The total organic carbon(TOC),nitrogen(TN) and stable carbon isotopic composition((δ(()~(13)C))) of organic matter(OM) were investigated,and the origin and accumulation rate of OM in the Pearl River estuary and adjacent coastal waters were estimated using(δ(()~(13)C)) as a reliable indicator.The results showed that in the estuary,OM was derived from mixed sources of terrestrial(52%) and marine(48%) origins,whereas OM in the coastal waters was mainly from marine sources(93%).The content of terrestrial OC(T-OC) in the estuary was 5.4 (mg/g),which was much higher than that in the coastal waters(0.49 (mg/g)).In recent years,the accumulation rate of TOC and T-OC in the estuary was estimated to be 5.57 and 2.2-3.6(mg/(cm~2·a)),respectively,suggesting that the Pearl River estuary received lots of terrestrial nutrient matter imported from the Pearl River during the last 30-40 years of the 20th century,due to increased urbanization and sewage effluent discharge.The accumulation rate of marine OC(A-OC) also increased in recent years in both the estuary and coastal waters,with a maximum of 3.6(mg/(cm~2·a)) in the estuary,suggesting that nutrient enrichment might have led to estuarine and coastal eutrophication.This would increase primary productivity in the water column.


Citation/Atıf: Afshari, L. (2021). Distribution of achaemenid period settlements on the Southwest Iran-Khuzestan Ramhormoz plain with survey data. Anadolu AraştırmalarıAnatolian Research, 25, 103–115. https://doi.org/10.26650/anar.2021.1029738 ABSTRACT The Ramhormoz region in south and southwest Iran and its large-scale geography extends to the northern highlands of present-day modern Khuzestan. Despite its significance for its connection with the Susa-Persopolis Road during the Achaemenid period, the region did not attract archaeological attention until 1948s. Even in its brevity, the results of the 1969 Wright-Carter survey showed that the Ramhormoz region is promising in shedding light on the relation between the highlands and lowlands of southwest Iran. As a result of new archaeological data and the survey conducted under my supervision, the characteristics of the Achaemenid settlements on the Ramhormoz plain in Southwest Iran were reanalyzed. The influence of geographical factors such as the presence of large rivers and fertile lands on the formation and prosperity of the settlements, and the relations between sedentary, rural, and nomadic communities were examined. It was thus revealed that proximity to commercial roads and access to water resources and pasture were the main determinants in the distribution model of Achaemenid settlements. Rich pastures for nomads, the potential for irrigated agriculture for settlers, and access to communication routes provided advantages for both lifestyles (Alizadeh, 1979). The socio-political control and settlement pattern organized by the central political power in the Late Elamite Period continued in the Achaemenid period as well. Therefore, the settlement pattern is more associated with roads. When the location of the settlements and their distance to each other are examined, it is seen that the frequency of settlements on the Susa-Persepolis Royal Road is very high. Settlements are located on the road within short distances of each other, which shows that the road is a determining factor on settlements in the region due to its socio-economic advantages. During the Achaemenid period, as in the previous period, while settlements continued their development on the slopes of the mountains and on the edge of the plain, they were mainly concentrated in the center of the plain. During this period, the size of the settlements increased, which is indicative of population growth on the Ramhormoz plain during the Achaemenid period.


Pyrolysis and photolysis of 3,4,5-triphenyl-4-phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene-4-oxide and the 1:1 adduct of diazomethane with 1,2,5-triphenylphosphole oxide lead to the formation of compounds of for...


This study investigated the relationship between total short-pulse CO 2 laser irradiation intensity and bone regeneration in rabbit nasal bone. Forty-eight rabbits (12- 16 weeks: 2.5-3.0 kg) were used in this study. After the cranial bone was exposed under general anesthesia, CO 2 laser irradiation was applied directly to the nasal bone under various conditions. Laser irradiation pulses with a spike pulse width of 360 ns, a pulse tail length of 92.6 ms, and an irradiation intensity per pulse of 650 mJ/ cm 2 were applied in a multipulse mode at a frequency of 50 Hz. The rabbits were divided into four groups of six, in which a energy density of 88 J/cm 2 (Group A), 220 J/cm 2 (Group B), 441 J/cm 2 (Group C), or 661 J/cm 2 (Group D) was applied. The rabbits were sacrificed 8 and 16 weeks after the procedure, and tissue sections were assessed histologically. Bone regeneration in the maxillary sinus was observed in groups A, B, and C at 8 and 16 weeks, but not in group D. The surface area ratio of new bone was significantly higher in group A. 88 J/cm 2 was the most effective energy density for bone regeneration.


(1-x)SiO2-(x)TiO2 composite fibers with various compositions of TiO2 were prepared by electrospinning their sol-gel precursors of titanium (IV) iso-propoxide (TiP), and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The surface morphology and structure of sintered composite fibers were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). As the content of TiO2 in (1-x)SiO2-(x)TiO2 system was increased the average diameter of composite fibers was proportionally increased. Also, the transformation of TiO2 from anatase to rutile form was inhibited by the highly dispersed TiO2 around SiO2 particles up to 0.6SiO2-0.4TiO2 composite fibers even after calcination at 1000 ℃. The photocatalytic activity of SiO2-TiO2 composite fibers was examined for the methylene blue (MB) decomposition which was confirmed using UV-vis/DRS spectra. The experiments demonstrated that the MB in aqueous solution was successfully photodegraded using SiO2-TiO2 composite nanofibers under UV-visible light irradiation.


we the paper "Spatial variability of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde and residential exposure of children in the industrial area of Viadana, Northern Italy" et and to out some issues reports the concentration of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde evaluated within the "Viadana III" study, com-missioned to the by the local authority Val and uses data from monitoring campaigns were conducted by ARPA Lombardia using Radiello®-type radial diffusive samplers at 25 sites identified in an area of 10 km 2 around the centre of a in Northern The measurements were conducted in 5 weeks from 21 November to 27 December 2017 (winter season) and from 8 May to 12 June 2018 (summer season).


No person better defined the collaborative gestalt of queer Chicano art practices than Joey Terrill. As a principal figure in the Escandalosa Circle, he bore witness to his friends' HIV infection and eventual demise. This chapter examines the queer visual testimonios engendered by his scene paintings and portraits. As it follows his excursions between coasts, it shows him rendering sights of contagion, whether on a Fire Island beach in New York or a hazardous garden in Beverly Hills. Terrill's retrospectively eyes his HIV transmission in self-analytical portraits tempered by a pathogenic time stamp, creating what is arguably the most consistent visual account of AIDS in American art. The implications of his queer visual testimonios on canvas and paper have profound meaning for collectors rearticulating their domestic environments with traces of Terrill's retrospective examinations of HIV infection and terminal illness.


We find the term of "false friends of translator" in the book of M. Koessler and J. Derocquigny published in 1928 and 1961. The problem was discussed by J. Dalbernet (Dalbernet, 1981, pp. 2-6), V. V. Akulenko (Akulenko, 1969, 1972), L. I. Borisova (Borisova, 1982, 2005), R. A. Budagov (Budagov, 1976), K. Gotlieb (Gotlieb, 1972), V. V. Dubichiski (Dubichinski, 1991), L. Dupont (Dupont, 1961, 1965), and V. L. Muraviev (Muraviev, 1985). What is the reason of this connection between French and English vocabulary? We know that in 1066 Great Britain was conquered by the Duke of Normandy. So the conquerors spoke French. That is why many French words, especially those of abstract meaning, entered English. It is necessary to mention their mutual contacts during the centuries. They differ by their pronunciation and often by their orthography. Sometimes the part of speech is also different. In many cases only one meaning is different. It is necessary to distinguish "false friends" from "internationalisms" like heresy, heretic, illusion, imagination, imitation, immigration, imminent, immobile, impression, modification, pessimism, proportion, and so on. Examples of "false friends": abandon (en.) v. – to leave someone or something somewhere; to stop doing something; abandon (fr.) n. – abandonment; academic (en.) adj. – related to education; clever; not real; académique (fr.) adj. – related to academy; conventional; academic (en.) n. – someone who teaches at a university or college; académicien (fr.) n. – member of any academy; accommodate (en.) v. – to have enough space somewhere for a number of things or people; to do what someone wants to provide someone with a place to live or stay; accommoder (fr.) v. – to season; coordinate; admission (en.) n. – the money that you pay to enter a place; when you agree that you did something bad, or that something bad is true; permission; admission (fr.) n. – assumption;


The invention discloses a method for manufacturing a foam ceramic heat-insulation plate with closed pores. The method includes mixing from 50 to 70% of fly ash, from 10 to 25% of Ninghai clay micro-powder, from 5 to 20% of glass powder, from 5 to 10% of talc powder and from 0.7 to 3% of foaming agent to obtain mixture, and dry-grinding the mixture to obtain uniformly mixed powder; and flatly laying the powder in a sagger with alumina powder flatly laid at the bottom, sintering the powder in a sagger with the alumina powder flatly laid at the bottom in oxidizing atmosphere at the temperature ranging from 1230 DEG C to 1260 DEG C, for 0.5 to 2 hours, cooling along with a furnace, and obtaining the foam ceramic heat-insulation plate. The fly ash is used as a main raw material for manufacturing the foam ceramic heat-insulation plate, and accordingly the method is favorable for saving natural resources, reducing production cost and protecting environments. In addition, the fly ash has hollow micro-beads and a honeycomb body which have characteristics of low heat conductivity, high-temperature resistance and the like. Besides, the closing porosity of foam ceramics reaches 75% at least, and the tensile strength reaches 0.2MPa at least.


This slide is of a rock formation with cave entrance near the water in the Amistad National Recreation Area on the U.S. portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. The slide casing has been labelled by Dr. Robert G. Campbell with the following information: Trip # 286, United States, XXIII, E8, Amistad NRA, Panther Cave/Front, November 1979.


Adapting small scale household biogas to the conditions of local farmer households is crucial for the success of the technology.A survey was conducted in 2009~2010 on the current state of biogas facility construction and the problems related with using the facilities in Hebei Plain.A logistic model was built to quantitatively analyze the factors affecting farmers' will to adopt small scale household biogas facilities in the region.Results showed most farmers were willing to adopt the facility.And governmental biogas extension section was the main resource for the farmers to learn the small scale household biogas.The service system needed to be improved to facilitate the application of the facility.The affecting factors analysis showed that low education levels of household heads negatively influenced the will to adopt the technology.Per-capita net income of farm families and excess labor in families were positively correlated with farmers' will.Therefore,for developing the small scale household biogas facilities in rural areas,not only farmers' needs and economic abilities were important,system equity and efficiency were also key points.The personal characteristics of farm family members,features of households and household agro-enterprises were critical too.A comprehensively sustainable adoption required provision of services and supports by the relevant sectors and government.


www.thelancet.com/respiratory Vol 4 May 2016 345 The enormous health benefi ts conferred by PCVs are without doubt, but we should recognise that their widespread use has induced a massive perturbation in the population-level immunity to pneumococcus over a very short period of time. The organism is certain to adapt in an eff ort to evade the consequences of that immunity and assure its survival. There is an essential need for ongoing multidimensional assessments of PCV impact in the community across diverse epidemiological settings, yet there is no consensus on what this portfolio of evidence should include to optimise the billions of dollars spent on PCV. Failure to adapt schedules could mean administration of unnecessary doses, dosing schedules that are not optimised for the age distribution of remaining cases, and the potential for unrecognised resurgence of some serotypes could mean we lose some value of these vaccines. Although studies of vaccine impact and eff ectiveness have not been aff orded the same attention as more upstream links in the vaccine value chain, these post-licensure studies are absolutely necessary to assure us that the promise of vaccines, and of PCV in particular, is realised.


Crystal orientation effects on electronic properties of a WZ GaN/AlGaN quantum well (QW) with spontaneous (SP) and piezoelectric (PZ) polarization are invetigated using the multiband effective-mass theory. The interband transition energy for the flat-band (FB) model without SP and PZ polarization shows a slow decrease with increasing crystal angle. On the other hand, the self-consistent (SC) model shows a significant redshift for cystal angles near θ=0 and a rapid increase of the interband transition energy due to the reduced SP and PZ ploarization effects. The SC model also shows that the matrix elements are significantly reduced near the (0001) orientation due to the large spatial separation between electron and hole wave functions. However, it is observed that the matrix elements rapidly increase with crystal orientation. In the case of the average hole effective mass, both SC and FB models show that their effective mass is significantly reduced near the (1010) crystal orientation. These results mean that the non-(0001) QWs, particularly the (1010) QWs, have a much smaller effective mass and larger matrix elements compared to those of the conventional (0001)-oriented QW.


INTRATHECAL infusion of baclofen is a Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for spasticity. Although animal studies indicate that baclofen has analgesic properties when injected spinally, there are few reports of intrathecal baclofen use for the treatment of pain in humans, and most of those studies have examined its use in patients with central pain associated with spinal cord injury.24 We have found that intrathecal baclofen provides persistent analgesia in some patients with chronic pain not associated with spasticity. The drug has been effective in multiple clinical situations when other treatments have failed or produced intolerable side effects. As in animal studies, 5 it is effective in patients who have become tolerant to intrathecal morphine and provides analgesia at doses that do not produce motor dysfunction. Here we present a series of case reports. Table 1 provides a summary of these cases.


The present paper aims at shedding light on the relationship between interactive teaching and learners' autonomy. Interactive teaching means involving learners in the lesson through increased use of higher order questions and encouraging them to ask questions, to answer them, and to justify. It is exposing learners to new ideas. It values students' prior ideas and aims at empowering students to be independent learners. It demands teachers to take less dominant role and the learners are encouraged to be responsible managers of their own learning. It should be seen as a whole approach to integrating episodes of teaching into a lesson. One factor, among others, that focuses on interactive lessons is an increase in the level of autonomy. The relevance of the notion of learner autonomy as a goal in formal education contexts has in turn produced a need for teachers to develop expertise in pedagogy for autonomy. Autonomy in learning means people taking more control over their learning in classrooms and outside and taking more control over their purposes for which they learn language and the ways in which they learn them. A student becoming autonomous means gradually and individually acquiring the capacity to conduct his own learning program, progressively becomes his own teacher and constructs and evaluates his learning program himself.


OBJECTIVE
Patients with inoperable multilobar hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B, who have failed other liver-directed treatment options, are ideal candidates for transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with Yttrium-90 (Y-90)-labeled glass spheres. There is limited data regarding variables that impact the prognosis and outcome in these patients. 99mTc-MAA scan for lung shunt fraction (LSF) and F-FDG PET/CT are performed during initial workup. We, therefore, decided to assess the prognostic impact of LSF and metabolic parameters, such as maximum SUVmax, MTV and TLG in patients undergoing TARE for HCC.

METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed 64 patients of HCC, between January 2010 and December 2016, deemed suitable for TARE. Pre-TARE LSF was computed on 99mTc MAA scan, and SUVmax, MTV and TLG on fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography were measured using automated software by 3D region of interest. LSF and PET parameters were stratified using optimal cut-offs derived from receiver operating curve analysis. Survival curves for the groups were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using log-rank test.

RESULTS
Overall survival (OS) was 15 months. In univariate analysis, high LSF (greater than 7.19), MTV and TLG were statistically significant and were associated with poor OS. In multivariate analysis, TLG (P value 0.044), MTV (P value 0.290) and LSF (P value 0.010) were independent predictors of outcome, after adjustment for significant univariate variables. However, SUVmax was not statistically significant for OS.

CONCLUSIONS
LSF, MTV and TLG are significant independent prognostic indicators of outcome in patients undergoing TARE for HCC.


One of the major methods of manufacturing steel bonded carbides by Powder Metallurgy Techniques have been investigated. The variables affect-ing the morphology of the microstructure have been observed and experimentally determined. Methods of achieving theoretical density as well as 35% porosity have been reviewed. Mercury porosimetry tests have been carried out to determine porosity and ave·rage porous size~


The invention relates to the electric spark punching field, and discloses a water pressure nozzle-converging chuck which comprises a piston and a piston cylinder sleeve, the piston cylinder sleeve is externally covered closely on the outer edge of the piston, the water-compressing nozzle-converging chuck also comprises a connector, an elastic converging nozzle and a converging nozzle sleeve through high pressure water, the piston base of the piston is connected with the connector, an oil cylinder structure is formed by the connector, the piston and the piston cylinder sleeve, the elastic converging nozzle comprises a converging nozzle base and is connected on the head part of a piston rod of the piston through the converging nozzle base which is provided with a plurality of elastic converging nozzle petals, a cone with a through-hole in the center is formed by the plurality of the converging nozzle petals, the top of which is provided with a frustum, wherein the frustum has a diameter becomes larger from the top to the bottom; and a converging nozzle is externally covered on the outer edge of the elastic converging nozzle and is closely matched with the elastic converging nozzle. The invention utilizes a high pressure water to clamp a copper tube, can be used conveniently, and has no adverse effect on the processing quality and the copper tube.


This cross-sectional study investigates changes in physical activity among adults in South Korea from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic.


The goals of this scoping study are to identify research needed to develop improved ventilation standards for California's Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. The 2008 Title 24 Standards are the primary target for the outcome of this research, but this scoping study is not limited to that timeframe. We prepared this scoping study to provide the California Energy Commission with broad and flexible options for developing a research plan to advance the standards. This document presents the findings of a scoping study commissioned by the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program of the California Energy Commission to determine what research is necessary to develop new residential ventilation requirements for California. This study is one of three companion efforts needed to complete the job of determining the ventilation needs of California residences, determining the bases for setting residential ventilation requirements, and determining appropriate ventilation technologies to meet these needs and requirements in an energy efficient manner. Rather than providing research results, this scoping study identifies important research questions along with the level of effort necessary to address these questions and the costs, risks, and benefits of pursuing alternative research questions. In approaching these questions and corresponding levels of effort, feasibility and timing were important considerations. The Commission has specified Summer 2005 as the latest date for completing this research in time to update the 2008 version of California's Energy Code (Title 24).


It is expected that academic staff at research intensive higher education institutions are capable and competent academic writers. Yet, where and how do early career academics develop this writing capacity outside of their doctoral or postdoctoral writing experiences? Various forms of workshops and mentorships can be implemented. They can involve formal or informal gatherings of people committed to achieving writing goals within a specific period of time (Badenhorst et al., 2016). For academic writing, Olszewska and Lock (2016) identified two models - "Structured and Guided Process" (p. 136) and "Open Forum with Retreat" (p. 137). Further, what role can a virtual writing group play in developing academic writing capacity? The authors developed and implemented three iterations of a virtual writing group series. Initially, the pilot study of the writing group began with a senior and early career academic located in Canada and Australia. In the additional iterations, the senior academic, along with a group of early career academics, engaged in the virtual writing group experience. Personal writing goals were identified prior to commencement of each eight-week series. Members met weekly for 30-minute synchronous meetings wherein they talked about their writing. Meeting topics were generative in nature to support the needs of the participants. During the week, each member was committed to personal writing time (e.g., up to two hours). An integral component of the writing group was peer editing. Together, the virtual writing group initiative was strategic to support prioritizing writing. For each iteration, a research study was conducted to gain insight into the participants' experiences, and to learn of personal academic writing development. The findings resulted in five major themes: 1) Attributes that impact success; 2) Supportive characteristics; 3) Supportive processes; 4) Challenges; and 5) Benefits. The findings from the study suggest that it is possible for early career researchers to continue their writing development through accessible online means, while having the flexibility to allocate their own personal writing time. From the study focus on the practical application of a virtual writing group. It is recommended that future study explore how different forms of technology supports community development within the group, as well as members' influence on the replication of virtual writing group models with their own students.


Graphite fluoride (CFx) cathodes coupled with lithium anodes yield one of the highest theoretical specific capacities (>860 mAh/g) among primary batteries. In practice, the observed discharge volta...


Over the last few years optical bistability has been predicted and/or observed in a number of configurations involving a nonlinear medium placed inside an interferometer and irradiated by a laser field1.


We study the best M\"obius approximations (BMA) to convex and concave conformal mappings of the disk, including the special case of mappings onto convex polygons. The crucial factor is the location of the poles of the BMAs. Finer details are possible in the case of polygons through special properties of Blaschke products and the prevertices of the mapping function.


The invention relates to a method for calculating the local magnification and / or the local distortion of a spectacle lens in at least one predetermined or predeterminable viewing direction, wherein the spectacle lens is designed for correction of a refraction deficit of an eye and has at least a first object-side surface and a second eye-side surface, comprising the steps of: - calculating for the predetermined or predeterminable viewing direction of the profile of a main beam, which extends from a predetermined or predeterminable infinitesimally small object starts and after refraction by the lens by the ocular pivot point of the eye, through the entrance pupil of the eye or through the main plane of the eye; - determining the principal curvatures and direction of an associated the main beam local wavefront when breaking through the spectacle lens; - calculating the local magnification and / or the local distortion of the lens from the determined principal curvatures and directions of the local wave front, the data of the course of the main beam and the data of the spectacle lens.


Summary The ability to shed (autotomize) all or part of the tail, usually in response to predator attack, and often to subsequently regenerate it is widespread in lizards and amphisbaenians and also occurs in a few snakes and in the tuatara. Most species possess a sophisticated intravertebral autotomy mechanism which seems to be primitive in the Squamata. This appears to have been independently lost in members of many groups, but some agamids and snakes have regained the ability to shed their tails by a simpler intervertebral means and a number of agamids have also redeveloped tail regeneration as well. Breakable tails are used to evade capture in two main ways: by enabling reptiles to break away from predators that have grasped them by the tail and by providing a distraction which deflects the attention of the attacker away from the vulnerable head and body. It is argued that loss of caudal autotomy has occurred when the costs of tail shedding outweigh its benefits. Likely costs include the expense of re...


Abstrak: This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the addition of the cow rumen fluid content of organic waste in producing biogas as a handout biotechnology development in the field of animal husbandry in the high school class XII., The study was conducted in March-April 2015. This research was carried out by two phases: biogas production using experimental research and development stage handout. Experimental study was conducted using completely randomized design (CRD), which consists of 4 treatments and 3 replicates in order to obtain 12 experimental design. If there is a difference between treatments meal test Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5%. The parameters observed biogas volume, pH, temperature and flame. The addition of the cow rumen fluid content of 250 ml best produce biogas. Where produce biogas volume as much as 447.68 cm³, pH 6, the temperature of 35oC and produce a blue flame. Results of the study was developed as a handout that the material application of biotechnology in the field of animal husbandry. Kata kunci: handout , bioteknologi peternakan, cairan isi rumen sapi, biogas


Abstract Using 35 keV electron impact spectroscopy, the asymmetry of the Compton profile of ammonia has been determined experimentally and the line shape studied as a function of momentum transfer K. Even at K = 12.5 a.u., the symmetry predicted by the impulse approximation does not hold. Preliminary results are also reported for He and N2.


In the Report by C. Fraser et al. ["Pandemic potential of a strain of influenza A (H1N1): Early findings," 19 June, p. [1557][1]], the authors used data, collected by their own agency, that had not been made public. It is not uncommon for researchers to have access to privileged data from


From the characteristics of ecological tourism island,the paper makes necessary adjustment and expansion to the regulatory planning control elements of ecological island based on comparison and analysis of regulatory planning control elements of the city.Regulatory planning system based on land use,environmental capacity,architectural characters,non-development land,behavior and others is proposed.Besides,further planning exploration of the controlling system of ecological island are made based on the case of regulatory planning of the Langqi Island in Mawei new town,Fuzhou.


The prediction of neighborhood reaction to industrial noise can be a complex problem, particularly when the noise sources are intermittent in time and distributed spatially throughout the industrial plant area. In a recent study, such a situation was examined and solved using the method of "composite noise rating," developed some years ago for application to the aircraft‐ and airport‐noise problems. By this technique, the various parameters relating to the source, the transmission path, and the exposed community are combined to produce contours of equal subjective exposure around the source area. By correlating these contours with different levels of community reaction, we may then differentiate between land areas which will or will not be suited to future development.


The typical pharmacovigilance system master file (PSMF) is presented. MPSF was created on the basis of the Rules of good pharmacovigilance practice for the members of Eurasian economic Union countries. Possible ways of the description of the pharmacovigilance system, all the possible types of MPSP and constituent standard operating procedures are considered. Practical recommendations on preparation and using of MFSF are given.


ZnO:Al thin films were prepared by the sol-gel dip-coating process on soda-lime glass substrates.The physical and chemical changes of the precursors during thermal treatment were analyzed by the thermogravimetry-differential scanning calo-rimetry curves and the crystalline quality was characterized by X-ray diffraction.The results show that the crystallization process of ZnO:Al thin films is comprised of two stages:the primary nucleation and crystal growth stage,occurring at~300 ℃ and the per-fection of crystallization at~500 ℃.In the range of 413-523 ℃,the films are composed of a hybrid of ZnO:Al and residual carbon.At~530 ℃,the residual carbon is oxidized completely and ZnO:Al begins to crystallize continuously,which produces film with perfect crystallization quality.Hence,the optimal preheating and post-heat treatment temperatures of the film are 420 and 530 ℃,respectively.According to scanning electron microscopy observation,the post-heated film at 530 ℃ has a homogenous dense texture,and has the minimum sheet resistance of 140 ?/□ after annealing at 400 ℃ in vacuum.The visible optical transmittance of all the films is greater than 90%.In addition,the annealing treatment in vacuum is greatly beneficial to the electrical conductivity.


ABSTRACT : Different concentrations of ethanolic extract of Mentha piperata leaves were tested against the adult apterous females and third instar nymphs of aphid Aphis gossypii infesting okra crop. This aphid is a major limiting factor for the profitable cultivation of okra. The aphicidal activity of Mentha piperata extract was examined on Aphis gossypii with the counted number of third instar nymphs and adult viviparous females. The 2% concentration of the extract has resulted in 100% mortality of nymphs and adults in 72hrs. and 96hrs. time period respectively. The lower concentration of 1.5% also caused 100% mortality but required more time of 96hrs. At 2% concentration the LT 50 value for nymphs and adults were 13.37 and 26.66hrs. The extract of M. piperata can be used as a potent insecticide for the control of cotton aphid A. gossypii infesting okra plants. Key words: Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii , Insecticidal activity, Mentha piperata , okra crop Pest and Parasite Research laboratory, Post Graduate Dept. of Zoology, Bareilly College, Bareilly- 243005 (U.P.) Please Cite This Article As: Sunita Sharma and Kavita Vidyarthi. 2010. Insecticidal Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Mentha piperata Leaves against Cotton Aphid Aphis gossypii Glover on Okra Crop ( Abelmoschus esculentus ). J. Exp. Sci. 1(5):11-13.


The present study, using a cuing paradigm, reexamined the claim of an attentional bias toward fearful faces. In Experiment 1, participants searched a target display for a letter in a specific color. This target display was preceded by a non-informative cue display, which contained colored boxes (one in the target color and one in the distractor color) or emotional faces (one fearful face and one neutral face). Each cue could appear in the same location as the target (validly cued) or different (invalidly cued). To determine whether the cues captured attention, we used an electrophysiological measure of spatial attention known as the N2pc effect. The target color cue produced a substantial N2pc effect and a robust cue validity effect on behavioral data, indicating capture by stimuli that match what participants are looking for. However, neither effect was present for the task-irrelevant fearful face cue. These findings suggest that negative stimuli (such as fearful facial expressions) do not generally have the inherent power to capture spatial attention against our will. Experiment 2 showed that these same fearful faces could capture attention when fearful expressions became task-relevant. Thus, the critical determinant of capture appears to be task-relevance, rather than perceived threat. Attentional Capture by Fearful Emotion 3 Capture by Fear Revisited: An Electrophysiological Investigation The processing of facial expression is important for our daily social interactions. These expressions signal what actions are most appropriate in a given moment. For instance, seeing a person sitting across from you with a fearful facial expression would raise your awareness of a possible threat in the environment (e.g., a dangerous animal) and subsequently prompt appropriate action to avoid that threat. Thus, the efficient processing of facial expression likely has some survival value, which might have led to a psychological adaption. Much effort has been devoted to understanding how attention influences the processing of facial emotion, as well as how facial emotion influences subsequent attention (e.g., Allen, Lien, & Ruthruff, 2011; Frischen, Eastwood, & Smilek, 2008; Öhman & Mineka, 2001; Palermo & Rhodes, 2007). Some studies have suggested that the processing of emotionally salient faces occurs automatically, even when spatial attention is allocated to another task (e.g., Eastwood, Smilek, & Merikle, 2003; Ikeda, Sugiura, & Hasegawa, 2013; Vuilleumier & Schwartz, 2001; but see Eimer, Holmes, & McGlone, 2003; Holmes, Vuilleumier, & Eimer, 2003; Okon-Singer, Tzelgov, & Henik, 2007; Pessoa, McKenna, Gutierrez, & Underleider, 2002). Nevertheless, those findings do not necessarily indicate that emotionally salient faces, when completely taskirrelevant, can capture spatial attention to their location. Although some studies have attempted to clarify this issue, they have provided inconclusive findings (e.g., Eimer & Kiss, 2007; Fenker et al., 2010; Hodsoll, Viding, & Lavie, 2011; Pourtois, Grandjean, Sander, & Vuilleumier, 2004). The present study revisited this issue, focusing on the case of fearful emotional expressions. Attentional Capture by Fearful Faces While numerous neurophysiological studies have revealed that brain processes are different for fearful faces and neutral faces (e.g., Vuilleumier, Armony, Driver, & Dolan, 2001), Attentional Capture by Fearful Emotion 4 it is not clear whether fearful faces can actually trigger involuntary shifts of spatial attention. Eimer and Kiss (2007) examined this issue using event-related potentials (ERPs). They used an ERP component that is very specifically related to shifts of visual/spatial attention, not emotional processing – the N2pc effect (short for N2-posterior-contralateral; Luck & Hillyard, 1990). The N2pc effect is an increased negativity over posterior scalp contralateral to an attended stimulus, typically peaking about 170-270 ms after the onset of that stimulus. In other words, the ERP at a given electrode in the right hemisphere becomes more negative when attention is directed to a left-hemifield stimulus (contralateral) than to a right-hemifield stimulus (ipsilateral), and vice versa. The N2pc effect, therefore, can be quantified as the average difference between contralateral and ipsilateral voltage. It can provide both temporal (when) and spatial (where) information regarding an attentional shift, and has been widely used as a sensitive and specific index of attention capture in recent years (e.g., Eimer & Kiss, 2008; Lien, Croswaite, Ruthruff, 2011; Lien, Ruthruff, & Cornett, 2010; Lien, Ruthruff, Goodin, & Remington, 2008; Sawaki & Luck, 2010). In Eimer and Kiss (2007), participants detected infrequent luminance changes in the central fixation cross while six faces were presented simultaneously on each side of the fixation cross. One of the faces was an emotional face singleton: one fearful face among 11 neutral faces, or one neutral face among 11 fearful faces. They found that fearful face singletons elicited N2pc effects, but less so on luminance change trials compared to no change trials. While the attenuation of N2pc effects was also observed for the neutral face singleton, the N2pc effects were reversed in both the luminance change and no change conditions, suggesting that attention was allocated to the hemifield opposite to the neutral face singleton, where all 6 faces were fearful. This finding is consistent with the view that fearful faces can capture attention Attentional Capture by Fearful Emotion 5 involuntarily even when attention is narrowly focused on a non-emotional target (see also Hodsoll et al., 2011; Ikeda et al., 2013). Eimer and Kiss (2007) provided provocative evidence for attentional capture by fearful faces. Their finding seems to suggest a parallel search process for facial expressions, leading to a pop-out effect (see also Byrne & Eysenck, 1995; Derakshan & Koster, 2010; Öhman, Lundqvist, & Esteves, 2001). Nevertheless, some studies have shown that visual search in face displays is typically serial and capacity-limited (e.g., Bindemann, Burton, & Jenkins, 2005; Horstmann & Becker, 2008; Nothdurft, 1993). In particular, Nothdurft found that response time (RT) to detect a sad face among several homogeneous happy faces increased as the number of faces in the display increased. Furthermore, in Eimer and Kiss (2007), the target appeared rarely, leaving the participants with little to do on most trials, perhaps causing their spatial attention to wander around. Thus, capture by fearful faces may not be fully involuntary (against their will) but rather deliberate. Finally, singletoness and fearfulness were deliberately confounded in Eimer and Kiss. Perhaps the fearful face singleton did not capture attention because it was fearful, but rather because it was a singleton. Note that the fearful face presumably stood out against its neighbors because it typically had a much larger mouth and eyes. Eimer and Kiss attempted to address this concern by showing that a neutral face among fearful faces did not capture attention (rather, the opposite was true) even though it was also a singleton. Nevertheless, features that are smaller than the neighboring features probably do not stand out nearly as well as those that are larger than the neighboring features (e.g., Proulx & Green, 2011). Consistent with this claim, Derakshan and Koster (2010) found faster detection of an angry face target when among a background of neutral faces than when among a background of happy faces (see also Nothdurft, 1993). Assuming that angry face features are more similar in Attentional Capture by Fearful Emotion 6 size to happy face features (e.g., open mouth) than neutral face features, this finding suggests that factors such as distinctive features, rather than just pure capture by emotion, may have contributed to Eimer and Kiss' (2007) findings (see also Fenker et al., 2012). Arguably, the conclusion in favor of capture by fearful expressions would be more convincing if the fearful face was not a singleton. Pourtois et al. (2004) appears to provide such an example. They presented two faces – one emotionally salient (either fearful or happy) and one emotionally neutral – as irrelevant cues in a cuing paradigm. These two faces appeared in the upper-left and upper-right visual fields for 100 ms. Between 100 and 300 ms after the offset of the faces, a target bar (either horizontal or vertical) appeared in one of the face locations for 150 ms. Coincident with target bar onset, either the horizontal or vertical segment of the center fixation cross became thicker. Participants were to press a single key when the orientation of the target bar matched the orientation of the thicker segment of the fixation cross (go trials) and to withhold the response when they did not match (no-go trials). The critical manipulation was whether the emotionally salient faces (fearful vs. happy) validly cued the target location (50% valid vs. 50% invalid). Pourtois et al. (2004) were interested in how those face cues would modulate performance on the non-emotional target task. Behavioral RT data on go trials showed a cue validity effect for fearful faces but not happy faces, suggesting capture by fearful faces. They also used four ERP indices of attention capture – the C1 (reflecting early V1 activity), P1, N1 (reflecting early visual processing; Luck, Heinze, Mangun, & Hillyard, 1990; Mangun, 1995; Rotshtein et al., 2010), and N170 (reflecting precategorical structural encoding of the faces; e.g., Bentin, Allison, Puce, Perez, & McCarthy, 1996). They found that ERP data time-locked to target bar onset on no-go trials revealed a cue validity effect on P1 for the fearful face cue but Attentional Capture by Fearful Emotion 7 not for the happy face cue. Also, ERPs time-locked to face cue onset showed a larger C1 to the fearful face than the happy face. Pourtois et al. concluded that "fearful faces


A statistical procedure is developed to adjust natural streamflows simulated by dynamical models in downstream reaches, to account for anthropogenic impairments to flow that are not considered in the model. The resulting normalized downstream flows are appropriate for use in assessments of future anthropogenically impaired flows in downstream reaches. The normalization is applied to assess the potential effects of climate change on future water availability on the Rio Grande at a gage just above the major storage reservoir on the river. Model‐simulated streamflow values were normalized using a statistical parameterization based on two constants that relate observed and simulated flows over a 50‐year historical baseline period (1964–2013). The first normalization constant is a ratio of the means, and the second constant is the ratio of interannual standard deviations between annual gaged and simulated flows. This procedure forces the gaged and simulated flows to have the same mean and variance over the baseline period. The normalization constants can be kept fixed for future flows, which effectively assumes that upstream water management does not change in the future, or projected management changes can be parameterized by adjusting the constants. At the gage considered in this study, the effect of the normalization is to reduce simulated historical flow values by an average of 72% over an ensemble of simulations, indicative of the large fraction of natural flow diverted from the river upstream from the gage. A weak tendency for declining flow emerges upon averaging over a large ensemble, with tremendous variability among the simulations. By the end of the 21st Century the higher‐emission scenarios show more pronounced declines in streamflow.


Measuring performance were needed to make internal
benchmarking for developing the study program. The performance
score of study program in UIN was investigated using data of
graduated student's GPsl period May to Januari. The performance
score for every period was obtained by multiply graduate student's
GPA to weighted study time. The average score of each study program
then clustered by dendogram using SPSS 13.0. Clustered showed
the level of performance. We obtained that Pendidikan Bahasa
dan Sastra Arab and A-l-Ahwal A.sy-Syakhsiyyah were in the
highest clustered level.


A modified version of the two-dimensional network-of-zones model was applied to the case of solid suspensions stirred with multiple, radial impellers. The configuration investigated was characterized by a high aspect ratio (H/T=4); the tank was equipped with standard baffles and four Rushton turbines with an impeller to tank diameter ratio D/T=1/3


NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program continues to plan and implement content to enable planetary exploration where such systems could be needed, and to prepare more advanced RPS technology for possible infusion into future power systems. The 2014-2015 period saw significant changes, and strong progress. Achievements of near-term objectives have enabled definition of a clear path forward in which payoffs from research investments and other sustaining efforts can be applied. The future implementation path is expected to yield a higher-performing thermoelectric generator design, a more isotope-fuel efficient system concept design, and a robust RPS infrastructure maintained effectively within both NASA and the Department of Energy. This paper describes recent work with an eye towards the future plans that result from these achievements.


We have prepared reverse mode liquid crystal cells with a hybrid alignment by using polymer stabilized effect. In a polymerization process, a UV penetration depth in the cell from a vertical aligned side is estimated about two times longer than that from a planer aligned side, which results in a change of polymer morphology. The UV irradiation from the planer side gives a higher contrast ratio by the planer aligned polymer rich layer.


The low temperature(-20℃)CTOD(Crack Tip Opening Displacement)test for E40-Z35 heavy plate produced by TMCP(Thermo-mechanical Control Process)is performed.The results show that the E40-Z35 steel possesses excellent toughness in low temperature.The problems about CTOD test during international classifying have been discussed,including the choice of test standards,the determination of test temperature and the assessment of test results and so on.The concept of CTOD,the method of CTOD test,the procedure of CTOD test and the approach of inspecting the validity of test results are all presented in the paper.


A voltage recovery device 30 is configured to, following the fault condition is detected for the plants power network supplying the active and reactive power to the equipment power network at a given level and to restore the voltage for a period of time for the equipment power network within a predetermined percentage of the nominal voltage.


This paper reviews some of the theory and evidence associated with value relevance studies in accounting. Two regression models are commonly used in value relevance studies, namely the price model and the return model. Although their theoretical foundations are the same; i.e. the Ohlson/RIV model, the results obtained using these two regression models are sometimes different. The problem related with the price model is often referred to as 'scale effects' and those with the return model are termed 'accounting recognition lag' and 'transitory earnings'. Some methods to mitigate these problems are suggested by researchers. However, none of them leads to a perfect solution to them. Perhaps, future research will benefit from testing for sensitivity to alternative specifications.


This work discusses the modeling of clinical data using openEHR archetypes. The openEHR project aims at developing an open and interoperable health computational platform, and an important component in this effort is the development of electronic health records (EHRs) that are clinically effective and interoperable. The project publishes specifications, implementations and archetypes with that goal in mind. Archetypes are an expression of clinical concepts, created by domain specialists. In the modeling proposed by openEHR, that kind of information shall be separated from the stable reference model, leading to simpler and more maintainable systems and empowering clinicians by giving them the opportunity to work developing the standards they will use in a real clinical environment. The main objective of this work is to introduce the openEHR specifications and its main features, the concept of archetypes and show the possibility of creating an archetype from an initial clinical concept, using magnetic resonance clinical reports of the lumbar spine as an example.


Studies on the mechanical properties and microstructures of as-cast and extruded Mg-Ce-Zn-Zr and Mg-Nd-Zn-Zr alloys have been made before and after heat treatment. The results show that the mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-Ce and Mg-Nd alloys are as good as those of typical die cast AZ91 alloy and the heat resistant WE43 alloy. In Nd-containing alloys, the precipitated phase Mg12Nd contributes significantly to age hardening. The mechanical properties of extruded alloys are improved obviously compared with those of as-cast alloys. The ultimate strength is 257.8 MPa for extruded Mg-Ce alloy and 265.6 MPa for extruded Mg-Nd alloy. Extrusion is a useful method to improve both the strengths and elongations of the two experimental alloys at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The grain refinement and precipitation strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms in the alloys. Tensile fracture surfaces show a dimple pattern after extruding and therefore reflect an improved elongation.


This learning exercise challenges clinicians and dermatopathologists to consider the differential diagnosis of an unevenly colored solitary papule over the upper back of an adolescent female.


In relatively dilute solutions of HCl, Zr is completely adsorbed when using the cationite KU-2. Under these conditions the adsorption of Cr is remarkably low, and Al is completely adsorbed from 0.1 N solution and practically not at all from HCl. A column is filled with KU-2 in the H-form, washed with HCl, and a solution containing chlorides of Zr, Cr, and Al is introduced. The column is then washed wlth HCl until complete removal of Cr. Zr is eluted with 4 N HCl. The distribution coefficient of Zr, Al and Cr between the KU-2 and solution of HCl at different concentrations were determined. (TCO)


Brain hypoxia has important role to the onset and progression of sporadic form of Alzheimer disease via expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 (HIF‐1). Crocin by anti‐amyloidogenic property inhibits β‐amyloid formation. However, the molecular mechanism associated with anti‐amyloidogenic activity of crocin is unknown. So, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of crocin on cognitive behavior and expression of HIF‐1α and β‐secretase (BACE1) genes in the brain of neonate rats following different intensities of hypoxia during pregnancy.


We read with great interest the article by Shin, et al.1 in the May 2014 issue of the Yonsei Medical Journal. The authors described the application of ultrasound-guided (USG) trigger point injection for myofascial trigger points in the subscapularis and pectoralis muscles to post-mastectomy patients. The article was supported by four USG pictures.

We, as anesthesiologists, have been practicing the same procedure for our mastectomy patients. In reviewing the article, we noticed that there is an error in the labeling of the muscles, an ultrasound image of the subscapularis muscle in a transverse plane. The muscles labeled as the teres major (Tmj) and teres minor (Tmi) are in fact the latissimus dorsi and the teres major, respectively.

According to the authors, with transverse placement of the USG probe, depicts the teres minor muscle running along the costal surface of the scapula and touching the subscapularis muscle. This is not feasible, however, in light of the anatomical origin and insertion of these muscles in chapter 46 of Gray's Anatomy.2 In addition the presence of an unlabeled thoracodorsal vessel just below the medical end of the teres major supports our opinion.3

Moreover, if we scan the area in the transverse plane, moving upward from the inferior angle of the scapula, we would be able to visualize continuation of the latissimus dorsi and the origin of the teres major, along with various other relevant structures. Accordingly, we have provided a USG picture with correct labeling that supports our explanation (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

This shows the transverse probe placement. LD, latissimus dorsi; TM, teres major; Tm, teres minor; SSC, subscapularis; SA, serratous anterior; SC, lateral border of scapula; TV, thoracodorsal vessels.


Ontology plays a key role in Semantic Web Service Registry (SWSR) which will add semantic information to web service. There exist some cases that users use different ontologies in the same domain to annotate web service. Therefore in this paper we present an approach to effectively manage the ontologies in SWSR based on ISO SC32 19763-3: MFI-3 (Metamodel Framework for Interoperability: Metamodel for Ontology Registration). We manage these different ontologies and the Same As relationship between them in order to maintain the semantic interoperability of web service based on these ontologies. Finally a prototype of Ontology Management Platform (OMP) is realized.


The quality of the ecological environment determines human well-being, and the degree of ecological environment quality has a significant impact on regional sustainable development. Currently, the assessment content of ecological environment quality in Luoyang is relatively single-indicator-based and is insufficient to comprehensively reflect the changes in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city. Therefore, the study aims to use the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), a comprehensive evaluation model, with Landsat remote sensing images and statistical yearbooks as the data sources, to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city from 2002 to 2022 through trend analysis and mutation testing; the study employs geographical detectors to analyze the driving factors about the changes in ecological environment quality. The study found that: (1) the average RSEI value in Luoyang city has increased by 0.102 in the past 20 years, indicating an overall improvement in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city. (2) The northern region of the study area has lower RSEI values, while the southern region has better ecological environment quality, which corresponds to the fact that the northern part of Luoyang city has intensive human activities, while the southern part is characterized by higher vegetation coverage in mountainous areas. (3) The proportion of areas with medium and above ecological environment quality grades have increased from 47.2% to 67.5%, indicating a positive trend in future ecological environment quality changes. (4) The population change was the strongest single factor influencing the ecological environment quality change in Luoyang city. The interaction between temperature and GDP was relatively the strongest. The current ecological environment status in the study area is the result of the combined effects of natural and anthropogenic factors. The research conclusions contribute to improving regional ecological environment quality and are of great significance for the regional ecological environment planning and the achievement of sustainable development goals.


As a typical cyber-physical-social system (CPSS), the waste collection system profoundly changes the current waste processing mode and greatly relieves the dilemma of waste disposal. However, the e...


Self-Aligned Double Patterning (SADP) is a strong candidate for the lower-Metal layers of the 14 nm node. Compared to Litho-Etch-Litho-Etch (LELE) Double Patterning, SADP has lower LWR (line-width roughness), tighter line-end minimum spacing, and lower sensitivity to overlay errors. However, design for SADP is more restricted than for LELE. This work explores the design of layouts compatible with the Spacer Is Dielectric (SID) flavor of SADP. It is easy to find layouts that are LELE-compliant but not SID-compliant. One reason is that polygon stitching is not allowed in SID. Another is that certain drawn-space values are forbidden in SID. In this paper, we will write down some basic rules for SID-compliant design, and introduce some SID-printing artifacts that may be worrisome.


In this paper described the use of selenium for web applications automated testing,and the automated testing process through a concrete case,Then we give a brief analysis of test results and present the benefits of web applications automated testing using selenium and thus provide guidance to the engineering staff.


Abstract

In a retrospective review of all deliveries in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur in 1984, 192 infants were found to weigh 4,000 g or more giving an incidence of 3.29%. No antenatal complication was found in the majority of cases (80.2%). Postmaturity and diabetes mellitus were present in 13% of cases. Maternal complications included per-ineal laceration, difficult labour and a higher caesarean rate. The perinatal morbidity was significantly higher in those who delivered big babies. There were however no fetal deaths. Careful vigilance in labour with recourse to caesarean section in those patients expected to have difficult labour is suggested.


XOR gate has a very important role in most of the cryptographic algorithms. Because of anticoincident property, the XOR gate can be used as a Cipher and the same architecture can be used for both encryption and decryption. In this paper, various transistor-level designs of XOR gates are analyzed based on transistor count, speed, power consumption, and signal level. This survey is done to find out the efficient XOR gate that can replace the traditional XOR gate used in cryptosystem over a decade so that the speed of encryption and decryption can be improved. Finally discussed the possible ways to design a novel XOR gate.


With the development of network technology,campus's network has spread in the college and university,and become teacher's work,student's study and school's management the important part.However,as the virus of the social network has spread and escalation,increasing the number of visitors,the campus network security has also been affected,and a growing trend in the network and opening up.How to ensure the normal school's teaching of network and network management activities,has become a serious problem.Use of network security technology to solve the current campus network security,not only need to conform software and hardware corresponding facilities,but also need network management personnel training.


Healthcare is of critical importance in maintaining people's health and wellness. It has attracted policy makers, researchers, and practitioners around the world to find better ways to improve the performance of healthcare services. One of the key indicators for assessing that performance is to show how accessible and timely the services will be to specific groups of people in distinct geographic locations and in different seasons, which is commonly reflected in the so-called wait times of services. Wait times involve multiple related impact factors, called predictors, such as demographic characteristics, service capacities, and human behaviors. Some impact factors, especially individuals' behaviors, may have mutual interactions, which can lead to tempo-spatial patterns in wait times at a systems level. The goal of this thesis is to gain a systematic understanding of healthcare services by investigating the causes and corresponding dynamics of wait times. This thesis presents a data-driven complex systems modeling approach to investigating the causes of tempo-spatial patterns in wait times from a self-organizing perspective. As the predictors of wait times may have direct, indirect, and/or moderating effects, referred to as complex effects, a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)-based analysis method is proposed to discover the complex effects from aggregated data. Existing regression-based analysis techniques are only able to reveal pairwise relationships between observed variables, whereas this method allows us to explore the complex effects of observed and/or unobserved (latent) predictors on wait times simultaneously. This thesis then considers how to estimate the variations in wait times with


A project is considered as a core element in any organization and its continuity can be guaranteed through a successful change management. Confronting merciless challenges at the current time particularly at the market field, the emergency need has been raised to overcome those obstacles and step ahead on rivals. One way that most organizations have moved towards its capabilities and put the pressure on it to produce quality and optimal outcomes is ICT. Thus, various types of IT projects with variant intended objectives have been conducted. As being witnessed recently and noticed previously, that a lot of IT projects turned to fail due to several reasons. Additionally, way of life changes from time to time and people requirements have changed and become so complicated recently with the exposure to advanced technology that has been attached with our daily life activities. A survey has been conducted among some Malaysian Government departments and agencies to elicit the main factors which participate in the success of projects and what the importance level of implementing an effective change management over projects that lead to sustainability and productivity of the organizations. This survey results have been received as a quantitative feedback that makes it clear to make a conclusion.


Objective To investigate the efficacy of quercetin on the diabetic rat retinal disease.Methods Sixty-six healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group and diabetes mellitus (DM) group.DM group was further randomized into model group,calcium dobesilate,quercetin group.The treated animals were fed with quercetin,calcium dobesilate.The following examinations were carried out 20 weeks after the treatment: Blood glucose and normal condition; retinal digest preparations,E/P ratio; Immunocytochemistry staining and ELISA.Results After 20 weeks,compared with model group,the weight of calcium dobesilate and quercetin group increased significantly (P<0.01),the morphological changes of the quercetin and calcium dobesilate groups were less lesions,and the quantity of the pericytes was increased significantly,the expression of MCP-1 in treatment group was similar to model group,the concentration of MCP-1 in treatment groups had no significant difference.Conclusions Quercetin had certain therapeutic effect on the experimental diabetic rat retinal disorders in this study.But quercetin dose not show any suppressive effect on the expression of the inflammatory mediator MCP-1.It strongly suggests other ways for the significant efficacy ofquercetin on the experimental DR in rats.

Key words:
Diabetic retinopathy; Monocyte chemoattractant proein-1; Quercetin


Educators in Human Factors face an important question: how to attract, educate and prepare undergraduate students for a future in Human Factors. Previous work in Experimental Psychology suggests that students learn more from participating in laboratory studies than they do from lectures in a classroom setting (Elliott, Rice, Trafimow, Madson, and Hipshur, 2010). Information exists on how to configure a usability lab for a commercial practice, but little information exists on how to organize an academic usability lab for undergraduates. This study describes the organization of one such academic lab which focuses on in vivo development projects. The report describes the configuration, practical advice, and lessons learned to date.


Abstract Steam turbine cogeneration analysis (STuCA) is a quasi-static steam cogneration plant modelling tool, which has been developed and applied to the Auckland Hospital energy centre at Auckland, New Zealand. The STuCA code consists of four submodels, namely a load, a system, a plant and an economic model. The load model was developed using historical data and drove the system model, which consisted of heat exchangers. The system model output was then used to drive the plant model that modelled the turbine and boiler and predicted the primary energy flows and cash flows at the site. Economic analysis tools including thermodynamic, thermoeconomic and economic performance measures such as the payback period and the net present value used these data to analyse the economic performance measures such as the payback period and the net present value used these data to analyse the economic performance of the site. The STuCA model output correlated to site data to within 10 per cent and provided data that could be used by the economic analysis tools. The application of the STuCA model to the hospital site proved that it could be used to design cogeneration plants, to analyse retrofit, to upgrade proposals and to study the effects of changing site loads on plant performance.


A new parallel I/O scheme is implemented in the hybrid particle-field MD simulation code called OCCAM. In the new implementation the numbers of input and output files are greatly reduced. Furthermore, the sizes of the input and output files are reduced as the new files are in binary format compared to ASCII files in the original code. The I/O performance is improved due to bulk data transfer instead of small and frequent data transfer in the original code. The results of tests on two different systems show 6-18% performance improvements.


Email of the presenting author: email@example.com The Fe-Si-B-P-Cu nanocrystalline alloys which exhibit excellent magnetic softness and relative high saturation magnetic flux density have been newly developed. This material has a homogeneous nanocrystalline structure composed of alpha-Fe grains with a size of about less than 20 nm which are realized by crystallizing the heterogeneous amorphous alloys. In this study, we observed the movements of the magnetic domain walls in the heat-treated Fe85Si12B6P4Cu1 amorphous-ribbons by in-situ Lorentz microscopy using a transmission electron microscope equipped with a magnetizing system, in order to understand the dependence of the magnetic properties on the microstructures. Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of the magnetizing system installed on a JEM-3000F instrument. The magnetizing specimen holder and two deflection coils are connected to an electric power source via three independent amplifiers. The two deflectors control the incident angle of the electron beam to avoid shifting of the image on the screen. When the amplifiers are connected to the DC source, a static external magnetic field is applied to the specimen. In order to observe the motion of the magnetic domain wall, the amplifiers are connected to an AC source. The smooth movement of magnetic domain walls was observed in the specimen which was heat-treated at 430 °C, while the specimen which was heat-treated at 470 °C showed less-smoothness of the domain wall motions. Both of two specimens have the nanocrystalline structure in which the size of alpha-Fe crystallite is about 5 nm, but the electron diffraction pattern indicates that the latter specimen contains precipitates of boride. Figures 2a to 2d show Lorentz micrographs of the specimen which was heat-treated at 470 °C in a static external magnetic field of 3.8 kA/m, 4.3 kA/m, 4.6 kA/m and 4.7 kA/m, respectively. The direction of the external magnetic field is indicated by arrow at the top right of the Fig. 2. The positions of the magnetic domain wall are indicated by a dotted line, and previous positions of the domain wall were also plotted on the images. It is noted that a pinning of the motion of domain wall was observed at the position indicated by a white circle in Fig. 2c. It was considered that the precipitates caused the less-smoothness of the domain wall motions.


This article describes and illustrates Autotalk, a $127 device which provides continuous, regionalized traffic reports in the automobile. According to the article, Autotalk utilizes Shadow Traffic Control Caltrans and other traffic news services as well as the experimental smart navigation system along the Santa Monica freeway corridor. The article goes on to describe IVHS technologies under development


Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Life Science, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Department of Optometry, College of Medicine and Life Science, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, and Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan firstname.lastname@example.com


Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) possess the ability to differentiate into various cell types.Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell genetically reprogrammed from somatic cells,which have similar biological features of natural pluripotent stem cells,such as ESCs.iPSCs have been widely used in stem cell therapy without any drawbacks of ethical issues.In recent years,there is a growing body of studies concerning molecular imaging of monitoring stem cells transplantation and made significant achievements.This review will be focused on the updated application of radionuclide imaging in monitoring of ESCs and iPSCs transplantation.

Key words:
Stem cell transplantation;  Pluripotent stem cells;  Radionuclide imaging;  Molecular imaging


A 4-week-old boy was brought to the emergency department after having drainage from both eyes for 2 days and redness and swelling under his left eye for 1 day. The perinatal history was uncomplicated, and he was breast-feeding well. Physical examination revealed a temperature of 38.2°C, purulent drainage from both eyes, and a 1-cm erythematous, fluctuant mass inferior to the medial canthus of the left eye. The white-cell count was 14,000 per cubic millimeter (reference range, 7500 to 15,500). He received a diagnosis of acute dacryocystitis — infection of the nasolacrimal sac — resulting from congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. In rare instances, acute dacryocystitis can progress to orbital cellulitis, abscess, and meningitis. The patient received intravenous antibiotic agents, and the fever and eye drainage resolved after the first day of treatment. Culture of a specimen of the drainage fluid grew methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Cultures of urine, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid were negative. He was discharged with a 5-day prescription for cephalexin and bacitracin ophthalmic ointment. The application of warm compresses and nasolacrimal duct massage were recommended. The erythema resolved within 1 week after discharge. Two weeks after discharge, a pediatric ophthalmologist performed nasolacrimal duct probing to prevent recurrent infection, and the residual swelling resolved.


Restriction of dietary tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, in a child with argininosuccinic aciduria caused a decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and improvement in the feeding disorder. We report the successful use of cyproheptadine, an antiserotoninergic drug, in a child with partial ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency with severe food avoidance and failure to thrive.


The study purposed to investigate inservice training strategies in terms of the experiences, preferences, and degree of effectiveness of the strategies that child care teacher perceived. Two hundred twenty two child care teachers responded to the survey, 'Training strategies adopted by inservice programs for child care teachers'.
Findings of the study are summarized into the following four points.
First, high percentage of the teachers experienced training strategies for large group of teachers such as lecture, handouts, etc.
Second, the teachers tended to prefer the strategies to help practice teaching skills such as worksheet, modeling, movies and so on.
Third, the teachers perceived the strategies which they prefer to be adopted in inservice programs as having high degree of learning effectiveness compared to the strategies not to be preferred.
Fourth, there were strong positive correlation between the degree of preference and effectiveness perceived by the child care teachers.


Implications of second language reading learning are often aroused by the insights of reading experience in first language.Chi nese learners' performance concerning English reading comprehension may influenced by Chinese language or English language.This pa per attempts to explore the influence of first language(Chinese) knowledge on second language(English) reading comprehension for Chi nese students in middle school.This investigation concerns over three aspects of L1 knowledge:genre knowledge,reading skills,and cultur al knowledge.It firstly demonstrates the research question.Then,based on schema theory,it introduces the research method and partici pants in this study.Furthermore,this paper presents the data of the investigation along with the data analysis.It finally concludes that the positive effects of L1 knowledge on L2 reading comprehension overweigh its negative effects.


For the reconstruction of the federal road "B14" in Vienna a new bridge crossing the "Donaukanal" is to be built as integral bridge. On both sides of the bridge up to 8 m high road embankments, designed as geogrid reinforced slopes, were carried out. The lengths of the embankments are approx. 110 m and 150 m, the crest width is 16 m and the inclination of the slope is 70°. Design calculations were carried out using the "EBGEO", concerning the recommendations of Eurocode 7. Along the south bank beneath artificial fillings, alluvial clays are underlain by "Danube" gravels with good bearing capacity. Along the north bank the embankment is located in a former dock, which was refilled with soft, cohesive soils in the 60ies. In this area the stable gravels were found 10 to 11 m below ground level and the free groundwater was found 4 to 5 m below ground level. Outside the former dock vibro replacement was carried out, which was not possible in the former dock due to different reasons. In this area the embankment was founded on a geogrid reinforced soil exchange. Additionally the embankments were pre-loaded with a 3m-high ballast to speed up the consolidation. An intensive monitoring concept was realised. Ongoing measurements show good accordance to the predicted values.


OBJECTIVES
Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen isolated in osteomyelitis. This study evaluated the efficacies of telavancin (an investigational, rapidly bactericidal lipoglycopeptide with a multifunctional mechanism of action against Gram-positive bacteria), vancomycin and linezolid in a rabbit methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) osteomyelitis model.

METHODS
Localized osteomyelitis was induced in New Zealand White rabbits by percutaneous injection of 10(6) cfu of MRSA clinical isolate 168-1 into the intramedullary cavity. Two weeks post-infection, rabbits with radiographically confirmed, localized proximal tibial osteomyelitis were randomized into four groups (n = 15 per group): untreated controls; vancomycin 30 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 h; linezolid 60 mg/kg orally every 8 h; and telavancin 30 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 h. After 4 weeks of antibiotic treatment, animals were left untreated for 2 weeks. Rabbits were then euthanized and the tibias harvested. Bone matrix and marrow from each tibia were cultured and bacterial counts determined.

RESULTS
For MRSA isolate 168-1, the MIC was 0.25 mg/L for telavancin, 0.5 mg/L for vancomycin and 0.5 mg/L for linezolid. Tibial cultures were positive for MRSA in 9 of 15 (60%) untreated controls, and 3 of 15 (20%) telavancin-treated, 3 of 15 (20%) vancomycin-treated and 4 of 14 (29%) linezolid-treated rabbits.

CONCLUSIONS
Telavancin has comparable efficacy to vancomycin and linezolid in a rabbit model of MRSA osteomyelitis.


Background Most patients with recurrent symptomatic nongonococcal urethritis receive negative test results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum, and the cause of such recurrence usually is unknown. Goal To assess the association of Mycoplasma genitalium with recurrent nongonococcal urethritis. Study Design In this study, 72 men with nongonococcal urethritis were treated with levofloxacin. Before and after treatment, symptoms and signs were assessed and first-pass urine was examined for C trachomatis, M genitalium, U urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis by polymerase chain reaction–based assays. Results In 6 of 45 men who had no symptoms and no evidence of inflammation after treatment, nongonococcal urethritis recurred. Of these 6 men, 5 had positive test results for M genitalium before levofloxacin treatment, which remained positive afterward. After the second treatment for recurrent nongonococcal urethritis, one man was still had a positive test result for the mycoplasma and experienced a subsequent recurrence. Conclusions This study suggests that the persistence of M genitalium in the urethra may be associated with recurrence of nongonococcal urethritis.


Research in the field of marriage and family therapy is unique because it involves multiple family members, therapy, and highly sensitive information. In order to ensure that appropriate and accurate research is conducted, it is essential to follow ethical practices. The AAMFT Code of Ethics and general ethical standards for research are synthesized to form 10 basic guidelines. These guidelines cover the research process, including risk assessment, review, informed consent, the use of deception, comparison groups, confidentiality, dual relationships, collecting and reporting information, and researcher bias.


Provided is a method for establishing a model of a dimensional response of a substrate, whereby a model of the dimensional response is deduced from differences between the preset spatial distribution and the measured spatial distribution. The method for establishing a model of a dimensional response of a substrate comprises the steps of: forming many alignment features on the surface of the substrate; distributing the alignment features across the surface of the substrate such that a spatial distribution thereof is preset by assuming a preset substrate temperature; measuring the temperature of the substrate; measuring a spatial distribution of the alignment features at the measured substrate temperature; and deducing a model of the dimensional response from differences between the preset spatial distribution and the measured spatial distribution. The substrate is a reference substrate which has similar physical characteristics and is one of a class of substrates to be treated in a lithography apparatus. The spatial distribution of the alignment features of the reference substrate is measured when the reference substrate is supported on a substrate supporter of the lithography apparatus. One of a class of the substrates is successively placed on the substrate supporter. The temperature of the substrate supported on the substrate supporter is measured at each of many regions distributed across the substrate surface. The treatment of the substrate is regulated on the basis of a correlation between the change in the substrate dimension and a dimensional response model deduced from the reference substrate.


A facility has been designed and built to study the behavior of wet steam. In the facility it is possible to measure pressure drop, maximum (burnout) heat fluxes, and heat transfer coefficients in cylindrical ducts of different geometry for steam --water mixture upward flow at various steam concentrations. (W.L.H.)


The present study describes the distribution patterns of the early life stages of pelagic cephalopods in three different areas of the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean. Specimens were collected during the Meteor-expedition to the Indian Ocean in 1987 by means of multiple opening/closing nets in the top 150m of the water column. A total of 3836 specimens were caught at 67 stations. The following taxa were prevailing: Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (Ommastrephidae), Abralia marisarabica and Abraliopsis lineata (Enoploteuthidae), Onychoteuthis banksi (Onychoteuthidae), and Liocranchia reinhardti (Cranchiidae). While the enoploteuthid species dominated the two neritic regions (the stations grids off Oman and Pakistan), the ommastrephid and cranchiid species were most abundant in the oceanic waters of the central Arabian Sea. The geographical and vertical distribution patterns of the taxa were analyzed and are discussed along with hydro graphic features which characterized the different areas. The data provide new and important information on the spawning areas of pelagic tropical cephalopods


Translated into English by Samuel Croxall, D.D. and Sir Roger L'Estrange. With applications, morals, etc. by the Rev. G. F. Townsend and L. Valentine


.............................................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 1: Rationale ........................................................................................................... 4 Outline............................................................................................................................. 6 Background ..................................................................................................................... 7 Importance .................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2: Research design............................................................................................... 13 Methodology................................................................................................................. 14 Definitions..................................................................................................................... 22 Literature Review.......................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 3: Introduction to Transnational Threats – Crime and Terrorism ....................... 39 The Growth of Transnational Criminal Organizations ................................................. 39 The Evolution of Global Terrorist Groups.................................................................... 44 Summary....................................................................................................................... 49 Chapter 4: Case Study 1 – United States and European Union Strategies ....................... 51 The United States and Colombia .................................................................................. 52 The European Union and Colombia ............................................................................. 63 Summary of Cases ........................................................................................................ 74 Chapter 5: Case Study 2 – United States and European Union Strategies to Confront Global Terrorism in East Africa ....................................................................................... 75 The United States and East Africa ................................................................................ 76 The European Union and East Africa ........................................................................... 86 Summary....................................................................................................................... 96 Chapter 6: Analysis – The Effect of Depth of Cooperation on the Success of a Strategy 98 Transnational Crime...................................................................................................... 99 Global Terrorism......................................................................................................... 113 Summary..................................................................................................................... 121 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 124


Parent-child interactions tend to be problematic among families of children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although much attention has been paid in research and therapy to negative cycles of interaction between parent and child, it is equally important to consider how positive family interactions can be promoted, as these are likely to help prevent or reduce behavior problems and facilitate the best possible outcomes for children. Major contributors to the fields of psychology and child therapy have postulated that parental empathy is of primary importance in facilitating healthy child personality development. However, the effect of parental empathy has not been systematically studied with ADHD children. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between parental empathy and child adjustment factors in children with ADHD. It was hypothesized that among parent-child dyads with ADHD children, higher levels of parental empathy would predict higher levels of child self-esteem, social skills, and compliance, and lower levels of child aggression.

Participants were 56 children who were previously diagnosed with ADHD and their parent/guardian. Thirty-seven parent-child dyads served as a control group. The study included parent-child participation in a videotaped analogue observation procedure and completion of parent-, child-, and teacher-report measures. Results indicated that higher levels of parental empathy predicted higher child self-esteem regarding their relationships with their parents. Before bonferroni adjustment, parental empathy also predicted lower levels of aggression among ADHD children. Parental empathy did not predict peer acceptance or compliance for these children. Children of high empathy parents scored higher on peer acceptance and lower on child aggression measures than children of low empathy parents. Scores on self-esteem and compliance, however, did not differ across groups. Although there were no differences between ADHD and non-ADHD children on self-esteem, peer acceptance, or compliance measures, children with ADHD were significantly more aggressive. These results suggest the importance of interventions for ADHD children that focus on increasing parental empathy in parent-child interactions.


This paper presents a global weighted least-squares (GWLS) optimization framework for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) despeckling. GWLS is simpler than other optimization methods because it does not lead to complex optimization and iterative convergence problems. Solving the PolSAR despeckling problem based on GWLS is equivalent to solving nine sparse linear systems. First, the guidance image is constructed by the span image of the PolSAR data to calculate the five-point spatially inhomogeneous Laplacian matrix. Next, the weighted sum of the Laplacian matrix and an identity matrix is used to construct a coefficient matrix for the nine linear systems. Finally, each speckle-free channel of PolSAR data is reconstructed equally and globally by solving the linear systems with the same coefficient matrix. Filtering each element of the coherency matrix equally preserves the scattering property inherent in PolSAR data. The performance of the GWLS-based method is demonstrated by both simulated and real PolSAR data. Refined Lee filter, intensity-driven adaptive-neighborhood, improved sigma filter, and nonlocal pretest filter are used in qualitative and quantitative comparison. The experiments show that the proposed method can reach a good tradeoff between noise suppressing and detail preservation and has relatively high processing efficiency.


3D printing is seen as a game‐changing manufacturing process in many domains, including general medicine and dentistry, but the integration of more complex functions into 3D‐printed materials remains lacking. Here, it is expanded on the repertoire of 3D‐printable materials to include antimicrobial polymer resins, which are essential for development of medical devices due to the high incidence of biomaterial‐associated infections. Monomers containing antimicrobial, positively charged quaternary ammonium groups with an appended alkyl chain are either directly copolymerized with conventional diurethanedimethacrylate/glycerol dimethacrylate (UDMA/GDMA) resin components by photocuring or prepolymerized as a linear chain for incorporation into a semi‐interpenetrating polymer network by light‐induced polymerization. For both strategies, dental 3D‐printed objects fabricated by a stereolithography process kill bacteria on contact when positively charged quaternary ammonium groups are incorporated into the photocurable UDMA/GDMA resins. Leaching of quaternary ammonium monomers copolymerized with UDMA/GDMA resins is limited and without biological consequences within 4–6 d, while biological consequences could be confined to 1 d when prepolymerized quaternary ammonium group containing chains are incorporated in a semi‐interpenetrating polymer network. Routine clinical handling and mechanical properties of the pristine polymer matrix are maintained upon incorporation of quaternary ammonium groups, qualifying the antimicrobially functionalized, 3D‐printable composite resins for clinical use.


The research activity into the designing of superhard materials is in continuous progress. Vickers hardness data obtained in this work reveal IrB1.35 to be superhard, whereas RhB1.1 was found to be hard. The trend in hardness of borides of the transition metals, belonging to the 5th and 6th period of the periodic table, was examined.


SEVERAL REPORTS have appeared recently concerning the beneficial effects of various highpotency anabolic steroids in human progressive muscular dystr0phy.l-* It has also been reported that these drugs may prolong the life of mice of the Bar Harbor strain suffering from hereditary muscular dystrophy." However, to date no reports of the results of controlled trials using these preparations have been published. In this paprr, the results of a double-blind controlled trial using methandrostenolone ( Dianabol, Ciba) and nandrolone decanoate (Deca Durabolin, Durabolin Forte, Organon) in a series of patients with progressive muscular dystrophy are reported. Nandrolone decanoate ( lg-nor-androstenolone decanoate) has a chemical structure as follows:


Building a harmonious society is a great mission of our Party.Compulsory education has basic and guiding characteristics of overall importance.Compulsory educational fairness is the precondition of social fairness.Its fairness not only influences the performance of national education system,but also concerns the building of socialist harmonious society.The government should provide corresponding public service to promote compulsory educational fairness.


W e present an exact solution for a quantum spin chain driven through its criticalpoints. O ur approach is based on a m any-body generalization ofthe Landau-Zener transition theory,applied to ferm ionized spin Ham iltonian. The resulting nonequilibrium state ofthe system ,while being a pure quantum state,has localproperties ofa m ixed state characterized by nite entropy density associated with K ibble-Zurek defects.The entropy,aswellasthe nite spin correlation length,are functionsofthe rate ofsweep through the criticalpoint. W e analyze the anisotropic XY spin 1=2 m odelevolved with a fullm any-body evolution operator. W ith the help ofToeplitz determ inants calculus,we obtain an exact form ofcorrelation functions. The properties ofthe evolved system undergo an abruptchange ata certain criticalsweep rate,signaling form ation ofordered dom ains. W elink thisphenom enon tothebehaviorofcom plex singularitiesoftheToeplitzgeneratingfunction.


Reliability and safety of complex software-intensive systems are proved to be a crucial matter since most of these systems fulfil tasks, where a failure could lead to catastrophic consequences. For ...


The optimum design of FM-EDFAs is rigorously tackled as a multi-objective optimization problem, in a novel approach based on the topology optimization technique. It is demonstrated that the usual ring-like doping distributions are optimum choices only if the pump intensity shows no azimuthal dependence. For this symmetrical case, displaying no azimuthal variation, we provide an optimum double-ring Er doping profile which maximizes modal equalization for six-group modes.


Abstract : The focus of this work was to study large volatile knowledge bases. The research involved developing extensions to logic programming systems in the form of a metalanguage, by studying to what extent frames and semantic nets could be employed. The management of consistency and integrity under change using a metalanguage was analyzed. This research produced a rule-based deductive programming language, called metaProglog, which enhances Prolog's ability to manipulate the databases themselves and to reason about them. This was accomplished by regarding databases (or theories) as first-class objects capable of being passed as arguments. Four papers were published under this grant, including Meta-kavek programming and knowledge representation and metaProlog: A metalevel extension to Prolog. (Author)


Background: Pediatric tibial spine fractures (TSFs) are a well-known clinical entity, but the epidemiology of these injuries is not fully understood. Further, there is limited data on outcomes after TSF treatment, specifically the proportion of patients that go on to require subsequent ACL reconstruction after completing their initial treatment course. Purpose/Hypothesis: To describe the distribution of TSF case burden by age and sex, and to determine the proportion of patients who undergo subsequent ACL reconstruction or develop ACL insufficiency. Methods: The Truven Marketscan database was queried to identify patients aged 7-18 years with TSFs during the time period of 2016-2018. Diagnosis and initial treatment (surgical vs. nonoperative) was recorded based on database coding. Case burden by age and sex was calculated. The database, which includes longitudinal data, was then queried for subsequent diagnoses of ACL insufficiency as well as subsequent ACL reconstruction procedures performed among the subjects. Results: We found 876 cases of TSF, 71.3% of which were treated nonoperatively. The male:female ratio for case burden was 2.2. Cases peaked at age 13-14 for males and age 11-12 for females (Figure 1). Of all cases identified, 3.7% also had either a diagnosis code for ACL laxity entered in a delayed fashion into the database or a later procedure code for ACL reconstruction (considered together to represent subsequent "ACL insufficiency"). Only 15 subsequent ACL reconstructions were found; all of which were among males, and 9 of which were among males 13-14 years old (Figure 2). Conclusion: This longitudinal study is the largest epidemiologic analysis of pediatric TSFs to date. We found low rates of subsequent ACL insufficiency and ACL reconstruction in general, with males aged 13-14 accounting for the most cases and exhibiting the highest rates of subsequent ACL insufficiency and ACL reconstruction. Rates of subsequent ACL reconstruction were lower than previously reported. Males accounted for about twice as many cases as females. Figure 1. Tibial spine fracture case numbers from the Truven database, broken down by sex, age group, and initial treatment approach. Figure 2. Subsequent ACL insufficiency, broken down by sex and age group.