional order PID controller is evaluated by introducing disturbance in the angular position of a 4 DoF LLE. The dynamic simulation results show promising potential for improving the quality of life for paraplegic patients by tracking the reference trajectory and highlighting the need for further refinement.


We prove (essentially) sharp $L^2$ estimates for a restricted maximal operator associated to a planar vector field that depends only on the horizontal variable. The proof combines an understanding of such vector fields from earlier work of the author with a result of Nets Katz on directional maximal operators.


Television has changed drastically in the Soviet Union over the last three decades. In 1960, only five percent of the population had access to TV, but now the viewing population has reached near total saturation. Today's main source of information in the USSR, television has become Mikhail Gorbachev's most powerful instrument for paving the way for major reform. Containing a wealth of interviews with major Soviet and American media figures and fascinating descriptions of Soviet TV shows, Ellen Mickiewicz's wide-ranging, vividly written volume compares over one hundred hours of Soviet and American television, covering programs broadcast during both the Chernenko and Gorbachev governments. Mickiewicz describes the enormous significance and popularity of news programs and discusses how Soviet journalists work in the United States. Offering a fascinating depiction of the world seen on Soviet TV, she also explores the changes in programming that have occurred as a result of glasnost.


Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the effect of team members' informational diversity (i.e. educational and functional dissimilarity) on team cooperation, focusing on the moderating role of long‐term time orientation. The authors theorize that teams' long‐term orientation moderates the diversity‐cooperation relationship through its effect on prosocial civic virtue behaviors.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 56 teams of MBA students were surveyed and data were analyzed along with third‐party records of demographic data on educational and functional backgrounds.Findings – Mediated moderation analyses indicated that for teams with high long‐term orientation, a negative relationship exists between informational diversity and civic virtue, while no significant relationship existed for teams with low long‐term orientation.Research limitations/implications – Future research should be conducted to address remaining concerns about the generalizability of the current findings and common method bias. F...


Personal communications.- The evolution of GSM.- Integrating data traffic in Enhanced-TDMA digital cellular systems.- The geometric Dynamic Channel Allocation strategy for high traffic FDM/TDMA mobile communications networks.- Performance evaluation of the DECT radio resource management.- The capacity of CDMA cellular: Reverse link field test results.- Adaptive multiuser detector for synchronous code division multiple access applications.- Concatenated coding scheme for reliable data transmission in CDMA cellular systems.- Performance of CDMA cellular networks with base-station antenna arrays.- Joint Frequency-Phase Modulation over Rayleigh fading channels.- Convolutional codes and finite interleavers for the block erasure channel.- Fractional-rate hybrid PSK-TCM codes for the Rayleigh fading channel.- Increased capacity of DS-CDMA mobile systems on frequency-selective slow fading channels.- Design and performance of an 8-dimensional modulation scheme.- Analysis of successive interference cancellation in M-ary Orthogonal DS-CDMA system with single path Rayleigh fading.- Simulation results for a CDMA Interference Cancellation technique in a Rayleigh fading channel.- Matched median detectors for synchronous direct-sequence multiple-access communications.- Cellular spectrum efficiency of a joint detection C/TDMA mobile radio system.- Multiple-symbol differential detection scheme for differential amplitude modulation.- Phase-correcting filter for sub-optimal equalizers.- Performance of adaptive equalization in typical indoor environments including non-linear power amplifiers.- New error probability upper bound on maximum likelihood sequence estimation for intersymbol interference channels.- Bit error probability of a rapidly-adapting rake receiver as a function of dwell time.- Near-far resistant propagation delay estimators for asynchronous direct-sequence code division multiple access systems.- Dynamic cell planning for wireless infrared in-house data transmission.- Frequency response measurements of the wireless indoor channel at infrared optics.- Propagation losses and impulse response of the indoor optical channel: A simulation package.- A 50 Mbit/s optical wireless lan link using novel optical and electronic enabling technologies.- Performance comparison of GMSK and ?/4-DQPSK modulations in a mobile radio environment.- The effect of modulation on the power rating of multi-channel linear amplifiers.- Simulation of GSM data channels in a safety critical railway environment.- A model for BER evaluation of indoor frequency selective channels using multipath measurement results at 2.4, 4.75 and 11.5 GHz.- Measuring bit errors, clock errors and their burst characteristics in mobile communication systems.- Performance of dynamic feedback power control in a TDMA radio system.- Performance of cellular radio systems with power control in varying shadow fading environments.- Power control on the forward link in cellular CDMA.- Performance analysis of a CDMA-based satellite-mobile audio broadcasting system.- Radio protocol architecture of the CODIT UMTS system.- RACE-II advanced TDMA mobile access project An approach for UMTS.- Multitone spread spectrum communication systems in a multipath Rician fading channel.- Slotted ALOHA with capture in a mobile radio environment.- Improved performance of mobile data networks using stack algorithms and receiver capture.- Contention resolution multiple access techniques for handling speech and data traffic on wireless networks.- Certain generalizations on the slotted collision channel without feedback.- Monolithic integration of a spread-spectrum transmitter and receiver front end for Wireless LAN applications.- A bit-serial CMOS digital IF-filter for mobile radio using an on-chip clock.- A 65-MHz digital chip-matched-filter for DS-spread spectrum applications.- Area-efficient viterbi decoders for complex rate-k/n convolutional and trellis codes.- Soft handoff extends CDMA cell coverage and increases reverse link capacity.- An architecture and methodology for mobile-executed cell hand-off in wireless ATM networks.


Asthma is a respiratory illness which is often encountered. Management of asthma is divided into two groups during an asthma attack and non asthma attack. The objective of managing an asthma attack is to relieve hypoxemia and other symptoms as soon as possible. It also depends on the degree of attack which are mild, moderate, and severe attacks. The combination of beta-2 agonist and ipratropium bromide has a role in asthma attacks both moderate and severe attack; while in mild asthma attacks there are no different from giving a beta-2 agonist alone. There is no significant difference in side effects between combination of beta-2 agonist and ipratropium bromide compared to the beta-2 agonist alone. Keywords: combination therapy, asthma attack, children


draughts. With the disappearance of tachycardia the patient can be allowed out of doors, but must in the first instance be protected from direct sunlight, extremes of temperature, and boisterous winds. The child should be given a warm as distinct from a hot bath morning and evening. In order to soothe and lessen skin irritation boric crystals (2 oz.-57 g.) should be added to each gallon (4.5 litres) of bath water. A preferable alternative is to bath the child in warm normal saline. Soap should not be used. Bathing must be followed by careful drying with a warm towel and by the application of pulverized fuller's earth or of a high-grade baby dusting powder. Calamine lotion is commonly used, but is less effective. Special attention should be paid to situations where there are opposed skin surfaces. The eyes should be bathed and the mouth rinsed with normal saline or bori6 lotion. Clothing must be light, and the garments next to the skin should be of cotton or silk. Frequent changes of clothing are necessary to avoid chilling while sweating persists. Cardboard splints may have to be applied to the limbs to prevent rubbing. Cotton mittens and socks are useful in protecting the hands and feet.


From the premise that an observable is real after it is measured, we envisage a tomography-based protocol that allows us to propose a quantifier for the degree of indefiniteness of an observable given a quantum state. Then, we find that the reality of an observable can be inferred locally only if this observable is not quantumly correlated with an informer. In other words, quantum discord precludes Einstein's notion of separable realities. Also, by monitoring changes in the reality of a local observable upon measurements on a remote system, we are led to define a measure of nonlocality. Proved upper bounded by discordlike correlations and requiring indefiniteness as a basic ingredient, our measure signals nonlocality even for separable states, thus revealing nonlocal aspects that are not captured by Bell inequality violations.


Hydrated singly charged aluminum ions eliminate molecular hydrogen in a size regime from 11 to 24 water molecules. Here we probe the structure of HAlOH(H2O)n 1, n = 9–14, by infrared multiple photon spectroscopy in the region of 1400–2250 cm . Based on quantum chemical calculations, we assign the features at 1940 cm 1 and 1850 cm 1 to the Al H stretch in fiveand six-coordinate aluminum(III) complexes, respectively. Hydrogen bonding towards the hydride is observed, starting at n = 12. The frequency of the Al H stretch is very sensitive to the structure of the hydrogen bonding network, and the large number of isomers leads to significant broadening and red-shifting of the absorption of the hydrogen-bonded Al H stretch. The hydride can even act as a double hydrogen bond acceptor, shifting the Al H stretch to frequencies below those of the water bending mode. The onset of hydrogen bonding and disappearance of the free Al H stretch coincides with the onset of hydrogen


The anionic and/or insertion copolymerization of 2,2-dimethyltrimethylene carbonate (DTC) with ϵ-caprolactone (ECL), pivalolactone (PVL) and L-lactide (LLA) is presented with special emphasis on the copolymerization mechanism. Statistical copolymers are obtained by copolymerization of DTC with ECL and with LLA, while with PVL a block copolymer is obtained. The role of transesterification on the microstructure is discussed.


In leading an institution, especially an educational institution, it is necessary to have practive, innovative and apropriate policies in every problem – the problem faced. In leading a school, the leader, namely the principal, must understand the models of good decision makingthat can improve the quality of the school and raise the name of the school. In bulding good leadership in a school it is necessary to make the right decisions made by the school leaders, and in running a school, the right decisions are needed which can be an alternative in every problem faced. Taking this decision is also a plan that results in every implementation running smoothly so that leadership in a school goes well and properly. This paper focus on the decision making models which are initially applied in the economic, politic and psychology science. Only a few papers explore this issue, most of its reveal about the result study or the output instead of discussing the process of decision making. Discussion about the usage of decision making model as the analytic tool and the application of the model is quite few.


The purity of steel has direct effect on its mechanical properties.the oxygen content、inclusion quantity、the component of inclusion and the inclusion appearance were analyzed,and also the surface flaw was counted.The result shows that the main type of inclusions in the ER70s-6 weld wire steel is complex oxide system,including MnO-Al2O3-SiO2-CaO system,MnO-SiO2 system and there are two surface flaw on the continuous cast slab,one is surface pores,the other is surface crack.


This paper represents the authors' contribution to Part A of the third World Wide Failure Exercise where a constitutive model is proposed which considers stiffness degradation and plastic strain accumulation for the prediction of stress–strain curves and failure envelopes of 13 test cases, involving various continuous fiber-reinforced laminates with polymeric matrix materials. The model calibration by means of the provided material data is described and the limits of applicability of the proposed constitutive model are discussed. Finally, the predictions are presented as being obtained without any experimental results available. The test cases consider unidirectional and multidirectional laminates under biaxial loads, laminates under various loading conditions (uniaxial, bending, thermal, loading and unloading) and laminates with open hole under tension or compression. Most of the predictions are documented in terms of stress–strain curves and curves presenting the evolution of brittle damage and of plastic strains.


This paper provides a minimally simple
theory that accounts for the foraging behaviour of animals. It
presents three separate systems of differential equations that
predict the selection of diets from various types of food, and
also the time-budgets of the occupancy of patches of food without,
and with regeneration of food. The theory subsumes the whole of
optimal foraging theory as one special case of foraging behaviour
defined by the physiological requirements of animals. The theory
explains foraging in terms of both the acquisition of food and the
utilization of food in the maintenance of life.


Wu Dai-fang's new work Argumentation on Classical Literature is characterized by its being eloquent, innovative, practical and righteous. Wu's views are of aesthetic value, his description and narration are full of emotions with "a definite idea of what is right and what is wrong" and "passionate likes and dislikes".


Seven cytoplasmic-genic male sterile (CMS) lines of rice having wild abortive (WA) cytoplasmic male sterility source and one having Oryza perennis CMS source were crossed with 34 entries to assess their maintainer/restorer behaviour. Most of the genotypes expressed differential fertility reactions when crossed with CMS lines having WA cytoplasm and all test entries produced sterile hybrids when crossed with CMS line having O. perennis source. Among the genotypes tested, 'Annapoorna', 'Kanchana', IR 36, 'Mattatriveni' and 'Aiswarya' are recognized as effective restorers for WA cytoplasmic male sterile lines. 'Jyothy' produced completely sterile hybrids with all CMS lines. 'Aruna', 'Pavizham' and Ptb 10 were maintainers for five CMS lines.


The essay explores the growing influence of Facebook, a location-based social application, on personal memory archiving. Facebook can contribute to memory storage, offering new ways for users to record their current feelings, ideas and experiences, especially as related to places. In this sense, the location services facilitate the documentation of memory, and Facebook makes it possible for people to locate a place and remember what happened at that place. Facebook also encourages users to create new memories, including place-based memory and social relational memories, and various location functions such as the Nearby tab provide a wide variety of choices of places users may be interested in. Due to the increased popularity of sharing and commenting on updates on Facebook, social interactions have also been enhanced, which enables people to make more social memories.


A reclassification of the Primates, at the family level, is given, with remarks on points of difference from other recent classifications.


S-2-pentanol is a chiral intermediate in the synthesis of several potential antialzheimer's drugs that inhibit β-amyloid peptide release or its synthesis. The present work focuses on the kinetic resolution of (R,S)-2-pentanol using vinyl acetate as an acyl donor. Effects of various parameters were studied to deduce the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction. Novozyme 435 was found to be the most efficient catalyst among different catalysts studied. Response Surface methodology and Box–Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effect of process parameters such as speed of agitation, enzyme loading, temperature and acyl donor/alcohol molar ratio on conversion, enantiomeric excess, enantioselectivity and initial rate. Initial rate data and progress curve data were used to arrive at a suitable model. Ping–pong bi–bi mechanism with 2-pentanol inhibition was found to describe the kinetics of the reaction. The kinetic parameters evaluated from initial rate data were used to simulate the experimental results. ...


The costumed body of the first Doctor (Who) is redolent of class, professional authority and Empire, antithetical to consumer modernity and revisionist history, a constative BBC voice during 1960s change. Yet being the Doctor is a contingent, a bricoleur identity (Levi-Strauss, 1962) put together on the run, proclaimed through dress (Lurie, 1983) and the performative dramatization of the body (Butler 1990), thus promoting the kind of speech act that Austin (1962) describes as perilous. Transient writing teams, and shifting costume priorities in serving narrative, genre and spectacle, add to the 'self'-contradictions of the costumed body, materialising as historical-camouflage (anonymity) and future-relief (visibility), rematerializing in new ethical and discursive reception contexts. This paper addresses these costume tensions by matching close textual analysis, one that contests the marginalized authorship of the designer (Britton, 1999), with a reception-based approach where the instability has implications for the matrix of performance (October, 2015) between actor and character (Schechner, 1985) and for the audience. William Hartnell (1908-1975) was hardly a fashion icon – costume designer Maureen Heneghan recalls he requested a cloth cap for the role (Drummond, 2015) – yet his star image (Dyer, 1997/2004) informs the character's reception (Warner, 2014) while the programme's seriality (Creeber, 2005), means his TARDIS serves as a metaphor for the domestic wardrobe (October, 2014).


Inlining is an important optimization for programs that use procedural abstraction. Because inlining trades code size for execution speed, the e ectiveness of an inlining algorithm is determined not only by its ability to recognize inlining opportunities but also by its discretion in exercising those opportunities. This paper presents a new inlining algorithm for higher-order languages that combines simple analysis techniques with demand-driven online transformation to achieve consistent and often dramatic performance gains in fast linear time. Benchmark results reported here demonstrate that this inlining algorithm is as e ective as and signi cantly faster than o ine, analysis-intensive algorithms recently described in the literature.


: [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the displacements of center of pressure (COP) and center of gravity (COG) in anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) during multi-direction gait initiation (GI). [Subjects] Twenty healthy young adults participated in this study. [Methods] Kinetic and kinematic variables were collected during GI for five conditions: forward, left 30°, right 30°, right 90°, backward. The subjects initiated multi-directional GI with their right lower limbs. The variables were measured using the Vicon system and an AMTI force platform. [Results] Mediolateral (M-L) and anteroposterior (A-P) displacement of COP and acceleration of COG were significantly different depending on the direction of GI. [Conclusion] These results suggest that displacement of both COP and COG in APAs are important for control of step direction.


Within this large‐scale study, we compared clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, radiographic signs, and outcomes of COVID‐19, SARS, and MERS to find unique features.


Because of the widespread vascular nature of atherosclerosis, severe simultaneous involvement of the coronary and renal vessels is not infrequent. With end-stage involvement of these two organs, transplantation of both might be more reasonable than of either alone. In the past, candidates for one organ replacement may have been refused on the basis of advanced pathology of the other organ.


AC surface PDs in air from a triple junction (TJ) of cylindrical insulator with a backing electrode were decreased by a use of the hollow type electrode. The voltage applied was changed in a range from 1 to 1.5 times of an initiation of PD (Vpd). The thickness of the insulator was changed in a range from 2mm to 7.5mm. In the cases of 1.2x(Vpd) of the applied voltage and 7.5mm of the thickness, the integrated magnitude of the PD pulses for the electrode with hollow


Safety is one of the most important needs of the people today, especially people with various forms of disability. Present article is intended to define the essence of the safety of disabled people and to indicate the main considerations of this issue. Deprivation of safety need leads up to many negative consequences, both in the physical, mental and social sphere. The assurance of elementary sense of safety among disabled people enable to their activation, rehabilitation and integration.


The function M(m, n, d, w), the largest size of an unrestricted binary code made of m by n arrays, with constant row weight w, and minimum distance d is introduced and compared to the classical functions of combinatorial coding theory Aq(n, d) and A(n, d, w). The analogues for systematic codes of A(n, d) and A(n, d, w) are introduced apparently for the first time. An application to the security of embedded systems is given: these codes happen to be efficient challenges for physically unclonable functions.


BACKGROUND
Current European Society of Cardiology guidelines indicate specific target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels for different cardiovascular risk categories in terms of prevention. However, the target for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides have not been established.

AIM
The study aim to investigate the associations betweenHDL-C,triglycerides andcoronary plaquescharacteristics.

METHODS
This is a prospective single-center study with enrolled consecutive patients with newly diagnosed significant (≥1stenosis ≥50%) CAD on CTCA. Patients had lipids andCTCA analysis, including high-risk plaque (HRP) features: low-attenuation plaque (LAP), napkin-ring sign (NRS), positive remodeling (PR) and spotty calcium (SC), type of plaque (calcified, noncalcified, mixed), and their composition (calcified, fibrous, fibro-fatty, necrotic core).

RESULTS
The study included 300 patients (191 men, 66 [8] years). 66% of them took lipid-lowering therapy. HRPwere found in 208 patients. There was no association between LDL-C, plaque composition and HRP presence. There was a negative correlation between HDL-Cand fibro-fatty and necrotic core plaque components (P = 0.0002, P = 0.0009). There was a positive correlation between triglycerides and necrotic core (P = 0.038). There were differences in HDL-C and triglycerides in patients with and without NRS (47 vs. 53 mg/dl, P = 0.0002 and 128 vs. 109 mg/dl, P = 0.02). In logistic regression, HDL-C (odds ratio [OR], 0.95;95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-‒0.98; P <0.001), triglycerides (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-‒1.01; P = 0.02), and male sex (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.41-‒6.52; P = 0.004) were NRS predictors. In multivariable regression only HDL-C (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-‒0.99; P = 0.02) was an independendent predictor of NRS, despite statin therapy.

CONCLUSION
Lower HDL-C and higher triglycerides were associated with NRS presence and more necrotic core plaque component in coronary plaques in patients with newly diagnosed CAD.


To Improve public knowledge about Balinese folklore especially Rare Angon story, an innovation was needed in how to present Balinese folklore to attract the public interest. One of them is innovative and fun media such as games. This Research aimed to: (1) to design and to implement Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon. (2) To know the users response to Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon. The method used in this research was Software Development Life Cycle. Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon was developed using RAD Model. Subjects in this research were the public. The data that collected in this research was the data of public response to application development of Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon using a questionnaire. The data that has been collected were analyzed descriptively. The results of this research are the application that implemented using C# programming language with Unity Editor. This game is made perfectly fit to the origin story. All of features contained in Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon are functioning properly. Media Expert test results obtained a percentage of 84% which means usability of the application in a good range. Content Expert test results get 100% which means the story in the game is accurate and in accordance with the original story. User responses to Android Based Game of Balinese Folktale Rare Angon belong in a very


V>IHAPTER I PRESENTED recent research revealing ways in which young people may differ from one another. The questions arise: What efforts are the schools making to discover the differences in individuals in the large masses of pupils? What do the schools do to promote in each individual his highest possible development? To summarize the reports of research on these two questions is the aim of the present chapter. Most of the literature in this field cites present practice; the more significant studies stress suggestions for improving that practice. A few of the suggestions have been demonstrated to be desirable by trial under the special conditions reported. Efforts have been made by the reviewers to include those studies (a) which contain some data to permit evaluation of success, or (b) which report unevaluated practices for large populations or for recognized experimental situations. The subdivisions of the chapter suggest the chief articles in the creed of school people in adapting the schools to the needs of the children. They are:


The author analyzes anti-seismic design of the high architechture in our nation,and states from content and importance of the anti-seismic connectional design.The paper provides structure engineers architecture engineers with basis for them to design more and more high architectures which is safe and reliable.


Boron-doped silicon np solar cells were counterdoped with lithium by ion implantation and the resultant np cells irradiated by 1 MeV electrons. Performance parameters were determined as a function of fluence and a Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) study was conducted in order to correlate defect behavior with cell performance. It was found that the lithium counterdoped cells exhibited significantly increased radiation resistance when compared to boron doped control cells. Isochronal annealing studies of cell performance indicate that significant annealing occurs at 100°C. Isochronal annealing of the deep level defects showed a correlation between a single defect at Ev .43 eV and the annealing behavior of short circuit current in the counterdoped cells. It was concluded that the annealing behavior was controlled by dissociation and recombination of this defect. The DLTS studies also showed that counterdoping with lithium eliminated at least three deep level defects and resulted in three new defects. It was speculated that the increased radiation resistance of the counterdoped cells is due primarily to the interaction of lithium with oxygen, single vacancies and divacancies and that the lithium-oxygen interaction is the most effective in contributing to the increased radiation resistance.


A 53-year-old man presented with dysphagia for solid food. He had a history of esophageal atresia that had required repair with a colonic interposition as a child. In 2008, he had presented with dysphagia, dyspnea, and a bulge in his neck. Computed tomography (CT) scanning showed herniation of the colonic conduit into his neck with ischemic changes. He had undergone emergency resection of the conduit and esophagogastric reconstruction, which was complicated by a tight anastomotic stricture that had been managed with esophageal dilation and stenting for 3 years. Unfortunately, a large anterior esophagocutaneous fistula had developed in his chest wall, which required repair in 2012 with a pectoralis major musculocutaneous skin flap to reconstruct his cervical esophagus. He was subsequently referred for endoscopy because of recurrence of his dysphagia. At upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a benign anastomotic stricture was found at 28cm from the incisors. Serial dilation was performed up to 36 Fr. Interestingly, hair was found growing in the cervical esophagus from the musculocutaneous skin flap (●" Fig.1). Esophageal hair growth is a rare endoscopic finding that occurs after cutaneous skin grafting to reconstruct the cervical esophagus, typically after oncologic resection for oropharyngeal cancers [1–4]. Although hair growth can be extensive enough to cause dysphagia and necessitate endoscopic "haircuts", the severe anastomotic stricture was more likely to have been the cause of the dysphagia in our patient.


Late-medieval accounts of illiterate peasants are few and far between, making this in-depth study of Ermine de Reims (c. 1347–96) and her otherworldly encounters a welcome addition to medieval studies. Ermine shares some characteristics with other visionary women: her unwavering faith, her supernatural experiences, and her strong relationship with a male confessor. However, the foundations of her faith are basic and unlearned, unlike most other holy women, and the experiences chronicled by her confessor are found in a carefully dated "logbook" of Ermine's near-daily torment by demons for the last ten months of her life, instead of the more typical collection of miraculous visions or vita giving important details of the holy woman's life.


1 Goldsmith DJA, Covic A. Coronary artery disease in uremia: Etiology, diagnosis, and therapy. Kidney Int. 2001; 60: 2059–78. 2 Himmelfarb J, Stenvinkel P, Ikizler TA, Hakim RM. The elephant in uremia: Oxidant stress as a unifying concept of cardiovascular disease in uremia. Kidney Int. 2002; 62: 1524–38. 3 O'Rourke M. Mechanical principles in arterial disease. Hypertension 1995; 26: 2–9. 4 London GM, Drueke TB. Atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis in chronic renal failure. Kidney Int. 1997; 51: 1678–95. 5 Yokoyama K. Imaging method for vascular calcification in end stage renal failure patients. Kidney Metab. Bone Dis. 2003; 16: 335–42. 6 Goldsmith DJA, Covic A, Sambrook PA, Ackrill P. Vascular calcification in long-term haemodialysis patients in a single unit: a retrospective analysis. Nephron 1997; 77: 37–43. 7 Kawagishi T, Nishizawa Y, Konishi T et al. High-resolution B-mode ultrasonography in evaluation of atherosclerosis in uremia. Kidney Int. 1995; 48: 820–6. 8 Joint committee with the guidelines subcommittee of the Japan Academy of Neurosonology for ultrasonic assessment of carotid artery disease and the subcommittee for research into methods of screening atherosclerosis lesions. Guidelines for ultrasonic assessment of carotid artery disease: preliminary report. Neurosonology 2002; 15: 20–33. 9 Shimada K. Japanese Society of Hypertension guidelines for the management of hypertension (JSH2004). Hypertens. Res. 2006; 29: 7–14. 10 Kabaya T, Nitta K, Kimura H et al. An increased serum level of parathyroid hormone is a risk factor for aortosclerosis in hemodialysis patients. Nephron 2000; 86: 213–14. 11 O'Leary DH, Polak JF, Kronmal RA et al. Thickening of the carotid wall. A marker for atherosclerosis in the elderly? Stroke 1996; 27: 224–31. 12 Holroyd-Leduc JM, Kapral MK, Austin PC, Tu JV. Sex differences and similarities in management and outcome of stroke patients. Stroke 2000; 31: 1833–7. 13 Bravata DM, Ho S-Y, Brass LM et al. Long-term mortality in cerebrovascular disease. Stroke 2003; 34: 699–704. 14 Kawamori R, Yamasaki Y, Matsushima H et al. Prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in diabetic patients. Ultrasound high-resolution B-mode imaging on carotid arteries. Diabetes Care 1992; 15: 1290–4. 15 de Vegt F, Dekker JM, Stehouwer CD, Nijpels G, Bouter LM, Heine RJ. Similar 9-year mortality risks and reproducibility for the World Health Organization and American Diabetes Association glucose tolerance categories: the Hoorn Study. Diabetes Care 2000; 23: 40–4. 16 Hashimoto H, Kitagawa K, Hougaku H et al. C-reactive protein is an independent predictor of the rate of increase in early carotid atherosclerosis. Circulation 2001; 104: 63–7. 17 Ridker PM, Cushman M, Stampfer MJ, Tracy RP, Hennekens CH. Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. N. Engl. J. Med. 1997; 336: 973–9. 18 Homma S, Hirose N, Ishida H, Ishii T, Araki G, Halsey JH. Carotid plaque and intima-media thickness assessed by B-mode ultrasonography in subjects ranging from young adults to centenarians. Stroke 2001; 32: 830–5. 19 Poli A, Tremoli E, Colombo A, Sirtori M, Pignoli P, Paoletti R. Ultrasonographic measurement of the common carotid artery wall thickness in hypercholesterolemic patients. A new model for the quantitation and follow-up of preclinical atherosclerosis in living human subjects. Atherosclerosis 1988; 70: 253–61. 20 Handa N, Matsumoto M, Maeda H et al. Ultrasonic evaluation of early carotid atherosclerosis. Stroke 1990; 21: 1567–72. 21 Stenvinkel P, Heimburger O, Paultre F et al. Strong association between malnutrition, inflammation, and atherosclerosis in chronic renal failure. Kidney Int. 1999; 55: 1899–911. 22 Stenvinkel P, Heimburger O, Lindholm B, Kaysen GA, Bergstrom J. Are there two types of malnutrition in chronic renal failure? Evidence for relationships between malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis (MIA syndrome). Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. 2000; 15: 953–60. 23 Groot ED, Hovingh GK, Wiegman A et al. Measurement of arterial wall thickness as a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. Circulation 2004; 109: 33–8.


Indonesia, a country with 261.9 million people living in it only has 9,825 Puskesmas. About 30% of all patients that are served by doctors in primary health care are those who experience mental health problems. Around 3,602 Puskesmas already have mental health services but only 250 meet the standards to treat mental disorders. The small amount of Puskesmas that meet the standard to treat mental disorders and high prevalence of mental disorders in Indonesia initiates a question about how is mental health care access in Puskesmas and how effective it is. The aims is to raise awareness of society related to its importance of mental health access in primary health care and give solution about this health-related issue through the point of view of community, patient, medical professionals, government and medical student. Methodology used in this paper is literature study and using online engine searching with keyword "Mental Health", "Mental Health Access", "Mental Health Access in Primary Health Care", "Mental Health Access in Primary Health Care in Indonesia". Keywords: Mental Health, Mental Health Access, Primary Health Care, Puskesmas


Purpose – The fundamental problem of the resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm is its lack of predictive ability and its inability to identify, ex ante, those resources and capabilities leading to competitive advantage and superior profitability. This paper aims to propose an extension of the RBV model that incorporates the demand‐based variables of customer needs and size of addressable market segment in the definition of the resources and capabilities that enable competitive advantage and superior profitability.Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is to use a literature review and two case studies.Findings – In this model a company has a competitive advantage if its resources and capabilities are valuable, rare, non‐imitable, organized, and if these resources and capabilities address unmet customer needs in market segments large enough to cover organizational fixed costs.Research limitations/implications – The proposed extension of the RBV is based on current literature and two qualitative...


BACKGROUND
Enalapril in RAPIDISC* (wafer), a new easy-to-administer formulation of enalapril, may improve the convenience of enalapril therapy, thereby helping patients adhere to antihypertensive treatment.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
To determine whether 20 mg enalapril wafer is bioequivalent to the conventional 20 mg enalapril tablet, an open-label, two-period crossover study was performed in 16 healthy male volunteers. Cumulative urinary recovery of free enalaprilat (active metabolite of enalapril) and the serum maximum concentration of free enalaprilat (Cmax) were the primary pharmacokinetic parameters used to determine bioequivalence in this study. Bioequivalence was defined as the geometric mean ratio (wafer: tablet) falling within the equivalence limits of 0.80 to 1.25 for both parameters.

RESULTS
Cumulative urinary recovery of free enalaprilat (0 - 72 hours) was similar between the wafer and conventional tablet formulations (arithmetic mean 5.13 vs. 5.03 mg, about 36% of dose). The geometric mean ratio of the urinary recovery of free enalaprilat (wafer: tablet) was 1.03 (90% CI: 0.93, 1.15). Cmax of serum enalaprilat was also similar between the wafer and conventional tablet formulations (arithmetic mean 85.7 vs. 76.3 ng/ml). The geometric mean Cmax ratio (wafer: tablet) was 1. 10 (90% CI: 1.00, 1.22). Both enalapril formulations were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that 20 mg enalapril in RAPIDISC is bioequivalent to 20 mg enalapril conventional tablet.


This paper deals with species of the Family Coralliophilidae (Gastropoda, Muricacea) collected from China coast waters. All specimens studied were obtained from collections made by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Of the 23 identified species belonging to 6 genera, 1 species is new to science and 4 species recorded for the first time in China (marked with an asterisk *). The species were as follows 1. Latiaxis mawae (Griffith et Pidgeon, 1834) 2. Babelomurex armatus (Sowerby, 1912) 3.Babelomurex japonicus (Dunker, 1882) 4.Babelomurex cariniferoides (Shikama, 1966) * 5.Babelomurex lischkeanus (Dunker, 1882) 6.Babelomurex princeps (Melvill, 1912) * 7.Babelomurex spinosus (Hirase, 1908) 8.Babelomurex diadema (A. Adams, 1854) * 9.Mipus gyratus (Hinds, 1844) 10.Mipus eugeniae (Bernardi, 1853) 11.Coralliophila bulbiformis (Conrad, 1837) 12.Coralliophila erosa (Roeding, 1798) 13.Coralliophila madreporara (Sowerby, 1824) 14.Coralliophila neritoidea (Lamarck, 1816) 15.Coralliophila costularis (Lamarck, 1816) 16.Coralliophila wilsoni Pritchard Gatliff, 1898 * 17.Coralliophila nanhaiensis sp. nov. 18.Rapa rapa (Linnaeus, 1758) 19.Rapa bulbiformis Sowerby, 1870 20.Rapa incurva (Dunker, 1852) 21.Magilus antiquus Montfort, 1810 22.Magilus striatus (Ruppel, 1835) 23.Magilus lamarckii (Deshayes, 1863)Coralliophila nanhaiensis sp. nov.(Fig.15) Holotype locality. Zhubi Reef, Nansha Islands (10°56′N, 114°05′E), depth 1.5-2.0m. Collected by WANG Hong-Fa, 17 May 2002. Holotype. Height 19mm, breadth 12mm. Paratypes. Height 18mm, breadth 10.5mm. Holotype and paratypes stored in the Marine Bio- logy Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Qingdao). Description. Shell small, fusiform in shape. With about 6 whorls, suture slightly deep. Whorls expanded and round, body whorl large, the base of shell shrink. Shell surface with fine spiral cords, on which are small scales, axial ribs weak or not clear. At the base of body whorl and upper part of aperture, there is a row of convex thick rib. Shell surface white. Aperture ovate, inner side light purple or white, outer lip curve in shape; inner lip straight, columella smooth. Anterior canal fine, umbilicus large and deep. Habit and distribution. The newly identified species is uncommon and found in coral reefs in shallow water. Known only from the South China Sea. Remarks. The new species is conchologically close to Coralliphila flava Kosuge, but differs from it by the much expanded and rounded whorls, body whorl that sculptured with fine spiral cords, and weak or not clear obscure axial ribs. While the body whorl of Coralliphila flava Kosuge with clear axial ribs and thick spiral cords.


Investments in social and environmental funds have increased dramatically over the past decade. This has led to an increased reliance on corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. There is a growing debate as to how the information should be reported. The purpose of this article is to compare how the governments and corporations of the United States and the European Union have addressed this issue. While neither the United States nor the European Union appears close to any sort of mandatory regulation of CSR reporting, the movement in Europe seems more progressive on the issue. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.


Objective To discuss the clinical curative effect of ultrasound knife assisted low small incision thyroid operation.Methods According to the digital table ,100 patients with nodular goiter who were treated with operation were divided into the small incision group and control group ,50 cases in each group .The patients in small incision group were given the ultrasound knife assisted low small incision thyroid operation , while the patients in control group were given the traditional thyroid operation .The operation time , incision length , operative blood loss , postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) of pain scores,length of stay(LOS) and postoperative complications were observed and compared in the two groups .Results The operations in two groups were both successful .The operation time,incision length,operative blood loss,LOS,VAS of pain scores 12 h and 24 h after the operation in the small inci-sion group were much better than those in the control group (t=2.91,2.93,2.17,2.22,2.24,2.87,all P〈0.05). The incidence rate of postoperative complication in the small incision group was lower than that in the control group (χ2 =4.33,P〈0.05).Conclusion Compared with traditional thyroid operation ,ultrasound knife assisted low small incision thyroid operation has the following advantages to treat nodular goiter :shorter operation time ,smaller operation wound,lighter postoperative pain,better cosmetic effect,less postoperative complication and etc .

Key words:
Goiter,nodular; Ultrasonic therapy; Surgical procedures,minimally invasive


In the early days of television, everything was live, even the repeats. Actors and actresses had to think on their feet, running from set to set, often while changing costume and making cuts to their scripts at the same time. In this book, stars such as Dame Eileen Atkins, Wendy Craig and Sir Nigel Hawthorne recall the frenetic conditions in which classics such as Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars were made, and the extraordinary hazards they had to deal with - scenery collapsed, actors went missing, and even died.


AbstractWe first propose a generalization of the notion of Mathieu subspaces of associative algebras $$
\mathcal{A}
$$, which was introduced recently in [Zhao W., Generalizations of the image conjecture and the Mathieu conjecture, J. Pure Appl. Algebra, 2010, 214(7), 1200–1216] and [Zhao W., Mathieu subspaces of associative algebras], to $$
\mathcal{A}
$$-modules $$
\mathcal{M}
$$. The newly introduced notion in a certain sense also generalizes the notion of submodules. Related with this new notion, we also introduce the sets σ(N) and τ(N) of stable elements and quasi-stable elements, respectively, for all R-subspaces N of $$
\mathcal{A}
$$-modules $$
\mathcal{M}
$$, where R is the base ring of $$
\mathcal{A}
$$. We then prove some general properties of the sets σ(N) and τ(N). Furthermore, examples from certain modules of the quasi-stable algebras [Zhao W., Mathieu subspaces of associative algebras], matrix algebras over fields and polynomial algebras are also studied.


This paper presents materials, device designs, and physical/electrical characteristics of a form of nanotube electronics that is physically transient, in the sense that all constituent elements dissolve and/or disperse upon immersion into water. Studies of contact effects illustrate the ability to use water soluble metals such as magnesium for source/drain contacts in nanotube based field effect transistors. High mobilities and on/off ratios in transistors that use molybdenum, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide enable full swing characteristics for inverters at low voltages (∼5 V) and with high gains (∼30). Dissolution/disintegration tests of such systems on water soluble sheets of polyvinyl alcohol demonstrate physical transience within 30 min.


ABSTRACT Physical characteristics of chopped sweet sorghum relating to leaching bed and silo design were determined: pressure/density and depth/density relationships, porosity, and saturation density. Results are compared with published values for com silage.


This study aims to reveal and understand something behind a little-known social phenomenon. The expected advantage of using qualitative research methods is to provide complex details about phenomena that are difficult to express by quantitative methods. Important concepts of public understanding about; Knowledge, attitudes and actions will be more easily revealed with this method. The process of social construction, the core of pesantren establishment is in order to realize the human society and pious people to Allah SWT, for the realization of the ideals of the Indonesian nation into Baldatun Thoiyibatun Warabbun Ghofur or "gemah ripah loh jinawe toto tentrem kerto raharjo". Approach in order to menyantrikan surrounding communities, then made activities that accommodate the needs and culture of society. The reality of cultural accommodation made by PPAI Ketapang is poured in various activities which include: First, art culture, Both system of knowledge and skill. The third is the organizational system. Fourth, is the livelihood system. Fifth, the system of technology and the sixth, is the religious system. Keywords: pesantren; social construction; cultural accommodation


Studies on metal contamination from the coal carbonisation process are usually carried out in industrial areas in most cases related with the steel industry. In these studies different sources of contamination have been the origin of the toxic metals in the soil. By contrast, in the present work, the study of the contamination from some toxic metals present in coals at the level of trace elements (Be, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Pb, Hg, V, Cu and Zn) was carried out in a singular coking plant designed and used exclusively for research purposes. This plant was used for 30 years for testing coal blends of very different origin and was built in an area free of other sources of industrial contamination. This study was carried out at the time of its closure. The soil samples studied were from the A Horizon of the contaminated area, and contained different proportions of carbonaceous matter and toxic trace elements, depending on the distance from the source of contamination. Significant differences in the composition of the soils next to each installation were found. Although concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn were found to be mostly below the action values of the Dutch Standards, the presence of some of these elements (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn) is clearly related to the high values of carbonaceous matter (coal, coke and coal tar) found at some points. No evidence of leaching of trace elements along the A Horizon was found.


A display apparatus includes a display configured to display an end portion of an image according to a tapping signal and a tap sensor configured to sense tapping at a peripheral portion around the display part and to output the tapping signal to the display part. Thus, a user may easily change the view to display the uppermost portion, the lowest portion, the leftmost portion and the rightmost portion of the image without scrolling (e.g., scrolling several times) when viewing another portion of the image.


For embedded systems with high reliability and hard realtime constraints, which are called responsive systems, the main design constraint changes from performance to realtime. The class of blockbased instruction set architectures, primarily designed for superscalar processors, has to be changed for this class of application to integrate part of the operating system. The reason is to increase transparency and the realtime capabilities of the system, which can be performed with the help of simulation.


The objectives of the work were 1to determine the patterns of axial and radial variation of wood density and fiber length in the loge of Robinia pseudoacacia, 2to determine the transition age between juvenile and mature wood, 3Construct a descriptive model of distribution of juvenile wood in the log based on wood density and fiber length. Slices were cut at 4 heights in the trunk (0,3 m; 1,3m; 2,3m y 4m above the ground) in 10 trees from Buenos Aires-Argentina (7-15 years old) implanted in the Province of Buenos Aires. The normal density12% and fibre length were determined in radial specimens obtained every 3 growth rings at all heights. The density showed homogeneity values along the commercial shaft, with a range of magnitude that classified as semi-heavy wood (750 823 kg/m3). The fiber length showed radial increase of their values from pith to bark and no axial variations. The model of juvenile wood resembles the model of central cylinder but of smaller diameter at the apex. The juvenile cone would form until the age of 3-6 years.


In slightly over two years, NTT DoCoMo, Japan's leading wireless telecommunications network provider, has been able to win over 30,000,000 subscribers to i-mode, its mobile Internet service. I-mode represents the first successful implementation of the convergence of the Internet and mobile telephony into a new industry. This article examines the origins of i-mode's success, both in terms of NTT DoCoMo's technological strategy and business model and why Japan has proven such a fruitful environment for mobile Internet. It also explores whether i-mode's success provides a global first-mover advantage to NTT DoCoMo's plans to employ strategic partnerships to spread the i-mode standard.


In agreement with experimental data, we present relevant new results on electronic conduction in crystalline cadmium oxide. In fact, we study the electron driftmobility in crystalline cadmium oxide, this mobility being a function of the partial pressure of oxygen in the deposition process of CdO. In our calculations, the electron mean free path is involved. This quantity is treated as the expectation value of the electron position. PACS: 73.50.-h, 73.61.-r, 73.61.Ga


ABSTRACT O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC)–gum arabic (GA) coacervates separated in different acidities were crosslinked by genipin and subjected to FTIR analysis, viscoelasticity measurement, DSC characterization, pH response evaluation, and in vitro BSA release profiling to explore the influence of coacervation acidity on genipin crosslinking and intestine-targeted delivery potency of the coacervates. Genipin crosslinking greatly improved the stability of the coacervates against various simulated gastrointestinal fluids and the coacervation acidity exerted different effects on the pH response of coacervates and BSA-loaded microcapsules. It was concluded that genipin-crosslinked O-CMC–GA coacervates could be used to deliver hydrophobic compounds to the intestine. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Iterative Budgeted Exponential Search (IBEX) is a general search algorithm that can limit the number of re-expansions performed in common problems like iterative-deepening tree search and search with inconsistent heuristics. IBEX has been adapted into a specific tree algorithm, Budgeted Tree Search (BTS), which behaves like IDA* when f-cost lay-ers grow exponentially, but keeps the worst-case guarantees when this does not hold. The analo-gous algorithms on graphs, Budgeted Graph Search (BGS), does not have these same properties. This paper reformulates BGS into Efficient Budgeted Graph Search (BGS e ) showing how to implement the algorithm so that it behaves identically to A* when the heuristic is consistent, and retains the best-case performance otherwise. Experimental results validate the performance of BGS e on a range of theoretical and practical problem instances.


We offer a new proof of the Furstenberg-Katznelson multiple recurrence theorem for several commuting probability-preserving transformations T 1 Furstenberg correspondence principle introduced in [4], a new proof of the multi-dimensional Szemerédi Theorem. We bypass the detailed analysis of certain towers of factors of a probability-preserving systems that underlies the Furstenberg-Katznelson analysis, instead modifying an approach recently developed in [1] to pass to a large extension of our original system in which this analysis greatly simplifies. In particular, we find that this simplifies our setting quite quickly to data that can be analyzed using the infinitary version of the hypergraph removal lemma studied by Tao in [11], and we complete the proof by a simple application of that lemma. This addresses the difficulty, highlighted by Tao, of establishing a direct connection between his infinitary, probabilistic approach to the hypergraph removal lemma and the infinitary, ergodic-theoretic approach to Szemerédi's Theorem set in motion by Furstenberg [4].


Interfacial charge transfer has been an area of intense interest because of its relevance in molecular electronics, dye-sensitized solar cells, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and photocatalysis. Although the chemical natures of both the contact and the linker have been shown to play important roles in determining the properties of hybrid dye/molecule–metal oxide complexes, little is known about the nature of the charge-transfer pathways. In this work, we explore in detail the idea that Raman enhancement and charge transfer are intimately related. To this end, we analyze the vibrational modes of molecules exhibiting the maximum enhancement of the Raman activities when they are adsorbed on semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles. Our analysis of the potential energy distributions of these modes in the hybrid complexes indicates the significant involvement of bending and torsional modes of atoms deep within the metal oxide nanoparticle. Whereas the individual contribution of each of these oxide b...


A 70-year-oldmanwith a history of cholelithiasis underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. At a follow-up visit 2 months later, he complained of epigastric pain and weight loss. Alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin levels were all elevated. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed a stricture in the middle of the common bile duct and dilatation above the stricture. The patient was referred to us for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which revealed an iatrogenic stenosis of the common bile duct at the level of the junction with the cystic duct, caused by cholocystectomy clips, with dilatation of the bile ducts above that level. Attempts to advance several kinds of guide wires beyond the stricture, including Jagwire 0.035–0.025 inches (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts, USA) and angled Terumo (Terumo Europe, Leuven, Belgium), were unsuccessful because of the severe narrowing and eccentric position of the opening of the stricture due to the clip angulation, which caused the wire to advance only into the cystic duct (●" Fig.1). A decision was made to use the SpyGlass Direct Visualization System (SDVS) (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts, USA). The SDVS was introduced into the bile duct and a clear visualization of the openings of the stricture and the cystic duct was achieved (●" Fig.2). Subsequently, the stricture was easily cannulated, dilated, and stented (●" Fig.3). ERCP-guided cholangiopancreatoscopy with SDVS allows direct visualization of the bile ducts, tissue sampling, and therapeutic maneuvers [1–3]. Tight and eccentric strictures are a common cause of unsuccessful cannulation and ERCP failure. In such cases a second ERCP is usually attempted and, if unsuccessful, a percutaneous approach or revision surgery is usually employed. To the best of our knowledge this is one of the very few reported cases of the use of SDVS for cholangioscopic placement of a guide wire across a difficult stricture. The first reported case concerned an anastomotic stricture in a liver transplant recipient and the secondone apatientwith ahilar biliary tumor [4,5]. We suggest that in cases where ordinary cannulation of an iatrogenic biliary stricture fails, the use of SDVS for guided cannulation may represent an alternative, innovative and successful approach. Endoscopy_UCTN_Code_TTT_1AR_2AG


I. THE RULES OF THE LEGAL PROFESSIONAL 123 II. EXCEPTIONS TO ANXIETY 126 III. LAWYERS WORKING WITH OTHERS 130 IV. WHY THE PROHIBITION IS WRONG 133


The strength demand is a basis for troops construction and manoeuvre,which is the precondition and basis of the deployment of the territorial air-defense forces.Firstly,a calculation method for the fighting efficiency exponents of ground-to-air defense troops and air raid troops are discussed,the Lanchester differential equation under the air-ground confrontation condition is established,and a total efficiency exponent demand model meeting the required operational result is derived.Then,the needed amount of air-defense weapons is calculated by total efficiency exponents obtained.Finally,a practical sample is given.The military strength demand of theater ground-to-air defense troops can be rapidly evaluated by the model.The model is useful to support decision-making and the analysis of military strength demand to the commander of territorial air-defense forces.


Presentation of Case A 60-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of facial swelling and cyanosis. There was a history of hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance that dated back 17 years. Seven years before admission the patient entered another hospital because of an inferior myocardial infarct complicated by a brief episode of cardiac arrest, from which he recovered uneventfully. On admission to that hospital the blood pressure was 190/100 mm Hg, and x-ray examination of the chest revealed no evidence of cardiac enlargement. Twenty-six months before entry he was readmitted to the same hospital because of the development of . . .


Rationale: Primary care providers (PCPs) frequently encounter sleep complaints, especially in regions with limited specialty care access. Objectives: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (VA‐ECHO) program (based on Project ECHO) has successfully provided rural PCP education in subspecialty areas, including hepatitis C. We describe the feasibility of an ECHO program for sleep medicine. Methods: ECHO creates a virtual learning community through video‐teleconferencing, combining didactics with individualized clinical case review. We invited multidisciplinary providers to attend up to 10 stand‐alone, 1‐hour sessions. Invitees completed a needs assessment, which guided curriculum development. After program completion, we examined participant characteristics and self‐reported changes in practice and comfort with managing sleep complaints. We surveyed participation barriers among invitees with low/no attendance. Measurements and Main Results: Of the 39 program participants, 38% worked in rural healthcare. Participants included nurse practitioners (26%), registered nurses (21%), and physicians (15%). Seventeen (44%) completed the summative program evaluation. Respondents anticipated practice change from the program, especially in patient education about sleep disorders (93% of respondents). Respondents reported improved comfort managing sleep complaints, especially sleep‐disordered breathing, insomnia, and sleep in post‐traumatic stress disorder (80% of respondents each). A follow‐up survey of program invitees who attended zero to two sessions reported scheduling conflicts (62%) and lack of protected time (52%) as major participation barriers. Conclusions: Participants in a pilot sleep medicine VA‐ECHO program report practice change and increased comfort managing common sleep complaints. Future work is needed to identify objective measures of return on investment and address participation barriers.


The mobile station equipment and procedures. Channel state information measured at the time the case of detecting the uplink grant from the base station apparatus on PDCCH, PUSCH uplink transmission permission and the specified data is transmitted as the uplink transmission signal. Then, in case of receiving the notification indicating the retransmission, when transmitted through the PUSCH to be retransmitted and retransmit the data measured channel state information. Thus, when specifying the retransmission, the mobile station apparatus can transmit appropriate channel state information so that the base station apparatus can perform efficient communication control (scheduling) suitable for the current channel condition between the base station apparatus and mobile station apparatus.


This article is an offshoot of a three year study into the self-organized groups for women, black members, disabled members and lesbians and gay men which have been enshrined in the constitution of the UK's public sector union UNISON. The argument is that self-organization has become a significant axis around which trade union democracy is being reconstituted in the late twentieth century. However, our understanding of this phenomenon has been obscured by the ascendancy of mainstream union perspectives over self-organized perspectives, which has unfortunately been compounded by academic researchers. A re-conceptualization of self-organization proceeds in three stages. First, it is contextualized politically and theoretically in terms of trade union histories, new social movements and models of a diversified democratic polity. Second, it is re-signified by attending to its actual unfolding over the past two decades and the self-understandings of its activists. Third, is problematized with reference to exogenous pressures towards bureaucracy and oligarchy, and endogenous pressures towards essentialisms and exclusions.


ABSTRACT Hafnium can be selectively extracted over zirconium from strong sulfuric acid solutions by D2EHPA or PC 88A. Solvent extraction experiments have been performed to identify the reaction of Hf from strong sulfuric acid solutions (1 to 7 M) by these two extractants. Hafnium extraction was gradually decreased and then increased again with the increase of sulfuric acid concentration. By applying a slope method, the extracted Hf species was proposed to be HfA4·(HA)2 by D2EHPA and Hf(HSO4)2A2·(HA)2 by PC 88A, respectively. This difference in the nature of the extracted species was verified by FT-IR spectra.


This paper focuses on an analysis of speeches by presidents and presidential candidates; they are texts that were prepared and read or recited at particularly special—nation-building—events, and so they are also generally the most well thought-out and well-structured texts, in which the desired value system is also usually best defined. Using selected examples, we looked for what world and what values are transmitted, or intended to be transmitted, to the addresses (i.e., the people), and how the speeches appeal to them.


Peptide salts with polyesters CARBOXI-FINISHED IN CONCRETE new salts formed by a cation derived from a peptide containing at least one group BASIC AND an anion derived from a polyester CARBOXI-FINISHED. The invention also provides processes for preparing such salts, as well as the use of the latter in the preparation of extended release pharmaceutical compositions. The salts of the invention possess several properties useful in the formulation of pharmaceutical compositions PROLONGED RELEASE, WHETHER SALTS ARE IN pure or mixed with an excess of peptide in free form NOT LINKED OR EXCESS OF POLYESTER FREE .


G RIEL MARCEL gave his phenomenological enquiries the name "Philosophy of the Concrete," 1 and he made no bones about the distance between his philosophy and that of Thomism.2 Between these philosophies there can be no question of an approchement of tone, nor even of manner, but at most a convergence of truths shared differently. Moreover, there can be no doubt that the two philosophies differ in their relation to experience. Within the broad sense of "Christian experience," Thomas drew upon experientia ( empiria) in the narrower sense in order to derive by way of conceptual abstraction the principles of his philosophy, including those of act and potency. Marcel's relation to experience was more immediate, more deliberate, and more explicit. Yet his philosophy has


Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers are widely used in academia and industry thanks to their simplicity and performance. For nonlinear or unknown systems, they are however not very well suited. Augmenting a PID controller with a neural network adds the abilities to adapt to unknown and learn the dynamics of nonlinear systems. In this paper, two PID neural network controllers (PIDNNC) are simulated, compared and discussed in detail. Based on simulations, one approach is preferred due to its adaptability and I and D gains approaching zero when they are not needed.


The experiment exploits the HPLC method for the determination of lansoprazole and its related substances.The HPLC system consists of a Dikma DiamonsilTM-C18 column(4.6 mm×50 mm,5 μm) and a mixture of methanolwater-thiethylamine-phosphoric acid solution(700∶300∶5∶1.5)(adjust pH to 7.3 with phosphoric acid) as mobile phase.The flow rate is 1.0 mL·min-1 with detection wavelength at 284 nm and column temperature at 30 ℃.Lansoprazole could be completely separated from other impurities.The linear range of lansoprazole is 14.92~124.32 μg·ml-1(r=0.999 5).The method is simple,accurate and it is suitable for the determination of lansoprazole and its related substances.


The first complete purine nucleotide formed in the purine biosynthetic pathway is IMP, which is converted to AMP and GMP via two separate pathways. The pathways by which purine bases and ribonucleosides are metabolized in B. subtilis are discussed. Different species of gram-positive bacteria show great variations in their abilities to metabolize bases and nucleosides. Our knowledge of purine salvage reactions and transport systems in B. subtilis is to a great extent based on studies of mutants defective in enzymic reactions. The pathways by which pyrimidine bases and nucleosides are converted to the nucleotide level vary among the different bacteria studied. The pathways by which thymine and pyrimidine deoxyribonucleosides are metabolized is dealt in detail. Mutants defective in pyrimidine salvage enzymes and transport functions can be isolated by selecting for resistance to pyrimidine analogs. The isolation and characterization of mutant strains defective in purine and pyrimidine metabolism have been powerful tools in the identification of the pathways of purine and pyrimidine metabolism and their regulation. The choice between purine salvage and degradation must be subjected to metabolic control.


This paper compares the speed ripple reduction effect of sensorless permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive systems when the load torque varies according to the rotor position. This study focuses on three control methods of voltage-current phase difference control, the d- and q-axis current control, and direct torque control. Neither rotor position nor speed sensor is required. Speed ripple reduction is performed using the angular velocity compensation of the applied voltage, signal injections to the q-axis current and the reference torque. Both simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness of the speed ripple reduction methods.


As it pursues a course of self-enquiry, Barres' egotism has initiated him to a social sense and led him from the most jealous desire of liberty to the feeling of his roots. As an individualist, he was driven by his quest on the self, from a non-marxist socialism to a traditionalism from whence his patriotic faith emerged. Such a change brought upon him the blame of inconsistency he has explained his conduct: a deeper analysis revealed to him a profound sensibility: the Lorraine soul and the French soul. From a dreamer he tuned into a man of action, which enabled him to put thought in line with life and to become a forerunner in literature and politics. Barres acknowledges Catholicism as national heritage. He upholds churches in the name of the inner life and he appreciates that they give to France the all-out expression of its moral features. Though an enemy of the absolute, he yearns for it, and his intuition of the invisible world led him to fear a no-religion society. He has contributed to noteworthy progress in the fields of literature and politics. Nevertheless his steadfast quest for the self-led him "to be but what one is", to take root and listen for one's dead.


Objective To understand the status of knowledge and skills about significant infectious diseases among residents in pastoral of Inner Mongolia,provide basis for formulating heath education and intervention strategies.Methods A survey was conducted among 2009 residents between 16-69 years old in pastoral of Inner Mongolia by multi-stage stratified random sampling.Results In the field of health knowledge,the awareness of preventive measures and transmission about brucellosis are low,respectively 5.2% and 6.9%.In the field of health behaviors,the rate of correct behavior "wear gloves during helping cattle delivery" and "spit in a handkerchief/tissue paper/spittoon/toilet" are lower,respectively,49.6% and 48.7%.In the field of health behavior spot operation,the score of "gauge body temperature" was the lowest with 5.88±3.59.Only 3.7% of interviewees "wash hands" correctly with the lowest percentage.Gender(OR=1.446,95%CI:1.036-2.018),education(OR=2.328,95%CI:0.734-7.381),income(OR=0.591,95%CI:0.240-1.456) and whether raising livestock(OR=3.083,95%CI:2.164-4.393) are factors of infectiouse diseases preventive literacy among residents in pastoral.Conclusion Knowledge and skills about significant infectious diseases among pastoral residents should be improved.The difference between gender,culture level and income,focus on behavior change and skills improvement.


TO THE EDITOR: I read Bourgeois and colleagues' recent article (1) with interest, and I agree with the point made in the rapid responses on annals.org about the importance of the differences in sample size. Although this confounding variable was not mentioned in the article's Discussion section, it could have played a major role in generating the outcome observed. As can be seen in the authors' Table 1, the median final sample size for the industry-sponsored trials was 3 times larger than that for the trials funded by nonprofit or nonfederal organizations and 8 times larger than that for the government-sponsored trials. Let us assume that 3 hypothetical trials were performed on the same drug and the trials were identical in all respects except for sample size, such that each trial resulted in a "medium" effect size of 0.5 (one half of an SD) (2). Using the median final sample size of 191 for industry-sponsored trials, one calculates a highly "favorable" P value of 0.001. Using the median final sample size of 63 for the trials funded by nonprofit or nonfederal organizations, one calculates a P value of 0.05, which is at the threshold of statistical significance as typically defined. Using a sample size of 23 for the governmentsponsored trials, one calculates a clearly "unfavorable" P value of 0.24, which represents a type II error. Therefore, the reason why more favorable outcomes were reported for industry-sponsored trials may not be directly related to sponsorship. Rather, the reason might simply be that large, adequately powered trials are more likely to yield "favorable" statistically significant outcomes and industry sponsorship is associated with larger sample size (as seen in Table 1), possibly because industry has the financial resources and infrastructure to recruit more patients. The authors might examine this question by adjusting for sample size as they did for the effect of trial phase. However, such an analysis should ideally adjust for all potential confounding variables simultaneously rather than in separate analyses. On a separate topic, the authors found (reported in their Table 3) more inconsistencies between registered and published primary outcomes within non–industry-sponsored trials than within industry-sponsored trials, which is somewhat troubling. So that journal reviewers and editors can identify post hoc attempts at "spin," more journals should require that manuscripts on clinical trials be accompanied by the corresponding original trial protocols (3). Finally, the authors stated that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews will be made public as a result of proposed changes to ClinicalTrials.gov. In fact, FDA reviews have been publicly available for decades through the Freedom of Information Act and have been available for download from the FDA Web site since 1997 (4).


This paper introduces the practical application of aerobic biochemical-chemical precipitation technology in organic-phosphoric flame retardants effluent project,analyzes and summarizes the experience of engineering design and operation.It's shown by practice that after the treatment of aerobic biochemical-chemical precipitation technology,the average removal rate of COD,volatile phenol,TP,petroleum of effluent is 94.01%,99.93%,97.79%,91.08% respectively.The average concentration of COD,toluene,volatile phenol,TP,petroleum of effluent is 135,not detected,0.057,13.25,2.88 mg/L respectively.This technology has the advantages of stable operation and high treatment efficiency,which makes good social benefits to the enterprise.


Emotions evoked by food provide valuable information in new product development. A series of instruments have recently been proposed to capture emotional responses elicited by food to assess the total consumer experience. The use of emojis as an assessment tool is a potential current example. The literature has shown that the emotional profile provides additional information beyond the domain of taste, although it is still a challenge to use it to differentiate hedonically similar or utilitarian stimuli. Ideally, emotional and sensory profiles have been used together for better decision making, because the food contexts evaluated reveal perceptions at a multifactorial level. For example, new insect-based, plant-based, or meat-based products are strongly associated with sociocultural aspects, which makes their emotional profiles conditioned to hedonism. On the other hand, in scenarios determined by mood, as in the case of consumers suffering from some psychopathology, the emotional profile will be crucial and more determinant than hedonism. The objective of this research was to evaluate the emotional profiles of new foods in relation to the healthiness aspect, followed by the proposition of new sensory thresholds of emotion. To meet the objectives, the work was divided into four articles. In the first article, a study was carried out to survey perceptions around the healthiness of foods. The content analysis identified five dimensions: 'misconception, knowledge or cognition', 'pleasure', 'importance of health', 'purity', and 'ethical or environmentally friendly issues'. Overall, the desire for more palatable "healthy" foods may explain increasing attention to future foods that provide positive feelings (e.g., green comfort foods). In the second article, a broad view of how contemporary foods changed the concept of comfort foods was provided. Semi- structured interviews with 20 Brazilian participants showed that cultural predilections, health concerns, self-awareness, past experiences, familiarity, satiety, and taste can explain why comfort food preferences range from healthy to unhealthy foods, and from traditional foods to contemporaries. The psychological manifestation of comfort was more closely related to a sense of morality associated with healthier foods. In the third article, the acceptance, purchase intention, and emotional responses of consumers to mixed dairy drinks, with and without the addition of kefir, were evaluated, considering blind and informed conditions. Overall, expressions of positive emotion increased when participants were exposed to stimuli related to the health benefits of kefir (15%, 30%, and 50% w/v). The information provided from kefir modified valence and arousal in subjects, and emojis proved to be viable to predict acceptability and purchase intention, although there are still controversies around arousal. Finally, the fourth article aimed to elucidate three new thresholds: the valence thresholds, represented by the compromised pleasure threshold (CPT) and unpleasure threshold (UT), and the arousal threshold (LA). The valence and arousal ratings were obtained using the Affective Slider (AS) rating scale, and CPT, UT, and AT were determined for images of Brazilian moldy carrot cake. The moldy carrot cake had negative valence in the region of low arousal. The methodology proved to be adequate to propose emotion thresholds, which highlights its potential to generate a deeper understanding of the psychophysiological reactions evoked from comforting stimuli. In this way, opportunities for psychoeducational interventions and improvements in decision- making may be more frequent in the studies, considering the positive association between experiences of comfort and healthiness to be more common. Keywords: Comforting. Emoji. Emotion. Emotion thresholds. Healthiness.


Import and export stability is examined under two alternative nominal exchange rate anchors, the U.S. dollar and the SDR. Stability under the two pegs depends critically on import and export elasticity with respect to exchange rates. The implications of import and export elasticity for an optimal currency basket are also explored. The elasticity estimates for the GCC countries suggest that the SDR peg may not outperform the dollar peg in improving external stability. Nevertheless, switching to some other nominal exchange rate anchor may improve external stability, a possibility that remains to be explored.


The invention discloses a method and device using the satellite positioning technology for limiting explosive car production sites. A satellite positioning device is used for acquiring coordinate positions of on-site mixed-loading explosive cars, the acquired real-time coordinates are contrasted with a specified coordinate position preset in the satellite positioning device, the satellite positioning device sends the contrast information to a vehicle-mounted console, and the vehicle-mounted console controls operation of a production power device according to the information so as to control start-up or shut-down of a production device of the on-site mixed-loading explosive cars. Only when the on-site mixed-loading explosive cars are located at the specified coordinate position, the production device of the on-site mixed-loading explosive cars can be in a start-up state so as to achieve the purpose that the satellite positioning technology is used for limiting production sites of the on-site mixed-loading explosive cars.


A similar set of open source software is selected on many systems even if these systems in which the software is applied are in different domains. It must be primary type of core asset on product line software engineering. And next, I want to discuss about success of many network appliances run on open source OS.


The plane wave expansion method is used to calculate the band gap of two-dimensional photonic crystal in the E and H polarization, with Taking into account the effects of filling ratio, lattice structure, and relative dielectric constant ratio on the maximum absolute band gap. The results show that either square or triangular array arrangement, it is easier for the dielectric cylinder type photonic crystal to form TM-polarized mode band gap; while, in the air-hole photonic crystal it is much easier to form TE-polarized-mode band gap. For a given filling ratio, with the increase of relative dielectric constant, the maximum gap width does not always increase, but it is peaked. Similarly, for a given relative dielectric constant, with the increase of filling ratio, it is also peaked for the maximum gap width. Moreover, no matter the erystal is air hole type or dielectric cylinder type in structure, the triangular lattice structure is much easier to form bands gap.


The present study was under taken to assess the physico-chemical parameters and phytoplanktonic diversity of Tumaria reservoir Kashipur in the District Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, from January 2017 to December 2017. The quantitative analysis of physico-chemical parameter like temperature, pH, transparency, velocity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen; chloride, and qualitative analysis of three major groups of phytoplankton (Chlorophyceae, Bacilloriophyceae and Cyanophyceae) were studied. The aim of this study was to monitor the functioning of reservoir ecosystem and designed to monitor monthly variation in water quality parameter of Tumaria reservoir so as to assess its status and suitability. During this study it was found that all the selected physico-chemical parameters were within the prescribed limits for aquaculture. It was also found that Chlorophyceae (53%) was the dominant over bacillariophyceae (26%) and cyanophyceae (21%). Anthropogenic activities and monthly variation also assessed during study period.


The Ce3+ → Tb3+ → Eu3+ energy-transfer process enables Eu3+5D0 → 7FJ line emission to be sensitized by the allowed Ce3+ 4f1 → 5d1 absorption transition in near-ultraviolet (NUV) and violet spectral regions. This energy-transfer strategy is applied in Y2SiO5:Ce3+, Tb3+, Eu3+ powders, leading to line-emitting red phosphors that can be excited by short-wavelength InGaN LEDs. The blue, green, and red colors can be tuned by the ratio of Ce3+/Tb3+/Eu3+. Furthermore, the energy-transfer efficiencies and corresponding mechanisms are discussed in detail, and the thermal stability is evaluated. The results suggest that the optimal composition phosphor Y2SiO5: 0.01Ce3+, 0.50Tb3+, 0.01Eu3+, which exhibits an intense Eu3+ red 4f–4f sharp emission with a strong 4f–5d absorption band of Ce3+ at the NUV region, could serve as a potential broadband-excited and narrow line red phosphor for NUV LEDs.


Infrared thermography has been introduced as an affordable tool for plant water status monitoring, especially in regions where water availability is the main limiting factor in agricultural production. This paper outlines the potential applications of low-cost thermal imaging devices to evaluate the water status of young and mature sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) submitted to water stress. Two treatments per plot were assayed: (i) a control treatment irrigated to ensure non-limiting soil water conditions; and (ii) a water-stress treatment. The seasonal evolution of the temperature of the canopy (Tc) and the difference between Tc and air temperature (ΔT) were compared and three thermal indices were calculated: crop water stress index (CWSI), degrees above control treatment (DAC) and degrees above non-water-stressed baseline (DANS). Midday stem water potential (Ψstem) was used as the reference indicator of water stress and linear relationships of Tc, ΔT, CWSI, DAC and DANS with Ψstem were discussed in order to assess their sensitivity to quantify water stress. CWSI and DANS exhibited strong relationships with Ψstem and two regression lines to young and mature trees were found. The promising results obtained highlight that using low-cost infrared thermal devices can be used to determine the plant water status in sweet cherry trees.


A new method for the determination of benzo[a]pyrene in mainstream cigarette smoke by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) and sample preparation with gel permeation purification was studied.The total particulate matter of cigarette smoke was selected by the cambridge filter.Benzo[a]pyrene was extracted from the total particulate matter with ultrasonic extraction.The extract was purified by gel permeation purification.Benzo[a]pyrene was separated on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C 18(2.1 mm × 100 mm,1.7 μm) column with acetonitrile and water as mobile phase at a flow-rate of 0.6 mL /min.This method was applied to the determination of benzo[a]pyrene mainstream cigarette.Under the optimum conditions,the detection limit of benzo[a]pyrene was 0.3 ng / cig,the relative standard derivation of intra-day variation was 3.8%,and the relative standard derivation of inter-day variation was 4.1%.The recoveries ranged from 93.4% to 96.2%.


The present work aims to develop a microfluidic device from a square mesh template. The template is fabricated using a recently proposed non-conventional lithography-less method of shaping ceramic suspension fluid by controlling Saffman Taylor instability in a Multiport Lifted Hele-Shaw Cell (MLHSC). The microfluidic concentration gradient generator (μCGG) was prepared by soft lithography from fabricated template. The optimum flow rates were determined by COMSOL simulations and validated by creating fluorescein dye (Fluorescein isothiocanate, FITC) gradient in the fabricated μCGG. We then demonstrated the use of this device for drug testing. We created various concentration of an anticancer drug – curcumin - using the device and then determined inhibitory concentration of curcumin on the viability of cervical cancer cell-line (HeLa). The result matched well with the conventional drug testing using 96 well plates. Further, shaping of fluid allows change in the number of outlets, which can be utilised to achieve broad range of concentration gradient. Therefore, this method is time efficient, cost effective, uniquely suitable to scale microstructures over a large area, and saves personnel time and can be used as a gradient generator for various biological and non-biological applications.


Sustainable agricultural production in Malaysia is under climate change's threat. Several climate-driven factors such as heat waves, irregular and excessive rainfall patterns, storms, and floods are the current worries of many farmers in the country and these factors put together put their livelihood in jeopardy. Future predictions indicated a significant further variability in climatic patterns with irregular rainfall. This study aims to investigate the economic impact of climate change on agricultural production in Malaysia by aggregating all agricultural productions over the 1990 – 2021 period. A time series econometric method called autoregressive and distributed lag (ARDL) method was utilised to achieve the study's objective. The result of the study revealed that climate change has statistically significant negative impact on agricultural production in Malaysia. This implies that food production through agricultural production in the country is being adversely affected by climate change. As such, climate change mitigating strategies are strongly recommended with strict implementation to ensure sustainable agricultural production. Other recommendations include the practice of agroforestry, planting of climate resilient plants, crop rotation, and the use of soil smart technology. These actions will assist in minimising the adverse effect of climate change on agricultural production and indirectly boost food production.