Abstract The reactions of N,N′ -bis(pentafluorophenyl)sulfurdiimide with [(CH3)3Sn]2NCH3, [(CH3)3Sn]3N and [(CH3)3Sn]2NC6F5 yiels the 1:1 adducts 1-3. 1H and 19 F NMR investigations show, that fluorine atoms in the ortho position of the phenyl ring coordinate to the tin atom. This causes an increase of electron density at tin. A similar interpretation is given for the adduct 4 of N,N′-bis(p-chlorophenylsulfonyl)sulfurdiimide and [(CH3)3Sn]2NCH3, where an oxygen atom of the sulfonyl group is bonded to tin.


The efficiency of a process of compression or expansion of a gas is commonly defined in terms of the change in energy which occurs as compared with the change required in isentropic flow. In another method the efficiency may be defined' in terms of the fraction of the mechanical work lost in friction and converted into heat. Alternatively, if the process is adiabatic, the efficiency may be defined in terms of the fraction of the enthalpy increment which is re-converted into heat by the frictional effects. This latter method is applied here to adiabatic subsonic expansion of a gas in steady flow and some simple relationships of a general nature are established. The application to simplified flow through a turbine nozzle is then considered with particular reference to the choking mass flow.

The College of Aeronautics was founded in 1946 and was granted university status in 1969 becoming the Cranfield Institute of Technology. In 1993 it changed its name to Cranfield University.


A jogger runs along a sandy strip where the gentle lap of waves signals the meeting of sea and shore. Up ahead, a family of diminutive shorebirds use their black-tipped yellow bills to probe for beetles, marine worms and other tasty invertebrates churned up by waves. This particular jogger hardly notices the small flock of plovers running back and forth on the water-washed sand. As she approaches, the birds freeze, cry out, then scatter in all directions. As the jogger's figure fades on the horizon, the mother plover frantically herds the straying chicks, and the whole family returns to the serious business of foraging. They must eat enough to build up strength for their long journey south. Just as the chicks settle back into their feeding routine, two people searching for shells disturb the birds again, sending them off in another panic-stricken flight.


1731 saw the publication of a manual of exemplary conduct for the military class in the exercise of their profession: the EmpresasPoliticasMilitares, by Juan Antonio Pozuelo. The book is composed of 55 imprese,each of which conforms to the characteristic tripartite disposition of an emblem. In his enumeration of the virtues that must guide soldiers, and of the vices to avoid, the author resorts continuously to motifs from the emblematic tradition, a clear example of the decline of the genre. Nevertheless, it is possible to detect a small group of imprese with a greater degree of originality, which implies a personal contribution by the author to the lesson that he wants to transmit. And at times, the objects chosen to illustrate the theme are closely related to the military world, in an attempt by Pozuelo to adapt the symbolic-emblematic universe to the audience to whom the book is addressed. As a result, we are dealing with a book which, thanks to its repeated references to works and authors of military themes, acquires on occasion aspects of a military treatise. This study analyzes the imprese created by Pozuelo, explaining their sources and meaning.


We propose and experimentally demonstrate compact on-chip 1×2 wavelength selective switches (WSSs) based on silicon microring resonators (MRRs) with nested pairs of subrings (NPSs). Owing to the resonance splitting induced by the inner NPSs, the proposed devices are capable of performing selective channel routing at certain resonance wavelengths of the outer MRRs. System demonstration of dynamic channel routing using fabricated devices with one and two NPSs is carried out for 10  Gb/s non-return-to-zero signal. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the fabricated devices as compact on-chip WSSs.


Road traffic safety is no longer the issue of only one discipline but rather requires a multi-faceted approach targeting law enforcement; education and communication; data and intelligence; engineering and legislation. The Western Cape Government took cognizance of this, and guided by its Provincial Strategic Objectives, established the Provincial Road Traffic Management Coordinating Committee (PRTMCC) in order to achieve its primary road traffic safety objective of reducing road crash fatalities by 50% by 2014. The PRTMCC serves as the case study in order to illustrate the benefits of institutionalising structures whilst highlighting the inefficiencies that arise as a result of bureaucratic issues that ensue, particularly in the public sector. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, through a public perception survey, as well as an analysis of an international best practice model, serves to support this claim. This paper explores and interrogates how institutionalising these structures within the public; private and civil society sphere could promote road traffic safety. 1 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK – ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRTMCC According to the National Land Transport Act (NLTA), 2009 (Act 5 of 2009) it is held that Provincial Government would be responsible for the provision of provincial land transport policy and strategy; planning and coordination of land transport functions; coordination between municipalities to ensure effective execution of land transport in the Province and liaising with other government departments and the coordination of prominent role-players. As a result of this legislation, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works was mandated to be the "lead agency" in the implementation of a road traffic safety programme for the Province, hence the establishment of the Safely Home programme. The Western Cape Government, as part of its vision to move forward and become the world's best-run regional Government, launched 12 Provincial Strategic Objectives (PSOs); with the third objective relating to road traffic safety namely Increasing Access to Safe and Efficient Transport. PSO3 served as the primary objective influencing the Safely Home programme and was approved by Cabinet on 542 ISBN Number: 978-1-920017-63-7 Proceedings of the 34th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2015) the 14 of July 2010 with the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works appointed as the custodian department. The World Health Organisation's World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention (2004) notes that in order to achieve success in reducing road traffic deaths, injuries and disabilities, governments should implement the following recommendations holistically, covering a wide range of disciplines and sectors of society: "...Identify a lead agency in government to guide the national road traffic safety effort; Assess the problem, policies and institutional settings relating to road traffic injury and the capacity for road traffic injury prevention in each country; Prepare a national road safety strategy and plan of action; Allocate financial and human resources to address the problem; Implement specific actions to prevent road traffic crashes, minimize injuries and their consequences and evaluate the impact of these actions and support the development of national capacity and international cooperation". (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2004, p.160) These recommendations were supplemented by the Western Cape Government's notion of "The 4 E's Strategy" which is based on the principles of Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Evaluation. It is considered to be an international best practice example. The strategy is illustrated in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: "The 4 E's Strategy" Due to the complex nature of the Safely Home programme, the Integrated Transport Steering Group (ITSG) sanctioned the establishment of the Provincial Road Traffic Management Coordinating Committee (PRTMCC), under the banner of the National Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), to serve as the Work Group that would manage the programme. The Work Group is divided into two sets of sub-structures. Regions are currently divided according to their district municipal boundaries and sub-work groups for each region were established in order to ensure line functionality. These work groups are called District Road Traffic Management Coordinating Committee sub-work groups (DRTMCC SWGs). The second sub-structure is specialist sub-work groups that are


In the tradition of ancient Greek texts it sometimes happens that, due to a number of different reasons a text is credited incorrectly to a certain author. It is the—sometimes very difficult—task of classical philology to detect these errorneous assignments and, if possible, to correct them. The methods used for this task and the results achieved by them are often subject of strong criticism either because the methods are considered inadequate or because the results are doubted for some reason. One of the methods commonly used consists in searching for special stylistic properties of a given text and comparing them with the personal style of possible Greek authors of the text in question. By these means researchers aim at matching properties of the text with the characteristics of a given writer in order to declare him the author for whom they have searched, conversely, or at finding enough contradictions between the text's and the writer's stylistic properties to be able to negate the authorship of the writer. One special technique is called "stylometry". It makes use of several methods from mathematical statistics. More specifically, it uses statistical tests to reject a proposed hypothesis by arguing with quantitative data gained from the text and writer's work. We want to use stylometry to investigate the authenticity of Rhesus by the attic dramatist Euripides. This is still an open research topic in classical philology. Our idea is to test whether the distribution (in the sense of mathematical statistics) of word categories in the text of Rhesus differs significantly from the distribution in the whole work of Euripides. To do this, we formulate an "axiom of style": a typical distribution can be assigned to every author, and any text written by him follows this distribution up to a deviation which is statistically irrelevant. Experiments have shown that two different authors differ in their very own way to distribute word categories in their text. They consequently can be distinguished by computing a distribution of word categories that is typical of their works. Furthermore, the typical distribution for a single author is especially influenced by two facts:


Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is based on the distribution of television services over IP networks. IPTV is redefining the concept of media broadcast providing a vast amount of services in one single environment. The digital revolution also helped to create and deliver a high quality media solutions, using lower bit rates. One of the most demanding services is the Video-OnDemand (VOD). This implicates a dedicated streaming channel for each user in order to provide normal media player commands (i.e. pause, fast forward). Most multimedia companies offer personalized products that sometimes do not fulfil all the users needs, and are far from being a cheap solution. Only a personalized system built solely with open-source tools, may provide all the requirements we want. Our goal was to create a reliable and scalable VOD service, fully capable of dealing with the present state-of-the-art multimedia technologies. As this project was mainly for an Internet environment a Web Services (WS) exposure was needed to maximize the potential of our service, providing other developers the right tools to build and integrate our services in different applications. The Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and the REpresentational State Transfer (REST) were currently the most used Web Services protocols and each one was widely spread among services like Facebook and Google. Both a Administration and User's interface was needed to fully manage all the video metadata and contents, and properly view it in a rich and appealing application providing the ultimate proof of concept. In the end of this thesis we were able to acknowledge that the developed system, far from being an enterprise solution, was in fact capable of levelling with existing solutions, and could become even better with further development.


Brown algae belonging to ten genera representing seventeen different species collected from all over Saurashtra region were analysed for mineral composition such as total ash, insoluble ash, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphate content. The results are fully discussed and compared with other published data. STUDIES on the mineral composition of Indian marine algae has received considerable attention in recent years (Rao, 1970). Althoifgh Saurashtra region abounds in seaweeds, information on mineral composition of algae of the area is wanting. The mineral composition of brown algae from Saurashtra Coast is reported here. The species studied are given in Table I, along with ifhe place and time of collection. Authors wish to acknowledge their grateful thanks to Dr. (Mrs.) Francisca Thivy, a former algologist of this Institute for confirming the identification of algae included here, while Dr. D. J. Mehta, Scientist-in-Charge for kind encouragement and permission to publish this work. Materials and Methods Algae were collected, dried, powdered and preserved as followed by Lewis (1973). Methods of analysis as laid down in Piper's (1950) s<i>il and plant analysis and official methods of analysis of AOAC (1960) were followed in the analysis of major constituents. Ash was determined by ashing the matjerial at 550°C for 5 hours; sodium and potassium were estimated by flame photpmeter; calcium and magnesium were estimated by titrations with EDTA solutions. Sulphate was estimated gravimetrically by precipitating and weighing as BaS04. Insolubles


A buried bit line DRAM cell and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The buried bit line DRAM cell has a buried bit line formed into a trench which isolates devices, the buried bit line being isolated from a semiconductor substrate, a gate formed to be orthogonal to the bit line on the substrate, a first insulating layer formed to insulate the gate, a source and a drain of a transistor formed on the substrate at both sides of the gate, a self-aligned bit line contact formed between the first insulating layers for making contact between the drain and the buried bit line, and a self-aligned buried contact formed between the first insulating layers for making contact between the source and a storage electrode. According to the above structure, misalignment between the gate and the bit line and the excessive exposure to thermal processing which are inherent in conventional Buried Bit Line cells can be avoided and the design rule margin can be improved.


In 2013, the European Union (EU) concluded its first comprehensive trade agreement with a Southeast Asian partner. The EU-Singapore agreement (EUSFTA) was meant as a blueprint for further negotiations in the region and indeed it was paralleled by trade talks between the EU and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Given the significant challenges and roadblocks the EU faced in concluding both inter-regional and bilateral trade deals in Asia prior to the EUSFTA, the conclusion of this agreement can be understood as a significant success. However, this success has come at the cost of a shift in EU external relations away from the promotion of its own foundation norms of human rights, rule of law and democracy. This shift has had a deleterious effect on the EU's legitimacy, founded on upholding these norms, both internally and in the Asian region. As a blueprint agreement, the EUSFTA can be analyzed to understand how this shift in the EU's external relations will shape the EU's wider trade policy in East Asia as well as the future of EU-Asia trade relations. This working paper will explore these negotiations and argue that the EU unbundled trade policy from its rights-based foreign policy in the EUSFTA. We argue that this creates significant opportunity for Singapore and other Asian states, but also presents a critical risk to the EU's foundation norms, which were compromised in the EU's negotiation of the EUSFTA.


The thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and liver X receptor (LXR)are members of the nuclear hormone receptor family and are ligand-dependent transcription factors. Among the promoter target genes, TR and LXR recognize the T3 response element and LXR response element (LXRE), respectively. Because T3 response elements and LXREs have similar configurations, referred to as direct repeat 4, we investigated the possibility of cross-talk between the two ligand-dependent signal transduction pathways. We found that TR 1, a major isoform of TR in the liver, binds and transactivates LXREs derived from the mouse mammary tumor virus long-terminal repeat and the promoter of the sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c. Moreover, unliganded TR 1 suppresses promoter activity driven by LXR and its ligand, whereas transactivation by T3-bound TR 1 is not affected by LXR in the presence or absence of oxysterols. Gel shift, mammalian twohybrid, and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays demonstrated the direct binding of TR 1 to these LXREs and revealed that the interaction between TR 1 and corepressors is important to the unliganded TR-mediated suppression of LXR -transactivation. Our findings suggest that T3 and TR influence lipid metabolism regulated by oxysterol/LXR at the transcriptional level. (Endocrinology 145: 5515–5524, 2004)


Key words: Terrorism, Islam, September 11, content analysis

The aim of this essay is to investigate whether the description of Muslims in Swedish
newspapers has changed after September 11, 2001. B ...


A rational method of posing design wind loads for transmission line structures is overviewed. This method uses historical wind data from a utility's service area, a gradient wind model to compute near-surface design wind velocities, a statistical model for transmission structure response to gusty winds, and a probability-based approach to computing the most probable maximum lifetime load as well as minimum acceptable load/strength factors.


We discuss P#, our implementation of a tool that allows interoperation between a concurrent superset of the Prolog programming language and C#. This enables Prolog to be used as a native implementation language for Microsoft's .NET platform. P# compiles a linear logic extension of Prolog to C# source code. We can thus create C# objects from Prolog and use C#'s graphical, networking and other libraries. We add language constructs on the Prolog side that allow concurrent Prolog code to be written. A primitive predicate is provided that evaluates a Prolog structure on a newly forked thread. Communication between threads is based on the unification of variables contained in such a structure. It is also possible for threads to communicate through a globally accessible table. All of the new features are available to the programmer through new built‐in Prolog predicates. We discuss two software engineering tools implemented using P#. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The role of power induced mirror distortion and flow induced jitter on the brightness potential of various wavelength lasers is studied. The results show a considerable payoff for seeking cooled optical component designs with a strong distortion reduction dependency on the mirror coolant flow rate. It is concluded that nonlinear phase conjugation approaches for beam control will be essential to the development of very short wavelength very high energy laser devices.


Quantum entanglement cannot be unlimitedly shared among arbitrary number of qubits. Larger the number of entangled pairs in an N-qubit system, smaller the degree of bi-partite entanglement is. We analyze a system of N qubits in which an arbitrary pair of particles is entangled. We show that the maximum degree of entanglement (measured in the concurrence) between any pair of qubits is 2/N. This tight bound can be achieved when the qubits are prepared in a pure symmetric (with respect to permutations) state with just one qubit in the basis state |0> and the others in the basis state |1>.


Excessive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) activation in endothelial cells (EnNaC) has been reported to increase oxidative stress and induce inflammation with associated cardiovascular abnormalities. Our previous research has demonstrated that global inhibition of ENaC signaling with amiloride prevented Western diet (WD)‐induced inflammation, fibrosis, endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffness in mesenteric and coronary resistance arteries and aorta. However, the role of endothelium specific EnNaC activation in the pathogenesis of vascular stiffness has not been investigated. We posited that EnNaC activation promotes obesity‐ and mineralocorticoid receptor‐mediated vascular stiffness. Accordingly, we sought to determine if endothelium specific EnNaC alpha subunit KO would prevent vascular inflammation, vascular stiffness, and impairment of endothelium dependent relaxation. Female EnNaC and wild‐type littermate mice were fed with WD high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fat or a standard chow diet for 12 weeks. In a separate study, female mice were treated with aldosterone (250 μg/kg/day) via osmotic minipumps for 3 weeks. Selective deletion of EnNaC significantly mitigated WD‐induced ex vivo endothelial stiffness measured by atomic force microscopy and – impaired aortic endothelium dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine (10−9–10−4 mol/L). In addition to reducing mineralocorticoid receptor mediated endothelial stiffness, EnNaC KO also mitigated aldosterone‐induced inward Na+ currents and EnNaC activity in isolated endothelial cells. Furthermore, EnNaC KO attenuated aldosterone‐induced endothelium permeability, vascular inflammation, endothelial stiffness, as well as aortic endothelium dependent relaxation. These data indicate that endothelial specific EnNaC activation mediates vascular endothelium dysfunction and prompts vascular stiffening.


ati-ber-beni, or the antiieuiritie, vitamini, us9uallydesciribed at the present time as vitamini B1. The other was tlhe (liscov-er yof lholst witd Fr6lihit in 19072 that fresh foods, especiallyfru 1its anidl vegetables, contfainied a subistalice ilm wh.ose absence fromlthe diet time disease kniow-ni as scurvy develohped. ThVis substance is now knowit as tlIe antiscorbutid v-itamin, or vitant iii C. Bothl tltese discoveries-the one whtiecli l ( to the establishniciut of the etiology of beri-berl, an'd time otller to time etiology of s-cuirvy have hxee-i of grealt priactictl ,sigtuificaicee in thjeminselves; but, for the miomienit, whaut I Wish to emphasize i tltit 1lmev led to


The study investigated age grade associations' activities in enhancing community development projects in Odukpani and Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Five hundred (500) respondents were randomly selected from ten (10) council wards in Odukpani and Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State using stratified and simple random sampling. The role of age grade associations in enhancing community development projects questionnaire (AGAECDQ) was used for data collection. Data were analysed using population t-test analysis for single mean. The research findings revealed that the extent to which age grade associations provide educational and loan facilities in enhancing community development projects is not significantly high. Therefore, it was recommended that governments at all levels should provide capacity building programmes for age grade members whose contributions are inevitable for implementation of community based projects in the study area. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research , 8(2), 167-176, 2011


North Yorkshire Police is investigating a serious collision involving motorcycle and a tractor on the outskirts of Northallerton. It occurred on the ...


Abstract. The Yangtze River is
the longest river in China; nearly one-third of the national population lives
along the river. Air quality over the Yangtze River is important as it may
have significant influences on the aquatic ecosystem, the health of everyone
living along the Yangtze River, and regional climate change. Chemical
compositions of ambient aerosol were determined during a comprehensive cruise
campaign carried out along the mid–lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR)
in winter of 2015. The total average concentration of PM2.5 was 119.29±33.67 µg m−3, and the dominant ionic composition in
PM2.5 was SO42- with an average concentration of 15.21±6.69 µg m−3, followed by NO3- (13.76±4.99 µg m−3), NH4+ (9.38±4.35 µg m−3), and Ca2+ (2.23±1.24 µg m−3) in this cruise. Based on the filter samples,
the concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 were remarkably
varied or fluctuated from coastal areas to inland over the MLYR region.
Crustal elements (Ca, Mg, Al, and K) from floating dust showed peak
concentrations in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, while secondary
inorganic species (SO42-, NO3-, and
NH4+) and some of the most enriched elements (Pb, As, Se, and
Cd) presented high levels in central China (Wuhan region). The significant
correlation between Se and SO42- suggested that coal combustion
may play an important role in secondary inorganic aerosol formation. The
relatively high enrichment factors (EFs) of Ca (EFs >100) suggested the
crustal elements may derive from anthropogenic sources. Furthermore, the
concentration of levoglucosan in PM2.5 and the CO column level from
satellite observation were greatly enhanced in the rural areas (Anhui and
Jiangxi), indicating that biomass burning may make a remarkable contribution
to rural areas. The concentrations of typical tracer for heavy oil (V and Ni)
significantly increased in the Shanghai port, which was mainly ascribed to
ship emissions, based on the air mass source analysis and the relatively high
ratio of V ∕ Ni as well. The results shown herein portray a good picture
of air pollution along the Yangtze River.


Novel fully-differential (F-D) adjustable filter with three fully-differential current conveyors (FD-CCII) and one digitally adjustable current conveyor (DACA) is presented in this contribution. Structure is universal because each of the five standard functions is provided. Comparison with initial single-ended (S-E) solution with three universal current conveyors (UCC) and one DACA is provided. Simulations were performed with 3rd order models that are also included.


Background To identify the role of the interaction of complement fragment 3a (C3a) and its receptor C3aR in uric acid (UA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced CCL2 expression in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2.Methods HK-2 cells were cultured in vitro and treated with UA or LPS to induce the production of CCL2. To determine the role of C3a-C3aR interaction in CCL2 production, HK-2 cells exposed to UA or LPS were pretreated with the small molecule sb290157 (1μmol/l) or recombinant C3a protein (100nmol/l) to block or amplify C3a-C3aR interaction. The expression of CCL2, C3 and C3aR were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western Blotting.Results 12 hours of UA (150μmol/L) stimulation or 8 hours of LPS (5μg/ml) treatment significantly induced CCL2 and C3 mRNA transcription in HK-2 cells. The expression of CCL2 induced by UA or LPS could be abrogated by C3aR blockade. C3a stimulation alone has little effect on inducing CCL2 expression in HK-2 cells. However, when it stimulated the HK-2 cells together with UA or LPS, it could remarkably potentiate UA or LPS-induced CCL2 expression.Conclusion The activation of C3aR provides an important co-stimulating signal for CCL2 production in HK-2 cells and blocking the interaction of C3a-C3aR will significantly inhibit UA or LPS induced CCL2 production.


The effects of ultrasound-enhanced hot air drying on the drying characteristics, microstructure and bioactive profile of germinated highland barley seeds (GHB) were studied. GHB was dried by hot air at 55 °C and 70 °C and ultrasonic intensities of 125.1 W/dm2 and 180.2 W/dm2, respectively. The results showed that when the drying temperature was 55 °C or 70 °C, the sonicated groups could shorten the drying time by 17.4–26.1% or 18.8–31.3%, respectively. Ultrasound drying at 125.1 W/dm2 and 55 °C could mostly increase the content of organic selenium and the rehydration rate, improve the color and maintain the original structure of GHB. Compared with hot air drying alone, the phenolic content did not increase due to ultrasound-enhanced hot air drying. Therefore, drying at an ultrasonic intensity of 125.1 W/dm2 and a temperature of 55 °C could effectively shorten the drying time, and enhance the quality of GHB.


Debris flow moves in manner of successive surges and deposits by piling of surges. The surge occurs randomly and varies in properties and magnitude. This study explores the probability distribution of velocity and derives the distribution of flow depth based on observations in Jiangjia Gully in the southwest of China. The Weibull distribution is found to be well applicable to both the velocity and depth, with parameters varying in a rather small range. Therefore, the distribution is expected to hold in general for debris flows in different conditions and can be used to estimate the discharge of a potential debris flow. The estimated quantity is better than those inferred from the rainfall at a given frequency because it incorporates both the variation of surges and the real condition of the valley. In conclusion, The distribution provides a more reliable method of risk assessment of debris flow. © 2011 Casa Editrice Universita La Sapienza.


As a real world problem, an automatic/semi-automatic loading arrangement system always has to deal with complicated conditions and emergency situations. Therefore, it is difficult to find a systemic method to solve the problems in this field. In the paper, an extended choice model based on the garbage can model with an optimization function is proposed for solving the loading arrangement and scheduling problems. We use this model to deal with situated factors such as temporal availability of resources and coexistence of current conflicts.


In this study, we setup a ground-based scatterometer using an antenna of which the center frequency is 9.5 GHz (X-band), and measured radar backscatterings from air/ice and ice/water interfaces to extract ice thickness. Both of air/ice and ice/water interfaces make strong radar backscatterings and so we can clearly identify two peaks in measured data by scatterometer. By using the distance of two peaks and refractive index of ice, we confirmed that it is possible to measure ice thickness. Field survey was performed at the downstream of Jiam River flowing into Chuncheon Lake. We measured radar backscattering from river ice along a survey path and extracted ice thickness. The ice thickness map of the downstream of Jiam River was produced by using kriging which is one of well known interpolation methods. The ice thickness was about 50 cm along the mainstream while ice was thin as 30 ~ 40 cm at a fast-flowing meander. Ice thickness was particularly thinner at some locations than that of surrounding areas even in the mainstream region of constant flow. This was because of impurities in ice or artificially formed refrozen holes after fishing. We expect that this study helps to expand utilization field of X-band SAR and airborne scatterometer system.


This book reviews neurocybernetics and neurobionics. Neurocybernetics is herein defined as cybernetics which concerns itself with regulatory processes and the utilization of information by the nervous system. Neurobionics, on the other hand, is concerned with the elucidation of neural mechanisms and the application of this knowledge to technical problems. The book contains chapters on principles of cybernetics, neuronal models and the theory of neural networks, the problems of form recognition, homeostatic systems, and the importance of neurocybernetics and neurobionics in medicine. This small volume first appeared in Russian in 1968, and with the tremendous advances in the field is somewhat dated. Nevertheless, it will give the reader a reasonable introduction to this complex area.


An approximate theory of the interactions of hindered internal rotation with over‐all rotations of symmetric rotors is given. This treatment considers the interdependence of hindered internal rotation and vibrations and their effect upon the rotational energy levels. The resulting expression for the frequencies of ΔK = 0, ΔJ = 1 transitions is ν=2J[Bv+Fv(m|1−cos3θ|m)+Gv(m|Πz2|m)+LvK(m|Πz|m)], where Bv, Fv, Gv, and Lv are constants independent of the rotational quantum numbers, m represents the basis that diagonalizes the Hamiltonian corresponding to pure internal rotation, πz is the internal angular momentum operator, and θ is the angle of internal rotation. Procedures for evaluating (m|1—cos3θ|m) and (m|πzn|m) in terms of a parameter α are given.This theory has been applied to the J=0→1 transitions of methyl silane. The parameters Bv, Fv, Gv, and α were obtained empirically and were then used to calculate frequencies. The agreement between observed and calculated values was quite good. Furthermore, the a...


The techno!ogica!-economica! efficiency of cutting procedure considerably depends оn
the rationa! use оf working too!s, since it is in c!ose correlation with the costs and quality оf
machining and productivity, as well. In the рарег the essential рrоblem оf working too!s, the
possibility and so!ution method оf optimizing the wearing аге discussed. Optimization оf
wearing is at the same time the background ргоblem also оf determining the cutting data and as
such it саn significant!y contribute to the efficiency оf cutting procedure.


An illuminating device with adjustable light beams and a method for assembling the same. The light-emitting units are disposed on the substrate. The optical element is disposed in the path of a light emitted by at least one of the light-emitting units. The driving unit drives a first or second set of the light-emitting units, wherein a light beam formed by light that is emitted by the first set of the light-emitting units and passes through the optical element has a different shape or projection angle from a light beam formed by light that is emitted by the second set of the light-emitting units and passes through the optical element.


9048 Background: To evaluate Doppler-Ultrasonography with perfusion software and contrast agent injection (DUPSCA) as a predictor of tumor response to imatinib (Gleevec® ) in positive c-Kit GIST.

METHODS
Patients (pts) with advanced GIST treated by imatinib (French BFR14 trial) were prospectively included in a monocentric imaging trial. DUPSCA was performed with a sonograph Aplio using a perfusion software (Toshiba) before imatinib administration (d0), on day1, 7, 14, 60, and then every 3 months (m). The percentage of contrast uptake was evaluated at each tumor site by two radiologists. Results obtained by DUPSCA were compared to CT scans (every 2 m for 6 m and then every 3 m).

RESULTS
To date, 21 pts (40 target lesions) underwent 117 DUPSCA examinations. At 2 months 19 lesions in 15 pts have a CT scan good response (GR) (according to tumor volume and necrosis) and 8 lesions in 5 pts have a poor response (PR). There was no significant difference of volume between these 2 groups at d1, 7, 14 and 60. The mean percentage of contrast uptake decreased from 62% at d0 to 27% at d7 (p=4.10-6) to 12% at d14 (p= 3.10-7) for GR target lesions versus 45% to 38% to 42% at d0, d7(p=0.3) and d14 (p=0.8) respectively in PR target lesions.

CONCLUSIONS
UDPSCA is a new, simple, non invasive and reproductible imaging technique that allows an early and accurate evaluation of imatinib activity and may be anticipates the secondary resistance to (Gleevec® ). Final results will be presented during next ASCO. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


The quaternary Al-Cr-Ni-W and Al-Cr-Ni-Co systems were studied
experimentally and theoretically at the temperature 1173K in
the gamma and gamma' two phase region. The results show good
agreement of theory with experiment for the Al-Cr-Ni-Co system
and necessity to revise previous experiments in Al-Ni-W system.


This paper reports our effort to improve a sampling impedance bridge. Custom-modified ac multimeters together with optimized waveform digitizing software enable us to achieve a stability and resolution better than 1 part in 108 for nominal 1:1 voltage ratios around 1 kHz. We wish to leverage this new sampling capability to build a digital impedance bridge, aiming to derive the capacitance unit from the ac quantized Hall resistance.


On 23 March 2005 an explosion and the resulting fire in a BP oil refinery in Texas took the lives of 15 people, injured 170 others and caused damage worth billions of dollars. The already classic evaluation of this man-made disaster by an independent review panel, the so called Baker Report, starts by stating in the first line that 'process safety accidents can be prevented' (Baker Report, 2007). Looking at our industrial history, which is lined with corporate crises of all sizes, the question springs to mind 'how can we be so sure that corporate crisis can be prevented?'; and should that not be 'how can we be best prepared to control the effects of such crisis?' The history of this journal is an illustration of the considerable progress in scholarly understanding of the causes of crises and disasters during the last 40 years or so, and of techniques for their avoidance and management. An important difference between the studies of natural disasters and man-made diasters should be noted. Studies of natural disasters generally consider them amenable to statistical analyses, and an important body of work has been developed that quantifies their frequency and consequences. By contrast studies involving man-made disasters have tended to treat them as isolated, if not unique, events. Most analyses have been case studies drawing out the root causes of the event, or outlines of best practice in crisis avoidance and management. It should therefore be acknowledged that our scientific base is currently weak. Grand master of the trade, Quarantelli, does exactly that in his epilogue of the book 'What is a Disaster: New Answers to Old Questions' (Perry and Quarantelli, 2005). He turns away from the academic question at hand, which he himself raised, and instead comes up with a 10 point list of future research topics. Second on that list is 'in depth studies where the database is very weak'. The Need for a Quantitative Base


A scaling procedure for skew-symmetric data is illustrated using results from a survey by the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. These data were discussed in an April 27, 2012 op-ed column from the New York Times by Charles Blow. The op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Charles Blow, is known for his creative graphics and visual representation of data. One of his more recent columns, entitled "Young People's Priorities" (Blow, 2012), presented two tables of percentages representing young people's views on a number of real-world issues. One table was labeled Domestic Affairs and the second Foreign Affairs. These data were collected by the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard University (Harvard University, 2012); the respondents were between the ages of 18 and 29. This 21st edition released in 2012 is available on their website. The two tables presented by Mr. Blow were selected from the larger IOP survey that compared all of the issues together. The display of the raw data in table form and the information is certainly helpful for interpretation. But however informative, there is more that can be done to add clarity. For example, one might note the scattering of the three colors representing


The article examines the structure and content of the monograph "Center and Regions: Economic Policy of the Government on the Outlying Lands of the Russian Empire (1894–1917)" which was prepared by a team of St. Petersburg and Moscow historians under the editorship of M.V. Khodyakov; it analyzes the characteristic features of the authors' approaches and the significance of this work for current practices of studying the Russian Empire's outlying areas. This monograph is a non-ordinary historiographical phenomenon in terms of its goals (to give an integral, comprehensive view of the economic policy of the center in relation to the "outlying regions"), the number of tasks implemented and the total extend of the work done. The monograph includes 31 paragraphs, each devoted to poorly studied or entirely unexplored problems. However, due to the unsatisfactory elaboration of fundamental theoretical and conceptual issues, as well as the scale of the project, and the limited time span set for its implementation, the reviewed work contains a number of shortcomings: a weak introduction (especially a historiographical survey), superficial conclusions (or their absence in paragraphs), the inconsistency of the subject of some paragraphs with the matter of economic policy. But despite of all the shortcomings, this work represents a significant contribution to the study of the frontier spaces of Russia as regards both the concrete historical material introduced into scientific circulation, and the non-trivial attempt itself to create a generalizing picture of imperial economic policy on the outlying areas of Russia in the late 19th – early 20th centuries.


Microalgae (including cyanobacteria) are the basis for an emerging worldwide industry but still face significant bottlenecks in contributing to the global economy. It is an enormous challenge to translate experiences from established industries such as aquaculture and agriculture to the microalgae sector. In particular, this includes the challenge of adapting regulations that apply to such macroscopic production and mindsets, to the microscopic world of microalgae and to the scale-up to a million times smaller. Current European and country-based regulations do not always, indeed rarely, consider relevant specific issues that limit the path for innovation and growth applicable to the microalgae sector. In this work, the boundaries for the main issues impacting this sector are presented and discussed. Examples and possible analytical frameworks are presented in a question and answer format. Relevant key topics and related boundaries are discussed: What are algae and how do microalgae differ from macroalgae? Why are algae and specifically microalgae relevant? Is algae cultivation an aquaculture process? Can algae and specifically microalgae be classified as vegetables and their production be classified as agriculture or are they an industrial process? How is algaculture compared with other agricultural sectors? What are organic algae? Can microalgae be grown in wastewater and how can they be used? What are toxic algae? What are the bottlenecks for microalgae culture scale-up? How does the microalgae biodiversity contribute to their development? We conclude that microalgae are developing as a novel agricultural enterprise that can provide major benefits to a sustainable circular economy and environment but require appropriate regulations and support from governments and businesses, recognising its unique attributes and potential.


In the first of a new series of papers on open cluster distances, we use updated stellar evolution models to construct an isochrone appropriate for the Hyades and compare it with the Hyades eclipsing binary system VB 22. We find that the absolute and relative luminosities of the two stars are in good agreement with the model but that the radii do not match the values inferred from eclipse data. We present evidence that there is a consistency problem with the flux ratios and the inferred radii and discuss possible theoretical effects that could be responsible for the mismatch in the radii. We derive a helium abundance for the Hyades of Y = 0.271 ± 0.006, which is equal within the errors to the Sun's initial helium abundance, even though the Hyades is considerably more metal-rich.


In the project of legal containment of the evil of sexual violence in armed confl icts, one angle in need of urgent attention is that of defi nition of rape. It is an area fraught not only with the substantive issues of the elements of the crime to be proved in specifi c litigation, but also issues of the procedural sequencing of acts in the play of litigation, with incidental consequences pertaining to questions of fairness of the treatment of the victims in the litigation process. Th e relevance of the issue to adequate legal responses to the evil of sexual violence is engaged when victims of sexual violence, motivated by reasonable apprehension of unfair treatment, refuse to participate in the litigation process. Th e result is that perpetrators may enjoy impunity. Th ere is no statutory defi nition of rape in international law. Th e result is that the rape jurisprudence of the ad hoc Tribunals, from Akayesu and Čelebići to Muhimana through Furundžija and Kunarac, reveals an apparent jostling of positions among the judges, on the defi nition of 'rape'. What appears in the debate is a divergence of views on the objective of criminalising rape in international law— notably referred to in Akayesu as 'the central elements of the crime of rape'.1 Yet, tarry a while and one realises that the debate might be ultimately academic, for it is possible to agree that within the omnibus of aims of international law (in criminalising rape) there is room for the various views. Th e strict packaging of the one view to the exclusion of all others is neither plausible nor, it is submitted, desirable.


In today's competitive world of business, having accurate information is the key factor in distinguishing between the loser and the winner. Cost and management accounting embrace a range of techniques essential to all phases of product life cycle from providing reliable information for strategic decision making to managing construction and maintenance of costs. This study attempts to investigate the degree of Adoption of cost and management accounting techniques in Selected Manufacturing companies in and around Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Further, factors affecting the adoption of those techniques were examined. Finally, the perceived effect of adopting these techniques on the company's operating efficiency and financial performance were evaluated. In doing so, Descriptive and explanatory research design were used for achieving multi-dimensional objectives of this study. Simple Proportional Allocation stratified sampling Technique was employed for determining the sample size from each stratum of manufacturing firms. Total sample of 91 manufacturing firms in and around Addis Ababa were included in this study & structured survey Questionnaires were distributed to each of them. Consequently, 65 usable Questionnaires were collected back and used for analysis and discussion of results. The finding of this study revealed that, currently selected Ethiopian manufacturing firms in study area are gradually adopting cost and management accounting techniques. The widely adopted cost and management accounting tool was budgeting control techniques with weighted mean average of 3.94 and standard deviation of .634. Throughput accounting was the least adopted techniques by respondent firms. Further, multiple regression model analysis result indicated that, 80.8% of variation in adoption of cost and management accounting techniques by manufacturing firms in and around Addis Ababa was explained by factors included in the model. finally, finding of this study indicated that, there was significant effect of adopting cost and management accounting techniques on sample manufacturing firms operating efficiency and financial performance. The researcher recommended the management of Ethiopian manufacturing firms to give due consideration for adoption and implementation of sophisticated cost and management accounting techniques since it helps them to compete successfully and improve overall performance of their organization.


ABSTRACT
Hemangiopericytoma is a mesenchymal neoplasm that derives from pericytes surrounding the capillaries presenting overexpression of PSMA, which can be a source of pitfall in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. We reported 2 cases with recurrent hemangiopericytoma grade III with high expression of 68Ga-PSMA-11 in PET/CT. Based on the performed examination, one of them received targeted α-therapy with the IV injection of 225Ac-PSMA-617.


Pluripotency is defined as the ability to develop into all tissues of the adult organism. In vivo, pluripotency exists only transiently in early embryogenesis. Despite its transience, remarkably, the pluripotent state can be stably maintained in vitro. While originally thought to exist stably in one state, pluripotency has recently been demonstrated to exist in at least two states; states defined by their distinct transcriptional networks and the extrinsic signals that maintain these networks. These extrinsic cues are provided either exogenously or endogenously in an autocrine or paracrine manner by the local microenvironment, or niche, composed of a heterogenous population of neighbouring cells. One state of pluripotency represents an earlier stage in development (early-stage pluripotency) than the other (primed pluripotency). While the characteristics of and the transitions between the two states are becoming better defined, the specific role of the niche remains poorly understood. Using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) as models of early-stage and primed pluripotency, respectively, we demonstrate the influence of the stem cell niche in driving the reversion of EpiSCs.


Climate changes recorded changes in the composition and geographic redistribution of ecosystems in Algeria. This situation has resulted in a shift towards the north of the arid zones, until then confined between the Sahara and the high cereal plains (Haffaf et al., 2003). Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is one of the most cultivated cereals in the Mediterranean basin, where drought is a limiting factor for its production (Royo et al., 1998). It is mostly grown under rainfed conditions, where drought and heat stress usually constrain yield potential during the grain filling period (Simane et al., 1993). Drought tolerance is the ability to which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions (Ashraf, 2010). The terms 'Drought' and 'Water Deficit' are badly used between them, the term 'drought' should be used much more to describe environmental or agronomic situations, on the other hand that the term 'water deficit' is the preferred Art ic le History RECEIVED on 02nd December 2020 RECEIVED in revised form 26th February 2021 ACCEPTED in final form 23rd April 2021 Durum wheat, drought, drought tolerance indices, semiarid, Algeria


For Her Dark Skin is the first of Percival Everett's takes on classical myth. At first reading, this parodic rewriting of the legend of Medea may not have the poetic and philosophical depth of Frenzy, Glyph, or The Water Cure, which respectively revisit Euripides' Bacchae, the figure of the trickster-god Hermes, and Pre-Socratic philosophy. Yet, as often with Everett's more reader-friendly novels, simplicity can be deceptive. For Her Dark Skin initiates a pattern that the following works will develop at leisure: a narrative exploration of the confrontation of the West, from its earliest moments of selfconscious identification in Ancient Greek culture, with its Other. As a matter of fact, all the figures that act as starting-points for these textual revisions are more of less outsiders: Medea is a dark barbarian princess brought to the Peloponnesus; Dionysus, an embodiment of foreignness and strangeness, heavily associated with Asia; Hermes, a newcomer who had to trick his way into the highly selective club of the Olympians; and most pre-Socratic philosophers hailed from either Asia Minor or Sicily, the colonial margins of the Greek world. If the complex narrative that is myth can be subdivided into shorter units of meaning called "mythemes", here are the main mythemes of the Jason-and-Medea cycle featured in the novel: Jason and the Argonauts embark on a quest for the Golden Fleece in Colchis; with divine assistance, they secure Medea's help; she flees with them, and is married to Jason; in Corinth, where they have found refuge, Jason wants to marry Creusa, daughter to king Creon; Medea's jealousy has her send the princess a poisoned dress and crown that kill her and her father; she then murders her own children to feast on Jason's despair. Medea's apotheosis, in which she is carried away in a dragon-drawn chariot sent by her grandfather Helios, the Sun-god, is not featured in For Her Dark Skin. Everett's version reconfigures a long literary tradition, the cornerstones of which are The Argonautica, written in the 3 Century B.C., in Greek epic verse, by Alexandrine poet Apollonius Rhodius; Euripides' tragedy Medea, first produced in 431 B.C.; and Roman poet-philosopher Seneca's tragedy with the same title (63-64 A.D.). Due to the hazards of conservation and transmission, the only extant version of the epic first part of the cycle, the Argonautica, is paradoxically posterior to Euripides' rendition of the second part. The symbolic matrix of Everett's revision may well be encapsulated in this depiction of Jason and Medea's wedding ceremony, in the words of their friend Polydeuces: "Side by side, they were a parody of something. Jason wore white robes. Medea, black. The contrast was startling, comical, tragic, prophetic" (FHDS 58). This


Although long-acting antipsychotics are widely used in individuals with psychotic disorders, it is unclear which long-acting preparation should be considered as first-line treatment in clinical practice. In this commentary, the main strengths and weaknesses of a recently published pragmatic randomised study comparing long-acting paliperidone palmitate v. long-acting haloperidol decanoate are briefly analysed.


The dichotomy between texts for men and women leads to various Islamic interpretations of gender which are absolute, sexist, and preserving various violence against women. This dichotomy also gave birth to a dominative culture, from one sex to another, hegemonic, and ultimately destructive. This is where the significance of Faqihuddin's thinking which provides a new method in understanding Islamic texts for the sake of reforming the rules of Islamic interpretation with gender equality perspective. This study aims to describe the new methodology of Tafsir of Faqihuddinn's progressive thinking, namely Mubadalah. This research uses a qualitative methodology with a descriptive approach. The results showed that (1) Mubadalah is a method of interpreting texts with reciprocal perspective. Text intended for men can refer to women, as well as texts for women also include men. As long as the message from the text is general and includes both sexes; (2) Faqihuddin's method of Mubadalah's used Stephen R. Covey's Interdependence psychology theory to explain the importance of mutual understanding in a relationship between couples; (3) The philosophical basis of the concept of Mubadalah is monotheism (Tauhid). The sentence "lā ilāha illallāh" proclaims that God is the only Essence worthy of absolute worship and obedience and fellow human beings should not be one god over another, including in this case, men are not at all the main reference for women. Tauhid demands a reciprocal social system, equality, mutual assistance and cooperation; and (4) Mubadalah can be used for all texts and realities, not even just religious texts, because the reality of life can never be separated from the identity of men and women. As long as the principle and the value of confusion are believed, the method can be applied.


This article presents the results of the multidisciplinary project "Experiencia 360°" developed at the School of Computing Engineering of the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC). This project was developed applying an action research methodology that used games as a tool for strengthening socio-emotional skills (soft skills) with students in their third year of a university baccalaureate program. The methodology developed and the results achieved are presented. This project constitutes a first approach to the construction of a specific strategy aiming at developing socio-emotional skills in students following the Computing Engineering program, so that the results obtained can become the input for the development of a systematic process of multidisciplinary and innovative work that promotes students' comprehensive education for their suitable professional incorporation in work environments.


We show that the bovid-associated parasite Trypanosoma evansi is endemic in Vietnam and has zoonotic potential. Our study describes the first laboratory-confirmed human case of T. evansi in a previously healthy individual without apolipoprotein L1 deficiency.


Building upon Magni (2011)'s approach, we propose a new rate of return measuring a project's economic profitability. It is called the intrinsic rate of return (IROR). It is defined as the ratio of project return to project's intrinsic value. The IROR approach decomposes the NPV into project scale and economic efficiency. In particular, NPV is found as the product of the project's total invested capital and the excess rate of return, obtained as the difference between the IROR and the minimum attractive rate of return (MARR). This approach provides correct project ranking and is capable of managing time-varying costs of capital. In case of levered projects, shareholder value creation is captured by the equity IROR, which we call Intrinsic Return On Equity (IROE) (net income divided by total equity capital invested). If the project is unlevered, the IROE and the IROR lead to the same decision; if the project is levered, and the nominal value of debt is not equal to the market value of debt, the IROE should be preferred to project IROR.


Levels and efficiency of health services financing in fragile, conflict and violence (FCV) countries are significantly low. FCV countries face more challenges in each of the health financing domains namely resource mobilization and pooling, resource allocation, purchasing, and service provision. This note discusses the issues and solutions around generating and pooling financial resources and maximizing the efficiency of existing money (purchasing).


This examination of women's voluntary associations in North Carolina between 1880 and 1930, describes how they: explored the ideal of southern femininity; shaped public policy; brought about social reform; and created a feminine role in politics even before they were enfranchised.


An on-line statics course will be described. This course has evolved over time to be run from the Internet using Web browsers and standard software. The course Web site (www.eod.gvsu.edu) contains a complete set of course notes, student pages, additional materials and references. Problem solutions are available here in electronic form (for Mathcad and Working Model). Students submit all their work during the term and post results to their Web pages. Homework is marked and returned electronically. The only activity still using paper is examinations. Special attention is given to how a beginner would develop and run a new or existing Web based course.


Technological developments in glass today are based on increased laboratory research on the nature of the glass-making process, and the use of such tools as phase equilibrium diagrams and petrographic methods. Colorants and their effects upon glass are discussed. The relative protective effect of different colors of commercial glasses indicates the superiority of amber. Glass durability is indicated as having been a problem now under control. Strength is discussed as the most important factor. Automatic inspection for elimination of defects, increased use of coatings for surface protection, better container designs for more efficient use of available material, and new surface treatments indicate a good probability of increased glass strength.


Genetic Programming (GP) is a dynamic field of research where empirical testing plays an important role in validating new ideas and algorithms. The ability to easily prototype new algorithms by reusing key components and quickly obtain results is therefore important for the researcher. In this paper we introduce Operon, a C++ GP framework focused on performance, modularity and usability, featuring an efficient linear tree encoding and a scalable concurrency model where each logical thread is responsible for generating a new individual. We model the GP evolutionary process around the concept of an offspring generator, a streaming operator that defines how new individuals are obtained. The approach allows different algorithmic variants to be expressed using high-level constructs within the same generational basic loop. The evaluation routine supports both scalar and dual numbers, making it possible to calculate model derivatives via automatic differentiation. This functionality allows seamless integration with gradient-based local search approaches. We discuss the design choices behind the proposed framework and compare against two other popular GP frameworks, DEAP and HeuristicLab. We empirically show that Operon is competitive in terms of solution quality, while being able to generate results significantly faster.


A recording medium, a recording and reproducing method for the recording medium, and an apparatus therefor are provided to use control information when recording and reproducing information in and from the recording medium. A recording medium has a data area and a management area. User data are recorded in the data area. The management area includes control information for recording and reproducing information in and from the data area. The management area includes a plurality of the first recording units and a plurality of the second recording units. The control information is included in a plurality of the first recording units. A plurality of the first recording units is grouped to form a plurality of the second recording units. The control information includes number information of the continuous second recording units among a plurality of the second recording units.


The three major elements of N,H,K in the N+H=K cognitive formula are further studied and the "Existing-State Spectrum of Cognized Object Na,Nb,Nc,Nd" as well as the "Existing-State Spectrum of Cognizer Ha,Hb,Hc,Hd" are constructed.As a typical case of research,the deep structural theoretical defects exposed by the suspending "infinite" paradoxes and debates in the foundation of mathematics are further studied and their natures are disclosed from the angle of new "knowledge-science" cognitive theory.


Abstract A study was performed on stone groundwood (SGW) pulps produced on a pilot scale. The behaviour of selected juvenile and mature Norway spruce wood samples was investigated. As revealed by standard tests, sheets formed from juvenile wood showed improved light scattering properties, improved tear and tensile strength, and higher sheet density compared to those formed from mature wood. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the differences are likely related to the manner of fibre processing and development at the ultrastructural level. Mature wood fibres showed greater fibre end breakage, a smaller long-fibre fraction, enhanced S1 fibrillation and frequently open fibres. In contrast, juvenile fibres had a 14% higher long-fibre fraction and showed typical S2 fibrillation. Fibre development of juvenile wood showed fibrillation features similar to those previously reported for thermomechanical pulp fibres. In both cases, the structural hierarchy of the wood fibre cell wall and the microfibril angle of S2 and S1 layers govern cell-wall splitting and fibrillation progression. The superior quality of the fibre furnish prepared from juvenile fibres compared to mature fibres with SGW pulping may offer an alternative process for more effective utilisation of raw materials such as top logs rich in juvenile wood.


Harmonious society is human common wish and nice ideal.In Chinese and Western ethics,the mainstream thoughts seek a society harmonious.The mainstream Chinese traditional thought is Confucian harmonious philosophy represented by Kongzi.Harmonious society is one where contradictions and conflicts exist and also can be faced squarely and resolved.The ideal harmonious society is a community where one develops freely constitutes the conditions on which others develop freely.


The future of scientific journals in Latin America is uncertain. The inability to calculate bibliometric indicators to classify and homologate journals according to globally-used quartiles reduces journal visibility. For instance, Colombian journals classified in the National Bibliographic Database Publindex (BBNP) under categories A1, A2, B and C, have low rates of indexing in international databases, such as Web of Science or Scopus, thus limiting the estimation of bibliometric indicators for comparison at an international level. In this case study, articles published between 2003 and 2007 were taken from 211 journals selected from the BBNP- 2008. Using Google Scholar, Publish or Perish software and the Scopus database, impact and productivity indicators were quantified and compared creating a regional ranking (Q1-Q4). They were subsequently homologated internationally with the Scimago Journal Ranking (SJR). The h index proved the best indicator to generate the ranking of 170 Colombian journals based on quartiles (Q1-Q4) able to be homologated with SJR quartiles. We propose this methodology for classifying and homologating Latin American journals that are not indexed internationally, as a useful tool for publishers, publishing houses, information agencies and public policy decision-makers concerning education, science and technology, both regionally and globally.


Cognitive psychologists commonly strive to infer processes/constructs from chronometric data. In this regard, diffusion modeling of response times (RTs) from correct and erroneous responses using the Wiener distribution has become popular because it provides a set of interpretable parameters. An important precondition to estimate these parameters, however, is a sufficient number of RTs from erroneous responses. In the present article, we show by simulation that the parameters of the Wiener distribution can even be recovered from tasks yielding very high or even perfect response accuracies using the shifted Wald distribution. Specifically, we argue that error RTs can be considered as correct RTs that have undergone informative censoring. Such censoring can be accounted for by techniques of survival analyses that should also be applied whenever task trials are experimentally terminated prior to response execution. We illustrate our reasoning by fitting the Wiener and censored shifted Wald distribution to RTs from 101 participants who completed a Go/No-go task. In accordance with our simulations, Wiener and shifted Wald modeling yielded the same parameter estimates when the number of erroneous responses was predicted to be low. Moreover, the modeling of error RTs as censored correct RTs improved the parameter plausibility with narrow response time windows. Finally, we investigate the relation between the number of RTs and the precision of parameter estimates from Wiener and censored shifted Wald modeling, and provide R code for the convenient application of the outlined analytical procedures.


This study compared the relative efficacy of two different rehabilitation programmes (one with and one without the Edinburgh Heart Manual) on psychosocial outcome following a first myocardial infarction (MI). A six-month longitudinal design was used to assess changes in the following variables: Locus of control, significant other support, illness perceptions, anxiety, depression and generalized self-efficacy. These variables were also used to predict general practitioner (GP) contact and hospital admissions in the six months following the MI. Patients receiving the manual (N = 45) reported stronger beliefs in their ability to control the illness (p< 0.05) and less depression (p< 0.01) at follow-up, compared with patients receiving a hospital-based exercise and education programme (N = 25). There was no significant difference between the two groups on GP contact and hospital admissions in the six months after the MI. Baseline anxiety predicted GP contact in the six months post-MI (p< 0.001).


Toronto, Edinburgh: seems a new congregation has Assembled and asked for a church, so a telegram comes Begging some frost-rimed capital for clergy. Deacons And Elders in grosgrain robes slide cards with inked names Across a time-stained table, sending tragic Cecil Poole To Seoul; Donald Bohlin, frail and ill-married To the mission at Kieta in the Solomons Where the Methodists will abstract him As they have the native schools and palm-roofed clinics, Being, as the Bishops never see them, Mythic as the first breath drawn by Adam.


A study of the fluorescence characteristics, net photosynthetic rate, and dark respiration of nine species of intertidal macroalgae, from three divisions and from different positions on a rocky shore on the east coast of Scotland, was carried out to address the following questions: (i) Do algae at different positions along the shore respond differently to the stresses at these positions in terms of photosynthetic efficiency, net photosynthetic rate, and respiration, when fully hydrated? (ii) Do algal species at different positions respond differently, in terms of function, to desiccation, and can these responses be correlated with tolerance or intolerance to desiccation in terms of recovery? The present study demonstrated that algal species that occur higher on the shore have greater photosynthetic rates, respiration rates, maximum fluorescence / initial fluorescence ratios, and photosynthetic efficiencies while fully hydrated than do species that live lower on the shore. These findings point towards an i...


This paper presents the first field trials carried out in Spain to test HDTV reception using DVB-T and DVB-T2 systems. High definition and standard definition digital television contents and services were multiplexed and broadcasted from a terrestrial transmitter. The aim of these trials was to analyze DVB-T2 technology when this system is configured according to the needs of terrestrial HDTV broadcasting and to compare the results with DVB-T technology in terms of CNR requirements and achieved data rate. Field measurements were carried out in different scenarios and reception conditions. The study presented in this paper is focused on fixed reception, Gaussian channel, because it is the expected reception condition for HDTV.


The appearance of the Indian on South African soil dates back to the days of the Dutch East India Company, when Indians were captured in India and sold as slaves to the settlers who were determined to establish a "half way house" at the Cape. Thereafter, Indians came to Natal, a province in South Africa, as indentured laborers. These were followed by the "free Indians" who settled in South Africa as traders and merchants. That this discussion deems it necessary to describe these "Indian foreigners" as the other finds justification in the reflection that they were treated as objects and merely considered in terms of their utilitarian value. The history of the period of slavery, indentureship, and apartheid discloses the painful existence of the Indian on South African soil. In tracing the history and condition of the Indian in South Africa, the evolutionary nature of the perception and labeling of the other is considered in the times of slavery, then during the time of indenture, then in the Gandhian and postGandhian time, and finally in the postdemocratic era. It is the specific task in this essay to arrive at the basic tenet that negates the concept of the "other" and compels us to embrace the fundamental principle of existence that everything— animate and inanimate— has the same source or, should one prefer, the same Creator. The case of the South African Indian is singularly interesting in that one is able to distinguish the "self " and the "other" most conspicuously and, in so doing, to find the truism that it is fallacious to contemplate existence in


In this article,studied the correlation aspect research advancement of overseas in information accomplishment.By carrying on the statistics to our country scholar's research content,analyzed the key and direction of information accomplishment research of our country scholar in recent years and proposed the key point that should be researched in the future.


the novel One-dimensional chain structure of the title cluster compound was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis,IR spectra,TGA and X-ray single-crystal diffraction.The title cluster compound crystallized in a monoclinic system with space group C2/c,a=1.2656 nm,b=2.20656(4)nm,c=2.26763(4)nm,β= 92.078°,V=6.32852(16)nm3,Z=4,Dc= 3.801 g/cm3,μ=2.271 mm-1,F(000)=6512,R1=0.0549,wR2=0.1087.The structure building block of the structure is the polyanion [-with α-Keggin structure.The clusters were linked together with one-dimensional infinite chain through cations.The cations and water molecules were filled in the structure.The cluster compound was expanded to three-dimensional framework by hydrogen bond interactions among molecules.


Often, component-based real-time systems are modeled with trigger and data chains. The end-to-end timing requirements on trigger chains are different from those on data chains. For a trigger chain, the interest lies in the calculation of holistic response time and its comparison with end-to-end deadline. Whereas, the schedulability of a data chain requires a comparison between its end-to-end latencies and corresponding deadlines. We discuss the problem of translating end-to-end timing requirements unambiguously from component-based real-time systems into timing analysis models which are required as input by the analysis tools. We also provide preliminary guidelines for such translations in the existing industrial tool suite.


Customer satisfaction is highly essential and evitable for the smooth functioning of an organization having public dealing and responsibilities. It depends on several factors like tangibility, reliability, assurance, superior service quality, empathy etc. This paper studied the various aspects of customer satisfaction, causes, reason, its impacts in telecom sector with suggestions.


This paper proposes extensions of the idea of shared prosperity and inclusive development. It explores dynamic growth linkages between mean income, inequality and social welfare, on the one hand, and different labor ingredients and income sources, on the other. We propose a new decomposition method that quantifies the contributions to the shared growth patterns observed labor market performance such as unemployment and participation rates, returns to schooling, hourly wages and hours worked.


I am particularly happy to be given this opportunity of commemorating Dr. Parkes Weber, since I was one of the many young dermatologists to experience personally the benefit of his immense erudition and his kindly eagerness to share it. I met him in 1947 on the first occasion that I presented a case at a meeting in London; he introduced himself and told me much about the condition that I ought to have known, and on many subsequent occasions he helped me with suggestions or with references. So far as I can discover, none of Parkes Weber's writings is concerned primarily with hair, but I hope he would have enjoyed this hesitant excursion of a physician into the realms of comparative physiology. For, although the aim of this lecture is to provide an account of our present knowledge of endocrine influences on hair growth in man, it must lean very heavily on experimental and clinical observations in other mammals. Many of the aspects of hair growth of greatest clinical significance, notably the cyclic activity of the individual follicle, are essentially similar in all species investigated, including man, yet although the main events of the hair cycle have been known for over thirty years they have generally been ignored by clinical endocrinologists, and, until recently, by most dermatologists. Some aspects of the endocrine control of hair growth, on the other hand, while conforming to the same general pattern, show sufficient species variation to impose great caution in applying to man observations in subprimate mammals. However, such observations can both provide us with valuable working hypotheses and suggest the experimental procedures by which they may be tested.


This selection of key extracts from novels, short stories and poems aims to chart Lawrence's "savage pilgrimage" to that last uncharted territory, "the heart of man". The illustrations include paintings and drawings by Lawrence himself.


The Distinguishing of fog or haze in urban areas has become more and more pressing.The occurrence of Haze is an important indicator of air quality,while the observation of fog often implies certain weather.Usually when air is saturated with water vapor over planar surface,it is still unsaturated around spheric surface,thus cloud/fog droplet will evaporate.Given the unchanged water vapor,the droplet will shrink due to evaporation,which increases the balancing water vapor pressure,and hence accelerates the evaporation.In the unsaturated air,fog/cloud droplets smaller than several microns will definitely vaporize.With smaller diameter and larger curvature,evaporation becomes faster.It was a common mistake to think that condensation nuclei can help fog droplet to form even under low relative humidity condition,which ignores the curvature effect of the particle,and simply applies the moist absorption property of large particle(milemeter scale) to fine particle of sub-micron scale.Cooling to saturation is an important process for fog droplet formation and fog is a visible signature of low-temperature saturated air parcel.Since there exists condensation or deposition inside,the accompanying latent heat release warms up the fog layer and produces weak updraft,which can not be found inside the haze layer.These macro dynamics conditions are vital to distinguishing the fog or haze.By statistical analysis of the observational data,excluding the cases of precipitation,snow drift,snowstorm,sand storm,sand dust,and smoke fog etc which cause low visibility,the authors tuned the threshold of relative humidity to identify fog/light fog making it follow natural annual and decadal climate variations,and haze which can reflect the trends linked to human activities.The value of 90% turns out to be the proper threshold,which is close to the one proposed by researchers from America and England when it comes to the impact of haze on visibility.Haze days have dramatically increased since 1980s,most of which are due to the human activity related pollutions of aerosol fine particles.Finally this paper proposes a conceptual model to distinguish fog or haze,standards for observation of fog and haze and the criteria for issuing the haze warning signal as well as some operational product introductions.


The leading cause of death in young adults in India is trauma and acute blood loss contributes to a large portion of mortality in the early post-trauma period. Massive transfusion [MT] is used for the treatment of uncontrolled haemorrhage. Damage control strategy concept utilised in trauma management is due to the recognition of lethal triad of coagulopathy, hypothermia and acidosis occurring in trauma. Recent experience with managing polytrauma victims from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has led to a few significant changes in clinical practice. Simultaneously, transfusion practices in the civilian settings have also been extensively studied retrospectively and prospectively in the last decade. Haemostatic resuscitation has evolved with increased use of plasma and platelet transfusions in an attempt to maintain coagulation, antifibrinolytic drugs like tranexamic acid, recombinant factor VIIa as an adjunct to the treatment of dilutional and consumptive coagulopathy, and a reduction in the use of isotonic crystalloid resuscitation. Early definitive control of lifethreatening haemorrhage has significantly improved patient outcomes. MT protocols have been developed to simplify and standardize transfusion practices at foreign countries but unfortunately there is no systematic predefined protocol followed at many centres in India to address this situation today. The authors of recent studies have advocated a 1:1:1 ratio of packed RBCs to fresh frozen plasma to platelet transfusions in patients requiring massive transfusion, and this has been associated with decreased mortality in recent reports from combat and civilian trauma. Third year resident department of Accident, Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Medical College & Hospitals, Vinayaka Mission University, Sankari Main Road [NH-47], Veerapondi-Post, Salem-636308, Tamilnadu,India. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Head of Department, Dept of Accident, Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Medical College & Hospitals, Vinayaka Mission University, Sankari Main Road [NH-47], Veerapondi-Post, Salem-636308, Tamilnadu,India. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Head of the Department, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Medical College & Hospitals, Vinayaka Mission University, Sankari Main Road [NH-47], Veerapondi-Post, Salem-636308, Tamilnadu,India. Email address email@example.com The Vinayaka Mission Hospital [VMH] multispecialty team has collaboratively formulated the multiple transfusion protocol [MTP] for exsanguinating trauma victims with the objective as to how to create this protocol, to identify which group of patients this type of protocol should be applied and describe the extensive coordination required to implement this multispecialty MTP.


This job shows the possible causes by some Colombian towns cannot legally use their own resources to create a State Social Company, which could offer health service in his town and be part of the Decentralized State Model; taking into account those towns have economic and financial capacity and also the political own way from the local manager.


Groundwater-soil solution-vegetation form close correlation system under arid environment in northwest China.This paper studied this system by sampling soil solution and chemical analysis under different conditions.The result is soil solution mineralization has close relationship with Na+,far correlativity with HCO-3.Irrigation is most important for vegetation growth in this area.


Regression models for model output statistics (MOS) based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator methods were developed to forecast next‐day maximum surface air temperature (TMAX) during the warm season in South Korea. The forecast fields from the operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) system of the Korean Meteorological Administration for global and local forecasts and the observed TMAX data in 225 observation stations were used as input variables for the MOS. The training period was July and August (JA) from 2015 to 2018, and the regression models were tested using data from JA 2019. As a result of hindcasting for the test period, the MOS models performed significantly better for next‐day TMAX forecasting over South Korea than the numerical models during JA 2019. The mean TMAX errors were reduced by over 1°C in MOSs compared to those in the numerical models. However, the TMAX forecast performance was generally lower in the higher‐resolution NWP Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System (LDAPS)‐based MOS (LMOS) than in the lower‐resolution NWP Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS)‐based MOS. This pattern was dominant when LDAPS simulated the TMAX more accurately than average. In particular, the random TMAX error of LDAPS was larger than that of GDAPS during the training period, and a positive random error of TMAX was magnified in LMOS. Because the other predictors forecasted from LDAPS can be associated with lower TMAX forecast performance of LMOS, in addition to TMAX effects as a predictor, a new MOS was developed using both LDAPS and GDAPS outputs. The forecast accuracy was improved by up to 0.3°C when the forecast fields from the GDAPS substituted several LMOS predictors, even though TMAX was the primary predictor for LMOS.


The successful application of single‐lead VDD pacing during the last few years has generated the idea of single‐lead DDD pacing. Preliminary data from several single‐lead VDD studies attempting to pace the atrium by a floating atrial dipole are unsatisfactory, causing an unacceptably high current drain of the device. We studied the feasibility as well as the short‐ and long‐term stability of atrioventricular sequential pacing, using a new single‐pass, tined DDD lead. In eight consecutive patients (age 73 ± 16 years) with symptomatic higher degree A V block and intact sinus node function, this new single‐pass DDD lead was implanted in combination with a DDDR pacemaker. Correct VDD and DDD function was studied at implantation; at discharge; and at 1,3, and 6 months of follow‐up. At implant, the atrial stimulation threshold was 0.6 ± 0.1 V/0.5 ms. During follow‐up, the atrial pacing thresholds in different everyday positions averaged 2.1 ± 0.5 V at discharge, 2.9 ± 0.5 V at 1 month, 3.8 ± 0.4 V at 3 months, and 3.4 ± 0.4 V at 6 months (pulse width always 0.5 ms). The measured P wave amplitude at implantation was 4.5 ± 2.2 mV; during follow‐up the telemetered atrial sensitivity thresholds averaged 2.1 ± 0.3 mV. Phrenic nerve stimulation at high output pacing (5.0 V/0.5 ms) was observed in three (38%) patients at discharge and in one (13%) patient during follow‐up; an intermittent unmeasurable atrial lead impedance at 3 and 6 months follow‐up was documented in one (13%) patient. This study confirms the possibility of short‐and long‐term DDD pacing using a single‐pass DDD lead. Since atrial stimulation thresholds are still relatively high compared to conventional dual‐lead DDD pacing, further improvements of the atrial electrodes are desirable, enabling lower pacing thresholds and optimizing energy requirements as well as minimizing the potential disadvantage of phrenic nerve stimulation.


Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been linked to well-being, quality-of-life and health disparities. We aim to investigate, 1) To classify adults based on their SDOH characteristics, and 2) To examine association between SDOH classes and sleep health.

 This study used 2020 National Health Interview Survey data (n=31,568). SDOH was captured by health insurance, well-visits, delayed medical care, neighborhood walkability, social support, food insecurity, food stamp, poverty, and education. Sleep health was captured by: 1) Sleep quantity (hours): very short (< 5), short (5-6), normal (7-8), and long (≥9); 2) Sleep quality: trouble falling asleep or staying asleep; 3) Sleep medication, 4) Feeling well-rested, and 5) Fatigue. Latent class analysis generated a 3-class model with a gradient on all SDOH characteristics. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to examine associations between adverse' SDOH classes and sleep health, with Class 1 (lowest probability of adverse' SDOH), as reference category.

 Adults in Class 3 were 36% more likely to have short sleep than normal sleep. Classes 2 and 3 were 16% and 24% more likely to have trouble falling asleep on "some days"; 26% and 40% more likely on "most days"; and 28% and 77% more likely every day than never. Classes 2 and 3 were 22% and 23% more likely to have trouble staying asleep on "some days"; 36% and 35% more likely on "most days"; and 48% and 77% more likely every day than never. Class 2 was 19% more likely to take sleep medications on "some days" and 25% more likely every day than never. Classes 2 and 3 were 26% and 86% more likely to never feel well-rested; 30% and 60% more likely to feel well-rested on "some days" than every day. Classes 2 and 3 were 17% and 49% more likely to feel fatigued on "some days"; 43% and 99% more likely on "most days"; 55% and twice as likely to feel fatigued every day than never.

 Adverse SDOH are associated with worsened unhealthy sleep. Further research is needed for the implementation of interventions to improve sleep health among marginalized groups more impacted by adverse SDOH.

 G1-5524901


Classical finite element simulations face the problems of losing uniqueness and strain localization when the strain softening of materials is involved. Thus, when using continuum damage model or plasticity softening model, numerical convergence will not be obtained with the refinement of the finite element discretization when strain localization occurs. Gradient-enhanced softening and non-local continua models have been proposed by several researchers in order to solve this problem. In such approaches, high-order spatial gradients of state variables are incorporated in the macroscopic constitutive equations. However, when dealing with complex heterogeneous materials, a direct simulation of the macroscopic structures is unreachable, motivating the development of non-local homogenization schemes. In this work, a non-local homogenization procedure is proposed for fiber reinforced materials. In this approach, the fiber is assumed to remain linear elastic while the matrix material is modeled as elasto-plastic coupled with a damage law described by a non-local constitutive model. Toward this end, the mean-field homogenization is based on the knowledge of the macroscopic deformation tensors, internal variables and their gradients, which are applied to a micro- structural representative volume element (RVE). Macro-stress is then obtained from a homogenization process.


Recently, several Vorkers have investigated the effects of solar flares upon the cosmic-ray intensity by means of Chree's analysis or the method of superposition. An apparent contradiction exists among their conclusions. This brief note is intended to point out a possible interpretation for these discrepancies in terms of the selection of data used in their analyses.

According to the Chree analysis done by Towle and Lockwood [1959], and Ghielmetti, Anderson, Cardoso, Manzano, Roederer, and Santochi [1960], no significant increase in cosmicray intensity with solar flares is detected during the period from 1956 to 1957, and from July 1957 to August 1958, respectively. On the other hand, Kolomeets [1959] found significant increases at four stations in Europe for the period of several months in 1957.


Mediastinal anatomy is well depicted by MRI. This article discusses the role of thoracic MRI in evaluating mediastinal, parenchymal, and pleural abnormalities in children. It is particularly useful in the evaluation of vascular anomalies and assessment of intraspinal extension of neuroblastoma and can obviate other, more invasive, studies.


Overview 3 T A P is a tableau-based theorem prover for many-valued rst-order logics with sorts (in the two-valued version with equality); it is implemented in Prolog. This paper gives an overview of the system with a special focus on the new features of 3 T A P Version 4.0, including: eecient completion-based equality reasoning , methods for handling redundant axiom sets, utilization of pragmatic information contained in axioms to rearrange the search space, and a graphical user interface for controlling 3 T A P and visualizing its output. 3 T A P has been developed at the University of Karlsruhe. In 1989 the project started in cooperation with the Institute for Knowledge Based Systems of IBM Germany. Since 1992 the system is maintained and improved as part of a new project at the University of Karlsruhe funded by the Deutsche Forschungsge-meinschaft (DFG). 3 T A P is able to handle full rst-order logics with any nite number of truth values. Hierarchical (tree-shaped) sorts attached to terms are supported. In the two-valued case, special handling of the equality predicate is provided. Currently , versions for classical rst-order logic, for a certain three-valued rst-order logic 18] and for a seven-valued propositional logic 11] are speciied. It is possible either to prove a theorem or to try to check the consistency of the axioms. The user speciies the input as a set of axioms and theorems contained in a knowledge base le; the formulae do not have to be in any normal form. \if-then" and \if-then-else" connectives can occur in the input to rearrange the search space such as to reeect their particular pragmatics, that diiers from material implication. Furthermore, an ordering on constant and function symbols can be speciied in the knowledge base. Problems from the TPTP problem library 20] can be directly loaded. They are automatically converted into 3 T A P format.


This paper reports on how the advent of optofluidics has made the development of a new breed of miniaturized, adaptable, low-power optical devices possible. These optical devices incorporate liquid lenses with the shape-changing properties of the human eye and use microelectronic or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to control their shape. Several companies including Varioptic, Philips and Lucent Technologies are now working on offering digital cameras with optical systems that feature liquid autofocus lenses. Beyond using liquid as a focusing element, researchers are also studying how this optofluidics can be applied to the so-called lab on a chip device. They believe that fluidics have potential as the basis for building versatile, easily adaptable systems. However, they first need to develop new fabrication techniques and address the issue of chemical compatibility of fluidics with solid structures and long-term stability.


Artemisia sieberi Besser occurs in many parts of the Irano-Turanian floristic region, which is mostly distributed throughout the Iranian plateau, especially in Iran. This study aimed to identify the effect of the soil and topography variables on A. sieberi distribution. We used canopy cover data to fit models using generalized additive models (GAMs). The results showed that the response pattern of A. sieberi along with the gradient of soil clay, soil saturation moisture, soil nitrogen and soil acidity followed the monotonic increase model, and its canopy cover percentage augmented by increasing the values of the factors. Conversely, the A. sieberi canopy cover percentage decreased by increasing the amount of soil sand, bare soil and the geographic aspect. The A. sieberi responses are in contrast to the niche theory. The relationship between the species response pattern and the gradients of soil silt, soil salinity, lime percentage, organic carbon, altitude, land slope, litter, gravel percentage, stone percentage, mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature followed a unimodal model (consistent with the niche theory). The optimal growth limits for these factors were 32%, 1.75 ds/m, 35%, 1.3%, 2000 m, 43%, 10%, 32%, 250 mm and 15 °C, respectively. Our results highlight that environmental factors, such as soil texture, amount of soil lime, mean annual precipitation, altitude and land slope, had quantifiable effects on the performance of A. sieberi. Our findings could provide useful information for improvement, restoration and conservation programs. However, a further comprehension of the species–environment relationship is needed to predict the effects of climate change on the species habitat.


Call center staff is a staff who work in providing repair or servicing services by telephone. This staff is in charge of explaining the solutions to be carried out by the company in obtaining answers. Call center staff must have a good temperament and smart. In getting good staff, companies can use a decision support system with the VIKOR method to select and select these staff. Five criteria will be tested in determining the staff. The results of the VIKOR method can help companies find call center staff that match company expectations. The ranking results can determine the level of results of the VIKOR method test on call center staff who are used as candidates or alternatives. By implementing this method, the search for call center staff will be better.