Fault detection (FD) has become increasingly important for improving the reliability and safety of process systems. This work presents a model-based FD technique for nonlinear process systems using parameter estimation. For a system described by nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs), estimation of model parameters requires solving an optimisation problem such that the residual between the measurements and model predicted values of state variables is minimised. However, solving an optimisation problem online can be computationally expensive and the solution may not converge in a reasonable time. Thus, a method for parameter estimation for FD using multiparametric programming (MPP) is proposed. In this technique, the nonlinear ODEs model is discretised by using explicit Euler's method to obtain algebraic equations. Then, a square system of parametric nonlinear algebraic equations is obtained by formulating optimality condition. These equations are then solved symbolically to obtain model parameters as an explicit function of the measurements. This allows computation of parameter estimates by simple function evaluation. The detection of fault is carried out by monitoring the changes in the residual between model parameter estimates and 'true' value. The application of the proposed technique for FD is demonstrated on evaporator, tank, heat exchanger, fermentation and wastewater treatment systems. In a single-stage evaporator, changes in heat transfer coefficient and composition of feed are obtained and estimated for FD. In a quadruple-tank system, tank leakage is investigated by estimating the cross-section of outlet holes. Fouling in heat exchanger is detected where the overall heat transfer coefficient is estimated and the fouling resistance is monitored. In demonstrating the technique in relation to the fermentation and the wastewater treatment systems, kinetic model parameters are estimated for FD. The proposed work successfully estimates the model parameters and detects the faults through simple function evaluations of explicit functions. This demonstrates the advantages of MPP for FD using parameter estimation to detect faults quickly and accurately. In addition, a comparison of the implicit Euler's method and explicit Euler's method for discretisation of nonlinear ODEs model for parameter estimation using MPP is presented. Complexity of implicit parametric functions, accuracy of parameter estimates and effect of step size are discussed.


Talc formulation of two biocontrol agents viz., Bacillus subtilisand Pseudomonas fluorescenswere evaluated against foliar diseases of urdbean. Their efficacy was compared with that of commonly used fungicide under field conMition. The result revealed that B. subtilis and P. fluorescens were equally effective as that of fungicide inreducing the severity of cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew and enhanced yield in urdbean.


In the United States, people who are personally responsible for needing assistance arouse more negative and less positive affect and are less likely to be helped than people who are not personally responsible for their plight. The authors investigated whether this finding generalized to Ukraine, a more collectivist society. American and Ukrainian participants evaluated 16 claimants who needed an organ transplant and selected up to 6 claimants to receive an organ. Claimants varied in their degree of personal responsibility, contribution to society, and need. Results revealed that personal responsibility had a stronger influence on Americans' than Ukrainians' allocations, whereas contribution to society had a stronger influence on Ukrainians' than Americans' allocations. Participants' affective reactions to claimants mediated these cross-cultural effects.


The aim of this chapter is to compare the three sets of case studies presented in this book with a view to identifying circular migration types that are valid across cases, and eventually propose a refined set of circular migration types. In addition here we pay attention to identify through comparative analysis the common factors that foster or indeed impede the development of circular migration. We also focus on issues of migrant integration and reintegration, as these are crucial for the understanding of who benefits from circular migration, and what the challenges are for sending countries, receiving states, and indeed the migrants themselves. The chapter concludes with a critical appraisal of how circular migration fits the post-fordist paradigm of production (Venturini 2004) and the securitized temporariness approach that seems to dominate policymaking both at EU and atmember state level (see Cassarino in this volume).


Abstract: This study aims to know the concentration of heavy metals in the muscle of three species of edible fish collected from Ramnagar market of Hyderabad city and to assess the possible health risks associated with its consumption. In this study, we used Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to estimate cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in different types of fishes, such as Rohu (Labeo rohita), Roopchand (Piaractus brachypomus) and MilkFish (Chanos chanos). The concentration range of heavy metals in this study is cadmium ranges from 0.04-0.05mg/kg, while lead is between 0.04-0.07mg/kg and mercury is 0.05mg/kg. The permissible limit for cadmium is 0.3mg/kg, lead is 1.5mg/kg and mercury is 0.5mg/kg given by FAO/WHO. By comparing the values obtained in the present study with those of permissible limit values, we can conclude that the consumption of these three fishes from the Ramnagar area does not cause any health risk to humans.


Purpose
This study aims to examine how crude palm oil (CPO) price impacts corporate default risk (CDR) of agricultural firms in Indonesia's palm oil industry.

Design/methodology/approach
By applying a dynamic panel regression on listed CPO-based firms, the authors find that CPO price fluctuations are insignificant in explaining CDR.

Findings
The main determinants of CDR are internal factors, namely, excess stock market returns and return on assets. External factors do not play any role in influencing the CDR in the case of Indonesia. The results highlight the importance of completing risk analysis at the macro level with firm-specific factors.

Research limitations/implications
The contributions aside, an important limitation of this study is that there is a small sample of listed firms. Most of these firms have the ability to mitigate risks. Therefore, further studies are needed to identify the default predictions for non-listed firms.

Practical implications
In the context of macro prudential policy in Indonesia, the findings imply that financial stability surveillance needs to be carried out in two areas: macroeconomic indicators and firm-specific indicators. Given the lack of listed CPO firms in Indonesia, the object of surveillance should focus on not only listed firms but also non-listed firms with large bank loans.

Originality/value
This study highlights the importance of completing risk analysis at the macro level with firm-specific factors in Indonesia as commodity exporting country.


Within the last few years there has been a growing trend to apply organic and inorganic finishes to glass articles. Whether it be bottles for the beverage industry or decorative house-wares, coating glass offers many advantages in terms of color and effects as well as durability. A whole new market segment is emerging requiring resin and paint manufacturers to develop terchnologies to meet this growing market need.


ABSTRACT creating animation in blogs. In this system, animation This paper introduces an animation story generation system called WordsAnime using the animation database provided by animation CGM (consumer generated media). A user generates a story by repeating the steps of inputting scenarios and viewing animations. The system presents manual, semiautomatic, and fully automatic modes of creating scenarios using a common knowledge that links different scenarios with each other. The system automatically extracts the common knowledge of the IF–THEN rules via scenario generation. This paper reports attempt to capture common sense knowledge through the workshops on WordsAnime for children. Author Keywords Common sense knowledge, story generation, consumer generated media. ACM Classification Keywords I.2.6. Learning: Knowledge acquisition. INTRODUCTION WordsAnime was developed for automatically generating content of a three dimensional animation story by inputting or selecting a user's simple scenario; thus, this system can be operated even by children. The animation is created by combining animation parts corresponding to the words of scenario. The user generates the story by repeating the steps of inputting scenarios and viewing animations. Data on animation parts in an animation database referred to as Animebase correspond to words provided by the Animation CGM (consumer generated media): Anime de Blog [1]. WordsAnime is an application system using Animebase. Anime de Blog can collect 3D animation and image data. Users have indicated the need for a more appealing way of or image data are searched for and selected from a shared consumer-generated database by using simple words. If users cannot locate the appropriate data, they can easily create new data by using an animation editor, and they can upload the new data by entering simple, related words. Once the user uploads a new animation of a particular character, its motion can also be applied to all the other characters through a process called motion retargeting [2], and thus, new animations are created by reusing the uploaded motion data. Drawing from scratch is the traditional way of generating animation. For example, animation can be created in this fashion by using professional three dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) tools. Users require much effort, however, to master professional 3DCG tools, and because they are expensive, they are not for novice users. This limits their creativity because novice users need easier trial and error practice and learning for creating content. Our concept is that by providing animation data corresponding to the natural language, we can enable novice users to create content. We believe that this is highly significant because of its potential for wide applications. WordsAnime has rules of a common knowledge base for automatic scenario generation or scenario suggestion. The system automatically extracted the common knowledge of the IF–THEN rules via scenario generation. Cyc [3] is an artificial intelligence project that attempts to assemble comprehensive ontology and database of everyday common sense knowledge, with the goal of enabling AI applications to perform humanlike reasoning. Cyc needs an elaborate logical language that precisely specifies the meaning. Our system does not need description of strict knowledge by users. Simply creating stories (or describing easy rules) will collect knowledge of the scenarios. StoryNet [4] is a very large narrative-based knowledge database of story scripts that can be used for common sense reasoning. ComicKit [5] is an interface for acquiring a StoryNet script over the Internet. ComicKit can also extract rules of scenario automatically when the user is creating comics using arranged graphics. specific permission and/or a fee.


Objective To study the occurrence and distribution of mumps in primary school in Shenzhen.Methods Serum samples were collected from th ree primary schools(including one private school)according to the cross-sectional sampling method.Mumps specific IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by ELISA.Results We examined477school children and the results s howed that the total mumps IgG antibody positive rate was 78.2%with avera ge antiboby level of 489.8U /ml.The total mumps I gM antibody positive rate was 3.1%.I gG antibody positive rate of the perm anent resident school children was 81.3%w ith average antiboby level of 426.0U /ml.IgG antibody positive rate of te mporary resident school children was 71.8%w ith average antibody level of 621.2U/ml.There is a significant differen ce between two groups(χ 2 =5.587,P0.05).There is no significant different i n the antibody level in different age groups (χ 2 =7.155,P0.05).Conclusions The immunity against mumps was considerably high in the primary school ch ildren of Shenzhen,but antibody level in the p ermanent resident school children i s lower than the temporary resident s chool children.It is necessary to implement vaccination program to enhance the immunity level.


In this paper we studied deeply the control technology of warship's wireless telecommunication based on integrated information network, we studied in particular the configuration patterns of a wireless telecommunication network,and established the model of finishing a wireless telecommunication service based on integrated information network. As a typical example of the wireless telecommunication services,we analysed the access and control principle of the short wave voice service based on integrated information network.


The impacts of metal-gate work-function variation (WFV) effects in Fin tunnel field effect transistors (TFETs) and gateall-around (GAA) TFETs are investigated with 3-D technology computer aided design (TCAD) simulations. Metal grains generated with Voronoi method and square method are also compared. The impacts of WFV effect on fin TFETs and GAA TFETs increase with metal grain size increase in terms of threshold voltage $(\mathrm {V}_{th})$ and subthreshold swing (SS).


In the last thirty years, the June 16, 1976 student uprisings have been commemorated in various ways. The commemorations have taken the form of expression of grief, loss and the will to continue pursuing the liberation project in South Africa. These processes of commemoration have over the years been characterised by tradition, change and continuity. Underpinning the characteristics of tradition, change and continuity is a feature of memory as a site of struggle for liberation and ideological contestation amongst those engaging in the struggle for liberation. This struggle on the one hand took the form of political mobilisation against apartheid colonialism and on the other hand took the form of competition for ideological hegemony among the former liberation movements. All this was within the context of the pre-1994 political order that was bent on demonising the meaning, significance and legacy of the 1976 uprisings and in some instances even attempted to erase its memory from the popular consciousness and as public history without success. The 1980s saw the memory of the uprisings being continually contested and at the same time taking new forms of tangible and intangible public re-representations. The new forms of tangible memorialisation and re-representation would later be re-imagined as tourism attractions or destinations. The latter introduced further metamorphosis of commemoration turned into monument(al) re-representation concerned with the post 1994 'national interest' to create jobs and develop local economies using the heritage of the liberation struggle side by side with the public pressures and national and public interests in symbolic reparations and social justice.


Objective: To investigate the sleep quality of medical staff in response to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei Methods: We did a sleep quality survey with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and questionnaire in frontline medical staff who were working in the period of COVID-19 outbreak, and the results were compared with that of non-medical staff Results: The total number of people included in this study was 362, of which 218 were in the first-line medical staff group, 38 were in the COVID-19 diagnosed medical staff group;106 were in the non-medical staff group;and there was no significant difference in genders and ages among the three groups During the outbreak of COVID-19, sleep disturbance symptoms (PSQI7 points) were presented with some degree in these groups The proportions of sleep disturbance in the frontline medical staff group and COVID-19 diagnosed medical staff group were significantly higher than that of non-medical staff (P0 001);The proportion of severe sleep disturbance (PSQI10) in the first-line medical staff group and COVID-19 diagnosed medical staff group were also significantly higher than that of non-medical staff (P0 001) Compared with non-medical staff, frontline medical staff had statistical differences in sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time and daytime dysfunction (P0 01);The main causes of sleep disorders in first-line medical staff were significantly related to high workload and fear of infection Conclusions: The outbreak of COVID-19 increases the incidence and severity of sleep disorders among frontline medical staff in Wuhan, which is related to high workload and fear of infection © 2020, Editorial Board of Medical Journal of Wuhan University All right reserved


Now available in a new and updated paperback edition, this book is a great guide for one of America's major health problems, and helps even more of five million Americans who suffer from it..


Abstract In view of evidence that there is a "critical" neonatal period of neural development controlling pituitary-gonadal function, the effects of L-thyroxin (T 4 ) administered to rats during the first 5 days of life were investigated with regard to the onset of puberty and pituitary-thyroidal function. After treatment the rats were found to have reduced body growth, reduced pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) levels, and slight hypothyroidism as demonstrated by depressed thyroid weights, reduced serum protein-bound iodine (PBI), and free T 4 levels. Such animals also exhibited retarded vaginal opening and first estrus. It is thought that these changes may reflect a persistently altered hypothalamic mechanism induced by exposure to excessive thyroid hormone during a "critical" period of development.


Heart failure is often preceded by pathological cardiac hypertrophy, a thickening of the heart musculature driven by complex gene regulatory and signaling processes. The Drosophila heart has great potential as a genetic model for deciphering the underlying mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy. However, current methods for evaluating hypertrophy of the Drosophila heart are laborious and difficult to carry out reproducibly. Here we demonstrate that micro-computerized tomography (microCT) is an accessible, highly reproducible method for non-destructive, quantitative analysis of Drosophila heart morphology and size. To validate our microCT approach for analyzing Drosophila cardiac hypertrophy, we show that expression of constitutively active Ras (Ras85DV12), previously shown to cause hypertrophy of the fly heart, results in significant thickening of both adult and larval heart walls when measured from microCT images. We then show using microCT analysis that genetic upregulation of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) driven by expression of constitutively active Stim (StimCA) or Orai (OraiCA) proteins also results in significant hypertrophy of the Drosophila heart, through a process that specifically depends on Orai Ca2+ influx channels. Intravital imaging of heart contractility revealed significantly reduced end diastolic dimensions in StimCA and OraiCA expressing hearts, consistent with the hypertrophic phenotype. These results demonstrate that increased SOCE activity is an important driver of hypertrophic cardiomyocyte growth, and demonstrate how microCT analysis combined with tractable genetic tools in Drosophila can be used to delineate molecular signaling processes that underlie cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. NEW AND NOTEWORTHY Genetic analysis of cardiac hypertrophy in Drosophila holds immense potential for the discovery of new therapeutic targets to prevent and treat heart failure. However, this potential has been hindered by a lack of rapid and effective methods for analysis of heart size in flies. Here we demonstrate that analysis of the Drosophila heart with micro-computerized tomography yields accurate and highly reproducible heart size measurements that can be used to efficiently analyze heart growth and cardiac hypertrophy in Drosophila.


A series of halo- and nitro-substituted analogues of N-(2-aminoethyl)benzamide has been synthesized. All of the compounds are competitive, time-dependent inhibitors of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), but upon dialysis complete return of enzyme activity is observed for all compounds. Therefore, these are mechanism-based reversible inhibitors of MAO-B. The relative potencies of the compounds are rationalized in terms of steric and hydrophobic effects.


to protect core resources, weed less essential materials and still maintain a balance in the collection. The by-product seemed to be that the faculty and students claimed a loyalty to the library by recognizing that the library was the source of their support in the learning process. They began to fight for the resources the library found most important and actually got some monies reinstated to the library purchasing budget. In their presentation entitled "What's in Your Aggregator?: Content, Currency, and Stability of Full-Text Databases," Mariyam Thohira and Mary Beth Chambers (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs) described a ten-year comparative study of fulltext titles in databases and their changes in content, currency and stability during that time. This information was especially informative for those facing budget cuts and the need to weed some digital sources as well as titles. There was not really enough time to answer all the questions that the attendees had after this session. The attendees hope that the researchers continue the study for at least several more years. Saturday was a half day full of food and information. Perhaps you could find other conferences with as many presentations on various subjects, but the combination of good food, knowledge, camaraderie, and mentoring in a Charleston setting is difficult to beat, especially when you consider the over 900 people mingling their thoughts about library acquisition topics. You will find this event fun, challenging, and energizing. Presentations and handouts are available for download from the conference Web site.


In a multi-level (coarse to fine) classifier, decisions along with their estimated uncertainties can be reported at any or all levels. We define the concept of the "best" level from the standpoint of a user who seeks to make a single class call that seeks to maximize specificity and minimize the error in making a mistake.


Extracted from the fruit of Anacardium occidentale L., Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) is a phenolic lipid that has potential biological use. Conventional pesticides are increasingly being replaced by natural products because of the impact that their mismanagement can have on human health and the environment. The objective of this work was to evaluate the fungicidal potential effect of CNSL on the fungi Colletotrichum gloesporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, in particular its use in reducing negative impacts on fruit production. Chemical and physical tests were conducted to determine features of the sample, such as pH, electrical conductivity and solubility, and to measure its anacardic acid content. In vitro and in vivo tests were also conducted to evaluate the inhibition of mycelial growth on papaya fruit, the identification of volatile components and the inhibition of spore production. CNSL had the highest fungicidal potential for both fungi in vitro at a concentration of 320 μg mL, and the same concentration was also maximal for sporulation inhibition in both fungi. In the in vivo tests the protective effect of CNSL was higher for C. gloesporioides fungus, whereas its curative effect was higher for L. theobromae. It was found that the substance with fungicidal potential was non-volatile and that the presence of the pathogens altered the chemical properties of the fruit.


The analytical paper explores the role of percutaneous coronary intervention in the treatment ST elevation myocardial infarction according to studies over the last 5 years. The aim of the study is to consider the sequence of transdermal coronary intervention in the treatment algorithm, the time frame, and the 30-day and 1-year survival rate when using alternative treatments versus transdermal coronary intervention. In conclusion: percutaneous coronary intervention is a priority method of treating acute coronary syndrome with ST segment rise. In patients who found themselves in unaffordable centers for percutaneous coronary intervention, fibrinolysis in situ had a worse prognosis than patient transfer. Fibrinolysis followed by percutaneous coronary intervention is a reasonable alternative when primary percutaneous coronary intervention is not available, especially in patients with early manifestation of symptoms. When comparing patients with timely primary transcutaneous coronary intervention, late reperfusion after ST elevation myocardial infarction leads to reduced myocardial rescue and increased infarction size, hence the time frame is of great importance. In general, patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in interbolinal movement had a higher survival rate for 1 year compared to patients receiving thrombolysis.


HR policies provide an organization with a mechanis m to manage risk by staying up to date with current trends in employment standards and legislat ion. The policies must be framed in a manner that the companies vision & the human resource helping t he company to achieve it or work towards it are at all levels benefited and at the same time not de viated from their main objective. This study therefore examines the contribution of Human resour ce policies i.e. Compensation policy, Welfare Policy, Work life policy, Recruitment policy, Rewar d and recognition policy and Career growth policy to their significance relationship with the employee job satisfaction in the Private telecommunication service providers. Descriptive re search design is adopted for the study. One hundred and fifty (150) respondents from private te lecommunication service providers were selected to answer the questionnaire. The result showed that there exists a significant relationship between th e human resource policies and the employee job satisf action.


Although failure of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKI) is generally believed to be associated with cross-resistance to other EGFR TKI, the benefit of administering erlotinib as a second EGFR TKI after resistance of gefitinib as the first TKI has been well known. However, good response to gefitinib after an initial response to erlotinib has been rare. We report that a 45-year-old woman (never smoked), with lung adenocarcinoma and EGFR mutation, showed an initial response to erlotinib, and then responded to gefitinib again.


We present an analysis of the radial dependence of the stellar mass function in the diffuse outer-halo globular cluster Palomar 14. Using archival HST/WFPC2 data of the cluster's central 39 pc (corresponding to ~0.85*r_h) we find that the mass function in the mass range of 0.55 to 0.85 solar masses is well approximated by a power-law at all radii. The mass function steepens with increasing radius, from a shallow power-law slope of 0.66+/-0.32 in the cluster's centre to a slope of 1.61+/-0.33 beyond the core radius, showing that the cluster is mass-segregated. This is seemingly in conflict with its long present-day half-mass relaxation time of ~20 Gyr, and with the recent finding by Beccari et al. (2011), who interpret the cluster's non-concentrated population of blue straggler stars as evidence that dynamical segregation has not affected the cluster yet. We discuss this apparent conflict and argue that the cluster must have either formed with primordial mass segregation, or that its relaxation time scale must have been much smaller in the past, i.e. that the cluster must have undergone a significant expansion.


Background: Fish oil supplementation has been shown to attenuate hyperpnea- and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. In vitro studies suggest that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), rather than eicosapentaenoic acid, may be the potent component of fish oil. Objective: Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine whether DHA supplementation can attenuate hyperpneainduced bronchoconstriction (HIB) and airway inflammation in adults with asthma compared to placebo. Methods: Nine subjects (aged 18-30 years) with asthma and HIB participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial where they received either 4.0 g of DHA or placebo capsules for 3 weeks. Following a 2-week washout phase, subjects then received the opposite supplement for 3 weeks. Subjects were tested in a laboratory following an initial 2-week run-in phase and after each supplementation phase. Each time, bronchoprovocation was elicited with eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH), a surrogate for an exercise challenge. Prior to and following the EVH challenge, pulmonary function, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, and EBC concentrations of 8-isoprostane and the DHA metabolites 17Shydroxydocosahexaenoic acid and protectin D1 were measured. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (study # NCT01200446). Results: Nine subjects completed the crossover design protocol without any adverse effects. There were no significant changes (p > 0.05) in any variables measured (i.e., percent change in forced expiratory volume-1-sec, EBC pH, 8-isoprostane, protectin D1 and 17S-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid) among the pre-supplementation, placebo, and DHA tests. The effect size (�…2) for the maximum percent change in FEV1 was 0.08. Conclusion: The data indicate that supplementation with 4.0 g of DHA for 3 weeks does not attenuate HIB or airway inflammation in asthmatic subjects compared to baseline or placebo. Variations in study design, including time course, dose,


Excerpt Precordial movements along the left sternal border have been recorded in normal children and in children with congenital heart disease in an effort to improve the accuracy of diagnosis by e...


A novel low-profile circularly polarized (CP) diversity patch antenna with extremely small edge-to-edge distance, reduced size, and low mutual coupling is proposed under dual modes. Initially, the single microstrip patch antenna (MPA) is theoretically investigated by using characteristic mode analysis. It demonstrates that a large number of radiative modes, i.e., CM1 to CM7, are excited for the traditional MPA. By selecting its quarter patch configuration with shorting pins, only a few modes, i.e., CM2 and CM7, could be resonated for the quarter patch antenna (QPA). Meanwhile, their nonbroadside radiated fields could be transformed into the broadside radiation. Particularly, the polarizations of CM2 and CM7 are maintained orthogonally with each other. Next, a linear slot is etched on the patch to reduce the magnitude ratio between <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\vert E_{\mathrm {\theta }}\vert $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\vert E_{\varphi }\vert $ </tex-math></inline-formula> components. After that, the resonant frequency of CM7 is moved closely to that of CM2 for nearby 90° phase difference. With these arrangements, the compact CP performance is acquired by combining its CM2 and CM7. Furthermore, a pair of QPAs with CP diversity is deeply studied. The results prove that the antenna has successfully acquired both of left-handed CP (LHCP) and right-handed CP (RHCP) performances at dual ports. Moreover, the low mutual coupling between them is generated under extremely small spacing. In final, the proposed antenna is fabricated and tested. Both of LHCP and RHCP patterns are formed of around 4.785 GHz. Besides, the proposed antenna occupies the small overall volume <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.023\lambda _{\mathrm {g}}^{3}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda _{\mathrm {g}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is the guided wavelength), that is only half of the traditional patch (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.045\lambda _{\mathrm {g}}^{3}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), and maintains the isolation as high as about 24 dB under extremely small distance (0.3 mm).


In this article, Rosemary Barilla, a middle-grade language arts teacher, inspired by her own dedication to the arts, describes the ways she integrates the fine arts into her classroom program that is designed to teach reading and writing. She notes, My priority is to address and teach the language arts standards, and I believe that to do so in good faith is to teach a well-versed understanding of how to "read" and write various texts, whether the text is in the form of a painting, a song, a play, or a novella. (p. 12)


A weak-interaction model for proton self-exchange between transition-metal centers is considered. The rate constant obtained from the Fermi golden-rule expression of radiationless transition theory is a product of terms for assembling acid and base reactants at the correct orientation and distance, a classical reaction frequency, an electron-proton reaction probability, and classical nuclear factors deriving from the requirement for reorganization of ancillary ligands and solvent modes. It is found that such a model yields calculated rate constants and activation parameters in reasonable agreement with the experimental data, provided that the fluxionality of certain metal centers is taken into account.


The Diels-Alder reactions of 1-substituted-3-(2-nitrovinyl)indoles 3 with quinones and acetylenes give aromatized 1:1 adducts (- nitrous acid) (1) or (- nitrous acid, -2 hydrogens) 2,5. Likewise, dimerization (-2 nitrous acids) of 3 gives aromatized 2-(3-indolyl)carbazoles 4. In contrast, 3 reacts with maleimides 6 to give 1:2 adducts (- nitrous acid or -2 hydrogens) 10 and 11, respectively, along with smaller amounts of 1:1 adducts (- nitrous acid, -2 hydrogens; or -4 hydrogens) 12 and 13, respectively. A mechanism for formation of the nitro products 11 and 13 is discussed. A 1:2 adduct (-2 hydrogens) 19 was also obtained from a Diels-Alder reaction between maleimide and the vinylindole produced in situ by condensing 1-methylindole with acetone. The stereochemisty of this 1:2 adduct has been determined by X-ray crystallography.


Wide array of genetic variation was observed for agro-economic traits among a set of 96 land races. Bhogi revealed short plant stature and it took just 78 days to mature. Khursudi and Asumakunda revealed high yield potential, while Salampikit, Kalakeri, Browngora, CR Dhan 40 and N22 were identified to have high degree of drought tolerance. Considering both leaf area and chlorophyll index; Kinari and Setka-1 had significantly higher value indicating efficient photosynthesis under water stress. Salampikit and N 22 were identified to be nearly free from BLB (0.8-1.0 score) whereas, almost all other genotypes showed moderate to high susceptibility. High tillering capacity (Harisankar, CR Dhan 143-2-2, Kinari, Hiran, Badi and Kutiarasi), longer panicle (Kantadumer, Rasakadali , Damaraphuli, Padarabank, Somo , Asumakunda and Anjali), heavy panicle (Sarian, Dhobasaria, and Anjali), and more number of grains per panicle (Padarabank, Pustak and Pankopoat) were recorded in few landraces. Dhanisaria, Kanding and Dhubasaria recorded significantly higher percentage of grain fertility. Chinger-2 had very bold grains and popular upland varieties e.g., Khandagiri, Vanaprabha and Mandakini revealed higher grain and kernel length.


Team management has the potential to be a powerful manage ment tool, say these writers, who also urge caution in its use.


Abstract We introduce a class of C*-algebras which can be viewed as a generalization of the classical Cuntz-Krieger algebras. Our approach is based on a flexible "generators and relations"-concept. The main result is a canonical uniqueness theorem stating that the C*-algebras of this class are uniquely determined by their generators and relations. We can show that rank one Cuntz-Krieger algebras with infinitely large transition matrices fall in this class, and this provides an alternative proof of a result of Exel and Laca. Further we analyze a subclass of rank two Cuntz-Krieger algebras inspired by shifts of finite type in dimension two, with an infinite set of generators and relations.


The Doppler rate of geosynchronous synthetic aperture radar (GEO SAR) may be positive, negative, or even zero at different orbital positions. When the Doppler rate is zero or near zero at some special positions, the range cell migration cannot be corrected in the range Doppler (RD) domain by traditional frequency domain algorithms. To solve this problem, a modified frequency domain algorithm based on optimal quadratic factor compensation, including phase and envelope compensation, is proposed in this paper. First, the quadratic factor compensation in the two-dimensional (2-D) time domain is introduced to expand the folded azimuth spectrum and transform the nonlinear frequency versus time relationship into a linear relationship. Moreover, an analytical method for obtaining the optimal compensation factor is proposed to reduce the variance of the azimuth phase and increase the azimuth size of a well-focused image. Using the proposed algorithm, a 400 km × 200 km (groundrange × azimuth) image is obtained at the orbit position with a zero Doppler rate. The proposed algorithm is also suitable for positions where the Doppler rate is nonzero, and the maximum azimuth size of well-focused images is greater than that of conventional imaging algorithms. Finally, the validity of the proposed algorithm is verified by computer simulations.


HenochSchonlein purpura (HSP) is the most common vasculitis of childhood, affecting 1020 children per 100,000 people each year. More than 90% of patients are under 10 years of age and the median age is 6 years (1, 2). HSP is a leukocytoclastic vasculitis that involves small blood vessels.
HenochSchonlein purpura is an IgAmediated immune vasculitis that involves small blood vessels in the joints, kidneys, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, skin, and less commonly in the central nervous system and lungs. Patients with this disease often present with abdominal discomfort, essential purpura, joint pain, and kidney disease. This review focuses on different aspects of the current disease.


A stainless steel composite panel comprising a stainless steel sheet is characterized in that a layer of polyurethane plastic foam is coated over the surface of the stainless steel sheet. Since the stainless steel sheet bonds well with the polyurethane and the polyurethane plastic foam has a high density, strength and hardness, is not susceptible to aging and does not deform in water, the composite panel does not deform and the stainless steel face is flat and smooth, thus ensuring the inherent quality and the quality in appearance.


We introduce an innovative design of a tunable optical filter. The design constitutes of a vertical Bragg grating microfabricated in the device layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer and whose silicon walls can be independently operated to select the desired response of the filter. The design concept and detailed microfabrication process are presented


Investigation of cells and tissues in vitro systems is an attempt to simplify the very complex interactions between the various cell types from multicellular organisms. Monolayer cell cultures with single cell type do not allow to show all the possible paracrine interactions between various types of cells. To analyze intercellular inter-actions, it is possible to use systems that co-cultivate several cell types. This article proposes a new cell co-cultivation system based on levitation in the magnetic field in the culture medium of a magnetic protein membrane with cells. The developed system of co-cultivation of cells can be made in any laboratory of available reagents and have a low manufacturing cost.


Summary The aim of this research was to make reference to the difference in heart rate values (HR) of soccer players in small-sided games (SSG) with various content focus. We assumed that the aim at the content in small-sided games would significantly affect the HR values of participating soccer players. The research group was comprised of players (n = 6) of the soccer club FK DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda (U15) at the age of 14 ± 0.7 years. The HR values were evaluated on the basis of collected data, which we obtained using sport testers and special software POLAR TEAM2. In order to find out the statistical significance of the difference in HR was used the One-Way ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test. The level of statistical significance was set at 5 %. We found out that by the change of the small-sided game's content focus, the internal reaction of players' organism to training load was at different level. In the SSG3, with the emphasis on the improvement of individual's final offensive game activity – shooting, was recorded the highest achieved HRavg value of the monitored players (181.83 ±7.11 beats.min−1). This form of the SSG was the most intense. However, there were no significant differences in HR values among the individual forms of the SSG. Our recommendation is to employ in the systematic training process small forms of small-sided games with various content focus, because by the means of it we can adequately prepare the players for the match load itself.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julia Ernst is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Dakota School of Law. She holds an LL.M. and Certificate in International Human Rights from the Georgetown University Law Center; a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law; a M.A. in World Politics from the University of Michigan Rackham School of Graduate Studies; and a B.A. from Yale University. The author is very grateful for the insights and encouragement from Professor Richard Goldstone, retired Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, who taught the Comparative Constitutional Law Seminar: The South African Bill of Rights at Georgetown Law in which the author wrote a paper that formed the basis for this article. Professor Ernst is also thankful for the vision, wisdom, and courage demonstrated by the Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellows at Georgetown Law while she served as Executive Director of the LAWA Fellowship Program. Burtness Scholar Research Assistants Madison Littlefield and Thaddeus Swanson provided excellent contributions to this article.


Soil organic layer in forest can be defined as a layer of accumulated organic materials including freshly, fragmented and humified litters on the soil surface, which play a key role in the global carbon cycle. In recent 10 years, the studies on forest soil organic layer have mainly focused on microbial counts, microbial biomass, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur, respiration, litter decomposition dynamics and enzymatic activity of this layer to the changing environment. However, the past studies have paid greater attention to litter stock, soil and water conservation, biodiversity nursing, biochemical property, and carbon source/sink dynamics, and biochemical property of this layer, and the responses of biochemical property in the soil organic layer to climate change were not well known, which made difficult to understand the climate change. It needs further study on the responses of biochemical property in soil organic layer to climate change. Ref 51


We proposed a standardized G‐banded idiogram (about 400 bands) for Cebus capucinus and established the complete late replication sequence for about 200 bands. Many chromosomes thought to be homologous on the basis of R‐banding and gene mapping showed similar replication sequences to human and macaque chromosomes. Other supposed homologs had no good correspondence. Asynchrony was observed in some bands and a few of these are apparently evolutionarily conserved. A full understanding of the evolution of chromosome replication sequences can only be obtained when secure chromosomal homology has been established on a molecular DNA level; preferably with in situ suppression CISS hybridization of human chromosomal libraries. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


an article I published in the previous issue of Pyrenae. Having spent many years working with coastal sites in South Africa and now settling in the Mediterranean academic landscape, I value the feedback from these two well-known archaeologists who have dedicated years of hard work in this later part of the world. Their opinions are very much appreciated for they allow me to bring new contexts to some of the (old) questions I have pursued in South Africa, an exercise that would help me with the process of broadening my research interests to the Mediterranean region. It is interesting that Bar-Yosef Mayer pointed out that my paper focussed "on two major revolutions", namely the emergence of modern humans and the transition to domestication in the form of animal husbandry (rather than agriculture). The southern-most of South Africa, particularly the west coast of South Africa, is not blessed with the diversity and richness of terrestrial fauna and cultivable plants, such as cereals and legumes, as the Middle East. However, the west and south coasts of South Africa are known for their rich and productive shorelines at all trophic levels, particularly the former among the two. Hence, it seems that these "revolutions" or big adaptive leaps were supported and/or mediated to different degrees by marine resources in southern Africa, such as i) the ability to access and systematically exploit sandy shore environment after learning to do so on rocky platforms, which would have assisted modern humans to move out of Africa successfully A Reply to comments by D. Bar-Yosef & M. Stiner on "Prehistoric Exploitation of Marine Resources in Southern Africa with Particular Reference to Shellfish Gathering: Opportunities and Continuities"


We review the duality between heterotic and F–theory string vacua with N = 1 space-time supersymmetry in eight, six and four dimensions. In particular, we discuss two chains of four-dimensional F–theory/heterotic dual string pairs, where F–theory is compactified on certain elliptic Calabi-Yau fourfolds, and the dual heterotic vacua are given by compactifications on elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds plus the specification of the E8 × E8 gauge bundles. We show that the massless spectra of the dual pairs agree by using, for one chain of models, an index formula to count the heterotic bundle moduli and determine the dual F–theory spectra from the Hodge numbers of the fourfolds and of the type IIB base spaces. Moreover as a further check, we demonstrate that for one particular heterotic/F–theory dual pair the N = 1 superpotentials are the same.


Lysophospholipids that include lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P) influence a spectacular range of cellular processes that affect virtually every vertebrate cell type. Their effects are mediated by a family of cell‐surface GPCRs designated by their receptor names LPA1–6 and S1P1–5, and the gene names LPAR1–6, S1PR1–5. These receptors couple to all major G proteins and consequently activate a diverse range of downstream pathways. New ways of measuring the interaction of a lipid with its cognate receptor through the use of back‐scattering interferometry (BSI) will be presented. In addition, medically relevant consequences of modulating lysophospholipid receptors for both therapeutic benefit – as evidenced by the actions of an S1P receptor modulator called fingolimod (Gilenya), the first oral medicine for treating multiple sclerosis – and mechanistic understanding of diseases – as illustrated through studies on LPA receptors in the etiology of hydrocephalus – will be discussed.


Nano-structured carbon materials have various fascinating intrinsic properties such as high specific surface area, abundant pore structure, unique surface chemical properties, and can be coupled various inorganic materials to configure the carbon hybrid materials for application in emulsion catalysis. The characteristics and principles emulsified by solid particles, and the factors affecting the emulsion properties such as the emulsion type, emulsion droplet size, and emulsion stability were also introduced. The advances of emulsion catalysis technology derived from metal oxide, hydroxides, and carbon hybrid materials at home and abroad were also reviewed. Some problems presented in emulsion catalysis processes were also pointed out. It was believed that emulsion catalysis technology, especially using carbon hybrid materials as solid emulsifiers, was a prominently new catalysis technology and also one of the important directions of catalysis technologies in future.


18141 Background: In the NCI's SEER database nearly 15% of NSCLC patients were = 80 years during the years 1973–2003. As the "elderly" population increases, the percentage of octogenarians with NSCLC will increase. To better understand this population we investigated the patient and tumor characteristics and treatment modalities by stage in octogenarians with NSCLC over a recent 5 year period at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Methods: Patients aged 80 years and older with biopsy-proven NSCLC seen between 1998–2003 were included in the analysis. 74 patients met criteria for study. Data was gathered from the cancer registry and chart reviews. Characteristics included stage, histology, treatment, and co-morbid conditions (pulmonary and non-pulmonary co-morbidities, weight loss, and ECOG PS). PS was either explicitly stated or inferred from the records, or recorded as "unknown" when PS could not be determined. Results: The 74 patients averaged 82.8 years of age (range 80–91), with 53% males and 47%...


Postpartum depression is the most common type of puerperal mental syndrome. The main influencing factors are social factors, psychological factors and biological factors. Yoga during pregnancy can promote social harmony, regulate emotions, reduce labor pain, shorten the labor process, reduce the rate of cesarean section, improve the rate of natural childbirth, so as to reduce the risk factors of postpartum depression.


A comparative study of the fine antigen structure of phage DDVI and its h mutant using neutralization reaction and the electron microscopy of the phage-antibody complex has shown that the head and the tail of these phages have common protein constituents. The bulk of the antigens located in tail's fibers and in a base plates is also identical. However, the application of the cross-adsorbed sera has shown that the phage DDVI and the h mutant differ by only one specific antigen located in the distal part of tail's fibers.


Based on analysis of the tooth profile of out-cycloid gear in the pin-gear drive, the arithmetic relationship solving key-points on the tooth profile is suggested by the article. And in combination with CNC system SINUMERIK 840D, a subprogram which can solve the key-points on the gear profile automatic, with CIP circular interpolation, soft approach and retraction is programmed.


Named data network (NDN) is a novel network architecture centered on content data. Existing routing strategies in NDN are inefficient due to neglecting the cache information in NDN nodes. This paper proposes a neighbor cache explore routing (NCE) strategy to fully use the cache information in the NDN routing strategy making, and designs the corresponding packet format and routing algorithm. The simulation results show that NCE strategy decreases the redundant traffics while improving the network performance, the effectiveness of NCE strategy is proved during the simulation.


This papei describes experiments in which the Laws' approach to texture analysis is augmented by artificial neural network classifiers followed by mode filters. Analysis of image classification data confirmed that averaging filters should be carefully chosen to obtain the best balance between remanent texture noise and blurring of class boundaries, smaller mask sizes being required for segmentation vis-a-vis classification. Preliminary image normalisation was found to be generally advisable, unless the training data is fully representative of the test data, while mode filters are valuable for consolidating the output images, e.g. by eliminating patches of misclassification. Indeed, mode filters seem to constitute an under-exploited technique in image analysis as a whole.


We analyze a model of trading under incomplete information similar to Chakraborty and Yilmaz (2004a, 2004b). We show that the possible presence of an informed insider in the market with long-lived private information generates an incentive for the insider to bluff or manipulate, i.e., undertake unprofitable trades early on in order to undertake profitable future trades at more favorable prices. In contrast to previous work, where the insider bluffs in order to add noise to the market's problem of inferring the fundamentals from the observed order flow, in the present paper the insider has an added incentive to manipulate. This arises from the presence of a large number of competitive rational traders who hold coarser information than the insider but finer information than the market maker, making it in their interest to "follow" the insider's trades in equilibrium. JEL classification: D82; G12.


Significant developer productivity gains and software quality improvement are expected with the use of software development tools and methods. However, recent studies reveal that the adoption of innovative technologies in software development has been undersubscribed. As different types of systems may need different kinds of software processes, programming paradigms and tools, no single set of solutions is best for all situations. The purpose of this study is to propose a framework for organizations to effectively select and adopt systems development methodologies so that they can decide on the most suitable tools and methods for their specific environment.


ABSTRACT Ger area in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has unique characteristics as nomadic portable dwellings have been clustered in the urban area through massive migration with a transition to a market economy. Since it has given rise to serious urban problems, including low-density urban sprawl, lack of basic services and infrastructure, and city-wide environmental pollution, Ger area has been dealt with as squatter and informal settlement to be eventually redeveloped. This study concentrates more on the fact that Ger area has become a legitimate settlement through the privatization of land, recognizing that the privatized land is a real asset by which Ger residents take advantage of the redevelopment as an opportunity to overcome poverty. In this regard, it examines how the land asset distributed free of charge, has contributed to asset accumulation of Ger residents through redevelopment. Empirical simulation based on financial cost–benefit assessments reveals that all redevelopment profits belong to developers exclusively, while Ger residents do not share any profit. Therefore, it is recommended that the redevelopment profit be shared with Ger residents, including the joint venture model in which the profit is distributed in proportion of land and capital equity investment with land price reflected potentialities of high-density land use. It is also recommended that some of the redevelopment profit be converted into providing affordable housing and, particularly in the scheme of land value capture, providing off-site and connecting infrastructure which otherwise the government supplies with taxpayers' money.


The holographic information transferred from photoresist master to replica is the relief groove depth. Many properties of the replica are related to groove depth of master, so to control the groove depth of photoresist master is important. In this paper, a novel method is adopted to obtain the value of the phase modulation by measuring diffraction light intensity of the photoresist master, since there is a certain relationship between groove depth and phase modulation, so the groove depth can be obtained indirectly.


In this paper a methodology has been developed for parameterization and monitoring of projects, portfolios and programs from both the public or private Construction Promoter's point of view -the real engine of the project-. This methodology analyses their responsibilities and those of the stakeholders throughout the project's lifecycle, and allows the Promoter to make decisions based on accurate, realistic and factual knowledge.


The first successful moire topography using the 'white beam' of synchrotron radiation from the DCI storage ring is reported. Moire X-ray topography is applied in order to study in quantitative detail the beam heating which inevitably occurs at powerful storage-ring sources. The maximum temperature rise observed was 1.39 K and several ways of reducing the thermal load are examined in detail. Schemes for the implementation of high-resolution interferometric spectroscopy and the criteria of elastic and thermal design are discussed.


The electron spin resonance spectra of Mn 2+ exchanged zeolite A have been investigated as a function of the monovalent co-cation (K + ,N a + ,L i + ,C s + ,o r NH 4 + ), Mn 2+ content, recording frequency, and temperature. Three new Mn 2+ species are observed with a well-resolved fine structure; this allows for the first time a direct quantitative determination of the zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters in zeolites. In hydrated zeolites, three ESR active Mn 2+ species are observed, characterized by different values for the ZFS parameter D. Species I has D ) 0.035 cm -1 . Species II is closer to a regular octahedron, with D ) 0.010 cm -1 . Species III, with D ) 0.14 cm -1 , is in a strongly axially distorted coordination. Species I is dominant in MnKA, MnCsA, and MnNH 4A, while II and III are found in MnNaA and MnLiA. In fully dehydrated zeolites, two species are observed. Species IV has a small hyperfine constant A and is present in dry NaA and KA. Species V is observed in dry LiA; it has axial symmetry with a large, temperature-dependent D. Species V probably represents Mn 2+ in a 3-fold coordination in a 6-ring. In partially hydrated zeolites, a tetrahedral species VI is observed. The spectroscopic data elucidate the location of manganese- (II) ions in zeolite A, particularly at relatively low metal loadings.


To establish a quantitative method of simultaneously determination of loganic acid,swertiamarin,gentiopicroside and mangiferin in Swertia tetraptera Maxim.by RP-HPLC.Method: The sample were separated on the column of Zorbax SB-C18(250 mm×4.6 mm i.d.,5 μm)which eluted with methanol and water(0.04 % phosphoric acid).The ratio of methanol and water increased from 20∶80 to 35∶65 in 20 min with detected wavelength at 254 nm,flow rate at 1 ml/min,column temperature at 30 ℃.Results: Four compounds were base-isolated.The linear ranges of loganic acid,swertiamarin,gentiopicroside and mangiferin were 0.05~0.625 μg(r=0.999 9),0.095~2.9 μg(r=0.999 8),0.049~2.56 μg(r=0.9997),0.006~2.8 μg(r=0.999 9)respectively,the average recoveries were 101 %(RSD=4.3 %),98.7 %(RSD=3.3 %),99.5 %(RSD=3.5 %),102 %(RSD=1.0 %)respectively.Conclusions: the method is rapid and precise.


Clinicians draw on instructional approaches when training patients with anaphylaxis to use adrenaline autoinjectors, but patient use is poor. Psychological barriers to these behaviours exist but are not considered routinely when training patients to use autoinjectors. Health Psychology principles suggest exploring these factors with patients could improve their autoinjector use.


This case history discusses the corrosion inhibition program for an Alabama gas condensate field for the period of 1975--1993. Inhibitor evaluation and selection techniques are discussed and evaluated with respect to changes in field operating conditions. The severe corrosive environment experienced in this field required an extensive and rather complex laboratory corrosion inhibitor screening program to determine the most efficient and cost effective corrosion inhibition program. Texaco Exploration and Production Technology Department`s [EPTD] use of autoclave equipment to evaluate film persistency and later continuous treatment performance of corrosion inhibitors under flowing [dynamic], high temperature and high pressure conditions was one of the crucial factors in the development of a successful corrosion inhibition program. The results of the dynamic continuous treatment high temperature-high pressure autoclave tests were especially valuable in accomplishing goal. Considering the extremely corrosive nature of the field, an extension in tubing life from 2 years to 8 years is regarded as a success. The success of this corrosion inhibition program is directly attributable to the cooperation, joint efforts and team-work between personnel in field production operations and central technical support functions.


Religious groups are the largest possessors of social capital in the United States.The religious groups are so popular to the society not noly because of its function.The social capital is the key to the growth of the American religious groups.The unique way of collecting religious social capital and the special mode of management assure the development of the religious groups.


After escaping the ravages of the Sahelian famine of 1968–73, Sudan has begun to experience famine in the current drought. This paper examines recent commercial and subsistence patterns of food production in Sudan In relation to shifting structures of accumulation in order to account for Sudan's rising vulnerability to famine. It argues that the combination of the cumulative effects of capitalist agricultural expansion with the ascendancy of policies of 'trilateral co‐operation' under Arab foreign capital during the 1970s set Sudan firmly on a course toward chronic and increasing food deficits. Peasant producers face a rapidly declining ability to meet their consumption needs, including food, through direct production at the same time that rain‐fed capitalist agriculture Is being reoriented toward increased export production. As we go to press severe famine threatens to spread throughout this country which is expected to provide both for its own population, and for a million refugees from the surrounding ...


A new recursive algorithm of stochastic approximation type with the averaging of trajectories is investigated. Convergence with probability one is proved for a variety of classical optimization and identification problems. It is also demonstrated for these problems that the proposed algorithm achieves the highest possible rate of convergence.


Fibre evanescent wave spectroscopy (FEWS) cure monitoring has previously been demonstrated with reinforcing fibres using low refractive index epoxy systems. To enable sensing of a range of aerospace grade epoxy systems, chalcogenide fibres with high refractive index (RI) and a large infra-red (IR) transmission were used for FEWS cure monitoring. However, chalcogenides have low chemical durability and poor mechanical properties resulting in fibre fractures and degradation of the optical properties with time. The aim of the project was to produce a high RI silicate glass, suitable for near infra-red (1000-2500nm) FEWS cure monitoring all possible epoxy resin systems throughout the entire curing process, whilst maintaining mechanical properties suitable for reinforcement.
A range of alkali and alkali free silicate glasses and epoxy systems were produced and their refractive indices optically characterised using ellipsometry. The glasses were thermally analysed for the liquidus and fibre forming temperatures for fiberisation. A fibre up-drawing jig was constructed and custom glass fibres were drawn. The composition was then mechanically characterised, demonstrating mechanical properties similar to reinforcing fibres.
Subsequently, the fibres were embedded into sunflower oil, liquid epoxy systems and epoxy pre-preg systems. Sunflower oil systems demonstrated proof of FEWS sensing showing excellent peak correlation. Liquid epoxy systems were successfully cure monitored by FEWS. Pre-preg systems did not display FEWS peaks, but were monitored using light intensity.


ABSTRACT A number of aromatic residues were seen to cluster in the upper portion of the three-dimensional structure of the FpvA ferric pyoverdine receptor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reminiscent of the aromatic binding pocket for ferrichrome in the FhuA receptor of Escherichia coli. Alanine substitutions in three of these, W362, W391, and F795, markedly compromised ferric pyoverdine binding and transport, consistent with a role of FpvA in ferric pyoverdine recognition.


Mechanics of Orthotropic Materials Lamina Coordinate System Displacements Strain Stress Contracted Notation Equilibrium and Virtual Work Boundary Conditions Continuity Conditions Compatibility Coordinate Transformations Transformation of Constitutive Equations 3D Constitutive Equations Engineering Constants From 3D to Plane Stress Equations Apparent Laminate Properties Introduction to Finite Element Analysis Basic FEM Procedure General Finite Element Procedure Solid Modeling, Analysis, and Visualization Elasticity and Strength of Laminates Kinematic of Shells Finite Element Analysis of Laminates Failure Criteria Predefined Fields Buckling Eigenvalue Buckling Analysis Continuation Methods Free Edge Stresses Poisson's Mismatch Coefficient of Mutual Influence Computational Micromechanics Analytical Homogenization Numerical Homogenization Local-Global Analysis Laminated RVE Viscoelasticity Viscoelastic Models Boltzmann Superposition Correspondence Principle Frequency Domain Spectrum Representation Micromechanics of Viscoelastic Composites Macromechanics of Viscoelastic Composites FEA of Viscoelastic Composites Continuum Damage Mechanics One-Dimensional Damage Mechanics Multidimensional Damage and Effective Spaces Thermodynamics Formulation Kinetic Law in Three-Dimensional Space Damage and Plasticity Discrete Damage Mechanics Overview Approximations Lamina Constitutive Equation Displacement Field Degraded Laminate Stiffness and CTE Degraded Lamina Stiffness Fracture Energy Solution Algorithm Delaminations Cohesive Zone Method Virtual Crack Closure Technique Appendix A: Tensor Algebra Appendix B: Second-Order Diagonal Damage Models Appendix C: Software Used Index Problems appear at the end of each chapter.


Objective It is to study the effect of Tianxiong liquor on mouse model of Yang deficiency. Methods 60 mice were divided into normal group, Yang deficiency group, Nanbao group and Tianxiong liquor low, middle, high groups. The curative effect of six groups were observed and compared. Results The Yang deficiency syndromes of the mice in Tianxiong liquor low, middle and high groups, especial the high and the middle groups, were relieved. The mobility score in 10 min of the high and the middle groups significantly increased compared with Yang deficiency group ( P 0.01). The effect was similar to that of Nan Bao. Conclusion Tianxiong liquor has certain effects in tonifying the kidney and invigorating Yang.


The organic ecological tea garden has been established with choiceness varieties for three year .Theresults show that the contour planting, ground cover, heavy stock fertilizer, integrated control of pests, pruning and soon are important measures for high-yield. The production value is 65475.5 RMB/ha in the first year,17296.35 RMB/hain the secondary year. The average net profit is 7232.85 RMB/ha.The soil fertility is evidently increased and the qualityof tea is advanced. The security index achieves national standard of organic tea. The tea overpasses the authenticationof China Organic Tea Attestation Center.


Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the air ways in which many cells play a role, particularly mast cells, eosinophils and T-lymphocytes.1. Tulsi is one among Shwasahara Mahakashaya described by Acharya Charaka2. Here an attempt has been made to observe the effect of the drug Tulsi by different formulations namely Vati, Arka and Aerosol. The study showed encouraging results in patients of Shwasa by Tulsi Aerosol followed by Vati and Arka.


Riemannian optimization uses local methods to solve optimization problems whose constraint set is a smooth manifold. A linear step along some descent direction usually leaves the constraints, and hence retraction maps are used to approximate the exponential map and return to the manifold. For many common matrix manifolds, retraction maps are available, with more or less explicit formulas. For implicitly-defined manifolds, suitable retraction maps are difficult to compute. We therefore develop an algorithm which uses homotopy continuation to compute the Euclidean distance retraction for any implicitly-defined submanifold of R^n, and prove convergence results. We also consider statistical models as Riemannian submanifolds of the probability simplex with the Fisher metric. Replacing Euclidean distance with maximum likelihood results in a map which we prove is a retraction. In fact, we prove the retraction is second-order; with the Levi-Civita connection associated to the Fisher metric, it approximates geodesics to second-order accuracy.


How to estimate the regression coefficient by linear estimator and the admissibility of the linear estimator are considered in the extension of growth curve model.Using the results of growth curve model,two sufficient conditions for estimator to be admissible are obtained among given estimator class under vector loss function.


According to the analysis result of the long-time storing condition of BHP solution,it's pointed out that steel lining plastic material can be used as the material of long-time storage can.Based on literature data and material consistency tests,PO was chosen as a lining material.Then the long-time storage test can of BHP solution was designed and manufactured.And the long-time storage experiment of the test can was carried out.The results indicate that the quality of BHP solution after long-time storing in the test can has not significant change.The experiment results also validate that the long-time storing technology is feasible.


Hospital readmissions are being used as a quality metric for hospital reimbursement without a clear understanding of the factors that contribute to readmission.


Abstract : NITINOL Shape Memory Alloy wire was strained to increase its first-time transformation temperature to as high as 150 deg C. The useful work done by a wire, within limits, is a function of the strain in it. Strains residual from the annealing process and those introduced after annealing can greatly affect the time transformation. The load lifted and extent of contraction can be varied inversely for a given wire. The energy required for heating and transformation was a function of the work performed, varying between 60 and 144 Joules per gram for the 1/4 mm (0.010 inch) wire used in this work. It is concluded that NITINOL can be used for Safing and Arming components. Under no-load conditions NITINOL can recover 6.5 percent stain at 360 C. Keywords: Fuze; Safing and Arming; Shape memory alloys; Nickel alloys; Titanium alloys.


We apply the vector quantization algorithm proposed by Equitz to the problem of efficiently selecting colors for a limited image palette. The algorithm performs the quantization by merging pairwise nearest neighbor (PNN) clusters. Computational efficiency is achieved by using k- dimensional trees to perform fast PNN searches. In order to reduce the number of initial image colors, we first pass the image through a variable-size cubical quantizer. The centroids of colors that fall in each cell are then used as sample vectors for the merging algorithm. Tremendous computational savings is achieved from this initial step with very little loss in visual quality. To account for the high sensitivity of the human visual system to quantization errors in smoothly varying regions of an image, we incorporate activity measures both at the initial quantization step and at the merging step so that quantization is fine in smooth regions and coarse in active regions. The resulting images are of high visual quality. The computation times are substantially smaller than that of the iterative Lloyd-Max algorithm and are comparable to a binary splitting algorithm recently proposed by Bouman and Orchard.


(2014). A method for the deliberate and deliberative selection of policy instrument mixes for climate change adaptation, Ecology and Society 19(2): 58.


PURPOSE: To provide a dynamic instruction scheduling system which can issue plural out-of-order instructions to a function unit in each cycle according to a fast dispatch stack(FDS), i.e., dependency. CONSTITUTION: Structure and a cycle time needed to schedule a storage device instruction, a branch instruction, and an inter-register instruction and assign them to the function unit are disclosured. Namely, technology capable of issuing plural instructions depending upon a condition code on an out-of-order basis is shown. A fast register renaming system and interruption scathing technology which enables fast precise interruption and branch prediction are shown. Instructions before and after one or plural predicted conditional branch instructions can be issued in parallel on an out-of-order basis. The effect of an executed instruction following a mispredicted branch instruction or an instruction which initiates a precise interruption is canceled in one cycle.


Objective: To compare the cephalometric variables of obese (body mass index (BMI) age;30) and non-obese (BMIalt;30) Turkish male patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Materials and Methods: OSAS diagnosed 85 patients who were obese [n=37; mean age (aplusmn;SE), 49.41aplusmn;1.54 year] and non-obese [n=48; mean age (aplusmn;SE) 46.92aplusmn;1.39 year] were included in the study. The cephalometric measurements and polysomnographic data of the patients were compared and a discriminatory analysis was performed. Results: The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was significantly higher in obese patients (palt;0.01). Bimaxillary protrusion was found in obese patients (palt;0.05). The non-obese patients with AHI age; 30 had an increased mandibular plane angle In the stepwise discriminant analysis done separately in obese and non-obese patients according to AHI; only the hyoid bone position was included in the model in obese patients and the estimated success of discrimination of AHIa#39;s level (alt;30 and age;30) was 70.3%. Age, anterior face and posterior face height were included to the model in non-obese patients and the estimated success of discrimination was found as 79.2%. Conclusion: Craniofacial morphology has an effect on the severity of OSAS. If the craniofacial morphology tends toward a worsening of OSAS with obesity, the severity of the OSAS increases.


This paper presents a simple model of price expectations and urban housing prices. The empirical results for a sample of houses sold in the city of Chicago during 1970-1972 indicate that the expectation of nominal price increase, estimated as an extrapolation of past price increases in the neighborhood, have a significant impact on the current price.


Facial expressions are vital in practically every industry in this digital age. One of the most popular biometrics is face recognition. It can be used for security, authentication, identification, and has many additional benefits. Face recognition systems can also be utilised in schools, colleges, and offices, among other places. This program aims to build a classroom plan that uses the concept of facial recognition as a reality manual presence system. It is expensive and difficult to maintain. And there may be opportunities to become a representative to be present. This program contains four phases- database construction, face detection, facial recognition, review of attendees. After face identification, the Haar-Cascade Section and Local Binary Histogram pattern method sequence is used to detect faces


(57) [Abstract] interdependencies mixture to control the biological growth during the industrial fluid and disclose this control method. The present invention, and stabilized sodium hypobromite, coco alkyl dimethyl amine oxide, n- cocoalkyl trimethylenediamine, tetra - alkyl phosphonium chloride, 7-oxabicyclo [2,2,1] heptane-2,3 - characterized by comprising the above mixture to that at least one selected from the group having dicarboxylic acid and 4,5-dichloro -2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one.


Sunderland, KL, Greer, F, and Morales, J. &OV0312;o2max and ventilatory threshold of trained cyclists are not affected by 28-day l-arginine supplementation. J Strength Cond Res 25(3): 833-837, 2011-The ergogenic effect of l-arginine on an endurance-trained population is not well studied. The few studies that have investigated l-arginine on this population have not been conducted in a laboratory setting or measured aerobic variables. The purpose of the current study is to determine if 28 days of l-arginine supplementation in trained male cyclists affects &OV0312;o2max and ventilatory threshold (VT). Eighteen (18) endurance-trained male cyclists (mean ± SD, age: 36.3±7.9 years; height: 182.4 ± 4.6 cm; and body mass: 79.5 ± 4.7 kg) performed a graded exercise test (GXT; 50 W + 25 W·min−1) before and after 28 days of supplementation with l-arginine (ARG; 2 × 6 g·d−1) or placebo (PLA; cornstarch). The GXT was conducted on the subject's own bicycle using the RacerMate CompuTrainer (Seattle, WA, USA). &OV0312;o2 was continuously recorded using the ParvoMedics TrueOne 2400 metabolic cart (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) and VT was established by plotting the ventilatory equivalent for O2 (&OV0312;E/&OV0312;o2) and the ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (&OV0312;E/&OV0312;co2) and identifying the point at which &OV0312;E/&OV0312;o2 increases with no substantial changes in &OV0312;E/&OV0312;co2. l-arginine supplementation had no effect from initial &OV0312;o2max (PL, 58.7 ± 7.1 ml·kg−1·min−1; ARG, 63.5 ± 7.3 ml·kg−1·min−1) to postsupplement &OV0312;o2max (PL, 58.9 ± 6.0 ml·kg−1·min−1; ARG, 63.2 ± 7.2 ml·kg−1·min−1). Also, no effect was seen from initial VT (PL, 75.7 ± 4.6% &OV0312;o2max; ARG, 76.0 ± 5.3% &OV0312;o2max) to postsupplement VT (PL, 74.3 ± 8.1% &OV0312;o2max; ARG, 74.2 ± 6.4% &OV0312;o2max). These results indicate that l-arginine does not impact &OV0312;o2max or VT in trained male cyclists.


On the Effects of the Alkaline Mineral Waters of Vichy on the JJrine. By Dr. Durand-Fardel. Dr. Durand-Fardel lias, from his position of physician to the hospital at Vichy, long had opportunities of investigating the operation of the celebrated waters of that place. His object in the present paper is to correct some exaggerated and erroneous statements which have been made respecting their effect upon the urine, and their solvent power on urinary calculi. M. Petit and others have jumped to the conclusion that, because certain calculi immersed in these waters undergo solution, the same solvent power might be obtained from their ingestion rendering the urine alkaline; but M. Durand points out that this would not necessarily remedy the conditions upon which the formation of the calculi depended, and that such alkalinization of the urine is not permanent and complete enough to disintegrate calculi already formed. He carefully examined, at regular intervals, the uriue of 87 patients while regularly drinking the waters. Of these, in 30 cases there was


The present invention relates to a high temperature-durable radome for an antenna which is light and resistant to high temperatures and has high strength and low dielectric permittivity, and a manufacturing method thereof. To this end, provided are a method of manufacturing a high temperature-durable radome for an antenna, which includes a molding preparation step of preparing liquid ceramic resin, nonmetal fiber-reinforced fabric which is cut in consideration of the thickness and shape of a product, and a radome mold onto which a mold release agent is applied; a fabric stack step of impregnating the cut nonmetal fiber-reinforced fabric with the ceramic resin and laminating the output onto the radome mold in order; a room temperature hardening step of hardening the product made by laminating the ceramic resin-impregnated nonmetal fiber-reinforced fabric at room temperature for a predefined period of time; a high temperature hardening step of hardening the room temperature-hardened product at high temperatures equal to or higher than 350°C for a predefined period of time; and a machining step of taking the high temperature-hardened product away from the radome mold and processing the product using a machining device according to the final request size; and the high temperature-durable radome for an antenna manufactured by the describe manufacturing method.


AbstractLifecycle cost analysis is a critical step in feasibility studies of future infrastructure projects. Lifecycle cost analysis of innovative infrastructure systems, such as a proposed undergr...


ALEKSIEV, Y., 2008. Effect of shearing on some physiological responses in lactating sheep kept indoor. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 14: 417-423 The effect of early spring shearing on dynamics of some physiological responses was studied in six lactating Tsigai ewes kept in barn. Rectal temperature, pulse rate and respiratory frequency were recorded for 5 days before and 15 days after shearing twice daily in the morning (07.00 h) and in the afternoon (14.00 h). Rectal temperatures were lower in the morning both in unshorn and shorn sheep compared to the values recorded in the afternoon but the difference was significant (P<0.05) only in shorn ewes. Rectal temperature in unshorn sheep averaged 39.0°C in the morning and 39.2°C in the afternoon. Shearing resulted in a significant decrease in rectal temperature of 0.73 °C in the morning (P<0.01), and of 0.41°C in the afternoon (P<0.05) compared to preshearing levels. Heart rate in the morning prior to shearing was 82.8 ± 0.4 beats.min -1 and an average increase of approximately 10 beats.min -1 was recorded after shearing. In the afternoon, similar mean values of 102.9 ± 0.4 and 103.3 ± 0.5 beats.min -1 respectively were recorded in unshorn and shorn ewes. A transient elevation of 25 beats.min -1 accompanied by shivering was noted only in the first morning after shearing but subsequently they both disappeared indicating a downward shift in the lower critical temperature Prior to shearing, respiratory frequency averaged 36.6 ± 3.1 breaths.min -1 in the morning and 55.9 ± 5.8 breaths.min -1 in the afternoon. Shearing brought about a considerable drop in respiratory activity, which reached significantly lower mean values of 16.6 ± 0.9 breaths.min -1 in the morning (P<0.01) and 20.6 ± 1.5 breaths.min –1 in the afternoon (P<0.001). Regardless of the substantial enhancement of ambient temperatures during the daytime, respiratory activity remained almost unchanged. The results suggest that adaptation in shorn sheep was realized mainly through the activation of energy saving mechanisms which played an essential role in supporting the thermal homeostasis under cold stress induced by shearing.


An exact power series expansion is derived which interrelates the coefficients of the Legendre expansions for an atom–diatomic molecule potential function expanded about the centers of mass of two different isotopes of the diatomic. Its application to the anisotropic potential recently obtained for H2– and D2–Ar yields a potential for HD–Ar, which is then used to predict the transition frequencies in the infrared absorption spectrum of the latter. The relatively large discrepancies between these predictions and the recent measurements of McKellar [J. Chem. Phys. 61, 4636 (1974)] are attributed to the unusual sensitivity of such predictions to the shape of the isotropic potential in the region between its minimum at Re(0) and its zero energy turning point, σ(0).


In many African countries, acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PIO) is the commonest disorder treated in a gynaecological department I; in Gweru General Hospital, Zimbabwe, it accounts for more than 40070 of gynaecological admissions. This constitutes a major public health problem, not only because of the large number of affected patients and their usually prolonged hospital stay, but because of the continuing mortality rate, and the multiple interventions required for late sequelae such as infertility, tubal pregnancy and chronic lower abdominal pain. Though in most cases diagnosis is easy, it is important to remember that the spectrum of clinical manifestations is very broad. In a Scandinavian study of 905 cases, laparoscopy revealed that the clinical diagnosis of PID, made by experienced gynaecologists, was confirmed in no more than 65% of the patients-, Review of the records at Gweru General Hospital showed that the initial diagnosis of PID was wrong in 23% of the cases. There is a general agreement that antibiotics and, in some cases, surgery are the bases of treatment but many questions are left unanswered: who has to be admitted to hospital? which antibiotic is to be given? which route of administration is to be used? for how many days is treatment to last? has an intrauterine device (IUO) to be removed? what are the indications for surgery and which operation is the most suitable?


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In this paper we examine the price movements of contracts that represent bets on NBA games and find that the disposition effect causes significant deviations between contract prices and values. The contracts under examination are listed on Tradesports, a prediction market which provides an ideal venue for testing this and other behavioral theories because of its asset properties, market structure, and the absence of the joint hypothesis problem. In our analysis, we forecast the projected final combined scores of both teams in a contest based on observed within-game scores and game time remaining. At all points in time throughout each game, mean future returns (measured as Ticks to Expiry) should be no different than zero. However, we find that contracts which have fallen off pace to exceed the stated contract total become overpriced and experience negative future returns. Likewise, we provide evidence that contracts on games in which teams are on pace to exceed the stated total become underpriced and experience significantly positive future returns. These findings are consistent with the disposition effect in which traders tend to hold losing positions to avoid realizing losses yet prematurely unwind winning positions to realize gains.


Based on the Problems of heat shack flaking damaged and baking exfoliate on interval industrial furnaces,the experimental study on aluminium silicon castables with high resisting heat shack performance were finished to improve the resisting heat shack performance,the resisting crack,the high temperature intension and the fireproof adaptability of castables. The aluminium silicon castables with 40%~75% Al2O3 were manufactured and applied on different interval industrial furnaces or equipments. The favorable application results were acquired.


Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). Although the research outputs of African scholars have increased over the years, the continent contributes less than 5% of global scientific publications.1,2 Early career researchers (ECRs) are key in undertaking research that will shape the future of clinical care and public health in Africa, where the burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases is converging.3 An ERC is one within their first 5 years of academic or research-related employment following completion of postgraduate research training.4 In Africa, ERCs are usually at assistant lecturer or lecturer level in research institutes, universities, polytechnics or colleges.5


In IoT things can be considered as real world object which can be given an IP address. To raise the ease of use of the real world things and improving the efficiency of its usage, merging of real world things by removing gap from real and virtual world objects with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is done. Implementation done till now doesn't display values for acceleration, steering, rake on mobile screen so, In this paper Io T is implemented using Wi-Fi technology and Wi-Fi will be used to control electric vehicle for parameters like acceleration, brake, steering and display its current value on screen this application also provide GPS co-ordinates for updated position of vehicle after interval of every 5000 milliseconds and display images and live stream of video. Implementation of user friendly UI is accomplished.


Non-trivial hardware architectures consist of a significant number of fine-grained modules that communication with each other via dedicated signal lines. In field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), these communication lines are provided in forms of global vertical and horizontal routing channels, and are subject to the routing process. Since the effects of physical properties on the signal skew along these lines is well understood, this paper investigates the observable effects on a signal's duty cycle. Practical experiments show that the distortion on the duty cycle progressively increases along such wires (connections) and that in the extreme case, a signal may entirely vanish.


This paper analyzes the relationships between selected aspects of human security-poverty and health security, social justice and sustainable development in Nigeria, representing the African continent. Human security, an emerging paradigm for understanding global vulnerabilities, is widely defined as consisting of seven key areas. However, the aspects of poverty and health security are selected for this study because of the overlapping effects on all the other aspects. Data for the conceptual and theoretical section of the paper are drawn from secondary sources and complimented by data from primary sources. These include events analyses by the author and content analyses of documents such as United Nations (UN) Human Development Index (HDI), Legatum Prosperity Index and Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) for a selected period. Research methodology is case study based.The paper's main finding centres on the levels of poverty and threats to health security that have confronted majority of ordinary Nigerians in the past two decades despite the country's huge material endowments. In the light of this, the focus of knowledge in the country's immediate and distant future should be human security and not state-centric security.


In Malaysia, it is reported that in the year 2000 there were 128,810 single parent families, and the number has been increasing. Past research had found that single parent families and their children experienced more difficulties in the context of family life and well-being than two-parent families (Anjli Panalal K. Doshi, 2005). From the legal perspective, one of the problems of single parents is the difficulty of enforcement of the alimony order granted by the courts upon divorce. Recognizing this, the Government in 2008, decided to establish a new division known as the Family Support Division (FSD) under the Department of Shariah Judiciary of Malaysia. This division is to handle matters related to the enforcement of the maintenance orders issued by the Shariah courts against ex-husbands/fathers. Alimony advances will be made by the division to help the divorcees and their children whose ex-spouses or fathers failed to provide maintenance, or comply with the Shariah court's order. In principle, this function is similar to that of the Child Support Agency (CSA) found in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and UK, except that they are independent of the courts. Thus, this paper aims to discuss the nature and function of the division, its performance so far, and its future plan. It is hoped that by studying the strengths and weaknesses of the division, suggestions can be made to improve further its current structure and legal framework, for the betterment of single parent families in Malaysia.


The authors describe the design(, assembly(, and testing results for prototypes of an optical current transformer (CT) and a voltage-dividing-type voltage transformer (PD). The optical CT and PD were developed to be applicable to three-phase enclosed-type 300 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and air-insulated 168 kV substation systems. Test results for the newly developed optical CT and PD showed that their basic properties conform with JEC 1201, the Japanese standard for electric-power instrument transformers. >


Although a significant attention has been drawn to the concept of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar and in particular on the transmit beamforming design and multitarget localization, the cooperation between the transmitter (Tx) and the receiver (Rx) has been rarely investigated. In this paper, a novel joint Tx and Rx optimization approach for localization is proposed for MIMO radar, where the transmit beamforming design and the estimation of the target's complex path gain are jointly derived by solving an optimization problem that takes account various target parameters. Moreover, the proposed transmit beamforming design controls the power distribution per individual target. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using computer simulation studies and compared with techniques which simply combine Tx beamforming design with multitarget localization methods.


Bank compliance experts greeted the early January release of uniform fairlending exam procedures with a mixture of cautious optimism and critical concern. The exam procedures, are issued by the interagency Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, are designed as a core approach that examiners from all five federal financial institution regulators would adhere to-adding onto them as necessary. They take a "risk-based" approach in determining how much attention to bring to bear on a bank. As such, the procedures are designed to take into account a bank's loan product mix, market demographics, and past fair lending performance. Setting the new procedures apart from many earlier efforts is their wide view. While much past attention has been placed on home mortgage lending, the new procedures are intended to at least keep an eye on activity in every loan area, even though, under federal law, only certain ones can be tracked using government monitoring data. The new procedures also bold out the next-best promise to the elusive "safe harbor" for banks that perform self-evaluations of their fair-lending records: the opportunity to have examiners review the bank's own evaluation and accept it in lieu of a complete on-site visit. In this way, the bank could bid the exam team farewell that much sooner. However, the bank that opts for such "streamlining," takes some risks as well, as the last section of this article will show. The new procedures, structured by the Exam Council's Consumer Compliance Task Force, were two years in the making. "They appear to he generally helpful, in that they provide the first clear direction to regulated entities as to what examiners are going to be looking at," said Andrew Sandier, with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. "To the extent they are followed, they are a good thing." Even under the procedures previously used by the agencies, it was commonly acknowledged that examiners-in-charge, either because of factors unique to the bank under examination or based on their own experience, departed from the rules at times. The new procedures are quite extensive, and banking consultant Jo Ann S. Barefoot sees this as a plus for the industry. "The procedures create a process for teeing up some of the tougher issues that fairlending raises," said Barefoot, head of KPMG Barefoot, Marrinan, Columbus, Ohio, and ABA Banking Journal "Compliance Clinic" columnist. She cautioned bankers not to make too much of the procedures, however. "Fair-lending continues to be more about moral suasion and pushing the industry in the desired direction than anything else," says Barefoot. There are also specific areas to pay close attention to because of the potential interpretations examiners may put on them. Paul Smith, ABA's staff expert on fair-lending and the association s senior federal administrative counsel, suggests bankers read closely the sections on marketing, redlining, and credit scoring. Scoping out a fair-lending exam A key aspect of the new procedures concerns setting the scope of the exam. The exam team will determine how deep and how broad an exam they must perform based on an understanding of how and where a bank approaches credit. Then the potential for illegally discriminatory conduct is evaluated using a series of "risk factors" contained in the procedures, each pertaining to a different facet of lending. The procedures boil this down to an eight-step process: development of the overview; identification of compliance program risk factors; review of residential loan products; identification of residential lending discrimination risk factors; organization of residential risk analysis; identification of consumer lending risk factors; analysis of commercial lending discrimination risk; and completion of the scope analysis. One of the simplest of the series of risk factors concerns identification of risk factors involving the bank's fair-lending compliance program itself. …