AbstractThe excited states of cis-trans formic acid dimer and its monomers have been investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. The formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds O1-H1...O2=C2 and C2-H2...O4=C1 induces bond length lengthening of the groups related to the hydrogen bond, while that of the C2-H2 group is shortened. It is demonstrated that the red-shift hydrogen bond O1-H1...O2=C2 and blue-shift hydrogen bond C2-H2...O4=C1 are both weakened when excited to the S1 state. Moreover, it is found that the groups related to the formation of red-shift hydrogen bond O1-H1...O2=C2 are both strengthened in the S1 state, while the groups related to the blue-shift hydrogen bond C2-H2...O4=C1 are both weakened. This will provide information for the photochemistry and photophysical study of red- and blue-shift hydrogen bond.


We have developed a real-time portable object recognition system based on a bio-inspired image analysis software to increase blind people autonomy by localizing and identifying surrounding objects. A working prototype of this system has been tested on the issue of currency bill recognition encountered by most of the blind people. Seven blind persons were involved in an experiment which demonstrated that the usability of the system was good enough for such a device to be used daily in real-life situations.


In this paper, the problem of minimization of the number of an indoor local navigation system (LNS) anchors and of anchors placement optimization is posed according to the criterion of ensuring the factor of geometric delusion of precision (GDOP) averaged over the space is not worse than a given one. According to authors' best knowledge, this is the first time such a problem has been posed and solved. An approximate numerical solution to the problem based on a genetic algorithm is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is assessed by simulating the placement of a different amounts of ranging LNS anchors in rooms of various configurations and comparing the result with the quasi-optimal result of a complete numerical search of all possible locations of the LNS anchors. The conclusion is made on the applicability of the proposed method for solving the problem and the prospects of building on its basis a tool for automating the development of positional LNS to reduce the development time and the cost of infrastructure.


Writing lessons for graduation thesis of the science of law are important lessons for training university students' of law specialty scientific research and actual work ability. The tutors should have good professional ethics and professional qualities. A procedure of writing a graduation thesis of the science of law normally includes a few stages: selecting a subject, collecting data, and investigating and research, writing a syllabus, writing first draft, and then revising the draft etc. In the work of teaching and guiding during these stages, tutors should carefully do their guidance duties according to individual characters of university students of law specialty.


The Schrödinger equation of the Schwarzschild black hole (BH) has been recently derived by the author and collaborators. The BH is composed of a particle, the 'electron', interacting with a central field, the 'nucleus'. Via de Broglie's hypothesis, one interprets the 'electron' in terms of BH horizon's modes. Quantum gravity effects modify the BH semi-classical structure at the Schwarzschild scale rather than at the Planck scale. The analogy between this BH Schrödinger equation and the Schrödinger equation of the s states of the hydrogen atom permits us to solve the same equation. The quantum gravitational quantities analogous of the fine structure constant and of the Rydberg constant are not constants, but the dynamical quantities have well-defined discrete spectra. The spectrum of the 'gravitational fine structure constant' is the set of non-zero natural numbers. Therefore, BHs are well-defined quantum gravitational systems obeying Schrödinger's theory: the 'gravitational hydrogen atoms'. By identifying the potential energy in the BH Schrödinger equation as being the gravitational energy of a spherically symmetric shell, a different nature of the quantum BH seems to surface. BHs are self-interacting, highly excited, spherically symmetric, massive quantum shells generated by matter condensing on the apparent horizon, concretely realizing the membrane paradigm. The quantum BH described as a 'gravitational hydrogen atom' is a fictitious mathematical representation of the real, quantum BH, a quantum massive shell having a radius equal to the oscillating gravitational radius. Nontrivial consequences emerge from this result: (i) BHs have neither horizons nor singularities; (ii) there is neither information loss in BH evaporation, nor BH complementarity, nor firewall paradox. These results are consistent with previous ones by Hawking, Vaz, Mitra and others. Finally, the special relativistic corrections to the BH Schrödinger equation give the BH Klein–Gordon equation and the corresponding eigenvalues.


Staff at University of Lancaster and Daresbury Laboratory are working together on the technical implementation of the ReDReSS portal: Resource Discovery for Researchers in e-Social Science. See http://redress.lancs.ac.uk. This is an ESRC/ JISC funded project for awareness and training of social scientists to enhance their research through use of e-Science and more general advanced computing methods. Material for the portal, including lectures, seminars, and on-line Grid-based demonstrators are being collected from a variety of sources under the management of a steering committee made up of social scientists with a track record in using computing technology and several advisors. ReDReSS is using the CHEF second generation portal framework. Additional funding was provided by JISC for to extend this work into an evaluation of the new Sakai framework for use in a Virtual Research Environment in the


Over the past 30 years and more, whiteness studies have extensively charted and analysed how whiteness has operated as a historically contingent ideological mechanism that establishes notions of racial superiority, maintains social status, power and privilege, and endorses discrimination and injustice against non-white people and cultures. The critical purpose of whiteness studies as a field has been to show how this is achieved primarily through rendering whiteness as both normal and invisible, a taken-for-granted standard that becomes central to constructions of national belonging and identity, and to dialectical comparisons with ethnic minorities. So, for example, the development of Australia as a British colony was coterminous with the ascendant definition of Australian identity as white, regardless of the indigenous black population who were socially marginalised as well as racially derogated. One among many consequences of this was that love relationships between a white man and a black woman were tabooed, so when they did occur they figured as a point of conflict, ignominy and aggression, for with such cross-ethnic relationships the otherwise abiding normalcy of whiteness was eroded, along with a tacit acceptance of the rightness of white status and privilege, though of course the invisibility of such status and privilege only applied to white people themselves. Whiteness for black people has always been highly visible.1 Peggy McIntosh (2016) has noted that for her whiteness has been 'an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in every day, but about which I was "meant" to remain oblivious' (p. 188). The inevitable corollary of this is that the greater the extent to which whiteness is unquestioningly accepted as normal and invisible, the greater the extent to which ethnic minorities are stereotypically 'othered' and structurally relegated or sidelined. This works to bolster white power and privilege, as is attested, for 911125 EJC0010.1177/0267323120911125European Journal of CommunicationReview Essay research-article2020


Purpose: No any research in literature was found to investigate the effect of pes planus on standing balance in school-aged children. Any kind of change in the arches (height, flexibility) may increase the possibility of a change in standing balance. The aim of present study is to determine the influence of pes planus on the standing balance of school-aged children based on independent time-distance and frequency based parameters. Materials and Methods: Subjects included 177 children (105 neutral and 72 with pes planus). The parameters were determined from the motion of the centre of pressure (COP) on a platform equipped with pressure gauge sensors, on which the subjects were standing for 60 seconds with both feet and open eyes. Results: When comparing the neutral and pes planus groups, none of the 17 time-distance and frequency based parameters showed any significant difference (p≥0.169). Conclusion: The results show that pes planus does not affect significantly standing balance; the differences (however not significant) between the two groups showed a poorer postural control in school-aged children with pes planus. It may be compensated by the increased ML dimension of the base of support.


Background. Postoperative cough in general anesthesia is a common and also dangerous problem that can result in complications such as hypertension, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial ischemia, bronchospasm, increased intracranial and intraocular pressure. This is important in operations such as cataract surgery in which increasing intraocular pressure can produce many complications. In this survey we used intravenous or topical lidocaine by different routs and evaluated the prevalence of postoperative cough and sorethroat.
Methods. In a clinical trial study, 204 ASA 1 and 2 patients prepared for cataract surgery under general anesthesia, were selected by convenience sampling and then randomized into six groups according to lidocaine usage route. All patients received intravenous fluid and were induced general anesthesia in a similar manner. Before intubation, in the first group lidocaine spray was used on the terminal end of tracheal tube; lidocaine spray was used on laryngopharyngeal stractures in 2nd group; terminal end of tracheal tube was lubricated with lidocaine gel; intravenous lidocaine at the end of operation was used in 4th group; intracuff lidocaine was used in 5th group and normal saline was used on the terminal end of tracheal tube in 6th group. At the end of surgery and after extubation, patients were evaluated about postoperative cough in the PACU. One hour and the day after surgery patients were cvaluated about sorethroat. The results are written as Mean±SD and Chi-square, ANOV A and multiple comparison tests used. P<0.05 is considered significant.
Findings. Mean age of patients was 63.7±11.9 of whom 51.8 percent were male and 42.2 percent weer fcmale. There was no significant difference between six groups condidering age, sex, smoking, duration of surgery, preoperative systolic and diastolic pressure and heart rate. In the PACU, 64.7 percent of patients suffered from cough that its incidence was more in 3rd, 6th and groups consequently and less in 4th and 5th groups documented by statistical analysis. The incidence of postoperative sorethroat was 52.5 percent after one hour and 17.2 percent one day later, which was greater in 3rd, 2nd and 6th groups consequently.
Conclusion. Reducing postoperative cough results in less complications and according to this study, using intracuff lidocaine or intravenous lidocaine at the end of operation will result in better outcome for patients and also better results for anesthesiologist and surgon.


James Joyce provides us in Leopold Bloom, the hero of Ulysses, with a representation of an ideal-type subject of modern urbanism that collects and exemplifies the qualities of Simmel's blast cosmopolitan and Benjamin's flâneur, and fashions them into a model for practical life. Bloom is the 'un-created conscience' of modern city life; a prototype modern hero who struggles to negotiate the twin dangers of the metropolis: the obliteration of individual and subjective culture by abstract processes and objective culture in mass society; and excessive egoism, the cult of the individual, identitarianism and social disintegration. Do the conditions of possibility for such utopian modern subjectivities continue to exist in contemporary Dublin?


For 100 years, the Labor Department has been central to safeguarding and expanding the American dream for working families. As the first Secretary of the Department's second century, I focus every day on creating more opportunity for more people. The Department of Labor is in the opportunity business. Through the laws and regulations we enforce, the grants we make, and the partnerships we forge, we will expand access to opportunity for America's workers and their employers. In the coming years, the Department will play a critical role in President Obama's effort to build an economy of opportunity, where all Americans who work hard and act responsibly have the opportunity to reach and remain in the middle class. That means more opportunity for workers to acquire the skills they need to succeed, more opportunity for businesses to grow by having access to skilled workers, more opportunity to earn a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, more opportunity for workers and employers to compete on a level playing field, more opportunity for our veterans to thrive in the civilian economy, more opportunity for people with disabilities to contribute productively to the workforce, more opportunity to retire with dignity and peace of mind, and more opportunity for people to work in a safe environment and with the full protection of our anti-discrimination laws. The best way to promote and protect opportunity is through collaboration, consensus-building and pragmatic problem-solving that achieve common sense solutions for American workers and their employers. Throughout nearly 30 years in public service, I have approached tough challenges by making room for as many people as possible around the table in search of common sense solutions. I categorically reject the idea that the Labor Department must choose between pro-worker and pro-business policies. It's a false choice, and we can and must work together on policy solutions that promote and protect opportunity for both. Job creation and job safety are not mutually exclusive or inherently in conflict, and neither are worker rights and free enterprise. These can and must go hand-in-hand. My Labor Department will work towards opportunity for everyone. I am proud to be your Labor Secretary at such a pivotal moment for working people, our economy and the nation. I look forward to carrying on the great work of the U.S. Department of Labor, executing a mission that is as important as ever. I am honored to …


One of the most puzzling questions in obesity research is why some humans rapidly gain weight when they overeat, whereas others do not. In a compelling Perspective, [Dulloo][1] explains exciting new findings ([ Bachman et al .][2]) that reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying thermogenesis, a process in which extra food is converted into heat instead of fat. As Dulloo discloses, diet-induced thermogenesis is under the control of signaling through b-adrenergic receptors of the sympathetic nervous system. This work opens the door to developing anti-obesity therapeutics that activate diet-induced thermogenesis.

 [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5582/780
 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5582/843


81 Background: The treatment landscape of metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) drastically changed with the approval of chemotherapy (docetaxel) in 2004, and novel hormonal therapy (NHT) abiraterone in 2011. Since then, several other therapies have been approved in the metastatic castrate-sensitive (mCSPC) and -resistant (mCRPC) settings. Despite multiple drug approvals, it remains unclear how much improvement in survival these therapies have provided. Methods: We reviewed the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website to evaluate all approvals for prostate cancer from 2004 to 2022. We collected progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from the approval notification or from the corresponding clinical trial cited for drug approval. Results: Between 2004 and 2022, there were 14 drug (single or combination) approvals for mPC. Most approvals (81.3%) were granted through regular approval. Average PFS benefit for mCSPC was 4.8 months and average OS benefit for mCSPC was not reached in ongoing trials. Average PFS benefit for mCRPC was 3.7 months (range 1.9-5.4) and average OS benefit for mCRPC was 3.67 months. Conclusions: Despite 14 drug (single or combination) approvals for mPC since 2004, the improvements in average PFS and OS were modest in both castrate-sensitive and -resistant settings. OS data for several NHTs continues to mature, and may alter average OS benefits once median OS is reached. Nonetheless, continued drug development for mPC is warranted. [Table: see text]


User Interface is more and more important in computer technology because of the rapid progress of computer technology and Internet technology.The Multimodal User Interface is a new research aspect in this domain.It use many alternating devices and improve alternating efficiency.This article make detailed discussion on concept of Multimodal User Interface and some interaction technology.At the end of the article,we also introduce the progress foreground of the MultiModal User Interface.


There is a wide spectrum of laser processes, including removal, joining and surface treatment of matter, most of them well known to be productive, precise and last but not least flexible. This flexibility concerns geometry, material and lot size of the laser-manufactured products. However, the application of a laser machine typically is limited to only one type of process. If possible at all, for a change-over from one process, e.g. cutting, to a completely different process like welding within a single machine considerable set-up times are necessary. In practice, different processes are mainly carried out sequentially on different systems. Within these classical process chains a high potential of flexibility and cost savings inherent to lasers remains unutilized hitherto in industrial production. Presently, machines and processing heads are specialized and not yet designed for the flexibility actually available by laser technology.In order to overcome these limits a multifunctional laser cell for cutting and welding has been realised with its key-component being the so called "combi-head". It allows quick switching from one process to the other and vice versa in a temporally and spatially optimised, integrated process chain. Thus, a completely new degree of flexibility is achieved in production. New designs and a large number of variants can be produced much more cost effectively by combining cutting and welding capabilities in one tool. Process and tolerance chains are shorter due to minimised material and tool handling within a single machine and due to a combi-head with a process spanning, constant tool centre point (TCP). Technical solutions for metal processing with Nd:YAG and CO2 lasers are presented.There is a wide spectrum of laser processes, including removal, joining and surface treatment of matter, most of them well known to be productive, precise and last but not least flexible. This flexibility concerns geometry, material and lot size of the laser-manufactured products. However, the application of a laser machine typically is limited to only one type of process. If possible at all, for a change-over from one process, e.g. cutting, to a completely different process like welding within a single machine considerable set-up times are necessary. In practice, different processes are mainly carried out sequentially on different systems. Within these classical process chains a high potential of flexibility and cost savings inherent to lasers remains unutilized hitherto in industrial production. Presently, machines and processing heads are specialized and not yet designed for the flexibility actually available by laser technology.In order to overcome these limits a multifunctional laser cell for cutting...


The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a coated active material in which it is possible to form a coating layer while minimizing damage to the active material surface. The present invention solves the above problem by providing a method for manufacturing a coated active material provided with an active material and a coating layer containing a sulfide solid electrolyte, the method for manufacturing a coated active material being characterized in having: a preparation step for preparing a raw material composition containing the active material and the sulfide solid electrolyte; and a kneading step for performing a self-revolution kneading process on the raw material composition without using a crushing medium and forming the coating layer on the surface of the active material.


Abstract : The C-17 pilot training pipeline at Altus Air Force Base is perpetually behind schedule, straining financial and human resources. This research analyzes the extent, significance and sources of those delays. Additionally, the paper offers solutions to the predicament. This research examines most of the current databases used for tracking the flow and effectiveness of the different programs at Altus, including those employed by both training organizations, Boeing Aerospace and the 58th Airlift Squadron. This paper includes some basic analysis regarding the numerical statistics contained within those databases and describes the consequences of those delays, both from a training and operational perspective. The emphasis is on two of the more-troubled courses, the Aircraft Commander Initial Qualification and the Instructor Aircraft Commander programs. Despite a slight improvement over previous years, those two programs still suffered from poor graduation timeliness in 2003. The sources of those delays include higher-than-expected student retraining rates and under-sourced aircraft allocations. Potential solutions range from adding and protecting aircraft resources to revising current database tracking methods. Other viable options include adjusting program timelines to reflect a more accurate training environment and overlapping simulator and flight training phases. Fortunately, significant improvement in the C-17 training arena can be harnessed with the acceptance of these relatively simple


In this study, the work quality of an integral, reversible three-disks plow was studied on a loam clay soil. The experimental design was a random, three complete block design with three repetitions. The factors under study were three levels of gravimetric humidity in soil, 10,02, 19,74, and 22,39 %, and three speeds, 4,55, 5,27, and 7,34 km h -1 . The response variables were plant cover, residue incorporation index, bulk density, coefficient of expansion, and strength of the shear vane, depth and width of work. The results show that the best work quality was obtained when the gravimetric humidity of the soil was at 19,74 % y 22,39 %.


Mary Richie Key's Nonverbal Communication: A Research Guide and Bibliography (Metuchen N.J.: Seacrow Press, 1977—$17.50) Keith M. Cottam and Robert W. Pelton's Writer's Research Handbook: The Research Bible for Freelance Writers (South Bruaswick, N.J.: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1977) Eva M. Burkett's Writing in Subject-Matter Fields: A Bibliographic Guide, with Annotations and Writing Assignments (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1977--$8.00) Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren, (eds.). Great Treasury of Western Thought: A Compendium of Important Statements on Man and His Institutions by the Great Thinkers in Western History (New York: R.R. Bowker, 1977—$29.95) J.M. Orr, Libraries as Communication Systems (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1977—$14.95) Pauline Wilson's A Community Elite and the Public Library: Uses of Information in Leadership (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1977—$14.95) M. Palic's Government Publications: A Guide to Bibliographic Tools, incorporating Government Organizational Manuals; A ...


The careful observation of motion phenomena is important in understanding the skillful human motion. However, this is a difficult task due to the complexities in timing when dealing with the skilful control of anatomical structures. To investigate the dexterity of human motion, we decided to concentrate on timing with respect to motion, and we have proposed a method to extract the peak timing synergy from multivariate motion data. The peak timing synergy is defined as a frequent ordered graph with time stamps, which has nodes consisting of turning points in motion waveforms. A proposed algorithm, PRESTO automatically extracts the peak timing synergy. PRESTO comprises the following 3 processes: (1) detecting peak sequences with polygonal approximation; (2) generating peak-event sequences; and (3) finding frequent peak-event sequences using a sequential pattern mining method, generalized sequential patterns (GSP). Here, we measured right arm motion during the task of cello bowing and prepared a data set of the right shoulder and arm motion. We successfully extracted the peak timing synergy on cello bowing data set using the PRESTO algorithm, which consisted of common skills among cellists and personal skill differences. To evaluate the sequential pattern mining algorithm GSP in PRESTO, we compared the peak timing synergy by using GSP algorithm and the one by using filtering by reciprocal voting (FRV) algorithm as a non time-series method. We found that the support is 95 100 % in GSP, while 83 96 % in FRV and that the results by GSP are better than the one by FRV in the reproducibility of human motion. Therefore we show that sequential pattern mining approach is more effective to extract the peak timing synergy than non-time series analysis approach.


Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) electronic packaging materials are applied for their ease of fabrication, three dimensional features and integration of multifunctional component, such as optical and electrical functions. For these reasons LTCC is attractive for biomedical microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip systems. However, commercial LTCC systems, optimized for microelectrics applications, are not designed for biomedical applications, and have unknown cytocompatibility. In the current work, LTCC has been developed starting with materials of known composition and biocompatibility. The developed LTCC, fabricated from a lime silicate glass and pure alumina, exhibits low sintering temperature (<1000°C) and high density. Alumina reacts with the glass and forms anorthite type crystalline phase CaAl2Si2O8 at temperature 900°C. A commercial gold electrode paste has also been co-fired with the LTCC, with no delamination, cracks nor camber observed. In-vitro biocompatibility of LTCC has been evaluated using h...


According to the basic model and principle of static load method and dynamic high strain test method,the same pile detection result was analyzed with the detection methods in engineering pile bearing capacity checking detection.The result indicated that the pile result of dynamic high strain test was larger than the designed bearing capacity and met engineering practical situation.


This work is related to the development of nanoplasmonic methodologies in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensing. Developed concept of experimental device is based on angular properties of plasmonic nanogratings that allow fast and multiple analytes tests applied for bacteria detection. Proposed methodology can significantly facilitate the calibration of the system for multi-sample sensing and is promising for low-cost and portable nanoplasmonic multisensing applications.


THE PURPOSE of this discussion is to sketch some of the clinical implications of group therapy for a specific type of problem children-those with what can be called severe ego-disturbances. I shall try also to show how the application of group therapeutic principles can eventually be dovetailed with a clinically realistic application of casework interview techniques. In limiting group therapy to a specific clientele in this discussion, I do not imply that it cannot be used for other types of problems, just as an examination of the use of surgery in cases of stomach tumor would not imply that its usefulness was limited to stomach tumor. Similarly, the use of casework is being discussed with respect to one group only.


Abstract Orissa, the maritime state along the east coast of India, has a coastline of 480 km. The southern part of the coast has a narrow shelf, but the north Orissa coast has an extended continental shelf. The coastline is bestowed with six major estuaries, India's second largest mangrove forest (Bhitarkanika Sanctuary), Asia's largest brackish water coastal lagoon (Chilika), extensive sandy beaches rich in heavy minerals, the world's largest rookery for the Olive Ridley sea turtle (Gahirmatha sandy beach within Bhitarkanika sanctuary), and two species of horseshoe crabs. In the last few decades there has been tremendous pressure on the coastal zone for the development of fisheries, aquaculture, ports, harbours, and urban settlements. These developments have led to environmental changes, some of which are irreversible, and thus have become issues of concern for the public as well as the state government. Some of the important environmental changes taking place, and which seriously affect the economy of the region, are tropical cyclones and associated storm surges, floods, decline in mangrove forests, accelerated shoreline changes, and transformation of the coastal lagoon ecosystem. This paper documents different coastal environmental features and their changes, observed during the last few decades through secondary data, field surveys, and remote sensing observations, and suggests a framework for a coastal zone management programme in the state.


A 66-year-old man was diagnosed as having aplastic anaemia in 1963. He was treated with androgens and fetal liver transplant. In 1972, bone marrow showed gross dyserythropoietic change. He subsequentl


Massive graphs that arise in the studies of the Internet share many similar aspects with random graphs, although there are significant differences (e.g., there can be vertices with large degrees in a sparse massive graph). Nevertheless, many of the methods and ideas [1, 3] that are used in modeling and analyzing massive graphs have been frequently traced to the seminal papers of Erdős and Rényi [9] in 1959. The paper [9] contains a masterful study of the sizes of the connected components as the graph evolves. One topic of considerable interest is to examine the "shape" of the connected components in a random graph, in particular, when the graph is sparse. A natural question is to determine the diameter of a random sparse graph. Most known results on this topic involves graphs that are relatively dense. Namely, let G(n, p) denote a random graph on n vertices in which a pair of vertices appears as an edge ofG(n, p) with probability p. Most work on the diameter of the random graph G(n, p) covers the case that pn/ logn → ∞ (see [5, 6, 7, 11] ). The range of interest is for the average degree pn to range from 0 to c logn which includes the emergence of the unique giant component. Since there is a phase transition in connectivity at p = log n/n, the problem of determining the diameter of G(n, p) and its concentration seems to be difficult for certain ranges of p. In [8] we investigate this problem by identifying the ranges that results can be obtained as well as the ranges that the problems remain open. For np log n = c > 8, we slightly improve Bollobás' result [6] by showing that the diameter of G(n, p) is almost surely concentrated on at most two values around logn/ lognp. For np log n = c > 2, the diameter of G(n, p) is almost surely concentrated on at most three values. For the range 2 ≥ np log n = c > 1, the diameter of G(n, p) is almost surely concentrated on at most four values. For the range np < logn, the random graph G(n, p) is almost surely disconnected. It is shown [8] that almost surely the diameter of G(n, p) is (1 + o(1)) log n log(np) if np → ∞. Moreover, if np log n = c > c0 for any (small) constant c and c0, then the diameter of G(n, p) is almost surely concentrated on finitely many values, namely, no more than 2 1 c0 + 4 values. In the range of 1 n < p < log n n , the random graph G(n, p) almost surely has a unique giant component. A tight upper bound of the sizes of its small components was obtained if p satisfies np ≥ c > 1. Also, the diameter of


Objective: The present article applies attachment theory to understand the impact of COVID-19 on social inequities, discrimination, and oppression of people based on their different group identities (e.g., race, class, ability, gender, faith). Method: Theory and research was reviewed in the area social and clinical psychology. The link between attachment and outgroup behavior, transgenerational trauma, and group leadership was discussed. After careful review of the literature, the link between attachment, trauma, epistemic trust, and reflective functioning, at the individual and group level was explored. Results: During the pandemic, individuals were more inclined to rely on their group identities and vulnerable to devalue out-groups. They were more at risk of experiencing traumatic reactions that can compromise their ability to tolerate conflict in groups. However, group interventions were still an important resource during this challenging time. Conclusion: The author recommends more research and attention on facilitating secure attachments, training group leaders, addressing transgenerational trauma in groups, promoting the use of group interventions, and increasing efforts toward social justice.


In this paper, we will propose a MAC with two versions, which is called LAMA. The proposal MAC has the input size of 128 bits and 256 bits in the versions 1, 2 respectively, and output size of 128 bits. There have not been found a attack better than the exhaustive search attack for the MAC, and it has a fast implementations in about 5 / cycles byte in the both versions.


This article illuminates and discusses how three contemporary Norwegian White papers and the OECD document Improving School Leadership: Policy and Practice narrate the relationship between school leadership and student learning outcomes. First, the article describes the identified dominant policy narrative connecting pupils' learning outcomes to school leadership, before the narrative techniques used to make this connection are explored in more detail. The analysis shows how a dominant public narrative describes the relationship between school leadership and pupils' learning outcomes as a hierarchical one-way chain of influence, and not as a dialogical and dynamic relationship where the elements are interdependent and influence each other. The one-way, hierarchical chain of influence constructed by the narrative plot meets the need policy has to reduce complexity in order to express governmental goals and distribute responsibility. The linearity and causality embedded in the policy narrative produces an understanding of the relationship between school leadership and learning outcomes that also signals a narrow range of options available to school leaders and teachers. By proposing a limited range of teacher- and leader practices as significant for the fulfilment of the policy goals, the narrative plot also constructs a relatively narrow frame for the professional work of school leaders and teachers.


The attitudes of teachers with training in personalized education and their coherence with regard to the constituent notes of the person, the singularity, autonomy and openness were studied, considering the pedagogical conception corresponding to personalized education. A descriptive approach was considered and the participants were 102 intentionally chosen teachers. The instrument was a scale of attitudes referred to the singularity, autonomy and openness. Content validity was obtained using the criterion of experts evaluated through Lawshe index. Reliability was obtained using Cronbach's alpha. The results make it possible to accept the different hypotheses, as teachers are in a favorable above-median attitude in a significant proportion of 75% or more and in turn there is a significant relationship between the attitudinalcomponents regarding the construct of personalized education. The analysis of the results allows to appreciate that conceptual formulations concerning the constituent notes of the person are reflected in theattitudes of teachers.


Wireless Sensor Network has a wide range of application in the field military operation, tracking, and data acquisition in hazardous environments. It is a vital and essential thing to guarantee the security and resilience of sensor networks. The wireless sensor node localization plays an important role for collecting meaningful information from an exact location. During node localization process security is a vital issue to protect the data losses from unauthorised person. In this research work, we introduce efficient and effective secure node localization and a dynamic key management solution for wireless sensor networks. In this scheme we present secure node authentication with distance measurement and we call secure information verification by malicious node cleaning. Also we present key management schemes; it is assumed that key information is stored in very powerful and reliable sensor node and not in individual nodes. It is an important issue for protecting the powerful node by which the sensor network can be made secure, energy efficient and cost effective because moving anchor node plays a major role during localization process.


In this study, poverty is calculated for various socioeconomic classes in Mersin and Erzurum provinces by using multidimensional poverty approach and then the findings are analyzed comparatively. While the multidimensional poverty measurement methodology is drawn on as a calculation of poverty (Alkire and Foster, 2007; 2011a), the definition of socioeconomic classes are based on theoretical assumptions used in Kose, Pinar, and Bahce (2009) and Gunaydin (2011). The results of this analysis show that the class with the highest poverty rate under all poverty lines is the petty bourgeois.  The second class with the higher rates is working class es.  When the poverty of the qualified working class is added, working class actually represents the poorest class.


There is a scarcity of field-growth data from which a yam (Dioscorea alata L.) growth model could be developed to promote agrotechnology transfer of the crop in the tropics. A 2-yr field study was conducted on Corozal soil (clayey mixed isohypertbermic Aquic Tropudults) in an initial effort to collect data on patterns of leaf area development and dry matter accumulation and partitioning among various plant parts during growth and development of yam plants. In the first year of the study, plants of D. alataa cv. Gunung were subjected to fertilizer rates of 0, 667, 1333, 2000, and 2667 kg ha −1 of a 15-2.2-12.4-3% (N-P-K-Mg) commercial mixture at 50 d after planting (DAP). Biomass harvests were conducted at 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 DAP. For all plant parts studied, dry matter content was not significantly affected by fertilizer treatment. Even after excluding application of fertilizer during the second year, there were no statistical differences in total and tuber dry matter contnt between years. Maximum leaf area index values (LAI 8) were attained by 140 DAP. During this period, leaves and vines accounted for at least 80% of the total plant dry matter; thereafter, their dry matter content declined. After 140 DAP, increases in total dry matter were the result of rapid increases in tuber dry matter accumulation. The lack of response to fertilizer treatment and high tuber dry matter production suggest that the preplanting soil nutrient status was adequate to support optimum growth of the yam cultivar used during both years of this study, even without the application of fertilizer


Volleyball is a created sport and is currently one of the world's most spread sports which is practiced as a leisure activity, object of study for physical education classes and also as high-performance sport. One base characteristic of modern volleyball is represented by the increased focus on attack, as a way of defeating opponents. Attack is the most sought after in volleyball both by the crowds of spectators and by the players themselves because it triggers satisfaction, given by spectacular defeat of the opposing side. A very dynamic evolution has led to changes in the rulebook which affected the game on multiple levels. The most important objectives of a competition system aim for attracting the highest number of athletes as possible and for stimulation of an increased performance.


Using a monthly panel dataset of individuals' debt composition including mortgage and non-mortgage consumer credit, we show that house price changes can explain a significant fraction of personal debt composition dynamics. We exploit the variation in local house price growth as shocks to homeowners' housing wealth to study the consequential adjustment of personal debt composition. To account for local demand shocks and disentangle the housing collateral channel from the wealth effect, we use renters and non-equity-withdrawal homeowners in the same region as control groups. We present direct evidence that homeowners reoptimize their debt structure by using withdrawn home equity to pay down comparatively expensive short-term non-mortgage debt during a housing boom, unsecured consumer loans in particular. We also find that homeowners withdraw home equity to finance their entrepreneurial activities. Our study sheds new light on the dynamics of personal debt composition in response to changes in house prices.


Imagine key stakeholders in primary care — managers, politicians, policy advisors, and patients — have gathered to draft an ideal primary care structure. Some argue for large group practices, others say smaller practices are better, others that team work or salary payment is the key. Is there evidence that would help them? Moreover, is there an optimum sized general practice in terms of delivering safe, quality care that is also highly rated by patients? Or is general practice, by its very nature, best served by practices of different sizes and contexts?

The review in this Journal on 'whether practice size matters for the quality of care in primary care' does not resolve these questions.1 Many researchers have tried to find a relevant relationship between attributes of quality and practice size and it is interesting and sobering to see what is left after sifting the evidence. It isn't a great deal. Defining the optimal size of a practice is a complex decision.

There is conflicting evidence on the ability of small practices to deliver high-quality care and the views of physicians, patients, and health service managers can be at variance. …


Aspiration pneumonia (aspPNA) accounts for 5-15% of pneumonia admissions. Despite the absence of risk factors for organisms such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA), broad-spectrum (BS) antibiotics active against these pathogens are frequently prescribed. We compared outcomes of patients receiving narrow-spectrum (NS) versus BS antibiotics for aspPNA.

 This is a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients started on antibiotics for aspPNA upon admission from 1/1/2019 to 12/31/2019. The BS cohort included patients prescribed antibiotics with activity against PsA or MRSA and were on BS antibiotics for > 50% duration of therapy regardless of de-escalation. The primary endpoint was clinical response, defined as resolved, improved, no change, or worsened. Secondary endpoints included 30-day all-cause mortality, duration of therapy, 30-day C. difficile infection, and length of stay. Outcomes were assessed using logistic regression with antibiotic group as a fixed effect, and all analyses were conducted using R v. 4.0.3.

 A total of N=95 patients were included in the study, 35 in the NS and 60 in the BS groups. Clinical response was similar in distribution between groups (p > 0.3). 30-day all-cause mortality was lower in the NS (11.4%) as compared to the BS group (33.3%) (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.09- 0.81; p < 0.04). There were no differences for the secondary endpoints including median duration of therapy (4 [IQR 2.5] days vs. 6 [IQR 6] days, p> 0.2), 30-day C. difficile infection (0% vs 6.7%, p > 0.3), and median length of stay (6 [IQR 5] days vs. 7 [IQR 8.5] days, p > 0.2) in NS vs. BS groups, respectively. A positive blood or respiratory culture was isolated in 37% (35/95) patients. Enteric organisms were the most prevalent bacteria isolated (20%), followed by methicillin susceptible S. aureus (8%), and Streptococcus spp (7%). MRSA and PsA were detected in 2% and 3% of patients, respectively.

 There is no difference in efficacy between NS and BS antibiotics for aspPNA. Microbiologic data confirm the low incidence of PsA or MRSA causing aspPNA despite high empiric prescribing of antibiotics active against these pathogens. These results support the ongoing need for targeted antibiotic stewardship initiatives for aspPNA.

 All Authors: No reported disclosures


Objective To observe the efficacy of high dosage gamma globulin in treatment of pediatric patients with hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD) complicated with encephalitis.Methods In Division of Infectious Diseases in this hospital,150 HFMD pediatric cases complicated with central nervous system infection admitted in this hospital during April 2010 to October 2011 were selected as study subjects,and they were randomly divided into two groups,according to the treatment guide for HFMD(published by Chinese Ministry of Health,2010) including lowering intracranial pressure,anti-virus and hormone therapy,then patients in group A were treated with intravenous infusion of IVIG 400 ㎎/ kg.d for 5 days.Patients in Group B were treated by intravenous infusion of IVIG 1g / kg.d for 2 days.Results There were significant differences in total febrile process,vomiting,easy to be panic,tremor and other symptoms of nervous system,remission time,cerebrospinal fluid normalized time and rehabilitation time between Group A and Group B.Conclusion The therapy with high-dosage intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin is effective in treatment of pediatric patients with hand-foot-mouth disease complicated with encephalitis.


Information extraction (IE) is the problem of constructing a knowledge base from a corpus of text documents. In recent years, uncertain data applications have grown in importance in the large number of real-world applications, and IE as an uncertain data source. This paper investigated the uncertain data represent and presented a probabilistic framework from IE model that adapting principles of a state-of-the-art statistical model-semi-Conditional Random Fields (semi-CRFs), which provides a sound probability distribution over extractions.


In the last 10 years, development in robotics, computer vision, and sensor technology has provided new spectral remote sensing tools to capture unprecedented ultra-high spatial and high spectral resolution with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This development has led to a revolution in geospatial data collection in which not only few specialist data providers collect and deliver remotely sensed data, but a whole diverse community is potentially able to gather geospatial data that fit their needs. However, the diversification of sensing systems and user applications challenges the common application of good practice procedures that ensure the quality of the data. This challenge can only be met by establishing and communicating common procedures that have had demonstrated success in scientific experiments and operational demonstrations. In this review, we evaluate the state-of-the-art methods in UAV spectral remote sensing and discuss sensor technology, measurement procedures, geometric processing, and radiometric calibration based on the literature and more than a decade of experimentation. We follow the 'journey' of the reflected energy from the particle in the environment to its representation as a pixel in a 2D or 2.5D map, or 3D spectral point cloud. Additionally, we reflect on the current revolution in remote sensing, and identify trends, potential opportunities, and limitations.


Extruded snacks have long been a snacking favorite. As snacking continues to be a
 growing eating occasion for many consumers, and healthier oils are utilized, ensuring
 oxidative stability has become more important than ever. Consumers also want clean
 labels, making the need to find a balance of ingredients and performance critical.
 Natural antioxidants are known to provide oxidative protection, making them a compelling
 ingredient for evaluation in extruded snacks. In this study, a variety of antioxidants
 (i.e. rosemary extract, green tea extract, ascorbic acid), alone and in combination were
 added either prior to extrusion or post extrusion or both. Antioxidants were
 incorporated prior to extrusion either in the kettle water or in the dry extrudate
 blend. Post extrusion, antioxidants were incorporated in the oil slurry added to the
 extruded snack exterior. The study design allowed for determination of which antioxidant
 and which stage of production will yield the most oxidative protection. Oxipresâ"¢ was
 used to measure oxidative stability immediately after production and GC-FID was used to
 evaluate headspace aldehydes (e.g. hexanal) of the extruded snacks over the storage
 period. Periodic descriptive sensory evaluation was also conducted using a panel trained
 to evaluate oxidized aromas and flavors. Results of this study indicate substantial
 oxidative protection is achieved with the incorporation of natural antioxidants in the
 topical oil spray. A combination of rosemary and ascorbic acid is especially effective,
 resulting in a near 50% increase in Oxipresâ"¢ induction time compared to an untreated
 oil slurry. Additional oxidative protection can be achieved when antioxidants are added
 to both the extrudate and in the topical oil spray. These study findings will provide
 guidance to extruded snack manufacturers on how to best utilize their processing
 capabilities for incorporation of the most effective natural antioxidants.


Power intensities generated at the workpiece by continuous wave carbon dioxide lasers at 10.6 mum are insufficient to induce the non-conduction limited processes necessary for machining many of the refractory metals and ceramics employed in the manufacture of engineering components. Operated in a pulsed mode, analogous to solid state laser operation, the CO2:N2 laser can be designed to overcome these power intensity limitations. Nitrogen Carbon-dioxide mixtures can be pulse excited to give high output pulse intensities combined with a relatively low mean output power, thus, minimising thermal degradation of the optical system. Flat topped pulses with plateau powers controlled and matched to the processing requirements of metals and ceramics can be generated by proper choice of the input electrical pumping pulse, gas composition and design parameters of the optical resonator. Continuous machining is possible provided pulse repetition frequencies of up to 10 kHz can be achieved, since, at this frequency, a constantly evaporating liquid phase can be sustained.


Constant-impedance, constant-current and constant-power ZIP models of electrical loads are commonly used in smart grid and residential load applications. Some of residential loads are of nonlinear nature such as LCD monitors and computers. In this study, first, equivalent ZIP model formulas of parallel-connected electrical loads are derived. Then, the ZIP models of an LCD monitor, a computer case and the computer case and the monitor connected in parallel have been obtained using experimental data and least-squares curve fitting method. Finally, the equivalent ZIP model formulas are tested with the experimental data. It has been found that for the rectifier nonlinear loads with different ZIP parameters, the formulas do not give acceptable errors. Therefore, for rectifier nonlinear loads, the measurement-based approach for load modeling must be performed.


Often the stage is reached in the processing of seed where all of the contaminants, such as weed seed, other crop seed, and inert material have been removed. Yet, the quality of the seed lot may still be bel ow par because the germination percentage is sub-standard or for other reasons. In such situations, the processor may still have several possibilities for improving the overal l quality of the lot.


Emotions are related with learning processes, and physiological signals can be used to detect them. In this work, it is presented a model for the dynamic personalization of a learning environment. In the model, a specific combination of emotions and cognition processes are connected and integrated with the concept of 'flow', since it may provide a way to improve learning abilities. Physiological signals can be used to relate temporal emotions and subject's learning processes; the cardiac pulse is a reliable signal that carries useful information about the subject's emotional condition, which is detected using a classroom chair adapted with non invasive Electro-Mechanical Film (EMFi) sensors and an acquisition system that generates a ballistocardiogram (BCG), which is analyzed by a developed algorithm to obtain cardiac pulse statistics. A study including different data obtained from the chair's sensors was carried out and interpreted in terms of emotions, which together with a cognitive model is used for the personalization of content in a learning scenario. Such model establishes a relation between the learner's knowledge, the content of a course or a learning activity and the emotional condition of each student.


Performance is the work result of the employees to achieve of some company goals. The purpose of this researches is to determine the effect of leadership and work motivation to the employee performance as partial and simultaneous at the UPT Pasar I Kabupaten Sleman . Research using multiple regression analysis. The result showed leadership and work motivation a significant positive effect on employee performance. It was also concluded thatleadership variable dominanly influenced on employee performance compared to work motivation.


We derive a CW theory for optical-fiber photon-pair sources, including the effect of non-zero response time of the fiber's Kerr nonlinearity. We also include the effects of realistic transmission and detection losses. This theory predicts stronger photon-number correlations than seen experimentally with a pulsed pump, showing the need for development of a pulsed pump theory.


The retrieval of key information for nuclear safety-related piping systems in older nuclear stations is sometimes inefficient when the analyses have been distributed among several technical organizations. The design criteria and calculation format may vary depending on the organization and the era in which the calculations were created or revised. This paper details the objectives and methodology used to create a piping design document control system for the Dresden and Quad Cities nuclear stations. It describes the lessons learned during the system's implementation, including the development of a microcomputer based relational database program.


Abstract This article explores the cognitive and communicative strategies involved in the use of ELF in situations of unequal encounters between non-western supplicants (i.e., African immigrants and asylum seekers) and western immigration officials in authority (in this case, Italian mediators – i.e., experts mediating between immigrants and institutions). Evidence from the case studies indicates that each contact group uses ELF with reference to different linguacultural conventions associated with their use of English, as the interactants come from the 'outer' and the 'expanding' circles respectively (cf. Kachru 1986). In consequence, each party in the encounters tends naturally to transfer the structural features and the meaning conventions of their L1 into the English that they use, each appropriating and "authenticating" the language in accordance not with native speaker norms, but with those of their own L1. Since these norms are not shared, there is the need for accommodation for communication to be achieved, but unequal power distribution in these encounters is not favorable to such accommodation – which, instead, normally obtains in relatively "equal" encounters. The case studies show how the lack of recognition of these variable versions of English may have critical consequences in contexts involving political and ethical questions concerning human rights. It is contended that only a "mutual accommodation" of variable usage would safeguard the participants' social identities and foster successful communication in crosscultural immigration encounters.


The cellular response of arterial wall to in vivo exposure to continuous wave argon and xenon chloride Excimer laser irradiation was examined. Acutely, argon irradiation created vaporization of atherosclerotic material with the formation of craters surrounded by zones of thermal and acoustic injury. Thermal and acoustic damage was not noted with the Excimer exposures. Over nine weeks, both types of laser burn demonstrated complete healing. Argon irradiation was associated with damage to normal surrounding tissue which could not be appreciated at the time of laser application.


Statistical properties of flexible polymers with controlled molecular weights (length of arms) and branching patterns (topology) has been attracting strong interest. Basically, the lattice enrichment algorithms are suitable for simulating this kind of subject because they allow direct estimation of the total configuration number. However, it is difficult to apply this kind of algorithm for polymers with highly complicated structures, namely the comb-polymers. One of the difficulties is that the efficiency of simulation is severely limited. In this paper, a previously reported improvement technique is revisited, enhanced, and combined with several new ideas for developing a modified algorithm, which can solve such a situation. The validation and performance evaluation of the modified algorithm is presented. The algorithm is then applied to small scale polymer combs. In particular, the value of the critical exponent related to the configuration number is estimated on these combs. The result obtained for an H-shaped polymer is in accordance with previous simulations and a theoretical prediction formula already proposed. Possibilities for the future extension of the algorithm are briefly discussed.


Since 2005, expenditures on research, development and technological work (R & D) have been allocated in the structure of investments in non-financial assets. The absence of methodological developments on a comprehensive analysis of indicators of environmental and economic efficiency does not allow us to clearly determine the real costs of creating a system of rational nature use and environmental protection. In order to, at least approximately estimate the necessary level of investment in the restoration of the environment, it is necessary to conduct a study of the relationship between investment and environmental activities through the interrelationship between the concepts of "investment" and "capital investments".


The experiment was carried out in a private field in the Najaf Governorate, Kufa District for the 2019 growing season to study the response of two okra Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench cultivars, Hussainawiya the local and Clemson from Turkeya newly adopted cultivar, to foliar spray with amino acids (AA) at 0, 2 or 4 ml.L and to evaluate the effect of AA on plant vegetative growth and yield. The plants were sprayed twice during the growing season, at 45 and 60 days post planting. The experiment was developed as a split-plot with three replicates based on Randomized Complete Blocks Design (R.C.B.D.). Okra cultivars were placed in the main-plots and the AA concentrations were in the sub-plots. Plant growth parameters and yield characters including plant height, stem diameter, number of leaf.plant, leaf content of total chlorophyll, number of pod.plant, pod weight and total yield were compared among treatments and cultivars according to the least significant difference (L.S.D.) at P ≤ 0.05.Results showed that the local cultivar Hussainawiya in general was better than cultivar Clemson in all the evaluated growth and yield parameters. Although the local cultivar resulted in higher values of growth and yield parameters, Clemson Turkey was more affected by AA treatment concentration than local Hussainawia. All the studied parameters of Clemson okra, except stem diameter and total chlorophyll, had much higher percent increase due to AA than Hussainawia. AA at 2 and 4 ml.L increased yield over the untreated control plants of both cultivars by 10.79% and 26.56% for the local Hussainawia and 27.2% and 46.6% for the Turkish Clemson.


Combustion stability of utility boilers is easily affected by a number of factors like boiler output,coal quality etc.The use of single flame monitoring signals,or furnace pressure signals,to reflect states of combustion can neither be called correct nor sufficient.Therefore,for improving the discrimination quality concerning the state of combustion in the furnace,the concept of data fusion is introduced.Judgment is obtained by fusing traditional flame monitoring signals with furnace pressure signals by making use of the Dempster-Shafer(D-S) Evidence Theory.Thus a simple feasible way of basic probability assignment is presented.An analysis and verification of operational data,stored during a certain time interval in the supervisory information system of a certain power plant, shows that a diagnosis result based on fusion,performed in accordance with the evidence theory,is more accurate and reliable,with less uncertainty,than any decision made by relying solely on informations obtained from any single sensor,and thus a more effective judgment concerning the state of combustion is offered.


Abstract Terra-Rossa soils cover large areas in the mountainous regions of Israel. A representative area in the Carmel mountains was chosen to test the effect of slope, type of cultivation and stone cover on the quantities of surface runoff and erosion. Twelve terraces, each 3.5 m by 50 m, were constructed to test all combinations of 1%, 3% and 5% down slopes, and 5%, 9%, 12% and 17% cross slopes. A simulated rain storm was applied, which approximated the most hazardous 10-year storm in this region. The applied storm consisted of 86 mm of rain including 30 minutes of 76 mm/hr intensity. Average annual precipitation in the Carmel mountains is 500–700 mm. The range of runoff quantities obtained was 5 to 20 mm per storm, and the quantities of soil eroded ranged between 100 and 1,000 kg per hectare per storm (extreme values excluded). From the analysis of the results obtained during three seasons, it was found that for conditions similar to those prevailing in the study area: The maximum allowable down slope ...


Based on the increasing expectations from investors, regulators and society on firms to transparently report on their sustainability achievements, this article analyzes the current state of nonfinancial reporting in Switzerland and globally. The analysis is based on the reporting period 2017-18 regarding: (1) A global survey of institutional investors to examine their views on the use of nonfinancial information in investment decision making; (2) A snapshot on the uptake of the TCFD recommendations across 18 markets, 11 key sectors and over 500 companies; (3) How Switzerland's largest companies report on nonfinancial information. The results show that (1) investors increasingly rely on nonfinancial information while issuers are getting better at assessing materiality, but there is still considerable room for improvement. Further, investors report that the four main ESG factors considered are governance, supply chain, human rights and climate change. (2) Although an increasing share of corporations consider climate-related risks and opportunities, most companies are lacking high quality disclosures aligned to the TCFD recommendations. (3) The share of sustainability reporting and its (partial) integration in the annual report among the largest Swiss corporations is increasing, while also external assurance on nonfinancial information slightly increases.


The problems in the current tolerance system for roundness assessment are examined. It is found that the existing methods for roundness error measurement and assessment are based on the concepts in the geometric tolerance system. In order to solve the problems, a new concept of statistical tolerance of roundness is proposed. The proposed tolerance system is complementary to the existing geometrical roundness tolerance system. A number of roundness assessment functions using the new concept are proposed and the significance is discussed.


To the Editor. —You recently received two letters criticizing the JAMA cover of June 10, 1992. 1,2 Contrary to the views expressed in these letters, I wholeheartedly endorse your selection of cover material. Since when is it the responsibility of the American Medical Association to "uphold my moral well-being"? I prefer to take responsibility for my own values, and hope that your other readers will do the same. I, too, am concerned about what my children experience. However, I am infinitely more disturbed by the suffocating commercialism, the disingenuous hype, and the gratuitous violence displayed in our electronic media, than I am about anything that could possibly appear on the cover of JAMA . Also, I think we send a very unhealthy message to our children when we imply that there is something "dirty" about the human body. I have consistently found your covers to be edifying. They have exposed me


The problems of loading superposition of low cycle fatigue, finite cycle fatigue and high cycle fatigue on cracked structure are analyzed. The nonlinear power law behavior of the structure material has been considered. A strength criterion was established for a cracked structure under low cycle fatigue, finite cycle fatigue, and high cycle fatigue loading taking into account the deterioration. On the basis of concept of the specific energy participation and using Basquin's law and Coffin–Manson's law, a general relationship of fatigue life was established in the case of superposition of low cycle fatigue, finite cycle fatigue, and high cycle fatigue loadings on a mechanical structure deteriorated due to cracks. The derived relationships depend on the high cycle fatigue and finite cycle fatigue mean stress and on the low cycle fatigue mean strain, as well as on deterioration. Relationships for the deterioration calculation were established. Experimental work was performed for specimens with cracks, made of steel, statically and cyclically loaded. A numerical example shows how the established relationships may be used.


Yvonne Vera is a reformist writer of Zimbabwe who agitated the society to attend to serious issues in the life of a Zimbabwean woman. This paper will examine Yvonne Vera's Under the Tongue in which representations of language of monologue contribute to the creation of an atmosphere in which the pain of female body is obviously felt. The legacies of colonialism and strategic policies of nationalism collaborate to facilitate the vulnerability of women thus contributing to their violation of rights and victimisation. It is a metaphorical representation of female resistance against violent male Zimbabwean society. The trauma of the victim is thoughtfully integrated into linguistic and symbolic systems aesthetically created by the writer. Using the discordant chronology of words of the female protagonist, Vera stylistically identifies the silence of a girl who is captive of flashbacks and intrusive thoughts but struggles to liberate herself from the discourse of pain. Restoration of confidence does take place with the power of language. By articulating a private experience of a victimised young girl, the writer reclaims the essential power of women's speech and silences in the context of gendered nationalist ideology where sacrifices of women have been reduced to an invisible state by historiographers.


In September 2009, a major dust storm crossed eastern Australia, blanketing Sydney on two occasions. We collected size-resolved aerosol samples on both days, and also on the following days, for comparison. The size distribution during the dust storm showed a strong coarse mode, as expected. We subjected these samples to Ion Beam Analysis at ANSTO, obtaining their size-resolved chemical composition. In this paper we present these results, and compare them with some of the analysis of similar samples obtained in field trips to the Lake Eyre Basin of central Australia, the source region for much of the dust. In particular, the Fe/Al ratios (roughly 0.9) are similar to LEB values (roughly 0.8 - 1.0), and higher than northern hemisphere values (roughly 0.55). Salt entrainment indicates a contribution from dry lakes.


The design and operation of a time‐resolved electron spin echo spectrometer suitable for detecting transient radicals produced by 3 MeV electron radiolysis is described. Two modes of operation are available: Field swept mode which generates a normal EPR spectrum and kinetic mode in which the time dependence of a single EPR line is monitored. Techniques which may be used to minimize the effects of nonideal microwave pulses and overlapping sample tube signals are described. The principal advantages of the spin echo method over other time‐resolved EPR methods are: (1) Improved time resolution (presently ∼30–50 nsec) allows monitoring of fast changes in EPR signals of transient radicals, (2) Lower susceptibility to interference between the EPR signal and the electron beam pulse at short times, and (3) Lack of dependence of transient signals on microwave field amplitude or static field inhomogeneity at short times. The performance of the instrument is illustrated using CIDEP from acetate radical formed in puls...


We study theoretically characteristics of normally incident E-polarized microwave propagation in soft ferromagnetic films with in-plane uniaxial anisotropy, and find that due to the existence of the gyrotropic permeability tensor, the soft ferromagnetic film may become a left-handed material over a broad frequency band. Furthermore, the bandwidth and the frequency positions can be easily modified by the external magnetic field. Finally, the energy loss of the microwave propagating in the film is investigated.


, 469 (2014); 346  Science et al. Junmu Tanaka gibberellin synthesis pathway Antheridiogen determines sex in ferns via a spatiotemporally split This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. clicking here. colleagues, clients, or customers by , you can order high-quality copies for your If you wish to distribute this article to others here. following the guidelines can be obtained by Permission to republish or repurpose articles or portions of articles ):  November 15, 2014  www.sciencemag.org (this information is current as of The following resources related to this article are available online at http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6208/469.full.html version of this article at: including high-resolution figures, can be found in the online Updated information and services, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/suppl/2014/10/22/346.6208.469.DC1.html can be found at: Supporting Online Material http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6208/469.full.html#related found at: can be related to this article A list of selected additional articles on the Science Web sites http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6208/469.full.html#ref-list-1 , 9 of which can be accessed free: cites 25 articles This article http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6208/469.full.html#related-urls 1 articles hosted by HighWire Press; see: cited by This article has been http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/collection/botany Botany subject collections: This article appears in the following


Government analysts are more optimistic about the production of alternative energy sources than industry forecasters, who tend to be more conservative. Those working in the field are skeptical that synthetic fuels or enhanced oil recovery will make a substantial contribution by 1990. Projects for converting coal to liquid or gas fuels have hardly entered the demonstration phase, while commercial production of shale oil is not expected until the late 1980s. Industry spokesmen claim the government will pay a high cost to develop alternative energy sources, but may not get as much energy as it expects for its investment.


During 2009 and early 2010, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies conducted a survey of teaching on nonproliferation and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) at the leading twenty-five US national universities, twenty-five public universities, and twenty-three (all private) liberal arts colleges and compared the results to those from a similar CNS survey published in 2002. The new survey found that schools in all three categories had greatly increased the number of both "general" courses (which include a unit of a week or longer on nonproliferation or WMD) and "specialized" courses (which focus on nonproliferation or WMD for 75 percent or more of course content). The number of departments teaching both types of courses had also expanded significantly. Nonetheless, despite repeated international WMD crises since 2002, the CNS survey found that more than one-third of America's top college and university undergraduate programs did not include a single specialized course concentrating on this subject.


This research paper entitled "USING MORINGA LEAF AS BIOFERTILIZER IN PEPPER VARIETY SWEET/CUBANELLE (Capsicum annuum L.) AT THE FARM SANTA INES" which was developed in the facilities of this institution and that it had raised the following objectives: 1.Evaluate the effect of different concentrations of extracts from the leaf blade of the species Moringa oleifera Lam., in the cultivation of Sweet Cubanelle pepper, 2. Measure the effect of effect fenometrico Sweet Cubanelle pepper to the application of biofertilizers to Moringa and base, 3. Evaluate the economic impact of the different extracts in the cultivation of Sweet Cubanelle pepper and evaluated the number of fruits, length of fruits, fruit diameter, weight of fruit and profitability analysis. The contribution of water in the form of irrigation and the nutrient is essential for the development of the plants so that you can have a beneficial effect of the biostimulant products that are applied and thus avoid the close's in the plants. Where the lack of product application biostimulant presented the lowest results, where the response of the biostimulant of vegetal extract as synthetic showed better results, being the treatment where you miss a dose of the 3% who won the best economic benefits, followed by the contribution of Moringa extract at 2 %.


Introduction: Acute retinal pigment epithelitis or Krill's disease first time was described in 1972 as unknown disease and selflimiting inflammatory disorder that influence retinal pigment epithelium in the area of macula. Affecting most of all young adults. Disease equally affects males and females. Symptoms are characterized by sudden changes in vision. The etiology of ARPE is unknown, but there are suggestions that viral infection may play role in the pathogenesis. The diagnosis of ARPE is made based on clinical suspicion, as well as fundus findings. The purpose of this case is to report the clinical changes, laboratory changes and objective spectral domain optical tomography images of an ARPE at the acute phase and resolving phase. Clinical Observation: 28 years old female with subjective complains of blurring in her left eye was examined with OCT scan, vision test, refractometry, laboratory testing was taken in his acute phase of ARPE and then the patient was treated 20 days and after the examination was repeated. There were changes in subjective symptoms and objective there was positive changes in vision test, OCT scan also showed significant positive changes in foveal map, epithelium dislocation. Conclusion: ARPE has a different objective findings during different phases of illness in OCT scan, vision testing, and also in subjective patient complains. ARPE is self-limiting disease, but treatment with oral steroids also might influence development of a disease.


Two fundamental problems in computational game theory are computing a Nash equilibrium and learning to exploit opponents given observations of their play (opponent exploitation). The latter is perhaps even more important than the former: Nash equilibrium does not have a compelling theoretical justification in game classes other than two-player zero-sum, and for all games one can potentially do better by exploiting perceived weaknesses of the opponent than by following a static equilibrium strategy throughout the match. The natural setting for opponent exploitation is the Bayesian setting where we have a prior model that is integrated with observations to create a posterior opponent model that we respond to. The most natural, and a well-studied prior distribution is the Dirichlet distribution. An exact polynomial-time algorithm is known for best-responding to the posterior distribution for an opponent assuming a Dirichlet prior with multinomial sampling in normal-form games; however, for imperfect-information games the best known algorithm is based on approximating an infinite integral without theoretical guarantees. We present the first exact algorithm for a natural class of imperfect-information games. We demonstrate that our algorithm runs quickly in practice and outperforms the best prior approaches. We also present an algorithm for a uniform prior.


The spectrum of the 0.1-7.0 keV cosmic X-ray background (CXB) at galactic latitudes >|25| degrees has been measured using the BeppoSAX Low-Energy Spectrometer Concentrator (LECS). Above 1 keV the spectrum is consistent with a power-law of photon index 1.47 +/- 0.10 and normalization 11.0 +/- 0.8 photon cm^-2 s^-1 keV^-1 sr^-1 at 1keV. The overall spectrum can be modeled by a power-law with 2 thermal components, or by a broken power-law and a single thermal component. In both cases the softer thermal emission dominates at less than 0.3 keV and is seen through a column of a few 10^19 atom cm^-2. The other components have columns consistent with the mean line of sight value. The metal abundances for the thermal components are poorly constrained, but consistent with cosmic values. The power-law together with 2 thermal components model has been used to fit recent combined ASCA and ROSAT CXB measurements. Here, the soft thermal component is interpreted as emission from the local hot bubble and the hard thermal component as emission from a more distant absorbed region. While such a 2 component thermal model is consistent with the LECS spectrum, it is not required, and the hard thermal component may result from inadequate modeling of the extragalactic contribution. The observed low-energy spectral complexity may therefore originate primarily in the local hot bubble. There is no evidence for the presence of a very soft CXB component with a temperature <0.1 keV. The emission measure seen by ROSAT is rejected at 90% confidence.


Marsilea crenata Presl. leaves contain phytoestrogens that is suspected to play a role in increasing bone formation. Bone formation activity is defined by the expression of Osterix, a transcription factor that plays a key role in bone development. The aim of this study is to show that the ethyl acetate fraction of Marsilea crenata Presl. leaves can increase bone formation process in hFOB 1.19 cells in a TNF-α dependent manner, by measurement of Osterix. The hFOB 1.19 cells were grown in 24-well microplates and treated with 10 ng/ml TNF-α for 24 hours. The ethyl acetate fraction of Marsilea crenata Presl. leaves were also added in concentrations of 62.5, 125, and 250 ppm. A positive control was employed, at a concentration of 2.5 g/L of genistein. The expression of osterix was examined using an immunocytochemistry technique with CLSM to assess bone forming activity. The results show that ethyl acetate fraction Marsilea crenata Presl. leaves can boost osterix expression in hFOB 1.19 cells, with optimal concentration was 250 ppm at p<0.005. The ethyl acetate fraction of Marsilea crenata Presl. leaves can increase Osterix in osteoblast hFOB 1.19 cell, indicating improved bone forming activity.


With the development of Internet technology and surroundings,Internet plays a more and more important role in art education.The paper makes a brief analysis of the significance,prospect and feasibility of Internet's application in art education.


Robot-assisted fracture reduction surgery should be highly safe and accurate. It is necessary to accurately determine and control the reduction force of the reduction robot. In this article, a fracture reduction robot is designed with the configuration of the 6-universal-prismatic-universal (6-UPU). The vector method is used to analyze the kinematics of the reduction robot. The Jacobian matrix of the reduction robot and the second-order influence coefficient matrix of the acceleration are obtained. The Lagrangian method is adopted to analyze the dynamic of the reduction robot. The muscle contraction force of the femoral shaft fracture is analyzed based on the Hill model to determine the fracture reduction force. According to changing of the reduction force during the fracture reduction operation, a kind of external force estimation method based on force residual analysis is proposed. When there is no external force sensor at the end of the reduction robot, this method can be used to detect the reduction force in real time. According to the displacement, velocity, and output torque of each branch chain, the reduction force during the reduction operation of the reduction robot can be estimated. A simulation system is conducted and the simulation results show that the fracture reduction force can be estimated and accurately tracked in real time, which is of great significance for the safe operation of the fracture reduction robot.


One of the trends in language learning nowadays is the approach known as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). As its name suggests, CLIL gives the pedagogical process a dual aim, and it also integrates various components which foster motivation and authenticity. For their part, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are thought to be efficient environments for successful communicative language learning as they offer a number of didactic advantages such as enhanced access to materials or the possibility of interaction and collaboration. Nevertheless, both CLIL and ICT have usually been treated, studied and implemented separately. The assumption behind this research is that a joint analysis, in an integrative manner, could give greater insights into how the language learning process might reach its full potential. Consequently, this research, which is of analytical nature, aims at proposing a theoretical framework in which CLIL is analysed from the point of view of the peculiarities and improvements brought about by the use of ICT, including an evaluation tool based on pedagogical criteria and a typology of learning resources and tasks. In order to meet this objective, first, a study is carried out to carefully analyse not only the components behind the concept and the methodology of this type of language learning, but also the technologies that can help to enhance it. Such study applies an analytical methodology to incorporate insights from an earlier review of relevant literature, although it goes beyond a simple review, since it involves an interpretation of the aspects that may link CLIL and TIC. Then, a proposal is put forward to construct an integrative framework to jointly analyse CLIL assisted by ICT from a pedagogical point of view. Finally, an example of how to use the framework is described.


ABSTRACT The gas separation characteristics of ultramicroporous glass capillary membranes were investigated. Glass capillary membranes which had ultramicropores (pore diameter less than 1 nm) were prepared by elution of alkali metal ions from glass capillaries. It was found from elution treatment that alkali metal ions of 3 Na(composition: 778 SiO2, 22 Na2O mol%) and 3 K (composition: 77 SiO2, 22 K2O mol%) glass capillaries were completely eluted after 90 and 10 minutes with 3 mol/L HNO3, 240 and 10 minutes with 3 mol/L CHM3COOH and 3 mol/L H3PO4, respectively. Permeations of N2, He, and CO2 were measured at 298, 373, and 473 K. Permeation rates of the 3 Na and 3 K glass capillary membranes were 11 (cm3(STP).cm2-s1.cmHg1). The ratios of permeation rates, CO2/N2 and He/N2, were similar to the theoretical Knudsen values.


This paper presents a completely new and simple audio amplifier system using the opto-coupling of LED (Light Emitting Diode) and PD (Photo Diode), without using conventional devices such as Transistor, IC and Vacuum Tube. This paper also describes the reason why the opt-coupling device works in the same way as a bipolar junction transistor and explains why the audio amplifier can be realized in a very simple form. Since we have felt that the presented audio amplifier shows good sound with very low noise, we have evaluated the characteristics of sound signal from the audio amplifier. As for the Kansei evaluation, we have obtained the experimental result that it varies depending on the type of songs (music). NAA is inferior CAA (Conventional Audio Amplifier) in some items. However, it was found to be comparable to the overall.


The utility model discloses a tube sheet slotted structure conducive to strength expansion connection, including a tube sheet (1) on which a through hole used for inserting a heat dissipation tube is arranged; a plurality of ring-shaped grooves (2) which surround the inner wall of the through hole for a circle are arranged on the inner wall of the through hole along the axial direction at intervals; the depth of the grooves is 0.5mm; the width of the grooves is 6-7mm; the distance from the grooves to the surface of the tube sheet is 11-12mm; and the interval among the grooves (2) is 7 to 8mm. The tube sheet slotted structure conducive to strength expansion connection has the benefit of being especially suitable to be used for the strength expansion connection of the heat exchange tube and the tube sheet in the manufacturing process of heat exchangers. After certain modification is carried out on the original expansion connection structure, the groove width and interval are increased, the close fitting of the heat exchange tube and the tube sheet is ensured, and the tension release force of the heat exchange tube is enhanced. The structure can be widely promoted in the heat exchangers and save the manufacturing cost.


Apparatus for monitoring the mass flow of the solid particles in the air pipeline (10, 12) is provided with measuring chamber (16) Impact bodies (34, 34 '). Substantially 'to strike the, through the inlet connection (18), solid particle stream is the impact body (34, 34 that the impact body entire cross-section (34, 34') sprayed as a compact solid / gas jet) It is. The sound wave signal generated by said compact solid / gas jet acoustic transducer is in conjunction to the impact body (34, 34 ') for sensing the structure generating sound waves, and changing the the sound wave into an output signal processing means (60) processes the output signal to calculate a value representing the mass flow of the solid particle flow.


A system for measuring the methane concentration based on difference absorption has been studied.The light with central wavelength 1 650 nm is emitted by distribution feedback laser(DFB),and one beam passes the methane gas in a gas cell,the other directly passes another reference gas cell.The useful light signal is converted into electric signal by hardware circuit.The relationship between concentration and voltage is obtained by virtual instrument software processing the voltage signal.The results of the experiments show that the real time detection and monitor of the methane gas can be completed in this system.


The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of different environmental conditions by subjecting the pharmaceutical formulation i.e. Nifedipine under acidic and basic conditions by using spectrophotometer. It is usually preferred over other methods because of less equipment cost and economical maintenance advantage. The result reveals that the drug is degraded more in acidic medium as compared to basic medium. The absorbance of solution was decreased when subjected to acidic medium and when the solution was subjected to alkaline medium the absorbance decreases many folds as compared to acidic medium.In acidic medium the percent availability of the drug was 21.79% and in alkaline medium the percent availability was 7.26%. we conclude that the drug shows degradation in both the mediums.


Group work in education is a standard way of teaching, but is not always provided with the proper tools for being carried out. This work aims to explain a teaching group management model using Digital Tablets. A selection of applications was made for efficient managing of the work s coordination between group members as well as between them and the teacher. During the year 2011-12, a pilot study was carried out with graphic design as a subject involving students from the Computer Engineering and Agricultural Engineering degrees at the University of La Laguna. During seven weeks of the semester, the total number of students was divided into 30 groups that had to perform different graphic projects. The double aim of this methodology is monitoring the work of each group through TeacherKit app for iPad and improving the coordination, collaborative work and communication with the teacher using Dropbox as a common space for all members of each group and the teacher. For complementing the review process another two apps have been also used: LogMeIn and Notability. This work details the experience and some preliminary results from student's satisfaction. © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odabaşı


roles2 (see Figure 2) can be brought together to form the facilitator clock (see Figure 3). The two hands of the facilitator clock point to two different aspects of facilitation: task/process orientation and support/challenge levels. The hour hand indicates a preference for being task-orientated or process-orientated. Those who are naturally taskorientated like to focus on the goal, the timings and achieving the stated aim of the group. Those who are naturally process-orientated find themselves more interested in the interactions between individuals and the formation of the group. This forms a single axis that wraps around the outside of our clock providing the direction of the hour hand. The minute hand points to one of four quadrants to represent a set of two axes of low to high support and low to high challenge. Some people are naturally highly supportive and tend to avoid challenge while others Education for Primary Care (2015) 26: 102–12 © 2015 Radcliffe Publishing Limited


The necessity of performing thermal part of the frequency dividing control stations with transverse relationship and proposals to reduce the frequency separating automatics in the energy sector.


Abstract Knock detection occupies a very important role in the ignition control of a Spark Ignition (S.I.) engine. Production-grade knock detection schemes must be computationally efficient and comprise a set of parameters which require calibration during Engine Control Unit (ECU) development. This is typically achieved empirically, whereby a calibration engineer induces knock on the ECU and monitors the detection performance to manually adjust the tunable parameters. In this paper, we propose automatic, on-line calibration of a production-grade, frequency-domain knock detection system. Compared to the conventional method of manual calibration, this method allows for on-line tuning of the parameters based on scientific optimization schemes. It thus enables the implementation of specific objective functions which can meet desired criteria.


In general adult humans can learn a reversal shift faster than they can learn a nonreversal shift, whereas young children and animals do just the opposite. This difference is often explained in terms of the adult's use of verbal concepts as mediators. This study attempted to teach rats a nonverbal concept and thereby to facilitate their acquisition of reversal shifts. The results indicated fact, attain the concept, but they as a mediator. that the rats did, in were unable to use it Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.


The retina is the only tissue in human body from which the information of blood vessel can be unswervingly obtained. The information of retinal vessel plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, degenerative myopia, diabetic retinopathy etc. The morphology of the retinal blood vessel and the optic disk is an important structural indicator for assessing the presence and severity of retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, glaucoma, hemorrhages, vein occlusion, and neovascularization. However, to assess the diameter and tortuosity of the retinal blood vessel or the shape of the optic disk, manual planimetry has commonly been used by ophthalmologists, which is generally time consuming and prone to human error, especially when the vessel structures are complicated or a large number of images are acquired to be labeled by hand. Therefore, a reliable automated method for retinal blood vessel and optic disk segmentation, which preserves various vessel and optic disk characteristics, is attractive in computer-aided diagnosis. However here implement a new competent method for the detection diseases using the retinal fundus image. In this anticipated work first step is the extraction of retinal vascular tree using graph cut technique. The blood vessel information is then use to calculate approximately the position of optic disc. These results are given to an ANN classifier for the detection and classification of diseases. By robotically identify the disease from normal images, the workload and its costs will be reduced.


The purpose of this article is to present a wider frame to treat the quasi-static limit of Maxwell's equations. We discuss the fact that there exists not one but indeed two dual Galilean limits, the electric and the magnetic one. We start by a re-examination of the gauge conditions and their compatibility with Lorentz and Galilean covariance. By means of a dimensional analysis on fields and potentials we first emphasize the correct scaling yielding the equations in the two limits. With this particular point of view, the gauge conditions of classical electromagnetism are continuity equations whose range of validity depend on the relativistic or Galilean nature of the underlying phenomenon and have little to do with mathematical closure assumptions taken without physical motivations.


What are we trying to index when we make assessments of attachment patterns in early life? How do these quality-of-attachment constructs relate to other constructs that are theoretically important to the description and development of attachment relationships? How do parents and children contribute to these developmental processes? What measurement issues are important for the field to consider when evaluating attachment and related constructs? In addressing these questions, we will concurrently examine the nature and assessment of constructs of maternal sensitivity and temperament, both of which have been significant in attachment research and theory. We begin by describing the core constructs of attachment theory, namely, the attachment system and secure-base behavior. We follow by discussing contextual factors that are thought to be crucial in the development of individual differences in attachment, especially maternal sensitivity. We then consider child characteristics, especially temperament, that may contribute to the operation of the attachment system. In this context, we consider both parental supports for secure-base behavior and the ways by which infants "teach" their parents about the specific behaviors that are required to provide a secure base for the individual child. Assessment issues associated with each of these constructs, connections (theoretical and empirical) among them, and some views on directions for future research are each discussed in turn.


In October 2012, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled in Johnson v Canada that a Ponzi scheme can be a source of income for a participant, and is therefore subject to tax. Leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was refused. Johnson argued in the Tax Court of Canada that the receipts were not subject to tax because they were not income from a source per section 3 of the Income Tax Act. The Tax Court applied the principle and indicia set out in Cranswick in determining whether the applicant's received amounts were "income from a source". The Tax Court found that, as nothing was invested and nothing was actually earned, the capital investment was not the source of the amounts received. The Federal Court of Appeal disagreed, on a different conception of the facts. The returns on the scheme were taxable as income from a source – namely, property. The Federal Court of Appeal noted that a participant in a Ponzi scheme whose profits are taxable might, in the appropriate circumstances, be allowed to deduct related losses. It was hoped that the Supreme Court of Canada would allow Ms. Johnson's application for leave to appeal and clarify the application of the problematic wording in Hammill, the taxability of returns of "investors" who profit from Ponzi schemes, and the scope of section 3 and paragraph 3(a) of the Income Tax Act.