To support NASA's vision to increase the Deep Space Network (DSN) communications capability by at least 100 times the current capability of the 70m antennas, the option of large arrays of thousands of 12m antennas is being studied at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and an operational prototype is planned for the 2010 time frame. The flexibility of dynamically subdividing a large antenna array into smaller array clusters of various sizes to support different concurrent missions and the ability to add or remove antenna elements from an array cluster without interrupting the signal tracking definitely enable new network operation concepts. Yet there are unique challenges to the modeling and planning of the large array. Current DSN antenna planning and scheduling is done based on network support requests from individual missions that perform their own communication link analysis and in-view period analysis. The largely manual 'horse-trading' among missions is done, by and large, based on antenna tracking-time metrics and does not take into account antenna network performance and reliability. Recognizing the iterative nature of negotiations for resources, missions tend to grossly overestimate their required coverage time, thus reducing the overall network efficiency. The above manual approach will break down in the operation of a large array of thousands of antennas. To efficiently utilize the large array, the modeling and planning process needs to 1) be highly automated, 2) take into account link capability and antenna element reliability, and 3) support long-term, short-term, and instantaneous planning. In this paper we describe an optimal modeling and planning framework for the future large array of DSN antennas. This framework takes into account the array link performance models, reliability models, constraint models, and objective functions, and determines the optimal sub-array clusters configuration that will support the maximum number of concurrent missions based on mission link properties, antenna element reliabilities, mission requests, and array operation constraints. Array cluster size can vary dynamically during the support of a mission. Larger numbers of small antennas may be needed during the acquisition/calibration phase. Some of these antennas may be released for other uses during the tracking phase. Thus, resources will be efficiently allocated to achieve full utilization


Sessile serrated polyps (SSPs) arise primarily in the proximal colon and are thought to be precursors to colorectal cancers characterized as having a CpG island methylator phenotype. Recent studies suggest that SSPs are missed more frequently than conventional adenomas during colonoscopy (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2011; 9:42). To investigate this issue further, researchers assessed whether colonoscopic findings of conventional advanced adenomas or SSPs were less likely in patients …


99mTc-labeled antimony sulfide nanocolloid was prepared by a new labeling method that involves room temperature reconstitution with Na 9 9 m TcO 4 . Transmission electron microscope showed that the mean particle size was estimated to be mostly 7-15nm. The labeling yield of 9 9 m Tc-Sb 2 S 3 was more than 99%. The stability of the labeled product was studied at room temperature and it was found to be excellent.


In short (particularly because the SSRN held up posting this paper absent the abstract), the paper addresses the Section 326 amendment to the Canada Elections Act. We find that the law has failed and that Elections Canada seems to lack the will to enforce the law.


A theoretical study has been made on cavities collapsing in liquids when the gases inside the cavities are reacting. It was determined that there can be significant departures from the fluid mechanics of collapse of a cavity containg inert gases. When reacting gases are present, the nonlinear differential equations of motion, energy, and chemical kinetics must be solved simultaneously. Descriptions are presented delineating the behavior of the cavity during the collapse when a gas is reacting within the cavity. In another related study, an analysis is given of the collapse of a spherical cavity in a large body of an incompressible viscoelastic liquid. Proceeding from a linear rheological model for the liquid, one obtains a nonlinear integrodifferential equation for the motion of the cavity. Analytical solutions are derived for certain limiting values of the parameters governing collapse, and some numerical solutions are presented for various other values. As one of the more interesting results of this wor...


The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for generative manufacture of components where the components are constituted by layer-wise solidification of a building material which can be solidified by a chemical reaction. The layer-wise solidification takes place in each case by site-selective irradiation of a layer of the liquid phase of the building material according to the component geometry. As a construction material, a material is used which can carry out a further phase transition between the liquid phase and another solid phase during the generative production. This further phase transition is controlled during the construction of the components such that solidified to form the components of device areas are supported by surrounding structure material in the further fixed stage. This makes it possible to dispense with additional support structures, so that the procedure with less complexity and lower cost can be performed.


Abstract The results of experiments on the transformation of heavy oil in a steam-laden environment, at temperatures and pressures ensuring the presence of water in a superheated steam state, as well as in the subcritical and supercritical states are presented. It is shown that supercritical water provides the largest formation of light fractions having a boiling point of 350 °C: their content has increased by 2.5 times. Subcritical water, in contrast to water in the supercritical state, ensures the formation of light fractions at 73% rel. and reduces the content of asphaltenes by 53% rel. compared with the initial oil.


A comparative study is undertaken that explores Chinese and Indian pharmaceutical industries under different patent regimes. It is found that relative to India, which had implemented process patent protection until 2005, China with a product patent regime since 1993 suffers from both lower drug accessibility and availability (the latter is a missing parameter in the literature). Also, China lags behind in both lower R&D investment and patents filed by Chinese nationals. Based on these findings and associated legal interpretation, we conclude that higher patent protection in China generates negative impacts on the pharmaceutical industries. Thus, governments should utilise TRIPS flexibilities and other regimes such as price control to offset the anticompetitive effect in designing patent policies.


Health information exchange (HIE) has been recognized as an effective mechanism to improve service delivery. The benefits are compounded with the introduction of electronic medical records (EMR). Exchanging information between health facilities remain a challenge due to the absence of an integrated health information system and issues pertaining to data integrity. The emergence of blockchain has provided an innovative solution to data sharing challenges in security, transparency and accessibility. This paper aims to develop a framework for health information exchange between health facilities with the use of EMR and blockchain-based network. The EMR was developed with functionalities such as adding and updating patient profile and health records, referring patient to another facility and monitoring patients referred. These functionalities have been simulated using hypothetical test cases. The simulation has demonstrated blockchain-related functions such as registration of health facility in the network, defining consensus rules and adding patient referral transactions in the network. The description of the proposed framework, role of blockchain and key features of the prototype EMR is summarized in the conclusion part.


Purpose. To build economic and mathematical model of impacts of investment from internal sources on the profit of an industrial enterprise. Methodology. An economic and mathematical model of enterprise operations is built to enable development of methods for analyzing the impact of the internal investment amount on the profit of an industrial enterprise through considering specific features of its operation. The research involves methodological principles of economic cybernetics, namely the representation of the enterprise as a multipolar object with an unknown structure. Application of the systemic approach enables comprehensive investigation of the process of the amount of internal investment impacting profits of this enterprise. The use of structural synthesis underlies determination of the type of economic and mathematical model without considering its parameters. Findings. Mathematical modeling of operation of an industrial enterprise as a complex object enables numerical determination of the impact of the internal investment amount on the profit of an industrial enterprise. This approach makes it possible to use regression models to obtain an analytical dependence of the enterprise profit on the size of its internal investment. Theoretical research results in the determined sequence of building an economic and mathematical model of internal investment amount impacts on profits. It is proved expedient to divide the process of building a model of an industrial enterprise operation into two stages: structural synthesis and identification of model parameters. Originality. For the first time, an economic and mathematical model of operation of an industrial enterprise in the form of a black box has been used to analyze the impact of internal investment of an industrial enterprise on its profits. Practical value. Analysis of results of economic and mathematical modeling of the PJSC PivdHZK operation proves expediency of estimating the statistical dependence of the profit on the amount of internal investment. It is recommended to introduce the developed system-logical scheme in the investment practice of enterprises.


(second-order reasoning: pp. 176–7). We cannot fault Z.'s oft-repeated conclusion that 'the collection's ethics represent general and widespread views from Greek thought' (pp. 43, 109). But, regarding 'ethics', Z. is handicapped by these conclusions being fundamentally negative: the collection 'lacks a philosophical approach to ethical life' (p. 178); it misses 'a great deal of Greek thought on inner qualities'; it does 'not often feel the need to deμne a speciμc mode of behaviour'; 'the description of inner qualities in action . . . lacks many of the aspects of Greek philosophical thought on them'; 'ethical action as a product of reasoning and will is defective' (all p. 180). Thus Z. is forced to pull out a chestnut: the ethics are simplistically rendered—'pragmatic and practical and not idealistic'— because they 'offer guidelines to the lower strata' (p. 179); it is 'a corpus of exemplary cautionary lessons on practical ethics' (p. 183). This Victorian conclusion opposes Z.'s open-mindedness in judging 'popular' literature as only 'class-oriented' (pp. 10, 37ff.). Z. has opened up new avenues of exploration for fable scholars. Students of mores would beneμt more from a scholarly commentary on the Augustana—a task suited to Z.'s careful scholarship (e.g. p. 168 n. 53), his acute close readings of individual fables, and his colloquial translations.


A new way of information dissemination RSS is introduced,and with examples,its main features and sports information service syndication application is discussed.


The report gives catch details on unusual landings of Otolithoides biauritus at Mahim Bazzar and Yarangal bhati landing center in Maharashtra.


A method of using random antenna arrays(RAA) is proposed to guarantee the information security during the physical layer transmission.The method uses multiple antennas at the base station and a single antenna at each mobile terminal.When expected mobile terminals(target users) transmit training symbols.the base station estimates the channel from the symbols.Then the base station randomly selects several antennas for weighted transmission,and the weighting coefficients are obtained by using the method of distributed beamforming according to the estimated channel.Signals from all the selected antennas are finally superimposed at the target user so that the maximum likelihood demodulation can be directly employed.The base station randomly changes antennas to transmit each symbol,which makes the channel of any eavesdropper change fast.Hence the eavesdropper can not demodulate his received signals by blind equalization,and the low probability of interception is achieved.A comparison with the traditional method of using random weighting coefficients shows that the RAA method improves the utilization of power.Simulation results show that the bit error rate of the RAA method is reduced by one order of magnitude at the target user,while the eavesdropper can not demodulate correctly.


Austin, H. (2004). Project proposal for the Hyde/Jackson Square youth IDA project: A strategy for asset accumulation in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.edu


The extraction of relevant information from electronic health records (EHR) can facilitate large scale clinical studies related to certain diseases to uncover diversity of their biological and clinical signatures, and patterns of treatment and prognosis. Variety of EHR formats and use of clinical narrative present significant challenges to this task. In this work we describe a process of an automated information extraction from an oncology hospital clinical reports related to 2966 subjects with suspected or confirmed breast cancer. The lack of open medical term dictionaries for the Serbian language and the variety of clinical data types required, imply the use of rule-based approaches with exact matches, regular expressions, hierarchical rules and customized mini dictionaries to analyze clinical text. The accuracy of the applied approach has been validated on manually extracted clinical data of 50 breast cancer patients. The accuracy varied, field dependent, between 71.3% to 100%, indicating that certain relevant fields can be successfully captured, yet implying the need for sophisticated natural language processing tools for accurate extraction of more descriptive features.


Open innovation describes how organizations realize value beyond corporate boundaries by utilizing both internal and external sources of expertise to enhance their innovation and commercialization ...


Many of the leading ferroalloy producers in the world today are taking advantage of the ChillKoteTM refractory furnace lining system. They rely on the proven extended campaign life, the reduction in cost of ownership, the enhanced safety and the reduction in maintenance cost. This paper will present the successful first conversions in India to this technology from conventional linings by Jindal Stainless Ltd. (JSL). The document will also outline the measures employed by JSL to ensure optimum furnace availability and metal production in their two 60MVA furnaces. In addition it will present the experiences from other high productivity producers in the world, especially in South Africa, where more than 80% of the manganese and chrome furnaces are now committed to ChillKoteTM linings. Other benchmark SAFs will be discussed, including CYMCO Kunming FeMn, the largest submerged arc furnace in China, POS Himetal in South Korea, and Vale (RDME) in France, the largest FeMn furnace in Europe. Details will be presented on how this technology is able to offer these profitable results for a long list of ferroalloy producers internationally and how Indian producers can now benefit from these experiences. 1. Jindal Stainless Greenfield project in Odisha As part of their integrated stainless steel plant in the state of Odisha, Jindal Stainless Ltd. (JSL) operates two 60 MVA ferrochrome furnaces. JSL is also planning for the construction of additional ferroalloy units of ferromanganese and silicomanganese in Odisha. At the melt shop, charge chrome is produced through a single stage process by smelting a mix of chromite, reductant and fluxes at temperatures in excess of 2000 C. Electrical energy, required for the chemical reactions to occur, is supplied to the submerged arc furnaces through Söderberg electrodes. The molten waste slag and metallic charge chrome are continually (every 2 to 3 hours) drained from the smelting furnaces and tapped into ladles. The metal is allowed to cool down before a final crushing and screening beneficiation step is performed that allows for the production of sized charge chrome.


This article aims first to show how a teacher, working within a nationally proscriptive, standards-driven, mainstream context turns a form-focused phonics practice activity into a word game that engages the imagination, intellect, and identity of 5–6-year-old English language learners. Based on the assumption that teacher—student interactions are crucial for bilingual students' success at school (Cummins 2000, p. 6), the transformation in the 15-minute Literacy Hour word work activity is presented in terms of five key discourse threads related to (a) covering the curriculum, (b) surface justification, (c) deep justification through shared imaging, (d) shifting the locus of experience, and (e) playing the word game, each of which is explained by different theoretical perspectives, and each of which embodies different pedagogical principles. The subsequent discussion focuses on the fundamental changes in instructional and social assumptions about the nature of language, knowledge, learning, the curriculum, and student outcomes to explain how the traditional pedagogy implicit in the published activity develops into a constructive and then a transformative pedagogy (Cummins, 2001, p. 219). The article shows how pedagogical transformation works on multiple related assumptions and how these are realised in discourse threads weaved through the teacher—student interaction.


Due to their position at the land–sea interface, coastal wetlands are extremely vulnerable to oil spills. However, few studies have focused on the vulnerability of coastal wetlands to oil spill hazards. In this study, we developed a spatial vulnerability approach and assessment based on the vulnerability scoping diagram in the Chinese Bohai Sea, where oil spill events are serious and frequent, and aimed to assess the spatial heterogeneity of the vulnerability of coastal wetlands under oil spill stress by integrating various indicators for exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity into a composite index. This study normalized and aggregated data across sub-indices and combined related information with a geographic information system (GIS) model. The weighted results indicated that oil spill sources, as well as the natural environment in which the wetlands were located, dominated the degree of vulnerability of various coastal wetlands. The vulnerability assessment results suggest that there are obvious spatial variations among the different wetlands surrounding the Bohai Sea and each wetland had a different level of vulnerability, and highlights the need to enhance adaptive capacity to reduce vulnerability. This paper provides a quantitative assessment method for determining the spatial variation of coastal wetland vulnerability under oil spill stress, which can be used to better understand potential oil spill risks in coastal wetlands to support spill prevention and improve response readiness in the future.


HE ORGANIC CHEMIST has been able T to predict and synthesize with a considerable degree of accuracy compounds which can block conduction in the peripheral nervous system. In turn, the pharmacologist and the clinician have tested a multitude of these compounds, but only a small number have met with clinical utility. In reviewing the prodigious literature on local anesthetic agents, we found, with few exceptions,l physieal-chemical data are extremely sparse. Likewise, in evaluating the relative pharmacological properties of local anesthetic agents there has been a lack of basic experimentation on the effects of the obscure properties of these agents on, for example, the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the peripheral nerve structures as well. Nonetheless, local anesthetic methodology has progressed and achieved a measure of success in predicting the clinical suitability of a new compound.


Fuel cell systems must balance system cost, efficiency and lifetime in such a way as to produce electricity at a cost competitive with conventional technologies. A multistage system in temperature cascade employs a successively lower temperature in each stage. This configuration was evaluated using thermodynamic analysis and stack performance simulation software. Implementation of the multistage temperature cascade configuration has the potential to lower system cost and increase system efficiency, performance and lifetime.


Magnetic Janus particles are assembled into novel staggered chain structures under the action of magnetic and electric fields. The magnetic assembly can result in permanent structures, which could be disassembled on demand by remote demagnetization.


Background and purpose: Sexual self-disclosure as a psychosocial sense is defined as individual's interpretation on how to express feelings in marital relationships. This study aimed at determining the predictors of female sexual self-disclosure in Tehran. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 married women in Tehran were selected by convenience sampling. Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Data was analyzed in SPSS V.20 applying descriptive and inferential statistics including Pearson, Spearman, ANOVA, and linear regression. Results: The average score for sexual self-disclosure was 56.16±14.60. Some variables including the participant's age, age of husband, duration of marriage, and time of last delivery were found to have significant inverse correlation with sexual self-disclosure. In multivariate model, marital life, the interest level in spouse, and duration of marriage were significant predictors of sexual self-disclosure. Conclusion: Sexual self-disclosure was found to be low in this study. It is believed that marital life, duration of marriage, and interest level in spouse play important roles in women's sexual selfdisclosure. Communication skills are suggested to be taught in premarital classes to enhance sexual selfdisclosure, satisfaction and happiness in marriage.


Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), one of the most common pharmaco-resistant epilepsies, is associated with pathology of paralimbic brain regions, particularly in the mesiotemporal lobe. Cognitive dysfunction in TLE is frequent, and particularly affects episodic memory. Crucially, these difficulties challenge the quality of life of patients, sometimes more than seizures, underscoring the need to assess neural processes of cognitive dysfunction in TLE to improve patient management. Our work harnessed a novel conceptual and analytical approach to assess spatial gradients of microstructural differentiation between cortical areas based on high-resolution MRI analysis. Gradients track region-to-region variations in intracortical lamination and myeloarchitecture, serving as a system-level measure of structural and functional reorganization. Comparing cortex-wide microstructural gradients between 21 patients and 35 healthy controls, we observed a contracted gradient in TLE driven by reduced microstructural differentiation between paralimbic cortices and the remaining cortex with marked abnormalities in ipsilateral temporopolar and dorsolateral prefrontal regions. Findings were replicated in an independent cohort. Using an independent post mortem dataset, we observed that in vivo findings reflected topographical variations in cortical lamination patterns, confirming that TLE-related changes in the microstructural gradient reflected increased proximity of regions with more dissimilar laminar structure. Disease-related transcriptomics could furthermore show specificity of our findings to TLE over other common epilepsy syndromes. Finally, microstructural dedifferentiation was associated with cognitive network reorganization seen during an episodic memory functional MRI paradigm, and correlated with inter-individual differences in task accuracy. Collectively, our findings showing a pattern of reduced microarchitectural differentiation between paralimbic regions and the remaining cortex provide a parsimonious explanation for functional network reorganization and cognitive dysfunction characteristic of TLE.


This paper discusses a comprehensive strategic approach being carried out by the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland for facilitating technology entrepreneurship for undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty in diverse technical disciplines. Our objectives are to foster an increasingly entrepreneurial culture that helps students and faculty understand the fundamentals and feasibility of forming technology enterprise, to help them establish and manage sustainable ventures and to accelerate commercialization of technologies developed on campus.


Abstract : The resistance of a random array of a mixture of conducting and explosive particles is studied using a Monte' Carlo approach and a combination of digital and analog computing. Voltage sensitivity is discussed using the maximum current concentrations in the array, electric contact theory and the hot spot theory of thermal explosion. It is considered that 2 volts is the threshold for safety in graphite devices and that above two volts there are several distinct mechanisms for energy transfer from conductor to the explosive. At 4 volts the contacts disrupt giving efficient energy transfer by impact of incandescent vapour. This is considered to be the mechanism of the fast mode of action used in Service devices.


The proposal for federal requirements for licensure and for relicensure of physicians has been incorporated in the various drafts of health manpower legislation for several years. Although many physicians did not become particularly concerned about other provisions in this legislation, the threat of federal licensure and of relicensure by reexamination at six-year intervals evoked an unfavorable reaction little short of unanimous. Many professional organizations and individuals must share in the credit for their efforts toward removal of this unnecessary and unworkable provision. The granting of a license to practice a profession has always been the prerogative of the state; and this is one "state's right" that has been zealously cherished and protected over the years, as exemplified by the fact that most states offered their own state licensing examination in medicine until the last ten years. Gradually the examinations of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) were given broader


Excerpt To the editor: We wish to report a case of anaphylaxis produced by intravenous administration of hydrocortisone sodium phosphate. A 23-year-old woman was hospitalized for stabilization of c...


The energy from biomass can be utilized through the thermochemical conversion processes of pyrolysis and gasification. The Aspen Plus simulation tool is applicable for simulation of the gasification processes. The most common way is to simulate the gasification reactor using Gibbs reactor, which applies Gibbs free energy minimization to calculate equilibrium. The reactions in the gasification process are complex and by using the Gibbs reactor, it is not necessary to specify the stoichiometry or the reaction rates. However, reactions that describe the major conversion rates in a gasifier can be extracted from the literature. By using these reaction rates in Aspen Plus, it is possible to simulate the gasification process also by using a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Comparison of the composition of produced gas based on simulation with Gibbs reactor and CSTR is performed. The influence of parameters like reactor temperature, residence time and steam flow rate are studied.


The distribution of pigment granules or melanosomes in tadpoles of Xenopus laevis reared from phenylthiourea (PTU)-induced pigmentless eggs is compared with the distribution of melanosomes in tadpoles from normal eggs. Some animals from each group were raised in a solution of PTU. It is concluded that melanosomes observed in the central nervous system, liver, epidermis, oral sucker, gut, notochord, and early eye of normal larvae originate in the oocyte. Those in the brain ventricles become engulfed by macrophages. Melanosomes do not appear in these tissues of early tadpoles reared from pigmentless eggs; however, pigment is later synthesized in dermal, meningeal, and peritoneal melanocytes as in the normal larvae. Since the synthesis of new melanin is blocked in embryos reared in PTU, tadpoles derived from pigmentless eggs and reared in PTU are completely devoid of melanosomes.


Abstract Research in the 1970s and 1980s revealed that Asian Americans, compared with other ethnic groups, tended to under-utilize mental health services. This article is aimed at adding new information to the literature by examining data from the 1990s. The raw data comprised 97,212 total admissions representing 45,774 total individuals utilizing mental health services during a four-year period in San Diego County, California. By comparing our findings with previous research cases on utilization patterns of mental health services, new evidence is found about Asian Americans in terms of their (1) underrepresentation in mental health services, (2) presentation of more severe symptoms than those of other racial/ethnic groups when first seen at clinics, (3) lower dropout rates and higher average lengths of stay than other racial/ethnic groups, and (4) higher percentages of using day treatment and outpatient programs but lower percentage of using inpatient programs.


Two nights of coincident measurements with the University of Western Ontario's MF radar and Purple Crow Lidar have been extensively analyzed to illustrate the possible e8ects due to tidal-gravity wave interactions on upper mesospheric inversion layers. On both nights an inversion layer in the upper mesosphere disappears as the westward component of the tide increases. Inversions similar in height and magnitude to these two nights, as seen in the nightly mean temperature pro:le, occur in 11% of the measurements made by the Purple Crow Lidar since 1994. Of these inversions, 76% show similar behavior to the two nights considered here in detail. The statistical results suggest the upper mesospheric inversion occur in two types. The :rst type, illustrated by the individual nights considered in this study, are associated with increased gravity wave variance as the magnitude of the westward tide decreases. These inversions are persistence over many hours. The second type of inversion has a similar nightly mean structure, but is due to shorter (on the order of¡2 h) periods of heating with temperature changes much greater than that expected from tidal dissipation. c © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


This paper puts forward the necessity of active adoption of passive energy saving technology in buildingreconstruction in our country firstly, and then combining practical projects,and the ecological reconstruction theory of Existing Buildings, analyzes and concludes five commonly used passive energy-saving technologies--environment improvement, passive solar power, energy-saving reconstruction of maintenance structure, natural lighting and ventilation and Energy strategy, trying to establish primary methods to apply passive energy-saving technologies to reconstruction of buildings so as to make better use of passive energy-saving technologies in practice.


The present invention relates to a plant for processing substrates in a vacuum vessel, formed of at least one target having a surface provided with the material to be sprayed or to be vaporized and at least one gas inlet device formed of openings (6) provided for entry into the container of a working gas and / or a reactive gas or a mixture, and which are connected by a piping system to a source of gas (1 ) at a given gas pressure. The orifices of the resistance coefficients are calculated, compared to the points of the line system having said gas pressure, for a gas flow so controlled by each orifice. The invention also relates to a sputtering installation and designed, and a method for processing.


Part 1 QCD vacuum: QCD vacuum as a magnetic medium monopoles, harons and confinement instantons and chiral symmetry. Part 2 Chiral QCD - mesons: the large Nc limit aspects of current algebra effective Lagrangians soft pion physics vector mesons - open and hidden. Part 3 Chiral QCD-baryons: Wess-Zumino-Witten term Berry phases, spin factors skyrmions Cheshire cat mechanism chiral spin systems anyons. Part 4 Chiral QCD - nuclei: nuclear forces exchange currents nuclei from skyrmions. Part 5 Chiral symmetry breaking and strangeness: piN sigma term the proton spin problem strangeness in the nucleon strange matter heavy flavour systems. Part 6 Hadronic matter under extreme conditions: hot matter RHIC dense matter neutron stars.


: Objectives Sleep disorders have emerged as a significant health concern with profound implications for cardiovascular health. This comprehensive article aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the association between sleep disorders and cardiovascular diseases, explore diagnostic approaches


This article studies the relationship between Augustine of Hippo's (pastoral, exhortative) sermones ad populum and the (polemical, systematic) writings engaged in the Pelagian controversy, to determine whether the difference in genre leads to a difference in content and/or treatment of the topic of infant baptism. First, the presence of the topic of infant baptism in the Pelagian controversy is sketched based on a brief status quaestionis. Then Augustine's application of Mt. 1, 21 ― a verse that functions as an anti-Pelagian topos in his plea for infant baptism ― serves as a case study to investigate possible influences caused by the difference of genre. The study of Mt. 1, 21 confirms that the topic of infant baptism receives less attention in the sermones than in his tractates. It also indicates a chronological difference. The majority of the occurrences of Mt. 1, 21 in the tractates are to be situated in the second phase of the Pelagian controversy (the discussion with Julian of Aeclanum), while the quotations of Mt. 1, 21 in De peccatorum meritis, sermones 174 and 293 belong to the first phase.


Direct current (DC) power systems are gaining increased interest DC microgrid systems are attractive from the viewpoint of efficiency, clean energy and ease of renewable energy integration. Typically, parallel connections of smaller power rated converter sub-modules is done to supply high power loads. Such modular DC-DC converters reduce the costs and single point failure issues, caused by employing a single higher power rated converter and therefore enhance supply reliability. The mis-matches in the load powers shared between the parallel connected sub-modules and circulating currents are challenges which have to be addressed for these topologies. This work proposes two de-centralized strategies (without communication) in addition to an adaptive virtual resistance (VR) based strategy to overcome the above mentioned challenges. The control schemes are validated extensively through off-line simulations considering solar photovoltaic (PV) power output fluctuations, which is often neglected in the available literature. Further, simulations have been carried out with various types of DC loads. The proposed schemes have also been tested for their effectiveness in the presence of symmetric and asymmetric AC voltage (noise) shifts in the source output voltages.


We Introduce new type of maps between normed spaces, namely, p-quasi- λ-nuclear map. We prove that the composition of a q-quasi-λ-nuclear map (0 <q ≤ 1) with a p-quasi-λ-nuclear map (0 <p ≤ 1) is a pseudo-λ-nuclear map. Also we prove that for a nuclear G∞-space a linear map T between normed spaces is p-quasi-λ-nuclear iff it is q-quasi-λ-nuclear.


RIS/PACS internet gateway system; Wireless emergency orthopaedics telemedicine system between Nicosia hospital & rural health centres; Mediterranean "OTELO" tele-echography project, " MARTE I", " MARTE II" and " MARTE III" projects; Echonet ultrasound network; ÔÔOrthopaedic Teleconsultation Paraskevaidion (CY) & Shriner ́s Hospital (USA) project; Telepathology network (TELEGYN); ÔÔEmergency telemedicine (ambulance & emergency 112) project; Oncology radiation therapy and radiation diagnostics (TELEPLAN and VIRTUOSO); Collaborative virtual medical team for home care of cancer patients (DITIS); Teleconsultation and teleradiology between medical centres in Cyprus in viewing and reporting cases and interactive participation of radiologists during the examinations.


and the Italian 'branch system'; commerce was global, then as it is now, mutatis mutandis. Again Koberger can be an example of a 'Hansa merchant' with branches; and in the second half of the sixteenth century Georg Willer certainly is. Maclean stresses in the book that there often was a mixture between both 'systems', but in fact there was no essential difference. It must be kept in mind that Germans intro duced printing in Italy and spread with the technique the way(s) of trading. Even more so as 'travelling' booksellers on the Hansa model did not exist. Mer chants travelled, they had to, they had to meet other merchants, they had to make deals, they had to see other commodities, they had to check the market, they had to decide what and how to trade. Travelling booksellers, as they are mostly seen in the literature, did not exist. A quick look at the actual trade as it happened, the roads, the rules of packaging, the transport, the tolls, the privileges, safe conducts and escorts needed, made it quite an undertaking to travel with any commodity, unless it was carried by a professional carrier. Pedlars were a completely different kind of people, with an appropriate license and dealing only with small goods. It seems tricky to use Hornschuch as a source for information on the process of correct ing. His Orthotypographia was not meant as a manual for daily practice in the printing shop but was rather the sarcastic result of a disillusioned man after work ing as a corrector. A 'culture of correcting' did not exist for everyone; it was just part of the business and complaints about typos were a topos. This was even more so for Johann Fischart, alias Mentzer, ('from Mainz' in local dialect). He was a satirist par excellence, using all kind of literature for parodies, and so is his Catalogus catalogorum. One must also always be aware of the rhetoric of paratexts. To finish with just one little correction of a slip of the keys: Nirgenheim (p. 231) must be Nirgendsheim, the fictitious place of printing of Fischart's booklet. Nirgendsheim means 'Nowhereplace', or, yes, Utopia. All these considerations only show the richness of the book and the reflections it evokes. A good scholarly work is a never ending dialogue with (other) scholars, and the task of a (true) scholar is to question (all).


The purpose of this writeup is to supplement the publication, Massively Parallel Fokker-Planck Calculations,'' which appeared in the Proceedings of the Fifth Distributed Memory Computing Conference. Results obtained subsequent to that presentation are reported. This work is not self-contained; the reader should refer to that publication.


Does the Community legal order constitute a closed 'self-contained regime' or will it be an 'open system'? While founded on the basis of an international treaty, the European Community still has to determine – not unlike national legal orders – the effects of public international law in its 'domestic' sphere. Has the Community legal order thus assumed an 'autonomous' position vis-a-vis general international law? And if so, what is the status and effect of international norms in the Community legal order? This chapter discusses these issues by analysing the constitutional regime developed for international treaties concluded by the Community and customary international law. The second part changes perspective and investigates when the Community has considered itself materially bound by international agreements concluded by its Member States via the doctrine of functional succession. In general, the Community's constitutional choice vis-a-vis public international law has a federal dimension: placed on systemic 'middle ground', the EC legal order may potentially operate as a conduit for the incorporation of international law in the national legal orders of its Member States.


man from Tsang" and his tradition at large (the Kagyü and Nyengyü lineages) is now available, and although several of the articles and books by scholars such as Franz-Karl Ehrhard, Marta Sernesi and Stefan Larsson are mentioned in the bibliography, they are seldom used in the study per se. One such example is found on p. 41, where Quintman introduces the Aural Transmissions (nyengyü), stating that it is made up of a root-text and ancillary instructions, among which only four out of nine were transmitted to Milarepa by his master Marpa, the transmission being complete only when Milarepa's disciple Rechungpa received the remaining five in India. This slightly misleading presentation – the Aural Transmission itself was complete although ancillary instructions were lacking – is corrected in an article published by Marta Sernesi in 2011 ("The Aural Transmission of Samvara: an introduction to neglected sources for the study of the Early Bka' brgyud".) In general, it is quite striking to note that in the fourteen-page bibliography, only eighteen titles postdate 2006 – and were thus added to the original research for publication. One must indeed bear in mind that in the years separating the thesis from its published avatar, a mass of Tibetan texts on Milarepa's life have been released – of these, nothing is heard in the book, if one excepts one biography among the "proto-lives" and one of the "compendia", the Black Treasury, which has been completely reassessed. Despite this reservation, Quintman's work represents a groundbreaking achievement in the presentation of Tibetan biographies to a wider audience. His command of both Tibetan and Tibetan Buddhism ensures a solid presentation of complex and wide-ranging material, and his deep knowledge of literary theory broadens the reader's understanding of sacred biography in general.


We report the occurrence of an epidural haematoma after the removal of a lumbar epidural catheter, which had been inserted 2 days previously for surgery to revise a thrombosed femoral– popliteal graft. Pre-operatively the patient received intravenous heparin by infusion, but this was stopped 7 h prior to epidural insertion. Coagulation studies were normal. The epidural catheter insertion was unremarkable. Postoperatively, the patient received a continuous epidural infusion of fentanyl (3 mg.ml À1) and bupivacaine (0.0625%), in addition to systemic anticoagulant therapy with heparin. On the second postoperative day, the patient was noted to have developed bilateral leg weakness (following transfer to another department for Doppler studies). The epidural catheter was inadvertently removed while the patient was anticoagulated and paraparesis developed overnight. After a significant delay, an epidural haematoma was diagnosed and treated by decompressive laminectomy. At operation an epidural haematoma extending posteriorly from T 12 to L 3 was removed. Spinal bleeding resulting in permanent paraplegia is a 'worst case' scenario following epidural catheter insertion. Although the incidence of epidural bleeding may be as high as 10% following catheter placement, the incidence of significant spinal bleeding (paraplegia requiring lami-nectomy) has been estimated at 1: 1000 000 [1] in patients without clinically apparent coagulation disorders. Only 61 cases of epidural haematoma associated with regional anaesthesia were reported in the world literature up to 1993, with 32 involving the use of an epidural catheter [2]. We report a further case and discuss the aetiological factors involved. A 75-year-old, 78-kg male was transferred from a private hospital for further management of his ischaemic right leg. Three months previously he had surgery to repeat coronary artery bypass grafts following an episode of unstable angina and congestive cardiac failure. He had a markedly dilated left ventricle with an ejection fraction of 15% and had required an intra-aortic balloon pump to allow weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. The balloon pump had been inserted into the right femoral artery and the right leg was noted to be cool and mottled in the recovery room. The balloon pump was removed and a femoral embolectomy performed with some improvement. This was followed 2 months later by a femoral–distal bypass procedure but this had to be revised due to thrombosis. A further thrombosis of the new superficial femoral artery graft resolved after treatment with urokinase and systemic heparinisation. However, the peroneal supply remained impaired and he developed ischaemic ulceration on …


Rock crab (Cancer irroratus) is abundant in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and along coastlines of the Atlantic region of Canada. The objective of this work was to prepare a pasteurization schedule for Atlantic Canadian Rock Crab meat (claw, leg and body). Samples of 175 g of meat plus 52 g of 2 % w/w brine or 125 g meat plus 102 g brine were placed in an 8 oz polypropylene container with an aluminum pull-top lid. The slowest heating spot for a conductively heating product was found to be 3.0 cm below the lid. Pasteurization was evaluated at 81C, 82C and 83C to a pasteurization lethality of 40 min at 85C (z = 8.89 C). The heat penetration parameters obtained were j h = 1.703, f h = 34.8 min, j c = 1.549 and f c = 51.0 min. The optimal process was found to be 83C for 130 min. The shear strength for unprocessed crab leg samples was, on average, 0.33 N/mm 2 (±0.06) compared to 0.24 N/mm 2 (+0.02) for processed samples. This represents 27.4% reduction in the shear stress that is largely attributed to the processing method. Thirty two free amino acids were determined including 9 essential amino acids, and their total amounts ranged between 24.8% and 30.0% of the sample, on dry basis. The total amounts of essential amino acids in the processed and unprocessed samples were, respectively, 15.3 and 17.8 mg/g sample. No significant losses in the amounts of essential amino acids was observed between processed and unprocessed samples, except for methionine, isoleucine and lysine, which were significantly reduced in the processed samples.


The synthesis of all the isomeric mono-, di-, tri and tetrabromo derivatives of 1,8-diamino-4,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone and of 1,5-diamino-4,8-dihydroxyanthra-quinones is described. The effect of the number and orientation of bromine atoms on the dyeing and fastness properties of these dyes on polyester fibres is reported. Synergistic effects pertinent to the dyeing and fastness properties of mixtures of unbrominated and brominated derivatives are also noted.


Background: There is a lack of knowledge about the evolution of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients undergoing natalizumab treatment. Aim: We aimed to evaluate the effect of natalizumab on basic inflammatory CSF and MRI measures. Methods: Together, 411 patients were screened for eligibility and 93 subjects with ≥2 CSF examinations ≤6 months before and ≥12 months after natalizumab initiation were recruited. The effect of natalizumab on CSF as well as clinical and paraclinical measures was analyzed using adjusted mixed models. Results: Natalizumab induced a decrease in CSF leukocytes (p < 1 × 10−15), CSF protein (p = 0.00007), the albumin quotient (p = 0.007), the IgG quotient (p = 6 × 10−15), the IgM quotient (p = 0.0002), the IgG index (p = 0.0004), the IgM index (p = 0.003) and the number of CSF-restricted oligoclonal bands (OCBs) (p = 0.0005). CSF-restricted OCBs positivity dropped from 94.6% to 86% but 26 patients (28%) had an increased number of OCBs at the follow-up. The baseline to follow-up EDSS and T2-LV were stable; a decrease in the relapse rate was consistent with a decrease in the CSF inflammatory markers and previous knowledge about the effectiveness of natalizumab. The average annualized brain volume loss during the follow-up was −0.50% (IQR = −0.96, −0.16) and was predicted by the baseline IgM index (B = −0.37; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Natalizumab is associated with a reduction of basic CSF inflammatory measures supporting its strong anti-inflammatory properties. The IgM index at the baseline predicted future brain volume loss during the course of natalizumab treatment.


The paper analyses the environmental ethics discourse system which is dominated by the debate between anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism and so on,and points out that it cannot explain and overcome the predicament of environment crisis because of its style of grand discourse.Then the paper analyses the origin and mechanics of the global climate crisis,and points out that public natural existence will cause tragedy of commons under current circumstance of globalization.From this point of view,the paper clarifies the theoretical misunderstanding of environmental ethics,and promotes some concrete measures to solve the environmental problems under current circumstances.


ABSTRACT The Winter's Tale (1610/1999), a late romance by William Shakespeare, on one level presents the delusional jealousy of Leontes regarding his wife Hermione, the visitations of death undoing the omnipotent defenses employed by Leontes, who is fatefully confronted by grief and the guilt of having wronged those close to him. The final two acts present us with the redemptive powers of nature and love, re-establishing the family unit through mutual forgiveness and a deus ex machina in the coming-to-life of Hermione's statue. The comic formula Shakespeare utilizes after the first three acts attempts to undo the tragic plot unfolding thus far, inviting us to abandon the knowledge we acquired and adopt the solution of a safe Oedipal triangulation, materialized when the statue comes to life. On a darker note, Shakespeare undoes important dimensions of the source material, which provides a tragic ending to the Leontes character (Pandosto) after he lusts after his daughter. As Shakespeare alters the fates of the characters through largely disavowing the incestuous urges of Leontes, we are taunted with both knowing and not knowing that pairing off Leontes in the end with an adult female partner is an aesthetic resolution to much more troubling psychic realities.


Improvements in the structure and vibration mode of acoustic transducers has led to remarkable progress in acoustic well logging technology both for wireline logging and logging while drilling. We analyze recent developments,particularly in China,along the acoustic transducer. Monopole acoustic well logging is mature in China.Furthermore,the more advanced multipole acoustic well logging technology in which an asymmetric acoustic source is used has already entered the production stage.The latest generation of acoustic logging,known as acoustic phased-array well logging and featuring directional acoustic radiation and receiving,is being developed,and significant achievements have already been made in China.


The article about the nonviolence is considered as a special ideological phenomenon, which consists on the belief in the possibility of organizing both individual and public life in accordance to the highest moral principles. The author identifi es three main forms-«steps» of the phenomenon: non-violence of compassion, love and justice, depending on the objective of the historical situation. Denotes as the ideal limit of its development a specifi c public practice.


An interesting memo from Badini to Craxi about the domestic constraints on Dutch foreign policy [Central State Archive, Sofia, Fond 378-B, File 996, available in the Cold War International History Project's Virtual Archive, www.cwihp.org. Translated for CWIHP by Kristina N. Terzieva.]


The article introduces the present issue, which focuses on Marxist interpretations of the crisis. The author describes and puts into context Claudio Napoleoni's interpretation of the labour theory of value and Baran and Sweezy's Monopoly Capital. The article highlights how Napoleoni's interpretation, which was at the time very unconventional, was later substantiated by the publication of new material by the two US economists (Sweezy in particular). The author concludes with some reflections of the applicability of Napoleoni's ideas to the current stage of capitalism.


This paper presents a FPGA-based real-time emulator of silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) employing dynamic device model. The threshold-based model utilizes the Shichman and Hodges equations with voltage-dependent non-linear device capacitances to obtain an accurate model for the turn-on switching transients of the device. Accurate dynamic switching behavior including the key states drain-current, drain-source voltage and gate-source voltage can be achieved in real-time and monitored with a digital to analog converter. Such models are beneficial for rapid and cost-effective manufacturing of high-power SiC-based converters. The simulation results are verified experimentally on a 3. 3kVSiC MOSFET module, showing good correspondence.


This paper reports on the project Utilising the information and communication technologies to build a professional learning community. The project aims to enhance the learning outcomes of teachers and students in rural and regional schools in NSW and the ACT. The project comprises two phases. Phase One involved bringing together staff located at St Francis Xavier Primary School, Lake Cargelligo, NSW with teachers from four other participating schools (two rural and three Canberra-based schools). This Phase of the project demonstrated that collaborative partnerships between universities, schools and the wider educational community should be fostered as they have the potential to revitalize teachers' professional learning, creating opportunities for the construction of new knowledge and development of skills. As the project developed, three more rural schools joined the newly established 'professional learning community' and the urban teachers from Phase One assumed a leadership role in mentoring their rural colleagues throughout Phase Two. This new aspect of the project supported the teaching and learning process following the introduction of IWBs into the classrooms of schools located at Cootamundra, Temora and Young, NSW. This project has been developed to assist in enhancing student achievement for those living in isolated areas. It also provides a research base to support teachers' professional growth through the development of a dynamic community of practice. The project utilised the information and communication technologies to improve the sense of connectedness and enhance the learning of all participants.


This article details the experiences that members of a participatory action research project (PAR) had in order to receive research approval from the Department of Education (DOE) of a large East Coast urban school district. Co-researchers in this project collected written and visual narratives to examine how school safety mechanisms have reshaped the physical spaces of the public schools they attend. Furthermore, this article argues that institutionalized codes of research ethics affect the kinds of research activities critical educational researchers are permitted to conduct in order to excavate how criminal justice-oriented school safety practices influence young people's lives.


Pattern detection methods discover recurring solutions in a system's implementation, for example design patterns in object-oriented source code. Usually this is done with a pattern library. This has the disadvantage that the precise implementation of the patterns must be known in advance. The method used in our case study does not have this disadvantage. It uses a mathematical technique called Formal Concept Analysis and is applied to find structural patterns in two subsystems of a printer controller. The case study shows that it is possible to detect frequently used structural design constructs without upfront knowledge. However, even the detection of relatively simple patterns in relatively small pieces of software takes a lot of computing time. Since this is due to the complexity of the applied algorithms, applying the method to large software systems like the complete controller is not practical. They can be applied to its subsystems though, which are about five to ten percent of its size.


Bonding of titanium silicon carbide Ti3SiC2 by using slurry spin coating and reactive sintering techniques was investigated. Ti, Si and TiC powders were blended at a molar ratio of Ti:Si:TiC=2:2:3, from which highly pure Ti3SiC2 can be synthesized, and suspended in ethanol to prepare slurry. Test pieces of Ti3SiC2 were spin coated with the slurry at various conditions and the composition of coated layer was analyzed by EDX. The coated layer had Si-rich and Ti-poor composition compared with the slurry. The test pieces coated with the slurry were superimposed one on the other and sintered by a hot press at various temperatures. During sintering, the powder blend in the coated layer was reacted and sintered, and the pieces were bonded. The bonding layer was 20 or 30 micrometers in thickness and showed finer grain size than the test pieces. The layer had pores in spots and the number of pores tended to decrease with increasing bonding temperature. The composition of bonding layer tended to move toward the composition of test pieces with increasing bonding temperature, which suggests the diffusion of Si and C between the bonding layer and test pieces.


Using a type-I critically phase-matched bismuth borate crystal, a record 620 mW single-frequency red laser at 671 nm is achieved from intra-cavity SHG of a π-polarized single-end pumped Nd:YVO<inf>4</inf> ring laser oscillating on the λ∽1342nm transition.


Growing social impact finance: implications for the public sector -- Understanding Sustainable Finance -- Positive Impact Investment – Could a 100% portfolio beat the market -- Climate change as a topic for impact investing -- Green bonds – a key catalyst within the broader subject of climate finance post COP21 -- Compelling reeasons and evidence of positive impacts from private capital investing in emerging markets -- Impact investing and the "new green industrial revolution": how to stop climate change through the divest-invest movement -- Investments for Development in Switzerland: A sub-type of impact investing with strong growth dynamics -- Non-Rated Impact Bonds on the Austrian Capital Market: The Example of the Don Bosco Ecuador Bond -- Building a thriving ecosystem for social enterprise finance -- The Biological Foundation of an Evolutionary Economy and its Implications for Organizational Culture and Leadership -- Management Education as a Crucible for Ethical Social Change -- Impact Investment - The real issue not money or innovation but change management -- TBLI makes Dreams Come True- But we are not in Cosmetics. .


Observations of habitat use by the Greater Snow Goose ( Anser caerulescens atlanticus ) were conducted at Jungersen Bay, northern Baffin Island, from 27 July-17 August 1981. Density of geese using the study area was estimated at 425 birds/sq km. The average of 2.8 young per family did not change during our study. Non-breeding geese were first observed in flight on 1 August and were seen regularly until 13 August. Three types of habitat used by geese during the brood-rearing period were distinguished: tidal marshes dominated by Carex subspathacea and Puccinellia phryganod es; wet moss-covered meadows with up to 5 cm of standing water, dominated by Carex stans , Dupontia fisheri , Calamagrostis neglecta , and Arctagrostis latifolia ; and, around ponds, bands of vegetation 1-2 m wide dominated by Carex stans. The three most important species of monocots grazed by geese were Puccinellia phryganodes , Carex subspathacea , and C. stans . It is unlikely that habitat and food resources are limiting factors for Greater Snow Geese in the High Arctic during the brood-rearing period. We suggest that potential breeding areas for this species be identified and given special protection. Key words: Greater Snow Goose ( Anser caerulescens atlanticus ), habitat use, brood, Baffin Island, grazing, monocots, wet meadows


Based on the Doppler radar data and cloud microphysical data collected by aircraft,the formation and microphysics of a convective-stratiform mixed cloud(CSMC for short) impacted by westerly trough have been analyzed.The results are as follows.CSMC came into being from weakened zonal convective which was merged by small convective clouds.Apparent convection cells with the maximum intensity of 45—50 dBZ and the maximum vertical height of 6 km were embedded in the CSMC.The particle number concentrations measured by CDP,CIP,and PIP were 132.4—220.2 cm-3,1.54×10-1—6.28×100 cm-3and 9.09×10-4—7.34×10-3 cm-3,respectively.Two dimensional images show that graupel is the main ice particles in the cold layer,which implies that supercooled water is adequate;columnar aggregates and riming particles found at-7 ℃ imply that after columnar crystal is formed by sublimation,collision and riming are important mechanisms for graupel's formation.The average CDP spectra(diameter:2—50 μm) are different with the heights,and the concentration of particles between 2 and 18 μm decreases with height rising,because water vapor condensation is stronger in the low-level,but the concentration of those between 24 and 35 μm increases,because the collision efficiency is lower in the warm cloud and small ice particle number increases with the height rising.The average CIP spectra(diameter:25—1 550μm) follow unimodal distributions except for that at 4 100 m.The average PIP spectra(diameter:100—6 200 μm) are discontinuous at the larger size;the largest concentration and the spectral width occur at 4 450 m and the high number concentration between 3 200 and 4 000 μm implies that convective cells and the surrounding area provide a good environment for the growth of larger solid precipitation particles.


Introduction: HLA-G is thought to play an important role in the immuological recognition of pregnancy since it is the main HLA molecule expressed on the trophoblast and it seems to display immunosuppressive properties during normal implantation and pregnancy. A 14 basepair (bp) long insertion in exon 8 of the HLA-G gene seems to decrease stability of the HLA-G transcript. We have previously found that plasma concentrations of soluble HLA-G are lower in homozygous carriers of this HLA-G14bp insertion. In theory, homozygous carriers of the HLA-G14bp insertion are at an increased risk of impaired trophoblast invasion and growth since immune protection is defect. Material and Methods: We investigated the HLA-G14bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in 301 Caucasian patients with three or more consecutive miscarriages that remained unexplained after routine anatomical, chromosomal, endocrine and autoimmune screening and in 168 Caucasian women with two or more children and no miscarriages. The HLA-G14bp polymorphisms were investigated after amplification of the HLA-G exon 8 using genomic DNA and primers GE14HLAG and RHG4. Results: In all recurrent miscarriage patients 56 (18.6 %) were homozygous for the HLA-G14bp insertion compared with 19 (11.3%) of the controls (p < 0.05). HLA-G14bp insertion homozygocity was found in 19.2% of patients with secondary recurrent miscarriage (p < 0.05 compared with controls) and 17.7% of patients with primary recurrent miscarriage (not significant compared with controls). Among the children born prior to a secondary recurrent miscarriage diagnosis, the mean birth weight was 2766.3 g in 35 children born to HLA-G14bp homozygous women, which was significantly lower than the mean birth weight of 3082.7g in the 119 children born to women who were HLA-G14bp insertion/ deletion heterozygous or HLA-G14bp deletion homozygous (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Homozygocity for the HLA-G14bp insertion seems to be associated with recurrent miscarriage and especially secondary recurrent miscarriage. In first pregnancies of patients with secondary recurrent miscarriage, maternal carriage of this HLA-G14bp genotype seems to predispose to birth of children with significantly reduced birth weight compared with children born to similar patients with other HLA-G14 bp genotypes. HLA-G14bp insertion homozygocity may affect maternal immune tolerance to the trophoblast thereby causing miscarriage or intrauterine growth restriction.


The purpose of this study was to gather additional evidence for the validity and reliability of spoken English proficiency ratings provided by trained standardized patients (SPs) in high‐stakes clinical skills examination.


For a general linear model we first set a condition under which an exact D_A-optimal design for uneorrelated observations with common variance is also D_A-optimal for correlated observations. Then these results are applied to a regression model with multiple response. We also generalize the theorems that generated from general linear models.


The results of revolutionary moments in the history of mankind are always a kind of uncertainty in the society regarding its own future. Special attention should be given to the study of the nobility in the Russian Empire, which had to adapt to the post-reform state of things in the country. This issue is interesting as the research on the status of the nobility occurred simultaneously with its continuous activities in the Russian Empire, allowing us to track the changes in attitudes of the researchers. Russian opinion journalism during the boundary of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries proposed the three scenarios of a looming future for the nobility.


The Klein-Gordon oscillator under Lorentz symmetry violation determined by the tensor out of the Standard Model Extension (SME) is analyzed. We introduce angular frequency of the oscillator with a Klein-Gordon particle by replacing the momentum vector in the wave equation. We choose the scenario of Lorentz symmetry violation with the field configuration of a constant magnetic field along the z-direction and a cylindrical electric field along the radial direction. We then solved the wave equation and obtained the bound state solutions of the modified Klein-Gordon oscillator. We see that the angular frequency of oscillator depends on the quantum numbers of the system which shows a quantum effect and on Lorentz symmetry breaking parameters.


The objects of this study were to assess the value of the electrocardiogram in the diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy caused by chronic lung disease and to determine the effect of emphysema on the electrocardiogram. Criteria for right ventricular hypertrophy have been suggested by many workers, for example, Myers, Klein, and Stofer (1948), Sokolow and Lyon (1949), Carouso et al. (1951), Scott et al. (1955), Braunwald et al. (1955), Milnor (1957), Goodwin and Abdin (1959), and Roman, Walsh, and Massie (1961). However, except for the study of Roman et al., the majority of patients included in these investigations suffered from either congenital heart disease or mitral stenosis, and comparatively few had right ventricular hypertrophy due to chronic lung disease. In some instances the presence of right ventricular hypertrophy was assumed without confirmation at necropsy, and in the remainder it was assessed by measuring the thickness of the wall of the right ventricle. There has been no previous investigation of patients with chronic lung disease in which electrocardiographic changes have been compared with ventricular weights. Grant (1956), Spodick (1959), Wasserburger et al. (1959), Littmann (1960), and Selvester and Rubin (1965) have reported electrocardiographic changes due to emphysema. It was suggested that these were a direct effect of emphysema and were not due to cardiac abnormalities. However, there are very few cases recorded in which the diagnosis of emphysema is certain and in which cardiac abnormalities which could account for the electrocardiographic changes have been excluded.


The Puerto Rico Census of Agriculture (Census) is the leading source of statistics about the island's agricultural production. The Census is conducted every 5 years, in years ending in 2 and 7. However, the most recent Census was administered in 2018 due to delays caused by Hurricane Maria. Because the Census list frame is incomplete, a separate survey is conducted to inform measures of undercoverage, nonresponse, and misclassification, leading to adjusted weights. At the time of Hurricane Maria, the 2017 survey had already been conducted in preparation for the planned Census that year. In 2018, the survey was repeated using the same sample. Linking and analyzing the 2017 and 2018 survey data provide insights into the impacts of Hurricane Maria on the island's agriculture. Furthermore, the 2018 survey gives an opportunity to evaluate the 2018 Census results. Although the same sample was used in 2017 and 2018, automated record linkage methods are not suitable to link records from the two surveys. This paper discusses record linkage and estimation approaches used to determine the number of farms and land in farms in Puerto Rico before and after Hurricane Maria based on the two surveys and the Census of Agriculture.


Here is the story of over five decades of Indian politics as seen through the lives and times of 12 Prime Ministers. The author has combined reportage with analysis to depict the main personalities.


Community and industry based EMC standards in Australia, China and New Zealand are now generally in line with international standards. As in Europe, the application of many of these standards is becoming compulsory. Other major trading countries within the Asian region are also contemplating the adoption of international standards. This paper gives the current status of this development and draws comparisons between the progress of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand towards internationalisation and the difficulties being encountered particularly in Australia and New Zealand. The current position of other countries in the region is also noted.


Seismic isolating is one of the methods to avoid building's damages and collepse in earthquake.There are three types of seismic isolating soil,base and upper structure seismic isolating.And the base seismic isolating is a greater developing trend.


Abstract : In 1979 the United States Air Force (USAF) made the commitment to Congress and to the White House to conduct an epidemiologic study of the possible health effects from chemical exposure in Air Force personnel who conducted aerial herbicide dissemination missions in Vietnam (Operation RANCH HAND). The purpose of this epidemiologic investigation is to determine whether long-term health effects exist and can be attributed to occupational exposure to herbicides. This study uses a matched cohort design in a noncurrent prospective setting, incorporating mortality, morbidity, and follow-up studies. This report presents the results of health information on 2706 Ranch Handers and comparison individuals obtained by questionnaire and 2269 Ranch Handers and comparison individuals undergoing an extensive physical examination. This baseline report concludes that there is insufficient evidence to support a cause and effect relationship between herbicide exposure and adverse health in the Ranch Hand group at this time. The study has disclosed numerous medical findings, mostly of a minor or undetermined nature, that require detailed follow-up. In full context, the baseline study results should be viewed as reassuring to the Ranch Handers and to their families at this time.


One kind of sauce with the production of glutamate nutrition bacterial protein, is the use of MSG glutamic acid fermentation plant cells recovered as raw material, comprehensive biochemical, biological fermentation engineering methods, the cells were washed with water glutamate after acid hydrolysis, and then added 1-5% and 0.1% of red yeast aroma of yeast fermentation broth and scientific deployment. Process design of the present invention is scientific and rational, coordinated product pure taste delicious, rich flavor, nutrient-rich, amino nitrogen ≥0.4%.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gather expert consensus on physical therapist (PT) intervention after lower extremity botulinum toxin A (BtA) injection(s) for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and lower extremity spasticity. This study also examined differences in expert opinion on intervention for two groups of children with CP and differing levels of functional ability. Methods: The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice was used to develop a questionnaire. Sixty‐two therapists identified as experts in the field of pediatric physical therapy rated the importance of the three PT intervention components and the seven types of direct intervention from Neuromuscular Pattern 5A for both groups. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to identify differences in expert responses between the groups. Experts also ranked the importance of specific intervention strategies. Consensus criteria were used to determine the importance of interventions. Results: All three intervention components and four direct interventions (Therapeutic Exercise; Functional Training‐Self‐Care; Functional Training‐Community and Work; and Prescription of Devices/Equipment) met consensus criteria for both groups. Significant differences between groups were found for Patient/Client‐Related Instruction and Direct Interventions and for Therapeutic Exercise, Functional Training in Self‐Care, Functional Training‐Community and Work, and Electrotherapeutic Modalities, suggesting that these items were more important for children with greater functional abilities. Twenty (35%) specific intervention strategies met consensus criteria for one or both groups. Discussion and Conclusions: All three intervention components and four direct interventions in Neuromuscular Pattern 5A are important in the PT plan of care after botulinum toxin A injection for children with CP and lower extremity spasticity. Functional ability influences therapists' intervention choices.


Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) is used to characterize misfit dislocations in heteroepitaxial layers of GaP grown on Si(100) substrates. Electron channeling patterns serve as a guide to tilt and rotate sample orientation so that imaging can occur under specific diffraction conditions. This leads to the selective contrast of misfit dislocations depending on imaging conditions, confirmed by dynamical simulations, similar to using standard invisibility criteria in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The onset and evolution of misfit dislocations in GaP films with varying thicknesses (30 to 250 nm) are studied. This application simultaneously reveals interesting information about misfit dislocations in GaP/Si layers and demonstrates a specific measurement for which ECCI is preferable versus traditional plan-view TEM.


Two cornerstones of American democracy - separation of church and state, and public schools - are under increasing attack. As this collection of essays, written by some of America's leading educators, political figures, and advocates of religious liberty shows, universal public education and the separation of church and state are related. The eminent contributors to this book argue that we need to defend both institutions against increasing onslaughts by the Religious Right and other self-proclaimed arbiters of societal behavior, who seek to dictate public policy and who are labeling the public schools themselves as "immoral" institutions. At issue here is not whether public schools need to be improved. It is assumed that improvement is necessary. Part One of this volume testifies to the need for separation of church and state, explores the intent of our nation's founders on the subject, and deals with issues of separation within education. Several historical examples are given of battles between the upholders of strict separation and those who would ignore this constitutionally mandated principle. Part Two discusses the dangers of heeding the current call - under the banner of school "choice" - to ingore the principle of separation by allowing public tuition subsidies of private schools, the great majority of which are parochial. This drive to underwrite school tuition via vouchers, tax credits, or tuition tax deductions would create not only a dangerous entanglement of government with religion but could lead to the eventual demise of America's public schools. Contributors to this important collection are Robert Alley, Ann Bastian, Charles Bergstrom, Robert Bullough, Michael Casserly, Edd Doerr, Arnold Fege, Florence Fast, Donald Frey, Colin Greer, Herbert Grover, T. Jeremy Gunn, Bill Honig, Shirley McBay, Al Menendez, Michael Oleska, Sam Rabinove, William Rioux, William Schulz, Eugenie Scott, August Steinhilber, John Swomley, Oliver Thomas, Julie Underwood, and James Wood.


Holey fibers suitable for wide band transmission system were numerically studied. By taking the relation between the macro bending loss and the confinement loss into account, the usable transmission band have been clarified.


This article explores various influencing factors from peers and agents on Thai students' choices of international education. The study classifies choices of international education into the decision to study abroad, choice of country, city, academic program, and university. The influences from peers and agents are identified as information, persuasion, and competition. The results indicate that agents exert a stronger influence than peers on Thai students' choices of international education. The study also suggests that Thai students from different levels of education perceived the influence of peers and agents in a different way. Therefore, it can be concluded that the need for international education and the decision-making process of these groups of students are dissimilar, as the decision-making process of international students is complex and involves various stakeholders. This information affords protagonists marketing Australian education a better understanding of choices made by international students.


Background
 Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death in women. Current screening tools in this population do not identify all women who are at risk. Screening for breast artery calcification (BAC) via routine mammography is emerging as a risk enhancing tool; however, how risk prediction varies by age is unknown.

 Methods
 This single-center, retrospective study included 14,544 women who had a digital mammogram from 2008-2016. BAC was quantified with the Bradley score derived from an automated algorithm developed by CureMetrix; presence of BAC was defined as a Bradley score ≥10. Mortality data were collected after index mammogram by review of medical records. Adjusted hazard rations (aHR) were calculated using Cox regression models with interaction terms to evaluate the influence of age on the association between presence of BAC and mortality, after adjusting for age, diabetes, medications, race, current smoking, systolic blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, plus prior CVD.

 Results
 In the overall study population 8% had diabetes, 30% hypertension, 30% hyperlipidemia and 5% were current smokers. BAC was detectable in 522 of 9,027 (6%) of women age 40-59 years, 657 of 2,865 (23%) 60-69 years, and 702 of 1,358 (52%) 70+. Over mean follow-up of 4.2 years, there were 328 deaths (15.1%) among women with BAC. When subjects were separated by age, presence of BAC was associated with mortality among younger women (40-59 years: aHR 1.50 [95% CI 1.06-2.12]; 60-69 years: aHR 1.59 [95% CI 1.19-2.12],
 Figure
 ). Among women ages 70+, BAC was not a significant predictor of mortality (aHR 1.11 [95% CI 0.86-1.43]). There was a significant negative interaction effect of age with BAC for prediction of mortality (p < 0.001).

 Conclusions:
 BAC is predictive of mortality, especially in younger women. BAC may be a useful screening adjunct to traditional CVD risk factors, to help identify women at an early age who may benefit from more targeted preventive measures.

 Figure


The small-angle X-ray slit-correction computer programs of Heine & Roppert, Schmidt and Hossfeld have been compared. The scattering function for monodisperse spheres was used as the test case. With the exception of relatively minor differences in machine time and ease of application, all three programs appear adequate in meeting the usual demands of the experimenter.


Background Modification of arrhythmogenic substrates with extensive ablation comprising linear and/or complex fractional atrial electrogram ablation in addition to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI‐plus) can theoretically reduce the recurrence of atrial fibrillation. The DR‐FLASH score (score based on diabetes mellitus, renal dysfunction, persistent form of atrial fibrillation, left atrialdiameter >45 mm, age >65 years, female sex, and hypertension) is reportedly useful for identifying patients with arrhythmogenic substrates. We hypothesized that, in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, the DR‐FLASH score can be used to classify patients into those who require PVI‐plus and those for whom a PVI‐only strategy is sufficient. Methods and Results This study is a post hoc subanalysis of the a multicenter, randomized controlled, noninferiority trial investigating efficacy and safety of pulmonary vein isolation alone for recurrence prevention compared with extensive ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (EARNEST‐PVI trial). This analysis focuses on the relationship between DR‐FLASH score and the efficacy of different ablation strategies. We divided the population into 2 groups based on a DR‐FLASH score of 3 points. A total of 469 patients were analyzed. Among those with a DR‐FLASH score >3 (N=279), the event rate of atrial arrhythmia recurrence was significantly lower in the PVI‐plus arm than in the PVI‐only arm (hazard ratio [HR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.28–0.72]; P<0.001). In contrast, among patients with a DR‐FLASH score ≤3 (N=217), no differences were observed in the event rate of atrial arrhythmia recurrence between the PVI‐only arm and the PVI‐plus arm (HR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.61–1.89]; P=0.795). There was significant interaction between patients with a DR‐FLASH score >3 and DR‐FLASH score ≤3 (P value for interaction=0.020). Conclusions The DR‐FLASH score is a useful tool for deciding the catheter ablation strategy for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Registration URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03514693.


One major design debate is how design thinking can be applied in non-traditional design contexts. A particular hot new area is business model design. When entering new design grounds, codesign and the direction of design games have proven beneficial in the past, especially when it comes to engaging a cross-disciplinary circle of stakeholders and reframing and proposing new scenarios. In early business model design workshops in which I experimented with design games, observations revealed two concerns. First, to create big surprises that could lead discussions to novel directions, there was a need for techniques supporting the game purpose during play. Second, participants who are not predisposed to a constructionism agenda and who do not have an immediately playful attitude find it harder to relate to the game, and the rules and procedures governing it. This paper investigates through three design games how game feedback techniques during play can be used to elicit big surprises and how to sustain the subsequent action in which novel business model configurations tend to occur. The findings suggest game feedback techniques as a major addition to design games and the role of the facilitator as that of a co-enabler of the feedback.


The research project LISA (Living Independently in Sudtirol Alto-Adige) investigated the possibilities of embedding assistive functions, systems, and services into wall "terminal" components that enable and support autonomy and independence with respect to Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and which generate structured environments called Robotic micro-Rooms (RmRs).


Two new copper reagents containg sulfur atom are described. Although there have been many reports on the copper reagents. little is known on the disulfinyl copper reagents. In this communication, we wish to report conjugate addition reactions of two new copper reagents to a . /3 -unsaturated carbonyl compounds.


Based on related analytical data,the hydrocarbon generation potential of Es3 source rocks in Baxian Sag was evaluated from the aspects of organic matter abundance,its type and thermal evolution process,and its source potential was further analyzed.The result reveals that the source rocks with high organic matter abundant are mostly distributed in the middle and lower parts of Es3 and integral evaluation indicates that they are good source rocks Es4 formations,and the grade are good source rocks.The grade of Es3 is medium source rock.The organic matter is mainly of Ⅱ type,and source rocks are at low maturity-maturity stage,they have good hydrocarbon generation potential These manifest that the resource potential of source rocks is high.The result of the hydrocarbon generation history simulation indicates that the Es3 source rocks in Well Xinglong 1 are in the maturity threshold in the Es2 sedimentation period.And now,the Es3 source rocks in the center of the Baxian Sag is at maturity-high maturity stage and slope of it is low maturity-maturity evolution stage.


Various powders of graphene oxide (GO), GO with silver (GO-Ag) and zinc oxide (GO-ZnO) were obtained. The powders were silanized with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) aiming to be used, in a future stage, as additives in the hydraulic lime mortars composition. The powders were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) before and after the silanization process. GO, GO-Ag, GO-Ag-APTES, GO-ZnO and GO-ZnO-APTES powders were also investigated by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG/DTA) and Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Likewise, the antibacterial effect of powders against five bacterial strains was evaluated. The peaks associated to the functional groups from GO, GO-APTES, GO-Ag, GO-Ag-APTES, GO-ZnO and GO-ZnO-APTES powders were identified by FTIR analysis. The mass losses of powders, analyzed by TG/DTA were lower than those recorded for GO. By UV-VIS analysis, maxima corresponding to the electronic π-π * and n-π * transitions were recorded. SEM images highlighted the lamellar and layered structure of GO, but also the presence of Ag and Zn nanoparticles on the surface of graphene sheets. All these results confirm the presence of Ag/ZnO/APTES on the GO. The antibacterial effect evaluated by recording the diameter of the inhibition zone ranged between 12–22 mm.


Gas transmission pipelines are sometimes required to be encased in a larger diameter pipe segment in selected areas, such as under roads or railroad crossings. In time, the casing may become electrically connected to the carrier pipe, either by a metallic short or by an electrolytic path caused by ingress of groundwater through the casing end seals. In the case of a metallic short, the carrier pipe may be shielded from the benefit of the cathodic protection currents. Conventional measurements do not provide an unambiguous indication of the status of the carrier pipe in many situations. This research project was conducted to develop a suitable method. The objectives of the research were: (1) to develop techniques to determine whether the casing and the carrier pipe are effectively isolated from each other or if they are shorted together, and (2) to develop a measurement technique which will allow the degree of cathodic protection of the carrier pipe within an electrolyte-containing annulus region of the casing to be assessed if the casing is not shorted to the carrier pipe.


3D landmark localization plays an important role in many aspects of 3D data processing, from morphometric analysis to the initialization of mesh registration algorithms. In this work we address the problem of landmark localization in 3D point clouds by extending leading 2D landmark localization algorithms to the 3D domain. By leveraging the PointNet++ architecture, we can construct an architecture that is invariant to the ordering of the data. Input point clouds are segmented into background and landmark regions, and offset vectors are calculated within the landmark regions to refine predicted landmark locations. We demonstrate a high landmark localization accuracy, even as the number of points in the input point cloud decreases. By making use of a 3D morphable model as a novel means of data augmentation, improved landmark localization accuracy and consistency can be obtained. We present our results for landmark localization on the human ear.


In order to enhance the activity of cyclic catalyst by natural gas steam reforming, the pore structure of traditional cyclic catalyst was improved by making use of open cell agent and pore forming agent, and the open cell agent SJ and the pore forming agent 2A3H have been selected. Results show that the optimum size of SJ is 200-300 μm and content of 2A3H is 5.0%. The improved cyclic catalyst was developed, and its activity was determined. As compared with traditional catalyst at the same operation conditions, the activity of the improved catalyst increased by 27%-30% at high temperature.


This study aims to determine the perceptions of customers about the ease and security of the use of mobile banking services at Bank Syariah Mandiri branch of Batu Malang. This research includes survey research with quantitative descriptive type. The subject of this research was conducted on the customers of Bank Syariah Mandiri Batu Malang branch using mobile banking services. Technique Data collecting used in this research is by using questionnaire. Sampling technique that is by purposive sampling method
 The results showed that the perception of customers of Bank Syariah Mandiri branch of Malang Batu is positioned agree with the perception of ease with indicator Interaction between individuals with the system is clear and easy to understand, does not need much effort to interact with the system, the system easy to use and easy to operate according to what who want individuals to work, easy to operate the system in accordance with what individuals want to do. As well as variables with perceptions of security with indicators Personal information is kept confidential, safe when the transaction process and the information presented precisely accurate.


Background/purposeCalcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is the most abundant neuropeptide in the skin, followed by substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and other neuropeptides in smaller amounts. The proliferative effect of neuropeptides on fibroblasts may affect wound healing and may be associated with hyperproliferative skin and mesenchymal disorders. Understanding the neuropeptidergic action on fibroblasts may provide relevant information to a deeper comprehension of the healing process. This study reviews the action of the main neuropeptides, CGRP and SP, on cultured human skin fibroblasts.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted on Medline and Web of Science databases on December 21, 2013.ResultsA total of 74 articles were retrieved using the proposed search strategies and 3 were found in the references section of the selected articles. Thirteen of the retrieved articles studied the action of CGRP and SP on cultured human skin fibroblasts, 12 of which related to SP and 1 related to both CGRP and SP.ConclusionOnly one study was retrieved about the action of both CGRP and SP on cultured human skin fibroblasts. Further studies are necessary to investigate CGRP on skin fibroblasts and its role in the fibroplasia phase of wound healing.


MENINGIOMA 1 (MN1) IS REQUIRED FOR APPROPRIATE OSTEOBLAST PROLIFERATION, MOTILITY, DIFFERENTIATION AND FUNCTION Xiaoxue Zhang, Diane R. Dowd, Meika C. Moore, Tanya A. Kranenburg, Magda A. Meester-Smoor, Ellen C. Zwarthoff, and Paul N. MacDonald* Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 Dept. of Genetics and Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105 Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Running head: MN1 promotes osteoblast differentiation Address correspondence to: Paul N. MacDonald, Ph.D. Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Tel. 216-368-2466, Fax. 216-368-3395, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


Control systems in many fields require perfect time accuracy and reliability. That is why guaranteed real-time behavior is needed. It is evident by the growing trend of the use of fieldbuses in building of Networked Control Systems. The software layer has a very significant influence on the system performance and requires thorough examination before the utilisation of a specific real-time system. The goal of this paper is to present and examine run-time environments that support real-time capabilities. We compare the performance of RTAI and Java Real-Time System in controlling of a sample plant with quick response and present our previously developed real control systems that are based on the use of RTAI that runs the real-time layer of the control system and Java that is responsible for the user interaction. Key-Words: Real-time control, RTAI, Java Real-Time System, RC-RC filter, Networked Control Systems, Fieldbus


BACKGROUND: Accidental IV administration of bupivacaine can compromise cardiovascular function by inducing lethal arrhythmias whose hemodynamic consequences may be alleviated by lipid emulsions. However, little is known about the electrophysiologic effects of lipid emulsions. In this study, we assessed whether 2 different lipid emulsions can reverse cardiac electrophysiologic impairment induced by the IV administration of bupivacaine in anesthetized and mechanically ventilated piglets. METHODS: Bupivacaine (4 mg · kg−1) was injected over a 30-second period in 26 piglets. Thirty seconds after the end of bupivacaine injection, 1.5 mL · kg−1 saline solution for the control group, and long-chain triglyceride emulsion (LCT group) or a mixture of long-chain and medium-chain triglyceride emulsion (LCT/MCT group) were infused over 1 minute. Cardiac conduction variables and hemodynamic variables were monitored for 30 minutes after injection. RESULTS: Bupivacaine induced similar electrophysiologic and hemodynamic changes. After 3 minutes, His ventricle intervals (median and interquartiles) were 100 (85–105), 45 (35–55), and 53 (48–73) milliseconds in the control, LCT, and LCT/MCT groups, respectively (P < 0.001 between control and both lipid emulsion groups). Lipid emulsions also reversed the effects on QRS duration, atrial-His, and PQ (the onset of the P wave to the Q wave of the QRS complex) intervals. LCT/MCT emulsion restored the decrease in maximal first derivative of left ventricular pressure (P < 0.01 after 3 minutes versus control group). CONCLUSIONS: LCT and LCT/MCT emulsions reversed the lengthening of His ventricle, QRS, atrial-His, and PQ intervals induced by the IV injection of 4 mg · kg−1 bupivacaine.


Mandibular fractures are common in small animal surgery and their relevance is directly linked to the functional importance of this bone. They usually result from injuries resulting from being run over, falling, and fighting, with the highest incidence between the first premolar and the second molar. The goal of treating jaw fractures will be to return to normal function with perfect or satisfactory dental occlusion so that the animal can return to eating normally. At the veterinary clinic Zoodonto, a canine species, female, SRD, with three years of age, weighing 18.4 kg, presenting dental malocclusion due to consolidated bilateral fracture of the mandible body, between the 1st and 2nd lower molars between the 1st and 2nd left lower premolars. The surgical technique used was a fracture of bone calluses with chisel and hammer, repositioning of the jaw, and fixation with steel wire using the non-invasive technique of bonding and acrylic resin bisacrylate. Knowledge of the type, frequency, and therapies used in mandibular fractures is of fundamental importance for a veterinary clinic. It is necessary to improve the techniques for fixing, correcting, and stabilizing fractures that occur with a greater incidence, thus increasing efficiency in their