A low cost guidance system is being developed for small agricultural vehicles (such as allterrain
vehicles – ATV's) to allow autonomous operation and automated soil sampling. The system
uses a PDA, slot card GPS, microcontroller, and various actuators to provide autonomous operation
of the ATV. Advantages of the system are that fields can quickly be reduced to sampling points and
then sampled automatically.


There is a need to quantitatively evaluate the quality of service of a wireless cellular network for different periods of a day in order to make an informed decision about the state of the network for users and operators. Without a structured technique, trying to evaluate the overall quality of service of a network can be a very challenging task. In this paper we will adapt the classical Analytic Hierarchy Process method to quantitatively evaluate a particular wireless cellular network to determine how well it performs for different periods of a day.


A soft-lithographic top-down approach is combined with an epitaxial layer transfer process to fabricate high quality III-V compound semiconductor nanowires (NWs) and integrate them on Si/SiO2 substrates, using MBE-grown ultrathin InAs as a source wafer. The channel width of the InAs nanowires is controlled by using solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing (SANE), descumming, and etching processes. By optimizing these processes, the NW width is scaled to less than 50 nm, and the InAs NWFETs has ∼1,600 cm/Vs peak electron mobility, which indicates no mobility degradation due to the size.


The educational process in primary schools of Eastern Siberia is analyzed in this article. The features of positive and negative trends in the educational process and their influence on the increase of its effectiveness are revealed; the characteristics, structure and principles of the development of the educational process on the verge of XIX XXth centuries in these educational institutions are identified.


Chromosome doubling in ornamental plants, as shown by our study in daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.), has great potential to increase tolerance to abiotic stress. Drought is the most critical growth-limiting factor in a changing climate. Drought tolerance is one of the decisive factors for the survival, productivity, and appearance of perennial ornamental plants. Understanding and elucidating the molecular mechanisms that determine plant response to abiotic stress is essential. De novo transcriptome assembly of diploid and autotetraploid Hemerocallis spp. cv. Trahlyta was performed under artificially induced stress to elucidate the molecular mechanisms related to plant response to drought. In daylily mRNA, 237,886 transcripts were detected, and 42.4% of them were identified as annotated unigenes. In the experiment, diploid plants were more stressed, with 2871 upregulated or downregulated DEGs (differentially expressed genes) responding to drought, while tetraploid plants had 1599 DEGs. The proportion of upregulated DEGs differed by 1.3 times between diploid and autotetraploid genotypes, whereas the proportion of downregulated DEGs was 1.8 times greater in diploid plants. Signaling pathways related to the drought response were activated in daylilies, and key candidate genes were identified in both ploidy genotypes. In autotetraploid plants, more drought-related pathways were activated than in diploids—43 and 19, respectively. The most abundant DEGs in both cases were KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes), metabolic (ko01100), and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (ko01110) pathways. Summarizing the data, it was found that autotetraploid plants of the daylily have a wider potential for adaptation to drought stress. Therefore, they adapt faster and better to adverse drought conditions by activating alternative signaling pathways. The comparative transcriptome analysis of diploid and autotetraploid plants allows us to understand the molecular mechanisms of drought resistance and it is also essential for daylily breeding programs to develop drought-resistant genotypes in the future.


The Ship forms, especially those of small fishing vessels are to be determined from the point of view not only of propulsive performance but also of dynamical properties on the ocean. As the first step in the direction of researches, the author has performed the resistance -& rolling-tests about the 5 ship forms (a steel ship type, a wooden ship type & 3 intermediate types) of small seine-fishing vessels. This paper is reported about the results of these tests.


The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary quality of vegetables and irrigation water and assess the effectiveness of lemon juice and vinegar in reducing E. coli strains inoculated on lettuce. One hundred and forty samples of vegetables and 45 samples of irrigation water were investigated for thermotolerant coliforms and Salmonella spp. In order to verify the effectiveness of natural household sanitizers in reducing E. coli in inoculated lettuce, four treatment solutions were tested: fresh lemon juice, alcohol vinegar, lemon juice-vinegar mixture, and lemon juice-vinegar-water mixture. The microbiological analysis revealed high rates of contamination by thermotolerant coliforms and identified the presence of E. coli in 32% of the tested vegetable samples and 56% of the water samples. While no significant statistical difference (p < 0, 05) was identified in the tested solutions, the treatment with a combination of lemon juice and vinegar resulted in the highest Decimal Reductions (DR) of E. coli O157: H7 while the treatment with vinegar alone was the most effective against the indigenous E. coli strain


Objectives: To systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy (CMT) on Pediatric Enuresis. Methods: We searched 12 English, Chinese and Korean databases by using relevant search terms up to October 2017. Every randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CMT for Pediatric Enu...


Sangam M, Sabatini R, Ramasamy S and Gardi A. (2013). Advanced flight management system for an unmanned reusable space vehicle. International Journal of Unmanned Systems Engineering. 1(3): 48-67. The innovative architecture of an advanced Flight Management System (FMS) for Unmanned Reusable Space Vehicle (URSV) applications is presented with the associated re-entry trajectory computation algorithm. The SL-12 unmanned space vehicle, developed by Cranfield University as a part of the 2012-2013 Aerospace Vehicle Design (AVD) Group Design Project (GDP) is used as the reference platform. The overall avionics architecture of the future space transportation vehicle is described. A detailed architecture is developed for the FMS and the core functions of such an FMS are described. A dedicated computation algorithm is presented for re-entry trajectory planning, which involves determination of the path of re-entry vehicle by means of angle of attack and bank angle modulation. Simulation case studies are performed in a realistic re-entry operational scenario resulting in the generation of efficient and feasible trajectories, without violating any of the defined constraints. © Marques Engineering Ltd.


This paper addresses the problem of path planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles UAVs in an unknown directional region. Paths are planned to maximise the amount of information from desired region whi...


We love debates. They are entertaining. They sharpen and clarify viewpoints but they could bypass the thought processes behind them. Very often, differences in opinion can be explained by different assumptions and expectations based on available resources. Moreover, those involved in the debate may not be fully aware of their own assumptions and biases often defending the situation in the home institution. One typical example is the debate about whether or not to use computed tomography perfusion (CTP) in patient selection for thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients. The key issue is 'patient selection'. One might think there should be one correct answer based on the highest level evidence. But this is not true. CTP is mainly beneficial for increasing sensitivity in detecting acute perfusion abnormalities and for broadening the spectrum of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) patients. Most data we are currently seeing originate from MT registries that are focused mainly on emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) patients already identified successfully by diagnostic imaging processes. This data does not represent the variety of patients with the suspected stroke and allows for limited conclusions on the additional benefit of CTP beyond the current typical indications, such as in the treatment of distal, medium vessel occlusions (DMVOs) and for selecting patients beyond 6 hours after symptom onset, where CTP is widely used. However, a recent metaanalysis found similar rates of functional independence in large vessel occlusion (LVO) when patients are selected using advanced imaging or noncontrast computed tomography (CT) for MT patient selection in the extended time window. There is limited data on the frequency of different occlusion locations in unselected stroke patient cohorts. In an older single center series, all consecutive patients with the main discharge diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke were included in Acute STroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne (ASTRAL). Focal hypoperfusion was found in 73.6% of scans in ASTRAL. Additional CTP has a higher accuracy in detecting more distal occlusions compared with nonenhanced CT (NECT) and CT angiography (CTA) alone. It can even be interpreted by inexperienced readers, and causes of false positives are easy to recognize and dismiss. These advantages are most beneficial for healthcare environments where those distal occlusions are treated by MT. This raises the practical question of whether CTP should be used for late time windows and distal occlusions only. Such an approach requires a skilled radiologist (or a reliable software) to decide for CTP use when no ELVO is detected. A process with CTP as part of the standard protocol is certainly the quicker and more feasible option that may increase the diagnosis of ELVO and the rate of endovascular thrombectomy. This reasoning makes CTP important for healthcare environments with substantial resources. Good reasons are needed for excluding ELVO patients based on CTP. Associating imaging patterns with specific pathophysiological conditions is oftentimes challenging. Equating 'mismatch' with 'penumbra' is an old oversimplification that is useful for the majority of cases. But, it can be disastrously wrong for some patients who are excluded from therapy even if they should be treated. This could lead to patients being denied MT if institutions use the same perfusion thresholds that can reflect different conditions on different scanners at different times from symptom onset. The CTP interpretation is dependent on time ('ghost core' vs 'falsely normal') and other variables as well on specific image acquisition and postprocessing, even head movements. The discussion about the terminology around the 'ischemic core' illustrates another example of dangerous oversimplification. The answer to the question of CTP or no CTP can differ fundamentally for different healthcare environments. A healthcare system with the resources for some 30


This paper determines the key drivers, barriers and effects of eco-innovation, in comparison to innovation in general. It further distinguishes between different types of eco-innovations to better capture their heterogeneous nature. It uses two different data sets (1) the Community Innovation Survey 2014 (CIS-2014) for a large sample of EU Member States, further split up into three groups in accordance with their eco-innovation performance; (2) the German Mannheim Innovation Panel to address additional drivers the CIS-2014 is unable to capture. Results show that both R&D investments and complementary fixed capital investments are key drivers of eco-innovation, with differences across country groups. Results from the German sample further emphasise that expected future demand, rising costs for energy and other resources and the wish to improve one's reputation and the need to meet industry standards help spur eco-innovation, while public policy is only of limited importance. In contrast, international market orientation turns out to be a barrier for eco-innovation. By and large, eco‑innovations also have a productivity-enhancing effect which is however lower as compared to innovations in general.


In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of ultrasound application applied to yoghurt samples produced in laboratory environment at different stages of production (before and after fermentation) on the water holding capacity, homogenization, and shelf life of yoghurts. In order to achieve this aim, microbiological and physicochemical analyzes were performed on the 1, 7 and 15 days of the yoghurt groups at 2-4 °C cold storage. It was determined that there was an increase of 0.5 log in the number of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in each group on the 7 day. According to the results of the 7 day in the ultrasound after inoculation (I + U) group, it was found that there was a 1 log decrease in the number of S. thermophilus. The highest yeast count was determined at 5.02 log cfu/g in 15 day samples of again I + U group. The water holding capacity in the control, inoculation after ultrasound U + I and I + U groups was determined respectively 28.45%, 52.96%, 46.48% in the first day analyzes, 34.49%, 48.17%, 50,52% in the 7 day analyzes, and 31.34%, 54.84% and 47.84% in the 15 day analysis. Also, in homogenization efficiency a significant difference between the control group, U + I and I + U groups has been determined. The highest homogenization efficiency was detected in I + U group at 3.03% level. In the control, U + I and I + U groups L value averages, in color analysis on the 15 day were determined as 81.55; 85.56; and 84.46 respectively. As a result, it was determined that in ultrasound applications yoghurt bacterial counts, pH and titration acidity values did not cause a defect that would affect taste and aroma during storage under cold storage conditions. In addition, in terms of water holding capacity, homogenization efficiency and L value during storage, it has been determined that ultrasound applications improve the rheological properties of yoghurt and increase its durability under cold storage conditions.


Naturalism, the purported derivation of values from facts, is a fallacy which stubbornly persists despite all attempts to root it out. And nowadays the naturalists seem to be getting the upper hand. It has become a commonplace of contemporary thinking, both in ethics and the philosophy of science (social and even natural), that the fact-value distinction has 'broken down'. As early as 1955, J. L. Austin spoke disparagingly of the 'fact/value fetish'; three years later, Philippa Foot referred to the 'disappearance' of the logical gap between factual premises and moral conclusions. In the following decade, Jonathan Cohen baldly asserted that 'the statement/evaluation dichotomy is erroneous'; and John Searle produced a famous paper which set out to demolish the 'alleged' and 'not very useful' distinction between descriptive and evaluative utterances. More recently we find Benjamin Gibbs telling us that the 'positivist doctrine of a fact-value dichtomy' is 'only a sort of myth'; while Richard Rorty asserts that the 'positivist distinction between facts and values' is based on a 'philosophical fiction'. Finally, Roy Bhaskar goes so far as to pronounce that 'the transition from "is" to "ought", factual to value statements, indicatives to imperatives' is 'not only acceptable but mandatory' !


The lack of compatibility between legume inoculants and fertilizers has been widely recognized and reported. Studies involving alternative inoculant carriers and methods of inoculant preparation led to an examination of rhizobia incorporation in fertilizer. The effects of suspending agent and incubation temperature on the survival of two strains of Rhizobium in 0-9-12 fertilizer were determined using plate counts and most-probable-number methods of analyses. Results showed that oil was superior to water in maintaining the viability and effectiveness of two strains of lyophilized rhizobia. A fertilizer incorporated with lyophilized R. phaseoli suspended in oil contained nearly 10* viable cells per gram after 24 weeks of incubation at 65°C. In contrast, no R. phaseoli were recovered from a fertilizer containing a water suspension of lyophilized cells after 8 weeks of incubation at 25°C. These results strongly suggest that fertilizer and lyophilized rhizobia may be combined to form an effective inoculant if adequate precautions are taken to protect the rhizobia from rehydration. Additional Index Words: inoculant-containing fertilizer, legume inoculation, lyophilized rhizobia, rhizobial survival. Kremer, R. J., J. Polo, and H. L. Peterson. 1982. Effect of suspending agent and temperature on survival of Rhizobium in fertilizer. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 46:539-542. L inoculants are often subjected to adverse environmental conditions during storage, shipping, and planting which may result in decreased viability of rhizobia and poor nodulation of the host legume. Various inoculant carrier formulations have been developed to enhance rhizobial survival (16). Peat-base inoculants, however, are considered superior in the ability to deliver large numbers of viable rhizobia at seed inoculation (6, 20). Incorporation of inoculants in various pelleting materials reportedly prolongs the survival of rhizobia when applied to legume seed (3, 4, 5). These materials include many forms of calcium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, superphosphate, and rock phosphates (3, 4, 13, 14, 16, 17). The wide variations reported for survival of rhizobia in different pelleting materials (3, 17) has led to recommendations that sources of pelleting materials be thoroughly screened for effects on rhizobial viability before use in seed pelleting (14, 17). While there are few reports concerning incorporation of rhizobia in fertilizers, the practice of mixing inoculants directly with fertilizers has been discouraged. Burton and Curley (7) found that sodium molybdate reduced numbers of R. japonicum 99% after 4 days of incubation. Various molybdenum compounds mixed with peat-base soybean inoculant and stored prior to seed treatment significantly reduced 1 Authorized as Paper no. 4,296 in the Journal Series of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. This research was conducted under project AG/TAB 610-9-76 and partially supported by USDA/SEA/CR/USAID Competitive Grant 616-15188. Received 9 Feb. 1981. Approved 11 Jan. 1982. 2 Research Associate, Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State; Chemical Engineer, International Fertilizer Development Center, Muscle Shoals, Ala.; and Associate Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi State Univ. nodulation (12). Studies examining the effect of different fertilizer concentrations on crown vetch rhizobia in slurry mixtures showed that the rhizobia survived only when the slurry pH was raised to 6.0 with CaCO3 (6). Fraser (11) used calcium sulfate as a carrier for rhizobia and prepared granules containing 10 R. meliloti per gram. After 5 months, granules stored at 25°C still contained 10 viable rhizobia per gram. Carr and Ballard (9) mixed a R. trifolii inoculant with solutions of potassium chloride and 10-30-10 fertilizer (90 kg/m) for 1 hour and reported a slight increase in numbers of rhizobia. Survival studies with Rhizobium in fertilizers and pelleting materials have involved the use of liquid or peat-base cultures of rhizobia. Death of Rhizobium in these cultures occurs rapidly at high temperatures due to desiccation (6, 18, 19, 21) and with fertilizers due to pH and osmotic effects (6, 21). Lyophilized rhizobia used in some inoculants maintain high viability over extended periods of storage (2, 10, 15, 16, 23). Increased survival rates at 28 to 36°C exhibited by lyophilized rhizobia compared to peat-base cultures are due to increased resistance to desiccation (21, 22). There is no published information regarding the compatibility of lyophilized rhizobia with fertilizers. The detrimental effects of fertilizers on rhizobia might be partially overcome by using lyophilized cultures suspended in a nonaqueous system. This paper summarizes an investigation of the feasibility of using oil as a suspending agent in combining Rhizobium and fertilizer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Strain CA22 of peanut Rhizobium and R. phaseoli 971A were grown in yeast extract-mannitol (YEM) broth (23) shaker cultures at 25°C. The cultures were harvested after 4 days of growth for R. phaseoli 971A and 10 days for peanut Rhizobium CA22 by centrifugation at 1,800 x g for 60 minutes at 4°C. The pellets were resuspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS: 10 mM K2HPO4-KH2PO4, 0.14M NaCl, pH 7.2) and centrifuged. The washed pellets were suspended in minimal amounts of a solution composed of 7.5% sucrose, 5.0% dextran, and 1.0% sodium glutamate, transferred to sterile plastic petri dishes, quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and freeze-dried for 48 hours. Lyophilized cells were dispensed into bags of autoclaved oven film (Reynolds) and the bags were heat-sealed. The bags were placed in polyethylene packages containing CaSO4 as desiccant and stored at 8°C. The final concentration of lyophilized rhizobia was 5.0 x 10'° cells per gram for R. phaseoli 971A and 3.8 x 10 cells per gram for peanut Rhizobium CA22. Lyophilized rhizobia were suspended in peanut oil (10 g/ 200 ml) or filter-sterilized deionized water (10 g/150 ml) as a control. Peanut oil was previously rendered free of rhizobia and water by heating at 120°C for 12 hours. Suspended rhizobia were added slowly to 1 kg of 0-9-12 fertilizer. The 0-9-12 fertilizer (pH 7.48) was an ungranulated mixture of 100 g of KC1, 170 g of KH2PO4, 320 g of rock phosphate (34% P2O5), and 410 g of CaCO3. Fertilizer and inoculant were mixed using a household mixer. Additional amounts of water or oil were added to fertilizer to quantitatively transfer and incorporate the inoculant. Rhizobia-fertilizer 539 Published May, 1982


Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process involving inflammation, granulation tissue formation, and remodeling, which result in scar formation. Chronic stress impairs cutaneous wound healing through the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary– adrenal axis (HPA). Among the products of HPA are glucocorticosteroid (GC) hormones, which have been shown to delay wound closure. Therefore, we evaluate the effects of administration of a GC receptor antagonist (RU486) on cutaneous wound healing of chronically stressed mice. Male mice were stressed by spun at 115 rpm for 15 min per hour, daily, until euthanasia. A group of mice were only chronically stressed. A group of chronically stressed mice received daily I.P. injection of RU486 (20mg/Kg). Control mice were not subjected to stress, but received RU486 daily. An excisional lesion was made and measured. Fourteen days later, mice were killed to collect blood and lesions. The inflammatory infiltrate, angiogenesis, mieloperoxidase (MPO), and collagen deposition were evaluated in wounds. Stressed RU486‐treated mice showed a worst rate of contraction and re‐epithelialization than RU486‐treated controls. Stressed RU486‐treated mice demonstrate a recovery of MPO activity when compared to stressed animals. Our preliminary results indicate that blocking GC signalization improve wound healing in stressed mice. Supported by CAPES, FAPERJ & CNPq.


ABSTRACT Organic catalysts have found wide applications in organic synthesis. Many organic reactions, which originally do not occur under normal conditions or are difficult to operate normally, have been successfully conducted under mild conditions in the presence of catalysts. In recent years, 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (TCT, cyanuric chloride) has been used as organic catalyst in many organic synthesis, because it is stable, nonvolatile, inexpensive, commercially available, and easy to handle. On account of these properties it has been used as a green catalyst and sometimes is a catalyst of choice in organic reactions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


It is not known whether insulin levels, in the setting of insulin treatment, are an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). We studied a cohort of 116 insulin-treated in- dividuals, 65 yr or older, who were followed for 5.6–9 yr. All were free of CHD at baseline. There were 47 incident CHD events. In Cox proportional hazards modeling, with fasting immune-reactive insulin lev- els as a continuous variable, the hazard ratio for CHD was statistically significant ( P < 0.0001). When insulin levels were divided into intervals, those in the third interval [43–150 (cid:1) U/ml (258–900 pmol/liter)] had an adjusted 30% increased relative risk (95% confidence interval, 0.57, 2.98) compared with those in the first interval [ < 20 (cid:1) U/ml ( < 120 pmol/liter)]. Those in the fourth interval [151–400 (cid:1) U/ml (906–2400 pmol/ liter)] had an adjusted 5.6-fold increased risk (2.3–13.1; P < 0.0001). Approximately 15% of the cohort had such elevated insulin levels. Immune-reactive insulin levels were strongly correlated with specific insulin, proinsulin, and insulin anti- body levels. Markedly elevated fasting immune-reactive insulin levels were an independent risk factor for CHD in this study of insulin-treated older adults. These observational findings should be confirmed through larger prospective studies, given their implications for insulin therapy. ( J Clin Endocri- nol Metab 89: 2852–2858, 2004) (continuous variables) of the cohort, catego- rized by insulin levels, were compared using ANOVA. Categorical variable comparisons were done using the (cid:2) 2 test. The effect of serum insulin levels on time to incident CHD was examined using Cox proportional modeling with adjustment for significant risk factors selected by step- wise regression from the variables shown in Table 1 (except for the special assay variables). Initial modeling was done with insulin levels treated as a continuous variable. When subsequent examination for nonlinearity revealed that most of the elevated risk was in participants with very high insulin levels, insulin was categorized into four intervals for the entire cohort based on quartiles of the insulin distribution of the participants with new CHD events and modeled as a categorical variable. This ensures that the number of incident CHD events occurring in each interval is approximately one fourth of the total number of events. This is an objective way of defining the intervals that allows for a sufficient number of events in each interval so that statistically stable estimates of the hazard ratios can be obtained. All analyses were done using SPSS, version 11.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).


Abstract Changes in benthic macroinvertebrate population density and diversity were studied in a mesotrophic lake with seasonal hypoxia/anoxia prior to and following aluminum sulfate (alum) treatment and hypolimnetic oxygenation. Historically, low oxygen concentrations created a benthic zone with reduced fish predation pressures which allowed chaoborids to flourish. Population densities of chironomids and oligochaetes were suppressed by prolonged periods of summer anoxia Benthic macroinvertebrate community diversity values were indicative of poor water quality and/or habitat quality. Following alum treatment and prior to hypolimnetic oxygenation, chaoborid densities doubled. This was due, in part, to changes in trophic structure which provided an abundant food source for early instar chaoborids. In addition, Newman Lake was stocked with fewer trout in 1990 and 1991 resulting in reduced predation on the invertebrate community. Alum treatment had no effect on chironomid or oligochaete populations. Hypolimne...


Proceeded from both the positive and negative influence from the network among university students,the thesis advances that moral education principles for network be established:to initiate and follow network moral standards and also bring forth new educational modes so as to further restrain students'network behaviors;to absorb the positive factors and meanwhile settle the negative influence with efforts to explore new ways of network moral education.


This paper examines the effects of monetary policy on asset price bubbles and production in a laboratory experimental economy. Participants play the role of household investors who are faced with consumption, labor, and investment decisions. In a between-subject design, we compare how participants' decisions and aggregate dynamics respond to the presence of an asset market and to policies that are intended to stabilize asset prices. We find that introducing asset markets to the economy does not generate significant real effects despite large deviations of asset prices from fundamental value. Both leverage constraints and monetary policy responses to asset price inflation inadvertently generate larger deviations of asset prices from fundamental value. The prospect of a binding leverage constraint results in increased labor supply and, consequently, larger cash balances that fuel larger and more persistent asset price deviations. A ``leaning against the wind'' interest rate policy generates low nominal interest rates in the early periods of participants' lifecycles due to its relatively weaker response to output price inflation. Low interest rates incentivize subjects to speculate and thereby generate a quick acceleration in asset prices. As interest rates rise quickly and significantly in response to asset price inflation, monetary policy becomes more salient and effective at stabilizing asset demand.


Previous measurements in paramagnetic iron using polarized neutrons with polarization analysis revealed strong forward magnetic scattering. By contrast, the scattering at large wavevectors, was observed to be very weak. We report on additional measurements near the zone boundary, which extend to energy transfers of about 2 T c (∼200 meV). A value of 1.7 μ B 2 is obtained, and the resulting integrated Fe moment is 1.55 μ B . These results confirm that, in 3d metals, correlations which are inherent to the itinerant nature of the 3d electrons occur Des mesures anterieures dans le fer paramagnetique ont revele une diffusion magnetique importante des neutrons a petits angles, la diffusion observee a grands angles etant tres faible au contraire. Des mesures supplementaires au voisinage du bord de la zone de Brillouin ont ete effectuees jusqu'a des transferts d'energie de 2 T c . Une valeur de 1,7 μ B 2 est obtenue, conduisant a un moment integre du fer de 1,55 μ B . Ces resultats confirment que dans les metaux 3d, des correlations coherentes au caractere itinerant des electrons 3d, sont presentes


Abstract Adopting a mixed-methods approach and Hyland's (2000a, 2005a) model of "metadiscourse", this comparative study examines the textual construction of authorial voice in academic unpublished book reviews (BRs) by a group of Chinese scholars and published reviews by a group of international scholars. The textual analysis presented a rather mixed picture: the Chinese writers used significantly fewer hedges and more self-mentions in their texts than the international scholars, but there were important similarities in the approaches of the two groups of reviewers to the rhetorical construction of authorial voice. On the basis of this analysis we conclude that the construction of authorial voice is a complex and socio-culturally situated process. We also call for greater awareness and acceptance of the rhetorical particularities of texts produced respectively by different groups of writers on the part of the English academic community. This research aims to complicate views about the construction of authorial voice in the relatively under-researched genre of academic BRs and to highlight the critical importance of an academic literacy perspective.


The cessation of the relatively rosy interactions of the United States and Soviet Union in 1959-60 resulting from the U-2 incident and the subsequent intense escalation of hostilities led a group of concerned international scholars to convene at Malmö, Sweden in 1963. Their discussions initiated a series of meetings and conferences in Europe, Asia and North America on the need for and ways to conduct research to combat the deterioration of US-Soviet relations. From these activities came the formal establishment of the Peace Research Society, International (later renamed the Peace Science Society, International), with the holding of annual conferences in the United States, Europe and Asia, and with issuing newsletters and publishing papers and proceedings (later the journal Conflict Management and Peace Science). Considerable detail is presented on the evolution and experiences of the Society during the period 1963 to 1965, its joint sessions and interactions with other peace research and international relations groups, and its emphasis on the empirical testing of hypotheses and theories and the employment of scientific approaches for the development of conflict management procedures using concepts and tools of various disciplines.


A characteristic feature of hydrologic events is that they are not independently distributed in time. The degree of linear dependence between events k time units apart is measured by the serial correlation coefficient. This correlation, which tends to decrease with an increase in k, is attributed to storage processes in the atmosphere or within the drainage basin. The correlation measures the degree of redundancy of information yielded by each hydrologic event. This redundancy implies that statistical parameters computed from a sequence of events are less reliable than is indicated by the sequence length. Hydrologic sequences are formulated in terms of generating models to account for serial dependence between events, to allow prediction of events at future time points, and to assess the effect of serial dependence on hydrologic studies.


We use the technique of wavelet analysis and epoch folding methods to search for the superimposed periodic signals of 1-10TeV cosmic ray in the data obtained with Tibet Ⅱ/HD AS Array for December of 1997 to June of 1998. Solar time semi-diurnal and diurnal variations of meteorological parameters, including the atmospheric pressure and the temperature out of the room are analyzed. The following correlation analysis shows that the obvious correlation exists between the periodic variations of trigger rate and record rate of the cosmic ray observation experiment and of the atmospheric pressure and the temperature out of the room at the level of observation.


This article will probiotics as an object,an important indicator on the activity of probiotic products,its activity factors,as well as current research progress on improving the number of viable probiotic summarize introduction.


Different surgical techniques for the treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures have different risks. A medial approach allows an anatomic reduction and avoids many of the potential complications associated with a lateral approach. A straight incision on the medial aspect of the hindfoot permits indirect reduction of the depressed posterior facet fragment by utilizing intraoperative fluoroscopy and percutaneous threaded pin fixation of the large tuberosity fragment to the stable sustentacular fragment. The surgical technique using the medial approach can be an excellent and versatile treatment of calcaneus fractures, particularly for patients who have multiple medical problems.


We have undertaken a series of experiments to investigate the feasibility of using a Nd:YAG laser to drill slate tiles. Slate is used primarily as a roof building material after it is split into thin flat layers. The traditional fixation system of slate tiles in Europe consists of clamping the slate pieces by means of metallic clamps and overlapping the different tiles in order to form an impervious roof. An alternative to this clamping technique, is the use of nails to fix the slate tiles to a wooden frame. This method improves the fixation of the slate tiles and reduces the costs related to roof repair by extending the period between maintenance. However, the use of nails requires the production of holes in the slate pieces, which is currently achieved by a mechanical route that results in large holes and an extended manufacturing time. The aim of this work is to explore the capabilities of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser to drill tiny holes in slate tiles in order to produce a better quality drilled slate tile i...


Partial combinatory algebras (pcas), models for a form of Combinatory Logic with partial application, have been studied for the last thirty years because of their close connection to Intuitionistic Logic (see, for example, [11])


The structural phase transition properties of two mono-bismuthides (NpBi, PuBi) are investigated by using a modified inter-ionic potential theory (MIPT), employing the minimization technique of Gibbs free energy expressed as a function of pressure. We have also presented the equation of state, which shows an appreciable volume collapse at the phase transition pressure and associated volume collapse are generally in good agreement with their experimental findings. We have also reported the elastic and thermal properties for these compounds, for the first time.


The variation of vertical heat flow with depth near a scarp juxtaposing two media of contrasting thermal conductivity is summarised in a series of plots. Heat flows are calculated numerically using a two-dimensional finite element model. Boundary conditions are: uniform, constant temperature at the Earth's surface; constant heat flux into the bottom of the model (at great depth); no horisontal heat flow across the sides of the model; temperature and the normal component of heat flow are continuous across the conductivity boundaries. For geologically extreme (but plausible) conductivity variations this refraction effect may cause heat flow to vary from 40% to 200% of the regional value. In general, the refraction effect is felt to within several scarp heights, both vertically and horisontally.


STUDY OF THE ENDOPHYTIC FUNGUS ISOLATED FROM HORTIA SUPERBA (RUTACEAE) IN THE PRODUCTION OF SECONDARY COMPOUNDS. The order Sapindales, compost for the families Rutaceae, Meliaceae, Burseraceae, Simaroubaceae, Bierbersteiniaceae, Kirkiaceae, Anacardiaceae, Sapindaceae and Nitrariaceae, is rich in various classes of speciais metabolites, being the most frequents: coumarins, alkaloids, flavonoids, quassinoides and limonoides. The family Rutaceae is characterized by a great diversity of those metabolites not common in other families the order (Silva et al., 1988) and is constituted by different genera, of which stands out Hortia, compost for five species distributed from Panama to the state of São Paulo, and some of the area Amazônica (Groppo and Pirani 2012), besides of to be endemic in the area of Minas Gerais, where take the plant as a sample. In this work the endophytic fungus belonging to the family Xylaria, was isolated .This fungus was inoculated in the malt extract agar culture medium, where was produced several secondary metabolites, and between they were separated and identified three compounds: Declorogriseofulvin, Griseofulvina, 3,4-Dihydro-8hydroxy-3methylisocouarin-5-carboxylic acid, Spiro[benzofuran-2(3H),1'-[2] cyclohexene]-3,4'dione, 5-cloro-7-declorogriseofulvina, a compound that is still unpublished and 5clorogriseofulvin. The second compound is isomer of this last substance and was identified by the NMR and Massa Spectrometry techniques. The hemolytic activity in blood was measured for the substances, resulting the griseofulvin being less toxic in blood than your analogue, as declorogriseofulvin. In addition, the biological activity of the compounds was analyzed against to the strain Staphylococcus aureus, by the Inhibitory Concentration Method for bacteria (MICs) (Barbosa. S et al, 2016), concluding as result that the substances do not have antimicrobial activity against the Grampositive bacteria.


Optical lock-in thermography is a completely contactless and very sensitive NDT technique. As an optical source of energy, incandescent lamps are most commonly used because they are relatively inexpensive and offer high irradiances at the test specimen. However, they are strongly restricted by their low modulation bandwidth with a maximum modulation frequency of only about 1 Hz. The use of high-power kilowattclass laser sources, e.g. diode laser arrays, pushes this constraint beyond 100 Hz. This allows for the exploration of the near-surface region of metals and layer systems with better and more accurate penetration depth and depth resolution. Moreover, these lasers are virtually free of any additional thermal radiation that could interfere with the "true" thermal response emitted from the heated sample. In turn, they can be easily used in a one-sided test configuration. We present current activities with kilowatt-class highpower laser sources for advanced lock-in thermography and focus on the application of laser arrays that offer a very high irradiation strength over a large sample area beyond the mentioned advantages.


This paper from members of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) reviews the service in the Royal Navy of main propulsion gearboxes incorporating surface-hardened gears. The introduction of surface hardening for warship gears is described and the gear designs in use in the Fleet are discussed. Comment is made on the problems of procurement of surface-hardened gears. The very few defects experienced are described, some unexplained since they are of such a minor nature that the gears have not been removed and no full report is available. The paper concludes by indicating the Royal Navy's continued reliance on surface-hardened gears at even higher loads as a result of their research work.


Increases in the dietary ratio of omega‐3 (ω3) fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), to ω6 fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid (AA), have beneficial health effects, but the biochemical basis for the various effects are unknown. To determine whether ω3 fatty acids in dietary fish oil could influence any biological responses to PGs, we examined the specificities of enzymes and receptors of the cyclooxygenase‐1 (COX‐1) and COX‐2 pathways toward AA, EPA and AA‐ or EPA‐derived prostanoid (PG) products (i.e. prostaglandins and thromboxanes (Tx)). We found that purified COX‐1 and COX‐2 use AA with comparable efficiencies and that COX‐2 oxygenates EPA with about 30% of the efficiency of AA. However, EPA is a very poor substrate for purified COX‐1, and intact cells expressing only COX‐1 form little if any oxygenated products from EPA. Additionally, EPA is an inhibitor of AA oxygenation by both COX isoforms, but a more potent inhibitor of COX‐1 than COX‐2. Thus, we suggest that in vivo EPA is a substrate for COX‐2 but not COX‐1. The specificity of COX‐1 toward ω3 and ω6 substrates can be understood based on crystal structures of complexes of COX‐1 with AA and EPA. In examining specificities of seven PG receptors for 2‐series PGs derived from AA versus 3‐series PGs derived from EPA we observed differences in potencies of 1.3‐400 fold; for instance, the thromboxane receptor is similarly responsive to thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and TxA3 while PGF3α is quite unreactive with the PGF receptor. Our in vitro results indicate that fish oil ingestion would significantly diminish all PG production and, for at least one PG, that the EPA‐derived product is essentially inactive. (NIH GM68848)


It is a common affair to settle disputes out of courts nowadays, through negotiation, mediation or any other mean. This has also been implemented over telecommunication means under the so‐called Online Dispute Resolution methods. However, this new technology‐supported approach is impersonal and cold, leaving aside important issues such as the disputants' body language, stress level or emotional response while being based on forms, e‐mails or chat rooms. To overcome this shortcoming, in this paper, it is proposed the creation of intelligent environments for conflict resolution that can complement the existing tools with important knowledge about the context of interaction. This will allow decision‐makers to take better framed decisions based not only on figures but also on important contextual information, similar to what happens when parties communicate in the physical presence of each other.


The present study was aimed to determine whether the methanol and aqueous extracts from the medicinal plant, Withania somnifera (root), could inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's rats. The rats were randomly divided into different groups of 5 each: normal control rats treated with saline; Scopolamine (2mg/Kg b.w. i.p.) – induced Alzheimer's rats treated with saline; Scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's rats post-treated with methanol extract of three different concentrations (100, 200 and 300mg/Kg b.w. oral); Scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's rat post-treated with aqueous extract of three different concentrations (100, 200 and 300mg/Kg b.w. oral); and scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's rat post-treated with donepezil, a reference control (5mg/Kg b.w. oral) for 10 successive days. Increased AChE activity and decreased Acetylcholine content were recorded in different brain regions in scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's rats. Post-treatment with W. somnifera extracts caused recovery of the levels of AChE and acetylcholine (ACh) in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that W. somnifera causes perceptible changes in the cholinergic system as one of the facets of its anti-alzheimeric activity. INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with many cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms is biochemically characterized by a significant decrease in acetylcholine (ACh) and increase in the AChE activity, a member of the α/β hydrolase protein superfamily, hydrolyzes Acetylcholine (ACh) into acetate and choline at the central and peripheral cholinergic synapses 1 .


Continental-scale recycling of detrital zircon (DZ) grains and associated sediment across North American is not well understood. We trace a through line following the DZ proxy for the detritus originally sourced from Grenville and Appalachian orogens. This paper lays out an antecedent framework for one of the greatest sedimentation episodes of the Phanerozoic: the initial dispersal of Appalachian- and Grenville-age DZ grains to the western passive margin of Laurentia and the subsequent paleodrainage reorganization and sediment remobilization back to the east. The DZ U-Pb signature of the Appalachian-Ouachita orogenic system is dominated by Grenville (ca. 1250–950 Ma) and Appalachian (ca. 500–275 Ma) age groups and dominates the Phanerozoic record of North America. This study juxtaposes Pennsylvanian to modern DZ U-Pb data from across North America and demonstrates a persistent Appalachian signature, including a recycled Appalachian signature across Western North America. Lower Pennsylvanian deposits proximal to the Appalachian orogen are 50%–75% Appalachian- and Grenville-age DZ grains, representing the key component in the primary Appalachian signature. It remains unclear how the Appalachian signal was propagated to the west, but the Appalachian DZ signature was clearly present across the late Paleozoic passive margin of Laurentia and thus antecedent to potential DZ recycling throughout the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras. Triassic DZ samples document transcontinental fluvial systems that reached the western Laurentian margin, but subsequent Jurassic-Cretaceous samples indicate drainage reversal due to the rise of the Mesozoic Western Cordillera. A persistent Appalachian signature exists in these western-sourced, eastward-flowing systems—a phenomenon that continues to the present: samples are frequently composed of >40% Appalachian- and Grenville-age DZ. However, none of these systems are interpreted to be sourced by primary Appalachian or Grenville terranes, suggesting a recycled Appalachian signature. The persistent Appalachian signature, originally sourced by the linking of two orogenic terranes, continues to dominate the Phanerozoic record of much of North America to this day.


After a data base has been located and tapes obtained, the necessary files must be set up to analyze the data. The newcomer to secondary analysis is led carefully through the technical requirements of file preparation, from data verification to variable definition.


We present in turn the development of computer technology from the beginning of its creation on our planet. Then we discuss the development of information technology at our university. At the end, we present a selected technical problem which is the task of simulation of the water supply network. We present mathematical models of these issues and algorithms for their solutions requiring the use of a computer.


Texture segmentations are crucial components of many remote sensing, scene analysis, and object recognition systems. However, very little attention has been paid to the problem of performance evaluation in the numerous algorithms that have been proposed by the image understanding community. In this paper, a particular algorithm is introduced and its performance is evaluated in a systematic manner on a wide range of scene and scenarios. Both the algorithm and the methodology used in its evaluation have significance in numerous applications in the computer-based image understanding field.


Abstract We study $K$ -orbits in $G/P$ where $G$ is a complex connected reductive group, $P\,\subseteq \,G$ is a parabolic subgroup, and $K\,\subseteq \,G$ is the fixed point subgroup of an involutive automorphism $\theta$ . Generalizing work of Springer, we parametrize the (finite) orbit set $K\,\backslash \,G/P$ and we determine the isotropy groups. As a consequence, we describe the closed (resp. affine) orbits in terms of $\theta$ -stable (resp. $\theta$ -split) parabolic subgroups. We also describe the decomposition of any $(K,\,P)$ -double coset in $G$ into $(K,\,B)$ -double cosets, where $B\,\subseteq \,P$ is a Borel subgroup. Finally, for certain $K$ -orbit closures $X\,\subseteq \,G/B$ , and for any homogeneous line bundle $\mathcal{L}$ on $G/B$ having nonzero global sections, we show that the restriction map $\text{re}{{\text{s}}_{X}}\,:\,{{H}^{0}}\,\left( G\,/\,B,\,\mathcal{L} \right)\,\to \,{{H}^{0}}\,\left( X,\,\mathcal{L} \right)$ is surjective and that ${{H}^{i}}\,\left( X,\mathcal{L} \right)\,=\,0$ for $i\,\ge \,1$ . Moreover, we describe the $K$ -module ${{H}^{0}}\left( X,L \right)$ . This gives information on the restriction to $K$ of the simple $G$ -module ${{H}^{0}}\,\left( G\,/\,B,\mathcal{L} \right)$ . Our construction is a geometric analogue of Vogan and Sepanski's approach to extremal $K$ -types.


The purpose of this study is to develop a learning model based on the brain motivation and reward system in order to improve motivation for learning biology. To develop the learning model, the brain motivation and reward system associated with biology motivation for learning was identified. Based on the neurologically identified motivation reward system, the learning model to improve motivation for learning was developed through a neurological verification. The result indicates that the brain motivation and learning system related to biology learning motivation includes orbitofrontal cortex, striatum, and midbrain networks. With the analysis results of neurological mechanism in these regions, a learning model was developed. The learning model has the learning flow starting from the midbrain step, through the orbitofrontal cortex step and proceeding to the striatum one. The objectives of respective learning steps are to arouse motivation at the first midbrain step, to reinforce motivation at the second orbitofrontal step, and to retain motivation at the third striatum step. The brain motivation and reward system germane to biology motivation for learning that the current study identified is expected to provide the brain level information with respect to the learning motivation in the biology learning.


The morphology and growth of interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) between Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder alloy and Cu substrate metal of solder joint is reported. The IMC morphology and IMC thickness layer were observed at three different porosities of porous Cu interlayer. The results revealed that during soldering process, Cu6Sn5 compound with scallop like morphology was formed at the interface of both the solder alloy and Cu substrate and at solder alloy and porous Cu interlayer. By adding porous Cu interlayer at the solder joint, the IMC thickness increased with increasing soldering temperature and the number of pores in porous Cu interlayer. The effect of porosity on increasing the IMC layer was also due to the slower cooling rate during solidification of molten solder.


Borax is a chemical substance that is prohibited from being used as a food additive because of its toxic nature. However, the use of borax is still widely found, one of which is meatballs the most. This study aims to identify the borax content in meatballs. Samples were taken from Ciroyom Market, Bandung City, Indonesia using total sampling and obtained as many as 10 samples of meatballs. The samples were analyzed qualitatively by observing physical conditions and testing using BaCl2 solution. Meanwhile, quantitative analysis was carried out using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 428 nm. The results of the analysis showed that all samples were indicated to contain borax. Even the quantitative test using UV-Vis spectrophotometer showed that the highest borax content was found in sample 10, which was 3.672,9 µg/ml.


The present invention relates to a hybrid vision system 3D Reconstruction panoramic image, the mixing system includes a visual RGB-D cameras and panoramic cameras. The method: First hybrid vision system is calibrated to give a mixed inner and outer parameters of the visual system; secondly to identify common visual field of hybrid systems based on spatial relationships inside and outside the parameters of mixed visual system; and then based on SIFT + RANSAC (random sample consensus ) to obtain a mixed visual system field of view of the common feature match points; Finally, based on the depth information RGB-D camera, panoramic camera on the matching feature points in three-dimensional reconstruction. The present invention can be eligible for a mixed system of common visual field of view three-dimensional information of the feature points within the panoramic image, low complexity and high quality panoramic image reconstruction.


Substantial evidence exists that poorer children in England, Scotland and Wales and have considerably higher rates of deaths from injury than their more affluent counterparts. With the exception of specific groups, such as pedestrian injuries and poisoning, however, the socio-economic profile on non-fatal injuries is less clear cut.


A series of enantiomerically pure ligands containing a combination of proline and DPEN groups have been prepared and employed in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones. In the case of cyclic ketones, alcohols with ee values of up to 98 % were obtained.


Bacground The level of glucose in the blood must be kept in a sufficient concentration to provide nutrition for body organs. But on the contrary, the concentration of glucose that is too high can have a negative impact as osmotic diuresis and cellsdehydration. Therefore, blood glucose should be maintained in a constant concentration.
Objective The purpose of this study is to describe the levels of blood glucose and cholesterol in traders at Sangeh tourist attraction, Abiansema, District of Badung.
Methods This study is a descriptive study. Population of this research was all traders at Sangeh Tourist attraction or about 132 traders. 50 sample was selected by random sampling.
Results showed blood glucose levels at any of the 50 samples, 84% normal and 16% higher. Blood glucose levels> 140 mg / dL by age group most in the age range 55 years and over is 12%, the blood glucose levels 140 mg / dL by gender be obtained at most in the female sex is as much as 10%. Test results cholesterol levels of 50 samples of 24% normal and 76% high cholesterol levels> 200 mg / dL based on age in range 55 years and over 36% whereas cholesterol levels 200 mg / dL highs also in the female sex is as much as 60%.
Keywords : Blood glucose, cholesterol, traders


This work is a case study focused on 'Hirslanden', a very successful private hospital group which consists of thirteen acute hospitals in Switzerland. This case study analyses the current strategic position and evaluates sustainable strategies to remain highly competitive also in a more dynamic market. The primary goal of this research is the development of a new integrated framework that reflects current strategic thinking, for the examination of the relationship between new trends, key customers' needs, and hospitals' core capabilities, and their impact on performance. Research question The main research question is: 'How should private acute hospitals develop an effective strategy in a dynamic market?' The case study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to test the proposed model with its hypothesis and to answer the research questions. The data collection is mainly based on questionnaires for thirteen private hospitals with a thorough data analysis. All results are confirmed by interviews with a focus group which consists of eight health care specialists.


: We describe a system called Parent Proxy that demonstrates an alternative approach to achieving consistent access to objects by edge proxies while retaining the proxies' load-dispersing and latency-reducing effects. Parent Proxy organizes the proxies in a tree rooted at the server. The tree is structured so that geographically close proxies reside close to one another in the tree. To perform certain types of operations, a proxy uses the tree to migrate each involved object to itself and then performs the operation locally. Although this incurs the expense of object migration for some operations and is thus reasonable only if objects are not too large and operations involve only a few, it also promises performance benefits of applications. Quiver, a system that coordinates service proxies placed at the "edge" of the Internet to serve distributed clients accessing a service involving mutable objects. Quiver enables these proxies to perform consistent accesses to shared objects by migrating the objects to proxies performing operations on those objects. These migrations dramatically improve performance when operations involving an object exhibit geographic locality, since migrating this object into the vicinity of proxies hosting these operations will benefit all such operations. This system reduces the workload in the server. It performs the all operations in the proxies itself. In this system the operations performed in First-In-First-Out process. This system handles two process serializability and strict serializability for durability in the consistent object sharing. Other workloads benefit from Quiver, dispersing the computation load across the proxies and saving the costs of sending operation parameters over the wide area when these are large. Quiver also supports optimizations for single-object reads that do not involve migrating the object. We detail the protocols for implementing object operations and for accommodating the addition, involuntary disconnection, and voluntary departure of proxies. Finally, we discuss the use of Quiver to build an e-commerce application and a distributed network traffic modeling service. Common methods used for content filtering include: URL or DNS blacklists, URL regex filtering, MIME filtering, or content keyword filtering. Some products known to employ content analysis techniques to look for traits commonly used by certain types of content providers.


We study a short chain of loosely connected millimeter-sized solid spheres in response to vertical vibrations whose intensity has a gradient that is perpendicular to the movements of the substrate. The behaviours of the chain exhibit a generic dependence on its location showing a crossover, from steady crawling towards the decrease of vibration, to rapid unstable movements as the excitation intensifies. Our time-resolved three-dimensional particle tracking confirms that this crossover can be identified with two qualitatively different modes of ratcheting. The critical angle for uphill climbing in the presence of a finite tilt exhibits a strong correlation to the magnitude of the gradient. The fact that the rate of ratcheting goes far beyond the numerical assessment based on purely stochastic kicks operated at their theoretical upper limit suggests that the observed motion results from correlated movements along this macroscopic polymer in response to the small spatial asymmetry.


Abstract: Of the major threats to contemporary mankind, is the use of very dangerous and lethal biological agents as the biological weapons. The first step in confronting with this serious threat after prevention, is the accurate and rapid detection of this agents and neutralization of them. In this article, the role of molecules known as aptamer, has been studied in biological defense against these menacing biological agents. Traditional methods for detection of these agents are based primarily on immuno-affinity assays and the use of antibody molecules. While the modern methods, based on aptamer-affinity assays, are being replaced with traditional methods, due to the abundant advantages of them. The selection and preparation method of specific aptamer with high binding affinity to these biological agents is known as SELEX and the use of magnetic nanoparticles to perform this procedure (Mag-SELEX) is very common. The isolated aptamers with high specificity can also be used in neutralization and inhibition of menacing agents function, in addition to, quick and accurate diagnosis of these agents, utilizing them in nano-biosensors, based on aptamers (as the nano-aptasensors). Keywords: Aptamer, SELEX, nano aptasensor, diagnosis and neutralization, menacing biological agents.


ABSTRACT Noting the lack of "anti-man" bias research in the 2016 election, Zigerell (2019) argued that a relative lack of conservatives in political science can lead to bias in publications against political science research supporting conservative viewpoints. This article offers an alternative explanation for this lack of research: that this research produces null findings and therefore is subject to the "file-drawer problem," in which null effects are less likely to be published than positive effects. Using data from the 2016 American National Election Studies, I provide an illustrative example to support this claim and suggest some solutions.


Ensembling a neural network is a widely recognized approach to enhance model performance, estimate uncertainty, and improve robustness in deep supervised learning. However, deep ensembles often come with high computational costs and memory demands. In addition, the efficiency of a deep ensemble is related to diversity among the ensemble members which is challenging for large, over-parameterized deep neural networks. Moreover, ensemble learning has not yet seen such widespread adoption, and it remains a challenging endeavor for self-supervised or unsupervised representation learning. Motivated by these challenges, we present a novel self-supervised training regime that leverages an ensemble of independent sub-networks, complemented by a new loss function designed to encourage diversity. Our method efficiently builds a sub-model ensemble with high diversity, leading to well-calibrated estimates of model uncertainty, all achieved with minimal computational overhead compared to traditional deep self-supervised ensembles. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted extensive experiments across various tasks, including in-distribution generalization, out-of-distribution detection, dataset corruption, and semi-supervised settings. The results demonstrate that our method significantly improves prediction reliability. Our approach not only achieves excellent accuracy but also enhances calibration, surpassing baseline performance across a wide range of self-supervised architectures in computer vision, natural language processing, and genomics data.


Control symbol that takes a {k1-k2-k2-k1} form, are inserted into the serial stream including m-bit data word. k1 and k2 are the m-bit data words are different from those predetermined m-bit control word, respectively. Hamming distance between k1 and k2 is at least 2. Such control symbols may be reliably detected in the case where 1-bit errors present in the symbol or the symbol on the data words immediately before or after. m-bit word can accept the control word defined turning the 8B / 10B encoded data. Control symbols can be used to identify the data stream synchronization, the transmitter / receiver synchronization or other control signals.


(1) Doloisia guangdongensis sp. n.Body elliptical, milk-white in colour. 168 × 116μ when unfed and 627×425 μ when engorged. Eyes and eye plates absent. Scutum pentagonal, with the apex directed anteriorly. Sensillae globose, prominently ciliated, and with about 7 annular rows of setules below head. Chelicerae with two dorsal teeth. Gelcal setae nude. Palpal claw (14 μ) three-pronged, strongly flexed. Setae on palp: B.N.NNB. Dorsal setae 38, arranged 4-8-2-8-6-4-4-2 approximately. Ventral setae ca. 32, arranged irregularly. Legs 7 segments: Ⅰ 219 μ, Ⅱ186 μ. Ⅲ 224μ; coxae setae 2: 4(5): 10-13; the special setae on legs as in figures.The standard measurements (in μ) of the dorsal plate arc: AW 18.8, PW 515, SB 20.8, ASB 18.8, PSB 16.3, AP 33.3, AM 26.8, AL 20.4, PL 38.4, Sens 28.4 with head 13.6/17.6.Host and location in host: The nasal cavities of Bandicota nemorivaga.Holotype and paratype: Five engorged and one unengorged specimens. Deposited in the author's collection.Locality: Gujing, Guangdong.The present specimens are most similar to Doloista okabei Sasa et al., 1952, but can be distinguished from the latter by the numbers of coxae Ⅲ setae, standard measurements of the dorsal plates and the number of the dorsal setae, etc.(2) Traubacarus brachypus Audy et Nadchatram, 1957Body elliptical, milk-white in colour, 162 ×122μ when unfed and 477 × 322μ when engorged. Eyes and eye plate absent. Scutum nearly pentagonal, with the apex directed anteriorly, PLs situated off the scutum. Sensillae globose, prominently ciliated, and with about 7 annular rows of setules below head. Chelicerae with two dorsal teeth. Geleal setae nude. Palpal claw (18μ) three pronged, not strongly flexed. Setae on palp: B.N.NNB. Dorsal setae 36-40, arranged 4-8-8-6(8)-4(6)-4-2 approximately. Ventral setae ca. 28-34, arranged irregularly. Legs 7 segments: Ⅰ172μ, Ⅱ152 μ Ⅲ171 μ, coxae setae 1:4:8-10; the special setae on legs as in figures.The standard measurements (in μ) of the dorsal plate are: AW 15.1, SB 19.0, ASB 17.3, AM 21.0, AL 13.9, PL 27.7, Sens 24.8 wi:h head12.2/16.0.Host and location in host: The nasal cavities of Bandicota nemonvaga.Holotype and paratype: Five engorged and one unengorged specimens. Deposited in the author's collection.Locality: Gujing, Guangdong.


Elias's 1981 lecture on 'Power and Civilisation' is introduced by Stephen Mennell, who places it in context by providing relevant biographical information and situating the article in relation to the wider corpus of Elias's writings.


Transition-metal dichalcogenides [1] (TMDs) are intriguing semiconductors for photonics because of their direct bandgap in the Visible to NIR range, their nature of van der Waals materials, and extraordinary light-matter-interaction per unit thickness [1]. Two-dimensional (2D) TMDs also exhibit strong optical nonlinearity and thus are highly sought-after to enable novel applications in nonlinear optics. However, their atomic thickness restricts the total optical response of TMDs and hampers any future applications.


The invention discloses a repatching method for the top liner of a blast furnace hot-wind pipeline. According to the damage condition of the liner of the pipeline, a pipeline steel housing (1) is provided with a hole, and the periphery of the inner surface of the pipeline steel housing (1) is welded with lifting hooks (6) and a wood mould supporting is supported well (5), and then a working layer pouring material (8) and a warm keeping pouring material (7) are poured, and then the pipeline steel housing (1) is welded well; a pipeline skin is welded with more than two mudjacking holes (9), and mudjacking material is pressed into the gap between the steel housing (1) and the warm-keeping pouring material (7), and the construction pressure is kept between 2 to 3kg/cm2. The invention resolves the emergency gusty repatching problem for the damage of the blast furnace hot-wind pipeline, so that the liner of the blast furnace hot-wind pipeline is repaired fast , thus improving the construction effect of the pipeline repatching.


Facial age is one of the prominent features needed to make decisions, such as accessing certain areas or resources, targeted advertising, or more straightforward decisions such as addressing one another. In machine learning, facial age estimation is a typical facial analysis subtask in which a model learns the different facial ageing features from several facial images. Despite several studies confirming a relationship between age and gender, very few studies explored the idea of introducing a gender-based system that consists of two separate models, each trained on a specific gender group. This study attempts to bridge this gap by introducing an age estimation system that consists of two main components. The first component is a custom-built gender classifier that distinguishes females and males apart. The second is an age estimation module that consists of two models. Model A is trained only on female images, while model B is trained only on male images. The system takes an input image, extracts the facial gender then passes the image to the appropriate model based on the predicted gender label. Our age estimation models are based on the Visual Geometry Group (VGG16) networks and have been modified to fit the nature of our problem. The models produce accuracies of more than 85% individually, and the system achieves an overall accuracy of 80%. The proposed system is trained and tested on the UTKFace dataset and cross-validated on the FG-NET dataset to validate the performance on unseen data.


Molecular dynamics simulations are used to explore the atomic-scale chemistry and associated wear that occurs when diamond surfaces are placed in sliding contact. The simulations predict complex radical chemistry initiated by the shearing of hydrogen atoms from chemisorbed molecules. Observed chemical mechanisms include hydrogen abstraction from the surfaces, radical recombination, transient surface adhesion, and formation of debris at the interface. These simulations provide the first glimpse into the rich, nonequilibrium tribochemistry that occurs at diamond and related covalently bonded interfaces. 20 refs., 2 figs.


The interaction of mantle plume driven flow with upwelling flow due to a nearby mid‐ocean ridge occurs for many mantle plumes including Galápagos and Iceland. This interaction is typified by trace element and isotopic signatures demonstrating the "contamination" of normal ridge composition by relatively enriched plume material. However, another common signature of plume‐ridge interaction is volcanic lineaments linking ridges and nearby plumes, perhaps most conspicuously the Wolf‐Darwin lineament (WDL) at Galápagos and the Rodrigues Ridge (RR) at La Réunion. These enigmatic features remain unexplained. Plume‐ridge interaction is commonly modeled in terms of interaction between solid‐state plume flow and divergent ridge flow, but such models do not likely lead to the kind of solid‐state flow channelization that might explain narrow features such as the WDL and RR. Likewise, models involving tapping of anomalously hot and/or fertile asthenosphere between the plume and ridge due to lithospheric faulting appear to be inconsistent with a variety of evidence. We propose an alternative model in which the lineaments are the surface expressions of localized melt channels in the asthenosphere formed due to instabilities in a two‐phase partially molten system. A thermodynamic analysis shows that given the magma fluxes inferred to be associated with structures such as WDL and RR, these melt channels can be maintained over plume‐ridge distances up to ∼1000 km. These results suggest that plume‐ridge interaction in general, possibly including transport of plume‐derived material along ridge axes (e.g., Iceland), may involve transport in high‐melt‐fraction channels, as opposed to just solid‐state mantle flow.


Beginning in the Fall 2001 quarter, a course entitled "Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design" (IMD) was offered to a group of 16 first year ME students at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) on a trial basis. This course is intended to eventually replace a disjointed three-course sequence taught over the course of the first two years of the curriculum: Materials Processing, Engineering Design Graphics, and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing. All three courses are currently required, as the information they present is certainly all relevant and necessary for graduating engineers. The manner in which it is presented, however, is in need of improvement. In reality, design engineers need to be able to combine and apply the skills learned in these classes to generate complete designs. IMD will teach students the same concepts as the existing courses, only the content will be taught in the context of two design projects spanning two 10-week quarters. In the new 2-quarter, 5-6 hours per week course, students complete one short design on paper and one larger, Rube Goldberg type design where all 16 students work together to design and build a functional system. Since IMD is only offered to freshmen, all analysis is based solely on fundamental physics. In this way, the students are exposed to the entire design process: concept generation; formalized design, analysis, and construction phases; and finally, testing and evaluation of the device(s). Motivation The Mechanical Engineering curriculum at RIT suffers from a lack of formal engineering design experience in the early years of undergraduate study. Students are introduced to Mechanical Engineering through a series of courses in Materials Processing, Engineering Design Graphics, and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing over the course of their first two years. While these courses present information that is critical to the design process, the material is presented in a discontinuous method relying on a "you will need to use this later" justification. In addition, these courses are spread out over quarters 1, 2, and 6 in the course sequence, with no actual application to a comprehensive design project until the 11 quarter when they take Senior Design. By teaching the same material integrated with a project, students will immediately see the value of what they are learning, and will have more motivation to retain that knowledge. Since it is impossible to condense 3 quarters of existing course material into two, in addition to adding new material, more responsibility will be given to the students. They can only be presented with the basics in each area; the rest is up to them to discover on their own as the need arises. The ability to learn on their own is an invaluable skill that will serve them well in later ME courses. P ge 721.1 Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2002, American Society for Engineering Education ABET has recently placed more of an emphasis on integrating design across the curriculum. RIT's Mechanical Engineering department is responding to this need with the revival of Senior Interdisciplinary Design and the development of an upper-level Integrated Design course. This is in addition to the traditional capstone Senior Design, where students spend 2 quarters designing and building a project for external sponsors. Our first year students need a foundation in design education to prepare them for these courses, where they are given responsibility to design a product for a paying sponsor. In particular, ABET criteria c, e, and h should be addressed before students enroll in a Senior Design class. These criteria state that students should have: (c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. (e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems. (h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context. Along a similar direction, members of the RIT Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Committee expressed an interest in hiring students who are more self-directed, creative thinkers. The IAC also indicated that RIT's graduates need to improve their communication skills. Some faculty within the department have incorporated small-scale, open-ended design and analysis projects in courses such as Statics, Dynamics, Materials Science, and Mechanics of Materials. However, many students have trouble with these open-ended problems, having been limited strictly to problem solving in their early classes. The students have also had little or no training in technical writing and many have difficulty conveying their ideas in a clear, concise manner. Often times these projects are not included in a particular offering of a course, so a student's exposure to them also depends on the instructor. A number of other universities have either had a freshman or sophomore level mechanical engineering design course in place for many years or have started one in the recent past. These include Purdue University, Iowa State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Boise State University [1-3]. These schools have all reported favorable views of their freshman or sophomore design courses with only the minor problems that come from offering a course for the first time. One potential stumbling block could be the lack of new student knowledge about machine components – gearing, nuts and bolts, springs, etc. With the existence of the Freshman Seminar class in RIT's ME department, this will not be a problem as students spend part of that class disassembling and examining various machines. With the foundation in place for students to begin creating their own designs, and with the need for an early course to teach design methodology, this Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design course will fit well within the ME curriculum. With the current rate of student attrition in the College of Engineering, and in light of the issues described above, it is in the Department's best interest to attract student interest early and to ensure that these students are well prepared to work as engineers. The proposed course will target students in the first and second quarters of their second year at RIT. It will follow through from the initial problem definition to a final design and teach the required skills along the way in the context of the class design project. Examples of realistic applications-based engineering design problems will give students a taste of what is to come in their later classes – including P ge 721.2 Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2002, American Society for Engineering Education Senior Design, the capstone Mechanical Engineering course and in their future careers. This can be best done by introducing engineering design earlier in the curriculum in a comprehensive course that presents the different components of the design process in one complete package. Based on the feedback gathered and presented above, the objectives of offering a new Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design course are then: • to deliver the existing three courses worth of material to the students in a more effective manner, without sacrificing too much content, • to expose students earlier in their educational careers to the types of challenges that they will confront later in classes, on co-op, and in their future engineering jobs, and • to present students with techniques that can be used for effectively solving open-ended design problems. Course Planning 16 students were selected at random from the incoming freshman class and invited to participate. The course size was determined based on computer facility limitations for a partner pilot course [4]. The partner course, Measurements, Instrumentation, and Controls (I and II) was developed to give freshmen experience in the lab, particularly with computer control of experiments and data acquisition. Goals for the course were taken from the curricular needs outlined above. Key points that the course was intended to address beyond what the current program offers were: • Approaches to effectively solving open-ended problems • Comprehensive design/design-and-build projects • Extending basic physics analysis to real-world engineering problems • Working productively in teams • Technical writing and presentations IMD met for two 1-hour blocks and two 2-hour blocks each week. Three texts were chosen for the class. The Mechanical Design Process (David G. Ullman) was used as a reference for the design process, Technical Sketching (Dale H. Besterfield and Robert E. O'Hagan) was used for classroom and homework sketching exercises and teaching drafting conventions, and Solid Modeling with I-DEAS (Sheryl A. Sorby) was used as an instruction reference when the class was learning I-DEAS. IMD met in a lab/classroom, where the students were seated at tables in groups of four. This setup lent itself very well to the team-based approach to in-class activities. Students were given surveys at the beginning of the quarter and asked whether they preferred working in groups or alone, whether they were decisive or indecisive, and whether they tended to think logically and work with facts or to think creatively and worry about the details later. Based on these surveys, four groups of four were assigned so that each had a mix of students with different responses to each question. The students completed one design on paper only and began work on an extensive design-andbuild project. Since this two-quarter course was intended to replace three one-quarter courses while adding more content, it would be impossible to include the same material in the same detail. The overall layout of the first quarter of the course was intended to support the students in their design projects. Topics would be c


In today's world, fiberglass products are being used in many different forms and applications. Even though fiberglass piping has a history of more than 60 years, some consider it to be a modern day product material with many new emerging applications that take advantage of its corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, low maintenance and life cycle cost [4]. There are multiple methods of producing fiberglass pipe, but the focus of this paper is specific to filament wound fiberglass pipe in pressure applications. This paper discusses the history and recent developments of large-diameter fiberglass pipes as well as the review of a recent pressurized pipe project in which fiberglass pipe was utilized.


Graffiti is often seen as just an eyesore, inflicting very little damage in an isolated area. In truth, graffiti vandalism is a widespread problem, ranging from small towns to large cities throughout North America. Besides the damage caused by spray paints or markers, graffiti is often associated with littering, public disorder, shoplifting, gang violence and the further destruction of property. A single incidence of graffiti may not signify a serious problem, but graffiti has a cumulative effect. Graffiti builds on itself, attracting more graffiti, more property damage, and eventually, more serious criminal activity. One single act of graffiti can lead to decreased transportation ridership, property values, and revenue. Not only are businesses and communities affected, graffiti consumes tax dollars and private funds and sends a "nobody cares" message.


Despite the large amount of publications on deep brain stimulation (DBS) hardware–related adverse effects, limited data exist regarding patients' perception of the implanted hardware, that is, implantable pulse generator (IPG) and extension cables. Therefore, we conducted a survey among a large cohort of DBS patients and report their perception of the implanted materials. In addition, we investigated possible influencing factors on the frequency of hardware-related complaints, such as patientand hardware characteristics. A survey was conducted among 298 patients operated on between 1993 and 2009 to evaluate their perception of the IPG and extension cables connected to the electrodes. We did not send a questionnaire to the remaining 60 patients who were operated on in the same period for the following reasons: deceased, n 5 49; living abroad, n 5 3; DBS system explantation, n 5 5; and procedure abortion, n 5 3. A questionnaire similar to the one mentioned in the article by Sherif and colleagues was used. Patients received unilateral or bilateral single-channel IPGs (Itrel II or Soletra, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) or a dual-channel IPG (Kinetra, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN). The influence of sex and IPG characteristics on the occurrence of hardware-related complaints was analyzed with the chi-square statistic and the Fisher exact test where appropriate. Because the number of patients per subgroup was small, the responses were dichotomized by merging the answers "a little bit," "considerably," "much," and "very much" together as "complaints present." Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS data collection (version 16.0; SPSS, Inc.). In total, 173 patients (responders; 58%) completed the questionnaire (61 women; mean age, 58.3 years, SD, 11.0 years). Seventy-six percent of the responders had Parkinson's disease, 13% dystonia, and 12% tremor. The mean time between the first surgery and the questionnaire was 5.5 years (range, 1–17 years). Responders had a higher mean age and more often had Parkinson's disease than the nonresponders. Overall, 35% of patients experienced discomfort and 15% reported pain from the IPG. The rates of discomfort and pain caused by the extension cables were in the same range: 30% and 17%, respectively. IPGs caused most problems while sleeping (36% of patients). Extension cables gave the most trouble while combing hair (24% of patients; see Table 1). IPG-related pain was more frequent in women than men (28% vs. 9%; P 5 .001). Also, discomfort related to the extension cables was reported twice as often and pain occurred 3 times as often in women compared with men (46% vs. 22% and 30% vs. 10%, respectively; both P 5 .001). Furthermore, women reported more cosmetic issues (31% vs. 17%; P 5 .047). In both sexes, bilaterally implanted single-channel IPGs caused more discomfort than unilaterally implanted dual-channel IPGs (P 5 .025). Six patients had additional surgery because of pain and discomfort from the hardware. In conclusion, a substantial number of patients experience discomfort, pain, and cosmetic issues because of the implanted hardware. These results are in line with the previous report from Sherif and colleagues. Women and patients with bilaterally implanted single-channel IPGs more often report hardware-related complaints. The rates of complaints seem high, but only in a small proportion of patients are they so severe that additional surgery is needed. Hardware perception rates should be incorporated into the information given to patients prior to DBS surgery.


Quantum mechanical techniques are employed to investigate the structure and stability of halogenated methyl nitrates CX3ONO2 (X = F, Cl). The calculations indicate the severe influence of the halogen electron withdrawing effect on the structural parameter changes and the stabilization of the halogenated species compared to the plain methyl analogue, CH3ONO2. On the basis of these findings, the significance of alkyl nitrate intermediate formation in the tropospheric oxidation of halocarbons is discussed.


This paper examines risk factors which include modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors in the prediction of undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus among Malaysians by using binary logistic regression approach with the estimation of odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. This study uses secondary data from the cross-sectional population-based survey : The Fourth National Health and Morbidity Survey (2011) which was conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2011. The sample consists of 17602 participants. The results demonstrate obese, overweight, physically inactive respondents and current drinkers are statistically significant predictors for undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus. Specifically, younger aged, widow/widower/divorced, female, other Bumiputra, Indians, Chinese, private employees, retirees and lower educated respondents are found statistically significant in affecting the likelihood of having undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia. Thus, through the findings of this study, promotion of healthy lifestyle and intervention programs by the government especially in younger aged group is an urgent need to monitor and control the prevalence of undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus among Malaysians.


Considering the problems of poor control effect, weak disturbance rejection ability and adaptive ability of two-wheeled self-balanced robot (TWSBR) systems on undulating roads, this paper proposes a fuzzy neural network active disturbance rejection controller (FNNADRC), that is based on fuzzy neural network (FNN) for online correction of active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC)'s nonlinear control rate. Firstly, the dynamic model of the TWSBR is established and decoupled, the extended state observer (ESO) is used to compensate dynamically and linearize the upright and displacement subsystems. Then, the nonlinear PD control rate and FNN are designed, and the FNN is used to modify the control parameters of the nonlinear PD control rate in real time. Finally, the proposed control strategy is simulated and compared with the traditional ADRC and fuzzy active disturbance rejection controller (FADRC). The simulation results show that the control effect of the proposed control strategy is slightly better than ADRC and FADRC.


This work aims at the study of the application of reforestation wood, of Pinus Taeda species, impregnated with with polyurethane resin derivated from the castor-oil plant as a new product for electrical applications. This research processes a great ecological appeal, as the wood-polyurethane resin composite derived from reforestation wood and castor-oil plant. Studies with wood cross-arm covered with polyurethane resin have shown that these composites have a same dielectric strength of resin close to 20 kV/mm and high volumetric resistivity from 1014 to 1011 . The wood shows good electric characteristics when dried and also some good mechanical properties, as tenacity, which minimizes the vandalism damage, one of the great problems in this sector. The polyurethane resin attributes hydrocospicity to the wood and protection against the attack of biological agents, improving its mechanical and electrical properties. An innovative process was used for the impregnation of the wood with resin utilizing vacuum for both processing impregnation of the resin. The atmospheric pressure expels the air out of the resin, which becomes more homogeneous, and obliges it to fill the cavities of the wood.


Objectives  To examine the associations between fear of childbirth and emergency caesarean section and between fear of childbirth and dystocia or protracted labour and fetal distress.


Objectives; The aim of the study was to identify the risk factors for MSAF and compare its outcome with clean amniotic fluid. Methods: A case control study was done in a Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, Sri Lanka over a period of two months in 2019.Seventy-five pregnant mothers with meconium stained amniotic fluid and Seventy-five pregnant mothers with clear amniotic fluid, were enrolled in the study group. Results; Majority of the study participants represented the 18 to 30 years age group (N=119:79.3%). A contributory association is observed Between induction of labour and child birth associated with meconium stained amniotic fluid (OR=2.05). Significantly higher number of babies with fatal distress were delivered by mothers identified with meconium stained amniotic fluid and significantly higher number of NICU admissions among them. It was possible to observe significantly higher number of normal deliveries among participants with meconium stained amniotic fluid and significantly higher number of child births occurred through LSCS were observed with meconium stained amniotic fluid. Conclusion; Meconium stained amniotic fluid in labour is associated with fetal distress, surgical intervention of child birth and NICU admission following delivery.


The users of the future power grid are active energy agents (AEAs) due to the capablility of observing and responding to electrcity prices. This paper applies the price-based demand response (PBDR) of an AEA community by regarding two practical contraints: renewables portfolio standards (RPS) and power rationing, which stipulate the minimum consumption weight of renewable energy and the maximum amount of import energy of the AEA community, respectively. The PBDR mechanism is formulated as a constrained optimization problem which maximizes the profit over the 24-h horizon. The price responsive dynamics of AEAs are charaterized by using the demand-price elasticity matrix, and the 24-h electricity price is numerically derived as the decision variable. A case study is performed and computational results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Both economic and environmental benefits can be obtained by adopting the strategy: the profit of community manager increases, the consumption weight of renewable energy is satisfied, and the total load curtailment is reduced.


This article examines the doctrine of the categories in Boethius' theological tractates. While, in his commentaries on Aristotle's works, Boethius claims that accidents are in the substance-subject, in the opuscula sacra he emphasizes on the concept of relation.


Although nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are commonly associated with neurons in the brain and periphery, recent data indicate they are also expressed in non-neuronal tissues. We recently found the alpha7 (α7nAChR) subunit is highly expressed in human airway smooth muscle (hASM) with substantial increase in asthmatics, but their functionality remains unknown. We investigated the location and functional role of α7nAChRs in hASM cells from normal vs. mild-moderate asthmatic patients. Immunostaining and protein analyses showed α7nAChR in the plasma membrane including in asthmatics. Patch clamp recordings showed functional homomeric α7nAChR channels at are significantly higher in asthmatic hASM. Real-time fluorescence imaging showed nicotine, via α7nAChR, increases intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) independent of ACh effects, particularly in asthmatic hASM, while cellular traction force microscopy showed nicotine-induced contractility including in asthmatics. These results indicate functional homomeric and heteromeric nAChRs that are increased in asthmatic hASM, with pharmacology that likely differ owing to different subunit interfaces that form the orthosteric sites. nAChRs may represent a novel target in alleviating airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma. New and Noteworthy Cigarette smoking and vaping exacerbate asthma. Understanding mechanisms of nicotine effects in asthmatic airways is important. This study demonstrates functional alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) are expressed in human airway smooth muscle, including from asthmatics, and enhance intracellular calcium and contractility. Although a7nAChRs are associated with neuronal pathways, α7nAChR in smooth muscle suggests inhaled nicotine (e.g. vaping) can directly influence airway contractility. Targeting α7nAChR may represent a novel approach to alleviating airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.


For most domestic tire manufacturers sort finished tire manually,which spends lots of human resources and does not meet the development requirements of modern enterprise,tire sorting control system based on image processing was researched.According to the characteristics of the tire image,the db53 wavelet was used for three deposition of non-sampling lifting wavelet transform.Then fusion method,which combines the maximum absolute value of the high frequency components and weighted average of low-frequency coefficient,was used for tire image fusion and obtains ideal fusion results.Experiment results show that the effectiveness and superiority of this method meet the increasing demand for speed in real-time control system.