A study examined changes in students' valuing of reading during middle childhood and early adolescence. The study evaluated reading teachers' instructional practices as well as students' achievement motivation. Subjects were 254 male students and 276 female students: 140 in third grade; 142 in fifth grade; and 248 in sixth grade. The sample of 54 teachers included 43 female and 11 male, with a range of full time teaching experience from 1 to 41 years, in 1990. In examining reading teachers' instructional practices, results indicated that female teachers use supplemental materials in reading and writing instruction more than do male teachers; teachers of younger students use parents as tutors more than do teachers of older students; and elementary school teachers use rewards and parents as tutors more than do middle school teachers. In examining student-level data, results indicated that females and younger children value reading more than eo males and older children. Finally, student and teacher level data were combined, using hierarchial linear modeling (HLM). Findings reveal; (1) performance oriented instructional strategies and cooperative learning techniques are negatively related to gains in valuing of reading over time; (2) the relationship between self-concept of ability and valuing of reading is somewhat lower in classrooms that are ability-grouped for reading instruction; and (3) reading is valued less in middle school than in elementary school. (Contains 9 tables of data and 29 references.) (Author/CR) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************


His first is that "Marx does not give equal weight to the desires of everyoneproletarian and bourgeois alike."2 But if Marx does not take into account as prima facie worthy of satisfaction the interests, simply as such, of all those who would be affected by the communist revolution then he does not advocate that revolution on utilitarian grounds. However even if, as Brenkert holds, Marx regards bourgeois interests as "prima facie evil,"3 it does not follow that he regards all the interests of the men who are bourgeois as prima facie evil, for not all their interests are bourgeois. Thus Marx and Engels emphasize the


Graphene oxide (GO) is an atomically thin layer of graphite decorated with oxygen containing functional groups. The oxygenated groups in GO cause remarkable structural defects deteriorating its electrical conductivity, which limits the direct application of GO in electrically active materials [1]. On the other hand, GO has potential uses in numerous field because these functional groups serve as sites for chemical modification. GO could have insulating, semiconducting, or semimetallic nature by appropriate tuning the oxidation or reduction. One of the most promising applications of GO is chemical sensing. Every atom in GO can be considered as a surface atom, thus electron transport through these materials can be very sensitive to adsorbed molecules [2]. The biggest challenge in chemical sensors is generating selectivity. There have been some attempts to develop selective reduced graphene oxide (rGO) chemiresistors by unique functionalization. In this study, we demonstrate that graphene oxide shows selective chemiresponse to various molecules including NH3, SO2, CH4, CO and VOCs such as acetone, ethanol, benzene, and toluene depending on the degree of reduction. GO flakes are deposited on the patterned substrate by drop-casting method. The degree of reduction is controlled by thermal treatment varying duration time. The carbon to oxygen ration (C/O) and electrical conductance are increased with increasing heat treatment time, which indicates the removal of oxygen containing functional groups [3]. The GO sensors with different degree of reduction show distinctive chemiresponse to the same analyte. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations support our experimental data. The charge transfers induced by the direct adsorption and desorption of molecules such as NO2, H2, and CO on the GO surface are different according to the presence of functional groups. It shows that rGO sensors can have selectivity for various gases by changing the amount of functional groups.


The article discusses the support-seeking and support-giving relationships between school technology professionals. Details about the social relationships of school technology coordinators and their job responsibilities are provided. The authors attempt to discern details about these relationships and analyze the social structure of the school technology workplace. The social network perspective is used to gain an insight into the workplace structure and mentality of school technology professionals. The results of the research are also analyzed.


The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing extract of Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) fruit, which is bioconversed by enzymatic reaction, and a cosmetic composition for anti-glycation and anti-aging containing the same extract as an active ingredient and, more specifically, a technique for manufacturing anti-aging cosmetic composition which converts Cyclitol Derivatives into pinitol by treating the Ceratonia siliqua fruit extract with glycosyl hydrolases and manufactures the extract having excellent activities of anti-glycation, anti-oxidation, colagenase expression inhibition, and anti-inflamation by synergism with other actuve ingredients.


Phytotesting has long been used to determine the quality of seeds, agricultural soil fertility, in biomedical research, and recently in the field of environmental protection to assess the ecological quality of natural environment (water, soil) in phytotesting of toxicants. Various plant representatives are used as model test organisms, in particular, onion (Allium cepa L.) is considered as a standard test plant for the determination of toxicants.
The purpose of the work is to generalize methodological approaches of using onion (Allium cepa L.) in phytotesting of toxicants.
Methodology. During the research, the following methods were used: 1) general scientific methods (methods of theoretical research of available information); 2) analytical and generalized methods (for the analysis of scientific and literature sources on the given problem); 3) empirical (for accumulating facts); 4) methods of argumentation (to prove one's own judgments).
Scientific novelty - methodical approaches of using onion in phytotesting of toxicants are summarized, formulas for calculating phytotoxic indices (root length index, phytotoxic effect of solutions, toxicity index of solutions for each test function, average toxicity index of the tested solutions) are presented.
Conclusions - phytotesting is a commonly used method of assessing the quality of natural environment (water, soil) which is based on the sensitivity of plants to external chemical influences and is reflected in growth and morphological characteristics. The standard test plant for the determination of toxicant influence is the onion (Allium cepa), which can be used both in the growth test and in the Allium-test. The most sensitive characteristics of onion are the mitotic activity of the apical meristem cells and the frequency of cells with chromosomal aberrations.


Background
Fractures of the navicular are not common. To repair navicular fractures, it is important to have an understanding of the surrounding anatomy. The navicular is a boat-shaped bone located in the medial midfoot that has multiple articulations.
 Objectives
This article reviews the diagnosis, classification, and surgical technique for fixation of displaced navicular body fractures.
 Materials and methods
Ten patients with consecutive 10 displaced navicular body fractures were treated surgically between March 2010 and March 2013.
 Results
The mean postoperative score according to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society score system was 90.2 (85-100).
 Level of evidence
Case series: type IV.


Technology absorption is critical to emerging market growth. To study this process I exploit fuel economy standards, which compel automakers to either acquire fuel efficiency technology or reduce vehicle quality. With novel, unique data on the Chinese auto market between 1999 and 2012, I evaluate the effect of China's 2009 fuel economy standards on firms' vehicle characteristic choices. Through differences-in-differences and triple differences designs, I show that Chinese firms responded to the new policy by manufacturing less powerful, cheaper, and lighter vehicles. Foreign firms manufacturing for the Chinese market, conversely, continued on their prior path. For example, domestic firms reduced model torque and price by 12% and 13% of their respective means relative to foreign firms. Private Chinese firms outperformed state-owned firms and were less affected by the standards, but Chinese firms in joint ventures with foreign firms suffered the largest negative effect regardless of ownership. My evidence suggests that fuel economy standards and joint venture mandates both intended to increase technology transfer have instead retarded Chinese firms' advancement up the automotive manufacturing quality ladder. (Click Here for Latest Version and Appendices) JEL classifications: G3, O2, O3, P2, P3, Q4, Q5, L5, L9 ⇤Harvard University. I wish to thank Anthony Saich, Henry Lee, Wang Qing, Lu Mai, Lilei Xu, Ariel Pakes, and Martin Rotemberg. I am grateful to the China State Council Development Research Center for its support and data access. Funding for this project is from the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and from a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. "We have been trying to exchange market access for technology, but we have barely gotten hold of any key technologies in the past 30 years" Liao Xionghui, Vice President of Lifan, a Chinese automaker (Ying 2012) "New proposed fuel-economy standards for passenger cars...[leave] foreign makers well positioned to inject new technology...That leaves locals such as Great Wall and Geely with the most work to do." Bhattacharya (Wall Street Journal, 2014)


A method for retrieving the magnetization curve of a nonlinear coil is described. The parameters of a piecewise-linear or a third-order polynomial approximation can be obtained. A simple bridge RL-multivibrator, which includes an operational amplifier and this coil, is used. The coil parameters are calculated observing two oscillograms of the voltage at one of the bridge branches and measuring the oscillation period. >


Recent research has shown that the UK's Advanced Apprenticeship Programme (AAP) struggles to develop the forms of 'vocational practice', that is, a combination of knowledge, skill and judgement, employers are looking for in the creative and cultural sector. Employers' reluctance to get involved with the AAP does not mean that they are uninterested in training. They are concerned that the UK's Department of Education and Skills promotes the AAP to serve 'educational' goals (i.e. route for academic progression), rather than functioning as a genuine attempt to develop the sector‐specific vocational knowledge and skill that they feel it is important for apprentices to develop. To understand why many employers distance themselves from the AAP, the paper compares and contrasts the AAP with the 'Technical Apprenticeship', which has been developed by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, with regard to the different notions of skill formation, skill transfer and employability. It concludes by raising a number of questions and issues as regards: (1) the future development of apprenticeship in the creative and cultural sector in the UK and internationally, and (2) the concept of vocational practice in Vocational Education and Training.


Wastewater from automobile painting is characterized by complicated composition, high level of CODCr and poor biodegradability. In this experiment, it combines the physic-chemical method with the biological method together. At first, it pretreats the degreased wastewater and painting wastewater with chemical agents, after which the removal rate of the degreased wastewater is more than 50% and that of the painting wastewater is 60~80%. Then, the effluents together with electrophoresis wastewater were treated by the coagulation-flotation and SBR process technology, after which the removal rate of CODCr can reach over 80%, so as to achieve the primary standards (CODCr≤100mg/L; pH=7.0~7.5) of "Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard" (GB8978-1996).


Collection weeding is an important function of any library operation. At its simplest, the process of deciding what to remove, and implementing it, is controlled by a library or system serving a single mission and set of objectives. This becomes more complicated when the collection is shared by a group of libraries, such as those within a consortium, that have separate governing structures. The difficulty of such an undertaking is further compounded for collections of electronic resources with varying licensing terms and technical configurations. This paper describes just such a weeding project of an e-book collection shared by members of a large library consortium.


The paper offers a case study of two bilingual girls aged 10, born in London, of Albanian-speaking families who arrived in the UK as refugees. An earlier study, when the girls were aged six, explored the strategies they used as they learned to read with their mothers in Albanian using dual language books. Four years on, supported by a primary school in East London that values the bilingualism of its pupils, the girls have become authors. Based on observation, recordings and transcription, the present study follows them as they create their own dual language book: composing a joint story in English and translating it into Albanian. Through an analysis of transcripts and observations, the paper explores how the girls face the challenges of translation. Working together in school, without a dictionary, the girls use their own linguistic resources to negotiate meaning and to achieve the close translation that they know is expected in a dual language text. In the process, they reveal to the researcher their understanding of how their languages work. In a reflection on their journey towards biliteracy, they acknowledge the important role played by their teachers in encouraging their bilingual development and reveal their pride in becoming authors.


In this paper, we announce the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) refractive index (RI) sensor based on tapered coreless fiber (TCF) structure. We take full advantage of the transmission characteristics of the coreless fiber, and the experimental results evidence that TCF is able to excite surface plasmon wave effectively. Compared with common SPR sensors, this sensor is easier to fabricate, has better mechanical stability, and offers a comparable sensitivity. The wavelength interrogation sensitivity of the proposed sensor is 2278.4 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.33–1.391. As the structure of the proposed sensor can lead to multimode interference (MMI), and the gold film is only coated on one side of TCF, MMI spectra appear in the visible light band instead of in the near-infrared. When surrounding RI increases, the resonance wavelength shifts to shorter wavelengths. We get an ultrahigh wavelength interrogation sensitivity, 866.1 nm/RIU, compared with common MMI RI sensors, in the RI range of 1.3864–1.416. Because both SPR and MMI are sensitive to the change of surrounding RI, this sensor can achieve a wide detection range when we use these two phenomena together.


Aortic Root Dilatation in African Hypertensives Subjects: Frequency of Occurrence and Associations: A Multicentre Echocardiographic Survey
Anecdotal reports suggest that hypertension is associated with an increased predisposition to aortic root dilatation (ARD). Reports on epidemiology of ARD and demographic or clinical associations among African hypertensive subjects are scarce. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of ARD among Nigerian hypertensive subjects.


A total of 567 human teeth except third molars were studied to estimate age, using a combined method of multiple regression analysis of data from a scoring system, direct measurements with image analyser, and logarithmic transformation. As a result, the standard errors of estimate were 4.8–5.4 years in the working sample, and 2.9–5.4 years in the control sample respectively, by using a single tooth. By testing the formulae on forensic autopsy cases in Guang Dong and Guang Xi, (People's Republic of China), it is demonstrated that the standard error of estimate is 3.7 and 2.6 years respectively for any single tooth (incisor, canine, premolar or molar) except the third molar. Age determination from multiple teeth of the same individual has also been studied. As a result, according to the different age grouping, the standard errors of estimate ranged from 0.8 to 2.6 years (2 teeth from the same individual) and 0.6 to 2.3 years (3 teeth from the same individual). It is concluded that the method presented here is helpful in improving the accuracy of age determination from teeth.


Abstract
The Caribbean is a mega-diverse and bio-geographically important region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands, and surrounding coastlines. Among the billions of aquatic species inhabiting this region, the mega-vertebrates stand out for their social, economic and ecologic relevance. However, the Caribbean has been threatened by climate change, poverty, pollution, environmental degradation and intense growth of the tourism industry, affecting megafauna species directly and indirectly. Population monitoring plays a critical role in an informed conservation process and helps guide management decisions at several scales. The aim of the present review was to critically examine the methods employed for monitoring marine megafauna in the Caribbean, so as to create a framework for future monitoring efforts. In total, 235 documents describing protocols for the monitoring of sirenians, cetaceans, elasmobranchs, sea turtles and crocodilians in the Caribbean region, were reviewed. The methods included community-based monitoring (interviews, citizen science and fisheries monitoring), aerial surveys (by manned and unmanned aerial vehicles), boat-based surveys (including manta tow, and side-scan sonars), land-based surveys, acoustic monitoring, underwater surveys, baited remote underwater video, mark–recapture, photo-identification and telemetry. Monitoring efforts invested on aquatic megafauna in the Caribbean have been highly different, with some species and/or groups being prioritised over others. The present critical review provides a country-based overview of the current and emerging methods for monitoring marine megafauna and a critical evaluation of their known advantages, disadvantages and biases.


As an important source of vegetable tannins, Terminalia chebula Retz.is increasingly applied to clinic, especially its strong antibacterial activities .Thus,the review concludes the chemical constituents and pharmacologial activities. Terminalia chebula Retz. mainly contains triterpenic acid,gallyl glucose,gallate and anthraquinone etc.They have the activities of antibiosis,antioxidation,antitumor and cardiotonic etc.


An international joint research project called the International Geophysical Year (IGY) was conducted from 1957 to 1958. For the IGY, worldwide observation networks and data centers called the World Data Center (WDC) were developed to study the ionosphere, geomagnetic field, the sun, cosmic rays, and other topics of interest. During this IGY period, a 24-hour forecast of geomagnetic storms called Space World Interval (SWI) was exchanged among participating institutions for joint international observation of the sun and the earth's environment. This SWI is one origin of space weather information service provided by the International Space Environment Service (ISES). In Japan, the Radio Research Laboratories (today's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology) conducted the SWI. At the time of the IGY, there was no means of communications capable of sending large quantities of data immediately; thus, observation information was encoded and sent to different sites by telex. Each site then converted the information into Morse code and broadcasted it by shortwave. Figure 1 shows an example of encoded observation data. These activities were later inherited to form the International URSIgram and World Days Service (IUWDS). Figure 2 shows the information exchange in international collaboration in the IUWDS. Among the events held during the days of the IGY were humankind's first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union (today's Russian Republic), the launch of Sputnik 1, and the discovery of the radiation belt by Explorer 1, the U.S. artificial satellite. More than half a century has passed since that time,


There is increasing interest in using transcutaneous electrical stimulation to treat or suppress brain-related disorders. Primary headache disorder is a socioeconomic burden, whose pharmaceutical and invasive treatment methods may have troublesome side effects. There are various transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation neuromodulation systems that are used for health-related disorders. There are many factors that may affect these systems' efficiency including stimulus current levels. A device for primary headaches showed mixed results. This may be related to the higher stimulus current levels that are applied through the electrodes. A feasible solution to reduce the required current levels is considering the geometrical features of the target nerve bending and nerve termination trajectories. In this study, the impact of the geometrical features of the nerve, such as nerve bending and nerve termination, on the stimulus current thresholds were analyzed based on FEM hybrid models. Twenty nerve models were generated considering statistical variations to assess the effect of the nerve geometrical features on the target neuromodulatory system. Finally, the safety parameters were calculated based on the target neuromodulator settings. The results showed that the geometric features of the target nerve have a significant effect on the required stimulus current thresholds. These results may provide important guidance mainly for transcutaneous frontal nerve stimulation and future electrical nerve stimulation design.


We present a generalization of Galois descent to finite modular normal field extension $L/K$, using the Heerma-Galois group $Aut(L[\bar{X}]/K[\bar{X}])$ where $L[\bar{X}]=L[X]/(X^{p^e})$ and $e$ is the exponent of $L$ over $K$.


Current work in combining multirate filtering techniques with a three-source (low pass, edge, and texture) image model designed to increase control over perceptual edge quality is described. The model employs multirate subband filtering to code the low-pass source efficiently and to reconstruct the image from the sources. Spline modeling can be used to exploit the two-dimensional connectivity of the edge source. Parameters of the edge profile (edge-source values along the perpendicular direction) are chosen so that coding errors are not too perceptually objectionable. Using a two-level octave band frequency configuration and without coding the sources, the SNR is 57.0 dB, perceptually indistinguishable from the original.<<ETX>>


A series of novel C-11,12 cyclic carbamate ketolides (17 examples) are synthesized from clarithromycin and evaluated for their antibacterial activities.


The key mechanisms to determine the effectiveness of bank's activities is the credit risk management. One of the main procedures recommended to banks for risk assessment is reverse stress testing. Reverse stress testing is the construction of realistic scenarios that lead to a given level of financial loss, or the formation of realistic scenarios that maximize bank losses. Knowledge of such scenarios allows banks to mitigate the consequences of their implementation. The current credit risk assessment models are not suitable for solving the problems of reverse stress testing. Widely known models do not take into account the structure of specific companies, do not allow investigating the development of crisis scenarios in time and assuming a large sample of data on similar enterprises. To avoid of the noted disadvantages of the traditional approaches allows the use system-dynamic models of borrowers. System dynamics provides the possibility of reproducing the enterprise's structure under study in the form of continuously interacting elements and external factors. The links between the elements are described by functional dependencies and differential equations that determine the dynamics of the company and the degree of its stability in relation to various macroeconomic scenarios. The article is devoted to approximate dynamic programming algorithm, which solves the reverse stress testing problem for the bank's loan portfolio on the basis of system-dynamic models of borrowers. The algorithm uses classical quasi-Newton optimization methods. The results of the method work are compared with the results of genetic algorithms. The statements proved in the article justify correctness of the algorithm and give an idea of its applicability to nonsmooth optimization problems arising in the context of reverse stress testing and system dynamics. The main tool for implementing the described algorithm is Matlab.


Abstract Purpose The aim was to explore the feasibility of applying an atlas‐based auto‐segmentation tool, MIM Atlas Segment, for liver delineation in MR images in Y‐90 selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). Materials and methods MR images of 41 liver patients treated with resin Y‐90 SIRT were included: 20 patients' images were used to create an atlas, and the other 21 patients' images were used for testing. Auto‐segmentation of liver in the MR images was performed with MIM Atlas Segment, and various settings for the auto‐segmentation (i.e., with and without normalized deformable registration, single atlas‐match and multi‐atlas match, and multi‐atlas match using different finalization methods) were tested. Auto‐segmented liver contours were compared with physician manually‐delineated contours, using Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and mean distance to agreement (MDA). Ratio of volume (RV) and ratio of activity (RA) were calculated to further evaluate the auto‐segmentation results. Results Auto‐segmentations with normalized deformable registration generated better contours than those without normalized deformable registration. With normalized deformable registration, 3‐atlas match using Majority Vote (MV) method generated better results than single‐atlas match and 3‐atlas match using STAPLE method, and generated similar results as 5‐atlas match using MV method or STAPLE method. The average DSC, MDA, and RV of the contours generated with normalized deformable registration are 0.80‐0.83, 0.60‐0.67, and 0.91‐1.00 cm, respectively. The average RA are 1.00‐1.01, which indicate that the activities calculated using the auto‐segmented liver contours are close to the accurate activities. Conclusion The atlas‐based auto‐segmentation can be applied to generate initial liver contours in MR images for resin Y‐90 SIRT, which can be used for activity calculations after physicians review.


In the first version of Studies in Classic American Fiction from between late 1917 and mid 1918, Lawrence made an anticipatory "post-war" statement that was only half-formulated yet extremely suggestive. Describing the frustration and anger of those who had died to release themselves from service to a fixed, mentally conscious "will," he tried to position the living in relation to the dead, and to envisage a future beyond the war: We have now the hosts of weary, clamorous, unsatisfied dead to appease by our living. If we cannot appease them we shall go on dying until somewhere, in some unknown people, life can start afresh. Which brings us to Fenimore Cooper and the Red Indians. (SCAL 208) The incongruity of this last line with the rest of the passage indicates that Lawrence had formulated the problem facing Europe in 1918, on the brink of reckoning up its dead, without having realised a solution. America, in the novels of writers such as James Fenimore Cooper, represented to him a historical stage beyond Europe; however, in 1918 he was groping towards his own answer to the challenge facing Europe. By something of an historical irony, the following year an American in London, T.S. Eliot, provided his own statement upon "the dead" in "Tradition and the Individual Talent." Eliot posited the continuity of a cultural "tradition" to bridge the historical gap of the war and symbolically resurrect its dead. One of his prescriptions, that "you cannot value [the artist] alone; you must set him, for contrast and comparison, among the dead" (Selected Essays 15), conflated the "dead" of war with the tradition of past writers. Through continuing this tradition the living artist could bring the dead masters into a "simultaneous existence" with himself, which in turn could bridge the terrible gap of the war, piled up with millions of other voiceless dead. Lawrence envisaged a post war future where "souls that find in death itself a passionate consummation return to us appeased, and add the beauty and richness of their presence to us" (SCAL 208); Eliot instead imagined how the survivors and dead could give life to each other by linking up a tradition. Lawrence's notion of "death" as a "passionate consummation" of the soul offered renewal, as in a natural cycle, whereas in his theory of impersonality Eliot suggested a symbolic continuity between the living and dead. This concern with "burying the dead" was to become the foundation upon which Anglo-American Modernism in post-war London revived itself and grew to cultural dominance over the course of the Twenties. Eliot managed to set the conditions that fostered an interpretation of his work as atonement for the "dead." The Waste Land, despite its apparent pessimism, offered a vision of Europe whose historical wounds were healed over by cultural unity. Eliot had the assistance of both reviewers and academics to construct this interpretation. Lawrence lacked this advantage, and as we shall see, was let down first by Richard Aldington and John Middleton Murry, who both recognised his importance to post war recovery but failed to argue the point convincingly against Eliot's cultural rhetoric. Later F. R. Leavis provided a far more powerful and consistent defence of Lawrence's work, but left it weakened through his resistance to contextualise it in terms of the war. By focusing on the legacy of war, I will examine why Lawrence and Eliot's critical fortunes differed so greatly during the formation of English Modernism. In particular, the focal point of the issue lies in why Lawrence and Eliot's greatest contributions to Modernism and to literature of the war, Women in Love and The Waste Land, had such differing impacts: why has 1919 to 1939 been often called the "age of Eliot," but never the "age of Lawrence"? The Rise of Eliot Lawrence and Eliot suffered profoundly during the war, and their most mature work developed through it. …


3003 Background: NRG1 fusion proteins are oncogenic drivers in pancreas cancer and other solid tumors. They bind HER3, leading to HER2/HER3 heterodimerization and oncogenic transformation. The activity of zenocutuzumab (MCLA-128; zeno), a bispecific antibody targeting NRG1 fusion signaling in NRG1 fusion positive ( NRG1+) cancers, is being evaluated in the ongoing global multicenter phase 2 part of the eNRGy study and a global early access program (EAP). Methods: Enrolled patients (pts) have advanced NRG1+ pancreas cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and other solid tumors previously treated with standard therapy, are ≥ 18 years-old, have ECOG ≤1, adequate organ function, and measurable disease (RECIST v1.1). Zeno dosing: 750 mg IV every 2 weeks until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint: investigator (INV)-assessed objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints: ORR per central independent radiologist review, duration of response (DOR), and safety. Tumor imaging is conducted every 8 weeks. Results: 51 pts with NRG1+ cancer have received zeno, 37 in the eNRGy study and 14 pts in the EAP. As of 12 Jan 2021, treatment is ongoing in 27/51 pts (8/13 pancreas, 10/25 NSCLC, 9/13 other solid tumors). Among the 51 pts, 10 pts with pancreas cancer, 18 pts with NSCLC, and 5 pts with other solid tumors had measurable disease and had the opportunity for ≥1 tumor assessment (TA) and are included in this analysis. Among the 10 pts with pancreas cancer, median age was 49 y (range 34-72), 50% were male, 6/4 pts had ECOG 0/1, and all had metastatic disease and were KRAS wild-type. The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 1-6). The INV-assessed confirmed ORR was 40% (4/10; 90% CI, 15;70), and for this cohort of pts, responses occurred at the first TA. Tumor regression was seen in 7/10 pts, and the disease control rate was 90% (90% CI, 61-100). A CA 19-9 decline of ≥ 50% was observed in 9/9 (100%) pts. DOR is pending. In the overall NRG1+ population, tumor regression was observed in 25 of 33 pts and confirmed INV-assessed responses were seen in 9 of 33 pts (ORR 27%; 90% CI, 15;43), including in pts who previously received afatinib. Zeno was well tolerated with no pts requiring dose reduction for toxicity. Across all cohorts, for individual AEs, grade 3 events were reported in ≤5% of pts, and there was a notable lack of cardiotoxicity and severe gastrointestinal or skin toxicity. Updated data from all cohorts (pancreas, NSCLC, other solid tumors) will be presented. Conclusions: Zeno induces rapid and major radiologic tumor regression and biomarker responses in heavily-pretreated metastatic KRAS wild-type NRG1+ pancreas cancer, with minimal toxicity. Zeno is a promising novel targeted therapeutic option for pts with NRG1+ cancers. Clinical trial information: NCT02912949.


....................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER ONE (1) 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................... 2 1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM ................................................................................. 5 1. 3 GENERAL OBJECTIVES. ..................................................................................... 9 1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................... 9 1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES .......................................................................... 9 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY .................................................................................. 9 1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY ....................................................................................... 10 1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY ..................................................................... 10


Present definition of SI second is based on the hyperfine transition frequency (in the microwave region) in Cesium atoms since 1967. In the last two decades, frequency standards based on optical transition have shown remarkable progress by outperforming the best microwave frequency standard by at least an order of magnitude in terms of relative frequency uncertainty. This paper presents an insight on the present realization of a microwave SI second and the roadmap towards future realization based on optical transition frequencies.


Power plants whose production will be sold in a market context must be evaluated, taking into account market variables such as fuel, emissions and electricity prices. These variables have a stochastic behaviour, and therefore the power plant's present value is also stochastic. Using a stochastic process to estimate the power plant's present value, the best plan for investment can be devised to extract the maximum project value. This is achieved by considering multiple investment stages together with the possibility of postponing or abandoning the project when market conditions are unfavourable. The focus of the paper is on establishing the market-based value of a power plant and on determining the best execution of investment when it is done in multiple, modular stages. A comprehensive methodology is developed to establish a process for the plant present value, and to derive the optimal execution policy for investment.


Robotic walkers are assistive robotic devices that provide mobility assistance, in a domestic or clinical scenario, to individuals suffering from a gait disorder, being age related or due to injuries, surgery, or diseases. Walkers also provide a significant potential for lower limb rehabilitation. In this paper, we present a novel multimodal robotic walker platform, the ISR-AIWALKER, where innovative contributions were made both in the human–machine interface (HMI) and in a gait analysis system placed on board the platform. Taking into account the application potential of these devices, an effort was made to use low-cost sensors without sacrificing the overall performance of the system. A change was made in the HMI paradigm, moving from a force-sensing to a vision-based approach, while maintaining a natural user interaction and adding complementary safety features like correct gripping enforcement. To cope with the close proximity of the user's body, a multimodal sensor setup was considered. Using both RGB and depth map data, a kinematic model of the user's lower limbs is obtained, allowing the identification of a set of features that are used in a machine learning approach to discriminate gait asymmetries. Experiments made with several subjects revealed that the proposed HMI is able to correctly estimate the user intention in a natural and intuitive way. The gait analysis system was also evaluated and evidenced a good discrimination capability to distinguish between different gait patterns.


Diuretics and renin-angiotensin system (RAAS) blockers are often insufficient to control the blood pressure (BP) in salt-sensitive (SS) subjects. Abundant data support the proposal that level of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) may correlate with pathogenesis of SS hypertension. We hypothesized here that increasing ANP level with sacubitril, combined with RAAS blockage by valsartan, can be beneficial for alleviation of renal damage in a model of SS hypertension, the Dahl SS rat. To induce a BP increase, the rats were challenged with a high salt 4% NaCl diet for 21 days, and chronic administration of vehicle or low dose sacubitril and/or valsartan (75 ug/day each) was performed. Urine flow, Na+ excretion and water consumption were increased on HS diet compared to starting point (0.4% NaCl) in all groups, but remained similar among the groups at the end of the protocol. Upon salt challenge, we observed a mild decrease in systolic BP and urinary NGAL levels (indicative of alleviated tubular damage) in the valsartan-treated groups. Sacubitril, as well as sacubitril/valsartan, attenuated GFR decline induced by the salt. Alleviation of the protein casts formation and lower renal medullary fibrosis were observed in the sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan treated groups, but not when sacubitril alone was administered. Interestingly, proteinuria was mildly mitigated only in the rats receiving sacubitril/valsartan. Further studies of the effects of sacubitril/valsartan in the setting of SS hypertension, perhaps involving higher dose of the drug, are warranted to determine if it can interfere with the progression of the disease.


Results from neuro-imaging studies on the neuronal correlates of the mechanisms effective in psychotherapy for the treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive- compulsive disorders and borderline personality disorder are presented. These results underline the inter- action of self-regulatory affective and cognitive abilities, which are enhanced by psychotherapy, with activation patterns in the brain. The possibilities and limits of these neuro-scientific studies are discussed.


Interferon (IFN) has been reported to have beneficial long term effects that reduce the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even in patients who do not have complete responses to IFN. The authors evaluated the effect of retreatment with IFN‐α on the long term prognoses of those with incomplete responses to their initial IFN‐α treatment.


femoral total knee prosthesis part consisting of the femur part having two left and right condyles between which is defined a posterior stabilization cage defined by two left and right opposite sides in the sagittal direction, of a meniscus and a tibial part comprising a tibial tray, on which is located the meniscus, in particular of a softer material than the material in which is formed the femur part, the meniscus having a stud (12) projecting vertically from the tibial plateau to be received at least partly in the cage between the two opposite flanks, the stud (12) of meniscus having two opposite left and right sides facing each other in respective left and right sides of the cage;


Describe the international trend of the world tire production and selling, enlarge the research and development of our product, enhance the famous trademark and carry out lower cost strategy and so on; briefly introduced the cooperation ways from different factories and its perfect situation and tire recall.


In addition to the common polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) such as those of the n-3 and n-6 series with major interest in health and nutrition, marine organisms (invertebrates and algae) produce unique FA including branched, methoxylated, halogenated, acetylenic and non-methylene-interrupted structures. The biosynthetic pathways, and the structural and functional roles of these uncommon FA are often not yet known. This short overview wishes to be an outline on the particular FA classes possessing uncommon structures, especially those of increasing interest regarding their promising biological activities.


Choosing the right structural frame is paramount to the success of a project. The Concrete Centre has developed a number of design tools and published a range of construction guides to help designers make an informed decision.


Positive Neutral Negative F (2, 94) (p ) Mean (SEM ) Mean (SEM ) Mean( SEM ) Correct R. 39.58 (2.86) 30.99 (2.52) 37.50 (2.52) 3.21 (0.05) Intrusions 12.24 (1.82) 10.42 (1.82) 9.11 (1.79) 0.92 (0.40) Percentages RO Responses Positive Neutral Negative F (2, 94) (p ) Mean (SEM ) Mean (SEM ) Mean (SEM ) Correct R. 47.14 (2.88) 36.44 (2.83) 44.27 (2.55) 6.47 (0.01) Intrusions 7.81 (1.46) 14.10 (1.69) 11.72 (2.00) 3.69 (0.03) < 1. Initial Generation (2 participants together) "Generate alternately something positive / neutral / negative for you" For each orally generated word, both participants made valence (-3 "highly negative"  +3 "highly positive") & arousal (1 "unexciting" 6 "very exciting") judgments After a one week delay 2. Recall-Own task (2 participants separately) "Recall as many words as you can that YOU personally produced last week." CR (exp.1 & 2) (1"Not sure" to 5"Sure I said that word last week") and RKG judgments (exp.2 only) 3. Generate-New task (2 participants separately) "Generate four new items for each category." CR (exp.1 & 2) : (1 "Not sure" to 5"I'm sure no one has produced that word last week") Influence of emotional content of items on cryptomnesia Beaufort, A.(1), Brédart, S.(1), Perfect, T.(2), & Dehon, H.(1)


Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing(PCR-SBT) was used to analyze human leukocyte antigen(HLA)-DQB1 alleles of 40 healthy unrelated Guizhou Dong individuals.Among the 12 detected DQB1 alleles,the most frequent was DQB1*030101/0309 with a frequency of 28.75%,followed by DQB1*030302(18.75%),DQB1*0201/0202(10.00%),DQB1*050301(10.00%).The distribution features of DQB1 locus showed that the Dong Ethnic belongs to the southern group of Chinese.


. The acceptance and use of the latest technology are an important due to various factors, especially when Covid-19 dynamics hit the world today. It is quite a difficulty for most people in Malaysia when this change occurs and have to go through it which is called "New Norms". They need to get used to doing work or study online because they are not allowed to attend any classes or events. Indirectly, they have to master almost all activities through online means. Therefore, this study aims to understand the underlying factors that influence user satisfaction on the implications of 3D Gamification in e-Learning. From the results of this study, we found that the results are as follows: (1) system quality, (2) service quality, (3) information quality, (4) perceived usability, (5) user satisfaction and (6) ease of use with the use of 3D gamification in e-Learning system. Data from 149 users have shown that satisfaction is influenced by the quality of service and the quality of information on the system. Surprisingly, service quality was found to be related to satisfaction. Lastly, the quality of information was found to influence user satisfaction rather than vice versa. Our findings support this implementation successfully make users easier to understand than the usual system used before.


Critical Care Medicine • Volume 46 • Number 1 (Supplement) www.ccmjournal.org Learning Objectives: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in sepsis may indicate acquired immunosuppression and is associated with higher morbidity and mortality in adults. Data on CMV reactivation in pediatric sepsis is lacking. We tested the incidence and significance of CMV reactivation as well as lymphopenia, a more common marker of immunosuppression, in pediatric sepsis. We hypothesized that CMV reactivation occurs in 30% of pediatric sepsis, similar to adults, and both CMV reactivation and lymphopenia are associated with complicated course, defined as ≥2 organ dysfunctions by day 7 or death by day 28. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of patients aged 2–17 years treated for sepsis with ≥1 organ dysfunction in a large academic PICU. Blood was collected at enrollment for CMV serology and quantitative viremia, with subsequent CMV measurements on days 2, 6, 10, and 22. Lymphopenia, defined as absolute lymphocyte count < 1,000/μL, was determined from clinical tests. Data are reported as medians (interquartile range) or proportions. We used multivariable logistic regression to test association of CMV reactivation and lymphopenia with complicated course. Results: Of 37 patients enrolled, 33 were evaluable. Median age was 11 (6–13) years, 3 patients (9%) were undergoing chemotherapy. Median PRISM III score was 10 (6–15) and 18 (55%) patients had > 3 comorbidities. Twelve (36%) patients were CMV seropositive; 1 patient developed CMV viremia on day 6. However, 21 (64%) patients had lymphopenia, suggesting acquired immunosuppression was common despite low CMV reactivation. The patient with CMV reactivation did not have a complicated course, but this outcome trended higher in those with lymphopenia compared to those without lymphopenia (24% vs 17%; p = 0.23). After controlling for age, PRISM III, and presence of > 3 comorbidities, lymphopenia was not associated with complicated course (aOR 1.78, 95% CI 0.24, 13.1; p = 0.57). Conclusions: Although common in adult sepsis, CMV reactivation was rare in pediatric sepsis. Given high rate of lymphopenia, low CMV reactivation may be due to low prior exposure rather than lack of acquired immunosuppression. CMV reactivation could not be tested for association with complicated course, and lymphopenia was not associated with complicated course in this small study.


An efficient RF-to-DC rectifier for UHF power harvester at 915MHz ISM band is presented. Systematic design and analysis are involved in the study. An optimal 7-stage RF-to-DC rectifier was designed and fabricated in TSMC 0.18um MM/RF CMOS process. Experimental measurement results showed that the proposed circuit had a power sensitivity of −9.5dBm while maintaining a DC output voltage of 1.2V and a current load of 10uA.


In this paper Devereux, a Hungarian ethno-psychoanalyst, naturalised French, reports some of his studies made among various populations among which he worked. These included Hawaiians, Indigenous American Indians, and some ethnic groups of the Aleutian Islands, Canada, and countries in Africa. It shows how among mothers and fathers there exists a diffuse cannibalistic instinct to which the baby may respond with a counter cannibalistic position. These impulses assume a universality and can be considered the unconscious universal origin of aggressiveness towards the other. Cannibalistic impulses represent a primitive matrix of parental aggressiveness, in which other causes of aggressiveness towards newborns and children may fit: jealousy, envy, perversions, and oedipal elements. Forensic psychotherapy may benefit from this knowledge indicating the psychic levels and capacities of the patients and evaluating the strength of these impulses in their psychopathology which may correlate to their inner time and their search for narcissistic power.


Let X be an algebraic variety over k such that X|K is cellular for the algebraically closed field K over k. Then we study the restriction map CH(X) to CH(X|K) of Chow rings, by using algebraic cobordism theory. In particular, we compute CH(G/T) for twisted flag varieties G/T over k.


In this paper, an intelligent automatic landing system using fuzzy neural networks and genetic algorithms is developed to improve the performance of the conventional automatic landing systems. This study uses a functional fuzzy neural network as the controller. Control gains are selected by a combination method of a nonlinear control design and genetic algorithm. The simulation results are described for the automatic landing system of a commercial airplane. Tracking performance and robustness are demonstrated through software simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can successfully expand the safety envelope of an aircraft to include severe wind disturbance environments.


In the author's recently published book, A Guide to the Conservation and Restoration of Objects made wholly or in part of Leather, much was said about the ravage of museum property caused by 'red rot', the name given to the chemical degradation which leads even- tually to the total destruction of certain kinds of leather. No cure for this condition, believed to be caused by sulphur dioxide, is known, but this article describes a method which enables affected objects to be saved from destruction, at least for a long period. Perhaps the greatest hazard that might confront the conservator of leather objects has been the chemical degradation commonly known in Britain as 'red rot', believed to be caused by sulphur dioxide. Once the course of corrosion has started, the fibrous structure of the leather becomes more and more fragile, and in the absence of any means of even temporarily arresting the action the final disintegration of the leather into red dust is inevitable, the affected object being doomed to destruction. Recently doubts have arisen about the validity of some of the conclusions resulting from the investigations that followed the Society of Arts Report of 1905 on the causes of decay of leather bookbindings: for one thing, it is now questioned whether sulphur dioxide is alone responsible for the rotting; for another it is now realised that not all decay is characterised by progressive reddening; indeed it appears probable that the phenomenon has never been fully understood. THE PROBLEM


To the invention, in terms of percent by mass, lead-free solder alloys made of Ni, the remaining amount of Sn and unavoidable impurities, which satisfies the relationship of Ag, of 0.5~O.75% Cu, 12.5≤Cu / Ni≤100 of 0.1~1.5% It relates. Preferably, the solder alloy, and a Ag of 0.3~1.2% by mass. Further, preferably, it includes Ni in the solder alloy, 0.01~0.04% by mass. The invention also relates to a spheroidizing the solder balls are formed. In addition, the solder alloy of the present invention is joined to the Ni electrode is suitable as a solder joint formed. The invention solder alloy is excellent in drop impact resistance can be suppressed for a long time deterioration of bonding strength under a high temperature environment. Solder alloy, solder balls, solder joints, drop impact resistance, interfacial fracture probability


Zeng Pu was a well-known writer for his novel Nie Hai Hua in the late Qing Dynasty in China.From 1920's to 1930's,he had a new start by establishing Bookshop of Truth,Beauty and Good as well as a magazine with the same name.He actively took part in literary creation,translation and publishing.The novel of Man of Lu was finished while he translated the French novel Aphrodite by Pierre Louys.Obviously,the thesis,way of expression and the artistic creation were inspired by Aphrodite though some details had been personalized.Thus a conscious dialogue between the writer and the translator was clearly demonstrated by Zeng Pu.


Quality contracting is critical and challenging due to the many unique issues related to quality. In this study, we analyze the first-mover right in quality contracting by considering two different strategies for the buyer: the quality requirement strategy (QR) where buyer moves first by posting quality requirement to suppliers and quality promise strategy (QP) where buyer voluntarily gives up the first-mover right to suppliers to ask them to promise quality. We study which strategy (1) better encourages suppliers' quality improvement efforts and (2) leads to a higher expected profit for the buyer. To analyze the drivers behind the buyer's choice between QR and QP, we start with the basic model where buyer faces only one supplier who has the opportunity to make quality improvements. We then gradually add other business features such as information asymmetry and supplier competition, analyzing how each feature adds/changes the driving forces and how they interact in the buyer's decision between QR and QP. We consider both the case where the wholesale price is fixed (when the buyer has the power to dictate price or price is set by the market) and the case where the wholesale price is included as a variable (when price is part of the negotiation). We find that QP always leads to the first-best quality efforts from the supplier(s) while QR limits their efforts. However, this does not guarantee higher expected profit for the buyer under QP. We provide insightful guidelines in buyer's choice between QP and QR. This research enriches the limited literature on quality contracting with quality improvement opportunity and asymmetric information


This paper reviews policies and practice abroad concerning energy security and the clean utilization of coal,and also analyzes the exploitation and the utilization of coal resources in China and the energy security situations.On this basis,some strategic policies of coal's clean utilization are proposed.According to the findings,the new trend in today's energy security is to focus on energy usage security;furthermore,the world's major coal-fired countries give priority to strategies on the clean utilization of coal.Due to the endowment features of energy resources in China and the huge demand for energy consumption driven by industrialization,the priority of supporting ability of energy resources should be placed at home by making full use of domestic coal resources and promoting the clean utilization of coal vigorously.Therefore,the government should raise the clean utilization of coal resources to the strategic level of national energy security and strengthen the policy support.


e12026 Background: Biallelic germline mutations in MUTYH result in the autosomal recessive syndrome of MUTYH associated polyposis (MAP).Three well-known, common mutations account for the vast majority of identifiable germline mutations, and serve as the basis for current genetic testing strategies. Comprehensive sequencing of MUTYH often identifies variants of uncertain pathologic significance, and studies to determine the pathogenicity of newly identified variants may offer valuable clinical information and mechanistic insights. In the present study we seek to describe the base-excision repair function of a novel MUTYH (p.C306W) mutation identified in a patient with multiple colon polyps and a family history of colon cancers. Methods: A 50 year old patient with >50 adenomas underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation to assess for germline genetic mutations. We performed Sanger sequencing of tumor and germline DNA together with targeted restriction enzyme digest of germline DNA and fragment DNA sequenci...


Background Hypertension during pregnancy is associated
with an increased risk of complications in the mother, fetus
and newborn. The aim of this study was to assess the
prevalence of hypertension in a selected population of pregnant
women of Lower Silesia in relation to the type of
occupational work performed by women.
 Material and methods We analyzed 6343 medical history
of pregnant women who gave birth in the Clinic of
Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wroclaw Medical University
in 2004–2009. We analyzed also the relationship between
the profession performed by mother and state of newborn
health.
 Results The percentage of pregnant women diagnosed
with hypertension was 7% of the studied population. The
largest professional group of pregnant women with hypertension
were the saleswomen or cashiers (13.2%), economists
(10.1%) and clerks (10.1%). Two reasons may affect
the incidence of hypertension in pregnancy: a coexistence
a various psycho-physical factors (stress) in the workplace,
and work with display screen. A statistically significant effect
of the use of hypotensive pharmacotherapy or the
mother's occupational category on the birth weight infants
was demonstrated.
 Conclusions Hypertension in pregnancy appears more frequently
among women in certain professions. Greater protection
should be extended to pregnant women employed
in positions such as clerk or cashier. Also fetal hypotrophia
may be related to the profession performed by a pregnant
woman. Working using a display screen may be a factor
associated with low birth weight newborn. An effect of
occupational factors on the health of pregnant women and
their newborns needs further investigation.
 Arterial Hypertension 2011, vol. 15, no 5, pages 290–298


Type of funding sources: None.

 The occurrence of syncope is associated with increased mortality in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). Among syncope risk scores, it is consensual that electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities and the presence of underlying cardiac disease are prominent factors. However, there is no further investigation directed towards this population and there is few that could add to clinical judgement in such cases, until electrophysiological study (EPS) is performed. The method's modest sensitivity limits its practical usage in spite of current literature recommendation. Therefore, identifying those patients more prone to serious events is of clinical significance.

 This was a cross-sectional study of patients with syncope and LBBB undergoing EP study in a tertiary hospital, which aimed to assess the relation between ECG parameters and prolonged HV interval on EPS.

 Ninety-four consecutive patients were eligible for the final analysis. Mean age was 63.1 ± 11.9 years (68.1% male). As for main comorbidities, the prevalence of smoking was 39.3%, hypertension 84%, diabetes mellitus 29.7%, coronary artery disease 28.7% and reduced left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (≤ 40%) 48.9%. In the univariable analysis, LVEF ≤ 40% appeared to be somewhat important but this was not confirmed upon logistic regression. QRS duration ≥ 165 ms (OR 7.79; p = 0.0005) and PR interval ≥ 220 ms (OR 7.10; p = 0.003) were independent predictors for HV interval ≥ 70 ms. For each 10 ms increase in QRS and PR duration, the odds of HV interval ≥ 70 ms enhanced by 39.8% and 27.1%, respectively. For the subgroup presented with such outcome, mean QRS was 170.88 ± 26.81 ms, significantly larger than the patients with HV interval < 70 ms. When combined, QRS ≥ 165 ms and PR interval ≥ 220 ms had an accuracy of 80% to predict an HV interval ≥ 70 ms in the EPS. Other analyzed data were not systematically associated with the evaluated outcome.

 In patients with syncope and LBBB, prolonged QRS and PR interval were independent predictors of increased HV interval on EP study. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.


Aerostructures such as plates are commonly used in aircraft structures due to their advantageous weight to stiffness ratio. Plates are susceptible to lateral forces that occur during impact. Such impact events are caused by falling tools, bird strikes, collisions of objects, and more. Several researchers have studied impact events, but not yet the behaviour of the plate and impactor shortly after impact due to various factors. In this paper, the semi-analytical approach of Karas is used to calculate key parameters for the analysis of an impact. Karas derived this approach to calculate an impact for a simply supported plate that is impacted in the center. Here, this approach is extended to calculate the impact event at any location on the plate. The linear semi-analytical approach is written in a Python script to obtain fast results. In a code-to-code analysis, this Python code is verified with a commercial FE solver. Various parameters are varied and investigated to analyze and describe the impact phenomenon. In addition to the influence of the initial velocity of the impactor, the mass ratio of the two bodies and the impact location are also investigated. The analysis shows that the contact force and maximum displacement during an impact varies depending on the impact location, while all other parameters are kept constant. Depending on the impact location, the contact force between impactor and plate can be nine times higher than the lowest value.


This study introduces the Baire One-Stieltjes integral. The integral is shown to possess the desired elementary integral properties, including Cauchy Criterion and Henstock Lemma. It is known that every Riemann-Stieltjes integrable function is Baire One-Stieltjes integrable, while every Baire One-Stieltjes integrable function is Henstock-Stieltjes integrable. Between the Riemann-Stieltjes and the Baire One-Stieltjes, strict inclusion is exhibited in the space of regulated functions. We also formulate convergence theorems for this Stieltjes integral such as Uniform Convergence Theorem, Equi-integrability Convergence Theorem and Monotone Convergence Theorem. Also, some results leading to Riesz Representation Theorem are presented for this Stiletjes integral.


Acid coagulation properties of milk (gelation time, gel-firming rate and maximum gel firmness) were analysed simultaneously by Formagraph and LAOR. Good agreement between acid coagulation data by the two methods was perceived. Results from this investigation shows that Formagraph can be used in acid coagulation studies when analysing a larger set of milk samples. INTRODUCTION Preparation of acid milk protein gels involve the structural destabilization of casein micelles through decrease in pH. In milk, the steric repulsive forces caused by the outer hairy structure of κ-CN and the hydrophobic binding via colloidal calcium phosphate from the interior of the micelles accounts for the stability of casein micelles 1 . During acidification, the steric repulsive force is reduced by an increase in the positive charges while the colloidal calcium phosphate become more soluble and it is released from the interior of the micelles 2 . Several factors are known to affect coagulation properties of milk. For example, temperature history of the milk, pH, enzyme concentration 3 , genetic polymorphism 4,5 and feeding regime 6 . Heat treatment of milk at higher temperature leads to whey protein denaturation 7 . The denatured whey proteins interact with caseins through their hydrophobic sites 8 , which improve the texture and strength of yoghurt gels. Milk gelation properties are determined by gelation time, gel strength and gelfirming rate. These parameters plays an important role in order to optimize the production of fermented milk products at large scale. Several methods are used to evaluate gelation or coagulation properties of milk. For example, Formagraph is used to measure rennet coagulation 9,10,11 . The Formagraph can analyse many samples at the time. Low-amplitude oscillation rheometry (LAOR) 4,12 is the conventional method used to measure acid coagulation properties of milk, but only one sample can be analysed at the time. Optical methods, as for example, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has also been used 13 . Several studies have been used to compare rennet coagulation properties between Formagraph and LAOR 14,15 . To our knowledge, there is no study, which has evaluated the acid coagulation properties between Formagraph and LAOR. As LAOR is time consuming and is limited to one sample at the time, a more effective method is needed for a larger number of samples. Hence, the current study was anticipated to evaluate if the Comparison between Formagraph and low-amplitude oscillation rheometry in monitoring coagulation properties of acid induced gels in bovine milk Isaya Appelesy Ketto 1 , Reidar Barfod Schüller 1 , Elling-Olav Rukke 1 , Anne Grethe Johansen 1,2 , and Siv B. Skeie 1 1 Department of Chemistry Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway. 2 TINE SA R&D, Kalbakken, P.O Box 7 Kalbakken, 0901 Oslo, Norway. ANNUAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORDIC RHEOLOGY SOCIETY, VOL. 23, 2015


According to G. Potanin, the subject «Homeland» is necessary to build on the didactic principles. He did not doubt that the education of the youth allowed making them real citizens of Russia


Introduction The long-term challenges for animal breeders are to improve the productivity of major livestock species to feed the growing human population, while at the same time minimizing environmental impacts (Hume et al., 2011; Van Arendonk, 2011). One step in this direction can be improving feed efficiency in farm animals, which at the same time improves profitability. Laying hens have for many years been selected for feed efficiency and substantial response has been achieved. However, newly developed tools, such as high-density SNP chips, which allow animals to be genotyped for tens of thousands of genetic markers across the genome, can provide additional information on the genetic basis of efficiency and thus enhance selection progress. The objectives of this study were: 1) to estimate heritabilities of average feed intake (AFI) and residual feed intake (RFI) and their genetic correlations with production and egg quality traits; 2) to evaluate accuracies of EBV from pedigree and marker based models; and 3) to identify genomic regions associated with feed efficiency.


The recent reduction of credit available to General Public Utilities (GPU) Nuclear may be linked to a cheating incident involving two reactor operators at the Three Mile Island-1 (TMI-1) reactor. The incident caused the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reopen the managerial portion of the restart hearings and may delay the restart. The delay and the lower credit line will worsen GPU's financial position. Banks claim that misgivings about TMI-1 influence them more than the cheating, although GPU had been gradually improving its financial situation since the TMI-2 accident. The new agreement gives GPU $150 million in immediate credit, but lowers the interim ceiling from $292 million to $200 million. A spokesman from the Office of Management and Budget acknowledges that administration plans to limit the federal role to research and development softened under political pressure. (DCK)


In this study, a braking and control system, which is mounted on the low velocity impact test machine is designed and manufactured. In order to analyze damages on samples due to braking system, low velocity impact experiments are performed. In these experiments, 8 ply symmetric [-30/30]4s epoxy-glass laminated composite plates are used as samples. In such experiments, 14.7J, 22.07J, 29.43J and 44,14J impact energies are used. The manufactured braking control system works as follows; the system holds the impactor if the impactor rebounds after crashing the plate. If the impactor perforates the plate designed system does not interfere and hold the impactor. How the developed system causes damages on samples are shown by experiments. These experiments clearly show that such a system is necessary and provides realistic results.


We investigate how differences in set-up costs of various types affect the trade-off between global efficiency and spatial equity and show that the standard assumption of symmetry in fixed costs masks the existence of an interesting effect: the range of available varieties varies depends on the spatial distribution of firms. In such a setting, even when the market outcome leads to excessive agglomeration under symmetric fixed costs, a planner opts for asymmetric fixed costs and more agglomeration. The reason is that the losses induced by more agglomeration are offset by the gains due to additional product variety.


A new full-polysaccharide superabsorbent hydrogel was synthesized via chemical crosslinking of carrageenan (CG) and sodium alginate (Alg) using epichlorohydrine (ECH) as a cross-linker. A proposed mechanism for hydrogel formation was suggested and the structure of the product was established using FTIR spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy was also carried out to study the surface morphology of the hydrogel. The influence of ECH concentration, Alg/CG weight ratio and stirring speed as well as reaction time and temperature on water and saline (0.9 wt% NaCl) absorbency of the hydrogels were systematically investigated. Their swelling behavior was also measured gravimetrically in the pHs ranging from 1 to 10. The hydrogels exhibited a pH-responsiveness character so that a swelling-deswelling pulsatile behavior was recorded at pHs 2 and 8.


From its formation in 1909 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) sought to improve the social, political, and economic conditions for African Americans by attempting to secure their citizenship rights. (1) The NAACP, which according to its constitution was nonpartisan, metamorphosed in the 1930s and 1940s and became more actively involved in politics, began to forge links with other protest groups, black and white; and sought closer ties to the organized labor movement. The association also moved, almost imperceptibly, away from both its interracial and essentially middle class beginnings. By the early 1930s, for instance, the vast majority of the NAACP's senior officers were African American. However, the 1940s would be the most significant decade in the NAACP's history to that time. The organization became more mass-based during the Second World War: in 1940 it had 50,000 members in 355 branches; by 1946 it had 450,000 members in 1,073 branches. (2) Previously the membership had been largely middle class, with what some argued were class-based goals, but in the 1940s it became much more representative of the African American community as a whole. (3) The changes the NAACP underwent in the 1930s and 1940s, especially during World War II, constituted a potential threat to its public position of "nonpartisanship." This essay examines the NAACP's involvement in the Presidential election campaigns in 1936, 1940, 1944, and 1948. Historians have generally agreed that African Americans came to support Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and benefited directly from many of the programs. Indeed, the NAACP leadership's closeness to Roosevelt's New Deal and identification with the policies pursued by the Truman administration served to alienate potentially sympathetic leaders in the Republican party. (4) What became clear during World War II was that while the NAACP leadership's faith in Roosevelt was wavering, the African American electorate in northern cities and states still lacked an acceptable alternative. In the 1920s and 1930s a number of factors, including migration, population concentration in urban centers, and an increasing sense of alienation from the Republican party, combined to help move African Americans and, particularly the NAACP membership, into the open arms of the Democratic party. The concerted efforts by northern Democrats to win the new black vote saw African American political influence grow steadily in Chicago, New York City, and other northern cities. African American political influence continued to grow in the early 1940s, yet it should not be overestimated. African American political power remained painfully limited in most sections of the country. Walter White, the NAACP's Executive Secretary from 1930 until his death in 1955, may have overestimated this political influence in the 1940s, nevertheless, African Americans could exert some political pressure and in 1930 they helped to defeat Republican President Herbert Hoover's nomination of a segregationist judge, John J. Parker, to the Supreme Court. U.S. Senators and Representatives who had supported the nomination, invariably Republican, were targeted by the NAACP and a number were defeated in elections between 1930 and 1934. (5) In 1936 African American efforts helped thwart the presidential aspirations of William Borah, Senator from Idaho and implacable foe of the NAACP-sponsored anti-lynching legislation. (6) Despite African Americans' earlier support for the Party of Lincoln, Hoover and Borah became the targets of organized opposition. The increasing potential of the black vote eventually became the NAACP's main political weapon, and it was most often employed against the Republicans. In 1944 the black vote was large enough, or more accurately concentrated enough, to swing a close presidential election; and in 1948 Harry Truman would not have won without it in pivotal states. (7) This potential was recognized and publicized by the NAACP, and the leadership began to pursue political activism and, to a lesser extent, economic strategies to improve conditions of African Americans. …


Objective: To explore the effect of the implementation of clinical nursing path for cataract surgery patients on the new type of rural cooperative medical care(new).Methods: 220 cases of the patients conforming to the cataract ultrasonic emulsification combined iol implantation were divided into a joint(observation group of 110 cases) and those of the new farmers of the system(control group of 110 cases).The control group received routine nursing,while the observation group had implementation of clinical nursing path.The patient satisfaction of the groups,length of hospital stay,postoperative complications and hospitalization expenses were compared.Results: In the observation group of patients,the average length and hospitalization expense of such confinement were lower than those of the control group(P 0.05);And health knowledge mastering and hospitalized patients' satisfaction were higher than those of the control group(P 0.01);In postoperative complications,there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups of(P 0.05).Conclusion: The implementation of clinical nursing path for the new medical system in cataract surgery patients can shorten such confinement,reduce hospitalization expenses and at the same time can improve the patients for health education knowledge mastery and inpatient satisfaction,which is worth popularization and application in the new system of the patients.


Background: Public opinion on who performs more beauty-enhancing behaviors (men or women) seems unanimous. Women are often depicted as primarily interested in how they look, opposed to men, who are presumably less focused on their appearance. However, previous studies might have overlooked how masculinity relates to self-modification among men. Methods: We explored this issue in depth by conducting a qualitative Study 1 aimed to establish how men and women enhance their attractiveness (N = 121) and a quantitative Study 2 aimed to test time spent on activities that increase one's attractiveness in a longitudinal design (with seven repeated measures from 62 participants; N(total) = 367). Results: We observed no sex differences in beauty investments. Although women spent more time on make-up and cosmetics usage, men caught up with women in exercising and bodybuilding. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that there may not be such wide sex differences in the intensity of enhancing one's appearance as has been previously thought. We hypothesize that this might partly stem from changes in gender roles regarding masculinity.


With the development of enterprises,the request to keep party members' advancement is higher and higher.As the advanced represent on the first productive line,grass-roots party members will effectively help all staff to carve out and devote themselves on their own positions so as to comprehensively promote enterprises' economic benefit and lay solid foundation for enterprises to be more powerful on condition that their leading role can be bring into full play.


This paper presents the set of essential syntactic and semantic data pertaining to Danish determiner genitives like Bos gode digt ('Bo's good poem'), measure genitives like to timers hård sejlads ('two hours' tough sailing') and constitutive genitives like to retters lækker menu ('two courses' delicious menu)'. The two latter genitive types are both subtypes of the class of quantity genitives. I lay out a chart of Danish pre-nominal genitives and justify the inclusion of each type and its position in the chart. In a detailed table, the differences are characterised and exemplifi ed to make comparison possible and contrasts transparent. Finally, I discuss a number of issues concerning defi niteness, pronominalization, constituency and cliticization raised by a DP-analysis of determiner genitives proposed by Sten Vikner. Since we are still far from understanding the full landscape of Danish genitives syntactically as well as semantically, the aim of this paper is to offer an accurate description of the data in order that the creation of a coherent theory of Danish genitives may be thereby facilitated. 1. Methodological preliminaries The fi rst major work to explore and explicate generative syntax was Chomsky's The Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory in the mid-1950s.2 Three interdependent goals were set up: First, the construction of grammars for particular languages; second, the construction of an abstract theory of 1 My heart-felt thanks are due to professor emeritus Robert E.Wall, UT Austin, for reading and discussing the paper with me. 2 Later published as Chomsky 1975.


We have detected the ground state F = 4 → F = 3 hyperfine transition of cesium atoms implanted in a b.c.c. matrix of solid 4He using a microwave-optical double-resonance technique. The transition frequency is blue-shifted by ~ 197 MHz (2.1%) with respect to the free atomic transition and grows with increasing pressure at a rate of ~ 1.4 MHz/bar.


According to the speech made by Hu Jingtao at the celebration of Tsinghua University's centennial anniversary,which proposed that higher education should push forward culture spreading and culture innovation,beginning with the definition of culture,school culture and building the advanced culture,the thesis analyzes how to inherit,innovate and communicate the advanced culture,and points out the aims,requirements and specific methods of improving the soft power of universities guided by the advanced culture,and demonstrates the importance of culture spread and culture innovation to the reform and development of universities.


W01: 5G-Trials From 5G Experiments to Business Validation (5GEBV) Workshop Chairs: Dr. Tao Chen, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LTD, Espoo, Finland Dr. Xianfu Chen, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland Dr. Wei Deng, China Mobile Research Institute, P.R. China Mr. Uwe Herzog, Eurescom, Heidelberg, Germany Dr. Chih-Lin I, China Mobile Research Institute, P.R. China Mr. Latif Ladid, University of Luxembourg / IPv6 Forum, Kehlen, Luxembourg Prof. Klaus Moessner, University of Surrey, United Kingdom (Great Britain) Ms. Kai Zhang, Martel, Switzerland Dr. Huiling Zhu, University of Kent, United Kingdom (Great Britain)


The cultivation of cocoa fine national type and aroma is disappearing in Ecuador, each year are more producers who prefer the clones of hybrids of high production as the CCN-51, causing an unstoppable erosion and a vulnerable genetic uniformity, exterminating completely genes are very important to maintain the diversity of the species. The conservation of the gene pool of Theobroma cacao L., provides us with an insurance against the adverse conditions that may arise in the future, ensuring food and good living. One of the main problems is the most nurseries are artisanal and are handled by staff that lacks the technical knowledge necessary to be able to propagate the planting material properly. The difficult asexual spread by grafts (limited skilled labor) and spread by twigs (seizures less than 25%), meant to make the present work had as objective the determination of the efficiency of the hormones trade and natural origin to achieve the greatest percentage of rooting in twigs of cocoa national type, used a same substrate ratio of 1: 2: 1 (fine sand, soil, humus).


The basic comparison results of comparison of several algorithms for optimal paths finding on the graphs with reference to different forest logistics tasks are given in this article


Nearly all UK rail freight operations could be electrified by the mid-2040s, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT(UK)) has revealed.


Continuous-fiber-reinforced Cu matrix composites were fabricated based on the electrochemical infiltration technique (ECI). The experimental results show that the dense fiber/Cu composites have been obtained on the present condition, which possess good mechanical properties. The fracture surface morphology and microstructures of the composites have been observed by SEM. It is indicated that the interfacial bond between fibers and Cu matrix is very well and the fibers do not have any damage. The ECI is feasible to prepare rapidly fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites at room temperature.


Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify dental arch widths and lengths of the Yemeni population, identifying any possible sex differences and comparing arch widths and lengths between normal and malocclusion groups. Subjects and Methods: In this investigation, study models of 176 subjects were taken (82 Male, 94 Female) with a mean age of 21.9± 2.8 years. The subjects displayed different types of malocclusions (94 Angle Class I, 37 Class II division1, 36 Class II division 2, and 9 Class III). Results: The maxillary and mandibular dental arch lengths of the male subjects were significantly longer than those of the females. Among the males, maxillary arch widths were significantly larger than the females', with the exception of the intercanine width. There were no statistically significant sex differences in the mandibular intercanine and first premolar interarch widths found in this study. Male subjects showed significantly wider mandibular interarch widths than females, and this was true for all measured points at second premolar and first molar arch widths. No significant differences were detected between the normal and malocclusion groups in dental arch lengths and widths. Conclusion: There is a tendency for Yemeni females to exhibit shorter dental arch lengths and narrower maxillary and mandibular arch widths than Yemeni males. With regard to dental arch lengths and widths across normal and malocclusion groups, no significant differences were identified.


We introduce and study a concept which links the Li–Yorke versions of chaos with the notion of sensitivity to initial conditions. We say that a dynamical system (X,T) is Li–Yorke sensitive if there exists a positive e such that every xX is a limit of points yX such that the pair (x,y) is proximal but not e-asymptotic, i.e. for infinitely many positive integers i the distance ρ(Ti(x),Ti(y)) is greater than e but for any positive δ this distance is less than δ for infinitely many i.


Students of Japanese history will be grateful to Professor Beasley for this book, since it is the first detailed and documented study of Japanese foreign policy during the crucial period from the arrival of Perry in 1853 to the downfall of the Shogunate in 1868. The two books of J. H. Gubbins, The progress of Japan and The making of modern Japan are still useful, as is A diplomat in Japan, by Sir Ernest Satow ; but the work under review covers more ground. It consists of a number of documents in groups under separate headings arranged in chronological order, each group being prefaced by introductory or explanatory matter in which a clear perspective is maintained. The narrative flows smoothly, and the supporting documents are not only w*ell chosen but also skilfully translated—most of them for the first time. The collapse of a powerful feudal oligarchy after more than 200 years of peaceful rule is of course a feature of capital importance in the history of Japan. It is also of considerable interest in the general field of historical study, so that Professor Beaslcy's commentary may be read with profit for the light which it throws upon the behaviour of statesmen and politicians as a class. It is rich in examples of the imperfect understanding of new" trends ; of negotiators not saying what they mean and not meaning what they say ; of struggles between pride and necessity ; and of opportunities missed through want of resolution. What gives an especially dramatic quality to the formation of Japanese policy under the pressure of Western powers determined to break its tradition of isolation is the fact that, apart from agreement on the need for improving defences, opinion was sharply divided on all questions of foreign policy. A superficial view of the situation after 1853 shows a division into two main schools, the advocates of joi (' expel the barbarians '), and kaikoku (" open the country ') respectively. Perhaps the most valuable part of Professor Beasley's work is his careful analysis of the nature of each of these two schools. He shows that neither school stood for a single and specific line of policy, and his documents make it clear that the relationship between them was much more complex than the labels would lead one to expect. For a proper comprehension of the history of the ' Bakumatsu ' (the last phase of the Shogun's Government) the student must read very carefully what Professor Beasley has to say in his Introduction, especially pp. 15-18, and in his conclusions on p. 91. In the latter passage he makes two observations that deserve special attention, since they are the fruit of careful consideration of all the forces at work in the period. First, he says of Japanese foreign policy from 1853 to 1868 :—


An experimental facility for studying the heat transfer behavior of aqueous foams flowing in the thermal entry region of a pipe has been designed and fabricated. Temperature profiles have been measured at the exit of a 3 m (9.83 ft) long x 2.58 cm (1.015 in.) diameter tube using a chromel/alumel thermocouple probe and a micrometer-adjusted traversing mechanism. Two foam consistencies were studied; nominal liquid volume fractions of 0.10 and 0.15. Analytical predictions of temperature profile, boundary layer thickness, and local Nusselt No. are compared with experimental data. It appears that the thermal conductivity variation with liquid volume fraction is more complex than the linear model proposed by other foam experimenters.


Increasingly, architects and building engineers use parametric modeling programs to explore design solutions as professionals and as students. However, little is known about their combined efficacy and exploration in these tools when working in mixed design teams. While disciplinarily diverse teams of designers have been shown to develop more creative design solutions, this occurs primarily when there is a conducive environment and a shared understanding of design goals. Because architects and engineers are traditionally taught to use different tools and processes to address their professional goals, indicators of students' combined efficacy in parametric tools are unclear. In response, this research uses a conceptual design experiment to study aspects of design efficacy and the exploration behavior of student architect-architect, engineer-engineer, and architect-engineer pairs within a live parametric modeling tool. The dimensions of their collaborative exploration within the tool were recorded, and their success at achieving the desired criteria was rated by professionals. Noticeable performance differences between team types were expected, including that the mixed design teams would better balance all goals and that the homogenous teams would better address their own disciplinary criteria. However, this was not the case when working in a shared, multidisciplinary digital environment, as the teams performed similarly despite having different member composition. We discuss several factors, such as the effect of digital design feedback and the still-developing student design process, which may have relationships with the design efficacy of the teams when using the study's parametric modeling tool. Future research can further investigate the effect of mutually approachable working environments on design team performance.


Each row Ai∗x ≥ bi is a "constraint" Hi, and we'll call the hyperplane corresponding to it hi. The most popular algorithm for this problem is Simplex (Dantzig [13, 15]), although its worst-case runtime TSimplex,n,d is quite bad. Still, for present purposes, it won't matter much whether we use Simplex or an asymptotically better algorithm, because we'll use it only for a small number of constraints. (E.g., there is an upper bound TSimplex,9d2,d ∈ (c5d) for some constant c5.) Famously Khachiyan [34, 35, 20] showed the ellipsoid algorithm solves LP in polynomial time. Subsequent interior-point methods [32, 48, 58] brought the runtime down to O(n1.5dL) arithmetic operations for inputs with L-bit numbers, and there have even been some slight improvements since then [38].


Objective: to analyze the prevalence of cognitive decline (CD) preventive practices among the elderly population and the associated socio-demographic and health factors. Methodology: a cross-sectional, analytical study, conducted with 557 older people assisted at family health units in the city of Tangará da Serra-MT. Data were obtained through interviews, using an instrument containing sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions and CD preventive practices performed by the older people and applying the abbreviated geriatric depression scale and the Barthel index. Bivariate analysis was performed between the independent variables and CD preventive practices to verify association (p <0.05) using Pearson's x2 test. Variables with an association with p <0.20 were selected for entry into the Poisson multiple regression model by the stepwise forward method. Results: the prevalence of CD preventive practices was 55.1%. An association was found between CD preventive practices and the variables education (p <0.001), occupational status (p <0.001), functional capacity (p = 0.017), gender (p <0.001) and self-rated health (p = 0.028). Conclusion: preventive practices of CD were performed in most participants and were not previously documented in other studies. Female, functionally independent, highly educated elderly women who are working and self-rated their health as regular performed more CD PRÁTICAS PREVENTIVAS DE DECLÍNIO COGNITIVO REALIZADAS POR IDOSOS E FATORES ASSOCIADOS COGNITIVE DECLINE PREVENTIVE PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS CARRIED OUT BY ELDERLY PEOPLE PRÁCTICAS PREVENTIVAS DE DETERIORO COGNITIVO REALIZADAS POR ADULTOS MAYORES Y FACTORES ASOCIADOS


Small-magnitude seismic events, either natural or induced microearthquakes, have increasingly been used in exploration seismology with applications ranging from hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoir exploration to high-resolution passive seismic tomography surveys. We developed an automated methodology for processing and analyzing continuously recorded, single-channel seismic data. This method comprised a chi-squared-based statistical test for microseismic event detection and denoising filtering in the Stransform domain based on the Otsu thresholding method. An automatic P-phase picker based on higher order statistics criteria was used. The method was used with data from a surface seismic station. The performance of the method was tested and evaluated on synthetic and real data from a microseismic network used in a high-resolution PST survey and revealed a high level of consistency.


AC transmission expansion planning (TEP) is a complex problem to solve due to its large scale, mixed-integer, non-linear and non-convex characteristics. This paper presents an efficient sensitivity based approach which employs the primal-dual interior point method (PDIPM), for tackling integer variables in AC TEP. PDIPM's Hessian is used to evaluate the sensitivities of the objective function with respect to the line candidates, which are then used to find a feasible AC TEP solution. The proposed approach solves this non-convex mixed integer non-linear programming problem, without resorting to any use of relaxations/approximations in the AC TEP model. Also, the need and superiority of the AC TEP over the conventional DC TEP is established by comparing both using the proposed approach. Solutions of AC TEP with reactive power planning and an integrated multistage AC TEP are also obtained to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach. Superior solution quality and lesser computation time of the proposed approach are confirmed by comparing the same with that of the branch and bound/cut approach, constructive heuristic algorithm, merit function-based approach, conic programming and particle swarm optimisation. The studies performed for the various test cases prove the efficacy and computational efficiency of the proposed approach.


In this report, the mass effect on the pressing force in Shore hardness test was investigated. The experiment was carried out with a Shore scleroscope of D-type on five specimens which were different in hardness and in material. It need scarcely be mentioned that the general requests for testing were satisfied in this experiment. Especially operating conditions of the tester were maintained constant mechanically throughout this experiment. As a result, the mass effect on the pressing force was made clear. That is, the effect of the pressing force on the hardness number is influenced by weight of the specimen, and disappear in the specimen whose weight is greater than the critical weight. It has been revealed that the critical weight has been decided according to the hardness of specimen. And the critical pressing force has varied according to the weight of specimen. And, the critical pressing force curves shown in the second report, were modified in this report in the light of the mass effect.


In common irradiation tests performed with electronics to be used in space applications, devices are kept with their terminals shorted together during the irradiation time. However, in HEP experiments, devices are generally biased during the irradiation periods. Therefore, unbiased irradiation tests are not realistic anymore. We have performed systematic experiments irradiating different bipolar transistors in the same conditions but with different bias configurations. We have found that bipolar transistors suffer much more damage when irradiated under unbiased conditions (floating terminals) than when biased during the irradiation. For this reason, unbiased irradiations would largely overestimate the irradiation damage in these devices. Grounding or shorting the devices during irradiation lead to slight more damages, and can be considered worst-case configurations. No irradiation bias effects have been observed for neutron irradiations.


Titanium has been used in various fields due to its good corrosion and erosion resistance, and superior mechanical properties. The process for selective electro-deposition on a titanium surface using laser beam is proposed in this paper. The process consists of laser irradiation, electro-deposition, and ultrasonic cleaning. Laser irradiation can change the surface morphology of titanium. Through laser irradiation, the surface cleaning effect and a rough surface can be achieved. The surface roughness


In this issue we also continue our custom of inviting the winner of the JCNIR Award to contribute an overview of his or her research interests in near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Dr Jun Uozumi is the winner of 2016 JCNIR award. The award is made annually by the Japan Council for Near Infrared Spectroscopy (JCNIRS) on the basis of the contribution of an individual to NIR research in Japan and the whole Asian continent. The award ceremony will be held on 1 December 2016 at the 5th Asian NIR Symposium (joint event with the 32nd Japanese NIR Forum) in Kagoshima city, Japan.


The aim of this study is to examine the situations of sole proprietorship, e-commerce entrepreneurs and trends intheir e-commerce. This study uses a mixed-method quantitative and qualitative approach for collecting the data.The study finds that most sole proprietorships in e-commerce are owned females between 31 and 40 years oldwho are educated with a Bachelor's degree (63.16%) and draw an income of 40,001–50,000 bahts per month(approximate $1 USD = 33 bahts). Most of these sole proprietorships (66.59%) are located in the central part ofThailand. These entrepreneurs spend more than eight hours a day on their businesses and supply their productsby themselves. However, most of the problems faced by these sole proprietorship, e-commerce entrepreneursinvolve the cost for investment in the business and the knowledge that is required in order to be an entrepreneur.Nevertheless, the trend toward sole proprietorship, e-commerce entrepreneurs in Thailand will increase with theadaptation of mobile-commerce in Thai society.