Tradeoffs between performance, cost and risk frequently arise during analysis and design of complex systems. Many such systems have both human and technological components and can be described by mathematical input‐output models. Oftentimes such systems have known or desired outcomes or behaviors. This paper proposes "isoperformance" as an alternative approach for analyzing and designing systems by working backwards from a set of desired performance targets to a set of acceptable solutions. This is in contrast to the traditional "forward" process, which starts first in the design space and attempts to predict performance in objective space. Isoperformance can quantify and visualize the tradeoffs between determinants (independent design variables) of a known or desired outcome. For deterministic systems, performance invariant contours can be computed using sensitivity analysis and contour following. In the case of stochastic systems, the isoperformance curves can be obtained by regression analysis, given a statistically representative data set. Examples from opto‐mechanical systems design and human factors are presented to illustrate specific applications of the method.


As an imaginary product of social sciences,the conceptualization of collective action has become the most important accumulation of knowledge in public life.However,in the accepted academic researches,the concept of collective action either inclines to analyzing social struggles or makes over-operative analyses in the theoretical hypothesis of new institutionalist economics.Therefore,it's not only an academic issue concerning organizational behavior but a key issue of public administration,which has a perspective construction and is ready to take social responsibilities if we start from constructivist administration and carry out researches on collective action at a more general theoretical level.


The invention relates to an entropy decoding circuit, an entropy decoding method and an entropy decoding method using a pipeline mode. The entropy decoding circuit comprises a temporary storage unit for coefficients, a first entropy decoder, a reading and writing control circuit and a second entropy decoder, wherein the first entropy decoder reads the first-class current to be decoded so that the first-class current is processed by the first entropy and written into the temporary storage unit for coefficients by the reading and writing control circuit in an adjustable scanning sequence. The second entropy decoder reads the second-class current to be decoded and decoding the second-class current according to the condition that whether normalized parameters and normalized coefficients are zero or not. The reading and writing control circuit is used for reading the normalized coefficients in the temporary storage unit for coefficients in a fixed scanning sequence, and then, the decoding action is completed.


In this paper, we show that there exists a balanced linear threshold function (LTF) which is unique games hard to approximate, refuting a conjecture of Austrin, Benabbas, and Magen. We also show that the almost monarchy predicate P(x) = sign((k−4)x1 + ∑i=2kxi) is approximable for sufficiently large k.


The research focuses on a state estimation problem for the paper path and heat flow control of industrial printers. The dynamics of industrial printers can be modeled with a system with input-induced nonlinearities. This model of the system switches in time with a parameter vector which is externally triggered. An important issue in the design of the state estimator involves the question as to what extend the stability and the performance of the estimated dynamics are robust against perturbations and uncertainties in the parameters of the system. For this class of systems we propose the design of an estimator based on an affine parameter dependent representation of the system with parametric uncertainties. The performance of the estimator is analyzed and the stability proven based on Lyapunov theory. Simulation examples show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in the presence of several arbitrary switches between modes.


central we have stronger moral reasons to direct resources to charitable organizations like those recommended by GiveWell than we have to use the same resources to offset our greenhouse gas emissions. The our the risks by the same risks as a result of risks on particular people through emitting activity it at best reduces the risks faced by different people. the amount of done by reducing risks through offsetting is so much lower the amount of done by donating the same to an effective to the


Human motion tracking from monocular video has received increasing attention in recent years due to its broad applications. Among these human motion tracking methods, the particle filter is considered as an effective approach for human motion tracking. However, there are still two limitations of current particle filter approaches such as the prior used for the filtering step is often poor due to relatively large, poorly modeled inter-frame motion and the use of the prior as an importance function results in inefficient sampling of the posterior. In this paper, we present a new approach to track 3D human motion from video clips with the assistance of a pre-captured motion library. We studied the application of particle filter to realize the basic principle of 3d human motion tracking, three-dimensional human body model, the evaluation function of the posture and dynamic model of the movement, and the results of the tracking test is given.


Background Little is known about the incidence and clinical characteristics of newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) in urban Africans in epidemiological


Abstract: The study is entitled "INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OF MASTER TEACHERS IN THE DIVISION OF TAGUIG CITY AND PATEROS" The study aimed to identify the level of instructional supervision of master teachers and the level of technical assistance they are providing to teachers 1-3. The study used the descriptive correlational research designs. The study was conducted in selected public elementary schools in the Division of Taguig City and Pateros during the school year 2021-2022.


The psycho-pedagogical counseling of the family members is a specialized process of counseling, support, guidance of people I difficulty, it is a complex process that includes a very wide range of interventions, which require a solid professional training. It aims to empower the person (child, young or adult) to ensure optimal functioning by making evolutionary changes whenever the situation requires it.


Three‐dimensional (volume) magnetic resonance angiography is a noninvasive technique the images the intracranial and cervical arterial vasculature without contrast agents. Twenty‐four children with strokes had combined parenchymal magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography 1 day to 4 years after acute presentation. Eight had had prior intra‐arterial angiography. Eighteen magnetic resonance angiographic studies showed arterial stenosis or occlusion in the vascular distribution of magnetic resonance image‐defined brain infarction and, in 7 children, in the same location as previously defined abnormalities on intra‐arterial angiography. One child had a normal intra‐arterial angiogram and magnetic resonance angiogram. The other 5 children with normal magnetic resonance angiographic studies included 3 with presumed embolic disease, 1 with meningitis, and 1 with Crohn's disease‐related vasculitis. Collateral flow patterns could be determined in 4 children. Artifact presenting as filling defects in vessels was present in 10 studies, but did not interfere with interpretation of 8 studies. Combined magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography provides a screening technique to evaluate noninvasively brain parenchyma and vasculature in children with suspected large‐vessel abnormalities, allowing selection for intra‐arterial angiography and vasculature in children with suspected large‐vessel abnormalities, allowing selection for intra‐arterial angiography and serial monitoring of vascular abnormalities over time and during therapeutic intervention.


Background and Objective: Herpes simplex encephalitis is a life-threatening consequence of the central nervous system (CNS) infection with Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Although it is a rare disease, mortality rates reach 70% in the absence of therapy and only a minority of individuals can return to normal function . The aim of this study was to determine possible correlation between HSV infection and the incidence of encephalitis in patients with neurological signs. Methods: Overall, 152 CSF samples were tested from patients with neurological signs referred to Mahdieh Clinical Laboratory in Isfahan from 2010 to 2013. After cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection, DNA was extracted and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for HSV detection. Results: Of 152 patients tested, 50 were diagnosed with encephalitis. HSV DNA was present in the CSF of 13 patients with encephalitis. HSV was significantly higher (p< 0.05) in patients with encephalitis, which shows the significance of infection as an etiological factor of this disease. About 60% of the encephalitis cases were in age range of 1-24 months. Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, Cesarean section is recommended for HSV-positive mothers. A routine real-time PCR test is suggested for HSV detection in patients with encephalitis to avoid unnecessary antiviral treatments.


Two nematode species of the genus Dorylaimopsis (Family Comesometidae) from the Bohai Sea are described. Dorylaimopsis rabalaisi n. sp. similar to D. punctata Ditlevsen, 1918 from which it can be separated by the small size, short and simple spicules without ventral apophyses or joint line. Dorylaimopsis turneri n. sp. differs from the closest species Dorylaimopsis angelae (Inglis, 1967) by its higher values of de Man ratio 'a', much shorter spicules and higher ratio of gubernacular to spicules length. A key to species of the genus based on the key by Jensen (1979) is given .


Gary Snyder is one of the representative American poets with the intuitive and deep sympathies with the wild. He questions about the belief that humankind is separated from and superior to the wild nature. Therefore he wanted to create the poetry that was informed by the basic biological and ecological facts of existence. In his poetry, he wanted to talk about wild things without harming their integrity by language, and to preserve and communicate suchness without falling into an aesthetic distance between subject and object. The purpose of this paper is, first, to examine Snyder's apprehension and wrath for the environmental pollution and the destruction of nature; second, to investigate the correlation between man and the wild. Snyder's poetry does not dramatize his emotional tension or address his inner state, but describes the preservation of natural environment and the interdependent relation between human and wild nature. Snyder's poetic vision is rooted in earth consciousness known to primal peoples across the face of earth during the old ages. And the main subject of his poetry is the land itself. His concept of land holds that the development of a harmonious relationship with man and the natural world is necessary for actual survival as well as for spiritual health. In this point of view, his poetry makes the reader love the wild and promote the perception of the land.


The art of legislation, that had got lost, is reborn in this book from the classic tradition, which conceives the laws like wise and eloquent civic speeches, and the rhetoric as its basic method, of a such way, that the return to the ancient will be a true progress.


The paper analyzes the synchronization of CPI changes based on monthly CPI data with wavelet filtering approach.It points out that CPIs in most provinces evolve in a parallel manner with the nationwide CPI.The enhancement of market integration will strengthen this synchronization followed by leading or lagging of CPI fluctuation band and CPI movement of some particular provinces.Accordingly the implementation of macroeconomic policy must insist on "one size fits all" to ensure effective aggregate management.Meanwhile,under the prerequisite of following market rules,a macroeconomic approach of differentiate credit support to various industries while protecting key sectors should be prudently explored.


The left atrial appendage (LAA) was regarded as the devil of thromboembolic stroke in the patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.[1,2] The transcatheter LAA closure has significantly advanced in the past two decades and been proved noninferiorly or even superiorly to warfarin in terms of stroke prevention.[3-6] However, as the limitations of occluders' designs and operational procedures, it is not currently available for all LAA, i.e., the LAA with a definite thrombus. Whether the presence of dense spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) should be regarded equivalently as a thrombus is still controversial.[7] The patients with dense SEC within the LAA have a higher stroke risk of 18.2%/year if they are not treated with warfarin, or have a 4.5%/year stroke rate with adjusted-dose warfarin.[8] Up to now, the percutaneous closure of the LAA with dense SEC should also be cautious for the current widely used LAA closure systems.


Adopted in 2010 and enforced in 2013, the new Civil Procedure Code does represent not just the successor of the ancient Code which was issued in 1865, but as well the final achievement of a reforming tendency exerted upon the civil procedure. This mutation was continuously carried on during the 20th century and was increasingly deepened during the first decade of the 21st. The procedure of the system which was instituted through the ancient Code, in spite of undoubtedly having proved its intrinsic value and apart from the many changes it had gone through due to successive enforcements within the current legislation of the 20th century, had come to see itself, during the recent couple of decades, challenged through the argument that it had lacked to provide an appropriate answer to the requirements of a civil justice that ought to have been modern. This incriminating adjective means the cumulated existence of the following assets as desiderata: efficiency, celerity, predictability and a strict consequentiality for its uttered solutions. In respect to these demands, the actually enforced regulation does institute a lot of procedural forms and mechanisms which are innovative and do obey to, simultaneously, two inspiring commandments: the first one is, for the justice of system, to increase the promptitude of uttered answers; the second one is to ensure, for the jurisdictional action, the highest quality. In the accurate performing of the civil lawsuit, some institutions of procedure bear a high importance. To reform them consisted either in integrating some solutions that were longtime since agreed upon by doctrine and jurisprudence (a fact which looks like a natural evolution) or, on the contrary, in inserting some absolute innovations which, even since they were simple drafts, might have been the occasions for intense contradictory arguments. This latter case is, precisely, the reason why, should we dedicate a study to the norms that are parts of these recently aggregated institutions, we ought to less insist upon what was crystallized as achieved constants in the law's theory and in judicial practice. Instead, we should aim to correctly outline the functioning mechanisms of the new procedure's instruments.


In order to get the best road about GIS that traditional method can`t calculate effectively,an improved Ant Colony Optimization algorithm for solving optimization Route which is from one site to another in our city was proposed based on cultural algorithm.The uncertain factors were defined to represent the effect of weather,condition of road,preference of driver etc.The improved Ant Colony Algorithm(ACA) was integrated into cultural algorithm to get new algorithm which includes parallel evolution both the population space and the belief space.The population space adopted improved Max-Min Ant System(MMAS) to improve the speed of searching the optimization result.The experiment result proved that the improved cultural Ant Colony Algorithm is better than the traditional optimization algorithm in the respects of speed and precision.


A germ-line heavy-chain variable region (VH) gene (RTVH431) has been isolated from a rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnen) and characterized by complete nucleotide sequencing. It is characteristic of VH, as shown by the conserved octamer and TATA motif in the 5' region, the heptamernonamer recombination signal sequence in the 3' region, and the 18-amino-acid-long hydrophobic leader interrupted by an intron. The 98-amino-acid-long VH coding region has 50-70% nucleotide sequence homology and 40-60% amino acid sequence homology with VHS of various vertebrate species. We have also found unique or species-specific amino acid residues in the VHS of rainbow trout, amphibia (Xenopus), reptile (Caiman), and shark (Heterodontus) in our sequence analyses. The RTVH431 has an unusual amino acid in the conserved 34th position in complementarity-determining region 1 of VH. Southern hybridization results suggest the presence of a large gene family related to RTVH431 in the trout genome. The complex evolution of antibody V genes is discussed. By mid-1980, molecular biology revealed genetic mechanisms to explain how the immune system generates an enormous repertoire of antibody specificity (1). The multiple germ-line gene elements and "somatic diversifiers" are exploited maximally by a variety of mechanisms: variable region heavy-chain-light-chain (VH-VL) as well as V-(D)-J (D, diversity; J, joining) recombination, joining imprecision, random insertion (N diversity), and somatic hypermutation (1-3). However, since early immunology was an offshoot of the field of infectious medicine, our knowledge about the century-old enigma of antibody repertoire (4, 5) has been derived almost exclusively from two mammalian speciesmouse and human. Important questions remain: How have these multitudes of antibody genes and complex mechanisms emerged and evolved in vertebrate history, and how has the antibody repertoire been selected during evolution (6, 7)? A few recent studies on two vertebrate species from divergent phyla-bird (8) and shark (9)-showed remarkable features not seen in mammals with regard to immunoglobulin gene organization and the mechanism for antibody repertoire generation. It also has been pointed out previously that cold-blooded vertebrates, such as amphibia and fish, have an antibody repertoire of small size (10) and that somatic hypermutation in the strict sense may be a phenomenon of only warm-blooded vertebrates (11). The teleost, although still primitive in vertebrate phylogeny, represents an advanced form of bony fish, many of which have been an important food resource since the prehistoric era. Thus, knowledge of the teleost antibody gene will contribute not only to our understanding of evolution of the immune system, but it should be helpful in an eradication program for infectious diseases that have been detrimental to modem aquatic culture (12). In this article, we describe the complete nucleotide sequence of a VH germ-line gene isolated from rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri (or Oncorhynchus mykiss), and the complexity of this VH family in the genome.§ We also discuss some aspects of immunoglobulin V gene evolution in vertebrates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Isolation of Immunoglobulin VH Genomic Clones and DNA Sequencing. The trout genomic library was constructed with testis DNA from a single rainbow trout (13). The DNA was partially digested by EcoRI and cloned in Charon 4A phage. The DNA probe used for screening the library was mouse VH S107 cDNA and a 1.2-kilobase (kb) VH pseudogene clone from another teleost, Elops saurus (a kind gift from G. Litman). The probe DNA was labeled with 32p by using random primers (14). Clones were initially identified by hybridization under relaxed conditions (55°C, 6x SSC; ref. 15). The positive clones from the primary screening were then transferred to bacterial plates and the filters were rehybridized under more stringent conditions (65°C, 6X SSC). DNA clones that gave a consistent hybridization signal were further digested by several restriction enzymes, and a short DNA fragment that hybridizes with the probe was subcloned into plasmid pBluescript (purchased from Stratagene) for DNA sequencing. DNA sequencing was done according to the method of Sanger (16), and using oligonucleotides as primers. Southern Blot Hybridization. About 20 ,ug ofhigh molecular weight genomic DNA isolated from livers of eight individual rainbow trout was digested to completion by EcoRI restriction enzymes, electrophoresed in 0.8% agarose gel, and blotted onto nylon filters. The RTVH431 insert was cut out and labeled with 32P by using random primers, and hybridization was performed under relatively stringent conditions (probe, 5 x 106 cpm per ml of hybridization solution; hybridization, 65°C, 6x SSC; washing, 600C, 2x SSC). The filters were exposed to x-ray films for several days. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Isolation and Some Features of a Rainbow Trout VH GermLine Gene. In our initial screening of =w200,000 plaques of the rainbow trout library by mouse VH probe (S107 cDNA), we failed to isolate DNA clones that gave a consistent hybridAbbreviations: VH, variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chain; V, variable region of immunoglobulin; D, diversity region of immunoglobulin; J, joining region of immunoglobulin. tTo whom reprint requests should be addressed at: Unit for Applied Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Umea, Umea, S 901 87, Sweden. §The sequence reported in this paper has been deposited in the GenBank data base (accession no. M37206). 7767 The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. 7768 Immunology: Matsunaga et al. ization signal. However, we could obtain several recombinant phage DNA clones that hybridize with the Elops VH probe from screening ==190,000 plaques. One of them (RTVH431) has been fully characterized by nucleotide sequencing (see legend to Fig. 1). Fig. 1 shows the DNA sequence of RTVH431, a germ-line VH gene of a rainbow trout. An open reading frame encodes the 18-amino-acid-long hydrophobic leader peptide, which is interrupted by a 116-base-pair (bp) intron, and the region that specifies the 98-amino-acid-long VH protein. The 3' end ofthe VH-coding region is flanked by the heptamer-22-bp spacernonamer, a signal used for recombination ofVH and probably DH. The TATA motif is found in the region 5' to the leader-encoding region. These structural features are common to all vertebrate VH genes (1). The conserved octamer (17) ATGCAAAG (prototype, ATGCAAAT; one variant ATGCAAAG is cited in a human VH; see ref. 17) found in the 5' to TATA motif is the enhancer-promotor signal for B-cellspecific VH expression (18, 19). The conserved octamer is found in VH genes not only of mice and humans, but also of reptiles (Caiman crocodylus) (20), amphibia (Xenopus) (21), and two teleosts, Elops (22) and goldfish (Carassius) (23). The sole exception is the VH ofhomed shark (Heterodontus) (24), a class of elasmobranch. Heterodontus organizes its VH genes as a VH-DH-JH-CH (C, constant) multiple unit in the genome (9) rather than clustering V, D, and J segments and rearranging to the unique constant region gene, as seen in mammals (1). It is curious to note that the conserved octamer is always present in the primitive vertebrate species that have "the mammalian type" VH organization; i.e., Xenopus (21), Elops (22), and probably also Caiman (20). The octamer binding proteins are perhaps mechanistically involved in DNA rearrangement in the mammalian-type immunoglobulin organization. The rainbow trout, which also has the octamer, may therefore have this type of VH organization. Very recently, catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), another teleost, has been shown to have the mammalian-type VH organization (25). The mammalian type might have evolved from the shark-type organization after elasmobranch-teleost divergence and it has become the major type in vertebrates (24). Another possibility is that the mammalian-type immunoglobulin organization originated from the T-cell antigen receptor a/,B gene, and the shark-type organization is a secondary adaptation (26). Nucleotide Sequence Comparison. A nucleotide homology search in the EMBO/GenBank data base (CDEMB 19A) scored the best-matched 25 sequences of 22,130 sequences listed, and all 25 sequences turned out to be members of VH: 12 human, 6 mouse, 1 rabbit, 2 Xenopus, 2 Caiman, and 2 goldfish. The 5' upstream region (310-320 bp long) between the octamer and the -1 position of the leader peptide is composed largely of introns (Fig. 1). This region has a moderate but significant homology with the corresponding region of other vertebrate VHS; e.g., 49.8% human VH HG3 (27), 48.0o Caiman (20), 54.5% goldfish 5A, 54.1% goldfish 3 (23). DNA sequence identity within the VH coding region (+ 1 to 98) is around 60-70%; e.g., human germ-line VH H11 subgroup III (33), 68.2%; HG3 subgroup I (27), 62.5%; 71.4 subgroup IV (28), 63.2%; mouse germ-line VH 283 subgroup IIID (29), 67.7%; B10.P T15 subgroup III (30), 64.3%; rabbit germ-line VH clone P26.9B1 (31), 64.6%; Caiman VH (20), 64.5%; Xenopus VH (21), 71.0%; goldfish VH 3 (23), 62.1%. Heterodontus and catfish VH NG70 (25) are less homologous-56.6% and 52.6%, respectively. The Elops VH4 pseudogene used as a probe to isolate RTVH431 has 68.8% identity, whereas the mouse probe S107 (32) has -56% identity. Thus, the varied phylogenetic distance among the VHS compared seems reflected neither in the difference ofVH nucleotide sequences nor in amino acid sequence differences (see below), nor is there closer homology to particular subgroups of human VH. Amino Acid Sequence Conservation and Unique Residues. Fig. 2 shows predicted VH amino acid sequence of rainbow trout aligned with other vertebrate VHS [numbering system according to Kabat (34)]. The overall amino acid identity of ra


The results of the 1952 and 1982 investigation on the life experience of Shi Nai'an are impressive,substantial and fruitful.However,the results failed to be demonstrated due to the improper administrative intervention.The investigation into the life experience of Shi Nai'an,the author of Water Margins,is purely an academic issue and it should be solved through academic approaches and methods independently by adhering to textual research in a factual and realistic work style as well as panoramic and systematic thinking.The scholars who participated in the investigation in those years have now mostly passed away,so the hard-won results achieved by them are very precious.In line with the responsibility for history and respect for the achievements of senior scholars,and in the case that there are no substantial counterevidences in other places,it is time to accept firmly the achievements of the life experience of Shi Nai'an and believe that the copyright of Water Margins belongs to Shi Nai'an in Baiju,Xinghua.


Catalytic ribonucleic acid molecules, or ribozymes, have been designed to cleave, sequence specifically, the RNA of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The work could lead to use of ribozymes as therapeutic agents against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or eventually in anti-HIV gene therapy. The research was carried out by Nava Sarver, section chief in the developmental therapeutics branch of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases' AIDS branch in Bethesda, Md., working with John J. Rossi, John A. Zaia, and coworkers at the City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, Calif. [ Science , 247 , 1222 (1990)]. The researchers worked with what are known as "hammerhead" ribozymes. The hammerhead structure consists of three stems and a catalytic center made up of 13 conserved RNA nucleotides arranged in four domains. The essential constituents of the hammerhead can be on separate molecules, Sarver says, with one RNA strand serving as the catalyst and the other as the ...


The objectives of this research are to investigate which motive (altruistic, intrinsic, and extrinsic motives) is dominantly influenced by high school graduates to continue their study at English Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education in Jambi University and Batanghari University. Also, this study compare whether there are differences between the dominant motives of both universities. The sample of this research are the students of English Study Progam of both universites from batch 2015, 2016, and 2017  with total sample are 325 students (238 students from  Universitas Jambi (UNJA)  and 87 students from Universitas Batanghari (UNBARI). The data were gathered by using questionnaire and were analyzed by using descriptive statistic to get dominant motives. and to get difference; researcher used Independent Sample t-test. The findings showed that, among the three motives (altruistic, intrinsic, and extrinsic), extrinsic motives got the highest mean score for both Universities (Jambi Univ got mean score 2.42 and Batanghari Univ got mean score 2.38) followed by intrinsic motives (2.23 for Jambi Univ and 2.14 for Batanghari Univ) and altruistic motives. Based on the result of analysis of independent sample  t test, the value of significancy t-tailed is .144 > .05 which means that there is no significantly different in motives between Universitas Jambi and Universitas Batanghari students to continue their study at Teacher Education Faculty and become an English Teacher.  In conclusion there are no different in motives from both universities in choosing English study program. Extrinsic motives is dominantly influence them to be an English Teacher.


During past 20 years, it is stated that cancer belongings are mounting all-inclusive. Amid innumerable natures of cancers, breast cancer is witnessed as key reason of demise among women. Ultrasound, x-ray (mammograms and x-ray computed tomography), magnetic resonance imaging, thermography and nuclear medicine functional imaging are different modalities offered for early stage breast cancer detection. Mammography technology is a unadventurous breast cancer practice that can perceive tumorous masses on lower cost and better truthfulness. This paper designates the digital execution of a model, based on an intuitionistic fuzzy histogram hyperbolization and possibilitic fuzzy c-mean clustering algorithm for early breast cancer detection. Clustering plays a key role in segmentation fragment. Classical fuzzy clustering assigns data to multiple clusters at different degrees of membership but irrelevant data are also allocated to some clusters that do not relate to them. In our newfangled work we bound possibilistic method with fuzzy c-mean to resolve this issue after applying intuitionistic fuzzy histogram hyperbolization algorithm in initial preprocessing phase in the mammogram images. Further texture feature extraction technique is used for extracting features. Developed rules was applied in classifier to detect about the presence of cancerous tumor in mammogram images. The inclusive classification accuracy achieved 94% during training stage.


New data from a prevention curriculum project on officer-involved domestic violence reveals significant differences in the reported job stress of Florida's correctional officers when compared to police officers who took the same surveys. The significantly higher reported levels of organizational stress in particular—especially those related to staff and resource shortages and attitudes about leadership—raise concerns about the relationship between organizational stress and the reported drastic budget cuts, hiring freezes, and layoffs experienced by the Department of Corrections in 2009. The surprising disparity has significant implications for policy makers, who should be aware of the high cost of stress in officer health and well-being when making budgetary decisions about the state's rapidly increasing inmate population.


The offset voltage (Voff) of the BJT and CMOS two-stage operational amplifiers (Op-Amps) substantially depends on the numerical values (differences from unit) from the current ratio (Ki≈1) of the current mirrors (CM). The CM parameter is also influenced by the Early voltage of their dominant active components. For the JFET technologies (Si, SiC, GaAs and others) with a low noise level, there are no high-quality CMs of this class today, or their construction (at Ki=1) is associated with a significant deterioration of other parameters of the Op-Amp. Nowadays, the current JFET mirrors are the weakest link in modern JFET analog circuitry and it is impractical to use them in the structure of the JFET Op-Amps. For the first time the article poses and solves the problem of determining the conditions for exclusion of the CMs in the JFET Op-Amp for the case when it is necessary to obtain a small Voff. It is shown that for this, three identical reference current sources should be used, which are implemented on the JFET transistors and the local negative feedback resistors. The Voff of the Op-Amps with the classical and proposed architectures are compared. The computer simulation results of the offset voltage (Voff) in the LTspice environment are presented, which show that silicon JFet direct coupled Op-Amps without CM have a systematic component of Voff at the level of tens to hundreds of microvolts and voltage gain of more than 80 dB in a wide temperature range.


The research aims to describe the speech variation of the Benteng Somba Opu community. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. Data were gaining from the verbal speech of the Benteng Somba Opu community in the form of dialogue. Data collection techniques conducted by doing observation and recording techniques. The data analysis carried out through data identification, data classification, data interpretation, and description of the result based on the sociolinguistics theory. The results of the research show that the Benteng Somba Opu community speech variation marked by using suffix, prefix, particle, and code-mixing. The suffix form contains  -mi, -ma, -mo, -na, -nu, -ni, -ka, -ki, -ko, -ku, -ji, -pi, -di, -i,  and  - e . The prefix form marked by  na-, ku-, ta-,  and  -i . The particle seems to the words,  iyo, tong, tomma (i), mako, mami, paeng, dih,  and  tawwa . Code mixing conveyed using the English language ( off  and  reward ), and Arabic ( alhamdulillah ). Those variations are adjusting with the level of social, position, age, and familiarity between the speaker and the addressee in the Benteng Somba Opu community, resulting in a good, respectful, and polite speech.


It was shown that adjuvant Sapomax effectively stimulates the formation of levels of various classes of immunoglobulins against gene-engineered proteins of the viruses of hepatitis B and C. Moreover, the absence of stimulation of IgG3 levels indicates the absence of allergic manifestations of the developed immunostimulator.


Rabbits previously sensitized to rat cornea rejected within six to eight days the rat corneal buttons that had been placed in their vascularized corneas. Goat antirabbit lymphocyte serum (GARLS), administered systemically, significantly retarded or entirely prevented the development of the graft reaction. The subconjunctival administration of GARLS was irritating, and in the doses used it did not significantly alter the graft reaction. The white blood cell and lymphocyte counts dropped dramatically within several minutes after GARLS was injected systemically. Animals receiving normal goat serum systemically developed anaphylaxis and serum sickness after repeated injections, whereas animals receiving GARLS systemically did not show any side effects. Animals receiving GARLS systemically showed diminished numbers of lymphocytes in their thymus glands as well as enlarged and active spleens.


Spectral clustering is one of the fundamental unsupervised learning methods and is widely used in data analysis. Sparse spectral clustering (SSC) imposes sparsity to the spectral clustering, and it improves the interpretability of the model. One widely adopted model for SSC in the literature is an optimization problem over the Stiefel manifold with nonsmooth and nonconvex objective. Such an optimization problem is very challenging to solve. Existing methods usually solve its convex relaxation or need to smooth its nonsmooth objective using certain smoothing techniques. Therefore, they were not targeting solving the original formulation of SSC. In this paper, we propose a manifold proximal linear method (ManPL) that solves the original SSC formulation without twisting the model. We also extend the algorithm to solve multiple-kernel SSC problems, for which an alternating ManPL algorithm is proposed. Convergence and iteration complexity results of the proposed methods are established. We demonstrate the advantage of our proposed methods over existing methods via clustering of several data sets, including University of California Irvine and single-cell RNA sequencing data sets.


Bi-stable and multi-stable behaviors of planar 5R compliant parallel mechanisms were investigated based on the change of elastic energy.The planar 5R mechanism with one,two and three compliant joints was analyzed.The results show that it has no bi-stable or multi-stable behavior when the actuated joints are the only compliant components,whereas,the bi-stable or multi-stable characteristic may be shown when the joints are compliant except the actuated ones,and the necessary conditions are deduced for the sake of synthesis the multi-stable behavior of the planar 5R mechanism.A bi-stable complaint mechanism is designed to show some aspects of the results,and an example is given.


We have developed techniques for the detailed analysis of cis‐acting sequences in the pre‐rRNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and used these to study the processing of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) leading to the synthesis of 5.8S rRNA. As is the case for many eukaryotes, the 5′ end of yeast 5.8S rRNA is heterogeneous; we designate the major, short form 5.8S(S), and the minor form (which is seven or eight nucleotides longer) 5.8S(L). These RNAs do not have a precursor/product relationship, but result from the use of alternative processing pathways. In the major pathway, a previously unidentified processing site in ITS1, designated A3, is cleaved. A 10 nucleotide deletion at site A3 strongly inhibits processing of A3 and the synthesis of 5.8S(S); processing is predominantly transferred to the alternative 5.8S(L) pathway. Site A3 lies 76 nucleotides 5′ to the end of 5.8S(S), and acts as an entry site for 5′‐‐>3′ exonuclease digestion which generates the 5′ end of 5.8S(S). This pathway is inhibited in strains mutant for XRN1p and RAT1p. Both of these proteins have been reported to have 5′‐‐>3′ exonuclease activity in vitro. Formation of 5.8S(L) is increased by mutations at A3 in cis or in RAT1p and XRN1p in trans, and is kinetically faster than 5.8S(S) synthesis.


The paper describes the approach followed for testing a real circuit produced by Italtel. Both on-line and off-line testing are considered and the performance and area overheads are taken into account to meet the constraints imposed by the circuit customers. BIST is adopted to test some embedded memories, and boundary scan is exploited to activate the test and gather the results. Particular care is taken to minimize the additional logic, by using the same circuitry for both on-line and off-line testing.


This paper made a humble attempt to understanding the consumer preference about organic product and marketing in Coimbatore city. Marketing of organic product is so poor in study area so the demand for organic product is increases but supply is very low. The major reasons are organic producer are low, adequate market facility is not there, few number of shops, lack of awareness, and so on.


Productivity is an essential element which shows the effectiveness of a port and its operations. Berth utilisation rate is the key indicator determining ship turnaround time. To date, there is no clear guidance for port operators on getting a precise data in the terms of berth utilisation rate. Thus, this study was conducted to determine berth utilisation rate for a port using derived mathematical model. Derived model incorporated eight parameters in the equation, each of the elements being independent but inter-related to one another. Parameters involved in the development of the mathematical model are, ship length, port stay, berthable length, utilisable hours per day, number of days in a month, total capacity, immobilised capacity and final capacity. The model was validated by using 36 months data, from January 2012 to December 2014, based on data collected from Jurong Port Pte.Ltd., being port of understudy. Comparative analysis was used to analyse the precision between the existing berth occupancy model and the newly developed berth utilisation model, in comparison to the real time berth productivity rate of the port under study. Data obtained from the newly developed berth utilisation model significantly showed that on average the utilisation percentage deviates by 5 to 20 percentages, compared to the existing berth occupancy model, depending on the berth terminals. The utilisation rate of bulk cargo berths showed less deviation (5 to 10 percentages) while general cargo berths show higher deviation (15 to 20 percentages) and the containerised cargo berths (10 to 20 percentages). This study can be applied in actual shipping industry to reduce ship turn-around time by providing efficient and effective services and high port productivity, with the aim to achieve optimum port performance.


Three key principles of sustainable development which needs to be covered during construction works are social, economic and environmental. This paper outlines the holistic approach which must be taken to define the best practice throughout the lifecycle of a con-structed building for responsible use of resources and energy. It also highlights on the driving forces behind the implementation of sustainable methods in construction and outlines the key elements involved in measuring how sustainable a building is designed to be. The research methodology is based on data collection via questionnaires and also adds the views from previous researchers on this topic. This paper's aim is to evaluate and enhance the current practice of sustainability in construction and what steps can be taken to enforce the construction teams to switch from the conventional methods to a sustainable method. . The seven strategies suggested includes education and awareness, effective management of natural resources and the environment, integrated development planning and implementations, prevention and control of pollution and environmental degradation, strengthening administrative and institutional mechanisms, proactive approach to regional and global environmental issues, and formulation and implementation of actions plans. The idea of stage by stage implementation shows that it is possible to implement sustainable methods during construction and a further review should be taken by the stakeholders to work on the idea and turn it into a reality.


Task scheduling is an integrated component of computing with the emergence of grid computing. In this paper, we address two different task scheduling models, which are static Round-Robin (RR) and dynamic Fastest Site First (FSF) task scheduling method, using extended timed marked graphs, which is a special case of Stochastic Petri Nets (SPN). Stochastic reward nets (SRN) is an extension of SPN and provides compact modeling facilities for system analysis. We build hierarchical SRN models to compare two task scheduling methods. The upper level model simulates task scheduling and the lower level model implements task serving process for different sites with multiple servers. We compare these two models and analyze their performances by giving reward measures in SRN.


Carbendazim (C9H9N3O2; methyl 1-H-benzimidazol-2-yl carbamate) is widely used as an agricultural and horticultural fungicide and pesticide around the world.1No hazardous effects of carbendazim on the health of humans has yet been reported. However, in animals, especially in rats, adverse effects, including testicular atrophy, infertility, ascendant paralysis, respiratory failure, and muscle cramps due to chronic carbendazim exposure have been well documented.2-4

Recently, we have treated a 60 year old female farmer who had been affected by excessive exposure to carbendazim. She was admitted to our clinic 3 days after the intoxication, which occurred when she disinfected nits with mitrasol, which contains carbendazim. She was exposed to carbendazim for 6 hours and at night, after returning from work, she slowly developed ptosis and dysphagia for especially liquid. She was admitted to the local state hospital and given atropine for 3 days because of suspicion of organophosphorus intoxication. However, her complaints persisted …


This paper studies the influence of social capital on customer citizenship behavior in the virtual community environment, and finds out three paths of action. Based on social identity theory, social exchange theory, and social information processing theory, we respectively explain the action mechanism of the three paths, and finally put forward the corresponding management inspiration and strategy.


Thank you for downloading newspapers and democracy international essays on a changing medium. As you may know, people have search numerous times for their favorite readings like this newspapers and democracy international essays on a changing medium, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some harmful bugs inside their computer.


PURPOSE: An apparatus and method for allocating a reference signal in a wireless communication system and an apparatus and method for receiving the reference signal using the same are provided to prevent the deterioration of terminal positioning and channel estimation performance by preventing the duplication of resources with a sub frame unit or an RE(Resource Element) unit. CONSTITUTION: PRS(Positioning Reference Signal) configuration information about one or more base stations or cells including oneself is identified(S1210). A CSI-RS(Channel State Information-Reference Signal) subframe is determined in order to maximally prevent from being overlapped with subframes formed for PRS transmission(S1220). A CSI-RS is allocated to only the n number of CSI-RS patterns from the N number of usable CSI-RS patterns when the CSI-RS subframe and the PRS transmission subframe are overlapped(S1230). A PRS is muted or punctured in order not to transmit the PRS to a corresponding RE(Resource Element)(S1240).


Background Parents of infants with conditions such as perinatal stroke (PS) often experience feelings of guilt and blame and are at risk of experiencing negative outcomes in terms of psychological wellbeing. This has the potential to adversely affect parent-infant interaction, impacting on the infant. Providing psychological support from an early stage is critically important. Aims To identify key areas of parental expressed need for support (both met and unmet) following a diagnosis of PS. Methods Data for the current study was obtained from primary research considering the feasibility of an early parent-delivered therapy intervention (Basu et al. 2018). Eligible participants were recruited from 8 hospitals acting as identification centres. Parents/carers of potential infant participants were identified by clinical staff and their details forwarded to the research team. Secondary analysis of 11 in-depth interviews, exploring parental experiences of delivering the therapy intervention, was carried out using thematic analysis, modelled on the inductive approach by Braun & Clark (2006). Results Four overarching themes were identified: 'Lack of information' (due to uncertainty about the future and lack of understanding of clinical terms) was a stressor. 'Need for reassurance' related to wanting information, support, and a sense of purpose. 'Emotional processing' reflects changes in the nature and extent of difficulties experienced in processing the initial stage, coming to terms with the diagnosis and long term adjustment. 'Emotional sensitivity' relates to additional factors related to caring for the infant including social stigma, worrying about developmental discrepancies and the marital relationship, which can act as triggers further distress. Conclusion The diagnosis of PS led to psychological distress in parents which could be characterised in specific themes. Uncertainty following diagnosis was responsible for significant emotional difficulties. Psychological adjustment to diagnosis was affected by cognitive strategies – but this is a long term and emotionally sensitive process. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature. Recommendations for practice include timely provision of information and resources, restoring self-efficacy, promoting coping strategies to facilitate adjustment, and the compassionate support of healthcare professionals at a time of high vulnerability.


The US Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors have exerted a predominant influence in the uranium enrichment services industry since 1969, when it began to sell its services to private industry under a Requirement-Type Contract (RTC). After almost 25 years of providing these services to utilities throughout the world, DOE is now preparing to hand over responsibility to the emerging US Enrichment Corporation (USEC), which was created by the 1992 Energy Bill and will begin its tenure on July 1, 1993. DOE has had some notable successes, including revenue generation of about $25 billion from its domestic and foreign sales since 1969. Annual revenues from civilian dollars over the next several years. However, most of the sales attributed to these revenues took place in 1986-more than six years ago. Presently, US utility commitments are decreasing significantly; to date, US utilities have committed less than two percent of their total FY2002 enrichment requirements to DOE. In spite of the fact that DOE has enjoyed some success, its past actions, or sometimes inactions, have often been steeped in controversy that resulted in customer alienation and dissatisfaction. It is the legacy of past DOE contracting practices, increased competition, and massive contractual terminations,more » that USEC will inherit from DOE. Therefore, it is relevant to consider the major issues that have fashioned the current US market and resulted in USEC's initial position in the marketplace.« less


Part 1 Editors' Introduction Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Illustrations Chapter 4 1. The History of Nearby Education Chapter 5 2. Defining Topics and Focus Chapter 6 3. Detective and Historian Chapter 7 4. Hearing Voices from the Past Chapter 8 5. Listening for Other Voices Chapter 9 6. Building the Structure, Clinching the Case Part 10 The Nearby History of Education: A Brief Bibliographical Essay Part 11 Index


A single-stage time-of-flight mass spectrometer used in conjunction with resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization has been employed to study the dynamics of surface photodissociation processes as well as methyl radicals produced from a continuous source. By utilizing ion rather than neutral flight times, species that have an impressed velocity along the detection axis can be readily distinguished from species that exhibit an isotropic velocity distribution. This allows for experimental discrimination between photofragments produced from adsorbate photolysis and those produced as a result of probe laser photolysis of gas-phase species photodesorbed from the surface. For species generated in continuous sources, such as methyl radicals produced from azomethane pyrolysis, the same approach permits an unambiguous determination of the total-energy content, despite the presence of additional radicals within the ionizing volume that have scattered from the chamber walls.


ICEBERGS HAVE TAKEN ON DRAMATIC NEW MEANINGS IN THE ANTHROPOCENE. THEY HAVE
long been used as metaphors for an immensity present but unseen, but in the
age of anthropogenic warming they also metonymically suggest unstable
icesheets, shrinking glaciers and rising seas. Outside of scientific discourse,
however, icebergs tend to be considered as a collective, interesting both in their
symbolism and materiality, but rarely treated as individual objects with their own
histories and futures.


Background The hamstring/quadriceps (H/Q) functional ratio detects muscle imbalance and monitors knee joint stability, making it a predictor of injury, especially ACL. The injury of this ligament in gymnasts is one of the most incident and of greatest negative impact on recovery and return to sports. Objective To evaluate functional H/Q at different angular velocities and contralateral deficit of the lower limbs of female artistic gymnastics athletes. Design Descriptive study.


Genetic improvement of tilapia in Indonesia is very important in order to improve the tilapia quality. Family selection method was known as an effective method to get higher quality brood stock. In 2005, 35 first generation of families selection were successfully done, in 2006, 49 families were produced and in 2007, 39 families were produced. Each family consisted of two sub population, i.e. male and female brood stocks. The number of male and female sub population selection could fulfill the top grade minimal number of 15 males and 15 females. 39 families spawned. The cut off results of each sub family had average body weight of 120.14 ± 7.3 g for male sub population and 97.36 ± 2.6 g for female sub population. The genetic quality which was obtained on F3 generation had a heritability value of 0.142 with selection respond 25.4 g. The selection process was still needed to be continued on F4 generation to get better quality generation Key word: Tilapia, breeding program, family selection PENDAHULUAN


Ultrasound (US) is a widely used tool to observe musculoskeletal features during movement. US signals provide information about the instantaneous length and activation of muscles, and these signals are used for new prosthetic control strategies, to increase the performance of Human-Machine interfaces, or to improve muscle force predictions. However, existing commercial systems and research platforms are bulky, non-wearable, not supporting high frame rates, or lack configurability. Our work presents an US prototype meeting all key requirements to measure muscle activity during motion: our platform is open (providing access to raw data), flexible (operating in different modalities and channel count), it features wireless connectivity (supporting high frame rates> 100 Hz) and supports low power consumption (<1W) for a longer battery lifetime.


We give an explicit description of toric sheaves on the weighted projective plane P(a, b, c) viewed as a toric Deligne-Mumford stack. The stack P(a, b, c) has an action of the torus T = C and by a toric sheaf we mean a coherent sheaf together with a lift of the torus action. The integers (a, b, c) are not necessarily chosen coprime or mutually coprime allowing for gerbe and root stack structures. This is a first step in an attempt to give an explicit description of toric sheaves on any smooth toric Deligne-Mumford stack. Specializing the description to torsion free sheaves gives a combinatorial picture with various new features, which do not appear in the case of smooth toric varieties. As an application, we describe the fixed point locus of the moduli scheme of stable rank 1 and 2 torsion free sheaves on P(a, b, c) with fixed K-group class. Summing over all K-group classes, we obtain formulae for generating functions of the topological Euler characteristics of these moduli schemes.


In this paper a new approach to the approximation of the saturation characteristics of a transformer is discussed. The usual model of the nonlinearity of the transformer can not treat the superposition law of the saturated fluxes. By experiments and simulations, it is clarified that the saturation characteristics can be separated from hysteresis loop. Then the saturation characteristics of the magnetic flux is approximated by a tangent hyperbolic function. The liearity of the flux is examined on a modified addition rule.


This paper is a review of the Polyglot Conference 2022 in Cholula and the 3rd International Seminar on Linguistics & Polyglot Studies, both united by the topic of Mexico's linguistic and cultural heritage. Discussed are the social and psychological aspects of polyglottery, language museums, Mexican Spanish, works of Yuri Knorozov, written sources of the Nahua culture, reading acquisition in modern and ancient languages, counting systems of Australian Aboriginals, and broader issues of multilingual and minority language studies.


In December 2010, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed to encourage reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from forest losses with the financial support of developed countries. This important international agreement followed about seven years of effort among governments, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and the scientific community, and is called REDD+, the program for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. REDD+ could achieve its potential to slow emissions from deforestation and forest degradation either as a new market option to offset emissions from developed nations, or as a mitigation option for developing countries themselves. Aside from representing an important step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a growing list of potential co-benefits to REDD+ include improved forestry practices, forest restoration, sustainable development, and biodiversity protection. Indeed the agreement is heralded as a win–win for climate change mitigation and tropical forest conservation, and it could end up contributing to a global economy based on carbon and ecosystem services. That's good news, and some governments are now working to become 'REDD ready' in preparation for the forthcoming international program. This is important because, according to the agreements made by governments in the UNFCCC, developing countries which voluntarily decide to take part in REDD+ must establish their own national forest monitoring system to report changes in emissions from forests (UNFCCC 2009). But as of today, no developing country has implemented a system for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) emission reductions for REDD+. Of course, it is all still very new, but many REDD-type projects have been underway for years now (Parker et al 2008), and many MRV practitioners involved in those projects are the same people being asked to help with government-led, national MRV programs. Yet going from the project scale to program readiness is a big step for all involved, and many are finding that it is not easy. Current barriers to national monitoring of forest carbon stocks and emissions range from technical to scientific, and from institutional to operational. In fact, a recent analysis suggested that about 3% of tropical countries currently have the capacity to monitor and report on changes in forest cover and carbon stocks (Herold 2009). But until now, the scientific and policy-development communities have had little quantitative information on exactly which aspects of national-scale monitoring are most uncertain, and how that uncertainty will affect REDD+ performance reporting. A new and remarkable study by Pelletier, Ramankutty and Potvin (2011) uses an integrated, spatially-explicit modeling technique to explore and quantify sources of uncertainty in carbon emissions mapping throughout the Republic of Panama. Their findings are sobering: deforestation rates would need to be reduced by a full 50% in Panama in order to be detectable above the statistical uncertainty caused by several current major monitoring problems. The number one uncertainty, accounting for a sum total of about 77% of the error, rests in the spatial variation of aboveground carbon stocks in primary forests, secondary forests and on fallow land. The poor quality of and insufficient time interval between land-cover maps account for the remainder of the overall uncertainty. These findings are a show-stopper for REDD+ under prevailing science and technology conditions. The Pelletier et al study highlights the pressing need to improve the accuracy of forest carbon and land cover mapping assessments in order for REDD+ to become viable, but how can the uncertainties be overcome? First, with REDD+ nations required to report their emissions, and with verification organizations wanting to check on the reported numbers, there is a clear need for shared measurement and monitoring approaches. One of the major stumbling blocks actually starts with the scientific community, which needs not only to develop highly accurate deforestation, degradation and carbon emission monitoring methods, but also to make those methods available to national governments and the supporting organizations orbiting those governments. This 'giving away' of the methods starts, but does not end, with the training provided by the scientific experts on the use of the monitoring tools. This effort must also involve a commitment to sustained support and capacity building until non-expert monitoring and reporting becomes routine. The scientific community must also make clear what is operational and what is research. Operational does not necessarily mean less accurate. Rather, achieving both operational status and high accuracy requires innovation. While an innovative, but one-time or infrequent, mapping of forest cover or carbon stocks has been the most common scientific contribution to REDD+, it alone does not constitute operational monitoring. However, it can contribute to a portfolio of techniques and products that must come together to form an operational monitoring and modeling approach. Australia's National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS; www.climatechange.gov.au/) is one such approach, and there are others developing (www.csr.ufmg.br/simamazonia/). Importantly, carbon accounting models can meet the REDD+ challenge, but only if the observations—the measurements—are high quality, high resolution, and synoptic in geographic scale (Asner 2009). Is there hope, and if so, is it based on real and present scientific progress? Real progress is being made, but much of the innovation has not landed in the reports provided by and for the UN and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Yet this innovation is breaking serious barriers that extend and/or replace traditional forest inventory techniques, that use the latest satellite and aircraft technology on a cost-effective and repeated basis, and which simultaneously produce non-expert users of those technologies. And some government and academic science organizations are making their previously expert-only deforestation monitoring software widely available. For example, the Carnegie Institution's CLASlite system routinely tracks deforestation and degradation, and is now in use by more than 150 organizations throughout nine countries (http://claslite.ciw.edu). Carbon stock and emissions mapping is also becoming routine, but still involves combined effort by government and expert science partners to get it right (http://geoservidor.minam.gob.pe/intro/). Data accessibility is also critically important, and a few countries, such as Brazil and the United States, are leading the way by providing satellite imagery essential to lowering the uncertainties documented by Pelletier et al (2011). Finally, the uncertainty in MRV may be addressed faster at the sub-national level. Developing states and provinces are often responsible for implementing forest policies and land-use zoning, and many have their own forest monitoring programs. Thirteen tropical states and provinces, from Mexico to Brazil and Indonesia, are forging ahead in developing their own jurisdiction-wide REDD+ programs in collaboration with the US State of California, which has created the world's first greenhouse gas emission cap-and-trade policy that allows international offsets. In fact, this collaboration may soon create the first regulated REDD+ carbon market as California (USA), Acre (Brazil) and Chiapas (Mexico) forge an historic linkage agreement under the auspices of the Governors' Climate and Forest Task Force (http://gcftaskforce.org). Once created, this REDD+ market, in which regulated California industries achieve a portion of their emissions reductions through investments in Acre and Chiapas REDD+ programs, could expand to include new buyers and new providers. A key component of this program involves highly accurate, operational MRV on both sides of the carbon trading table, and at these state-level geographic scales, the science and technology are proving to be the most robust and accurate. Scientific innovation, combined with appropriate up-scaling from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, will likely prove most effective in bringing REDD+ to fruition. References Asner G P 2009 Tropical forest carbon assessment: integrating satellite and airborne mapping approaches Environ. Res. Lett. 4 034009 Herold M 2009 An assessment of national forest monitoring capabilities in tropical non-Annex I countries: Recommendations for capacity building (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena and GOFC–GOLD Land Cover Project Office) (available at: http://unfccc.int/files/methods_science/redd/country_specific_information/application/pdf/redd_nat_capacity_report_herold_july09_publ.pdf) Parker C, Mitchell A, Trivedi M and Mardas N 2008 The little REDD book: a guide to governmental and non-governmental proposals for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (GlobalCanopy Programme) (available at: http://www.globalcanopy.org/materials/little-redd-book) Pelletier J, Ramankutty N and Potvin C 2011 Diagnosing the uncertainty and detectability of emission reductions for REDD+ under current capabilities: an example for Panama Environ. Res. Lett. 6 024005 UNFCCC 2009 Methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancements of forest carbon stocks in developing countries United National Framework Convention on Climate Change Decision 4/CP.15 (available at: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/11a01.pdf#page=11)


In the present we isolated the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum as a first time from bats dropping in AL-Qadisiyah province .Results show that the macro and micro characteristics referred that these characteristics was related to the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum ,also this result  was confirmed by PCR technique. Keywords : Histoplasma capsulatum , bats dropping, PCR


Abstract Bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Improved Tendergreen) were grown in nutrient solutions with levels of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Co, and Mn at or near the stress point and with a high and a low level of Fe supplied as the chelate Fe EDDHA. No Fe deficiency was present on the control plants at the low Fe level. The Cu resulted in severe stress at low Fe and none at high Fe. The Zn resulted in severe stress at the low Fe level and in considerable stress at the high Fe level. The Ni resulted in a slight stress at the low Fe level and in no stress at the high Fe level. The Cd resulted in severe stress at both Fe levels. The Co resulted in severe stress at low Fe and in moderate stress at the high Fe level. The Mn resulted in considerable stress at the low Fe level and in no stress at the high Fe level. Thus no two metals behaved similarly at the levels used. The Cu, Zn, Cd, and Co resulted in low Fe concentrations in trifoliate leaves on plants supplied low Fe but only Cd resulted in low Fe concentrations...


A qualified blending technician should be quite familiar with enterprise liquor resource. Furthermore, he should work out scientific allocation planning to ensure product quality stability and to realize maximum economic benefits. In conclusion, liquor-making enterprises should work out a feasible long-term product market development strategy according to current resource distribution by full consideration of market share and product quality standards.


The present case is about the refinancing of Cimpor, a highly profitable Portuguese cement group that encounters a set of obstacles in its debt restructuring. The case is intended to be used in a Corporate Finance class and is divided in three distinct parts: a case A which presents a detailed description of the internal and external events that increased Cimpor's refinancing risk, a case B which informs the audience of the outcome of the refinancing process, and a Teaching Note with suggested questions and answers to


The invention relates to the field of solar cell production, and particularly relates to a solar crystalline silicon cell diffusion process. The solar crystalline silicon cell diffusion process comprises the steps of 1, diffusion, that is, a silicon wafer is put into a diffusion furnace, the temperature of a bearing boat is kept to be 700-780 DEG C, the temperature rises to 720-790 DEG C by the rate of 2-10 DEG C/min so as to carry out diffusion, and diffusion is carried out for 8min by the standard that the nitrogen flow rate is 10L/min, the phosphorus oxychloride flow rate is 1400ml/min and the oxygen flow rate is 180ml/min; 2, propulsion I, that is, a temperature of 787 DEG C is taken as the basic temperature, the temperature rises to 847 DEG C according to the rate of 6 DEG C/min, a propulsion process is started and carried out for 10min with the nitrogen flow rate being kept to be 15L/min; and 3, propulsion II, that is, the temperature 847 DEG C is taken as the basic temperature, the temperature drops to 750 DEG C by the rate of 6 DEG C/min, propulsion is carried out for 30min with the oxygen flow rate being kept to be 200ml/min. The solar crystalline silicon cell diffusion process reduces a square resistance fluctuation range while improving the uniformity in diffusion, and the conversion efficiency of solar cells is improved.


Virtual reality systems make compelling outreach displays, but some systems highly suitable for outreach, notably the CAVE, have design features that make using them for that purpose inconvenient. In the case of the CAVE, the equipment is difficult to disassemble, transport, and reassemble, and typically only large-budget research facilities can afford such a system.
 We implemented a system like the CAVE that costs less than $30,000, weighs about 500 pounds, and fits into a fifteen-passenger van. A team of six people have unpacked, assembled, and calibrated the system in less than two hours.
 This cost reduction versus similar virtual reality systems stems from the unique approach we took to stereoscopic projection. We used an assembly of optical chopper wheels and commodity LCD projectors to create true active stereo at less than a fifth of the cost of comparable active stereo technologies.
 The screen and frame design also harbor portability optimizations; the frame assembles in minutes with only two fasteners, and both pack into small bundles for easy and secure shipment.


The performance of linear constrained least square constant modulus algorithm(LSCMA)degrades severely in the presence of even slight array directivity mismatches. To account for the mismatches,a novel robust adaptive beamforming algorithm based on quadratic constraint was proposed. To improve the robustness,the weight vector was optimized to involve minimization of a cost function subject to the norm of error between the actual and assumed array beampatterns. The proposed robust constrained LSCMA has steady performance,offers fast convergence rate,resolves the interference capture problems,provides excellent robustness against the mismatches and makes array output SINR close to the optimal one. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can provide an improved performance,have low complexity cost and implement in the complex communication environment compared with the conventional algorithms.


Objective: To re-analyze data from recent randomized trials of statins to assess whether the benefits and risks of statins are mediated primarily via their LDL-C lowering effects or via other mechanisms. Approach and Results: We adapted Egger regression, a technique frequently used in Mendelian randomization studies to detect genetic pleiotropy, to re-analyze the available randomized trial (RCT) data of statin therapy. For cardiovascular endpoints, each 1 mmol/L change in LDL-C with statin therapy was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.77 (95% CI 0.71-0.84) with an intercept that was indistinguishable from zero [intercept = -0.032 (p=0.93)], indicating no pleiotropy. For incident diabetes, a 1 mmol/L change in LDL-C with statin therapy was associated with a HR 1.07 (95%CI 0.99-1.16) and an intercept non-distinguishable from zero, [intercept = -0.015 (p=0.91)], again indicating no pleiotropy. Conclusion: Our re-analysis of the RCT data using Egger regression adds to the existing evidence that the cardiovascular benefits of statins and their association with incident diabetes are mediated primarily, if not entirely, via their LDL-C lowering properties rather than by any pleiotropic effects.


Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of clean transportation and driving range is one of the most important parameters which dictates its marketability. In order to increase driving range, electrical battery energy consumption should be minimized. Vapor-compression refrigeration systems currently employed in EVs for climate control consume a significant fraction of the battery charge. Thus, by replacing this traditional heating ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) with an adsorption based climate control system one can have the capability of increasing the drive range of EVs. The Advanced Thermo-adsorptive Battery (ATB) for climate control is a water-based adsorption type refrigeration cycle. An essential component of the ATB is a low pressure evaporator/condenser unit (ECU) which facilitates both the evaporation and condensation processes required for operation of the ATB. The thermal design of the ECU relies predominantly on the accurate prediction of evaporation/boiling heat transfer coefficients since the standard correlations for predicting boiling heat transfer coefficients have large uncertainty at the low operating pressures of the ATB. This work describes the design and development of the low pressure ECU as well as the thermal performance characterization of the actual ECU prototype.


Since NAND Hash memory program/erase (PE) cycling gradually degrades the reliability of memory cells, the redundancy of error-correction code (ECC) is determined so as to sufficiently ensure the PE cycling endurance at the end of memory lifetime. Therefore, ECC redundancy is under-utilized when PE cycling number is relatively small at the early lifetime. Considering the variations on program speed and error rate depending on the program step pulse voltage (ΔVpp) in the incremental step pulse programming (ISPP), an adaptive ΔVpp scheme was proposed in order to improve program performance by exploiting the under-utilized ECC. However, the adaptive ΔVpp scheme missed the problem of increased voltage stress on memory cells at a large ΔVpp. The voltage stress will shorten the lifespan of Hash memory devices. This paper proposes an adaptive Vverify scheme, which trades the under-utilized ECC for improving program performance at the early lifetime of Hash memory without decreasing the memory lifetime. The experiments with real NAND Hash chips demonstrate up to 21% of program time improvement and 10% of lifetime improvement over the fixed Vverify scheme.


One of the more remarkable developments in international law in the mid-1990s is not what it appears to be. The massive and sudden proliferation of bilateral investment treaties (BITs), now constituting a network of more than thirteen hundred agreements involving some 160 states, appears to reflect die triumph of liberal economics in the sphere of international investment. In fact, however, it constitutes only a momentary convergence of nationalist interests. If the BITs are to construct the liberal international investment regime they seem to promise, then they must be modified in important and substantial ways.


The invention discloses Chinese medicinal compound potentilla chinensis powder or a particle preparation for conditioning and treating an emaciation-thirst disease. A formula consists of 39 Chinese medicinal materials including potentilla chinensis, Chinese wolfberry root-bark, mulberry leaf, American ginseng, cynomorium coccineum, prepared rehmannia rhizome, rehmannia root, dwarf lilyturf root, sweet potato, tartary buckwheat, fiveleaf gynostemma herb, ginkgo, bitter orange, dark plum fruit, fructus corni, whole worm, liquoric root, tree peony root-bark, Chinese angelica root, figwort, fragrant solomonseal rhizome, sealwort, kudzuvine root, astragalus, Chinese yam, bombys batryticatus, Chinese atractylodes, hiraute shiny bugleweed herb, red-rooted salvia root, pearl powder, bamboo shavings, mulberry fruit, buerger pipewort flower, tribulus terrestris, rehmannia root, Mongolian snakegourd root, safflower, calculus bovis (or artificial calculus bovis), notoginseng root, and a packing material. The Chinese medicinal compound potentilla chinensis powder or particle preparation has the advantages and effects of plenty Chinese medicinal resources, easiness for preparing and processing a medicament, convenience for taking, strong targeting force, good curative effect, no toxic or side effect, application to prevention, conditioning and treatment of diseases such as the emaciation-thirst disease, or early light complicating diseases, high blood sugar content, high urea sugar content and the like caused by type II diabetes by internal taking, high clinical symptomatic treatment total effective rate, and the like.


Mobile edge computing (MEC) is a promising technique to alleviate the energy limitation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, as it can offload local computing tasks to the edge server through a cellular network. By leveraging extreme value theory (EVT), this work proposes a priority-differentiated offloading strategy that takes into account the stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements of mission-critical services and green resource allocation. Particularly, Lyapunov optimization is first introduced to derive an upper-bound queue minimization problem with the consideration of energy consumption and task priority. The peaks-over-thresholds (POT) model is then applied to evaluate the stationery status and cooperate with Wolf-PHC learning to optimize resource allocation. Finally, simulation results verify that the proposed offloading policy performs well in terms of its energy-saving capability while satisfying different demands of mission-critical IoT services.


The method of moments is used to solve Pocklington's equation encountered in slot aperture problems. The Fourier transform is applied to eliminate the differential operator as well as the singularity of the kernel, resulting in a simple and numerically efficient expression for the moments matrix elements. The effect of using the reduced kernel approximation and also various subdomain basis and testing functions on the form of these elements is discussed. The validity of the methods is demonstrated for typical slot aperture examples. >


A natural number $n$ is called {\it multiperfect} or
{\it$k$-perfect} for integer $k\ge2$ if $\sigma(n)=kn$, where
$\sigma(n)$ is the sum of the positive divisors of $n$. In this
paper, we establish a structure theorem on odd multiperfect
numbers analogous as Euler's theorem on odd perfect numbers. We
prove the divisibility of the Euler part of odd multiperfect numbers
and characterize the forms of odd perfect numbers $n=\pi^\alpha
M^2$ such that $\pi\equiv\alpha 8$, where $\pi^\alpha$ is the Euler factor of $n$. We also present some
examples to show the nonexistence of odd perfect numbers as
applications.

 10.1017/S0004972712000858


In this note, we present a new theory as a modification and an alternative to
 S.Djordjevic?s Theorem (2.2), Here we rephrase the text of theory (2.2) by
 deleting condition (2.16), Notations and equation numbers as in
 S.Djordjevic.


Illustrations showing government worker leaving home with family and servants following behind him; interior with woman sewing, girl reading, black servants and infants sitting on floor, one servant carrying drink on tray.


People in developing countries often do not have access to quality healthcare services. Precious lives frequently get compromised due to lack of timely medical attention. However, despite resource related problems, the developing world has seen an exponential growth in cellular telephony over the last decade. This growth has prompted us to propose an affordable, portable healthcare enabling system, using smartphones and wireless bio sensors.


An inverted tandem organic solar cell, consisting of two bulk heterojunction subcells with identical poly(3-hexylthiophene) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)C61 active layer, and an intermediate layer made of ultrathin multiple metal layers of Ca/Al/Ag and metal oxide MoO3, is reported. This intermediate layer is of advantage in high transparency and low series resistance. Moreover, it serves as the charge recombination center effectively, and renders an exact summation of the open-circuit voltages (1.18 V) of the two subcells and a high fill factor (61.8%). The maximum power conversion efficiency obtained is 2.78% under simulated 100 mW/cm2 [air mass (AM) 1.5G] solar irradiation, comparable to those of the two subcells.


Catalytic cross-coupling of aryl Grignard reagents with primary and secondary alkyl halides bearing beta-hydrogens is achieved using Fe(III) amine-bis(phenolate) halide complexes.


Abstract We have investigated the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the structural properties of CsGeBr3 by means of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Pressures were generated using diamond anvil cells. At 1.0(2) GPa the trigonal ambient pressure modification of CsGeBr3 undergoes a reversible first-order phase transition to a high-pressure polymorph crystallizing in the cubic perovskite structure. The variation in Ge-Br bond length is obtained from single-crystal structure refinements of both the low- and the high-pressure modifications. The phase transformation occurs at a relative volume of V/V0 = 0.92, and the prediction from Hartree-Fock calculations is in agreement with this experimental result.


An airfoil (10) for aircraft and wind turbines with an aerodynamically shaped structure (11), wherein an ultrasonic transducer assembly (12; 22) within the profile (10) is arranged characterized in that the ultrasonic transducer assembly (12; 22) for the online determination of a thickness profile of a layer of ice (8) on the surface of the aerodynamic profile (10) is phase-controlled, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer arrangement for scanning at least a portion of the surface of the aerodynamic profile (10) is arranged such that the ultrasonic waves selectively (in operation in different directions R1 be radiated R2, R3).


A general interpolation method for constructing smooth molecular potential energy surfaces (PES's) from ab initio data are proposed within the framework of the reproducing kernel Hilbert space and the inverse problem theory. The general expression for an a posteriori error bound of the constructed PES is derived. It is shown that the method yields globally smooth potential energy surfaces that are continuous and possess derivatives up to second order or higher. Moreover, the method is amenable to correct symmetry properties and asymptotic behavior of the molecular system. Finally, the method is generic and can be easily extended from low dimensional problems involving two and three atoms to high dimensional problems involving four or more atoms. Basic properties of the method are illustrated by the construction of a one‐dimensional potential energy curve of the He–He van der Waals dimer using the exact quantum Monte Carlo calculations of Anderson et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 99, 345 (1993)], a two‐dimensional p...


Microgrippers have been developed for handling and manipulating micro-sized objects in MEMS applications and biotechnology. Many kinds of materials and structures of microgrippers have been developed for fields of various applications. However, design methods have not been studied widely. This paper presents a perturbation-based microgripper design method with two constraints which are a residual error and an energy balance and can be used in system parameter identification and model correlation of structural systems. Many mechanical systems have undesirable static and dynamic characteristics. The practical design involves moderate changes in stiffness related to geometry dimensions or add-ons. The designed microgripper is fabricated by a polymeric material (SU-8). PZT is applied for driving the microgripper. The performance test of the microgripper is taken under a microscope. The experiment shows that the designed microgripper with the proposed method has successfully grasped micro size objects.


W university is a key university in China, Taking the science and technology novelty search station of the University Library as an example. To analyze the current service status of major domestic science and technology novelty search institutions, describes and analyzes the basic work situation and business process of the institution, and reveals the main problems existing in the institution from two aspects: the science and technology novelty search business process and the management of the novelty search station. Then, under the guidance of IE program analysis method and employee interview method, to diagnose and analyze the novelty search business process of W University Library novelty search station, find out the crux of the problem, and put forward the optimization direction and objectives, in order to improve the work efficiency of W University Library novelty search station, shorten the waiting time of customers, reduce employee burnout, and improve customer satisfaction.


Based on the wind tunnel model test of Peking 2008 Olympic Game ping pong gymnasium,the wind pressure on cladding structure is studied.The methods for calculating the external wind pressure on cladding structure and the choice of wind loads on cantilevered roof and the interference effect of surrounding buildings to curtain walls are discussed in details.Several conclusions can be made as follows.Relative to the main structure,the cladding structure is much more sensitive to the wind load.The value of wind pressure on cladding structure calculated with the statistical method is more reasonable and reliable than that by the code method.Because the net wind pressure on cantilevered roof is unequal to the wind pressure on the upper or lower surface,it is unsafe to just take the net wind pressure into account.Therefore,the worst wind load on the upper or lower surface should be considered in design.The influence of surrounding buildings to curtain walls is very serious,and the shape coefficient of curtain walls suggested by the code should be adjusted according to the array of surrounding buildings.The conclusions might be used as reference to structural design.


One hundred eighty pounds of nitrogen and 4 inseason
irrigations (20 inches of water) was the
most profitable treatment for grain sorghum
production.
The highest water application efficiency occurred
with the least amount of applied water. Twentyfive
buehels of grain sorghum/gprn of water
pumped (1000 gpm well = 25,000 bushels of grain
eorghum) is a reasonable yield goal for irrigators
in the Southern Colorado High Plains when
preeeaeon or planting time imgation is practiced


Objective To investigate trends in breast cancer mortality in New Zealand women, to corroborate or negate a causal association with service screening mammography. Method Cumulated mortality rates from breast cancer deaths individually linked to incident cases diagnosed before and after screening commencement were compared, in women aged 50–64 (from 2001) and aged 45–49 and 65–69 (from 2006). Trends and differences in aggregate invasive breast cancer mortality (1975–2013) were assessed in relation to introduction of mammography screening targeting women aged 50–64 and 45–69. Joinpoint analysis was also undertaken. Results The reduction in incidence-based cumulated breast cancer mortality before and after the introduction of screening was −15% (p = 0.006) for women aged 45–69, and 17% (p = 0.005) for those aged 50–64. Aggregate mortality declined by −34% (2005–13 compared with 1992–98) in the age group 50–64, and by –28% among women aged 45–49 and –25% among women aged 65–74. For women aged 50–64 the 2-joinpoint model shows a 1990 turning point, from prior rising mortality to a mean −1.8% decline per annum, coinciding with improvements in primary treatment of breast cancer; and a steepening of the decline (−3.0% p.a.) from the late 1990s, coinciding with the introduction of service mammography screening. Conclusion Breast cancer mortality declines occurring since the advent of screening mammography in New Zealand are consistent with other incidence-based and aggregate studies of screening mammography in populations, individual-based cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials.


Guests and processing conditions leading to high surface area (SA) nanoporous-crystalline (NC) poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)oxide (PPO) films are explored. In this framework, we found crystallization conditions leading to unprecedented high SA films...


In contrast with Tennenbaum's theorem [8] that says Peano Arithmetic (PA) has no nonstandard computable model, Shepherdson [6] constructed a computable nonstandard model for a very weak fragment of PA, called Open Induction (Iopen) in which the induction scheme is only allowed to be applied for quantifier-free formulas (with parameters). Since then several attempts have been made from both sides to strengthen Tennenbaum's and Shepherdson's theorems. From one direction one would like to find fragments of arithmetic as weak as possible with no nonstandard computable model. On the other hand we are also interested in knowing those fragments that are as strong as possible and do have a computable nonstandard model. Attempts in the first direction were culminated in the work of Wilmers [10] where it is shown that IE1 does not have a computable nonstandard model (IE1 is the fragment based on the induction scheme for bounded existential formulas). Our work deals with the second direction. Since Open Induction is too weak to prove many true statements of number theory (It cannot even prove irrationality of p 2), a number of algebraic first order properties have been suggested to be added to Iopen in order to obtain closer systems to number theory. These properties include: Normality [2], having the GCD property [7], being a Bezout domain [3], cofinality of primes (abbreviated here as cof(prime)) and so on. We mention that GCD is stronger than normality, Bezout is stronger than GCD and Bezout is weaker than IE1. Berarducci and Otero [1], based on earlier works of Wilkie [9], van den Dries [2] and Macintyre-Marker [3] constructed a computable nonstandard model for Iopen + Normality + cof(prime). Also Moniri [5] by using transseries, managed to generalize Shepherdson's method directly, to construct primitive recursive nonstandard models of Iopen + cof(prime) with any finite transcendence degree > 1. In [4] we succeeded to strengthen Berarducci-Otero's construction by combining their method with that of Smith [7](which is itself a generalization of Macintyre-Marker's work to the GCD and Bezout case) and obtained a nonstandard computable model of Iopen+GCD+cof(prime). In this talk, we go one step further by bringing all of these materials together (Smith's chains, Berarducci-Otero's computable construction and Moniri's transseries) to produce a computable nonstandard model of Open Induction which is Bezout and has cofinal primes.


Multivariate analysis was carried out for 16 groundnut genotypes evaluated for 12 agromorphological characters. The crop was sown during2015/16 Ethiopian wet season in four locations in RCBD to study the variability and their interrelationship and divergence pattern based on quantitative traits. The distance matrix was used to study genetic diversity among the genotypes based on principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and clustering methods. Genetic divergence of groundnut genotypes through distance matrix based on Euclidean distance (D) revealed that there was small range of genetic diversity. The Eigen vectors for the first three component loading has shown that the first principal component had high positive component loading from NBP, AGBP, NMP, PWP, SWP as well as GY characters and found to associate with NC 343, Baha jidu, Lote, Manipeter, Roba, Werer 962, Tole1, Tole2 and Oldhale genotypes with high positive PCA1 scores based on Euclidean distance matrix(D). In contrast, PCA2 had high positive component loading from 100SW, PWP as well as GY characters, the associated genotypes are Baha gudo, Fetene, Manipeter, Werer 962 and Werer 961. GY has shown positive loading in all the first three components but the highest positive in component 2 indicating the highest grain yielding genotypes are those that are most positive in second component. The highest positive loading characters in the third component are NSP, SHP, SWP, NMP as well as GY; the associated genotypes were Fetene and Werer 961.On the other hand, high negative PC1 loading was obtained for SHP, HI and NSPOD. High negative loading characters especially in PC1 shows inverse relationship and/or divergence to the rest variables therefore such characters are not mainly recommended for breeding since they have usually low heritability. The dendrogram for Euclidean distance based on genotypic correlation has shown that traits in cluster 2 including PWP, SWP and 100SW were shown positive and nonsignificant correlation with GY. The most similar trait was NBP and AGBP, while NSPOD was the most divergent trait and found to be negatively correlated with GY. Thus, such divergent and negatively correlated trait with yield has no significance in selection so it can be dropped. Those characters in cluster 1 including NBP, AGBP, NMP and NSP were positive but nonsignificantly correlated at genotypic level with GY.


Extensive oceanographic surveys were carried out in northern Cook Strait to thoroughly understand the coastal circulation and its implications for wastewater dispersal. A detailed numerical model study of proposed twin outfalls for the cities of Wellington and Lower Hutt focussed on realistically simulating the decay of faecal indicator bacteria. The relative importance of treatment level, adverse winds and light attenuation in the water column on bacterial inactivation and outfall lengths are discussed. Considerable improvement in the water quality of the reef and shellfish areas will occur as existing raw sewage discharges are replaced by secondary treated discharges.


It is unlikely that hostile attitudes about criminals or beliefs that punishments for crime were too lenient were the major causes of the explosive increase in punishments in the United States after 1970. Public hostility toward criminals has been a consistent theme in this country for a long time, but it did not cause big increases in imprisonment before 1970 in the United States or large expansions of incarceration elsewhere. In this article, the authors argue that growth in the salience of crime as a citizen concern and increasing public distrust of government competence and legitimacy were two of a number of changes that transformed ever-present hostile attitudes into a dynamic force in American politics. Negative attitudes toward offenders are a necessary condition for anticrime crusades, but they are always present. It was the addition of fear and distrust into the law and politics of punishment setting that produced the perfect storm of punitive expansion.


In this article a current ofresearch ofwriling is inlroduced which is widely establishe<l in the United States of America but still rather unknown in Spain: Contrastive Rhetoric. We examine its evolution from lhe sixties, its success and the criticism it has received: finally, the paths it follows nowadays will be shown as well as those studies which have analysed lexts wriHen in Spanish.


Psychological testing has been attacked almost from its inception,1 with criticisms ranging from objective analyses of their reliability and validity to subjective assertions that such tests deal with trivia.2 These attacks have been exacerbated by current concerns about racial discrimination, minority rights, affirmative action programs, and pressures for minimum competency testing. The more substantive criticisms concern the biases that result in benefits or prejudices for different social groups. With particular reference to mental testing, biases may occur in selection (differential predictive validity), in internal structure (factor structure of the test is different for different groups), or in item meaning (the contribution of any given item to the total score is different for different groups).' In addition, there may be an instruction bias. Williams and Rivers,4 for example, found that scores earned by black children could be significantly improved by providing instructions that used labels


Central banks make public the results of open market operations (OMOs), which they use to adjust the liquidity available to the financial system to maintain the short-term borrowing rate in the range compatible with achieving their monetary policy objectives. This paper shows that such announcements are costly because they moderate the impact of changes in supply achieved through OMOs. Nevertheless, communication of OMOs is desirable because it improves the transparency of the funding market, which makes the price of liquidity—a key input into economic decision making—more reflective of underlying demand and supply of liquidity.